The Triton 200512 by Triton News Network

Captain killed Rodney Lambert dies in diving accident

Vol. 2, No. 9

Cedar Island survives freak accident at sea

The real thing

Speak out

Read how a talented crew averted disaster.

Vendors, captains opine over FLIBS

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A16-19

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December 2005

MAKING SPACE

There has been much speculation and conversation about the badweather incident involving M/Y Cedar Island off the coast of South Carolina. All six crew members on the 110-foot Broward were evacuated by the U.S. Coast Guard. Here’s the captain’s story: By Capt. David Black We had left Connecticut and were headed to Ft. Lauderdale for the winter. A small craft advisory came out on Thursday, Oct. 27, for Friday afternoon. There wasn’t any room in Ft. Lauderdale with the boat show and impending hurricane headed there, so we knew we were pulling into port somewhere along BLACK the way to wait. There was a low intensifying between Jacksonville and Cape Canaveral that would begin to affect us Friday afternoon. It was forecast

When it opens in late 2007, the megayacht marina on Watson Island in Miami’s Biscayne Bay will be able to handle yachts like this, the 452-foot Rising Sun, seen here in Port Everglades just before Thanksgiving. PHOTO/LUCY REED

See CEDAR ISLAND, page A26

See WATSON ISLAND, page A16

Miami marina wants yachts up to 450’ By Lucy Chabot Reed

circling his arms to include everyone in attendance. Blankenship is head of the engineering department at Coastal Systems International, the Coral Gablesbased design ﬁrm hired by Flagstone Property Group to design the marina. “We had made some assumptions that in retrospect may have been overkill, and we came up with other things,” said Joe Herndon, project director with Flagstone Island Garden, the U.S. arm of Flagstone Property Group responsible for the project. Owned by Turkish entrepreneur Mehmet Bayraktar,

Miami’s Merrill-Stevens yard expanding to service larger yachts. See story page A14.

After years of dreaming, negotiating and trying to convince the voting public it’s a good idea, engineers have begun designing a megayacht marina on Miami’s Watson Island that will be able to berth four 400foot yachts. In researching the specs on marinas that can handle some of the world’s largest yachts, engineer Tim Blankenship was at a loss. So, with the help of The Triton, he led a meeting of more than a dozen large yacht captains and crew to ﬁnd out just what they needed. “This is the drawing table, right here,” Blankenship said,

Bridge: Couple-run megayachts can be tough but are worth it Most crew members can recount the horrors of working for a couple running a yacht – the he said/she said, the personal fights in the galley – but when it’s done well, a couple-run yacht can ease the hardest parts of yachting. The trick is to do it right, and that isn’t easy. FROM THE BRIDGE We gathered LUCY CHABOT REED seven couples for our monthly captain’s luncheon to find out just how to make the couple thing work. While there were no magic answers, there was the sense that when it’s good, it’s the best way to run a yacht. “There are times that she’s flat-out the wife, and there are times that I just have to weigh the decisions I make

and compromise,” one husband said. “I ran a few boats before and now after [several] years together, I can’t imagine running a boat by myself. The relationship takes on a life of its own.” Individual comments are not identified to any one person in particular so as to encourage frank and open discussion. For the purposes of this story, all the husbands in the room were captains, with their wives serving in different roles onboard from purser to stew to chef. Attendees are identified in a photograph on page A17. “It’s a lot easier to be together than to be apart,” one husband said. “After six years of crying every time he left, I decided to join him,” one wife said. “We knew we would find out right away if it worked.” So how does it work? Who’s really in charge?

The couples looked at each other. “I’m the captain and she’s the admiral,” one husband said to soft chuckles. There is a lot of truth in that, though, as jokingly as it was said. Many of the husbands agreed that they rely on their spouse – regardless of her assigned role – to help them manage the crew, to take the crew’s temperature on issues and to alert them when someone needs help, direction or a bit of encouragement. And while much of that will be pillow talk, they admitted that they struggle with how to make it easier on the crew. “There’s only one captain on a boat. Period,” said a wife. “I had to decide when I got on the boat that if it was going to work out; I had to separate being the wife and being the [crew]. I

don’t take it personally; he is my boss. “And he’ll say to me sometimes, ‘I’m speaking to you as the captain, not as your husband,’” she said. “Sometimes he just gives me the look. I really feel that it’s up to me as the spouse to not take it personally. He’s not my husband right now – he’s the captain, end of story.” This wife noted that the captain gives her and the rest of the crew reviews after every trip, to which several other couples nodded in agreement. “If he didn’t, the other crew would feel singled out.” Being the wife isn’t always so great, despite what some crew may see as unjust access to the boss or a free pass to have a bad attitude.

See THE BRIDGE, page A17

December 2005

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The Triton

WHAT’S INSIDE S/Y Legacy high and dry. Page A27

Hurricane Wilma blew the yacht aground in a national marine sanctuary. PHOTO COURTESY OF A TRITON READER

Advertiser directory B30 Brokerage news B23 Business Briefs A24-25 Calendar of events B30-31 Classiﬁeds B16-21 Cruising Grounds A34-41 Features Getting Started B2 The Afterlife B5 Proﬁles A8,A13,A14 Columnists: Body Business B11 Fitness B26 In the Galley B6-9 Manager’s Time B12

Nutrition B10 Personal Finance B25 FLIBS A18-19 Fuel prices A32 Horoscopes B28 In the Stars B29 Latitude Adjustment A4 Lessons Learned B14-15 News A1,6-7,12,20-21 Photo Gallery A28-29 Puzzles B22 Puzzle answers B5 Reviews B27 Technology A30-33 Write to Be Heard A42-43

December 2005

CREW NEWS

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Romer bounces back after sinking to skipper Soulmate It’s true what they say about fall in Ft. Lauderdale. ’Tis the season to get a new job. Capt. Keith Romer, whose charter yacht On Seafari sank in Miami during Hurricane Wilma, has a new command. Capt. Romer has taken over the 106-foot Broward Soulmate, the old Broward hull LATITUDE recently finished ADJUSTMENT LUCY CHABOT REED and christened at the new Broward yard. The yacht, which belongs to Broward owner Tom Lewis, set sail for Antigua just before Thanksgiving. After a busy summer in the Northeast, including serving as a mother ship in the annual NYYC annual cruise, Capt. Mark Robinson left M/Y Serendipity in October to return to his roots as a sailor. He’s taken over S/Y Wanderer, a Little Harbor 62. The sloop is at Derecktor’s in Dania Beach undergoing a major refit and preparing for world cruising, which is nothing new for Capt. Robinson. His career began in 1967 as a merchant seaman and spent his 17th birthday crossing the Atlantic. He says he’s happy to be under sail again. Enjoy it. Capt. Erin Nelson has taken over the 110-foot Broward Entrepreneur, which will charter in the Bahamas this winter. Capt. Nelson came back to Ft. Lauderdale after three years running the 70-foot Horizon Easy Rider in Hilton Head. The yacht will likely be based in Sarasota, but might make a run up to New England. Welcome back to the circuit, Capt. Nelson. Capt. Mark Diekmann has taken over as captain of the 143-foot (43.3m) Palmer Johnson M/Y Azure Leisure. Capt. Diekmann was last on M/Y Morgan Star, which sold this summer. Azure Leisure’s previous skipper, Capt. Andy Mercer, is taking some time off to catch up on his sleep, get re-acquainted with his partner and to enjoy their home in France. After a sixyear stint on the yacht, including “some of my best times in yachting,” Capt. Mercer says it’s too soon to make plans for his future. “A week away from work is not enough time to make any decisions other than what color we intend to paint the living room, and that is proving difficult,” he said. Good luck to you both. Three of the seven Mestier siblings

have landed a gig together on the same yacht. Capt. Richard, Chef Mich and Engineer David now run the 112-foot Westport White Star. Read more about them in a profile on page A8. Capt. Jonathan Stone has taken command of the new 68-foot Azimut Refined Reward. Based at Liberty Landing in New Jersey, the yacht will spend the year in New England and make her maiden voyage to Ft. Lauderdale for next year’s boat show. (Here’s hoping there are no hurricanes next year.) Capt. Stone’s last job was first mate on M/Y Second Chance, a 131-foot Palmer Johnson, which sold last December. (She’s the old Inevitable.) He’s also a sales representative for a new global sim card with free roaming. For more info about that, see the news brief on page A24 or contact him at jonathanstone@gymsim.com.

Catching up on some old news:

Capt. Andrew Thomas and Leah Lander Velden were married Sept. 17 on Maui. (He’s from Australia, she’s from Wisconsin so that seemed the fairest point for travelers.) They’ve been together for six years, working on boats together for more than four. They now run the 100-foot Sunseeker Predator Demolition, which cruises at about 38 knots. They used to run Lady Charlotte and Chomy, and their current owner is building a 108-footer, which will give these newlyweds some time in England together in the new year. Congrats to both of you.

Capt. Dave Ober of M/Y Magic took some time during the boat show to spend time with his wife, Blake, and their twin 14-month-old daughters, Rylee (left) and Carly. Welcome to parenthood guys. Send news of your promotion, change of yachts or career, or personal accomplishments to Editor Lucy Chabot Reed at lucy@the-triton.com.

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NEWS BRIEFS

December 2005

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Capt. Rodney Lambert dies in scuba diving accident Capt. Rodney Lambert, longtime yachtie and native of Grenada, died Nov. 22 in a diving accident in Providentiales, Turks & Caicos. Lambert was working as the relief captain on M/Y Mustang Sally, a 124-foot Trinity, when the accident occured, according to his friend, yacht crew insurance broker Anita Warwick. LAMBERT “He was my best friend,” she said. “He was like my family here.” Lambert had been in yachting since he was 18. In the late 1970s, he was mate on the 105-foot S/Y America. In the early 1980s, he was mate on M/Y Daria, a 152-foot Feadship. He spent ﬁve years as captain of M/Y Sinamaica, a Chris Craft Roamer owned by the Cisneros family of Venezuela, said Ft. Lauderdale Realtor Matthew Grant. Lambert, who was in his early 50s when he died, stayed with that family for more than a decade, working with their estates.

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“He was pretty much a part of their family,” Grant said. “I’m going to miss him for the rest of my life.” Most recently, Lambert ran concurrently the 115-foot Broward Life’s Finest and the 95-foot Broward Our Escape. Details of Lambert’s death were uncertain as The Triton went to press. According to a captain in Provo, Lambert’s body was transported to the dock at Leeward Marina. Mustang Sally was seen at anchor on Nov. 23 just behind Water Cay. Lambert’s friends in Ft. Lauderdale were planning a funeral and memorial service for him but those details, too, were not set by press time. For information as it becomes available, visit www.the-triton.com or call us at 954-525-0029. – Lucy Chabot Reed

MCA in Ft. Lauderdale Jan. 9-13 Examiners of the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) had to cancel their visit to Ft. Lauderdale during the boat show in early November but have rescheduled their visit for Jan. 9-13. They will be conducting a limited number of orals during that time (six

deck and six engineering). For more information or to schedule to take an oral at that time, contact either of the MCA-approved schools in Ft. Lauderdale: International Yachtmaster Training (954-770-7764) or Maritime Professional Training (954-525-1014).

Cabi has leased the site to IMMA LLC, which will continue to operate the marina and restaurant. “The one thing I can tell you is we expect to be here for quite some time,” said Miami attorney Antonio R. Zamora, one of IMMA’s principals.

Atlantis dockage rates jump

On the night of Nov. 9, pirates boarded a 1977 Irwin Centre Cockpit Cutter 37-foot sailboat anchored in San Andres, an island off the east coast of Nicaragua. The crew struggled with what insurers described as four boys, were pistol-whipped, tied up and the boat was ransacked, according to an insurance report. The pirates made away with navigation equipment and about $150 in cash.

New winter dockage rates are in effect at Atlantis in the Bahamas. According to a captain recently there, rates for slips 1 through 10 are $3.50 a foot. Slips 11 through 26 are $4 a foot. And slips 27 through 62 are $6 a foot.

Florida marina sold, but not lost Downtown Fort Lauderdale’s Riverfront Marina, home to a 300-boat storage facility and Shirttail Charlie’s restaurant, has been acquired by Cabi Developers of Aventura for about $13.8 million, according to a report in the Miami Herald. Cabi, which builds condominiums in Miami-Dade County, isn’t planning to redevelop the property along the New River, the paper reported.

Piracy near Nicaragua

New harbors in Chicago’s future? The Chicago Park District is expecting an increase of up to 50 percent in demand for boat slips over the next 20 years, and therefore may add ﬁve new harbors, according to

See NEWS BRIEFS, page A7

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NEWS BRIEFS

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December 2005

St. Maarten trade group launches Sea Scouts for younger sailors NEWS BRIEFS from page A6 an article last month in the Chicago Journal. The Park District commissioned consultancy JJR to conduct a study to help it predict future use of Chicago’s nine harbors. The report suggests boat slip demand will increase, particularly among women and minority groups, according to the report. Sites being considered include Navy Pier, Jackson Harbor, 31st and 87th Streets, and the Loyola University area. A ﬁnal decision will be made in January, the Journal reported.

St. Maarten Yacht Exhibition The St. Maarten Marine Trades Association, with more than 100 members, owns and organizes the St. Maarten Charter Yacht Exhibition. The inaugural show in 2004 was such a success that the SMMTA was able to create a Marine Trades Association Educational Fund to contribute to marine industry related programs for the youth of their island. Much time has gone into the exploration of the best way to make use of the funds to expose the youth of St. Maarten to careers in the marine

Wilma tosses yacht ashore S/Y Legacy, a 156-foot Perini Navi, was blown into a national marine santuary north of the Florida Keys during Hurricane Wilma on Oct. 24 and remained there a month later in about 3 feet of water. The yacht, lawyers, insurance ofﬁcials and rescuers were in discussions at press time on how to remove the yacht. Sources report that the owner and crew remain onboard, with the yacht listing just slightly to starboard. – Lucy Chabot Reed Photos courtesy of a Triton reader

trades. One of the ﬁrst requirements is to develop a relationship with the sea

and that has led to the St. Maarten Sea Scouts, open to anyone age 11-20.

The Sea Scout program has worldwide membership and support, a system of marine related project modules, achievement objectives and an established local base.

America’s Cup season finale The final race in the 2005 America’s Cup season would decide the winner of the Trapani Louis Vuitton Act 9, and while Alinghi had a stranglehold on the America’s Cup Class Season Championship, teams where fighting to finish as well as possible in Act 9 to boost their position on the season championship leaderboard. The final run to the finish was incredibly tight, with the Spanish boat nosing ahead of BMW ORACLE Racing in a photo finish. Alinghi was third, a good enough result for it to claim the top of the leaderboard on the tie-break. In terms of the America’s Cup Class Season Championship, with five wins in six Acts, Alinghi is the class of the fleet. BMW ORACLE Racing and Emirates Team New Zealand are 10 points in arrears. The Kiwis got the nod for second place by virtue of beating the Americans in two of their three match races this year.

December 2005

Three of the seven Mestier siblings from St. Kitts (from bottom, Engineer David, Chef Mich and Capt. Richard) run the 112-foot Westport M/Y White Star. PHOTO/LUCY REED

CREW PROFILE

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Two brothers and big sister run yacht with fun, family By Lucy Chabot Reed There’s something about the Mestier siblings that pulls them together. Each in yachting for years – Capt. Richard has been at it three decades – they have a habit of pulling up next to each other in marinas all over the world. Without planning or schedules, Mich, Richard and David Mestier have seen each other regularly over the years,

despite crewing on different yachts. Now, they see each other all the time. The trio makes up the crew on the new 112-foot Westport White Star. “A captain is only as good as his crew,” Capt. Richard said, smiling at his sister the chef and brother the engineer. But isn’t it hard, working for your brother? “We grew up on a really tiny island,” Mich said of St. Kitts. “We all had to learn to get along.” “Especially when there’s just one piece of bread and everybody gets a bite,” David said. The siblings – three of seven in the Mestier family – joined the boat this summer for its christening in Washington and her maiden voyage up through British Columbia to the Campbell River. Their biggest complaint: Richard works too hard. “He’s too intense,” Mich said. “But he’s the happiest person I know.” “And he lets us be our own boss,” David said. A bit embarrassed by the compliments, Richard notes that he does have some rules on the boat: Do your job and always look nice. “We have lived together so we’re used to it,” Mich said about spending so much time with her little brothers. “It’s so much easier sharing stuff. That’s one of the biggest issues with crew. Everybody’s always borrowing somebody’s stuff. It’s different when it’s your brother.” “We have a different level of comfort with each other,” David said. “And that’s hard to ﬁnd on a lot of boats,” said Mich, as she jumped up to tend to her simmering dinner, a traditional West Indian meal of curry and yellow rice.

Mich says she enjoys preparing the kind of Caribbean meals she and her brothers are used to in this upgraded galley – ‘a chef’s dream.’ PHOTO/LUCY REED “That’s another perk,” she said, settling back into her chair. “We all eat the same things.” For David, the best perk is working for his older brother who is comfortable teaching him even more.

See SIBLINGS, page A10

The Triton

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CARIBBEAN NEWS

December 2005

A10

December 2005

CREW PROFILE

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Captain: Hesitant at ﬁrst, boss now appreciates family crew SIBLINGS, from page A10

“I feel like I can advance further,” said David, shown above and also a captain. “Other captains won’t let you do too much because they’re worried you’ll take their job. My brother lets me get hands on.” Though he never planned it, Capt. Richard says he’s now committed to making White Star one of the happiest, best boats aﬂoat. Key to that are his efforts to keep the boss happy. He makes reservations and plans a trip before the boss ever asks. After making all the plans for a weekend in mid November, he called the boss on a Thursday to say, “Let’s go to the Bahamas this weekend.” The boss cancelled his Friday

appointments, scheduled the day off and planned to have a nice, long weekend on his new boat. One thing Richard did plan on was finding a good owner and a good boat. When his previous boat, M/Y Barbarina, sold last year, he set out to find a new one. He researched the builders and new builds and found White Star. “I wiggled my way in there and got an interview and got the job,” he said. Working with his family has been a bonus. His sister had worked for him briefly last winter (after another coincidental encounter in the islands) and was taking some time off. He recruited her back this summer and when he set out to find an engineer, his David had just resigned from the 117foot Delta Gatster, where he had been mate/engineer for nearly two years. David was interviewed by the boss’ assistant and hired on a trial basis. “The boss was a little reluctant in the beginning,” Capt. Richard said. “But now, he appreciates us because we’re such a good team.” Contact Editor Lucy Chabot Reed at lucy@the-triton.com.

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FROM THE FRONT

December 2005

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Crew catches casino boat broken loose in hurricane Here’s a quick blow-by-blow description of what happened when a casino boat broke loose in the Dania Cut-off Canal during Hurricane Wilma:

0700: Wind past our bow SSE, force 8 where three crew winds (34are huddled in 40kts), gale the lee of the force, barometer bulwarks with reads 993 a large fender 0900: Wind each. Former S, force 9 winds mate Jamie (41-47kts) Croggon, Mate strong gale, Alasdaire barometer reads Reid, and 2nd 984. Casino boat Engineer starts breaking Murray loose and Bennington The crew of M/Y Charade. surging back then join Chief and forth, giving Engineer Brian the impression she is under her own Milloy in grabbing her loose bowlines power. with boat hooks and secure her to our 1000: Sudden shift to west winds side of the Dania Cut-off Canal. well into the 80-knot range, barometer 1015-30: Casino boat’s stern lines drops to lowest record of 982. Casino part like a shot as she is now astride boat breaks free of her dock and swings the canal with her port side exposed

By Capt. Delos Gurney Three days previous to Hurricane Wilma, we put on our “at sea” storm shutters in case we had to make a run for it. Two days previous, the weather forecast was down-graded to Category 2, so I decided to ride it out at the dock and made additional precautions by putting out both anchors to steady the boat and doubled up all shore lines. Mon, Oct. 24, 0300: Wind WSW, force 6 winds (22-27kts), barometer reads 1007 0500: Wind SSE, force 7 winds (2833kts), barometer reads 1002

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Mid-storm. PHOTO/CHEF-STEW ANDREA LOPEZ to hurricane-force winds and violent gusts. 1035: Casino boat swings and lightly comes to rest against M/Y Ohana’s starboard quarter. Our crew get more lines on to prevent her from breaking free and sailing down the Dania Cut into the boats at Playboy, Broward West and Harbor Towne marinas. 1300: Winds have moderated considerably and we are hosing the leaves, dirt and sand off the boat. The casino boat had two people on board who probably couldn’t have done anything to prevent what happened as they had her tied to everything they could tie to, including a work shed that collapsed. I had taken a drive over the day before to check because she had almost hit us during Katrina. That time, she took the whole dock with her at 2200 and we helped get a tug to her. The fact of the matter is that she [the casino boat] is too large a boat for a dock meant for smaller boats. She’s broken free in all three hurricanes this year. She is sticking out too far into the channel when docked there, making it difﬁcult to get by her and into Derecktor’s Shipyard. Despite numerous complaints, the yard where she is docked refuses to get rid of her. Contact Capt. Delos Gurney of Charade through editorial@the-triton.com.

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DESTINATION PROFILE

December 2005

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Ft. Pierce adding hotels, amenities to attract megayachts By Lisa H. Knapp Nine years ago, Ft. Pierce City Marina wasn’t a very inviting place. “The docks were covered by ugly fences that were falling down, and the streets rolled up at 5 o’clock,” said Dean Kubitschek, the marina’s general manager. Over the years, the sleepy fishing village with a gritty, industrial waterfront has taken on a new look and a bright future. Ft. Pierce’s deepwater inlet, renovated marinas and redeveloped downtown will soon have glam accommodations intended to draw megayachts and their guests. From his office perch, Kubitschek will have a bird’s eye view of Marina Square, the $50 million mixed-use development scheduled to break ground in 2006 by Catalfumo Construction. “It’s an excellent thing across the street and will be an asset to the city,” Kubitschek said, adding that Ft. Pierce lacks hotel beds. “We want people to stop, visit and provision en route to the Bahamas.” Knowledge precedes use, so getting captains to stop in Ft. Pierce en route to points north and south depends on what is offered, how effectively it’s marketed and whether the owner cares to try a new place. Southbound yachts will run from Boston to Norfolk or Savannah then on to Ft. Lauderdale. “If there are no guests, there’s no need to stop,” said Capt. Dave Reams of the 122-Delta M/Y Que Sera. Reams has been running from Ft. Lauderdale to New England and back for years. “If we’re offshore, we want to keep running.” He acknowledged, though, that if owners heard enough about it and wanted to stop, more yachts would. “Ft. Pierce would have to promote it to get owners to go there,” he said. Marina Square is scheduled to open in late 2007. The 2.5-acre, five-story project will include 95 hotel rooms and 70 condo units priced from $200,000 to $800,000, with 46,000 square feet of retail space for shops and restaurants. “Ft. Pierce is a diamond in the rough,” said David J. Demay, vice president of development for Palm Beach Gardens-based Catalfumo. “It just needs quality development to be on the map.” Marina Square’s courtyard will host the city’s numerous fishing tournaments and events, Kubitschek said. In November, Kubitschek’s marina teamed with neighbor Harbortown Marina and a coalition of civic organizations in St. Lucie County to host the week-long Southern Kingfish Association Championship for 300 boats and 2,000 anglers. Ft. Pierce has more downtown projects in the works. One Marina

Place and Renaissance on the River will add 80 more luxury condos, with restaurants, shops and parking on Indian River Drive. The City Marina has recovered somewhat from the destruction of 2004’s Hurricane Frances and has 137 operational slips. The docks were beefed up with a concrete main support system, heavy planking and wood piling, and the inlet was dredged to 8 and three-quarters feet, he said. Elsewhere in town, the 33-acre Harbortown Marina was recently bought for $33 million by Bernie Kosar, former quarterback with the Cleveland

Browns and the Miami Dolphins, and two investors. Harbortown’s plans include a hotel, condos and shops to complement its 306-slip marina with ﬂoating concrete docks. About 900 feet of parallel dockage exists for large yachts. “You’re not just another number here,” said Steve Stiglbauer, general manager of Harbortown, which offers easy access to the inlet with no ﬁxed bridges. It is also home to a consortium of marine businesses such as Whiticar Marine Services and Indian River Boatworks, which has 50- and 150-ton travel lifts.

Harbour Isles Marina is a public marina with a private feel, according to Dockmaster Sara Anderson. Located on Hutchinson Island, it has 63 slips and two T-heads to accommodate large vessels. The marina on the Indian River is surrounded by a new 800-unit condominium where penthouses are listed at $520,000. Ultimately, Ft. Pierce’s goal is to attract yachts, said Catalfumo’s Demay. “Right now it’s nothing, but we’re making it something.” Contact freelance writer Lisa H. Knapp at lisa@the-triton.com.

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YARD PROFILE: MERRILL-STEVENS

December 2005

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One year later, Merrill-Stevens shines Under new owners since 2004, Miami-based yard positioned to become world-class facility By Lisa H. Knapp Hugh Westbrook grew up two blocks from MerrillStevens Dry Dock Company in Jacksonville. As a child, he enjoyed exploring the yard when it had a contract for scrap vessels after World War II. Serendipity allowed him to buy the company 50 years later to save it from condominium development on the Miami A rendering of the $40 million expansion includes a building to dry dock up to four River. 250-foot yachts at once. RENDERING COURTESY OF MERRILL-STEVENS Armed with a $40 million budget for the service yard’s yachts. expand yacht brokerage and charter state-of-the-art modernization, “The value of a business ought to be services, in addition to providing Westbrook’s innovative plans include driven by the quality of the relationship technical assistance for captains a catwalk across the Miami River with customers,” Hugh Westbrook said. and a new crew placement service, for passers-by to watch the 250-foot “If you treat people right today, they’ll complemented with amenities such floating wonders that will be serviced be here 10 years from now. If we have to as office space and new apartments at the newfangled facility. eat some costs, we’ll make the money adjacent to the yard for crews to live in Westbrook and his wife, Carole, back in the future from a satisfied, during refits. also plan to build up Merrill-Stevens repeat customer.” “Our goal is to make sure nobody with continued quality service for the Aggressive plans are in place to leaves dissatisfied or unhappy,” he said. world’s largest, most discriminating The yard’s new 2,500-ton travel-lift will haul and service 250-foot yachts, and a covered facility will be built on the north side to handle up to four of those yachts at one time, said Whit Kirtland, president of the yacht services �� division. “We’ll be able to haul bigger boats that have nowhere else to go for service except Virginia or Europe,” Kirtland said. “Our old 500-ton elevator limited us to 170-foot boats. We increased our lifting capacity to 250-foot boats. We won’t have precarious scaffolding on floats to paint boats when our new, covered paint shed is completed.” A team from the yard toured the Feadship, Lurssen and Benetti yards in Europe to verify the trend is toward ever larger yachts, said Fred Kirtland, chief executive officer of MerrillStevens Yachts and Whit’s father. “We’re on the right path,” he said. “It’s been one year since Hugh and Carole Westbrook purchased the company from the Merrill family, and we’re delighted with their commitment to not only maintain high-quality yard facilities but to expand it.” Merrill-Stevens is Florida’s oldest, continuously operating company. It incorporated in 1885 in Jacksonville and relocated to its present site on the Miami River in 1923. All the yard work for yachts used to be done in Miami, Kirtland said, but �� the business migrated to Ft. Lauderdale �� in the 1950s and ’60s.

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See MERRILL-STEVENS, page A15

The Triton

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YARD PROFILE: MERRILL-STEVENS

December 2005

A15

Yard renovation, expansion led by a ‘visionary’ here,” Allen said. “He’s not afraid to put his money where his mouth is. The man is a visionary.” “When finished, our $40 million Westbrook is a self-made man: the expansion will certainly identify Miami as the only place to dry dock vessels up son of a truck driver and a bookkeeper. “I have a great life,” he said. “My wife to 250 feet.” and I are very fortunate people. We The dredging of the Miami River is going well, said Ron Baker, president of know where we came from and that we the shipyard division. The company will don’t have a ‘right’ to be where we are.” A yacht owner himself, Westbrook be staffed on the east end as the west made his first fortune with VITAS, is redeveloped; additional property Florida’s first hospice that he started was recently purchased from Bimini in Miami in 1976. It would grow into Shipping. the largest provider of care to the The yard employs 110 workers and critically ill in the country. When he has plans for a total of 300 when the sold the company in 2004, it had 6,000 improvements are complete. “This is a real bonanza to the marine employees and 9,000 patients. On Dec. 1 that year, he and his wife industry here,” Baker said. “It will be a bought Merrill-Stevens. stimulus to the whole city’s economy.” “We’ve been customers of Fred The Miami River Commission, Kirtland for 20 years, ever since my a private, non-profit group whose mission is to protect the river’s working wife and I bought a 55-foot Ocean sport fishing boat,” he said. “We still waterfront, is thrilled about the have a lot to learn expansion, said Fran Bohnsack, executive ‘I think Westbrook ... about the industry, but we’ve got the director. saw a diamond in the greatest teachers we Merrill-Stevens owners Hugh and Carole Westbrook made their fortune “We’ve restored the rough here. He’s not could possibly have.” river to its original building VITAS, a national hospice company. PHOTO/WHIT KIRTLAND afraid to put his money The Westbrooks depth, 15 feet at low kept the welltide and 17 feet at where his mouth is.’ high tide,” she said. — Capt. Rusty Allen established management team “Ships are not sitting M/Y Cracker Bay of Kirtland, Kirtland on the bottom of the and Baker. river anymore and “I’m not a the security issues are developer here to buy a company, build much improved. The modernization of it and just flip it for money,” Westbrook Merrill-Stevens will be well received as said, adding that he plans to run a the oldest company on the river.” quality company until the day he dies. M/Y Cracker Bay, a 147-foot “People realize my intent is to invest Hakvoort, is a steady customer at and expand the company as a boatyard Merrill-Stevens as is its skipper, Capt. and become an important part of the Rusty Allen. marine industry locally and globally,” “I’ve had several serious refits here and I’m glad they’re staying,” Allen said. he said. “Developers’ inquires are few, now. People know if that’s what we said, “I see a tremendous modernization going on. It was a relic of a yard and the that’s what we mean.” workers made it great.” Contact freelance writer Lisa H. Knapp Many yards use subcontractors at lisa@the-triton.com. for paint jobs, Allen said. If there’s a warranty problem, it’s limited to the capabilities and cash flow of those subcontractors to make repairs. “At Merrill-Stevens, their employees do the work and can back up problems on a $400,000 paint job, and reshoot it at no cost,” he said. “I live in Boca Raton and drive two hours each way, every day, to get down here, but I do it because I feel comfortable leaving my boat here with • Brokerage their infrastructure. Westbrook has taken every complaint and already • New Construction addressed 90 percent of the issues.” • Charter Management M/Y Blackhawk, a 125-foot • Yacht Support/Management Feadship, had its teak foredeck • Crew Placement replaced, among other repairs, at the yard, said Capt. Sandy Bloom. “This is the best thing that ever happened in this area, Merrill-Stevens Tel: (954) 522-3344 • Fax: (954) 522-9500 building a world-class yacht facility,” email: sandy@njyachts.com Bloom said. “This needed to be done in Miami a long time ago. “I think Westbrook is a dedicated www.northropandjohnson.com boater and saw a diamond in the rough Sandy Taylor – Yacht Manager

MERRILL-STEVENS, from page A14

A16

FROM THE FRONT

December 2005

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The Triton

Talk centered on fuel, power, crew amenities WATSON ISLAND, from page A1 this is the company’s ﬁrst project in the United States. The project is bordered on the east and north by the MacArthur Causeway and on the south by the Miami Children’s Hospital. Dredging (which is permitted down to 25 feet) is slated to begin in January. The land-side development will include two hotels, 105 fractional residences and retail elements. Herndon said the marina should be ready for the fall of 2008. Designed in theory to be the kind of place busy charter yachts might come to provision before picking up guests, initial plans call for a marina for 30 yachts over 120 feet. (The marina is permitted for 50 slips so it can handle smaller yachts should it desire.) Shaped like the cross-section of a bowl, the main outside docks will run 450 feet at an angle to the bulkhead then turn sharply toward each other for about 400 feet, leaving an opening of 200 feet. Inside the bowl will be room for yachts up to 160 feet. The concrete ﬂoating docks will have two levels: a bottom, service dock that provides access to the yachts, and a top dock open to the public but with no access to the yachts. There likely will be stairwells for owners and guests to enter the marina on the landscaped

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An artist’s rendering shows the docks stretching into Miami’s Biscayne Bay and looking southwest toward downtown Miami. COURTESY OF FLAGSTONE upper dock and then descend to board their yachts. While one captain noted it would be nice to have a covered dock, another noted that owners might not enjoy sitting on deck if the public can see onto their yacht from an elevated dock. Blankenship said he may consider some private areas for the yachts that request it. There was much discussion on the power needs of large yachts. When Herndon noted they were thinking 3 megawatts just for the marina, one captain noted that just one 300-foot yacht might carry generators to provide 2.5 megawatts. “Power is everything,” one said. “A 30-foot yacht will need two lines of 400 amps, minimum.” Other captains suggested frequency converters and permanent hook-up pump-out stations, two land phone lines per slip as well as wi-ﬁ “with lots of broadband” throughout the marina, availability of aviation fuel, and access to the yachts for support services such as carpet cleaners and provisioners. “You’re building for four years down the road,” a purser said. “There is something like 70 big yachts being built today. These needs are only going to grow.” Initial designs also include in-slip fueling stations since the project cannot allow fuel trucks during the daytime. Several captains noted that in-slip fueling wasn’t necessary and that increased power capacity might be a better investment. “We got a lot of good information about the real practical day-to-day realities of these yachts,” Herndon said. Though 36 feet wide, the docks can only accommodate electric vehicles

such as golf carts. That was a problem for several crew because it would mean having to unload provisions twice. Blankenship suggested a loading area, but that would mean moving the yacht, also not ideal. Contact Editor Lucy Chabot Reed at lucy@the-triton.com.

Pipe in

Designers are still gathering insight from crew of yachts over 200 feet on these topics:  Vessel Support Logistics: numbers of pallets based on size of vessel, duration of trip, on a monthly basis, etc. Do vessels need a boom/crane to transfer the goods on board?  Waste disposal: (in pallets or dumpsters) per voyage, per month.  Fuel: How do the vessels take on fuel for tenders and helicopters? What is this auxiliary fuel capacity based on size of vessel?  Shore Power: Do superyachts prefer to run on generators while in port? Should we consider providing CATV and telephone service in the utility pedestals? What are monthly water consumption needs, based on vessel size. Sewage pump-out requirements?  Crew Amenities: (i.e. Internet cafes, lounge, ofﬁce space, post ofﬁce, locker facilities, etc.)  Should we provide waste oil or bilge disposal facilities? Send thoughts to tblankenship@ coastalsystemsint.com.

The Triton

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FROM THE FRONT

December 2005

A17

At times, a couple managing crew is ‘just like having kids’

Attendees to The Triton’s December Bridge luncheon were, from left, Tanya and Herb Magney, Kim Sandell and Chris Young, Cathy and Howie Collins (M/Y Scott Free), Sharon and Dirk Sachse (M/Y Kelly Ann), Cici and Ian van der Watt (M/Y Queen of Diamonds), Craig and Kim Rutkai (M/Y Constellation) and Andrew and Leah Thomas (M/Y Demolition). PHOTO/LUCY REED THE BRIDGE, from page A1 “As the wife of the captain, when I find something wrong, I can go right to the captain,” one wife said. “Not everyone can do that.” “But the crew take advantage of it,” the husband noted. “They know if they ask me I might say no, so they go to her.” “I feel manipulated sometimes,” another wife said. And it’s always hardest on yachts big enough for a first mate who isn’t the wife. “There’s always a bit of animosity with a mate and the spouse, with her having that avenue to me,” a husband said. “There always is.” “The key thing for wives or girlfriends is (to understand) that this isn’t a monarchy,” another husband noted. “You don’t get power just because you’re the queen. It’s a dictatorship.” Although working together may be easier in some ways, it’s harder in others. “Every wife will get manipulated,” a husband said. “Crew will make an off-hand remark that someone should mention this to the captain and before you know it, you’re fighting about it and asking each other ‘Whose side are you on?’” “But if you trust that person, that they’re making decisions with the best interest of the boat and owner at heart, then they [the crew] can’t get to you.” “Yeah, but if the crew senses a crack, they will exploit that,” one husband replied. “They’re playing one against the other,” another said. “It’s just like having kids,” said a husband.

In several cases, these couples took seriously their role as de facto parents, taking responsibility for teaching and grooming crew members and for making sure they make the most of their time on a yacht. “We want to create an environment in which the crew realize they don’t want to stay a stew or a deckhand forever,” said the husband of one team preparing to hire their ﬁrst few crew members. “We want to help train them and give them opportunities. We’ll pay for them to get their certiﬁcations, but we don’t expect to keep anyone more than 36 months. Because with [her and me], there’s only so far they can go on our boat.” Another husband noted: “Every single crew member who has worked with us has bought property.” The couples in the room had all found a way to share the responsibilities onboard. For most, the responsibilities were divided interior and exterior, but in several cases, the couple runs the boat together. They discuss itineraries and confer before making changes to plans or services. “I’m not stuck in the galley; I like to drive,” one wife said. “We’re a team. I want to know how to run the boat if he falls and can’t do it.” “And she picks up a lot of stuff I miss,” the husband said. “If you don’t respect the opinion of your spouse in that position, that’s the beginning of the end,” one husband said. “It’s like having another set of eyes.” When there are more than two people on the boat, however, there has to be a level of hierarchy, they agreed. “And there’s no reason to play this parent game,” one husband said. “If

they feel they can’t come to me, I’m not doing something right.” “She works twice as hard as anyone on the boat because she doesn’t want anyone to say she gets off easy because she’s the captain’s wife,” one husband said. Lest any crew think couples don’t recognize the different dynamics involved on a couple-run boat, these couples struggle with how to make crew more comfortable. Some invite crew to dinner or to participate in their lives off the boat, but then they feel like a third wheel. One couple has their stateroom on a completely different ﬂoor of the boat and rarely ventures to the crew quarters so the crew can have time and space on their own. Because of that delicate balance of always being sensitive to the feelings of crew, one wife said. “We’ve found that it’s more comfortable working with other couples.” “We always try to hire couples,” another husband said. “Sometimes they work, sometimes they don’t. Often what happens is one is a good worker and one is not. Or one has a terrible personality and the other tries to cover for them all the time.” There was a lot of talk about trying to have a marriage away from the boat and most agree that it was nearly impossible.

“You bring work to bed with you, you can’t help it,” one husband said. “How many times do we say ‘I don’t want to talk about boats today’ and what do you do? You end up talking boats.”

Advice for couples Stay away from uncomfortable moments. “A lot of what makes a crew uncomfortable working with a team are those uncomfortable moments,” one husband said. “You really have to watch your tone of voice and take the time to avoid knee-jerk reactions.” Don’t let it show in front of the crew. “Take arguments into the engine room and shut the door. (Just remember to turn off the cameras.) Be prepared for it to be tough and measure your time together in dog years. “When you live, eat and work together, one year equals seven.” Give crew a lot of space. Offer to look after the boat and let them go off on their own. Be ﬂexible with pay arrangements. Most take pay separately, though some who are contracted through their own business are paid as a team. – December Bridge couples

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WRITE TO BE HEARD

December 2005

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The Triton

Attendees speak out on FLIBS’05 Compiled by Lucy Reed The Marine Industries Association of South Florida is conducting an analysis of the 46th annual Ft. Lauderdale International Boat Show. Part of it was to hold a town hall-style meeting of MIASF members, show exhibitors and others impacted by the show. More than 75 people attended the meeting Nov. 10. Here are some of their comments: “It had to happen. It was a good thing for almost everyone.” Rae Whitt, executive director Florida Yacht Brokers Association “Just because you can have it doesn’t mean you do have it. That said, it was a good show and we did a good business. One thing that was disappointing was seeing all the open spaces. We had an interest in expanding but were told we couldn’t. There was a disconnect between people wanting to buy and Show Management taking orders.” Wade Helms Edd Helms Marine “We didn’t exhibit any of our new 120-footers because the 50 people we expected to come in from Europe didn’t come. We got the brokerage booth in, barely. There was no carpeting or

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lights. The trafﬁc we had was serious, but down 60 to 70 percent. For those exhibitors looking for the international market, the show was a failure.” Roy Sea, broker Palmer Johnson “Our people didn’t show up, but we have never sold a $60 million yacht in a tent, and we never will.” Don Kenniston Feadship “Our clients (builders, designers) are upset with the way they were treated. They feel they were coerced, told they would lose their deposits, and maybe won’t be invited back next year. My biggest fear is the reputation of the show, that builders will not put the emphasis on this show as they have before.” Howard Rogers Nautica “As a resident of Ft. Lauderdale, I’m happy we had the boat show. Yes, our numbers were down. And Europeans are disappointed and didn’t get the results they expected and, quite frankly, paid for. My advice is this: We know why this show is good for the community, why it’s good for Show Management, why it’s good for the MIASF, but I was having to defend why it’s good for exhibitors. When the decision was made, there needed to be more solicitation. I appreciate the difﬁculty in making a decision like that and I’m glad you made the one you did. There is a lot of uncertainty as to how the economics are going to be addressed. That has put a lot of people on edge.” George Jousma, president Allied Richard Bertram Marine Group “As show organizers, we understand the commendable effort it took to get the show on. As for European views, don’t be too pessimistic about that. Give them credit. People understand fully what you’re going through and you scored highly by your decision to go ahead.” Chris Hayman SeaTrade, Superyacht Symposium “Merrill Stevens has been in the show for 20 years. It’s always been great. Don’t forget 10-15 years ago when this show was not like it is now. This show is world renowned and for it to do what it did was tremendous. We handled it well. The right decision was made.” Phil Everingham, vice president Merrill Stevens Dry Dock Company “The communication aspect for us was a nightmare. The information just wasn’t there. It was amazing that it was able to be pulled off at all.” Tim McClellan Master Yacht Brokers

“I’m pleased with the decision to go forward. For the international visitors, I apologize for offending them. I don’t mean to be flippant about it but I’ve been to Dusseldorf in the freezing weather and I’ve been to Genoa when there’s a transportation strike. We had all our boats in the show. We did not have the traffic we usually have but interestingly enough we sold more boats than we ever have and we’ve been selling boats every day this week.” Wes Dickman HMY Yacht Sales “Our business took a hammering. If you pay your money like everybody else, what right do you have to be in a tent that’s 60 percent empty?” John Phillips, owner Antibes Yachtwear More than a dozen people who could not attend sent letters to The Triton for the record. Here are some excerpts: “Show Management has little regard for MIASF members and their ability or inability to find space at the show. We have personally been moved around every year to wherever Show Management decides to put us. I believe that priority for show space should firstly go to Ft Lauderdalebased businesses, then Florida, then the U.S. and finally international. I am now beginning to question why I even bother being a member of MIASF or whether I will renew next year.” Mark Fry, president and CEO International Yachtmaster Training “I would have loved to voice our view as a Brit who spent a lot of money flying back and forth across the pond to this shambolic mess. But why wasn’t this meeting held at show closure when we could have all been there and offered our view? This was meant to be an international show but clearly the inquest has turned into a parochial event presumably with Floridian vested interests holding all the cards. The French bloc and yards like Amels were so appalled at the decision to hold it they didn’t even show up. “We are the UK Coastguard and British administration for the Red Ensign. Show organizers need to wake and smell the coffee that there are many other shows in other areas such as Monaco, Dubai and Singapore where we exhibit.” Mark Clark, PR manager MCA (UK) “Everyone did a hell of a job getting the show back on its legs as quickly as they did. I also feel it was important for our community as a whole to have the show, both economically and psychologically. … People need to stop

See VOICES, page A19

The Triton

WRITE TO BE HEARD

www.the-triton.com

December 2005

A19

Those who could not attend have their say, too SAFETY, from page A24 being so critical and start being more understanding. We all need to just sit back and take a deep breath and use what we learned this year for any future problems.” Louise M. Dutton Yacht Productions (Ft. Lauderdale) “For me, the Fort Lauderdale boat show is the most important buying event of the year, and in an average year it has been the only show we attend. I would estimate that something like $250,000 of annual purchasing is decided on the basis of contacts made and discussions held during the show. This year, with a 10-year refit looming, the total would have been much more. “What was needed was clear thinking before the hurricane hit so that contingency planning could have been communicated to all interested parties before the power went down. If we had known that the options being considered included postponing the show for 2 days (first plan) and then 7 days (second plan) on the 21st October, we could have made contingency plans to rearrange our flights and most of our business commitments. As it was, when the final decision was made it was too late to make the necessary changes. “I have no idea how important international participation is to the success of the Fort Lauderdale show. It may well be that you can do without us. If we’re important, please take our situation into account when making your plans. If not, at least do us the courtesy of telling us and we’ll have to make alternative plans.” Capt. Steve Thomas M/Y Fadlallah (125-foot vessel homeported in Dubai) “For those of us who must travel great distances to these shows it requires a great deal of planning to be able to make it to a show, much less participate in one. Believe me, everyone was concerned for you, the residents of Ft. Lauderdale, and many of us tried to

make it for the alternate dates; some of us made it, some of us didn’t. I tried to make it from Greece, even if just for the weekend, but that too became overwhelmingly difficult. I wanted to come, because it would have also showed support for the brave recovery efforts that had been undertaken in the aftermath of Wilma. “I regret not being able to come but I support the postponement for a week.” Peter Custer, marketing & sales PrivatSea Yachting (Athens, Greece) “From our standpoint, Show Management pulled off an incredible feat. I know there will be a discussion that another time would have worked better but if the show was not held that weekend, it could not have been held at Bahia Mar, due to our own contracts.” Kevin Quirk, marina operations VP The Blackstone Group “All things being considered, the show should have been canceled. Not only was motive brought into question with the rescheduling, but I believe it was a slap in the face of so many locals that did not have the basics at the time of the rescheduled show. “I must vent a bit on the service provided by Show Management. As a small exhibitor, (albeit we’ve been there for the last 6 years), and in one of the smallest tents with only a 10x10 booth, we had to take the initiative (repeatedly) before we were finally set up late Thursday afternoon. Even then, we never received all the furniture we contracted and paid for. It may be personal, but we feel the little guy got the short end. All this aside, we love FLIBS and we will be back next year with renewed vigor. Gene Sweeney, deputy commissioner of maritime affairs Republic of the Marshall Islands “On Oct. 30, we partially set up our booth and were the only exhibitor in the entire tent. When we went back Tuesday to finish, we found out the

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large Australian contingency had been moved to the Designer tent. This move would leave a gaping hole in the front of our tent. We asked to move to one of the front spaces and were told the space would be occupied by the Australians. When we arrived Thursday the space was only partially occupied, (not by the Australians) and the remainder was left vacant with exposed pallet ﬂoors and tent walls. The large corner booth next to us was also left vacant with large wooden crates and spare furniture. Many a visitor took two steps into our tent and headed back out with the comments, “Oh, there’s nothing in here.” Exhibitors sign a contract stating we will display our products in a ‘professional atmosphere’ and that we cannot ‘prevent or discourage customers or potential customers from

viewing or doing business with any other exhibitor at the Boat Show.’ It is unfortunate Show Management is not held to the same standard.” Karen Dudden-Blake, owner Palladium Technologies “Considering the impact Hurricane Wilma had, I’d rate the show a great success overall. Sure, attendance was light, but it was good quality. Yes, many suppliers and boat companies were unable or unsure whether to attend. Absolutely, I’d have desired earlier, deﬁnitive information and direct communications from Show Management, but having been there, I’d say thanks to all involved and let’s look forward to next year’s show. John Cary, sales/marketing manager Freeman Marine Equipment (Oregon)

A20

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December 2005

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Wyland touches up Abracadabra By John Freeman SAN DIEGO – Wyland, whose murals, paintings and sculptures of marine life have become acclaimed around the world, brought his artistry to a San Diego boatyard Nov. 18. During his visit, he repainted portions of the damaged hull along one side of the 80-foot sailing yacht Abracadabra – thus bringing back to life his original surface artwork that was damaged during shipping from Florida this summer. The repainting took place at Knight & Carver YachtCenter in National City, just south of San Diego, where the racing vessel has been berthed. Using spray-painted acrylic colors of blue and black with a dash of red in various shades, Wyland spent about an hour working on Abracadabra, now owned by Troy Sears, a San Diegan who operates Next Level Sailing. The ﬁrm offers sailing cruises on several America’s Cup sailing vessels now permanently berthed on San Diego Bay. This summer, while being shipped from Florida, portions of Abracadabra’s hull were scraped after a trucking accident. As a result, Wyland’s stylish, ﬂowing collection of whales, dolphins, sea turtles and tiger sharks were scraped. Abracadabra is regarded by yachting insiders as faster than Stars &

Wildlife artist Wyland made a trip to San Diego to repair the painting he had completed on the hull of Abracadabra. Stripes. It will used for private cruises on San Diego Bay. Abracadabra last competed in the America’s Cup in 2000. It was formerly owned by Oracle founder and yachtsman Larry Ellison as a crew training vessel and more recently by San Diego-based yacht skipper Dennis Conner. Wyland painted the boat’s original artwork in 1999 during the America’s Cup competition held in Auckland, New Zealand. John Freeman is director of communications at Knight & Carver. Contact him at jfreeman@knightandcarver.com.

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Driscoll Boat Works greets Geronimo This winter, the America’s Cup Harbor is heating up as the sailing trimaran Geronimo calls Driscoll Boat Works in San Diego its home base of operations. This 34-meter offshore sailing tri-maran arrived in November after a 12-day sail from Tahiti. During the 3,000-mile trip from French Polynesia, she averaged 16 knots. Geronimo is a Mar van Peteghem and Vincent Lauriot Prevot design and currently the only maxi tri-maran in operation. The high-tech design, construction, and outﬁt of this vessel surpasses that of any modern class America’s Cup sloop. Geronimo’s skipper, Frenchman Olivier de Kersauson, has logged nine trips around the world. After their record-breaking attempt, she will return to the safety of the Driscoll facility in America’s Cup Harbor until mid-January. Kersauson will lead his crew in the trek from San Francisco to Yokohama, Japan in an effort to break the current record set in May of 1997 of 19 days, 15 hours.

L.A.-Honolulu Challenge

Cam Lewis, one of the two U.S. crew members onboard Geronimo for its Los Angeles to Honolulu Challenge in November, said, “Flying over the moonlit ocean last night at speeds up to 30 knots was magical, beyond words.

Sailing trimaran Geronimo is going to set up shop in San Diego when it’s not trying to break records. It’s elegant sailing out here on the world’s fastest trimaran; it’s smokinghot sailing with a full mainsail, big gennaker and staysail up and spray ﬂying off the leeward bow. The full moon sailing this week can’t be beaten with the crew smiling, long glides down the swells; speeds start and average around 22 knots when and if you hit the waves right.” – Driscoll Boat Works

December 2005

A21

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A24

December 2005

BUSINESS BRIEFS

www.the-triton.com

The Triton

Florida’s MPT receives approval of Scottish Qualifications Authority Maritime Professional Training of Ft. Lauderdale has been recognized as an approved examination center by the Scottish Qualifications Authority. This approval will enable yachting professionals of all nationalities to take their MCA Engineering Examinations at MPT’s campus. MPT will add all MCA yacht engineering programs to its list of approved courses offered year-round. MPT launched these courses this fall. These courses are all approved by the MCA and certificated through the National Sea Training Center at Northwest Kent College in the United Kingdom. Gordon Winchester, an MCA Chief Engineer Unlimited with 30 years of seagoing experience, joins MPT’s faculty as the assistant director of engineering. Winchester and MPT’s engineering director, Elmer Morley, have worked together to assemble a curriculum blending theory and practical training leading the mariner to full MCA Certification, including oral exam preparation. For information or schedules, contact the admissions department at Maritime Professional Training, 1915 S. Andrews Ave., Ft. Lauderdale, Fla., 33316, or call 954-525-1014.

Marine waste ﬁrm launched

Rodney Fulton, project manager at Roscioli Shipyard in Ft. Lauderdale, has launched Marine Waste Management with his wife, Kenia. The sewage waste service is available to Broward County boaters regardless of the size of their vessels. MWM visits vessels Monday through Saturday, and is licensed and insured. For more information, visit marine wastemanagement@comcast.net or call (954) 370-2628.

Land of the free (roaming)

Global Yacht Mobile has launched a low-cost, high-quality, free roaming mobile phone service created for people who travel. The single, pre-paid SIM card provides free roaming in 66 key yachting countries and works in more than 120 countries, offering savings of up to and over 2.8 euros a minute. For about 50 euros (including tax and a portion credited on the card), it also provides one global number with exceptional coverage and reception due to partnerships with more than 200 network providers. The card allows the user to make local calls – at local rates – while abroad and offers international calls between GYM customers starting at 0.39 euros a minute. Capt. Jonathan Stone is a U.S.-based

sales representative. Contact him through www.gymsim.com or at 954804-7288.

Emerald Bay Marina operational

The soft opening of The Club and Marina at Emerald Bay created a new drop-off and pick-up for Bahamas charters. Located 10 miles from the International Airport, this state-of-theart, deep-water facility is composed of 150 yacht slips with accommodations for vessels up to 175 feet. It also has a dry storage area, provisions store, crew area and high-speed fueling dock. The Club and Marina is located just north of Georgetown and 135 miles from Nassau. For more information, visit www. emeraldbayresort.com.

Cape Fear Marina expants

Bennett Brothers Yachts and the Cape Fear Marina have announced the completion of Phase II of the marina, adding nearly 60 slips in Wilmington. With nearly a half mile of docks along the waterfront, Cape Fear Marina can accommodate boats from 30-foot runabouts to 175foot megayachts. There are a limited number of slips being offered for sale, or slips can be leased for short or long term. For more information, call Paul or Patricia Bennett at (910) 772-9277.

Australian marina

Savages Wharf, recently developed on the Savage family’s 80-year-old site near Melbourne, Australia, features a marina built by Bellingham Marine. Constructed with Bellingham’s Uniﬂoat dock system, the marina consists of 45 slips that can accommodate vessels from 40 to 100 feet. For more information, contact Bellingham Marine at 800-733-5679.

Crew Paciﬁc growing

Crew Pacific has a crew house, office and training facilities in the center of Cairns. The crew house is the first in Australia; photos will be posted on the Web site by the end of the year. Send e-mail to info@crewpacific. com.au, visit www.crewpacific.com.au or call + 61 (0) 740370113.

See BUSINESSES, page A25

The Triton

BUSINESS BRIEFS

www.the-triton.com

December 2005

A25

N&J celebrates 50th anniversary BUSINESSES from page A24

N&J celebrates, adds staff

Yacht brokerage Northrop & Johnson celebrated 50 years in business this fall with parties as their New York and Ft. Lauderdale ofﬁces. The Ft. Lauderdale party was well attended with more than 200 guests, despite the efforts of Hurricane Wilma to cancel it. Servers and staff at the party were crew looking for work, including Capt. Denise Fox and Chef Ina Ludka – a nice touch. Also, Anne Aylesworth joined this company this summer in the management and yacht support department. Capt. Ann just completed a seven-year circumnavigation. Prior to that, she spent 10 years with the Marriott Corp.

you on your vessels or schedule a time to meet aboard,” said general manager Al Polizzi. “We also have the unique ability to perform GMDSS inspections.” For more information, call 954-4636292.

U.S. marinas sold

A portfolio of marinas and the Dallas-based Flagship Marinas management company were acquired this fall by a small private investment group led by Jeffrey J. Rhodes of Wynewood, Pa. The amount of the purchase was not disclosed. The new company, Flagship Marinas Acquisitions LLC, owns and/ or operates more than 10,000 slips and is ranked by size and number of slips among the top three marina companies in the United States. It has properties in Austin and Houston, Texas; Boston, Mass.; Atlanta, Ga. and Iuka, Miss., according to a press release from the company.

TACO Metals launches in Europe

John “Kiwi” Pirovano has joined the Bradford Marine Team as Sales and Marketing Manager. Pirovano has more than 25 years’ experience in the yachting industry in positions that have exposed him to various facets of this complex industry. Ft. Lauderdale’s Bradford Marine is the world’s largest undercover yacht repair facility. For more information, call 954-791-3800.

TACO Metals, a manufacturer of marine extrusions, hardware and sport ﬁshing equipment, has launched TACO Metals Europe, located in The Netherlands. “Our new facility allows us to support our European boat builder and accessory manufacturer customers with faster, year-round service,” said TACO Metals president Jon Kushner. For mor information, e-mail info@taco-europe.com or call +31 (0) 73 658 0059.

Reardon joins Merrill-Stevens

Partners: Madison, Platypus

Bradford Marine hires

Michael Reardon, formerly of Fraser Yachts, is the newly named president of Merrill-Stevens Yacht Services. Lynette Hendry is the new director of charter services. REARDON They have opened a new branch for the Miami River yacht repair and brokerage company. For more about Merrill-Stevens, see related story on page A14 or visit www. merrillstevens.com.

Simpson Bay Marina bar opens

Bob Kassner of Island Marine and Industrial Services in Sint Maarten has opened a bar in Simpson Bay Marina called The Other Place. Formerly Goodfellas, the new bar opened Oct. 1 and will serve pub-style food. Monday nights will be crew night: crew wearing their crew shirts get ﬁrst drink free.

Electronics company expands

Larry Smith Electronics makes its presence stronger this year with a newly structured Ft. Lauderdale ofﬁce located at 3200 S. Andrews Ave. “We will make it a priority to visit

Madison Bay Holdings, a marketer and distributor of recreational vehicles, and watercraft, has signed a letter of intent with Platypus Marine for the manufacturing of a line of luxury yachts up to 160 feet. For more information, visit www.platypusmarine.com or www. madisonbayholdings.com.

��

Marine surveying ﬁrm expands

Nearly 3 years after the passing of esteemed partner Jerry Cramer, Marc Slakoff, owner of Slakoff, Cramer & Associates, welcomed Blake Stahl and Rollie Gordon as new partners into South Florida’s marine surveying & consulting ﬁrm.

Quick-hitters

Eric Haberli has joined Global Ship Systems of Savannah, Ga., as vice president of sales and marketing. … YachtsMann, an Isle of Man superyacht registration and management service, has launched www.yachtsmann.com. … Thunderbolt Marine, also of Savannah, promoted Ralph Heil to general manager this summer. … Pussers Rum, the rum of Great Britain’s Royal Navy for 330 years, is being sold in Australia and New Zealand for the ﬁrst time in 36 years.

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A26

FROM THE FRONT

December 2005

www.the-triton.com

The Triton

When two high pressures meet, they create a low CEDAR ISLAND, from page A1

"Twenty-Eight Years of Excellence ... and Personal Attention ... in Yacht Refinishing." Services Include: ◆ Interior/Exterior Refinishing ◆ Awl-Grip Specialist ◆ Complete Fairing ◆ Complete Refits Locations: ◆ Stuart ◆ West Palm Beach ◆ Boynton Beach ◆ Ft. Lauderdale JON DUNN, PRESIDENT

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Heading into Georgetown would have meant traveling in beam seas, so we opted for the longer, but less to worsen Saturday and worsen still strenuous trip back. Sunday with about 12-foot seas. At 0815, we came over the 100We kept heading south. We were foot contour mark and the boat just headed for Savannah or Charleston, stopped. Everything and would have ‘At 0815 we came over was running, but the been there by noon boat was not moving. on Friday, but the 100-foot contour I had the mate before sunrise, it mark and the boat just check to see if the was clear NOAA’s stopped. Everything anchor had dropped weather forecast in the rough seas, but was off by about 12 was running, but the it was secure. The hours. (Indeed, the boat was not moving.’ seas were 8 feet but 12 o’clock advisory — Capt. David Black we weren’t taking on on Friday was M/Y Cedar Island any green water. retroactive to 10:30, We were held indicating strong down by something seas.) – which I now believe was a ﬁshing By 0430, we had run into a rapidly net – so we were half ﬂoating but we intensifying low pressure. We all know couldn’t get above the surges. we run in the highs, but when two After about 15 minutes, I called highs meet, they create a low. the Coast Guard. They had the same forecasts I did and said, “There’s no Turning around problem.” So I hit the DSC, the Channel 70 The seas were getting big so alert on GMDSS that gives my position we turned around 45 miles east of Georgetown and headed back to See CEDAR ISLAND, page A27 Southport.

The Triton

FROM THE FRONT

www.the-triton.com

December 2005

A27

When it comes to weather forecasts, trust but verify CEDAR ISLAND, from page A26 and vessel identiﬁcation. The Coast Guard rescue coordination center in Miami calls my operations manager and I’m talking to him, too. (It’s amazing how well they get communications and can know in seconds where we are and what’s going on.) The Coast Guard advised that they would send a cutter from Charleston but that it would take 8-10 hours to reach us. But a Norfolk cutter was a few hours behind us and they got to us by noon.

Going in circles Every 15 minutes, I fed them my coordinates. I didn’t know it at the time, but we were going around in a circle about 300 yards wide. The seas intensified throughout the morning and were 10-12 by midday. With the movement of the boat, I didn’t authorize any of the crew to dive down to investigate. They could have easily been entangled or struck. The seas also were too rough to evacuate ourselves into the life rafts. We were held down aft so the waves flooded the swim platform. We have hatches aft and the lazarette got flooded. There was some leakage in other areas but we stayed on board, monitoring our movements and making sure the engines didn’t quit. When the Coast Guard reached us, they advise they wouldn’t get within a mile of us because they didn’t want to get caught up in whatever caught us. They launched their RIB and three specialists, all very talented officers, came onboard. I wanted four of my crew evacuated, but they advised everyone was to be evacuated. And they were going to do it by helicopter. I looked around to figure out where they were going to set down the bucket and then we had to get busy moving antennas and clearing the deck. It took two trips, but we were all off. Before leaving, I showed the last specialist on board how to turn off the main engines before leaving. I was airlifted, the engines were turned off and the Coast Guard officers also left the boat. Five minutes later, the boat took a serious roll without the engines to keep her right, and she rolled loose of whatever it was that kept her stuck. So we followed her until the cutter got to her, attached a tow line and had her towed into port.

Wake-up call Everything worked well for us and everybody is safe, but this was a big

wake-up call for me. I thought I was going to lose myself and five other people. We all get complacent. We figure if the weather gets bad, we’ll run inside so we don’t make plans for when the weather gets bad. The first thing we learned is to have a plan for the unexpected. Do you know where the helicopter will lower the bucket to take people off? We have two 8-person life rafts and we had six people on board. Could I have gotten everyone off safely with the boat pitching like it was and the seas so high? When we do our STCW training, we’re in a swimming pool. Our training helped us, no doubt, but there are a lot more decisions to make than when to evacuate. Walking around the Ft. Lauderdale International Boat Show, I couldn’t help but notice how many yachts have a rear entry to the engine room. What would have happened to us if our only entrance to the engine room was off the swim platform, which was being held below the waves? How would we have gotten access to turn off the main engines?

jackets and make sure they each have a small package flare kit and a whistle. And I’ll make sure there’s a reliable survival pack on the inflatable. Yeah, this may seem like it’s getting into overkill, but the truth is that while there are plenty of yachts out there that do all their safety drills, they are in the minority. We had a weird, freaky thing happen to us. We got caught up the one thing out there; 50 yards one side or the other and we would have been fine. But an emergency situation isn’t when just one thing happens, it’s when several things happen and it all adds up. And finally, we learned that the forecasts aren’t reliable. We rely on the forecasts; you have to rely on the forecasts. But from now on, we’ll be doing our own barometer readings every four hours. Contact Capt. David Black through editorial@the-triton.com.

THINGS TO CONSIDER IN EMERGENCY PLANS 1. What do we do in rough water? Which hatches need to be sealed down? 2. Do you keep the bilges vacuumed out to keep anything in the bilge from interfering with operations when the boat pitches and rolls? 3. Are your fuel filters clean, in case something in the tank gets stirred up? 4. Do you have a full-run bilge system? A lot of the newer boats do, but a lot of boats out there don’t. 5. Do you have places that can flood? Do you have a plan for what to do if they do flood? 6. Do you have equipment in those flood-prone areas that could render the boat inoperable? – Capt. David Black

Clean filters We’ll also keep the day tank full, so that when the boat pitches and rolls no air will get in the hose and kill the engines. And we’ll always make sure the filters are clean. It’s no big deal to change the filter and introduce a little air when you’re at the dock. But in those seas, even for a minute without engine power could have been disastrous. ad.qxd 9/14/2005 4:53 PM Page 1 I’ll always have those inflatable life

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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 A30-33

All about paint: A primer on primer, shine

www.the-triton.com

December 2005

A WORK IN PROGRESS

GettingUnderWay

In life, perception is reality, they say. For megayachts, reality is appearance and the standard is, quite simply, perfection. Perfection in a megayacht is nowhere more noticed than from outside, while standing on the pier next to her or coming alongside THRU THE ’SCOPE her in a tender or a toy. ROCKY BEAN It must be humbling to the world’s yacht designers then to learn that it’s not the flair of their sculptured bow, the fine woodwork or even the sweeping marble staircase that really turns a yacht owner on. No, in fact, it’s been well established that most of the satisfaction for yacht owners comes from the finish – the paint job. And with megayacht paint jobs costing millions of dollars, it’s surprising just how problematic they can be. So we thought we’d take a look at what’s going on with marine coatings, the companies that produce them and then the trends. We chatted with painters and manufacturers and spent some time talking to Steve Morton, president of Visions East. Morton is a walking encyclopedia on marine paint, its composition, its application and the state of the industry in general. For some, it’s fast cars. Others are passionate about horses or motorcycles. For Morton, it’s a perfect paint job. The perfect shine on 150 to 400 feet of a uniform hull is much harder to achieve than it would seem, and that assumes the hull is uniform in the first place, which it almost never is. The problem is a combination: bigger and bigger flat, unforgiving surfaces; often primitive environments in which paint is applied; often nonexistent project management; and the shortage of people who really know how to paint big boats. Add that paint cannot be repaired easily and that perfection is the standard, and somebody is going to go broke. See PAINT, page A33

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

The once “happy ship” suffered extensive damage from the 2004 ﬁre. This was her salon.

PHOTOS/CAPT. IAN WALSH

The recovery of M/Y Argus V By Capt. Ian Walsh

There is an old saying in the British Merchant Navy: There are happy ships and there are sad ships. And although a lot of people would scoff at such a statement, I – not a particularly superstitious man – have experienced that situation enough times to believe it. When I received a phone call in July 2004 to tell me my old boat – the former M/Y Sea LH, now Argus V – had burned in Lyford Cay, I was stunned. My ﬁrst reaction was to call broker Roy Sea because if anyone would know if it was true, Roy would. Roy veriﬁed it and told me she was bow down and listing to port. I was present at the Lantana Burger Yard the day the plate was delivered. I watched and videoed and photographed every step of the build. This was a “happy ship” from the getgo – good owners, good yard and build crew – so to hear this news was shattering. There was not much news in the following months, until I got a phone call from Capt. Bill Hipple, who had run her for a number of years, telling me that she was at Jones Boat Yard and had been sold to a gentleman from Maryland by the name of John Patnovic who intended to repair her. Bill gave me John’s number should he need to pick my brains. I called John to offer my help in any way and this conversation prompted me to search through my “Dunnage Boxes” whereupon I found two VHS tapes of the build, one showing all the spaces bare of any interior, but showing

This is how she looked the morning after the ﬁre. piping, wiring, etc. After buying her, John and his crew ran her as-was from Miami to Worton Creek. As the engine room was virtually untouched, all they did was replace the F.B steering, ran new electrical from the generators to the guest stateroom sub panel. The guest accommodations were not damaged, one radar worked and they rigged nav lights.) Fast forward to May when I received an invitation to visit John’s boat yard, Worton Creek Marina, on my way up the Atlantic coast. I arrived at Worton Creek early one morning and came alongside Argus V. “She doesn’t look too bad,” I thought, ever the optimist. I secured M/Y Trim-It (my command) with John’s help and he suggested I go to Argus

See ARGUS, page A31

The Triton

ELECTRONIC NAVIGATION

www.the-triton.com

December 2005

A31

Electronic navigation mini-show a success More than 150 people, the majority captains and senior ofﬁcers, joined The Triton and Bluewater Books & Charts on Nov. 9 for a mini trade show on electronic navigation. Guests reviewed products from Nobeltec, Maptech, C-Map, MaxSea/Furuno, Navionics, Admiralty Charts and Transas in Bluewater’s new Ft. Lauderdale store. A few owners, including a Burger owner considering buying a larger yacht, showed up for the technology show and were treated to a wine tasting

from Inlet Fine Wine & Spirits of Ft. Lauderdale. “In three hours tonight, I saw more quality prospects than I did during the entire Ft. Lauderdale show,” said one vendor who asked to remain anonymous. The four-day boat show concluded on Nov. 6, about two weeks after Hurricane Wilma and sporting attendance about a quarter of what it normally is. Guests received a Ship’s Logbook and “The 2005 Superyacht Services Guide.” – Branson “Rocky” Bean

Captains and ofﬁcers said they appreciated the mini trade show. BMR-8516 The Triton LO7

9/19/05

1:20 PM

Page 1

PHOTO/CHRIS NELSON

Mega Yachts. Premium fuel. High speed.

Capt. Walsh: “I started to see beyond the damage (the pilothouse is shown) and started to think what a great project this would be.” PHOTO/CAPT. IAN WALSH

Blasting used 9,000 pounds of sand ARGUS, from page A30 and he would join me later. That solitary visit turned out to be a good idea because as I boarded at the cockpit and the smell of soot and burned material hit me, I knew it was going to be bad. I walked into the salon and I was totally gob-smacked. As I walked further in, I could not relate what I was seeing with what I remembered. It was like I was looking with two pairs of eyes, and one pair was lying. The enormity of what John was going to attempt was staggering. After an hour, without even realizing it, I started to see beyond the damage and started to think what a great project this would be. My shock and sadness were replaced by optimism. John arrived and we walked the boat. He told me what he planned and asked me about this and that. We looked in every locker and space that was accessible and it all came back: the mooring lines I spliced in 1990 were in the chain locker, the tiles I installed in the deck lockers, etc. We ﬁnally covered everything I could remember at the time and John took

me on a tour of Worton Creek Marina & Boat Yard and introduced me to his wife, Libby, and his yard crew. John rebuilds 31-foot Bertrams at Worton Creek and has a fabulous crew. The quality of the work is unbelievable. He and Libby are also building a house overlooking the marina. After John gave me a tour of the house, which includes a compound curved ceiling in the library built by his ﬁberglass shop, I knew that the Burger was in the hands of the right man for the job. I spoke to John in November and he told me it took 9,000 pounds of sand to sandblast the aluminum, and he is now starting to rebuild bulkheads and the pilot house. In the spring, he will start on the exterior. I look forward to visiting in May to see the progress and hopefully report further on the rebirth of a “happy ship.”

At Bahia Mar’s full-service marina, pumps are fast, prices are competitive and slip access is deep and easy. ValvTect® premium fuel and bulk rates available.

Fort Lauderdale, FL • On the Intracoastal Waterway between Day Marker 11 & 13 800-755-9558 • www.bahiamar.com

Capt. Ian Walsh has spent 30 years working on luxury yachts, including the happy ship Southern Breeze. He currently runs M/Y Trim-It, a 58-foot Hatteras yachtﬁsh. Contact him through editorial@the-triton.com. BMR-8516 The Triton LO6 • 4.92 X 8

A32

December 2005

IBEX INNOVATION AWARDS

www.the-triton.com

The Triton

Innovation awards honor Royce, Volvo Penta By Bransom “Rocky” Bean As the 4,089 delegates in Miami Beach stole nervous glances at the Weather Channel for updates on Hurricane Wilma, this year’s IBEX strained nobly to maintain normalcy to the end, including the awarding of its Innovation Awards. This was the second year that the National Marine Manufacturers Association also presented its Environmental Innovation Award recognizing companies that demonstrate exceptional environmental responsibility in the recreational boating industry. The 2005 IBEX Environmental Award was presented to Royce Industries for its Smart Cap, a tank monitoring system said to virtually eliminate the possibility of overﬁlling. Though all the awards are technically equal, perhaps the biggest winner was Volvo Penta’s Inboard Performance System in the Inboard Engine category. Taking a page out of ABB’s Azipod book, Volvo seems to have put counter-rotating propellers on the lower unit of an inboard/outboard, turned it through 180 degrees so that the propellers are forward and claims humbly that it “will forever change the leisure boating experience.”

““I’ve been enjoying an Aeron chair in my ofﬁce for a long time. Now there’s a VisionAir chair for boats that uses the same technology.” - Judge Bill Pike Readers with straight A’s in thermodynamics might be impressed that AvXcel’s TropiKool 40 marine refrigerator uses a reverse Stirling Cycle. Lovers of simplicity will be pleased that it has only two moving parts and no seawater cooling. And it uses ozone layer-friendly refrigerants Helium and Carbon Dioxide. AvXcel won in the Mechanical Systems category. Enough “hard” technology. Attwood Corp. won the Furnishings and Finishes category with its VisionAir Seat. Using almost painfully sounding elastomeric mesh to help distribute a person’s weight evenly, the award-winning seat is apparently very good at “relieving pressure from concentrated areas.” “I’ve been enjoying an Aeron chair in my ofﬁce for a long time,” commented judge Bill Pike. “Now there’s a VisionAir chair for boats that uses the same

technology.” Other winners included Bayview Edison Industries in the Boatbuilding Methods and Materials Category for its Reusable Infusion Port; Blue Sea Systems in Electrical Systems for its Dual Circuit PLUS Battery Switch; Auto Anchor (RMSD Limited) in Hardware and Fittings for its Panel Mount Rode-Counter System; Mercury Marine in OEM Electronics and Electronic Systems for its Shadow Technology Digital Throttle and Shift; Yamaha Motor Corp. in Outboard Engines for its Multifunction Tiller Handle; and Forest City Tool in Yard and Boat Construction Hardware and Software for its Marine Line Quick Change Hole Boring System. All entries were evaluated by a team of seven judges from Boating Writer’s International on the basis of: Innovative distinction from other products currently being manufactured; Beneﬁt to the marine industry and/ or consumer; Practicality, and; Cost-effectiveness. Bransom “Rocky” Bean is a yachting industry business consultant, submariner ofﬁcer and ocean sailor. Contact him at bbean@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 Nov. 15.

Prices for low-sulfur gasoil expressed in US$ per cubic meter (1,000 litres) as of Nov. 15, 2004.

Region Duty-free*/duty paid U.S. East Coast Ft. Lauderdale 524/559 Savannah, Ga. 562/NA Newport, R.I. 498/NA Caribbean St. Thomas, USVI 769/NA Trinidad 522/NA Antigua 709/NA North Atlantic Bermuda (Ireland Island) NA/NA Bermuda (St. George’s) 773/NA Cape Verde 582/NA Azores 588/NA Canary Islands 525/NA Mediterranean Gibraltar 510/NA Barcelona, Spain 547/1,207 Palma de Mallorca, Spain NA/1,116 Antibes, France 527/1,228 San Remo, Italy 627/1,255 Naples, Italy 615/1,236 Venice, Italy 621/1,222 Corfu, Greece 673/1,129 Piraeus, Greece 614/1,047 Istanbul, Turkey 488/NA Malta 477/NA Tunis, Tunisia 549/NA Oceania Auckland, New Zealand 530/NA Sydney, Australia 534/NA Fiji 650/NA

Region Duty-free*/duty paid U.S. East Coast Ft. Lauderdale 420/450 Savannah, Ga. 430/NA Newport, R.I. 448/NA Caribbean St. Thomas, USVI 522/NA Trinidad 446/NA Antigua 573/NA North Atlantic Bermuda (Ireland Island) 446/NA Bermuda (St. George’s) 485/NA Cape Verde 426/NA Azores 445/NA Canary Islands 432/NA Mediterranean Gibraltar 426/NA Barcelona, Spain 451/NA Palma de Mallorca, Spain NA/915 Antibes, France 434/1,131 San Remo, Italy 635/1,225 Naples, Italy 630/1,211 Venice, Italy 625/1,223 Corfu, Greece 484/900 Piraeus, Greece 462/922 Istanbul, Turkey 431/NA Malta 411/NA Tunis, Tunisia 430/NA Oceania Auckland, New Zealand 452/NA Sydney, Australia 441/NA Fiji 510/NA

*When available according to customs.

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FROM THE TECH FRONT

On a boat, ‘gloss is king to a layperson’ PAINT, from page A30 So what’s the definition of a good paint job? Morton calls it DOI or distinction of image. “To a layperson, gloss is king,” Morton said. “But in fact it’s the combination of gloss, colour and texture – or rather, the lack of texture.” The last one is the hard part. In mirrors and megayachts, texture – be it dust, bumps, runs or “orange peel” – is bad. And to picture how easy it is to give a little unwanted texture to a yacht’s paint job, just consider that in many yards where they actually paint a vessel, the space is often shared with welders welding, grinders grinding and a carpenter whose shavings and sawdust are blown around by the winter’s gale howling through the gaps in the plastic sheeting. One paint company recounted with heartache that could only be shared by a man who’d lost his favorite dog: “The job was perfect when our painters went home but sometime during the night, while the paint was curing, someone in the shipyard decide to save money and cut the thermostat off.” That’s just the surface. In fact, a yacht’s finish is more like a sandwich built up on the metal or composite hull. As hulls get bigger, achieving a perfect surface along its length is like trying to polish a runway at Miami International Airport in between 747s landing. When any boat is built, either in composites or metal, a flat surface is almost impossible to achieve. In metal hulls, just the heat from welding creates distortion. To fill in the ripples, a fairing compound is applied and then sanded, and sanded and sanded. Too hard and it won’t sand. Too soft and it won’t work. Make the hull 350 feet welded together by welders who were

having a series of bad days and you get a feeling for the scale of the problem. Then there are the applicators or painters. “In real estate, it’s location, location, location,” Morton said. “In coatings, it’s uniformity, uniformity, uniformity.” With a car, generally a single robot makes precise passes, 2 to 5 yards over the body. Each pass lays a perfectly measured stream of paint, which has been perfectly mixed by a computer. And it’s all done in seconds. Classically, painting a megayacht requires a squad of painters standing on scaffolding for days and weeks and, when it comes to painting a yacht, all men are not created equal. To get an idea of how human beings with spray guns can affect uniformity, cast a glance at our hypothetical paint squad above as it applies the typical million-dollar paint job. See that one spraying directly overhead? He was out late last night. The colleague on his right was breaking up with her boyfriend. The guy next to her is coming down with the ﬂu. You get the idea. Uniformity over 300 feet can be a bit of a challenge Which brings us to the contractors who apply paint. It was estimated at a recent seminar on paint that of the 200 or 300 applicators working on yachts around the world today, only 20 or so can be counted on to do a good job. In the Med, tales abound of the same guys turning up to paint in the same old truck but with shiny new magnetic letters with the latest name of their company on the doors. Finally, project management. The business of megayachts is often a lesson of how project management should not be done. After a build-out taking twice the allocated time and many times the budgeted money, the

boat often has a drop-dead date to go into the water, if for no other reason than if it’s not launched soon, the boss’ business competitor will have an even bigger yacht. It should be obvious that a good paint job on a yacht can’t be rushed, but this one has to be. So when it all goes wrong, after the litigation is settled and the magnetic signs on the trucks are changed yet again, if the yard is still solvent, it will consider getting out of the business. So that leaves the manufacturers – the deep pockets – to pick up the pieces. There’s got to be a better way, you say. It turns out, today’s marine coatings are hardly state of the art. In fact, until recently both the formulation and the method of application were pretty 20th Century. But all that is about to change – bad news perhaps for larger marine coating companies. And worse yet, the changes may be coming from the aerospace industry or, horrors of horrors, the automotive industry. With so much a stake, you might think no one would make marine paint. In fact, a number of companies – including Dupont and Sherwin Williams – are lining up to take on the previously undisputed industry leader, Awlgrip, which long has been perceived as the Rolls Royce of marine paints. And then for new technology, there are massive megayacht spray booths and robots who don’t drive old pick-up trucks with new magnetic signs. But that’s next issue’s story. Bransom “Rocky” Bean is a yachting industry business consultant, former submarine ofﬁcer and ocean sailor. He moderated a panel titled “Painting: The Pros and Cons” at SEAS2005 in Nice, France, this spring. Contact him at bbean@the-triton.com.

December 2005

A33

Two new products from Mastervolt Mastervolt has introduced the world’s ﬁrst ultra-light weight switch mode isolation transformer: the Mass GI-based on switch mode technology. With the Mass GI switch mode isolation transformer, 75 percent weight and 60 percent volume reduction is achieved compared to traditional isolation transformers. The company says there is no humming and vibration. The Mass GI power rating is 3,5 kW continuous and accepts every voltage from 90 to 255. For more power needs, the Mass GI can be paralleled. The product includes a soft start, indication for power and diagnostics as well as an over-current protection. An alarm contact is available for the on-board alarm and monitoring system and can be used to start the generator in case shore power is limited. Mastervolt has also added a highpower inverter/charger combination unit: The 4 kW Combi, which joins the company’s ranks with the recently launched 2 kW series. The 4 kW unit is light in weight and compact in relation to its output. Peak power is 200 percent (8 kW), sufﬁcient to start heavy users such as air-conditioning systems and pumps. The Combi provides a clean sine wave output that will be supplied to any 230V appliance connected. The full automatic battery charger can handle two battery banks separately: 200 amps current is delivered by the 12V version and 120 amps by the 24V version. A remote control panel is included, together with the temperature sensor which secures a safe charge process. The Mass Combi is programmable via laptop or PC. For more information, visit www. mastervolt.com.

A34

CRUISING GROUNDS: GALAPAGOS

December 2005

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Agent made things ﬂow for Galapagos adventure By Capt. Ian van der Watt

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Arriving in the Galapagos, we were met by our agent, Ricardo Arenas, who has the agency called Sail’n Galapagos. Ricardo had organized for all the authorities to come aboard in St. Cristobal. Fortunately, we had a large tender to bring aboard this smartly dressed contingent. We found the authorities to be polite and efficient, and within 30 minutes they were returned to shore. The permits for the Galapagos are handled by the agent and we were surprised how efficiently he dealt with the whole situation. The anchorage was pleasant and it was a bustling little harbor. All the produce, food and building materials come from the mainland and are taken ashore by lighters. It was interesting to see. Even a Toyota double cab pick-up was unloaded onto a lighter and taken ashore. It would of made me a little nervous, however, if it was my vehicle. Puerto Baquerizo Moreno is the main harbor in St. Cristobal, the first port of entry for us. It appeared that the wildlife had taken over every floating object they could find, including our See GALAPAGOS, page A35

Above, a land iguana; below, a bluefooted booby.

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CRUISING GROUNDS: GALAPAGOS

Ins, outs of Galapagos visits By Capt. Ian van der Watt All the yachts that arrive in the Galapagos must pay: a) Capitanía de Puerto (Harbor’s Master fees): Arrival US$0,020 x Gross Tonnage (0,030 Saturday and Sunday) Access Channel US$0,25 x GT Anchoring US$2.37 x GT Lighting US$3,00 x GT Contamination US$15 Frequency Use US$15 Format US$0,37 Zarpe US$0,020 x GT (0,030 Saturday and Sunday) Local zarpe between islands: US$20,00 b) National Police – Immigration US$30 (15+15: in+out) per vessel. c) National Park entrance fee per person: US$100 (children US$50), only once. (These amounts are subject to official modifications) Vessels must have a fumigation and a valid de-rat certificate from the last port before Galapagos (and if they don’t have it, an agent like Ricardo can get it here.) About 97 percent of the Galapagos are national park areas. The inhabited ports/towns are not in National Park areas: Puerto Ayora in Santa Cruz, Puerto Baquerizo in San Cristóbal and Puerto Villamil in Isabela Island. You have two ways to visit the Galapagos: 1) If the sailboats or yachts have up to 10 people on board, you can stay and anchor in the inhabited ports (Puerto Ayora, for example) up to 20 days without special permits. You cannot move around the national park areas on your own yacht without permits. If the crew wants to visit the islands, they have to use the local tour boats. 2) If your yacht has more than 10

people or for any yacht that wants to cruise around national park areas, you need a special permit before arriving in Galapagos. In this case you need to start the paperwork at least two months before. With this special permit from the Ministerio de Defensa del Ecuador, when the vessel arrives in Galapagos, it is presented to the National Park ofﬁce that approves a special itinerary for the visit. You need a naturalist guide trained by the park on board, and have to pay a special tax to the National Park Service of US$200 per person per day while you cruise in the protected areas. For example: A special permit from the Ministerio de Defensa (in Quito and Guayaquil) authorizes you to come to the Galapagos 30 days in March and April and you stay in Puerto Ayora 24 days but you only cruise in Galapagos six days; that means you only have to pay this special tax of the National Park for six days. (Everyone must pay, crew and guests.) Galapagos is special and unique in the world. This high tax is paid for the privilege to sail within Galapagos on your own yacht and is strictly used by the Galapagos National Park Services for programs of handling and conservation of the marine and terrestrial areas. This visit contributes directly to this objective For an 8 day cruise, I would recommend to include islands like: Genovesa, Santiago, Bartolomé and Española. (If the guests like long distances, include Fernandina, too.) AGENT: Ricardo Arenas, Sail’n Galapagos, www.sailingalapagos.com Fax: (593 5) 2526041; 2526186. Phone: (593 5) 2526042; 2526186 Cell: (593 9) 9480859 VHF marine Channel 09 Santa Cruz, Galápagos Ecuador

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GALAPAGOS, from page A34 tender. A seal decided that one of our destroyed fenders from Arica would make a great place to sleep. Engineer John Todhunter, Purser Cici van der Watt, and Ed and Monica who joined us as delivery crew, all enjoyed the seal, which was totally relaxed in our presence. Ricardo supervised the refueling at Baltra, another island which has the airport currently undergoing maintenance. Fueling is straight forward. This is where you can clear out of the Galapagos for your next destination. This island was used by the

December 2005

Capt. Ian van der Watt ﬁnds a giant tortoise. U.S. Air Force during World War II to protect the Panama Canal approaches. Off course, the major reason for visiting the Galapagos is the fauna and ﬂora. We were amazed how tame all the birds and animals were and how patiently they waited for us to compose our pictures.

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A35

A36

CRUISING GROUNDS: GALAPAGOS

December 2005

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The Islands’ natural beauty is striking.

Living the planet’s history in the Galapagos Islands By Capt. Normand Fougere

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change in the demand and cache of owning a piece of the rock, so to Breath-taking views are all the norm speak. Some developers seek land in in what most would call the best place the Galapagos to build retirement to cruise in the world. communities for expats looking for a We take for granted all the amenities safe haven for their funds of the future. we have in the modern Western World. After all, only 3 percent of the land is Clean drinking water, air conditioning actually available to residents. and large grocery stores are not in large Setting aside the economical aspects supply in other countries. of the islands, my trip was amazing. That is definitely The natural beauty the case in South striking. To be The best part was the is America were life standing on the powerful silence you can be an endless side of a volcano struggle. without the view of fell when you are on My recent trip single hotel was top of the world or, as it aspectacular. to the Galapagos Back to seemed, at the center of nature, so to speak. Islands reminded me that I needed to My Spanish was it. Very humbling. see that reality for — Capt. Normand Fougere not on the level it myself. Basic services should have been are available but it’s but fortunately the little things that my fluent French may be hard to find helped. Traveling sometimes. up the volcano with People live their days seemingly on a Spanish guide, three Germans, five the relaxed side, but underneath you Ecuadorians and two Spaniards was can see the daily struggles to earn a challenging. Let’s just say I got most of dollar. Their change to the dollar-based what the guide said but I’m not willing economy was a hard one. Everyone had to take a test. to deal with a serious devaluation of I think the best part was the their properties and land. powerful silence you feel when you are Having the opportunity to meet on top of the world or, as it seemed, at some of the more fortunate people, the center of it. You just can’t explain who are families from generations back the freedom and awe of being right who owned significant tracks of land, there living the planet’s history and was a lesson in survival. creation. Very humbling. What was once considered their The locals are friendly and my “nest egg” was suddenly turned into experience with them was great, a “what are we going to do now?” aside from the occasional land shark question about their future. predator who lurked on the docks This was proven to be a wrong See GALAPAGOS, page A37 assumption, for today we see a large

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The Sierra Negra volcano is about 42 NM from the town of Puerto Ayora.

December 2005

PHOTO/JOHN GALLAGHER

Volcano’s eruption spares people, villages The Sierra Negra volcano – the second largest caldera in the world at 10km across – erupted on the island of Isabella in the Galapagos on Saturday, Oct. 22, at 2245 UTC. Sierra Negra is about 42 NM from the town of Puerto Ayora on the island of Santa Cruz, where John Gallagher of Galapagos Ocean Services is based. “There was no danger at any time to the populace of Isabella, mainly at Puerto Villamil, and it did not represent any problem to the giant tortoises, penguin and cormorant populations along the coast,” reported

Gallagher, operations manager with GOS (www.gos.ec). “The ash cloud reached 50,000 feet and the lava fountains were between 200 and 300 meters high. The ﬂow reached several kilometers that evening as is poured down the ﬂanks of the volcano at 20 meters a second during the initial eruption. It eventually reaching 7km by Oct. 27 and became more than 1 kilometer wide within a few days.” With a summit of 4,920 feet, Sierra Negra is the largest of the Galapagos volcanoes. Its last eruption occurred in 1979. The Equatorial line runs directly through the North of Isabella Island.

Aggressively think safety on the ferries GALAPAGOS, from page A36 waiting to sell services at “discount” (gringo) prices. Most of the main island, Santa Cruz, was easy to deal with. If I can make one suggestion, though, it would be never pay to take a ferry to another island until you actually see what the vessel looks like. They overbook the ferries, and the dinghies – yes, the dinghies – are not always in the best of shape. When you are boarding, forget the politeness and get a good seat at the back or middle and grab a life jacket as soon as possible. They will let the boat go with more than the allowed passengers and jackets are in short supply. Get accustomed to meeting nature straight on. Creatures aren’t shy to come up or cross over your toes to get somewhere. Crabs, land iguanas, marine iguanas, rare birds (boobies), penguins, sharks and especially sea lions are ready to meet and greet.

Capt. Normand Fougere made this trip on vacation, not onboard. I took this trip as a vacation and not a trip onboard. The recent sale of M/Y Options afforded me the time off to pursue traveling on my own schedule. Having worked two years for a great owner (who only took six years to ﬁnd) was a godsend. It was the perfect situation for me and the owner at that time in my career. Hopefully, it won’t take another six to ﬁnd the next one. After spending the better part of August in the Galapagos and Ecuador, I can safely say I made it there and back without a hitch. On to the next adventure, wherever it takes me. Contact Capt. Normand Fougere through editorial@the-triton.com.

A37

A38

December 2005

CRUISING GROUNDS: SABA

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The forgotten corner of the West Indies By Capt. John Campbell

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I have been sailing and working in the West Indies, off and on, for more than 30 years, and I have been to all the islands many times. Just a minute. All the islands? Well, nearly all the islands. We have had a couple of abortive efforts to land on Redonda, but the swell has beaten us back. Likewise Sombrero; we were close enough to wave to the lighthouse keepers once, but again, discretion was the better part of valour, with heavy swells breaking onto the sharp rocks. What about the rest? Actually, we never made the effort to go to Saba. Everybody said it was a bad anchorage. Often the swells were too big to get ashore and there was nothing much there anyway. Besides, it would be a hard beat back to St. Maarten or St. Barts from there. There was always an excuse and never a strong reason to go, so we never went. We found out this year what we have been missing. A group of charterers who were keen divers, and a spell of unseasonably gentle south-easterly wind sowed the seeds. A trip to Saba was on the agenda. What a delight it turned out to be. The west coast is reasonably sheltered, provided the wind is not too far in the north, and provided there is

The village on Saba is well-cared for, and unlike most Caribbean towns, it is clean and tidy. PHOTO/CHEF DANIELLE HEALY no strong ground swell coming down from the frozen north. For small boats, there are a dozen or more moorings scattered along the northern half of the west coast, and we found plenty of space to anchor in Wells Bay, to the north end of the moorings. Saba’s coastal waters are a Marine Park, and there are only two places where you can anchor or moor. These are along the northern half of the west coast, and off the diminutive port at Fort Bay on the south coast. If the wind is east, or has the merest hint of south in it, the anchorage off Fort Bay would be uncomfortable at best. It is probably reasonable if the wind is well north of east, provided there is no big ground swell. When we arrived it was pretty rough on the south coast, so we anchored in Wells Bay and took the tender to the little harbour at Fort Bay. Fort Bay is where ofﬁcialdom is located, in the form of the Park Authorities, who make a small charge per head that goes toward looking after the waters of the park and maintaining the moorings and the Port Ofﬁce, which houses Customs and Immigration. Everybody seemed genuinely pleased to see us, the formalities were minimal and the charges moderate. Also in Fort Bay is the island’s generating plant, three dive shops, a strategically placed bar and the island’s only gas station. Leading up from the harbor is a steep road that goes up to the improbably named village of The Bottom. It seems a strange name for a village built at the top of a hill, but that is what it is called. This was the road that the experts said could not be built, because the terrain was too steep. A fellow called Josephus “Lambee” Hassel bought a book on road building, rounded up a few willing and able Sabans, and together they built the

Useful websites Saba Tourist Board, www.sabatourism.com Saba Conservation Foundation, www.sabapark.org Our guests dived with Saba Deep and were well satisfied, www.sabadeep.com road by hand. It was completed in 1943, but it would be four more years before the first motor vehicle was landed on the island. The traditional way for goods to reach the village of The Bottom, and indeed the other villages of Windwardside and Hell’s Gate, had been up the steep and rocky track that led up the valley from Fort Bay, or up the even steeper track – with more than 1,000 steps – that climbs up the cliff on the west coast, in Ladder Bay. For many years absolutely everything that was landed on the island was carried up the steep tracks by strong-legged porters. There was a huge polemic in 1943 when somebody brought a group of donkeys to the island. The porters were dismayed, as they could see their lucrative living coming to an end. Eleven years after the first car arrived, the road network was completed. By 1958 one could drive between the three main villages and the port. Perhaps the success of the road building sowed the seeds for the idea of an airport. Once again, the government had deemed the project out of the question; the experts reckoned there was just not enough flat land to allow a plane to land or takeoff. With the help of an intrepid pilot

See SABA, page A39

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CRUISING GROUNDS: SABA

December 2005

A39

Diving makes Saba famous SABA, from page A38 from St Barts, the Sabans again proved the experts wrong. Rocks were cleared and holes were filled on a small flat area in the northeast corner of the island, and in 1959 Remey de Haenen landed a small single-engine plane on the makeshift airstrip. This encouraged the government to reconsider its decision, and a proper runway was built in 1963. At 1,311 feet, it is claimed to be the shortest commercial runway in use in the world. It has been likened more to landing on an aircraft carrier than an airfield, but it does allow for a regular air-service to St Maarten. We walked up the steep and winding road from Fort Bay to The Bottom. It is only by walking up the hill that one can really begin to appreciate the difficulty the Sabans must have experienced building the road. It is hard walking up, never mind carrying materials or tools, or indeed working on the steep slope. The Bottom was the first village to be established on the island, and all the civil service establishments, such as Government House, the hospital and the police station are found there. The village is well-cared for, and unlike most Caribbean towns, it is clean and tidy. The neatly arranged, white gingerbread houses with their scarlet roofs made the village look like a large model. As we wandered through, looking for a well-earned cold drink, we met a couple of ladies who had a variety of lace-work to sell. Lace-making has been a tradition on the island for years and we later saw several shops offering a variety of items for sale. From The Bottom it is a relatively easy walk or a short taxi-ride across to the village of Windwardside. This is a little bigger than, but just as neat and tidy as, The Bottom. On the approach to Windwardside is the trail that leads up another couple thousand feet to the top of Mount Scenery. Unfortunately, time did not allow us to go up the trail on this visit, but we will return, and earn the right to buy one of the T-shirts that proclaims the fact that you went up all 1,064 steps of the trail. Saba boasts a number of marked hiking trails, and for the sound of limb and lung, a week’s walking holiday there would be great. However, it is for diving that Saba is justifiably famous. Because there are few hotels, no large towns and little in the way of agriculture, there is almost none of the polluted runoff that has damaged so many of the world’s reefs. Some experts estimate that perhaps 20 percent of the world’s coral reefs have been damaged to a point that they may not recover. The coral encircling Saba is how the reefs in the rest of Caribbean were, perhaps 50 years ago. To use the word

Saba has a reputation for difﬁcult access, but the west coast is reasonably sheltered. pristine may seem like a cliché, but it is the word that keeps coming to mind. The Park Service enforces the anchoring restrictions, so there is little of the fringing reef that has been damaged by visiting boats, and quite large areas are closed to ﬁshing so the sea-life is abundant. Although the fringing reefs are excellent, perhaps the best – and certainly the most known – sites for diving are on the Pinnacles. These are a small group of seamounts that rise straight out of the oceanic depths to within about a hundred feet of the surface. The mounts are covered in an amazing variety of corals and sponges, and seem to be like a magnet for sea life of all sorts and sizes. There are several dive companies operating out of Saba, and any diving must be done with one or another of them; it is not permitted to organize your own dives. It is also reassuring to know that there is a recompression chamber on

the island, at Fort Bay. It is one of the few in the eastern Caribbean. We will certainly plan to return to Saba whenever our itinerary and the weather allow. There is a lot more to see both above and below the water. It is

PHOTO/CAPT. JOHN CAMPBELL

well worth making the effort to visit. Capt. John Campbell is the skipper of Magdalus Terzo, a 115-foot (35m) sloop. Contact him through editorial@thetriton.com.

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A40

TAKING TIME OFF

December 2005

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Reef Bay Trail is a gem on St. John’s By Carol Bareuther

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Water rushed down a 30-foot rocky drop into a natural pool. Our kids were instantly enchanted. They doffed shoes, donned swimsuits and discovered tiny tadpoles and darting dragonﬂies. Below, a second pool sat more serene, yet to me it was much more captivating. Carved into the stone, just above the waterline, were a series of ancient drawings. The Taino Indians that inhabited St. John between 900 and 1500 A.D. made these petroglyphs. This was a special place for the Tainos. For me it was remarkable too, for it was one of the many highlights of our ﬁve-hour, ranger-led hike down St. John’s famous Reef Bay Trail. We assembled at the National Park’s Visitor’s Center in Cruz Bay, met our ranger, and loaded into safari buses. Fifteen minutes later we reached the trailhead. The air was cooler here. Standing short among the bay rum and kapok trees, I felt as if I were in a scene from “Honey, I Shrunk the Kids.” The trail, about three- to four-foot wide at the entrance, was once an old cart road used by plantation owners down in the valley. Carts would have a hard time traversing this passage now. Rocks and winding roots crossed the path. Sneakers were a must. Yet, the way was clearly visible and well marked

Genti Bay Beach, at the end of the Reef Bay Trail. with a number of signs that detailed ﬂora and fauna. Fifteen minutes into our hike, we came to a giant kapok tree. This mighty creature looked like Jack’s giant beanstalk reaching high into the clouds. Taking a second look, faces appeared in the kapok’s dense trunk. This natural aberration has earned this tree its reputation as the “jumbie” or ghost tree. The superstitious in our group gave this tree a wide berth as we trekked onward. Signs of past life appeared as we neared the ruins of the old Reef Bay Estate Greathouse with its restored classic revival-style architecture. Walls made of neatly piled stones standing three feet high lined our route. The ruins of the Jossie Ghut Sugar Estate made a great rest stop. This was one of 50 to 60 sugar factories built on St. John by the Danes, who owned the island until the United States purchased it with St. Thomas and St. Croix in 1917. The walls of the crumbling T-shaped building were common to 1800s construction, a mix of ballast brick, coral and stone. Near this estate, spur trails lead off to the east and west. To the east is the Lameshur Bay Trail, a 1.5-mile route

PHOTO/DEAN BARNES

that connects to Lameshur Bay. To the west is the tiny 0.2-mile path that leads to the petroglyph pool. It was here, in the natural splendor of waterfalls and wading pools, where we stopped for lunch and spoke of the unanswered mysteries of the carvings. By now, it was early afternoon. The sea beckoned beyond, but there was one last sight to explore: The Reef Bay Sugar Factory. Here, near no modern day roads or houses, stood the wellpreserved hull of a 19th century factory that converted cane into precious sugar and, in later days, rum. We walked through the rooms: the boiling house, curing house, and the steam mill that was added after slavery was abolished. Finally, we broke into the bright sun and onto the sands at Genti Bay. This deserted beach is marked by driftwood, sea grape trees and calm surf that makes for good body surﬁng. After a half-hour swim, we were ready to hop on the boat back to Cruz Bay. Each of us wanted to be the last aboard, hoping to prolong the peaceful feeling of walking through time. Carol Bareuther is a freelance writer living in St. Thomas. Contact her through editorial@the-triton.com.

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Virgin Islands National Park Ranger Don Neer shows the construction of a remaining wall at the Jossie Ghut Sugar Estate. PHOTO/DEAN BARNES

The Triton

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CRUISING GROUNDS

December 2005

Trieste a true multinational community By Andie Garwood I guess it all began with food. That’s probably the main reason I stayed. I simply couldn’t get over the fact that no matter where I ate, the food was always really good. Flash forward 14 years. Regardless of the reason, I’m still here in Trieste, Italy. Trieste is in the upper right-hand corner of the Adriatic Sea, between Venice and Croatia. A border town, it’s the last stop in Italy before you cross into Slovenia. The cultural mix of Italian, Austrian and Slovenian makes an unusual cocktail that renders the city truly unique. The important architecture, for example, is Austrian (if you’re thinking red tile roofs, stop; think Viennese-style grandeur) while the Old City has its roots in the Roman Empire. Trieste was “Tergeste” in the time of Julius Caesar. A typical summer barbeque treat is cevapcici, little Slovenian sausages that are ridiculously addictive. Trieste is particular in that it is rich with religious denominations. This translates into unusual churches and synagogues to visit. Discovering the different cultural inﬂuences in the daily lives of the Triestini makes for a fascinating and endless journey. All captains who have stayed in Trieste make the same comment upon their departure: “Who knew?” Paraphrasing various satisﬁed captains, we are a valid stopover en route to or from Croatia or Venice. There is plenty to do for passengers and crew ranging from castles, cathedrals, wine cellars, fantastic caves, delicious gastronomic tours (my favorite) and much more. If it’s water sports you’re after, Trieste allows jet skiing from 200 meters off the coastline. Trieste is alive in summer with concerts every evening in July and August. Piazza Unità becomes a stage for theater and music, while outside cafes are packed. The Verdi Opera House, a bijoux in itself, boasts a winning operetta

You won’t be bored in Trieste.

PHOTO/ANDIE GARWOOD

season. The most important museums are open until midnight at least once a week. Guided tours in English are available. Trieste has an “old quarter” that is home to our artisans and artists, who are happy to offer an aperitif in their galleries while they show their work. Megayachts can berth directly in front of Piazza Unità, where all of the above is within walking distance. If a yacht has a particular need that warrants a marina, Porto San Rocco is a full-service marina nearby. If you’re thinking about your Adriatic itinerary for summer 2006, include Trieste. For crew and passengers alike, it’s a bona ﬁde stopover that’ll make everyone happy to have discovered a city that has been – up to now – kept secret. Andie Garwood works for JLT Yacht Agency Trieste. She is an American who fell in love with Trieste and enjoys watching others do the same. Contact her at trieste@jlt.it, by phone at 011-39-040-67027280 or fax 011-39-040-67027281.

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WRITE TO BE HEARD

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The Triton

MCA improving industry, not ‘running’ U.S. megayachts This is my personal response to the letter by Capt. Bill Harris in the November edition. However, my view is shared by many I know within the yachting industry. The MCA, whilst far from perfect, has been helping move yachting toward a more professional level. It started to play a major role since the STCW95 requirements came into effect in February 2002. One of the key differences between the U.S. Coast Guard license and that offered by the MCA is that anybody, regardless of nationality, is eligible for the MCA license, providing they are willing and able to complete the sea time and training structure requirements. The Large Yacht Code and training requirement have been put together in a way that enables crew who would find it hard or impossible to obtain a normal STCW-95 license. Also, please remember that it’s the IMO that made it a requirement for all vessels to be manned by trained and competent crew, not the MCA. Capt. Harris wrote that vessels less than 200GT do not require licensed crew onboard. This may be true for a U.S.-flagged vessel in U.S. waters, but not for non-U.S.-flagged vessels in nonU.S. waters. (In other words, everybody

else.) To be honest, why anyone would ever trust their yacht/money/life without competent crew onboard is beyond me. It’s true that many of the world’s yachts are owned by Americans who choose to register under a Red Flag. We all know this is due to the financial benefit and also allows unrestricted crew internationally to work onboard the vessel. The MCA is not trying to tell Americans or the U.S. Coast Guard how to do things It’s just allowing the rest of the world an opportunity. The MCA is also happy to issue any U.S. Coast Guard STCW-95 license holder a certificate of equivalency for a small fee. You may also be aware that the Marshall Islands, which are American protected, also require a certificate of equivalency to be issued by them. Your U.S. Coast Guard or MCA license is not valid on yachts registered with them. It’s far time the few people who don’t understand the value of crew training and ensuring a minimum level of competency either leave the industry or obtain training and an STCW95 license. Toby Chapman 3000GT Chief Engineer 200GT Captain

MCA developed standards in consultation with large yachts Responding to Capt. Bill Harris’ letter in the November 2005 issue, the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) would like to make the following points: The MCA is the UK’s Maritime Authority and as such is the UK equivalent of the U.S. Coast Guard, and is the proper authority for setting standards on Red Ensign vessels. The MCA does not offer courses but approves training providers to deliver courses leading to MCA qualifications. The MCA is required to set the competency standards for UK vessels and is not under any obligation to accept the standards set by others, however the selection of flag state is at the discretion of the owner. In making the decision of the flag his vessel flies, the owner takes into consideration many factors, including the safety standards applied, the scope and acceptance of those safety standards (whether they be constructional or manning), the approach that the flag state takes to implement those standards in order

to allow the owner to achieve the aesthetic appearance of the vessel, and not least, the tax/financial advantages that may be gained by registering with that flag. The MCA developed its yacht certificate structure in conjunction and consultation with the large yacht industry, and specifically tailored it to the needs of the large yacht industry. Having developed the certificates, the MCA sought and received acceptance from the IMO that its large yachts certificates meet equivalent standards to full STCW certification, though limited to large yachts. MCA certificates have been accepted over the last five years as the global standard for those wishing to operate large yachts. It should be pointed out that vessels operating without appropriately qualified crews are liable to detention and the owner/manager liable to prosecution. I hope this clarifies and answers Capt. Harris’ points. Mark Clark Public relations manager MCA

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WRITE TO BE HEARD

December 2005

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Large yacht crew, industry need a voice Well, it has been four weeks since Hurricane Wilma visited us and I’m just getting my business and personal life back on track. A lot of things were said after the storm that have left me a bit confused. First of all, let me say “thank you” to all the exhibitors who made it to the show. I know you faced tough decisions, but ON THE RECORD know that the Ft. Lauderdale yachting DAVID REED industry needed you. For those who could not make it, thank you for trying. I know the difficulty you had trying to re-arrange months of planning in just a few days. We understand your decision and I hope to see you at our show next year. Without you all supporting the show, the Marine Industries Association of South Florida (MIASF) would not exist and could not do the good things it does, such as lobbying state and national politicians to watch out for the marine industry and hosting great events like the Plywood Regatta that reach out to the community. Thank you for your continued support. To Show Management, thank you for actually making the 46th annual Ft. Lauderdale International Boat Show happen. Yes, it was your job and it will be debated for years whether we should have had the show at all, but no one can minimize the incredible effort it took to pull the show together. I just hope you don’t go back on your word to keep exhibitor spaces available next year for those who didn’t make it. And finally to the MIASF, where are you? The Triton has been a proud member for the past year and has supported several events financially. But in the past month, I’ve questioned whether MIASF even cares about Ft. Lauderdale’s megayacht industry at all. It has still not reached out to our international exhibitors, and it refuses to believe that some exhibitors were bullied into attending the show. They were, and they’re angry about it. In the past month, my favorite Tshirt – a red MIASF Plywood Regatta Committee shirt – has stayed in my drawer. I’m ashamed to wear it. I look forward to the day I can pull it out again.

Venezuelan coast guard busy enforcing rules Boaters, be warned. Venezuelan officials seem to be enacting and enforcing laws that have in the past been lacking or ignored, e.g. work permits, visas, import duties, etc. The Guarda Costa here in Puerto La Cruz (PLC) is patrolling the main canal for speeders. The posted speed limit is 5 mph, but how many of us actually know how fast our dinghy is going? Once they stop a speeder, the vessel is confiscated until the offender goes to the port captain for a hearing, usually the next morning. The offender waits his turn until his case is heard and a fine is imposed, usually 15 tribunal units (27,400Bs each), or about US$170. Then, the offender must return to the Guarda Costa to pick up his vessel. They look for life jackets, proof of ownership (especially for the engine) and a boater’s license. Fluent Spanish speakers have a better chance of getting through the process smoothly; no one gets through quickly. The alternate route from Bahia Redonda has grown in popularity, though it is sometimes wetter – outside the canals, along the beach to the entrance near the Caribbean Mall and MareMares. Once through there, the Lecherias police have a boat to stop Business Manager/Circulation Peg Soffen, peg@the-triton.com Administrative Assistant Samanta Smith, sam@the-triton.com

Publisher David Reed, david@the-triton.com

Graphic Designer Christine Abbott, sales@the-triton.com Abbott Designs

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speeders, but they are more flexible and seem more interested in safety than filling the port captain’s treasury. The Guarda has also begun to enforce courtesy flag protocols: all foreign-flagged vessels must fly a Venezuelan courtesy flag, which must be presentable. Faded, tattered flags will incur a fine. All paperwork must be in order. The Mochima Park officials are enforcing park permit regulations. All vessels anchored in the park, including the islands around PLC, must have a permit. Permits are available for a 12month period and cost about $1 a foot from Inparques or through a boat agent when clearing in. It’s hard to be critical, as this country is no worse than the United States. It’s the changes that seem random and heavy-handed. In spite of it all, the marinas were quite full this season. Marina Bahia Redonda will raise rates effective in January. Boatyards at Aqua Vi and Bahia Redonda (PR Yacht Service) are busy and improving available services. And the best news is that diesel fuel is priced at about 8 cents (US) a gallon. Ellen Sanpere S/V Cayenne III Contributing Editor Lawrence Hollyfield Contributors Carol Bareuther, Dean Barnes, Rocky Bean, Eng. Donovan Benbrook, Capt. David Black, Chef Leslie Bore, Capt. John Campbell, Mark A. Cline, Carmen DeJesus, Capt. Normand Fougere, John Freeman, John Gallagher, Andie Garwood, Don Grimme, Capt. Delos Gurney, Chef Danielle Healy, Lisette Hilton, Jack Horkheimer, Chef Mary Beth Lawton Johnson, Whit Kirtland, Lisa H. Knapp, Chef/Stew Andrea Lopez, Capt. Herbert Magney, Donna Mergenhagen, Jeff Ostrowski, Steve Pica, Melanie Rivas, Rossmare Intl., Pat Teodosio, Capt. Ian van der Watt, Capt. Ian Walsh, Maya White, Phaedra Xanthos

Post hurricane coverage great

You guys are the best. When I want information about happenings within our marine world – the “now” events, not last week’s stuff – I turn to The Triton online (www.the-triton.com). I have found that I can rely on the information and you apparently are always the ﬁrst in print. Your coverage of Trinity’s situation and progress post-Katrina was top-ofthe-line, informative and timely. Today, I wanted post-Wilma information on the Ft. Lauderdale International Boat Show. Their site was down; your site was up and I received the info I needed. I commend you for continuing such a great job. We need you. Norm Schreiber Marine loss adjuster, project manager

Triton events helpful

Thanks for the invite to the electronic navigation event at Bluewater Books & Charts (held Nov. 9) as I am presently deciding on the software to drive the cartography on our new VEI computer. The Triton seems to supply the forums to help us make the choices we end up living with. Capt. Mark D. Robinson S/Y Wanderer Vol. 2, No. 9.

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

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December 2005

Talk through conﬂicts to harmonious crews

Spit and Polish By Lisa H. Knapp

early every crew member has struggled with a problem on the job. Sometimes it’s a heavy workload; other times, gossipy colleagues or a nightmare boss are the root of the problem. “Office politics” are magnified on a yacht where crew not only work but live together. “There will always be politics on a boat,” said Capt. Craig Tafoya, former skipper of the 316-foot M/Y Limitless. “There’s always a hierarchy on a boat, and that order is owner-captain-crew.”

“If someone is abrasive or rude, you still have to keep your cool. But there should be standards as to what you’ll put up with.” – Susan Brothers, director of human resources, Allied Richard Bertram Marine Group

There will always be someone above you, a department head or captain, he said. The captain has the ultimate say-so, whether or not crew members agree with the decision. Sometimes a little compassion, tact, and standing up for yourself can solve the problem. “This guy [the boss] may not be a nice guy, but he may be buffering for the owner and may have to deal with the same thing you’re complaining about,” Tafoya said. Communication is best. Open forums at crew meetings can bring these problems out into the open, where crew can shake hands at the end, Tafoya said. “Professionals should take constructive criticism, so bring it up,” he said. It may not fix the problem, he noted, but it probably won’t make it worse. And it might fix the problem. Holding it in or reacting in-kind to someone who is creating a problem won’t work either. “If someone is abrasive or rude, you still have to keep your cool,” said Susan Brothers, director of human resources at Allied Richard Bertram Marine Group. “But there should be standards

as to what you’ll put up with.” When there’s no recourse for resolving the issue, consider leaving. Disarming an offensive supervisor, co-worker or subordinate with a smile and “I beg your pardon?” usually makes them think twice about what they just said. “Say ‘knock it off ’ or ‘whoa,’” Brothers said. Some people are truly unaware of their disposition in the workplace. The term is called “unconscious incompetence.” “Stay positive and anticipate the stress from the hypercritical person to diffuse it,” said Doria Castle, the director of student services at Chapman’s School of Seamanship. If you confront the problem person, be upfront but clear. For instance, you might say something like: “I’ve noticed when you do this lately, it appears...” That can identify the conflict’s root cause, so it can be discussed maturely. “There’s nothing gained by holding it inside,” agreed Roger Field, vice president of Chapman’s in Stuart, Fla. Get rid of the emotions and deal with it on an adult level, he said. The fact that it’s easier to get a captain’s license nowadays can cause personnel problems, Tafoya said. Translation: People who start at the top may not relate to the folks in the ranks.

“Stay positive and anticipate the stress from the hypercritical person to diﬀuse it.” – Doria Castle, director of student services, Chapman’s School of Seamanship

Castle tells students to read “How to Win Friends and Influence People” by Dale Carnegie. “It’s the best way to deal with these personality problems before they ever get started.” Contact freelance writer Lisa H. Knapp at lisa@the-triton.com. Contact freelance writer Lisa H. Knapp at lisa@the-triton.com.

December 2005

HOW I GOT MY START IN YACHTING

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He knew how to do ‘the French stuff ’ By Chef Leslie Bore I remember the ﬁrst time I saw a megayacht. It was whilst traveling through Europe in a make-shift campervan with a bunch of scruffy Aussie/Kiwi chef-friends. We sat on a cliff somewhere along the coast of southern France and watched in amazement as a megayacht pulled into the beautiful bay below, dropped anchor and started unloading the toys into the water. Within minutes a helicopter arrived with guests and the party started. We were close enough to hear the

wine glasses clinking and watch all the fun happening. In the back of my mind I thought, “Wow. That must take a lot of organizing to make happen.” Five years later, I had a job offer in the Bahamas as a shark dive guide. So I packed up everything and moved to Nassau where my girlfriend was training the massage therapists at Atlantis Hotel, Paradise Island. The dive job fell through and left me wondering what to do. I checked out the amazing hotel and found myself walking along the marina admiring the beautiful white boats. A burly but super-friendly bloke by

the name of Rob Brown (engineer) was leaning on the cap rail of M/Y Lady Jenn and we sparked up a conversation. After the normal Aussie/Kiwi banter, he asked what I did for a job and we chatted about diving. I was about to leave when I mentioned that I’d also been a qualiﬁed chef for 15 years and diving was only temporary to take a break from cooking. Rob’s eyes lit up and he said, “I’ll introduce you to the captain. He might want to speak to you.” I had no idea I was about to meet the legendary Capt. Scotti Miller, a true ocean veteran. With steely blue

Leslie Bore’s life took a tasty turn when a job offer to be a shark dive guide fell through. PHOTO/ENG. DONOVAN BENBROOK

eyes and the devil’s grin, he greeted me with a solid hand shake that speaks a thousand words. “I hear you’re a chef?” Yep, I replied. “Are you any good?” Never had any complaints, I said. “Do you know how to do the French stuff.” Yep, seven years French apprentice. “Hmmm. Come on board and let’s have a chat,” Capt. Scotti said. He took a moment to tell me they had just lost their chef a couple of days ago and Rob the engineer was starting to get a bit hungry. He asked if I was interested. I said no. Then Capt. Scotti started to tell me about their program and benefits. The hook was in deep; I just didn’t know it yet. After our chat I said I’d think about it, but the moment I stepped onto the dock I knew the answer was yes. The thing that got me was the captain’s attitude toward life. After hearing all the benefits of the job I asked him what the catch was. He said, “There is no catch. Sometimes life’s like that. Just take it and enjoy.” The only problem was telling the girlfriend I was to leaving in two days for Cuba and would be gone for four months. Needless to say, that was the end of that relationship and the beginning of a great 12 months on Lady Jenn. My apprenticeship and 15 years experience was the perfect background for the yachting industry. I was physically fit and my ability to get on with the job, other people and have fun at the same time was a blessing as we embarked on a 60-day charter with the owner and family right off the bat. I learned a lot in that first year and everything else ever since has been a breeze. My introduction to the yachting industry couldn’t have been better. Capt. Scotti Miller turned out to be a great captain and a life-long friend. Cheers, mate. Oops, I mean captain. Thanks for the opportunity, Scotti. How did you get your start in yachting? Send your story to lucy@the-triton.com. Who knows? You might inspire someone.

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December 2005

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THE JOB SEARCH: CARIBBEAN AGENCIES

The Triton

How to best navigate crew placement in the Caribbean By Carol M. Bareuther The winter season has started and you’re in the Caribbean or headed to it. What happens if you either decide or are forced to pursue another job? There are several resources for crew placement throughout the islands. “Generally, crew hear of positions by word of mouth,” said Sue Maki, general manager of Flagship, a USVI-based clearinghouse. “They will also put a word in or submit resumes with the clearinghouses and check bulletins too at local marinas and marina ofﬁces to see which vessels are looking for crew.” What’s the job market like during season? “Fair,” said Dick Schoonover, who manages Charterport BVI, a British Virgin Islands’ based clearinghouse. “Though for the Virgin Islands, December is late. Most owners or captains want to have things set for the early November charter yacht shows, and keep it that way. I tell late-comers that perhaps Antigua is where they ought to be looking.” “There is a whirl of activity before and after the New Year’s charters,” said Ann McHorney, director of Select Yachts NV in Sint Maarten. “Then, all is on an as-needed basis, with another active time at the end of season when Triton_EB_ClubAd 11/9/05 5:03 PM

crews start playing musical boats.” The BVI’s Schoonover adds, “We tend to get an indication of crews’ retirement plans or changes in careers after Easter, so that’s not a bad time to be looking. “June through November is quite a sleeper here in the U.S. and British Virgin Islands,” said Flagship’s Maki. “Although with fewer vessels staying in the area during the summer months, the ones that do stay here will generally stay busy. And, with many crew going on vacation during the summer months, there can be the opportunity for employment. There can also be many opportunities to do deliveries, either back to the U.S. mainland, down island or to the Mediterranean. This can quite often lead to a more permanent position with a vessel.” What crew positions tend to be in most demand? “Chefs, without a doubt,” Maki said. “They tend to burn out the fastest.” “Captains and teams seem to get more action with bigger agents, although we still need them for our yachts and a few boats here and there,” said Select Yacht’s McHorney. “Freelance, especially chefs and stewardesses, is pretty big here.” “Stewardesses, deckhands and chefs are the main jobs that I get asked Page 1

for,” said Jane Harrison of Mega Yacht Services in the Simpson Bay Yacht Club Marina in Sint Maarten. “The more qualifications you have, the better.” What businesses or organizations can assist with crew placement? And what do crew need to do? “Usually, at the end of the season, there is a lot of crew change,” said Sarah Sebastian, manager of the Antigua Yacht Charter Show and a broker for Nicholson Yachts in Antigua. “Maybe owners desire to go somewhere the crew member does not, or the yacht is staying and crew members want to leave. We do want to keep good crew in the fleet, so we try to turn them on to another yacht.” Even companies that do not officially have placement agencies help spread the word. “We do, on occasion, dabble in this while assisting vessels that need crew by providing any résumés we may have on file or forwarding any e-mails of crew looking for work,” said Maki. International Yacht Collection, Super Yacht Services and Mega Yacht Services are all crew placement agencies located on Sint Maarten. “Crew need to make a clear resume stating qualifications, providing references and personal details,” said Mega Yacht Services’ Harrison. “A

photograph is always helpful. This document is their chance to sell themselves.” Finally, what advice is there for crew who want to stay in the Caribbean? “Plan,” said Schoonover. “Get your paperwork such as licenses, certifications, whatever, in order. Don’t forget to network.” Mega Yacht Services Harrison agreed. “Having the right visas is of prime importance for the U.S.A and Caribbean Islands.” Select Yacht’s McHorney offered this advice: “Try to come down on a boat, and if you’re not happy, try to stick it out and do a good job until you find something else. It seems that if you are employed, everyone wants you, but if you are looking too long, it gets tougher. Places to stay are not easy to find during season on Sint Maarten and can be pricy. Be a squeaky wheel. Keep agents apprised of your location and situation and check back often. Be considerate of agents’ time. Once you have met and interviewed with an agent, checking in with e-mail should be adequate.” Carol Bareuther is a freelance writer living in St. Thomas. Contact her through editorial@the-triton.com.

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9 9 THE 5 AFTERLIFE: LIFE AFTER YACHTING

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By Lisa H. Knapp

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After years of working as a mate and relief captain on yachts and sailboats, Peter Borden is ﬁnally a pampered passenger. Over the past few years, Borden has transitioned to land and has managed and even restored private estates in Rhode Island. Many of these estates are owned by individuals who also have yachts, so being a guest now comes with the territory. “You never know when an owner will sell their yacht but they always keep the houses,” Borden said. “Private estate management is where it’s at for yachties.” Borden marketed himself by building a personal Web site to target recruiters and headhunters seeking candidates for estate and project EASY management jobs. A typical estate management team could earn up to $100,000 a year – a pay cut initially for many captains. Once established, though, Borden said estate managers can make salaries commensurate with megayacht captains.

“You# never know when an owner will 2 sell their yacht but they always keep the houses. Private estate management is where it’s at for yachties.” - Peter Borden

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One of the estates Borden managed snowballed into a whole new career. He is now the director of SVF Foundation, a non-proﬁt organization that collects genetic material such as

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semen and embryos from critically endangered breeds of livestock. He works in conjunction with the Tufts School of Veterinary Medicine. Despite the farm-like lifestyle, Borden still keeps one foot in the water, either as that pampered guest, or driving a sailboat or yacht. “The hardest part of leaving yachting,” he confessed, “is watching everyone leave the harbor in Newport when hurricane season is over.” Contact freelance writer Lisa H. Knapp at lisa@the-triton.com.

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December 2005

IN THE GALLEY

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To stray or not to stray If you are like me, you have already begun your holiday planning and provisioning. For yacht chefs, our meals do not revolve around what we would like to serve but what the employer would like to have. Find out what type of food your employer would like to have this season, and that includes CULINARY WAVES if they want the traditional MARY BETH Christmas LAWTON JOHNSON turkey dinner or neoclassic fare as a true foodie would appreciate. I suggest doing your homework – not only on where to buy your provisions and figuring costs but the quantities to buy – before the holiday rush is upon us. Order now while you still have time. I know some purveyors are cutting the time limit to mid-December to get orders out in time. Depending on the respective country and religious beliefs of your employer, that’s probably what you will serve for Christmas. Maybe your employer wants a truly traditional holiday meal attributable to their origins. Or maybe they’re willing to have something semitraditional. Or are they true foodies and want a more modern approach to a festive event? Don’t fret. There are plenty of options out there. Don’t forget about the crew; ask them what they like. You can’t do five different meals to please everyone, but you can stray from tradition and create a new tradition onboard if allowed to. Included in this issue are recipes for a non-traditional Christmas meal that features Stuffed Rack of Pork with Butternut Squash Stuffing. When I was growing up, we broke tradition for a couple of years only because our cherised “other” family members – the St. Bernards – ate the turkey one year, the ham the next, and it didn’t seem like Christmas when we had to eat peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. Now, as a chef, it is fun to break the boredom. The question is: Should yacht chefs stray a little, a lot or not at all from traditional holiday fare for our employer, their guests and crew? The answer: Ask them. Christmas to them is what they are comfortable with and want. It is not what we want to serve. Consider these scenarios: If your employer is from Italy, the Christmas Eve dinner will probably consist of fish (since meat is not eaten on Christmas Eve) followed by a nice chestnut crepe or thousand layers of puff pastry with cream and chocolate. If your employer is from Australia, then you might have the traditional “summertime” turkey dinner as a picnic

with champagne instead of eggnog followed by Christmas pudding. If your employer (or crew) is from New Zealand, consider roasting a turkey and serving mince pies and Christmas pudding with brandy. If your French employer requests Le Reveillon for the “eve” dinner then roast a goose. If you have a traditional owner who wants traditional fare, jazz it up with better spices or incorporate new ideas into old favorite recipes. I have never strayed from a traditional holiday meal until recently. Normally I do either a traditional roast turkey or fried turkey and ham with all of the traditional side dishes. Last year I did a Prime Rib Roast with Yorkshire Pudding. This year I have taken it in another direction to offer non-traditional fare only for those looking to serve something different and create their own traditional Christmas. A friend, a culinary-trained chef who also is a charter yacht chef, has a charter during Thanksgiving and Christmas. She had a meeting with her employer and wanted to offer them a traditional holiday meal. She asked me what a turkducken was. A turkducken is a turkey stuffed with a duck, which is stuffed with another bird such as chicken or squab or pheasant. She thought that was a remarkable alternative to the old standard of roast turkey. I also suggested a different stuffing to go inside each poultry item (the butternut squash stuffing included here). But she could also go with game meat as a stuffing alternative, which is different but not too far from traditional. This is not the average Christmas dinner in Ft. Lauderdale though. It’s truly a lot of work, but well worth the effort. The other idea I suggested was for a fried turkey, which gained nationwide exposure three years ago. It has been around a long time, especially found in Louisiana. Turkducken is also from that area. Chef John Folce has a remarkable compendium of recipes that explain the history and culture of Louisiana, “The Encylopedia of Cajun and Creole Cuisine.” These recipes are in it. If you are looking for these types of recipes then look no further. Other options to turkey or ham could range from fresh game to pork, beef and veal. I suggest stuffed rack of pork, stuffed squab, venison loin, roast goose or wood cock. Stuffed Rolled Veal Breast is always a crowd pleaser. Or try braised rabbit or prime rib roast with Yorkshire pudding. There are a lot of options available to roasting a turkey or carved ham. The whole point is to ask first and gather the information to make informative choices to offer them. If you are required to make the

See WAVES, page B8

The Triton

IN THE GALLEY: RECIPES

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December 2005

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You can skip the turkey but keep it tasty with this roast rack of pork.

Put down the turkey; try this instead Try this menu for a different holiday meal. Serves 8.

Roast Rack of Pork Stuffed with Butternut Squash, Pancetta and Scallions with Pan Gravy; Garlic Wilted Spinach; Sweet Potato Gratin; Apple Cider Mousse with Crunchy Topping, Caramel Sauce Stufﬁng

7 pieces of pancetta, cooked and diced. Reserve 2 tablespoons of fat 3 garlic cloves, minced 1/3 cup celery, diced 1/2 cup onions, diced fine Saute the garlic cloves, celery and onions in the reserved fat of the cooked pancetta. Save to add to stuffing. 1/2 cup mission figs, dried and chopped, add to mixture above 1 large loaf of ciabatta bread or 8 cups diced, tossed in olive oil and Italian seasoning, reserve 6 cups butternut squash (about 1 extremely large squash) 1/2 tsp fresh nutmeg, grated Allspice, pinch White pepper to taste 1/2 teaspoon chipotle pepper 1/2 cup leeks, cleaned and chopped, white and green parts 3 large eggs, hard boiled and chopped 3 1/2 cups roasted chicken stock 1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. 2. Roast the butternut squash. Split the squash in half, scoop out the seeds. Lay skin side up on a baking sheet. Pour water to cover bottom of baking pan. Bake for 35 minutes. Peel off skin. Dice.

Chill until ﬁrm. 3. In a large bowl, combine all ingredients except the chicken broth. Mix together and slowly add the chicken stock until it is absorbed. Reserve for stufﬁng Pork Rack.

Roasted Rack of Pork:

1 8-rib rack of pork (Marble Farms) Fresh rosemary, 2 tablespoons or more Salt to taste White pepper to taste Olive oil for drizzling 1. Preheat oven to 375. 2. Using a knife steel, insert the steel through the middle of the rack creating a pocket. Using your ﬁngers, enlarge the pocket. 3. Stuff the stufﬁng all the way through. Pack it in. 4. Drizzle some olive oil over the pork rack and rub it in. Season with salt, pepper and rosemary and place on a roasting pan in the center of the oven. 5. Roast for 1 hour and 30 minutes or until done. Remove. 6. Let sit for 10 minutes, then carve into individual chops. Serve.

Pan Gravy

8 tablespoons butter 8 tablespoons ﬂour Salt and pepper to taste 2 cups chicken stock Scrapings from bottom of roasting pan 2 tablespoons water 1. In a non-stick skillet, melt the butter and slowly add the ﬂour to form a roux. 2. Wisk constantly to prevent lumps. Cook until dark in color. 3. Add the water to scrape the bits and

See RECIPES, page B9

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Experiment until you ﬁnd the right combination WAVES, from page B6 traditional fare such as turkey or ham, then zest the side dishes up. Perhaps they want the traditional side dishes they have become accustomed to. Do something different with dessert such as my apple cider mousse. If you have

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some leeway, make the side dishes come alive and create more excitement by pairing bursts of flavor with them such as fresh herbs and spices. Try baby carrots in a cardamom orange and ginger sauce reduction with sesame seeds, and serve fresh kale with ham and garlic and onion rather than the typical green bean casserole. When making a stuffing or dressing for your meat or game, use chestnuts in it with crumbled pancetta and dried figs rather than the typical storebought cornbread stuffing with eggs and celery. Experiment until you find the right combination. Nothing is wrong unless it does not taste good. If you are serving gravy, use a splash of alcohol with fresh herbs infused in it to top it off. Going over the menu and not surprising your employer on the

chosen day is the best course of action for a busy holiday season. I suggest the same if you are a charter chef. Review the menu with the charter guests before they come onboard, if possible. Some chefs are actually going back to purchasing and serving the turkeys that were prevalent in our founding forefather’s era, the heritage turkeys, available at Dartagnan in New York. They cost more than $100, but they are being raised at select times of the year to offer a truly traditional and ﬂavorful turkey in keeping tradition alive. Isn’t that what Thanksgiving and Christmas is all about, tradition? What would Christmas be without the family gatherings, the shopping stress and, of course, the traditional meal to end it? Here are some web sites for information on different holiday meals.

Create your own tradition onboard or keep the tradition alive. The choice is up to your boss and you. www.dartagnan.com offers all sorts of game meats, lamb, rabbit, sausages, poultry items, pantry goods, etc. www.neimanranch.com offers their highly desired meats such as lamb, beef, etc. www.epicurious.com for all sorts of recipes. I hope each and every one of you has a wonderful holiday season. Please be safe and I will see you in the new year. Mary Beth Lawton Johnson is a certiﬁed executive pastry chef and Chef de Cuisine. A professional yacht chef since 1991, she has been chef aboard M/Y Rebecca since 1999. Contact her through editorial@the-triton.com.

The Triton

IN THE GALLEY: RECIPES

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December 2005

Spinach is wilted, sweet potato gratin is baked and guests are melted by the mousse RECIPES, from page B7 pieces from the roasting pan. Add to the roux. Slowly add chicken stock to thin, adding more stock as necessary to form a gravy. 4. Add salt and pepper to taste. Cover top of gravy with plastic wrap so it won’t form a skin.

the spinach to coat in oil. 3. Saute for three minutes, remove from heat. Season with sea salt. Cover until ready to serve.

3. Add the next layer of potatoes, cream and cheese and continue until dish is full. 4. Cover and bake for 90 minutes. Uncover and bake for 30 minutes more.

Sweet Potato Gratin

Garlic Wilted Spinach

2 large sweet potatoes, washed, peeled and sliced thin on a mandoline 2 pints heavy whipping cream 2 cups grated Asiago cheese White pepper Ginger to taste Freshly grated nutmeg to taste Salt to taste

1. Make sure the spinach is washed. 2. Heat olive oil in a large saute pan and add the garlic cloves. Saute. Toss in

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. 2. Spread some potatoes in the bottom of a casserole dish and top with a little cheese, cream and seasonings.

9 to 10 bags fresh spinach 4 garlic cloves, minced 1/4 cup olive oil Sea salt

Apple Cider Mousse with Caramel Sauce and Crunchy Topping 2 egg whites 1/3 cup superﬁne sugar 1 1/2 sheets of gelatin (available from specialty stores) 3 tablespoons of cold water 1 1/4 cups of Martinellis Sparkling

Apple Cider 1 1/4 cups heavy cream 1. Heat egg whites with sugar until it reaches 145 degrees F, wisking constantly. Remove to an electric mixer and whip until it forms stiff peaks. This will take some time, about 30 minutes. 2. Bloom gelatin in cold water, squeeze out. 3. Heat the apple cider in a saucepan until warm and add the bloomed gelatin. Stir to dissolve. 4. Whip the cream until it forms stiff peaks. Fold the egg whites into the cream and fold in the apple cider with the gelatin. 5. Fill molds or ring molds lined with acetate. Freeze or refrigerate. When serving, use prepared caramel sauce as a dessert sauce.

Crunchy Topping

1 cup oatmeal 1 stick butter, softened 1/4 cup ﬂour Cinnamon to taste 1/4 brown sugar

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Two hours in the oven, but it won’t last nearly that long on the table.

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1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. 2. Combine all, mixing well. Spread on a baking sheet lined with a silpat mat. 3. Bake in oven for 10 minutes until crisp. Break into pieces. Sprinkle some topping over each individual mousse and drizzle with caramel sauce.

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NUTRITION

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Nip into some eggnog. Sip a bit of champagne. ‘Tis the season for toasting in the holidays with a wide range of alcoholic beverages. As far as good health goes, alcohol can be both a tonic and a poison. The difference lies in the dose. Moderate drinking, according to a wealth of studies, appears to be good for TAKE IT IN the heart and CAROL BAREUTHER circulatory system and probably protects against type 2 diabetes and gallstones. The explanations of what is a “drink” and what is “moderation” have been defined, albeit loosely. In the United States, one drink is considered to be 12 ounces of beer, 5 ounces of wine, or 1-1/2 ounces of spirits or hard liquor such as gin or whisky. A moderate intake of alcohol has been identified somewhat fluidly as anything from less than one drink a day to 2 to 3 drinks daily. More specifically, the definition of moderate drinking is a balancing act. Moderate drinking is actually the point at which the health benefits of alcohol clearly outweigh the risks. The U.S. Department of Agriculture, in its 2005 edition of the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, place this point at no more than one to two drinks per day for men, and no more than one per day for women. Heavy drinking, on the other hand, is a chief cause of preventable death. Too much alcohol can damage the liver and

Calorie content of common alcoholic beverages Beverage (amount) Beer (12 ounces) Light beer (12 oz.) Wine cooler (12 oz.) Light cooler (12 oz.) Wine (5 1/2 oz.) Liquor (1-1/2 oz.) Liquor w/ soft drink (1-1/2 oz. plus 6 oz.)

Calories 140-150 60-140 120-200 90-135 110-130 110-130 180-230

Source: Bowes & Church’s Food Values of Portions Commonly Used, 1998. heart, harm an unborn child, increase chances of developing breast and other cancers and contribute to depression. Today, many people are changing what they drink to look and feel better. Manufacturers have responded by making alcoholic beverages that appeal to this health-conscious image. There are a host of coolers such as light beers and spritzer-type drinks available. Unfortunately, many still pack a big calorie wallop. Coolers contain alcohol blended with ingredients such as fruit juices, carbonated water, citrus or other ﬂavors, sugar and spices. Although coolers may seem healthier, they have no beneﬁts over other alcoholic drinks. You get as much alcohol in a 12-ounce cooler as you do in a 1 1/2-ounce shot of gin. Coolers have as many calories as a regular soft drink, if not more. When you choose a “light” cooler, you may think you are getting less alcohol and fewer calories. While some or all of the sugar may be replaced by aspartame – a low-calorie substitute – the calorie savings may not be great. Depending on your choice of “light” cooler (wine, beer or spirit) you still get 3-5 percent alcohol. When it comes to excessive calories, sipping on fancy fruity or creamy drinks can quickly add up over the course of a holiday party. Commercially prepared or homemade eggnog is especially high in sugar, fat and calories. To help keep calories in check, have a glass of water or low-cal drink such as diet soda or sparkling water in between the alcoholic beverages. This way, you can imbibe, but do so in a way that is both wise and healthfully. Carol Bareuther is a registered dietitian and a regular contributor to The Triton. Contact her through editorial@thetriton.com.

The Triton

HEALTH

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December 2005

The skinny on eating right There’s conﬂicting information about how to eat optimally for health and maintain high energy levels. While many have sworn off carbohydrates, the 2005 Dietary Guidelines put a greater-thanever emphasis on whole grains, fruits and vegetables, according to Debra Wein, a licensed dietitian BODY BUSINESS nutritionist and LISETTE HILTON president and cofounder of Sensible Nutrition Connection in Hingham, Mass. Let’s look at major food groups.

Carbs

Carbohydrates are important for optimum daily energy, as well as for the functioning of our brain and central nervous system, according to Wein. It’s not carbohydrates that are the problem; it’s the kind of carbohydrates that most people choose. Many opt for refined, processed grains, like white bread, white rice and low-fiber cereal instead of the more important, healthier carbohydrates. Termed “whole grain” these include oatmeal, high-fiber cereals, whole wheat breads, multigrain breads, brown rice, whole wheat pasta and the like. “Whole grain carbohydrates are much better choices,” Wein said. “They are higher in vitamins, minerals and fiber. They give you the daily energy you need to get you through the day … and provide your body with the nutrients you need to stay healthy long-term. Fiber, found in whole grains and not in refined grains, can be really beneficial.” Fiber-rich foods help you feel fuller than a comparable portion of refined carbohydrates, and help you maintain more stable sugar levels so you are not as hungry, Wein said. Guidelines call for a minimum of three servings (about 3 ounces) of whole grains daily. A typical slice of bread or a half cup of cooked pasta is about 1 ounce. That said, 3 ounces is the minimum. Many people might do well with six to nine servings a day, especially if they’re active.

Fruits and vegetables

Your mother was right. Fruits and vegetables are healthy, high in ﬁber, vitamins and minerals. They contain a new class of nutrients called phytonutrients, Wein said. Phytonutrients make up a class of compounds that researchers are just uncovering, which have been shown to be beneﬁcial in promoting health and preventing a variety of diseases, including heart disease, cancer and macular degeneration. While experts prefer fresh, frozen or canned (the last choice) will do.

“Current research is showing that the recommendations are higher than we once thought,” Wein said. “We might need ﬁve to nine servings a day.” One serving would be a half cup of fruit, a small orange, small banana or small apple.

Meats and beans

Protein seems all the rage, but Wein said it ought to take a back seat to whole grains, fruits and vegetables. “Most Americans tend to over-eat protein,” she said. “Where most people need between 45 and 65 percent of their calories from carbohydrates, we only need probably 15 to 35 percent from protein.” Wein recommends lean protein sources, most notably beans. “Beans are an important and healthful component and should be taken in possibly on a daily basis,” she said. “[These include] chick peas, kidney beans, pinto beans, red beans, and lentils. They’re an excellent source of protein, are low in saturated fat and high in ﬁber. Soy beans are considered an excellent source of whole protein.” As for meats, most people need 6 to 9 ounces of chicken, ﬁsh or meat, or about a third of a cup (1 ounce) of beans daily. A typical meat portion at a restaurant is 8 to 12 ounces. “The focus needs to be switched to where we’re looking at protein as a complement to the rest of the meal, and we’re adding whole grains and lots more vegetables,” Wein said.

Dairy

Remember to look for low-fat sources of dairy. “The fat found in dairy is very saturated,” Wein said. “One ounce of cheese might have 9 grams of fat, 5 of which are saturated, meaning that it’s the type of fat most likely to raise your cholesterol. We’re looking for more fat-free or low-fat products in that category.”

A note about hydration

Sixty percent or more of your body is made of water. You need to stay hydrated to prevent headaches, daily lapses of energy, problems with physical activity and heat illness, Wein said. The average recommendation is eight, 8-ounce servings a day. Wein says old-fashioned water is better than newfangled vitamin and sweetened waters. “If you take in too many servings of the vitamin water in addition to a multivitamin or cereals that are fortiﬁed or other foods, I feel as if you can overdo vitamin intake,” she said. Nutrition plays a role in every aspect of our lives, whether it’s to promote daily energy, long-term health, disease prevention or just the way we feel. “It all comes back to how we’re fueling and feeding our bodies.”

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LEADERSHIP TRAINING

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A thoughtful approach to ‘problem’ employees Have you ever had to supervise a problem employee? All too often, when dealing with an employee whose performance or behavior does not meet expectations, we attribute the problems to some flaw in the person’s character, labeling the individual a “problem” employee. Such MANAGER’S TIME attribution and labeling usually DON GRIMME are unfair and unwarranted ... and always are counterproductive. The true cause of most problems falls into one or more of the following five categories: 1. Expectations. Does the employee know what is expected? Does the employee even know there is a problem? It may be obvious to you, but often it is not to the employee. 2. Training and Ability. Does the employee have the requisite skills, abilities and aptitudes to perform the task? If they don’t have the aptitudes, you’ll probably have to reassign or fire them. But if it’s a skills/abilities issue, you then need to ask yourself: Has the employee received the appropriate training to do it? Most likely, the employee needs on-the-job training. Show the employee how to do it. 3. Job Design. Does the employee have the necessary tools and resources to perform the task? Those resources include not only physical tools, but also convenient and timely access to information and to you. Does the system support good performance? This gets into such issues as communications, scheduling and teamwork (within a department and between departments). 4. Work Environment. Is good performance rewarded or punished? For example, is there an informal standard set by peer pressure to not work too efficiently? Or, are you assigning extra, more demanding tasks to your best employees without rewarding them appropriately? Is poor performance rewarded? That is, do you tolerate it? Do you treat marginal employees the same as outstanding ones? Hey, why not goof off? And, is the employee being treated fairly, not only in your eyes, but also in theirs? 5. Personal/Motivational Problem. Does a problem exist in the employee’s personal life that may contribute to poor performance? Or is the employee’s attitude or morale preventing the employee from successfully applying his or her skills and abilities? This may or may not be subject to your control or influence, but it’s certainly worth looking into. Prior to taking action on a performance problem (e.g., giving

constructive feedback), you need to ask yourself all those questions. You probably won’t be able to answer all of them without consulting someone else. So ask your in-house expert: the employee him/herself.

The feedback mirror

Feedback is information given to people regarding their behavior. Why is it needed? It’s difficult for any of us to see ourselves objectively, especially the impact our behavior has on other people or on complex systems. Feedback is like a mirror another person holds up for us to look into. And the best mirrors are those without distortion (i.e., the biases or hidden agendas of the person providing the feedback), untarnished by either animosity or fondness. Feedback can be positive or constructive (what you might think of as “negative”). Since our focus here is performance improvement, let’s start with constructive feedback. Constructive feedback discourages ineffective behavior and redirects the individual toward effective behavior. The first thing to know about constructive feedback is that it is not criticism or reprimanding. In Ken Blanchard’s landmark book The OneMinute Manager, he talks about a OneMinute Praising (very similar to the positive feedback described in the next Tool) ... and a One-Minute Reprimand. But Blanchard came to realize that “reprimand” was the wrong word. Short of illegal or immoral acts, none of us deserves to be reprimanded. Instead, what we deserve – and need – is to be redirected toward different, more effective behavior. So in all future versions of his book, the One-Minute Reprimand is the One-Minute Redirect. Here’s how to do it: First, describe the specific, observable behavior using facts. Vague generalities and unsubstantiated opinion are useless in improving performance. Avoid judgments and evaluations. Describe the behavior, not the person. Next, describe the impact of the behavior and why it is unproductive or undesirable. Then check for the individual’s understanding of your feedback and ask for input. Finally, redirect the individual by describing desired behavior, i.e., your expectation. We say “finally” but, in practice, you may very well go back and forth between these last two steps, continually checking for understanding – and soliciting the employee’s ideas – as you talk about the desired behavior. Here’s a simple example: Behavior and impact: When you show up late, others have to cover your job. Inquiry: We need you back on time.

What has to happen to make that possible? Expectation: I’d like you to be on the boat at 0800, ready to go. Even if you avoid criticizing and you give constructive feedback in the most benevolent way, it’s not as much fun for the employee as receiving praise. So, it’s often helpful to begin and/or end the feedback session with positive feedback. This is known as the Sandwich Technique – i.e., the constructive feedback is sandwiched between two slices of positive feedback. But there is a potential disadvantage to this technique. If you always precede your constructive feedback with positive feedback – whenever you simply want to give positive feedback, your employees will be waiting in fear for the other shoe to drop! We prefer the Open Sandwich – start right out with the constructive feedback. Then ﬁnish off the conversation with positive feedback. It puts the redirect into the perspective of the employee’s overall performance. In effect, what you’re communicating is: You are a good (or great) employee. Of course you’re not perfect. None of us is.

The positive side of things

Just what is this positive feedback, to which we’ve been referring? Positive feedback reinforces effective behavior. Here’s how to do it: First, describe the specific behavior (not the person) ... using examples. Then, describe the impact of the behavior on you, others or the task. Finally, show appreciation for the person’s effort. And be sincere, not manipulative. Think about how this employee’s actions really have contributed to your enterprise rather than on sweet-talking the employee into doing you a favor. Here’s a simple example: Behavior: I appreciate your working late last night to finish the BoolaBoola project. Impact: You helped us meet our deadline and that keeps our guests satisfied. Appreciation: Thanks for the extra effort! Notice that the process is very similar to constructive feedback. The inquiry step isn’t needed here. And appreciation takes the place of expectation. And why should you frequently give positive feedback? Because your employees deserve it. Studies show that what employees want most of all is full appreciation for a job well done. Don Grimme is co-founder of GHR Training Solutions in Coral Springs, Fla. He specializes in helping managers reduce turnover and attract excellent job candidates. Contact him at dgrimme@comcast.net.

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December 2005

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�� The Seafarer’s House offers visitors low-cost international phone calls, native foods, Internet use and other important services. PHOTO/CARMEN DeJESUS

Seafarer’s House a mariner’s haven By Carmen DeJesus In the middle of the busiest cruise port in the world sits a small grey building that offers a respite for the mariners who work on those ships. The Seafarer’s House is easy to miss, but once inside the gate, visitors are quickly greeted by smiling faces, chatter in a variety of languages, and a warm welcome. “Life at sea is very beautiful, but also very lonely,” said Rev. Maria Jimenez, who founded the ministry in 1989. “These people cannot just go home; the workplace becomes the home, and this can be very stressful. We are here to be a safe haven for them.” Although a refuge mainly for cruise ship crew, The Seafarer’s House also extends its services to yacht crews. “The yachting community uses the Internet to e-mail family and friends,” Jimenez said. “They can ask us about medical services or their rights as a crew member, and we help refer them to the proper people to talk to.” The Seafarer’s House is a 4,200-square-foot building that allows seafarers to make low-cost international phone calls, buy native foods, mail letters, use the Internet and wire money home. In the busy winter, the Seafarer’s House has recorded 1,500 international phone calls a day. It also gives free local ground transportation to visitors. Cargo crew

call or make an appointment with the member of the staff that visits their ship. Most cruise workers know that the vans are circling back and forth between their ship and our center so they just wait curbside. Guests can also relax around the facility by shooting pool, playing ping pong or simply watching TV. “We are connecting them to home,” said Rev. David Mesenbring, cooperator and Jimenez’s husband. “We are a friendly place away from work.” Jimenez also counsels seafarers at the facility and aboard visiting vessels. “Often, people don’t want to open up to their shipmates because it can backﬁre, it can be used against them,” she said. “They can come here and talk openly about their feelings.” Part of a 180-year-old tradition of maritime ministry, the Seafarer’s House also gives guests access to Christian, Jewish and Muslim clergies, however religious afﬁliation makes no difference to those involved in the House. “Our mission statement is to improve the lives of seafarers and their families through ecumenical service,” Mesenbring said. “We don’t turn anyone away.” Carmen DeJesus was a senior at South Broward High School and an intern with The Triton last spring when she wrote this story. Contact her through editorial@the-triton.com

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December 2005

LESSONS LEARNED

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Hurricane Wilma: chains, ropes and chafe By Capt. Herbert Magney Let us say it is never wise to underestimate Mother Nature. When folks tell us it is going to be just a tropical storm, plan for much worse. Do they have multi-million dollar assets to be responsible for? Probably not. Will they still have their jobs the next week when the boss’s yacht is hammered because you trusted all of their seafaring experience to protect the vessel entrusted to you? Probably. Will you? Chances are, no. I interviewed with the owner of a large tri-deck during the boat show who had dismissed his captain because he had trusted the information garnered from the nightly news and did not take all the precautions possible to protect the vessel. Plan, and execute your plan well. One of the ﬁrst lessons learned ﬂying is to plan for something to go wrong and look for your next place to land, all the time. Why do some masters and owners decide to throw caution to the wind

The right chains get you off in the right direction: Use 3/8-inch galvanized 40-proof chain. PHOTO/CAPT. HERBERT MAGNEY along with respect for the marine community around them? They do not care enough to ask for assistance, read a book on hurricane preparedness, sit down and think about what can

happen and how to prevent damage to the vessel and marina. Enough ranting. Pursuant to requests from readers, I wanted to share some of the details of what went into the securing of the 92foot Crescent I’m responsible for prior to the arrival of the predicted “tropical storm” that we now know as Hurricane Wilma.

Shore side

Let us start with chains: 3/8-inch galvanized 40-proof chain. Cut it with a $59 right-angle grinder fitted with a cut-off wheel. Make sure to wear your safety glasses. Try to cut it away from the boats because the fine metal pieces will land on the nice white paint and teak deck and leave wonderful rust stains. Cut just enough for a loose fit around the pilings, trees, cleats and other substantially anchored items. Keep it especially loose around the

pilings so the chains can rise with the storm surge. Secure the ends of the chain with high-quality shackles and make sure to secure them with a wrench. Take some old carpeting and wrap the chains so they do not chafe the tree, piling or concrete supports. Next comes the used fire hose, sized to slip over the line uncut if you can and secure the ends so they do not travel. Take some more fire hose, split it lengthwise, wrap this around the other fire hose, and secure with duct tape or ties wraps. You should place the fire hose on the line so you can tie a bowline through the chain and the center of the eye is the center of the hose sections. You will have an eye in the line with two layers of hose to protect it from chafing while riding on the chain. You are done with the land side.

See TYING UP, page B15

The Triton

LESSONS LEARNED

www.the-triton.com

Send tender to dry storage

December 2005

B15

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TYING UP, from page B14

On board

Set up your lines, which should be sized accordingly to the size of bit or cleats on the vessel, allowing you to secure two lines at least to each bit or cleat. Ideally, you would have at least two lines coming from different directions to each securing point on the vessel. This allows the loads to de distributed evenly. Once you have laid out lines and taken slack out, cut up some more fire hose or old carpeting into pieces you can wrap around the line at the points where it comes through hawse holes, scuppers and over deck edges. Secure this with just one or two pieces of tape so you can make final adjustments just prior to the storm winds. Anchors: If you have a tender or assist boat, take your anchor out as far as you can in a direction, which will allow you to pull the vessel away from the dock or other vessels. You will use the tension you will apply with the windlass to move the vessel into final position and set the anchor(s). Some folks even leave a float or plastic bottle tied to a line for an anchor pennant to show others where your anchor is set. You can have a diver pick it up after the tempest. We set our anchor in between two boats ahead of us, 100 feet away and in only 12 feet of water. The greater the scope, the better off you will be. Send the tender to dry storage or at least on the hard somewhere else. Most tie downs and cradles are not designed for 100-mph winds. If your tender is going to move, let it do so on the ground where it will not damage your vessel or others when it takes flight.

�� The result of detailed prep: one window lost and a quickly repairable chipped part of the aft starboard at the rub rail. PHOTO/CAPT. HERBERT MAGNEY Now for the Duct Tape: Bust out and pay for the good stuff. Do not even waste the time to use masking tape. Tape all hatches, ports, dry storage cabinets shut by taping all of the opening around the hatches or doors. This keeps the horizontal debris, sand and water from blasting in the cracks. If you do not have storm windows or covers for the glass then tape a crosshatch pattern on the glass. This will at least keep most of the window intact if debris breaks it. We suffered a hit from a rock at one of the very large windows to the country kitchen area and it allowed us time to tape the rest of the window from the inside, before it could cave in and allow the full force of Mother Nature to come to lunch inside. Go ahead and take down the Bimini covers and the antennas unless you do not need them anymore. They will leave the boat most of the time. Just prior arrival, you should be able to determine the direction of the greatest amount of wind and crud which will be hurled without discretion. This is the moment to tighten all lines running as springs and breasts. Next, take up some tension on the anchor chains. Trust me, the storm will

stretch these lines a lot. We took video from the bridge of our vessel moving 6 to 8 feet on 7/8-inch megabraid and 1inch three-strand nylon line during the gusts. We had also adjusted the lines on the leeward side during the southerly blow and they still stretched quite a bit when the westies hit. Fenders, large and small: Go big. We went out days before and picked up some used inﬂatable jobs and some large ball and oblong threefoot diameter guys. For the couple of thousand bucks we spent in extra line, fenders, hose and chain, we saved tens of thousands in hull damage. Total damage to the vessel: one window and a chipped part of the aft starboard at the rub rail, which was so small it was repaired by show time. The same rule applies to hurricane readiness as chewing gum in line: Pick up extra for fellow dock mates who may not have your foresight. It’s a great way to meet folks and make friends. Good luck to all and remember you are responsible for those around you. You are the trained professionals. Contact Capt. Herbert Magney through editorial@the-triton.com.

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3 B22

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Calm

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Try these new puzzles based on numbers. There is only one rule for these new number puzzles: Every row, HARD every column and every 3x3 box must contain the digits 1 through 9 only once. Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t worry, you donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t need arithmetic. Nothing EASY has to add up to anything else. All you need is reasoning and logic. (Answers, page B2) Start with the Calm puzzle above. Then try your luck in the Stormy seas at right. Tips and #1 7 1 8 5 4 9 6 2 3 computer program 5 3 2 1 6 7 8 4 9 at www.sudoku. 6 9 4 3 2 8 5 1 7 com. Good luck.

Stormy

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5 6 1 4 8 2

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www.sudoku.com

1 4 3 6 9 2 8 7 5

HARD

EASY

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Answers to all puzzles on B5

6 5 www.the-triton.com The Triton 7 5 6 8 2 7 8 9 2 6 9 7 2 6 9 8 1 2 3 1 5 5 4 9 1 8 1 3 5 7 4 8 9 1 2 6 3 9 4 1 2 5 3 8 6 9 8 2 8 9

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The Triton

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BROKERAGE NEWS

Brokerages, builders are busy 2005 is turning out to be a productive year for numerous builders and brokerage houses worldwide. David Lacz of Bartram & Brakenhoff sold the new M/Y Gale Winds, a 112-foot Westport, and has just listed the current M/Y Gale Winds (a 1999 88-foot Broward) for sale. He has also listed M/Y Tomoka Sun, a 2002 92-foot Crescent, which has been busy with sea trials and viewers. Also this year, Lacz sold M/Y Independence, the 1995 87-foot Broward. Broker Tim Laughridge was the central agent for the sale of S/Y Sariyah, the 131-foot Sensation. Broker Dick Thursby sold the 126foot Feadship Carolinian. Joe Bartram and Tom Babbitt sold $4 million in wooden classic yachts this year and Bartram just listed a classic 1978 105foot Burger named Stoneface. Babbitt’s new listing is a rare 2003 Hinckley 70-foot sailing yacht named Blue Muse. Earlier this year, his listing S/Y Sintra (a 107-foot Abeking & Rasmussen) sold, and the brokerage sold M/Y Eleanor (a 71-foot Trumpy), M/Y Madeline (a 72foot Offshore Cruiser) and M/Y Gypsy, a 63-foot Burger. Italy’s Benetti sold 10 yachts in the first half of the year worth more than $500 million. After the launch of the 56m Galaxy, the builder sold Benetti Tradition 14 (30m) in conjunction with Blue Water of Antibes. A contract was signed for Benetti Classic 29 (35m) to be delivered in 2006 to her European owner represented by PB Yachting Cannes, the Azimut dealer for France. Benetti Vision 06 (45m) for delivery spring 2006 was sold in conjunction with Michael Mahan of The Marine Group of Palm Beach. And Benetti Vision 07 (45m) for delivery spring 2006 was sold in conjunction with Christos Papazis. A contract for the construction of four 59-meter yachts to be delivered spring and winter 2007 and spring and winter 2008 was signed in conjunction with Edmiston & Company, Monaco. Two contracts for the construction of a 57-meter Andrew Winch profile and interior, and a 59-meter yacht with an interior by Redman Witheley also were signed. Both vessels are to be managed by Neil Cheston, from Camper & Nicholsons Monaco. Jim Eden of Ft. Lauderdale-based International Yacht Collection sold M/Y Bodacious, the 2001 121-foot Moonen, which has been renamed M/Y Victoria del Mar. She joins the IYC fleet chartering in the Caribbean and Bahamas this winter. He also sold M/Y Las Olas, a 106-foot Broward 1990. Jonathan Chapman and Mark Elliott sold M/Y Azucar, the 1930 75-foot Consolidated classic New

England commuter (listed by Bartram & Brakenhoff), and the 105-foot Hatteras Privacy 1998, now renamed

M/Y Champagne Cher. Elliott also sold M/Y Floridian (above), the 162-foot Feadship 1988, which has been renamed M/Y Indefensible. Robert McKeage’s central listing M/Y Sensei, a 1991 124-foot Mitsubishi, sold, as did Elliott and Jim McConville’s central M/Y Celtic Pride, a 1998 108-foot Westport. McKeage was also the selling broker of M/Y Kaori, the 1990 126-foot PJ, which entered IYC’s ﬂeet of managed yachts. Steve Elario’s central listing M/Y Conquest II, the 1990 107-foot Denison sold, as did Tim Johnson’s central listing M/Y Flinders 1972, the 164-foot Williamstown Naval. IYC has also been appointed the exclusive agent for Newcastle Marine of Palm Coast, Fla., which has begun a new yacht series. The ﬁrst, a 50-meter motor yacht, has been sold and began production this summer with a launch date of December 2007.

Celebrating their 50th year, Lazzara awarded International Yacht Collection the distributorship for France, Monaco and Italy. It launched a new 110-foot (33.5m) model (above) at the Monaco Yacht Show in September. The Sacks Group Yachting Professionals added several yachts to its ﬂeet this year, including M/Y Independence 2 (the 106-foot Broward), M/Y Katina (the 100-foot Hargrave from 2005), M/Y Nicole Marie (the 95-foot PR Marine), M/Y Adventurer (the 94-foot Burger), M/Y Golden Boy (the 94-foot Hargrave) and M/Y Lady Sharon Gale (the 80-foot Cheoy Lee) Palmer Johnson sold at least three new 120-foot sportyachts and signed a contract for a 150-footer, which is scheduled to deliver in late 2006. One Russian client bought both a 120-footer and a 150-footer, marking Palmer Johnson’s ﬁrst sales into this region. Brokers or builders with news of their listings or sales are encouraged to let us know. Contact Editor Lucy Chabot Reed at lucy@the-triton.com or 954-525-0029.

December 2005

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GIVING BACK

December 2005

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Tradewinds Foundation reaches out to ill children By Melanie Rivas A tall man in a blue sailing cap crouches down to tell three children where to hide on the top deck of M/Y Soulmate. He has found the perfect hiding place, one where nobody will find them. Just what is John Weller, a broker with Allied Richard Bertram, doing playing hide-and-seek on a megayacht? On this warm, breezy day, the 110-foot Broward was the playground for a handful of handicapped and ill children taking a day trip on the Intracoastal Waterway. Thanks to the Tradewinds Foundation. Tradewinds is a non-profit organization that teaches sailing to children and young adults who are handicapped or have illnesses such as cancer or cerebral palsy. Founded in 1997 by David Abelove, it specializes in one-day boating trips to help motivate its participants. Weller regularly helps Tradewinds with these types of outings by finding boat owners and captains willing to donate their boats and their time to the children. Weller enjoys taking part in such outings because he enjoys helping the children. And he can relate. Weller has recently finished cancer treatments himself.

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Tradewinds teaches sailing to children and young adults who are handicapped or have illnesses. PHOTO/DEBRA FRANKEL “When I tell them about my cancer, it’s like I turn into one of them,” he said, smiling. The kids open up about things easier, he said, and that allows them to have fun. In addition to connecting boats and captains with Tradewinds, Weller often goes on the trips because he likes to “see it all come together.” One of the children on the yacht that day was Brian, a little boy with leukemia who took the trip with his brother, Brendan, and their parents. It was their�� ﬁrst trip with Tradewinds, and they were happy with the

experience. “In the worst of times, we’ve seen the best in people,” said Brian’s father, noting how many agencies have helped the family since Brian got sick. Brian’s mother was happy for the trip to “get the children’s minds off of things.” The trips do that, and more. For people like John Weller, they give him a chance to teach kids about yachting. “The more kids we can get out on Sundays, the better,” he said. For years, the yachting community has helped Tradewinds in its efforts

by donating money, food, boats and their time to take families out on trips. The organization no longer accepts permanent boat donations, but will accept volunteer captains, yachts and instructors. For more information, contact Debra Frenkel, director of marketing and program development, at 305-5882082, or dfrenkel@tagroup.us. Melanie Rivas is a senior at South Broward High School and an intern this fall with The Triton. Contact her through editorial@the-triton.com.

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The Triton

www.the-triton.com

PERSONAL FINANCES

It’s easy to demystify the P/E ratio There are a great many mysteries in this universe. For most people, a P/E ratio is one of them. Before you decide to purchase any individual stocks it is imperative that you have a good grasp of this indicator. And you’ll be glad to know that it is surprisingly easy to understand. The P/E INTO ACCOUNT ratio is simply a PHAEDRA XANTHOS measurement that indicates how many dollars investors are willing to pay relative to each single dollar of earnings – the price-earnings ratio. So if a company earns $1 a year for each share and people are currently paying $20 per share to buy the stock, then the P/E ratio is – you guessed it – 20 ($20 divided by $1). Easy, right? If the company increases its earnings to $3 a share, this will most likely increase the value in investors’ minds, which in turn increases the amount investors are willing to pay per share. As an example, this increase in earnings may result in investors being willing to pay $90 a share to buy for this stock. This would result in the P/E ratio jumping dramatically to 30 ($90 divided by $3). So you can see that the expectations for the company are taken into account. And this is what is so useful

about the P/E calculation (aka the multiple). It strives to not only predict future earnings, but also to temper this prediction with investors’ feelings about the direction in which the company is going. These feelings or “investor expectations” have a vital impact on the future value of the stock. But here’s the catch. You can’t simply use the P/E ratio in a vacuum to decide what companies to buy. The P/E will vary enormously based on industry, stage of growth and time period. It is really only helpful as a comparison tool within a particular industry and when analyzing truly comparable companies. Technology companies have high earnings relative to equity and so they trade with P/Es often as high as 40 or 50. This is very different from companies that have much lower proﬁt margins such as textiles. These companies may have P/Es around 10 or even lower. It just depends on the industry. You must also consider the company’s stage of development. Companies that are in their growth phase are newer and are expanding rapidly. These companies are typically reinvesting all their earnings into the company and therefore will have lower earnings to offer investors. With lower earnings, the P/E ratio will be relatively high. This is not necessarily bad or good. It depends on many factors.

The reinvestment of profit can be an indicator of a bright future or excessive spending that will drive the company into the ground. This is a determination that investors must make. On the other hand, companies that have been around for a while and don’t have much room for exponential growth (companies such as Microsoft and Pepsico) will be sure to distribute their earnings to investors. They do not have the same need for reinvesting as younger companies. And because of this, their P/E Ratios may tend to be lower. A good example is Microsoft. Years ago, when this fledgling was spreading its wings, the P/E ratio was well over 100. Today it has confidently taken flight and the P/E can be found around 23. This is common as growth companies transition into stable, reliable companies. Be sure to use the P/E Ratio as one of the many tools in your investing repertoire. Refuse to be intimidated by the acronym and always remember that an educated investor is a wise investor. Check out the following sites for more info: www.investopedia.com and www.fool.com. Have questions about how to invest your money? Ask Phaedra Xanthos, a licensed financial adviser specializing in the yachting community and owner of Transcontinental Financial Group in Ft. Lauderdale. Contact her at phaedra@ transcontinentalfinancial.com.

Retirement plans: cookie-cutter or custom With year end coming up, the big financial question is: Have you started funding your retirement yet? Do you earn more in a year than you need to live on? Think about it. If you are working on a yacht with virtually no expenses, what are you doing with your extra money? There are so many tax vehicles YACHTING CAPITAL from which to MARK A. CLINE choose. There are traditional and Roth IRAs, SEP IRAs, Simple IRAs, 401(k) plans and 403(b) plans. These are all retirement plans or tax-qualified plans that I call cookie cutter contracts. A qualified plan is a simple retirement contract between you and Uncle Sam. Spelled out in the contract are the terms and conditions in which you pay or defer paying taxes on any money you put in that contract. A qualified plan spells out the terms of

If you are one of those highly compensated people that want to save more than you can put away in those “cookie cutter” contracts then you may want to look into a custom contract. when and how you will pay your taxes on the gains of your investments. The most common investments are mutual funds, annuities or stocks. Other not-so-common investments are life insurance, real estate, CDs and coins. But there are limits to how much you can put into these plans in any given year. If you are one of those highly compensated people that want to save more than you can put away in those “cookie cutter” contracts then you may want to look into a custom contract. Examples of a custom contract would be 412(i) Defined Benefit Plan, a Non-Qualified Deferred Compensation

Plan or a Profit Sharing Plan. My personal favorite is the only defined benefit plan that is exempt from the minimum funding requirements of Section 412(i) of the Internal Revenue Code. Some of the advantages with this plan are that you can have a large initial deduction, simple administration and the assurance that the future benefits will be there when you need them. For example, assume you earn $170,000 and plan to retire at age 62. If you are currently age 40, in 2005 you can put up to $117,572 away. If you are currently age 55, you can put up to $349,580 away. These deductions off your income can help your bottom line. Consult your financial, tax and legal advisers to form a solid retirement plan. A former captain, Mark A. Cline is now the national marketing director for Capital Choice, a financial services firm with offices in Ft. Lauderdale. Contact him at (954) 761-3983 or mark. cline@capitalchoice.net.

December 2005

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December 2005

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The Triton

Ten reasons crew get hired and ﬁve reasons they don’t Throughout 2005, the crew placement team at Luxury Yacht Group has been keeping track of the reasons crew were hired or not. The top 10 reasons make for interesting reading for any crew member considering a new position. “Quality crew are key to a

successfully run yacht,” said head crew placement coordinator Marcy Laturno. “I see many people capable of doing the speciﬁc jobs onboard, however only once we factor in their attitude, approach and chemistry between all involved can we make a recommendation. These results

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reflect that employers are valuing a positive attitude, good people skills and longevity above all else.” According to the agency’s findings, the top 10 reasons crew get hired are: 10. Language skills 9. Reasonable salary expectations 8. Geographic knowledge 7. Professional career plan 6. Qualifications or certification 5. Positive personality 4. Experience on similar vessels 3. Longevity 2. Chemistry with other crew 1. Excellent references

There are so many books and periodicals written about how you should get in better physical condition. What I’ve seen in my time in gyms and working with people privately is that “going to the gym” is something we do when we’ve found the right outﬁt, looking for the right guy or lady, or going to some special event GO FIGURE like a class reunion PAT TEODOSIO or wedding. When we do not dedicate ourselves to health for our own well being, it seldom comes to fruition. Each of us must look in the mirror and decide to do something to feel better. When you look and feel physically good, life changes. When we can get up each day with a spring in our step because we do not have to second-guess how we feel and look, it goes a long way to create a more balanced frame of mind.

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� Carpentry / Fine Woodworking � Window & Hatch Repairs � Full Machine Shop � And Much More

954-585-1041 Lauderdale Marine Center � 2005 SW 20th Street � Ft. Lauderdale, FL 33315

When we can get up each day with a spring in our step because we do not have to second-guess how we feel and look, it goes a long way to create a more balanced frame of mind. If you want to start a workout program, make a plan. List your injuries, weak areas, areas you want to change. Then look at your nutrition. Working out a lot will not make you lose weight. You must manage your food intake – and your alcohol intake as well. I’m not saying you shouldn’t have a good time. But it is a good idea to monitor yourself. I’ve noticed from my own “good times” if I concentrated on feeling good as much as I should, I would be a lot better off. When we have an ache or pain, we immediately think of calling a doctor. Instead, monitor your own body, and learn to listen what it’s telling you. We know much more about what to do for ourselves than anyone else. Use this month to reflect on what we’ve worked on together the past five months. Look honestly at yourself and see what you can do to make yourself stronger to cope with the stress of life, work, relationships and natural disasters. Be aware of your physical abilities. If we do not prepare our bodies, our minds will not co-operate. Take responsibility for your own body and mind. If you would like to start a program on your boat, either for yourself or the whole crew, call me at 954-415-4139. I can design a lifestyle change that you will love. 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.

The Triton

WHAT WE’RE READING, WATCHING

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December 2005

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‘Fort Lauderdale, The Venice of America’ would be a great gift By Donna Mergenhagen Susan Gillis has written a number of books on Ft. Lauderdale, including a photographic history and a view of the city through decades of tourist postcards. In “Fort Lauderdale, The Venice of America” she tells the story of the city from its prehistoric settlers through the year 2000. A historical researcher who spent many years as curator of the Fort Lauderdale Historical Society, Gillis has produced a thoroughly researched book that is entertaining and informative. Many current residents think of Ft. Lauderdale as a new city lacking in history. The ﬁrst residents, however, are thought to have been the Tequesta Indians about 5,000 years ago. In the real estate business, the mantra for property is location, location, location. Positioned on the Atlantic Ocean at the mouth of the New River, location is a consistent theme in the city’s history. The name itself is taken from a river fort used during the Second Seminole War.

Cheadle’s emotion lifts ‘Hotel Rwanda’ So gruesome was the genocide in Rwanda in 1994 that it’s hard to imagine an epic ﬁlm that could tackle the massacre and remain remotely watchable. In “Hotel Rwanda”, director Terry George tells only a small part of the story – and succeeds at creating a compelling sledgehammer of a movie. George focuses on real-life hotel manager Paul Rusesabagina, a reluctant hero who shelters more than 1,000 people from the killing outside his upscale resort’s gates. Don Cheadle plays Paul as tightly wound and cautious. As tensions mount between Hutu and Tutsi factions, Paul concerns himself mainly with protecting his wife and children and advancing his career. It’s the accident of love that spurs Paul to transform himself to savior. As a Hutu, Paul is a member of the tribe that holds the upper hand during the killing. Yet his wife is a Tutsi, and when it dawns on him that her life is in danger, he marshals all of his skills as a silvertongued executive to save her and hundreds of other Tutsis. Rather than violence, Paul relies on bribes, obsequiousness, pleas and threats. Nick Nolte and Joaquin Phoenix appear as helpless Westerners, but it’s Cheadle’s intensity that carries the ﬁlm. – Jeff Ostrowski

Gillis begins her tale with the New River – the origin of the name, the influence on prehistoric residents and the base from which future settlers spread through the area. It is also location that accounts for the attraction of fortune seekers. Early Bahamian settlers were “wreckers” and fishermen. The roaring ’20s brought rum runners. Later, drug runners used the waterways. Today, trophy fishermen, the cruise industry, yachters and real estate developers are attracted to the city. As Gillis recounts each period of Ft. Lauderdale development, she flavors the tale with stories of the famous and infamous. The city’s evolution is also told with an eye to national events. The Great Depression, the world wars and integration influenced growth and direction. Gillis did extensive oral history research. That makes for some of the most compelling parts of the book. The photography selected to

Author Day On Dec. 18 Well Read bookstore will host a Ft. Lauderdale author day, featuring several local authors to discuss and sign their books. Invited are Susan Gillis, Elaine Viets and Mel Taylor. Gillis is a historical researcher who has authored four books on Ft. Lauderdale. Viets, author of the Dead End Job Series, will discuss her series set in town. Taylor, a reporter for ABC afﬁliate Channel 10, will launch his new book, “Murder by Deadline.” The event will be held from 1- 4 p.m. at 1338 S.E. 17th St. It is free and open to the public. To reserve a book or for more information, contact Well Read at 954-467-8878.

illustrate the changing faces of the city gives the story added dimension. Tourism ﬁgured into the city’s fortunes early. Everglades wilderness, railroads and spring break each brought a different generation of visitors. Before the spring break boom of “Where the Boys Are,” the city was marketed for the appeal of its natural setting, wildlife and agricultural opportunities. Spring break and the invention of air conditioning are watersheds in Ft. Lauderdale’s growth. “Fort Lauderdale, The Venice of America” would be a great gift for short and long-term residents alike.

Other titles to consider as gifts:

“1,000 Places to See Before You Die” has been so well received that a tracking journal version is now available. Author Patricia Schultz has selected “high spots” by continent. Places and events include the practical details of phone, fax and Web site address. The list is great motivation for the travel dreamer and a comparative reference for the dedicated wanderer.

In “A Crack in the Edge of the World: America and the Great California Earthquake of 1906,” Simon Winchester uses his geologic expertise to tell the story of not only San Francisco, but of the Earth that produced the quake. His account reads like a travelogue. General Sherman burned Atlanta and led his army to the sea in 1864. The impact is often illustrated by the fact that portions of path are still visible from the air. E.L. Doctorow illustrates the impact through the people left in the wake of “The March.” Masterful characterizations humanize the event and its consequences. Ft. Lauderdale residents have long enjoyed the reporting of Channel 10’s Mel Taylor. His new book, “Murder by Deadline”, invokes the writer’s rule of thumb – write what you know. His main character is a journalist who gives a behind-the-scenes view of broadcast news. Donna Mergenhagen owns Well Read, a used book store in Ft. Lauderdale. Contact her at 954-467-8878.

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December 2005

IN THE STARS

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The Triton

Sagittarians must rely on self-confidence SPACE Be a social butterfly AVAILABLE. SAGITTARIUS Libra careers could get (Nov. 23-Dec. 22) equipment when fighting the crowds for the first two months of 2006. Your energies are wound up and your psyche is strong this month. The New ARIES (March 20-April 19) Your Moon on Dec. 1 places you squarely in planetary ruler Mars is quite busy this the driver’s seat. month; careful navigation is required Take the reins, on both ends. Pay attention on the because you will th 4 , you are accident prone and off need them on the balance. The 27th finds you under way 15th. Be ready to in rough waters. Proceed with caution take a stand for and think twice before engaging in what you want any confrontation; you will not win. and keep yourself Have finances been a bit off lately? protected. Your Add The Triton to your marketing Mars has been moving backwards in opponent may use LOOKING UP and promotions budget for sector this since October. The your money devious means to MAYA WHITE year’s boat shows. For just pennies warrior finally gets under way on the try to gain control, a paper, you can reach thousands 9th, and the money situation follows but one secret weapon is your vitality. of the industry’s most important accordingly. That and an unshakable self confidence decision makers – the captains, propel you onward to get what you need. senior crew andTAURUS business(April 19-May 20) Mark the 12th yachts. on your calendar and plan professionals who operate to schedule day off if possible. It’s a CAPRICORN (Dec. 21-Jan. 19) Call or e-mail us for details aon slack water day for vision gathering and Tag, you’re it, Cap. Only special rarely are advertising packages for dreaming; not dealing with mates and there two New Moons in one calendar our upcoming boat show issues. especially the captain. The Moon is in month. This time around, the second your sign, Taurus; that should make New Moon of Dec. 30 falls in your you happy. But, rigorous planetary sign. The first New Moon on the 1st aspects that day leave you longing for is in your 12th house, a sector of internal and external peace. The Full introspection and behind-the-scenes (954) 525-0029 Moon of Dec. 15 highlights finances. activity. There’s no need to run the sales@the-triton.com Collect on that overdue debt; you have show; this is no bare boat charter. Use it coming to you. this month wisely for review www.the-triton.com of 2005, and then make your list of goals for 2006. Planning is your forte. How can GEMINI (May 20-June 21) The you get there if you don’t know where Mayan prophecies teach that in these you’re going? You have all the benefits days, all secrets shall be revealed. Apply of GPS, and the stars are shining a your inquisitive mind to digging into special blessing to help you get under deep dark corners, and you will find way in the year ahead. more than one covert episode waiting to see the light of day. You’ll be amazed at what comes out of that lazarette. AQUARIUS (Jan. 19-Feb. 18) The Gemini Full Moon on the 15th Venus enters your sign on the 15th. Venus in Aquarius wants a lover who is illuminates the mysteries, for better or also a best friend. This month, however, worse. Both Pluto and Mercury lend a hand to wrap things up by the 29th, that best friend may not look so good. and then make headway on the 30th. All your mates seem preoccupied; or is it that you are not available? Be prepared to make an honest CANCER (June 21-July 22) Keep assessment of your own compass error. a handle on nervous tension and The month whizzes by in a high-speed especially protect your health now. You blur. Take care of business on the 5th, may have a tendency to obsess over make some time for a favorite project things you cannot control. The best on the 6th, and then prepare for blast way to avoid a mayday this month is off on the 7th. Year end will come to pay attention to nutrition. The New quickly. Are you ready? Moon in your solar 6th house of health and practical concerns lends a helping hand. News that arrives on the 23rd PISCES (Feb. 18-March 20) You may be momentarily upsetting. Take reach a career turning point on the a long look from the fore deck, and 8th, and are ready to move forward into a new phase. Health concerns also have faith that any clouds have a silver lining. take center stage now. That nagging problem that you have not wanted to take care of speaks loudly. Give some LEO (July 22-Aug. 22) It’s a good thought to adding an exercise routine month to be a Leo. With Jupiter in your to your New Year’s resolutions, and sector of home and hearth, and the then start it early. Strategically, you New Moon of the 1st influencing your can ride before the wind and beat creativity, it’s all just right. Saturn in the others to the gym. Just think, your sign has been granting dignity to you’ll already know how to use all the your aura, too. Monday the 19th will

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Add The Triton to your marketing and promotions budget for this year’s boat shows. For just pennies a paper, you can reach thousands of the industry’s most important decision makers – the captains, senior crew and business professionals who operate yachts. Call or e-mail us for details on special advertising packages for our upcoming boat show issues.

(954) 525-0029 sales@the-triton.com www.the-triton.com

a boost from networking during the holidays. be the most stressful day this month. You may feel like hiding in your cabin, but you can handle it and thrive. Count your blessings and maintain control by staying up on the bridge.

VIRGO (Aug. 22-Sept. 22) Your ruling planet, Mercury, is working overtime this month. After moving into direct motion on the 3rd, the winged messenger runs with Venus until the 11th. This is good for keeping in touch with that important someone you met last month. On the 18th, stay flexible and open for the unexpected as Mercury squares Uranus. Plans may not work out, but something better can happen if you are not upset; international rules apply. On the 31st, keep a clean trip line; you have a tendency toward preoccupation and might miss the party. LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 23) You benefit through social contacts this month, so get out and circulate. Pay attention to all of the cardinal points because a chance conversation can bring major benefits. If it doesn’t happen the first time, keep trying. Practice makes perfect. Holiday parties yield a link to your next big break, so don’t hold back. The only day you cannot count on is Saturday the 17th, when a void-of-course moon suggests any potential gains made that day will not reach fruition. SCORPIO (Oct. 22-Nov. 22) Mars in your relationship sector has been calling loudly. Did you hear? After the 9th, any unattached Scorpio is this way only because of a personal preference to remain single. You stand out like an anchor light this month. We’ll see many of your intense eyes gleaming in newspaper photos and write ups about your successful contributions. Take it in and be proud. Scorpios can have a self effacing attitude that does nothing to hide your true power. Get comfortable for the holidays this year, and plan a long weekend with those you love the most. Maya White is a professional astrologer living in South Florida. With 25 years experience, she is one of only 86 people in the world certified in AstroCarto-Graphy, a specialized branch of astrology that addresses issues relating to location and travel. Contact her at 954-920-2373 or through www. whitestarasrtology.com.

The Triton

IN THE STARS

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December 2005

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Mercury’s ’05 swan song comes second week of December By Jack Horkheimer In addition to brilliant Venus, which is at its greatest brilliancy the first week of December, and Mars, Saturn and Jupiter, the first planet out from the Sun, Mercury, puts on its last performance for the year the second week of December. Just after dark during the first week of December, look southwest and you’ll be dazzled by 8,000-mile-wide Venus, which is at its brightest this week and which is always mistaken for the Christmas star whenever it appears in early evening skies at Christmas time. At about 8 p.m., look southeast and you’ll see planet rouge-gold Mars, still extremely bright even though it is almost 20 million miles farther away than when it was at its closest Oct. 29. At 10 p.m., look just north of east and you’ll see planet 75,000-mile-wide Saturn. (It’s not nearly as bright as Mars but much more beautiful through a small telescope.) About an hour before dawn, look southeast and you’ll see planet 88,000mile-wide Jupiter. But to find planet No. 1, that most elusive Mercury, look below Jupiter just above the southeast horizon all week about 45 minutes before sunrise. There you’ll see a bright pinkish light: Mercury, the tiniest planet of them all except for Pluto. At 3,000 miles wide, Mercury is 1,000 miles wider than our Moon and 1,000 miles smaller than Mars. It’s called the pink planet because its core actually has more iron than all the iron on Earth. Its pink color is due to the fact that it never appears very high above the horizon so we always look at it through dustier layers of our earth’s atmosphere, which gives it this false coloration. And if you look at it through a small telescope you will see that, like Venus, it goes through various phases. Venus is steadily shrinking phasewise all month long and will look like a thin crescent moon by New Year’s. But tiny Mercury looks like a gibbous phase of the moon. Because Mercury is the first planet out from the Sun, it is also the fastest. We all know that it takes 365 and 1/4 days for our Earth to make one trip around the Sun. Mercury, named for the swift messenger of the gods, makes one trip every 88 days. In 1974, we flew by it in a spacecraft and saw it close up for the first time. Amazingly it looks very much like our heavily cratered Moon.

Shortest day of the year

On Wednesday, Dec. 21, at precisely 1:35 p.m. eastern standard time, the winter solstice officially begins for the northern hemisphere. Just what is the winter solstice anyway? To find out let’s start with the first day of spring, the

vernal equinox, when the Sun rises and sets exactly due east and west. (Vernal means green, and equinox means equal night, meaning that the hours of daylight and night are equal.) Thereafter each day, the Sun will rise a little farther north of east until it reaches its northernmost point on the summer solstice when it will appear to stand still. Solstice means sun stands still. Then it will retrace its steps rising a little bit farther south each day until the winter solstice when the Sun will once again appear to stand still. The winter solstice is the day when the Sun reaches its southernmost rising and setting point along the horizon. In the 21st century, we really don’t pay much attention to where the Sun rises and sets each day, but our ancestors kept precise records because this gave them their ﬁrst yearly calendar by which they were able to determine seasons so they would know when to plant and when to harvest.

Late December

During the last two weeks of December, about 45 minutes after sunset, face southwest and close to the horizon you’ll see the planet which many people have mistaken for the Christmas star all month because it’s been so dazzlingly bright, Venus. Like our Moon, Venus goes through phases and through a telescope it always looks rounder and closer to full when it’s farther away from us. If you had watched it through a small telescope for the past several months you would have seen it grow in size as it steadily came closer to us. But even though it got bigger and bigger as it got closer its phases got smaller. It will only be 25 percent lit on Dec. 10, but by New Year’s Eve it will be a skinny 6 percent lit crescent. At about 6 p.m., look southeast. Mars is still gleaming a bright rougegold and is still almost as bright as Sirius, the brightest star. but it is steadily losing its brightness. At about 9 p.m., face slightly northeast and exquisite ringed Saturn, which looks good in even the cheapest department store telescope, is getting ready to take over planet viewing. You’ll be able to watch it steadily brighten week after week. About an hour before sunrise, face southeast and 88,000 mile wide Jupiter will be the brightest thing in the sky. Through even the smallest telescope you can see its four largest moons, which look like pinpoints of light that constantly change their position as they orbit the king. On Monday, Dec. 26, an exquisite waning crescent Moon will be parked just above Jupiter, making a wonderful sky duo. Likewise the next morning, Tuesday, Dec. 27, an even skinnier crescent Moon will be parked just

below it.

New Year’s Eve ‘fun’

Do you know that Sirius, the brightest star we can see, reaches its highest point at midnight every New Year’s Eve? You can watch it climb higher and higher hour after hour this and every New Year’s Eve and like cosmic clock work it will reach its highest point due south at midnight. Sirius is a wonderful star, a very hot white star, almost twice as big as our relatively cool yellow star the Sun.

And I think it’s wonderful and poetic that this most brilliant of stellar lights reaches its highest point at midnight every New Year’s Eve lighting up the new year and giving us all hope for a bright new beginning. 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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CALENDAR OF EVENTS

December 2005

ADVERTISER DIRECTORY Company

Page

Alexseal Yacht Coatings A33 Andrews Accountancy A40 Antibes Yachtwear B23 Argonautica Yacht Interiors A39 ARW Maritime A21 Assist 2 Sell B24 Automated Marine Systems A27 Available Yacht Crew.com A20 Axon Products B15 Bahia Mar Yachting Center A31 The Beard Marine Group B23 Bennett Brothers Yachts B8 Bluewater Books and Charts A22 Boat Blinds International A20 Boater’s World A22 BOW Worldwide Yacht Supply A44 Bradford: The Shipyard Group A10 Bravo Delta Engineering B26 Broward Marine A6 Brownie’s B13 Budget Marine A10 Business cards B16-21 C&N Yacht Reﬁnishing A2 CME Marine Electronics (Calypso) A38 Camper & Nicholsons International A18 Camille’s Cafe A23 Cape Ann Towing A25 Capital Marine Alliance B31 Charlie’s Locker A23 Concord Marine Electronics B8 Cool-Temp Design B25 Crewﬁnders A19 C-Worthy Corp. B15 Diesel Fuel Solutions A35 Dolcevita Singer Island A8 Dunn Marine A26 Ecoland Expeditions A38 Edd Helms Marine A26 Elite Crew International A14 Emerald Bay B4 Essential Boutique A23 Finish Masters B14 Florida Marine A41 Fort Lauderdale Marine Directory B27 Global Marine Travel A5 Global Satellite A19,A22 Global WiFi A35 Global Yacht Fuel A34 The Grateful Palate A32 Harbor Shops A22-23 Harbortown Marina-Ft. Pierce A24 Heidi Kublik Massage Therapist A37 Honda Grand Prix B32 Hughes Power Systems A18 Inlet Fine Wine & Spirits B5 Island Marine Electric A24 Japan Radio Co. B2 J.F. Recruiting A12

Company

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Lacasse Services Lauderdale Marine Center Lauderdale Propeller Lauderdale Speedometer Lifeline Inﬂatable Services Light Bulbs Unlimited Mackay Communications Mail Boxes Etc. Mango Marine Maritime Professional Training Maritime Underwriters Marshall Islands Yacht Registry Matthew’s Marine Meridian Marine Mrs. G. Propeller The Mrs. G Team Nauti Tech Nautical Structures Nguyen Yacht Reﬁnishing North Cove Marina Northrop & Johnson Ocean World Park & Marina Oregon Camera Systems Orion Yacht Solutions Perry Law Firm Peterson Fuel Delivery Pier 17 PM Restoration Professional Tank Cleaning Prudential Florida WIC Realty Quiksigns Radio Holland USA Resolve Marine Group Rich Beers Marine River Supply River Services Rolly Marine Service Rossmare International Bunkering RPM Diesel Engine Co. Sailorman Scalise Marine Schot Designer Photography Secure Chain & Rope Company Smart Move Southern Drydock Sunshine Medical Center TowBoatUS Turtle Cove Marina Universal Travel Village East Virgin Islands Charteryacht League Wesmar Westrec Marinas Wet Effect Wotton’s Wharf Xtreme Yacht Products Yacht Entertainment Systems Yachting Pages Yacht Toys of Florida

B6 A4 A7 A27 A36 B11 A21 B11 B26 A11 A32 B14 A14 A12 B6 A16 A13 B7 A25 A39 A15 A3 B24 B12 A15 A40 A34 A36 B6 A34 A37 A36 A42 B7 B11 A9 B29 B29 A2 A21 B27 A40 B8 A17 B10 A38 B12 A35 B3 B13 A41 B9 A26 A20 A22 A21 B28 B10

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The Triton

The Triton has monthly captain’s Bridge luncheon in Sint Maarten Dec. 2-4 Florida Dive Show, Palm Beach County Convention Center, West Palm Beach. www.ﬂoridadiveshow.com. The Triton has four VIP admission tickets. Call 954-525-0029 if you want them.

Dec. 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

Dec. 6 The Triton Bridge luncheon, Sint

Maarten. Captains only. RSVP to Editor Lucy Reed at lucy@the-triton.com or 954-525-0029. Space is limited to eight.

Dec. 7 Latitude Adjustment Hour, The

Triton’s monthly networking event on the ﬁrst Wednesday of every month, 7-9 p.m., Tarpon Bend, 200 S.W. Second Ave. at the railroad tracks in downtown Ft. Lauderdale. 954-525-0029, www.thetriton.com.

Dec. 16 Weather seminar, Bluewater

Books & Charts, Ft. Lauderdale, 6-7:30 p.m. Featuring weather expert Chris Parker, author of “Coastal and Offshore Weather, Southeast US and Bahamas.” (954) 763-6533, ex 228

Dec. 17 34th annual Winterfest Boat

Parade, on the Intracoastal Waterway from Port Everglades in Ft. Lauderdale to Lake Santa Barbara in Pompano Beach. Theme this year is “Jewel of the Nile” to commemorate the opening of the King Tut exhibit in Ft. Lauderdale. Entry fees start at $25. 954-767-0686, www.winterfestparade.com

Jan. 4 The Triton’s Megayacht Meeting.

Join us for the renaissance of our monthly professional development seminars. Tentatively scheduled to appear: Steve Koch, a supervisor with U.S. Customs and Border Protection. to discuss old regulations that will be applied to megayachts beginning this spring. Then stay for our monthly networking session, the Latitude Adjustment Hour. Please call The Triton at 954-525-0029 for details or visit www. the-triton.com for time and place as the event draws near.

Jan. 4-7 Wahoo Classic Tournament,

Old Bahama Bay, Grand Bahama Island. $2,100 per boat, a portion of the money raised will be donated to the “A Child is Missing” foundation. Enter before Dec. 16 for a 50 percent discount on dockage. 954-524-3007, 242-350-6500

Jan. 6-8 Bitter End Bucket Regatta &

Megayacht Rendezvous, Virgin Gorda, British Virgin Islands. www.beyc.com, jglynn@beyc.com, 203-656-0799

Jan. 13-22 32nd annual Seattle Boat Show, Seattle, Wash., Shilshole Bay Marina. www.seattleboatshow.com.

Jan. 14-22 Toronto International Boat Show, Toronto, Canada. 905-951-0009, www.torontoboatshow.com

Jan. 19-24 Ladies, Let’s Go Fishing!

third annual Costa Rica special event, Parrot Bay Village, Puerto Jimenez. Open to male guests. 954-4759068, 1-888-321-LLGF (5543), www. ladiesletsgoﬁshing.com

Jan. 21-29 37th annual Boot

Düsseldorf, Germany. More than 1,700 exhibitors from 55 countries have registered to showcase boats, yachts and maritime products and services. Several of the 18 exhibition halls will be dedicated to megayachts. www.mdna. com/shows/boot.html

Jan. 23-24 Conference on Marine

Industry Technical Training (COMITT), Tampa, Safety Harbor Resort and Spa. Sessions will address workforce education as well as training and professional development issues for boatbuilders, repair facilities and marinas, manufacturers, surveyors and dealers. www.abycinc.org

Jan. 29-Feb. 1 International Marina

and Boatyard Conference, Orlando. Includes two days of professional development seminars and culminates with an all-marina industry breakfast Feb. 1, followed by an optional ﬁeld trip. www.marinaassociation.org

Feb. 16-20 18th annual Yacht and

Brokerage Show, Miami. This is the in-water portion of the Miami International Boat Show and held in the Intracoastal Waterway from the Fontainebleau Hotel to the Wyndham Resort. More than 550 yachts expected ranging from 30 to 160 feet. New 30,000 square-foot, air conditioned ﬂoating pavilion will feature accessories and services exhibitors including electronic manufacturers, yacht builders and designers. www.showmanagement.com

Feb. 18-20 43rd Coconut Grove Arts

Festival, one of the nation’s premier outdoor ﬁne arts festivals. It attracts more than 150,000 people and 330 international artists and craftsmen. Tickets $5, to beneﬁt the Coconut Grove Arts & Historical Association’s Building Fund. 305-447-0401, www. coconutgroveartsfest.com

Feb. 23-28 Mardi Gras, New Orleans. One of the world’s most famous

See CALENDAR, page B31

The Triton

CALENDAR OF EVENTS

www.the-triton.com

Shortened but still being held: Mardi Gras CALENDAR, from page B30 celebrations for this holiday of excess before the limits of Lent. Shortened this year to six days instead of two weeks. 800-672-6124, www.mardigras.com

Feb. 27-28 Carnival, Trinidad. This

island’s holiday of excess before Lent. www.carnivalondenet.com

March 8-12 36th annual New

Orleans Boat Show, Ernest N. Morial Convention Center. www.

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EVENTS OF THE MONTH

Dec. 5-8 St. Maarten Marine Trades Association Charter Yacht Exhibition, St. Maarten. www.charteryachtexhibition.com Dec. 7-12 44th annual Charter Yacht Show Antigua. www.antigua-charter-yacht-meeting.com The one-two punch of charter yacht shows early this month kicks off the Caribbean season. The story on everyone’s mind last year as Sint Maarten launched its show was: Antigua will become the sail show, Sint Maarten will become the power show. Brokers withheld judgment on which show they would attend until the line-up of yachts was announced. As of press time, Antigua is holding its 40-year dominance as the Caribbean charter show with more than 120 yachts registered. Fortyone yachts were registered for Sint Maarten. And true to expectations, most of the yachts in Antigua are sailboats; nearly all in Sint Maarten are motoryachts. Triton Editor Lucy Chabot Reed will be at both shows and have more details in the January issue.

March 1 Major League Baseball’s spring training begins. Baltimore Orioles at Ft. Lauderdale Stadium, 954-776-1921; Marlins and St. Louis Cardinals at Roger Dean Stadium in Jupiter, 561775-1818; New York Mets at Tradition Field in Port St. Lucie, 772-871-2115; Los Angeles Dodgers in Holman Stadium, Vero Beach, 772-569-6858. www.springtrainingonline.com

December 2005

neworleansboatshow.com

www.cruiseshipping.net/superYacht. html

March 9-12 Acura Miami Race Week.

March 23-26 21st annual Palm Beach

Presented by the Premiere Racing team that does the Key West event each January. www.premiere-racing.com

March 15-16 Second annual

International Superyacht Symposium, Miami Beach Convention Center. Held in conjuction with the 22nd annual SeaTrade Cruise Shipping Convention.

Boat Show, Palm Beach. Features more than $300 million worth of boats, megayachts and accessories from marine manufacturers around the world. In addition to the in-water portion of the show on the Intracoastal Waterway along Flagler Drive, this year’s show includes more than 100,000 square feet of exhibitor space at the

PHOTO/LUCY REED

Palm Beach County Convention Center. Continuous free shuttle buses connect the two. Boat show tickets are $10. www.showmanagement.com

March 29-April 2 Second annual

Honda Grand Prix, St. Petersburg, Fla. This is the second race in the 2006 IndyCar Series. Med-style dockage for 50 megayachts available. $15,000 entry includes VIP tickets to the Indy race, pit passes, parties and more. www. gpstpete.com