Legacy checkup Yacht getting an exam before being towed to Miami.
A14 ESTA is EASY?
Patriarch Meet Capt. Jim O’Neill and family.
C1
Vol. 5, No. 4
DHS’ new electronic system designed to simplify entry. A10
www.the-triton.com
July 2008
Survey: Hurricane plans serve best as guidelines By Kelly Cramer A captain who survived Hurricane Hugo on an 87-foot sportfish has a fool-proof hurricane plan: spend the summer on Lake Michigan. Not everyone can stay clear of the storms, but of the nearly 200 captains who answered The Triton’s survey on hurricane plans this month, many gave
similar advice: “Don’t do it again.” Avoiding a hurricane is not always an option; captains know this and so do insurance underwriters. Of the 59 percent of captains who reported having a formal hurricane plan, 70 percent said the megayacht’s insurance company required it. Only one captain said his yacht’s insurer hadn’t addressed it.
“Our insurance company is clueless,” he said. “As captain, I have a plan in writing that has been successful in the past. It covers us being prepared mechanically and with personnel in case of storm. It states where we will go, how soon we will leave, and what we will do. Have a plan and execute the plan.” Even though more than half of the
captains reported having formal hurricane plans, most said it’s impossible to truly plan for the storms. “No matter how good of a plan you have, you must be willing to change it,” said a captain whose official plan calls for tying up at a slip in a marina. One captain said he thinks of his
See SURVEY, page A16
Don’t panic if insurers ask captains for loss history
A JOLLY GOOD CREW
In response to feedback from captains to articles he wrote about yacht insurance in the January and November 2007 issues of The Triton, David Allen of Alliance Marine Risk Managers has written this open letter to captains advising them of this latest trend in the ever-changing world of yacht insurance. By David Allen
As in any business, it’s easier to keep good employees than recruit new ones. So how do we stop crew turnover? The captains assembled for this month’s discussion had some specific, anecdotal ideas, but not a lot of philosophical solutions. And even though several of them served in longterm roles surrounded by long-term
You are all familiar with the practice of the insurance broker sending your license and résumé to the insurance company after you and the yacht owner agree you are right for the job. The insurance company reviews your credentials and, much more often than not, agrees to insure the yacht with you in command. Those of you who have operated one or more yachts insured by certain underwriters at Lloyd’s will be familiar with the practice by insurers there that requires a statement of your loss history with your résumé, that is, disclosure and details of losses or claims against any yacht insurance policies in your career to date as a yacht captain. I am writing to inform you that this requirement, unique to the Lloyd’s insurance market only insofar as it requires a statement in written from, will no longer be unique
See BRIDGE, page A20
See INSURANCE, page A23
Five crew, three decades, one fun reunion. What’s with the turtle? See page A4.
PHOTO COURTESY OF CAPT. IRISH
Slowing crew turnover starts at interview With all the buzz over the booming yacht sector and the miles of megayachts expected to splash in the coming years, there’s been a bit of speculation that there’s a crew shortage a comin’. FROM THE BRIDGE While we don’t LUCY CHABOT REED want to argue that
this industry needs skilled crew, the answer lies not only in increasing the body count, but in keeping those bodies already at it. Existing crew have made an investment in their skills and have begun learning a few things, so stopping crew turnover may be the most powerful tool the yachting industry has to keep megayachts supplied with experienced crew.