The Triton 200507 by Triton News Network

July 2005 Vol. 2, No. 4 www.the-triton.com

Yachting industry takes notice of joy-riding terrorists By Lisa H. Knapp

Red-hulled boat turns blue

The world was surprised to learn that the terrorists who hijacked four airplanes and killed more than 3,000 people on Sept. 11, 2001, had spent months in the United States learning how to fly. Americans were soon shocked to discover that the terrorists were interested only in taking off and flying, not landing. The little red flags that should have gone up then are going up now in the marine industry, where international security observers have documented several cases of potential terrorists hijacking large boats – mostly container ships – kidnapping the crew and then just driving around. “They drive the boat for three hours and leave with the crew still tied up,” said Rob Gaylord, a former U.S. Air Force aircraft commander and adviser to senior U.S. defense officials. Gaylord, a specialist in terrorism and transnational crime, is recognized as a security expert by the International Maritime Organization. IMO records indicate an upturn in crew abductions that could signal a move by terrorists to train themselves in operating and navigating large vessels, he said.

See SECURITY, page A14

Find out more on page A21. The crew of M/Y Freedom: From left, Chef Mike ‘Scooter’ Nix, Capt. Moe Moses, Stew Jenna Elwell and Mate Shaun Koper. PHOTO/LUCY REED

Bridge: Standards for crew needed but unenforceable A few months ago at a Triton Connection event, crew and placement professionals suggested there was a need for a set of standards for crew in the yachting industry. So this month we raised the issue with our Bridge captains: Do you think there should be an industry-wide set of standards for operating yachts? As always, comments FROM THE BRIDGE are not attributed to any LUCY CHABOT REED person in particular so as to encourage frank and open discussion. Attending captains are identiﬁed in a photograph on page A12. The conversation stuttered a bit at the beginning. “It’s hard to set an industry standard,” one captain said. “Schools around the world all set different standards. It [the industry] is not at a point where you can do that, write a manual and say ‘This is the manual for captains,’ and make it work across the board.” “Safety and licensing standards are covered, so I assume we’re talking about operations standards,” another said. “There is no entity that

See THE BRIDGE, page A12

Crew rotations put positive spin on yachting careers There’s a megayacht – two, actually – based in Ft. Lauderdale where the crew get at least eight days off a month, and they can accumulate up to four weeks vacation a year. A majority is married, have children and homes, and live a life away from their boats. On these THE CONNECTION megayachts, first officers regularly take LUCY CHABOT REED the wheel to gain experience and confidence at the helm. Second officers, too. And captains

are confident to leave junior officers in command while they take time off between hectic trips with owners and guests. Attendees of The Triton’s recent Connection event heard all the details of the crew rotation and relief system in place in the Gallant Lady fleet. At one point, one attendee couldn’t take it any more. “That job doesn’t exist,” said Phil Nicholas, owner of crew placement agency Carole Manto Inc. and a working relief engineer. “It’s too good to be true.” But it is true. A crew of 40 run the

Find out what Ft. Lauderdale can learn from its little sister, page A6.

five Gallant Lady yachts operated by JM Family Enterprises, a familybuilt corporation of car dealerships and charitable foundations based in Deerfield Beach, Fla. Half of the existing crew were hired with no experience and the company counts employee tenure in double-digit years instead of double-digit months. Though more a relief system for the senior officers than a true job-sharing program, it works because the owner wants it to, said Tim Griffin, manager of marine operations for the fleet and the Connection speaker.

Yup, that’s a megayacht, all alone in Chile. Page A26

“The philosophy of the approach is very land-based corporate – you have a staff of people you train to move up,” said Griffin, himself once an engineer in the fleet. The Gallant Lady fleet is made up of five yachts – a 172-foot Feadship, a 160foot Delta, two 65-foot sportfish yachts and a 58-foot Sea Ray. Two captains and four first officers fill the top four positions in the fleet in a relief system. Four engineers and chefs also work in a relief system on the two megayachts.

See THE CONNECTION, page A18

Check out “Earning Your Stripes,” The Triton’s new career, training and education section.

ocean world spr

read 2-3

A4 The Triton

July 2005

WHAT’S INSIDE Broward unveils three new lines, page A23

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Broward Marine began construction in June of the ﬁrst two 120-foot yachts under its new design and corporate ownership. RENDERING COURTESY OF BROWARD MARINE

Advertiser directory B22 Calendar of events B22 Classiﬁeds B12-15 The Connection A1 Cruising Grounds A26-29 Features Getting Started A10 The Afterlife A8 From the Experts: Body Business B18 Culinary Waves B4-7 The Drill B3 Go Figure B19

Into Account B17 Take it In B9 Wine Steward B8 Fuel prices A22 Horoscopes B21 In the Stars B21 Photo Gallery A16-17 Puzzles B16 Reviews Books/DVD B20 Technology Getting Under Way A21 Write to Be Heard A30-31

KRISTY’S COLUMN

July 2005

The Triton A5

Summer may be slow in Ft. Lauderdale, but yacht crew are busy busy This month seems to have a lot of people on the move in our industry. With the lazy days of summer looming here in Ft. Lauderdale, and most of you venturing out, there are still quite a few that remain. Please keep those emails coming over the summer with your news and pictures. We at The Triton enjoy them. And keep an LATITUDE eye out for us up in ADJUSTMENT Newport this month. KRISTY FOX Capt. David Steehler, First Mate Craig Elliot and Chief Stewardess Dawn Kuhns are back together again. The three previously worked together on the 125-foot Delta M/Y Lanida. They found they liked working together and have rejoined as a team on M/Y Golden Rule, a 127-foot Feadship that was formerly M/Y Excellence. The summer sees them heading to the Bahamas then up to New England with the new owners on board. Readers of this column may remember that Capt. Rob Zavisza, a 10-year veteran in the yachting world, recently upgraded his license to 1600/3000 tons as he finished up on M/Y Andiamo, the 76-foot Lazzara. Rob was asked to joined the 265-foot M/V Bart Roberts for a temporary job as first officer. After a couple days, his responsibilities changed to temporary captain. The vessel is currently in transition and he hopes to join the yacht as a permanent first officer. Speaking of Bart Roberts, Capt. Greg Grainger recently resigned as her skipper after more than two years. He’s formed a company that does vessel surveys, yacht deliveries and handles vessel management issues. Greg has more than 25 years as a licensed master and is skilled in security issues including ISM and ISPS as well as SOLAS requirements governing private, passenger and commercial vessels. Contact him at www.maritimemanagementgrp.com. You probably all know Steven Carlson, dockmaster at Pier 66 for the past four years. He resigned in June to take an exciting position with a real

CORRECTION Because of an editing error, a headline on page A12 of the June edition indicated the 14th annual Spring Charteryacht Show was held in the British Virgin Islands. The show was held in St. Thomas in the U.S. Virgin Islands, and organized by the Virgin Islands Charterleague. The Triton regrets the error.

estate development company. But he hasn’t left the industry entirely. Steven will run the company’s corporate boat based in Ft. Lauderdale. Taking over for Steven at Pier 66 is Andrew Cuba, who most recently was dockmaster at Boca Resort. Welcome to Ft. Lauderdale Andy. Capt. Kevin Smart, formerly of M/Y Symphony, a 115-foot Benetti, recently received his 1600-ton open ocean masters. He has been doing quite a bit of freelance work and a lot of ﬁshing lately. Just so happens, as we went to press, Kevin was scheduled to ﬁsh in the Star Island Yacht Club Shark

Tournament in Montauk, N.Y. Kevin, let us know what you catch. Capt. Jeffrey Hoerr, formerly on the M/Y Wanderin’ Star, a 112-foot Westport, flies to Washington this month to oversee the final stages of the building of the new 130-foot Westport, M/Y Vita Bella. The owners are expected to take delivery Aug. 31. Jeff ’s former first mate, Larry, will join as first mate/engineer and his chef/stew team will be Zach Rath and Jonna Prescott. They plan to head straight to Alaska, then cruise south through the Panama Canal. By the way, Capt. David Gaskins

took over command of the old Wanderin’ Star, which has been renamed M/Y Rainmaker. Capt. Tristan Judson, formerly of the 145-foot M/Y Boardwalk, has taken command of the 130-foot Westport LTSEA. Tristan picked up the boat in Cabo San Lucas and brought her to the U.S. West Coast, where she’ll get a full paint job this summer, then head down to Mexico and Costa Rica this fall. Send news of your promotion, change of yachts or career, or personal accomplishments to Kristy Fox at kristy@the-triton.com.

ANALYSIS

A6 The Triton

July 2005

Learning a thing or two from our little sister

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In May, I went to Gold Coast City, Australia, with the Ft. Lauderdale Sister Cities delegation on a factfinding mission. What I discovered was that Australia’s megayacht market, though still striving to become what Ft. Lauderdale has been for decades, is leaps and bounds ahead of the world’s yachting capital in ANALYSIS DAVID REED some ways. The most fascinating thing I observed was the Gold Coast City Marina complex. About a decade ago, residential developments started encroaching on yachting businesses, forcing many to close or move. Sound familiar to something happening in South Florida? In 1999, a group of visionary business people created Super Yacht Base Australia, a not-for-profit group designed to kick start the business of creating a marine hub. They identified property away from residences where they could develop working marinas and refit facilities and created a concept where business works together. Their work attracted government attention, action and dollars, and they were able to dredge a shallow river and ultimately attract more than 60 builders, refit contractors, tradesmen of all kinds and other support businesses. Sound familiar to something happening in South Florida? Didn’t think so. My first thought was how similar it seemed to Lauderdale Marine Center, that marine complex on the New River that private interests have developed and are planning to expand. The missing component, of course, is government support. In Australia, politicians took on the issue, identifying 620 acres for a Gold Coast Marine Precinct. (The Gold Coast City Marina complex takes up about 30 acres of that.) They assigned money to the project and made grants available. Super Yacht Base Australia now gets money from the government to promote their country to the yachting industry around the world. I’ve seen them not only at the Ft. Lauderdale International Boat Show, but in Monaco, too. Gold Coast City Marina is an absolutely beautiful complex and incredibly inovative. Instead of each refit yard having waterfront access and its own lift, one lift takes boats out of the water and transports them down a line of builders’ warehouses. They

made sure the perimeter road was large enough for the lift to carry vessels across the property and across the street to other yards if necessary. The subcontracting business is flourishing, evidenced by the fact that there’s a waiting list for businesses that want to come in. With the encroachment of residential developments on marine properties in Ft. Lauderdale, we as an industry need to seriously work with our government officials to identify and secure the land upon which this industry can survive. Perhaps the international yachting community has outgrown Ft. Lauderdale. Most people seem to toss up their hands and say there’s just no room here in Ft. Lauderdale. But there is, if government officials decide it’s important. There are a number of ideas that have been bantered about: turn part of Port Everglades into a megayacht facility, remove the fixed bridge that is U.S. 1 over the Dania Cut-off Canal to open up that area to the west. None of those ideas will ever see the light of a public hearing unless someone with a vision takes it there. Our marinas and refit facilities need the ability to be able to work 24 hours a day. Not every refit facility needs waterfront, but they need access to the water. If we could turn Dania Cut-off into Mediterranean-style dockage and use a Travelift to transport boats up and down the line of yards there, we could create a phenomenal business. In some cases, the yards on the Cutoff can’t expand because powerlines are just across the street. It would take the will of government to move those lines or put them underground, but it could be done. Perhaps Ft. Lauderdale’s last advantage is its concentration of businesses that service the world’s megayachts. Some may say we don’t have enough workers but we have more here than anywhere else in the world. We need to use the strength of our numbers to urge those able to make a difference to do it. Gold Coast City is Ft. Lauderdale’s sister city, but we’re acting more like the old grandfather, rocking away on the porch, while the young punk in Australia jogs right by with modern, state-of-the-art facilities. At the end of the day, the Sanctuary Cove Boat Show didn’t hold a candle to the magnitude of Ft. Lauderdale’s show, but I was still impressed. The big boats weren’t there, but they will be. Where will we be? David Reed is publisher of The Triton. Contact him at david@the-triton.com.

LIFE AFTER YACHTING

A8 The Triton

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July 2005

Yacht team still run the show, only now in the mountains By Lisa H. Knapp Greg and Ann Lucke left the yachting world over a year ago, but they still entertain and serve 10 to 50 hungry, thirsty guests every day. You won’t find any caviar or boats with moving parts in Boulder Junction, Wisc. At the Lucke’s little resort on Upper Gresham Lake, jalapeno cheese poppers are a hot Ann and Greg Lucke used to run M/Y Escape V. They order after a day of miss the ocean but say yachting was great training canoeing. PHOTO COURTESY OF THE LUCKES The Lucke’s traded for their new life. in their suntans and worldliness,” Ann Lucke said. “It was swimsuits for flannel shirts in the north great hospitality training to run our woods. They bought the hospitality and resort.” lodging establishment The DeerPath The Luckes made their luck. They Motel and Bar. planned and saved onboard for three Guests typically drive 10 hours from years while determining what business Chicago or Milwaukee to commune to buy. While they were with one yacht with nature at the DeerPath, where they owner for 10 years, they freelanced for enjoy kayaking, fishing, snowmobiling, the last 18 months of their crewing and darts tournaments. While the careers to keep that paycheck coming. Luckes miss the ocean, they’re glad to Ann Lucke has this advice for crew return to their roots after 15 years of contemplating coming ashore: Make serving as a two-person crew on M/Y sure you do something you have a Cash Flow, M/Y Escape IV and M/Y passion for. Have an objective before Escape V. you leave, whether you’re returning “We didn’t know how we’d react to school, moving home, or finding a away from the ocean after 15 years,” different job. Ann Lucke said. “We had our moments “We don’t lock our cars or homes where we said, ‘What have we done?’” here,” she said. “There’s no traffic, But being self sufficient and running either. It’s a slower pace. We miss our yachts gave the couple the confidence friends, but not the busy-ness of Ft. to run their own business. Lauderdale.” “I’ve never worked so hard for less money,” Greg Lucke said. Contact freelance writer Lisa H. Knapp “Boating gave us polish and at lisa@the-triton.com.

A10 The Triton

HOW I GOT MY START IN YACHTING

July 2005

Summer vacations in Florida lured Midwestern teen to yachts By Mate Joe MacVeagh I was born and raised in a small town in southeastern Wisconsin. That’s right, just cows and cornﬁelds as far as the eye could see. Other then being “utterly” MacVeagh boring and bitterly cold in winter, Burlington, Wisc., was a good place to grow up – surrounded by a sense of community and warm-hearted, calcium-enriched families. It was there that I learned many important things about my life and what would become of it. Growing up in a small yet close family of four – Mom, Dad and older brother – we focused our attention on the beaches of Florida for spring break vacations. As the years went by, Florida became our summer getaway and like a second home to me. Leaving the subtropics became harder and harder. Through my teens, I yearned for the ocean and began planning for a move once I graduated high school. With my family’s support, I moved to Florida the summer of my 18th year and enrolled in the Chapman School for Seamanship in Stuart.

From there I landed my ﬁrst crew job with M&S Enterprises out of Fort Pierce. It was a grunt job but a great way for a boy from the heartland to learn the ropes of seamanship. I acquired my sea time there working on a tug and transport vessel for the U.S. Navy until I had enough experience to apply for my captain’s license. Shortly after becoming licensed, doors began opening and opportunities started to arise. None seemed to suit me and my career goals until I landed a lead from a mate on a Burger yacht named Serenity. He knew of a captain named Chris Berg who was looking for a mate on a 110-foot Delta named Intrepid. I took down his number and gave him a call. To make a long story short, I landed the job and have been Intrepid’s mate for the past year. Life on this yacht has been nothing but a dream. We all do our part and work as a team. Through good times and times of stress, we keep our headings straight and a clear ﬁx on our dreams. I do not know what is in store for me in the future, but my goal is to become a captain of a private yacht by 27, God willing. How did you get your start in yachting? Send your story to lucy@the-triton.com. Who knows? You might inspire someone.

Summer news from Newport The days have gotten longer and the weather’s warmed up so yachts and crews have migrated from Ft. Lauderdale up and away. Here’s a little bit of the yachting news in Newport and New England:

Company owner Jimmy Tancrell is a native of Massachusetts and a graduate of Johnson and Wales in Rhode Island. Contact Jimmy T’s at 954-790-2179.

Sacks Group yacht head north

Brooks Marine Group, the Fort Lauderdale-based marine industry recruiting firm, has hired Liz Collins to manage its new Newport office. Collins comes to Brooks Marine Group (BMG) after five years with the North Sails loft in Portsmouth, RI. She is a member of the Shields Fleet 9 sailing club. The search and recruiting firm’s newest location opened in February in Newport Shipyard. It primarily will serve clients in New England and the Midwest, while the Ft. Lauderdale office will focus on the Southeast, Pacific Northwest and Europe.

Nine yachts in The Sacks Group ﬂeet have headed to New England to charter this summer, including: Inspiration, a 156-foot Broward; D’Natalin, a 151foot Delta; Martha Ann, a 140-foot Westship; Kaleen, the reﬁt 110-foot Broward; Seafari, the 108-foot Broward; Independence 2, a 106-foot Broward; Grand Diane, the 105-foot Intermarine; Katina, the new 100-foot Hargrave; and Adventurer, a 94-foot Burger.

Jimmy T’s summers north, too After a successful ﬁrst season in Costa Rica, Jimmy T’s Provisions has decided to wait out next season working in Newport. Jimmy T’s is available in Newport and surrounding areas to deliver produce, fresh breads and pastas, fresh ﬁsh and meats as well as local and imported wines and cheeses directly to the dock.

BMG opens in Newport Shipyard

Hinckley moves HQ to RI The Hinckley Co., a yacht builder in Maine, moved its headquarters from Boston to Portsmouth, R.I., this past winter. Founded in 1928, the company has about 320 employees in Maine and about 600 across the country. Production will remain in Maine.

FEATURE

July 2005

The Triton A11

Hurricane threat doesn’t chase everyone from Caribbean summer By Carol M. Bareuther Blue skies and balmy breezes attract yachts and crews to the Caribbean in winter. And it’s the weather too, namely the threat of hurricanes, that leads many charter and private yachts to flee north or south come summer. So what draws cruisers and crew alike to stay in the Caribbean in summer? The answer is both opportunities and challenges. Fewer yachts and the greater chance for new business is what enticed Erik Selness, yacht manager aboard the 71-foot catamaran Serendy, to stay the summer in the Virgin Islands. “We’re a new boat to the fleet, having just arrived last November,”he said. “It takes a lot of time to travel up north and back. Plus, we plan to base our operations out of the Virgin Islands so we figured, why leave?” Serendy Capt. Alex Suprin supported the decision. “Since it’s our first year, we have start-up expenses and not yet the revenues from a full season of charter to be able to just leave for the summer,” he said. Selness, Suprin and Mate Matt Opozda didn’t feel pressure from Serendy’s owner, Charles Van de Vord of Jacksonville, to leave the Caribbean. “Charles originally thought we

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should bring the boat up [to Florida],” Selness said. “We explained to him about the opportunity for business that we foresaw and that it would be much easier to keep our momentum going down here. So, he told us if business is there, stay.” There is business and Serendy has bookings for summer charters, especially for family groups that tend to travel more with kids this time of year. Many charter yachts discount their prices in the summer and airfare to the Caribbean is cheaper now, too, which entices visitors. “There are few vessels in the U.S. Virgin Islands ﬂeet that are our size that can accommodate six to 12 passengers,” Selness said. “Plus, we’re a young, fun crew with lots of energy and water toys to keep guests happy.” The Virgin Islands attracts its share of European visitors during summer. This clientele typically has longer vacations that do their American counterparts. A group from England has booked a charter on Serendy for August, what many consider the real start of hurricane season. “We have our hurricane plan prepared and our spots for weathering a storm picked out,” Selness said. “We’ve also formed a game plan for alternate charter arrangements so that our guests could come back if they

weren’t able to make their original charter date due to a storm.” In addition, Capt. Suprin has sailed extensively along the U.S. East Coast and chartered from the Bahamas, giving him a degree of hurricane savvy. Equipped with all the latest weather-monitoring The crew and owner of Serendy relax during the show. equipment, the Serendy crew also From left, Eric Selness, Capt. Alan Suprin, owner Charles plans to rely on Van de Vord and Mate Matt Opozda. PHOTO/DEAN BARNES what’s known locally as the coconut grapevine. crews might enjoy staying. “This is a small community and Summer “is also a nice time to go boaters really become close knit,” local,” he said. “You have the beaches to Selness said. “It’s not like Miami where yourself. Since there are fewer people you know the people on your dock and around, the ones that do stay form a that’s it. We all watch out for each other pretty tight-knit group. There’s always down here. It’s a different feel.” an invitation to a barbecue or party.” In addition to the threat of Boyajian spent a week sailing aboard hurricanes, “the weather can be Serendy in May and acknowledged that unbearably hot,” said freelance charter it may be wise for boats to stick around. Capt. Dave Boyajian. “And unless “If you stay, brokers who actively you’ve got a position on a yacht, the book the Virgin Islands will know they work dries up when boats head north. can count on you,” he said. “That’s a That’s why I started to leave after that plus.” ﬁrst summer. I could make a lot more money going up to New York or Rhode Carol Bareuther is a freelance writer Island with the private yachts.” living in St. Thomas. Contact her Still, he understands why yachts and through editorial@the-triton.com.

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FROM THE BRIDGE

A12 The Triton

July 2005

Level of expectation ultimately set by owner

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THE BRIDGE, from page A1 can claim to write them. It comes down to the professionalism of the captain to set up a program. It’s up to the owner to look for ones [captains] that do.” “Yes, there’s a need for standards, but there’s no way to implement them,” one captain said to near unanimous consensus. “On a per-boat basis, every boat should have standards. But common, industry-wide standards would be very difﬁcult.” Everyone knows not all boats have standards, and the captains agreed that poorly operated yachts make the whole industry look bad. Instead of seeing the standards as a ﬁnal book of rules to implement, the captains were asked to consider if guidelines to minimum performance should be offered, something that crew can train toward and expect onboard a yacht. “I’m going back to school right now and thinking seriously about the commercial industry because there are a lot of captains in this industry who don’t deserve to be there,” one captain said. “It’s an honor to work for people with good standards who are willing to teach you.” Another captain reminded the room that there was much to be learned from good and bad captains alike. “I once worked for a captain and every day, he worked for two hours with one of the crew,” he said. “He’d be on deck varnishing the cap rail, working with the engineer, down ironing sheets. And he was talking with them the whole time. “It was a big yacht, over 200 feet, but instead of being the big guy in the wheelhouse, he was down there with you,” he said. “Sometimes he wasn’t there the whole two hours – the phone would ring or something would go on –

Attendees of The Triton’s July Bridge lunch were, from left, Lee WintonBurnette of M/Y Sandy G, Loran Luce of M/Y Palegial, David Hare (looking), Doug Abbott formerly of M/Y Domani (looking), Mark Robinson of M/Y Serendipity, James Misiak (looking), Dave Pritchard of M/Y Phoenix, and Matt Hedrick of a 121-foot motoryacht. Lunch was held in the offices of the Marine Industries Association of South Florida and catered by yacht chef Shaunarae Hawkesworth. PHOTO/LUCY REED but that was the time he set aside to work with the crew.” With that, the discussion took a turn toward credentials, discussing what attributes make a good captain or a good crew member. In effect, the captains began to bat around performance standards. “He had his heads run their departments,” the captain continued. “He knew the art of delegation. If the bosun’s locker was a mess, he wouldn’t talk to the deckhand, he’d talk to the first officer.” “It’s all a management style,” another captain said. “You’re not there watching TV telling your crew to go do something. You really have to set an example.”

“You can give people guidelines, but [managing a crew is] a continual process,” one said. “You have to praise in public, criticize in private.” So how can the industry translate the good qualities most agree a captain “should” have into a set of standards that others can use as a guideline? In other industries, unions write standards. No one in the room advocated creating a union in the yachting industry. There was some discussion that insurance companies might be the ones to adopt and implement some guidelines, but do mariners really want insurance companies setting these standards for reasons other than smooth operations? There was also some discussion that crew should take the lead in requesting a certain level of standards and only work for captains and yacht owners who have them. “I would say to crew: You’re interviewing them as much as they’re interviewing you,” one captain said. “Find someone you want to work for. Standard job descriptions should be expected. If they aren’t clear, don’t be shy to ask for one.” “Crew have a right to rely on the captain to set the standard that he’s either learned from someone else or developed on his own,” another captain said. “You should get an operational manual when you ﬁrst walk on the boat,” said another. “Standards should be a detailed outline of what crew can be expected to do, their work schedule, things like that.” One captain said he gives a job

See THE BRIDGE, page A13

FROM THE BRIDGE

July 2005

Crew has power to demand standards from captains THE BRIDGE, from page A12

being asked.”

candidate a copy of his own resume, takes a break and returns for questions so the potential crew member knows a bit about who he or she might be working for. “Let crew demand these standards,” he said. “And ask questions. Captains who don’t have standards won’t like

Contact Editor Lucy Chabot Reed at lucy@the-triton.com. If you are a captain and in Ft. Lauderdale at the beginning of the month, contact us for an invitation to The Bridge lunch. We’ll also host a bridge in Newport in late July. Join us. Space is limited to eight.

Should the industry have standards? The consensus from The Triton’s Bridge captains was that there is a need for an industry-wide set of standards, even though implementation would be onerous. One captain suggested The Triton take on the chore of compiling some. OK. Send us your thoughts on what standards – of presentation and appearance, of workload, of job duties and responsibilities for the jobs you do, and of anything else you like – should be expected as a minimum in the operation of a yacht, private or charter. Plenty of yachts have exemplary standards. Please share. If you are on a yacht with less-than-stellar standards, let’s learn from those, too. Tell us how you think they should be different. Send e-mails to lucy@the-triton.com or visit www.the-triton.com and ﬁll out a quick survey (listed in the blue tabs on the left side of the home page). “We can make it easier for people to avail themselves of this information,” one captain said. “That’s the best we can do.”

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The Triton A13

A14 The Triton

FROM THE FRONT

July 2005

More common for megayachts is threat of attack by pirates SECURITY, from page A1

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While there have been no such hijacking incidents on yachts, security experts such as Gaylord say this new breed of non-negotiating hijackers on joy rides might be a cause for concern in the yachting industry. Megayacht captains must accept the fact that they operate a vessel that could be used as a weapon of mass destruction, said Brian Parritt, CEO of International Maritime Security. Parritt wrote the training guide to explain the International Ship & Port Facility Security Code and led a session on security at the Superyacht Conference in Miami this spring. Gaylord said terrorists are more likely to sink a profitable cargo vessel, but he could see a large yacht being effectively rammed into another vessel at a strategic Gaylord point such as the Panama Canal. Even the helicopters some yachts carry could be used in a terrorism act, Parritt said. More immediate for yachts is the threat of piracy. Pirates have been around since humans first began traversing oceans, and yachts have endured acts of piracy for years, although the vast majority of reported crimes were perpetrated on merchant ships and commercial vessels. Crew abductions have occurred on merchant ships, primarily in the Straits of Malacca and near Somalia, according to Capt. Pottengal Mukundan, director of the International Maritime Bureau. The IMB is part of International Commercial Crime Services. Indonesian waters continue to be the most concentrated area of attacks, with about 100 in 2004. The IMB reports pirates preying on ships were more violent in 2004, with 30 crew members murdered. Yemen, the east coast of Africa and Persian Gulf waters are hotspots for piracy and terrorism, Gaylord said, though kidnappings and drug hijackings also have occurred off South America and in the Caribbean. The most recent, documented acts of piracy on yachts occurred March 8, 30 miles off Yemen in the Indian Ocean. Two American-flagged motor yachts were approached by eight pirates in two, 30-foot blue speedboats, according to IMO reports. While under way, the speedboats opened fire at the yachts’ cockpits. The crew of one yacht returned fire and wounded one pirate. The other yacht rammed one of the pirate boats. Both yachts sustained bullet holes and hull

damage as the pirates aborted and fled, but no crew were seriously injured, according to the reports. A British-flagged yacht of 253 gross tons sustained damage from gunshots June 20, 2004, off Raas Xaafuun, Somalia. Nine robbers in a fishing boat approached that yacht while it was anchored to attend to an injured crew member. Initially, they appeared friendly and waved but suddenly fired, according to IMO reports. The crew raised the alarm and retaliated, opening fire as the robbers retreated. Reports from the IMO show piracy attempts in 2004 were down over 2003; however, the first quarter of 2005 shows piracy on the rise again. The IMO, the United Nations’ agency responsible for the safety of shipping and the prevention of marine pollution by ships, started tracking piracy incidents in 1984 when the number of attacks was fewer than 50 a year. More likely for yachts, however, is theft at anchor or at the dock. While there is no central reporting agency for such incidents, it generally is believed that robbers and pirates prefer the path of least resistance. Evading an incident with appropriate preventative equipment and training may be the first step in security against petty thieves and terrorists alike. “Years ago, pirates were opportunists,” said Capt. Curtis Stokes, a former big-boat captain now in yacht sales with The Sacks Group in Ft. Lauderdale. “Today, they still prefer an unsuspecting target. If they think they have a fight on their hands, they will avoid you.” One way for crew to fight back, Stokes said, is not necessarily to carry guns but to be aware of their surroundings. “If something doesn’t look right, make that person or situation know that you are aware of them,” he said. Another simple method to deter attacks is to turn on the lights. Invest in motion-detector lights, Gaylord said, and develop a security plan that includes a survey of vessel lighting, underwater lights, cameras, intrusion alarms, special locking devices, and other measures. Captains should be wary of lastminute crew changes, he said, and protect information onboard, including restricting access to security plans, load plans, personnel data, cruising routes, assets aboard and their values, and ownership data. Keep the yacht’s itinerary confidential to lower its risk for thefts, kidnappings or attacks. “Float plans are often obtained from sources such as dock attendants, fuel providers, provisioning companies, dockmasters and crew,” Gaylord said.

See SECURITY, page A15

FROM THE FRONT

July 2005

The Triton A15

Security depends on training, equipment and a defense plan SECURITY, from page A14 Yachts are often under the highest risk of piracy while at anchor in areas where perpetrators have local knowledge of law enforcement. “These attacks show the greatest level of audacity and violence,” he said. A yacht’s defense will depend on equipment, proper crew training and well-understood defense plans, he said. He recommends an anti-piracy plan that includes details about ﬁrearms (if desired) and ﬁrearms storage, a plan for security at anchor, an understanding of legal issues in the areas to be cruised, and crew risk and analysis. For yachts traveling in high-risk areas, Gaylord even suggests using crew screening tools such as psychological assessments similar to what airline employees undergo. Direct crew to be proactive in a confrontation, arming them with negotiating skills as well as training in lethal and non-lethal weapons, including tasers. “Piracy of pleasure craft has emerged as a threat because there is a low threat of credible apprehension,” Gaylord said. The U.S. Coast Guard’s activity is limited to investigation after an act has occurred, not the prevention

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of crime or piracy to yachts, he said. When Stokes ran M/Y Renegade, he made several passages through Indonesia, where fishing boats would approach the yacht at night. He used the yacht’s lights, course alterations and the radio to let them know he was aware of them. He still can recall a chilling radio transmission he heard in the early 1990s while on watch aboard M/Y Fiffanella. It was cruising the Malacca Straits from Thailand to Singapore at about 3 a.m. Suddenly, a Russian voice came over Channel 16, the distress frequency: “We’ve shot and killed your pirates and dumped their bodies overboard.” Then, radio silence. Stokes, the first officer, woke the captain. The crew continued its normal watch to Singapore, keeping a keen eye out for a pirate’s rescue vessel, more pirates or their floating bodies. Stokes said he always assumed the radio announcement was real, given the locale and the tense voice. “That’s why you have to always be aware.” Contact freelance writer Lisa H. Knapp at lisa@the-triton.com.

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

THE CONNECTION

A18 The Triton

July 2005

Letting subordinates take over gives yacht consistency, security THE CONNECTION, from page A1 The rest of the crew is in a rotation among all five yachts. It’s the crew’s make-up that is unique: In addition to the first officer, there are second and third officers as well as first, second and third mates – and that’s it. Any crew who joins the fleet, regardless of experience or tickets, begins as a third mate and works his or her way up. The mates share the duties of stewards/ stewardesses, servers and bartenders to keep yacht guests comfortable. The three officers are in charge of the deck department, running the tenders and overseeing most other operational duties. In reality, though, there are few distinctions between interior and deck crew. “Everyone does everything,” said Gallant Lady Engineer John Benedict, a 16-year crew member who transitioned into yachting from the oil field. Though engineers do not officially rotate on deck as the mates and officers do, all crew are expected to help out when they can. “In the evening, whoever is not serving guests does the staterooms – the captain, first officer, engineer,” he said. “It makes it really hard for a third mate to say ‘I don’t like doing this anymore’ when they see the officers doing it.” That system allows Gallant Lady crew to have scheduled time off and gives everyone the opportunity to advance their skills. “You have to take the approach that you’ll bump everyone up a step,” Griffin said. “If each one steps up, the first mate becomes captain, the bosun becomes first mate, the deckhand becomes bosun. With the six ranks, it gives everyone something to work toward.” 11110_WM_triton July05 6/20/05 12:01 PM Page 1 Make no mistake – though the Gallant Lady

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Gallant Lady Capt. Val Sousa, left, and Marine Operations Manager Tim Griffin explained the advantages of crew rotations and senior officer reliefs. PHOTO/KRISTY FOX crew get eight days off a month plus one extra day a quarter, they cannot take them every weekend the way land-based workers do. With guests onboard, they work their two weeks or longer with no days off, much like any other yacht crew. But there is a benefit. “The big thing for us is we don’t lose our days off,” said Capt. Val Sousa, who operates the Feadship. Sousa is married with two young boys he sees regularly. “But it’s still a lot of travel. There’s no getting around the fact that you’re not home a lot.” It used to be that Gallant Lady crew got five days off a month, until one senior crew member decided to leave. The owner asked why and when he found out, he increased the number of days off to eight, the same as folks who work weekdays on land.

“That’s what it takes to make this work: the commitment from the owner,” Griffin said. “You start with the number of days off; you have to establish that first. There has to be a scheduled number of days off per month.” A main criticism of job-sharing or rotation programs is the awkwardness, for the crew and owner, of having multiple leaders. Gallant Lady solved that problem over the years by assigning only one named captain per megayacht. “When we started this, we had four captains and we found that the whole operation of the yacht changed whenever the captain changed,” Griffin said. “The mood of the crew changed, the operation on board, everything. Then when the old captain came back, it changed again.” Now there are just two captains, and the first officers step up to take over in relief. They are less likely to institute their own systems, he said, opting instead simply to continue running the yacht the way the captain did. Griffin did note that it can be difficult to keep first officers who are ready to move up. “With us, you don’t have to leave to move up,” he said. “There is one first officer now who is completely capable of being a captain, and when a captain’s position opens up, everyone knows who it will be. But he remains a first officer, given the duties of running a yacht like a captain and given bonuses to keep his salary in line with what he might earn on another yacht as captain. We want to keep him.” In a relief system, sometimes there is insecurity on the part of the assigned crew that the owner ultimately could prefer the relief crew and replace

See THE CONNECTION, page A19

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Navigating the good life

THE CONNECTION

July 2005

Captain has to ‘check your ego at the door’ for relief to work THE CONNECTION, from page A18 them. Gallant Lady simply ensures crew they will not be replaced. “You’ve got to check your ego at the door,” Capt. Sousa said. “I can’t have time off and neither will they” if captains are too protective of their turf. Relief seems to work well for the Gallant Lady fleet. Each year, the captains, engineers and chefs are assigned a different boat and rank, where they remain for the year. So even though Benedict is the senior engineer, he’s working as the relief engineer on the Feadship this year. It was simply his turn on the schedule. Four engineers share the two jobs on the megayachts, each working two to three weeks, then the relief engineer works that same schedule. The duties are basically the same, but if a matter arose that required an engineering decision, it would fall to the assigned engineer that year. “It works really well,” Benedict said. “Being able to have that life outside of work makes it like a real job. Other yachts might be more money, but that’s just more money up front.” Benedict’s advice to engineers who want to make a relief or rotation system work is to find an engineer with whom they can share the job, figure it out and submit a schedule to the captain. That avoids giving more work to captains and makes it easier for them to present the idea to the owner. Griffin acknowledged that the Gallant Lady fleet is unique. Most yachts that operate independently might find it difficult to hire extra crew to work into a rotation, he said. But by adopting the land-based corporate idea that everyone is in training for the next position, it can work, he said. “If an owner commits to a program like this and wants a dedicated crew, you can put a schedule together,” Griffin said. “The owner has to respect the crew. If not, it won’t work. “There will no doubt be a cost to establishing any such program, but experienced owners and businesspeople in general know that retaining employees leads to increased efficiency,” he said. “In our operation, we increased the number of days earned per month by 60 percent several years ago. This had an immediate effect on our crew turnover reducing it since that time by well over 50 percent. “In most cases, this consistency will ultimately save money by retaining crew that know the status of everything and don’t order supplies or work that is not necessary and simply know the most efficient way to get something done on that vessel.” The Gallant Lady system wasn’t created overnight, but was important to the owner so kinks were worked out

over years of trial and error. Now, crew such as Benedict and Sousa say they aren’t interested in seeking greener pastures. “This came from the owner,” Benedict said. “He said we’re all a team. We don’t have people sitting around doing nothing while others are exhausting themselves. We’re not done until we’re all done. I’d take a bullet for the guy.” Have you had experience with rotations, job sharing or relief systems? Tell us about it. Contact Editor Lucy Chabot Reed at lucy@the-triton.com.

Tim’s tips on how to make rotations work:  Get a commitment from the

owner to develop a program and stick with it long enough to find the right team. The captain needs to support the concept and feel confident that he won’t be permanently replaced by his relief.  Maintain consistency. Existing crew moving up leads to better continuity than outside relief crew coming in at the upper levels.  Every member of the crew needs to work with his or her immediate subordinate to develop the subordinate’s skills so they are capable of taking over. How many captains ever have the first officer or the bosun take the helm during a docking or anchoring?  Create a fixed policy of how many days off each crew member earns per period – whether it is weekly, monthly, quarterly – and stick to it. This is in addition to vacation time.  Establish black-out dates. For example, the engineer cannot take time while the boat is in the yard, the chief stew cannot take time when the owner is on board, etc. Aside from blackouts, be flexible. Crew need to plan their time off.  Put one person in charge of coordinating time off, then train a second person so they can take over when the person in charge is off.  Provide an overlap period if there is to be an outside replacement for a critical position.  Allow time off for training, and consider the possibility of the owner picking up the cost. Add an agreement about tenure after completion before being eligible for reimbursement if necessary. Griffin has offered to help owners and captains formulate a plan to make a relief system or rotation work on their vessels. He can only help after hours, though, as he does have a day job. Contact him through editorial@the-triton.com.

The Triton A19

NEWS BRIEFS

A20 The Triton

July 2005

Yacht crew mugged on St. Maarten

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Several muggings of yacht crew in St. Maarten’s Simpson Bay have caught the attention of police ofﬁcials and yachts. The latest mugging occurred June 5 when a 29-year-old female crew member walking along Billy Folly Road after 10 p.m., according to The Daily Herald on St. Maarten. A man approached her, ripped the bag off her shoulder and drove off, the paper reported. Police spokesman Johan “Janchi” Leonard indicated there had been a similar incident in the same area a few days before. He admitted that more patrols were needed, but added the police department was understaffed. “We are worried about this and it has our attention,” he told the newspaper. It got the attention of visiting yachts as well. “If word gets out, boats will stop

USCG: Safety compliance at ports up

Foreign-flagged vessel compliance with new international security requirements was better than expected in the first six months of implementation, although safety compliance declined in 2004, according Professional Mobile Service Since 1995 to an annual safety report issued by the U.S. Coast Guard. The report, issued in June and known as the Annual Port State Control Report, examined the safety 1 5/13/2005 12:54:07 PM and security compliance of foreign vessels visiting the United States. New international maritime security requirements went into effect July 1, 2004. In the weeks leading up to the deadline, observers and industry members worried that strict U.S. Coast Guard enforcement of the requirements would have negative impacts on global trade as it appeared much of the world’s merchant fleet was not in compliance with the new security requirements. However, in the first month of enforcement, the Coast Guard found that only 2.5 percent of vessels arriving in U.S. ports were significantly noncompliant with the new security requirements, and were denied entry to port, detained in port or expelled from port as a result. By the end of December, the percent of vessels arriving in U.S. ports with

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coming,” Capt. David Johnson told the newspaper. Johnson skippers the yacht on which the young woman works. It was docked at Isle de Sol marina. “It is a safety issue that concerns the crew, but also the guests. If anyone gets hurt, it will have a lot of repercussions.” Johnson and the woman mugged told the newspaper they were most bothered by how the incident was handled. The woman said police weren’t helpful and didn’t ask her if she had been hurt, the newspaper reported. “The situation needs to be looked at from the highest level and dealt with,” said Jeff Boyd, president of St. Maarten’s Marine Trade Association. “I realize the constraints the island has, but if we can’t protect our guests, soon there won’t be any guests.” Boyd told the newspaper the latest incident was the seventh this year. – Staff report

major problems fell to 1.5 percent. Over the ﬁrst six months of enforcement, the Coast Guard conducted over 6,000 security inspections and denied entry to, detained or expelled 92 vessels, the report said. The Coast Guard announced it will target vessels for increased inspections if they are registered in a country whose vessels have below-average compliance in either meeting safety or security requirements, including Antigua and Barbuda, Cyprus, Malta, Panama and St. Vincent and the Grenadines. Safety compliance declined in 2004 with 2.43 percent of vessels detained because of poor compliance with safety standards, an increase from 1.99 percent in 2003. About 2.5 percent were detained in 2002. The Coast Guard began tracking safety compliance in 1995, when 6.55 percent of vessels were detained for poor compliance. This is the ﬁrst time the report has included security compliance. Download the report at www.pier system.com/external/index.cfm?cid=7 86&fuseaction=EXTERNAL.document list&typeID=7186. More information on the Coast Guard’s port state control program is available at www.uscg.mil/hq/g-m/ pscweb/index.htm.

Mari-Cha IV breaks 100-year-old trans-Atlantic record The 140-foot schooner Mari-Cha IV broke the 100-year-old west-to-east record across the North Atlantic on June 1. Mari-Cha IV crossed the line due south of Cornwall’s Lizard point at 10:05:23 UTC, making the 2,925-mile crossing from New York in 9 days 15 hours 55 minutes and 23 seconds with an average speed of 12.61 knots.

America’s Cup veteran Charlie Barr set the record of 12 days 4 hours 1 minute and 19 seconds on Atlantic in 1905. Hong Kong sailor Robert Miller’s yacht was launched in August 2003 and soon set the trans-Atlantic monohull record of 6 days, 17 hours, 52 minutes, 39 seconds, smashing the previous time by 50 hours.

A26 The Triton

CRUISING GROUNDS

July 2005

Strait on through to the other side: Yacht rounds South America on trip of a lifetime Story and photos by Capt. Ian van der Watt These greetings hail from Puerto Williams, Chile, the southern-most municipality in the world. M/Y Queen of Diamonds, a 131-foot Feadship, is on her way around South America. The plan was to head down the East Coast of South America and through the Straits of Magellan to Chile then on to Ecuador and the Galapagos Islands. Preparations began buying charts and planning fueling stops. We attempted to get tourist visas but were told we needed work visas that had to be issued through Brazil. The process could take six weeks. We had Merchant Mariner documents issued by the U.S. Coast Guard and the Brazilian consular Web site said those would be accepted. After refueling and stretching our legs in Trinidad, we started on our next leg to Recife, Brazil. The weather was fairly calm until we arrived east of the Amazon River, where we encountered some rough seas with a steep, short chop. Banging into the seas fractured one of the tender chocks, which eventually broke. Fortunately we were able to turn the boat around and reposition the tender and tie it down. After nine and a half days we arrived in Recife. The agents we had organized were waiting on the quay as we tied up, with a delegation of authorities. We were aware of Brazilian bureaucracy but this was a wake-up call. After the pilot departed, our world was shattered by officials taking over our home. In retrospect, the agents were worse and kept egging on the officials to get us deported. Our firearms, declared at sea prior to arrival, caught the eye of the Policia Federal authority as he lovingly groped them. The agent, who had been given pictures and descriptions of the weapons before our arrival, did nothing to help alleviate the problem. To add fuel to the fire, our Merchant Marine documents were not going to be accepted as yachts are regarded as pleasure craft. Even though we presented commercial mariners licenses and crew agreements, the three crew would have to leave immediately for another country to get visas after we had each paid a $2,000 fine. Our passports were stamped with statements that we had arrived illegally and that we were going to be deported. The authorities left the boat for a conference and returned two hours later for the engineer and me. We were taken to the police office where we spent two hours listening to them laugh and pantomime at our expense, after which we were taken to the airport to get our pictures and fingerprints taken. We returned to the boat at 2130 hrs. We had arrived in Recife at 1400 hrs.

Cici and Ian van der Watt bundle up in the Straits of Magellan. By the next afternoon, I had contacted the American Consulate in Recife and an attorney, recommended by a friend, who was to help in Rio with the guests. There were frantic phone calls and we noticed an immediate change in the attitude of our agents. This day merged into the next and we were told we could refuel, though we were still unable to leave the vessel. Late that afternoon, we were told that the crew would be allowed to enter Brazil legally, but the ﬁrearms would have to be “donated” to the police. If they were going to get our guns, they were never going to be able to use them. I had our engineer disabled them and I was taken with the guns and ammunition to the police station where I had to sign photocopied documents stating that I was donating them. Not prepared to jeopardize our anticipated permission to depart, I grudgingly signed. We returned to the boat and that afternoon given permission to sail to Rio de Janeiro.

Off to Rio After all the problems in Recife, it was wonderful to go to sea again. It is a four-day trip where you stay on the 300-foot depth contours to avoid the South Equatorial current that heads in a northwest direction. The counter current is a great assist; however you need to pay attention to long-line nets and fishing floats that barely float. Occasionally a boat will steam in your direction frantically waving and gesticulating, giving you the hint that there is some kind of fishing apparatus in the vicinity. Eventually we rounded Cabo Frio and soon had the mountains in sight. It is a beautiful and scenic city; however, it is infested with crime.

Marina de Gloria was going to be our home for a month. The yacht club’s tender met us at the approach to the marina and assisted us with tying up. The marina is a horseshoe-shaped basin near Sugar Loaf Mountain with basic services, no power for large yachts and a precarious little walkway to put your gangway up to. The one plus is that it is central to the city and has an army of guards to keep you safe. The staff is congenial and made all efforts to assist us. When one gets beyond the rude authorities, Brazilian people are warm and friendly. After arriving, it was time to start the paperwork again. Armed with the addresses of various agencies and the paperwork from Recife, I proceeded to the federal police, the equivalent of U.S. immigration and our first step in the clearance procedure. The head of immigration shuffled me out of her office after 20 minutes of high-pitched shouting and banging things on the table. I hardly got a word in. A local “despatcho” clearance agent listening to her rave on said he could assist me and apologized for her behavior. (Despatcho agents do the mundane paperwork for agents.) The dockmaster in Rio de Janeiro is Nelson Falcon, a congenial fellow who will go out of his way to help you. We encountered a few problems in the marina but the biggest one was water. John Todhunter, our engineer, connected a pump to several faucets and we were able to get enough water pressure to wash down. Making water is not an option. To clear in you need to pay a tax called a GAR Funapol, which is the equivalent of $200 US to the Bank of Brazil and then return the form to the

See STRAITS, page A27

CRUISING GROUNDS

July 2005

Bureaucrats are crazy but Brazilian people are terriﬁc MAP/CHRISTINE ABBOTT

STRAITS, from page A26

��

police. I spent �� an hour in line �� at the bank and �� two hours for the �� police o return �� from lunch only to find out my documents from Recife where wrong. “How �� could you �� possibly �� expect to clear in with these documents?” the immigration official told me. “Where are your visas? You need to leave the country today.” Here we go again. The next day I asked the attorney to go to immigration with me. He was taken into the office without me and after 45 minutes returned with a smile on his face. I had to pay the chief of immigration $800 but everything was going to be fine. I had just learned how to take care of officials in Brazil. ��

��

What money buys After that, our papers were signed and stamped, no one had to leave the country and we got a six-month stay. I also found out that the guns should never have been confiscated, but it was too late to get them back. I would never advise anyone to stop in Recife. The guests arrived in Sao Paulo as American Airlines does not fly to Rio. Our attorney friend met the guests with a translator, a couple of guards and a large van where they had a tour of the city before driving to the boat. The drive is a one-time experience and we suggest a commuter flight to Santos Dumont, the local airport almost next door to the marina. Rio has a bad wrap as far as security goes. I believe the residents are more afraid than the tourists, although you do need to be aware of where you are. In tourist areas, there is a conspicuous presence of police on foot, on horseback and driving riot vehicles.

The guests returned home on New Year’s Eve and the crew were given the night off to partake in Reveillon, the New Year’s festival on the beaches. The major attraction is the honoring of Lemanjé, a goddess of the sea. After our hectic time getting down to Rio and getting ready for guests, it was time to see the sights. We opted to visit Buzios, a town near Cabo Frio that is hailed as Brazil’s St. Tropez. It lays about 190nm east of Rio. We drove there by car and were amazed. It is an old ﬁshing town with quaint cobblestone streets that has become a Brazilian sanctuary from the hustle and bustle of urban living. It has about 20 beaches with calm surf. Beautiful houses nestle on the hills surrounding the bays. The streets are lined with restaurants, bars and boutiques. As Buzios is a peninsula, the police control the only road in and create an environment where people feel comfortable. It is a jewel. It can be visited by boat, although there is nowhere to tie up. The anchorages looked safe.

Off to Buenos Aires The voyage to Buenos Aires, Argentina, began after a huge lowpressure system passed. Weather Routing gave us the go ahead and we dodged two low-pressure systems en route. They called the weather perfectly and, four and a half days later, we were heading up the Rio Plate. From the entrance at Punta del Este in Uruguay up to Buenos Aires is 190nm. The water is brown and the river is shallow out of the shipping channels. We elected to dispense with a pilot as Queen of Diamonds is less than 300 tons. We ran outside the channel until we reached the outskirts of Buenos Aires. The channel is not ad.qxd 5/13/2005 5:57 ﬁrst PM by Page 1 very wide and is controlled

The Triton A27

Uruguay as far up as Montevideo and then switches over to Argentinean control. We had arranged dockage in Puerto Madero, which is the old port. Built of stone, it has been totally renovated and, since the 1960s, has become a trendy restaurant and tourist Fueling at Puerto Madryn. destination. The yacht club has ﬂoating docks and is and for once everyone would like to protected. have spent more time there. You have to enter through a narrow We organized fuel and managed channel 25 meters wide and 197 meters to get the truck to deliver to us at the long. There is a swing bridge operated marina, a fairly complicated process by the Prefectura (the Argentinean that our agent assisted us with. We Coast Guard) on demand every hour. backed up to the yacht club ramp and Our agent, Luis Baronio from Cargo- ran the fuel line to our stern. It worked SA, met us with the dockmaster and got great, although the truck only held us settled in. It was almost midnight. 10,000 liters and had a two-hour round When the owners and guests trip to refuel. Needless to say it was an departed after their stay, we had to all-night affair. start moving south as the weather was After provisioning and getting ready changing rapidly with the advance of for our trip to Ushuaia, we were advised winter. After a wonderful experience in See STRAITS, page A28 Buenos Aires it was like leaving friends,

CRUISING GROUNDS

A28 The Triton

July 2005

Megayacht takes owner, crew where few bother to pass STRAITS, from page A27

by Weather Routing that we only had a 48-hour window to travel. That would only be sufﬁcient time to get to Mar del Plata. We decided to go.

Heading south The trip down river to Mar del Plata takes a little over 24 hours. It is a pleasant trip with lots of trafﬁc as vessels use the river to go to Buenos Aires, Paraguay and Uruguay. Mar del Plata is the Argentinean seaside resort. In summer it seems like the entire population of the city escapes to the sea. We had to anchor off the yacht club and dropped two anchors and stern-to a mooring buoy. The yacht club tender ferried us back and forth. With the next 48-hour window, we could get as far as Puerto Madryn in the Valdez Peninsula. Puerto Madryn is in Golfo Nuevo, a well-protected bay that is a marine sanctuary for the varied sea-life. Around June, the Southern Right whales take over the bay to breed. There are also ﬁve varieties of dolphins and the amazing orcas that beach themselves at high tide to snatch seal pups off the beach. We departed Puerto Madryn with a 30-hour weather window, which

allowed us to get as far as Puerto Deseado, a small town with a meatpacking facility and a large fishing fleet. The port captain allowed us to tie up to the fishing boats, which was like tying up to a large dock without having to concern yourself with the 5- to 6-meter tides. The harbor does not really offer any good anchorage and the currents whip through the harbor at 3 to 6 knots. For us, however, it was the halfway mark down to the start of the Straits of Magellan. We were assured a weather window within 36 hours so it was a good stop. Using Weather Routing really takes the guess work out of predicting the weather in this region. For information about Weather Routing, visit www.wriwx.com.

Our voyage to the Straits of Magellan where you enter at Cabo Virgenes was like a millpond. We arrived at Punta Delgado, which is a stopping-off point, to contact the authorities and get ready for the correct tide through the narrows called Primera and Segunda Angostura. The Straits are shared by two countries but the majority of the waterways are controlled by the Chilean Armada. Punta Arenas

Finally, Queen of Diamonds docks in Ushuaia, Argentina. controls the northern section, which is used primarily for transit from east to west. Puerto Williams controls the southern region, which includes Isla de los Estados, Cape Horn, the Beagle Canal and adjacent channels. We had arranged with the Chilean person in charge that we were not stopping in Puerto Arenas as we were proceeding directly to Ushuaia, which is Argentinean. (We did this to get duty-free fuel, which is half the cost of duty-paid fuel.) The ﬁrst few days through the straits we contacted all the control points that are established by the authorities. Each evening before dark we would ﬁnd one of the approved anchorages and anchor with two anchors and lots of scope as the rachas or squalls that instantly appear could easily gust to 60 knots. The anchorages we found were secure from the north and the west from where the predominant winds come.

Crossing over

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We continued our voyage, heading south and east until reaching Canal O’Brien, which is the crossover point to the Puerto Williams control. At this juncture the port captain of Puerto Williams was amazed that we had gotten this far without ever entering into Chile and dispatched a gunboat to escort us back to Puerto Williams, a distance of 120nm. All day long we were escorted past Ushuaia to Puerto Williams. We arrived and the authorities boarded in a snow storm. When the delegation reached the wheelhouse, they were apologetic. They took a copy of our radio contacts, phone calls and e-mails with the Punta Arenas authorities. They saw we had done our due diligence and the fault lay with Punta Arenas. The interesting part is that they offered us free pilotage to return to Ushuaia. The frontier between Chile and Argentina lies at the center of the Beagle Canal and in the early 1980s there was almost a war between the countries over the territory. The pope intervened and today there are ﬁnite

areas between the two governments. In passing Ushuaia en route to Puerto Williams we contacted the Argentinean authorities to let them know what was transpiring. They told us to go to Puerto Williams but not to worry as they would inquire whether the crew was being treated fairly. I found that to be quite remarkable. On further inquiry from the port captain, who invited us ashore in the morning to meet him and the head of the Chilean armada for coffee, we could apply for pilotage exemption from Valparaiso. We got all the paperwork together and submitted the information, which was going to take a few days. Puerto Williams is a basic military post where 2,300 people live and 2,000 are in the navy. The port captain runs a tight show, but everyone is polite and makes you feel welcome. During a storm, with winds gusting to 60 knots, we accidentally got the tender line caught in the prop and had to request a diver to free it. The water temperature is 45 degrees and we were not equipped for that kind of diving. The guy in charge of the ﬁsheries came out and freed the line. We invited him to dinner the next day and he brought the cod and king crab for the meal, which our chef prepared. He then took us on a tour of Puerto Williams to see the sights. The blows occur as a rule every 48 hrs and last for about 12-24 hours. We have seen wind-speeds that make the boat shake. At this time of year, you can experience four seasons in a day and we’ve had our share of white-outs. When we leave Puerto Williams, we will spend a few days in Ushuaia before continuing on our voyage to Puerto Montt, which is meant to be spectacular. We have not met many fellow cruisers on our voyage and for people bored with the ordinary, it is a real adventure coming down here. I would not trade this experience for anything. Contact Capt. Ian van der Watt through editorial@the-triton.com.

July 2005

CRUISING GROUNDS

The Triton A29

One of Adriatic’s gems, Kotor offers cheap fuel, lovely sights By Capt. Brad Tate

fjord in the Adriatic. Kotor just happens to be situated at While cruising the Adriatic Sea, the foot of a steep mountain range that you are likely to make a stop in the allows for an unmatchable hike. The Montenegrin port of Kotor. Situated view is open to the public at no charge. just 34 miles south of Dubrovnik, The only place to tie up is the Croatia, Kotor is one of the best government dock, which is also the preserved medieval towns in the customs dock. Mediterranean. If you have time to explore, visit The combination of narrow streets, Budva. Situated just south of Kotor, squares and monuments of medieval Budva is considered one of the oldest architecture accentuate this UNESCO settlements in the Balkans. The old World Heritage site. Because of its town of Budva lies on a little island significance and the likelihood of that was linked to land by a sandbar seismic activity, it is also considered to that in time turned into a peninsula. It be an endangered site. is surrounded by ramparts originating Part of the from the 15th former Yugoslavia, century including For more information: the city of Kotor a medieval Contact Jasna Krstic and Ana enjoys a significant fortification Radevic at A1-JLT in Kotor tourist crowd system with city A1JLT Montenegro D.O.O. Kotor of Croatians as gates, defense Benovo B.B.-Zgrada Lucke well as locals walls and towers. Kapetanije from Serbia and Also try to see 85 330 Kotor Montenegro. There Sveti Stefan. A Montenegro are few tourists former fishing Phone: +381 82 304 424 from anywhere in village, Sveti Stefan North America is now a world Fax: +381 82 304 427 and, until the past famous townCell: +381 69 024 327 two years or so, hotel. The beauty there were virtually and age of these no megayachts visiting. sites is a marvel to anyone who visits. But that is changing rapidly. As with any stop in the Eastern Due to the high cost of fuel Mediterranean, it is necessary to clear everywhere else and the low cost in in through an agent. In Kotor, as in Kotor, the city is becoming a popular most other cities, A1-JLT is your agent spot for yachts cruising the Adriatic to to clear in and out of customs, arrange stop for a few days to take on fuel and for fuel, etc. soak up the incredible culture. Mention my name and you won’t get Kotor is full of interesting markets, any discounts, but they may be happy shops, and a bustling night life. The to hear a familiar name. highlight of the town is a hike to the top of the walled fortress that Capt. Brad Tate is now marina manager surrounds the town. From the peak you at Pier 17 in Ft. Lauderdale. Contact will find a stunning view of the only him through editorial@the-triton.com.

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WRITE TO BE HEARD

A30 The Triton

July 2005

Best way to motivate crew: Set a good example By Mate Don Vogt It was interesting to read the range of captains’ views in the Bridge story “Managing a successful crew begins with respect, authority” [page 1, June 2005]. I would like to add a crew perspective. A good captain doesn’t need to tell anyone he is the captain; it is displayed in his work ethic and actions. If Vogt the captain has to remind crew he is the captain, he has a serious lack of management skills. I would say the same about a captain who needs to be called “captain” all the time. There is an ocean of difference between having respect for someone’s title and having respect for someone. It has been my experience that captains who lead by example are much more successful than ones who “manage.” If a captain wants to have a great program and a great reputation, then he has to set the pace. One captain I worked for worked hard every day. He was always busy with legitimate projects, always available to help out, always did topquality work. His standards were

crystal clear, and they were set by his actions. No one likes to be outdone, so at the very least I had to keep up. Most often, though, I would put in the extra effort to make sure my work stood out. This captain would often give a heartfelt praise about a certain job we did, or brag a little to the owner about how well the boat was being kept up. It was those little things that made me feel good about the work I did. Here is a simple example: We ﬁnished the stainless on the aft deck. The next day, the owners came aboard. The captain was talking to them on the aft deck and commented how the deck crew did a great job on the stainless. The owner said he really loves the stainless back here and is really impressed with how well it is being kept up. Do you think we ever lowered the standard after hearing that? Anyone who has ever read a management or leadership book or worked for a good manager knows that praise, support, guidance, constructive criticism and a positive attitude lets you move mountains. The opposite will give you a leaky boat: Crew will continue to leak out one by one. It’s the heartfelt praise that raises the spirits. It makes you want to get it again, so you work even harder. It’s knowing that the captain wants you to succeed and is willing to take steps to

help you move further in your career that makes you want to do a great job. What is the motivation to do a great job if all you ever hear is criticism, silence or a glancing “good job guys”? There is none, so you just try to survive every day with as little criticism as possible. I have not seen any standard yacht crew management courses, so it is hard for a captain to find good advice. Often, captains work their way up the ladder, getting tons of experience on various jobs. But when they take over as captain, they find themselves managing a whole crew. Where does that experience come from? My advice to captains is simple: Make sure your work ethic sets the standard, let your actions speak more than your words, find ways to give heartfelt praise, find ways to avoid criticism, and honestly care about the people you work and share the boat with. In corporate America, if a business is not performing well, it’s not the norm to change all the staff. It’s management that gets changed. Mate Don Vogt worked in the corporate world for more than a decade before beginning his yachting career. A licensed captain, he has worked as a mate on three yachts over 100 feet. Contact him through editorial@the-triton.com.

WRITE TO BE HEARD

July 2005

The Triton A31

Notes from an old-er captain Hey guys, remember when we started in this business? We were told we would make the big money when we got a little older and had some experience, when we had been places and learned to navigate. Serve a few years as an apprentice and learn to do every job on the boat, we were told. Learn the engine room and how to varnish. Find out what electrolysis looks like on a fastener when you pull it out. Maybe spend a little time on some refits so we’d know how these things are built. Well, I spent time doing all that. I’ve refit some wood boats, built some glass ones, even learned how to sit on a barstool and sound like an old salt. Time went on and the beard turned white. By the time I could navigate and could tell if I was drifting off course from wind or tide just from the feel, it was a skill not needed. They have fancy machines now that any kid who can read and write can use to get anywhere, right on the nose. So much for experience. I went to talk to the owner of a 140footer a while back. His first question was if I was computer literate. I asked him if – seeing as his wife and family were going to be onboard – didn’t he want to know if I could run a boat? He said, “Well, I know you can run a boat; you’ve got a license.” I told him that I hope it didn’t come as a big shock that having a license didn’t mean you were a captain. It meant you could read and write. Most of the boats today don’t have any varnish, and if they do, the crew hires subcontractors to repair it. Engineers mostly have a list of shorebased mechanics to fix things. Hell, half of them don’t even change oil. Most crew think a fastener is that hook on the back of a bra. Times have changed. The industry doesn’t need us older captains with our 30 years of experience, it seems. The jobs have changed to where a kid could do the job. Come to think of it, they do. If anyone out there is hiring someone, you can either hire a boat driver or – for about the same money – you can hire a captain to run your boat. Like a young lady told me recently, “there’s a lot to be said for dealing with an established firm.” Capt. Don Punkka

You never know when you’ll need insurance Here’s a follow-up to the health insurance article [“Connection: Crew unwisely rely on yachts to protect their health,” page 1, June 2005]. You just don’t know how fast an incident can happen. One second I’m reaching for a cold beer in my son’s refrigerator and the next I’m laying on the ﬂoor with a broken hip. Yes, I have insurance that I pay for, but I’m reimbursed by the owner as negotiated during my hiring. (By the way, the owner was only concerned about my recovery and said “we will use the boat when you are well.”) Two thoughts: there are still good owners out there, and have insurance. Capt. Joe Russell

hurricane season.

Triton is impressive

Triton soothes a traveling soul

The paper looks great this month. I’ve only seen it online so far, but I continue to be so impressed. Thank you for informing and representing crew so well. Dawn Kuhns Chief stewardess, M/Y Golden Rule

Having just returned from a solo delivery from Palm Beach to Norfolk, I wanted to tell you about a pleasant surprise I had in my travels. At the end of each day, I looked forward to putting in at a marina, fueling up the boat, and getting a decent meal before retiring. As this was my ﬁrst complete run from Florida to Virginia (I have done segments of this journey before), many locations were new and unfamiliar. Well, I made plans to stay at the Coinjock Marina in North Carolina one evening, and as I walked into the

Hurricane dockage story helped Thanks for a great article. [“Marinas may warn: Dock at your own risk,” page B1, June 2005]. I will certainly take the advice into account at Reynolds Park Yachting Center in this coming 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

Capt. David Peden Dockmaster

Sad news about the shipyard I was sorry to read of Fort Lauderdale Shipyard’s continuing difficulties in a recent issue. [“Managers let go as Fort Lauderdale Shipyard struggles to stay afloat,” page 3, May 2005] I guess I won’t be using that free haul-out that I won at your kick-off party [last year] very soon. It was good to read that many of the laidoff employees have been able to find new positions quickly, though. Capt. Matt Hedrick

Editor Lucy Chabot Reed, lucy@the-triton.com Contributing Editor Lawrence Hollyﬁeld Contributors Carol Bareuther, Dean Barnes, The Bridge, Blair Duff, Capt. David Hare, Lisette Hilton, Jack Horkheimer, A.J. Jacobs, Chef Mary Beth Lawton Johnson, Richard Elliot Johnson, Lisa H. Knapp, Mate Joe MacVeagh, Donna Mergenhagen, Capt. Michael Murphy, Jeff Ostrowski, Steve Pica, Capt. Don Punkka, Rossmare Intl., Capt. Brad Tate, Michael Thiessen, Pat Teodosio, Daniel Treffery, Capt. Ian van der Watt, Mate Don Vogt, Phaedra Xanthos

marina store, lo and behold, there it was, a quite familiar and comforting site: the latest issue of The Triton, prominently on display on the shelf. It was like I’d found a long-lost friend. Living in Florida, I thought The Triton was more of a local, southern Florida/Caribbean type of paper. But here it was, found half-way up the eastern seaboard. It was great to see. Thanks to Louie, Norman and the rest of the crew at Coinjock Marina for their hospitality, assistance, and out-ofthis-world prime rib. And keep up the good work Triton. Capt. Tom Serio MTS Yacht Services

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 Vol. 2, No. 4.

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) 525-9676 www.the-triton.com

Getting Under Way Technical news for captains and crews

July 2005 Pages 21-25

M/Y Red Baron turns blue with new owners, old captain By Lucy Chabot Reed

“But it’s not overdone, ya know?” Capt. Moe said. The paintings are subtle: a goblet of The Red Baron sails no more. And Capt. blueberries with strawberries spilled across a “Moe” Moses is no longer skipper of the redtable, a red lighthouse with a white roof. hulled yacht, a vessel he’s worked on for nearly The name plates on the sides have been lit 10 years. with a little extra flare so they can be seen from For the past five months, Capt. Moe has hundreds of yards away. But they are also on a worked with the yacht’s newest owners to dimmer, Capt. Moe said, in case the boat next to transform the 105-foot Broward into a tribute them at the dock gets a little annoyed. to the United States. With her hull painted “We’re loud and proud,” Capt. Moe said. Awlgrip’s “flag blue,” the newly named M/Y There’s a red rope light under the cap rail and Freedom left Ft. Lauderdale in late June en route a silver bell will adorn the bow. Off the stern, the to Chesapeake Bay for a big birthday party. old flag from St. Vincent & the Grenadines has “People see me now and say, ‘when did you been replaced with an American flag. get off the red boat?’” Capt. Moe said. “We talked about the boat being called But it’s the same boat. A few years ago, Freedom; we couldn’t have a green flag out the owners of the Red Baron got sick and the there,” Capt. Moe said. “I’m an all-American boat sat for about a year before Capt. Moe guy.” While the engines were dismantled, Capt. ‘Moe’ Moses took encouraged them to charter it again. He called Capt. Moe has spent almost 10 years on this some former charter clients, including one the opportunity to paint everything in the engine room red, Broward and refit it so many times “there’s couple who would eventually consider buying white and blue. PHOTOS/LUCY REED nothing Broward left on it,” he said. the yacht. “I’ve been lucky,” he said, explaining his “We’ve been chartering for about five years,” said tenure through three owners but one boat. “I’ve had overhaul and Capt. Moe had everything painted red, the husband, a land developer from Annapolis. “We great owners.” white and blue. knew we wanted to buy a boat one day and we didn’t The current owner has been supportive of Capt. The main engines, generators, transmissions and know anything about it, so we chartered to learn Moe’s vision. While he at times wasn’t as enthusiastic safety equipment are all red. Every pump, motor and about it, learn what we liked and what we disliked.” as Capt. Moe, “he never said no” and eventually came hose is blue. All the fittings are silver and the units They started with Red Baron and meeting Capt. are all trimmed in polished stainless. New deck plates to like the final product, Capt. Moe said. Moe. “Moe’s a good guy,” the owner said. “This is his have that same silver finish and the walls are white. “Moe and I kind of hit it off,” the husband said. boat. He loves it as much as I do.” Freedom now sports a new tender and Jet ski, new “We’re 100 years apart in our age but we’re both little The crew have been working seven days a week air handlers that the crew installed themselves, all kids at heart.” since the project began. As June came to a close, Capt. new electronics in the wheelhouse and fly bridge, One problem – they didn’t like the red hull. So in Moe and the rest of the four-person crew worked late and new canvas over the fly bridge. New audio/video an effort to make some changes but not completely into the night to finish details to make sure the yacht equipment has been installed throughout, including refit the yacht, Capt. Moe suggested they paint it blue crew quarters. was in Annapolis for the Fourth of July. and call it Freedom, that way they could play off many In those last days, Capt. Moe said the owner would The interior has new carpet, cushions and of the red accents inside and still have a theme. headliner as well as a few new appliances. There’s new remind him that come winter, the two of them would The idea stuck in the new owners’ mind and Waterford crystal as well as new china and silverware. be sitting on deck, enjoying a beer, and laughing soon after their Fourth of July charter last year, they about all the work they had gone through. New security cameras help keep everything safe. decided to buy it. “It won’t be this winter,” Capt. Moe said he told “He spent the money on the right things,” Capt. “I knew he was going to buy a boat, but I didn’t him as the refit wrapped up in Moe said, noting that major think it was going to be this boat,” Capt. Moe said. late June. “It’ll be July. It has to fixtures in the bathrooms and By February, the yacht was in Lauderdale Marine be July.” the white-washed oak walls are Center on the hard. While painters started on her the same. hull, the crew and subcontractors worked in the Contact Editor Lucy Chabot Most of the accents have a engine room. Her Detroit 1692s had an in-frame Reed at lucy@the-triton.com. Even custom deck plates were made. little red, white and blue in them.

Employers – that means captains, yards – responsible for safety Last month I discussed the hazards of atmospheres containing diesel vapors. Shortly after I ﬁnished writing the article, I was called to perform an inspection on a cargo ship in Miami. When I arrived, I saw several workers cleaning the fuel tanks (diesel) with rags and T-shirts tied around their heads as “respirators” and using sponges and SAFETY MATTERS soapy water to mop BLAIR DUFF, CMC up the fuel. The last time I checked, rags are not approved by the U.S. Occupational

Safety and Health Administration. By law, an employer is required to provide a work environment that is safe for workers. The employer is also required to test the concentration of any vapors present in conﬁned or enclosed spaces to determine if entry can be made safely and to then decide upon the correct personal protective equipment (PPE) that may be necessary. This employer had no means of doing so. It is the employer’s responsibility to know when respirators are required, to provide the proper respirators, to train employees how to use and maintain them, and to have a written respirator

program. OHSA’s regulations for respiratory protection, 29 CFR 1910.134, apply to general industry (part 1910), shipyards (part 1915), marine terminals (part 1917), and longshoring (part 1918). These employers must provide respirators when they are necessary to protect the health of the employee, and the employer shall be responsible for the establishment and maintenance of a respiratory protection program (29 CFR 1910.134(a)(2)). This includes those working on board any vessel. OSHA requires that the shipyard, employer or captain of a vessel to identify and evaluate respiratory

hazards, use control methods other than respirators (such as ventilation), provide employees with suitable respirators for the purpose intended, establish and maintain a written respiratory program, provide ﬁt testing of tight-ﬁtting respirators and training, use respirators that have NIOSH approval, provide maintenance and care of the respirators, and conduct inspections of emergency use respirators.

Yachting industry unique Working in the yachting industry provides for a unique work

See SAFETY, page A24

SYSTEMS TIPS

A22 The Triton

July 2005

Customer plays key role in custom refrigeration system By Daniel Treffery

It is all too common in today’s custom yachting market to find design flaws in custom refrigeration systems resulting in inadequate performance or complete failure. However, it is possible to avoid an expensive refrigeration disaster. Here are several things to be aware of when commissioning a company for a custom refrigeration system aboard your vessel. Firstly, don’t assume that the designer knows your refrigeration needs. It is important for the consumer to participate in the design process and relay any usage facts that may or may not seem pertinent. Being an experienced refrigeration system designer doesn’t mean that a person knows you throw dinner parties every night or that you fill the freezer with 20 pounds of raw meat every week. If you are replacing an old unit, it may help to log your usage for a few days, noting what items you stored and how often you opened the door. Also, ensure that the designer can guarantee a maximum operating temperature under some set of specific usage conditions. This is important and can save you lots of aggravation and

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money if the system doesn’t function properly. Supply the designer with your specific usage conditions. The more information you provide, the less speculation is involved in the design. Less speculation means less culpability for you. Be specific. Finally, be cautious of a designer that offers you an equipment list at your first encounter. It is not unheard of for experienced individuals to design successful refrigeration systems using rule-of-thumb methods. In fact, ruleof-thumb methods, a compilation of assumptions based on average conditions, make excellent tools to check the design, but should never be used as a basis for the design. Unfortunately, there is no method of confirming the adequacy of the refrigeration system until it is installed and in operation. While following these guidelines will help decrease the probability of being the victim of a poor refrigeration system, there is always a chance that it will happen to you. Let’s face it, being hot is never cool. Daniel Treffery is a mechanical design engineer with Cool-Temp Design Corp. in Ft. Lauderdale. Contact him at danny@cooltempdesign.com.

Today’s fuel prices

One year ago

Prices for low-sulfur gasoil expressed in US$ per cubic meter (1,000 liters) as of June 15.

Prices in US$ per cubic meter (1,000 litres) as of June 15, 2004.

Region Duty-free*/duty paid U.S. East Coast Ft. Lauderdale 488/522 Savannah, Ga. 491/NA Newport, R.I. 518/NA Caribbean St. Thomas, USVI 619/NA Trinidad 502/NA Antigua 549/NA North Atlantic Bermuda (Ireland Island) 514/NA Bermuda (St. George’s) 566/NA Cape Verde 488/NA Azores 491/NA Canary Islands 487/NA Mediterranean Gibraltar 496/NA Barcelona, Spain 584/1,164 Palma de Mallorca, Spain 593/1,124 Antibes, France 433/1,013 San Remo, Italy 629/1,391 Naples, Italy 602/1,265 Venice, Italy 661/1,273 Corfu, Greece 627/1,022 Piraeus, Greece 648/1,046 Istanbul, Turkey 503/NA Malta 489/NA Tunis, Tunisia 460/NA Oceania Auckland, New Zealand 542/NA Sydney, Australia 559/NA Fiji 523/NA

Region Duty-free*/duty paid U.S. East Coast Fort Lauderdale, Fla. 310/NA Savannah, Ga. 311/NA Newport, R.I. 364/NA Caribbean St. Thomas, USVI 450/NA Trinidad 336/NA Antigua 407/NA North Atlantic Bermuda (Ireland Island) 415/NA Bermuda (St. George’s) 459/NA Cape Verde 305/NA Azores 362/NA Canary Islands 344/NA Mediterranean Gibraltar 330/NA Barcelona, Spain 420/835 Palma de Mallorca, Spain NA/845 Antibes, France 362/1,017 San Remo, Italy 420/1,022 Naples, Italy 520/1,019 Venice, Italy 451/1,072 Corfu, Greece 399/823 Piraeus, Greece 387/802 Istanbul, Turkey 317/NA Malta 323/NA Tunis, Tunisia 376/NA Oceania Auckland, New Zealand 351/NA Sydney, Australia 355/NA Fiji 364/NA

*When available according to customs.

July 2005

YARD NEWS

Lewis finds Broward Marine a good (re)fit By Lucy Chabot Reed When real estate developer Tom Lewis bought Broward Yachts in March, he had a vision of reviving one of the industry’s most popular brands. While that plan is actively in the works, with three new models making their way into production, Lewis announced in June that the renamed Broward Marine will not abandon its refit and repair responsibility. “Since being here and getting inquiries from Broward owners, the potential for the yard is significantly greater than we thought,” Lewis said. “So we’re looking at how best to take advantage of our strategic position and take advantage of the vast Broward fleet that’s out there,” he said. “There are more than 200 of them on the water looking for someplace to go.” The first step is to hire a general manager to handle that repair and refit section. Bob Dean, hired as general manager soon after Lewis bought the business, has resigned to pursue other interests, Lewis said. Calvin Kreidt, who has worked with Jones Shipyard and Mega Marine, is the yard’s new service manager. Mega Marine moved off the yard’s 10-acre property in Dania Beach at the end of its lease in early June. The new-build side of the business

has been busy. Ribs for the first two new 120-footers have been erected. Those yachts are being built on spec, Lewis said, but he expects future production to be driven by sales. In June, Broward Marine introduced details of its three new lines of yachts: a 120-foot raised pilot house yacht with a 24-foot beam, a 135-foot tri-deck yacht with a 26.5-foot beam, and a 160foot tri-deck yacht with a 28-foot beam. Ribs for the first two new 120-foot Browards The lines have been were erected in June. PHOTO/LUCY REED designed by the firm of Evan K. Marshall, an American “With American crew, you’ve got naval architect now based in London. to provide it,” said Mac McLaughlin, Marshall has worked with New the company’s chief financial officer. Orleans-based Trinity Yachts on at least “Turnover kills you. Owners are coming one yacht, M/Y Relentless. to the conclusion that they have to One of the most interesting features treat the crew better.” of the new Broward designs – at The concessions for crew came from least from a crew and operational discussions with captains and owners, perspective – is the expanded crew Lewis said. area. The 120-foot line will include a “I’m assumed not to know anything, crew mess and three staterooms, each so I can ask lots of dumb questions,” he with their own head, so the yachts can said, noting that the best advice those carry a crew of at least five, possibly six, folks gave him is: “Don’t over-think it; depending on berthing arrangements. just make it better.” There is also the potential for the boat to carry a crew of eight by turning Contact Editor Lucy Chabot Reed at the lazarette into a stateroom. lucy@the-triton.com.

The Triton A23

SAFETY MATTERS

A24 The Triton

July 2005

Use material safety data sheets to help determine hazard risks SAFETY, from page A21 environment. The type of work, repairs and maintenance that crew perform will determine the type of PPE necessary. Job tasks such as sanding, varnishing, painting, polishing, welding, working with fuel (whether diesel or gasoline), and welding all require the proper selection of respiratory equipment. The duration and frequency of the job, the exposure concentration, the hazards of the contaminant(s) and the location of the work (e.g. on deck, in a conﬁned or enclosed space, etc.) all enter into the equation of how to determine the appropriate PPE. Captains need to have onboard the Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS) for all solvents, paints, cleaners, degreasers, varnishes and other

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6/16/2005

chemical products in use on the megayacht. The MSDS is the best way to evaluate the physical, chemical and toxicological properties of a potential hazard. They will list the appropriate types of PPEs needed. If the needed information is not listed on the MSDS, you must determine what speciﬁc chemical is involved and then look up the OSHA Permissible Exposure Limit (PEL) in 29 CFR 1915.1000. If you cannot ﬁnd it there, then you are required to use the ACGIH’s Threshold Limit Value (TLV), the NIOSH (National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health) recommended exposure limit (REL) or a similar reference to determine safe exposure levels. Determining the air concentration is not easy. Most captains aren’t going

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to call a marine chemist or industrial hygienist to perform tests while they’re varnishing in the master stateroom to determine the exposure limits and identify the proper PPE to use. Frequently, reading the MSDS doesn’t specify the percentage of a speciﬁc chemical and there is no way to calculate the exposure concentration except by a direct analytic method. Colorimetric tubes offer one of the best and most economical ways to get an approximate concentration, but this has to be done by someone trained to use and interpret them.

Readings only good for a moment Remember that the reading obtained is only for that moment. For varnishing, painting and using cleaners or solvents in enclosed spaces, the use of engineering controls such as

ventilation to dilute the concentration of the contaminant is much preferred. Any ventilation equipment must have an explosion-proof rating. A PPE should be the last resort after using engineering and administrative controls to eliminate or reduce a hazard. If the work involved and the contaminant is a potential eye irritant, then a full-faced respirator is required. Environmental factors, such as temperature and humidity, must also be considered when selecting the proper PPE. While working in confined spaces one needs to consider the oxygen level before entering. A half-face or full-face respirator does not supply oxygen, unless is it connected to an oxygen supply bottle or system. Entry into a confined space that has not been tested to insure the oxygen level is at least 19.5 percent is not permitted under any circumstances other than an emergency. While solvents are evaporating during the work, they might be displacing the oxygen that is present. For this reason, continued testing must take place. Many ships require confined space permits and training prior to entry. Your vessel should set up a program to assure that the proper procedures are followed. Remember safety first. 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. More information can be found on OSHA’s Web site at www.osha.gov/SLTC/ respiratoryprotection or at NIOSH’s site at www.cdc.gov/niosh/homepage.html.

TECH NEWS BRIEFS

July 2005

The Triton A25

Westport picks Delta ‘T’ ventilation To help protect engine rooms on its new 164-foot tri-deck yachts, Westport is installing ventilation systems from Delta “T” Systems. Efﬁciently controlling the engine room’s climate will keep the yacht line’s twin 3,650 hp MTU 16V4000 diesels operating at peak levels. Delta ‘T’ System’s high-volume ventilation package includes its new P/T4 automated control system, moisture eliminators, stainless steel dampers, intake fans and exhaust fans. P/T4 features greater processing power for precise fan control and faster response to changes in engine room pressure or temperature. Visit www.deltatsystems.com or call (561) 848-1311.

Unload excess equipment Meridian Marine, a Ft. Lauderdalebased yacht supplier, has started a service to sell a vessel’s unused equipment and spares on its Web site, MERIDIANMarineBay and on the Auction site of eBay. Simply drop off sellable items at Meridian Marine’s 7,000-square-foot building and Meridian will do the rest. After the sale, the seller gets a credit or check, minus broker and eBay registration fees. Meridian Marine is located at 528 S.E. 32nd St., between the airport and Port Everglades. Contact Trevor Dewald at 954-462-9110 or visit Meridianmarine.com.

Low-copper hull paint shines San Diego-based Driscoll Boat Works has introduced SEASystem (Safe Environmental Ablative). The system combines Driscoll’s low-copper ablative, self-polishing bottom paint with a

two-year hull maintenance system that reduces hull cleanings, preserves the marine environment and saves time and money, the company said. With SEASystem, monthly maintenance is replaced by a quarterly schedule of diver inspections and haul out hydrowashes. Visit www.driscollinc.com or call (619) 226-2500.

More machines for SodaBlast SodaBlast Systems has started construction on a 10,000-square-foot assembly plant in Houston to meet the demand for the company’s mobile hullcleaning systems. Eco-friendly SodaBlasting uses a special formulation of non-toxic sodium bicarbonate – baking soda – to clean boat bottoms in about onethird the time, and at roughly the same cost, as traditional methods without harming the gelcoat. The SodaBlasting hull cleaning service is available from a network of about 100 preferred contractors around the world. Visit www.sodablastboats.com or call (800) 727-5707.

Switlik recalls life raft Switlik Parachute Co. has discovered that a number of its life rafts contain serious safety defects that could result in the units either self-inflating or not inflating when needed. In October, the company issued a safety alert covering a range of life rafts manufactured as early as 1997. According to the Trenton, N.J., company, its proprietary Switlik inflation valve can malfunction if exposed to an “unusual and extreme combination of temperatures”

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– temperatures above 95 degrees Fahrenheit followed by temperatures below 20. The upgrade will be provided free during annual maintenance of rafts that may not have been exposed to extreme temperatures. Visit www.switlik.com or call (609) 587-3300 for more information.

Ft. Pierce marina adds ValvTect Harbortown Marina-Ft. Pierce now carries ValvTect Petroleum Products’ marine gasoline and diesel with BioGuard. ValvTect’s diesel with BioGuard product is specially formulated to prevent bacteria and other types of microbiological contamination while reducing fuel consumption, improving performance and extending engine life. Visit www.HarbortownMarinaFortPierce.com or call (772) 466-7300.

Cash for Florida marinas The Marine Industries Association of Florida scored a victory in June when Gov. Jeb Bush signed Florida’s new budget, which included $5 million in grants for marinas damaged in last year’s hurricanes. Rules for the grants have not been written. Marina owners and operators can contact the MIAF at miaf@att.net or (305) 663-1911 for more information.

New Costa Rica marina Marina Pez Vela Quepos plans to build a new marina in Quepos, Costa Rica. Construction is scheduled to begin this fall on 235 concrete ﬂoating docks to accommodate boats up to 200 feet, the company said in a statement. Call (781) 760-5956 for details.

Tight lines to all the anglers during the tournament season