Fiberglass

Boateka Opens Sales and Refurbishment Center in Florida

Boateka, Brunswick Corporation’s certified pre-owned boat business, has opened a fully-integrated refurbishment and sales center in Merritt Island, Fla. The new 22,000-square-foot location is designed to enhance the boat-buying experience and provide continued synergies between Freedom Boat Club, Brunswick Boat Group, Mercury Marine, and Brunswick’s global parts and accessories businesses, the company said.Since its launch in 2021, Boateka has operated from the Brunswick Integrated Manufacturing Center in Central Florida…

Mercury Debuts New 25 and 30hp Four-stroke Outboards

Mercury Marine, a division of Brunswick Corporation, ahs introduced its next generation of 25 and 30hp four-stroke outboards which the manufacturer claims are engineered to be lighter, faster and easier to operate and maintain.These outboards feature a 3-cylinder, 500cc powerhead with electronic fuel injection. For the first time, electric-start models in 25 and 30hp come standard with Mercury SmartCraft digital technologies, allowing boaters to connect to digital gauges and mobile…

Gtechniq Unveils Ceramic Base and Top Coatings

Gtechniq announced today two new premium protective coatings tailored specifically for the marine environment, Marine Ceramic Base and Marine Ceramic Top. The flagship coatings in the Gtechniq Marine product line, Marine Ceramic Base and Marine Ceramic Top ensure a “better than showroom” look after a boat has been detailed and the ability to retain the gloss and color depth an owner expects, according to the manufacturer.Gtechniq’s Ceramic Base forms the new functional surface of the boat by way of a permanent chemical covalent bond to a boat’s gelcoat or topcoat.

PROFILE: Boat-Building Icon Leon Slikkers Retires from Tiara Yachts

In a career that began with building wooden runabouts, Slikkers pioneered sport, sail and pleasure boats..Leon Slikkers, a marine industry pioneer, whose career building boats dates back to the 1940s, is retiring from Tiara Yachts, the company announced. An industry trendsetter who bucked conventional wisdom when it came to building boats out of fiberglass instead of wood, Slikkers, now 93, founded S2 Yachts in 1974. The company initially focused on trailerable sailboats, but…

Abandoned Fiberglas Boats are Harming the Marine Environment

Where do old boats go to die? The cynical answer is they are put on eBay for a few pennies in the hope they become some other ignorant dreamer’s problem.As a marine biologist, I am increasingly aware that the casual disposal of boats made out of fiberglass is harming our coastal marine life. The problem of end-of-life boat management and disposal has gone global, and some island nations are even worried about their already overstretched landfill.The strength and durability of…

Benetti Launches First Diamond 145

Italian shipbuilding and Boat building company Benetti has launched the 44.06-meter superyacht Ink as their first addition to the Diamond 145 range at the Viareggio’s Benetti slipway.The 44-meter-long Class category flagship was given its baptism in the sea at an impressive ceremony in front of hundreds of spectators.Welcoming the Authorities, the public, suppliers and all the company’s workers and office staff, Azimut|Benetti Group President Paolo Vitelli spoke of a spectacular launch."Slipway launches are part of the history of Benetti shipyards.

Honda Marine Announces iST Outboard Sale Date

Honda Marine has announced that the refreshed Honda Marine BF200, BF225, BF250 Intelligent Shift and Throttle (iST) electronically controlled outboard motors now are on sale at Honda Marine dealers nationwide. The mechanically controlled versions of these models have been available since early 2019.Targeting the heart of the boating market, the refreshed Honda BF200, BF225 and BF250 models mark the newest evolution in the company’s product line, integrating innovative design, a sleek new Progressive V Form style…

Shipbuilding: Diversity Drives Derecktor

Derecktor is a diverse boatbuilding organization, with a multitude of yards and long experience building  hundreds of yachts, workboats and military craft. Its shipyards today include:• Robert E. Derecktor: The company headquarters located 25 miles north of Manhattan in Mamaroneck, NY, and the original Derecktor yard. Today, the site remains as the company’s new construction base, and it also provides repair services for a variety of yachts and commercial craft.• Derecktor Robinhood: Located in Riggs Cove…

Regal Boats Recognized by NMMA Again

Regal Boats, a family-owned, award-winning manufacturer of sport boats and yachts, announces their recognition as a recipient of the National Marine Manufacturer Associations’ 2018 Marine Industry Customer Satisfaction Index (CSI) Award. Regal Boats was recognized in five 2018 CSI Award categories, including deck boats, fiberglass outboard boats, inboard express cruisers, sterndrive bowrider boats and sterndrive cuddy and express boats.National Marine Manufacturer Association’s (NMMA) CSI Award honors boat and engine manufacturers who actively measure customer satisfaction and pursue continuous improvement to better serve their customers.

Four Bertrams at Lauderdale Boat Yard

What possible professional encore exists after being mayor of Fort Lauderdale, the yachting capital of the world, for 18 years? Where do you go from there?For Jim Naugle, the choice was obvious. Nicknamed “Mayor Marine” by insiders who saw the city and its boat show boom during his public service in the city’s executive office from 1991 - 2009, Naugle became a managing partner in Lauderdale Boat Yard (LBY), the former Striker aluminum yacht facility on Marine Mile in Fort Lauderdale.

Vintage classics, megayachts wow crowds in Palm Beach

As 700 boat horns blared at 6PM ending the largest Palm Beach International Boat Show ever, this marine journalist's real labor had just begun: choosing which outstanding vessel would be featured in Yachting Journal as belles of the ball.After boarding so many wonderful boats, it is difficult to pick only a few to feature. Many shipyards have built classic cruisers, throwbacks to an earlier time, capturing the hearts of yachting aficionados. If Burger’s Sycara or Kanter’s Bread presses your buttons…

Gulf Craft Unveils Majesty 175

UAE builder Gulf Craft announced that the 54-metre concept Majesty 175 is currently being constructed by UAE builder Gulf Craft at the company’s Umm Al Quwain facility, with her delivery scheduled to the end of 2019.The completion process of the largest yacht “Made in UAE”, is going at a fast pace, said the manufacturer of luxury yachts and fiberglass boats."Originally introduced to the public during the Monaco Yacht Show in 2016, the 54 metres flagship is being built completely at the advanced facility in Umm Al Quwain. Scheduled for delivery by the end of 2019…

Fiberglass Boat Design and Technology Center to Open in Fall 2019

Brunswick Boat Group, a division of Brunswick Corporation (NYSE: BC), has announced plans for the Brunswick Fiberglass Boat Technology Center (BFBTC), the most extensive recreational boat design and technology center in the United States. Located in Edgewater, Florida, the 45,000 square foot facility will be home to the industry’s most formidable boat product development team, with a mission to design, engineer, and launch innovative, industry-leading products for two of the most iconic brands in the marine industry-- Boston…

First All-Electric Luxury Fiberglass Pontoon

ELUX Marine Inc. will launch its new ELUX electric luxury fiberglass pontoon at the Minneapolis Boat Show, January 24-27, 2019, at the Minneapolis Convention Center.The ELUX electric luxury pontoon – a 24’ fiberglass pontoon powered by a 72-volt, 420-amp lithium battery pack propelling a direct drive inboard electric motor at speeds up to 14mph. At cruising speed, the ELUX electric pontoon motors for over 10 hours on a single charge and recharges simply by plugging into a standard electrical outlet.

Polyflake Coatings Protect Against Chemical, Mechanical and Galvanic Corrosion

After several Trinity megayachts experienced degradation of aluminum materials in the sea chest and exhaust piping, Capt. Dirk Sachse looked for a new solution versus cutting out the exhaust and replacing.“There were various theories out there, including galvanic corrosion” said Capt. Sachse, master of M/Y Themis, a 156-Trinity.“We did our own metallurgical tests and it was all 5083, 5086 good quality pipe, just as specified on the drawings. It was verified good stuff, but prone to breaking down under a certain temperature.”Capt.

Malibu Boats Acquires Pursuit Boats

Malibu Boats, Inc., a global manufacturer of recreational fiberglass boats, has announced that it has closed the acquisition of Pursuit Boats.Total consideration for the transaction is $100 million, which was paid with $50 million of cash on hand and $50 million of borrowings under an incremental revolving credit facility that was added to Malibu’s existing credit facility."As a leader in the saltwater outboard fishing segment, Pursuit is an incredible addition to the Malibu family.

Florida’s Panhandle Hammered by Hurricane Michael

Hurricane Michael slammed into Florida’s Panhandle on Wednesday, October 10 as a Category 4 hurricane with maximum sustained winds of 155 mph, the strongest storm ever recorded. Originally forecast as a Category 2, Michael gained far more strength than originally anticipated, putting Panama City on the western side of the eye. Making landfall at Mexico Beach, Michael wreaked havoc and destruction on homes, boats and marinas in its path.With widespread devastation and grid outages across Florida’s Panhandle…

Elegance, Testosterone Dominate M/Y Ironman’s interior

Specializing in one of a kind creations, architectural interior designer Alfred Karram Jr, has never replicated the same design in his 32 year career, although he retained the striking, cool color scheme for M/Y Ironman, his second superyacht for the same private owner.A semi-displacement tri-deck motoryacht manufactured by Benetti in fiberglass and carbon fi-ber, Ironman is 140-feet with a 28-foot beam. “We would never repeat a design on any project,” said Alfred Karram Jr. “Upon delivery of the 125’ Ironman…

Interview: John Canada, President, Ocean5 Naval Architects

John Canada founded Ocean 5 Naval Architects in 2007, arguably the worst time in history to start a maritime company as the industry was just entering the worst downturn in a generation. But more than 10 years later, and with the industry still in recover mode, Canada and his company are still standing. Ocean5 has become synonymous with sportfish, luxury, performance and composite high speed small craft naval architecture, and the company’s international presence is founded on patrol craft…