OICNW changes Courses no longer required for some mates.
A4
Plan shakes GPS Up and away Newest charter toy draws attention. B8 Vol.8, No. 5
www.the-triton.com
Expanding Internet access could interfer with signal. B1 August 2011
Two yachts fined tens of thousands for red fuel By Lucy Chabot Reed Two megayachts have been boarded and fined thousands of dollars by German customs officers in Kiel for having red-tinted fuel in their tanks. The first yacht was ending a summer-long Baltic cruise when it was boarded in November. The most recent incident, which happened on July 9, came when the yacht was ending a springtime cruise. Neither captain wanted their names
or yacht names mentioned since both have obtained lawyers to sort things out. The Triton is honoring their requests. “They’ve set up a maritime speed trap and captains need to be prepared for this,” said the captain fined in July, who was in New York last month talking to attorneys. At issue is the red-dyed fuel both vessels took on in the United States before heading to the Baltic. Despite taking on numerous liters of clear,
duty-paid fuel after leaving the U.S., some of the U.S. fuel remained to taint subsequent tanks. Red-dyed fuel in the U.S. is reserved for off-road uses such as marine and farm equipment. It indicates that federal road taxes were not paid, but it is not duty-free. Some yachts will pay state sales tax on their fuel, though yachts leaving the country can sign an affidavit to that effect and avoid state sales taxes. Whether sales taxes have been paid or not, all marine fuel sold in
the United States is dyed red. Red-dyed fuel in Germany is dutyfree and also reserved for off-road uses but, as in all European Union countries, is only permitted for commercial vessels. Both megayachts fined are private vessels. “We had taken a very small amount of fuel in the U.S. prior to our transport to Europe,” said the captain fined in November. The yacht cruised around
See FUEL, page A12
Solid footing for wearing shoes onboard
Florida Power & Light’s iconic red-and-white towers mark the entrance to Port Everglades and many a PHOTO/FRANKI BLACK yachtie’s first signal of home..
Lauderdale’s iconic smoke stacks coming down By Franki Black Since the 1960s, megayacht captains have lined up the four red-and-white striped smokestacks that tower over Port Everglades to find the channel into Ft. Lauderdale. As iconic and helpful as these towers may be to yacht crew, they’re the source of excessive pollution and are set to be replaced by a more efficient and environmentally friendly power plant by 2016. Deconstruction is due to start in 2013. The thought of them not there to welcome weary sailors sparked some to reminisce about yachting’s early days. “Back then there were no skyscrapers in Ft. Lauderdale; the stacks were the only landmark,” Capt. Rags Weldon said. “When we left the Caribbean heading for Ft. Lauderdale, people would say ‘look out for the stacks’.” Florida Power Light (FPL) is initiating the replacement
project with a $1 billion investment and says the new power plant will cut carbon dioxide emissions in half. The new plant will use existing transmission and cooling facilities, but replace the four 350-foot-high stacks with three 150-foot-high stacks painted a less obtrusive gray. The stacks will still run from east to west, maintaining the same line as the existing towers, but the reduced height and duller color will make them much less obvious to boaters. “When approaching Ft. Lauderdale after a charter, the smoke stacks have always been an affirmation that we’re home,” said Capt. Chad Wright of M/Y Sheer Bliss, a 75foot Hatteras. “Even though we can now rely on modern navigational technology, I will feel slightly disorientated when the stacks are gone.” Franki Black is a freelance writer and stew. Comments on this story are welcome at editorial@the-triton.com.
Many captains did a double take at a recent photo in The Triton of a yacht crew on the dock in Horta. Most were barefoot; the captain wore shoes. After several yachting veterans commented on the image, we invited captains to explain their thoughts on the role of footwear From the Bridge on boats at the Dorie Cox monthly Triton captains luncheon. “No one goes on the dock barefoot,” a captain said about his crew. “That’s tetanus shopping.” Individual comments are not attributed to any one person in
See THE BRIDGE, page A16
TRITON SURVEY: Yacht ownership
Should an owner change C h a n g in g athe yacht nam e yacht’s name?
OK with me – 70%
Prefer if he didn’t – 15% Don’t care – 13% Shouldn’t– 6%
– Story, C1