The Triton 200505

May 2005 Vol. 2, No. 2 www.the-triton.com

International conference to clog Port Everglades traffic

By Lucy Chabot Reed For five days in early June, boat traffic through Ft. Lauderdale’s Port Everglades will be severely restricted to accommodate the annual conference of the Organization of American States.

Thirty-four foreign dignitaries from the Western Hemisphere will be housed at the Hyatt Pier 66 and ferried by boat to the Greater Fort Lauderdale/ Broward County Convention Center for the conference from June 5-7.

For two days prior to the event and during the event, intensive security measures are expected to be in place, though details were not available at press time. The U.S. Department of State has launched a Web site, www.oassecurity.org, that will contain the security limitations as the event draws closer, a DOS spokesman said.

According to several Ft. Lauderdale police and government officials, it is believed that boat traffic south of the 17th Street Causeway bridge and

north of the Dania Cut-off Canal will be escorted either individually or in groups through the area. It is also believed that the bridge itself will be closed to vehicular traffic and open to boat traffic on a set schedule. Vehicular traffic to and from Ft. Lauderdale beach is likely to be rerouted over the Las Olas Boulevard bridge.

Extensive security measures such as thorough underwater checks of seawalls and bridges are expected but final decisions about those activities

had not been reached by press time.

Pier 66 Dockmaster Steven Carlson could not discuss security issues, but confirmed that diplomats are expected to travel by water from the hotel to the convention center.

“There will be a huge presence on the water,” he said. “It will be a major hindrance to boating traffic, at least around the 17th Street bridge.”

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

Experience determines how captains handle pushy owners

Some crew do get a day off now and again. Read about M/Y Mystic’s trip around the southern Windward Islands on page 36.

PHOTO/CAPT. GREG CLARK

When eight captains gathered in late March for The Triton’s monthly Bridge luncheon, the main topic on everyone’s mind was the grounding of M/Y TV at the Port Everglades inlet.

Though TV’s captain was not in the room to discuss exactly what happened, the Bridge captains used The FROM THE BRIDGE Triton’s April story LUCY CHABOT REED to mold this month’s topic: how do you handle setting sail against your better judgment?

As always, individual comments are not attributed to any one person

in particular so as to encourage frank and open discussion. The attending captains are identified in a photograph on page 17.

It is believed that TV, a new 116-foot Azimut, set off for a sea trial at about 8 p.m. on March 16, despite objections from the captain, who was new to the boat. The crew also were new to the boat, as was the owner.

The megayacht ran aground as it was re-entering Port Everglades, breaching its hull in about a dozen places.

The veteran captains in the room saw the case in black and white: If you

See THE BRIDGE, page 17

Megayachts need plan for spills by Aug. 9

By Lisa H. Knapp

By Aug. 9, megayachts larger than 400 tons must carry plans that detail how their crews will respond to an oil spill.

The U.S. Coast Guard issued interim guidelines recently that describe how non-tank vessels must implement their oil spill response plans.

A non-tank vessel is defined as a self-propelled vessel of 400 gross tons

or greater that carries oil of any kind as fuel for main propulsion. All U.S. nontank vessels as well as those operating on navigable waters of the United States must carry a plan.

Capt. Mark Howard of the M/Y Huntress, a 180-foot (55m) Feadship weighing 822 tons, said the rule won’t be difficult to meet.

The yacht’s insurance company, Lloyd’s, had a generic version of a Shipboard Pollution Emergency Plan,

Health care, standards top crew concerns.

See The Connection, page 15.

which can be modified for the oil spill rule, he said.

“It doesn’t seem so onerous,” Howard said. “But it’s another plan to develop, adhere to, log.”

Exxon Valdez started it The rule is an expansion of the Oil Pollution Act of 1990, better known

Find out why a side, above-the-waterline exhaust system is bad.

Page 19

See VRP, page 16

Workers clean the Exxon Valdez oil spill in 1989, which sparked the need for spill response plans. PHOTO COURTESY OF EXXON VALDEZ OIL SPILL TRUSTEE COUNCIL

What megayacht crew can do for the ocean environment.

Page 33

2 The Triton

May 2005

WHAT’S INSIDE Northern Child wins in BVI Regatta, page 10

Northern Child won third place finish in Performance Cruising and top Swan award in the cruising division.

PHOTO COURTESY OF NORTHERN CHILD

Advertiser directory 42 Calendar of events 41 Classifieds 42-45 The Connection 15 Crossword puzzle 41 Crossword answers 27 Features Getting Started 13 The Afterlife 14 From the Experts: Body Business 32 Into Account 33 Manager’s Time 32

Up to Us 33 Fuel prices 28 Horoscopes 39 In the Stars 39 News 3-4,6-8,10 Photo Gallery 18,31 Reviews DVD/Book 37 Product 20,26 Superyacht Symposium 22 Taking Time Off 36 Technology Pull-Out: Getting Under Way 19-30 Write to Be Heard 40,46-47

NEWS

May 2005

The Triton 3

Managers let go as Fort Lauderdale Shipyard struggles to stay afloat

By Lucy Chabot Reed Fort Lauderdale Shipyard released a majority of its employees in late March and early April, leaving a small staff to handle docking and minor repair work.

Gone are former President Rick Roughen, former Operations Manager Butch Risker and former foreman carpenter Tony Teran as well as mechanics, engineers and others.

Many have found work in other South Florida boatyards – including Teran who is now at Merrill Stevens in Miami – but as of press time, Roughen was still looking.

“I spent the first two weeks [after being released March 29] helping place my guys,” Roughen said in mid-April.

“I’m looking at opportunities inside and outside the industry, but I want to stay in it.”

Risker was released April 6 and

by April 11 was director of boatyard operations at Pier 17 Marina and Yacht Club. Though plans for the new Pier 17 do not include a repair component, Marina Manager Brad Tate said the service yard that was Summerfield Boatworks will remain open until renovations are almost complete some time next year.

“Flagship and Greyhawk [the corporate owners of Pier 17] are looking for more opportunities in Florida and we intend to use him to help us streamline operations at other locations,” Tate said.

Risker has been a part of the South Florida marine industry for more than 30 years. He started his career as dockmaster at Roscioli Yachting Center where he would spend 14 years, eventually moving up to yard superintendent. He was Fort Lauderdale Shipyard’s operations manager since it opened in 2002.

“It’s worked out well,” Risker said.

“One door closes and another one opens.” Risker can be contacted at 954525-4726 or through www.pier17.net.

Roughen, too, has built his career in South Florida. Once a scholarship athlete at the University of Miami, he worked in the corporate finance department for Burger King before combining his love of boating with his penchant for numbers in the yachting world. He spent several years as chief financial officer at Bradford Marine before helping investor Bob Wickman launch Fort Lauderdale Shipyard.

After losing its main source of revenue when its Syncrolift collapsed in mid-November, Fort Lauderdale Shipyard filed for protection under Chapter 11 of the U.S. Bankruptcy Code on Feb. 25.

“We’re scaling back and trying to

Kristy Fox is away. “Latitude Adjustment” will return next month.

get a handle on expenses,” said James Fierberg, the yard’s bankruptcy lawyer and a partner with Berger Singerman in Miami. He said the owner of the property (Marina Holdings principal Jack Rodgers) and Wickman would try mediation to resolve the lease issues that contributed to the bankruptcy filing.

“I believe it will come back sooner than most people expect,” Roughen said of the yard. “And I think both Bob and Jack will benefit from it.”

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

Shown at a farewell party for a colleague last summer, Rick Roughen (standing behind) and Butch Risker (right).

FILE PHOTO

NEWS BRIEFS

4 The Triton

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2325 S. FEDERAL HIGHWAY FORT LAUDERDALE, FL

954.764.1910

May 2005

Set schedule for ICW bridges in Broward may become rule The bridges on the Intracoastal Waterway in Ft. Lauderdale’s Broward County are opening on demand again, but that might not be the case for long.

U.S. Coast Guard officials are tallying up the public comments from the 90day test period over the winter that saw the bridges open on a schedule only twice an hour. Most of the comments were in favor of it, leading the officials to begin drafting a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking supporting the idea.

Officials expect the NPR to be posted later this month, followed by a 60-day comment period.

“We did this test to see if it was feasible,” said Mike Lieberum, bridge administration specialist with the Coast Guard’s District 7. “Yes, it’s feasible. We’re drafting the NPR in the anticipation of going forward” with a bridge-opening schedule similar to the test period, he said.

Manatee listing examined Florida and U.S. wildlife officials agreed in separate actions in April to reconsider whether the manatee is endangered. Removing the sea cow from the federally protected list would ease matters for boaters and marine interests across the country.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announced plans for a new study of the manatee, saying a wealth of information has become available in the past few years. The manatee was first listed as an endangered species in 1967.

“If, after reviewing all the information, we determine nothing has changed, the manatee’s status will remain federally listed as endangered,” Dave Hankla, a field supervisor in the

service’s Jacksonville office told the Sun-Sentinel. “However, if the data substantiates that a reclassification or de-listing is warranted, we could recommend either.”

Wildlife officials said they expect to complete the assessment and make a determination by late this year or early 2006.

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission agreed to adopt updated criteria for defining species as endangered, threatened and of special concern.

USCG urges aid in Malacca Strait Indonesia, Malaysia, and Singapore need to better coordinate their patrols of the world’s busiest shipping lanes, said Deputy Chief of the U.S. Coast Guard, Vice-Admiral Terry Cross. The strait is used to transport more than one quarter of global trade as well as almost all of Japan and China’s oil.

The major problem in the region is the right of pursuit. The Nippon Maritime Center and the Malaysian Shipowners Association have voiced concerns that pirates strike ships and then simply flee to the next nation without pursuit by naval authorities.

Indonesia, Malaysia, and Singapore launched coordinated naval patrols last year, but they cannot cross territorial waters without permission. Admiral Cross says that something needs to be done immediately, as pirate attacks are on the rise this year.

Hampton upgrades piers Hampton, Va., billed as “America’s original downtown,” recently had its public, transient slips renovated by marina constructor Bellingham Marine. The company removed the existing piers and installed its worldclass, Unifloat concrete floating docks.

The waterfront, on the lower Chesapeake Bay, is now home to 26 double slips that provide berthing for transient boats up to 110 feet.

Bellingham also provided dockside accommodations, including 50-amp or twin 30-amp power pedestals, water and a pumpout facility.

Demolition begins at Pier 17 The first phase of redevelopment – removing the old 20-foot sheds – has begun at Pier 17 Marina and Yacht Club, formerly Summerfield Boat Works. The next step will be to dredge so boats with drafts of 8 feet can dock on the property.

When renovations are complete next year, the marina will have 40 covered slips, each with 6,000-cubic-foot, twostory storage garages.

6 The Triton

PORT NEWS

May 2005

Ensenada opens CIS facility to streamline yachts’ entry

By Capt. Patricia Miller Rains ENSENADA – Amid high security, Mexican President Vicente Fox came to town in late March to inaugurate the port’s new CIS facility, thus formalizing his nation’s first step toward streamlining clearance for yachts.

Recreational boaters who opt to enter Mexican waters at Ensenada can now test the pilot program by presenting their documents at Central Integral de Servicios (CIS) building.

There, port clearance is processed by officials from the federal and port offices of the capitan’a de puerto (port captain), aduana (customs), migraci-n (immigration) and conpesca (fishing).

Boaters have long complained about Mexico’s cumbersome and timeconsuming process of port clearance.

In other ports, they still must visit each federal and port office at different locations, and each office visit usually requires a trip to a different bank to pay a fee and return with a stamped receipt.

The red-brick, one-story CIS building is located at # 101-1 Blvd.

Teniente Azueta, next door to the port captain’s office. It is on the north side of the one-way street leading into the downtown waterfront. Hours are 0800

to 1700, Monday through Friday.

Recreational boaters arriving from the north can use the service to clear into Mexico and to clear in and out of Ensenada at one time.

Called the ventanilla unica or “single window,” the improved port-clearance service is also planned for the port of entry at Cabo San Lucas, either on a municipal dock or in a nearby port building. After it opens, West Coast boaters can enter Mexico at either port to receive the more convenient portclearance service.

After reviewing the pilot program at all three ports, federal and state officials have the option to open ventanilla unica services at additional ports of entry on both coasts.

Meanwhile, boaters are warned not to flaunt existing port-clearance rules, which are still being enforced by port and navy patrols.

President Fox discussed his country’s revived efforts to encourage nautical tourism during the ribboncutting ceremonies, along with comments about the Mar de Cortez Project.

Reprinted with permission from The Log, www.thelog.com

MARINA NEWS

May 2005

Florida’s largest marina in for some big changes

By Lisa H. Knapp

Didgie Vrana grew up on a 40-foot sailboat at Dinner Key Marina in Miami.

“We came down from Long Island in 1954,” recalled Vrana, owner of the yacht interiors design firm Argonautica.

“There were only three wooden docks then, a few spoil islands, and of course, the Pan Am seaplane ramps just south of Pier 4, which had all the families on it. Everyone had a wooden boat.”

Today, the marina is at a turning point. Located at Statute Mile 1095 on the Intracoastal Waterway just south of the Rickenbacker Causeway, it is the largest marine facility in Florida (with 582 wet slips) and one of the few public marinas in Miami.

And it is preparing for some big changes to keep it public and keep it a marina.

“Dock space is shrinking, so it’s important to preserve what you have and make it nicer,” Marina Manager Steve Bogner said. “We’re not going to get these dock spaces back. We’re at a critical juncture. There is limited waterfront space available, and it should be available to everybody.

“We’re a municipal marina and unless something changes dramatically, we’ll keep plugging away and offer our space to the public.”

The city of Miami will renovate the Dinner Key waterfront over the next year to include fuel docks, possibly a new building to house administration and operations functions, and renovations to the existing marina office to include a customer lounge, exercise and weight room, and possibly a ship’s store.

One of the main additions will be a managed mooring field in the

surrounding city waters to be called The Anchorage.

“We’re in the process of permitting for the 325 moorings,” Bogner said. “We’re looking for ways to increase access to the waterfront and taking a look at our spoil islands for recommendations for opening access to recreational activities.”

The spoil islands Didgie Vrana, owner of Argonautica Yacht Interiors, grew near Dinner Key were created from up at Dinner Key when there were only three docks and PHOTO/LISA H. KNAPP dredged soil dug for all the boats were made of wood. the channel. The was my community.” area served as the base of operations Dinner Key is still a community, for Pam Am seaplanes, the Clippers, actually several communities with which flew to the Caribbean in the liveaboards, fisherman and shrimpers.

1930s and 40s. The county plans to Bogner knows nearly everyone by name. replant the islands with native plants “I usually give liveaboards four to and trees, and will create educational five years before they go crazy and have and recreational areas for school to get off the water,” he said. “But some groups. people say they’ve been a customer for Those islands were the playground 20 or 30 years. of Vrana’s youth. About 40 kids lived “That’s pretty wild, isn’t it? We must on liveaboards docked at Pier 4 in the be doing something right, here.”

50s and 60s. In those days, slips cost just $25 a month to rent, but the place Contact freelance writer Lisa H. Knapp paid Vrana’s childhood back beyond at lisa@the-triton.com. measure.

“I had a dingy and tree forts on every island,” she said. “I made a stone fireplace in the tree fort and brought Campbell’s soup to cook. My friends and I explored the islands, beachcombing for hatch covers and other stuff that floated in for the kingdom we were creating.

“I left the marina in 1981 when I was 23,” she said, her voice slowing down a bit. “I will always miss Dinner Key. It

Dinner Key Marina Manager Steve Bogner said the city of Miami is dedicated to preserving public access to the water through more and better dockage, including a mooring field for 325 boats.

PHOTO/LISA H. KNAPP

The Triton 7

BREAKING NEWS

8 The Triton

May 2005

Yacht hits reef in Belize, damage ‘tremendous’

By Lucy Chabot Reed The Belizean government is investigating charges against the 145foot Cheoy Lee Summerwind and its captain for damaging a reef outside San Pedro.

The incident occurred March 29 in a popular local dive spot just outside the Hol Chan Marine Reserve, a national marine park.

Summerwind dropped anchor there, possibly hitting the reef with it. The anchor’s chain damaged hard and soft coral as well as sponges.

“There is tremendous damage,” said Billy Leslie, chairman of the

San Pedro Tour Guide Association Chairman Billy Leslie said this photo shows M/Y Summerwind’s anchor running across the reef.The resulting damage, he said, is ‘tremendous.’

PHOTO/BILLY LESLIE

San Pedro Tour Guide Association, which represents dive and fishing tour operators.

“Big, big pieces were broken off. You can’t fix that.”

No anchoring is allowed in the area, not even by small boats, said Ismael Fabro, chief environmental officer with the Belize Department of Environment.

Two mooring sites are near the incident site, including a mooring buoy within 100 yards, Leslie said. An underwater mooring area is also nearby and known to most locals.

“He went right between two mooring buoys and dropped anchor,” Fabro said.

“Any captain that has a navigational chart and even basic training would know you don’t drop anchor that near to a reef. He had to have seen the buoys.”

“Does it make sense to you,” said Rupert Connor, spokesman for the yacht, “that a professional crew would drop anchor 10 feet from where an agent or port authority told them there was a mooring?”

Connor is president of Luxury Yacht Group in Ft. Lauderdale, the yacht’s management company. He said neither he nor the yacht received any guidelines – written or verbal – of where the crew could or could not anchor.

“Yes, we’re aware of the incident,” Connor said. “The crew responded and we’ve tried to reply as best we can. …

Give me rules and regulations or some kind of map; I can comply with that.

But if you can’t give me rules, how can I comply?”

According to Connor, the captain presented himself to port authority officials after the incident and was told to stay in the country for 48 hours so they could assess the damage and determine if charges should be filed.

Fabro said he requested and received a no-sail order from the Belize Port Authority. Connor understood that to be valid for 48 hours.

Five days later, after having heard nothing from government officials, the yacht departed Belize to keeps its charter schedule.

“We didn’t arrest him because we were investigating,” Fabro said.

“We were in the process of assessing the damage and determining which charges were to be filed when the vessel skipped the country.”

Connor objected to the interpretation that Summerwind “skipped the country,” saying the captain made himself available for five days when he was told to remain for two.

Summerwind was in Ft. Lauderdale soon after the incident and was headed to the Mediterranean in late April for its summer charter schedule.

As of April 20, Connor had not received any formal complaint, charge or notice from Belize about the

incident.

Nicola Cho, legal counsel with the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, said she was unsure when her investigation into the matter would conclude.

Though local Belizean newspapers named officials – including Cho – saying they planned to file a lawsuit against the yacht and its captain, Cho would not confirm that.

“We’re looking at what’s available to us to deal with the situation,” she said, declining to comment further.

Belize owns the largest portion of the Mezoamerican Barrier Reef, which is the second largest reef in the world after the Great Barrier Reef in Australia.

“Most of the captains who pass through here are aware of how to travel around the reef,” Leslie said. “They get a briefing by the Port Authority. But this boat, the captain had no respect for this country or its heritage and went and dropped an anchor wherever he wanted.”

Summerwind entered Belizean waters on March 16. In a letter to the Department of the Environment, Leslie wrote that Summerwind moved from its safe anchor harbor in front of San Pedro Town to a site on the outer side of the reef where much scuba diving takes place, directly in front of Ramon’s Village.

The yacht released its anchor and about 200 feet of chain in about 70 feet of water, he wrote.

The anchor ripped off a large section of coral, and the chain then started to break off big sections of hard coral, soft coral and sponges as it moved from side to side, swayed by underwater currents.

The damaged area measured 200 feet north to south and 250 feet east to west. The yacht remained on the reef until Wednesday morning, March 30, he wrote.

“The San Pedro Tour Guide Association would like to see that this individual be taken to court and prosecuted for this tremendous damage,” Leslie wrote.

“The SPTGA is demanding that all authorities take the proper actions against such careless destruction and fines be set high.”

Summerwind was in that area seeking a safer harbor after it damaged its props during low tide in an area inside the reef where the agent told the yacht to go, Connor said.

“If the boat was in the wrong place, then ultimately the captain is at fault and fines should be paid,” he said. “We fully intend to take responsibility for the damage.”

Contact Editor Lucy Chabot Reed at lucy@the-triton.com. Information from the San Pedro Sun supplemented this report.

BVI REGATTA

10 The Triton

May 2005

Hired, guest crew sail home with honors

By Carol M. Bareuther The professional and charter crew of S/Y Northern Child, a sleek Swan 51, stood on the beach at Nanny Cay Marina, host site for the 2005 BVI Spring Regatta & Sailing Festival, and eagerly listened to the presenter behind the podium.

Among the crew were men and women, 20-somethings and seniors, Americans and Europeans, novice and experienced sailors. Despite their diversity, they shared a common bond: the teamwork it took to garner a thirdplace finish in the highly competitive Performance Cruising class and top Swan award in the cruising division.

“We trained everyone on the upwinds and downwinds during the Sailing Festival that led up to the three-day regatta so they knew the boat efficiently,” said Northern Child’s skipper/owner Julian Sincock.

“Everyone is pretty pleased with themselves.”

Sincock – who holds Royal Yachting Association Instructor and Ocean qualifications, and has logged more than 160,000 miles as a skipper – calls himself “a mad lover of Swans.”

He bought Northern Child in 2001 on loan and with wife, Magali, developed their Normandy, France-based charter business specializing in cruising, racing and corporate charters in the UK and

Caribbean.

Prior to his first launch with paying guests, Sincock upgraded the yacht inside and out. This included new equipment such as a computer with Seapro navigation software, GPS, sat phone, new main Yanmar engine, new sails, and new running rigging.

Today, to operate and maintain Northern Child, Sincock said, “We spend Northern Child at the BVI Spring Regatta en route about $16,000 to $18,000 to a third-place finish in Performance Cruising. a month on the boat and PHOTO COURTESY OF NORTHERN CHILD $8,000 to $10,000 alone is professional crew. Matthew Hayes is maintenance.” the relief skipper and Jill Lumenta is Northern Child’s itinerary calls for a trans-Atlantic passage to the Caribbean cook/stewardess.

More so than sailing ability, Sincock in the fall with the Atlantic Rally for Cruisers, which leaves from Las Palmas said, “the crew needs to understand that this is a service industry. Social in the Canary Islands en route to St. skills are important. Crew should speak Lucia. During winter, cruising the well, be clean living, hard working, Grenadines is punctuated with races and have the ability to socialize and at the Grenada Sailing Festival, St. take clients out in the evening during Maarten Heineken Regatta, BVI Spring events. If our clients are going to give Regatta and Antigua Sailing Week. up 10 days or a month of their life to Then the yacht leaves on another sail with us, I want to be sure they’ll trans-Atlantic voyage from Antigua gain what they are looking for from the to the United Kingdom where it’s available for race charter at events such experience.”

Of course, other qualifications as Skandia Cowes Week, Rolex Fastnet race, Swan European Regatta and other are also important. Hayes is a RYA Yachtmaster with more than 60,000 sea Royal Ocean Racing Club events. miles as a freelance skipper and skipper “I can teach some jobs on the boat for a U.S.-based charter company. He in 1 to 2 hours,” he said. “For example, also has a bachelor of science degree we had a couple of 50-year-old novice in marine biology and oceanography ladies with us in the BVI who I taught as well as being a PADI certified diver. to trim the genoa and spinnaker guys Lumenta is a RYA Day Skipper, with upwind, winding jobs essentially.

20,000 sea miles to her credit.

Downwind, they packed the spinnaker.

They are useful jobs and they really felt Carol M. Bareuther is a freelance writer part of the team.” in St. Thomas. Contact her through Essential to Northern Child’s editorial@the-triton.com. successful charter operation are the

The crew of Northern Child at the BVI Spring Regatta. Relief skipper Matthew Hayes is far left and cook/stewardess Jill Lumenta to his right. Capt. Julian Sincock is third from right.

PHOTO/DEAN BARNES

12 The Triton

CAPTAIN PROFILE

May 2005

After 10 generations of mariners, yacht captain is ‘black sheep’ It took Capt. R. Scott Gledhill three careers to discover yachting, but now he says he’ll never do anything else.

PHOTO/LUCY REED

By Lucy Chabot Reed The line of mariners in Capt.

Scott Gledhill’s family runs back 10 generations to 1686, and no one likes to tell how it all began more than Gledhill himself.

It began with John Linnscott, who was scheduled to be hanged in Southampton, England, for being a Quaker. He was smuggled into a bale bound for a ship, presumably by a captain friend, and made his way across the Atlantic. They were en route to Portland, Maine, when the captain dropped him off on Jewel Island, where

Gledhill’s family would root and where it continues to grow to this day.

Within two years, records show that Linnscott was making a living as a fisherman and in trouble again.

This time the charge is presumption of marriage. Translation: He got his girlfriend pregnant. He got out of trouble this time by marrying her, but was lost at sea before his son is born.

But that son, and the eight generations that followed, would serve as a mariner, often on fishing or commercial vessels. Scott Gledhill’s father was a harbor master and Scott is a yacht captain.

“I’m the only recreational boater and yacht captain in the family,” he said.

“I’m sort of the black sheep.”

By the time Scott was born, however, his father had come ashore and was a machine tool sales engineer. He moved the family to Cleveland where Scott grew up.

“I was never going to do this,” he said. “I say a prayer frequently that I have not yet had to become a commercial fisherman.”

But he did spend 23 years in the investment business, working his way up to a partner position at his last job. He left that career because he was “bored to tears,” he said. He believed he had a better life to live, so he went to Harvard University’s Divinity School and became an Episcopalian chaplain.

That career didn’t turn out as he thought it would either. Though he ran a soup kitchen for three years, he called his practice of faith more taxing than fulfilling. Now he’s a Buddhist.

“Everyone goes through a crisis of faith when they go to the seminary,” he said. “My best friend was a Thai monk who was a London-trained physician.

He was at Harvard to develop a code of medical ethics to take back to Thailand. He introduced me to Buddhism.

“I grew up in a rough and tumble world of boats and investments and the marine corps. [Becoming a Buddhist] was how I found peace.”

Gledhill got into yachting gradually.

Growing up around the finger lakes in Ohio, he said he has always been around boats and owned a sailboat for 20 years, though only as a hobby.

He started in the maritime industry driving a ferry boat around Boston Harbor and then taught sailing in Annapolis. He went on to make deliveries and taught sailing privately.

By the time he got his captain’s license, he had 500 days at sea.

Now he’s finally doing what he loves, taking people out to enjoy their yachts and the ocean. Even though he thought he’d never do it, he’s got no plans to leave.

Know a captain with an interesting background? Contact Editor Lucy Chabot Reed at lucy@the-triton.com.

May 2005

GETTING STARTED

After late start, captain sails, charters, travels and sells boats

By Capt. Scott Dallman Other than a few trips on my father’s 24-foot powerboat in my pre-teens, my boating experiences started late in life.

Around my 30th birthday, I decided I wanted to learn to sail. I bought a ketch-rigged Freeport 41 in San Francisco and moved aboard to learn all I could. I spent a lot of time on the water including crewing for anyone and everyone who would take me.

Six years later, in 1995, I had acquired enough time and experience on the water to get my captain’s license.

I continued doing deliveries and started getting paid for them as well.

My girlfriend and I wanted to go cruising so we bought a bigger, faster boat and made some plans. In January 1999, we sailed south on my Beneteau 51 cutter for Mexico and Central America. We went through Panama and headed for the eastern Caribbean.

We found that work was available almost everywhere and started doing charters in the British Virgin Islands.

We sold the Beneteau and moved aboard a Voyage catamaran to do crewed luxury charters. After a few years we went back to San Diego.

No matter what else I was doing,

I was able to pick up captains’ jobs including deliveries, tuna fleet and day charters, ferries, and driving for individual owners, all the time increasing my experiences and Dallman resume.

I am currently working for Nordhavn Yachts selling the heavy, long-range cruisers and helping new owners learn to use their expensive toys. I also published a nonfiction book called “SeaMail.” It seems people love to hear sea stories and learn from other people’s mistakes.

I found that by spending enough time on other people’s boats, I no longer needed my own “toy” to get my aqua fix; although a large inflatable gets me to surf and dive spots when needed.

This lifestyle is rewarding because all my time is used helping people in their pursuit of pleasant leisure time.

Once you find a lifestyle you enjoy, you have to find the strength to live it.

How did you get your start in yachting?

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

Who knows? You might inspire someone.

The Triton 13

14 The Triton

THE AFTERLIFE

May 2005

Though it was time, leaving yacht still surprised engineer

By Lisa H. Knapp The 204-foot M/Y Cakewalk marked the end of Adrian Farmer’s 13-year crewing career. He was the build engineer and crewed as its engineer after delivery.

Aussie-born Farmer now runs International Maritime Associates, a logistical support group niched in research and technical advising for new systems and yacht construction management.

“Cakewalk was a well-known boat,” Farmer said. “It served as a launching pad into refit/repair jobs that led to more new construction.”

Farmer organized the company with the help of his wife, Sabrina, and partner Mark Tortora about six months before leaving Cakewalk.

“I thought the transition would have been a lot easier,” said Farmer, who packed his savings but wishes he’d saved more. “There’s a shock value coming ashore and living like the rest of the world. Reality sets in, and you need to give it time.

“Sabrina and I both felt our biological clocks ticking,” he said. The Farmers now have two children, a 16-month-old and a 5-month-old.

Farmer warned that working on one yacht for a long time can stagnate some professionals.

“You won’t learn as much in a cocoon,”

he said. “I’m always looking ahead, challenging myself.”

And that’s critical now when there is a shortage of licensed engineers to work aboard the world’s megayachts.

“Yachts are not commercial vessels,” Farmer he said. “It’s hard to pull an engineer from outside with the ticketing and experience needed for the yachting industry.

“No one is out there giving them an option. We need to school our people in introductory engineering positions on yachts.”

Accommodating personnel needs is the key to career longevity. Beyond job sharing and rotations, which sometimes make owners uncomfortable, Farmer advocates shore-side support companies to handle vacations and structured downtime of vessels at yards.

“The voyages are getting longer,” he said. “One thousand hours on a main engine used to be a lot. Now, 2,500 hours on the engines is common. The use of the boat is increasing, and the crew can only be stretched so far.”

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

May 2005

THE CONNECTION

The Triton 15

Problems with health insurance, burnout top crew list When The Triton led a panel discussion in February on the availability of crew in a growing megayacht industry, we committed to continuing the conversation.

We hosted our March Connection seminar on that topic to more thoroughly examine the issues important to crew.

THE CONNECTION Though the turnout LUCY CHABOT REED was small – about 25 people – we had a mixture of captains, crew, placement agents, trainers and other professionals. The conversation, too, was a mixture of problems, complaints and possible solutions.

This first seminar was dedicated to identifying the key problems facing megayacht crew. While this report may sound like a lot of complaints, it is critical to properly identify the problems before setting out to help solve them.

In no particular order, here are the problems attendees of The Triton’s March Connection identified: 1. Health insurance. While all yachts carry insurance that covers crew members for the “maintenance and cure” of accidents and emergencies when working onboard, many crew are left uncovered for such accidents off the boat.

And few have the kind of preventative care that many American employees in land-based jobs enjoy, such as annual check-ups or dental exams.

The problem, Connection attendees said, is that insurance companies are unwilling to underwrite this kind of wrap-around insurance that would cover a crew member for preventative health care as well as for non-work-related accidents.

Depending on the yacht, some crew members are covered under the corporate insurance of a yacht’s owner who simply slides them in as a corporate employee. Many others, though, work for retired owners who can no longer offer that benefit. Each yacht handles this benefit differently, with some paying all, a portion, or none of the monthly premiums.

With better health care benefits, attendees agreed, more crew might view the job as a career and stay with boats or the industry longer, a first step in curing the crew shortage problem.

The Triton’s April Connection seminar was scheduled to discuss crew health insurance. Admission is free on April 27 from 5-7 p.m. in the third-floor conference room at Bahia Mar Yachting Center, or watch for a report in the June issue of The Triton.

2. Burnout. While many crew members sign up for and happily accept the rigorous schedule of seasonal charters around the world (and the tips that accompany them), it doesn’t take long for those seasons to wear a person out. Too often, crew leave the industry just as they are reaching levels of leadership and sterling credentials.

Many of the crew in attendance thought that rotations or job sharing were a good idea, especially for upper-

level officers. Not only would that allow a family life as well as a career, it would give entry-level crew a goal to work toward.

The solution of rotations isn’t easy to implement, though. Owners expect and appreciate a consistency of service from their captain, chief stewardess and chef.

They want the person they have come to trust – and only that person – to give them the service they expect.

Attendees agreed that convincing owners to split a year between two captains, two chief stewardesses and two chefs would mean less crew turnover in the long run and, eventually, better consistency of service.

“Owners don’t realize how hard it is to find good crew and how much time it takes,” one placement agent said.

3. Attitude. There was much discussion about the attitude among entry-level crew who want the glamourous life they’ve heard about at the neighborhood watering hole but who aren’t quite willing to work hard to get it.

“They go out and get drunk, come to work late, so you fire them, but they don’t care. They just go to the next boat and get another job three days later,” one captain said. “You end up tolerating way more than you want to.”

The problem is that some entrylevel crew see the yachting industry as a way to spend the summer instead of as a career. While there is room in the industry for seasonal employees, it makes the job of hiring and training new crew a dreaded experience.

“I always want to go back to the agency and say this crew is horrible,” a captain said. “All the crew agents need to be on the same page.”

4. Training. Or, more precisely, the lack of training support made available to working, career-minded crew, both in dollars and time off.

More often than not, an owner will not foot the bill for an entry-level crew member to receive training, or for a midcareer officer to get advanced training.

Some yachts have adopted reimbursement plans that pay for some of the training with the remainder being reimbursed if the crew member stays onboard a certain length of time.

Yet the problem often is one of time.

Busy charter yachts, or even well-used private yachts, run or are in maintenance a majority of the time, leaving crew little time for their own vacations, let alone training. Often, crew members fill their vacation with training, or they quit to stay shoreside and take courses.

5. Standards. Or, more precisely, a lack of industry-wide standards for operating and maintaining vessels.

While many yachts and captains have their own levels of standards, there is no set of industry-wide standards that crew could learn or train toward before coming on board. A set of standards would also raise the level of operation on the vessels that operate below them.

Other issues facing crew as the megayacht industry continues to grow included the industry’s lack of employment manuals and contracts, the need for basic yachting education for brokers and owners, the need for management training for captains, and

the need for an awareness and recruiting campaign to the general population that presents yachting as a career.

Several attendees suggested that yacht management companies and the management divisions of large brokerages have taken the lead on many of these issues. But because they tend to operate in the vacuum of their fleets, the rest of the industry has yet to learn about – and learn from their examples.

The Triton is committed to continuing this conversation. Be a part of it.

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

The May Connection will tackle the idea of burnout and whether crew rotations really work. That session will be held May 25 at Bahia Mar Yachting Center in Ft. Lauderdale.

If you or someone you know has experience with crew rotations or job sharing, good or bad, please contact lucy@the-triton.com.

Everyone is welcome to attend the free seminar and contribute to the discussion.

FROM THE FRONT

16 The Triton

May 2005

Response plan needed to run in U.S. waters VRP, from page 1 as OPEN 90, which applied to tank vessels over 200 tons. It required a vessel response plan and a qualified individual (QI) to act in the owner’s best interests should a spill occur.

“OPEN 90 was an after-effect of the Exxon Valdez disaster,” said Todd Duke, vice president of Resolve Marine Group, a marine salvage and firefighting Duke company. Exxon Valdez was the oil tanker that spilled 11 million gallons of crude oil in Prince William Sound in Alaska in 1989.

“Ultimately it [OPEN 90] defines who’s liable during a disaster and names a QI with authority to hire or deploy assets to stop the threat of pollution,” Duke said.

VRP, pollution plan similar While the Non-Tank Vessel Response Plan (VRP) and the Shipboard Pollution Emergency Plan (SOPEP) are similar, they cannot be combined.

The VRP is a U.S. federal requirement and is controlled by the U.S. Coast Guard. It must be prepared as a separate manual and approved by the Coast Guard to be effective.

SOPEP is a document required by the International Maritime Organization for vessels engaged in international trade and is controlled by the flag state or by a classification society on behalf of a flag state.

The VRP rule may still undergo some revisions, but it is currently applicable to megayachts, said Capt.

Wes Armstrong of M/Y Fortunate Sun, a 178-foot (54m) yacht weighing more than 400 tons.

“That means we’ll have to maintain two different sets of documents,” he said.

Guidelines online Non-tank vessels that have not prepared and submitted oil spill response plans prior to Aug. 9 will not be allowed to operate on U.S. waters.

Maritime Reporter & Engineering News recommended owners/operators follow the lead of tank vessels and prepare and submit oil response plans consistent with the guidance contained in Navigation and Vessel Inspection Circular (NVIC) 01-05, www.uscg.mil/ hq/g-m/nvic%2001-05.doc.pdf.

Though non-tank plans will closely resemble those required for tank vessels, there will be some differences.

For a vessel with a fuel capacity of less than 250 barrels, the plan need only address response to the vessel’s average

A maxi-barge with water tanks tackles clean-up of the Exxon Valdez, which sparked the call for vessels to carry oil spill response plans. PHOTO COURTESY OF EXXON VALDEZ OIL SPILL TRUSTEE COUNCIL

most probable discharge (1 percent of fuel capacity) and salvage resources.

For a vessel with a fuel capacity of 250 barrels or more, the plan must also address response to the vessel’s maximum most probable discharge (10 percent of fuel capacity) and salvage and lightering resources.

Modifications to the requirements of the response plans were expected in late April, after The Triton went to press. The rewrite should be available online May 1.

“Our sole role is just enforcement of having the plan in place,” said USCG Commander George Zeitler, chief of inspections in Sector Miami. The plans are approved in Washington.

“As we get Notice of Arrival from those yachts affected, we’ll check at that point,” he said. “Locally, we’re still reviewing how best to implement the requirement.”

Plan can be delayed Until the rule goes into effect, the Coast Guard may authorize a non-tank vessel to operate without an approved response plan until two years after it submits one if the owner or operator certifies the availability of private personnel and equipment necessary to respond to a worst-case spill.

Such certification could be a contract with a salvage company, for example.

Still, preparation of VRPs should begin immediately, said Capt. Jake DesVergers of U.S. Maritime Institute.

“The U.S. Coast Guard wants all plans to be submitted by July 9 to ensure they will be approved on time,” he said.

If a vessel is due to call on a U.S. port after Aug. 8, a plan must be filed with the USCG at least 30 days prior to arrival to ensure uninterrupted trading

for the vessel, he said.

One-stop services The U.S. Maritime Institute and Ft. Lauderdale-based Superyacht Technologies have teamed together to help yachts meet the new rule.

The two groups have pulled together all the components, including a plan, equipment, a qualified individual, a spill management team, a damage stability team and third-party contracts with response companies such as Resolve Marine Group and National Response Corp, DesVergers said .

They also help coordinate training associated with implementing and maintaining a compliant oil spill response plan.

Contact freelance writer Lisa H. Knapp at lisa@the-triton.com. For more details, check out Section 701 of the Coast Guard and Marine Transportation Act of 2004, or visit www.usmaritimeinstitute.com.

The Coast Guard expects it will take at least a month to determine if submitted plans meet the requirements.

Owners/operators are encouraged to submit their non-tank vessel response plans by July 9.

Mail plans to: Commandant (G-MOR-2) U.S. Coast Guard 2100 Second St., S.W. Washington, DC 20593 0001 Attn: VRP Programs

May 2005

FROM THE FRONT

Captain: When lives in danger, choice is easy THE BRIDGE, from page 1 don’t think you should go out, don’t go.

But the younger captains saw a lot of gray area and admitted the decisions were harder to make while working their way up in the industry.

“I’m sure everyone in this room has a story about being pushed to the limit,” one veteran captain said.

“Sometimes you eat crow and keep your mouth shut, but other times you say no, you can’t do it.

“At this point in my career, I’d tell him [the owner] he can’t use his boat, but 15 years ago I sucked it up and did the job.”

One captain told this story of quitting on the spot rather than going out in questionable conditions: At port, half-way through a week-long delivery up the U.S. East Coast, the owner had too much to drink and demanded the captain get back under way.

At night with bad weather looming, the captain resisted. The owner insisted so much that the captain eventually locked himself in his cabin with the keys to the boat.

After much drama, the captain dismantled the engine, handed over the keys and stepped off the boat, returning in the morning to resign.

“It cost me a job but it was an extremely easy decision to make at the time,” this captain said.

Seated in that room, reflecting on TV’s misfortune, several captains saw the risk of going against better judgment as far too high.

“As captains, we have two priorities,” one captain said. “First is the safety of the vessel and the family, next is their enjoyment. You’ve got to ask yourself – young or not – what if I make this decision and someone dies?”

“We’re running a three-, five-, 10-million-dollar company for them,” another said. “When their [land-based] CEO makes a mistake, they lose some money or maybe their job. When we make a mistake, people can die.”

A few captains shared ideas on how to handle such a situation.

“I’ve learned that there’s a time and a place for white lies,” one captain said.

“Say something like ‘I’ve just taken the stabilizer apart because I didn’t know you wanted to go out.’ They don’t want to hear ‘no’ from you; they need a reason.”

“I’ve never had long-term repercussions from a ‘no,’” another captain said. “They’re mad at the moment, but the next day, they’re over it. I tell them, ‘you hired me for my judgment; this is my judgment.’”

One thing that might protect a captain in such a pressure situation is a written contract that outlines who makes the call to go to sea, according to several captains.

But one captain described a job he took with a first-time owner who handed him a 25-page contract in

Attendees of The Triton’s May Bridge lunch were, from left, Bill Cary, Greg Aurre, Carl Moughan, Ignacio Jimenez, R. Scott Gledhill, Todd Kaufman, Michael Chmura, and Jehan Quinet. The luncheon was held in the offices of the Marine Industries Association of South Florida and catered by yacht chef Mayra Landi.

PHOTO/LUCY REED which was clearly detailed that the captain was in control of the yacht.

Yet, when arriving in port one day, the captain said the owner shut off the radar and took the helm. Nothing happened to the yacht, but that spoke volumes about the value of his contract, he said.

“You can have all the contracts you want, but unless he [the owner] has a degree of integrity, it’s not worth the paper it’s written on,” he said.

Still, others agreed that it was better to have an employment contract than not. While a contract should identify who makes the decisions on when to move the boat, the most important item is a way out, they agreed.

“Have a good exit clause,” one veteran captain said. “Owners buy and sell boats and hire/fire captains all the time. If he sells in a year, get a sixmonth severance.”

One captain noted that a contract written in one country for a yacht of a different flag and a captain of yet another nationality was useless: “What court do you go to?”

But that wasn’t really the point of a contract, several captains said. They agreed they would never sue over a broken contract because it would be their reputation on the line. The fallout of a potential future boss finding out about a lawsuit through a background check was insurmountable, they said.

Most of the captains agreed that a contract should not be presented in the first interview or even presented as a contract at all, but merely used as an outline for the final discussion before taking a job.

Then, if a captain likes the answers and takes a job, it can be presented to the owner as a synopsis of the conversation that both sides agreed to.

“It boils down to the ability to develop respectful and healthy relationships,” one captain said. “A contact helps with preventing anything in terms of surprises with holidays, time off, that sort of thing. Just so the owner is clear.”

“And if there’s a problem, you can refer back to it,” another said.

Of course, experience goes a long

way in preventing uncomfortable situations such as the captain of M/Y TV is believed to have been in.

“The longer you’re in this business, the more you know who you want to work for and who you don’t,” a veteran captain said. “I get calls and turn down jobs a lot because of the owner’s or the boat’s reputation.”

He detailed what he felt was an overly aggressive summer schedule of owner trips with family and friends straddled around charters with often less than 24 hours of turn-around time.

“I wouldn’t do it,” he said. “It was a 115-footer and he had seven kids and 16 grandkids and he wanted trips back to back to back. The schedule was too aggressive.”

“I’d take it,” said a younger captain.

“I don’t have a mortgage and a wife. I can do that kind of work for a while.”

“You take that job and you see this gray hair?” the senior captain said, and everyone laughed.

Contact Editor Lucy Chabot Reed at lucy@the-triton.com. If you are a hired yacht captain and are in Ft. Lauderdale at the beginning of the month, contact us for an invitation to our Bridge luncheon. Space is limited to eight.

CONTRACTS Here are some items captains should ask before taking a job.

About the yacht: Agenda, itinerary How much time the owner will use the boat How much notice he/she will provide for trips, charters Owner/captain relationship: How long did the previous captain stay? Why’d he/she leave?

How many captains has the owner had in the past three years?

Who pays for training and the time off?

Job specifics Budget control, limits Maintenance decisions, limits Severance if boat sold in a year Vacation schedule

The Triton 17

32 The Triton

FROM THE EXPERTS

May 2005

Mentoring can turn a good crew member into a great one In the past three columns, we discussed helping a problem employee become a good employee. Now let’s look at how to help a good employee become a great one.

Mentoring is a strategy used to develop employees whose overall performance already meets expectations.

The purpose of mentoring is to MANAGER’S TIME groom and guide DON GRIMME an employee to assume additional responsibilities and to advance in his/her career.

Use mentoring to add skills or sharpen existing ones, to encourage the application of knowledge or skills to the job, to enhance performance, to prepare for a project or assignment, or

to help employees solve problems.

Which members of your crew need mentoring? Hopefully, most fall into this category. In other words, they meet expectations but could be better. So pick one and sketch out a “script” for a mentoring session. Be sure you’re able to answer the following questions: 1. What do you want to accomplish in this meeting?

2. What might be some concerns that you will have to address?

3. How will you give feedback so that the employee knows that there is room for improvement ... and that you do appreciate his/her strengths?

4. How can you use inquiry to gain input, involvement and commitment?

Prior to engaging in a mentoring conversation with an employee, answer each of the following questions: 1. What do you think are the career aspirations of this employee?

2. Based on these aspirations, what position(s) in your organization should be the next step in this person’s career?

3. From the yacht’s perspective, how likely is this opportunity? When?

4. What personal barriers (e.g., behavioral, family, relocation, etc.) might prevent this?

5. What do you and/or the employee need to do to prepare for this position? a. Task/project assignments: b. Exposure/visibility: c. Networking: d. In-house training/certification: e. External training/certification: f. Formal education: g. Personal work (e.g., attitude): 6. With whom do you need to discuss, confirm and coordinate this?

Before meeting with the employee, review this checklist with the person(s) you identified in question 6.

Although a mentoring conversation

follows the same four steps as coaching, the subject matter is a bit different. Mentoring involves sharing your knowledge and experience and helping employees create and fulfill a career plan.

The four tips for mentoring: 1. Inquire into the individual’s career desires and frustrations. Don’t assume.

2. Offer developmental assignments, training, networking and personal/ professional contacts.

3. Don’t make promises about promotions or future jobs.

4. Coordinate your efforts with senior management.

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.

Be aware of, and take action against, the deadly threat of skin cancer Statistics released this year by the American Cancer Society suggest one American dies of skin cancer every 68 minutes. The incidence of melanoma, the type of skin cancer responsible for 73 percent of all deaths from skin cancer, has more that tripled among Caucasians between 1980 and 2003.

And older Caucasian men are the most likely to die from melanoma.

Melanoma tends to grab attention because of its high death rates. But it is not the only kind of skin cancer.

Basal cell is the most common skin cancer, and it is highly curable with an in-office procedure when caught early.

Basal cell carcinoma looks like a pearly bump that sometimes doesn’t heal. Sun exposure is a big risk factor for this kind of cancer.

Squamous cell carcinoma is the second most common type. It, too, can be easily cured if found early. However, this cancer is known to spread, and, once it has spread, it becomes more deadly.

The people most likely to get squamous cell carcinoma are those with fair skin who get blistering sunburns. The BODY BUSINESS cancer looks like an LISETTE HILTON irregular dark mole.

As long as the cancer is confined to the skin, a dermatologist can cut it out.

People who work in the marine industry need to remember their ABCDs when it comes to skin cancer.

Check your skin regularly for these signs that correlate with the first four letters of the alphabet.

A stands for asymmetry; meaning that the moles or skin lesions have one half that is unlike the other half.

B is for border irregularity.

C stands for color. Moles that should concern you might have variations in color, including shades of tan and brown or black. Sometimes they even have some white, red or blue.

D, for diameter, reminds you to look for something that’s bigger than a standard pencil eraser, or 6mm.

Now that you know what to look for, you should know where to look.

Skin cancers don’t only occur in sunexposed areas. If you don’t have access to a dermatologist, you should do your own skin exam.

First examine the front and back of your body in a mirror, then look at your right and left sides with your arms raised. Bend your elbows and look carefully at your forearms, upper underarms and palms (yes, the palms

of your hands). Look at the backs of your legs and feet, the spaces between your toes and the soles of your feet.

Then, examine the back of your neck and scalp with a hand mirror. Even part your hair for a closer look. Finally, check your back and buttocks, even if it’s never seen the sun.

Skin cancer is one of the few cancers where the cause of the majority of cases is known – excessive sun exposure.

Studies have shown that adopting a comprehensive sun protection program can substantially lower skin cancer risk, according to the American Academy of Dermatology.

Speaking at an academy news conference in 2004, dermatologist Zoe Diana Draelos, a clinical associate professor at Wake Forest University in Winston-Salem, N.C., addressed the basics of sunscreen and good sun protection habits.

“The most important thing to know about sunscreen is that, regardless of skin type and ethnicity, everyone needs to use it,” Draelos said. “If a person is going to be in the sun for more than 20 minutes, the American Academy of Dermatology recommends using a broad-spectrum sunscreen with a Sun Protection Factor (SPF) of at least 15 for basic protection year-round.”

Draelos suggests looking for sunscreen ingredients that provide UVA and UVB protection. Sunscreens should be applied to dry skin 15-30 minutes before going outdoors, and reapplied every two hours. Lips can get sunburned too, so apply a lip balm that contains sunscreen with SPF 15 or higher.

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.

May 2005

FROM THE EXPERTS

The Triton 33

Turn the pain of tax day into a whole new financial start I’m sure that most of you are breathing a sigh of relief now that tax season is over. I definitely am.

And as tedious as the whole process of pulling out every remnant of your financial activities for the whole year has been, there is one unforeseen advantage, believe it or not. You now have everything you need at your fingertips INTO ACCOUNT to start developing PHAEDRA XANTHOS a financial plan for yourself. And wasn’t that your true goal all along? Sure it was.

We as human beings seem to live in this constant state of flux where our desires for the future become our purpose for being. I believe that it is our ongoing quest for happiness that gives

our lives value.

Money is definitely not the key to happiness, however, it can make our lives easier and it can grant many wishes for us and those we love. Your financial plan is the key to having many of those wishes granted.

Over the past few months I’ve been discussing the various steps you can take to build a rudimentary financial plan for yourself. And now is the ideal time to put those ideas into action.

Here’s a quick recap of those steps.

First, set specific goals to develop an outline of your financial life. Think about how much each of your goals will cost and pick a time by which you would like to have achieved each one.

Then assess where you are today by creating a net-worth statement. You can accomplish this by subtracting the total of your liabilities from the total of your assets.

Determine what your monthly cash flow is by subtracting your regular expenses from your income. The difference is what you have to put toward your future.

Really think about where your money is right now and what strategies are working for you. Consider shuffling debts to improve your interest rates.

For example, refinancing your home at 5 percent if you are paying 15 percent on exorbitant credit cards.

Look for tax-advantaged investments to grow that money you have set aside every month plus whatever you are starting with. Be sure that all of your investments are well-researched and do not put all of your eggs in one basket.

So start today and resist the urge to stray from your path. Always choose to be conscious of your financial life. And remember that the single most impor-

tant factor in achieving your financial goals is this: whether you stick to your plan.

A professional financial adviser can be a huge help in developing a financial plan. Creating a general outline for yourself is a great starting point on the path to financial independence and you should consider consulting with a pro to help expedite and refine your path.

For more information about how to create a financial plan, check out these Web sites: www.fpanet.org, http://planning.yahoo.com, and http://moneycentral.msn.com/planning/home.asp.

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.

Megayacht crew can, must help the ocean environment How lucky we are as captains and crews of sail and motor yachts to see nature in one of its most unspoiled forms.

On a transoceanic passage, we can see dolphins playing in our bow waves and looking up at us in that inquisitive way, or whales on a migration path blowing as we pass them by.

UP TO US In the past year, CAROL BENBROOK I have been lucky enough to see sperm whales, turtles and dolphins as well as the scarce sun fish, and all this in the Mediterranean alone.

The megayacht industry we work in depends on a healthy sea to survive. Will people still want to charter or own boats when the whole sea looks as bad as some ports I have been to these past few years?

Here, plastics, sanitary products, needles and used contraceptive devices have been floating past the yacht in port.

Not quite a five-star experience.

Will we be able to see dolphins play in bow waves much longer? Reports from major conservation societies including

Greenpeace and the Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society show that there are major factors affecting the present and immediate-future health of our oceans.

Did you know, for instance, that dolphins washing up dead on the eastern Canadian coast are so toxic that, to meet local regulations, they have to be disposed of as toxic waste? Or that upon dissection, young dead albatross in the Pacific are found to have their intestines full of bottle tops and cigarette lighters?

We are all aware of the dangers of pollution in its various guises, but what

Dolphins play in the bow waves of a megayacht.

PHOTO/DONOVAN BENBROOK

Federal judge tells EPA to regulate discharging of ballast water by ships U.S. District Judge Susan Illston ruled the Environmental Protection Agency’s exemption to the discharging of ballast water by ships in U.S. waters contradicts the 1972 Clean Water Act, and exceeds the agency’s regulatory authority.

In a ruling in San Francisco April 1, she told the agency it must require vessels to have pollution controls because ballast water is a pollutant.

An attorney for several environmental groups, Deborah Sivas, director of the Earthjustice Environmental Law Clinic at Stanford Law School, said the decision would drive the EPA to create technologies to prevent releasing exotic

species within three miles of shore.

The Ocean Conservatory, one of six environmental groups that sued the EPA, focused on ballast discharges in San Francisco Bay and the Great Lakes.

Every year, more than 21 billion gallons of international ballast water is brought into U.S. territorial waters, and contains non-native and alien species that threaten the marine ecosystem.

These species harm commercial fishing and shell-fishing, clog intake pipes of power plants and drinking water treatment facilities, destroy habitats, and threaten native species.

– Staff report

can we do? Can one boat’s or even one person’s policy really make a difference?

I think every little bit counts, and I believe that most yacht crew are here because they love the sea, the environment and yachts.

I plan to write regularly about topics related to the ocean environment including what we as crew can do to help protect our seas and oceans.There will

be advice on some legal responsibilities from disposing of garbage and oils in the proper MARPOL-approved manner, to not wasting paints and other potentially harmful products, plus environmentally friendly alternatives we could use.

I welcome feedback. Contact me at captaincarol@mac.com. Please understand I am employed on a yacht and may not be able to respond quickly.

FROM THE GALLEY

34 The Triton

May 2005

Education, certification possible, even at sea

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Many yacht chefs wonder how they can maintain their cutting edge in an industry that won’t allow us time away to sit in a classroom. What about people who start out as yacht cooks and aspire to be chefs but can’t sit in a normal classroom because of their jobs? How can they do it?

There are several options available to get the culinary education you need CULINARY WAVES MARY BETH to complete the process and join the LAWTON JOHNSON ranks of chef. If I did it while working on a boat, anyone can.

As a member of the most prestigious culinary organization in the world, the American Culinary Federation, I find myself trying to obtain education to keep my certifications current.

Every five years, I have to renew my certifications as a Certified Executive Pastry Chef and Certified Chef de Cuisine.

This involves logging hours teaching, in competition, in refresher courses, at culinary seminars, in classes, and at conventions. One of my certifications takes 100 such hours for renewal. This is not easy if you are gone nearly 300 days a year as a yacht chef. How can you do it?

First things first. Let’s talk about a culinary diploma versus a certification from the American Culinary Federation.

What is the difference?

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I called the ACF and spoke with Arlene Weber who is in charge of the apprenticeship program, which offers people looking to be a chef the chance to study for three years under accomplished chefs in a restaurant setting or school and gain educational hours to apply toward a culinary certification. Why would someone want a certification when they could attend the world’s most prestigious culinary schools?

“Some people decide to venture into a culinary school and spend two years or more and thousands of dollars just to be a chef,” she said. “Others learn from hands-on experience. Both offer the same type of education but the difference between an insulated environment such as a school and our apprenticeship program is our people in apprenticeships are learning while on the job by trial and error, under the direct supervision of a teacher or employer and log over 6,000 hours in a three-year period. The other seeking the culinary diploma is not.

“Certification also involves supervision of others. It sets us apart from culinary diplomas. Once you are certified in the higher levels, you are already managing other people.”

So are we to assume that the greatest culinary schools in the world that offer top-notch education are now taking a back seat to the ACF? Not really, but they are teaming with the ACF to offer already-professional chefs a chance to get certifications.

The Culinary Institute of America is one such school. They offer the prochef course to chefs who already have graduated or are in the business. It’s a chance to become certified through the ACF, thus making them more appealing in the job market. It also enhances their culinary diploma.

So how does a working chef become certified? I joined the ACF when I first thought about it and got the guidelines about what I needed to become certified.

I didn’t start off wanting the top chef ’s certification and neither should anyone. Always start where you know your level of knowledge exists and you feel comfortable. Trust me, you will want to start even lower to be sure of your qualifications and knowledge in the beginning. You can either go the route of apprenticeship or the way I did, which took longer to accomplish.

I gathered all of my work experiences, logged it, and had it verified by the ACF. Then I took courses such as nutrition, sanitation and time management, and presented proof to the ACF. Over these years, I studied culinary texts every night. The ACF has a suggested list of culinary books that are needed for exams. I bought every one of them at least three years prior to my sitting for the exams. I read all of them, did the recipes from them and still didn’t know it all. I still don’t. But I decided I was ready and scheduled the exam. I sat for three exams and passed all of them.

Next you have a practical cooking exam where you cook in front of selected juried members of the ACF. Most of them are Certified Master Chefs. For them, this

involves a grueling 10-day exam at the CIA in New York to become a Certified Master Chef.

For you, this involves a grueling -- and intimidating if you let it -- morning or afternoon. Most of these practical exams are held at seminars such as the ACF national convention. They look to see if you know the culinary basics such as proper mise en place, perfect sanitation skills, knife skills and other assessed qualities of a knowledgeable chef.

Only when you have passed this exam are you considered certified. You can be a certified cook, certified working pastry chef, certified culinarian, certified personal chef, certified sous chef. Then you get into the upper echelons of the bigger titles such as Certified Chef de Cuisine, Certified Executive Chef, Certified Executive Pastry Chef, Certified Master Chef and Certified Master Pastry Chef. So, when you have completed the process, you have really worked hard and deserve to be proud.

You must keep what you have by keeping your education up and becoming re-certified every five years. This can be done in various ways such as distance education, whereby the institution sends you the material by mail, you complete it and mail it back. You can also accomplish this by computer at your own pace. Or you can go the traditional way, sitting in a classroom. I have listed a few schools to assist you in education should you decide to become certified. They also offer refresher courses as well.

I hope that this explains why certification is highly regarded and why you should consider it if you are not already. Until next month.

Mary Beth Lawton Johnson is a certified executive pastry chef and certified chef de cuisine. A professional yacht chef since 1991, she has been chef on M/Y Rebecca since 1999. Contact her through editorial@the-triton.com.

Check it out

www.chefcertification.com, also known as Ingrain, offers all the basic core requirements for becoming certified such as nutrition, sanitation and management. Each course is 30 hours and is completed only online. Refresher courses are eight hours. Perfect for us yacht chefs who cannot sit in a classroom. www.123ce.com is the American Academy of Independent Studies and offers similar courses for continuing education or pre-certification in the traditional format, distant education by mail. www.acfchefs.org is the American Culinary Federation where you can request information and look up certification guidelines, membership requirements and fees involved. www.ciaprochef.com is the Culinary Institute of America in New York and offers the Professional Chef an opportunity to become certified by the ACF and obtain their diploma in the process.

May 2005

FROM THE GALLEY

Won-Ton Napoleon with Fresh Figs, Seared Foie Gras and White Truffle Foie Gras Mousse

By Chef Mary Beth Lawton Johnson, CEPC, CCC 8 wonton wrappers fried to crisp in hot oil 2 pints fresh assorted figs (turkey, green, etc.), washed, tops cut off. Skin if desired.

1 large lobe foie gras, grade C, cleaned, halved 1 t Armagnac 1 t White Truffle Oil 1/2 c heavy whipping cream 1 pinch pepper 1 pinch salt 1 White Truffle Shaved To make the mousse: Place one half of the foie gras lobe, the armagnac, truffle oil, salt and pepper in a plastic bag.

Refrigerate for two hours.

Bring to room temperature.

Using a steamer, cook the foie gras in the sealed bag for 3-4 minutes.

Open bag and drain fat. Reserve fat. Chill Foie Gras for 30 minutes.

Bring to room temperature again. Pass through a fine-mesh strainer and whip with half the reserved fat until it forms a mousse.

Refrigerate mousse until ready to serve. It will appear to have the consistency of being stiff.

For the seared foie gras: Sear the other half-lobe of foie OTHER FOOD NEWS

Cabo, La Paz ban U.S. meats CABO SAN LUCAS, MEXICO — U.S. poultry is again being confiscated from yachts clearing into Mexico here and at La Paz, and the ban on U.S. and Canadian beef and pork continues, so boaters should avoid stocking their freezers with these meats before arriving here.

“All our uncooked meat and poultry was confiscated,” said Capt. George Lang, skipper of a 120-foot motoryacht from Newport Beach, which cleared into Mexico at Cabo San Lucas on March 14, “but anything that was cooked was OK.” So far, no such ban has been announced for Ensenada.

Mexico and 10 other nations banned U.S. chicken and turkey last year, but Mexico’s enforcement stopped and started several times during 2004.

— Capt. Patricia Miller Rains Reprinted with permission from The Log, www.thelog.com.

With summer approaching, this is wonderful as an appetizer or first course. Serves four. PHOTO/MARY BETH LAWTON JOHNSON

gras in a hot pan with any reserved fat. Season with salt and pepper.

To plate: Place three figs off center in each plate. Top with a dollop of mousse. Top with a wonton. Place more mousse and three more figs on the second layer.

Top each fig with more mousse and secure the top wonton. Slice one fig into a fan. Place on top with garnish of choice, more mousse and diced foie gras.

Scatter the seared diced foie gras around the plate and some shavings from the white truffle and serve.

The Triton 35

TAKING TIME OFF

36 The Triton

May 2005

Southern Windward Islands still hold magic of discovered places

By Capt. Greg Clark M/Y Mystic has spent a good deal of time in the Grenadines this year, and made several visits to Bequia, Canouan, Tobago Cays, and Union Island.

All seem relatively undamaged by last year’s hurricane season, although on Bequia, Orlon King, owner of the Old Heg Turtle Sanctuary, noted significant beach erosion on the windward sides of the islands, and the loss of the majority of hawksbill and green sea turtle nesting sites.

Mr. King is a truly committed individual and anyone who wishes may contact him at Oldhegg@vincysurf.com for more information.

Further south, Petit St. Vincent (PSV), Petit Martinique and Carriacou are also undamaged.

But upon reaching Grenada, everything changes. The first thing you notice when approaching Grenada is that the thick tropical jungle, which covers most of the island, has been severely denuded of its foliage.

Many of the large nutmeg trees upon

A WELCOME VISITOR: M/Y Mystic was welcomed around the Windward Islands as they continue to recover from last season’s hurricanes. Here she is at Hartman Bay, Grenada.

PHOTO/CAPT. GREG CLARK

A HAPPY CREW: Front row, from left, Capt. Greg Clark, Chief Stewardess Marlys Clark, Stewardess Liesl Dohne, Stewardess Natalie George, Bosun Tim Peterson; Back row, from left, Chef David Kolembus, First Mate Dom Wedgwood, Engineer Mike Thomas and Deckhand Ian Duff.

PHOTO COURTESY OF CAPT. GREG CLARK

CAPTAIN’S DAY OFF: Capt. Greg Clark of M/Y Mystic enjoyed the sand in his toes on the beach in Tobago Cays.

PHOTO/CAPT. GREG CLARK which the “spice island’s” agricultural economy relies, have been uprooted and the rest denuded of their leaves.

As you cruise southward down the west coast of the island, you see much evidence of landslides and the most rudimentary of makeshift housing cluttering the hillsides. Even the south coast of Grenada, with its deep and beautiful sheltered bays, suffered terribly.

Protected anchorages still abound, and solid dockage is available at Martin’s Marina in Mt. Hartman Bay, but services and amenities are very limited.

The people are kind and accommodating and are doing what they can to rebuild, but supplies are limited. We were told by several locals that when the Asian tsunami hit,

aid supplies that had been getting to Grenada all but dried up when the world’s attention shifted.

It is obvious that how long it takes to rebuild here will depend upon continued funding, availability of supplies, and the labor necessary to put them to good use.

Moving south to Trinidad, things are normal again, as it did not suffer the fate of Grenada. We were fortunate to have time there during Carnival season, and enjoyed learning and participating in the many events that lead up to the big two-day bash just prior to Lent.

Mystic then moved westward to Bonaire where we discovered a true diver’s paradise and a very different island to explore. With few sandy beaches, Bonaire has escaped the eye of large resort developers, but has all the

other elements that we find attractive: crystal clear waters teeming with life, a good marina, and a clean, friendly town nearby with a good variety of restaurants, pubs and shops to keep guests entertained.

It also has an unusual desert landscape, reminiscent of the American Southwest, rich with cacti and succulents, but built on a series of coral plateaus. Add to that large populations of wild flamingos, donkeys and iguanas and you have a unique and interesting combination.

Our travels continued westward to Aruba, where we celebrated the final two days of Carnival with an elaborate and colorful parade through the capital of Oranjestad.

One thing we found noticeable in Grenada, Trinidad, Bonaire and Aruba, was an absence of the aggressive peddling and hawking of goods by locals that has become so prevalent throughout much of the Caribbean.

Although there is no shortage of items to buy, the local people are much more relaxed in their approach and our guests made more comfortable as a result.

Contact Capt. Greg Clark through editorial@the-triton.com.

CALL FOR STORIES Have you been somewhere interesting this season? Have you had a new experience? Share it with your yachting brethren. Send stories to Editor Lucy Chabot Reed at lucy@the-triton.com.

Don’t forget to send photos.

REVIEWS

May 2005

What we’re watching, reading “Finding Neverland”, the biopic of Peter Pan creator J.M. Barrie, is as ephemeral, uplifting and sad as the author’s classic tale of fairies, pirates and perpetual youth.

“Finding Neverland” focuses on the epiphany that led to Barrie’s creation of Peter Pan a century ago.

Uninspired by his passion-free marriage, Barrie (Johnny Depp) meets Sylvia Davies (Kate Winslet) and her four sons in a park one day. The playwright immediately falls for the fatherless boys, teaching them to fly kites and play cowboys and Indians, and for their widowed mom, although director Marc Forster never allows their relationship to venture into physical contact.

Depp plays Barrie with just the right shades of intensity, sorrow and wackiness. Even his Scottish accent is spot-on.

Forster opens with the caveat that the tale is “inspired by true events,” and sticklers will note that the film takes liberties with facts, dates and the pesky question of whether Barrie spent so much time with Sylvia’s boys because he was a pedophile.

This charming flick isn’t concerned with historical accuracy. Instead, Forster offers a meditation on grief and the healing power of imagination.

It’s a theme that easily could be mishandled, yet “Finding Neverland” manages to be moving rather than mushy.

– Jeff Ostrowski

“Walking Money” by South Florida author James O. Born is now available in paperback.

Born spent 17 years in Florida law enforcement and it is evident in his realistic portrayals of police politics and Miami cultural clashes. He credits Elmore Leonard as his mentor and some of their characterizations are similar.

One and a half million dollars is embezzled through the front of a community activist organization.

The satchel of money becomes temptation for a long line of characters and most of them get their hands on it for a brief time.

While crooked law officers and community leaders battle for the cash, state cop Bill Tasker is accused of the theft.

Actually one of the good guys, Tasker is shadowed by history. He was present at the suicide of a fellow officer and accused of violating procedure.

Although cleared and reassigned, that history lends credence to circumstantial evidence. He is suspended while the investigation focuses on him as a suspect.

Of course suspension gives Tasker the time and flexibility to begin his own investigation, which runs afoul of a variety of legal agencies.

Bungling criminals, cold-hearted women and tortured cops make “Walking Money” fast-moving and entertaining crime fiction.

– Donna Mergenhagen

The Triton 37

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IN THE STARS

May 2005

HOROSCOPES

By astronomer Michael Thiessen TAURUS (Apr. 21-May 21) Don’t let emotion interfere with work. You will want to complain about the injustice going on. You can make changes to your living quarters, but not everyone will be pleased. Don’t let someone else take credit for a job you did.

GEMINI (May 22-June 21) Your ability to dazzle others with unique and innovative ideas will attract attention.

Romance will unfold through business trips. Opportunities to upgrade your living standards will come through your lover or joint financial investments.

CANCER (June 22-July 22) You can make a difference if you take a position of leadership. Discord could be unnerving. Try to find another time to present ideas this month. Avoid getting involved with married individuals.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22) You should sit down with someone you trust and work out a budget that will enable you to save a little extra. Someone left a real mess for you to sift through. You need to control your temper and deal with the situation rationally.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 23) Opportunities to get together with people in powerful positions could help you get ahead. False information is likely if you listen to idle chatter or gossip. Your ability to be practical in business will help.

LIBRA (Sept. 24-Oct. 23) If you’re in the mood, go socialize, or get involved in sports. Be careful when dealing with superiors. Friends and relatives can give you good advice. Sign up for courses that will bring you more skills.

SCORPIO (Oct. 24-Nov. 22) Cultural activities open your eyes to new ways of doing things. Financial limitations will not be as adverse as they appear. Do your own thing and make yourself the best you can be. Pamper yourself.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 23-Dec. 21) Social events will put you in touch with new lovers. You will be entertaining when with your lover. Strength will come from your ability to overtake just about anyone. Social events will lead to a strong and stable relationship.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 20) Your energy will enable you to lead group functions. You may be emotional if you allow your lover to take advantage of your good nature. Rid yourself of that which is no longer of use.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 21-Feb. 19) Put your energy into behind-the-scenes activities. Moves will be hectic but favorable in the end. Your energy will enable you to lead group functions.

PISCES (Feb. 20-March 20) Sign up for courses that will bring you skills. Your interest in helping others may take you back to school. Talk to someone you trust in order to see the whole picture.

Try to get away with your mate.

ARIES (March 21-April 20) Focus on forming business partnerships. You may find yourself changing crowds.

Property investments, insurance, tax rebates, or inheritance should bring financial gains. Trips will be exciting.

The Triton 39

Something new with the Big Dipper this month

By Jack Horkheimer Every year in early evening in May the star pattern known to North Americans as the Big Dipper reaches its highest point in the heavens.

Although every year we tell you how to find it and give you some fascinating facts about it, this year we’ve got some nifty updates. So if you think you really know the Big Dipper you may be in for a surprise.

On any night during the first two weeks of May, about an hour after sunset, face due north. High above the horizon you’ll see four stars. If we connect these with lines, they’ll form a cup. And there are three stars to the east, which if connected form a handle.

A cup with a handle like this in early rural North America was called a dipper, which people used to dip water out of a bucket. According to some early American natives, the four stars that make the cup represented a bear and the three handle stars were Indian braves tracking the bear. In England, the Big Dipper is known as “the plough” or “King Charles’ wagon.”

One of the most interesting features about the Big Dipper is that you can use the two stars in the end of the cup to find the North Star, which is the end star of the handle of the Little Dipper.

To find it yourself, simply shoot an arrow through these two stars.

Measuring five and a half times the distance between them, you’ll land smack dab on the North Star, which is not as bright as many people suspect.

Another interesting point about the Big Dipper is that if you look closely at Mizar, the middle star of the handle, you’ll see that it is not one but two stars. The second star is named Alcor and together they’re called the horse and the rider.

But even more interesting is that things are always changing in the field

of astronomy because as we develop more sophisticated astronomical tools we can more accurately measure things in the cosmos. So some of the distances we gave you to the stars in the Big Dipper in the past have been refined.

Mizar is 78 light years away, which means that the light we see from Mizar left it 78 years ago. Alcor is 81 light years away as is the star next to it, Alioth, and the star next to it, Megrez.

Phecda above Megrez is 3 light years farther away, 84 light years, and Merak is just 79 light years away.

This means that all of these stars belong to a group about 80 light years away and that they’re all moving together in the same direction through space. That leaves the end star in the handle, Alkaid, at a distance of 101 light years and Dubhe, the star at the end of the cup, 124 light years away.

There you have it: our old friend the Big Dipper with new refined distances to each star. Reacquaint yourself.

Use a planet to find a planet On the weekend of May 14-15, you can use planet No. 4 (Mars) to find planet No. 7 (Uranus) because they’ll be huddled together only one degree apart.

On that Saturday and Sunday at about 4 a.m., face east and you’ll see reddish-orange, 4,000-mile-wide Mars.

If you have a pair of binoculars, you can see 32,000-mile-wide Uranus about two full moon widths away. You have to use binoculars to see it because while Mars is only 120 million miles away Uranus is almost 2 billion.

Sir William Herschel discovered it in 1781 and named it after King George the third. European astronomers didn’t like that much so they renamed it for the ancient Greek god of the heavens Uranus. It has 27 moons, many of which are named after Shakespearean

characters. Use Mars to find it now.

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.

WRITE TO BE HEARD

40 The Triton

Destination Europe

May 2005

Captains used to talk openly about kickbacks. Do they still?

Shortly after I started in the business, we were at Hurricane Hole in Nassau. After dinner, there was a gathering of captains at the wharf, drinking beer.

It was astonishing that the subject of discussion was how much they had received in kickbacks.

One got a new Dodge for a $150,000 refit. Another got $3,000 for new stabilizers.

The average take seemed to be 15 percent from shipyards, mom-andpop grocery stores, and liquor stores.

Some were put on the payroll when the vessel was in a shipyard. Many of them said that their owners knew what was going on.

There were stories of a couple of fellows that made much more than

their annual salaries in kickbacks.

At least 20 years ago, Richard Bertram instituted a lawsuit enjoining all of the Florida shipyards from kicking back. It had a limited effect. Yards then picked up repair bills on cars, redid plumbing in captain’s houses, and paid for vacations.

The cost to repaint a large megayacht can now exceed $400,000.

The yard can almost quote paint jobs by the foot, as they expect to get all of the other ancillary refit of machinery, etc.

No one likes to pay off as it reduces their profits. Most crew are now very well paid.

Does the practice still go on?

Capt. Bill Harris

Safety questionable in good ol’ U.S. After our rough and sleepless passage from Isla Mujeres [in Mexico] to Ft. Lauderdale, we spent another sleepless night, only in port this time.

Some bloke broke into the boat last night at a local marina and started pulling out equipment on the bridge before he was discovered and chased away.

Now I get to report my first act of piracy I ever experienced to the Piracy Control Center in Kuala Lumpur.

How ironic: After spending 12 trouble-free years in Asia and three trouble-free years in Mexico and Central America, we’re “boarded by pirates” in a marina in the home of the brave and the free.

On top of things, my chef got molested by some weirdo yesterday in a shopping plaza in broad daylight.

This country scares me. I feel much safer anywhere in Asia than in the U.S. What amazes me is that with all the so-called heightened security, this marina was wide open with one security guard on fixed rounds.

Watching the guy for an hour, anyone can figure out what he will do next and use the 45 minutes while he cruises around the premises to board boats.

We will be moving to a more secure facility on Monday.

Capt. Chris Schaefer M/Y Capricious

WHAT’S UP?

May 2005

The Triton 41

On the Horizon in May April 30-May 15 Telecom Italia Masters Rome, Foro Italico. Clay court tournament with more than 2.4 million euro in prize money. www. telecomitaliamasters.federtennis.it

May 11-22 58th annual Cannes Film Festival, France

May 1 SunTrust Sunday Jazz Brunch (first Sunday of every month) at Riverwalk from 11 to 2, Ft. Lauderdale.

Free. www.fortlauderdale.gov

May 4 The Fox Network (held the first Wednesday of every month), 7 p.m., hosted by The Triton’s own Kristy Fox. Come this month to Yacht Toys, on the northwest corner of State Road 84 and U.S. 1.

May 4-5 Transport and VIP Interiors Expo 2005, Dallas. Two-day conference covers materials and services for the interiors of trains, aircraft and seacraft; includes seminars and trade show. www.tviexpo.com May 13-15 14th annual Spring Charteryacht Show, St. Thomas, USVI, American Yacht Harbor, pamela@vicl.org, (800)524-2061.

May 16-21 Advanced Marina Management School, Olympia, Wash.

This six-day course is a pre-requisite for the Certified Marina Management designation offered by the AMI/IMI. The course is interactive, driven by group problem-solving exercises and case studies. Applicants must have attended

June 11 17th annual Reef Sweep and Beach Cleanup, Fort Lauderdale, 9 a.m. to noon, followed by a BBQ. Organized by Ocean Watch Foundation, 954-467-1366, www.oceanwatch.org/reefsweep05.htm

This event is reserved for film industry professionals so accreditation is required to gain access to the Palais des Festivals. The Cinéma de la Plage is available to the non-accredited public via open-air screenings.

Invitations to these screenings can be found at the Cannes tourism office: Esplanade Georges Pompidou BP 272 PHONE: 04 92 99 84 22 E-MAIL: tourisme@semec.com

May 2-7 17th annual International Yacht Charter Meeting, Genoa, Italy. www.iycm.net May 3-5 11th annual Cruise + Ferry 2005 Exhibition & Conference, London.

Features companies pertaining to the design, construction and operation of passenger shipping. Includes a new pavilion for megayachts. www. cruiseferryex.com/superyachtv

is the fourth tournament of the 2005 series featuring more than 150 of the top athletes in this sport. The local qualifier is on Friday (free), main draw is on Saturday ($15), with men and women’s finals on Sunday ($15). www.avp.com

EVENT OF THE MONTH

the Intermediate Management School, and have at least three years experience as a marina manager. www.imimarina. org, 202-737-9776 May 19-22 31st annual Newport Spring Boat Show, Newport Yachting Center, 366 Thames St., (401) 846-1115, www.newportspringboatshow.com May 19-22 Sanctuary Cove International Boat Show, Australia. www.sanctuarycoveboatshow.com.au May 21 Start of the Rolex Transatlantic Challenge from New York to Cornwall, England. Organized by NY Yacht Club.

For monohulls with a minimum length on deck of 70 feet. This year marks the 100th anniversary of Atlantic’s 1905 record of 12 days, 4 hours, 1 minute 19 seconds. www.nyyc,org May 21 After-School All-Stars DolphinChallenge. Catch the heaviest dolphin, win a Hummer H2. 305-2068252, www.all-star-challenge.com.

Captains meeting May 19

Find answers on page 27

June 15-19 Bahamas Summer Boating Fling to Bimini, departs from Bahia Mar, Ft. Lauderdale. Limited to 30 boats. $75, first-come, first served. www.bahamas. com, (954) 236-9292 or (800) 327-7678.

May 22 Monaco Grand Prix, Monaco, www.monaco.mc May 23-June 5 Roland Garros, Paris. One of the six grand slam tennis tournaments with more than 6 million euro in prize money. Formerly known as the French Open. www.rolandgarros.com May 24-26 SEAS2005, Nice, France.

Second annual megayacht conference hosted by The Yacht Report. www. seas2005.com May 25 Monthly Triton Connection seminar, 5-7 p.m., Bahia Mar, free. Topic: How to make crew rotations work. If you have experience with crew rotations, good or bad, e-mail lucy@the-triton.com.

June 4 24th annual Great Chowder Cook-off, Newport Yachting Center, 11 a.m.-6 p.m., $15, 401-846-1600, www. newportfestivals.com June 10-12 AVP Pro Beach Volleyball Tour, Mariner’s Point, San Diego. This

June 20-July 3 Wimbledon, London.

One of the six grand slam tennis tournaments with more than 5.8 million pounds in prizes. www.wimbledon.org.

June 21-23 Project USA, Seattle.

Hosted by The Yacht Report. www. theyachtreport.com/project June 22-July 1 Bahamas Summer Boating Fling to Chub Cay/Nassau/ Andros, departs from Bahia Mar, Ft. Lauderdale. Limited to 30 boats. $75, first-come, first served. www.bahamas. com, (954)236-9292 or (800) 327-7678.

June 23-26 ShowBoats International Rendezvous, Monaco. Includes the 15th annual ShowBoats Awards at the Grimaldi Forum, the Bal de le Mer Gala dinner at the Hotel de Paris, and the Costume Dinner Dance at the Salle des Etoilles. www.robbreport.com.

If you know of other events that should be included here, contact us at editorial@ the-triton.com.

GET A JOB

42 The Triton

ADVERTISER DIRECTORY

Company

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May 2005

Classifieds

Crew Needed Sunseeker 94 needs mature female as cook/stew. Must be able to perform other functions (no engine room).

Based in Ft. Lauderdale, used in South Florida/Bahamas.

Owner meticulous. Nonliveaboard, hours 8-5 in FTL. wwidman@hotmail.com 84’ U.S.-flagged M/Y, summers on Long Island, seeks female mate/stew.

Capt. w/owners 2 years.

Great program. Starts May 1. shoreyshoter71@aol.com U.S.-flagged 92’ S&S ketch looking for a licensed captain/engineer, self motivated, friendly. Married couples OK. Liveaboard. marc@windjammer.com

Cook/Chef/Steward(ess) job for energetic person with positive “can do” attitude.

Will be responsible for interior maintenance, meals, and the comfort of the owner and guests. Winters in Ft. Lauderdale, summers in Great Lakes. Living quarters provided when vessel away from Ft. Lauderdale. Fax references and menu to 734-913-0316 or epapow@ federatedcapital.com.

U.S.-flagged M/Y looking for chief stewardess or strong 2nd stew for charter. Also looking for strong First Mate with large M/Y experience. Busy charter boat, Med and Carib. palmarineinc@aol.com Seeking qualified engineer

for full time position aboard U.S.-flagged, 120’ high-speed waterjet M/Y. Must have a strong background on electrical and diesel engines.

Good salary to qualified individual. Cruise mainly Bahamas and New England.

Vessel berths in Daytona Beach, danielpwebster@ bellsouth.net.

Captain and cook/stew team for 70’ M/Y in Mexico for temp work during May, June and July. Must know Mexico and be USA citizens. www.c2conline.net Deckhand and 2nd stew wanted for 160’ M/Y on US west coast. Must have at least 1 year of yachting experience, have STCW 95, valid US visa. www.c2conline.net

Engineer and stew team for 100’ M/Y. USA west coast.

Must be USA citizens. www. c2conline.net

Isn’t this copy of The Triton great?

Don’t miss the next one.

Subscribe online with PayPal at www.the-triton.com, then click on subscriptions. For U.S. addresses*, mail $25 to:

757 S.E. 17th St., #1119, Ft. Lauderdale, FL 33316

NAME: OCCUPATION/TITLE: BOAT NAME/BUSINESS NAME: MAILING ADDRESS: CITY/STATE/ZIP: E-MAIL: PHONE: *For international rates, e-mail peg@the-triton.com.

0505

CLASSIFIEDS

May 2005

Classifieds

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

on a boat being delivered to New York, looking for a crew position on a boat leaving New York going anywhere on the east coast. 954-464-9306, ligelawrence@ bellsouth.net

Crew Available Very experienced, certified yachtsman, deckhand, scuba diver and yachting coach available for paid crew position in the Med and Caribbean. andrew@databridge.com.au Chef with 20+ years food service experience including a culinary degree and ownership of two restaurants seeks re-entry into yachting and employment on an upscale, team-oriented motor or sailing yacht.

Specialties include Mediterranean, Asian and Pacific Rim cooking. Will also consider a massage therapist position in combo with sous chef/cook or stewardess on a larger boat.

Previous yacht experience.

Open to travel and various lengths of service. lbc87878@hotmail.com Spent 10 years in the US Coast Guard as nav deck watch officer on board vessels ranging from 75 feet to 378 ft, inland tug and barge. Have decided to go back to my roots and am looking for any job on a

The Triton 43

Two young men looking for entry-level positions. Have spent 3 summers working on sailboats in the Chesapeake Bay. Seeking extended commitment. Intelligent, hardworking. 434-242-8496, smaranzano@gmail.com

great vessel. 616-520-3465, dennisbingaman@comcast. net Captain, prefers year-round yacht in Ft. Lauderdale or Miami. Sail and power experience. Loyal and trustworthy. 954-629-2481, mjjmonty@bellsouth.net Captain/first mate, RYA/MCA,commercial endorsement, full/part time, delivery or permanent. ronskopila@yahoo.co.uk Degreed culinary arts professional seeking opportunity to work as chef/

cook on yacht. Short-term and day trips preferred to start. Baltimore/Annapolis and nearby. Catering special events on your yacht also offered. Can also do provisioning so you don’t have to when you’re in town. heatherm27@gmail.com South Floridian looking for full-time work on a US-flag boat as a deckhand, mate or maintenance position. Have overseen detailing crews of 20. Grew up in South Florida and in the yachting industry.

I can manage almost anything on a boat or know someone who can. Currently

Served as Navy Boatswains Mate for 5.5 years, training, directing and supervising 30+ individuals in marlinespike, deck, and boat seamanship. Supervised as well as performed; Very organized, meeting deadlines and maintaining operational readiness. Stand various watches. Looking for deckhand/bosun position on a yacht where I can use my skills and learn new ones.

904-294-8964, bryan_hurtig@ yahoo.com Qualified mate, scuba instructor, looking for a 120’ to 150’ M/Y as mate or to captain a M/Y 80’-100’.

Areas cruised: Caribbean,

Specialized classified listings are $15 per column inch.

Mexico, West Coast, Alaska, East Coast, Newfoundland, Greenland, Ireland, Med. 954 319 2170, alexinkw@aol.com Captain/consultant with 100-ton license with towing endorsment. Very experienced in off-shore and tournament fishing. 26 years experience in repair. ritchieallen@san.rr.com Experienced chef available for freelance or permanent position, yacht or estate. 954270-0966, saefla4@aol.com Highly experienced delivery captain both power and sail. Eastern and western Caribbean, U.S. East Coast, Gulf of Mexico, Bahamas. Also available as relief captain or mate. hotxdon@hotmail.com, www.yachtdeliveryservices. com Search and Rescue Canadian Coast Guardsman seeks position aboard M/Y. I require 2 months sea time to complete watchkeeping mate certification as ships officer. I currently meet all requirements for deckhand: BST, STCW95, GMDSS,

RADAR/ARPA endorsement.

Will travel for deliveries, available immediately. 250881-0504, wevelgem2005@ yahoo.com Experienced married captain and stew/cook (also a captain) accepting full-time employment offers for private yachts only.

Current owners of 5 years selling yacht. We’ve been doing this for 20 years and know what owners expect.

Hard workers with excellent track record, trustworthy, loyal and honest. Willing to relocate. 561-635-6400, tsqrd@bellsouth.net

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.

GET A JOB

44 The Triton

May 2005

Classifieds Add or view up-to-date classifieds free at www.megayacht.org Experienced chief stewardess, available for summer cruising season in U.S. Northwest/Alaska. M/Y and small craft experience. info@tds-limited.com Female crew, 2-3 years experience on M/Y in Virgin Islands. kt4ter@cs.com South African male with experience on small/large sailboats seeks deckhand/ mate position with crew that values teamwork and initiative. Full/part-time or freelance. Neat, clean, nonsmoker. fred-c@ophrah.co.za

Hard working Kiwi, sailing/ M/Y/launch exp., qualified diesel/gas turbine engineer, seeking deckhand/ engineer position. Fast learner, reliable. jwrc_ munro@msn.com

summer holiday. Looking for a new challenge on a vessel of at least 100’, minimum of 4 crew. We have experience in both power and sail, private and charter. captain_ paulb@hotmail.com

Young female crew with some sailing experience willing to travel. Fast learner, can cook. Available June 30. stephanie_jean82@hotmail. com

Female second mate with some sailing experience looking a position on a M/Y. auctioncargo@yahoo.com

Captain, USCG Master 200-ton, STCW, EMT. Highly experienced on power and sailing vessels, private, charter, in many locations. wwidman@hotmail.com MCA Master 3000Gt/ STCW Chief Stew team rested and ready to go after a

Excellent chef/steward with yachting experience looking to sail around the world. I am not looking to get paid; just food and a place to sleep. ajmsandiego@aol.com Professional, easy-going Australian captain, MCA Class 4, 3000-ton, Australian class 5, dive instructor.

Experience in East and West Med, Atlantic crossings, Caribbean, Indian Ocean, Persian Gulf, Red Sea, Suez Canal, Asia and Australian waters. Looking for a M/Y any location, available immediately. stuart_ carter34@hotmail.com Young male with four years in U.S. Navy seeks crew position. Limited maritime experience beyond that, but willing to learn. guitarian@gmail.com

Captain couple available.

License: Yachtmaster Class IV. Last employment was 12 years as captain couple on a 30m M/Y. We have private and charter experience, 200,000 nm. Interested in long-term employment, seasonal employment, job sharing or relief jobs.

I´m also interested to work as first mate on a larger yacht. Available worldwide with good geographical knowledge. captaincouple@lycos.de Mature woman with day sailing charter experience seeking to learn sea kayaking mothership charter business, sail or motor.

West Coast. Customer service oriented, many skills transferable to stewardess/ deckhand/kayak duties. windrose@rockisland.com Captain and chef available for company or private position. Live aboard or accommodations on shore.

Current Master USCG 100ton certified, 50-ton licensed near coastal. 20 years perfect safety record. d16441_ 1@yahoo.com Captain/mate/deck and stew/cook team seek

position on yachts. Hard working, safety conscious Australians with relevant qualifications. 954-319-6679, brettscott7@hotmail.com Professional captain, 1st Class unlimited 25+ years maritime experience on M/Y and cruise vessels up to 440 feet. Available immediately, power or sail, private or charter, any location.

Ideally seeking command of a vessel greater than 140’.

Areas cruised: Atlantic, Mediterranean, Eastern Caribbean, Indian Ocean, Asian waters. Currently in Europe. capt_sp@hotmail. com Professional Australian captain, MCA Class IV with 20+ years maritime experience, available immediately, power or sail, private or charter, any location. Ideally seeking command of a vessel greater than 100’+. Areas cruised: Atlantic, U.S. East Coast, Caribbean; Mediterranean; coastal water of Australia and New Zealand; Tasman, Indian and Pacific Oceans. msoldsalt@hotmail.com Have you considered hiring an older seasoned professional with more than

30 years in the business?

The answer is great service, as invisible as possible.

Captain with USCG 1,600 ton license, circumnavigator, many years on U.S. East and West coasts, Alaska, the Gulf of Mexico, Great Lakes & the Caribbean. Refit specialist, also deliveries. Long tenure in positions. 561-373-2396, yachtbill@aol.com

Specialized classified listings are $15 per column inch.

Chef with 10 years experience (8 in my own restaurant) seeks position on yacht. Have worked in NYC, Napa Valley and Spain at a Michelin-starred restaurant. I am looking for an opportunity to put my extensive training to use for the discerning employer. kjasonv@hotmail.com Commercial & PADI rescue diver with STCW95 and experience with Communications & Electronics seeks crew position on motor or sailing yacht. Non- smoker, Spanish, English, cruise ship experience, too.

Professional owners only. bencosta73@yahoo.es

May 2005

The Triton 45

Classifieds OTHER PROS NEEDED Paint/fiberglass foreman needed to run paint/ fiberglass dept of busy Fort Lauderdale full-service yacht repair/refit facility.

Yacht experience required.

Competitive pay, bonus and full benefits offered. 954-5851041 or fax resume to 954585-1043.

Allied Richard Bertram Marine Group seeks a Sales Assistant/Receptionist to join our Ft. Lauderdale Platinum Yacht Division.

We’re looking for someone to join our family for the long-term. The position requires someone with a friendly and professional demeanor, clerical and computer experience. Yachtindustry experience a big plus. Full-time with benefits.

Fax resume to Susan at 954763-2675.

Pier 17 Marina is seeking a Travelift Ground Spotter for our 70-ton travelift in our full-service yard. Boating and machinery experience highly desirable. Intelligence required. Great benefits including paid holidays, paid vacation, etc. M-F

and 1/2 day Saturdays. Call or stop by. 954-525-4726, info@pier17.net Busy downtown Boston Marina seeks assistant dockmaster. Must be able to work nights and weekends. Salary depends on experience and attitude. Room to grow.

Serious inquiries only. pdanaher@byhmail.com Pompano Beach-based yacht maintenance company seeks experienced marine repair technician. Competitive pay and benefits. 954-788-6683, info@pristinemarineservices. com Major yacht surveying company looking for office assistant. Wide variety of responsibilities: scheduling yacht surveys; Internet yacht research; coordinating all aspects of surveys; accounts receivable. Not a secretarial position. Will train. Must be people oriented. Energetic small office environment, downtown Fort Lauderdale.

Permanent position. Call 9am-4pm Monday to Friday.

954-525-7930 Growing marine technical service company in need of

an 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.

Pier 17 Marina, 954-525-4726

OTHER PROS AVAILABLE Experienced yacht chef looking for land-based position on an estate.

Also consider land-based company. 954-270-0966, saefla4@aol.com

FOR SALE Two new 3208s Cat diesel engines with 1-1 1/2 gear reduction, engine cupplers for 1 1/2” shafts, vibration isolators, gauge sets w/extension harness, Zero hours with warranty.

$35,000, delivery possible. dcummin4@twcny.rr.com Simrad 96-mile radar, all parts included. Monitor, 6foot array and cables. Works perfectly. $2500 or best offer. geohall67@aol.com ChartPlotter navigation system, large monitor, very reliable. $500 or best offer.

Chart Discs $50 per region. geohall67@aol.com

FOR RENT Storage for car or small boat behind locked gate in Ft. Lauderdale. Near marinas, yards, airport. Price starts at $65/mo. Call 954-294-0641 Houseboat for rent, Las Olas area, newly remodeled, loft with skylight, 3 levels, No lease, 954-646-9717 600’ of deep-water dockage at a high-end property in West Palm Beach. Late model, extremely clean yachts, 65’ and up only. No liveaboards. Must pay for water and electric (50 & 100amp service), have proof of insurance and sign central listing with Tim Johnson of Gilman Yachts. 561-254 9732, 561-626-1790

Pier 17 Marina and Yacht Club now open. Dockage available for yachts up to 100 feet. Full-service repair facility on site. 954-525-4726, www.pier17.net 2/1 home with pool, June to end of August, in Ft. Lauderdale’s Croissant Park. Minutes to all yards/ marinas, 17th Street, schools, airport, beach and downtown. Furnished with Mexican tile, central A/C, laundry, TV, patio, garden. $1,350/mo. 954-767-0434 or 242 1042, hermanus69@aol. com Bay/storage area, 500 sq ft, monthly or long term, near airport. $500/mo. 954-5252160 http://colemarine.com

Pier 17 Marina (formerly Summerfield Boatworks) has a paint shed for rent that will accommodate boats up to 60 feet. Perfect for paint, varnish or open work that needs to be protected. info@pier17.net

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.

46 The Triton

WRITE TO BE HEARD

May 2005

After devastation, Phuket still a beautiful place to visit

By Russell Orrell First Mate, M/Y Texas With the recent earthquakes in Indonesia, my thoughts went out again to the friendships that where formed during a visit to Phuket over Christmas.

I was first mate aboard M/Y Texas for a delivery from Cairns, Australia, to Phuket, Thailand. Capt. Steve Hinge and I have been friends for years so when the opportunity arose, I grabbed the chance to do a trip with him.

We departed Cairns in fine weather on the morning of Dec. 3 and proceeded across the top of Australia, through Indonesian waters, arriving in Singapore on Dec. 15. It was a delight to do a passage of this size without as much as a splash of water on the capping rails.

We were all keen to get the vessel up to Phuket so on Dec. 21, we cast the lines once more. Good weather and flat seas were with us again all the way.

We arrived at Yacht Haven Marina the morning of Dec. 23 and were welcomed with open arms and friendly smiles. The marina is managed by ex-pat Ozzies Nick and Zara Wyatt.

With Christmas only two days away, Nick and Zara where incredibly busy, yet they managed time for everyone complete with a smile.

Seal Superyachts Asia was our agent with the onsite representative being the

The impromptu Christmas party drew dozens to M/Y Texas in Phuket. Sadly, many would not survive the ensuing days.

PHOTOS COURTESY OF RUSSELL ORRELL busy and talented Toby Koehler. Toby passed by several times a day to ensure that all of our requests where met.

Making so many friends so quickly and with Christmas Eve the next day, Capt. Steve decided we should have an orphans Christmas party. Verbal invitations where passed around. It was unsure how many people would attend or how long into the evening the party would go. The party was a success, with an estimated 60 to 70 people raging the night away. Toby brought his African

drums and entertained us into the night with most of the crews of other yachts in the marina letting their hair down and celebrating, too.

No one could have anticipated what lay just around the corner but some fantastic friendships where formed.

Well, Boxing Day arrived just like any other – for a short while anyway.

The devastating tsunami that was to be on the news for weeks is well in our minds. The festive mood that was experienced only two days previously

had now turned into a deep sorrow and an overwhelming sense of helplessness.

This letter is not to bring up the tragedies of the tsunami again but to highlight the friendly people associated with the superyacht industry in Phuket.

I encourage captains and crews of superyachts to experience the warmth and generosity of the people that are doing a fantastic job supporting the industry. Many people have suffered great losses during the recent tsunami and they still need superyachts to visit the region.

A hello and thanks to Lou The talented Toby Koehler with Seal Gleesen and the crew of S/Y Superyachts Asia.

Red Dragon who charged off to save the world daily, Reg and Marion of S/Y Valkyrie, Nick and Zara Wyatt of Yacht Haven Marina, Toby Koehler of Seal Superyachts Asia, and Martin Holmes of Lee Marine.

Russell Orrell is a captain/engineer and in charge of charter operations in Queensland for Squadron Group. Contact him at russo@squadrongroup.com.

May 2005

WRITE TO BE HEARD

The Triton 47

‘Youth’ shouldn’t automatically disqualify captains I am writing to say that I found Chef Mary Beth Lawton Johnson’s March editorial both inconsistent and insulting. [“Today’s ‘young’ crew no match for older, experienced mariners,” page 42, March 2005.]

It is ironic that she first points out that her uncle held a 1,600-ton ticket by age 22, and was the No. 1 Jacksonville harbor pilot by age 33.

Chef Johnson then goes on to say that you won’t find experienced captains with 1,600-ton tickets and hundreds of thousands of bluewater miles in their 20s and 30s.

Which is it?

You see, similar to the good chef ’s uncle, I too hold a 1,600-ton ticket, and I happen to be 33 years old. I do, in fact, have hundreds of thousands of bluewater miles under my belt, and also went to sea at age 13.

I know that it is fun to talk about the “good old days” when people had to walk 10 miles to school in the snow (uphill both ways), but it is still possible for people to gain experience and pay their dues in the modern world.

I trust that most crew will continue to appreciate their potential captain’s resume rather than his birth certificate when considering a position aboard a yacht.

Capt. Ken Bracewell M/Y LT Sea

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

Immigration officers could learn from speaker I think the general consensus for the recent Connection seminar [“Home port, not flag, governs U.S. immigration issues, page 1, April 2005] was that perhaps immigration officers should attend these meetings as it seems one is at the mercy of whoever is clearing you in that day.

Anita Warwick Manager, Luxury Yacht Division MHG - Marine Benefits I read last month’s front-page article about home port vs. flag issues with great interest. [“Home port, not flag, governs U.S. immigration issues,” page 1, April 2004.] That type of enterprising story is exactly why The Triton has become such a valuable part of our industry in such a short time.

I wanted to inform your readers of another issue that deserves airing: that of U.S. Customs regulations as applied to foreign-flagged vessels.

As you may know, a number of foreign-flagged yachts have opted to bypass San Diego over the past year or so because of industry rumors regarding the imposition of a U.S. Customs import duty on foreign-flagged vessels.

These rumors, however, are not true.

To clarify the situation, William Snyder, Port Director of the U.S. Customs office here in San Diego, has released an official statement that clearly states that foreign-flagged vessels that follow normal procedures for entry will not have a duty imposed upon them as a result of their Business Manager/Circulation Peg 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

entry into San Diego Bay for repairs and provisions.

I wish to thank Mr. Snyder and his staff for their cooperation in this matter.

It certainly is good news for San Diego and our growing status as a prime West Coast yachting destination for megayacht cruising and repairs.

Sampson A. Brown President/CEO Knight and Carver YachtCenter

exhaust emission was virtually invisible.

My chief engineer left to take over M/Y Double Haven and if he is still there I am sure that after his experience with 3306s on Robur IV he must be frustrated by the problems they are experiencing.

Capt. David Peden Formerly of M/Y Patagonia EDITOR’S NOTE: For more about engines and exhaust, see Capt. David Peden’s story on page 19.

Happy birthday to The Triton

Thanks for tackling the issues

Sorry we could not be with you for your party [April 24] but congratulations on a year of news, fun and info. Here’s to another great year.

Smiley, Elona and Elaine SXM Marine Trading

I just want to say I am so thrilled at the interest The Triton has taken in regards to the problems in the industry.

[The Connection, page 15, May 2005.] It’s a subject that has been on my mind for awhile, and hits me every time I go on a different yacht. I look forward to the next meeting of the minds.

Chef Sherry Ellis EDITOR’S NOTE: The next Connection is May 25 at Bahia Mar and will discuss crew rotation and job sharing.

Cat 3306s worked great with stack My experience with Caterpillar 3306 Generating sets was excellent. [“Megayacht sues Caterpillar over dirty generators,” page 1, February 2005.]

We installed two of these sets on the then-M/Y Robur IV in the early 1990s and put 15,000 trouble-free hours on them. As far as I am aware they are still in service.

Our installation was dry stack and we did not experience any noticeable soot problem. In fact, apart from a puff of smoke when the set was briefly overloaded by the bow thruster, the Editor Lucy Chabot Reed, lucy@the-triton.com Contributing Editor Lawrence Hollyfield Contributors The Bridge, Capt. Greg Clark, Mick Caulkin, Blair Duff, Don Grimme, Capt. Bill Harris, Lisette Hilton, Jack Horkheimer, Chef Mary Beth Lawton Johnson, Lisa H. Knapp, Donna Mergenhagen, Jeff Ostrowski, Steve Pica, Rossmare Intl., Michael Thiessen, Phaedra Xanthos

Vol. 2, No. 2.

The Triton is a free, monthly newspaper owned

The Triton keeps us all in touch For someone like me who is not in Ft. Lauderdale, The Triton is a very informative paper, keeping me up-todate with past and current friends in the industry. You’re doing so much better than your competitor.

Capt. Russ Clark Delivery captain for 43 years

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

Contact us at: Mailing address: 757 S.E. 17th St., #1119 Visit us at: 2301A S. Andrews Ave. Ft. Lauderdale, FL 33316 (954) 525-0029; FAX (954) 337-0702 www.the-triton.com

Getting Under Way Technical news for captains and crews

Crew can’t afford to take chances with hot work Captains, crews, contractors and shipyard employees are doing the owners they work for a grave disservice when they decide to circumvent safe operating practices.

Marine insurance companies require all employees to follow all local, state and federal laws.

When an employee decides to take a short cut, they put their employer at SAFETY MATTERS BLAIR DUFF, CMC risk.

If an accident happens and an investigation uncovers that proper safety guidelines were not followed, there’s a good chance the insurance company won’t pay for that claim.

This is common sense, but people continue to take short cuts with regard to safety, whether it’s to save money or time. Remember that it’s not your money you are taking a risk with, but you can be held responsible and liable for the consequences.

There have been several accidents the past few years in South Florida when welders did not acquire a Marine Chemist Certificate prior to beginning repairs. They didn’t call when they were required to, according to the law and for their own safety.

In one incident, insurance companies for the boat and welders wouldn’t pay for damages, which exceeded $250,000. The welders had to pay for the damages themselves and most likely had to file for bankruptcy.

Many of today’s yachts can cost in the tens of millions of dollars to replace. It isn’t hard for a fire on a yacht to do more than a million dollars in damage.

Most welders I work with know that I’m protecting their life and the vessel they work on. Proper safety inspections by qualified people can greatly reduce the likelihood of an accident.

OSHA regulations, which are federal law, specify when the services of a marine chemist are required for hot work and confined space entry onboard a vessel.

NFPA 306, Standard for the Control of Gas Hazards on Vessels (2003 Edition), is incorporated into both OSHA and USCG regulations.

Therefore, this document is considered “the law.”

See SAFETY, page 24

May 2005 Pages 19-30

PULL-OUT

This high-speed cat can fish

By Lucy Chabot Reed Put a struggling owner, a stuttering new-build project and an unemployed captain together and cool things can happen.

This month, a 72-foot, high-speed catamaran yacht fish is scheduled to launch in Maple Ridge, British Columbia, a little place about 25 miles outside Vancouver on the Fraser River.

“It’s just going to be so unique,” said Capt. Don Punkka, the owner’s representative for much of the build. “Cats are such great sea boats.

They’re wide so they’re stable. And this one will run so fast.”

This one, as-yet unnamed, has a 27-foot beam and will cruise at 40 knots, hitting almost 50 knots when it tries.

It’s strictly a power boat – no sticks, no sails, Punkka said. It has Kamewa jet drives, twin C32 Caterpillar The yacht carries engines (1,650 hp each) and twin C-32 Cats.

Two Release Marine fighting chairs are planned for the fishing platform on the aft deck of this 72-foot yacht fish.

PHOTOS/SEASCAPE MARINE hydrofoils, so at about 35 knots, the hydrofoils create a lift that increases speed.

Each hull is about 8 feet wide, making enough room for its 14.5foot rigid-hull inflatable to park comfortably between them. (It’s on deck while under way.) The yacht will pull a draft of 42 inches.

Designed by Howard Appollonio of Bellingham, Wash., the fiberglass yacht has about the same amount of living space as a 115-foot megayacht,

Punkka said.

On the main deck, the yacht has a master and VIP stateroom, galley with serving counter, a dining salon for eight and a full-beam main salon.

The port hull has crew quarters, electrical room, shop and engine room. The starboard hull has a guest cabin, lockers, head and second engine room.

One deck up, the wheelhouse is 17

See CATAMARAN, page 21

Captain: Stacks preferred exhaust system

By Capt. David Peden The recent Triton article about generator exhausts [“Megayacht sues Caterpillar over dirty generators, page 1, February 2005] reminded me of a problem.

After 40 years as a megayacht captain, I have worked on yachts with every exhaust configuration imaginable: through-hull below the waterline, side above the waterline, transom above the waterline, and stack (funnel).

Thru-hull, below waterline With a properly designed underwater main engine exhaust system, there may be a positive effect on back pressure when the yacht is running fast enough and, with a bit of luck, the exhaust

will emerge in the prop wash well behind the boat.

However, you will not be popular when mooring Mediterranean style. Not only do you splash your neighbors’ topsides, I have (on a 168-footer) been splashed on the side deck and deckhouse windows.

For generators, the constant rumbling and vibration from the bubbles can be felt throughout the boat. Neighbors don’t like it either. They hear, and possibly feel, your bubbling exhaust.

Side, above waterline To me, this is the worst possible installation, particularly if you are not at anchor all the time.

Alongside, you either blow the exhaust against the

A side, above-the-waterline exhaust, such as on this vessel, is the worst option, Peden says.

FILE PHOTO pier and really mess up your topsides or, hopefully, you have the option of blowing exhaust to the other side.

If you are Med moored, you have the choice as to which neighbor you will annoy. I had a weighted,

heavy canvas panel that we hung over the exhaust to pacify the neighbors, but it made the mess on our topsides worse.

We all know plenty of yachts with side exhausts; See EXHAUST, page 27

20 The Triton

NEW PRODUCTS

May 2005

New Buccaneer made for the sea Buccaneer Cruising Yachts General Manager and CEO Janusz Leczynski, below left, and Operations Manager John Balicki showed off the new 93foot Sylvia’s Surprise at Pier 17 Marina and Yacht Club last month.

Built at INACE in Brazil by the Ft. Lauderdale-based company, Sylvia’s Surprise is the first yacht in the 95-foot series and one of four yachts the company has launched or is designing, including a 65footer and a 105-footer.

A long-range cruiser, Sylvia’s Surprise has a 23-foot beam, a steel hull and aluminum superstructure, and watertight bulkhead doors. To minimize repairs at sea, Balicki said the yacht uses stainless steel for the fuel lines and copper nickel for the watermaker.

In addition to crew quarters for three forward, there is an extra two-bunk cabin aft for extra guests or guides.

PHOTOS/LUCY REED

NEW PRODUCTS

May 2005

The plywood used in the interior is poplar Liteply, which weighs a fraction of regular plywood with the same thickness.

PHOTO/SEASCAPE MARINE

Captain: Catching problems in yard saves owner money later CATAMARAN, from page 19 feet wide with a built-in office, a day berth with table, and two helm seats.

Much of the interior, such as the bulkheads, furniture, closets and galley, is constructed with ultralight plywood imported from Italy. This poplar Liteply has about a quarter of the weight of regular plywood but at the same thickness, Punkka said.

“I don’t know how they make it so light,” he said. “The bed frame for the queen in the master suite, you can reach over with one hand and pick it up without grunting.”

Not only built for speed, this craft is built to fish. The aft deck has tackle drawers and a freezer, and the yacht is equipped with 32-foot Rupp outriggers.

A platform above deck and behind the wheelhouse holds two Release Marine fighting chairs. There are also dual fish boxes and 7-foot platforms on either side that cover the jet drives and serve as fish platforms.

Punkka has been running or rebuilding boats for more than 30 years, beginning with rebuilds at the old Pearson Potter yard in Ft. Lauderdale in the 1970s. He’s run charter and private yachts, but this is his first new build.

The yacht is being completed at Seascape Marine, a company started three years ago. The yard has constructed a few long-range trawlers and a 54-foot custom cat, but Punkka’s cat is its largest build to date.

“In North America, there aren’t many cat companies doing anything like this,” said David James, the yard’s director of operations. “In New Zealand and Australia, yes, but nothing in North America in this size and powering.”

Punkka was home between jobs when a friend called to tell him about an owner in the Dominican Republic struggling with a new build. A few days later, he was on a plane.

The project was stuttering over

what Punkka called “stupid problems:” generators and air conditioners that weren’t big enough, contracts quoted in U.S. dollars. He started redoing the boat’s specs immediately and renegotiated the contract in Canadian dollars based on time and materials.

“Having an owner’s agent, if he’s knowledgable, can save the owner way more than his salary,” Punkka said. “He can correct the problem in the yard so that you don’t have to fix it later.”

The owner gave Punkka a “real free hand” so revisions were approved and construction got under way. He stayed with the yacht a year, longer than he anticipated.

“The yard is really a great yard; the people are terrific,” Punkka said. They bent over backwards the year I was there to fix every little thing and build a great product. They should be proud.”

The yacht is expected to launch later this month with sea trials in June.

If all goes well, it will be shipped to Costa Rica for a fishing trip, then sail through the Panama Canal and on to the Dominican Republic.

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

How hydrofoils work: 1. At low speeds the hydrofoils are submerged.

2. As a boat’s speed increases, the hydrofoils create lift.

3. At a certain speed, the lift produced equals the sum of the boat and cargo weights. The hull lifts out of the water.

4. Instead of having an increase in drag with increasing speed, which is what happens in traditional boats due to pressure drag, the lifted hull provides a more effective use of power.

The Triton 21

SUPERYACHT SYMPOSIUM

22 The Triton

May 2005

Yachts, cruise ships no longer so different

By Lisa H. Knapp The luxury megayacht business is a booming business sector enjoying tremendous growth and no signs of slowing, according to a panel of cruise and yachting professionals at the first SuperYacht Symposium in March.

The number of yacht orders is up, charters are up and the sizes of the vessels keep increasing. Growing at 6 percent a year worldwide, the global fleet of megayachts has almost doubled over the past decade.

Stable and growing economies, low interest rates and the creation of new wealth are a few driving reasons behind the expansion of the industry.

“It’s a great time to be in the superyacht business,” Trinity Yachts President John Dane III told attendees at the state-of-the-industry session.

The SuperYacht Symposium was held in Miami Beach in conjunction with the Seatrade Cruise Shipping Convention, now in its 21st year.

The panelists compared the excitement and explosiveness in today’s megayacht industry to the enthusiasm in the cruise sector 15 years ago.

As an example of the growth, Dane presented figures from his own company: Trinity has grown 50 percent in backorders and deliveries in the past year with 13 hulls on order, eight for repeat customers.

In an industry dominated by European builders, Trinity is now the world’s sixth largest custom builder, according to Showboats International’s 2005 Global Order Book and is the largest American builder on the list.

Some European yards, like Benetti, are adding capacity while others such as Lurssen and Feadship are subcontracting for more capacity. Dane said the consolidation of yards such as the Azimut and Benetti partnership is a “healthy sign, and will continue.”

Countries interested in registering yachts such as the Marshall Islands and Vanuatu give owners more options, and that drives expansion of the industry, too, Dane said.

One of the key demographics that has contributed to yachtings increased popularity is the “working wealthy,” those who aren’t yet retired but can run their businesses by phone and computer.

“If they have the money and inclination, it’s not about the price; it’s about doing it their way,” said panelist Larry Pimentel, president of SeaDream Yacht Club and Cunard Seaborne.

Pimentel pointed out the similarities of luxury yachting and cruising.

SeaDream’s two ships carry 110 passengers and are 75 percent sold out for the upcoming season.

“Most of our passengers own a yacht, but charter the larger ships for special occasions like 50th birthday parties,” he

said, crediting cruise ship additions such as rock climbing walls to the influence of active luxury yachters. “The focus is on fun, exclusivity to do what the owner wants.”

A blend of the two kinds of cruising vessels is likely in the future. More shipyards are considering expanding their size and passenger capacities because it opens up an entirely new business opportunity to attract groups of 25 or 36 passengers, said David Legrand, director of the charter marketing division for Fraser Yachts Worldwide, Monaco.

“This size megayacht between 60 and 100 meters, whether SOLAS or MCA compliant, represents a niche because its unique clientele are not satisfied cruising aboard today’s more mainstream luxury cruise line vessel,” Legrand said.

“The primary requirement is grand-scale prestige with customized service for a new breed of buyer.”

Despite the agreed-upon excited about yachting’s future, Trinity’s Dane noted a few obstacles that he termed “worrisome:” terrorism, a financial crisis, a global shortage of dock space, and an industry-wide shortage of competant captains and crews.

In addition, new builders selling too low may pave the way for future bankruptcies, he said.

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

New megayacht destinations more about ability than desire

By Lisa H. Knapp

“It seems that The Triton is the only paper that the captains really believe in.

All I know is they are always gone.” �������������������������������������������������� ��������������������������������������������������������������������������������� ���������������������������������������������������������������������������������� ������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� �������������������������������������������������

��������������������������������������������������������������

Just where the megayacht fleet will travel next is more a function of ability than desire.

With 500 new builds each year – and half the world’s fleet larger than 120 feet – the global dockage shortage already restricts where yachts can moor.

So deep water and access to navigable waterways will be among the critical factors since many of the largest yachts have an average draft of 12 feet, according to a panel discussion at the inaugural Superyacht Symposium.

In the Mediterranean, Croatia is one of the hottest spots, with its more than 1,000 islands.

Malta, too – touted for being two hours from anywhere – has attracted attention.

The Caribbean’s hot spots include the Dominican Republic, which has one of two hurricane holes in the region.

But perhaps most unusual is attraction to the Middle East, namely Saudi Arabia.

New Porto Marina and its posh hotel in El-Alamein on the Mediterranean coast of Egypt is three hours from Cairo, providing megayachts and cruise ships the ability to see all of Egypt.

Despite the desire, the majority of megayachts will visit places that meet basic needs: private airports, nice hotels, functional customs and immigration procedures, and safety.

“The bottom line is that captains will go to marinas that are ISPS compliant,” said Capt. Curtis Stokes, a broker with The Sacks Group.

The international security guidelines for ships and port facilities are a driving factor for the largest of vessels.

“This must be incorporated into marina design,” he said.

He noted that more and more foreign-flagged vessels are avoiding the United States because of difficulties with customs, immigration and homeland security.

Across the ocean, however, governments in Egypt and Greece are making it simpler for megayachts to visit, said Fredy Dellis, sales director for Atlantica, a new marina in the Dominican Republic designed for larger vessels.

Still, he said, “no superyacht owner wants to be stuck between cargo ships and a pile of containers nearby.”

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

SUPERYACHT SYMPOSIUM

May 2005

The Triton 23

Design trend is bigger: in length, in pools, in open spaces

By Lisa H. Knapp Move over superyacht and megayacht. Make room for the gigayacht, the future hybrid of cruise liner and megayacht in the growing market of vessels 230 feet (70m) and larger.

Design and outfitting trends in the new generation of yachts will include joint ventures with shipbuilders and the construction of new facilities to build bigger yachts while maintaining market position, according to a panel discussion of the topic at the Superyacht Symposium during the Seatrade cruising conference.

“The use of dual technology synergies between the naval and yacht industries is important, in addition to having structures adequate for the production of these big luxury yachts,” said Andrea Piantini, marketing director for Fincantieri Yachting.

Fincantieri recently partnered with Benetti/Azimut, teaming one of the world’s largest shipbuilders with its largest yacht builder.

One such technology that has begun to cross over is Azipod propulsion.

Common on cruise ships, the system features an electrical-drive motor inside a pod that connects via a short shaft directly on a fixed-pitch propeller.

The unit is capable of turning (steering) around its vertical axis through 360 degrees.

“It eliminates the need for stern rudders and long shaft propellers, said Thomas Hackman, area manager for ABB Marine, a supplier of electrical propulsion and power plants. “It is easier to maneuver.”

Azipod units are on 15 cruise ships, with 18 Azipod cruise vessels under construction. And two megayachts, M/ Y Air and M/Y Ambrosia III, are having

sea trials with Azipods this month and next, Hackman said.

But specifications that go beyond normal functions for the boat that drive design – such as size and speed, budget, private or charter, number of guests and crew – will drive the next generation of superyacht building.

The creation of space, in itself, will be a design statement providing a “wow” factor: I can afford to waste space and have expansive teak deck areas.

“As superyachts will generally get larger but the number of guest spaces remains largely constant, the sizes for functional areas of the yacht can dramatically increase,” said Barry Gilmour, executive chairman of Burness Cortlett & Partners and Royale Oceanic Limited.

Interior designers will create more

exciting and lavish schemes to include sweeping staircases and large open areas that will span many decks, he said.

Large atriums accompanied by centralized architectural features and scenic elevators, underwater viewing salons and more adventurously designed sky lounges also will be considered.

“Increased size and volume means that a range of sports and leisure facilities not readily associated with luxury yachts and which require substantial space can be contemplated,” Gilmour said.

Watch for basketball, tennis, squash and badminton courts, as well as jogging tracks.

Vessels also will include heliports with permanent hangars for more than one helicopter, he predicted, instead of

the open space just for landing.

Swimming pools, including Romanesque indoor pools, will increase in number and become larger and longer, Gilmour said.

The popular private owner’s deck concept will include tiered patios, garden areas, colonnades, pools and business centers.

Superyachts will increasingly feature large areas of glass for the viewing pleasure of guests.

Some of the constraints for this new generation of Gulliver-size megayachts include difficulty fitting into the quaint, little harbors in such global yachting cities as Portofino or squeezing through the Suez and Panama canals.

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

24 The Triton

FROM THE TECH FRONT

May 2005

Insurance companies may not cover unsafe accident claims SAFETY, from page 19 Every shipyard and shipyard competent person should be familiar with this standard or at a minimum be aware of its existence.

Any captain or project manager involved in a major refit may want to become familiar with NFPA 306 as well, especially if the work involves fuel tanks and hot work on aluminum or steel-hulled vessels.

Shipyards and captains should make sure all subcontractors have proper insurance coverage, even decorators that are responsible for painting and varnishing work.

This type of work can create a hazardous work environment with the off gassing of toxic and highly flammable vapors.

Make sure no hot work is going on during these operations, including soldering in a head or galley area. Many vapors are heavier than air and can accumulate in the bilges and enclosed spaces.

There should be a strict “no smoking” policy onboard a vessel during this type of operation.

Before you begin any repairs or undergo a refit you should always consult with your insurance

representative. You should find out if there are any requirements based on the country in which you have repairs done. Is the vessel covered for any damages that might occur?

As more regulations from OSHA and the Department of Homeland Security drive up the costs for a boatyard, many people consider making repairs outside the United States. You have to ask yourself: Is the vessel covered and are you taking unnecessary risks by going to a country where the workers may not be trained to ensure the repairs are done safely?

Insurance costs have risen for vessels, shipyards, welders and other subcontractors. Following safe practices keeps your insurance costs down, reduces risks and helps to save lives.

Always remember that you have three options when it comes to yacht repairs: safer, quicker and cheaper. Pick two. You can’t have all three.

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

TECHNOLOGY BRIEFS

May 2005

The Triton 25

Training school founder suffers massive heart attack, recovering Elmer Morley, founder of Maritime Professional Training in Ft. Lauderdale, suffered a heart attack in March but is recovering well, said his daughter, MPT Vice President Amy Morley-Beavers.

Morley was on a cruise in the Caribbean with his wife when he had a sudden and massive heart attack, Morley-Beavers said.

After 30 minutes of CPR and three defibrillations, Morley regained his breathing. He was transported to a hospital on Barbados and then flown home Easter Sunday.

He underwent triple bypass surgery March 28 and was recovering as of press time, Morley-Beavers said.

“He is back to himself mentally, and I am sure the physical strength will return soon as well,” she said. “We are asking for prayers for his full recovery.”

IBEX adds education pavilion IBEX is launching a Marine Education & Training Pavilion, a section exclusively for companies with technical education and training programs.

IBEX will be held Oct. 19-21 at the Miami Beach Convention Center in Florida. IBEX is owned and produced

by Professional BoatBuilder magazine

■�������������������� ■������������������������� ������������������������� ����������������� �������������������������� ■������������������ ■��������������������� ■����������������������� ������������������������ �������������� ■������������������ ���������������������������� �������������� ■���������������� ������������������ ������������������ ■������������������������� ■���������������������� ������������������������ ■���������������� ���������������������� ������������������������� ������������������������������ ���������������������������

and National Marine Manufacturers Association.

Benetti restructures in Italy Benetti’s service deparment is now based in the new Livorno facility.

Headed by Francesco Pisciotta, who joined Benetti in 1995 as head of project management for new builds, the department has three sections.

The refit division is headed by Giorgio Campini, whose shipyard experience includes the management of refit shipyards in the South of France. The division is being configured to handle vessels of unlimited size. It is expected to be the largest facility of this type in Europe.

The spare parts division is headed

by Marco Nuovo, who recently was in charge of customer service at a shipchandler in Viareggio.

The interior supplies division is still being set up. The aim is to provide a range of luxury items for yachts. It will be managed by Salvatore Pisciotta.

DYT expands service to Ketchikan Yacht transport specialist Dockwise

See TECH BRIEFS, page 29

N O W S C H E D U L I N G F O R S U M M E R & FA L L 2 0 0 5

26 The Triton

NEW PRODUCT

May 2005

Carpenter invents portable air system for pneumatic tools

By Lucy Chabot Reed It has taken Bob Turan a decade to create a portable air system, but the marine industry is likely to see its benefits in the split second it takes to shoot a staple from a gun.

TuranAir Systems of Coral Springs, Fla., has created a portable air system for pneumatic tools. Originally designed for carpenters and construction workers, the compact unit is just as easily used on megayachts and in shipyards.

With a carbon fiber bottle about the size of a shoebox and a six-foot hose, the system makes any pneumatic tool portable, quiet and unobtrusive.

“It’s such a short hose, you don’t need as much air,” said Jim Freeman, owner of Maritime Custom Woodworks in Ft. Lauderdale. “And the convenience of it.

It’s a pretty incredible apparatus.”

Freeman helped Turan test the T-force 1000 in the marine industry. He replaced

the entire deck in the cockpit of a 54foot Viking, running through 20 tubes of caulking, on just one bottle of air.

In addition to caulking, yachts can use the system to operate other pneumatic tools such as staple guns and nailers to install Velcro, ceiling or wall panels, or fine finish work on carpentry.

“It’s so much easier than dragging that compressor hose all over the place,” Freeman said.

Turan spent most of his career in construction, eventually getting into high-end furniture. After constructing a piece such as a wall unit off site, he would need to place it and put up trim.

“Many years ago, I had to bring my compressor into someone’s beautiful home and drag my air hoses around just to shoot 8-10 shots,” he said. “I always wondered why the big tool companies never came out with a portable tool.”

So he started inventing his own. He tried a variety of gases including carbon

Marine carpenter Jim Freeman of Ft. Lauderdale-based Maritime Custom Woodworks, tested the T-force 1000 in the marine industry for TuranAir Systems and says it’ll change the way yachts do repairs. PHOTO COURTESY OF TURANAIR SYSTEMS

dioxide but nothing worked with the efficiency he intended. He kept track of what other sectors such as the scuba industry were using.

When carbon fiber bottles hit the market with the popularity of paintball, he knew he had the right combination of bottle and high pressure that he wanted.

Compressed air in these bottles

proved incredibly efficient, requiring a portion of the pounds-per-square-inch (psi) most tools typically require because the tool is so much closer to the air source, Turan said.

Instead of 100 to 200 feet of hose, this air system uses six feet of coiled hose.

Instead of 120 psi needed for a pinner, he said, tools attached to his portable system can operate at 50 psi.

So he built some prototypes and gave them to roofers, trim carpenters and Freeman to use and abuse. It proved workable, so in January, the company launched its patent-pending product to the public in South Florida. Marine Industry Exports in Ft. Lauderdale, 954525-0199, has two units it will loan out as demos.

If it works in Florida, it’ll get rolled out across the country, Turan said.

“Since they were invented, the compressor and the hose have never changed,” Turan said. “The worker has been tied to his compressor and hose.

We’re trying to let people know there’s a new way to do things.”

Not only new, but possibly better.

Compressors use ambient air to create the compressed air that shoots through the hose and the gun at the other end.

That means it pulls moisture and dust from the air, and even oil from itself, that may eventually flows through the gun.

See T-FORCE 1000, page 28

FROM THE TECH FRONT

May 2005

The Triton 27

Generator exhaust best sent up the stack, especially on new yachts EXHAUST, from page 19 many are nice Feadships. But I have to wonder why anybody would stick an exhaust out through white topsides?

The extra cost and space lost to put the exhaust up top hardly seems critical for a yacht costing tens of millions.

Since it is not practical to have a dry exhaust, unless a ring of burned paint around the outlet is acceptable, water is mixed into the exhaust. Unfortunately, this in itself causes problems.

The big drop in exhaust gas temperature at the water injection point causes carbon formation and the relatively short exhaust run means that the water carries any traces of oil in the exhaust to the water.

The mixture of water and exhaust gas results in the discharge of mild sulfuric acid, a lot of which is in the form of fine spray. This is definitely not good for the vessel’s topsides or, for that matter, close neighbors.

Transom above waterline For main engines, there is not much problem with this type of exhaust as

long as you don’t mind a dirty area on the hull. Transom exhaust is the worst for this since the exhaust gas and fine spray seems to swirl behind the boat and paint the transom black.

For generators, I feel sorry for people sitting in the cockpit or on the aft deck on a still day, but at least you are not messing up someone else’s topsides.

Stack On an older yacht, we had a problem with carbon on the sun deck but this was cured by fitting a plenum chamber with baffles and a tray like a bird cage.

The exit from the plenum chamber was so large that the gas velocity was too low to push any carbon up. All that was necessary was to pull and empty the tray periodically.

With modern machinery – two Cat 3508 mains and two Cat 3306 gensets – we had no noticeable emission of smoke or carbon from the stack.

Based on my experience, I suggest a stack, at least for the generators. The size of casing required for this is not big and this totally eliminates any risk

Bradford Marine renames brokerage, sales division The Shipyard Group Bradford Marine is re-branding its professional and brokerage services business from its Bradford Marine Group subsidiary and that company’s BMG Yacht & Ship Brokers division to The Shipyard Group.

“We felt that The Shipyard Group name for our professional and brokerage services subsidiary will best describe the full line of services provided from our Ft. Lauderdale shipyard headquarters,” said Paul Engle, Bradford Marine president.

The Shipyard Group provides yacht owners, captains and crews such services as yacht sales and charter brokerage, naval architecture, project management, vessel class compliance, certification compliance and vessel security plans.

Also in April, The Shipyard Group launched The Shipyard Showroom, an

Answers to the puzzle on page 41

covered, all-weather yacht facility that can display more than 50 yachts of all types and sizes.

Engle said there will be more announcements concerning The Shipyard Group in the upcoming months.

The showroom is located at The Shipyard Group’s headquarters adjacent to Broward Marine on Ft. Lauderdale’s Marine Mile.

For more information, contact The Shipyard Group at (954) 377-3900.

of oil on the water. The configuration could be a slim stack at each side if the engine room is well aft.

Dry stack is more important for the generators than the main engines which, apart from docking or getting under way, run most of the time at a high percentage load.

Generators don’t idle but run continuously at 1,500 or 1,800 rpm irrespective of load. If a yacht has two generators sized so that one can support the full load then it will run well below full load – perhaps less than 40 percent – for a lot of the time, resulting in lower combustion pressures and temperatures. Under these conditions, there is a likelihood of traces of oil in the cylinders and exhaust.

To some extent this load problem can be solved by having three or more smaller generators each sized to have a good percentage load in average conditions.

The problem with this is that when a generator reaches 85 or 90 percent load, another generator is brought online.

The result is that, unless the load

continues to increase considerably, the vessel now has two generators running at 45 percent load or less.

Due to the normally short run of the dry section of through-hull exhausts, the traces of oil mentioned above are easily carried to the wet section and carried by the water into the ocean.

With a dry stack, this oil will stick to the pipe and be burned into carbon long before it can be ejected from the top of the stack. Periodic cleaning a section of pipe is cheaper than a pollution fine.

In any case, with a dry stack it does not matter if it is flat calm or what direction the wind is from. You won’t end up breathing your own fumes.

One closing thought: How many commercial vessels have a through-hull exhaust?

Capt. David Peden spent 27 years as skipper of M/Y Patagonia (the former Robur IV and Southern Breeze, and now Revelation). He is now dockmaster of Reynolds Park Yacht Center in northern Florida in 2003. Contact him through editorial@the-triton.com.

28 The Triton

NEW PRODUCT

May 2005

Designed for construction, air system works for yachts, too T-FORCE 1000, from page 26 The T-force 1000 uses pure air, refilled into the bottles from its own electric compressor that uses 110-volt power.

The problem that creates is that a worker can’t use a regular shop compressor to refill these bottles because the bottles take 3,200 to 4,500 psi.

The good news is that with the popularity of paintball, dive shops are used to refilling these types of bottles, and they do it with the same air that divers use to breath. One bottle can power a micropinner for 1,300 shots.

“Most guys can get a whole day’s work out of this.”

If they can’t, there are several backup options. Buy a second bottle, or buy a larger portable tank to refill it with.

About the size of a scuba tank but a fraction of the weight (13 pounds), it comes with a handle and hose so it can be left in the back of a truck, on the dock or even on board.

The application to the yachting industry was a bit of a surprise to Turan, who designed the system for carpenters.

While marine workers aren’t building roofs or counter sinking nails in the hull, they are installing headliners, working with trim molding, and caulking practically everything.

Pneumatic caulking guns haven’t been the tool of choice because of the cord

Today’s fuel prices

and inevitable mess that ensued, but this portable tool eliminates that, said Brian Sedgeley, director of sales for the company. The benefit, though, is that as long as the trigger is pressed, only one shot of air is expended.

“In the beginning, you have to get used to it,” said Sedgeley, who spent seven years with International Tool in Davie before quitting last summer to join TuranAir. “It’s a whole new system.

It’s really innovative. I have never seen anything so innovative.”

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

TuranAir Systems CEO Bob Turan invented the portable air system. Its patent is pending.

PHOTO/LUCY REED

One year ago

Prices for low-sulfur gasoil expressed in US$ per cubic meter (1,000 liters) as of April 17.

Prices for low-sulfur gasoil expressed in US$ per cubic meter (1,000 litres) as of April 15, 2004.

Region Duty-free*/duty paid U.S. East Coast Ft. Lauderdale 453/485 Savannah, Ga. 451/NA Newport, R.I. 505/NA Caribbean St. Thomas, USVI 580/NA Trinidad 460/NA Antigua 546/NA North Atlantic Bermuda (Ireland Island) 559/NA Bermuda (St. George) 588/NA Cape Verde 521/NA Azores 550/NA Canary Islands 510/635 Mediterranean Gibraltar 505/NA Barcelona, Spain 530/1,123 Palma de Mallorca, Spain 488/1,070 Antibes, France 516/1,235 San Remo, Italy 659/1,281 Naples, Italy 631/1,277 Venice, Italy 620/1,284 Corfu, Greece 561/1,030 Piraeus, Greece 535/1,016 Istanbul, Turkey 497/NA Malta 443/NA Tunis, Tunisia 457/NA Oceania Auckland, New Zealand 515/NA Sydney, Australia 520/NA Fiji 543/NA

Region Duty-free*/duty paid U.S. East Coast Fort Lauderdale, Fla. 321/NA Savannah, Ga. 300/NA Newport, R.I. 353/NA Caribbean St. Thomas, USVI 419/NA Trinidad 325/NA Antigua 408/NA North Atlantic Bermuda 393/NA Cape Verde 300/NA Azores 340/NA Canary Islands 324/NA Mediterranean Gibraltar 290/NA Barcelona, Spain 468/840 Palma de Mallorca, Spain NA/850 Antibes, France 336/986 San Remo, Italy 504/1,106 Naples, Italy 450/1,083 Venice, Italy 462/1,100 Corfu, Greece 794/NA Piraeus, Greece 788/NA Istanbul, Turkey 295/NA Malta 290/NA Tunis, Tunisia 376/NA Oceania Auckland, New Zealand 322/NA Sydney, Australia 320/NA Fiji 334/NA

*When available according to customs.

*When available according to customs.

TECHNOLOGY BRIEFS

May 2005

Marina upgrades for megayachts TECH BRIEFS, from page 25 Yacht Transport (DYT) will be adding Ketchikan, Alaska, as a regular port of call beginning in July.

DYT already calls on Vancouver; Ensenada and Lazaro Cardenas in Mexico; La Paz on the Sea of Cortez; and Golfito in Costa Rica. For details, visit www.yacht-transport.com.

Baja marina upgrades Marina Cabo San Lucas at the tip of the Baja Peninsula, recently added Unifloat concrete floating docks.

The project involved construction of a 666-foot wave attenuator and fuel dock, a 360-foot approach dock, new gangway access and floats, and gangways to support golf carts for transporting equipment and supplies.

The fuel lines and three-phase electrical system were important components of the job because of the need to service superyachts.

Immersion suits SOLAS approved Viking Life-Saving Equipment of Miami has developed a new, more extensive line of immersion suits.

All are approved to the latest SOLAS requirements providing increased protection against hypothermia in an abandon ship situation.

They are all equipped with 3M reflective tape, reinforced non-slip soles, neoprene gloves and a SOLAS whistle. Optional features include a lifting harness, buddy line and light.

For more information, visit www. viking-life.com.

Double-hose regulator back Aqua Lung, the world’s first diving company, is resurrecting its past by reintroducing the double hose scuba regulator.

The new “Mistral,” a modern version of the original regulator created in 1958 by Aqua Lung founder Jacques Cousteau, has two corrugated hoses that wrap around a diver’s head, a right one for inhalation and a left one for exhalation.

“Divers miss the many benefits of the double house regulators – plus, they’re nostalgic for scuba equipment from the early days,” said Don Rockwell, president of Aqua Lung America.

“So we combined the best features of the old double hose regulator – including having the bubbles come out from behind the diver’s head and not obstructing the field of vision – and updated it with new technology.”

The Mistral retails for $900. For more information, visit www.aqualung. com.

In The Heart of Downtown Newport Full-service marina ~ Central downtown location ValvTect certified marine fuel High-speed diesel & bulk rates Coast Guard certified to fuel vessels over 10,500 gal.

P.O. Box 550 ~ 20 Commerical Wharf, Newport, RI 02840 1.800.653.DOCK (3625) fx: 401.847.9262 Reservations@NewportYachtingCenter.com www.NewportYachtingCenter.com

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