The Triton 200503

MARCH 2005 Vol. 1, No. 12 www.the-triton.com

Identifying crew shortages, problems good first step The Triton made a promise to the attendees of Superyacht Conference 2005 that it will play a role in gathering information, sorting through it and eventually disseminating it to affect some change for the professional yacht crew.

We invite you to be a part of the discussion. Join us at this month’s Connection seminar where we will begin by identifying the main issues facing crew. Contact lucy@thetriton.com for meeting details.

By Lucy Chabot Reed After three years of basically no growth, the number of orders for megayachts has jumped more than 28 percent for 2005, according to the latest statistics from Showboats International.

The world’s largest yacht builders have orders for 335 motoryachts and 38 sailing yachts of more than 100 feet.

So the question arises: Just where and how can megayacht owners and captains find qualified crew?

The Triton hosted a panel discussion on this topic at the inaugural Superyacht Conference in

Ft. Lauderdale in February. The topic is complex and the panel only grazed the surface in the 50-minute session.

No solutions were reached, but some interesting conversation ensued.

The first step was to try and get a handle on the status of the industry.

What are boats looking for and are there people out there to satisfy that need?

Overall, there are more crew than jobs, but there have been more jobs lately as the economy has improved after Sept. 11, 2001, said Linda Turner, owner of the crew placement agency Crewfinders in Ft. Lauderdale.

Depending on the position, though,

Aviva captain recalls industry’s costliest fire

By Lucy Chabot Reed As folks gather this month in Vancouver to celebrate the launch of the rebuilt Feadship Attessa, one of the megayacht’s former captains still remembers the fire that made the ship famous half a world away.

In May 2001, Capt. Eddie Cooney and the crew of the 204-foot M/Y Aviva woke in the middle of the night in the middle of the Red Sea to fight a fire that eventually would render the megayacht beyond repair.

That fire is considered one of the most expensive – if not the most expensive – luxury yacht losses of all time, according to insurance sources.

Now 225 feet long, the megayacht is completing an 18-month refit.

When built in 1998, Aviva was equally Capt. Eddie Cooney, left, and Chief together, only now on M/Y Andale. lovely, and heralded as one of the most superb yachts ever constructed.

Summer Olympic Games.

Under Cooney’s command But that night in May, about beginning in January 2000, the 700 miles south of the Suez Canal, private megayacht cruised extensively everything changed. throughout Indonesia and the “It was just a weird coincidence,” South Pacific, including around New Cooney said when asked if there Zealand and Australia in time for the

U.S. Coast Guard and Customs now accept the same electronic NOA form. Page 4

Engineer Robert Millar still work PHOTO COURTESY OF CAPT. EDDIE COONEY

was anything he or the crew could have done to prevent the fire. “It was a Feadship; she was built to class from a very good yard. We had every system on board for detecting fires

See AVIVA, page 14

Why’s this little guy causing so much trouble?

Page 15

some crew are having a harder time finding jobs.

Turner’s database shows an interesting flip of statistics on people available vs. positions available depending on position.

For example, for captains and cooks/chefs, there are more crew than jobs by about double, making those jobs harder to get.

About 38 percent of Turner’s database is captains; about 15 percent of requested jobs over the past 10 years have been for captains. Likewise, cooks/chefs make up about 13 percent of her database, yet about 8 percent of See CREW, page 6

Tipping a part of game in search for marina slips Bring up the topic of dockage and the conversation invariably turns to one of tips.

So when The Triton asked a group of captains at its monthly Bridge luncheon if there was really a worldwide shortage of available megayacht dockage, these eight captains looked at me as if to FROM THE BRIDGE say “duh.”

LUCY CHABOT REED “There’s a shortage everywhere, especially in season,” one veteran captain said. “But it’s all about relationships. If you keep them [dockmasters] happy, you can get in.”

It depends, of course, on the season and the place, and on the relationship the captain and boat has with the dockmaster.

In Europe, tips to dockmasters are expected and an important factor in developing relationships.

See BRIDGE, page 13

Yachting industry loses a ‘prince.’

Page 32

2 The Triton

March 2005

WHAT’S INSIDE Drive like mad and don’t get wet, page 26

The Hydrolift S-24RIB is being marketed as a fast, sturdy megayacht tender.

PHOTO/HYDROLIFT.COM

Advertiser directory 38 Calendar of events 39 Classifieds 38,40-41 The Connection 15 Crossword puzzle 39 Crossword answers 31 Features Getting Started 10 The Afterlife 12 From the Experts: Body Business 30 Catching Air 31 Into Account 31

Manager’s Time 30 Fuel prices 11 Horoscopes 34 In the Stars 34 Kristy’s column 3 Metric Conversion 24 News 4,8,11 Photo Gallery 16,29 Reviews 26,33,35 Taking Time Off 37 Technology Pull-Out: Getting Under Way 17-28 Write to Be Heard 42-43

March 2005

KRISTY’S COLUMN

The Triton 3

Captain multitasks to sell, shop and run boss’s boat Boy, are the captains in our industry multi-talented.

Capt. Michael J. Koenig – who ran the M/Y Sea-Quel, a 91-foot Burger – helped his boss sell that boat in mid-February with Robert J. Cury and Associates. Bob Cury was the selling broker and Capt.

Michael was the listing broker.

The whole transaction took place in-house at Bob Cury’s since they were the central listing agent.

Capt. Michael has LATITUDE been with his boss ADJUSTMENT for 15 years and was KRISTY FOX spotted at the Miami International Boat Show shopping for a new boat.

He holds a USCG 1,600/3,000-ton Masters Oceans license and has been a USCG-licensed captain for more than 24 years.

Congratulations Capt. Michael with helping sell the boat, but your longevity with your present boss is just as awesome.

After a short hiatus to spend time with his wife and daughter, Capt. Jeff Ridgway of the M/Y Utopia, a 238-foot (72m) Feadship, recently returned to the yacht to take command from Capt.

Stan Wallace.

Capt. Jeff says that it was great to have someone with Capt. Stan’s experience and management style available to take command during his absence in January.

Capt. Stan walked straight into a busy charter and flag-state audit schedule and handled it all with ease, said Capt. Jeff, who has been on Utopia since September.

Utopia has been down in the Caribbean the past few months.

Hats off to Capt. Stan for a job well done and a very welcome back on board to Capt. Jeff, who was able to spend some quality time with his family with no worries.

Capt. Gary Corbin is leaving the M/Y Diamond Lady after seven years to

CORRECTIONS The refit of the M/Y Attessa , the 225foot Feadship that was formerly Aviva, has not yet won any design or refit awards from Showboats International magazine.

Those awards will be announced in the magazine’s June/July issue.

A story in The Triton’s February issue said otherwise.

Capt. Jeff Hardgrave’s name was misspelled in a photo caption in the February issue. We regret the error.

take command of the 103-foot Burger New Vida, the former Carrot Top. Diamond Lady is an 88-foot Broward built in 1988.

The best of luck to you, Gary, on your new vessel.

Yachting industry veteran Billy Hawkins, who recently renewed his master’s ticket, has joined Johnson Electronics and Machinery in Ft. Lauderdale.

Drop him a line. His new e-mail address is billy@johnsonelectronics. com, or call him on his cell at 954-6588620.

Congrats Billy.

And finally, the gracious crew agent Sandy Taylor has left Camper & Nicholsons International after five years.

But don’t worry, she’s not leaving the industry. She’s taken over as yacht manager at Northrop and Johnson.

Sandy is opening a new office this month at 17 Rose Drive in Ft. Lauderdale, right off Davie Road and Andrews Avenue.

Sandy has helped scores of yacht crew find and keep work both in Ft. Lauderdale and Newport. She said she

looks forward to more of the same in her new role.

Her first job will be helping captains manage or charter their yachts. And of course, she can’t help but assist crew looking for jobs.

Sandy has invited everyone to stop by and see their new digs.

Much success in your new position, Sandy.

Send news of your promotion, change of jobs or career, or personal accomplishments to Kristy Fox at kristy@the-triton.com. Editor Lucy Chabot Reed contributed to this report.

4 The Triton

COAST GUARD NEWS

March 2005

U.S. Coast Guard, customs to accept same ANOA form Filing the paperwork to enter or leave the United States just got a little easier.

The U.S. Coast Guard and U.S. Customs and Border Protection announced that they will share information from the same report, reducing the amount of times mariners have to enter the same information.

It’s called the Electronic Notice of Arrival/Departure System (eNOAD) and it provides mariners with one avenue to submit the required vessel, voyage, crew, and passenger information.

This system cannot yet receive information for Customs and Border Protection’s mandatory electronic cargo information regulation; however, the two agencies are continuing to work on ways to share this kind of information.

Other enhancements to the system include allowing the user to update previously submitted information.

The system will also send an e-mail acknowledgement that the report was received.

“This is one example of how agencies within the Department of Homeland Security are coordinating and collaborating to protect our

nation’s interests,” said U.S. Coast Guard Commandant Adm. Thomas Collins.

“This is a common-sense solution that exemplifies why we have a Department of Homeland Security, and I am proud that we are able to eliminate duplicative reporting requirements.”

While use of the new system is not mandatory, Customs and Border Protection regulations will be published that will require submission through this system.

“We are committed to simplifying and easing requirements for our industry partners while we strengthen maritime security,” said CBP Commissioner Robert C. Bonner.

“With a single electronic submission, we improve not only the quality but also the accuracy of the information we receive and simultaneously speed the flow of trade and secure our nation.”

For more information on the new system, including online forms, visit the Coast Guard’s National Vessel Movement Center Web site at www. nvmc.uscg.gov. Visit also www.nvmc. uscg.gov/download.html.

– Staff report

6 The Triton

FROM THE FRONT

March 2005

Interior crew still hardest position to recruit, promote, retain CREW, from page 1 requested jobs are for them.

Engineers, stewardesses and mates/ deckhands can find work more easily.

For those positions, there are generally more jobs than crew, again by about double, according to Turner.

“We have a lot of well-trained, certified crew in the deck department,” Turner said. “We lack a serious labor pool in interior service and technical positions.”

The other panelists agreed.

“Our biggest demand is for interior crew,” said Ami Williams, owner of Crew Unlimited in Ft. Lauderdale.

So what actions have crew agencies taken to find people who might do well in this industry and recruit them?

Williams said she has gone to culinary schools and maritime schools around the country on recruiting trips.

She’s created a recruitment brochure and disseminated it. She’s advertised in off-the-beaten-path sorts of magazines such as Kiteboarding.

“The biggest problem is awareness,” Williams said. “People see these big white boats and they don’t know that people work on them. We need to get the word out.”

Williams noted that she’s recruited at merchant marine schools in the United States, but that it’s hard for the yachting industry to compete with the

commercial sector, which offers shift rotation and scheduled time off.

The industry would be wise to figure out a way to offer scheduled time off, she said, noting that that’s one of the main reasons experienced crew leave.

So how can the industry handle midcareer professionals so that they turn back into yachting instead of out of it?

“Job shares and time off,” said Stephanie Andrade, a crew placement agent with Camper & Nicholsons/BSA in Ft. Lauderdale.

The panel agreed that there needs to be a change of mindset among crew and owners to understand the importance of longevity.

Invariably, the topic of salaries came up. Several in the audience pointed out that some U.S. crew with limited experience ask for high monthly rates commensurate with several years of experience and responsibility. They ask because they’ve been told, or have read, that that’s what they can receive.

Crew of other nationalities make fewer demands, several attendees noted.

Another reason crew get off yachts is not to leave their careers, but to advance them. In many cases, crew are not able to take courses and keep a job, so they squeeze them in on holiday or quit. Isn’t there a better way?

“There are better ways,” said Amy Morley-Beavers, vice president of student administration at Maritime

Professional Training in Ft. Lauderdale.

“Rotations are one. Some yachts have taken the point from the commercial industry of three months on, three months off or six months on, one month off. If more owners knew the long-term benefits of a reduced attrition rate and the benefit of their crew not being burned out, I think more would do this.”

Morley-Beavers said she’s advising crew to take a long-term look at their careers. If they know they want to have a certain ticket two or three years from now, start planning the training before they are ready to qualify for it, so that when they qualify, they won’t have to take time off to sit through the coursework as well.

“See the ladder,” she said. “Crew should see what they need and work toward it. They can do their training in pieces. And suggest relief crew even if there are no rotations.”

Easier said than done, considering every owner is different and there are plenty of other crew waiting in line for a job.

So the conversation has begun. It will take many more sessions such as this to get the whole picture of the status of the crew industry, as well as possible solutions to solving the critical shortages that already exist and are likely to exist.

Stay tuned.

Superyacht Conference Finding Crew panel:  Linda Turner, owner of Crewfinders International. Turner has owned Crewfinders since 1982 and took over full-time management of the company in 1988. Prior to that, she spent 14 years on yachts, working in nearly every post, including stew, chef, mate and captain.

Contact her at lindat@crewfinders.com.  Ami Williams, owner of Crew Unlimited. Williams was a waitress in Ft. Lauderdale when a broker invited her to be a stewardess. She crewed on boats for two years before taking over Crew Unlimited. Contact her at ami@crewunlimited.com.  Stephanie Andrade, crew agent at Camper & Nicholsons/BSA. Andrade has been a crew agent for seven years with Bob Saxon Associates and now with Camper & Nicholsons/BSA. Contact her at sa@ftl.cnyachts.com.  Amy Morley-Beavers, VP of student administration at Maritime Professional Training. Morley-Beavers has been with MPT 19 years and has been in her current post for nine years. She’s been involved in licensing and regulation issues on a national and international level. Contact her at amymti@aol.com.  Moderator: Lucy Chabot Reed, editor of The Triton. Reed has 15 years experience at daily, weekly and monthly publications, including the Los Angeles Times, the South Florida Sun-Sentinel and the South Florida Business Journal.

Contact her at lucy@the-triton.com.

March 2005

SUPERYACHT CONFERENCE 2005

The Triton 7

Inaugural Superyacht Conference opens with Trinity president

By Lucy Chabot Reed In the hectic days before the Miami International Boat Show, scores of yachting industry professionals gathered for the inaugural Superyacht Conference.

Held Feb. 14-15 at the Marina Marriott in Ft. Lauderdale, the twoday conference featured about 20 seminars ranging from building wealth to megayacht design, panel discussions on ISPS issues and crew matters (see related story, page 1), and keynote speeches from the heads of two U.S. boat builders.

Opening the conference was John Dane III, president of New Orleansbased yacht builder Trinity, who painted a picture of an industry that is “booming, expanding, changing, challenging and worrisome.”

“The past few years with 9-11, the war in Iraq, the presidential election – all these things got the market shaky,” he said. “If you look at the backlog [for builders] from two years ago, it wasn’t a growing business.”

Trinity President John Dane III, far right, networked with conference goers including from left, daughter Sally, Lurssen’s Buddy Haack and Jennifer Saia of The Sacks Group.

PHOTO/TRICIA KREFETZ, AVATAR PRODUCTIONS But in the past few years, money and access to money have changed the megayacht industry. Many more owners are enjoying their yachts while working, not during retirement, he said.

“And who would have thought the Russians would be the big builders they

are?” he said. “That’s new wealth.”

Dane credited yacht charter companies with introducing people to yachts and the yachting lifestyle.

“In the old days, if you didn’t know someone who had a boat, you didn’t go yachting,” Dane said. “The introduction

of people into yachting via yacht charter companies is one of the very main reasons this business is growing.”

Dane credited yacht management companies, too, with taking on much of the headache of running a yacht, particularly a charter yacht.

“The yachts we build are leisure items and no one needs these things,” he said. “We all in this room need to remember how to keep these people happy.”

Dane had some harsh words for brokers who seek commissions for yachts they had limited involvement with and praised the trend of brokers who put their commission into the build contract.

Dane attended the rest of the seminars on the first day of the conference, including the cocktail party. The conference, put on by International Yacht Vacations & Charters Magazine, also included about a dozen booths for exhibitors.

Contact Editor Lucy Chabot Reed at lucy@the-triton.com.

Palmer Johnson ‘still open,’ preparing to launch five boats in 2005

By Lucy Chabot Reed One of the biggest draws at the Superyacht Conference was the keynote speech by Mike Kelsey Jr., president of Wisconsin-based Palmer Johnson Yachts.

With a bit of nostalgia for the days when the 90-year-old company was a leader in the yacht building market, Kelsey said his company is preparing for the day when that comes again.

“Style defined yachts at that time,” he said. “Palmer Johnson wants to create something new. From a business standpoint, we need to know, ‘What can we do different?’ because we have to be profitable.”

When he opened the floor to questions, most everyone wanted to know the status of Palmer Johnson.

“We had a little trouble, we got through it, we’re still open,” he said.

While the pain of living through bankruptcy protection was likely more complex than that, Kelsey made it clear that the company has shed its refit and rebuild division and no longer works from its yard in Savannah.

“We are Palmer Johnson in Wisconsin,” he said. “We are a boat builder, period. That’s the girl that brought us to the dance. We’re sticking with what got us started.”

The company has more than 80 employees now, back to its prebankruptcy levels, Kelsey said. And it has bought property across the water from its existing yard in Sturgeon Bay. But perhaps the best sign of a new Palmer Johnson is its newest line of boats. It all started with a realization that the company needed a style.

“I can walk into any marina and look at a yacht and say, ‘That’s a Trinity’,” he said. “We build great boats but you could never tell what we were building from one boat to the next.”

So the company decided to build open express motoryachts. The company launched the second in this line, Cover Drive, in late 2003.

The company also identified its target market – Europeans.

“All four of the boats we’re building now are 50-cycle wired,” he said, noting that two of them were spec boats. “The euro is strong. The fastest-growing sector is the express open. No one else is building them here but they’re all

over Europe.”

The company has hired Venicebased design firm Nuvolari Lenard to design a noticeable hull. Kelsey credits Dan Lenard with helping turn Carver Yachts around with its recent run of “beautiful boats.”

“Every time we did great, it was because we didn’t do it,” Kelsey said of the decision to hire designers. “We did what we do well, and that’s build boats.”

The design for the latest model, a 150-foot megayacht, debuted at the Miami International Boat Show. The company plans to lay the keel in May. And although the company launched its last sailboat in the mid-

1970s, Kelsey said, “We will build a sailboat again soon. Within 24 months, you will see Palmer Johnson back in the sailboat market.”

The company has two other products it hasn’t introduced yet, but Kelsey said those announcements likely will come in July.

“A lot has been talked about with the boat building business today,” he said.

“Maybe you don’t hear so much about Palmer Johnson these days, but keep watching. We’re going to launch five boats this year.”

Contact Editor Lucy Chabot Reed at lucy@the-triton.com.

INDUSTRY NEWS

8 The Triton

March 2005

America’s Cup sloop, whale collide; crew, keel damaged A South African crew training for the America’s Cup apparently got the worst of a collision with a whale, according to a story by the Associated Press.

One crewman was thrown overboard, the skipper and navigator were injured, and Team Shosholoza’s sloop was damaged when it hit the whale Feb. 14 during a training session on Table Bay near Cape Town.

The keel hangs about 13 feet below the surface, and it is believed the whale hit it head-on, the AP reported.

Team Shosholoza is the first African challenge for the America’s Cup. The next America’s Cup will be held in 2007 in Valencia, Spain.

Team Shosholoza participated in two warm-up regattas last fall in Europe.

Savarona salvor back home A wealthy Turkish businessman who was released by kidnappers in Iraq following two months in captivity arrived home last month.

Kahraman Sadikoglu, president of the Istanbul-based Tuzla Shipyard, told reporters he was released because his kidnappers realized he was not doing business with Americans or Britons.

Sadikoglu was abducted after leaving the southern city of Basra on Dec. 16.

In his mid-50s, Sadikoglu is well known for salvaging ships around the world and restoring luxury yachts.

He is popular among many Turks for having renovated and rescued the Savarona, a luxury yacht that once belonged to Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, the founder of modern Turkey.

The Savarona is listed as one of the world’s largest yachts.

MacArthur sets solo record A 28-year-old Englishwoman set the solo around-the-world sailing record last month.

Ellen MacArthur completed the 26,000-mile circumnavigation in 71 days, 14 hours, 18 minutes, and 33 seconds aboard a 75-foot trimaran.

The previous record, set by Francis Joyon just a year ago, was 72 days, 22 hours, 54 minutes, and 22 seconds.

Bush gives USCG $600 million more President Bush proposed a $2.5 trillion budget on Feb. 7 that would give a boost to defense and domestic security.

The Coast Guard’s budget will climb 9 percent to $8.1 billion – $600 million more than this year. Included in the Coast Guard’s budget will be an increase for its plans to buy more oceangoing vessels.

The Department of Homeland Security’s budget would grow 7 percent to more than $41 billion next fiscal year.

Nine of the 15 cabinet-level departments are to receive less money in 2006 than they get this year.

IYT signs two new affiliates Confident Captain/Ocean Pros of Newport and American Yacht Institute of Ft. Lauderdale have joined the ranks of International Yachtmaster Training (IYT) to offer certification-level courses.

Ocean Pros will offer courses for the IYT Yachtmaster Offshore/Shore-based Certificate, the radio communications certificate, STCW-95, and an MCArecognized Certificate of Competency.

American Yacht Institute will offer an extended deckhand course as well as recreational boat classes for the small boat owner.

American Yacht Institute, which runs courses for certification in five-star service for yacht stewards/ stewardesses as well as protocol and etiquette courses, will also be able to offer its interior courses worldwide to the 32 IYT affiliated schools.

For more information about IYT in Newport, e-mail kent@oceanpros.com or call 401-849-1257.

For more information about AYI’s courses, e-mail info@americanyacht institute.com or call 954-522-1044.

Oracle to build Cup boats by Seattle America’s Cup syndicate BMW Oracle Racing will build the hulls of its two new racing sloops north of Seattle, according to a story in the Associated Press.

BMW Oracle Racing is required by America’s Cup rules to build the hulls in the United States.

The mold for the 80-foot (24m) sloops will be built at Janicki Industries in Sedro-Woolley.

BMW Oracle Racing will lease a 20,000-square-foot building in nearby Anacortes where the hulls will be built of carbon fiber.

Construction won’t start for several months, and the first of the two planned yachts won’t be ready to sail until sometime in 2006, the AP reported.

The boats will eventually race in Valencia, Spain, the site of the 32nd America’s Cup in 2007.

New coral found off California A new species of black coral has been discovered off Southern California, as reported in the online scientific journal Zootaxa.

The Christmas Tree Coral (Antipathes dendrochristos) was observed from the manned submersible Delta by researchers from the

University of California Santa Barbara and NOAA’s National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) Santa Cruz Laboratory during surveys of rockfishes on deep rocky banks about 40 miles offshore of Los Angeles.

Coral specimens were collected in late 2002 during the survey dives and sent to black-coral expert Dennis Opresko of the Oak Ridge National Laboratory, who determined the coral is, in fact, a new species.

Found in water depths from approximately 300 to 725 feet, this species forms bushy colonies that grow to a height greater than 6 feet and resemble pink-, white- and red-flocked Christmas trees.

Zootaxa’s Web site is www.mapress. com/zootaxa/content.html/.

Pacific Cup invites multihulls The Pacific Cup Yacht Club reversed a 25-year policy in January by inviting multihulls to participate in the 2006 West Marine Pacific Cup race from San Francisco to Hawaii.

The minimum length was not decided. Proposals range from 36 to 46 feet minimum length on deck, but a number in the low 40s appears to be the most likely, according to a story in The Log newspaper.

Required number of crew will also be tied to length, probably one crew for every 10 feet of LOA, but the exact formula was also left for later determination.

The 2006 West Marine Pacific Cup will mark the 100th anniversary of racing from California to Hawaii. The organizers of the first race originally planned a San Francisco start in 1906, but moved to Long Beach because of the earthquake that year.

It became the Honolulu Transpac and is now held on odd-numbered years. The Pacific Cup revived racing from San Francisco to Hawaii in 1980, and now finishes at Kaneohe, Oahu, in even-numbered years.

The start dates for the 2006 race will be July 3 through July 7. For more information, visit www.pacificcup.org.

Ventura Isle Marina complete Ventura Isle Marina in Southern California has completed the final phase of a nearly 10-year renovation.

With the addition of 55 new Unifloat floating slips, averaging 45 feet, the marina now has 580 slips for yachts up to 100 feet.

Contractor Bellingham Marine installed new piling, utilities and dock equipment so that each slip has telephone and TV hookups, storage lockers and metered electrical service. All docks also have complete firefighting systems.

The marina is within walking distance of nine restaurants.

10 The Triton

HOW I GOT MY START IN YACHTING

March 2005

Captain lands first yacht job from ad after a life of sailing

By Capt. Bill Harris

I am originally from Greenwich, Conn. At 10, I started in a sailing class at the Indian Harbor Yacht Club. By 16, I was a professional sailing instructor.

I’ve held a variety of shore-based engineering positions, and always owned a boat. I successfully restored a Smithsonian-documented 1899 Skipjack.

Eventually, I ended up in the Bay Islands of Honduras, starting a fish and shrimp processing facility, supplied by 21 company-owned boats.

I sold out of that and built a small shopping center that was destroyed by a hurricane.

When I returned to Greenwich, I responded to an ad in the sports section of the Sunday New York Times for a yacht captain. Three days later, I was in St. Thomas operating a fascinating 72-foot range Italianbuilt cruiser. I circumnavigated the Caribbean with her, took her to Hawaii, and then back to the West coast.

Then I went to work for William B. Ruger of Sturm Ruger, the firearms

company, for 19 years. For two years, I captained a spectator vessel carrying syndicate members and families for the Defender-Courageous syndicate in the final America’s Cup raced in Newport.

When Mr. Ruger donated his first vessel, I remained with her and worked with the U.S. Navy and NASA out of Port Canaveral. Also at that time, I supervised and engineered the construction of Titania, an innovative, classic, 88-foot yacht-fisherman.

I captained El Zorro, mother ship of the only dedicated Marlin expedition that completely circumnavigated the globe (28,000 miles) searching for the elusive 1,400 pound Blue.

I have spent the past seven years working on Mardi Gras, a superb 98-foot Westport-Christensen. We accomplished the half internal circumnavigation of the United States, through the Erie Canal and Great Lakes to Chicago, then south through the Tenn-Tom to the Gulf of Mexico.

I have managed to have a great deal of fun while being happily employed.

Someone has paid me to fool around with boats. That’s the perfect lifestyle.

How did you get your start in yachting?

Send your story to lucy@the-triton.com.

Who knows? You might inspire someone.

March 2005

CARIBBEAN NEWS

The Triton 11

MCA rules being enforced in BVI stump boat owners, operators As of Feb. 1, all BVI-flagged and other foreign-flagged vessels should be aware of the following: The Merchant Shipping Regulations 2004 is a safety code issued by the UK’s Maritime Coastguard Agency and is being applied in British Virgin Islands.

The applicable codes are Blue Code (for sailing vessels), Yellow Code (for motor vessels) and Mega Yacht Codes.

These codes apply to vessels in commercial use for sport or pleasure.

The following notes are from the Virgin Island Charteryacht League and reprinted to help get the word out for vessels traveling those waters.

“Captains of U.S.-flagged and other foreign-flagged vessels must apply for a COI. To do that, go to Road Town and find the pink Hodge building on the west side of the main drag next to the cab association stand. The Island Department Store is approximately on the other side of the street. The Department of Licensing is on the third floor at the rear of the building. There is signage, but it is not visible from the road.

“Ask for an application for a COI. Submit the application with the necessary documents (detailed at the end of this notice). They will give you back a copy with a stamp on it as proof of compliance. You need a BVI phone number for contact for the inspector to call you concerning the

Fuel prices Prices for low-sulfur gasoil expressed in US$ per cubic meter (1,000 liters) as of Feb. 20.

Region Duty-free*/duty paid U.S. East Coast Ft. Lauderdale 407/433 Savannah, Ga. 416/NA Newport, R.I. 422/NA Caribbean St. Thomas, USVI 505/NA Trinidad 420/NA Antigua 550/NA North Atlantic Bermuda (Ireland Island) 431/NA Bermuda (St. George) 472/NA Cape Verde 410/NA Azores 425/NA Canary Islands 422/NA Mediterranean Gibraltar 396/NA Barcelona, Spain 585/1,032 Palma de Mallorca, Spain 467/1,025 Antibes, France 425/1,182 San Remo, Italy 540/1,166 Naples, Italy 541/1,195 Venice, Italy 530/1,189 Corfu, Greece 465/1,015 Piraeus, Greece 437/992 Istanbul, Turkey 410/NA Malta 395/NA Tunis, Tunisia 400/NA Oceania Auckland, New Zealand 405/NA Sydney, Australia 397/NA Fiji 457/NA *When available according to customs.

date of inspection. They will not call St. Thomas to find you.

“The inspection process will have two steps. The BVI has hired Bill Bailey, a local surveyor to do a pre-inspection.

He will tell you what has to be fixed, added, etc. After completion, you will then go to the chief inspector to obtain your COI. “The idea is that they don’t want the chief inspector spending a lot of time per boat.

“There is a lot of conjecture about the boatmaster’s and radio licenses but it is necessary at this point to obtain them. The clerks in the office claim that

if the boatmaster license is issued, it will meet all BVI requirements and that nothing further need to obtained for the skipper. This license will typically be issued for a two-year period.

“You must obtain a radio license.

This costs $10 for operator and $30 for station. Make sure you have the serial numbers of your radio.

“You will need a physical for the boatmaster license. This can be obtained ($40) at the B&F Medical Complex next to Sea Urchin.

“You will need four passport photos.

Get them from Top Photo near the doctor’s office ($15).

“Plan on spending at least half a day to do this. You will need about $100, plus bill of sale, vessel title documents, certificate of survey (if available), radio serial numbers, birth certificate or Passport (notarized copy), two recent passport photos, captain’s license and STCW certificate.

“Under these provisions, a vessel that does not comply with the regulations is liable to be detained.”

Pamela Wilson General Manager, Virgin Islands Charteryacht League 800-524-2061 www.vicl.org

12 The Triton

THE AFTERLIFE

March 2005

Baby brought stewardess ashore for life with charters

By Lisa H. Knapp Nicole Caulfield, a native of St. Croix, has an “I can do it” attitude.

Nine years ago, her husband and high school sweetheart, Capt. K.C. Caulfield, got a job on a big boat in the Bahamas. Nicole Caulfield, then a recent college graduate with a degree in advertising, thought, “Yachting sounds good. I could do that.”

While she muses that she didn’t care much for ironing and making beds, she thought she’d try being a stewardess.

Caulfield’s last job in a nine-year yachting career was as the cook on an 85-foot yacht with K.C., though she had never gone to culinary school.

The yacht owner arranged for her to freelance at a restaurant for six weeks and learn the ropes.

“I read cookbooks non-stop; it was a challenge.” she said. “I remember all of those special meals I used to cook; I really started from scratch.”

Caulfield retired from crewing in August 2002 when she was seven months pregnant with her son, Kaden.

“I came ashore and had a delivery,” she said. “I actually hadn’t thought about going to work with the baby right away, but I saw such a great

opportunity and nice atmosphere with Bob, that I decided to give charter a try.”

Caulfield started the charter marketing and sales department of Robert J. Curry and Caulfield Associates and is in her third year.

Her advice to yachting professionals intending to leave boats is to save money, learn computer skills, and stick with a plan. Saving money while onboard to buy a house and vehicle made the transition easier, she said.

As Caulfield prepares for another child in August, she said she misses crewing, but life is different now.

“The most rewarding part is that being a mom overshadows anything else I have ever done in my life,” she said. “And I’m still a chef. I just make more macaroni and cheese now.”

Contact freelance writer Lisa H. Knapp at lisa@the-triton.com. If you know someone who has successfully transitioned from crewing to a new career, let us know. Contact Editor Lucy Chabot Reed at lucy@the-triton.com.

March 2005

FROM THE FRONT

Tipping reputation follows yacht, captain BRIDGE, from page 1 In the United States for boats less than 100 feet, the captains said they can usually find a slip with little or no notice and with little or no tip. But because slips for larger vessels are getting harder to come by, tips are becoming more the norm.

At several places in Ft. Lauderdale, Newport and other popular U.S. yachting destinations, “if you don’t tip, you’re not coming back,” several captains said.

One captain said he began making calls in early January to reserve space in New England marinas this summer but was told by several marinas that they were already full.

There really is a shortage of available dock spaces, especially in season. But availability has begun to change in the Caribbean and Bahamas.

Several captains had kind words for developers and planners in Sint Maarten/St. Martin, St. Thomas and the British Virgin Islands.

“The Caribbean is getting better,” one captain said. “They’re anticipating the industry and getting ready.”

And then there were some harsh words for politicians in Ft. Lauderdale.

“The city’s not paying any attention to the yachting industry, and they’re going to lose it,” one veteran captain said. “The city has 24 acres sitting on the Dania Cut-off Canal” that several boat builders tried to lease, but didn’t because the city wanted too much money for it.

“If the city really wanted to keep the yachting industry here, they’d go in and put down some electric juice and a road.”

Places north of Ft. Lauderdale such as Riviera Beach, Stuart and Ft. Pierce are preparing for what some captains see as the inevitable migration of the yachting industry up the coast.

“It’s supply and demand,” one captain said. “Ft. Lauderdale’s going to lose the whole deal.”

In the meantime, finding slips is a game of negotiation and relationships.

“People make reservations, then change their plans and never show up,” a captain said. “I’ll negotiate with people and cruise through. Eventually, I’ll get to where I want to be.”

That’s where the tips come in.

There was some discussion on whether tipping has become the unspoken norm to get into a marina, or if it was still acceptable to tip on the way out as recognition of good service.

“You tip To Insure Proper service,” one captain said, using the acronym to remember why people do it.

Either way, however, the captains realized they were making their next visit easier.

“It’s about the relationship,” one said. “You have to say hello, smile, take them to dinner. That relationship is

Attendees of the February Bridge were, from left, Mark Kurka, Ryan “Hunter” Britt, Sam West, Billy Hawkins, Rupert “Stretch” Lean, Taylor Lawson, Oliver Dissman and Herb Magney.

PHOTO/LUCY REED very important.”

“If he hadn’t done it [tipped], the next time, we wouldn’t get in,” another said.

Building these relationships is vital for myriad reasons, not the least of which is subtlely letting the boss know his captain is connected.

“In my experience, when you have the dockmaster on the dock waving you in, saying hello, helping you tie lines, and you have the boss there on deck, it makes you look good,” one captain said.

“He knows you’re doing your job,” another agreed.

“Yeah, you get slip 1 [in Atlantis], and everyone knows when they ride in that someone hates your guts.”

The veteran captains were careful to point out that a carefully built relationship follows the boat and the captain, should they part, leaving the new captain a gift.

Nearly every captain in the room had experienced the flip side of that: dismissive service from a marina because the boat carried a reputation of being troublesome or worse, a bad tipper.

“You’ve got to work the one-on-one relationship,” one captain said.

“When I make a reservation, I never offer them money,” another said. “I tip on the back end. I want to see how they treat me. And I always ask for the dockmaster. They remember that oneon-one contact.”

Tips are an acceptable part of the cost of running a yacht, these captains agreed. They said it was important to get approval from the yacht owner as to what level of tipping they could reach, but that gratuities are written into the budget of a trip.

In the end, many of the world’s wealthy are used to getting what they want when they want it by tipping those who have the power to give it to them, be they restaurant hostesses or marina dockmasters.

“I heard of someone tipping $20,000 to get the prime spot at the Monaco Grand Prix,” one captain said, as several agreed they’d heard the similar news.

“That owner wanted to be where he wanted to be, and he got it.”

“As long as the boss understands the

way of the world, it’s acceptable,” one captain said. “The new ones, they don’t understand tipping.”

“It’s a way of doing business,” one captain said. “It’s only weird for Americans.”

The conversation delved into the appropriate level of tipping. Around the Bahamas and Caribbean, it appears to be normal to tip dockhands $5 for help with lines, $10 or more if they have helped unload groceries or some other larger task. Some captains liked to give the dockhands $20 at the beginning of a short stay, and then not have to tip again each time they were helped. If it was a longer stay, $100 or $200 wouldn’t be unusual, they agreed.

“It doesn’t have to be much, enough to cover a meal and a couple drinks at the end of the shift,” one captain said.

Of course, in season on a busy weekend or holiday, those tips would go up, double in most cases. Tips transfer well to a yard situation also, these captains agreed.

“I tip the yard guys on the way in,” one captain said. “I want them working on my boat.”

“If the mechanic saves you an hour, that’s $75. You give him a $20, that’s cheap money.”

“And at the end, you have a big lunch for all the guys and hand out crew Tshirts.”

“It’s not just a gratuity,” another captain noted. “It’s about building relationships with the people who work with your boats.”

Do you agree or disagree with this assessment of the world’s availability of megayacht slips? Has tipping gotten excessive or is it just a part of running a yacht? Contact Triton Editor Lucy Chabot Reed at lucy@the-triton.com.

The Triton hosts a captains’ luncheon every month to discuss a topic of interest to the industry.

If you are a working captain and want to attend, contact Kristy Fox at kristy@the-triton.com. We usually hold our luncheons in Ft. Lauderdale, but we’ve held them in Antibes and St. Maarten, too.

Come be a part of the discussion.

The Triton 13

FROM THE FRONT

14 The Triton

March 2005

Exhaust fans pulled flames up and away AVIVA, from page 1 and every system for fighting fires. The engine room was always meticulous.

There was nothing we could have done to prevent it.”

Free to talk about that night now that many of the insurance claims are complete, Cooney described what happened and how the crew was able to save not only their lives, but the hull that is now M/Y Attessa.

Near the yacht’s third anniversary in May 2001, she was heading from Thailand to Rhodes. One moonlit night, about eight days into the trip and half-way through the Red Sea, the megayacht was cruising at about 10 knots on a northerly course with northwesterly winds in good conditions. Cooney went to bed.

An oil leak is suspected to have been ignited by contact with the main engine exhaust. The leak occurred in a corner of the engine room, out of view of the engineer on duty.

That corner was just beyond the nearest sensor, Cooney said, and just below the engine room’s ventilation ducts, which sucked any smoke and flames up through the ducts toward the port aft sun deck.

It wasn’t until the engineering watch keeper saw flames that anyone knew there was a fire onboard.

The watch keeper woke Cooney and

raised alarms. Cooney now figures the fire was alive for only a few minutes before the 12-member crew mustered.

Within four minutes, according to the closed circuit TV, four of the crew were in fire-fighting suits battling the blaze on the sun deck. Three climbed up the aft stairs, and Chief Engineer Robert Millar climbed over the wheelhouse roof to tackle the fire from forward.

Stewardesses were boundary cooling and other crew members sealed the engine room.

Cooney put out a pan-pan distress call and two ships responded, turning on lights and getting rescue boats at the ready. Upon receiving the call, a container ship 8 miles out radioed back that the situation looked more like a Mayday, Cooney said, which made him realize how serious things were.

About 45 minutes later, the sun deck fire was out, but by then it is believed that molten aluminum from some of the superstructure had run down the PVC scuppers, igniting them and spreading the fire to the dining area on the aft end of the deck below.

“I spoke to them during the fire,” said Nick Smith, managing director with Global Claims in Ft. Lauderdale.

“I’ve been doing this a long time and I have never spoken to anyone as calm and professional in all my years. The actions of Eddie and the crew were just superb.”

It took another 45 minutes to put the fire out completely, and by then the entire aft end of the bridge deck and most of the sun deck were ruined by flames, water or smoke.

Still, the ship was afloat and no one was injured. Cooney attributes that relative success to the training drills in place. For the first week of that cruise from Thailand, the crew had safety drills every day because there were two new people on board. Normally, and for the rest of the cruise, drills were conducted every other day.

“You could write a book on how to fight fires based on how professional they were,” said Capt. Ted McCumber, project manager of Attessa’s refit. “It’s unbelievable what they did.”

On the day preceding the fire, the drill considered an engine room fire and included an abandon ship from the fore deck.

“It was good because when the alarms went off, none of the crew asked, ‘What’s going on, where do I go?’,” Cooney said. “The crew knew how to respond and they knew how to use the equipment.”

Though the galley was unusable, the crew managed to prepare a pot of tea and bacon sandwiches at 3 a.m., then gathered to debrief.

Cooney asked each crew member to write a first-hand account of the incident, reports he would give to surveyors and lawyers in the months to

come.

But that night, the megayacht just drifted until sunrise, when Cooney and the crew could assess the damage.

He and the mate photographed and videotaped everything, while Millar put the engine room back together and began repairs to get the port engine running again.

By 7 a.m., Aviva was under way toward the Suez Canal under one engine, having tidied up the deck and refilled the BA sets.

Worried that the outward appearance might hinder the megayacht’s transiting of the canal, the stewardesses stitched together guest linens to make a huge cover for the upper decks and fire-damaged areas.

Millar got the port engine working in time for the passage, but Cooney could not control it from the bridge. He sent word that whatever command he gave the starboard engine, the engine room should administer to the port engine.

When the pilots came onboard to assist with the transit, they suspected only that the gauges were delayed, Cooney said.

Four days after the fire, Aviva pulled into Rhodes, where the crew filled three large trash containers with debris. About a week later, the full crew got under way again to Gibraltar, then on to a marina in Spain. There, the megayacht rested for about four months while Cooney and the crew worked to collect bids from yards for repair.

“In the end, because all the quotes were coming in so high, we went to Oceanco in Holland because they could haul us out and put us under cover in order for us to do exploratory work,” Cooney said.

Once there, exploratory work revealed extensive damage and it was decided to sell the yacht. Cooney and Millar stayed on until she sold in 2003 and eventually took her to Vancouver, where she has been in a refit ever since.

“We went half-way around the world in the yacht – after the fire.”

Contact Editor Lucy Chabot Reed at lucy@the-triton.com.

ATTESSA UPDATE Attessa is still scheduled to launch late this month, said Capt.

Ted McCumber. All systems onboard – including the mains, generators and exhaust – have checked out in the shed, so he said he expects sea trials to go smoothly.

The megayacht will spend the summer in Alaska and Canada, then pass through the Panama Canal and into the Caribbean and up the U.S. East Coast next year.

March 2005

THE CONNECTION

The Triton 15

Manatee protection plan stumps, worries yachting industry Because of a lapse in planning 15 years ago, the endangered Florida manatee is at the crux of a debate on where the city can expand its boating facilities – if at all.

The Triton invited two experts to our Connection seminar in February to discuss the current manatee protection THE CONNECTION LUCY CHABOT REED plan, the draft boat facility siting plan, and what they mean to Ft. Lauderdale’s yachting industry.

Basically, 15 years ago, then-Gov. Bob Martinez required 13 coastal counties in Florida to create a manatee protection plan. The plans were to have three parts: safety (which resulted in speed zones), education (which resulted in a public awareness campaign) and controlled boating growth (which was supposed to identify where new and expanded slips, marinas and boatyards would go).

Ft. Lauderdale’s Broward County is one of three counties that never finished the third part of the plan. But because there were no repercussions, officials didn’t worry about it.

In the summer of 2003, the state began sending letters that said until Broward completes its plan, it cannot develop more density than one boat for each 100 feet of shoreline, according to Eric Myers, director of the biological resources division of Broward County’s Department of Environmental Protection. Plans are due in 2006.

A preliminary draft of the plan allows boating facility development in two places: one in the north end of the Intracoastal Waterway in the Hillsboro Inlet, the other along the Middle River beyond a bridge fixed at six feet.

“That amounts to a marina and boatyard moratorium,” said Frank Herhold, executive director of the Marine Industries Association of South Florida.

He told the group that, on average, watercraft have killed fewer than two manatees a year for the past 30 years.

“The last manatee death we had from a boat in the Dania Cut-off Canal

Pier 66 Dockmaster Steven Carlson, Hall of Fame Marina Manager Scott Salomon and Ken Imondi, general manager of Derecktor’s of Florida, network after the February Connection.

PHOTO/KRISTY FOX

Eric Myers, left, and Frank Herhold address questions from the audience at the February Connection seminar.

PHOTO/KRISTY FOX was in 1975,” he said.

Still, the county is stuck with the task of identifying where boating facility expansions should go.

“We’re starting from the assumption that there’s a conflict between manatees and boats,” Myers said. “The power plan in Port Everglades with its hot water discharge attracts hundreds of manatees. They’ve got a pretty predictable path. The question now is, what do we do about it?”

Most of the solutions the audience suggested had already been considered and discarded.

“Can we solve this by putting more cops on the water instead of limiting the number of boat slips?” asked one Connection attendee.

“The law says you have to look at limiting boat slips,” Myers replied.

“Are people abiding by the speed

limits?” another asked.

Myers couldn’t answer that as compliance data has not been compiled. It is due later this year.

Herhold asked if megayachts would post a manatee watch on deck as they enter and traverse Port Everglades.

“More often than not, you’re shorthanded and the crew is getting lines and fenders ready,” one captain said.

“Are there any studies that show megayachts kill manatees?” one attendee asked.

“No,” Myers said.

So why limit megayacht dockage?

“The data for watercraft death sort of lumps everything together,” Myers said. “If the animal has been crushed or severed in half, it’s a pretty good guess that it’s been hit by a large vessel.”

Can we cool the water coming out of the power plant instead of attracting

them with warm water?

“People are looking into that,” he said.

“Most people in this industry are conservationists,” one industry professional said. “No one goes out on purpose to hurt any ecology. It seems really ridiculous to endanger an $8.8 billion industry for one manatee death a year.”

According to data compiled by the MIASF, the boating industry in Broward is valued at $8.8 billion. Much of that value comes from megayachts.

“I’ve got my marching orders to go create a plan,” Myers said. “We’re between a rock and a hard place.”

Perhaps the biggest problem several in the audience had with the plan is that it’s not been proven that it will work. There has been no data to show limiting boat slips has had an impact on manatee mortality, Myers said.

“I’m concerned that the marine industry could be hurt when there’s no real data that the protection plan is protecting anything,” said Capt. John Terrill, who sits on Ft. Lauderdale’s Marine Advisory Committee. “That’s your challenge,” he said to Myers, “that the manatee will be protected by the plan you’re proposing.”

Contact Editor Lucy Chabot Reed at lucy@the-triton.com.

The experts:

Frank Herhold, executive director of the Marine Industries Association of South Florida, frank@miasf.org Eric Myers, director of the biological resources division of Broward County’s Department of Environmental Protection, emyers@broward.org Read the draft of the plan at www.broward.org/00601.htm. A final public forum is tentatively scheduled for April 12.

30 The Triton

FROM THE EXPERTS

March 2005

Crew could thrive on performance feedback What is feedback?

1. Feedback is information given to and/or received by people regarding their behavior.

Although feedback itself is simply information, its effect is a form of behavior modification.

Benevolent, voluntary, selfmodification.

MANAGER’S TIME Given properly, DON GRIMME there is no underhanded manipulation or subliminal meaning. You’re sharing your perception (and honestly stated attitude about that perception) with the recipients’ conscious mind for them to do with as they see fit.

Volunteering an (unsolicited) evaluation of an employee as a person is bound to trigger defensiveness and is unwarranted in the workplace.

2. Feedback is best given as close to the time of the behavior as possible.

Like any form of behavior modification – whether you’re training a puppy, guiding a child or coaching an adult – feedback needs to be provided immediately or as soon after the observed behavior as possible.

Waiting for the annual performance review or the next time you happen to interact with the person is

meaningless and unproductive. It may even be counterproductive: at best, causing puzzlement; at worst, causing resentment, self-doubt and/or insecurity.

3. Feedback is a continuous, interactive process.

Since adult behavior tends to be stubbornly resistant to change, feedback is not a one-shot activity.

Desired behavior must be frequently reinforced and undesired behavior regularly redirected.

Also, people and their environments change over time. The feedback they receive needs to reflect such changes.

4. Feedback can be positive or constructive.

The two types of feedback share many attributes, e.g., honesty, specificity and timeliness. The differences will be described in next month’s column.

It is difficult for any of us to see ourselves objectively, especially the impact our behavior has on other people or on complex systems (such as work projects or the mission of an organization). And it is impossible to see ourselves as others see us without outside help.

That is the role of feedback. It’s like a mirror that another person can hold up for us to look into. And the best mirrors are those without distortion (e.g., the biases or hidden agendas of

the person providing the feedback), and untarnished by animosity or fondness.

You may wonder, “What if I’m really ticked off at the person?”

That’s OK. Anger is neither good nor bad. If you feel it, you feel it, and you should allow yourself to experience your anger fully. It may even be appropriate to express your anger.

Anger Management, however, is a subject unto itself - outside the scope of this article.

But you should know that expressing anger is not feedback. Don’t let your anger pollute the feedback process.

Deal with it separately, probably before offering performance feedback.

By the way, the same applies to assertion, which we heartily advocate (and distinguish from aggression).

Asserting yourself is good, and the process has some elements in common with feedback. But there are important differences: The focus of feedback is the other individual’s behavior and its impact on the workplace. The focus of assertion is your wants and needs, and perhaps, how they relate to another’s behavior.

Don Grimme is co-founder of GHR Training Solutions in Coral Springs, Fla. He specializes in helping managers reduce turnover and attract excellent job candidates. Contact him at dgrimme@comcast.net.

Simple yoga stretches during day can help relieve job-related stress Jill Hagar, a yoga instructor who also manages and works on a private jet, uses yoga to diminish jet lag after a trans-Atlantic trip; to keep her body feeling healthier, more balanced and flexible; and to better handle the stress that comes with everyday life.

Yoga, she says, is more than a stretching exercise; it’s a mind-body BODY BUSINESS experience.

LISETTE HILTON And it’s easy to do wherever you are – whether you’re on a megayacht in tight spaces or on land.

There are more than 100 types of yoga, all based on exercise, breathing and meditation. The most popular form in the United States is Hatha yoga, featuring physical movements, postures and breathing techniques. Hatha includes different methods of teaching, such as Iyengar, Ashtanga and Bikram.

Hagar practices and teaches Iyengar, which she says is the most disciplined and therapeutic of the different types.

The props, including a yoga mat, blocks, ropes and bolsters, are easy to transport and even find on yachts.

She suggests that before attempting yoga stretches on your own that you take classes to learn the poses correctly.

“We always have stress in our lives but it helps to change the perspective on the stress that you have and how you deal with it,” Hagar said. “Many of the positions in yoga help with circulation in the legs.”

For those who stand or sit a lot, a few yoga poses here and there throughout the work shift can help to keep the joints and muscles well oiled.

Restorative, or resting, poses in yoga help to rejuvenate a tired body.

“If I do a trip to Europe, instead of going to bed [when I arrive], I try to stay on the time schedule and do a restorative practice,” she said. “When I do, I’m totally rejuvenated, like I slept all night.”

Hagar, who teaches in St. Lucia, says yoga has taken the edge off her job.

“Yoga helps you to take things a little easier,” she said. “I know that if I didn’t practice yoga, my job would be tougher.”

Do yacht crew have special health issues? Is there something you would like to know more about? E-mail Lisette Hilton, a freelance health reporter, at lisetteh@bellsouth.net.

FROM THE EXPERTS

March 2005

The Triton 31

Creating a cash-flow statement puts you in control I’m sure you’ve heard the saying that there are two types of human beings in this world: those who work to live and those who live to work. I strive to be one of the former although the inclination to belong to the latter group is definitely inherent in my personality.

Which one are you? And a better question: Which one do you aspire to be? INTO ACCOUNT Most of us awake PHAEDRA XANTHOS each morning and prepare for our day with the intent of earning a living. Are you lucky enough to be truly passionate about your field, or do you arise and start your day merely from habit? Do you work simply because it is the thing to do, or do you work so that you can achieve your private goals?

It’s so easy to lose sight of our true purpose in life, whatever it may be. I find that the development of a financial plan is surprisingly personal and, in a way, therapeutic – believe it or not.

A financial plan is nothing more than defining goals, assessing the status quo, delineating a timeframe to achieve the goals, mapping the route and then sticking to it, no matter how rigorous the terrain may become.

Once you have defined what you want and when you can get there, take a look at your financial surroundings.

First figure out what your net worth is (assets minus liabilities) and then pursue the next vital step: creating a cash-flow statement. Sound tricky? It’s really not. (And I’m not just saying that because I visualize them in my sleep.)

Basically, your cash-flow statement can be created by compiling all your monthly pay stubs and bills.

First, make a note of your monthly

average income. If your income varies month to month, take a look at the past two years and calculate your average monthly income.

Next, list your expenses (housing, food, entertainment, etc.). Try to be realistic about miscellaneous expenses.

Sometimes the simple act of reviewing your bank statements can be incredibly (and frightfully) revealing. You might find yourself wondering in disbelief just how much one night out can cost as a percentage of your income.

The difference between your income and expenses is what we have to work with. The act of itemizing your expenses should be a great opportunity to take control of your spending. Do you really want to allocate $1,500 a month for intangible expenses (i.e. fun)? Perhaps you do – and, if so, that’s wonderful. This exercise simply gives you the chance to consciously make that decision. It puts you in control of

your spending instead of granting the ATM gods this honor.

Set aside one afternoon this month for financial catharsis. Review your spending habits and make a choice about the changes you will make for your future. You’ll be glad you did.

Please do remember that the creation of a personalized financial plan is an in-depth process. The advice I give here is meant to be a starting point for heightened awareness. A professional financial adviser can be enormously helpful and should be consulted to help refine and expedite your path to financial satisfaction.

Have questions about how to invest your money? Ask Phaedra Xanthos, a licensed financial adviser specializing in the yachting community and owner of Transcontinental Financial Group in Ft. Lauderdale. Contact her at phaedra@ transcontinentalfinancial.com.

Kiteboarding can be dangerous without good instruction first CATCHING AIR

BY LESLIE BORE The new extreme sport of kiteboarding is taking the yachting industry by storm.

The exhilarating feeling of cruising on the water or the adrenalin rush of flying high above the water powered only by the wind is a lot of fun and extremely addictive.

But there are too many reports of yachties having kiteboarding accidents that are the result of unsafe practices.

The most common reason for injuries is people learning to kiteboard from a friend or just on there own.

Weather or not you have sailed all your life, or even if you are a pro snowboarder, the skills required to kiteboard safely can only be learned from an official kiteboarding instructor in a controlled environment. You are risking your life and possibly the life of other beach goers by trying to learn on your own.

There are also a lot of charter guests asking about kitboarding lessons these days. It would be potentially disastrous to put their safety into the hands of an unqualified instructor.

Just think: would you teach yourself to scuba dive or teach yourself to pack your own parachute? Of course not.

One mistake could leave you seriously injured or dead.

Nearly every boat out there has a crew member who kiteboards or is interested in learning. All beginners need to understand that they are harnessing themselves to a highperformance machine with a serious amount of power.

In the hands of an experienced pilot, these kites reach speeds of 44 knots and perform jumps as high as 50 feet.

Out on the water, this is a lot of fun. But when you are learning near the beach, it is possible to cause yourself serious injury.

It takes time and a lot of experience to be a good instructor. The instructor course is intense and concentrates on the safety of the student. An instructor will anticipate students’ dangerous actions and correct them before they hurt themselves. It takes experience to recognize potential dangers, so until you’ve done a course, stick to jumping out of planes; it’s safer. Don’t learn the hard way.

This month’s golden tip: Before approaching an instructor for lessons, buy a two-meter trainer kite and fly it as much as you can for a couple of weeks or until you feel you have it totally under control. These trainer kites simulate the performance of the bigger kites but without the power to launch you into trees or drag you across a highway. Trainer kites are the best way to train your body to feel the wind through the kite. It’s safe and loads of fun.

The last thing I want to do is put Answers to puzzle on page 39

anyone off kiteboarding. It’s the most enjoyable water sport ever. But get qualified instruction and practice far from any hard objects or other beach goers. Be smart about it and get yourself a good instructor. Good instruction and practice makes perfect.

Leslie Bore owns and operates Elite

Kiteboarding Charters, a company that trains yacht crew how to kiteboard.

He’s also the chef on M/Y Silver Cloud during the Caribbean charter season.

He lives in the Dominican Republic with his partner, kiteboarding pro Laurel Eastman. Contact him at elitekite boardingcharters@yahoo.com or visit www.laureleastmankiteboarding.com.

IN MEMORIUM

32 The Triton

March 2005

Yachting veteran Udo Weidauer dies at 54

By Lucy Chabot Reed Udo Weidauer, a yachting industry veteran who was at the forefront of the production of some of the world’s most well-known megayachts, died Jan. 26.

He was 54.

Weidauer had recently returned to the company that molded his career, Lurssen, only this time as an owner’s

rep in the construction of Marlin, the first of three new builds. He spent 22 years at Lurssen.

In the past decade, job offers brought him to Ft. Lauderdale’s Derecktor Shipyards, where he worked as president for a year, and to Barcelona as technical manager of MB92.

It was to Barcelona that Global Ship Systems CEO Rob Creech traveled to recruit Weidauer to be his director of yard operations, a post Weidauer filled on Sept. 1 last year. But he left GSS in mid-December to accept the opportunity in Germany as owner’s rep.

A few days before he died, Weidauer had been entertaining the owner of Marlin in Germany. He had dropped long-time friend Buddy Haack at the airport on Friday, Jan. 21. His wife, Belinda Rowe Weidauer, last heard from him on Monday, Jan 24. On Wednesday, he was found in bed with a book lying on his chest. He had fallen asleep on Monday and never woke up.

“Udo was a very special person,” Haack said. “He liked to make everyone around him happy. He had not a bad habit of any kind that I was able to detect in the years of time-tested

friendship I enjoyed with him.”

“Udo was a very special man,” Belinda Rowe Weidauer said. “He had a way of drawing people out, making them laugh. Although he knew the marine industry like the back of his own hand, he was a humble man and I was very proud of him, Sharing his life enriched both my life and career.” Belinda Weidauer said she traveled because of “He was a prince Udo. Here they celebrated her birthday in Mallorca of a guy,” Creech said. in April 2003.

PHOTOS COURTESY OF BELINDA WEIDAUER “Everything from the main deck and below, he competed in races around Florida, knew very well.” including the Florida Challenge A graduate of marine engineering, Triathlon where his team – called the Weidauer’s career began in 1976 when Ancient Wind Bags – came in second. he served as a marine engineer in the Weidauer took the longest leg of the German merchant Navy. triathlon, the 56-mile bike ride that he In the megayacht sector, Weidauer finished in less than 3 hours. worked as project manager on Limitless “He was in great shape for 54 years and Coral Island, was warranty old,” Haack said. “His passing surprised engineer for Pelorus, and oversaw the us all.” conversion of Eco to Katana.

Weidauer is survived by his wife, Weidauer was an avid cyclist, taking whom he married Dec. 30, and a 20in rides of up to 150 miles a day. He year-old son in Germany.

In life, as in cycling, Weidauer pulled others along

By Buddy Haack Udo was a friend of mine. He was a good person, thoughtful of others, helpful, knowledgeable in his profession, with a great vest (zest) for life. He was active and energetic and liked to socialize.

Udo liked his work, which allowed him to resolve problems. He would never turn down a request for help, no matter how much it interfered with his own agenda.

I met Udo in 1999. We became

friends instantly. He was outgoing, nonjudgmental, easy to talk to, a good listener, and a sincere friend. He asked me one day if I liked riding bikes. I wanted to get more active so I said yes.

I purchased a new bike and, over the next few years, logged more than 7,000 miles with Udo riding around Florida.

Udo was a strong rider, riding competitively since he was 13 years old.

He would work with me on my riding technique so that I could improve quickly.

Udo rode through life just as he did

in cycling. He would ride to the front not just to be the leader but to take his turn pulling others so that their efforts were made easier.

Mile after mile, Udo would pull me along, knowing good and well he was helping me stay up to speed. It can be said that sports are the true test of one’s ability (character?). Lies do not make an athlete win nor do well in sports. You either come in first or last, but the truth is what it is.

Udo told the truth, no matter what the outcome. In the countless hours of cycling (we shared), it was apparent I had a friend that was real. Udo, I will surely miss you.

Buddy Haack is the U.S. represetntative for sales and marketing for Lurssen and was one of Udo Weidnauer’s best friends.

Contact him through editorial@thetriton.com.

Udo Weidauer, front, introduced Haack to cycling, a sport he still enjoys.

March 2005

RESTAURANT REVIEW

Young Tara offers South Florida gracious, delicious fine dining

By Lucy Chabot Reed Expecting a media event when invited recently to a press dinner at Tara Steak and Lobster House, we drove past the entrance twice looking for the mob.

Finally, knowing the new restaurant was inside the Sonesta Hotel in Miami’s Coconut Grove neighborhood, we decided to enter there.

Instead of a mob, we found a gracious little family restaurant, darkly cool, casually refined. And it wasn’t little; it seats more than 300. It just felt little.

We began with a glass of the house cabernet sauvignon, a private label named Tara from the Roundhill Vineyard in Napa Valley. Delicious.

Conversation was easy. There wasn’t the loud din typical of many other steakhouses where the activity of the kitchen is part of the experience. Maybe it was the high ceilings.

As for the food, everything was perfectly cooked. The petit filet mignon was warm throughout and the perfect shade of pink. The lobster was tender, not tough, with its claw – the most anticipated part – already shelled and ready to be doused in clarified butter.

The appetizer crab cakes were finely shredded and breaded, a family recipe that was pulled in to fill a hole in the

Tara Steak and Lobster House 2889 McFarlane Road Coconut Grove 305-444-6244 menu when stone crab season ended, said Tara Trevethan, the 26-year-old namesake of the two-restaurant chain.

Even the spinach, which is called “damn good spinach” on the menu, was perfectly steamed to maintain texture and not leave its nutrients in a puddle on the plate.

It’s not cheap. The 8-ounce petit filet alone is $34. The porterhouse for two is $64. But considering this restaurant is inside a hotel, it was phenomenal.

The Trevethan family opened Andre’s Steakhouse of Marco Island on Florida’s west coast in 1998. After a wealthy investor ate there, he encouraged the family to expand. Tara, a business school graduate, put together a plan and approached him for funding.

Tara in Coconut Grove opened last fall, the first in a $5 million expansion.

Other restaurants are planned for Ft. Lauderdale and Palm Beach.

One of these days, there’ll be a mob.

Contact Editor Lucy Chabot Reed at lucy@the-triton.com.

The Triton 33

34 The Triton

IN THE STARS

Use the Moon to find the solar system’s two largest planets

By Jack Horkheimer If you’re one of those people who has difficulty identifying the planets, every once in a while the Moon pays a visit to some of them, thus enabling you to use the Moon as a finder. And such is the case the weekends of March 18-20 and March 25-27 when our Moon will visit the two largest planets in our solar system.

At about 8 p.m. local time, facing southwest you’ll see some of the brightest stars in the heavens all gathered together.

Directly in front, you’ll see the wonderful stars that make up Orion the Giant Hunter, his dog Canis Major, Taurus the Bull, Auriga the Charioteer, and Gemini the Twins with its two brightest stars, Castor and Pollux.

And this year, there’s an object close to them that usually isn’t there: the

wonderful ringed world, 75,000-milewide Saturn, which is currently almost at its closest and brightest it gets.

If you still have trouble telling a planet from a star, then wait until Friday, March 18, when an exquisite gibbous Moon will be parked underneath Castor and Pollux and to the right of Saturn.

Here’s a hint if you’re still not sure which is Saturn: only stars twinkle, planets never do. If the air is turbulent on that Friday, you may see Castor and Pollux twinkling like mad and Saturn glowing with a steady light. If it’s cloudy then go out the next night, Saturday the 19th, and the Moon will be in a line with Pollux and Castor and even closer to Saturn, only 6 degrees away.

So what about the other bright planet, the biggest of them all? On Friday the 25th at 8 p.m., look east instead of southwest. Just above the

horizon you’ll see a brilliant full Moon only 6 degrees above Jupiter.

If you’ve got a telescope handy, you’ll be able to see several bands of atmosphere circling Jupiter’s equator and up to four of its largest moons. On Saturday night, a just-past-full Moon will be almost the same distance below Jupiter as it was above it Friday night.

So if you happen to be out with friends in the middle of March and want to impress them, point out Saturn and Jupiter at 8 p.m. Just don’t tell anyone you used the Moon as a finder.

Jack Horkheimer is executive director of the Miami Museum of Science. This is the script for his weekly television show co-produced by the museum and WPBT Channel 2 in Miami. It is seen on public television stations around the world.

For more information about stars, visit www.jackstargazer.com.

March 2005

HOROSCOPES By astronomer Michael Thiessen PISCES (Feb. 20-March 20) Clear up important personal documents before the end of the zodiac year.

Contributions to organizations will enhance your reputation and bring you offers. Social activities that involve the whole family will be enjoyable. So smile.

ARIES (March 21-April 20) You are likely to unintentionally reveal information. Sit back and observe, regardless of how hard that might be.

Stretch the truth, and you may get blamed for something you didn’t do.

TAURUS (April 21-May 21) Don’t allow your lover to take advantage of your good nature. You will have trouble sorting out your feelings when it comes to your relationship. Make physical work or exercise part of your schedule.

GEMINI (May 22-June 21) You will need to work diligently to accomplish even the smallest amount. You can expand your circle of friends if you socialize.

You may be emotional if you allow your lover to take advantage of you.

CANCER (June 22-July 22) Others may want to steal your thunder when they realize your ideas are solid. Find out what they’re up to, and see if you can pick up where you left off. You could overreact to emotional situations regarding your relationship.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22) There could be disappointment regarding investments.

You are best to deal with those outside your family. Exercise discipline when it comes to controlling bad habits. Don’t go overboard; start small and work toward building it up slowly.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 23) Focus on using your creative abilities in other ways. You have more energy than the rest of the people you live with anyway.

Get a little extra rest; you are prone to infections and fevers. Someone may be trying to pull the wool over your eyes.

LIBRA (Sept. 24-Oct. 23) Don’t make mountains out of molehills if you want to avoid conflict. Work diligently and you will get ahead this month. Get out and enjoy an evening with friends.

SCORPIO (Oct. 24-Nov. 22) Instant romance could be yours if you go out with friends. Travel opportunities must be taken advantage of. One of your female friends may try to disrupt your day. Don’t avoid situations that may deteriorate; try to mend them.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 23-Dec. 21) There could be disappointment regarding investments. Look into the cost factor, but don’t try to get backing yet. Your ability to add a sophisticated touch will help you capture the look you’re after.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 20) Don’t be too harsh with loved ones; there are two sides to an issue. Be prepared to counteract the damage that adversaries are about to create. Romance could be exciting if you are spontaneous.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 21-Feb. 19) Changes in your domestic situation will prove favorable in the long run. Find out if they’re married. Get into self awareness groups or physical enhancement plans.

REVIEWS

March 2005

What we’re watching, reading “The Village” starts as a deeply creepy terror flick, then veers into territory that’s even more disturbing than the menace of sharp-clawed monsters lurking in the woods.

Writer-director M. Night Shyamalan (“Signs,” “The Sixth Sense”) shows us an Amish-style community where grief lurks just below the idyll.

William Hurt and Sigourney Weaver, both barely recognizable in low-key performances, are among the leaders in this refuge from society. Their selfimposed exile has its pros (no crime, no TV or phones) and its pitfalls (no medicine, not to mention constant terror of an attack from the red-cloaked monsters).

When a group of rebellious youths played by Joaquin Phoenix, Adrien Brody and Bryce Dallas Howard begin to break free of their commune’s suffocating rules, the creatures strike back. To Shyamalan’s credit, on-screen bloodshed is nearly non-existent. He builds suspense through moods and his reserved characters’ stilted dialogue.

“The Village” is neither bomb nor bombshell. Its slow opening will test viewers’ patience, yet Shyamalan ultimately rewards that patience with a surprise ending that raises questions about the nature of free will and personal responsibility.

– Jeff Ostrowski

Jimmy Buffett’s latest book, “A Salty Piece of Land” (Little, Brown and Company, $27.95), remains on the best-seller list. It is written in the style of his earlier fiction, “Where is Joe Merchant?” and “Tales from Margaritaville”.

Each chapter is a vignette, many of them adventures centered on drinking, women, fishing and boats. Sound like Buffet song? Most of the writing does have the same lyrical quality of his recordings, and the book comes with a single CD to put you in the mood.

Gypsy soul Tully Mars and his horse, Mr. Twain, cross paths with numerous lifestyles of the Caribbean on their journey from Wyoming to Key West.

The curious characters – both on land and water—are familiar island types.

Like Tully Mars, the dreamers and drifters in this book have been part of Buffett’s earlier stories or songs.

Settings and heroes are again idealized in the telling; Buffett weaves his own love of classic sailboats, seaplanes and lighthouses into the story.

Armchair sailors and those who have curbed their wanderlust may satisfy their fantasies with “A Salty Piece of Land.” The good guy has loyal friends, is rescued by strangers, wins the girl and finds a happily-ever-after ending.

– Donna Mergenhagen Well-Read, Ft. Lauderdale

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March 2005

TAKING TIME OFF

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The gladdest moment in human life, methinks, is the departure upon a distant journey into unknown lands.

– Sir Richard Francis Burton (1856)

Kayaker: descent of Blue Nile safer than city sports

By Lucy Chabot Reed Sure, facing a 14-foot crocodile from a six-foot kayak is scary. But for veteran cinematographer and safety kayaker Gordon Brown, the scariest part of his new film “Mystery of the Nile” comes in the theater.

“It’s a lot scarier for me to get up in front of a lot of people,” he said after speaking to movie goers at the premier of the film at the Blockbuster IMAX Theater in Ft. Lauderdale last month.

You wouldn’t know it though.

With a cool, smooth voice, Brown described the 3,260-mile (5,247km) trip his expedition took down the Blue Nile from source to sea, the first such descent of what many consider the world’s most dangerous river.

Movie goers are taken back in concept 2,000 years to understand the historical and human significance of the Nile. Then they ride along class 4 and 5 rapids with Brown and an expedition team of six (plus scores of security, support and filmmaking staff).

The team started at the source, 9,000 feet up in the highlands of Ethiopia, hiking along the Little Blue Nile for 50 miles until the water was deep enough for their boats. From Laka Tana in Ethiopia, the river carves south, then north through Sudan and into Egypt to the river’s terminus just north of Rosetta on the Mediterranean Sea. For 114 days last spring, two inflatable rafts and Brown’s one-man kayak traveled the river Though the movie shared the spotlight with all six adventurers, only Brown and famed expedition leader Pasquale Scaturro made the entire journey.

For several days before facing the big croc, Brown and the crew shared the river with many of the reptiles. They would slip into the river as the boats

drifted past and on several occasions got pretty close, Brown said.

The danger, they knew, came at the bottom of rapids, where crocodiles often wait for stunned river life to regain their bearings, be they fish or humans. Part way through a rapid, Brown heard Scaturro shout “croc” and knew it was serious.

A 14-footer was making a beeline for his kayak. Once out of the rapids, Brown turned his kayak to face the beast and charged it, a method of warding off predators he learned living with mountain lions and bears at his mother’s ranch in Montana. It worked.

Hippos are another story. As cute as they are, being within 100 yards of them in the film was the most nervous Brown said he was on the journey.

“Hippos are very territorial,” he said.

“They’ll just bite you in half.”

Throughout the film, though, Brown and Scaturro show more of a peaceful, adventurous Nile that carved civilizations as it carved lava rock, granite and standstone. In several places along the journey, the expedition hit dry land. They explored a ghost town from ancient Nubia, a church carved into the rock of the Earth so that its roof was at ground level, pyramids and temples to the pharaohs.

The expedition interacted with the local people on several occasions, including Christians and Muslims.

Never did they encounter the militant religious factions they were prepared for, Brown said. And the people of Sudan turned out to be the kindest and friendliest of the journey.

“I love it when our perceptions of people are so totally wrong,” he said in conversation with a filmgoer after a showing on opening day. “The more I travel, the more I realize that religion and fanatical religious people are

Filmmaker and kayaker Gordon Brown spent four months riding the river from source to sea.

PHOTO COURTESY OF MACGILLIVRAY FREEMAN FILMS the ones responsible for most of the problems in the world.”

Brown is casual about the dangers he’s encounter his whole life. A winner of five Emmys for his cinematography, Brown began doing adventure films with his father at age 12, kayaking a river in Alaska. He worked with producer Greg MacGillivray on “Journey into Amazing Caves,” a film that took him 500 feet into Greenland’s ice cap. “Mystery of the Nile” is also a MacGillivray Freeman film.

He has made six first descents in his career, but this trip was his first from source to sea. He was shot at by bandits on this journey, bounced down a 50foot waterfall after grabbing the wrong

line repelling on a previous journey.

And recently, he’s survived a brain tumor, surgery and recovery.

“I’ve led a charmed life, for sure,” said Brown, now 41. He lives on a Cal 34 (1969) at the Santa Monica Yacht Club in California. “Since the cancer, I appreciate life in a very real way. I don’t put myself in death’s way. I consider there’s a very calculated risk involved.

“The real risk is being on the highway on a Friday night,” he said. “I can look at that statistically and say that’s just foolish. Going down a river with crocs, I can handle that.”

E-mail Editor Lucy Chabot Reed at lucy@the-triton.com.

CLASSIFIEDS

38 The Triton

ADVERTISER DIRECTORY

Company

All Phase Marine Electric All Services Antibes Yachtwear Argonautica Yacht Interiors ARW Maritime The Beard Marine Group Boat Blinds International Bradford Marine Business cards C&N Yacht Refinishing Calypso Marine Electronics Camper & Nicholsons International Cape Ann Towing Concord Marine Electronics Doris the Florist Edd Helms Marine Elite Crew International Florida Marine Fort Lauderdale Marine Directory Fort Lauderdale Shipyard Global Satellite Global Ship Systems Global Yacht Fuel Gourmet Market Caves Village Island Marine and Industrial Services Jones Boat Yard Lauderdale Marine Center Lauderdale Propeller Light Bulbs Unlimited Mail Boxes Etc. Maritime Professional Training Marshall Islands Yacht Registry Matthews Marine Megafend The Mrs. G Team Nauti Tech Nautical Structures Ocean Marine Yacht Center Peterson Fuel Delivery Pier 17 Resolve Marine Group River Supply River Services Rolly Marine Service Roscioli Yachting Center Rossmare International Bunkering RPM Diesel Engine Co. Sailorman Scalise Marine SeaThrust Smile Perfect Smith-Merritt Insurance St. Augustine Marine Sunshine Medical Center Sweet Sop TowBoatUS Virgin Islands Charteryacht League Windjammer Barefoot Cruises Yacht Equipment & Parts Yacht Entertainment Systems Yacht-Mate Products Yacht Productions Yachting Pages

March 2005

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WHAT’S UP?

March 2005

The Triton 39

On the Horizon in March

March 2 The Fox Network (held the first Wednesday of every month), 7 p.m. Kristy Fox, who handles business development and sales for The Triton, hosts these monthly socials. Come to network and make new friends in the industry. For details, contact kristy@the-triton.com, 954-525-0029

March 4-6 Savannah International Boat Show, International Trade and Convention Center. Includes a seafood festival. (843) 762-3997, www.savannah internationalboatshow.com March 6-11 Marine Service Managers Program, Annapolis, Maryland.

This training course is designed to help develop management skills for managers of boatyards and marine service centers at marinas and retailers. www.imimarina.org, 202-737-9776 March 9-13 Yacht Vision ’05, Auckland, N.Z. Design symposium running in conjunction with the Auckland International Boat Show. www.yachtvision.co.nz March 12 28th annual Waterway Cleanup. Ft. Lauderdale. Hosted by the Marine Industries Association of South Florida. 9 a.m.-1 p.m. at 30 sites. www. waterwaycleanup.org, 954-524-2733 March 16-17 International Superyacht Symposium, inaugural event held in conjunction with Seatrade Cruise Shipping Convention, Miami Beach Convention Center. Symposium will address rapid growth in the industry, regulatory overview and some

Club Marina, West Indies. 268460-1799, classic@candw.ag, www. antiguaclassics.com

EVENT OF THE MONTH MARCH 17-20 20th annual Palm Beach Boat Show Features more than $300 million worth of boats, megayachts and accessories from manufacturers around the world. In addition to the in-water portion of the show on the Intracoastal Waterway along Flagler Drive, this year’s show includes more than 100,000 square feet of exhibitor space at the Palm Beach County Convention Center.

Continuous free shuttle buses connect the two. Show tickets are $10. www.showmanagement.com of the operational challenges facing the sector. www.superyachtmiami.com, 609-452-2800

on Friday, the main draw competition is on Saturday, with men and women’s finals on Sunday. www.avp.com

March 23-April 3 Nasdaq-100 Open, Miami Beach. Hard court tournament with $3.5 millionUS in prize money. www.nasdaq-100open.com

April 4-10 The Masters, Augusta, Georgia. One of golf ’s major tournaments. www.pga.com

March 31-April 3 Dania Marine Flea Market, Dania Beach, Fla., at Dania Jaialai fronton, 301 E. Dania Beach Blvd.

Thursday, Friday and Saturday: 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Sunday til 4 p.m. Admission is $12 on Thursday; $10 other days.

Parking is free. 954-920-7877, www. thedaniamarinefleamarket.com April 1-3 AVP Pro Beach Volleyball Tour, Ft. Lauderdale. First tournament of the 2005 series featuring 150 of the sport’s top athletes. Local qualifier is

April 8 6th annual Job Fair, The Landing School of Boatbuilding and Design, Arundel, Maine. info@landing school.edu, www.landingschool.edu April 10-14 Intermediate Marina Management School, Annapolis, Maryland. This course is designed to fast track the rising marina professional. www.imimarina.org, 202-737-9776 April 14-19 Antigua Classic Yacht Regatta, Antigua Yacht

April 16-17 9th annual Plywood Regatta, D.C. Alexander Park, Ft. Lauderdale. Middle and high-school students build and race boats to build boatings future. Mentors and sponsors welcome. Organized by the Marine Industries Association of South Florida. www.plywoodregatta.org.

April 24-30 Antigua Sailing Week, www.sailingweek.com April 30-May 1 11th annual McDonald’s Air & Sea Show, Ft. Lauderdale beach between Las Olas and Oakland Park boulevards. Follows Fleet Week April 25-29. 954-527-5600, ext. 4; www.nationalsalute.com May 11-22 58th Cannes Film Festival, France. www.festival-cannes.org May 19-22 31st annual Newport Spring Boat Show, Newport Yachting Center, 366 Thames St., (401) 846-1115, www.newportspringboatshow.com May 21 Start of the Rolex Transatlantic Challenge from New York to Cornwall, England. www.nyyc.org

If you know of other industry events anywhere in the world that should be included in our listing here, contact us at editorial@the-triton.com.

Answers on page 31

GET A JOB

40 The Triton

CREW NEEDED

CREW AVAILABLE

U.S.-flagged 106’ M/Y seeks experienced chef/ stewardess. Must be detail orientated, organized.

Experience with line handling, watch keeping a plus. E-mail resume to chefstew@boatbytes.com.

Seeking the right fit to apply my unique maritime experiences, management and organizational skills to significantly impact the success of a yachting program. To join a crew that values teamwork,

Classifieds

individual growth and initiative. Ideally to work as a first mate under an experienced captain. scott@outerspaces.com Looking for work as a deckhand or stew.

Based in Ft. Lauderdale. grafftree@hotmail.com

Certified Red Seal chef looking for freelance charter work or full-time with right boat/crew.

Contact for resume. Loads of experience, international training, passion for cooking. Canadian citizen.

305-766-5023 ni_colt@yahoo.com

March 2005

Professional yacht chef seeking permanent or freelance employment on a yacht that insists on quality where I can use my experience and attention to detail to further my career.

Five-star capabilities, neat, clean, organized and detail oriented. Prefer yachts in the 150’ range. Call David Widdas, 954-401-8278 or davidwiddas@aol.com Professional Australian captain, class IV, with 20+ years maritime experience available for immediate start aboard a vessel, power or sail, private or charter in any location. Ideally seeking command of a vessel greater than 100’.

Areas cruised: Atlantic,

Mediterranean, East Coast USA, Caribbean, Coastal Water of Australia & New Zealand, Tasman, Indian & Pacific oceans, Asian waters. Currently in Fort Lauderdale and can be contacted on 954-326-5536 or msoldsalt@hotmail.com American stewardess/ mate, full or part time, will cook for a family. 14 years experience Bahamas/ Florida. Detailed oriented, self motivated. Divemaster, first-aid, STCW-95. Vicki Elwyn, 954-612-2503, vickibahamas@mail.com Couple seeking shortterm positions. Crew replacement, delivery, or other. He has 50-ton

GET A JOB

March 2005

Specialized classified listings are $15 per column inch. license; she has stewardess experience. 906-482-6641, rroblee@mtu.edu U.S. citizen, STCW-95, detailed oriented, self motivated, beginner, will travel, available now. danielhayward@msn.com 43 yrs old, non-smoker, no alcohol or chemical dependencies, single, fluent Italian, French, conversational English, an understanding of Spanish.

Experience aboard yachts up to 110’. 954-614-6510, stabolimarc@aol.com American chef available full or part time. Many years experience. Gail Murphy, 954-648-7879-cell or 954-525-1398 home Experienced chef/stew team: STCW-95, culinary school. Freelance, deliveries, short or long term. US citizens. Available individually or as a team.

Add or view up-to-date classifieds free at www.megayacht.org

Line handling and deck experience. 954-812-2641, mtnsoul11@aol.com Chef available for charter or private yachts, estates and special occasions. 904-728-8169, tunjahda@aol.com or chefrjbateh@tanjarha American captain with good engineering skills looking for full-time position on fishing or cruising vessel. Over 20 years on the water. Broad offshore fishing experience.

Part of 2004 Bisbee’s Black and Blue winning team.

Will relocate for right position. 619-223-2537, greghauck@cox.net Chef for yacht or estate, permanent, freelance.

STCW. saefla4@aol.com American chef for yacht or estate, culinary degree, 20 years experience 10 on yachts/estates, 10 in hotel/restaurant. STCW 95, concourse de chef winner, Power & Motoryacht ’97 best charter chefs, 305-7786592, miludka@cs.com 100-on master captain,

The Triton 41

Classifieds

charters/deliveries. 25 years experience. Power or sail.

Non-smoker, non-drinker, single, excellent health. www.deweyswain.com, captaindewey@hotmail. com, 561-371-8091

OTHER PROS NEEDED Growing marine technical service company in need of a experienced sales person with technical knowledge of marine systems. Must have good experience in networking, selling and closing sales. Handsome commission with expenses for right person. 954-3271750, JM21954@aol.com

Full service yard seeks marine mechanic.

Certification helpful, but not necessary. Duties include installing thru hulls, repair cutlass bearings, shaft work, basic boat mechanics, etc.

Must have some tools.

Mechanical knowledge necessary. Great benefits.

954-525-4726, info@pier17. net

smj74@yahoo.com

FOR SALE SeaTel TV Antenna Package, 24” antenna dome & TAC 92 controller.

Upgraded software, working condition. Priced to sell. capt5066@aol.com

FOR RENT

OTHER PROS AVAILABLE If you need someone for basic maintenance, call me at 954-565-7883.

Detail-oriented professional with 27 years in the South Florida manufacturing and distribution industries for corporate and privately owned companies. Expertise in inventory management and purchasing. I also have experience in personnel supervision, client relations, financial reporting. Possess strong computer skills. 954-9239370, jjschwartz@bellsouth. net Marine handy man available on a per-hour

or per-project basis to assist with all marinerelated projects (including temporary crew). Hugo Moreau, 954-551-7719, 954920-6635, hmfla@aol.com English/French speaking, responsible, hard-working, licensed coastal skipper (France)and legal. 15 years experience in the boat business. Open to opportunities. Experienced in project management, int/ext refitting and everyday crew as mate or deckhand on 150ft max. Does not have to be local. 954-249-9317,

2/1 apt. for rent long term.

Close to marinas, beach, downtown, crew agencies and shopping. Central AC and coin-op washer dryer.

904 S.E. 14th Ct. $900/mo., 1-year lease. 954-294-0641, SabraHall1@aol.com

Need crew now?

Check out our up-to-date classified listings any day on www. megayacht.org.

Listings are free and we have far too many to list here. Go ahead.

Check it out.

42 The Triton

WRITE TO BE HEARD

March 2005

Today’s ‘young’ crew no match for older, experienced mariners FROM THE DECK MARY BETH JOHNSON

My great uncle, who was a captain of one of the big tankers during World War II, had a 1,600-ton ticket at age 22. And he was the No. 1 Jacksonville harbor pilot at age 33.

I followed in his footsteps by going to sea but in a different role.

I am a certified executive pastry chef and a certified chef de cuisine who happens to be a long-time, sea-going mariner with hundreds of thousands of blue water miles and who happens to be over the age limit as per Steve Huggins in a recent article. [“Retiring captain ‘lucky’ to leave young man’s job,” page 6, January 2005.]

I applaud Capt. Martyn Walker for his comments [“Captains in 40s hitting their stride, not ready to retire,” page 35, February 2005] in refute of Capt. Huggins’ mere suggestion that if you are over 40, you should not be in “yachting for dollars” as it is a young man’s game.

Even though my uncle was indeed an impressive captain – and by no means one of the few during his era – we today as yacht crew are lacking his qualifications in our young captains and crew. He went to sea at age 13 and so racked up his years in true experience, not just on paper.

Look around; these huge megayachts are manned by extremely young crew.

You won’t find someone with my credentials in a 20-something-year-old or even, for that fact, a 35-year-old. I am at the top in the culinary arena.

You also won’t find experienced captains with 1,600-ton tickets and hundreds of thousands of blue water miles in their young 20s and 30s who have actually paid their dues to get those tickets.

As an experienced chef with six years onboard my current vessel, I would not even consider working on a yacht if the captain did not have as much knowledge as myself or at least 20 to 30 years under his belt in all kinds of weather conditions.

I would not risk my life in the hands of some young Gucci captain who might run aground from lack of experience or who might endanger his crew or the lives of owners and guests.

If a megayacht owner wants to hire a new fresh face in a handsome young captain or a pretty young stewardess to fill those empty bunks, so be it.

However, you won’t find me there. I am not stupid and I don’t play with my life.

As crew going to sea, you have to interview the owner, the captain, the first officer and any other crew as hard as you are interviewed.

Can these people you will share quarters with save your life if need be?

I have had to save a life, successfully, but only due to my experience acquired from being on the job and the knowledge gained from it.

If yacht owners want quality, extremely experienced skippers and crew, one would hope they would seek older, experienced crew because those are the people who bring more to the table.

I have heard many horror stories of yachts running aground, etc., that should not have happened to begin with.

As for making your money and getting out of this business while you are young, we are in it for an occupation and not because we can turn a large, fast buck.

You make your money in this industry by saving it and not squandering it, and by investing it wisely. Hopefully it will last for your retirement years.

Some crew leave because of the politics. Some leave because they think they should not be doing this at a certain age or because they have other opportunities.

Most people leave because they do not feel appreciated. I know; I have in the past.

I am not a number. I am a person who has a lot to offer and experience to boot. You want me, you will pay for it, but you get a lot for your money.

Mary Beth Lawton Johnson is a Certified Chef de Cuisine and Certified Executive Pastry Chef through the American Culinary Federation. She is also the executive chef onboard the M/Y Rebecca and is featured in the January 2005 issue of Caribbean Travel and Life. She has been featured in numerous newspapers such as the South Florida Sun Sentinel and The Charlotte Observer, and has appeared on the television show “South Florida Today.” Chef Johnson has been in the yachting industry since 1990. Contact her through editorial@the-triton.com.

You have a ‘write’ to be heard.

Send us your thoughts on anything you read in The Triton or on other stuff that bothers you in the yachting world. Write to us at editorial@ the-triton.com

WRITE TO BE HEARD

March 2005

The Triton 43

Prop company not the only one that does it fast I received our February issue of The Triton and found an article in your technology section “Getting Under Way” misleading. I feel a correction should be mentioned for the sake of accuracy and fairness to prospective buyers and producers alike.

The article [“Prop company creates the next best thing to ‘yesterday’,” page 15] describes an unfortunate but not uncommon situation where a yacht – under tight time constraints scheduled either to accommodate charters or be prepared for an owner who expects the vessel be ready – is down because of propeller issues.

The example in the article relates to problems with the vessel’s original equipment but more typically, the scenario involves severely damaged propellers that must be replaced.

Very often, vessels operate with custom-designed propellers that are not to be found in anyone’s inventory.

Obviously, the manufacturing of new propellers usually requires significant lead times.

The article describes an exclusive arrangement held by a Miami propeller shop and a Jacksonville foundry to deliver emergency replacement propellers within two weeks, a niche the propeller shop claims as their specialty.

The foundry mentioned is also a supplier for our company, Lauderdale Propeller, and certainly others, who by no means have any exclusive claim to a business relationship affording advantages on deliveries.

I can assure you that as a supplier to the megayacht market, Lauderdale Propeller and other shops as well are very sensitive to the urgency of a yacht’s scheduled operation.

The vessel in the article was very fortunate to have had the numerous conditions “just right” necessary to make a two-week delivery possible.

This is not the norm, but sometimes, we get lucky, too.

Dean Gualillo Vice president Marine Propulsion/Lauderdale Propeller

‘How I Got My Start’ story touched long-lost friends I just wanted to take a minute to thank you for publishing my article on how I got my start in yachting [“From cops to cruise ships, captain finds his way to yachts,” page 8, February 2005].

I had no idea how many people read it.

I have received many phone calls and e-mails since the article was published from people I have not heard from in years. My biggest surprise was a buddy of mine who disappeared into Mexico a few years ago, and saw it on your Web site.

You guys put together a wonderful and very informative newspaper that I am proud to have my owner read while he is onboard. He took a few copies back to Chicago to show his friends who also own boats.

Thanks again, and continued good luck on your paper.

Capt. Jeffrey D. Hoerr M/Y Wanderin’ Star

Fox Network rocks Just wanted to drop a note to say it was nice to meet The Triton team last night. The Fox Network is a great idea and good opportunity for us folks to get together, swap some stories and exchange business cards. Kristy Fox was a wonderful host, making sure I Business Manager/Circulation Margaret Soffen, peg@the-triton.com

Publisher David Reed, david@the-triton.com Advertising/Business Development Kristy Fox, kristy@the-triton.com sales@the-triton.com

Graphic Designer Christine Abbott, sales@the-triton.com Abbott Designs Distribution Ross Adler, zakad68@aol.com National Distribution Solutions

met other attendees and that I was having a good time.

Capt. Tom Serio MTS Charters & Services [EDITOR’S NOTE: The Fox Network gathers on the first Wednesday of each month in Ft. Lauderdale. Contact kristy@the-triton.com for details.]

Triton keeps us in touch Between jobs and marine college upgrading courses, I’ve been following the emergence of The Triton. I would have flown into Ft. Lauderdale for the now-famous party last Oct. 19 (my birthday) but couldn’t justify it.

I’m a Canadian yacht master (power and sail) originally from Vancouver, now from the Toronto, Ontario area, though I have spent five of the past seven years aboard foreign-flagged vessels in mainly the Caribbean. I just haven’t had the opportunity to get to know too many crew around Ft. Lauderdale (yet).

Congratulations on a great publication.

Capt. Brian Brooks

Sign me up Excellent publication. The Triton is Editor Lucy Chabot Reed, lucy@the-triton.com Contributing Editor Lawrence Hollyfield Contributors Leslie Bore, The Bridge, Blair Duff, Don Grimme, Buddy Haack, Capt. Bill Harris, Lisette Hilton, Jack Horkheimer, Chef Mary Beth Johnson, Lisa H. Knapp, Tricia Krefetz, Sandy Lindsey, Donna Mergenhagen, Jeff Ostrowski, Steve Pica, Rossmare Intl., Michael Thiessen, Belinda Rowe Weidauer, Pamela Wilson, Phaedra Xanthos

just the type of hands-on, nuts-andbolts information we in the industry need. Keep up the good work and please enter my subscription for one year.

Capt. Evans “Bo” Guequierre M/Y Koala

Tritons go fast I have not seen The Triton here at Westship, unless they get snapped up too quickly, or perhaps Lazzara across the street takes them all.

The workers spotted a copy we had aboard and hovered over it whenever they could. They took great interest in the Sacajawea mishap. I finally gave the copy to them for the lunch room.

Keep up the good work.

Capt. Jeffrey T. Cranshaw M/Y Boardwalk

Keeping up with The Triton We’ve been getting The Triton on a pretty regular basis with captains coming in and out of town. What a great newspaper. I have thoroughly enjoyed following all of the latest news and events in the industry.

Adam Stockholm, 2d mate M/Y Big Easy Vol. 1, No. 12.

The Triton is a free, monthly newspaper owned

by Triton Publishing Group Inc. Copyright 2005 Triton Publishing Group Inc. All rights reserved.

Contact us at: 757 S.E. 17th St., #1119 Ft. Lauderdale, FL 33316 (954) 525-0029; FAX (954) 337-0702 www.the-triton.com

Getting Under Way Technical news for captains and crews

Yards’ safety person vital to hot work One of the most important people for the captain and crew to know during a yard period is the Shipyard’s Competent Person or SCP. They are trained safety professionals, usually by the local marine chemist, and have a vital role in keeping your vessel and crew safe and healthy.

There are many hazards on board a vessel, including SAFETY MATTERS oxygen-deficient BLAIR DUFF spaces, toxic atmospheres from solvents and paints, and possible explosive or flammable vapors created by fuel, varnishes, solvents, paints or welding gases.

A dangerous atmosphere can exist on any vessel and it is the SCP’s responsibility to ensure that it is safe for entry and for any work required in or around that space.

Oxygen-deficient atmospheres are one of the most dangerous and they can occur in confined spaces. The SCP should conduct daily inspections, keeping in mind the nature of the work being performed and looking for hazards associated with it.

Proper ventilation prior to and during entry is required to ensure adequate oxygen levels. Immediately dangerous to life or health (IDLH) means an atmosphere that poses an immediate threat that is likely to result in acute or severe health effects and possibly death. The SCP must be able to recognize and evaluate this situation.

Properly calibrated and functioning atmospheric testing equipment is required to determine if an atmosphere is IDLH. SCPs also need to know what was in the space – and for cargo spaces, they will need to know the last three cargo products – to evaluate the space.

Hot work is defined as any spark or fire-producing activity. Welding, grinding, soldering, drilling and abrasive blasting are just a few types.

Smoking and unapproved electrical shouldn’t be used near spaces where potential flammable atmospheres exist.

These include areas that have been painted or recently varnished.

The SCP must determine the lower explosive limit (LEL) before entry in confined spaces and prior to a hot work permit being issued. The adjacent

See SCP, page 22

March 2005 Pages 17-28

PULL-OUT

Little yard growing into mega marina

By Lisa H. Knapp For the first time in years, the New River can be seen from the northeast corner of the old Summerfield Boatworks yard.

Now called Pier 17 and under new ownership, the little do-it-yourself yard across the river from some of Ft. Lauderdale’s renowned megayacht yards is having a facelift. Shrubs have been trimmed and debris has been cleared, replaced with new landscaping and tropical trees.

The cosmetic changes are just the beginning of Pier 17’s transformation into a high-end, exclusive megayacht marina and yacht club.

“We’re not sparing any expense to make Pier 17 the best place in town,” said new marina Manager Brad Tate, who is also regional director of Flagship Marinas, a marina management company.

“We’re developing the marina so captains and crews of megayachts will enjoy staying here,” he said.

“The redeveloped marina will accommodate bigger boats, have a clubhouse, pool and yacht club with a crew lounge.”

With a shortage of megayacht dockage in Ft. Lauderdale, Pier 17

Pier 17 Marina Manager Brad Tate, former yacht crew, will oversee the renovation of the old Summerfield Boatworks yard.

PHOTO/DAVID REED offers a new option for yachts looking for a resort marina to call home.

Floating docks up to 130 feet will be available for about 25 yachts, in addition to dry storage for 96 vessels up to 45 feet.

Located on the South fork of the New River and three miles from the Intracoastal Waterway, Pier 17 has proposed two-car garages with air conditioning to accommodate vehicle See PIER 17, page 23

Company launches mini-scrubbers for exhaust

By Lucy Chabot Reed A Canadian company has created a mini-scrubber system to clean exhaust on megayachts.

Called the EcoSilencer and introduced in January, the company claims its scrubbers reduce soot by up to 80 percent, sulfur dioxide up to 90 percent and noise down to 35 decibels.

The technology was driven by Annex VI of MARPOL 73/78, which calls for

marine sources to curb sulfur and nitrogen oxide emissions. MES, which stands for Marine Exhaust Solutions, spent five years reducing its ship-sized scrubbers down to megayacht size and has patented the system.

Cleaning exhaust will likely be cheaper than purchasing cleaner fuel, said Robert Clarke, business development manager with MES. “If necessity is the mother of invention, cost is the father,” Clarke said.

Low-sulfur residual fuels with a sulfur content of no more than 1.5 percent costs about $50 a ton, he said. To get the sulfur content down to 0.5 percent – which he says the United States intends to pursue – the price goes up to $200 a ton.

Annex VI states that by May 19, any vessel over 400 gross tons must have an International Air Pollution Prevention certificate. All diesel engines with a

power output of more than 130kw (excluding emergency engines) must also have individual Engine International Air Pollution Prevention certificates with regard to nitrogen oxide emissions.

Under Annex VI, fuel oil used on ships cannot exceed 4.5 percent sulfur.

While that is above the common 2.7 percent fuel now available, there are parts of the world limiting the sulfur content to 1.5 percent, including the Baltic Sea by 2006 and likely the North Sea by 2007.

According to Clarke, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has been in touch with his company to find emission solutions as it is planning to limit sulfur to 1.5 percent in certain U.S. places as well.

“Annex VI is not just about pollution, but about a better quality of life on a yacht,” Clarke said.

Clarke presented the technology at the Superyacht Conference in Ft. Lauderdale in mid-February to a small, but interested group of engineers

See SCRUBBER, page 25

18 The Triton

TECH INDUSTRY BRIEFS

March 2005

USCG finds fault with Furuno GPS receivers, issues safety alert On Feb. 4, the U.S. Coast Guard issued a safety alert for Furuno GPS receiver models GP80 and GP90.

At issue is the unit’s fault in providing a proper indication to other connected equipment when manually entered position offsets are entered into the GPS receiver.

Even a small offset could result in danger of collision or other navigation safety hazard when the receiver is interconnected to devices such as an automatic identification system (AIS), Electronic Chart Display and Information System (ECDIS), integrated navigation systems (INS) or track control system (TCS), the alert said.

The problem is caused by an error in the NMEA 0183/IEC 61162 data interface Datum Reference (DTM) “local datum” field. Navigation systems interconnected to the GPS receiver use this field to determine whether the position received is referenced to World Geodetic System 84 (WGS84) or something different.

AIS equipment, for example, disregards external position information for reasons of safety if the “local datum” field does not indicate WGS84. As a result, equipment that is interfaced to GPS receivers having this problem would act as if the position were referenced to the WGS84 datum, when in fact the position differs from the WGS84 datum by the manual offsets entered by the vessel’s crew or captain.

The problem can be identified if a ship position displayed on an AIS changes in proportion to manually entered offsets entered into the GPS receiver interconnected to the AIS. The GPS is operating correctly in such a situation if the AIS reverts to its integral GPS and disregards the manually entered offsets sent from the externally connected GPS. Mariners having these receivers are advised to either take steps to ensure that the manually offset feature is never and can never be used, or to disconnect these receivers from the AIS, ECDIS, INS, TCS or other navigation or communications system.

Technical questions relating to this alert should be addressed to Mr. Lee Luft at (860) 441-2685 or lluft@rdc. uscg.mil.

COMITT creates training group In an effort to reverse what some see as a shortage of qualified technicians in the marine industry, about 200 boating executives agreed to create a group that would set standards for industry technicians and develop apprentice programs.

The group will be called the Marine

Industry Technical Council (MITEC) and it was the result of the two-day COMITT, Conference on Marine Industry Technical Training, held in Ft. Lauderdale in February.

Boatbuilders, manufacturers, repair facilities and dealers gathered to address the state of the employment industry and to discuss how a group like MITEC would work.

They decided MITEC would pursue initiatives such as:  Define core competencies for entry-level technicians,  Set standards for technician certification,  Set standards for in-house training of technicians,  Develop a centralized learning center, and  Develop apprentice programs.

Conference attendees also agreed to creating a list of educational institutions that offer marine-related training programs and post them on the COMITT Web site, www.abycinc. org/comitt, as well as a list of funding and educational reimbursement programs.

COMITT was produced by the American Boat and Yacht Council (ABYC), the National Marine Manufacturers Association (NMMA) and Professional BoatBuilder magazine.

Bill Yeargin, executive vice president of Rybovich Spencer, moderated the conference.

Study: TBT may cause deafness An anti-fouling chemical used in bottom coatings may cause deafness in marine mammals and could lead whales to beach themselves, according to a report by the Associated Press.

The hearing loss would be the latest environmental hazard linked to TBT, a chemical already known to cause death or genetic mutation in small aquatic life such as sea snails and clams.

TBT, short for tributylin, is banned in many countries but is still widely used.

A study performed by Yale University scientists, which will be published in the Biophysical Journal this month, found that TBT interfered with the ability of the inner ear’s outer hair cells to regulate chloride levels. Those hair cells help amplify sounds and are critical in the normal hearing process, the AP reported.

When the chloride is not regulated, it can affect hearing, researchers said.

“Since many marine mammals use echolocation or sonar to get around, it’s possible this could be contributing to whales and dolphins beaching and hitting ships,” said Joseph

See TECH BRIEFS, page 19

TECH INDUSTRY BRIEFS

March 2005

The Triton 19

Suzuki introduces two new four-stroke outboard engines TECH BRIEFS, from page 18

cells of beached whales.

Santos-Sacchi, professor of surgery and neurobiology at Yale School of Medicine.

Yale researchers studied guinea pigs, not whales, but Santos-Sacchi said the results suggest TBT could have a similar effect on whales because mammals have similar ear structures.

Santos-Sacchi said beached whale carcasses could be studied to see if researchers detect heightened levels of TBT or evidence of changes to the ear structure.

Darlene Ketten, a senior biologist at Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution in Massachusetts, has studied the ears of beached whales.

She had not read the Yale study and said that while its findings sounded plausible, researchers have not seen a pattern of damage to the outer hair

Suzuki unveils new engines Suzuki Marine unveiled two new powerful and compact four-stroke outboard motors at the Miami International Boat Show last month.

The announcement marked the first worldwide showing of Suzuki’s new 150-horsepower (DF150) and 175horsepower (DF175) outboard motors, slated for introduction later this year as 2006 models.

The DF150 and DF175 are the most powerful four-cylinder outboards ever built by Suzuki Motor Corp.

“Our designers and engineers have developed these new engines to further expand on the potential of four-stroke power for marine applications,” said Larry Vandiver, marketing director for Suzuki Marine.

“These new big block outboards build on the advances we have made in four-stroke engine performance – and promise to provide boaters and fishermen with a more powerful hole shot, quicker throttle response and an exciting top end that has to be experienced to be believed.”

Vandiver said he expects the motors to appeal to owners of a variety of boats, from performance-oriented bass and bay boats, to center consoles and power catamarans, even pontoon and deck boats.

Suzuki engineers have developed this inline four-cylinder DOHC powerhead with 2867 cc (175 cu.in.) displacement, the largest in the category. The added displacement provides extra acceleration and velocity.

However, these motors are targeted to be the lightest, most compact four-

strokes of their kind.

The DF175 features continuously variable valve timing. Other advanced features on both models include multistage induction and a 32-bit onboard computer that monitors engine sensors and controls the multi-point sequential fuel injection system.

Like Suzuki’s award-winning V6s, the DF150 and DF175 will swing a larger diameter prop than the typical 150 horsepower outboard and feature a more aggressive gear ratio.

Twenty-inch and 25-inch shaft lengths will be offered to fit the transoms of a wide range of fresh and saltwater boats, and counter rotation on 25-inch models will be available for twin engine installations on offshore boats and power catamarans.

For more information on these engines, call 714-996-7040 or visit www.suzuki.com.

20 The Triton

HOW TO DO IT

March 2005

10 quick and easy tips for cleaning all kinds of metal

By Sandy Lindsey Cruising to exotic ports is fun.

Constantly maintaining the yacht’s stainless steel, aluminum, and other metals in Bristol condition is not.

So anything that makes this part of your job easier is a good thing.

Here are 10 “good things” you may

not have thought of: 1. To give stainless steel a longlasting high shine, rub railings and other stainless down with the same lemon oil you use on the cabin furniture, then wash as usual.

The lemon oil cuts through grime that other cleaners may miss and restores luster. Rubbing alcohol from the boat’s first aid kit works almost as well.

2. To quickly remove excessive salt build-up on stainless steel, rub on alcohol and kerosene. Use a 100 percent cotton rag.

The kerosene will return the stainless to its near-original shine.

Chamois off metal each time after rinsing the boat and you’ll only have to polish it once or twice each season.

Tip 7: Acid-based teak cleaners and brighteners will destroy anodizing on aluminum. To prevent a whitish coating that’s irreversible, use plenty of fresh water when rinsing the teak.

PHOTOS COURTESY OF SANDY LINDSEY

Tip 2: Chamois off metal each time after rinshing the boat and you’ll only have to polish it once or twice a season.

3. To remove rust from stainless steel and most other deck metals, without having to deal with caustic chemicals, simply sprinkle a little bit of salt on the rust spot, then squeeze a lime or bottled lime juice from the wellstocked onboard bar over the salt until it soaks the salt.

Leave the mixture on for two or

three hours, then gently rub the spot with an old toothbrush until the rust disappears.

Some rusty and tarnished aluminum can be cleaned by rubbing the offending spots with the shiny side of a crumpled piece of aluminum foil.

4. To remove oxidation from aluminum, wipe down with a fine steel wool or a clean rag dipped in a mild laundry detergent such as Wisk. Rinse thoroughly afterward and protect with a fiberglass wax to retard further damage.

5. Restore on-deck aluminum that is pitted and dull by scrubbing until it’s smooth again using a soapy Brillo pad.

Rinse well, then wax to retard further damage.

Keep cleaners containing ammonia

away from aluminum. Ammonia will pit it.

6. Use a traditional wine bottle cork to clean particularly stubborn rust or metal discoloration spots.

Dampen the flat edge of the cork first, so that it absorbs some of the metal polish, then apply more polish and rub away.

By rubbing the cork over the spot, it’s flat surface and naturally abrasive properties will do the rest, saving you lots of elbow grease.

7. Acid-based teak cleaners and brighteners will destroy anodizing on aluminum.

For proof, check out the feet of a sportfisherman’s tuna tower where it bolts through the teak cover boards or rubrails.

To prevent a whitish coating that is irreversible, use plenty of fresh water when rinsing the teak and stop occasionally to rinse off the hull, transom, vinyl and any other non-teak materials.

8. To clean chrome on dials and digital navigation readouts, dip a soft cloth in rubbing alcohol or window cleaner and wipe gently.

9. For chrome that is tarnished, rub on a whitening toothpaste. And while you’ve got your mother-in-law’s toothbrush out: Whitening toothpaste also works wonders on scratches on Plexiglas windscreens.

10. Lastly, here’s a great way to get out of some boat maintenance work: Don’t attempt to shine aluminum rails or fittings when it’s less than 50 degrees outside. Aluminum scratches more easily in cold temperatures.

Sandy Lindsey is a freelance writer in Ft. Lauderdale. Contact her through editorial@the-triton.com.

March 2005

MARINA NEWS

Rybovich to add condos, public marina It comes as no surprise that the Rybovich Spencer yard in northern Palm Beach County plans to expand.

Ever since Ft. Lauderdale businessman H. Wayne Huizenga bought the company last year, the yachting industry has awaited the news not of whether it would expand, but how and by how much.

The company filed plans with the city and county in mid-February to transform its 12-acre property at 4200 N. Flagler Drive into a public marina with condos as well as a boatyard.

The combined investment will exceed $100 million, according to the company, and is expected to drive revitalization in Riviera Beach.

While Huizenga owned Bahia Mar, it underwent a year-long multi-milliondollar renovation. Huizenga has since sold the marina along with Pier 66 for about 28 percent more than its stock was trading for.

“Rybovich is recognized as a premium brand in our industry, and has been a cornerstone of the Palm Beach County economy for over 55 years,” said Jim Bronstien, president of Rybovich Spencer. “Bringing in the Huizenga organization allows us to realize the vision we’ve had for many years, creating a win-win-win for the marine industry, the neighborhoods that surround us and for the community at large that will now have spectacular, welcoming public access to the waterfront.”

Initial plans for the property include a completely rebuilt marina with a pedestrian boardwalk and promenade that follows the perimeter of the marina, allowing visitors to enjoy the Intracoastal Waterway.

Expanded boat dockage will provide more deep-water access to boats and megayachts up to 250 feet on the first-come, first-serve basis typical of public marinas. A two-story destination restaurant with retail will be incorporated at the eastern edge of the property, providing views of the waterway, the island of Palm Beach and the Atlantic Ocean. Covered public parking will be provided for marina and retail customers.

The modernization of the Rybovich yard will facilitate the development of the “next-generation” Rybovich sport fishing yachts, the company said. The plans also call for the boatyard to be reconfigured at the north end of the property, which will allow the company to better service its out-of-water customers and accommodate more and larger yachts.

The plan for the southern end of the property features two luxury buildings offering 220 residential condominiums and 22 ground-floor residential loft units. The company is in discussions with WCI Communities, a leading builder of luxury residences in Florida, about becoming the developer for the

residential component of the project.

The Huizenga family and Rybovich will build, develop and operate all aspects of the new marina/retail campus.

“The signature of Palm Beach County is its spectacular waterfront real estate, yet most of it is inaccessible for public use,” said Wayne Huizenga Jr., president of Huizenga Holdings.

“This project is a wonderful solution for a new public amenity, being funded entirely by private capital. It will galvanize quality growth in the Northwood neighborhood, and is expected to attract new businesses and revitalize the area.”

EDSA and Nichols, Brosch and Sandoval of Miami have developed initial first phase and long-term master plans for the project, which were filed with the city of West Palm Beach. The plans include the necessary site work to convert the north part of the property

for its modernized boat building and service operations.

Pending regulatory approvals, the marina renovations are anticipated to begin this summer, and clearing of the southern part of the property is expected to begin at the end of 2005.

Rybovich Spencer is among the largest full-service boatyards and boat building facilities in South Florida. It was created in 1991 by the merger of Rybovich and its immediate neighbor, Spencer Boat Company, both founded in 1949. The Bronstien family had been principal owners since 1981.

– Staff report

The Triton 21

22 The Triton

FROM THE TECH FRONT

March 2005

Shipyard Competent Person must be trained, knowledgable SCP, from page 17 spaces must be tested as well as the space where the hot work is being performed.

Knowledge of the vapors’ or gases’ properties is essential. One needs to know if they are heavier than air, such as gasoline.

Proper fire watches and safety precautions must be in place before any hot work is allowed and it is up to the SCP to inspect the area before work begins. All results have to be posted where workers can see them while the work is in progress (according to 29 CFR 1915.7 (d) (2)), along with a Marine Chemist Certificate if one was issued.

The criteria to be a SCP are listed in 29 CFR 1915.7 (c) and includes: The ability to understand and carry out instructions by a marine chemist or U.S. Coast Guard authorized person; Knowledge of the structure, location and designation of spaces where work is done; Ability to calibrate and use testing equipment and interpret the results; Ability to perform all required tests and inspections; Ability to inspect, test and evaluate spaces to determine the need of further testing by a marine chemist; and Ability to maintain required records.

The SCP must have specific training on all of these aspects of his job. This is usually taught during a three-day course and requires an annual one-day refresher course.

The role and duties of the SCP will vary depending on the size of the shipyard, the type of vessels that are worked on, and the type of repairs performed. Fiberglass vessels would rarely ever have any welding performed on them, while an aluminum or steelhulled ship would likely have repairs on the hull and internal compartments.

However, the atmospheric aspects of testing are still required for paint vapors, fiberglass, and epoxy emissions and solvents used in the workplace.

The Shipyard’s Competent Person must be designated by his employer who must post a list with the names and the date that each person was trained. If a yard doesn’t have a SCP, then they should list the marine chemist who they will call for all entry and hot work inspections at the yard.

Blair Duff is a marine chemist in South Florida. Contact him at 305-469-7594 or at blaircmc698@yahoo.com. Contact other U.S. marine chemists at www. marinechemist.org. For OSHA shipyard regulations (29 CFR 1915) visit www. osha.gov.

March 2005

FROM THE TECH FRONT

The Triton 23

No more live-aboards, do-it-yourself at renovated yard/marina PIER 17, from page 17 and equipment storage, in addition to a full-service business center open seven days a week on the 5-acre property.

“Pier 17 will have a nice, tropical atmosphere and a tiki bar serving beverages, hamburgers and other items,” Tate said. “Our concept for the crew lounge is to have a comfortable place for crew to hang out and relax with sofas and TVs.” Tate, a Colorado native with a degree in finance, has worked in Ft. Lauderdale off and on for about 10 years. A licensed 100-ton master, he was captain of M/Y Prime Time, engineer on M/Y Bon Bon and served as mate on the 140-foot Westship M/ Y Martina Anne, which voyaged the Med including Croatia last summer.

Tate was previously a live-aboard dive master, averaging 500 dives a year.

Greyhawk Marine Group purchased Summerfield Boatworks in January.

Pier 17 is open during the renovations as a full-service yard and marina with dockage and a 70-ton

travelift. The do-it-yourself part is no longer available.

Live-aboard slips are also no longer available, though boaters can dock there up to 60 days.

“Summerfield had many live-aboard employees who are being given time to find new accommodations,” Tate said.

That act of making way for megayachts is important at a time when Ft. Lauderdale has seen several yards go the way of condominiums. It’s significant that Pier 17 will maintain a yard and marina through the upgrade, said Frank Herhold, executive director Marine Industries Association of South Florida.

“The reconfiguration of Summerfield’s will provide for additional, much needed megayacht slips,” he said. “We’re counting every slip.”

Pier 17’s focus on the megayacht market is also significant.

“The numbers aren’t big, but it demonstrates the development focus of Broward’s niche market of the

The new Pier 17 will include 25 slips for yachts up to 130 feet, crew lounge, restaurant, yacht club and covered parking.

RENDERING COURTESY OF PIER17

megayacht industry,” Herhold said.

The prices for the slips are still unknown, according to Ginger Hornaday, a Realtor with O’Flannery International selected to sell the slips.

Greyhawk Marine Group redevelops marina facilities around the world.

Flagship Marinas serves more than 7,000 marina customers at over a dozen marinas and yacht clubs including

Marina Bay on Boston Harbor in North Quincy, Massachusetts and Emerald Point Marina in Austin, Texas.

Greyhawk recently acquired Northside Marina in Stuart. Both Pier 17 and Northside are part of the Flagship affiliate marina program.

Contact freelance writer Lisa Knapp at lisa@the-triton.com.

24 The Triton

March 2005

METRIC CONVERSION

How big is that in feet?

Get stumped when yacht brokers talk about the length of a megayacht in one measurement when you know it in the other?

Converting from meters to feet and vice versa is easy with this chart.

Basically, if you know meters, multiply by 3.3 to get feet. If you know feet, multiply by 0.3 to get meters. Or use these lengths to patch together the conversion:

Feet

Meters

Feet

1 2 3 4 5

3.3 6.6 9.8 13.1 16.4

80 90 100 110 120 130 140 150 160 170 180 190 200 210 220 230 240 250 260 270 280 290 300 310

25 30 35 40 45 50 55 60 65 70 75 80 85 90 95 100

82.0 98.4 114.8 131.2 147.6 164.0 180.4 196.9 213.3 229.7 246.1 262.5 278.9 295.3 311.7 328.1

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9

Meters 0.3 0.6 0.9 1.2 1.5 1.8 2.1 2.4 2.7 24.4 27.4 30.5 33.5 36.6 39.6 42.7 45.7 48.8 51.8 54.9 57.9 61.0 64.0 67.1 70.1 73.2 76.2 79.2 82.3 85.3 88.4 91.4 94.5

FROM THE TECH FRONT

March 2005

Modular system could replace other systems, need for stacks SCRUBBERS, from page 17 and exhaust experts, including Mike DeAngelo, formerly of DeAngelo Marine and now working as an engineering consultant to bring the technology to the megayacht market.

“It’s got fit, functionality and form,” DeAngelo said. “Captains used to call me all the time for help with their diesel exhaust. This is what I was looking for but couldn’t get.”

Captains at the conference were concerned with space and weight. The EcoSilencer is large. The largest model for engines up to 250 kw fills a space about 2 feet high, nearly 8 feet long and nearly 4 feet deep.

But the pieces of the system can be moved to fit in and around existing engine rooms, Clarke said. And it also has the ability to replace several other pieces of equipment (such as wet exhaust systems and particle removers) so that, depending on how it is installed and how the exhaust system is modified, a yacht could experience an overall weight loss, DeAngelo said.

DeAngelo suggested the EcoSilencer might even eliminate the need to direct exhaust up the stack, eliminating equipment and adding space.

Basically what MES has done is take its ship-sized scrubber systems and shrink them down to fit on yachts. The task took them five years of trial and test. Previous versions had problems with overspray and back pressure, but the resulting system has a back pressure of 7-15 millibars, Clarke said.

The system takes exhaust through a saltwater bath to remove oil and soot. Now the exhaust can exit from a stack, out the side or even underwater, Clarke said, and still meet international

emissions regulations.

One EcoSilencer is needed for each exhaust stream, but the systems can share one water circulation system. The product can handle engines of 99 to 150 kw.

The company’s first – and as yet only – megayacht client was a 68m yacht Clarke would not name. The yacht carried twin 280kw engines and one 160 kw generator. It experienced the reductions in soot, noise and sulfur emissions expected, as well as the benefit of a happy owner who could sit on his aft deck for lunch, Clarke said.

Other benefits identified were a low energy consumption of 3.6 kw (for a pump that can instead work on the main water circulation system of the boat), low maintenance, no corrosion and sludge disposal of 20-30 liters every 2-3 weeks. He compared the noise levels to that of a wet exhaust system.

“With diesel engines, there’s always soot,” DeAngelo said. “This takes care of the sheen, the soot and the smell.”

Contact Editor Lucy Chabot Reed at lucy@the-triton.com.

For more information: Marine Exhaust Solutions 54 Hillstrom Ave. Charlottetown Prince Edward Island, Canada C1E 2C6 902-628-6900 ext. 253 www.marineexhaustsolutions.com

The mini-scrubber system, which the company calls the EcoSilencer, sends diesel engine exhaust through a saltwater bath to separate oil and soot before discharging cleaned water overboard.

DRAWING COURTESY OF WWW.MARINEEXHAUSTSOLUTIONS.COM

The Triton 25

26 The Triton

PRODUCT REVIEW

March 2005

Sporty Norwegian boat being marketed as megayacht tender

By Lucy Chabot Reed

lightweight but powerful.

According to marketing materials, “the compressor-fed V-8 engine benefits from a racing engine cover with scoop to breathe deeply at all rpm levels. Its specially designed racing exhaust lets it work effortlessly at high speed – easily 80 mph. The steering system is external hydraulic for more preciseness at top end.”

But it may be the hull design that gives this boat its incredible handling.

The hull is solid fiberglass with a 24-

The first thing I noticed about the Hydrolift Power Boat S-24RIB was its padded seats.

As I squeezed into my “passenger” seat beside the driver, I thought the excessive padding on the chair’s steel armrests and back a little confining.

But when the driver took that first tight turn at more than 50 mph, I figured out why the padding was there, and I was grateful.

Hydrolift is a Norwegian company See HYDROLIFT, page 27 that has been making highperformance boats for more than a decade.

For the first time, they are available in the United States and are being targeted to the megayacht market.

Our driver on this day was Henry Gonzalez, the sole U.S. distributor for Hydrolift Power Boats. He actually created the technology for the engine that Hydrolift uses, one Hydrolift not only drives like a sportscar, it’s dash is that is compact and designed to look like a Porsche.

PHOTO/LUCY REED

March 2005

PRODUCT REVIEW

The Triton 27

Pontoons, windscreen stayed dry despite hitting speeds of 60 HYDROLIFT, from page 26 degree, two-step design that makes easy work of waves and chop. The hull is built with a high-tech lay-up process that pulls the resin through under vacuum, resulting in light weight and improved fuel economy, company literature states. Its rated speed, with either diesel or gasoline stern drives, ranges from 50 to 70 knots.

The pontoons are integrated into the hull, making entering, exiting and mooring the boat much easier than with conventional RIBs. Rendova Marine has one of these boats in its showroom at the corner of U.S. 1 and State Road 84 in Ft. Lauderdale, and its appearance in this year’s Yacht and Brokerage Show in Miami is another first.

“I’m absolutely amazed at how fast, how stable and how dry the boat is,” said yacht broker Curtis Stokes after a 15-minute ride in the “back seat” hitting speeds of 60 mph. “After all that, there was not a drop of water on the wind screen. Even the pontoons were dry.”

Stokes was a megayacht captain in a previous life and suggests the Hydrolift for a nontraditional owner who likes a fast tender. The advantage of this boat, he said, is that the crew can still use it for carrying passengers and supplies.

“It’s got modern styling and speed,” he said. “The crew will appreciate it for its quality.”

Then Stokes got behind the wheel.

“You don’t realize how fast you’re going,” he said. “At 55, the handling is wonderful.”

The day we took it for a test ride in South Florida, the waves offshore were 2-3 feet. We cruised at 50-52 mph and “it didn’t feel like your teeth were falling out,” Stokes said. “Even in the back seat, it was a good solid ride, and dry.”

“This thing dug in,” he said. “It gets up on plane very quickly. It didn’t cavitate very much. I tried and I could

Though it’s listed at 24 feet, the aft platform really makes it 26.

get it to cavitate, but not very easily.

And when it did, it caught itself quickly and we took off. I didn’t have to back off the speed, just adjust the trim very little.”

In fact, it holds the speed record for the Norway-to-Denmark North Sea crossing at an average of 60 mph in 3to 6-foot seas.

Sitting in the driver’s seat, the instrument panel looks like it comes off a Porsche. It has Gaffrig Platinum and Faria instruments and controls. Indeed the company’s emblem is in a crest that resembles the Porsche crest.

Despite the snug seat, there was ample leg room and storage around the craft. It has a 7-foot beam and its own fuel tank for a diesel or gasoline engine.

The one we drove had a 500 hp gasoline engine. Options include a chartplotter, GPS, electronic chart, guard system, deck lighting and radio/CD player.

“I see this as very compatible with the high end of the market,” Stokes said. “It’s got a good shallow draft. It’s a fun, fast boat, but practical.

It’s something you’d expect out of Norway: well built, but not mass marketed.”

Contact Editor Lucy Chabot Reed at lucy@the-triton. com. For more information about Hydrolift Power Boats, call 305-4673484 or visit www. hydrolift.com.

“I’m impressed with the quality of the finish work, especially in the engine compartment,” said former megayacht captain Curtis Stokes, a broker with The Sacks Group. “Everything is stowed. The space is maximized for a small boat.”

PHOTOS/LUCY REED