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• Sailboat Reviews

A fast boat targeted at a variety of sailors, the 7.9 makes a good racer, but not a cruiser.

After Leon Slikkers sold Slickcraft, his powerboat company, in the early 1970’s, he built a sailboat factory the way a sailboat factory should be built. The result was S2 yachts and a factory quite in contrast to the normal dingy warehouse with blobbed polyester resin hardened on rough concrete floors.

Originally known for cruising designs, S2 Yachts opened their second decade in business by entering the high performance field, building first a trailerable racer/cruiser, the S2 7.9. The 7.9 stands for meters, which translates into American as 25′ 11″. The boat stayed in production up until S2 shut down its sailboat operations in 1986.

Designed by the Chicago-based naval architects Scott Graham and Eric Schlageter, the 7.9 was the first in a series of competitive production boats. The series was originally called “Grand Slam,” but the company later dropped the designation. With over 400 built between the boat’s introduction in 1982 and 1986, the 7.9 was relatively successful during a time when few boats in its size range were selling.

The 7.9 was a pricey boat for her size. Equipped with sail handling gear, four sails (main, jib, genoa, and spinnaker), outboard motor, speedo, and compass, her 1985 price was about $27,000. For comparison, a comparably equipped J/24 of the time would run you around $21,000, an Olson 25 about $22,000. Add an inboard engine, a trailer, and miscellaneous gear and you could easily have dropped $36,000 on the 7.9—a hefty tab for a 26′ boat.

Construction

The hull and deck of the 7.9 are hand-laid fiberglass, cored with end-grain balsa. S2 bragged about its glasswork, and the company had a high reputation in the industry for both its gelcoat and its hand layup.

Beginning somewhere around hull number 400, S2 switched from conventional polyester resin to a modified epoxy resin—AME 4000. The company claimed the epoxy resin is stronger, lighter, and less subject to blistering.

The hull is fair with no bumps or hard spots evident—probably the result of the company’s practice of installing most of the interior before removing the hull from its mold. The gelcoat appears to be thicker than is usual in production boats—a good

feature since minor scratches and dings can be “rubbed out” without penetrating to the laminate.

For their standard hull-to-deck joint, S2 used an inward turning flange onto which the deck molding is set—a desirable design, especially when bedded in flexible adhesive (such as 3M 5200) and through bolted at close intervals. However on the 7.9, rather than being through bolted, the deck is mechanically fastened to the hull only with screws through the slotted aluminum toerail, a detail that indicates the boat is not intended for heavy-duty offshore work.

The boat came with a one-design package of good quality deck hardware. All hardware is through bolted, with stainless backing plates on the lifeline stanchions but with only washers and nuts on all other hardware. This would seem to be problematic with the balsa core, but we have heard no reports of problems so far.

Although the company offered the boat in a fixed keel version, the vast majority of boats have a lead ballasted daggerboard.

The advantages of a daggerboard are, first, that it retracts to be flush with the bottom of the hull to make the boat trailer launchable, second, that you can float the boat in a mere 13″ of water (though she will have no directional control with the board totally up—you’ll need at least a foot of board showing for control under sail or power), and, third, with the board totally down, the boat has a 5′ deep hydrodynamically efficient keel, a depth that would be extreme on a fixed-keel boat this size.

The disadvantage of the daggerboard will come in a hard grounding. Whereas a centerboard would kick out of the way, the board is likely to bash around a bit in its trunk. A nice detail by S2 is that the bottom opening of the trunk is surrounded by a strong weldment which will mitigate the potential damage to the hull from a grounding. Another potential disadvantage is that, on many boats, the daggerboard trunk messes up the interior, but the designers have done a good job on the 7.9, incorporating the daggerboard into a centerline bulkhead.

Nearly a third of the 1,750 pounds ballast is in the board, with the remaining two-thirds glassed to the interior of the hull. When the board is fully lowered, it fits snugly in a V-Shaped crotch—a good design detail—but when it’s raised out of the V using the three-part tackle and winch, it will bang about loosely in the daggerboard trunk. There is no way to pin the board down—an obvious potential problem in severe conditions.

The boat, however, has passed the MORC self-righting test with the daggerboard in the fully raised position. In the test, the mast-head is hove down to the water, the bagged mainsail and genoa are tied to the masthead, and the whole shebang released. This is not a test of ultimate stability, since other boats which passed the test have turtled and sunk, but it is reassuring. However, the design is clearly dependent mostly on its beamy hull form for righting and not on its ballast—another indication the boat is intended for close-to-shore sailing.

The transom-hung rudder—pivoted for trailering—is of foam-cored fiberglass (the foam gives it neutral bouyancy in water). We like the idea of a transomhung rudder: it’s accessible for inspection and service, it lessens the potential damage to the hull that can occur when a rudder smashes into something, and it gets the rudder farther away from the keel to give the tiller a more responsive feel.

The fractional rig—with mast and boom made by Offshore Spars—is dinghy-like, having swept-back spreaders which make the upper shrouds function as backstays. The actual backstay does virtually nothing to support the rig; instead, its primary function is to bend the mast to control mainsail performance. Although the mast is easily bendable, it’s a surprisingly heavy section for a modern racing rig—it’s also untapered. Everything is internal in the mast and boom, with all lines eventually coming back to the cockpit in typical modern racing style.

Upper and lower shrouds attach to inboard chainplates. The starboard chainplate is attached to a well bonded plywood bulkhead, but the port chainplate is longer, attached to the fiberglass structure which forms the front edge of the galley. Since there is a 2′ “free span” of unsupported chainplate between the galley and deck, the chainplate in the highly-loaded rig works a lot, and one of the most common owner complaints about the boat is the leaking port chainplate that results.

A fiberglass floorpan makes up the berths, floor, and galley area. Instead of a ceiling, S2 uses carpeting for interior covering of the hull. One good detail about the carpeting is that Velcro will stick to it—you can hang anything anywhere—but we have to wonder how the carpet will stand up to salt accumulation. There is virtually no bilge, so water inside will turn everything soggy.

Generally, the boat is well constructed, with good detail work and hardware. While we believe that every “racer-cruiser” should be designed and built to handle extreme conditions offshore, the hull shape, the daggerboard design, and the hull-to-deck joint show us that S2 did not intend for this boat to be involved in those extremes.

Handling Under Power

The standard 7.9 is be outboard powered. The option was a BMW 7.5 hp one-lung diesel with the shockingly high price tag of $5400 new. When BMW got out of the marine business, S2 offered the boat with the 7.5 hp Yanmar.

The little diesel handles the boat well, though owners report that it will not punch through a heavy headsea. This is probably more the result of the folding Martec prop which comes as part of the inboard package rather than any lack of power in the engine.

The inboard installation is well done. The ply-wood stringers glassed to the hull support vibration-damping mounts for the engine. Standard installation includes a stainless steel eight gallon fuel tank, properly grounded, a heavy duty Purolator filter/water-separator, a waterlift muffler, and single-lever shift/throttle controls.

Both the fuel shut off and the fuel filter are difficult to get to—through an inspection port in the port quarterberth—but access to the engine is otherwise good, with hinged companionway steps opening out of the way so dipstick, decompression switch, engine controls, water pump are easy to get at. For more serious work on the engine, the quarterberth panels are removable for virtually total access. One good feature of the BMW is that it is the one engine we’ve ever seen that is actually easy to start by hand cranking. It made S2’s one-battery installation workable. With the Yanmar, owners may want to look for a place to stow a second battery; offhand, there’s no obviously good location.

As you might expect on a 4400 pound boat, the outboard is minimally adequate except for backing up and except in any wind or sea conditions. We would normally recommend the inboard for the 7.9, but there is a problem—the underwater drag of the shaft, strut, and propeller—an important consideration for the racer.

Our conclusion is that the serious racer should probably look for the outboard model and just suffer the poor performance under power. If you will be primarily daysailing, weekending, and cruising, we recommend the inboard.

If you’re planning a combination of racing and cruising, you’ll just have to make a judgment which aspect you want to emphasize.

Handling Under Sail

The 7.9 is a proven performer under sail, being not only a fast boat for her size but also competitive in handicap racing under MORC and PHRF. Her PHRF rating of 168 says that she’s about the same speed as the J/24, Merit 25, and similar current racing boats, and about the same speed as such older racer-cruisers as the Pearson 30, Cal 34, Catalina 30 tall rig, or Irwin 30.

With her narrow entry forward, a big fat rear end, and a fractional rig with most of the power in the mainsail, she will be better behaved than her high-performance cousins designed to the IOR rule. Owners report that her one bad habit is to wipe out in heavy puffs when beating.

Her dinghy-shaped hull means she’ll have to be sailed flat for best performance, which in turn means lots of lard on the rail when the wind pipes up. Five people, the heavier the better, is de rigueur for heavy air racing.

For daysailing and cruising, she’s got plenty of reefable sail area, and she should perform well with the four standard class sails: main, 155% genoa, 105% jib, and spinnaker.

Peak performance will take lots of tweaking and fiddling with the rig. This will be no problem for the high-performance dinghy sailor graduating to a cruising boat, but it will take a lot of learning about mastbend and sail shape for the newcomer. Nonetheless, even when not tuned to perfection, she should perform well enough to be a pleasant daysailer for the weekend hacker.

Deck Layout

The 7.9’s inboard shrouds, wide decks, and big cockpit will make for pleasant moving about on deck. The nonskid is good—among the best we’ve seen in a production boat. It will remove skin from bare knuckles.

The boat will be sailed from the cockpit, and she’s well laid out for sail handling. The primary winches are, if anything, oversize—a true rarity these days—and the secondary winches on the cabin top are adequate for halyard and spinnaker work. (Note, though, that the lead daggerboard is raised and lowered using the starboard secondary winch. One of our readers reports blowing up the winch; another says, “The #16 winch is inadequate for a woman or small man to handle the board.”)

Like the J/24 and other performance boats, the helmsman and crew will sit on the deck rather than in the cockpit when racing. However, unlike the J/24, the 7.9 does have a true cockpit, and it’s comfortable. The seat bottoms are slightly concave, the seat backs are nearly a foot high and contoured to support the small of the back, and seat-to-sole distance gives comfortable leg room. The mainsheet traveler is smack in the middle of the cockpit and will prove a shin ravager until you get used to it. But, the cockpit will comfortably daysail six and drink eight at dockside and is definitely a strong point for the boat.

There are two substantial cockpit lockers for stowage. Several owners report that the lockers leak—a nuisance in what appears to be an otherwise dry boat.

As one owner puts it, “The interior does the best it can.” With about 5′ 4″ headroom, the cabin will require stooping for most people. Still, we admire S2’s restraint—they could have easily added 6″ to the doghouse to get “standing” headroom. And to get a boat that would be as ugly as some of their early cruising models.

S2 was not suckered by the how-many-does-shesleep syndrome for this model. Both quarterberths are long and wide, and the forward V-berth is truly sleepable with the boat dockside or at anchor. The only drawback to the arrangements is that the space between berth and side decks is so short that sitting upright will be uncomfortable for anyone over 6′.

The galley (or, more accurately, the galley area) is absolutely minimal, with a shallow sink and small icebox. There’s a tiny counter area—either for counterspace or for a one-burner alcohol stove—but anyone wanting to weekend or cruise with more than PB&J’s will have to revamp the galley.

The daggerboard trunk is well disguised, forming one wall of the head. The head itself is cramped, to say the least—you can sit on the Porta Potti, but your knees will stick out through the privacy curtain. Still, the head location is preferable to the all-too common position under the V-berth.

Ventilation below is nonexistent. Opening ports were available as options. A small quarterberth opening port or a forepeak vent would be desirable. Compared to a larger boat’s “yacht” finish or even to a 25′ cruising boat, the 7.9’s interior will seem plain and functional.

On the other hand, it’s luxurious compared to a J/24, J/27, Merit 25, or Evelyn 26. The boat can be weekended in comfort. If you can stand camping out, the boat can even be cruised.

Trailerability

With a 9′ beam, the 7.9 is not legally trailerable in any state without special wide-load permits. Yet most of the boats have been sold with trailers, and the company boasts of its trailerability and easy launchability. How is this possible?

The consensus is that, with the daggerboard retracted, the boat sits so low on the trailer that it doesn’t look that wide. A keelboat on a trailer—a Merit 25, for example—looks much bigger and a bored cop is more likely to stop and measure a keelboat than a 7.9. At any rate, 7.9s are trailered, and we know of none ever being ticketed or, for that matter, even questioned.

Conclusions

S2 did a good job of aiming the boat at a variety of sailors: racers, daysailors, and weekenders.

For racers interested in a one-design boat, the class is not strong outside the Great Lakes. But for the sailor into handicap racing, the boat seems a good possibility. It’s definitely competitive in MORC and PHRF fleets. And unlike other high-performance boats its size—the Olson 25, J/24, Merit 25, Evelyn 26, or Capri 25—the 7.9 is a boat you could stand sleeping aboard or taking on a rainy overnight race.

For the sailor primarily interested in daysailing and weekending, the 7.9 will also be worth serious consideration. She is definitely on the pricey side for 26′ boats, but her quality construction and equipment are what you get for the extra money. She may be a little on the high-performance side for the real novice, but her four-sail class package should be fairly easy to handle even for the newcomer.

We really could not recommend her as a cruiser. Well, maybe as a pocket cruiser. S2 clearly didn’t intend her for cruising or offshore sailing; still, she’s well made, a fast boat, and maybe if our seamanship were good enough…but no, if it’s a fast cruiser we’d like at 25′ to 26′, we’ll keep looking.

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• By Richard Smith
• Updated: October 22, 2012

Within a wide field of well-designed and competitive racer/cruisers of the 1970s, the S2 9.2 stands out, mainly because it wears its age very well. Without a scoop transom and boarding steps or skinny portlights below the sheer, it still looks modern. The flat sheer, sloping deckhouse, almost-flush Lexan forward hatch, hinged anchor lid, and tinted deadlights are familiar features on boats built three decades later. The carefully detailed teak handrails set on molded fiberglass spacers are unobtrusive while emphasizing the hull’s refined shape and unified design. Nothing is exaggerated in the interest of the fashions of the day or to suit a rating rule.

Powerboat builder Leon R. Slikkers founded S2 Yachts in 1974 and commissioned Arthur Edmonds, designer of the Allied Princess 36 and Mistress 39, to design the S2 9.2A (for its aft cockpit) and the S2 9.2C (for its center cockpit). Over 700 A and C models were sold. Both versions have the same hull, fin keel, partially balanced skeg-hung rudder, and masthead sloop rig. The single-spreader aluminum mast, painted black (an S2 trademark) is stepped on deck over a compression post that’s built into the main bulkhead.

The hull is solid, hand-laid fiberglass. It has an inward-turning flange at the sheer to which the balsa-cored deck is bolted through an extruded aluminum toerail. There’s no molded interior liner. Bulkheads and furniture are tabbed to the hull, which contributes to its structural stiffness. Two tons of lead ballast is encapsulated in a sealed keel cavity. Well-cared-for boats show little wear and tear after three decades of hard sailing, and, owners agree, the gelcoat is generally free of stress cracks even where moldings take tight bends.

The T-shaped cockpit is comfortable and workmanlike. The starboard seat opens to general storage and access to the stuffing box and engine controls. Additional storage is located under the helmsman’s seat in twin lazarettes.

Everything on deck is carefully laid out. The mainsail is sheeted abaft the 28-inch wheel, where it’s out of the way but in reach of the helmsman. The 8-inch stern cleats are mounted on anti-chafing pads and close to hand. Engine controls are similarly convenient to the helm. Early boats had Atomic 4s, but a variety of diesel engines were fitted after 1978.

The engine box provides a wide first step down to the cabin. A small corner galley to starboard of the companionway contains a sink, icebox, and stove. Opposite is a quarter berth and navigation space with a folding seat and table. Headroom is 6 feet 3 inches aft and drops gradually to about 5 feet 10 inches toward the forward cabin.

The saloon table and settee convert to a double berth and, together with a 6-foot-6-inch settee opposite, make a comfortable eating, lounging, and sleeping area. A double berth is located forward of the wardrobe and head area. Generous use of teak, both solid and ply, contributes to a sense of quality throughout the boat, but the polypropylene carpeting used to line the hull ages unattractively.

Sailing the S2 9.2 is a treat. In 15 to 17 knots, it heels sharply under the mainsail and 150-percent genoa before settling in to make 5 or 6 knots upwind. Weather helm is noticeable in stronger gusts, but the boat is generally well balanced and always manageable, even in lumpy seas. All in all, the S2 9.2 is a well-designed, tough, and able 30-footer with good performance for racing or cruising.

Architect Richard Smith and his wife, Beth, sail their Ericson Cruising 31, Kuma, in the Pacific Northwest.

Find more Cruising World boat reviews here . Read the review of the S2 8.6 here .

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• Sailboat Guide

S2 9.2 A is a 29 ′ 11 ″ / 9.1 m monohull sailboat designed by Arthur Edmunds and built by S2 Yachts between 1977 and 1987.

Rig and Sails

Auxilary power, accomodations, calculations.

The theoretical maximum speed that a displacement hull can move efficiently through the water is determined by it's waterline length and displacement. It may be unable to reach this speed if the boat is underpowered or heavily loaded, though it may exceed this speed given enough power. Read more.

Classic hull speed formula:

Hull Speed = 1.34 x √LWL

Max Speed/Length ratio = 8.26 ÷ Displacement/Length ratio .311 Hull Speed = Max Speed/Length ratio x √LWL

Sail Area / Displacement Ratio

A measure of the power of the sails relative to the weight of the boat. The higher the number, the higher the performance, but the harder the boat will be to handle. This ratio is a "non-dimensional" value that facilitates comparisons between boats of different types and sizes. Read more.

SA/D = SA ÷ (D ÷ 64) 2/3

• SA : Sail area in square feet, derived by adding the mainsail area to 100% of the foretriangle area (the lateral area above the deck between the mast and the forestay).
• D : Displacement in pounds.

Ballast / Displacement Ratio

A measure of the stability of a boat's hull that suggests how well a monohull will stand up to its sails. The ballast displacement ratio indicates how much of the weight of a boat is placed for maximum stability against capsizing and is an indicator of stiffness and resistance to capsize.

Ballast / Displacement * 100

Displacement / Length Ratio

A measure of the weight of the boat relative to it's length at the waterline. The higher a boat’s D/L ratio, the more easily it will carry a load and the more comfortable its motion will be. The lower a boat's ratio is, the less power it takes to drive the boat to its nominal hull speed or beyond. Read more.

D/L = (D ÷ 2240) ÷ (0.01 x LWL)³

• D: Displacement of the boat in pounds.
• LWL: Waterline length in feet

Comfort Ratio

This ratio assess how quickly and abruptly a boat’s hull reacts to waves in a significant seaway, these being the elements of a boat’s motion most likely to cause seasickness. Read more.

Comfort ratio = D ÷ (.65 x (.7 LWL + .3 LOA) x Beam 1.33 )

• D: Displacement of the boat in pounds
• LOA: Length overall in feet
• Beam: Width of boat at the widest point in feet

Capsize Screening Formula

This formula attempts to indicate whether a given boat might be too wide and light to readily right itself after being overturned in extreme conditions. Read more.

CSV = Beam ÷ ³√(D / 64)

The S2 9.2A was the aft cockpit version. Also offered was the S2 9.2C, (center cockpit).

First boats came with Atomic 4 gas engine as standard equipment. Beginning in 1979, Yanmar or Volvo diesels were standard. Shoal draft: 3.92’/1.19m

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7 Bluewater Cruising Sailboats We Love

Our editorial staff selected 7  bluewater cruising sailboats from 26 to 42 feet, from all over the world. Bluewater sailing is a type of ocean cruising: it refers to long-term open sea cruising, for example, passages (ocean crossings). Bluewater sailing implies a lack of support and requires a certain amount of self-sufficiency, since you’re away from land for long periods of time. An example is crossing the Atlantic. But you can’t just stock up any boat and go at it: not all boats can handle ‘blue water’. You need a different boat type and also some add-ons. Which is your preferred among these bluewater cruising sailboats?

Designed by Bill Lapworth and built by Jensen Marine, the Cal 40 was nothing less than revolutionary, and displaced a mere 15,000 pounds, unheard of when first launched in 1964.

Contessa 26

This cruiser was designed by David Sadler, built by J.J. Taylor & Sons of Toronto, Canada and a few other builders, and made forever famous by then 18-year-old Tania Aebi, who completed her solo circumnavigation aboard  Varuna  at the age of 21.

Dufour Arpège 30

The Arpege 30 was introduced in 1966 and had a fairly long production run of approximately 1,500 boats. The Dufour Arpege hull is solid fiberglass and the deck may or may not have been cored.

Hinckley Bermuda 40

This Bill Tripp -designed sailboat, produced in Maine by one of America’s greatest Builders, might just define elegance afloat. Production began in 1959 and continued into the 1990s with a few changes.

Island Packet 420

Island Packet builds distinctive, full-keel bluewater sailboats that have almost a cult following. They’re solid glass, heavy cruisers that won’t set any speed records but will get you there in safety and comfort. Designed by Bob Johnson, it is not offered as a new build anymore.

Tartan 3700

On-deck, the 3700 features details that deliver excellent aesthetics, comfort and security. Wide side decks provide safe and secure fore and aft movement, while abundant ventilation offerings include all-opening stainless steel house side portlights, cockpit portlights, stainless steel deck hatches and 2 stainless steel dorade ventilators with stainless guards.

Westsail 32

The Westsail 32 was a production fiberglass sailboat built between the years of 1971 and 1980. Approximately 830 were built, about half of them in kit form. The “W32”, as they are often referred to, was very heavily built and has taken many people on trouble-free voyages and several circumnavigations.

Group Beneteau: Record full-year earnings in 2023

Five best places where to sail at least one time in your life, the countdown has begun for the new ice 66 rs, lagoon 60, freedom of space and panoramic views, live your passion, subscribe to our mailing list.

Hans Christian 41

Hinkley 40…wow!

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Breaking News

The little (electric) engine that could: The Port of San Diego unveils the nation’s first all-electric tug boat

The 82-foot eWolf expects to eliminate 3,100 metric tons of carbon dioxide

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The nation’s first all-electric tug boat has docked at the Port of San Diego and expects to begin emissions-free operations in about a month.

Operated by Crowley Maritime Corporation , the 82-foot eWolf will escort ships entering and leaving the Tenth Avenue Marine Terminal using electric power instead of diesel fuel, helping slash greenhouse gas emissions at the port and its neighbors in Barrio Logan and National City.

For the record:

1:58 p.m. March 13, 2024 This story has been updated to show the correct amount of government funding that went to the project.

“This is a big deal,” said port chairman Frank Urtasun at a news conference Monday. “This is new technology.”

Capable of speeds of up to 12 knots, the eWolf is powered by a 6.2 megawatt-hour main propulsion battery and two electric drives. The tug has thrust — also known as bollard pull in the parlance of the shipping industry — of 76.8 short tons, which is more powerful than the diesel-powered counterparts at the port.

Constructed in Alabama, the eWolf is equipped with two small generators for emergency use that allow the boat to travel longer distances at a reduced speed.

“Like an electric car, you step on the gas and it jumps,” said Paul Manzi, vice president of Crowley Shipping, based in Jacksonville, Fla. “All of the attributes that you have with an electric motor operation in a car or in an electric truck, you see here in the (eWolf) at massive scale. And it’s extremely quiet so when it pulls away from the dock you literally won’t hear any noise.”

The tug boat’s electricity will come from a charging station that is part of a microgrid facility equipped with two energy storage containers. Battery modules in each container have storage capacity of nearly 1.5 megawatt-hours.

Interconnected with the help of San Diego Gas & Electric, the charging station at the port is designed to allow the vessel to recharge quickly and reduce peak loads on the electric grid.

Operators plan to charge the eWolf overnight so it can perform its chores during daytime hours.

“This technology has individually been around for a while, but it hasn’t necessarily been integrated and optimized to all work together — and that’s kind of our role,” said Bruce Strupp, vice president at ABB Marine & Ports , the company that designed the boat’s propulsion system. “Some of the technology is our technology, some of it’s third-party technology, but we integrate it all together.”

The electric tug boat is expected to begin commercial operations at the port in mid- to late-April, depending on the completion of the charging station.

Officials at Crowley did not release the eWolf’s price tag Monday, saying only that it cost about twice as much as a conventional diesel-powered tug boat of comparable size.

But, Manzi said, the company expects the eWolf’s maintenance and operating costs will be “dramatically lower” than what’s spent on a diesel-powered tug boat because the electric model has fewer moving parts.

The entire project — the vessel as well as the charging station — received four grants that added up to $13.67 million, with two grants of $10.9 million from the San Diego Air Pollution Control District, one grant of just over $2 million from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and $750,000 from the federal government’s Maritime Administration.

In 2020, Gov. Gavin Newsom signed an executive order that directed state agencies to transition off-road vehicles — including tug boats — and equipment to 100 percent zero emissions by 2035.

By replacing one of the port’s diesel-powered tugs, the eWolf is expected to eliminate the consumption of about 35,000 gallons of diesel fuel per year. In its first 10 years of use, the electric tug boat is expected to reduce about 3,100 metric tons of carbon dioxide from the port and its surrounding areas such as Barrio Logan and National City.

“We’re trying to be good neighbors and trying to be able to help to reduce emissions here to help the electrification movement,” Urtasun said, adding that the port has spent about $130 million on various electrification projects.

Last year, the Port of San Diego became the first in North America to install a pair of all-electric cranes to load and off-load heavy cargo. Each 262 feet high, the cranes replaced an older crane that ran on diesel fuel. Together, the cranes expect to help the port reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 47 metric tons per year.

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A look at the most expensive superyachts at the Palm Beach yacht show and their insane features, from basketball courts on deck to ice baths and saunas

• The Palm Beach International Boat Show kicks off later this week.
• Eight megayachts are expected to be on display for would-be buyers and charter customers.
• These are the show's biggest yachts — and how many millions of dollars they are going for.

The Palm Beach International Boat Show — the yacht world's flashiest event stateside — is returning this year with over 800 boats for both deep-pocked potential owners and window shoppers to peruse.

While it's impossible to know what exactly will be on display until the show begins on Thursday, it's expected that eight megayachts — generally defined as ships over 60 meters long — will be docked at the show and at nearby marinas like the Rybovich Marina in the ritzy Florida town.

Some of these are for sale at eye-popping prices, but others are available to if in case you fancy living like a billionaire for a week or two this summer (and if you have six figures to spare on a vacation).

These are the eight biggest yachts that will be at the Palm Beach International Boat Show and nearby marinas, in size order.

Nero: 90.1 meters

Price: From $497,000 a week (charter)

Standout features: Pizza ovens, beauty salon, massage room, resistance pool

Reportedly owned by Irish billionaire Denis O'Brien, Nero is modeled after J.P. Morgan's 1930s ship , and was built in 2007 and updated in 2021.

She now boasts a gym on her sundeck with multiple cardio machines and a beauty salon, and has an on-board beautician for manicure, pedicure, hair, and massage needs. There's also an upgraded movie theater, two new pizza ovens, and both a pool and a jacuzzi.

For those who want to go overboard, she has more than a dozen toys, including a waterslide, Jet Ski, and flyboard.

Victorious: 85 meters

Price: From $876,600 a week in the summer and $950,000 a week in the winter

Standout features: Hammam (Turkish bath), wine cellar, wood-burning fireplace, children's playroom

Victorious brings a party vibe to the yacht show. With a beach club on board, a wine cellar, a cigar clubroom , multiple bars, and a lounge with a piano, the vessel is made for entertaining. Plus, there's a playroom and movie theater to entertain the kids.

For tamer charter clients, Victorious has a suite of wellness features such as a gym, massage room, beauty salon and hammam, or Turkish bath — perhaps a custom request of her owner, Turkish businessman Vural Ak.

She also boasts a treasure trove of water toys, including Jet Skis, jetsurfs, inflatable kayaks, and scuba equipment.

Casino Royale: 72 meters

Special Features: Infinity pool, helipad, private jacuzzi

Purchased and refitted by car dealer magnate John Staluppi last year, Casino Royale is the latest of his James Bond-inspired yachts (he's also owned an Octopussy and a Skyfall, among others).

Casino Royale has a helipad that turns into a dancefloor, an infinity pool, and a wellness center with a gym and sauna. The owner's cabin has its own deck, which features a private bar and jacuzzi.

However, the boat's price isn't listed, and while she's not necessarily officially for sale, that might change depending on who's prepared to buy, Mr. Bond.

Talisman C: 70.6 meters

Price: $60 million (or from $567,000 a week to charter)

Special features: Massage and beauty room, private library

Likely the largest yacht for sale (not just charter) at the show, the Talisman C is a 2011 six-bedroom boat. The owner's cabin comes with an en suite bathroom, dressing room, private library, and crystal chandeliers.

Amenities include a gym, a beauty room, oversized jacuzzi, and a fully equipped bar. Her crew of 19 includes a trained masseuse, and the toy room comes equipped with a wakeboard, eFoil , and WaveRunners.

Joy: 70 meters

Price: From $650,000 a week

Special features: Disco club, basketball court, onboard fitness instructor

Superyacht Joy testifies to the fact that owners want as many on-board experiences as they can get.

There's an expansive suite of fitness features, including a basketball court (don't shoot that hoop too hard!), a personal trainer on staff, boxing equipment, and a handful of machines. For post-workout winddowns, there's a spa with a steam room and onboard masseuse. And for entertainment, there's both an outdoor and indoor cinema, and a disco club.

Triumph: 65.4 meters

Price: From $707,600 a week in the summer and $650,000 a week in the winter

Special features: Sauna, helipad, banana boat

This 2021 superyacht is named after Triumph motorcycles — a reported favorite of her rumored owner, British businessman Chris Dawson — and even has one on display as an art piece in the upper deck's lounge. The primary suite is 1,400 square feet and has its own study , and there's a sauna, an indoor-outdoor gym, a helipad, and a massage room spread among her six decks.

She boasts an "armada of water toys," including two kinds of Jet Skis, electric water bikes, and a banana boat.

Seanna: 64.5 meters

Price: $54,000,000 (or from $462,000 a week to charter)

Special features: marble foyer, movie room, sundeck pool

The recently refurbished Seanna is available for sale and charter.

Her indoor-outdoor gym is on sea level so that passengers can take a dip after a session with the onboard personal trainer. There's also a sundeck pool, a helipad, a two-room massage facility, and, for the more cerebral guests, a library with an electric fireplace.

There are a number of toys on board, including a popular water trampoline and two WaveRunners.

Come Together: 60 meters

Price: $65,000,000

Special Features: DJ and videographer on board, ice bath, sauna

Next-to-new yacht Come Together is looking for a new owner after doing charters during the 2023 season.

The Beatles' influence is evident beyond the yacht's name, with guitars dotting the sky lounge and a crewmember who doubles as a DJ. There's also an outdoor cinema and bar for entertainment and an ice bath and sauna for the day after the party. The owner's suite has a private study and lounge, and each guest cabin has its own ensuite.

The sale includes a number of toys, like Jet Skis, kayaks, and Seabobs.

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Grenada Prison Escapees Are Charged With Murder of American Couple

The couple, Ralph Hendry and Kathy Brandel, went missing while sailing off the coast of Grenada.

By Aimee Ortiz

Three men who had escaped from a prison in Grenada and were accused of hijacking an American couple’s yacht to flee have been charged with their murder, the police said on Thursday.

The couple, Ralph Hendry, 66, and Kathy Brandel, 71, went missing while sailing off the coast of Grenada . They had been spending the winter cruising in the Caribbean in their catamaran called Simplicity, which was found abandoned in neighboring St. Vincent and the Grenadines on Feb. 21.

There was no indication in the latest police statement that the bodies of the couple had been recovered as of Thursday.

Trevon Robertson, 23; Atiba Stanisclaus, 25; and Ron Mitchell, 30, face two counts of “capital murder by intentionally causing the death of Ralph Hendry and Kathleen Brandel,” the Royal Grenada Police Force said.

The authorities from police forces in Grenada and St. Vincent and the Grenadines have given different ages and name spellings for the escapees.

The men were also charged with escaping lawful custody, housebreaking, robbery and two counts of kidnapping; Mr. Stanisclaus is also facing a rape charge, the police said, but no details were offered on those accusations. The three men made their first court appearance on Thursday, and are due back on March 27. The Royal Grenada Police Force did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The police had said in a statement released on Feb. 22 that three men who escaped from a prison in Grenada on Feb. 18 and made their way to St. Vincent using a yacht that had been docked in the St. George area of Grenada.

The prisoners were recaptured on Feb. 21, the same day that the couple’s yacht was found. At the time, the police said they were “currently working on leads that suggest that the two occupants of the yacht may have been killed in the process.”

At a news conference on Feb. 26 , Commissioner Don McKenzie of the Royal Grenada Police Force that “information suggests that, while traveling between Grenada and St. Vincent, they disposed of the occupants.”

During a Feb. 26 news conference , Junior Simmons, superintendent of the Royal St. Vincent and the Grenadines Police Force, said the joint investigation into the disappearance with Grenada police was ongoing, and he said the couple was presumed dead.

The investigation revealed that while sailing from Grenada, “the suspects committed several criminal acts including bodily harm to the couple,” he said.

The couple, who were married for 27 years, were “veteran cruisers,” according to the Salty Dawg Sailing Association , a nonprofit that brings together a community of sailors engaged in long-distance cruising on their boats. The couple were longtime members, the organization said in a statement, and “they both contributed to building the S.D.S.A.”

In a joint family statement posted on the association’s website on Feb. 27, Nick Buro, the son of Ms. Brandel, and Bryan Hendry, the son of Mr. Hendry, said that “if we have learned anything from this tragic event, it’s that we know they left this world in a better place than it was before they were born.”

“Ralph and Kathy lived a life that most of us can only dream of,” the message said. “Sailing the eastern coast of the United States, living on their home Simplicity, making friends with everyone they encountered, singing, dancing and laughing with friends and family — that’s who Ralph and Kathy were and that’s how they will be remembered in our hearts.”

Aimee Ortiz is a reporter on the Investigations desk. She was previously a general assignment reporter on the Express Desk. More about Aimee Ortiz

Cold front brings flooding rains, damaging winds to South Florida through Saturday

Blustery wet weather is forecast for South Florida Friday, March 22 and Saturday, March 23, with National Weather Service meteorologists predicting pulses of torrential rain , damaging wind gusts and a small risk of severe thunderstorms with embedded tornadoes .

The rain is expected to begin Friday morning and last through midday Saturday, but forecasters cautioned the timing of the soggy skies are uncertain with two areas of low pressure in the northern and southern Gulf of Mexico abrading the state.

"This complex system will bring at least a couple waves of heavy rain to South Florida," wrote Miami-based NWS meteorologists in a Thursday morning forecast. "Damaging wind gusts would be the primary concern, but a couple of tornadoes certainly can't be ruled out."

Wind gusts of up to 40 mph are possible along the east coast with rainfall totals averaging 1 to 2 inches, but possibly as high as 6 inches in some areas through Saturday. A flood watch is expected to be issued.

The Weather Prediction Center said a "marginal" risk — the lowest level on a 5-tier scale — of severe weather is possible along the Gulf Coast and from Lake Okeechobee through the Florida Keys.

West Palm Beach has had 4.5 inches of rain this month, according to the Southeast Regional Climate Center. That's 2.4 inches more than a normal March and sets it apart from other South Florida cities, which are either near normal or have a deficit of rain.

More: Cloudy winter in South Florida ends as coolest in years with help of El Niño

Much of the rain measured at Palm Beach International Airport this month came on March 3 when 3.3 inches was recorded.

West Palm Beach weekend weather forecast

Rain is expected through Saturday night even after the low pressure moves off the east coast of the state as an attached cool front filters through, but high pressure builds in behind the front bringing "dry and comfortable weather" for most of next week, according to the National Weather Service.

For Friday, rain chances increase from 70% in the morning to 100% in the evening with daytime high temperatures reaching about 80 degrees. Saturday's rain chances are 80% in the morning dropping to 30% at night. Daytime high temperatures on Saturday will again be near 80 degrees, but the overnight air will cool into the low 60s. Sunday should be sunny and breezy with a high of 78 degrees.

Kimberly Miller is a veteran journalist for The Palm Beach Post, part of the USA Today Network of Florida. She covers real estate and how growth affects South Florida's environment. Subscribe to The Dirt for a weekly real estate roundup. If you have news tips, please send them to [email protected].   Help support our local journalism, subscribe today.

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A severe thunderstorm watch in effect for 6 counties in the area

A wooden boat carrying dozens of rohingya muslim refugees capsizes off indonesia's coast.

Associated Press

Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.

A member of the National Search and Rescue Agency uses binoculars to scan the horizon during the search for a boat carrying Rohingya refugees reportedly capsized in the waters off West Aceh, Indonesia, Thursday, March 21, 2024. A wooden boat carrying dozens of Rohingya Muslims capsized off Indonesia's northernmost coast on Wednesday, according to local fishermen who rescued six people. (AP Photo/Reza Saifullah)

BANDA ACEH – An Indonesian search and rescue ship located a capsized wooden boat that had been carrying dozens of Rohingya Muslim refugees, and began pulling survivors who had been standing on its hull to safety Thursday.

An AP photographer aboard the rescue ship said 10 people had been taken aboard local fishing boats and another 59 were being saved by the Indonesian craft.

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Men, women and children, weak and soaked from the night’s rain, wept as the rescue operation got underway and people were taken aboard a rubber dinghy to the rescue boat.

Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.

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Small boat capsizes in Mobile Bay, 2 people thrown into water

MOBILE, Ala. ( WALA ) - Harrowing moments on Mobile Bay Wednesday after a small boat overturned, throwing two people into the water.

Both people were able to get back to shore after clinging to the boat and get themselves out of the water to a nearby pier, authorities said.

Mobile Fire-Rescue Department units were dispatched at 5:46 p.m. to the incident near Deer River south of Mobile near the 7600 block of Lake Road South.

Mobile Fire-Rescue, the Port Authority and Mobile police all responded to the scene.

FOX10 New was told that the boaters had no apparent injuries and were not taken to the hospital.

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