The Triton 200904

Triton Expo 50 vendors, new contacts: priceless.

Foxy honor

Flip flop

The British Crown honors proprietor of Foxy’s.

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Yacht skills transfer to shore jobs, too.

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Vol.6, No. 1

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April 2009

Mothballing yacht opens door for mold

By Dorie Cox The yacht has not moved for seven months. The brightwork is dull. There is standing water and black stuff under the dinghy cover. Inside the main salon there is that “boat smell.”

“People think all boats have that smell, but that smell means there is something wrong,” said Capt.

Tony Valentino, service manager for Professional Indoor Air Solutions of Ft. Lauderdale.

That smell, of course, is mold.

Mold is a problem for yacht owners trying to save money until the

economic upturn. Call it abandonment, mothballing or hibernation, many yachts are not being used.

When crew have been let go and yachts are not in use, they receive less care than they are used to. And megayachts need so much more.

“So many owners think closing up a boat for months at a time is like garageparking a car and are shocked to see what has happened months later,” said Capt. Vern Phinney, yacht captain in the Mediterranean, in an e-mail. “It can be costly. Yachts need constant care.

Treat her like you would a lady.”

It doesn’t take long for a yacht to

have serious issues when mold starts in the ducts, air conditioning blower, in linens and carpet.

“I think they don’t understand the problem or don’t spend much time on the boat, so when you finally go on, there is a smell of mold,” said Mike Fadell, president of US Mold in Florida.

Mold is found everywhere on Earth.

The main ingredient is moisture.

Moisture is water and boats are all about water. But moisture on yachts comes from more than the rain and sea. Water can escape from an existing

TRITON SURVEY: DO YOU BELIEVE IN GOD? No – 33.1% Yes – 66.9%

With the most religious month of the year upon us, we asked yachties if they believe in God. The answer didn’t surprise, considering they are sailors, after all. Find out more, C1.

See MOLD, page A14

Captains offer crew tips to find next job

Oh, baby!

M/Y Shear Fantasea’s owner, crew, guests all care for the son of captain and chef

By Dorie Cox When Capt. Wayne and Chef Nathalie Nolander discovered they would have a baby, they planned for mom and child to stay on land while dad worked at sea.

But the owner had other ideas.

With the birth of Charlie, M/Y Shear Fantasea became more than a megayacht with crew, owners and guests. It became a floating family.

“Everyone onboard helps with Charlie,” Capt. Nolander said.

Since 11-month old Charlie was born, everyone’s lives have been affected.

Now First Mate Nick Guardalabene serves as more than a mate. He is known as Charlie’s “manny” or male nanny.

Stew Rebecca McGee has a new focus in her duties as well. More than caring for the yacht, McGee finds she cares a lot for her youngest crew member.

“I fell in love with Charlie, and I wasn’t one to pick up babies,” McGee

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The hands propping Charlie up in the wheelhouse belong to his mom, PHOTO/DORIE COX Chef Nathalie Nolander. said of her limited exposure to children. “I have two brothers with kids, but I have usually been away.

Charlie’s the coolest baby and he rarely cries.”

Even the owners, Murray and Faye Blackshear and their five children, have adopted Charlie into their clan.

Nolander said the family will grab the stroller and take Charlie for hours, and the owners’ friends and guests buy him presents.

“The first thing she [Mrs. Blackshear] asks when she gets to the boat is “Where is my boyfriend?”

Nathalie Nolander said. The family atmosphere on the 112-foot Shear Fantasea has the owners considering home schooling their two youngest children onboard.

“I’ll have to explain to him later that this is not a normal life,” Capt.

Nolander said of Charlie’s yacht experience with crew and owners.

Differences are evident on the yacht as well. Where galleys on luxurious megayachts come standard with fragile crystal and china, Shear

See BABY, page A15

As crew meet with placement agents, pore over online job postings and walk the docks, who better to offer them some tips for landing a job than the ones who actually do the hiring?

So we asked nine megayacht captains gathered for this From the Bridge month’s captains’ luncheon to offer Lucy Chabot Reed job-searching crew their best advice on what to do and what not to do to get that next job.

1. Use all the resources you can find to get your name out there.

“Play the numbers game,” one captain said. “I carry a USB port with my CV on it in my pocket, and I have business cards in my pocket. You never know who you’re going to see at Quiznos.”

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 A16.

2. Follow up. If someone puts your name up for a job they hear about, let them know how it went. These captains said they will ask other captains, friends of friends and word of mouth to

See BRIDGE, page A16

A April 2009

WHAT’S INSIDE

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What is he so passionate about?

Yachting. Rupert Connor of Luxury Yacht Group has lots of ideas about its future. Page A5. PHOTO/ROB KAZAKOFF

Advertiser directory C19 Boats / Brokers A11 Business Briefs A12 Calendar of events B17-18 Columns: Communications C4 In the Galley C1 Latitude Adjustment A3 Nutrition C8 Personal Finance C15 Onboard Emergencies B3 Photography B16 Rules of the Road B1 Security B2

Stew Cues C9 Superyacht operations A13 Crossword puzzle C16 Cruising Grounds: Tunisia B12 Fuel prices B5 Marinas / Yards B10 Networking Q/A C3 Networking photos C2 News A1,4-9 Photo Galleries A18-19 Technology B1-9 Triton spotter B19 Triton survey C1 Write to Be Heard A20-23

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LATITUTE ADJUSTMENT

April 2009 A

Crew still run into trouble where customs should know better This first bit of news comes from a captain and chef who had immigration trouble in Puerto Rico in March.

Normally, I try to write these as news stories or a lesson learned, but in this case it’s neither.

The flight from St. Maarten to Ft. Lauderdale stops in Puerto Rico, making that the clearingLatitude in point for Adjustment Lucy Chabot Reed non-American travelers.

The captain presented copies of the boat papers, their employment contracts, letters from the owner and the marina about the work the captain was engaged in.

He requested 180 days on his B1, the work side of the B1/B2 visa.

The customs officer gave him 90 days on his B2. He asked to see a supervisor.

That officer asked more questions, reviewed his paperwork and refused his request. He asked to see that officer’s supervisor.

That supervisor asked questions, researched the boat and returned to say the yacht owed U.S. taxes because it

had been in the country four years. The supervisor wanted to know who owned the yacht, if the owner was American, whether the owner had paid the taxes, and why the yacht had a foreign flag.

Eventually, the captain called the placement agent who got him the job.

She talked to the officer and supported the captain’s position, also declining to answer questions about the owner.

The English captain and his Dutch wife were admitted for the 180 days they sought, but they were warned there would be a flag on their record.

Why? Because possibly the owner didn’t pay his taxes? The final supervisor acted as though the captain owned the boat and gave him a hard time because the boat had been in the United States too long.

“The problem is that it didn’t stop with the first officer,” the captain said. “It went on with the supervisor who didn’t get it, and with the next supervisor, who still didn’t get it. They didn’t understand anything about foreign-flagged vessels and crew.

That worries me. In a time when this country is so sorely in need of industry that works, now’s not the time to harass one that does. Foreign-flagged vessels and the crew who work on them – foreign and American – are vital to this industry surviving here.

Customs officers need to understand that they aren’t just hurting careers with their decisions; they could be hurting a successful American industry.

OK, enough of my soapbox. Time to congratulate Capt. Chris Lawrence and Purser/Chief Stew Sarah Falvey of M/Y Outback, the 194-foot Oceanfast/Austal, who were engaged in March. Partners for 11 years, they have worked on boats together for eight, including the last three on Outback.

No date has been set as the cruising plans for Outback depend on the charter market and are still in the air.

They may head east back to the Med, or west back to Australia to complete a circumnavigation that began in Perth in June 2007.

The yacht is enjoyed by the owners and charter guests and has wracked up 50,000nm thus far. Fair winds to you both in your married life.

Capt. Herb Magney and Purser Tanya Magney have resigned from M/Y Milk and Honey, the 125-foot Palmer Johnson. After six weeks of charter in the southern Caribbean this season, the couple is taking some down time to visit family and decompress.

Taking over at the helm is Capt.

Rob Dolling. First Officer John Gaffley remains onboard, as does much of

Milk & Honey’s new skipper, Capt.

Rob Dolling, left, and her old skipper, Capt. Herb Magney, right, try to keep First Officer John Gaffley down. Good luck with that.

PHOTO/HERB MAGNEY the rest of the crew, including Phil Curtis, who is in his second year of transitioning from chief engineer on 1000-foot ships to yachts the size of his former engine room.

Watch for Milk & Honey in the Med this summer.

Capt. Joe Lyall has taken over on M/Y Ambush, the 61-foot Garlington sportfish that accompanies M/Y Olga.

After a few months, the previous captain decided he didn’t want to do all that fishing after all. Here’s hoping Capt. Lyall is happy living the dream.

A April 2009

CREW NEWS

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How to get the most out of the Triton Expo on April 15 April marks The Triton’s fifth birthday. Instead of hosting a crew party as we have in years past, we have decided to rechannel that energy into a more serious and professional networking event.

The Triton Expo is April 15 and is only open to captains and crew. Here’s how Editor’s Notebook to get the most Lucy Chabot Reed out of it.

1. Bring resumés. That piece of paper slashes the $10 entry fee to $1.

Plus, you’ll need it for some one-onone time with a megayacht captain in the resumé clinic who can offer some advice on how to make it better.

2. Bring business cards.

3. Bring a pen to jot notes on the business cards you collect. A note like “send a resumé” will do wonders when you sort them at the end of the day.

4. Bring a smile and don’t be afraid to use it. This is a networking event.

Introduce yourself. Talk to people about their jobs or companies. Build an

army of people helping you find work.

5. Listen to the speakers. They have info that can help you. Speakers are still being compiled, so visit www.thetriton.com for the full list.

6. Wander around and meet the exhibitors. Talk to them, too. Learn about their products or services. You may need them one day. Offer to leave a resumé. They know a lot of people, too.

We’re expecting 50 vendors, twice as many as at our first Expo in the fall. We’ve already signed on crew agents from a half dozen agencies, representatives from several schools,

provisioners and providers of goods and services to help existing and future crew with their jobs.

Careful readers may note that we changed the name from Job Fair to Triton Expo. We don’t promise you a job if you show up.

We do promise a professional environment of learning and networking. Come meet people who can help you find work. We’re all in this together.

Lucy Reed is editor of The Triton.

Comments at editorial@the-triton.com.

Crew advocates face house fire, kidney disease Anita Warwick, a former cook and stew who has helped many crew obtain health insurance over the past 10 years, was burned in a fire that destroyed her Ft. Lauderdale home on March 4.

After two weeks in intensive care in Miami, she was staying at the home of a captain friend in mid-March, working to rebuild her life and business. She lost her computer and database, so anyone who has worked with her in the past is asked to contact her with their contact information so she can rebuild her database: anita@sevenseashealth.com.

Friends have started a fund to help with expenses. For more information on that, contact DJ Parker of Neptune Group Yachting at djparker@ngyi.com.

– Lucy Reed Amy Morley Beavers, vice president of student administration at Maritime Professional Training in Ft. Lauderdale, has been diagnosed with Stage 5 kidney failure. She was undergoing treatment in March and is exploring transplant options, according to her family.

Morley Beavers has been working with her parents at MPT for more than 20 years, guiding a generation of students through their yachting careers.

“If not for her I would not be where I am today,” said Capt. Les Annan, skipper of the 118-foot M/Y Portofino.

“I went to her school 15+ years ago and she took me under her wing. She helped me with the U.S. Coast Guard and was always the one to go to for the correct answer with the USCG. Many people around the world owe her a big thank you. She will be in my prayers.”

While awaiting more medical treatments, Morley Beavers continues to work a few hours a day, and her e-mail address (amy@MPTusa.com) is still active. For more information, contact MPT at +1-954-525-1014.

– Lucy Reed

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www.the-triton.com INTERNATIONAL SUPERYACHT SYMPOSIUM

The opening session at the International Superyacht Symposium: From left, John Dane of Trinity Yachts, Rupert Connor of Luxury Yacht Group, moderator Robert Jaques, Andrew Cosgreave of Northrop & Johnson, and PHOTO/ROB KAZAKOFF Lisa Verbit of Bank of America.

Industry hurts, but future bright for those prepared

By Lucy Chabot Reed People interested in yachts got to see behind the scenes at the opening session of the International Superyacht Symposium in Miami in mid-March.

A broker, a shore-based manager/ placement agent, a builder, and a banker all pointed out the struggle the yachting industry is in, but they all ended on a positive note: Hang in there, things will bounce back. They’ve got to.

Andrew Cosgreave, a sales broker and the managing director at Northrop and Johnson in Ft. Lauderdale, let the outsiders inside with details about what is happening with yacht deals.

He started his presentation by holding up a piece of cardboard.

“Eighty percent of non-durable goods are packaged in cardboard,” he said. “The economy goes by the way of cardboard.”

He ended his presentation with this nugget: “Three cardboard tycoons have their yachts for sale.”

He noted Forbes’ list of billionaires shrunk from 1,125 last year to 793 now.

“We can’t just sit here and look at the superyacht industry,” he said.

“We’re not just selling yachts; we’re selling a lifestyle.”

Annual growth in luxury goods has been slowing for a few years, he reported, from 9 percent in 2006 to 6.5 percent in 2007 to 3 percent last year.

Experts predict growth to fall in 2009 by 7 percent. What that means for the yachting industry is what many crew have already seen, he said: hibernation, a market correction, and an aversion to conspicuous consumption.

Cosgreave shared a few inside stories about large yachts in these trying times: the 50m yacht that orchestrated a 70 percent cut in crew costs, slashing the salaries of the four remaining crew in half; the Dutch boat whose owner “hit the skids” that was planning to

charter in the Med this summer is staying in Ft Lauderdale, released all her crew except the captain and engineer, and will sit until she sells; the 50m-plus yacht in France that, if the owner didn’t pay on his outstanding mortgage payments by noon on the day Cosgreave spoke, would be repossessed by the authorities waiting on the dock; the tugs that approached a yacht in Ft. Lauderdale the week before, untied her lines and pulled her up the New River to what had become known as the National Liquidators’ marina.

The industry saw this coming. The classification societies have issued an update to their guidelines for laying up ships. While they are talking about commercial ships, Cosgreave said, it all trickles down to yachting.

He related what’s happening in the industry to a swift punch in the face.

“You may have lost a couple teeth, and there are a couple loose, and there’s some blood, but there are still good teeth in there,” he said.

To prove his point, he noted that the market has gone 180 degrees from a seller’s to a buyer’s market. Yachts under $5 million are moving, he said. A 72m just sold in Europe to a Russian, and a 65m project that’s ready to begin is shopping for a shipyard, he said.

“There is an opportunity now for reinvention and renewal,” he said.

“People are looking inward to be more efficient. They are revising their marketing plans.

“The value buyers are right on the cusp of bringing out their checkbooks.

Those [companies] who survive will be well positioned to be out in front when everything turns around.”

Rupert Connor, founder of Luxury Yacht Group in Ft. Lauderdale, shared not only what’s happening with his business, but also what he thinks should happen for the industry to

See SYMPOSIUM, page A6

April 2009 A

A April 2009 INTERNATIONAL SUPERYACHT SYMPOSIUM

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Trinity evolves, building patrol boats in recession SYMPOSIUM, from page A5 emerge stronger.

“Like Darwin said, it’s not the strongest or the most intelligent that survive, but the ones that can adapt to their environment,” he said.

His company has four divisions and he offered his thoughts on each one.

Sales are weak: “Owners will take a small loss to move a boat, but if the value drops too much, they will hold it for better times,” he said.

The future of commission-based sales has to change, he said. He predicts a “greatly reduced commission model.

With the Internet as a search tool, brokers are less informational brokers and more transaction facilitators, he said. Owners aren’t going to pay such high dollar amounts for the transaction.

Charter is weak: “It’s not politically correct to vacation on a yacht right now,” he said. “We thought with so many Med boats staying in the Med this winter that there would be reduced supply [in the Caribbean]. That may have been true, but it didn’t result in increased charters.”

Yacht management is messy: “There is a need for shore-based resources, but the services weren’t delivered properly and confused the owner,” he said. “The captain is the only manager of the vessel.”

Crew placement is his most active division, with 15 staff and 32,000 crew in our database.

“We will place 2,500 crew this year and 2,800 are actively looking at any one time,” he said. “Our annual salary survey shows a reduction for the first time, as much as 25 percent.”

While 85 percent of new registrants are new to the industry, he said only about half of active crew are green.

“In 2007-08, clients wanted to get out of the industry because of problems with crew,” he said. “Now, crew want to work and I think that will weed out people who don’t want to work.”

John Dane, president and CEO of Trinity Yachts, was straightforward with the situation luxury yacht builders are in.

“Last July, we had a backlog of 19 yachts,” he said. “Haven’t signed a new boat since.”

He recalled in detail the rough weeks in September and October last year.

“In the third week of September, we stepped off the plane at the Monaco Show and Europeans were smug about their economy,” he said. “By the end of the show, European banks were in trouble, too, and it was a worldwide crisis.

“We were midway through the show with 10 inquiries for 50m boats,” he

said. “A week later in Lauderdale, our 10 inquiries were down to two, and we got no new ones at the Lauderdale show. In Miami, it was more doom and gloom.

Some boats sold, but for 60 percent of their asking price. Buyers want to buy; they just want to buy at the bottom.”

Of the 19 boats on order, one was canceled and one was suspended, he said. The company is diversifying to get through this recession, including building some patrol boats as a subcontractor for another company.

Trinity and its brokerage arm, International Yacht Collection, recently opened a brokerage office in Dubai.

The most positive news of the session came from the least likely of sources, the banker on the panel.

Lisa Verbit, senior vice president of the marine division of Bank of America’s Private Wealth Management, noted that her division has no foreclosures in $1 billion worth of loans.

“There are some difficulties in the small end – $1 million to $3 million – but no foreclosures,” she said. “We are, in fact, lending money, and we’re actually looking for yacht loans. We’re closing four new-build projects of 15m to 52m from last year, so some owners didn’t back out.”

There’s been some movement in the past couple of weeks for smaller deals/ sales, in the $1 million to $5 million range. Low interest rates, hibernation and off-setting costs with chartering help owners have staying power through the recession, she said.

A good loan-to-value ratio is 70-75 percent, though she noted that some good clients get larger ratios. And the bank prefers to see the yacht stand for no more than 10-20 percent of a client’s net worth.

“This isn’t the first time we’ve seen people dropping out of the market,” she said. “At the Ft. Lauderdale boat show in 1989, there were 28 financial institutions listed in the program. In 1991, there were five. This, too, shall pass.”

Cosgreave noted that he’s seen a trend in the past few months of owners financing vessels themselves. As for crew, he said owners and captains are looking for “utility players: the deckhand who can also paint or varnish or do some carpentry.”

Several of the other panelists agreed, noting that a successful yacht client has a successful crew component.

“If you have a bad crew, you are boating,” Dane said. “If you have a good crew, you are yachting.”

Lucy Chabot Reed is editor of The Triton. Comments on this story are welcome at lucy@the-triton.com.

A April 2009

NEWS BRIEFS

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Lady Michelle engine room fire cuts sea trial short, starts refit The 161-foot Trinity, M/Y Lady Michelle, suffered an engine room fire while on a sea trial three miles off the South Florida coast in mid-March.

No one was injured, according to sources familiar with the yacht and fire.

The crew onboard extinguished the fire and the yacht was towed back to Ft. Lauderdale.

In late March, she was on the hard at Derecktor’s Shipyards in Dania Beach.

It was unclear what caused the fire.

Lady Michelle recently arrived in Ft. Lauderdale from South Africa. She was on a sea trial in preparation of a refit.

Crown may take over Turks & Caicos The British government was making plans in mid-March to take control over the Turks and Caicos after the islands’ premier, Michael Misick, was alleged to be incompetent and corrupt.

Misick faces allegations he has amassed a multimillion-dollar fortune since coming to office in 2003. Misick denies the charges.

UK officials threatened to suspend large parts of the Turks’ constitution, dissolve the 21-member assembly and transfer power to the governor of the territory, Gordon Wetherell, a representative of the Queen, according to a report on the BCC.

Swiss shares bank client details

The Swiss government announced in mid-March that it would cooperate on cases of international tax evasion, breaking with a long-standing tradition of protecting wealthy foreigners accused of hiding billions of dollars in the country, according to a story on the Associate Press.

The government said it would hold onto its banking secrecy rules, but said other countries could now expect Swiss cooperation in cases where they provide compelling evidence of tax evasion.

Austria and Luxembourg also said they would step up cooperation on tax probes. But the greatest pressure

has been on Switzerland, which is embroiled in a dispute with the United States over wealthy Americans that have stashed money in its biggest bank, UBS AG, the AP reported.

Swiss authorities have provided the United States with the bank details of up to 300 Americans suspected of tax fraud, but refuse to identify 50,000 more U.S. account holders Washington wants, the news service reported.

World loses 332 billionaires

The number of billionaires in the world has dropped 30 percent from last year’s 1,125 billionaires, according to the latest list of the World’s Billionaires released in March by Forbes Magazine.

And that reflects a loss in net worth of $2 trillion.

The biggest loser this year, by dollars, was last year’s biggest gainer.

India’s Anil Ambani lost $31.9 billion – 76 percent of his fortune – as shares of his Reliance Communications, Reliance Power and Reliance Capital all collapsed, Forbes reported.

Last year Moscow overtook New York as the billionaire capital of the world, with 74 tycoons to New York’s 71. Today there are 27 in Moscow and 55 in New York.

U.S. travel to Cuba not easier, yet

Both houses of the U.S. Congress cut funding for the enforcement of stricter rules for Cuban-Americans traveling to Cuba. The legislation was signed into law by President Obama as part of a $410 billion spending bill in March. The bill will remain in effect until October.

The strict travel restrictions were initially introduced by former President George W. Bush in 2004, permitting Cuban-Americans to visit relatives in Cuba once every three years. Without the enforcement, Cuban-Americans can now visit each year.

U.S. citizens are still banned from traveling to Cuba without a special license. Obama has expressed a

See NEWS BRIEFS, page A9

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NEWS BRIEFS

April 2009 A

CrewShow again in Antibes, with first visit to Mallorca this month NEWS BRIEFS, from page A8 desire to change those rules, and may consider it later this year.

TWIC needs pin number

The Transportation Security Administration no longer has the ability to reset PIN numbers on Transportation Worker Identification Credentials (TWIC) issued on or before Oct. 21, when the TWIC system was shut down because of a power outage.

What this means in practice is that TWIC holders who can’t remember their PIN numbers may have to request a new TWIC card. The new TWIC card will be issued free of charge if the TWIC holder turns in the old card.

For questions, call the TWIC HelpDesk at 1-866-347-8942. When the prompts begin, press 3, then press 2. That will get you in touch with a HelpDesk employee.

April 15 is the deadline for all mariners and other maritime industry workers to obtain the TWIC. More than 1 million port and transportation workers and Coast Guard-credentialed mariners have applied for a TWIC. For more information or to enroll, visit www.tsa.gov/twic.

Reported in a recent edition of Wheelhouse Weekly, a newsletter of the International Organization of Masters, Mates & Pilots.

CrewShow comes to Mallorca

CrewShow, the show for crew, will expand its reach this month when it adds a stop in Mallorca. The brainchild of Chief Stew Celia Wagstaff, the first CrewShow took place last year in Antibes. CrewShow will run concurrent with the Antibes Boat Show on April 4.

The aim of CrewShow is to put purveyors directly in touch with the players with the spending power: crew.

On April 24, CrewShow will open at Mood Beach Club, adjacent to the marina in Portals Nous in Mallorca, organized by yacht chef Alison Rese. It will be open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., with a fashion show and barbecue following.

Buses will run all day from the Club de Mar and along the Paseo Maritimo to transport Palma-based crew to the show and back.

For more information, visit www. crewshow.com.

New free dock in Lauderdale

Boats up to 26 feet can tie up for free in downtown Ft. Lauderdale.

A new 100-foot floating dock is available on the New River just west of the train bridge along Riverwalk near the Broward Center for the Performing Arts. Boaters are within walking distance to the Riverfront entertainment complex, the Museum of Art, the Broward County Library and historic Himmarshee Street.

The dock is open from 8 a.m. to 9

p.m. daily. For more information, call the city dockmaster’s office at +1-954828-5423.

– Dorie Cox

luxury yachts, including M/Y Scotch Mist and M/Y Mandalay.

Yacht chef dies in his sleep

A committee of the Illinois state legislature decided in late February not to support a bill that would have imposed a 5 percent luxury tax on boats costing more than $200,000, according to the National Marine Manufacturers Association.

Yacht chef and businessman David Hawke died in his sleep while on holiday in St. Lucia in late February. He was there celebrating his 58th birthday, according to a story in the South Devon Herald Express. Reports said the cause may have been meningitis.

Friends and colleagues in England mourned Hawke, who they said made a name for himself working for millionaires and cooking on board their

Luxury tax proposal dies in Illinois

DHS looks at itself

The new secretary of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Janet Napolitano, announced in mid-

February a department-wide initiative challenging every agency, component and office to generate new efficiencies and to promote greater accountability, transparency and customer satisfaction.

An Efficiency Review Initiative Steering Committee will identify and develop strategies to reduce costs, streamline processes, eliminate duplication and improve transparency and customer service.

As governor of Arizona, Napolitano oversaw a similar initiative resulting in more than $1 billion in savings and cost avoidances for the state government.

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BOATS / BROKERS

Bankruptcy causes officials to repossess S/Y Konica Minolta Former yachting millionaire Stewart Thwaites declared bankruptcy in Wellington, New Zealand in midMarch, according to a story on SouthPacificNews.com. Last year, Thwaites was ordered to pay NZ$3.2 million, which arose from guarantees he and his family trust gave to cover debts of Starlight Yachting, which was placed in liquidation last year.

Money lent to Starlight was secured by a mortgage over the super maxi racing yacht Zana, also known as Konica Minolta, which cost $7 million to build. After Starlight failed to pay two monthly installments on its loan, the yacht was repossessed in Valencia, Spain. The court was told the yacht sold for US$300,000.

NJ sells several

Northrop and Johnson broker Steve Doyle in Boston has sold M/Y Time For Us, a 151-foot Feadship, and M/Y Big City, a 123-foot Palmer Johnson. And broker Gregg Child sold M/Y Kipany, the 94-foot Eagle/Westport.

M/Y Gigi, a 97-foot Hargrave, has been centrally listed with Doyle; and M/Y Adventurer, a 94-foot Burger, has been centrally listed with Child.

For more, visit www.njyachting.com.

IYC sale, adds new captain

International Yacht Collection brokers David Nichols and Kevin Bonnie’s central listing, M/Y Stanley, a 120-foot Palmer Johnson, was sold by Bonnie and Sofia Lembrin of Monaco.

IYC has hired Capt. Mauricio Orozco to run M/Y Muchos Mas, a 116-foot Broward.

Fraser sale

Fraser Yachts sold M/Y Dragon Lady,

an 86-foot Long Range Cruiser by Brian Holland and Tom Cleator of Seattle.

New central agency listings include: M/Y Brazil, a 131-foot Heesen by Jan Jaap Minnema of Monaco; M/Y Mas Grande, a 121-foot Sovereign by Jeff Partin of Ft. Lauderdale; S/Y Seahawk, an 86-foot Little Harbor by Jody O’Brien of Ft. Lauderdale; and M/Y Cinnabar VI, a 76-foot Grand Harbor by Partin.

New to the charter fleet are M/Y Moecca, a 150-foot Oceanfast; M/Y Ariete Primo, a 145-foot custom yacht; M/Y Brazil; M/Y Ocean Pearl, a 115foot Christensen; M/Y Panache, a 109-foot Broward; and M/Y Besame, a 100-foot North Star.

Sacks Group adds staff

The Sacks Group has recently hired Lourdes Durand as its new office manager. Durand spent 12 years with Huizenga Holdings.

Churchill Yacht adds charter

M/Y Wishing Star, an 84-foot Trumpy, has joined the charter fleet of Churchill Yacht Partners. She is available in New England this summer, and Florida and the Bahamas in winter.

Her crew is led by Roberta and Bret Todd.

Bahrain’s first show

The first Bahrain Boat Show International will be held April 21-25 at the Amwaj Islands in the Kingdom of Bahrain. Managed and organized

by Knotika Holding, the show plans to feature more than 100 local, regional and international exhibitors.

Bahrain is one-day cruising distance from United Arab Emirates (UAE) or Qatar. For more information, visit www. knotika.com.

April 2009 A11

A12 April 2009

BUSINESS BRIEFS

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BWA adds locations, MHG adds coverage BWA Yachting, a concierge and maritime agency, has acquired a majority of Monaco Port Services.

Established in 1997 by Pierre Balducchi, former Port Captain of Monaco, the company provides shore-side services in Monte Carlo and France.

The acquisition will add to BWA’s Mediterranean superyacht services in Italy, Croatia, Montenegro, Greece and Turkey, as well as Ft. Lauderdale.

BWA Yachting also has signed a partnership with BcN Yacht Services in Spain, giving the company a presence in Barcelona at MB92 shipyard and Marina Port Vell. An office is expected to open in Mallorca in May. In other news, the managing director of BWA Yachting in Croatia, Capt. Ivo Dujmic, has been elected vice president of the Association of Ship Brokers and Agents of Croatia.

For more details call +41-91-9133240 or visit www.bwayachting.com.

MHG covers Florida

MHG Marine Benefits now offers U.S. health insurance for individuals and small groups in Florida. Plans are available ranging from individual temporary coverage to full-time plans for groups of any size for U.S. health insurance needs.

“Expanding into the U.S. domestic marketplace is a natural extension

to our core business, and we believe we can help employers and business owners find health care solutions at reduced cost,” said MHG President John Haagensen.

For more information, e-mail insurance@mhgmarine.com.

Nautic Air in Florida

Schuman Nautic Air has named Vortech Systems of Florida as the exclusive Florida distributor of its air-purification systems. Vortech Systems provides sterilization, decontamination, purification and dehumidification services and products for yachts, boats, ocean liners and private residences.

“With a combined total of more than 30 years experience as megayacht captains, the partners at Vortech really understand not only the health and safety importance of clean air aboard a boat, but what captains and engineers expect from a professional services company,” said Heath Schuman, president of Schuman Nautic Air. For more information, visit www. schumanclean.com.

Antibes show offsets carbon

Antibes Yacht Show has partnered with Yacht Carbon Offset to balance estimated carbon emissions from the event. The carbon offset should

balance greenhouse gas emissions due to estimated electricity consumption at the show, including yacht shore power and allowances for deliveries and business travel by exhibitors.

The partners are inviting attending yachts to offset estimated fuel used to reposition the vessels. Participating vessels will have certificates on board.

For more information, visit www. yachtcarbonoffset.com.

New hibernation division

PartnerShips, a fractional yacht sales and management company, announced the launch of its newest division called Hibernation. Hibernation is a service offered to lenders, distressed-asset managers, owners, and anyone seeking to minimize the operating expense of a yacht. Boats in Hibernation still remain available for showings, as well as occasional charter and owner usage.

For more information, visit www. partnerships-llc.com.

Grateful Palate chef promoted

The Grateful Palate’s yacht provisioning division announced Executive Chef David Learmonth as director of yacht provisioning. He has been a chef on megayachts and has been with the restaurant since opening last year. For more info, visit www. thegratefulpalate.net.

The Triton

www.the-triton.com SUPERYACHT OPERATIONS: Up and Running

Know the MYBA agreement before booking charters The following guidelines are provided by the Mediterranean Yacht Brokers Association.

Charter agreements: The Captain should have the MYBA Charter Agreement and understand it. If he feels there’s been a breach of contract, he should advise the broker.

MYBA terms: The charter fee Up and Running includes the yacht Chris Fairgrieve with working equipment; tools; stores; cleaning materials and consumables; laundry of ship’s linen; crew’s wages, uniforms and food; insurance for marine risk, third party claims and crew.

Charterers pay for all other expenses including fuel for engines, generators, toys and tenders; food, beverages and soft drinks; other consumables; berthing dues and harbour charges including pilot’s fees, local taxes, divers’ fees, customs, water and electricity; rubbish disposal; personal laundry; communications (telephone, fax and e-mail via Satcom, cellular phone or landline); and hire or purchase costs of special equipment placed at the charterer requests.

Declaration of cash: The laws governing cash movements are strictly regulated and captains must comply.

Captain’s briefing: The captain should deliver a briefing on safety and issues of concern including water sports equipment, smoking, drugs and children.

Provisioning: Since provisions are to be provided at cost, agents should only be considered if necessary.

Brokers should assist crew in finding provisioning. The captain should present the charterer or broker with a list of provisions purchased but not consumed. The duty-free goods cannot be taken off the yacht without appropriate customs’ declarations and charterers should be advised of this.

Basic consumable stores include filters, oil, paints, varnishes, sun lotions, soaps, shampoos, tissues, etc. and items such as salt, pepper, spices and herbs and sugar.

Initial flower decorations should be paid for by the yacht, and crew may ask the charterer if they want them replaced at their cost.

Communication charges: These should be charged at cost. Where an invoice is not available, the charterer should be advised of the approximate cost of communications.

Laundry: Ship’s laundry (sheets, towels, table linen, uniforms) is included in the charter and done by crew. The captain may charge for

MPI Group of Surrey, England, offers a distancelearning course designed to bridge the gap between master certification and the reality of running a large yacht.

The course is sponsored by the Professional Yachtsmen’s Association and Middlesex University. Course material was created by Ian Biles, with contributions from other industry professionals, including Chris Fairgrieve.

For more information, call +44(0)1252-732-220 or e-mail et@mpigroup.co.uk. personal items although moderate quantities of laundry are usually done. Crew may refuse to do excessive quantities and delicates.

Port fees: The charterer is only charged for port fees incurred during the charter. The captain has the option of anchoring out before the charter period begins if the owner doesn’t want to pay dockage.

Insurance: The captain should be fully conversant with the terms of the yacht’s policies.

Uniforms: Uniforms should be worn throughout any charter.

Accounts: The captain is responsible for the advance provisioning allowance (APA). He should present a statement with receipts. If there are queries the broker should be informed. If accepted, the charterer should sign and send a copy to the broker.

Logbooks: A copy of the log for the charter must be available to the broker upon request.

Broker’s ethics: When chartering to clients of a broker who is not from the yacht’s central agency firm, all central agency literature must be placed out of sight. If the charterer wants to purchase he should be referred to the broker who booked the vessel, not the central agent.

Crew Gratuities: Brokers suggest gratuity between 5% and 10% of the charter. Charterers are not obligated to leave a gratuity and one should not be solicited.

Chris Fairgrieve is a consultant with Maritime Services International in Gosport, England, where he carries out surveys. He was in the Royal Navy for 13 years working as an electrical engineer and ran his own business in the 1980s developing a power monitoring system for yachts. Comments on this column are welcome at editorial@the-triton. com.

April 2009 A13

A14 April 2009 FROM THE FRONT: Mold on yachts

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Neglect the yacht, expect about 20 percent less from its sale MOLD, from page A1 system, moisture can leak or humidity can be sealed in.

“With change of temperature between warm and cold, if the outside is hotter or colder then there is condensation and then there is mold,” said Capt. Russ Grandinetti, a megayacht captain who does environmental consulting in San Diego.

Yachts are composed of selfcontained systems designed to use liquids, including the heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems; refrigerator and ice makers; shower, sink, spa and head; bilges and fuel systems.

Add all items onboard designed to be wet, such as bait tanks, water toys, dinghies, outside furniture, and the anchor chain compartments and a yacht becomes a potential Petri dish.

Eventually mold causes financial repercussions due to damage, repairs, and reduced value at sale time.

“If you don’t maintain your boat you are losing points,” said Capt. Matthew Splane, whose job is to prevent damage to the yachts he caretakes. “In boating it is not $1,000, it’s $100,000. Many boats are selling for about 20 percent less because they have been neglected.”

Splane has made a career of late of keeping watch over mothballed boats

in the hopes of keeping mold at bay.

When there is no crew to run systems and maintain the boat, fluid sits in holding tanks, fuel lines, hoses and bilges. And mold begins to grow.

“Experienced boat owners know how much they will lose; first-time owners don’t know,” Splane said. “I’ve seen a bunch of owners fire captains thinking they can close up their boat for a year and save $80,000. They end up spending more than that to bring their boat back from the dead.”

Non-porous surfaces such as tile, granite and metal can be cleaned, but porous surfaces can suffer irreparable damage. This means replacement of wood, paint, silk, leather, carpet and anything made of paper.

Cleaning what is visible, though, isn’t enough. Mold lives and breeds where no one is watching.

“I’ve had crew say ‘we knew you were coming, you won’t find any mold’,” said David Johnson, technical director of Vortech Systems, a company specializing in air and surface purification. “But there can be 40 to 50 air handlers on a 150-foot yacht.” He usually finds mold in several of them.

“A lot of people don’t realize if a small spot of mold gets touched, then thousands of mold spores become airborne,” he said.

When water is found in the interior,

its origin can be elusive, he said. Water moves in the path of least resistance; on land, that is usually straight down, but even a docked boat is not still.

Water leaking from anywhere higher can travel to about anywhere lower.

To stay ahead of mold: l Keep humidity between 40 to 60 percent, Johnson said. Mold grows well in about 70 percent humidity.

Dehumidifiers pull moisture out of the air, but that water must properly exit the environment also. l Ventilation is imperative. Boats with make-up air systems bring outside air in, but a recycling air system can continue to re-circulate bad, moldy air. l Remove mold immediately, remove the cause and consult a professional for prevention. Available options include ventilation, dehumidifiers, UV lights, oxidation technology and chemical treatments. l Yachts should be checked frequently. At least one brokerage firm has a policy of charging owners for regular inspections of neglected boats.

The goal is to preserve equity in case of a lien or take over. An owner can avoid this by keeping someone employed to take care of the yacht. l Yachts should be checked after rain. Electrical system corrosion or an obstruction can prevent a bilge pump from working properly. Also, changes in

temperature increase condensation. l Check that return air in the heating and air conditioning system is not near bilge or other water that encourages mold growth and spread. l “When you clean one cabin, don’t close it up,” Johnson said. “The A/C is designed to run with all units until they reach temp. If one unit works overtime, it can sweat and cause mold.” l Keep crew onboard. Aside from serving guests and owners, one of the crew’s main jobs is maintenance.

“When everything looks normal, that is because the crew has been maintaining it,” Splane said. “It’s vital to the owner’s investment.”

Keeping crew onboard makes for five-senses monitoring of potential problems. Crew can run HVAC, refrigeration, plumbing and other systems to prevent standing water, monitor for leaks, catch smells early, and check malfunctioning equipment.

“The moral of this story is, you will have a snowballing expense if you don’t maintain your boat,” Splane said. “If you skip this month, next month it will be that amount, plus more.

“There is no way to escape maintenance. Pay now or pay later.”

Dorie Cox is a staff reporter with The Triton. Comments on this story are welcome at dorie@the-triton.com.

The Triton

www.the-triton.com FROM THE FRONT: Baby on board

Capt. Wayne and Chef Nathalie Nolander with baby Charlie.

“Very few yachts in this industry want kids, and often the guests are onboard to get away from them,” Nathalie Nolander said.

PHOTO/DORIE COX

Charlie has a SOLAS-approved PFD BABY, from page A1 Fantasea’s interior includes a lot of indestructible plastic things, too.

Charlie’s toy hanging in the fruit basket and the baby walker in the galley lend a nursery touch to the elegant decor.

This extended family began after the Blackshears chartered M/Y Katina and met the Nolanders. When they decided to buy their own yacht, they called Capt. Nolander for advice.

After buying their 112-foot Crescent, they offered the Nolanders the job of running it as a family, including their son.

“This is crazy, I wouldn’t do it,” Capt.

Nolander replied. “Call me back when you are sane.”

But being new to yacht ownership, Blackshear wasn’t at all put off that having a baby living onboard was uncommon. He asked Capt. Nolander, “Is this OK to have a baby onboard? Is this normal?”

“It’s your boat,” Capt. Nolander replied. “You can do anything you like.”

“Very few yachts in this industry want kids, and often the guests are onboard to get away from them,” Nathalie Nolander said.

With the guests and charterers who know the Nolanders, they welcome the baby, but replacement crew can be scheduled or extra help hired for Charlie if requested.

Just in case, First Mate Guardalabene has been trained as back-up captain.

“The owner and I trust Nick as captain, he can take over if needed,” Nolander said. “I wanted to make sure Nick could do it if I needed to leave or we had an emergency.”

All babies need attention, and the family of Shear Fantasea has changed the way it does business. Typically, crew is given a list of duties to be completed alone. But this crew is in constant communication, working as a team, ready to switch from personal boat duty to Charlie duty.

For example, Guardalabene takes over maintenance when it’s dad’s time to give Charlie a bath and put him to

bed. Stew McGee is ready to play when Charlie hits the deck 12 hours later.

And while primarily performing their mate and stew duties, both spend a lot of time with Charlie.

Being part of an extended family has changed the way the crew thinks, too. Charlie keeps them on their toes, especially as he is getting on his feet.

He is observant and likes the water.

Although he does have a tiny SOLAS-approved PFD complete with tape, lights and tethers, everyone has to be cautious and keep him away from the rail. Sometimes Charlie is bouncing happily in his Jolly Jumper on the aft deck or on his floor pad with toys, but someone is always in charge.

“And no more brief descriptions like, ‘we’ll be back later’,” Guardalabene said.

Now he feels more responsibility to the family. “I used to enjoy being away from the boat, but now I like being with everyone.”

But a baby onboard can take a toll and there are some parts of the day that fall only to the mom.

The owner offered the VIP berth to the Nolanders, but when guests are on board, mom and baby sleep in crew quarters and the captain bunks with the mate.

“He moves around at night, so he wakes me at 5 a.m.,” Nathalie Nolander said. “It can be exhausting and after a trip, we sleep for two days.

“It can be stressful, because I never know how he will be, and I don’t want him to bug people. But someone always wants to hold him. I think the crew enjoys us being gone sometimes so they get private time with Charlie.”

Everyone on Shear Fantasea is part of Charlie’s family.

“Our kids and friends talk about how they miss Charlie after a trip,” Blackshear said. “He’s as much fun as the BVI and St. Maartin. … The main reason we bought the boat is for family, and what better way to do that than with Charlie.”

Dorie Cox is a staff reporter with The Triton. Comments on this story are welcome at dorie@the-triton.com.

April 2009 A15

A16 April 2009 FROM THE BRIDGE: Job search tips

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‘If you have time and money, take a class’ BRIDGE, from page A1

“Don’t tell me all the jobs of a bosun or stew,” one captain said. “I know what find crew. So ask how someone got your they are. Tell me what you learned and name, and follow up with that person. some tasks you accomplished.”

3. Get your feet wet. Get on a boat “You don’t need a 10-page resume,” and learn something. It’s all useful and another captain said. “I won’t read a makes you more valuable. novel.”

“If crew come to work on a boat, Another captain pointed out they need to have some experience that a series of short-term jobs from somewhere,” one captain said. isn’t necessarily bad, as long as the “Go to sailing school, or at least paddle jobs show some sort of increase in a canoe around.” responsibility.

“A lot of crew “It should be come onboard deckhand, bosun, saying they can Be mentally mate,” this captain handle a boat, but said. “No one prepared for they really can’t,” is going to be a questions. ‘You another captain deckhand forever, know we’re going to said. “If you have but growth too time and money, quickly makes me ask about previous take a class. Any suspicious, too.” experience, what you class: boat handling, 6. Have a think your faults are, a wine class. And professional photo. put your education “I pass the photo what your attributes on your resume. around to all my are, and what you 4. Do day work. crew and ask if they bring to the boat,’ one know you,” one “Day working is a great tool,” one captain said. “Your captain said. ‘Have captain said. “It can reputation precedes your answers thought tell me a lot about a you. It’s the crew out.’ person.” who have to live with “Day working this person.” is really a job 7. When you get interview,” another captain said. “Yards an interview, do your research. Don’t go are huge for finding work. You can learn in blind. what boats have just sold, which ones “Research the boat, the owners, the are getting laid up.” captains, everything,” one captain said.

But it’s not easy gaining access to a “Google is a wonderful tool.” shipyard these days.

“Find out what the crew turnover “If you can’t get in the yard, you can is,” another captain said. He suggested stand in the parking lot.” doing that at crew hang-outs, such as What if someone wanted to day Waxy’s Irish Pub in Ft.. Lauderdale. work for free, or for very little, just to 8. Dress up. These are high-paying show you what they can do? jobs in a professional situation, “It would catch my attention, that’s in service to some of the world’s for sure.” wealthiest people. Look the part.

5. Have a professional CV.

Attendees of The Triton’s April Bridge luncheon were, from back left George Custer, Russ White (freelance), Les Annan of M/Y Portofino, Brad Baker (freelance), Kevin Smart and Giorgio Schiano of M/Y Embark.

Front row, James Van Pelt, Matthew Splane of M/Y Seven D’s and Don MacLellan of M/Y Never Say Never.

PHOTO/LUCY REED “I want them to act like they want the job, not like they really don’t care,” one captain said.

Does what the candidate wears really make a difference?

“I will look harder at the one that is dressed nice,” this captain said. “And theirs will be the first references I call.”

9. Be mentally prepared for questions.

“You know we’re going to ask about previous experience, what you think your faults are, what your attributes are, and what you bring to the boat,” one captain said. “Have your answers

thought out.”

“Listen to the interviewer carefully,” another captain said. “You have a limited amount of time. Give focused answers and ask lots of questions.”

“But don’t make the first question, ‘how much can I make on the boat?’” said a third.

“I send out a pre-interview questionnaire: Who are you, why do you want the job, what’s wrong with you, what’s right with you,” a captain said. “The people who can’t answer

See BRIDGE, page A17

The Triton

www.the-triton.com FROM THE BRIDGE: Job search tips

Many yacht owners soured by high crew turnover rate BRIDGE, from page A16 those questions, we need to get them out of the industry.”

10. Learn to accept a little less money.

“You can shoot high but be willing to back down,” a captain said. “It’s a fact of life. We’ve got a budget now.”

This topic encouraged a lot of stories of young crew turning down jobs because the salary wasn’t what they were expecting.

“Even if you are worth more, be willing to take less,” another captain said. “Agree to six months, then ask for a salary review, and it you are worth it, I will go to bat for you.”

Owners, too, have been stung by the habit of crew turnover and the rate at which salaries have climbed. While they can be generous, these captains said they need to be shown loyalty and trust first.

“The owner is saying, ‘I want them to prove to me they want the job,’” a captain said.

The don’ts

The captains also offered some advice on what not to do.

1. Lose the attitude. Again, discussion of this topic centered on tales of crew members, mostly new, who carried themselves as though they had worked on boats all their lives when they had not.

2. Don’t lie or exaggerate.

“Know your limitations,” a captain said. “Don’t say you can do more than you can do. You don’t want to get in over your head.”

“You can get your 200-ton MCA license in three weeks at sea, but that doesn’t qualify you to run a boat,” another said. “Just because you have your captain’s ticket doesn’t mean you’re done. You might be ready for a bosun’s job.”

“Don’t make it up [on a resume] because I’m going to call the captain,

and friends of the captain,” said a third.

3. Don’t build the wrong kind of reputation.

“Learn some personal responsibility,” a captain said. “Your reputation off the boat spreads like wildfire. Be careful mixing business and pleasure. Go to Waxy’s, but leave at 8 p.m.”

4. Don’t barge onto a boat.

“If you see the crew is in full dress, don’t come to the boat,” a captain said.

“If the owner is on the aft deck, don’t come to the boat. Ask permission to talk to someone about a job.”

“I’m OK with people walking the dock, but the crew will help me weed through the ones that I should talk to,” another captain said. “If you are looking for a deckhand job, don’t ask to talk to the captain; ask for the bosun or the mate.”

5. Don’t limit yourself.

“If you are looking for a mate’s position, acknowledge that you are part of a team and that your job includes helping the stews, at least on smaller boats,” a captain said.

These are just some tips from this group of nine captains.

“Every boat is different, every captain is different,” one captain said.

“Nobody teaches us how to be a captain and no one has the same reaction to people. I run private boats. When I hire, I’m looking for someone to stay on for several years. That’s different from a charter boat that might be happy with someone just for a season. No one set of rules is good for everybody, it’s impossible.”

Lucy Chabot Reed is editor of The Triton. Comments on this story are welcome at editorial@the-triton.com. If you make your living running someone else’s yacht, e-mail lucy@the-triton.com for an invitation to our monthly Bridge luncheon.

April 2009 A17

A18 April 2009

PHOTO GALLERY

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The Triton

The crew of M/Y Kaleen were a bit giddy in between all the work being done on this 120-foot Broward. After a three-month refit at Broward Marine, 2nd Stew Ryan Maspero, First Mate Dirk Anceschi and 1st Stew Andrea Zawislak were finishing off a few tasks before they head to the Bahamas PHOTO/CAPT. TOM SERIO and then New England this summer.

Not all work is done on a yacht, as evidenced by Deckhand Greg Wessel and Capt. Karl Joyner working in the trailer for S/Y Summerwind, a 100foot sailing yacht. Watch for Summerwind at the classic races this spring.

PHOTO/CAPT. TOM SERIO Unable to make it to The Triton’s quarterly beach clean-up-andplay day in March, Capt. Denise Fox paddled around the canal behind her home in Ft. Lauderdale and hauled this bag of trash. Join The Triton in June in Ft. Lauderdale for another morning in the sand and surf. More details in upcoming issues.

M/Y Pure Bliss was in Rybovich in March for some maintenance and new zerospeed stabilizers. Crew onboard this 44m Palmer Johnson – including, from left, dayworker David Lage, Mate Rob Fisher, and dayworker Jack Fuller – were busy cleaning the topsides while the bottom was worked on.

Heading to the Med for the summer, Pure Bliss is heavily chartered and has PHOTO/CAPT. TOM SERIO several on the books for the upcoming season.

PHOTO COURTESY OF CAPT. DENISE FOX

Capt. Charles Crace, center, was up early squaring things away on the 130foot Westport M/Y Believe with Mate Scott Torrie, left, and Deckhand Justin Qvarnstrom.

PHOTO/CAPT. TOM SERIO

The Triton

www.the-triton.com

PHOTO GALLERY

April 2009 A19

There’s nothing like a good workout to get the day started. Here’s Bosun Chris Brown from the Christensen M/Y Silver Lining at the Rybovich Marina Health Center.

PHOTO/CAPT. TOM SERIO

Seen on the tender for M/Y Party Girl were Bosun Nicol Terblanche and Deckhand Thomas Crosby busy wiping down the 37-foot Intrepid. Both men have been on the 146-foot yacht for less than a year, but are PHOTO/CAPT. TOM SERIO thoroughly enjoying the journey.

We were seeing double at Bahia Mar Yachting Center when we came across temporary Mate Harry Newman (who also is a captain) onboard the 112-foot Westport M/Y Beach Girl. That’s because right around the corner was …

PHOTO/CAPT. TOM SERIO

Not far away were a few other crew onboard M/Y Party Girl, a bit jealous of their crew brethren’s photo opp.

Here’s Stew Aimee Preston, 2nd Stew Eka Flores and 2nd Eng. Mark Spavins. OK everyone, back to PHOTO/CAPT. TOM SERIO work.

The new M/Y Beach Girl, a 130-foot Westport. Under the command of Capt. Thomas Gerbase (far right), crew members take on several roles. From left is 2nd Capt./ Mate/Eng. Justin Reilly, Chef/Deckhand Tommy Diehl, Stew Valerie DeanSoutham and Deckhand Brian Wichterman. Based in Virginia Beach, watch for Beach Girl in New England this summer. As for the smaller yacht, she is for sale but you PHOTO/CAPT. TOM SERIO may see her cruising, too.

They don’t come much newer than this. Deck crew Jacob Dinces was just hired one week prior on the 170foot schooner S/Y Meteor. Guess it helped that he was on the delivery crew. Meteor was headed to the St. PHOTO/CAPT. TOM SERIO Barth’s Bucket.

A20 April 2009

WRITE TO BE HEARD

www.the-triton.com

The Triton

Triton survey on violence shows crew not savvy or smart enough I responded to your survey, so I was Send them back to the dole queue or pleased to catch the follow-up report factory floor where they belong. you made of the statistics received.

The sooner captains and [“Half of crew have been threatened or management companies clamp down attacked,” March 2009, page C1] on the bad habits of crew, the better Frightening, not so much from the for all of us, crew included. Hair follicle number of incidents reported – as testing should become the norm. Crew unfortunately from what I read in the agencies should refuse to recommend newspapers these are mirrored in any crew who refuse to take the test. They large survey of young adults – but should arrange a bulk contract with shocking from the large number of testing labs to reduce the cost and patently unsuitable people that are get prospective crew to pay for their being employed in our industry, fueling own tests. (They take AIDS tests for these stats. new girl/boyfriends, so a drug test for We are supposed to be employing employment is not too much to ask.) well-educated, intelligent, teamThis regime would soon weed out spirited service personnel to man the drug takers and a lot of crew who extremely expensive, high-technology also binge drink, as these two behaviors vessels that are owned by some of the seem to go hand in hand very often. wealthiest people We work in in the world. a highly skilled, ‘Alcohol and drugs, They should be a incredibly wellfollowed by violent good step above paid industry average. encounters ... Send them where it should Therefore, can be considered back to the dole queue.’ we not expect a privilege to that such a group be employed. of people would The current provoke fewer violent attacks on competition for crew employment themselves (for instance, by knowing is a good thing. We do not need where not to be or by being more irresponsible people. We should expect situationally aware) than a lesser to have the best, not the also-rans. educated group? Yacht owners would The economic downturn, though be horrified if they knew the facts obviously terrible for many, should be about how many drug-taking, hardused as an opportunity for tightening drinking people are employed on their up on employment contracts by behalf. putting in place stricter requirements To quote from your article, “Most in order to attract responsible, qualified of my muggings were caused by me crew. fighting back. I learned to lose some Publications such as yours can help pride and money so I can go home to lead the way by continuing to publicize appreciate what’s most important to the unacceptable side of yachting in me: life.” order to push to improve the quality of Most of my muggings? The majority the people in it. God knows, the shinyof humans go through their whole lives covered yachting press, whilst doing without being mugged once. How many a great job of promoting the glitz of has he had? Does he collect them? This yachting, keeps its collective head in particular respondent is obviously a the sand when it comes to publishing liability to have around. Who are these anything remotely contentious. people? Freely admitting to nights Thank you for publishing this out on alcohol and drugs, followed by disturbing and enlightening article. violent encounters ... surprise, surprise.

Capt. Brian Chick

A22 April 2009

WRITE TO BE HEARD

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The Triton

Another serious crime affects yacht crew in the Caribbean On Sunday, March 8, four crew from M/Y Diamond Girl were enjoying a day off the boat and driving a rental car around St Lucia’s western coastal highway, hoping to discover some of the island’s best treasures . . . the natural beauty of the volcano and waterfalls, along with stunning views from the mountain drive.

On the return drive though Anse La Raye at about 4 p.m., the River Rock Waterfall beckoned them to take a few last photos before getting back to the boat. A two-mile drive away from the main road led to a sign for the falls, where another vehicle was also parked.

The caretaker of the property and two relatives of the property owner were at the falls, and explained about the local fruit and flowers that grow in the rain forest.

Upon leaving the falls through a short hiking trail, two of the crew members returned briefly to change camera lens and take a few more pictures, while myself and the chef continued to the car. As we walked to the car, two masked young men with sawed-off shotguns ran toward the car and asked for “everything.”

They held a gun toward the chef ’s leg and emptied my pockets of a digital camera, cell phone, and then asked for only the money from the wallet. They then went through the chef ’s pocket but she had nothing except cigarettes and a lighter.

All the time the event was rather calm, and the two gunmen even returned my cell phone chip upon request and a few of the chef ’s cigarettes before they aggressively told me to drive away, immediately.

Knowing that the other two crew members were right behind, I stalled for a minute (by losing the car key) until the gunmen started heading back toward the falls’ entrance, with the gun pointed toward the car. As the car crawled to about 50 yards from the falls’ entrance, the other two crew members reached the trail beginning and were also approached by the gunmen with the same requests.

This time, they retrieved more cash, another small digital camera, a wedding ring and gold chain, but for unknown reasons did not want an expensive SLR digital camera and zoom lens. (Maybe it was due to the size; it would be difficult to carry through the woods.)

Once they received everything from the other two crew members, they asked them to “go ... go ... go” but one of the crew members asked for the card from the camera, and again the gunmen obliged. As the other two crew returned to the now-stopped car about 50 yards away, the gunmen ran back into the woods from where they had

Crime might keep crew from seeing all the beauty of the Caribbean, such as this Rodney Bay Sunset.

PHOTO/Brian Millspaugh

originally emerged.

We went immediately to the Anse la Raye police station and reported the crime, after which at least four officers jumped into full action, with loaded firearms, and drove to the scene of the crime and nearby villages, taking into custody one individual who the crew dismissed as not involved (due to his body shape and size).

Within a few days, officials said they had “made arrests” in connection with the robbery, and would be contacting us soon.

Riots and a killing in Guadaluope and Martinique. Yacht captain killed and girlfriend shot in Antigua. Yacht chef killed in Puerto Rico. Armed Robbery in St Lucia. Where is it safe for cruising in the Caribbean anymore? Are expensive, highly visible yachts with wealthy owners and guests becoming more targeted due to the reduction in other tourist money and the general economy downturn?

The crew of Diamond Girl are shaken up, but thankfully not hurt, and almost all that was taken can be replaced. To all other yachts cruising the area, we urge vigilance and safe cruising. Be alert and stay away from isolated areas – on any island.

Capt. Mark Johnston M/Y Diamond Girl

The Triton

www.the-triton.com

WRITE TO BE HEARD

April 2009 A23

Foxy Callwood worthy of his English honor I was in Road Town, Tortola on March 3 when I ran into Foxy Callwood, the proprietor of a well-known beach bar on Jost Van Dyke, catering to sailors for more than the 30 years I have known him.

He was on his way to a Rotary Club luncheon where he was speaking on certain local conservation and environmental issues. I looked in on that meeting and was not surprised to see that not only was he the one man in the room without a tie but he was also the only person in the room not wearing any shoes at all.

Sometime this summer, Foxy will travel to England to receive an M.B.E. from Her Majesty’s Government, in recognition, no doubt (he is modest on the subject) for his numerous contributions to the quality of life for the people of the British Virgin Islands.

One tangible example of his efforts can be seen on the flat land behind his bar, where a large, native-style boat, in wood, has been under construction for more than two years. Foxy has funded this project for the benefit of the youth of the B.V.I. so that they may learn, and preserve, the skills of their ancestors, but also experience the necessities of personal commitment, time management and teamwork in a goal-oriented project.

Foxy is proudest of one young man, a less-than-mediocre student at school when he joined the team at the keel laying. He will graduate from high school with honors in June, about the same time the boat will be finished.

I don’t think the man will become Sir Foxy with his M.B.E.; certainly not Lord Callwood. But whatever you call him, he is a fine example of what my dad used to say: It doesn’t matter where you start; it matters how you finish.

Anyone who would judge this man by his (lack of) shoes could not begin to understand the complex and accomplished personality that resides within. It is entirely fitting that The Crown has looked beyond a rustique demeanor and bestowed this high honor upon a worthy man.

David F. Allen Senior Vice President Alliance Marine Risk Managers

Port Everglades customs crew really delivered It is great to be able to write about something positive. My experience with U.S. Customs and Border Protection in Port Everglades has been just that.

Thanks to Robert Schimenti and his crew, two of my clients were afforded clearance at the dock. I contacted them about five days prior to the arrival of the two vessels. I presented certificates of registry, and crew and passenger lists and asked if this could be arranged.

Schimenti said, “If there is any way we can have our staff come to the vessels, we will do this.”

The officers are interested in serving the yachting community; they are always there for questions and professional in every way. As with many businesses and services, limited staffing is difficult, but they really put their best foot forward to assist.

Donna Bradbury BWA Yachting

Ritzy breakfast a contradiction

It was with some interest I read the article appearing at the bottom of page C1 concerning leaner budgets and food costs [“In this era of leaner budgets, make decisions that cut food costs,” February 2009].

Finally, some people are beginning to see the light in regard to the extravagant and wasteful spending that Editor Lucy Chabot Reed, lucy@the-triton.com

Publisher David Reed, david@the-triton.com Advertising Sales Peg Soffen, peg@the-triton.com

News staff Dorie Cox Lawrence Hollyfield Production Manager Patty Weinert, patty@the-triton.com The Captain’s Mate Mike Price, mike@the-triton.com

permeates yachting today.

It never ceases to amaze me of the spending that goes on, sometimes at the direction of the owner, but more often at the discretion of the crew. I have encountered time and again the attitude amongst professional crew that “if the owner can afford this boat, then he (she) can afford whatever we choose to buy for the vessel.” These people never seem to take into account that these same owners can afford the vessel because they have not wasted money in business or elsewhere.

In any event, I was delighted to see the article by Mary Beth Lawton Johnson, and was thankful for it. Then I turned to page 10 to continue reading the article, and my contentment was short-lived as I eyed the recipe immediately below it.

“Mary Beth’s Better Than Sex Breakfast” immediately cast aside all her principles about shopping and serving food on a more constrained budget, and proposes a breakfast entree that includes a filet, jumbo lump crab cakes, hollandaise and truffles, along with caviar.

Let me be clear that, generally speaking, I like and read The Triton, but this seems very contradictory.

Capt. Tom McKenzie

Contributors Carol M. Bareuther, Capt. John Campbell, Mark A. Cline, Jake DesVergers, Chris Fairgrieve, Capt. Bill Foster, Capt. Denise Fox, Chef Mary Beth Lawton Johnson, Alene Keenan, Jim Kelleher, Capt. Bob Kimball, Capt. Herb Magney, Justin Mann, Capt. Mac McDonald, Keith Murray, Steve Pica, Rossmare Intl., James Schot, Capt. Tom Serio, Rachel Shapiro

EDITOR’S NOTE: You are right, it is contradictory. We tried to rectify that in the March issue with Mary Beth’s economical version of that tasty breakfast with fish cakes, chuck eye steak or flat iron stead, and salmon roe.

Mule drivers? You’re kidding, right?

Several crew forwarded us a recent news story from CNN that pointed out that mule drivers at a historical park in Pennsylvania were being required to get a TWIC. The Transportation Security Administration refused a request for a waiver, saying all mariners with U.S. Coast Guard-issued credentials must obtain the biometric Transportation Worker Identification Credential. The mariners in question operate the muledrawn canal boat in the park.

I realize these folks have to get the cards because they have USCG licenses, but it is past time licensed mariners ask what these measures are actually accomplishing. Does anybody know what two forms of identification from the same department accomplish, other than adding to the expense of operating the government, and removing people from the field who might actually detect threats to our ports and vessels?

First Officer Richard Fuher M/Y Starfire Vol. 6, No. 1.

The Triton is a free, monthly newspaper owned

by Triton Publishing Group Inc. Copyright 2009 Triton Publishing Group Inc. All rights reserved.

Contact us at: Mailing address: 757 S.E. 17th St., #1119 Visit us at: 111B S. W. 23rd St. Ft. Lauderdale, FL 33315 (954) 525-0029; FAX (954) 525-9676 www.the-triton.com

Take it on ourselves

Downtime antics

Before medevac

Crew security starts with crew.

Drills keep crew busy.

Have your own plan.

B2

Section B

B4

B8

www.the-triton.com

Navigating the options in charts Jeppesen, Garmin, Navionics and MapMedia offer products to help you get there safely

By Justin Mann One type of electronic charting system is the ubiquitous chartplotter or, more specifically, the charts that run on the plotter.

These units are everywhere. From tenders to water toys to bridges and cockpits, the chartplotter has spread to every corner of the boating market.

And for good reason; they work. But the charts that run on chartplotters have changed quite a bit in recent years.

Bathymetric data, satellite photos, harbor photos, facilities information, weather services … you may ask yourself, “where did my chart go?”

No longer content to simply display vector chart data, today’s plotters and the cartography that runs on them provide the user with power and functionality that was previously the exclusive domain of PC navigation.

Times have changed. Chart data available from C-Map (Jeppesen), Garmin, Navionics and MapMedia all have leading-edge features. Today’s mariner has a lot of options when it comes to the hardware of a plotter, but before you buy that shiny new box, take a closer look at what charts run on that sleek machine. The results may surprise you.

Jeppesen

C-Map has been around for many years but recently was bought by Jeppesen Marine, the same company that owns Nobeltec. Regardless of the ownership, though, innovation has always been a part of C-Map. The current generation of C-Map data for chartplotters falls into two categories: MAX and MAX PRO. MAX has been around for a few years and

Furuno MapMedia charts in 3D use bathymetric and satellite photo overIMAGE COURTESY OF FURUNO lays at the entrance to the Port of Miami. updated for 2009. The new MAX data now supports high-definition photos of ports, piers, marinas and bridges, flashing nav-aids, and dynamic tides and currents. Also new is its navigation safety pack, including features such as Guardian alarm, safety toolbar and safety route, all designed for improved safety onboard a vessel.

Lastly, weather is available as a free download with the C-Map PCPlanner. The regions for MAX data are available in local, wide and megawide.

Suggest retail cost for the regions is $99, $199 and $249 respectively.

MAX PRO data takes a lot of the same features of MAX and builds on them. Perspective photos and detailed marina information are still part of the package, but added to that are capabilities such as 3D bathymetric data, satellite imagery overlays and quick-sync updating providing near real-time updating capability. It is

See NAVIGATION, page B6

The Platinum is Navionics’ answer to Garmin’s Vision and Jeppesen’s MAX PRO. PHOTO COURTESY OF NAVIONICS

New stop Tunisia picks up where Malta faltered.

B19

April 2009

Maritime safety: Euro parliament toughens rules The Erika III package, aimed at protecting Europe’s coasts from maritime disasters and improving passenger and crew safety, was adopted by the European Parliament in March. The eight regulations and directives will tighten safety requirements for ships and yachts Rules of the Road flying a European Union member Jake DesVergers state flag or those navigating in European waters. The goal is to help prevent disasters, such as the Erika and Prestige shipwrecks, from spoiling European coasts.

This legislation represents a major victory for the European Parliament.

It successfully pushed for tougher rules despite strong resistance from the EU national governments during negotiations on the package. The new rules establish a range of measures including: l Permanent blacklisting of dangerous ships with tougher and more frequent inspections; l Stricter insurance requirements for owners and better compensation to passengers in the event of accidents; l Mandatory compliance with international safety standards for ships flying a member state flag; and l An independent authority to be created in each member state with the power to launch rescue operations and decide where to take ships in distress.

Tougher inspections. High-risk ships will be inspected every six months and any ship that has been detained or issued with a “prevention of operation” order at least three times in three years will be refused access, not only to ports but also to offshore anchorages throughout the EU. The “refusal of access” order can See RULES, page B5

B April 2009

SECURITY: Crew crime

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The Triton

Many assaults on crew never get reported I want to thank The Triton for its effort in delving into the nitty-gritty of the recent crime statistic survey that 325 crew responded to. This unscientific survey provides us with a unique insight into what we seldom discuss publicly or much less amongst our fellow colleagues.

My first All Secure thought upon Jim Kelleher reading the numbers was, I wonder what the statistics would look like if all the actual assaults on crew were in fact reported, not only by crew but also by police. Many assaults on crew never get reported for a variety of reasons, including the fact that even when they are, they never really get written up or reflected in official crime statistics for fear of having a negative impact on tourism.

The old salts will say, “If you think it is bad now you should have been around in my time.” This of course can be said for just about any profession or society in general. The difference today is that scores of attacks are more likely to be settled or carried out with a gun or knife, resulting in serious injury or death.

If there is an actual increase in crime, especially physical assaults against crew members, it could be argued that the increase is due to our own actions, whether it be immaturity, alcohol consumption, personal habits or a combination of all three.

If we were to look at the incidence of assaults on crew members from the time of departure to the time of return to port on a statistical basis, it would appear alarmingly high in comparison to other professions.

We must, however, take into account that the reports that were given did not specify a time frame. So the incidents that were reported could in fact be one incident over the course of a very long career.

I believe that our occupation has become more dangerous than at any other time in recent history, and the prognosis is not good.

Having said this, what can we do to protect ourselves from becoming future crime statistics? First, we all have to become more proactive with regard to our safety and that of our fellow crew members. A first step is the acknowledgment that there is strength in numbers. As we know from our onshore neighborhood, neighborhood watches are a tremendous deterrent.

While cruising and at port we need to adopt the concept and expand our watch horizons beyond that of our own vessels. What happens next door or the adjoining slip can have an immediate

impact upon our own operational safety and security.

Secondly, the sharing of common information and experiences amongst captains can only have a positive impact upon our overall security. If we learn of incidents at marinas or even local communities affecting the safety of crew and vessels, we should make sure that fellow captains in the area are aware of the facts and avoid the locations until assurances are made that the safety and security of our vessels and crews are being taken seriously by the businesses and locations we frequent and support.

The economic impact of the yachting community is significant to major cities around the world. It is exponentially more significant to smaller communities that are often visited by the yachting industry.

The realization of the potential for losing this economic sector to small communities will bring immediate remedies.

Communication with colleagues on other yachts regarding security issues, concerns, and incidents can only improve our overall security and that of the industry.

It is important that not only the authorities at marinas are made aware of the potential implications to business but also the ownership of the marina and adjacent businesses who should be advised of the economic implications resulting from a shortfall in the safety and security of visiting crews and yachts.

Third, we must revisit the basics of security with our fellow crew. As time goes by we all become complacent regarding not only our own safety and security safeguards but also those of our fellow crew. Returning home safely does not just apply to the cruise in general but also to each crew member on the yacht every night while in port.

Being responsible for our fellow crew mates should not be just the right thing to say but also a basic premise and tenant of our industry.

I might suggest that we all revisit some basic safety and security commandments in light of recent events and incidents involving crew members: l Thou shall never travel alone. Take fellow crew mates with you when going

ashore. The more the merrier. l If you are confronted by someone who has a weapon of any sort, give them the money and run. Material items, jewelry and money can all be replaced. Don’t try to be a hero; that only works in the movies. l Do not allow yourself to be placed in a vehicle and taken from your location. l Return with all the crew members you left with. Splitting off on your own or with one of the locals can be something you will later regret on so many levels. l Even when leaving with other crew mates let those staying on board know of your destination and approximate time of return. l If you are staying on-board, ask those who are leaving for their destination and ETA back on board.

Exchange cell phone numbers. l If a serious problem arises on shore, contact those on watch to inform them of the problem. Make sure the captain is advised. Understand that he/she will eventually find out. It’s always best to let them know as soon as possible.

Communication with colleagues on other yachts regarding security issues, concerns, and incidents can only improve our overall security and that of the industry. If we acknowledge and act as a unified economic business sector avoiding destinations that have not taken the safety and security of our crews seriously, and taken appropriate judicial action against those committing crimes against crew and vessels, our strength as an industry will be demonstrated and changes will be made.

There are too many great destinations in this world that provide our crew’s safety, security, and peace of mind while visiting ashore to give those that do not even a second thought.

If the economy continues on its present path we can only assume that physical assaults on our crews will increase. It also stands to reason that not only the Third World destinations we visit will experience an increase in assaults for economic gain but also destinations that we have historically felt safe and secure will unfortunately see an increase as well. The time to prepare ourselves and our fellow crew mates against crime is now.

Jim Kelleher is president of Securaccess, a global security consultancy based in South Florida. He is a retired U.S. Secret Service agent, a licensed U.S. Coast Guard captain, and the former vice president of security for the world’s largest fleet of private Feadships and Gulfstream jets. Contact him through www.securaccessinc.com. Comments on this column are welcome at editorial@ the-triton.com.

The Triton

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ONBOARD EMERGENCIES: Rescuer Safety

Being prepared for emergencies is key to happy, healthy endings Most of us will help someone in danger. There are, however, certain concerns that we all have when we think about saving another person’s life.

The first thing emergency medical personnel are taught when responding to a call is scene safety. Make certain that the area is safe for you and your team.

Sea Sick If the injured Keith Murray person was just electrocuted or overcome by gas fumes, what will stop you from becoming injured person No. 2?

In addition to personal safety is legal safety. If you perform CPR and break a rib, will this person sue you? For those of us willing to assist a stranger, Good Samaritan laws protect us.

Another fear is of becoming infected by a person’s blood, saliva or other contaminant. Even though there have been no documented cases of anyone catching AIDS during CPR, there is a chance and we want to avoid it when possible. In dealing with emergencies such as bleeding, assume that all blood is infectious and use caution.

With CPR our primary piece of safety equipment is a barrier device.

A CPR mask enables us to provide artificial respiration through a barrier that prevents contact with bodily fluids. These masks cost less than $20.

Protecting your eyes is also important. Inexpensive safety glasses that cover both the front and sides of the eyes protect rescuers from contact with infected bodily fluids.

The final safety item is medical exam

gloves. When I teach a class, I suggest that all students keep several pair of gloves near their work areas. If you work in the engine room, have gloves in your tool box. If you move around a lot, keep a pair on you.

Consider keeping gloves, safety glasses and a CPR mask at various points throughout the vessel.

If you get caught without a barrier device and need to perform CPR, the compression-only method may be all you need. When you see someone collapse, check for breathing. If they are not breathing, press down about two inches on the center of the victim’s chest at a rate of 100 times per minute.

Do this until help arrives or the victim starts to breath.

The American Heart Association states that hands-only CPR should not be used for infants or children, for adults whose cardiac arrest is from respiratory causes (like drug overdose or near-drowning), or for an unwitnessed cardiac arrest.

Being prepared is the key to happy medical emergencies ending. It starts with onboard crew first-aid training, having the right equipment, placing it throughout the ship, periodically making certain it is in proper order, and conducting drills to reinforce what to do in the event of an emergency.

Keith Murray, a former Florida firefighter EMT, is the owner of The CPR School, a mobile training company that provides CPR, AED and first aid training. He also sells and services automated external defibrillators.

Contact him at +1-561-762-0500 or keith@theCPRschool.com. Comments on this column are welcome at editorial@ the-triton.com.

April 2009

B

B April 2009

SAFETY DRILLS

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The Triton

M/Y Magic makes downtime training time

By Capt. Mac McDonald M/Y Magic was at the Rybovich shipyard in West Palm Beach this spring, getting a flashy new paint job.

Her new dress was completed in early March and she is now cruising around the Bahamas.

During her painting, though, there were days when no crew members were allowed in the paint enclosure. I took advantage of these down days for crew training.

The crew explored and reviewed subjects such as sea survival, fire fighting, search and recovery, and first aid.

The days when we can’t work on the boat are actually a blessing in disguise.

I have one of the crew prepare a lesson that we all need to review.

The whole crew gets their hands on equipment that isn’t seen very often. We review procedures that are important but that hopefully aren’t used. It’s time well spent.

Schedules are often tight when we’re in the middle of a season and crew training is set aside for later.

Right now is the perfect opportunity for us to get back our edge in safety drills.

Other down-time training that our crew has done during previous yard

Bosun Ryan Jamison, center, and Eng. Brian Cordial, laughing, carry deckhand Justin Kurth through an extraction drill. Since the crew couldn’t be on the vessel to conduct this drill, they simulated the vessel PHOTO COURTESY OF CAPT. MAC McDONALD with various chairs and other obstacles. periods includes a floral arrangement class, a silver-service brush-up and wine tastings.

As you can imagine, everyone likes to participate in the wine tastings. I never have trouble getting the crew

interested in participating there.

Capt. Mac McDonald is skipper of the 150-foot Trinity M/Y Magic. Comments on this story are welcome at editorial@ the-triton.com.

The Triton

www.the-triton.com FROM THE TECH FRONT: Rules of the Road

No insurance, no EU port entry RULES, from page B1 be lifted after three months only if the ship can prove it meets strict safety requirements. If a second refusal of access is issued, the waiting period will be increased to 12 months. If the ship continues to fail safety inspections, it will be permanently banned from any port or anchorage within the EU. Stricter insurance. The directive on the civil liability and financial guarantees of ship owners requires member states to obtain proof of insurance from ships flying their flag or entering their maritime territory. All ships must be insured at the amount of the maximum ceiling set by the IMO Convention on the Liability for Maritime Claims (1996). For most yachts, this limit is about $3.25 million.

This legislation states that ships that do not provide proof of insurance are to be denied entry into any EU port until the situation is rectified.

Better compensation. Under a regulation harmonizing the compensation to be awarded to passengers in case of accidents, carriers will have to pay up to 2,587 euros for lost or damaged luggage and up to 460,000 euros in the case of physical harm or death caused by fault or neglect. They will have to make advance payments in the event of death, permanent disability, or serious injuries suffered by a passenger. The regulation was extended to national maritime transport rather than just international traffic. It also ensures it will apply not just to the largest category of ships (class A) but also to smaller (class B) vessels, the most widely used passenger ships in the EU. Flag state obligations. EU-wide rules were laid down to ensure that member states effectively uphold obligations as flag states, in accordance with the IMO’s conventions on safety and the prevention of pollution. Member states must check that a ship complies with international rules and conventions before authorizing it to fly their flag.

The private organizations employed by member states to carry out ship inspections (the classification societies) will also be subject to a strict set of common rules and standards.

Member states will be able to suspend classification societies’ licenses if they fail to meet these standards.

Independent rescue authority.

Under the directive on vessel traffic monitoring, member states must designate a competent independent authority with the power to make decisions in the event of an accident or potentially dangerous situation. This should prevent time being lost in trying to reach agreement on matters such as where to take a ship in distress.

The competent authority will make decisions on its own initiative, with the aim of protecting human lives, the

coast and the maritime environment, as well as ensuring safety at sea and minimizing economic damage. The authority may: restrict the movement of the ship or direct it to follow a specific course; give official notice to the master of the ship to put an end to the threat on the environment or maritime safety; send an evaluation team aboard to assess the damage; deploy rescue workers; and/or organize the towing of the ship.

More accident investigations.

Investigations into the causes of shipping accidents will be more frequent and carried out according to strict common guidelines. There will be a focus away from the traditional position that investigations be limited to the worst accidents at sea.

Preliminary assessments will be made of all potentially serious accidents to decide whether a full investigation is needed. These inquiries will, in most cases, be conducted by a single member state. And, in a surprising move, witnesses will get legal protection to avoid any discriminatory or retaliatory measures being taken against them.

Maritime safety has long been a priority of the European Parliament. In 2002, it set up a temporary committee for improving safety at sea following the Erika (1999) and Prestige (2002) oil spills. Under the previous two packages of maritime safety legislation (known as Erika I and Erika II), the EU adopted important maritime safety and security laws providing, among other things, for ship inspections in port, a ban on single-hull vessels to transport oil, and the creation of the European Maritime Safety Agency (EMSA).

The Commission put forward the Erika III package in November 2005.

All through the legislative process, the European Parliament defended the highest safety standards possible for the maritime environment, coastal areas, and passengers and crew.

This is a significant piece of legislation that will affect all commercially registered ships and yachts trading in Europe, plus privately registered yachts registered under a European flag.

Capt. Jake DesVergers is chief surveyor for International Yacht Bureau (IYB), an organization that provides inspection services to private and commercial yachts on behalf of several flag administrations, including the Marshall Islands. A deck officer graduate of the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy at Kings Point, he previously sailed as master on merchant ships, acted as designated person for a shipping company, and served as regional manager for an international classification society. Contact him at +1954-596-2728 or www.yachtbureau.org.

Comments on this column are welcome at editorial@the-triton.com.

April 2009

B

Today’s fuel prices

One year ago

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

Prices for low-sulfur gasoil expressed in US$ per cubic meter (1,000 liters) as of March 14. 2008

Region Duty-free*/duty paid U.S. East Coast Ft. Lauderdale 379/407 Savannah, Ga. 366/NA Newport, R.I. 451/NA Caribbean St. Thomas, USVI 506/NA St. Maarten 563/NA Antigua 554/NA Valparaiso 613/NA North Atlantic Bermuda (Ireland Island) 623/NA Cape Verde 440/NA Azores 436/NA Canary Islands 320/480 Mediterranean Gibraltar 369/NA Barcelona, Spain 384/1,034 Palma de Mallorca, Spain NA/1,041 Antibes, France 456/1,212 San Remo, Italy 550/1,364 Naples, Italy 517/1,163 Venice, Italy 544/1,157 Corfu, Greece 481/1,149 Piraeus, Greece 463/1,131 Istanbul, Turkey 427/NA Malta 359/NA Bizerte, Tunisia 573/NA Tunis, Tunisia 569/NA Oceania Auckland, New Zealand 438/NA Sydney, Australia 444/NA Fiji 499/NA

Region Duty-free*/duty paid U.S. East Coast Ft. Lauderdale 913/973 Savannah, Ga. 969/NA Newport, R.I. 1,032/NA Caribbean St. Thomas, USVI 995/NA St. Maarten 964/NA Antigua 920/NA North Atlantic Bermuda (Ireland Island) 887/NA Cape Verde 892/NA Azores 861/NA Canary Islands 902/1,057 Mediterranean Gibraltar 896/NA Barcelona, Spain 924/1,702 Palma de Mallorca, Spain NA/1,798 Antibes, France 977/1,953 San Remo, Italy 1,079/2,044 Naples, Italy 1,002/1,954 Venice, Italy 1,010/1,899 Corfu, Greece 1,088/1,854 Piraeus, Greece 1,076/1,836 Istanbul, Turkey 937/NA Malta 901/NA Bizerte, Tunisia 905/NA Tunis, Tunisia 898/NA Oceania Auckland, New Zealand 891/NA Sydney, Australia 895/NA Fiji 950/NA *When available according to customs.

*When available according to local customs.

B April 2009 FROM THE TECH FRONT: Electronic Charting System

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The Triton

Manufacturers quickly eclipse each other with new products NAVIGATION, from page B1

The Garmin Bluechart G2 Vision offers highresolution satellite imagery of land and sea, aerial photos, mariner points of interest and more.

IMAGE COURTESY OF GARMIN

worth noting that with these features, MAX PRO offers the same features as charts running on PC-based navigation programs, giving the user a whole new perspective on that same old boring vector chart you have been staring at for years.

Weather is available from a few sources and can be overlayed on top of your vector chart, dramatically improving your situational awareness.

MAX PRO regions come in wide and megawide sizes and the suggested retail prices are $339 and $499, respectively.

For the mariner interested in leasing charts, MAX PRO regions can be rented for four-month increments at a suggested retail cost of $105 for a wide region and $150 for a megawide region.

Garmin

First there was Bluechart, then came Bluechart G2 and now Garmin has released Bluechart G2 Vision.

Today, the G2 and Vision data are the primary sources of cartography for Garmin. The G2 data offers some similar functionality as the MAX data from C-Map. Atop the feature list for the G2 user are 2D and 3D perspective view, port plans and geo-indexed photos, detailed coastal roads, marinas and points of interest. The last of these features gives the mariner a wouldbe cruising guide built into the chart itself. Additionally G2 charts contain wrecks, restricted areas and anchorage information. It’s available in small, regular or bathymetric, and large region sizes. Suggested retail pricing is $160, $213 and $321, respectively.

G2 data has already been eclipsed by other manufacturers. So Garmin has replied with G2 Vision. Though the regions are not as large as some of its competitors, you do get quite a bit of feature and functionality for your money.

Some of the highlights include Mariner’s Eye 3D, which is a bird’s eye view from above and behind the vessel; Fish Eye 3D, which is 3D bathymetric or underwater information; and highresolution satellite imagery of land and sea, aerial photos, mariner points of interest and more.

Suggested retail pricing is $267 for the small, $321 for the regular and $428 for the large size regions.

Navionics

Navionics was one of the first-tomarket with a plotter-based solution offering features such as satellite overlay and 3D rendering. Its current offerings are Silver, Gold/Gold+, and Platinum/Platinum+. As the names imply, the farther up you move on the metal scale, the more features you get and the more dollars you will spend.

Silver is the base product and offers coverage for U.S., Bahamian and Canadian waters but with vector chart data only. Gold takes the user into the realm of large areas of chart coverage for comparatively little money but offers some features such as shaded depth contours, enhanced port detail and, where available, high-definition fishing detail. Suggested retail price for Silver and Gold/Gold+ charts are $99 and $199, respectively.

Platinum is Navionics’ answer to Garmin’s Vision and Jeppesen’s MAX PRO. Loaded with familiar features,

See NAVIGATION, page B7

The Triton

www.the-triton.com FROM THE TECH FRONT: Electronic Charting System

Nobeltec MAX PRO’s entrance to Port Everglades in split screen with vector and bathymetric data and satellite overview. IMAGE COURTESY OF JEPPESEN MARINE

Analyze manufacturer charts before you decide on a plotter NAVIGATION, from page B6

engine. These charts combine the now familiar concepts of satellite and 3D Platinum offers much of what the most imagery along with topographic data demanding users have come to expect and vector chart data into one seamless at this price point. However, with a nod presentation that Furuno calls hybrid to the competition no doubt, Navionics or Satellite Photo Fusion. takes all of these features a step further Unlike other systems, the user is with its Platinum+ offering. always in a 3D environment, providing Essentially improving on many the most comprehensive situational of the key features of Platinum, the awareness possible. Chart rendering Platinum+ charts have four-timesor redraw is enhanced along with the higher resolution satellite overlays as seamless integration of multiple chart compared to Platinum. In addition sources such as vector and raster chart it offers XGA panoramic pictures, data, satellite imagery and bathymetric advanced bottom profile and improved data. geo-referencing for its coast pilot As of this writing, vector chart books. Suggested retail pricing is $299 coverage was limited in terms of and $499, respectively. availability with raster charts making up the remainder of the regions.

Suggested retail pricing varies as Furuno licensing for the MapMedia charts is Not to be forgotten or outdone, based on raster and vector charts.

Furuno has been hard at work on its Many advances new NavNet 3D have been made unit, and though As of this writing, in the field of this article is vector chart coverage electronic charts not about the for chartplotters. hardware per se, was limited in terms At first glance, it is necessary of availability with many of these to mention raster charts making offerings may when discussing seem similar – and Furuno’s newest up the remainder of the in some ways entry into the regions. they are – but cartography differences do market. The Time exist. Check out Zero engine that the charts from each manufacturer runs on the Navnet 3D serves as the core technology that makes much of its before you buy that shiny new plotter, since the cost, coverage, features functionality possible. This technology and quality of the charts can greatly allows Furuno to harness the full influence your decision. potential of its MapMedia charts and offer the user a fully immersive Justin Mann runs the electronic cartography experience. navigation department at Bluewater MapMedia is not a new name in the Books & Charts in Ft. Lauderdale. cartography game. Long a provider of Contact him at jamann@bluewaterweb. cartography around the world it now serves as the basis for Furuno’s charting com. Comments on this story are welcome at editorial@the-triton.com. system running on the Time Zero

April 2009

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B April 2009

EMERGENCY PREPARATION

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Don’t rely on service for medical air evacuation of guests

By Capt. Herb Magney We all practice our big three drills – MOB, fire and abandon ship – with different measures of regularity and depth. But there’s another scenario we should all have a discussion about, if not a full drill for: medical air evacuation.

No one ever wants this to come to pass, however the same applies to all mishaps. They come at the worst possible moments. Even if you have a service provider and know who to call and what you need to do to get a plane in the air immediately, read on; what happened to me may surprise you.

Lots if us make assumptions when we contract with a medical services company that we pay a monthly or case-by-case fee to. Find out exactly what is required to have an air ambulance headed your way. Get the details in writing and make it part of your safety and operations training with the crew. At least put the phone number on your list of emergency contact numbers.

Do not take it for granted that the U.S. Coast Guard will come to your rescue. Don’t assume another country’s rescue organization will rescue you; they will help as much as they can, but it might not be what you expect. Do not also take it for granted that calling the

closest medical service provider is easy or the best idea.

We found that having a middle man just complicates the process.

We also found that several services did not have current data on runway lengths and airport operating hours. I have been medevaced to Miami from Providenciales, Turks and Caicos, and have been involved with nine others as the evacuation coordinator.

You can call for help on VHF 16 and other GMDSS systems for help, but trust me, if you want your guests or the owners and your crew to have the most expedient service, be prepared with your own plan or a drill-tested relationship with a full service medical response service company.

Otherwise, you might go through what I did recently. This is a typical procedure for a large medical services provider, which I will refer to as XYZ Medical Group.

1. XYZ’s medevac procedure is outlined below.

“We will use the air ambulance providers designated by International SOS, which are credentialed and qualified by International SOS as preferred providers. All provider costs and fees related to the case will be quoted to you prior to any financial commitments on your behalf. In some cases, pre-payment may be required in

order to secure the air ambulance.”

Lesson: Add an hour to two for the quoting and payment process before a plane ever leaves the ground.

2. XYZ’s Global Response Center (GRC) receives communication from client employee or representative regarding an individual with a serious medical condition that may require XYZ to initiate a medical evacuation.

3. XYZ’s Communication Specialists (CS) obtains initial case details such as employee name, location, call-back telephone number and chief medical concern. CS creates a new case and assigns a number.

4. CS briefs the XYZ Nurse Case Manager (NCM) on duty and conferences him/her in with the caller to obtain more medical details. The NCM then determines the nature/ urgency of the medical issue, the circumstances leading to the medical issue, the victim’s medical history and medications, and the patient/caller’s wishes for care. The NCM then explains the next steps and sets a time for the next contact and/or follow up.

Lesson: While all this is happening, no plane has left the ground yet.

5. XYZ then has some internal business. The NCM alerts XYZ’s medical director (physician) of a potential evacuation. The CS alerts his/her supervisor of a potential

evacuation.

Lesson: During this time, the owner or the charter guest is asking when the plane will land, and no plane has been allocated yet.

6. The NCM contacts the treating doctor/hospital for a medical report, if possible.

7. The CS notifies Client Authorizing Officer (CAO) of a potential evacuation, who then confirms whether the caller is an employee and notifies authorizing officer of employee’s name and business unit. The client advises if another authorizing officer will be handling the case and who XYZ should follow up with. This authorizing officer then sets a time for the next follow up.

8. NCM and MD determine medical necessity of an evacuation and documents their decision within case communication log.

Lesson: The captain, yacht’s medical person in charge and/or the charterer/ owner is not even in this process.

We are now in Step 8 and no one has ordered a plane to take off.

9. NCM and MD determine potential destinations of an evacuation, factoring in: closest, most appropriate and available facilities; nationality of patient (for visa issues); home country of patient; and patient’s desires

See EVACUATION, page B9

The Triton

www.the-triton.com

EMERGENCY PREPARATION

My 21 steps were torturous EVACUATION, from page B8 10. CS contacts CAO to confirm if they will evacuate if it’s not medically necessary, and which location the client wants quotes for.

Lesson: Prices can be quoted at the beginning of a cruising season.

St Vincent and the Grenadines non-stop from the eastern United States/Midwest is between $36,000 and $40,000 and can be covered by insurance.

11. NCM and MD provide quote parameters to CS, including the necessity for and number of nurses and/or MD escorts, medical equipment and destination.

12. CS contacts International SOS to secure air ambulance and collaborate on the medical needs of the patient.

Lesson: Finally someone starts to get a plane in the air. This is medical care by committee. We are not talking about the treatment of the patient; this is just to have him moved from the boat for better medical services. Still no plane has left the ground.

13. CS updates caller/patient on the status.

14. CS sends Quote Presentation Form for CAO to sign and return.

Payment may be required prior to commencement of medevac.

Lesson: You can sign up and have a credit card on file or be a member of a yearly plan.

15. CS confirms with CAO as to which party is responsible for hospital bills, family accompaniment, hotel, and any other miscellaneous expenses. CS notifies discharging/receiving hospitals of payment responsibilities.

16. NCM, MD and International SOS create an evacuation Plan of Action. International SOS provides air ambulance flight plan to CS. CS/NCM communicates the plan to the patient and/or CAO.

Lesson: Finally, someone has ordered a plane.

17. NCM confirms receiving hospital and arranges admission.

18. NCM alerts discharging hospital of Plan of Action to prepare for discharge.

19. CS arranges for ground transportation at departure/ destination locations, as needed.

20. CS and/or NCM follow up with caller/patient/client/discharging hospital and MD/receiving hospital and MD/air ambulance provider regularly. Monitor for changes in medical condition, flight conditions and expected expenses.

21. In the event unforeseen circumstances arise affecting the cost of approved evacuation/ transportation/hospital expenses, CAO must be notified for additional approvals and/or additional payment.

This was my reality. We have learned that it is prudent to have your own air evacuation plan, know your landing places, and have credit cards on file with an air ambulance company that services your cruising area.

There are networking companies that contract with numerous air ambulance services. Research them online and check with your ship’s insurance company for their protocols or recommendations. And many highend credit cards cover this type of evacuation.

This is a great exercise for the first officer, medical person in charge, purser or chief stew. You are out there on your own. If anyone can add to this experience with what they know, please don’t hesitate. It may save a life.

Capt. Herb Magney is a megayacht captain, most recently on the 125-foot M/Y Milk and Honey. Comments on this article are welcome at editorial@ the-triton.com.

165-pound davit handles 1,000 pounds The new, lightweight TECH-1000-2 automated hydraulic davit from Nautical Structures can handle a working load up to 1,000 pounds in all boom positions aboard yachts up to 140 feet. Weighing 165 pounds, the allaluminum TECH-1000-2 is 35 percent lighter and stronger than comparable davit designs and priced at less than $10,000, complete with mounting standpipe and hydraulic power unit.

The TECH-1000-2 has a fully faired and painted finish to match the paint color of the yacht.

Visit www.nautical-structures.com for more information.

Globe Wireless adds GlobeMobile

Globe Wireless launched GlobeMobile, technology that enables crew to use personal GSM phones for

voice and SMS communications, at the Digital Ship Conference in Oslo, Norway, in March. GlobeMobile is a GSM solution for VSAT, Iridium OpenPort and Fleet Broadband terminals controlled by a custom-built Globe Wireless GSM network.

New autopilot adds features

The new autopilot Admiral P3 from ComNav provides megayacht and other large vessel crews advanced power features, including automatic helm bias and automatic leeway control, to minimize course errors from wind and tide shifts. With an intuitive Work Mode, the Admiral P3 offers rudder response and self-learning, intelligent steering technology.

For more information, visit www. comnav.com.

April 2009

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B10 April 2009

MARINAS / YARDS

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The Triton

Dockmaster Mike Driver, right. hoists the Clean Marina flag with the help of PHOTO/DORIE COX Will Clark of the marina’s parts department.

Family marina gains clean status Florida has named Lauderdale Marina, just north of the 17th Street Causeway in Ft. Lauderdale, a Clean Marina.

Complying with 67 mandatory requirements, as well as exceeding requirements from a list of 100 more suggested items, was a four-year process for the 61-year-old marina.

“Now we’ve got MSDS books, hurricane plans and oil spill plans, to name a few,” said Will Clark of the marina’s parts department. Clark was presented the Clean Marina flag, which was raised on the marina dock at an official ceremony early March.

“When I got here, there were no [city] commissioners who knew which was the pointy end of a boat,” said Lauderdale Marina founder Bob Cox. The Lauderdale Marina is the oldest single-owner marina business in South Florida. The facility was founded by Cox in 1948, and is now operated by three family generations.

Lauderdale Marina is the 173rd member of the Florida Clean Marina Program. The state also has 30 Clean Boatyards and eight Clean Marine Retailers.

– Dorie Cox

Croatian marina to expand

Mandalina Marina and Yacht Club in Sibenik, Croatia, will undergo renovation to add 65 megayacht berths under an agreement between Island Global Yachting (IGY) and Nautical Center Prgin (NCP). The existing 350 wet-slip/50 dry-dock marina can take yachts in excess of 35 meters.

The facility includes NCP Shipyard with 24-hour assistance and technical services, NCP Charter with more than 60 vessels and the NCP Sailing School.

Gas station and grocery are also onsite.

The coastal town of Sibenik on Croatia’s Dalmatian Coast has been chosen as the ‘world’s number one sailing destination’ by National Geographic magazine and the site

is noted for its UNESCO-protected cathedral and two national parks: the waterfalls of Krka and the Kornati Archipelago.

“This development will rival the most storied yachting areas in the world – from Portofino to St. Tropez to St. Barths – with the highest quality berths, premier facilities and services, and scenic architecture,” said Andrew Farkas, founder and chairman of Island Global Yachting.

For more, visit www.igymarinas.com.

New marina on Harbour Island

Romora Bay Marina on Harbour Island in the Bahamas is now open.

The 40-slip facility can take yachts up to 150 feet. The slips have single- and three-phase power backed up by the marina’s generators, and the marina has its own pink-sand beach.

The upland bar, Sunsets, is an openair venue with a casual menu and views of the sunset. The Vue restaurant is at the hilltop of the property under the direction of master chef Matthew Ona, formerly of The French Laundry.

For more information, call +1-242333-2325 or visit www.romorabay.com.

New port director in Washington

U.S. Customs and Border Protection of Friday Harbor, Wash., named Barry Clement as new port director. Clement began his career as an inspector in 1986. He transferred to St. Thomas and in 2005 served at a training Center in Georgia. As port director, he will supervise seven officers and provide oversight for all CBP operations at Friday and Roche Harbors.

Nanny Cay improvements done

Power upgrades and backups have been completed at Nanny Cay Resort on Tortola in the British Virgin Islands.

A 600kw generator and a transformer have completed the back up power to the 25-acre property.

For more, visit www.nannycay.com.

Inflatable Fenders

The #1 choice in inflatable fenders, AERE’® is protecting yachts worldwide from 11 to over 500 feet, including use by the U.S. Coast Guard, U.S. Navy and Alaska Marine Highway. AERE® Inflatable Fenders are also available in Extreme Duty models and unique flat fenders for stern protection.

Safeguarding your boating investment begins with captain and crews #1 choice of inflatable fenders. AERE® Inflatable Fenders protect against damage caused by surges, storms, rafting, inept boaters and other issues we can’t control.

You need protection!

AERE® Inflatable Fenders require minimum space and provide maximum protection.

Available in many sizes, types and colors to compliment and protect your boat’s exterior.

AERE’® Inflatable Fenders Carry an unconditional one year guarantee and two years manufacturing quality guarantee.

Fenda-Sox® topside protection

Genuine AERE’® Inflatable Fenders

give you the added protection your gel coat and paintwork require, saving you time and money on expensive maintenance and repairs. The covers also stop irritating fender squeak - no more sleepless nights!

PRAKTEK INC.

Toll Free (877) 617-5615 Local (954) 345-AERE (2373) Fax (954) 344-1414 Web Site http://www.praktek.com/ - E-mail info@praktek.com

B12 April 2009

CRUISING GROUNDS: Tunisia

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The Triton

Turning to Tunisia Yachts seeking VAT exemption go to N. Africa after Malta opts to join the European Union

By Capt. John Cambell One of the vagaries of European law allows many yachts to stay in the European Union without paying VAT, provided they leave European waters at least once every 18 months. It used to be that such vessels would visit Malta, often on their way to or from Greece.

The visit would clear the VAT status for another 18 months and allow the boat to fill up with duty-free fuel.

Malta went and spoiled this easy option by, rather selfishly, joining the EU. The tax exiles had to seek another option for their day out of the EU, and Tunisia began to be visited by more yachts.

We had always used S&D Yachts (www.sdyachts.com) as our agents when visiting Malta, and had always taken duty-free fuel through its services. Mark at S&D helped found an agency in Tunisia and encouraged us to go to Bizerte in the northeast of the country to take duty-free fuel and to get us officially out of the EU, even if for only a day. The company he co-founded

is Best Marine (www.tunisiayachting. com) and it is the font of all knowledge for the northeastern parts of Tunisia.

Tunisia feels very foreign. I can do no better than quote a friend who described the country as “hot and dusty, with a hint of thievery in the air.”

This feeling is certainly heightened by the behavior of the officials in Bizerte. They do their country a grave disservice by asking for “presents” at every turn.

It is a real shame, because Tunisia could and should be a destination in its own right. Most of the people are very friendly and it is certainly an interesting country.

We have been to Tunisia four times and visited three ports. Of the ports we have been to, Monastir in the southeast seems to be the most accustomed to yachts, and perhaps the easiest to visit.

The marina has its own Web site at www.marinamonastir.com.

When we were there, we did our own clearance without the benefit of an

See TUNISIA, page B13

East meets West in the streets of Tunisia.

PHOTO/Capt. John Campbell

The Triton

www.the-triton.com

Agents simplify payments if businesses are cash-only TUNISIA, from page B12 agent, and there were no real problems.

All the offices for police/immigration and customs are right there in the marina and they are well used to yachts coming and going. There was some pressure here, too, for “presents�, but it was nothing as aggressive as in Bizerte.

Town is outside the marina gates, and most supplies could be found within walking distance. The range of foodstuffs is limited; it would be hard to provision here for a fancy charter, but all staples can be found.

It is a popular place for cruising boats to over-winter and several that we talked with had done two- or threeday trips into the desert to visit an oasis. We never had the time to do this, but by all accounts it is worth doing.

The last time we were there, the marina did not accept credit cards. All bills had to be paid in cash. This is one benefit of using an agent; they will pay all the bills and allow you to settle with them by bank transfer.

Perhaps my favorite visit was to the little port of Kelibia, about 70 miles north of Monastir, on the Cap Bon peninsula. We were heading back to Spain from Turkey, and the wind was howling through the gap between Africa and Sicily, as it often does. We were getting cold, wet and tired, so when the autopilot began to complain, it was all the excuse we needed to seek shelter.

Kelibia is where we chose. It is a port of clearance, but not really a place that many yachts visit, which is a shame, as we liked it lot.

The tone for the visit was set by the policeman in charge of immigration.

We had to visit his office to complete the paperwork and I feared we were going to reach an impasse when he said we had to pay the fees in the local currency of dinars. Of course we had none and he said he was unable to accept foreign currency of any type. I asked where the nearest bank could be found and he said it was several miles away in the town.

I told him that I would have to walk, since without local money I could not take a bus and there were no taxis.

He said it was too far to walk, and with barely a momentary hesitation, he reached in his pocket and gave me a handful of dinars; more than enough for the bus there and a taxi back. We were really taken by this friendly gesture. Can you imagine an

See TUNISIA, page B14

CRUISING GROUNDS: Tunisia

April 2009

B13

B14 April 2009

CRUISING GROUNDS: Tunisia

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The Triton

This little harbor is near the Medina, the oldest part of Bizerte.

PHOTO/Capt. John Campbell

Call pilot station to say you don’t want a pilot TUNISIA, from page B13 immigration officer in say, Miami, doing this for a Tunisian visitor?

Once we had changed the money and completed the paperwork, we set about exploring the area. We were able to rent a rather tired old pick-up truck for a day, and went off to visit the ruins of a large ancient city that is slowly being excavated. Just to the north of the port is a large fortress on the top of a hill, overlooking the town and port. It is worth the walk up the hill for the views.

The town has a remarkably sophisticated Web site at www. kelibia.net with a good collection of photographs, several of which show the layout of the port. It is in French, but it is easy enough to navigate to the picture section.

It might be hard to find a berth for a larger yacht, but smaller boats should have no problem and it is worth a visit in my opinion.

That brings us to Bizerte. This is the nearest port for the yachts coming from France or Italy who need to prove that they have ventured outside of the EU. Unfortunately, the officials realize that is the usual purpose of the visit and seem intent on getting what they can out of the situation.

Bizerte is a big commercial harbor, and on approach it is advisable to call the pilot station on channel 16 or 12 to get permission to enter the port. However, make it plain that you do not want or need a pilot. It helps if you are working with an agent, as they will warn the port control of your arrival and will organize a berth for you. Smaller boats will be directed to the yacht club dock and you will moor

stern-to the dock. Be careful of the strong tides that run across the face of the dock. The current can make docking interesting when it is running strongly.

Larger vessels will usually be berthed on the tugboat quay, just inside the entrance of the river. It is a bit intimidating to be moored literally inches from the giant tugboats that work from there, but we have never had a problem and the tug captains we have watched are true experts in handling their vessels.

Occasionally big yachts will be berthed farther up the river, beyond the opening bridge, but there is usually room before the bridge. For any but the smallest of yachts, it is worth using an agent to organize the berth and clearance for you.

The town itself is quite interesting.

There is a huge market area selling all kinds of herbs and spices as well as the more prosaic clothes and shoes. To venture into the oldest part of the city, the Medina, is to step back in time.

Ali Baba and his 40 thieves spring to mind. There are narrow streets, dark alleyways, mosques, enigmatic doors and lots of cats.

Above the town is a large and wellpreserved amphitheater, and just to the east of the port, a picturesque fishing boat harbor.

So why are we not more enthusiastic about visiting Bizerte? Put simply, it is the because of the attitude and greed of the police. They are paid by the government to do their job. I accept that their wages are low, but the agents pay them handsomely on our behalf for doing what they are already paid to

See TUNISIA, page B15

The Triton

www.the-triton.com

In search of a marina? Try Hammamet, Sid Bou Said TUNISIA, from page B14 do. Even this is not enough and they keep asking for “presents” and more “presents.”

On our visit last year, despite having been paid by the agent, despite having had “presents” from us, a large, intimidating policeman wanted to sell us the clearance certificate proving to the tax man that we had visited. At this point I rebelled and refused to pay, so they refused to give us the clearance.

The agent was most embarrassed and made us an official-looking berthing certificate, which more than satisfied the tax people when we returned to Italy.

Because we were so put off by the attitude of the police, we sailed away as soon as we got the certificate, rather than spend the planned day of R&R ashore. Hopefully one day soon, this particular policeman will lose his job and maybe the attitude of the others will improve to where it will become a pleasure to visit Bizerte.

Although we have not been ourselves, we have heard that Hammamet Marina is less hassle and the agent for Best Marine did say he could organize clearance there. The marina has a Web site at www.yasmine. com.tn.

Another possibility is the marina at Sid Bou Said. This is close to Tunis and also handy for visits to the ruins of Carthage. However, it gets crowded and it is usually hard to find a berth there.

Be warned that the entrance is prone to silting, and there are tales of deeper draught yachts sheltering there from a gale, and finding that they cannot leave until the entrance has been dredged.

The marina is limited to yachts up to about 35 meters in length. They can be contacted at port-sbs@gnet.tn.

So if you are looking for somewhere that feels foreign, or if you just need to get out of the EU to clear your tax situation, then consider a visit to Tunisia. Let’s all hope that the police in Bizerte get their just desserts soon, so we can visit there and enjoy the experience, and until that happy day dawns, there are the other ports in Tunisia that are worth a visit.

Capt. John Campbell has been yacht captain for more than 20 years and a sailor all his life. He is currently in command of the 45m M/Y Timoneer.

Comments on this story are welcome at editorial@the-triton.com.

CRUISING GROUNDS: Tunisia

April 2009

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B16 April 2009

PHOTOGRAPHY: Photo Exposé

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Internet full of camera info, if you know how to read it Welcome aboard photo enthusiasts.

I wanted to go through things I do to research a camera, that is, go through a list of specifications and adding clarification to what each spec means.

For the purposes of this column, I visited www. dpreview.com. It’s a terrific resource for all sorts of photographic Photo Exposé equipment James Schot information.

Using the camera database on this site I scrolled down to Panasonic and looked into the specifications of the Panasonic Lumix DMC-FX150, which is given in a table form with columns and rows. Working my way down this list I’ve italicized their specification and information, then follow up with my clarification, and here’s what I found: More information: July 21, 2008.

This lets the viewer know when this camera was introduced. This was followed with links to Panasonic forums, users’ ratings and a list of dealers with their price to buy.

Format: Ultra Compact - Price (street) $268.49 This is the type of camera most of you are looking for, as opposed to an SLR or full size point and shoot.

Also known as: N/A It could list under another name.

Release Status: N/A This is where they would note if a camera has been announced, but is not yet available.

Max resolution: 4416 x 3312 This is the largest file achieved by the camera, which closely matches the “Effective Pixels” specification below.

You can also divide each number by 300 to calculate the maximum optimum print size, which is 15x11 inches.

Low resolution: 4416x2944, 4416x2480, 3648x2736, 3648x2432, 3648x2056, 3072x2304, 3072x2048, 3072x1728, 2560x1920, 2560x1712, 2560x1440, 2048x1536, 2048x1360, 1920x1080, 1600x1200, 640x480 These are other file size options available with this camera. You might ask why all these are needed? They’re not, but let’s say you just need some photographs for your Web site. Then a setting of 1600x1200 (for instance) can be useful, saving memory space and time later making file size conversions.

Image ratio w:h: 4:3, 3:2, 16:9 The w:h represents width and height. The 4:3 is the old TV format, 3:2 the 35mm format, and 16.9 the new available panorama format. Note that the maximum effective pixels is only reached with this latter format.

Using the other two will lower the

effective pixels used, but it will not be a significant factor.

Effective pixels: 14.7 million This is the number of tiny light sensors used in wide-angle 16:9 format on this sensor, which is a lot. A different image ratio, focal length and aperture will vary this number to something less, but since the overall effective pixel count is large, you can expect quality performance throughout.

I mention this count of pixels is a lot and large, and you may wonder, relative to what? Most compact cameras manufactured today have a pixel count of 7 million to 10 million pixels. The best professional 35 SLR cameras have about 21 million pixels. Medium format digital cameras can reach 40 million and higher. But, as you read “sensor size” below, the number of pixels is only part of the measure to overall quality.

And the quality that is needed is another consideration as 21 megapixels returns excellent quality results, and 40 megapixels are necessary for limited applications.

Sensor photo detectors: 15 million This is the actual count of pixels with 100 percent on the chip, where 98 percent maximum effective pixels are actually used.

Sensor size: 1/1.72” (7.40 x 5.55 mm, 0.41 cm²) This is less than a quarter of a full size 35mm size sensor. In other words, you have a lot of pixels, 15 million in total, on a small sensor. This means the quality is good, but if these same number of pixels were on a 35mm (full size) sensor the picture quality would be significantly better. This is why an SLR digital camera with a full size sensor is more expensive, even if it does not have more effective pixels.

Another thing to note with a sensor smaller in size than a full size is the lens conversion factor. Lens specifications used to say a lens was a 38mm equivalent, but I see less of this nomenclature.

Pixel density: 36 MP/cm² If I have to wrestle with the technical aspects of specifications, I will simply tell you more is not necessarily better if the space allotted remains the same.

Larger pixels capture light better with less noise. It is what it is: a great little compact, but it doesn’t match a full size SLR sensor.

I will continue going down the list of specifications, providing clarification and information to help you make better camera buying decisions, but for now ask for permission to go ashore.

James Schot has been a professional photographer for 30 years and owns James Schot Gallery and Photo Studio.

Comments on this column are welcome at james@bestschot.com.

The Triton

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CALENDAR OF EVENTS

April 2009

B17

Pick your spot on the globe: China, Antigua or Florida April 1 Networking Triton style (the

first Wednesday of every month), 6-8 p.m., with Radio Holland at their offices in Ft. Lauderdale on the northwest corner of State Road 84 and U.S.1. Extra parking behind Brownies, just north of Radio Holland. See story on page C3.

April 2 The Triton Bridge luncheon.

This is our monthly captains’ roundtable where we discuss the issues and trends of the industry. Yacht captains only, please. If you make your living running someone else’s yacht, contact Editor Lucy Reed at lucy@ the-triton.com or 954-525-0029 for an invite. Space is limited.

April 2-5 Annual Honda Grand Prix of St. Petersburg, Fla. This is the second race in the 2009 IndyCar Series. Medstyle dockage for megayachts to 150 feet. For more info, call 727- 898-INDY and see www.gpstpete.com

April 2-5 3rd annual Antibes Yacht

Show, Antibes, France.

Marks the opening of the Mediterranean yachting season in Europe’s largest yacht harbor. Events include crew barbecue, private catering cup (www.privatecateringcup. fr), captain’s gala dinner, exhibitor cocktail parties, best charter yacht award and more. For details, visit www. antibesyachtshow.com.

April 4 2nd annual CrewShow Antibes, a gathering of vendors specifically for crew, in conjunction with the Antibes Yacht Show. www.crewshow.com

April 5 SunTrust Sunday Jazz Brunch,

Jazz Appreciation month (first Sunday of every month) at Riverwalk from 11 to 2, Ft. Lauderdale. Free. www. fortlauderdale.gov

April 11-19 Monte-Carlo Rolex

Masters Tennis Series, Monte-Carlo Country Club, Monaco. http:// montecarlo.masters-series.com

April 16-19 China International Boat

Show, Shanghai Exhibition Center.

Expects to host 380 exhibitors in 33,000 square meters of exhibition space for 17,000 visitors onsite, of which 1,800 will be from overseas. www. cmpsinoexpo.com/boat

April 16-21 22nd annual Antigua

Proudly Serving the Marine Community Since 1997

CREW

ACCOMMODATIONS

Classic Yacht Regatta, Antigua Yacht Club Marina, West Indies. Prestigious regatta hosting 50 to 60 boats from 26 to 175 feet. www.antiguaclassics.com

• Active Job Networking

April 19 30th annual Day at the Docks,

• Tastefully Furnished

Port of San Diego, signaling the official start of Southern California’s spring saltwater fishing season. 9 a.m.-5 p.m.

See CALENDAR, page B18

EVENT OF MONTH

• Nicely Renovated

• Ideally located near Maritime Schools, Downtown Fort Lauderdale, Crew Agencies, Marinas, Restaurants, and Nightlife

Cleaner • Nicer • Safer • Cheaper

TheNeptuneGroup.com 954.763.1050

Admission to the Triton Expo is for captains and crew only.

Wednesday, April 15, noon-5:30 p.m.

Triton Expo, Bahia Mar, Ft. Lauderdale

FILE PHOTO

This Expo is for captains and crew working or soon-to-be working in the yachting industry. Working crew can learn from their peers through speaker presentations and meet new vendors to make their work life better. Crew looking for work can meet with crew agents, work on their resumes, and learn from those in the business. And of course, the networking is great.

Admission is for captains and crew only. There will be a resumé clinic, raffles and more to keep the day energized. For a line-up of speakers and to RSVP, visit www.the-triton.com/expo.

B18 April 2009

CALENDAR OF EVENTS

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The Triton

Maryland Maritime Museum hosts food, wine festival in April CALENDAR, from page B17 Free admission, parking and shuttle. www.sportfishing.org

April 21-25 Bahrain Boat Show

International, Amwaj Islands in the Kingdom of Bahrain. Managed and organized by Knotika Holding, the show plans for 10,000 visitors with 100 local, regional and international exhibitors representing over 150 brands. www.knotika.com

April 22 Networking Triton style (our first mid-month networking event), 6-8 p.m., with Total Marine Solutions at their facility in Ft. Lauderdale at 4350 Oakes Road, Suite 502. No RSVP necessary; just bring business cards.

See story on page C3.

April 22-24

Regatta, Dania Beach City Marina.

Produced by the Marine Industries Association of South Florida to help introduce local school kids to boating.

They build boats out of plywood one day, race them the next. Sponsors and mentors welcome. 954-524-2733, www. plywoodregatta.org

April 26-28 13th annual Marine

Design Resource Alliance Creative Conference, The Cloister at Sea Island, Ga. An annual gathering of marine industry CEOs. For an invitation, visit www.mdra.biz.

April 29-May 1 MYBA Superyacht

Brokers Seminar, St. Laurent du Var, Nice, France. Includes analysis of MYBA Charter Broker Agreement, superyacht management, MAKING PLANS networking, May 11-14 overview of customer care, American Superyacht Forum business and Seattle ethics. www.

Hosted and organized by The marinediplomas.

Yacht Report, this is the U.S. com and www. version of the popular event myba-association. formerly known as Project in com.

Amsterdam each fall. Attendance

Integrated Maritime Auditor (ISM/ISPS) course, Ft. Lauderdale.

Gives students knowledge and understanding of the ISM Code, ISPS is limited to 250 delegates; cost is Code, and auditing May 3 SunTrust $1,150. Includes tours of Boeing techniques, Sunday Jazz and Delta Marine facilities, ends enabling them Brunch (first with a yacht regatta. to carry out Sunday of www.synfo.com/asf simultaneous ISM every month) Code and ISPS at Riverwalk Code internal from 11 to 2, Ft. audits. www.usmaritimeinstitute.com, Lauderdale. Free. www.fortlauderdale. training@usmaritimeinstitute.com gov

April 23-26 Boat Asia 2009, Marina at

Keppel Bay, Singapore. Will showcase luxury motor boats, sail boats, keel boats, catamarans, megayachts, and superyachts from brands such as Grand Banks, Horizon, Princess, Riva, Riviera and Sunseeker. www.boat-asia.com.

April 24 CrewShow Mallorca, Mood

Beach Club, adjacent to the marina in Portal Nous. Buses will run from Club de Mar and along the Paseo Maritimo. www.crewshow.com

April 24-26 St. Michaels Food & Wine

Festival, Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum, St Michael’s, Maryland. www. stmichaelsfoodandwinefestival.com

April 25-May 1 42nd annual Antigua

Sailing Week. Participants from all corners of the globe competing to win this prestigious race. Six challenging days of racing in some of the best sailing conditions in the world. www. sailingweek.com

April 25-26 13th annual Plywood

May 4-8 21st annual MYBA Charter

Show, Genoa, Italy. Committee has lowered stand fees to encourage support. Yachts 80 feet and larger, scores of charter and sales brokers from around the world, and exhibiting companies. www.mybashow.com

May 5-10 18th annual St. Lucia

Jazz Festival. Pigeon Island National Landmark and the Mindoo Phillip Park, St. Lucia. www.stluciajazz.org.

May 6 World Royal Superyacht &

Luxury Congress and May 5-8 World Royal Superyacht & Luxury Show in Tarragona, Spain. A branding and marketing event featuring executives from Trinity Yachts, Shadow Marine and Bentley Motors. www. worldroyalcongress.com.

May 6 Networking Triton style (the first Wednesday of every month), 6-8 p.m., with Lauderdale Marine Center in Ft. Lauderdale. This is the largest marine repair facility in the country. www.the-triton.com

The Triton

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Triton Spotter

Capt. Kevin Rhone catches up with his Triton while waiting for a part during the installation of a new windlass on M/V Golden Touch.

PHOTO/CAPT. BILL FOSTER

“Ahoy and greetings from 11,000 feet above sea level. I couldn’t find a copy of The Triton up here but maybe the shirt will do.

“Yes, it’s birthday time for ol’ Capt. Bob [Kimball] and skiing it is, this time in the Big and Little Cottonwood canyons near Salt Lake City, Utah. I’ve been visiting the Alta and Brighton ski areas and they have 130-inch base with more than 430 inches of snow for the season.”

Where have you and your Triton been lately? Send photos to lucy@the-triton.com. If we print yours, you get a T-shirt.

SPOTTED

April 2009

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March networking

April networking

With Nautical Ventures

Will be twice as nice.

C2

Section C

C3

Wheat, pain free

Cheer up Enthusiasm in job hunt is worth it.

C4

Gluten-free diet not all bad.

www.the-triton.com

Yacht crew have specialized skills that they can transfer to careers on land. So to offer more job options to crew, American Yacht Institute in Ft. Lauderdale has teamed with an estate management company to train those considering a shift to land.

“It’s a perfect pairing,” said Kim Cassford, CEO of Cassford Management, who plans to begin

teaching the first of her estate courses at AYI this month. “The move from yachts to estates is a natural transition.”

Cassford’s luxury estate and hospitality consultancy business offers training and staff for high-end household and property management positions. Its clientele is primarily high net-worth families that include entertainers and sports professionals, much like the make-up of yacht

C9

Crayfish flavor is all Louisiana

PHOTO/DORIE COX

Well-to-do in homes have similar needs to well-to-do on yachts

By Dorie Cox

C8

Tried-andtrue cleaning solutions.

April 2009

Setting the table for a career on land

Old reliable

owners.

“If you work on a yacht, your skills can translate to anything on land,” said Kristen Cavallini-Soothill, director of AYI. Crew may want to explore careers in estate management for several reasons. Many long-time crew seek a change of pace, more consistency, the opportunity to hone finer points of

See ESTATES, page C7

Commonly known as crayfish or crawdads and an inherent part of Louisiana cuisine and culture, the crawfish offers flavor, protein, vitamin A, calcium and iron.

When added to soups and bisques, this little replica of the lobster can enhance your seafood menus.

The name is derived from the old French name Culinary Waves of escrevisse and is Mary Beth made into crawfish Lawton Johnson pies, etouffee, gumbos, or simply boiled with spices. You don’t have to be Cajun to enjoy or even find them. Fresh or frozen, crawfish offer alternative solutions to recipes to enlarge your menu flavor profile, appearance and taste.

Crawfish are freshwater crustaceans with 19 body segments that resemble lobster and are generally found in streams, brooks and other bodies of running water that offer protection from predators. These bodies of water are in lowland areas where calciumand oxygen-rich waters rise from underground streams. Crawfish do not survive in polluted waters.

Out of the various areas of the world where crawfish are found, only in the southeastern United States will you

See WAVES, page C6

Triton survey: How much do captains and crew believe in God?

By Lucy Chabot Reed When we sent out this month’s survey about religion, we weren’t really sure what we’d discover. We got the idea after an e-mail exchange with a crew member about something as faithless as visas. The young man signed off his e-mail with “God bless.”

It felt odd. Not uncomfortable, but

unfamiliar. Of the hundreds of e-mails we get from crew each month, none has ever invoked God. It seemed to us, anecdotally at least, that yacht crew are not a religious lot.

Spiritual, perhaps. Maybe even faithful.

But religious? There isn’t really time to study and practice religion when working on a yacht, is there?

Turns out there is.

First, the groundwork. A full twothirds of the 273 yacht crew who took our survey this month said they believe in God, however they describe him to be.

“If you are going to go to sea, you better believe in God,” said a captain of more than 10 years.

“The ocean can be very powerful, unforgiving and indiscriminate in who

or what it claims,” another captain wrote in. “As a master of 36 years, I’ve been in situations outside my control, and after weathering them I sometimes found myself looking at the horizon and saying thanks to what I believe are powers a lot greater than myself.”

Of all those who said they believe in

See SURVEY, page C10

C April 2009 NETWORKING LAST MONTH: Nautical Ventures

M

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The Triton

ore than 275 yacht captains, crew and industry folks gathered at Nautical Ventures in March for a fun and rewarding Triton networking event. In addition to several jackets and pullovers, the generous folks at Nautical Ventures gave away a kayak. Charles Ernst, president of Dockside Corporate Services, was the lucky winner. See what you miss when you skip a Triton event? Read about this month’s event on page C3.

Photos by Capt. Tom Serio

The Triton

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NETWORKING THIS MONTH: Radio Holland and TMS

April 2009

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Radio Holland has 60 service locations worldwide The Triton began hosting monthly networking events when we started our newspaper in 2004. Back then, we attracted 25-30 people, and it felt good to bring crew and business together.

Now, our events attract 10 times that many industry professionals, and with the economy the way it is, everyone has been asking for more. So in honor of our sixth year, we will now host two networking events every month.

Join us April 1 (the first Wednesday) from 6-8 p.m. at Radio Holland in Ft. Lauderdale (the northwest corner of State Road 84 and U.S. 1). Parking is tight, but the kind folks at Brownie’s right next door say we can park there.

Until then, get to know Radio Holland and sales rep Tony Rondi.

Q. Tell us about Radio Holland.

Radio Holland Group, a member of Imtech Marine Group, has its main

offices in Rotterdam, Netherlands, and consists of 60 service locations worldwide.

Q. When you say “radio,” are we talking the old-fashioned, Rondi tried-and-true kind of marine communications?

Since being founded in 1916 as the Dutch Telegraph Company Radio Holland and supplying corps of Morse Radio Officers to the marine industry, we have been the leaders in “true marine radio communications.”

Q. You do much more than that, though, right?

Yes, besides being able to offer complete navigation and

TMS distributes equipment for environmental systems Our first mid-month networking event will take place on April 22 from 6-8 p.m. at the Ft. Lauderdale offices of Total Marine Solutions, a distributor of mostly environmental systems for the marine industry.

Founder Alexandra AnagnostisIrons parlayed her experience in technical equipment in the cruise line industry to the yachting industry. Make time to stop by her facility at 4350 Oakes Road, Suite 502.

Q. Tell us about TMS. TMS was established in September 2000 as a distributor for equipment manufacturers (mainly European) of environmentalrelated systems. Our first manufacturing Anagnostis-Irons partner was Marinfloc AB of Sweden, producers of oily water separators, sludge dewatering systems, sewage treatment system and the services that accompany such systems.

Shortly thereafter we were fortunate to be selected by JETS Vacuum of Norway, producers of the most efficient vacuum toilet system. Our product and service portfolio today also includes USON Marine (solid waste handling systems), GETT Oy (dosing systems), Lighting Science Group (LED lighting solutions), as well as the major manufacturers of oil content meters.

We also have a canvas design and fabrication center that manufactures custom canvas products.

Though based in Ft. Lauderdale, we are fortunate to have distribution rights to North America. Our service

personnel travel globally for service and training. Our canvas center is based in Melbourne, Fla., and we opened an office in Houston last month.

Q. How did you come to start this business?

I was director of technical purchasing for one of the major cruise lines at a time when the cruise industry was under heavy scrutiny by the federal government as it relates to oily water discharges and oil record bookkeeping. In upgrading the oily water separators at my company, I met the inventors, engineers and owners of Marinfloc AB and it was their system selected for a fleet-wide retrofit.

I found it beneficial for the reports I was required to keep to become more familiar with the system and the support team behind it than perhaps a purchasing professional would. This led to a great relationship. As I saw the company develop and the fantastic, reliable results of the equipment, I encouraged them to find a company to represent them in North America. This went on for some time and in 1999, I asked the principals at Marinfloc what they would think of me starting a company and promoting them.

“That’s what we were hoping for,” was in line with their response.

So the door was opened in 2000 and we haven’t looked back since. Those who were once our colleagues are now our customers, and while the transition from the purchasing side to the sales side of the table is never easy, when you market reliable, effective equipment and know what your customers expect, it doesn’t feel like selling.

Q. What systems do you have that

See TMS, page C5

communication packages and maintenance contracts, we have a fully supported 24-hour/7-days-aweek airtime department for all VSAT, Inmarsat and Iridium products, which includes airtime agreements thru Radio Holland Group Worldwide.

Q. What portion of your business is yachting?

A high percentage. But Radio Holland also has the ability to work in commercial shipping, oil and gas, workboats, fishing, the cruise industry and more. This allows Radio Holland to provide all of its customers with the highest skilled and most service engineers available in the marine industry.

Q. Your company acquired others last year. Do you offer new products or services that yachties need to know about?

Since Radio Holland Group is now part of the Imtech Marine Group, we are in a position to provide the extensive Imtech product portfolio as a true single-source integrator. The portfolio includes (diesel electrical) propulsion, power generation and distribution, platform automation, HVAC (heating, ventilation and air conditioning), dynamic positioning, electrical installations and integrated electronic navigation communication systems.

Q. You seem to handle everything but the manufacturing. Any chance you’ll be doing that, too?

Our plate is pretty full with keeping up to date on all the new marine electronics that we distribute and install, so manufacturing is not something we plan on tackling in the near future.

C April 2009 ONBOARD COMMUNICATION: SitComm

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The Triton

Excitement helps, won’t hurt new job opportunities “Now, Rachel, it’s great to get excited about this new job, but be realistic. You may not get it, so don’t get too excited.”

How many times have we been told this by someone in our lives, or even said it to ourselves?

According to medical research, the emotions of fear and excitement release the same hormones in our bodies, causing SitComm the same physical Rachel Shapiro feelings to be generated. Our thoughts, actions and demeanor are quite different if we come from a place of fear versus a place of excitement.

A few months ago, I applied for a job that I really wanted. The yacht had a fantastic itinerary, an interesting and multinational crew, and great pay. I came back from the initial interview all jazzed up and brimming with enthusiasm about the themed dinners we would do on charter and the exciting places we might visit.

The friend I was sharing all this enthusiasm with reminded me of the last job I got excited about and didn’t get. I felt myself deflate. My enthusiasm evaporated and my thoughts went

from the great service I would provide to our guests to what other options I had if this fell through. I suddenly lost all desire to even think about the job anymore, let alone talk about the great possibilities available to me.

When I am excited about a new opportunity I smile more, am more outgoing, and think of ways that I can impress my prospective employer.

When I am fearful about not getting a job, I frown more, am hesitant to talk about it, and am preoccupied with thoughts of what to do next.

Something I’ve experienced multiple times, both in jobs and in other areas of my life, is that a little enthusiasm never hurt anyone. A lot of people confuse being realistic with being pessimistic.

The reality is, I was called for an interview, I met the captain, and we discussed the job. That’s it. We can go two ways from here. Either we can experience our excitement about the possibilities available, or we can remind ourselves of all the times situations like this haven’t worked out in the past.

When we live in our memories, we create a feeling generated from the past. Try it. Think about a time when you did not get the job you wanted.

Notice the feelings that memory generates in you right now. Note your current level of enthusiasm and energy.

Take note of any body sensations that arise, and what thoughts are generated from this state of mind.

Now, think about a time when you did get the job you wanted. Notice the feelings that memory generates in you.

Note your level of enthusiasm. Take note of any body sensations that arise, and what thoughts are generated from this state of mind. Interesting, isn’t it?

I’d like to paint a picture. You are interviewing stews for your crew. You have two applicants, both with similar experience and credentials.

Applicant A shows up with a resume and a big smile. She is excited about the itinerary and is eager to discuss how her skills will add to your crew. When speaking about the job, this applicant refers to herself as part of the team.

Applicant B shows up for the interview and appears nervous and unsure of her self. She does not ask questions and seems hesitant to expand on what she would bring to the crew if hired. She reminds you throughout the interview that you are still looking at applicants and she doesn’t want to presume she has the position.

Which person is more attractive, the applicant who is confident, friendly and eager to take on the program or the applicant who is nervous and unsure of herself?

WAVES, from page C1

The thoughts we hold in our minds affect how we show up for the people around us. If we hold thoughts of satisfaction and fulfillment in getting what we want, we appear as confident, attractive, and desirable. If we hold doubts in our minds, we show up as hesitant and unsure of ourselves.

You get out of something what you put into it. What is the harm in getting excited about something and giving it your all? You may not get the job but at least you gave it your best shot. If you hold back your enthusiasm and excitement you may be hurting your chances to get what you want and, besides, it’s a heck of a lot less fun.

By the way, I ended up getting the job that I applied for. When I asked the captain why he chose me over the other applicants, he replied, “You all had similar levels of experience,” he said. “I just really appreciated your enthusiasm.”

Rachel Shapiro has worked on yachts more than 10 years. She now works to bring a more holistic approach to yachting with the Integrous line of allnatural cleaning products, and crew placement and seminars through Hands Om Crew. Contact her at +1-954-4656320. Comments on this column are welcome at editorial@the-triton.com.

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NETWORKING THIS MONTH: Radio Holland and TMS

TMS also has canvas shop, LED products TMS, from page C3 yachts should know about?

The best known product we have for the yacht market is JETS Vacuum. This includes vacuum generating pumps (JETS Vacuumarators), toilets, and all related spare parts.

Our canvas design and fabrication center can repair, recreate or design any type of canvas, fabric or upholstery products onboard.

And we offer the best oily water separator, which is produced by Marinfloc in Sweden with full aftersales support. Marinfloc has also developed a concept call the White Box which, for larger yachts, offers a failsafe system at the discharge point for treated bilge water. We also supply oil content meters and the service to same to many yacht customers.

In addition, we have found some great interest in the LED products and solutions we offer from Lighting Science Group.

USON Marine has some of the finest shredders, compactors, bailers, and solid waste transport systems on the market. And GETT Oy has some of the most innovative, precise dosing systems available.

Q. Why are these systems helpful to yacht captains and crew?

Reliability, effective performance, ease of use, immediate availability of necessary spares, service and training are key factors in the equipment and products we supply. We strive to become an extension of the operation of the yacht, not simply a supplier.

Q. I understand you are expanding your environmental training this month. Tell us more about that.

As an extension of our relationship with Marinfloc, we have secured one of its mobile training containers, a 20-foot container that has been outfitted with the tanks and equipment to simulate an engine room and bilge water treatment system.

It is completely self contained with its own diesel generator, which allows us to bring it onsite, open it up, and provide detailed, hands-on training of emulsion breaking bilge water treatment and monitoring as well as oil content meter maintenance.

Its first stop was in Lisbon, Portugal, at the nautical school where we hosted training sessions over an eight-week period of engineers and superintendents of one of our major customers. It was a huge success and we look forward to showing the “training rig” at the networking event on April 22.

April 2009

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C April 2009 IN THE GALLEY: Culinary Waves

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With Louisiana so wet, no wonder seafood is so important WAVES, from page C1 find the most species, about 330 in total. In Louisiana, 30 percent of the species are prevalent.

From January to June, Louisiana is responsible for 90 percent of the total production of crawfish – about 110 million pounds – and its residents consume 70 percent of their production. As much as 80 percent of the crawfish in Louisiana is red swamp crayfish, (Procambarus Clarki), with about 20 percent white river crayfish (Procambarus Zonagulus).

Sixteen percent of Louisiana is water with access to the Gulf of Mexico and

plenty of rivers, streams and bayous.

The state’s east and west boundaries are defined by the Mississippi and Sabine rivers, so it is no wonder that seafood reigns king in this state.

In some parts of the world, the name crawfish refers to the spiny lobster such as in New Zealand. Even in Peru, the ancient Moche people drew pictures of the crawfish in their art as worship symbols. Crawfish were favorites of the Native American Indians and Europeans.

During the 1990s, crawfish became a craze in China with production of crawfish entering the U.S. market from pond-raised breeding. So be

careful when selecting crawfish; look at the package to ensure your brand is from Louisiana and not China. The farm-raised crawfish cultivated in manmade ponds in China do not offer the flavorful taste that real, freshwater Louisiana crawfish do. Also, a little note: Don’t insult a true Cajun by serving imported Chinese crawfish.

They can tell the difference.

Crawfish are protein-rich, and the fat content of tail meat is 1 percent of the Recommended Daily Allowance suggested by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. There are about 70 calories in 3 ounces of tail meat, with no carbohydrates. They are high in phosphorus, iron and B vitamins.

Live crawfish are generally purchased in sacks that range from 30 to 40 pounds. They should be kept cool until it’s time to prepare them, and then washed several times to remove any debris and mud. Crawfish also can be bought in the frozen form and will last close to nine months in the freezer.

To cook fresh crawfish, be sure to add about 1 pound of salt for every gallon of water for every 2 pounds of crawfish being cooked. An average person can eat normally 5 pounds of crawfish. You can also add small potatoes, sweet corn, lemon halves and whole onions to the crawfish boil, and these are eaten along the crawfish.

The only edible part of a crawfish is the tail meat. Hold the whole boiled crawfish in your hand and pinch the head off. It is common for people to suck the heads for flavor and fat. Next, pinch the tail and squeeze the meat out. If you must, peel them like you would a shrimp.

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 1998. (www. themegayachtchef.com) Comments on this column are welcome at editorial@ the-triton.com.

Easy Crawfish Etouffee

Add the crawfish tails and juice from the package 30 minutes before PHOTO/MARY BETH LAWTON JOHNSON serving so they can warm through.

I just found out that my friend on S/F Patsy Rue, Capt. Ronnie Rousell, also makes this etouffee. He is from Louisiana and is a great cook. This recipe comes from a true Cajun and is made by Cajuns. It is great served over steamed rice.

8 oz unsalted butter 2 tablespoons oil 1 sweet large onion, diced small 1 cup celery, diced small 4 garlic cloves, minced 2 green peppers, diced small 3 cans diced tomatoes 4 cans cream of mushroom soup 1 cup water (plus more if necessary to thin)

Tony Chachere’s Cajun Seasoning to taste 1 dash of hot sauce Black pepper to taste 2 lbs of Louisiana Crawfish tails with fat and juice Melt the butter in a skillet. Add the oil and saute the onions, celery, garlic and peppers until wilted and soft.

Add the diced tomatoes, mushroom soup, water and heat through.

Season with Tony’s seasoning, hot sauce, and pepper to taste.

Add the crawfish tails and juice from package 30 minutes prior to serving to warm through. Serve with rice.

The Triton

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FROM THE CAREER FRONT: Estate management

Multiple skills needed today ESTATES, from page C1 their service career, or they may want a lifestyle change to start a family or to simply stop traveling and settle down, Cavallini-Soothill said.

Estate management uses yacht knowledge, with a twist, to cover areas familiar to yachties, Cassford said.

Skills crew will recognize include etiquette, table and party service, bartending, confidentiality and privacy issues, security, interior and exterior detailing, emergency procedures, safety equipment, international customs and protocol, dietary restrictions and food handling.

Cassford Management’s courses tailor such knowledge to the landbased environment. Previously a stew on a sailing yacht, Cassford was trained as a chef and then looked for an onboard cook/chef position about 11 years ago. Not finding yacht work, she found a land-based job instead.

“After that, we saw a need in the market for household staff and started this business in 2002,” she said.

In this tighter economy, many employees are expected to have more skills. Although some yacht owners use their yachts less frequently, they still maintain a home. And if they hire staff who have worked on yachts, owners serve both uses with one person.

“People will always be in their homes, even when they are not using their yachts,” Cavallini-Soothill said.

For at least one former crew, the move ashore was easier than expected.

“I tell crew it is almost exactly the same, except on a yacht you are usually entertaining guests. People are on vacation and you have to keep that 24/7 entertainer smile,” said Matthew Green, who instructs for AYI and serves as a gentleman’s gentleman for estates.

“On land, it is generally easier and more day-to-day.”

With yacht crew trained as stewards, Cassford has found the skills translate to positions such as maid and butler.

Interior positions such as chief stew can transition to household or estate manager. Deckhands can move into a diverse set of jobs ranging from driver, exterior positions, groundskeeper and manager. Many land-based positions are available for couples, she said.

“Their skills are transferable with some training, and in regard to salary, they can make on par – the same, if not more – working as estate staff,” said Cassford, who currently has several land-based positions to fill.

“I would really like to see these positions filled by yacht crew.”

Dorie Cox is a staff reporter with The Triton. Comments on this story are welcome at dorie@the-triton.com.

April 2009

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C April 2009 NUTRITION: Take It In

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The Triton

Wheat intolerance pains easily treated with diet Abdominal cramping. Constipation.

Dry skin. Back pain. Muscle cramps.

Easy bleeding. Mouth sores. Increased appetite. Just plain feeling tired all the time.

If you have any, or all, of these symptoms, you might have celiac disease.

According to the Nebraskabased Celiac Sprue Association, there’s Take It In nothing typical Carol Bareuther when it comes to celiac disease, commonly referred to as a wheat allergy. That’s because the type and severity of symptoms depends on how long the difficult-to-diagnosis disease has gone undetected.

In the past, celiac disease was thought to exclusively affect people of European heritage. Today, the availability of new, simple, sensitive and specific serological tests have shown that celiac disease is common not only in Europe and in people of European ancestry but also in the developing countries where the major staple in the diet is wheat.

Celiac disease, also called glutensensitive enteropathy, is an inherited autoimmune disorder.

The focal point of the problem is that the protein found in wheat, rye and barley, which is called gluten, damages the small intestine. The small intestine is where many nutrients are absorbed.

Eliminating gluten is the mainstay of treatment. That means eating no wheat-based breads, pastas and most breakfast cereals, and also less obvious foods such as seasonings, sauces, soy sauce, marinades, salad dressings, soups, prepared meats, candy and even flavored coffees and teas.

Reading the ingredient list on foods is key, as there is no uniform labeling system to warn about glutencontaining foods.

Removing so many everyday foods from the diet means the risk of nutrient deficiencies is real. Here are a few remedies for getting those needed nutrients: l Fill up on fiber: Diarrhea is one of the classic symptoms of celiac disease.

However, once gluten is eliminated from the diet and the intestinal tract heals, constipation can be a real problem.

This means eating enough glutenfree high-fiber grains. Examples include brown rice, corn, flax, millet, sorghum, teff and wild rice, as well as the pseudograins of amaranth, buckwheat and quinoa.

Oats, once forbidden on a gluten-

free diet, now have a green light - if they are in a pure uncontaminated form. Only a few companies do make uncontaminated oats. These include: Bob’s Red Mill, Cream Hill Estates (Lara’s brand), FarmPure Foods (only Oats), Gifts of Nature, Gluten-Free Oats. l Take iron and the B vitamins. The blood-building mineral iron, as well as the B vitamins thiamin, riboflavin and niacin, have been added to bread and cereal products for more than half a century. However, many gluten-free grain products are not enriched with these nutrients.

Supplements are a good bet. So is eating gluten-free sources of these nutrients. Meat, poultry, fish, eggs and dried beans are good sources of iron.

Thiamin is found in dried beans and lentils, nuts, and lean pork; riboflavin in nonfat milk, cheddar cheese, eggs, almonds, salmon, chicken, beef and broccoli; and good sources of niacin include meat, poultry, fish such as tuna and salmon, dried beans and peas, and seeds. l Get calcium and vitamin D. Bone disease is a common problem for those with celiac disease, making calcium and vitamin D important nutrients.

Dairy products are the richest and most absorbable sources of calcium.

Calcium-rich plants in the kale family such as broccoli, bok choy, cabbage, mustard greens and turnip greens contain calcium that is as bioavailable as that in milk, while the oxalate in spinach and rhubarb, and to a lesser extent in sweet potatoes and dried beans, prevents the calcium in these foods from being absorbed.

Vitamin D is a tough nutrient to find. It occurs naturally in only a few foods, such as fatty fish (mackerel, salmon and sardines), and eggs from hens fed vitamin D. Milk produced in the United States is fortified with vitamin D at the level of 400 IU (10 mcg) per quart.

Some brands of orange juice are also now fortified with both calcium and vitamin D. Beyond diet, sunlight can provide most people with their entire vitamin D requirement, as ultraviolet B radiation stimulates production of this vitamin in the skin.

Eating gluten-free isn’t a lifesentence to a drab diet. There are many tasty foods and cookbooks with delicious recipes that are all glutenfree.

Even the Culinary Institute of American teaches gluten-free cooking.

Carol Bareuther is a registered dietitian and a regular contributor to The Triton.

Comments on this column are welcome at editorial@the-triton.com.

The Triton

www.the-triton.com

INTERIOR: Stew Cues

April 2009

C

Old faithful vinegar and water cleans, protects interiors One of the biggest responsibilities of being a stewardess is maintaining and protecting the interior surfaces of the boat.

Environmental build-up can quickly cause damage to surfaces so it is important to schedule and carry out routine maintenance and cleaning procedures; Stew Cues neglecting to do Alene Keenan so can be a costly mistake.

I rely on the old-faithful vinegarand-water solution (1 part water to 1 part white vinegar) and a mild soapand-water solution (2 or 3 drops of Ivory dish soap in a spray bottle of water) for general cleaning purposes.

They both work really well and are much more environmentally friendly than many of the options on the market.

Three or four gallons of vinegar should be enough for several months, and a single bottle of Ivory liquid soap will go a long way. Collect spray bottles from every cleaning area, divide them evenly and fill some with your vinegar solution and some with the soap solution. Store the remaining supplies until you need a refill.

Most stews are responsible for taking care of sinks, countertops, small kitchen appliances, cutting boards, etc., either in the stew pantry, the bar or in the crew mess. Even if we are just lending the chef a hand in the galley, there are some important things to take into consideration to avoid causing damage to any of the surfaces or appliances.

So let’s start with the stew pantry, crew galley, bar and main galley. Many of these same recommendations will apply to bathrooms and counters throughout the boat, but we’ll concentrate on those areas in more detail next month.

Butcher blocks and cutting boards. There are two options here: Disinfect them by moistening a cloth with white vinegar and wiping down the surface, or sprinkle coarse salt on the board and rub it around with half a lemon, cut side down. In both cases, the acetic acid in the vinegar or the lemon kills bacteria.

Follow with a mild soap-and-water solution, then mist the block with plain water to wipe away any soap residue.

Finally, pat dry with a clean cloth. If the wood gets too wet it could split or warp.

Counter tops and sinks. Solid surface high-gloss finishes do well with a vinegar-and-water solution. Matte and satin finishes are better off with a mild soap-and-water solution. Stone and stainless steel surfaces benefit from

this soap-and-water solution followed with the proper polish or sealant.

Glazed ceramic tile. Mix one capful of rubbing alcohol with 1 gallon of water. Avoid using oil-based soaps or ammonia, which can yellow the grout.

Avoid vinegar, too, since the acidity can damage grout.

Unglazed ceramic tile. Use a mild soap-and-water solution.

Faucets and fixtures. The key for all fixtures is to avoid ammonia, steel wool and abrasive cleaners or pads, which can strip or scratch the fixtures.

Use a mild soap-and-water solution to clean, then apply the proper polish according to package directions.

Refrigerators. It is tempting to use bleach to disinfect the refrigerator.

However, too much bleach damages many surfaces, and it is highly toxic.

A healthier alternative is to dissolve 2 tablespoons of baking soda in one quart of warm water and use on a damp towel to wipe doors, shelves and walls. If you must use bleach, dilute one part bleach to three parts warm water and always use in a well-ventilated area.

Stoves and ovens. Be aware of any special finishes that your oven may have depending on whether it is a conventional, self-cleaning, or continuous-cleaning oven. Oven cleaners, powdered cleansers and abrasives will damage the finish on continuous and self-cleaning ovens.

Some oven cleaners contain lye, which can seriously burn your skin, so always wear gloves for protection. Check the manual for instructions, or go online for this information.

Cabinets and drawers. Vacuum up crumbs and grit. Most cabinets and drawers are best cleaned with a mild soap-and-water solution. Dry with a cloth as you work to avoid saturating the wood.

Appliances. To descale water deposits in coffee makers, pour two to three cups of water and an equal amount of white vinegar into the water chamber and hit the brew button.

Turn the machine off halfway through the cycle and allow the solution to sit inside the chamber for an hour, then turn it back on to complete the cycle.

Run two cycles of plain water through to rinse out any leftover vinegar.

To descale mineral deposits in the dishwasher, fill the detergent cup with white vinegar and run an empty cycle.

Don’t forget to wipe out the dishwasher occasionally and to scrub the racks’ wheels (where bacteria hide) with a toothbrush.

Baking soda and water can be used to scour the blade on an electric can opener.

To freshen and clean the microwave oven, place a coffee mug filled with water and a few slices of lemon inside and run on high power for three minutes. Let the lemon water sit inside for three more minutes. The steam will

soften food spills and the lemon will eliminate odors.

To clean a toaster or toaster oven, unplug the appliance and remove the crumb tray. Remove any racks from a toaster oven and clean with a soapand-water solution. A wet pastry brush can be used to clean the slots of a regular toaster. If the outside of the appliance is chrome, crumple a ball of aluminum foil (shiny side out) and rub off rust spots, being careful to only rub the affected areas so you don’t scratch the surface.

That about wraps up this segment

covering surfaces, appliances, and items in the stew pantry, crew mess and galley areas.

Next month, we’ll learn various tips about detail cleaning in the cabins and bathrooms on board.

Alene Keenan has been a megayacht stewardess for 16 years. She is the founder of Stewardess Solutions, which offers training and consulting for stewardesses to improve their jobs and careers. Contact her through www.stewardesssolutions.com.

Comments on this column are welcome at editorial@the-triton.com.

C10 April 2009 TRITON SURVEY: Do you believe in God?

If you believe in God, which religion best describes you?

Islam – 1.0% Judaism – 2.6%

www.the-triton.com

If no, are you atheist (you believe there is no God) or agnostic (you cannot know if there is a God)?

The Triton

Do you practice your faith w yacht?

Hindu – 0.5%

Buddhism – 4.7% Atheist – 30.1%

Non-traditional religion – 20.4% Christian – 70.7%

No – 32.5%

Agnostic – 69.9%

‘Most, if not all, religions ... corrupted by man’ SURVEY, from page C1 God, 70 percent considered themselves Christian.

“The sea is a sacred and dangerous place,” said a Christian captain in his late 20s. “I cannot imagine trying to cope with it without religion.”

The next largest group, 20 percent, was of those who align with a nontraditional religion, and they tended to be more spiritual than religious.

“I feel a strong sense of spirituality without being connected to a religion,” said a captain in his 50s. “How you connect to the miracles of life is not as important as the connecting itself.”

“I respect religion and its place in society,” said a mate in yachting more than 20 years. “I would describe my

faith as spiritual as I believe most, if not all, religions have been corrupted by man. I find truth in all the religions I have looked into but find I prefer prayer and meditation to organized religions.”

Some crew who found it difficult to answer the yes/no question of whether they believe in God commented that they simply try to be good people and treat others with kindness.

“I try to live by all the best ideas from all religions and decent people I have met and I still have a lot of fun,” a Buddhist captain said.

“I believe in the basic moral tenets of my former religion, mostly in regards of how to treat other people and how I should be treated,” said a bosun in his late 20s. “How I practice my faith and my moral choices on certain issues I

decide on my own, not based on the opinions of current religious leaders.”

And there were those who thought our survey wasn’t broad enough.

“The question on believing in God is not the whole reason whether you have a religion,” said a captain of a nontraditional religion. “I may not believe in a god but believe in reincarnation.

So how does this fit in your survey?

Slightly narrow minded, I think.”

And lest we think the remaining third of crew who do not believe in God are without faith, 70 percent described themselves as agnostic, that they did not know if there is a God or not.

“I don’t know whether or not I believe,” said a captain in yachting more than 20 years. “It’s a come-and-go feeling. When unbelievable tragedies

occur, it’s hard to believe that there is an all-powerful force that would allow that to happen. Then, when only a miracle can alter a life-or-death situation and it does for a positive outcome, I again have a change of attitude. I just don’t know.”

“When I’m on the ocean, that is my church and where I think I’m closest to the creator of this fine world,” said a captain in yachting more than 20 years.

Several crew members noted that the Internet movie Zeitgeist explained their religious position best.

“After watching the movie Zeitgeist, I felt my religious position profoundly illustrated in a way I could not convey in my own words,” said a captain in his

See SURVEY, page C12

The Triton

TRITON SURVEY: Do you believe in God?

www.the-triton.com

when employed on a

If you practice your faith, how do you do it?

(Check all that apply.)

April 2009

C11

If you don’t practice your faith, why not?

(Check all that apply.)

114 27

16

Yes – 67.5% 46

44 27

7

7

No space

Fear of ridicule

15

Pray

Attend Read holy Discuss in port books w/others

Follow tenets

No time

No access

A few crew members’ thoughts on religion There is a higher being, that’s for sure, but to buy into snakes in the garden of Eden that could speak the spoken word is a bit much. Jesus was a prolific carpenter in his time, we’re told. For such an important figure, why wasn’t any of his work preserved? … History has taught us that kings tolerated religion as a helper to keep the flock loyal to the hierarchy. Evolution and science dictate our past and our future. n

n

n

I’m very spiritual and believe we are all connected through our energies and that our thoughts project and attract things that affect our lives. That is why I make a conscious effort to look at life with a positive attitude. Organized religion may be great for some but it

doesn’t work for me. n

n

n

I feel we are working in a very different environment than most people and that the necessity to keep a cohesive unit with numerous nationalities pushes personal beliefs and strong outward expression out of the picture. … If you wish to express your strong-felt personal opinions and beliefs, working for wealthy individuals in a service capacity is a poor career choice. n

n

n

I cannot answer most of these questions as it pertains only to belief in spirit. I don’t believe in God, the way your words implied, but believe in

what might best be termed as a cosmic consciousness. How many people, who have a spiritual practice and attitude toward their life, do you think you may have missed in this survey? n

n

n

Working on a yacht is inconsistent with loving, kindness and compassion.

There’s bad karma all around: waste, disrespect, lack of charity. n

n

n

Faith is a good thing; it keeps you from killing other crew. n

n

n

It’s quite strengthening to my faith

to be able to visit and participate in different churches where the boat docks. n

n

n

Organized religion has caused more death and suffering than it has ever helped. n

n

n

I was brought up a Catholic, although I’m not a practicing one. I do have a strong spiritual belief. I also feel very fortunate to be working in this industry and have a strong feeling of gratitude toward my job. Who could ask for more, to be outside on the water, working, and being paid to do it? I have at the

See THOUGHTS, page C13

C12 April 2009 TRITON SURVEY: Do you believe in God?

www.the-triton.com

The Triton

Lack of time to worship is ‘part of the lifestyle we signed on for’ SURVEY, from page C10 early 30s.

What surprised us was how many crew actually made and took time to practice their faith. More than 67 percent of those who associated with some sort of faith made time to practice, mostly through prayer or mediation.

Almost 20 percent said they visited houses of worship when in port, and 18 percent said they read holy books. Just 11 percent discussed their faith with others, including fellow crew members and guests.

Still, 33 percent of crew who consider themselves religious said they didn’t take time to practice.

“Often Sunday is a busy day, not allowing a lot of time for what would traditionally be the day of worship,” said a captain in his 50s. “It’s part of the lifestyle we signed on for.”

Many let us know in comments that they keep their faith to themselves.

“My religion is private,” said a captain in his 60s. “How I live my life and treat other people is my religion.”

Those who didn’t practice their faith cited lack of time above all other reasons. Just 12.3 percent said they feared being ridiculed.

Many respondents chose to let us know religion has no place in yachting.

“I strongly believe that religion has no place in any work environment,” said a captain in his late 30s. “People should believe in whatever they want; it’s what makes the world go around. However, it is their belief and it should stay within them. I believe in a God but would be offended if someone was to force their belief on me by ending a letter with ‘God bless.’ It is inappropriate.”

“This is a personal thing, and it should be kept that way on the boat,” said a Christian captain in yachting more than 20 years. “We should not bring up religion with fellow crew as it is too touchy of a subject.”

“Faith, religion however one describes it, should best be between oneself and one’s god, whoever or whatever he or she is,” said an Agnostic captain in his 60s. “Religious and political discussions always seem to lead to hurt feelings.”

“Religion or opposition to it is a private matter and shouldn’t be made an issue in the workplace, particularly in the confines of a yacht,” said a Christian captain in yachting more than 30 years. “Often someone that is too open and overt about his beliefs only makes others uncomfortable.”

“Religion does not and should not have anything to do with work,” said a Christian captain in his 50s. “I have a multi-ethnic and multi-religion crew operating in the most religious country on Earth. It is not people’s faith that

Has your faith (or lack of faith) ever come up in a job interview?

Yes – 11.6%

No – 88.4%

Has your faith (or lack of faith) ever come up in your job?

Yes – 32.7% No – 67.3%

Statistics/graphics by Lawrence Hollyfield

causes trouble, it’s when they force their views on others.”

Yet some said yachting might be a better place with a little religion.

“There are a lot of yacht crew who drink way too much, smoke and really don’t care how they treat their own body as well as others,” said a Buddhist chef. “Having a bit of knowledge of some sort of faith would be beneficial in any sense. It does not matter the religion; it is all about spreading the love.”

“If we can mix religion with politics, I see nothing wrong with religion and yachting,” said a Christian stew in yachting less than two years. “The power of prayer is very powerful for the ones who believe.”

“It is possible,” said a deckhand in her early 20s. “I worked on a religious sailing yacht that catered to youth groups and Christian families. They do extraordinary business and change many lives.”

Religion and faith rarely come up in job interviews. Just 11.6 percent reported ever being asked about their faith, or lack of, prior to being hired.

But the number triples to a full third of all respondents when asked if their faith – or lack of faith – has come up on

See SURVEY, page C14

The Triton

www.the-triton.com

TRITON SURVEY: Do you believe in God?

‘Buddhism explains every spirituality’ THOUGHTS, from page C11 moment given up Dunkin’ Donuts for Lent. I try to serve fresh fish on Fridays as well if at all possible. n

n

n

I’m not practicing, but believe that God is traveling with us at all times.

Religion is not something that I carry with me for others to believe in. I rather keep things to myself. n

n

n

n

n

n

n

Having traveled worldwide and seen different religions … I see myself as being spiritual, having a respect for nature and living beings, and realizing that I’m only a very small part of this wonderful universe. n

n

n

There is no god, no afterlife, no reuniting with loved ones in the hereafter. This is heaven, right here, right now. Make the best of it. n

n

n

God and religion play a part in the majority of all global societies as well as within the souls of hundreds of millions of individuals, so why would you think yachting should be any different? Any comments that come in about “offending others people’s beliefs” and “political correctness” are shallow excuses for the convenience of leaving God in the back seat. n

n

n

All religion is superstition. You have as much chance with a bible as a rabbit’s foot. n

n

n

I perceive the yachting world as being spiritually dead. The people I interact with are more caught up with a live-forthe-day mentality. I don’t hide my faith but certainly don’t broadcast it either.

I think I fall into the category of being afraid of what people will think of me. I wish I did not care what others thought but I am human. The general group of people attracted to yachting doesn’t see what God has to do with their life. n

n

n

I have had the blessing of surviving a ride in a life raft after heavy winds and 40-foot seas took our boat down and know of a reason for faith. To not believe in something greater than ourselves is just foolish. n

n

n

Do good; be good; respect others. If everyone would just do these simple things we would all be fine. Too many people have died because of various religions. n

I was raised as Catholic, now I think Buddhism explains every spirituality. I’m not really religious. I’m a spiritual person. n

n

n

I am not that into practicing religion.

Sometime I might go to a church in a different country just for the experience. n

and that we are only given things in life we can handle. As long as I keep these values in my head, my life is great.

n

I have a strong faith that things will work out the way they are supposed to

n

n

I can tolerate each his own faith (or lack thereof ) to the point that it intends to harm those who believe differently or disrupt the synergy of the crew.

Discussions of faith and politics can polarize an international crew and make the already difficult living conditions edgy and uncomfortable. n

n

n

God is first in everything I do. He guides me in difficult situations and makes my work and journey safe. n

n

n

The reason people don’t talk about this subject is because the industry expects us to be discreet and neutral. n

n

n

The alcohol and substance abuse among many crew members is due not only to boredom and youth, but to a lack of spiritual connection. My faith, which is non religious and non dogmatic but which allows me to spend all my time completely sober, has put off other crew members. I feel deeply in my heart that no matter what your faith, how you observe it and what you believe in, if it were more acceptable to talk about among crew, that there would be less discord and better communication.

The most incredible, respectful captain I have ever worked with (and I have worked with 18 of them as I am freelance), was a French Muslim who prayed seven times a day. Due to this relationship with a prime source, a person is able to fill their own void, recognize their own flaws (which makes them less critical of others’ flaws) and most importantly spend time alone and not have to hit every bar at every port. n

n

n

I am by no means a perfect Christian, but my time in the yachting industry has made it hard to keep my faith even somewhat strong. The yachting

See THOUGHTS, page C14

April 2009

C13

C14 April 2009 TRITON SURVEY: Do you believe in God?

www.the-triton.com

The Triton

More women said they believed SURVEY, from page C12 the job.

For the most part though, it’s never been an issue.

“In my time in yachting I have worked for Christians, Jews and Muslims,” said a Christian captain in yachting more than 20 years. “All of my employers have always respected the religion or lack of religion of myself and my crew. I have never been on a yacht that discriminates against religion.”

We crunched our survey numbers an assortment of ways and didn’t find anything surprising or extraordinary.

By gender, women tended to be more faithful than men. Just over 75 percent of all the females who answered our survey believe in God, while 63.5 percent of males were believers.

And the strongest group of believers onboard was among pursers (100 percent of the one purser who responded) and chief stews (82 percent of the 11 chief stews who responded).

Seventy-five percent of both chefs and bosuns said they were believers.

The next categories were captains (67.4 percent), stews (66.7 percent), first officers/mates (58.6 percent) and engineers (58.3 percent).

The least faithful group? Deckhands (55.6 percent).

Considering that many respondents said working at sea makes a person faithful, we thought that the longer someone worked on yachts, the more likely it would be that he/she believed

in God. That wasn’t the case.

The strongest group of believers by tenure was 21-25 years, decreasing a bit in the next five-year block. Those yachties with more than 30 years in the business were near the lowest group of believers with just 55.6 percent. (The lowest was 16-20 years at 53.6 percent.)

Perhaps the one thing certain from this survey is that no assumptions can be made about God and yachting. That is, until the seas kick up.

“I’m sure anyone in a bad storm and big seas has had some sort of cometo-Jesus moment,” said a Christian deckhand in his late 20s.

“All the great sailors I have ever had the privilege of sailing with believed in something,” said a Christian captain in yachting more than 30 years. “For whatever reason this made them good and honest and great people to know.

There have been some times at sea that I have called out to that ‘higher being’ that I was brought up to believe in, and I do think that my faith did nothing but help me through those rough seas and back to safe harbor.”

Lucy Chabot Reed is editor of The Triton. Lawrence Hollyfield is an associate editor. Comments on this survey are welcome at lucy@the-triton. com. We conduct our monthly surveys online. All captains and crew members are welcome to participate. If you haven’t been invited to take our surveys and would like to be, register for our emails online at www.the-triton.com.

Spirituality, not religion, would help THOUGHTS, from page C13 industry’s “work hard, party hard” lifestyle allows little time to establish habits other than socializing and partying. Trying not to take part in these activities may alienate you, especially if you are newbie trying to fit in with your new family.

Often crew members do not realize that their everyday vocabulary is offensive. I got used to shrugging it off, like it was nothing. It is frustrating when you are part of a conversation in the crew mess and JC, GD, OMG, even OMFG are flying left, right and center.

Yet intimidation prevents you from confronting them.

Lastly, the habits of yacht owners often require you to turn a blind eye.

Prostitutes, mistresses etc. are not uncommon. Picking up escorts in the tender sometimes becomes as common as shopping for provisions.

It is obviously up to me to uphold my own faith. n

n

n

We all need to believe in something, even if it’s just believing in yourself. I believe in angels and know that many times during my yachting career that I

have received help from angels. n

n

n

More people in yachting could benefit from more spirituality, not necessarily formal religion. n

n

n

It seems that in an industry where you are often far from home, it is nice to have the stability of my faith to keep me on track. n

n

n

It was prayer that saved me and the rest of the guys from sea tragedy. n

n

n

For some reason, discussion of religion – perhaps because it can be such a polarizing subject, and therefore potentially counter productive to team unity – seems to be taboo in yachting circles, as does politics. It would be nice if constructive discussion could take place on both topics, as it would enhance the understanding of differences between people from different walks of life.

The Triton

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PERSONAL FINANCE: Yachting Capital

April 2009

REITs should be looked at as an alternative investment

I have been writing and discussing the proceeds would be distributed to a lot more lately about alternative the shareholders after expenses. investments. In past articles as well The returns on REITs vary with as discussions programs but, in general, they pay or with investment distribute funds as dividends and are options with paid quarterly. This works well for my clients, those who are looking to see somewhat diversification is steady returns. These payments are not key to obtaining guaranteed. The payments are based on investment the board of directors’ decision so look success. In my at the history of a fund that has been opinion, any around for a while. investments Typically non-traded REITs pay out Yachting Capital other than those between 6 and 7 percent a year. Once Mark A. Cline based on the the fund is publicly traded or sells off stock market are the assets, this could yield on average alternative investments. about 10 to 14 percent. Remember, Most people think investing in real this is intended to be a long-term estate means only investment, finding property, so pulling Once the fund is making an offer on it, out early can and then qualifying change those publicly traded or sells for a loan on the full results. off the assets, this could amount to purchase REITs can the property. Over be invested yield on average about the years I have had in through 10 to 14 percent. many clients come in a qualified and want to diversify plan or nontheir investments qualified plan. into real estate. My questions to them In other words, through a retirement and typically I am speaking with plan or a non-retirement plan. someone that works on boats, “Are you If you are green conscious, there are in a position to take care of backed up some REITs that focus on purchasing toilets and collecting rent while you are properties that are LEED certified. traveling the oceans?”

LEED stands for Leadership in Energy To participate in some of the and Environmental Design. benefits of real estate but not some of One major type of REIT focuses on the hassles, I advise clients to consider health care so those properties would a Real Estate Investment Trust, also include hospitals, long-term health known by its acronym of REIT. There care facilities, medical complexes with are two types of REITs. A publicly multiple doctors’ offices, and the like. traded REIT has its shares bought and Another type is Class A office buildings, sold daily on a stock exchange, similar the most prestigious buildings to equities and mutual funds. competing for premier office users The other type of REIT is a public, with rents in the upper one third of non-traded REIT. These shares do the market. These buildings have highnot trade on the stock exchanges, quality standard finishes, state-of-theare not directly affected by the daily art systems, exceptional accessibility fluctuations in the stock market, and and a definite market presence. are considered non-liquid investments.

REITs are not to be confused with Having said that, some REITs do TICs or Tenants in Common. This is provide a liquidation period but with a another alternative type investment reduced value if taken early, sort of like and I will go into that in more detail in Certificates of Deposit (CDs). These are another article. the REITs I typically recommend.

REITs should be looked at as an The life cycle of a non-traded alternative investment outside of the REIT is typically 10-15 years. The life typical stock market investment. This cycle starts by collecting money from type of investment is not affected as investors, then purchasing properties much as our current stock market. based on the prospectus (guidelines As with any investment, though, do of the investment). For a period of your research, diversify and ask a lot time, these properties are diversified of questions to make sure it fits into geographically, by industry, by lease your long-term plan and diversification terms, and by type of properties. strategy.

The exit strategy for the non-traded REIT properties can be done in one of Capt. Mark A. Cline is a chartered two ways. The shares may be listed on senior financial planner and mortgage the public exchange. At that point you broker. He is a partner in Capital could trade and sell your shares for Marine Alliance in Ft. Lauderdale. cash. Another exit strategy would be Comments on this column are welcome through liquidation. In other words the at +1-954-764-2929 or through www. assets would be sold or liquidated and capitalmarinealliance.net.

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WORLD OF YACHTING

The one source for all your yachting needs Here’s what we can do for you: • FIND CREW NO agency commissions or percentages no matter how many or how long you need crew members per year.

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ADVERTISER DIRECTORY Company

Page

Abeam Marine A20 Advanced Mechanical Enterprises C13 After 5 Island Concierge B14 Alexseal Yacht Coatings B18 All Phase Marine Electric B15 Antibes Yachtwear C2 ARW Maritime C13 Atlantic Marine & Shipyard A12 Bahamas Yacht Management B15 Bay Ship and Yacht Company B13 Bellingham Marine B19 Bertling Logistics A6 Big Blue Unlimited B5 BOW Worldwide Yacht Supply A24 Bradford Marine: The Shipyard Group A15 Briny Riverfront Irish Bar and Restaurant B12 Brownie’s Yacht Diver A21 Business card advertisers C16-19 BWA Yachting C7 The Business Point C7 CYA Comprehensive Yacht Assurance B7

Company

Page

Company

Cable Marine C&N Yacht Refinishing Certified Sales Cohn & Monioudis Crew Insurance Services Crew Unlmited D&G Company Dennis Conner’s North Cove Marina Dockside Corporate Services Dockwise Yacht Transport Edd Helms Marine Elite Crew International FenderHooks Global Marine Travel Global Satellite Global Yacht Fuel Gran Peninsula Yacht Center HeadHunter International Registries James Schot Gallery & Photo Studio Kemplon Marine

A10 A2 A6 A17 A22 C2 B7 A20 B9 B15,C4 A16 B9 B9 A7 C3 A13 C5 B13 C10 C6 B16

Lauderdale Propeller Luxury Yacht Group Mail Boxes Etc. Marina Bay Marina Maritime Professional Training Matthew’s Marine A/C Mediterranean Market MHG Marine Benefits Moore & Company Nautic Crew International Nautical Ventures Neptune Group Newport Shipyard Northern Lights Northrop and Johnson Ocean Medical International Ortega Landing Palladium Technologies Pembroke Gun & Range Perry Law Firm Peterson Fuel Delivery

Page C5 A17 C15 B10 C20 B14 B6 B20 C12 C9 B14 B17 A11 B13 B16 C8 B8 C11 B17 C6 C6

Company

Page

Port of Palm Beach Praktek Premier Marine Services Professional Tank Cleaning & Sandblasting Quiksigns Radio Holland USA Renaissance Marina Richman Marine Rio Vista Flowers River Supply River Services Rope, Inc Roscioli Yachting Center Rossmare International Bunkering RPM Diesel Engine Co. Sailorman Seafarer Marine Sea School Secure Chain & Anchor Secure Chain & Anchor/Inflatables Seven Corners Smart Move

B14 B11 B3 A6 C15 A3 C7 B10 C12 B7 C14 A9 B17 C8 A2 B2 B4 A13 C14 B9 A6

Company Spurs Marine Storage Center Sub Sea Solutions SunPro Marine Super Yacht Support Tender Care Boats Tess Electrical Sales & Service The Keyes Company Realtors The Pain Reliever The Sacks Group Yachting Professional Total Marine Solutions TowBoatUS Tradewinds Radio Turtle Cove Marina Ward’s Marine West Marine Westrec Marinas Wright Maritime Group Yacht Entertainment Systems Yacht Next Yacht Services of Alaska

Page C13 C5 A13 B16 A8 C9 A22 B7 A20 A11 B4 C9 C14 B17 A4 B3 A14 A5 A22 A20 A22