The Triton 200508

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Engineer dies Industry loses a good one

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Skip to it Broward Marine hires general manager

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Getting paid not always about money For the most part, yacht crew work for millionaires. You would think getting paid wouldn’t be a problem. But it can be, and how to deal with an owner who owes you money can be a sticky situation when he’s concerned about pleasure and you’re concerned about business. FROM THE BRIDGE So we asked our Bridge captains what LUCY CHABOT REED they do when they are owed money. The best solution, they said, is to avoid getting in such a situation to begin with. As always, individual comments are not attributed to any one person in particular so as to encourage frank and open discussion. The attending captains are identified in a photograph on page A10. “It’s funny we’re talking about this today,” a captain said. “This happened to me with a guy who started out great. He’s a new owner and the boat didn’t have a credit card, so I put $1,500 on my card. I’m thinking, ‘this guys a millionaire, he’s not going to stiff me.’ “Then he just lost it on me one too many times and I gave my notice and he owes me the credit card and my salary, plus my [partner’s] salary. Now we’re up to $15,000. I’m off the boat now. Why would he pay me?” “Did you have a contract,” a captain asked.

See THE BRIDGE, page A10

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Write about it Crew speak out on standards, rotations

A28-31 August 2005

Wind blows paint shed onto yacht By Lucy Chabot Reed A few weeks from completing a 10-month refit, M/Y Double Haven is looking at two more months at Jones Boat Yard after a gust of wind from Hurricane Dennis blew over its floating paint shed in July. As The Triton went to press, two large cranes were gingerly removing bent pipes and other debris from the upper decks of the 168-foot Feadship, which will be hauled and parked under a temporary paint shed of scaffolding, PVC pipes and shrink wrap for more repairs. The crew of the yacht, which has spent much of the past decade in Southeast Asia, was eager to wrap up the already longer-than-expected refit when Dennis blew into the Gulf of Mexico, sending wind gusts across South Florida on July 8. At about 10 p.m. that night, Second Officer Jian Pietro Vaccari and deckhand Johan Van Eeden were Deckhand Johan Van Eeden, left, and Second Officer Jian Pietro Vaccari on the helipad discussing whether were on the helipad when the shed began to collapse. PHOTO/LUCY REED they should secure the shed. They had just checked the yard’s and the like we were on a movie set, but it was real.” painter’s support lines on the scaffolding, adding five of What likely happened was a perpendicular gust of wind their own, Vaccari said. hit the shed, which had been weakened from last fall’s Suddenly, Vaccari heard a pop, like a loud firecracker. spate of storms, Double Haven Capt. Steven Janzan said. Within seconds there was another one and the men ran Just how strong the gust was is open to debate. Nearby for cover. By the time they traveled the 20 feet to the radar Miami International Airport reported winds of 29 knots arch, a series of pops – like a string of firecrackers – went with gusts to 40 knots, according to Janzan. Jones Boat off and the shed came down on top of them. Yard General Manager Roger Morton thinks it was more. “A piece of scaffolding fell about a meter from me,” “We had gusts of 70-80 knots with those outer bands,” Vaccari said. Morton said. “I think one hit it just right.” They scrambled down the stairs and waited for quiet The crew members on the helipad said it was less. before venturing back to see what had happened: The “15 to 18 knots would be my guess,” Vaccari said. “Not joints where pipes were welded to plates had snapped, one 30 like the airport said.” after the other along the ribs of the two-and-a-half-yearThe shed – which stood 200 feet long with an inside old floating shed. “We didn’t have time to be afraid,” Vaccari said. “We felt See SHED, page A14

Florida marinas ride the wave as docks rebuild By Lisa H. Knapp

After a hurricane trashed Ft. Pierce’s city marina last year, General Manager Dean Kubitschek spent months researching a range of materials to rebuild the destroyed docks. Thirty-two hours of turbulent sea can destroy even the strongest slips, so he’s gone beyond comparing and contrasting the benefits of concrete, steel, aluminum and wood. Now he’s asking the state to let him block the

waves before they come. Kubitschek wants to construct an environmentally conscious protective wall, or wave attenuation system, around his marina’s basin. Coastal engineers say such systems ought to be a natural for Florida marinas, but state and federal regulators have been hesitant in the past to permit too much construction on the ocean floor. Because of the destruction the 2004 hurricanes inflicted on marinas such as

Kubitschek’s, regulators are beginning to lighten up. “Everyone was shook up last year with the devastating damage to the marinas from the hurricanes,” said Melissa Meeker, the former district director for the Department of Environmental Protection in West Palm Beach, the agency that issues permits for the wave attenuation systems. “The agency is being more flexible and is more open to new innovative solutions.”

Wave attenuation systems are barriers that absorb wave energy and reflect it back out to sea, sparing docks and yachts in a marina from the brunt of the wave action and tide dynamics that occur during a storm. “There should be more wave protection required for marinas in Florida,” said Jack Cox, the director of waterfront development for Retec, an environmental engineering consulting

See MARINAS, page A12


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A4

August 2005

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The Triton

WHAT’S INSIDE What’s this crew so pleased about? Page A21

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The three-member crew of the 100-foot Broward M/Y Marijane is the first to sail a megayacht covered in Axon’s airline paint. PHOTO/LUCY REED

Advertiser directory B18 Calendar of events B18 Classifieds B10-13 Cruising Grounds A25-27 Features Getting Started A8 The Afterlife A8 From the Experts: Culinary Waves B4-7 The Drill B3 Go Figure B17 Serve It Up B14 Take it In B8

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KRISTY’S COLUMN

August 2005

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Captain keeps busy after industry’s first megayacht auction Capt. Rafe Palladino stopped by the other day to let us know what has been happening in his world. Rafe used to run the 122-foot M/Y Bon Bon, which sold at auction before last year’s Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show. He is now project manager of the new 164-foot Bon Bon, which is a Trans Ocean LATITUDE motoryacht being ADJUSTMENT built by Newcastle KRISTY FOX Marine in Palm Coast, Fla. Rafe will also be taking a new 110-foot Lazarra to the Italian and French Riviera where it will remain for a month before the Monaco Boat Show in September. Rafe works now for International Yacht Collection, which is based in Ft. Lauderdale with offices in Monaco, Palm Beach, Newport and St Maarten. Whew, you are busy. George and Sabra Hall, who have both worked on yachts for years, have added to their family. Nathan William Hall was born July 3 at 5:30 a.m. This is the Halls’ second son; Nathan has an older brother named Griffin.

Sabra was a stewardess on the 112foot Broward M/Y SeaBird for five years before starting a family about 18 months ago. George is still captain on M/Y Useless, a 100-foot Mangusto. Congratulations to you both. Capt. David Gaskins will be taking over the 94-foot Sunseeker M/Y Perfect Vision, formerly M/Y Red Five. David, who holds a 500-ton masters, has been a captain now for 12 years and has worked on larger boats, but said he prefers a smaller ride. Perfect Vision will carry a permanent crew of two – David and his girlfriend, Holly – but when they make trips, they’ll bring in a freelance chef. They are headed to New England for the rest of the summer and then the BVIs for the winter. Next summer, David says the Med

is on the itinerary. David recently attended one of our Bridge luncheons. Thanks again and all the best to you. We had another visit from a Triton Bridge captain, Mark Diekmann (Nov. 2004). Mark, who holds a 1600-ton All Oceans ticket, recently decided that after more than eight years on board the 121-foot Heesen-Diaship M/Y Morgan Star, he wanted to take a break to travel. Morgan Star recently sold. Mark ran PGA Marina in Palm Beach Gardens in the early 1990s. When Mark returns in a month or so, he will be looking for his next command. We wish

him well and to finally relax after his long stint on board. We all know yacht manager Sandy Taylor is with Northrop and Johnson now. She can be seen most all of the time outside of the office with her husband, Tom Taylor, who usually has a camera in hand. Tom was recently made executive director of the holding company for Northrop and Johnson worldwide. He is responsible for coordinating all the offices and boat shows as well as working as a consultant. After earning a bachelor’s degree

in chemical engineering in 1963, Tom served as an officer in the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and taught combat engineering. He joined Glidden Paint Company in 1965 where he worked for 18 years and held several management positions. He recently worked with International Paint. With all that experience, it’s no wonder Northrop and Johnson wanted you. Congrats Tom. Send news of your promotion, change of yachts or career, or personal accomplishments to Kristy Fox at kristy@the-triton.com.


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NEWS

August 2005

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Veteran boatyard manager steps in as GM at Broward Marine Broward Marine’s repair and refit division will be lead by Service Manager Calvin Kreidt, left, and his new boss, General Manager Skip Hitt.

By Lucy Chabot Reed

PHOTO/LUCY REED

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Broward Marine hired Skip Hitt as its general manager on July 18. Hitt brings more than 25 years working on boats and running boatyards to the effort to revive South Florida’s oldest boat builder. Hitt was once service manager for warranty and repair at the yard in 1995-96 when it was owned by its founder Frank Denison. He left in 1996 to oversee Bradford Marine’s threeyear construction of Bradford Grand Bahama in Freeport. He most recently ran his own project managment and consulting business. Hitt started his boating career as a carpenter in the 1970s and worked at Allied Marine and Florida Yacht Basin before getting his introduction to management and megayachts at Miami Shipyard in the 1980s. He would

• Brokerage • New Construction • Charter Management • Yacht Support/Management • Crew Placement Tel: (954) 522-3344 • Fax: (954) 522-9500 email: sandy@njyachts.com

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Sandy Taylor – Yacht Manager

stay there nearly a decade before the yard went out of business over what he called personal feuds between the property owners. “It’s a challenge, but it’s what I do,” Hitt said after taking the job in mid July. “And it’s what I do best. “We looked at a lot of people, but his overall experience fit the company,” said the yard’s new owner, real estate developer and yacht owner Tom Lewis. “The job requires someone who can think on their feet and multi-task. We liked his references and he had the technical experience to actually get work done.” Hitt described his career as being great training for the challenges facing Broward. He’s at heart a project manager and is at his best taking a vision and getting it off the ground. He doesn’t necessarily see his tenure at Broward as short-term, though, he said. “I’m glad I learned what I learned over the years,” he said. “It’s afforded me the opportunity to be at this place and be able to take this position. It’s not going to be easy, but it’s a doable thing. I intend to give it every bit of effort I have.” Hitt has the experience to do a good job, said Rick Roughen, former president of Fort Lauderdale Shipyard and the person many in the industry thought would be tapped for the job. “It’ll be good for him and for Broward,” Roughen said. “I’m sure he’ll do well.” Lewis expects the refit division to be a “significant part” of Broward’s future under Hitt’s direction. With its position on the Dania Cut-off Canal that offers a 12-foot channel and no bridges, he said the yard should attract much of Broward’s existing fleet of more than 200 yachts. “We feel there’s a substantial business out there to that end,” he said, noting that the company may add a larger Travelift in about a year if the demand is there. “But whatever we do, we’ve got to do well and get the right people to do it.” That’s where Hitt comes in. “He’s got a proven track record of how to do the work,” Lewis said. Hitt’s return to the Broward east yard reconnects him with several former colleagues, including Service Manager Calvin Kreidt. Together, they will focus now on building a strong team of quality tradesmen, including welders, electricians, carpenters and fabricators. And he noted that he’s happy to be joining the company mid-summer instead of in March when Lewis bought the yard. The coming months will see yachts coming back to Ft. Lauderdale and give Broward a chance to attract some of that work, he said. Contact Editor Lucy Chabot Reed at lucy@the-triton.com.



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HOW I GOT MY START / LIFE AFTER YACHTING

August 2005

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Friends steer novice to yachting career By Tina-Anne Baigent I am 24 years old and in March, I was living in Broome in Western Australia. I had an awesome time there but knew there were bigger and better things for me to discover. I have always wanted to travel and was fortunate to have friends who did and learned about a place called Palma de Mallorca and about the yachting industry there. I decided that was my next mission and began to save and work hard toward it. I made a lot of phone calls around Australia to find out where I could do my STCW-95, the basic training of sea survival and fire fighting that these days is required on most yachts. On March 12, I boarded a plane to Sydney to complete my STCW-95 and a stewardess course. When I finally arrived in Newport, Australia, I made my way to the hostel and settled in. Both of the courses were held at the Royal Motor Yacht Club. The first week I completed my STCW-95. This was interesting and a lot of fun. I met some beautiful people and made some great friends. The course went for six days and I was so happy when I graduated. The next day I started the stewardess course, which was through Crew Pacific. I was fortunate to meet Joy

By Lisa H. Knapp

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The Triton

Weston before I started the course and she explained what the course was about. Joy owns Crew Pacific and teaches the stewardess course around Australia. I spent a couple of hours chatting with her and she inspired me more and more. I was booked to fly out of Sydney on April 5 to Mallorca and really knew nothing about where I was going. Joy helped me prepare my resume and eased my mind and nerves about the whole adventure. I’m now in Mallorca. I joined every crewing agent and walked the dock most days. It does take time but determination and drive will get you there. There are good days and bad days walking the docks, going to interviews and day working here and there, but it’s all part and parcel. My advice is come over with at least 4,000 euro to live comfortably and so you don’t grab the first job. I was offered a couple jobs before I took one. Make sure it feels right cause you will be on board for the season. Today I am so happy working on a 38m sailing yacht as head stewardess with an excellent crew and a great itinerary to France, Turkey and Corsica. How did you get your start in yachting? Send your story to lucy@the-triton.com. Who knows? You might inspire someone.

Coming ashore as tough as yard period

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After graduating from New York Maritime Academy, Robert Albright was lured to Florida in 1994. He crewed for six years, working his way up from deckhand to mate to captain. He met his future wife, Catherine, on M/Y Trilogy. The Albrights teamed on M/Y Exuma C, bringing that vessel through a big refit in Malaysia before getting the itch to leave. “We wanted to Albright start a family, own a cat, and close the door when we wanted,” Albright said. Catherine freelanced as Robert went shore-side to take control of his family’s future. His experience in yards and refits gave him confidence to target large reputable employers. He joined Richard Bertram Yachts as warranty manager, and then became assistant yard manager at Rolly Marine Service. Albright returned to Allied Richard Bertram Yachts where he now inspects boats as a corporate surveyor. Life on the outside is infinitely more stressful than life on board, he said, labeling delivery deadlines, service and warranty work some of yachting’s most stressful jobs. “Every day [now] is like the last three

weeks of a long refit,” he said. “That’s a tough time.” But the politics are easier, he said. “You can ignore politics at work,” Albright said. “But on the boat, it’s more in your face.” Freedoms are won and lost in the transition ashore. A regular job means you’re lucky to get two weeks vacation after a year, Albright said. “If you’re used to working one month on charter with two weeks off, be prepared for a dramatic change,” he said. “You can’t be so footloose.” Crew tend to leave yachting with a nice bank account and the need to indulge, Albright said, but he advised restraint. “Don’t spend yourself broke trying to be happy,” he said. The key is to change your shopping habits to buy for one or two, not the whole crew for six months. Buy one votive, not a whole case, he said. It took five years working ashore to earn as much as he did on yachts, but he’s no longer beholden to an owner’s whim, and that pleases him. “It took a couple of years to establish myself on shore. Catherine still crews and we have a daughter, Molly, and a dog, Abby. We’ve got a chicken in the pot, too,” he laughed. Home, sweet, home. Contact freelance writer Lisa H. Knapp at lisa@the-triton.com.



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FROM THE BRIDGE

August 2005

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The Triton

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Attendees of The Triton’s August Bridge lunch were, from left, Wendy Umla (looking), Marcel Busse (looking), Denise Fox (looking), David Gaskins of M/Y Perfect Vision, and Sue and Brian Mitchell of M/Y Argusea. Lunch was held in the offices of the Marine Industries Association of South Florida and catered by yacht chef Shaunarae Hawkesworth. PHOTO/LUCY REED

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Put in a little something extra in labor, talent but not cash

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THE BRIDGE, from page A1 “We negotiated my start date and my salary, and he said yes to it all, but he never signed it. Now I’m thinking, ‘What will I do if he doesn’t pay me?’” Luckily, it didn’t get that far. This captain wrote a few straight-forward but kind e-mails to the owner’s accountant and, after three worrisome weeks, got a check. Several captains acknowledged that in a new job, sometimes they do things they shouldn’t to make a good impression. One captain urged everyone not to. “Don’t ever, ever use money out of your own pocket,” this captain said. “One way to make a good first impression is not to use your money but put in the extra hours. Do your homework, and do the extra work.” “You can either wait for a job to come to you or you can work for a job,” said one captain, supporting that manner of working a bit harder even without the money. “What you’re also teaching [the owner] is your reliability.” Another captain said building trust alleviates the worries. “You have to start a relationship and it grows over time. I’ll pay for things through my credit card – I’ve paid for trips, fuel, marinas – but I have trust.” But it’s not about trust; it’s about business, one captain said. And since most owners are successful business people, they should understand that. “I learned this from working with friends. I would tell them they could pay me back later and they said no, you either get boat cash or you use the boat credit card. If he [the owner] wants you to run the boat, the boat is a business.

You have to treat it that way. “It is a business, and I’m your CEO.” One of the best ways to avoid having to fret over being owed money is to spell out in a contract how boat operations should function. “I write that in my contract, that I either have a debit card or boat cash,” one captain said. “What about when they say ‘my last captain didn’t need that’? “You tell him that if he wants the job done properly, it won’t work the old way.” “You can ask, ‘what arrangements have you in place for operations?’ ‘What do you think it will cost?’” one captain said. “If they have no plan, tell them what it’ll take in terms of dockage, fuel, fees, crew. You have to be confident in the way you present yourself.” “Part of it is educating the owner, too,” a captain said. “They need to know that they either pay now or they pay later. When they don’t use it, they think the yacht doesn’t cost anything.” The captain who sweated the three weeks before getting the $15,000 check asked the group what should have been done if the owner hadn’t paid. “For $15,000, I’d write it off,” one captain said. “Basically, there’s nothing to protect us crew,” the captain said, noting that hiring a lawyer wasn’t an option. Most captains agreed they didn’t want the reputation of being a captain who sued. “It was my first time. It’ll be my last.” Contact Editor Lucy Chabot Reed at lucy@the-triton.com. If you are a yacht captain and in Ft. Lauderdale at the beginning of the month, contact us for an invitation to our Bridge luncheon.


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THE BRIDGE: A LEGAL PERSPECTIVE

August 2005

Law offers options for getting paid By Michael R. Karcher Not that working on a megayacht isn’t fun and all that, but you want to get paid for your services. Most of the time, owners pay promptly. Sometimes it doesn’t work out that way. Owners often treat their boats as a toy and not a business. There is a certain casualness in the way the “business” of the yacht is managed despite the fact that the expenses are beyond that of many shore-side businesses. I think it is a matter of educating owners. The vessel, which was purchased for entertainment and occasional chartering, should be treated as a business and her crew members should be treated as regular employees. This includes making the necessary provisions beforehand so that everybody gets paid promptly. The key to getting paid regularly is that there are no surprises. If there is a contract or agreement setting forth the payment plan, schedule, circumstances, and methods of payment, then there is little room for surprises. Even with all of these things in place, there are still times where someone doesn’t get paid. At that point, crew members have several options from asking politely to seizing the vessel. The first step is to ask, in writing, with sufficient backing (contracts,

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schedules, agreements) laying out the payments owed so that if it is just a misunderstanding, it can be corrected. Should these fail, one may be forced to file some sort of legal proceeding. This could be an arbitration proceeding agreed to in your contract. Absent that, a lien can be filed against the vessel and recorded (similar to a mortgage) with the ship’s registry. It will not help you collect right away, but if the owner tries to sell the vessel, it will come up and the seller will resolve it before closing. Ultimately, a lawsuit can be filed to recover wages. This can either be in the form of an in personam claim against the individual, or an in rem proceeding against the vessel. The in personam proceeding is generally less complicated and less expensive as it is more straightforward. There can be problems, though, if the employers are not local, or if the services did not take place in the jurisdiction of the court. If the owners are offshore, a claim can be brought directly against the vessel. Vessels have a legal personality, similar to a corporation, where they can be sued and seized for back wages. This is done by the U.S. Marshal in a U.S. port or some other foreign equivalency. The Marshall will require $2,000 to seize a vessel, plus payment to a

substitute custodian to hold the vessel, usually dockage and a watchman, so it can add up fast. Once the vessel is seized, the owners have to place a bond to release it and the lawsuit proceeds against the bond. This is a more expensive proceeding as it requires a federal court judge to issue a warrant of arrest for the vessel. If there are out-of-town owners or foreign corporations and the vessel is leaving, this is the way to get jurisdiction over the vessel itself. Filing a claim against an owner is a drastic step and puts a damper on long-term relationships. Some owners realize it is just a business; others treat it more emotionally. (Think divorce.) Good communications and documentation are the key to a good relationship. Don’t let it degenerate to a he-said/she-said problem. The owner may make promises at the time of purchase but forget them as the newness of the vessel wears off and expenses begin to rise. In the past, seagoing crews only needed to be able to “hand, reef and steer.” Now they need to be business managers as well. Michael R. Karcher is a maritime lawyer with the Miami law firm of Underwood, Karcher & Karcher, P.A. Contact him at mrk@ukandk.com or 305-661-2888.

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August 2005

FROM THE FRONT

www.the-triton.com

The Triton

Wave attenuation systems can cut waves 30 to 60 percent MARINAS, from page A1 firm in Bellingham, Wash. Cox is also an instructor of marina engineering at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. The technology involves a deep but floating box that’s better at reflecting waves, perhaps making it a more environmentally acceptable cousin to traditional breakwater system of concrete and boulders on the sea bed. “The agency doesn’t want to destroy one habitat to create another,” said Tim Rach, assistant district director for the Florida Department of Environmental Protection in West Palm Beach. He was previously the program administrator for wave attenuation systems. The nature of the regulatory business is give and take, said Meeker, who now is Florida operations manager for Tetra Tech EC, an environmental consulting firm in Stuart. Tetra Tech designs ports, harbors, marina structures and beaches along the East Coast. “My perspective, as a regulator, is to do your best to balance and protect resources and provide public amenities projects, especially in South Florida where there’s lots of water,” Meeker said. The most effective wave attenuation systems tend to seal off marinas from tides, which can degrade water quality in a marina, she said. That’s why regulators want as “small a footprint” as possible so some wave action can flush through. Regulators aren’t ready to sit down with system designers – that would be “too proactive,” Meeker said – but they are considering it. She called wave attenuators a “huge issue” among regulators since last year’s storms. The concept of a wave attenuator isn’t new; the conversation just gets revived after devastating hurricanes. After Hurricane Andrew in 1992, Miamarina incorporated a wave attenuation system under the northernmost piers and the interior basin walkway, said Steve Bogner, manager for Miami’s municipal marinas. The system is made up of boulders piled inside A-frame cradles. “This system has reduced wave action by 95 percent than the previous pier configuration,” he said. With new technology, wave attenuators can help in hurricane conditions, too. Deeper sections of floating docks – say five feet or more – can cut out wave energy and reduce some wave climate, according to coastal engineer Dick Czlapinski. Typically, wave periods are reduced by 30 to 60 percent, he said. He has seen some deep-wave attenuators 12 to 16 feet wide. But even basic breakers such as the

islands off Dinner Key Marina act as a wave attenuator to protect docks from wind and wave action, Bogner said. Still, regardless of the robustness of a wave attenuator, some storms can destroy anything. Ft. Pierce’s city marina knows that first hand. It took the worst beating of any facility in Florida last year, taking a direct hit from Hurricane Frances, whose wrath lasted 32 hours. As Ft. Pierce rebuilds, it remains open with 110 slips and more to come. It has dredged a new, operational channel and hosted 10 fishing tournaments so far this year. Before Frances, the marina had 280 floating concrete docks, which were in place until hour 28 of the storm, general manager Kubitschek said. “Everything fell apart between hours 28 and 32,” he recalled. “The pilings stood through a lot. There were no issues until the storm got there. The docks held together.” In those final hours, the marina had to deal with a lot of dynamics taking place simultaneously: outgoing tide, incoming tide, and a 12-knot current that created a raging river. “We were on the backside of the storm with tidal surge and 16 miles of fetch to the south,” he said. “A boat finally broke loose at 1 a.m. and the domino effect of pilings laying down and docks coming off started.” The storm was just too long. Kubitschek had a $1.7 million clean-up in Ft. Pierce. He is examining rates for reinsuring the city’s public docks while waiting for permission to construct a wave attenuation system for protection. And he’s weighing his options to rebuild the docks. [See story next month.]

Dean Kibitschek hopes to construct a wave attenuation system at his marina in Ft. Pierce. PHOTO COURTESY OF DEAN KUBITSCHEK

The most important aspect of his rebuild is this: “What will work for us best, here, to reduce our liability in this world should this ever happen again?” Contact freelance writer Lisa H. Knapp at lisa@the-triton.com.


The Triton

FROM THE BRIDGE

www.the-triton.com

Any seaworthy yacht should get under way for hurricanes By Capt. David Peden Hurricane season is upon us again but there is no good reason why any good-sized, seaworthy yacht need be subjected to the rigors of a hurricane. With the early warning of hurricane approach and good track predictions promulgated these days, there is usually plenty time to get well clear of a storm. Also, despite controversy on the subject of marinas making boats leave, in the United States it is the Coast Guard captain of the port who is likely to order all vessels over a Peden specific tonnage to leave. If a yacht is out of the water, the only real concern is adequate blocking and other support, which the yard should deal with. For a vessel forced to ride out a hurricane in port there are many things to consider apart from just tying things down. Some of these things do not always come to mind in the pressure of preparation. The first consideration is the dock to which the vessel will be secured. Unless it is a strong concrete dock 8 feet above normal level (like Reynolds Park Yacht Center 40 miles up the St. Johns River from the ocean), the strain likely on the dock cleats and possible storm surge must be considered carefully. In some locations close to the ocean, the surge might well exceed 8 feet. If – like on the Miami River, in Dania Beach and Ft. Lauderdale, for example – the dock is low, it is not safe no matter how strong it is. Unless sufficient lines can be placed to keep the vessel off the dock, any storm surge of almost the height of the dock or more leaves the vessel with no

means of fending off and at the very least grinding the turn of the bilge on the dock. In an extreme case, the surge may be high enough for a considerable part of the vessel to be over the dock with a good chance of capsizing as the water level falls. This is a major consideration for vessels with non-retractable stabilizer fins. Make sure lines have enough length and are secured in such a way that they can be slackened if necessary as the water level rises. During Hurricane Marilyn, a coast guard cutter ended up across the road along the waterfront in Charlotte Amalie in St. Thomas. Another consideration is the depth at the proposed dock. Is there sufficient depth for the vessel to float in the event of a water level drop? If not, how straight, level or soft is the bottom? Maybe, too, there is some junk on the bottom that might hole the vessel. Bear in mind that Charlotte Amalie harbor dried out briefly during one hurricane. Also bear in mind that even securely moored in an apparently safe location, your careful planning may be compromised by other, inadequately secured vessels breaking loose. Such vessels may not only damage your vessel but put such an increased strain on all your well-placed mooring lines that you both end up adrift. Based on 40 years experience, I consider any fuel and other cost associated with sailing out of danger (and don’t kid yourself; hurricanes are dangerous) is well spent. Unless there are compelling reasons for riding it out in port, run for it. Capt. David Peden spent 27 years as skipper of M/Y Patagonia (the former Robur IV and Southern Breeze, now Revelation). He is now dockmaster at Reynolds Park Yacht Center in northern Florida. Contact him through editorial@the-triton.com.

Two storms slam Caribbean, bother U.S. Hurricanes Dennis and Emily – both rare, early-season category 3 storms – brought devastation to the western Caribbean in July, drenching alreadybattered Grenada, the Cayman Islands, Jamaica and Haiti with torrential rain and fierce winds. Though the storms were smaller than Hurricane Ivan that blew through last September, this season’s storms have already killed more than 20 people in the Caribbean and brought raininduced landslides that marooned entire cities in Trinidad. By the time Hurricane Dennis made landfall in the United States, it had weakened with 120 mph winds that reached out only about 40 miles. Ivan’s 130 mph winds reached out more than

100 miles. The smaller Dennis was persistent, though. Maintaining its storm system for more than a week, it was last seen in Canada. Capt. Brian Brooks reported in from Ontario on July 18 that the “ragtag taIe-end” of Dennis had just blown over the eastern end of Lake Ontario at the city of Hamilton. Brooks and his wife, Deborah, operate a 100-foot dinner vessel there. “Lots of rain, and bluster for a few hours,” Brooks said. “The last hurrah I guess.” That’s about all South Florida felt too, lots of rain and some wind, unless you were under the paint shed at Jones. [See story, page 1.] – Lucy Chabot Reed

August 2005

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A14

August 2005

FROM THE FRONT

www.the-triton.com

The Triton

It was unclear if an 18-knot wind (say crew), a 29-knot wind (says the airport) or a 75-knot wind (says Jones) blew the shed over. PHOTO/LUCY REED

Exposed, paint-prepped yacht suffers interior water damage SHED, from page A1 beam of 50 feet and a 75-foot vertical clearance – will be rebuilt, Morton said. While he didn’t have the new specs, he said it would be “bigger, higher, better.” Both Janzan and Morton expect there to be some additional damage to Double Haven when the shredded shed is lifted off the yacht. The crew described the damage as mostly cosmetic with some gouging of fairing and paint from pipes. Nearly all the yacht’s electronic antennas were broken and one pipe punctured its new satellite dome. And because the spotlights on the helipad were removed for paint work, rain got in after the shed blew over,

damaging several ultrasuede headliner panels in the master stateroom below, as well as the silk fabric above the bed. Double Haven hit Ft. Lauderdale in October to address problems with its generators. [See story in February edition, page 1.] It moved to Jones on Jan. 10 for modifications for new sonar, engine exhaust repairs and to sandblast and recoat the water tanks. Every job lasted longer than expected, crew members said. Though the yacht was scheduled to depart the yard in May, it now may stay until September – welcoming another South Florida fall before it can depart. Contact Editor Lucy Chabot Reed at lucy@the-triton.com.


The Triton

www.the-triton.com

NEWS BRIEFS

Morton back in South Florida Jones Boat Yard in Miami has hired Roger Morton as its new general manager. The long-time general manager of Thunderbolt Marine in Savannah said he wasn’t looking for a change; Jones approached him. “This is a nice challenge,” he said, taking a break from coordinating the clean-up of the paint shed collapse on M/Y Double Haven [see story, page A1.] “They’re nice people and I like Florida.” Morton is no stranger to South Florida’s yachting community. He helped build the Derecktor’s Shipyard here from 1968 to 1985 before taking the post of general manager at Bradford Marine for seven years. Morton said several captains had complained to Jones managers that “they aren’t doing it right,” so they sought out Morton and brought him down. Morton brought his chief financial officer from his old Palmer Johnson/Intermarine days, Dale Bish. The men started May 1. Contact Morton at 786-236-9042 or rogermorton@att.net. – Lucy Chabot Reed

Enforcement delayed on spills plan

Chinese yard opens Florida office Kingship Marine Ltd. of China opened an office in Ft. Lauderdale and appointed Capt. Doug Hoogs as sales director for the Americas. The Chinese shipyard has begun to build both motor and sailing yachts from 90 to 180 feet to Lloyds and MCA classifications. The facility near Hong Kong is a 60-acre facility built specifically for yacht construction, the company said. Kingship will build three models: a 110-foot expedition yacht for a British yachtsman, a 110-foot motoryacht built on spec and called Princess K, and a nearly complete 89-foot motoryacht. Hoogs has spent nearly 40 years in yachting and most recently was project manager on the conception, build and launch of the 153-foot Genesis. He is also co-author of “Megayacht Wisdom.” Contact him at 954-764–1615 or doug@kingshipusa.com.

A15

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Recent legislation requiring all non-tank vessels to prepare plans for discharges of oil from their vessels will not be enforced by the U.S. Coast Guard until regulations are issued and in effect. By Aug. 9, all megayachts over 400 tons are required to have prepared and submitted response plans that detail how their crews will respond to an oil spill or the threat of an oil spill, according to the Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation Act of 2004. Because of the length of time needed to provide and consider public comments, final regulations may not be in effect by that date, making the rule

temporarily unenforceable. The Coast Guard encourages the public to submit comments on the notice. Comments received will be posted to http://dms.dot.gov. Include the docket number for this notice (USCG-2005-21610) with your name, address, and comments. Vessel owners and operators who want to secure interim authorization letters because they believe their vessel may be covered by the response plan regulations are encouraged to use the voluntary interim authorization process under NVIC 01-05. For more details, see The Triton’s front-page story in the May edition at www.the-triton.com, check out Section 701 of the Coast Guard and Marine Transportation Act of 2004, or visit www.usmaritimeinstitute.com. – Lisa H. Knapp

August 2005

2325 S. FEDERAL HIGHWAY FORT LAUDERDALE, FL

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A18

August 2005

PROJECT USA 2005

www.the-triton.com

The Triton

Yacht builders see U.S. gaining market share By Lucy Chabot Reed Together in Seattle for Project USA 2005, some of the biggest names in American yacht building met to discuss the role of shipyards in the global market. Interestingly, each builder brought their own experience and perspective of the building market to the discussion. “Europeans have been more consistent as corporate entities than Americans,” said John Iverson of Westport Shipyard in Washington. “The level to which they’ve been able to penetrate our market the way they have is because of consistency. The American companies now leading in this industry are consistent.” Most of the panelists agreed that a European influence can be felt at most yards. “Our goal has been to keep Americans from going to Europe to buy a boat,” said Billy Smith, vice president of Trinity Yachts of New Orleans. “We’re seeing a lot of interest in the 55-60m yachts under 500 tons because captains don’t want to deal with the extra paperwork, and they can do trans-Atlantics as well as the Bahamas.”

Trinity VP Billy Smith said yacht captains are interested in 55-60m boats less than 500 tons to avoid new, stricter international security regulations.. FILE PHOTO Other yards are getting interest in those larger yachts. “We’ve just expanded to add the ability to build 100m vessels,” said Doug Greason, a project manager at Delta Marine Industries of Seattle. Delta recently constructed a 360-foot building 90 feet hight to accomodate

such megayachts. “We need to talk to the regulatory authorities to work out standards and iron out inconsistencies,” he said. “And we need to work with the vendors in class. With European vendors, the cost of the vessel includes a level of class. In America, it’s an additional cost,” he said. “We need to have class society have a pool of certified American vendors.” One of the panelists was Tim Kelley, general manager and executive vice president at Knight & Carver, the San Diegobased refit yard. Understandably, his Kelley take on the future of American shipyards was a bit different. “There’s not enough attention paid to our problems,” Kelley said. “Large yachts need to be serviced. I don’t think there is a large number of facilities able to service them properly. A vessel of 200 feet, is that a boat or a ship? We need more shipyards. “If we don’t learn how to deal with our elected officials, we may find the yachting industry in the United States will be artificially constrained because there will simply be no place to go,” he said. “There are already very few places to get the services they want.” So The Triton asked the builders that don’t already do refit if they would consider it to better service their clients. Delta Marine already does with a 500-ton Travelift; Broward Marine has decided to make refit a major part of its business plan; and Smith from Trinity said the company likely will expand into the repair market. “With our recent large yacht launches, we needed to buy equipment and we’re looking at using it to service Trinity yachts,” he said. But Westport and Burger said they had no intention of expanding into the refit and repair business. They all agreed they wanted to focus on building ever better yachts. “The domestic market is so huge that we’re not focusing at this time on international buyers, Smith said. “The American industry has been held back by owners wanting big bang

See SHIPYARDS, page A19


The Triton

PROJECT USA 2005

www.the-triton.com

August 2005

A19

Consolidation likely in strong global industry SHIPYARDS, from page A18 for their buck, not wanting quality,” he said. “Now they are challenging us to do it and they are willing to pay for it.” Tom Lewis, president of Broward Marine in Ft. Lauderdale, described his company’s three new lines – of 100, 135 and 160 feet -- as targeting the smaller yacht market domestically. Broward will be semi-custom

builder and promote its repair and refit facilities to service the more than 200 Broward yachts on the water today. “A lot of focus is on the irrational fear of competition,” Westport’s Iverson said. “We’ve been given access to markets beyond our wildest dreams. This is a huge opportunity, not a cause for fear.” He predicted the strong international yachting market would continue to consolidate. “Consolidation is not the same as shake out,” he said. “Shake out happens in a weak market; consolidation happens in a strong market. “It will be in the strategic interests of stronger companies to take advantage of economies of scale. The Italians do this well. Americans have been more independent but they are being pushed by the market to look at it. “Consolidation is inevitable within 10 years,” he said. “It’s going to require quite a culture change. How well we prepare for it and adapt to it will determine our success in a world market.”

Broward Marine owner Tom Lewis and his wife, Rhonda, networked at Contact Editor Lucy Chabot Reed at Project USA in Seattle. FILE PHOTO 11110_WM_triton July05 6/20/05 12:01lucy@the-triton.com. PM Page 1

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Navigating the good life


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PROJECT USA 2005

August 2005

www.the-triton.com

The Triton

New generation of captains still take bribes By Lucy Chabot Reed

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One of the most anticipated and talked about presentations at Project USA 2005 was Capt. Peter Jago’s take on kickbacks. He tactfully labeled his talk “financial irregularities” and discussed the need for “industrial cleansing” but there was no mistaking his inference. “I’m here to tell you that graft can take many guises and a brown bag doesn’t have to change hands anymore,” he said during the opening presentation of the two-day conference in Seattle in late June. Jago noted some of graft’s forms: A captain who tells the owner he gets 4 percent on a new build. The owner gives it to him, grateful for his honesty, then the captain adds it to the 4 percent he gets from the shipyard. A captain and a stewardess who argue in a Laundromat on who gets the commission for the dirty laundry. Crew who pick up other people’s grocery receipts off the floor. The discrepancy in the commercial sector and in the yachting sector over international security regulation implementation. Shell Oil Company paid 2,500 pounds per ship to get its fleet compliant with the regulations; Yachts are often charged in excess of 35,000 pounds each, he said. Jago also criticized what he called

“excessive fees” that brokers receive; called the standard 10 percent tip on a charter “out of control”; “and managers, well, senior captains who get fired for corruption or retire, go into management.” Jago has been a mariner for more than 50 years, a yacht captain more than 30. Most recently he was marine director of the Golden fleet, including Golden Odyssey. He now serves as a consultant to megayacht projects around the world. He gave a similar talk at The Yacht Report’s second annual SEAS conference in Nice in May. Jago pinned the beginnings of graft on suppliers of shipyards and suggested that “If shipyards didn’t do it, if suppliers didn’t offer it, it would stop.” “The average bloke is not dishonest enough to ask for it,” he said. While the audience was slow to ask questions, there eventually ensued an interesting conversation on the difference between kickbacks and tips, such as those captains pay to get premier dockage or a better position in a canal transit. “To me, that’s the system,” one attendee noted. “You’ve got to pay quite a lot to get into St. Tropez in August. And if the owner knows, if there’s full agreement, then it’s OK.” But Jago objected.

“If St. Tropez says no, report them to the police,” he said, while many in the room shook their heads. When he overhears captains say things like “I wonder how much it costs him to go through the Suez Canal,” he wants the industry to accept “nothing” as the right answer. “I’ve given a few pens and T-shirts, but I’ve never had to pay a bribe” to dock or transit a canal, he said. “A canal pilot doesn’t expect a tip from a ship, why should he from a yacht? I think we’re giving too much away.” He also had a few words for yacht owners. “Are you paying your yacht captain as much as you pay your pilot?” The idea that graft is OK as long as the owner knows about it also riled Jago. “It’s wrong,” he said simply. “If you are a captain, you are paid to do this. You don’t take advantage. But you should be properly paid, however.” The industry is ready for a code of ethics “with teeth” to curb graft, he said. “Not until today has the industry been ready to look at itself and be ready for this,” he said. “I believe we are ready for it and we’ll be called an industry as soon as we clean up our act.” Contact Editor Lucy Chabot Reed at lucy@the-triton.com.


GettingUnderWay T E C H N I C A L N E W S F O R C A P TA I N S & C R E W S

Pages A21-24

www.the-triton.com

August 2005

Longtime engineer of fast yachts killed on motorcycle Remembering my friend, my colleague, my brother

By Lucy Chabot Reed Megayacht engineer Darren Coulson died July 17 doing what he loved, riding his motorcycle. On a clear Sunday afternoon in Ft. Lauderdale, Coulson lost control of his bike on an exit ramp between I-595 and State Road 441. No other vehicles were involved in the accident and Coulson’s yacht family said he most likely was driving fast, hit something in the road like a stone or a spot of oil, and lost control. “He was one of the last decent and honest persons …” Capt. Bernard Charon began before pausing to compose himself. “He was one of the best persons you could ever meet.” Charon met Coulson about 18 months ago when he took command of the M/Y Mirage, the 132-foot Heesen jet boat where Coulson was engineer. Coulson served more than six years on that yacht and 20 years as a marine engineer before his death. He was 36. “He was meticulous and precise, precise to the extreme,” Charon said. “The engines are built to run at 600 rpm. He had them running at 599.7.” Capt. Jeff Cranshaw, who skippered Mirage before Charon and worked with Coulson for two years, said the engine room on that boat was Coulson’s domain. Everything worked exactly as it should and whenever outside technicians came in to “fix”

GettingUnderWay By Capt. Duncan Macdonald

The passing of a dear friend never comes easily, and trying to express it firsthand by a first timer is bloody hard. Here I have been most of the day, grappling with the fact that a close friend, a friend for whom I have the highest respect (and I know nearly everyone who knew him must feel the same) has passed away. I am making reference to Darren Coulson, engineer on board M/Y Mirage and one hell of a man. Darren had an accident on his motorcycle while riding with a group of mutual friends. Marty Menandez witnessed the accident and was trying to revive him until the ambulance arrived. All steps were taken to save his life, but neither my tears of sorrow nor the aid of anybody was going to help him from the injuries sustained. He was pronounced dead on arrival at Broward General Hospital. At this stage, I like to think of happier times. From the start, a strong bond was formed. I was captain of a 100-footer based in Venezuela, and while I was maintaining the engine room, the work load was increasing

T E C H N I C A L N E W S F O R C A P TA I N S & C R E W S

Engineer Darren Coulson, seen here giving a tour of his engine room on M/Y Mirage in August 2004, died July 17. He was 36. FILE PHOTO something,” Coulson had to un-“fix” it. “Things didn’t break often on that boat, and when they did, they didn’t stay broken for long,” Cranshaw said. “The Kamewa and even the Rolls Royce guys would come in and Darren would end up teaching them a couple

things.” Coulson had recently completed the coursework for his MCA Y1 engineering license and was scheduled to take the exam Aug. 1, Charon said.

See COULSON, page A23

See MY FRIEND, page A23

It’s back: Paint company turns aerospace paint on yachts By Lucy Chabot Reed

Capt. Adam Lambert is reflected in M/Y Marijane’s aerospace-quality paint. PHOTO/DAVID REED

It sounds like a good idea at first. Why not paint megayachts with airplane paint? M/Y Marijane is testing that question now, as it finishes a threemonth yard period at Rolly Marine Service in Ft. Lauderdale that included a complete paint job. The 100-foot Broward is the first megayacht to get covered in the newest technology coating available in the yachting industry, the two-year-old Nauticoat XP. Until now, the polyurethane paint has been used only on smaller vessels and on at least one inflatable tender. The paint was not only flexible enough to hold its finish after the tender was deflated, rolled up and reinflated, it also lowered the

temperature to the touch from about 130 degrees on the tubes to about 90 degrees, according the distributor Bruce Mc Campbell. The basis for the paint comes from the manufacturer’s 30-year reputation as a creator of airplane paint. Highly tested and approved like others in the aerospace industry, the paint is put through rigorous tests by both the Federal Aviation Administration that regulates them and the commercial airlines that buy them. It’s hearty paint, too, made to endure extreme temperature swings from the heat on a tarmac to the cold at 40,000 feet. Painters may recall the first time airplane paint was introduced to the marine sector more than a decade ago, with its high solids content (to minimize solvents, which are harshly

regulated by the FAA) that made it difficult to spray to the quality level yacht owners had come to expect. Maybe it’s not such a good idea after all. But that was then; this is now, said Tom Winnubst, co-owner of Axon Products, the South Carolina-based company that manufactures Nauticoat XP. Nauticoat XP is the second generation marine paint. It still has its high solids (minimizing solvents isn’t such a bad idea), but its application problems have been worked out, he and McCampbell said. Perhaps. Marijane scheduled her paint job in the height of a humid South Florida summer, complete with one of the wettest Junes on record

See PAINT, page A22


A22

FROM THE TECH FRONT

August 2005

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Lack of marine standards may give Axon an edge PAINT, from page A21

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and at least one nearby hurricane. Her finish reflected everything around it as the job wrapped up in late July. Yes, but what about saltwater? How does airline paint do submerged and constantly splashed with saltwater? Pretty well, it turns out. Among the battery of tests the paint must undergo for the FAA (including one that includes a sulphuric acid chamber to test the effects of acid rain) is a saltwater test. A painted aluminum panel is scratched to the metal and exposed to salt spray. It cannot show any corrosion; Bombardier and Boeing won’t hear of it. “If you took our formula and showed it to their chemists, they’d say that it wouldn’t work,” Winnubst said. “But it does work. We don’t have the market penetration U.S. Paint does, but we have a technology that is second to none.” Marijane’s captain, Adam Lambert, said he’s comfortable with the relatively unknown – at least in the yacht world – paint company on the boat he’s run for nearly five years. “I like them because they’ve been approved and tested by some pretty important people,” Lambert said. “It’s not a risk; it’s much safer.” He pointed out that there are about

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Distributor and salesman Bruce McCampbell, left, and Axon Products coowner Tom Winnubst were in South Florida in July to oversee the job on M/Y Marijane, the company’s first megayacht covered in aerospace-quality paint. PHOTO/LUCY REED

20 products including some deodorants and hair gels that can’t be used around the paint because the silicones in them can damage it or impede its application. Airline paint also is subject to a date of manufacture and a shelf life. “Nobody in this industry has ever had those regulations imposed on them,” Lambert said. That shocks Winnubst somewhat, that there is no standard except what the owner will allow and what the competition is doing. “We’re trying to create a marine spec so we can say at least our paint meets this standard,” he said. “In aerospace, we’ve got a pretty good reputation. Going into marine, we’re nobody. We can’t make any mistakes because we’ve got nothing to fall back on.”

Another benefit yachts might see is the time the paint jobs are expected to last. On jets, they last six or seven years. “But the warranty requires post-maintenance,” Winnubst said. “Knowing the way yachts are maintained, getting the paint job to last 10 years should not be unusual.” Not that many owners have a yacht for a decade, and most new owners want to make the boat look new again. That’s not even the point, Lambert said. “The only thing we can’t give these owners is time,” he said. “And at the end of the day it will save them money because it’ll last longer. Time will tell, of course, but maybe it’s not such a silly idea after all. Contact Editor Lucy Chabot Reed at lucy@the-triton.com.

Today’s fuel prices

One year ago

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

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

Region Duty-free*/duty paid U.S. East Coast Ft. Lauderdale 490/520 Savannah, Ga. 493/NA Newport, R.I. 521/NA Caribbean St. Thomas, USVI 646/NA Trinidad 487/NA Antigua 588/NA North Atlantic Bermuda (Ireland Island) 651/NA Bermuda (St. George’s) 641/NA Cape Verde 507/NA Azores 486/NA Canary Islands 504/NA Mediterranean Gibraltar 519/NA Barcelona, Spain 570/1,127 Palma de Mallorca, Spain NA/1,098 Antibes, France 540/1,374 San Remo, Italy 624/1,392 Naples, Italy 621/1,320 Venice, Italy 630/1,342 Corfu, Greece 603/1,160 Piraeus, Greece 568/1,090 Istanbul, Turkey 530/NA Malta 501/NA Tunis, Tunisia 538/NA Oceania Auckland, New Zealand 562/NA Sydney, Australia 556/NA Fiji 553/NA

Region Duty-free*/duty paid U.S. East Coast Ft. Lauderdale 328/353 Savannah, Ga. 345/NA Newport, R.I. 369/NA Caribbean St. Thomas, USVI 443/NA Trinidad 355/NA Antigua 417/NA North Atlantic Bermuda (Ireland Island) 412/NA Bermuda (St. George’s) 460/NA Cape Verde 320/NA Azores 375/NA Canary Islands 356/NA Mediterranean Gibraltar 343/NA Barcelona, Spain 435/852 Palma de Mallorca, Spain NA/877 Antibes, France 426/1,068 San Remo, Italy 452/1,136 Naples, Italy 522/1,140 Venice, Italy 460/1,125 Corfu, Greece 442/875 Piraeus, Greece 418/851 Istanbul, Turkey 334/NA Malta 330/NA Tunis, Tunisia 377/NA Oceania Auckland, New Zealand 354/NA Sydney, Australia 355/NA Fiji 375/NA

*When available according to customs.

*When available according to customs.


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FROM THE TECH FRONT

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August 2005

A23

Anything mechanical had to pass high personal standards MY FRIEND, from page A21 and the local services were insufficient. After many interviews over the phone to Australia, along pops Darren, a squawky little fellow with wild, longish bushy hair. We get settled on board and the only time we see Darren is at meal times. I’m not a terrific engineer (I hold a MED 1, just below a class 4 Engineering ticket) but my work isn’t that bad, is it? In Bonaire, we dove about five or six times a week. If it was hot, we’d dive. A nice morning, you guessed it, we’d dive. It was in Bonaire where I had my only fight with Darren. We had arranged to go for a dive at 1300hrs, but he was in the middle of a job. I jokingly tried to drag him out of the engine room, but I needed a pinch bar and even then that wouldn’t have worked. Needless to say, we went for that dive only when he was ready. We ended up diving on an old wreck that was 180 feet deep. Anyone who knows Darren knows how he is with his photography and filming, and if you don’t know, let me tell you he is the same with that as he is with his engineering – extremely precise. Everything has to be removed – if not replaced – thoroughly cleaned, wrapped in plastic until its time for rebuilding, and cleaned again just in case the smallest amount of dust had touched the surface for the two minutes the part was sitting on the bench. With Darren, it was never a case of “OK, let’s do this, this and this” without any preparation. If it involved anything mechanical, it was going to suffer the Darren seal of approval, and that is not something that comes easily. This earned him respect from workmates, peers and anyone who

dealt with him on any level. I often refer to Darren as the best engineer in the industry. Not meaning any disrespect to any other engineer, but he was the only person who would correct socalled experts, and the way he did it was so professional. I’m not just talking about engines. I’m talking about just about anything mechanical and general electronics. If he didn’t know the answer or how to repair it, he had a short list of people who did. Although that was way out of my league, I know those people shared the same respect for him as I do, and I’m talking about rocket and nuclear scientists and the likes. Yes, hello Richard. Basically, no one could ever consider him a push over. Apart from that, he had no problem educating the people around him who tried to pull a fast one. And it was all done so humbly. That was what Darren was, one hell of an engineer. I have not even started on his personality. He was such a happy person. The girls loved him. One night in a bar, this amazingly stunning girl gave him the come on. I was trying to push him into her car just to hear the story afterward, but no, she didn’t come up to spec. He did find the one who does, Lucia. She, too, is an amazing person and just as strong minded and precise. This is a huge loss. Darren is like the brother I never had. I don’t cry, but I was howling today once the tragic news sunk in. I am guttered by his loss. Dear Darren, rest in peace. Heaven is a richer place after Sunday the 17th. Your loving friend, Duncan Contact Capt. Duncan Macdonald through editorial@the-triton.com.

Coulson participated in, watched professional races COULSON, from page A21 As he made fast yachts his career, Coulson made fast motorcycles his hobby. “His passion was his motorcycle,” Cranshaw said. “If he wasn’t racing [at Moroso Speedway in Palm Beach Gardens], he was there watching.” With Mirage docked in Ft. Lauderdale, Coulson and his girlfriend of three years had spent six weeks this summer on holiday in his native Australia, and were making plans to visit her native Brazil. “He was fascinated by everything and genuinely interested in people,” Charon said.

A memorial service and funeral was scheduled for 11 a.m., July 22 in Ft. Lauderdale. It was to be held at the Family Tribute Center at 2895 Davie Road, just south of I-595 on the west side of the road. To share condolences, contact Charon at 954-444-3587 or by e-mail at bcharon@operamail.com. “I never heard him complain that he had too much work to do,” Charon said. “His life was the boat and his motorcycle. He died doing what he loved.” Contact Editor Lucy Chabot Reed at lucy@the-triton.com.

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A24

August 2005

TECHNOLOGY BRIEFS

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CO2 cylinders may have problem The U.S. Coast Guard announced there’s a potential problem when installing CO2 cylinders that have bayonet tips in inflatable personal flotation devices (PFDs) or life jackets. If a cylinder is not properly installed, the PFD will not inflate with CO2. The problem may affect several thousand PFDs, but the Coast Guard is only aware of one incident to date. Some Mustang, Protexion and Stearns/SOSpenders PFDs using Halkey-Roberts’ inflators can indicate a green “Ready” status when the CO2 cylinder is not properly installed. Cylinders with bayonet tips are designed to be pushed in and turned 1/8th turn clockwise to a full stop to secure the cylinder. When the cylinder is not turned to secure it in place, the PFD will not inflate with CO2. The PFD may still be inflated orally. Check your device to ensure that the inserted CO2 cylinder-bayonet has been fully turned clockwise prior to use. If your PFD inflator does not eject an unturned cylinder-bayonet, contact the PFD manufacturer for servicing.

Exhibition space at IBEX sells out Exhibition space at the International BoatBuilders’ Exhibition & Conference (IBEX), Oct. 19-21is sold out. Specific information about the exhibiting

companies, including booth locations and company descriptions, is available at www.ibexshow.com. Professionals can register there for the trade-only show held in Miami the weekend before the Ft. Lauderdale International Boat Show. The 2005 show is the largest in IBEX’s 15-year history, organizers said.

Seacoat boosts World performance Houston-based Seacoat Technology LLC introduced its Sea-Speed V3 hard film Siloxane foul release coating in January when it was tested by Millennium Super Yachts on its 140foot M/Y The World Is Not Enough. The bottom coat improved efficiency in both speed and fuel economy, the company reported. “We selected Seacoat Technology and the Sea-Speed V3 to give us the lowest coefficient of drag for bottom paint,” said John Schmiemann, a project manager with Millennium. “Our results have been impressive. At the power settings used to achieve 40 knots in the past, we gained approximately 3 knots. This is a 7.5 percent increase in speed for the same power setting, or we can pull back the throttles and run the same speed. For more information, visit www. seacoat.com


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CRUISING GROUNDS

August 2005

Stretch your legs in port town of La Rochelle By Leejay Kline If your sailing schedule finds you off the Atlantic coast of France this summer, head for the beautiful port of La Rochelle. The first things you’ll see are the three ancient towers guarding the port: Saint Nicolas, La Chaine and the Lantern, all remnants of the town’s 13th-15th century stormy past. La Rochelle is a lively university town as well as a vibrant tourist area offering much to see in the way of beaches, history and natural beauty. The history is deep, the dining is wonderful and the people are warm and friendly. Although the British, Irish and Scots have been coming here for years, La Rochelle does not have the feel of an English-speaking vacation destination. The Romans left their mark with nearby amphitheaters and bridges. It was a Protestant stronghold and held out against the Catholic French crown until its bloody defeat in the siege of 1527-28. La Rochelle escaped much of the turmoil of the French Revolution of the 18th century. It may have been its history as a Protestant city that saved it from the Revolution’s savage purges of clergy.

For more information about La Rochelle, visit www. larochelle-tourisme.com. For the author’s reviews of a few restaurants, visit www. the-triton.com. In the 20th century, La Rochelle was tapped by the Nazis for a U-boat base. The structure, with 12-foot-thick walls, was considered impossible to tear down after the war and thus still stands. The French Resistance did not stand by, however. La Rochelle was the scene of fierce partisan fighting and was the last city in France to be liberated on the final day of the World War II, May 8, 1945.

The ancient harbor of La Rochelle, France, is filled all summer with sailboats. PHOTO/LEEJAY KLINE Whatever size craft you arrive in, the port can accommodate you. My sonin-law, who has made many Atlantic crossings via sail, says the port can take care of any repairs – even to the replacement of a mast – within 48 hours. That may be in part why La Rochelle is a stopover for the Volvo Ocean Race and the Global Challenge. With a stop here, you will find yourself in one of the great pleasure boating ports of Europe. Perhaps the first place you will visit is the Tourist Information Office right on the harbor in the town center. The good folks there can fill you up (in English) with places to go and things to see. They have good maps for walkers. The harbor area, which is quite picturesque and historical, is a great place to walk in the evening. The streets are closed to vehicles at 8 p.m. all during August, France’s traditional vacation time, turning the boulevard along the harbor into a stroller’s paradise. Here you will find the omnipresent jugglers, musicians and assorted entertainers to charm your money away. Nearby you can visit Jacques Cousteau’s ship Calypso, the converted U.S. minesweeper that sank in Singapore

harbor in 1996. The ship that sailed the seven seas was raised and towed to La Rochelle in 1998. It was sold for one euro late last year to cruise line company Carnival Corp., which said it will give the boat a $1.3 million refit and moor her in the Bahamas as an exhibit. Do not miss an excursion to Ile de Ré, and nature lovers will want to visit the Marais Poitevin, just north of the city and locally referred to as the Green Venice. The Ile de Ré is a vacation rendezvous for France’s rich and famous. Visit for a day and see its picturesque villages such as Saint Martin or Ars en Ré, take in the Museum of Salt or just meander one of its many footpaths and bicycle trails. (For more on Ile de Re, go to www.iledere.fr.) Try La Rochelle and you will find yourself coming back again and again. Bonne journée. Leejay Kline is a writer and artist in Miami. He travels to La Rochelle each year to visit his daughter’s family. Contact him through editorial@the-triton.com.

MAP/CHRISTINE ABBOTT

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August 2005

CRUISING GROUNDS

The Triton

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The Costa Brava just north of Barcelona has been called a low-key French Riviera. Above is Calella de Palafrugell. PHOTO/NECEE REGIS

Discover the way Spaniards live in Girona, Costa Brava By Necee Regis Don’t get me wrong: Barcelona is a wonderful city. It’s flashy, boisterous and crammed with the accoutrements of a world-class destination: art, tapas bars, street performers, museums, architecture by Gaudi, tour buses, not to mention great shopping for clothes and shoes. Did I mention tour buses? Barcelona is tourist-friendly to a fault. But after a few days of hip-hyped frenzy I wanted a place with a quieter pace. I found my heart’s desire in Girona and the nearby Costa Brava, a little more than an hour north of Barcelona by train. Let me be clear: Girona’s not some sleepy little hamlet with one bar and a small hotel. Some 80,000 Catalans live there. What’s appealing about Girona is that it isn’t a tourist destination – not yet. Rather, it’s a vibrant city that goes about its business while letting you participate in its life and charms.

Young lovers on St. Jordi’s Day. PHOTO/NECEE REGIS

The town is divided in half by the Onyar River, which separates the old and new quarters. The modern side of town is worth exploring on its own. But the true beauty of the place is in the old part of town. From my hotel, it was a 10-minute walk to the river, where newly painted cream, pale green, and ochre-colored 19th century buildings sat atop the ancient city wall at the waters’ edge. Beneath the pedestrian Eiffel Bridge, built by the same company as the tower, lazy carp expected to be fed. On the far side, the old city waited to be discovered. Founded by Romans, the medieval quarter maps its history through a mixture of architectural styles. A wide pedestrian walkway (the Rambla) hugged the river, with shops and restaurants occupying the ground floor of the colorful buildings. Renovated in the last 10 years, it’s becoming an upscale area of apartments, bookstores, fabric shops, antique stores, modern furniture shops, and restaurants for the residents of Girona. I didn’t see one T-shirt joint, postcard and film store, or corporate-logo chain. Under stone arcades in the Rambla, vendors hawked vegetables, spices and nuts. The nearby streets had names that told a story: Plaza of Chestnuts, Street of Ironworkers, Street of Traders. Turning inland, a labyrinth of cobblestone streets rose up a slight hill, and stone buildings with red tile roofs formed narrow passageways beneath boughs of wisteria. When the Romans lived there, Via Forca was a length of the Via Augusta, the Imperial path that led to Rome. In the 13th and 14th centuries, it was the main artery of the Call, or the Jewish Quarter. Today Via Forca leads to the Museum of the History of the Jews, located where the last known synagogue was built. What’s most impressive about this

See GIRONA, page A27


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CRUISING GROUNDS

August 2005

A27

Catalan region encompasses both mountains and sea GIRONA, from page A26 town-run museum is there aren’t any Jews at all in Girona, and haven’t been since their expulsion in 1492. Yet their 600-year presence is lovingly documented and celebrated through exhibitions, activities including music and dance, a library, and a collection of tombstones from the medieval cemetery. Further up the street, the boxy church generically referred to as the Cathedral sits on a former Roman temple site. The Cathedral’s architecture spans several architectural periods: Baroque façade, Gothic interior, Romanesque cloister, and neo-classical bell tower. Chartres it’s not; but there’s a stunning view of the town from its upper plaza. Within this quarter there are also 12th century Arab baths, a Benedictine monastery, and the Romanesque Church of Sant Nicolau. Even without a history lesson, Girona’s an interesting town to simply walk around. By luck, I was there on April 23rd, the feast day of Saint Jordi the dragon slayer. Celebrated throughout the Catalan region, (also known as the Day of the Rose and the Book; coincidentally Cervantes birthday), it’s a holiday much like St. Valentine’s Day. Men are expected to give women a rose; women give men a book. All through the city, flower and book vendors sold their wares. Couples of all ages walked hand in hand or sat by the river and kissed. The Catalan region encompasses both mountains and the sea, and its cuisine reflects both environments. Favorite local dishes pair the products of each, as in prawns or lobster served with chicken. I missed the two-star restaurant in Girona, El Celler de Can Roca, but had a terrific meal at Boira, near the river on the modern side of town. Almost as good as being in love, I can still taste their salad of mixed greens with thin slices of Iberic ham (salty, like prosciutto), shaved parmesan, almonds, walnuts, raisins, and sweet fresh strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, and slices of oranges. The Costa Brava has been called a lowkey French Rivera, which also appealed to my get-away-from-it-all mood. From Girona it’s a short drive, or bus ride, to the coast and a string of towns each more picture-perfect than the next. In summer months it’s jammed with European tourists but in the spring the crowds were few, the breeze was warm, and the Mediterranean glinted like mica in the sun. The town of Calella de Palafrugell spreads out along a bay of rocky peninsulas and scallops of beaches. Mainly white buildings, two and three stories high, sported blue, red and sea green shutters. First-floor shops were touristy affairs: cafes, ice cream parlors, souvenir and film shops, and resort wear boutiques. Plastic seats overlooked the water at the tapas bar, Gelpi, where the calamari and croquettas were sublime. Though perhaps it was the view that made everything taste so good. The beach was not so much sand as a

bowl of smoothly ground small off-white, peach and gray stones, where small brightly painted fishing vessels rested high above the waterline. In the 19th century, Costa Brava sailors set off from Calella de Palafrugell to trade with Cuba. One reason to brave the summer crowds would be for the Monday night Havaneres, an outdoor concert that commemorates their voyages. The melancholy songs are accompanied by cremat, a flambéed rum and coffee drink. It’s possible to walk a path between several towns, much like Italy’s Cinque Terra. Hilly at times, the trail meandered past purple, yellow, and white flowering bushes, pine trees, cactus, and crops of rocks that dropped toward the sea. Tucked behind some trees, a two-star hotel offered five-star views. The smell of jasmine mixed with the salty air, and before I worked up a sweat the town of Llafranc curved in the distance like

pearls resting in the nape of a lightly tanned neck. Up close, Llafranc was more upscale than Calella de Palafrugell (no rum and sailor songs here). The beach was one continuous sandy wonder, and pine trees made a canopy over the sidewalk that fronted shops and restaurants. The wall behind the bar at the Hotel Llafranc boasted of celebrity visits from a more glamorous age, with framed photos of Liz Taylor, Kirk Douglas, and Sophia Loren. A more rigorous hike leads from Llafranc to the lighthouse at Saint Sebastian. It’s not the stumpy lighthouse you’re there for; it’s the view. From this height, boats at sea are tiny dots, and the arc of the coastline to the south revealed its jagged coves and clusters of villages. A small café near the lighthouse provided nourishment for the homeward

journey, though the more intrepid could continue a two-hour hike north to Tamariu. (And the wealthier could check in at the summit’s four-star hotel.) Every trip has a moment that pivots from outward to homeward bound, like the stretching and releasing of an elastic band. Saint Sebastian marked the turning point that would lead back to Llafranc, Calella de Palafrugell, Girona, Barcelona, and ultimately, home. Somewhere between the sea and the river, the roses and the books, the cobblestone streets and the salty-sweet salads, I was seduced by the subtle attractions of Girona, and the Costa Brava. They’ve become not only places I have been, but also places I plan to return. Necee Regis is a freelance writer who lives in Boston and Miami. Contact her through editorial@the-triton.com.


A28

WRITE TO BE HEARD

August 2005

The Triton

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Group ready for pros to step up to challenge By Ken Hickling How many times do you hear in a conversation about how “somebody needs to do something about that”? I know that most times when I go sailboat racing there is a crew member called “somebody” who seems to be responsible for doing everything. The skipper or foredeck hand (or just about everybody) asks for Somebody to do a particular task. Hickling This guy Somebody gets around a bit, too. Somebody was selling fake watches in New York the other day, but I could have sworn that Somebody nearly hit my car when they pulled out from a side road. Of course there is a force greater than Somebody, and ‘they’ know who ‘they’ are. After all, didn’t ‘they’ decide to change the twenty dollar bill? ‘They’ never pay us enough and ‘they’ probably jump the line at the supermarket. Or that might have been ‘Somebody’, it’s hard to tell at a distance. At the recent (and excellent) Project USA 2005 hosted by The Yacht Report in Seattle, there were about 140

members of the superyacht industry gathered. And we knew who ‘they’ were this time because there was a delegate list and we all wore badges. There were several very interesting panel discussions on topics ranging from navigational electronics through structural fire protection to the state of the U.S. superyacht building industry and where new owners may come from. The opening keynote speech was by Capt. Peter Jago. If you don’t know him, he is a bit of a character. He was turning the spotlight on the tricky subject of “financial irregularities,” also known as bribes, backhanders, kickbacks, etc. It was suggested in the ensuing lively discussion that Somebody should look into this and do something about it. Somebody was also requested to come forward and look into standardizing the protocol for electronics to talk to each other on board. Then, later on, Somebody seemed to be the obvious choice for gathering together other important information and making it generally available to the superyacht industry. Well, here is the news: Somebody doesn’t exist. Does that mean we can forget about these important areas that

need improvement? I don’t believe we should, and I am certain that we don’t have to. You see, there is an organization that is well placed to work on this. It is an independent, industry representative (both in global scope and involvement of all interests) and organized. It is the SuperYacht Society. The only thing is that with more than 35,000 potential members in this business, it has far too few members to be a real force for the industry. Too few members means too little money. And money talks: to the coast guard, to legislators, to the tax man, to the people who need to agree to some standards for our industry. What an opportunity. If you were a member, you could actually have a voice and have a real representative body, not a Some-body. If the SuperYacht Society had enough of you as members, we could all benefit. And who knows, perhaps ‘they’ would leave us alone for a while. Ken Hickling is global manager for the yacht division of Awlgrip and vice president of the SuperYacht Society. Contact him at info@superyachtsociety. com. For more information on membership to the SYS, visit www. superyachtsociety.com.


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WRITE TO BE HEARD

www.the-triton.com

August 2005

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Learn about standards from commercial side I work on a yacht larger than 100 feet and have worked on boats eight years. My first few years, I worked summers in Alaska. About three years ago, I moved to megayachts. I can compare and contrast some standards between my yachting and my Alaskan experiences. In Alaska, we had safety drills pursuant to 46 CFR 1 Section 199.180. On the yachts I’ve been on, we have yet to have a safety drill. In Alaska, we had a no-alcohol policy, as in no drinking on the boat, and if we are in port, be sober the next day. The standard of sobriety on the water is a common unwritten law because the waters of Alaska are so unforgiving. It isn’t unheard of to have 10 or 12 fatalities each year. On this yacht, the crew has a cocktail after-dinner service. Usually, they just have just one or two, but I rarely go out in public with them because of a history of embarrassing displays of excessive intoxication. I’m not sure what the policy on alcohol is on this yacht, but I think it is something like “don’t drink to excess when the owners are around.” I would like to see standards implemented. Everyone on a boat should be able to cleat off a line properly, tie a bowline and a hitch. Everyone should be sober for work at the beginning of the day. The master should know the CFRs and use them as a guideline if not as a regulation.

Some vessels have rapid crew turnover. Maybe unrealistic expectations are in part to blame. The administration needs to build team ideals while maintaining the hierarchy of the marine structure that has been effective for two and a half millennia. When I took this job, I agreed to stay a year. There have been many nights I lay in my bunk and practice the “I quit” speech. It is the venting of the day’s events to my spouse that keeps me looking at the big picture, and my own personal standards of integrity that I return to at the end of the day. Assessing the standards of the vessel you’re committing to and the standards of the administration (be they owners, the master, or a department head) are critical to your compatibility and performance. The single most important set of standards is your own. Your integrity to perform your best – regardless of the rest of the crew – acknowledging yourself as a professional mariner (and being regulated by existing codes, perpetual schooling and training), and holding yourself to a standard as a good example for other mariners to follow, are virtues you keep with you as you move through this industry. It is your reputation, your own performance standards that other people can see, that allow you to move on to a more compatible position. Name withheld

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August 2005

WRITE TO BE HEARD

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What does it take to break into world of white boats? By Capt. Paul Figuenick I have been in the Ft. Lauderdale area for about 14 years. Before I came down to South Florida, I worked in New England as a commercial scalloper on a 140-foot vessel we owned and manned with a crew of 13. We fished year-round in the hardest weather you can imagine. In addition to being captain, I was also the engineer and did refits. When I moved to Florida to get away from that hard life, I worked on drift fishing boats, tug boats, casino vessels, live-aboard dive yachts around the world, and dinner yachts. I have more than 30 years experience operating vessels, doing refits in Third World countries, running crews, etc. The problem I have is with the yachting industry. Recently I have been trying to get into yachting, and let me say it has not been easy. When I interview for a master’s position, they look at my resume and say, “But you have no yachting experience.” I point out my experience on liveaboard dive yachts that carried 20 passengers for high-end diving. “Nope,” they tell me. “That’s not

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

Figuenick yachting experience. Sorry, cannot hire you.” It’s the same thing with the job placement outfits around town. I go in for the interview, they take one look at my resume and it’s “Oh, you have no yachting experience.” I have a 1,600/3,000-ton master’s ticket with oceans plus my STCW certifications and all of these years of experience and no one will hire me or give me a chance. I can’t find work as a first mate either because the captain is afraid of me trying to take his job. (If he or she was doing their job, they would not

have anything to worry about, would they?) It seems owners and agents would rather hire younger people and have them run the boats the way the owners want instead of hiring a solid, mature captain who knows how to run a vessel and manage a crew. People like me can maintain the mechanical end of a boat without calling the service reps for the simplest things like changing oil or pumps, jobs that cost the owner thousands of dollars a year. Recently I found two job placement outfits in Ft. Lauderdale that have actually shown an interest in finding me a position in the yachting industry, having me go in for an in-depth interview and checking my references. They have told me they think I will do well in the private yacht world. The short of it is there is a world of talent out there not being utilized in the yachting industry because of the mentality of owners and agents. I, for one, would want a mature master and engineer taking care of my vessel and family. Our years of experience have a lot to be said in this industry. Capt. Paul Figuenick has been a mariner for 30 years. Contact him at pfigue9998@aol.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


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WRITE TO BE HEARD

August 2005

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Crew rotations have bad side, too Regarding your recent Connection on job rotations, here are my thoughts based on 10 years at sea. Our captains do two months on/one month off. Our chief engineers do two months on/two months off. Our chief mate does three months on/one month off. Everyone else (second mate, chief stew, cooks, stews and deckies) do five months on/one month off. This is both good and bad, especially when the owner likes to use the boat for more than 100 days at a time. Some of us work almost 130 days straight without a full day off. It is handy to have two months off a year, but your salary can be chewed up buying airline tickets home. For those who do the Caribbean and Med seasons, this makes buying tickets to Australia expensive, not to mention taking three days off your holiday time just to travel. Often, we are unable to book airline tickets in advance due to uncertain departure dates of guests, resulting in a more expensive ticket or being wait-listed. I’ve had to pay an extra 400 pounds to get home on a certain date. Things were much different when I was in the Merchant Navy 10 years ago. When I first started out as a deck officer trainee (cadet), I was flown to various ships around the globe to gain sea time and learn the art of navigation. On one occasion, I was sent to join a tanker at anchor in Delaware Bay. My journey started in Brisbane, Australia, where I flew to Sydney (a one-hour flight), to Los Angeles (a 13.5-hour flight), then to Philadelphia (a fourhour flight). Once in Philly, it was another two-hour drive to the dock where we were ferried out to the ship. Luckily for me, I was paid a travel allowance for each day of travel, given business-class travel on long flights, and hotel accommodations for the required rest prior to joining the ship. Bear in mind that this was in 1996, before STCW95, ISM and the rest were even heard of on most yachts. And I was only a cadet. Most of these benefits were because of strong but strict company (shipping) regulations and a strong maritime union agreement. When I signed off the ship 16 weeks later, I was flown business class from Houston, Texas, all the way back to Brisbane. Vaughan Poynter, 2nd mate M/V Samax

New owners have no idea what they’re getting into First-time yacht owners can be a real challenge. They generally have no idea what they have gotten into. Many brokers will understate the running cost of a vessel, and do or say virtually anything to get it sold. When the new owners are confronted with actual costs, they are generally shocked. And most surveys are not very complete. It is essential that experts in every facet of the vessel’s components be brought in to assay the actual conditions of their various specialties, i.e. engines, electrical, mechanical, airconditioning, watermakers, hydraulics, etc. An older vessel can be in grim shape underneath all of the gloss. The captain must also have the guts to say “no” when the owner requests a task that might be unsafe or untimely. Owners have to be educated in what they can expect from crew, and what it costs for good crew. This business is rife with nautical airhead professionals who have no idea what service is all about. Service is everything. Every capable captain should feel in their heart that the owner is damn lucky to have them, and occasionally remind them of it. Capt. Bill Harris 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

Triton classifieds so easy I recently visited your Web site to place an ad. Very few things in life are so easy. Thank you. It makes me feel like advertising all kinds of things in the classified section. See you at your next gathering. Karen Pranschke Executive Assistant Palmer Johnson Yachts [EDITOR’S NOTE: Check out our new, upgraded classified system at www.thetriton.com.]

More kudos for the paper Just a note to let you know I think The Triton is doing a fantastic job. Congratulations. Please drop off, fax or mail me your advertising package so I can put you in this year’s budget and start advertising with you. Damien Chamberlain President, Mango Marine

Venezuela bad; Trinidad good We’ve just arrived in Trinidad and Tobago after being in Venezuela for a couple of months. All the crew were glad to be leaving Venezuela. We were treated quite badly Editor Lucy Chabot Reed, lucy@the-triton.com Contributing Editor Lawrence Hollyfield Contributors

Tina-Anne Baigent, Carol Bareuther, Capt. Carol Benbrook, The Bridge, Capt. Paul Figuenick, Capt. David Hare, Ken Hickling, Jack Horkheimer, A.J. Jacobs, Michael R. Karcher, Leejay Kline, Chef Mary Beth Lawton Johnson, Lisa H. Knapp, Capt. Duncan MacDonald, Capt. Michael Murphy, Roberta Nedry, Capt. David Peden, Steve Pica, Second Mate Vaughan Poynter, Jennifer Reber, Necee Regis, Rossmare Intl., Michael Thiessen, Pat Teodosio, Chef Clay Westbrook

there, but I guess if you run around in a grey-hulled ship with a grey helicopter on the back then of course you can be mistaken for a military vessel. They moved the goal posts at every port and treated crew and owners like secondclass people. We leave here for Manaus in Brazil and hope that our reception there is as warm as it has been here in Trinidad. Phil Nicholas Relief chief engineer, M/Y Senses Owner, Carole Manto Inc.

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. 5.

The Triton is a free, monthly newspaper owned by Triton Publishing Group Inc. Copyright 2005 Triton Publishing Group Inc. All rights reserved.

Contact us at: 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



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EarningYourStripes CAREER NEWS FOR CAPTAINS & CREWS

The Triton

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August 2005

Job objectives help match the right person with the right yacht Spit and Polish By Lisa H. Knapp

T

he most common mistake job hunters make is omitting the job objective from their resume. After a person’s name, many crew placement agents agree that the most important item on a resume or CV (curriculum vitae) is a personal career objective. It saves everyone time matching the right person with the right yacht. The job objective is an initial gauge for the job itself, said Stacey Geddis, president of Crew4Crew, a Web-based crew database company based in Ft. Lauderdale. “If there is no career objective, you don’t know if they’ll fit into the job you’re looking for,” she said. Be specific in stating the job target in as few words as possible, Geddis said. Anything beyond that is probably fluff and indicates a lack of clarity and job direction. A strong objective will include a description of your goals for a specific position, as well as your flexibility. “Real objectives are not generic,” said Ian Pelham, manager of The Crew Network in Ft. Lauderdale. For example, second or third stewardesses might write something like: “Seeking a stewardess position on a motor yacht with a heavy charter schedule where I can learn from a more experienced stewardess and contribute to the team.” A chief stewardess might write: “Looking for a chief stewardess position on a 200-foot motor yacht, leading a team of three to deliver the high expectations an owner deserves. Private or charter.” For those crew new to the industry, a strong objective should explain why the applicant is

getting into yachting and what they hope to learn in this first job. Include passions such as cooking and travel, and other related experience such as a childhood spent on the water, said Angela Arthurs, a crew agent with Elite Crew in Ft. Lauderdale A poorly written objective can eliminate a candidate from consideration for a job, said Tim Griffin, head of marine operations for JM Family Enterprises, which maintains the Gallant Lady fleet of yachts. For instance, a candidate with a 50-ton master’s license should not note in his objective that he wants to captain a megayacht. While that may be a long-term career goal, the objective should be immediate to the job being sought. “That may seem like an exaggeration, but it has crossed my desk,” Griffin said. One of the objectives Griffin said he likes to see includes something like this: “The desire for a longterm position with room for growth.” However, “long-term” and “growth” leave a lot to be defined. For applicants with a string of shortterm jobs, a short description of “long-term” might be needed, Griffin said. The agents all agreed that applicants should write their career objective for the job they want, not write a generic objective that doesn’t sell them or their desires. It would be better to leave off the objective altogether instead of including a weak one, Pelham said. “You want to end up in the ‘maybe’ pile, not the ‘no’ pile,” he said. Contact freelance writer Lisa H. Knapp at lisa@the-triton.com.

A strong career objective will include these key items: • The specific position or range of positions you seek, along with flexibility. For example, some chief stewardesses will only accept another chief stew position; others may be more flexible. • Vessel type (power or sail), especially if you will not accept work on one or the other. • Private or charter, especially if you will not accept work on one or the other. • Individual or couples position. • Vessel cruising area, especially if you will not accept work in certain areas.


LESSONS FROM YOU: THE HARD WAY

B2 The Triton

August 2005

Solo passage through monsoon teaches sailor not to be hasty By Capt. David Hare The process of learning comes with various degrees of difficulty. My experience of “why not single hand through the Indian Ocean during the change of Monsoon” came slowly, like Bob Dylan’s lyrics in “Slow Train Coming.” The story started with my lady and I leaving Australia on a 37-foot sailboat that I rebuilt from a wreck in Fiji. We Hare departed Perth for the Cocos Keeling Islands as a couple, in lust, and ready for the cruising lifestyle together. After two great months at Direction Island, we departed for the Solomon

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Islands in the Chagos Archipelago. The anchorages were superb and the fishing/diving beyond compare. Our next stop was Galle Harbor in Sri Lanka where we were met by armed guards who informed us that the Tamil Tiger rebels were about and threatening an attack. Nevertheless, we enjoyed the island and toured the tea plantations safely. During our passage to the Maldives, Kym kept throwing up. Not prone to sea sickness, our thoughts were for her to have a pregnancy test. The test was positive and our life was about to change dramatically. After seven months and a couple of visits to the Hospital in Male, it became apparent that we did not want Kym to deliver in the Maldives. She flew home and I was left to single-hand our “nest” back to Perth.

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What I did not pay enough attention to was the upcoming change of seasons and what that reality would bring. Setting off from the Maldives in mid-May, life soon became more than difficult. In rounding Dondra Heads, I was met with a black wall of clouds. Over the next four days, I sailed into a monsoon that very shortly killed more than 40,000 people in Bangladesh and had me surfing down the faces of 40foot waves for two days. (The storm made the cover of Time magazine in May 1985.) There was no possibility of sleep. The winds were over 100 knots and sounded like an early 707 on takeoff – a steady, deafening roar. The tops of the waves were being blown off and the steady spume hitting my triple-reefed main and spitfire staysail just drenched

the boat in meters of water. When I finally couldn’t stand standing at the helm one more hour, I set the Aries wind vane; she held fairly well at about 150 degrees to the wind. I went below and passed out on the cabin sole. Waking up to water gathering around my head, I realized the wind was down to 60 or so knots, that the worst was over and I would survive. My sobs were louder than the wind that still shrieked. My daughter Lizzy was born the day I crossed the equator and was handed to me in Perth at two weeks of age. I lived, but never again. Have you learned a lesson the hard way? Share your experience with your yachting brethren. E-mail us at editorial@the-triton.com.


The Triton

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August 2005

FROM THE EXPERTS: SAFETY DRILLS

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Key to successful drill program is keeping track of paperwork A key piece to how to get safety drills started on your ship is keeping documentation about your drills, crew qualifications and safety meetings. Since there are different requirements for different flag states, your plan may vary from what I outline. The guide we will look at will be for U.S.-flagged vessels, and the information THE DRILL can be found in the CAPT. MICHAEL Code of Federal MURPHY Regulations. A great place to start is in CFR 46, parts 1 to 40. On page 346, you can find: Instructions, Drills, and Safety Orientation. The required instructions each crew member should be familiar with are: abandoning the vessel, fighting a fire, recovering an individual from the water, minimizing the effects of unintentional flooding, launching survival craft, recovering lifeboats and rescue boats, donning immersion suits, donning a fireman’s outfit and a SCBA, making a voice radio distress call and using visual distress signals, activating the general alarm, and reporting inoperative alarm systems. Get a three-ring binder, dividers and clear sleeves. Create a table of contents with these topics and a list of your crew, then check off each crew member after they receive the training. Include the date, the instructor’s name and initials, and have the crew sign it. Have a training section for each crew member with the certificates they hold, including renewal or expiration dates. Some crew may have had Basic Safety Training or STCW. Those courses will have touched on much of this. Include a part for weekly meetings to document the training. At the meetings, discuss the success of your drills. Write a drill summary that includes the names of the crew who participated and the nature of the drill. A drill does not have to be a full-on action drill with dressing out in turnout gear. It may be a table-top drill to discuss a situation, or even the station bill responsibilities. And the drill summary need not be an official three-page memo but can and should be brief. Here’s one we recently did for an abandon ship drill: “The general alarm bell sounded at 11:04, and the announcement was made for the crew to man their abandon ship stations. The passenger muster area was designated as the Explorer Lounge. At 11:05 the third mate reported that he was on station at the life raft boarding area. Also at that time the chief engineer reported that the engine room doors had been secured. The first officer reported that he as well had arrived at the embarkation area. The first officer

reported the crew at this location for a partial crew muster. Then at 11:06 the captain contacted the crew at the life raft launching area, and checked that crew off of the muster list. At 11:07 the captain radioed the hotel manager and completed the crew muster. The drill was finished at 11:09 when the passenger muster was completed. “Notes and observations: There were 92 passengers and 26 crew participating in this drill. The timing of the drill was respectable at 5 minutes to complete the musters. The drill would have been more realistic if the crew would have simulated that the rescue

boat and life rafts had been launched, and then proceeded to their next duty listed on the station billet. I noticed that there was not a crew member assigned to assist on the bridge, and this will have to be changed. For the captain to send the GMDSS, SAT phone, VHF radio, and DSC radio distress signals, also to maneuver the vessel, gather the radios, charts, logs, and other miscellaneous items would not be possible. Another note is that the crew that launches the life rafts and rescue boat, then have responsibilities in the first two life rafts launched. The station billet will have to be rewritten

to distribute the personnel better, and that individual duties are consistent between each function of their duties.” In CFR 46 Parts 166-199 (page 497), you will see a part on drills. Though yours may not be a passenger vessel, you may want to use these requirements. They are a good guide. Capt. Michael Murphy took over the 120-foot M/Y Kakela in July. He spent the previous 18 months running the 217-foot cruise ship Spirit of Endeavor with a crew of 26, conducting at least two safety drills a week. Contact him through editorial@the-triton.com.

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August 2005

FROM THE EXPERTS: IN THE GALLEY

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To set, or not to set, a precedent: When you set the bar too high I might stir controversy by writing this article, but I feel as a professional yacht chef that it needs to be addressed. The topic is setting precedents. A precedent is anything you do that is over and above the expectations of your employer. When you “up the bar” as a chef, your employer, guests or captain may like it so much CULINARY WAVES that it’s hard to MARY BETH bring it back down LAWTON JOHNSON without looking like you are falling short. So when do you say “enough is enough?” Case in point: A guest comes to you who has heard other guests rave about your delicious moist brownies and requests you make them. You do. A little while later, another guest approaches you to make a Key lime pie, his favorite. You do that as well. Then, to top off the whole dessert motif, someone else requests something sweet, lemony and tart. So you make this, too. The problem is you still have to get crew dinners out, dessert made for the evening plus the guests’ appetizers, soups, salads and dinner. Are you setting a precedent by doing all of these desserts in one day? Of course you are. Is this the norm in this industry? Of course it is. Do you approach the captain and tell him/her what is happening and that it is placing an extreme burden on your shoulders by doing all of this? Will this become the norm once you do it or is it just for the day? Once you do this, will it send a signal to them that you are Wonder Woman or Superman and can handle it all, leading them to expect it again? I have found the answers to be: You should, it will and they will. I called upon an industry leader in crew placement to get her professional opinion on this touchy subject, Ami Williams of Crew Unlimited. She provided a perfect example of a yacht chef who set precedents onboard her yacht and then could not live up to them, causing her to burn out and leave the industry. Now the owners expect other chefs to perform the same way she did. Of course, no one can. The owners are still trying to find a chef just like her. Who is at fault? Q: Would you elaborate on your experiences dealing with this issue of a chef doing too much or not living up to what’s expected? Is there any such thing in this industry? Ami Williams: “I have never heard of a chef who does too much. The chef

I last worked with cooked for four children – separate meals depending on whether they wanted spaghetti, pizza, cheeseburgers or pasta with stilton sauce. She also cooked for eight guests and nine crew who didn’t eat the same meal that was served to the guests. “Somehow, miraculously, she also found time to bake fresh scones, pastries and muffins each morning and fresh cookies in the afternoon. She was a Wonder Woman and honestly, the owners loved her. “The crew loved her and the captain loved her but she burned out. No amount of money could bring her back to working on yachts. “Her standards were too high to maintain 100 percent unfortunately. Now the owners’ experience has taught them that sort of performance is possible, if they can only find the “right chef.” Each chef who doesn’t live up to their expectations – the precedent that she set – has had to move on. “So I guess in retrospect, it would have been nice if the captain had intervened at some point and said, ‘let’s take it down a notch so they don’t get spoiled and expect this forever.’ Of course she would have told him to go jump in a lake.” Does this sound familiar to you chefs? If it does, pay special attention. Did the chef set the precedent or was it because the owners requested the separate meals and cookies and freshbaked breads? Who is to blame for going overboard? Here are some questions I posed to Ami to gain a better insight into this subject of setting precedents. Q: As in restaurants, chefs on yachts want to show their finest. Once they do, it might become expected. Do you feel that it is reasonable to draw a line or to lay down some guidelines for this type of performance? Ami: “I personally don’t think it is an employee’s place to say what she/he is willing to do for an employer, i.e., what level he/she will cook to. Having said that, I do believe that open and honest communication about what is possible on a continued basis is necessary. “If the owners come to expect fivecourse meals, then they should be aware and supportive of the additional help required from additional crew to deliver that level of service. I guess that does count as guidelines.” Q: Would you expect a higher level of service and food quality from the chef if it were a more expensive yacht, say a $25 million yacht versus a $3 million yacht? Ami: “Expectations are those of the owner, not the yacht itself. So if the owner has high expectations, loves

See CULINARY WAVES, page B6


The Triton

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FROM THE EXPERTS: BREAD

Nothing quite like homemade sourdough bread for guests By Clay Westbrook I am a parishioner of good bread. It is my foundation. I hunt for artisan breads with a dark-hued crust that is smooth and rough at the same time, firm and springy but crackly when squeezed, and a soft chewy crumb with rich developed flavor. My crusade to find a loaf of bread healthy enough to eat has helped me enjoy the deep developed richness of whole grain breads. My quest for artisan bread is still alive today, although I have turned my Westbrook focus inward, creating my own. Before I get into the secrets of my creation, I would like to share the roots. I stumbled onto the “batard style” loaf I make while attending a workshop on masonry bread ovens. Indeed, these spectacular, massive Old World brick ovens roar with fire and emit huge amounts of heat. I was a mason of these ovens and attained the secrets for the dough from Dan Wing

and Alan Scott, both builders/bakers of these ovens who never dropped bricklaying long enough to kneed dough. When I found myself working on boats as a chef, I fiddled with their number combinations scratched out in grams for the dough. What I have come up with is a product that is simple and easy to enjoy. It can easily fit into the schedule of a yacht chef and provides a backbone to all meal periods of the day. In addition, you will have the bragging power of your skills as an artisan baker. Technically, it should be branded with the name 10% rye sourdough. For those finicky about overly sour sourdough, do not squirm yet. The preparation of this naturally leavened bread creates well-rounded malt richness similar to a well-crafted beer. The style of bread – usually named after the bacteria strands present – could be construed as a San Francisco sourdough but I call it Atlantic Ocean sourdough, because that is the bacterium that surrounds me for now. Be aware of the ambient temperature where your starter is rising, and to use the purest water source for mixing. The starter is a lot

See SOURDOUGH, page B7

August 2005

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August 2005

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fabulous food and eats at the finest restaurants, the food quality will have to match those expectations, regardless of how much he spent on the boat. “Whether they can/will afford the higher salary is up to them and where they place the value of good food. Presumably, someone who can afford a $25 million yacht will have an easier time paying a $100,000 salary for a chef than someone who can only afford a $3 million yacht. “But, because they have Addonly Thespent Triton$3to your marketing PHOTO/WANDERING EYE PHOTOGRAPHY, JENNIFER REBER million on the yacht doesn’t mean that’s the and promotions budget for this most expensive yacht they can afford; it’s how year’s boat shows.they For just pennies This dessert may look like you are setting precedents, but you are much they want to spend. Maybe because paper,they youcan canjustify reach thousands not. It’s easy, affordable and looks fantastic on a plate. Serves six. saved $22 million on theayacht, spending much more onoftheir thecrew.” industry’s most important Q: What advice would you givemakers a chef on 12 oz. mango puree (see below) decision – the captains, setting precedents that they cannot live up to? 2 oz. pectin powder senior crew and business Ami: “As a crew placement coordinator, we 15 oz. sugar professionals whosample operate yachts. advise our chefs and cooks to make their 3 tbsp. glucose Callprepared, or e-maillike ustofor details on menus from food they have 1 1/2 tsp. creme of tartar special advertising prepare and prepare well. Stay within your packages for 2 ripe mangos; 1 cut julienne and 1 diced known means, because you can always surprise our upcoming boat show issues.1 pint fresh raspberries, washed and drained them with better, more complex and more 2 cups fresh assorted melons cut julienne (honeydew, papaya, innovative dishes after you’ve practiced on them cantaloupe) a few times. 1/2 cup mango puree heated and put in a squeeze bottle “And if you want a higher paying job, get some 1/2 cup raspberry puree heated and put in a squeeze bottle training. The paperwork to go behind passion (954)the 525-0029 means a lot to owners. They love to say, “My chef Bring the puree to a boil and add the pectin powder and 6 sales@the-triton.com graduated from Le Cordon Bleu or the Culinary tablespoons of sugar. Continue to boil. Institute of America.” Even ifwww.the-triton.com it’s only a short Add in the remaining sugar and glucose and cook to 240 degrees course that you take between jobs, it counts.” F. Remove and mix in the creme of tartar. Q: Is it up to the owner or the captain to set Pour the mixture onto a silpat mat and using an offset spatula, the precedents for the boat? If it is split, who spread into an even, thin rectangle. Set aside to use at room determines when enough is enough or not temperature. I generally like to wait at least 4 hours before using. It’s enough? too sticky at first. Ami: “The relationship between the owner, the captain and the chef is just that, a relationship. For the Rice: With any relationship comes expectations, 2 cups coconut milk communication and compromise. You can’t cut 3 tbsp. sugar one person out of that equation, as it takes all 1 cup jasmine rice three to make it work. “But as it’s generally the chef who is doing the Bring the milk to a boil and add the sugar and rice. Reduce to work to make it work, he/she should be the one simmer. Cover and simmer until done, 30-40 minutes. to communicate when ‘enough is enough’ to the captain and the captain to the owner. Assembly and Plating: “Further, if it’s ‘not enough,’ it’s up to the Cut a 1 1/2 inch-wide strip of the fruit wrapper, being careful not owner to determine that. Generally, the owner to cut through the silpat mat. will let the captain know what his expectations Mold the rice into oblong pieces in the palm of your hand. Place are and hold the chef to those.” the julienned fruit on top of the rice and wrap the fruit wrapper As yacht chefs, we find ourselves walking around it. This is not so easy. It takes practice. a tightrope. Somewhere on that tightrope, we may find a knot (i.e., precedents) and we must Stand the fruit sushi on end and decorate with mango and communicate to the captain if we are to survive raspberry purees and fresh fruit (melons, berries, diced mango) and such a situation on a daily basis. pulled sugar tendrils. Unlike a restaurant with a brigade of cooks to prepare the meals exactly to the executive chef ’s Albert Uster Imports (www.auiswiss.com) carries an extensive specifications, we are the ones solely responsible line of purees, as does Hero Gastronomique (find them at for purchasing and preparing the food. International Market at 1428 S.E.17th St. in Ft. Lauderdale). We might set a precedent if we go above and Or make your own. Take the flesh of two mangos and puree in a food processor with 3 tablespoons of sugar and 2 teaspoons of beyond our call of duty. Just be careful in how you lemon juice. pursue your ideals of what is expected of you so Simmer for 3 to 7 minutes over moderate heat. This cooking you can have a long and prosperous career as a step is important because you have to deactivate the enzyme that yacht chef. keeps the fruit from binding with other products, such as gelatin. To get a smooth fruit wrapper, let it cool then push the puree Mary Beth Lawton Johnson is a certified executive through a sieve. It should be smooth, transparent and feel sticky. pastry chef and Chef de Cuisine. A professional Chill before use in your recipes. It’ll keep for three days. yacht chef since 1991, she has been chef aboard – Mary Beth Lawton Johnson M/Y Rebecca since 1999. Contact her through editorial@the-triton.com.


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FROM THE EXPERTS: BREAD

August 2005

B7

Sourdough starter can be picky but it’s heartier than you think SOURDOUGH, from page B5 heartier than you think, and should be respected. Consider it a new pet. Give it a name and get used to feeding it. To control the bacteria in a dormant state, store the starter in a refrigerator until needed, making sure to feed it equal amounts of flour and water every three to four days. The best flour I am able to find is King Arthur, but other all-purpose flours are capable. Technical note: I have discovered and been instructed to work in metric measurements, specifically grams. If you are serious about making bread and having consistent quality, do yourself a favor and use a small electronic scale. If you are stubborn to go metric, humor me and soon you will begin to understand the logic of it. Creating a Starter 200g water 200g whole wheat flour 200g white flour Day 1. Mix ingredients. Day 2. Do not touch. The bacteria is working. Day 3. Throw away half and feed again with an equal amount of ingredients. Day 4. Throw away half and feed again with equal amounts. Day 5. Throw away half and feed again with equal amounts. Day 6. You should have bubbles and an active starter. This starter actually extracts yeast from the air. You should see some life (bubbles) in the first couple of days. It is important to keep your starter at room temperature and exposed to the air in the beginning. Eventually, you can store it in the refrigerator. I prefer to store my starter in a clear plastic container; however, it will survive in anything from a yogurt container to a mason jar. I use a clear container so I can see the activity of the starter. If it looks separated – which will happen after a week of it being dormant – throw half away and feed it with equal amounts of flour and water. Regular maintenance should consist of throwing away half or taking half for bread and feeding it every 3-4 days. 16-hour journal for Atlantic Ocean Sourdough (for 2kg dough, adapted from Wing and Scott) 2100hrs the evening before the bake: 200g starter 200g warm water (95 F/34 C) 200g white flour This gives you 600g leaven. I like to use a clear square plastic container for mixing (roughly 8x5x14) that I can use through the whole process. 0800hrs the morning of the bake: 600g leaven from the evening before 115g rye flour 440g warm water 375g white flour; first kneading

375g white flour; second kneading Autolase (resting for 20 minutes, also known as gravity kneading) 70g warm water 20g kosher salt Add the ingredients in the order they are listed, taking care to stir and kneed each ingredient. Once all ingredients are blended, I place the mixture in a clear square container so I can see the volume increase. Let it rest for 20 minutes and relax. Add the water and salt in two phases; kneading for 5 minutes between phases. I place the container in an oven with a steaming pot of water (75 F/24 C is optimum dough temperature). Let the bread rise for 3 hours, taking care to flip the mixture over every hour. 1100hrs: At the end of three hours you should have doubled volume. (If it doubles faster, reduce the rise time.) Shape loaves into whatever shape you desire. I portion the loaves into four 250g loaves and rise in raw linen couches rubbed with flour. Another option is to curl silpat forms into couches to force the loaves to rise. Or you can invest in reed baskets, which make two 1 kg round loaves. Let loaves rise 2-3 more hours or until doubled in size. The loaves should be fairly firm, but not so over-risen that it is impossible to move them. Heat oven to 425-450 degree Convection heat. 1400hrs: When your loaves have risen, lightly flip, tap or roll them onto a baking sheet or baking peel lined with cornmeal. Slash your own design on the top to help the loaf spring and bake. I have found a baking stone is not essential. It is important for the bread to have equal conduction and convection while baking. The ideal baking environment is to have a masonry oven because there is equal stone surrounding the bread. However, not all of us are fortunate to have a masonry oven, so if you are baking in a home-style oven, crank it to 425-450 degrees. Temperatures may vary, but don’t be afraid of a hot oven. With a small spray bottle, spray moisture in the oven every 10 minutes. Bread is usually finished after about 30-40 minutes or when the bottom is tapped and sounds hollow. Let loaves cool for 10 minutes. Enjoy your creations. Vive le pain! Clay Westbrook is the chef on M/Y Aerie, a 124-foot Delta. Contact him at bigclay@earthlink.net or via www. bigclayskitchen.com. References: “The Bread Builders, Hearth Loaves and Masonry Ovens,” Scott and Wing (1999, Chelsea Green Publishing. Vermont). “The Laurel’s Kitchen Bread Book,” Laurel Robertson (1984, Random House, New York).

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B8

FROM THE EXPERTS: NUTRITION

August 2005

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define as “good carbs,” are those carbohydrate-containing foods that offer more than just energy. This means they serve up, for example, energizing B-vitamins, blood-building minerals such as iron, intestinal tract-pleasing dietary fiber and more essential nutrients. If you really want to be carb savvy, don’t give up this nutrient. Instead, always look for the carb-containing food with the most nutrition per calorie. If we start with complex carbohydrates, this means whole-grain breads, bagels, English muffins and crackers. Brown rice and whole-wheat pasta are great. Any type of dried peas and beans are nutritious. So are starchy vegetables like corn, green peas and potatoes, but prepare these foods in a way that doesn’t call for a heaping dose of salt, sugar or fat. Consider that a medium baked potato provides 90 calories, while a small fastfood serving of French fries contains 210. Need a sugar pick me up? Go for simple carbohydrates like fresh fruit. Grab an apple, a glass of 100 percent juice or a handful of raisins. Milk contains the simple carbohydrate lactose and also a wealth of bone-building calcium and blood sugar-sustaining protein. Vegetables such as beets and carrots are chock full of natural sugars and key nutrients as well as disease-preventing phytonutrients. Bad carbs? Well, most nutritionists would define these as cakes, candies and pastries. But, you know what? These aren’t really bad. We should rename this article to something that really spells out the best way to consider carbs: Everyday Carbs and Special Occasion Carbs. Every day, go for those nutrientpacked carbs. Then when the time comes, don’t sweat that birthday cake. All foods can fit in your diet. Carol Bareuther is a registered dietitian and a regular contributor to The Triton. Contact her through editorial@thetriton.com.

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A year ago, you couldn’t watch TV, listen to the radio, read a magazine or even grocery shop without hearing the word “carbs,” short for carbohydrates. Atkins and Agatston were the diet gurus who supposedly held the one true key to weight loss: Hold the carbohydrates. For nutritionists, the carb hype seemed like a déjà TAKE IT IN vu of the fat phobia CAROL BAREUTHER that had consumers queuing up to buy anything and everything with the magic words “fatfree.” Thankfully, the carb craze has gone the way of fat phobia. That is, consumers have become much smarter about this nutrient and are finding that the middle-of-the-road approach is often the best path. According to a January 2005 report by Opinion Dynamics, 12 percent of Americans were restricting their carbohydrate intake. This figure was up from 6 percent in December 2004 and attributed to the trend for folks to go on weight-loss diets come the new year. Interestingly, this same report showed that consumers were also conscious of their protein, fat, fiber, sodium, and vitamin and mineral intake. In other words, these folks were looking to eat an overall more healthful diet. Here’s where the concept of “good carbs, bad carbs” comes in. Carbohydrates are one of three main calorie-providing nutrients in our diets, the other two being protein and fat. Complex carbohydrates are foods such as breads, rice, pasta, legumes (dried peas and beans) and starchy vegetables. Simple carbohydrates are found in fruits, milk and vegetables, as well as cakes, candy, pastries and other refined grain products. For good health, you need a mix of carbohydrates in your diet. Complex carbohydrates deliver their energy more slowly while simple carbohydrates provide their power more quickly. The key here, and what nutritionists

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NUTRITION NEWS

August 2005

Drink them up; wines don’t get better with age 60-SECOND WINE STEWARD A.J. JACOBS

One day recently, I was asked by a stewardess on a large yacht to help her put a monetary value on each wine that was currently in inventory on her boat. She then handed me a list, which consisted of the name of each wine and the vintage. She wanted to put a wine list together for her charter guests, since the boat had quite a bit of wine left over from previous charters, and would like to use up these wines if she could. I looked at the list and realized an embarrassing encounter might occur if she tried to serve some of these wines. Why? The vast majority of wine that is produced in today’s market is meant to be consumed at the time of its release, generally within two to three years of the vintage date for white wine and three to four years for red wine. Unless you are talking about expensive white burgundies or highly tannic reds, such as a better vintage Bordeaux, wine will rarely get better with age. This is especially true with white wine. Her list contained some well known chardonnays, pinot grigios and sauvignon blancs, as well as some decent merlots, pinot noirs and cabernets. The problem stemmed from the fact that white wines were from vintages that dated from 2000 to 2001 and the red wines from 1998 to 2000. Unless perfectly stored, which was probably not a priority, the white wines have certainly started to lose life and turn. With the reds, the vintages that these wines came from were average at best. These were wines that upon release would not get better. So the extra few years in the bottle would only dissipate the fruit that each wine had upon release. You might be able drink some of these wines, but why take a chance with a valued charter guest? If they are willing to take one of your recommendations off your list, then do whatever you can to make sure that all your wines are of the best currently available. This is where your wine merchant can help you. It’s our job to know this information so don’t hesitate to ask. Until next time, cheers. A.J. Jacobs is the yacht provisioning specialist at Inlet Fine Wine and Spirits in Ft. Lauderdale. He has been a wine and spirits merchant in South Florida for the past 10 years. Contact him at 954-318-0060 or aj@inletliquors.com.

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B14

FROM THE EXPERTS: CUSTOMER SERVICE

August 2005

The Triton Word Search July 2005

PuzzleJunction.com

All Americas Cup

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The Triton Crossword July 2005

Word List INTREPID LIBERTY LUNA ROSSA MADELEINE MISCHIEF PURITAN RAINBOW RANGER

AMERICA AUSTRALIA COLUMBIA COURAGEOUS ENDEAVOUR ENTERPRISE FREEDOM GRETEL

1 5 9 13 14 15 16 17 19 20 21 22 24 25 28 29 31 34 36 37 38 42

Commotions Jibe Small talk Bivouac ____ Thompson It. money Thought Got caught, nautically speaking Lairs Tokyo Arteries Legerdemain Cheer Cat hangout Arrange Limb Second sight Dropsy Norse god Actress Best Not much, nautically speaking Pin

43 44 45 46 47 49 50 52 54 57 58 62

64 65 66 67 68 69 70

Aries Deadbolts Chop Ginger Label Crucial Crete mountain Panama, for one Rescinds Fr. friend Area unit Starts a commotion, nautically speaking Enfold Grinder Get up Roman Emperor Sp. cheers Hide Discovers

Down 1 Vitriolic

RELIANCE SCEPTER SCEPTRE SHAMROCK SOVEREIGN THISTLE VIGILANT WEATHERLY

2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 14 18 23 25 26 27 29 30 32 33 35

Fla. county Sign Twitch Thief For one specific case Brazilian port Gr. letter It Girl Bow Wake up, nautically speaking Domain Mariners Encirclement Fish catcher Quick inits. Percolate Muddle Edible marine snail Residue ____ Dawn Chong Serpent Garden plant Cleaning tool

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Providers of great service can’t use the ‘no’ way out “No, we don’t have that information the answers.” in our system.” Providing employees with guidelines “No, we cannot retrieve your data and understanding on how not to say and locate your lost item.” “no” can be invaluable in dealing with “No, we unexpected guest questions. are unable to Caring enough to take personal accommodate your responsibility to find alternatives to party plans that you meet or exceed your guests’ needs can confirmed over six make an enormous difference. There months ago, even may be moments when the answer to though you invited one question may indeed be “no,” but all your guests and there are always alternatives and the have no way to reach alternatives should be presented first. them.” Remember the expression “When SERVE IT UP No. No. No. one window closes, another one ROBERTA NEDRY With all these opens.” Instill employees and all vessel no’s, one might wonder if “yes” has been personnel with a can-do attitude, reported as an endangered species. whatever “do” might be. Encourage “No” may be perceived as the easy way them to take responsibility to think out and an efficient way to move on to through all the alternatives, even the other guests or activities. not-so-obvious ones. The problem is that that guest may Support them with structured paths move on as well and encourage others to get answers quickly to questions or to do the same. situations they may not know how to In each of these situations, someone handle. Promote understanding and – anyone – could have said, “I’m not Junction.com attention to guest needs. Puzzle sure, let me check” or “Let me see Show them how to focus on those what we can do” or “Here are some needs and then determine the best alternatives to meet your needs.” solutions. Discourage quick answers Instead, in each case, the door was that shut down any out-of-the-ordinary slammed shut with two little letters or unexpected guest requests. and the guest had to pry it back open, Know how to handle “no” and using both hands. welcome the “you-phoric” sound of Imagine the difference when an “yes.” employee’s orientation includes something like, “when guests ask Roberta Nedry is president of difficult questions or things you may Hospitality Excellence, a Ft.Lauderdalenot know, never say ‘no.’ Tell them you based firm that provides consulting and are not sure and will check it out for training on how to deliver exceptional them with someone who does know. service. Contact her at 954-739-5299 or Put their needs first and resolve to get roberta@hospitalityexcellence.com.

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More travel, communication coming for Leos By Michael Thiessen

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22) Don’t allow

colleagues to stand in your way. The stamina you possess will be apparent in your approach to your hobbies and creative projects. Your business sense will lead you toward more travel and communication. Look into ways to change your self-image. Your luckiest events this month occur on Wednesdays. VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 23) Call siblings or old friends to catch up on news. Don’t lament to a friend about a grievance regarding your mate, or it may be hard to rectify your relationship. Be tolerant, but don’t let anyone take you for granted. Take time to remember those you love. LIBRA (Sept. 24-Oct. 23) Don’t donate more than you can afford just to impress others. You must not let others talk you into doing things that may limit you financially later. SCORPIO (Oct. 24-Nov. 22) Old friends may not like your choices. Your attitudes are changing rapidly. Sudden romantic connections may be short lived. Go over friends’ important documents and take the time to suggest alternatives. SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 23-Dec. 21) Your determination and stamina will make your work look effortless. Relaxation will be more favorable than you think. Get everyone involved; it will help bring you closer. Don’t get depressed; get busy. CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 20) You may be able to get some good advice about your personal problems. You spend more than you make. Don’t be afraid to lay your cards on the table. Don’t let anyone take credit for a job you did. AQUARIUS (Jan. 21-Feb. 19) Check into art objects or precious stones. You can do well in group endeavors. Your ideas may be a little ahead of their time; don’t push them. Instead just continue working on development. PISCES (Feb. 20-March 20) Relationships will form if you get out and do things you enjoy. Limitations at work might set you back. Spend some time by yourself to decide exactly how you feel. Don’t let your partner put you down. ARIES (March 21-April 20) You may have difficulty finishing projects. Socialize with as many people as possible. Time is money and you must be ready to take action to reach your potential. Consider yourself for a change. TAURUS (April 21-May 21) Compromise instead of having a battle. Your mate may want to pick a fight, but if you’re persistent with your affections, his/her anger should dissipate. Don’t expect anyone else to pay your bills for you. GEMINI (May 22-June 21) Arguments with employers or colleagues will be to your detriment. Concentrate on areas where you can make a difference. CANCER (June 22-July 22) You should be able to accomplish all you set out to do. Do not let lovers cost you money or take advantage of you. Take a look at your legal position.

FROM THE EXPERTS: IN THE STARS

August 2005

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Spy the night sky’s two goddesses, and a meteor shower On the first Sunday in August, the Moon visits the brightest planet Venus. On Aug. 9, it visits the second brightest planet, Jupiter. Early on the morning of Aug. 12, the Earth is paid a visit by the Perseid Meteor Shower. On Sunday, Aug. 7, at about 45 minutes after sunset, face due west and you’ll be greeted with a sight that will take your breath away, a sight that has been depicted in art since artists began to draw: The pairing of the two goddesses of the night, the beautiful planet Venus and the Moon in the shape of a wonderful crescent complete with Earthshine, which looks like a black full Moon nestled within the crescent. Up and to Venus’ left is the second brightest planet, Jupiter. On Monday night the 8th, the crescent Moon will be right between them. Then on Tuesday the 9th, a slightly fatter crescent will be parked just alongside and beneath it. Don’t miss these two close pairings because they are among the most beautiful cosmic sights you’ll ever see. Remember Sunday the 7th the Moon visits Venus and Tuesday the 9th it visits Jupiter. And if that’s not enough to hold you for the month, on Friday morning the 12th from 2 a.m. to dawn the annual Perseid Meteor Shower will pay a visit to Earth. This year’s show should be wonderful because there will be no bright moonlight to wipe out the dimmer meteors. To see this meteor shower, go outside around 2 a.m. and stay outside until twilight begins. If you’ve got only an hour to spare, go out an hour before it gets light because that’s when you’ll see the most meteors. Face northeast and you’ll see our old friends the Seven Sisters and just to their left the dim constellation Perseus, which is where the Perseid Meteor

Shower gets its name because all the meteors appear to originate from this part of the heavens. To see any meteor shower properly you need several things: Dark skies far away from city lights, a chair, a blanket, plenty of patience and your trusty old naked eye. It you’re far from city lights you may see 20 to 40 meteors an hour, most very faint but a few very bright. Just what are meteors anyway? Well, although they look like shooting stars, they are in fact simply specks of comet debris slamming into our Earth’s atmosphere at speeds so fast that they cause the atmospheric gasses surrounding them to heat up and glow, making streaks of light. Every August, our Earth plows directly into a cosmic river of comet debris left by Comet Swift-Tuttle and this is what causes the Perseid meteor shower. So every time you see a Perseid meteor streak across the sky that Friday morning, remind yourself that what you are actually seeing is a tiny piece of comet litter plunging to its fiery death. Wow. What a week.

Moon points to two constellations You can use the Moon on four nights this month to find two of summer’s best constellations. On Saturday, Aug. 13, face south and the Moon will be parked near the top of Scorpius whose bright red star Antares marks its heart. On Sunday, Aug. 14, it will be just past Antares and on Monday will be parked just above the spout of the teapot portion of Sagittarius. On Tuesday, it will be next to its handle. Antares is so huge it could hold 260 million of our Suns or 281 trillion Earths and the spout of Sagittarius points directly to the center of our Milky Way Galaxy. Keep looking up. Jack Horkheimer is executive director of the Miami Museum of Science. This is the script for his weekly television show co-produced by the museum and WPBT Channel 2 in Miami. It is seen on public television stations around the world. For more information about stars, visit www.jackstargazer.com.


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FROM THE EXPERTS: THE ENVIRONMENT

August 2005

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This month I am writing about plastic and its effect on our ocean and the creatures that live in and around the ocean, and the things we can do to reduce our impact on the ocean. Researchers have found albatross – for centuries a sign of hope to sailors – with their stomachs filled with plastic bottle tops and cigarette UP TO US lighters as well as CAROL BENBROOK other particles of plastic. The albatross are scavengers and they scour the ocean picking up floating debris. Plastic items found in the stomachs of chicks include toothbrushes, children’s toys, bottle caps, cigarette lighters, pipes, fishing line and gloves. In recent years, researchers with the Algalita Marine Research Foundation have sampled a huge area in the middle of the North Pacific and found six pounds of plastic for every pound of algae. To a sea turtle, a floating plastic bag looks like a jellyfish. To seabirds, plastic pellets (the small hard pieces of plastic from which plastic products are made) look like fish eggs. As our consumption of plastic mounts, so too does the danger to marine life. Plastic soda rings, plastic bags, Styrofoam particles and plastic pellets are often mistaken by sea turtles as authentic food. Clogging their intestines and causing them to miss out on vital nutrients, the turtles starve to death from plastic. Sea birds undergo a similar ordeal, mistaking plastic pellets for fish eggs, small crabs and other prey, sometimes even feeding the deadly pellets to their young. Despite the fact that only 0.05 percent of plastic pieces from surface waters are pellets, they comprise about 70 percent of the plastic eaten by sea birds. These small plastic particles have been found in the stomachs of 63 of the world’s 250 species of sea birds. Marine trash, mainly plastic, is killing more than a million seabirds and 100,000 mammals and sea turtles each year. These are the 12 items found most frequently in dead sea birds and turtles. Let’s call them the “dirty dozen:” cigarette butts, paper pieces, plastic pieces, Styrofoam, glass pieces, plastic food bags, plastic caps and lids, metal beverage cans, plastic straws, glass beverage bottles, plastic beverage bottles and Styrofoam cups. Note to engineers: Wildlife is not the only area to suffer from the effects

of marine debris. Plastic bags are the leading external cause of marine engine damage in Massachusetts. Recent studies show that 20 percent of all garbage in the ocean comes from the sea. This is something we can do something about.

Be part of the solution Be careful that your yacht’s garbage is disposed of properly. This is why the International Maritime Organization (an agency of the United Nations) brought in the MARPOL rules on garbage disposal. What can you do?  Follow the guidelines of MARPOL and you are taking a step in the right direction. (Conservation societies have been campaigning for years to implement these regulations. All of it is based on intensive research done at great expense.)  Pick up trash from the water, beaches, estuaries, etc., and dispose of it properly.  Encourage harbor masters to clean up their areas.  Use less plastics when possible; recycle when you can.  Use cloth re-usable bags instead of supermarket plastic bags.  Campaign. Make your voice heard. Don’t just sit in the crew mess and talk about it. There are forums where you can get more information on these and other issues with links to campaigning. If you are interested in campaigning, you can contact any of the ocean conservation groups and join the email-based letter writing campaigns. For more information on pollution in the marine environment, particularly with plastics and the albatross, visit this Web site: www.algalita.org. Here’s what a few countries around the world are doing to reduce the impact of plastic on the environment: Bangladesh: Polythene plastic bags have been banned completely. The government is promoting bags made of jute, a natural fiber. Ireland: Individual consumers are required to pay a 15-cent tax per plastic bag. This has resulted in an estimated 90 percent reduction in plastic bag use in the first year. The European Union: Member countries require manufacturers of plastic bags and other plastic waste to take them back and recycle them. Taiwan and South Africa: Both countries prohibit the thinner plastic bags. This encourages people to bring their own bags since retailers can’t afford to provide the more expensive, thicker plastic bags for free. Carol Benbrook is a working megayacht captain. Contact her at captaincarol@mac.com.


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FROM THE EXPERTS: FITNESS

Work chest, shoulders with just ball, dumbbells, jumping jacks Now is the time to get into great physical condition. Too many times, people who work on yachts forgo their workouts because they simply don’t have enough room on board. If there is a gym on the yacht, it’s usually not available to the crew. I have devised a workout that can be done without any fixed GO FIGURE or cumbersome PAT TEODOSIO equipment. All you need is a Thuno ball and a set of dumbbells. The balls are great because they come with pumps so you can deflate them after your workout and store it in a duffle bag. With these two basic pieces of equipment, you can work every part of your body. And, believe it or not, the most effective part of the workout doesn’t even require those pieces of equipment; just your body. If you don’t have a ball yet, but want to get back into shape, you may want to cut these out and save them. In the coming months, I’ll outline a totalbody workout that you can use for the rest of your life. We begin this month with some exercises for your upper body – the chest and shoulders. Men and women in yachting need a strong core and a strong upper body to handle the rigors of sailing, yacht maintenance work and the daily haul, be it drinks or fenders. The great thing about these large balls is that even just sitting on them works your core muscles. Sitting upright on a ball requires balance, calling into action most of the muscle groups in your torso. So sit upright on the ball with your legs spread about two feet wide. Grab your dumbbells, one in each hand. Walk your feet forward so your seat rolls off the ball and you lay back on the ball from the waist up, balancing with your feet about two feet apart. Your ankles should be below your knees in a right angle and your thighs parallel to the ground. (See photo below.) Your head will rest on the ball. Bring

your dumbbells to your chest, just in from the shoulder and push up. Pick a spot on the ceiling directly overhead and push your dumbbells to that point over your face, not over your chest. Extend your arms completely. Then lower back to your chest. Repeat these presses until you can’t do any more. I don’t like to use numbers (as in 10 reps) because the body will only condition itself to that level. Doing three sets of these to failure will continue to work the body to its strength potential. Instead of resting between sets, get off the ball and do one minute of jumping jacks. Yes, jumping jacks, those tried-and-true, military-style calisthenics that really work. Keep your core tight as you do these. Concentrate on pulling the stomach muscles in as though it could touch the spine. That tensing as well as the motion of the jumping jacks will slim you down like you won’t believe. After the chest press, sit upright on the ball. Again, your knees should be at right angles with your feet below your knees for the sturdiest stance. Spread your legs in an aggressive stance, about two feet apart. Lift your dumbbells to your shoulders perpendicular to your body and press them over your head. Lower them back to your shoulders with control. Again, do three sets to failure. Don’t forget your jumping jacks. They will become the core of our workouts and give you great cardiovascular conditioning. Doing jumping jacks for one minute, 10 times, is equivalent to running for 30 minutes. Remember to keep your stance narrow because they can be tough on the knees. A short stance in the up position still works the muscles inside and outside your thighs so it’s not really necessary to open it much. Lift your arms all the way above your head so the hands touch and come all the way down to touch your hips. Trust me, they work. Until next month, keep working. Pat Teodosio has been in the fitness industry for 30 years and owned Southport Gym in Ft. Lauderdale for 13 years. He now owns Go Figure, a 30minute workout studio on 17th Street. Contact him through editorial@thetriton.com.

August 2005

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WHAT’S UP?

August 2005

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Alexseal Antibes Yachtwear Argonautica Yacht Interiors ARW Maritime Associated Marine Technologies Automated Marine Systems The Beard Marine Group Bennett Brothers Yachts Boat Blinds International BOW Worldwide Yacht Supply Bradford Marine Broward Marine Brownie’s Business cards C&N Yacht Refinishing Calypso Marine Electronics (CME) Camper & Nicholsons International Cape Ann Towing Concord Marine Electronics Cool Temp Design Crewfinders Dunn Marine Ecoland Expeditions Edd Helms Elite Crew International Flo-Mar Dry Cleaners Fort Lauderdale Marine Directory Global Marine Travel Global Satellite Global Yacht Fuel Gourmet Market Caves Village Harbortown Marina-Ft. Pierce Inlet Fine Wine & Spirits Island Marine Electric Island Marine and Industrial Services Lacasse Services Lauderdale Marine Center Lauderdale Propeller Lauderdale Speedometer & Compass Light Bulbs Unlimited Mackay Communications Mail Boxes Etc. Maritime Professional Training Marshall Islands Yacht Registry Matthew’s Marine Megafend Mrs. G. Propeller The Mrs. G Team Nauti Tech Nautical Structures Northrop & Johnson Ocean Marine Yacht Center Ocean World Adventure Park & Marina Orion Yacht Services Performance Marine Coatings Perry Law Firm Peterson Fuel Delivery Pier 17 PM Restoration Professional Tank Cleaning Resolve Marine Group River Supply River Services Rolly Marine Service Rossmare International Bunkering RPM Diesel Engine Co. Sailorman Scalise Marine Schot Designer Photography Sodablast Sunshine Medical Center TowBoatUS Turtle Cove Marina Uniden Virgin Islands Charteryacht League Westrec Marinas Wotton’s Wharf Yacht Entertainment Systems Yachtfest Yachting Pages Yacht Toys of Florida

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On the Horizon in July Aug. 7 Sunday Jazz Brunch, Fort Lauderdale, along the New River downtown, 11 a.m.-2 p.m., free. Five stages including a variety of jazz types. www.fortlauderdale. gov Aug. 11-14 Huntington Beach, Calif., professional volleyball tournament, part of the 2005 series featuring more than 150 of the top athletes in this sport. The local qualifier is on Friday (free), the main draw competition is on Saturday ($15), with men and women’s finals on Sunday ($15). www.avp.com Aug. 8-14 87th PGA Championships, Baltusrol Golf Club, Springfield, N.J., one of golf ’s majors tournaments. www. pga.com Aug. 11-14 JVC Jazz Festival-Newport, Fort Adams State Park, Newport, RI., with the Wynton Marsalis Septet and the Newport

EVENT OF THE MONTH August 26-28 Swordfish seminar and tournament Ft. Lauderdale, Fla. Dusk-to-Dawn Swordfish tournament and celebrity auction to benefit the A Child Is Missing program, which helps police in the search and early recovery of missing children, the elderlyand the disabled in the first hours of their disappearance by use of telephone alert calls. ACIM can place 1,000 calls in 60 seconds to rpeople in the area where the child was last seen. Friday, 5-10 p.m.: Kick-off party, silent auction and swordfish seminar at Bahia Cabana. Saturday, 8 p.m.: Lines out. Sunday, 5 a.m.: Lines in, Hall of Fame Marina, weigh-in and breakfast. $10,000 cash prize, based on 50 boats @ $500 entry fee each. For information, call (954) 764.3975 Ext 101

All-Stars. www. festivalproductions. net. Aug. 22-27 Showboats International Summer Cruise to New York, Newport and Nantucket. Cocktail parties, black-tie gala, fishing tournament, chowder cook-off, clambake and crew parties. Boat entry from $4,000. Invitation only. jennifer.harris@

boysclubsbroward.org or (954) 537-1010. Sept. 4-6 Newport Irish Waterfront Festival, Newport, RI. Three-day festival celebrates Irish music, culture, cuisine and crafts, with five stages. www. newportfestivals.com Sept. 4 Sunday Jazz Brunch, Ft. Lauderdale, along the New River downtown, 11 a.m.-2 p.m., free.

Five stages including a variety of jazz types. www.fortlauderdale. gov Sept. 7-12 Grand Pavois de La Rochelle, http://www.grandpavois.com. At the Grand Pavois in Port des Minimes Sept. 8-10 Shipyard Cup, East Boothbay, Maine. An invitational regatta open to sailing yachts over 70 feet. Contact

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Andrea Holland at Boothbay Region Boatyard, (207) 6332970, andrea@brby. com; or Ted Smith at Hodgdon Yachts, (207) 6334194, tedsmith@ hodgdonyachts.com. www.shipyardcup. com Sept. 14-19 28th annual Cannes International Boat Show, France, at the Port de Cannes. www. salonnautiquecannes. com Sept. 14-18 6th annual YachtFest, San Diego, the U.S. West Coast’s largest yacht show, on Shelter Island Marina/Island Palms Hotel, $150. (858) 836-0133. Includes free seminars. “Your Career in Yachting:” Join captains, engineers, stewards and chefs to discuss their years of experiences aboard yachts, Sunday 9 a.m. And “Going for Broke: Insider Tips for a Successful Brokerage Career.” Learn how to protect clients, advance a career and more at this free, industry-only session Thursday at 9 a.m. www.yachtfest.com Sept. 15-18 Newport International Boat Show, Newport Yachting Center, (401)846-1115, www. newportboatshow. com Sept. 16 12th annual golf tournament by the Marine Industries Association of South Florida, Ft. Lauderdale. Teams and sponsors still being accepted. Play for hole-in-one Nissan 350Z. Call Carlen at 954-524-2733, www. miasf.org

Sept. 16-25 Southampton International Boat Show, Southampton, U.K. Sept. 21-24 Monaco Yacht Show, www. monacoyachtshow.org Sept. 23-26 Norwalk International InWater Boat Show, Norwalk (Conn.) Cove Marina. www. discoverboating.com/ norwalk. Oct. 2 Sunday Jazz Brunch, Fort Lauderdale, along the New River downtown, 11 a.m.-2 p.m., free. Five stages including a variety of jazz types. www.fortlauderdale. gov/festivals. Oct. 6-10 36th annual U.S. Sailboat Show, Annapolis City Dock and Harbor, Annapolis, MD. www. usboat.com. Oct. 8-16 45th International Boat Show, Genoa, Italy, at the marina Duca degli Abruzzi. 1,500 exhibitors expected and nearly 2,000 boats on display. www. salonenautico-online. it Oct. 19-21 International BoatBuilders’ Exhibition & Conference (IBEX), Miami Beach. For

trade only. www. ibexshow.com Oct. 26 Superyacht Society membership meeting and breakfast, 8-10 a.m. at Bahia Mar, Ft. Lauderdale. 954525-6625, www. superyachtsociety. com Oct. 27 Superyacht Society Gala Awards, Ft. Lauderdale, 8 p.m., Marriott Harbor Beach Resort, 954525-6625, www. superyachtsociety. com

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August 2005

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