It is not newsworthy that a long-time builder of sailboats, like Jenneau, has crossed over to the U.S. powerboat market. Many builders of sailing yachts eventually grab the hand of market forces and begin swapping masts for power plants.

Jim Cress, president of Nordic Tugs, and his wife Stephanie announce their intentions in giant letters on the flying-bridge fascia of their Nordic Tug 52���Big Fun, the boat���s christened name. To prove that they aren���t joking, they set sail from San Diego in December 2005, bound for Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, about 5,500 miles and 39 days away. Harbor hopping along the west coast of Mexico tries the skipper���s confidence like few other passages.