Bimini DM dies Chalk’s crash claims Big Game dockmaster
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Vol. 2, No. 10
SXM captains prefer island as Caribbean charter hub ST. MAARTEN – As the Caribbean season began in December, The Triton invited six charter captains to its monthly luncheon to talk about, what else? The Caribbean. Though it wasn’t intended to be an analysis of St. Maarten and its emergence as a Caribbean FROM THE BRIDGE megayacht hub, LUCY CHABOT REED most of the captains wanted to talk about the island specifically, and offer their thoughts about it. “St. Maarten has really developed into a really good market for our size boat,” said one captain of a yacht between 100-150 feet. “I’m happy there’s a boat show here and I hope it survives.” As always, individual comments are not attributed to any one person in particular so as to encourage frank and open discussion. The attending captains are identified in a photograph on page A25. “St. Maarten is the best place for megayachts to be based for parts,” another captain said. “We can get a lot of work done here, pick up charters here. The yards in the Med are not as reliable as the ones here.” “I’m a big supporter of the St. Maarten show,” said a third. In addition to the duty-free status, airports close to the most popular dockage and user-friendly marinas, these captains noted that the quality of work available on St. Maarten is often very good. “You have to appreciate St. Maarten’s effort to get things done for boats,” one captain said. “They’re taking the lead in the Caribbean to make things available for bigger boats. St. Thomas is trying to catch up now with Yacht Haven.” “It [Yacht Haven] may be a great facility, but who’s going to do the work?” another captain said. “That’s the same problem everyone has. If
See THE BRIDGE, page A25
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January 2006
Charter shows test perceptions Last year, word on the docks at the one-two punch of charter yacht shows in the Caribbean was that one show would evolve to showcase power boats, the other sailboats. Most folks – except the organizers, of course – thought the industry EDITOR’S NOTES LUCY CHABOT REED would divide itself down such obvious and practical terms as that. They were wrong. In this second year of backPart of the 10-member crew of the 168-foot Feadship Enterprise V in St. to-back shows, the divide seems Maarten: From left, Chief Engineer Adam Nelson, deckhand Jason to have fallen down much less Anderson, Sous Chef Keith Carnahan, stewardess Laranda tangible lines, though perhaps more obvious. Most folks this Carnahan. PHOTO/LUCY REED year stepped back and looked page St. Maarten guide were The Sacks Group, Bank of at St. Maarten as the American show and Antigua as the America, Westrec Marinas, D.N Kelley & Son Shipyard European show. of Massachusetts, and Global Ship Systems of Savannah. Make no mistake, there were yachts of both There’s a full-page ad for the refurbished Yacht Haven, persuasions at both shows. The largest brokerage houses now called Yacht Haven Grande, in St. Thomas (USVI). had a presence at both and representatives from both YCO based in Monaco is the sole European advertiser. sides of the pond walked the docks. The 56-page Antigua guide features a Sweden crew But reality doesn’t stand a chance against perception. Take a gander at the show guides. Aside from local See CHARTER SHOWS, page A24 island companies, the largest advertisers in the 42-
Summit: Marine industry critical to Florida By Lisa H. Knapp The marine industry employed 220,000 people in Florida in 2005, generating an economic impact of $18.4 billion. “The realization that our working waterfront is diminishing is a critical task of Florida’s marine master plan implementation,” said Kristina Hebert, president of the Marine Industries Association of South Florida (MIASF). About 800 marine businesses comprise MIASF, a not-for-profit trade association consisting of primarily recreational boating companies based in Broward, Miami-Dade, and Palm Beach counties. Hebert spoke to about 150 attendees of the seventh annual Marine Industry Summit at the Broward County Convention Center in early December.
The MIASF hosted the event. Other state revenue machines pale in comparison to the wave of Florida’s recreational boaters and megayacht industry yielding nearly $20 billion this year, 58 percent of the state’s economic impact. The citrus industry, long considered the economic engine of Florida, generated $9.1 billion in economic impact in 2000, Hebert noted. The cruise line industry generated $5.2 billion in 2005, with Super Bowl XXXIX in Jacksonville generating $329 million, she said. “15 years ago, tourism was the No. 1 industry in Broward County,” said Jim Naugle, mayor of Ft. Lauderdale. “Today, the marine industry is No. 1 and its jobs pay considerably more than service industry wages.” More than half of the state’s marine industry employees reside
in Ft. Lauderdale’s Broward County, which employed 134,000 workers and generated $10.7 billion in economic impact in 2005, Hebert said. That’s about 60 percent of the county’s business. That could change, Hebert said, if more public/private partnerships are not sought to prevent further erosion of the industry. About a third of South Florida’s boatyards have disappeared over the past five years, Hebert said. “It’s a disturbing trend,” said Susan Engle, president of EnviroCare Solutions International, a Ft. Lauderdale based marine environmental firm. Many businesses have been displaced or lost, she said, citing the rezoning of Thunder Alley in Aventura, a city on the Intracoastal
See SUMMIT, page A23