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February 2013 Network on Feb. 6 & 20 in Ft. Lauderdale. See page C2-3
A12 Latitude Adjustment Captains and crew are on the move.
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Industry obituaries Two prominent yachting journalists die.
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Now that’s a surprise Get the facts on cruising Mexico’s Pacific coast.
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Navigate the ‘boat show bond’ during season By Dorie Cox There are legal ways to sell a yacht in the United States, but it can be complicated. Boat shows offer foreign-flagged megayachts for sale a navigable option, the “boat show bond.” Typically, when a foreign-flagged yacht comes into U.S. waters, it has 48 hours to check in with U.S. Customs and Border Protection. At that time, it
can get a cruising permit to sail in the country for up to one year. But that boat cannot be offered for sale or charter to U.S. citizens. That’s the big rule of the cruising permit; it only allows for personal use. If the boat comes to the U.S. specifically to be sold, however, there are several paths it can cruise down. It must either be imported into the United States first (and pay 1.5 percent tax on the value of the vessel), it must
be turned over to the “care, custody and control” of a broker (which prohibits the owner’s personal use) or it can post the boat show bond. More than a hundred yachts opt for the latter each season, said customs broker Trey Reeder. Posting the bond allows the yacht to be shown to any potential buyer, therefore eliminating the need for the “not for sale to U.S.
See BOND, page A11
Blame it on the Titanic New rules usually come after accidents on boats.
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Define cheap: Captains on yachts and their owners When the topic for this month’s captains conversation was announced at lunch, the captains in the room let out a collective chuckle. It seemed that most all had had some experience with what we called “cheap owners.” But as the conversation grew, it became clear From the Bridge that despite the Lucy Chabot Reed occasional sea story, yacht captains have come to understand why and how owners are more frugal with their yacht budgets than perhaps they once were. We began by trying to define cheap. The dictionary says simply “low in price or cost; not expensive” but also with the informal “stingy”. But the captains didn’t define the word; they defined the owners. “There are two definitions,” one captain began. “Those who are frugal or
See BRIDGE, page A16
An important part of yachting is derived from professional relationships. And The Triton hosts networking PHOTO/DORIE COX events each month to do just that. See more photos of January networking on page A10.
Courses may cut into your paycheck, vacation By Dorie Cox Although tedious, several experts advise that crew stay informed about course requirements that affect STCW, Officer of the Watch, Efficient Deckhand, Human Element Leadership and Management, ECDIS and more. “It is important for crew to understand changes,” said Mike French, president of International
Crew Training in Ft. Lauderdale. “Some of these will hit them in the pocket. “The average spend for OOW equals about two more weeks, potentially a couple of thousand dollars,” he said. Julie Liberatore, manager of student administration at Maritime Professional Training (MPT) in Ft. Lauderdale, recommended crew stay organized and know the route they are on.
“It is hard for crew to get time off,” Liberatore said. “They want to plan ahead so training is not so burdensome or intimidating.” Some of the courses are finalized and some are still being clarified. Liberatore quoted Roger Towner, chief examiner of MCA, who introduced the list with, “you’ll be renewing wet stuff and hot stuff.”
See COURSES, page A13
TRITON SURVEY
Does your yacht have rules about dating a crew mate?
Yes – 31.3% No – 68.8%
– Story, C1
A February 2013 WHAT’S INSIDE
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Think we can fit it in the dinghy?
This is what happens when a captain is in charge of provisioning. Find out the true story on A9. PHOTO FROM YACHTAID GLOBAL
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LATITUDE ADJUSTMENT
Captains, crew get in motion with the old Harbour Island This month we have news of captains and crew taking new positions – one in which an owner moved up, one in which a captain did. It’s great to be able to report the following: Capt. Dale Smith has taken over the 180-foot (55m) Newcastle M/Y Harbour Island. Shown in every major boat show for the Latitude past year, the Adjustment Lucy Chabot Reed new yacht has been renamed M/Y Sovereign and was in Ft. Lauderdale this winter making the necessary changes. “The main thing is we’re just letting it rest and letting everyone catch up with the work,” Smith said. The owner’s most recent yacht was the 130-foot Westport M/Y Sovereign. Smith proudly led a tour of the yacht, showing off the 10-foot ceilings in the main salon, the spacious engine room, nice crew quarters and tender garage. (Funny how a crew publication looks at different things than the glossy magazines, eh?) “It’s a great platform with great equipment,” Smith said, noting that the jump from the Westport, while just 1.5 times the length, gives the owner three times Smith the volume (less than 300 tons to 1,100 tons). “It’s a lot better boat than people give her credit for. “It’s a platform to broaden their horizons,” he said. “Now we have the ability to do long ranges that we couldn’t do with the Westport.” Smith and the owner have kept most of the Harbour Island crew, including First Officer Stephen Burke, the engineering brothers of Kirk (chief) and Fitz (second) Graham, Chief Stew Kelly Miles, Stew Brittny Otto and Deckhand Chris Tingle. Harbour Island’s former Chef Michael “Martini” Martin has also rejoined the vessel under Smith. From the Westport, Smith has brought with him Stew Mimi Pettis and Nick Adams, who was promoted to bosun. Despite the gap in size from the Westport to the Newcastle, Smith said he didn’t have trouble moving up with the boss. He previously ran the 155-foot M/Y Triumphant Lady and has been tested in the simulator for an even larger yacht. While he didn’t get that job, he keeps the evaluation report with
his CV and was quickly approved for the bump in size, he said. The new yacht and her crew will likely head to Nova Scotia this summer to get to know the yacht before planning more trips. We’ll try to keep up with them as they do what all yachties want to do: take the boss and his family on unforgettable holidays. Capt. Dave Cherington has taken command of the 178-foot (54.7m) M/ Y Talisman Maiton, the six-year-old recently refurbished motor yacht built by Proteksan Turquoise. He writes in that he’s happy to stay with the Burgess family, which is the yacht’s charter manager. He’s chartering in the Caribbean this winter and will be in the Med for the summer. “It’s a busy Cherington charter boat, and the owner is happy to fit his trips onboard around them,” said Cherington’s wife, Chef Laura, who has recently moved ashore and will not join the yacht as regular crew. “There is talk of the boat heading to Thailand in the next couple years. I’ll happily pack my bags for that one.” Chef Peter Ziegelmeier has published a cookbook: “Dreams of a Yacht Chef: Food for Thought.” More than a cookbook, it offers lots of space to write and alter recipes, and offers cooking tips and methods, cooking guidelines and inspiration to encourage other chefs. Chef Peter is one of the most enthusiastic, high-energy people I have ever met in this industry. I have only seen snippets of the book online (dreamsofayachtchef.com), but if it’s anything like he is, I’m sure it’ll take your breath away. Chief Stew Elizabeth Anne “Libby” Eddy, who ran for the Florida House of Representatives in November, did not win her seat but she said she’s not done with politics yet. After crewing on a trip from Florida to Abacos that was turned back due to weather, Eddy said the experience gave her a good first foray into politics. “People said I did a great job running as a Republican in Broward County, especially since I won 20,500 votes to her 38,000 votes,” she said. “I’ve gotten a lot of encouragement from people that want me to run in two years.” Have you made an adjustment in your latitude recently? Let us know. Send news to Editor Lucy Chabot Reed at lucy@the-triton.com.
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Maine yard owner helps crew with U.S. visas from Bermuda Non-U.S. crew planning to arrive in Bermuda this spring from the Caribbean aboard yachts heading to New England can now start the application process for an Out-ofDistrict U.S. Visa while still down in the islands. Before departing northward, crew can start the process by contacting Phin Sprague (phin@portlandyacht. com, +1-207-774-1067), owner of Portland Yacht Services in Maine, with a copy of the clearing crew list, an estimated arrival time in Bermuda, and the names of the crew wishing to apply for a visa. Sprague was able to convince U.S. Sen. Susan Collins of Maine to head a bipartisan effort to ease the visa application process for foreign crew heading to New England via Bermuda from the Caribbean. In return, he agreed to act as the designated Bermuda transient yacht visa “gate”. The U.S. Consulate in Hamilton, Bermuda, will offer visas only for the limited period of the spring northern migration of yachts. To obtain a visa, crew must enter Bermuda on the same
boat that will eventually take them to New England. In other words, no flying in to meet the boat and no changing of boats once there. (Visa applicants must, as always, do research on their own to see if they qualify for a visa.) Sprague had listened to a number of owners and crew who felt the U.S. visa policy posed an unreasonable hardship, forcing them to avoid the U.S., fly home or sail a significant distance off their direct route. He made the case that commerce between the transient yachts and Maine boatyards was being harmed if the crews could not obtain Out-of-District visas. So he approached Collins, who quickly understood and successfully made the case to the State Department. In April, Sprague will once again be in Antigua during the Classic Yacht Regatta to host a gathering to promote boatyards in Maine, and will be available to answer questions in person or by e-mail. Originally reported in Caribbean Boating/Newport Sailor. It has been reprinted with permission.
Rough surf claims five lives in Bali; Yacht Sequoia in court Five surfing tourists swept to sea
At least five tourists died in rough waters while surfing in Bali in early January. The rainy season has brought high winds. They, combined with large swells from the south Indian Ocean, caused large waves to break on the south coast of Bali. On Jan. 8, eight surf tourists died in the surf. Greg, an ex-pro big-wave surfer and friend of the author, could not get to the victims in time. A word of caution: only very experienced big-wave surfers should be out in these conditions. Tourist surfers routinely come to Bali seeking the perfect wave. They buy a board from a surf shop and head for sea. As with most things in life, the danger lies in the lack of experience. A less-than-robust leg-wrap is the usual suspect. Big-wave surfers lengthen and beef-up the leg-wraps on their oversized big-wave boards to ensure that they never get separated in adverse conditions. Surf tourists often launch on a board too small for the wave conditions with store-bought leg-wraps. The $10 leg wrap snaps, leaving the surfer at the mercy of an 8-knot current. The day the drownings, Greg and
his Hawaiian surf-buddy Kiki launched from the pier at the five-star Nicho Hotel. Two guests were swept off the pier behind them. Their bodies were soon washed up a few miles down the beach. In less than 24 hours, Greg witnessed five drownings, none of which he could intervene with. Others perished on that day and subsequent days, but the numbers and details are not confirmed. We expect the usual cover up on these stories. No press, no police reports. Lost surfers is a regular occurrence in January and February. Inexperienced surfers, mostly European, especially Russian, come under-skilled and illequipped. The leg wrap snaps and they are left swimming in the surf. It only takes seconds from them to disappear. – Capt. Gordon Reid
Sequoia ownership in court
A legal battle has begun in New York court over ownership of the USS Sequoia, the 104-foot yacht built in 1925 that has served as a presidential yacht to U.S. presidents throughout the middle of the last century. At issue is a $5 million loan the owners of the yacht, Sequoia Presidential Yacht Group, took in July to pay debts, operate the vessel and initiate repairs. The group says it only
See NEWS BRIEFS, page A6
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Brits form navy to fight pirates; S/Y Phocea intrigue continues NEWS BRIEFS, from page A4 received about half the loan amount from FE Partners, which put it in further financial trouble. If the group defaults on the loan – which FE Partners says it has – the latter can take steps to buy the yacht at a deep discount of its market price, according to news reports from Courthouse News Service and The Washington Examiner. Though based in Washington, D.C., the owners of FE Partners are mining and media businessmen in India, giving the yacht’s owner opportunity to declare the move to acquire the yacht a “dastardly plan”. Sequoia Presidential Yacht Group’s owner, Washington, D.C.-based attorney Gary Silversmith, has sued FE Partners in New York County for defaulting on the loan agreements by only providing half the agreed upon sum. FE Partners said it plans to defend itself and pursue its “bargained-for rights”. Court hearings were scheduled for mid-January but no news had been released by press time. The yacht remains moored in Washington.
Brits form private navy
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British businessmen have formed a private navy called Typhon to combat piracy in the Indian Ocean. The group, which is recruiting 240 former marines and sailors, is expected to protect its first group of oil tankers and bulk carriers in late March or April, according to a report in Bloomberg Businessweek. Typhon will include a mother ship, high-speed armored patrol boats, and armed soldiers. Their aim is to deter pirates rather than engage in gunfights, according to a story in Maritime Executive magazine. The navy’s funding will come from shipping firms in much the same way as cargo ships sailing under Russian, Chinese and Indian flags hire private convoys. In Greek mythology, Typhon is a monster with a hundred heads, also known as Typhoeus, who was eventually killed by Zeus. Or it may be Typhoeus’ son.
Phocea intrigue continues
Six months after the 75m S/Y Phocea was detained in Vanuatu under allegations of illegal activities, a private jet landed in Papua New Guinea after hours of the airport with two Asian men with Vanuatu diplomatic passports. Vanuatu’s Foreign Minister was also at the airport at the unusual hour on an unannounced “private mission,”
according to a news report on Stuff. co.nz, a news site in New Zealand. Police want to question the men about the Phocea, but they were permitted to fly off, the news site reported. Meanwhile, Phocea remains under arrest in Port Vila harbor until police can determine where it is registered. They claim it is or was registered in several countries, but legally it can only be registered in one. Thai national Vu Anh Quan Saken, who has a Vanuatu diplomatic passport, reputedly owns it. Phocea was built in Toulon in 1976 for yachtsman Alain Colas who called her Club Mediterranee.
Ships move for whales
Ship traffic off the coast of California will be re-routed under new rules designed to protect whales. The International Maritime Organization has approved lane changes on approaches to San Francisco Bay and the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach, as well as in the Santa Barbara Channel. The modifications will take effect next year, after the Coast Guard completes its rulemaking process. Endangered blue whales, fin whales and humpback whales are vulnerable to ship strikes since they are attracted to the California shoreline by the abundance of krill. There are believed to be about 2,000 blue whales, 2,000 fin whales and 2,500 humpbacks in the northeast Pacific. In 2010, five whales died in ship accidents in the area outside San Francisco Bay. Under the lane modifications, three lanes on the approach to San Francisco Bay will be extended, a change that will limit the risk of collisions within the Cordell Bank and Gulf of the Farallones national marine sanctuaries. In the Santa Barbara Channel, where four blue whales were killed in 2007, a southbound lane will be shifted a mile north, steering ships away from feeding grounds used by blue whales and humpback whales. Other lanes will be narrowed. Lane changes are also planned for the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach. NOAA helped craft the latest shipping lane changes. The agency said that the lane changes that went into effect off the coast of Massachusetts five years ago have reduced the risk of whale strikes from ships. Reported in a recent edition of Wheelhouse Weekly, a newsletter of the International Organization of Masters, Mates & Pilots. It has been reprinted with permission.
See NEWS BRIEFS, page A8
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OBITUARIES
Two yachting journalists die in December Editor and captain Buckley dies
Capt. Tork Buckley died on Dec. 29 in Thailand after a battle with cancer. Mr. Buckley was 56 and lived in Phuket. Mr. Buckley was founder and senior consultant of Big Buckley Blue Consulting. He was born in Scotland and sailed since he was young, according to the company Web site. Mr. Buckley became a professional captain in 1989 and worked on motor and sailing yachts from 47 feet to more than 200 feet. He held a UK MCA masteryacht license and served as build and refit representative in Turkey on the Proteksan build of the 50m M/Y Mosaique. Mr. Buckley was editor of The Yacht Report, currently The Superyacht Report, between 2005 to 2010. And after moving to Thailand, he became Asia editor and consultant for The Superyacht Group. “He was one of this industry’s great characters and was one of the most fun, interesting and fascinating people I have ever had the privilege of knowing,” Thea Cheney, managing editor of The
a variety of yachts, boat builders, locations, boat shows and events in the yachting industry. He was president of FAB Studio Photo Video in Nice, France. It is a non-profit organization created to promote the arts, host workshops and hold exhibitions, Photographer Marc Paris shot yacht images for builders, especially for yachts, brokers and publications around the world. He people with special died in a plane crash while shooting a yacht in Turkey. needs. Photographer PHOTO/SUKI@YACHTINGTODAY.TV Suki Finnerty, owner of Superyacht Report, said. “He challenged YachtingToday TV, flew with Paris in all who met him with his sharp mind October during a Hargrave photo shoot and sense of humor, and to say there and said he was great to work with who was never a dull moment in his company would be an understatement.” would do anything for anyone. “You could always see him at the boat shows with the fur koala bear on Photographer Paris dies his bag, his photographer vest and a Yacht photographer Marc Paris nice smile,” Finnerty said. “He was a big died on Dec. 24 in an ultralight plane bear. He loved his job and always had crash while photographing a yacht in Antalya, Turkey. Both Mr. Paris and the his camera in hand.” Some of his photographs can be seen pilot were killed. Mr. Paris was 57. at www.marcparis-photo.com. Mr. Paris took photos and videos for
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Florida car race opens stern-to dockage NEWS BRIEFS, from page B6
Bill dispute holds M/Y Venus
A 256-foot megayacht built for Apple’s late co-founder Steve Jobs was held in Holland in late December over an unpaid bill to designer Philippe Starck, according to news reports. A lawyer representing Starck’s company told Reuters News Service that his client had received 6 million euros out of a 9-million-euro commission for his work on the vessel and was seeking to recover the rest. “The project has been going since 2007 and there had been a lot of detailed talk between Jobs and Starck,” said Roelant Klaassen, a lawyer representing Ubik. “These guys trusted each other, so there wasn’t a very detailed contract.” M/Y Venus was released less than a week later for an undisclosed sum. It was believed the yacht was heading to the United States, where Jobs’ family will take possession.
Grand Prix yacht club is back
The Yacht Club at the Honda Grand Prix of St. Petersburg (Fla.) returns March 21-24 on specially built private docks in the St. Pete South Yacht Basin. The Yacht Club offers complimentary water taxi, VIP or
grandstand tickets, paddock passes, closed-circuit video feed of on-track activity and access to all event sites. Pricing starts at $4,000 for a 30-79 foot slip and $9,500 for an 80-150 foot slip. The IndyCar race is run on a 1.8mile, 14-turn waterfront circuit that includes a combination of adjacent downtown streets circling Pioneer Park, the Progress Energy Center for the Arts, the Salvador Dali Museum and extending onto the runways at Albert Whitted Airport, which overlook the Tampa Bay and St. Petersburg Harbor and Marina. For more information, visit gpstpete. com, click on “hospitality” and click on “yacht club”, or call +1 727-898-4639, ext. 203 or 227.
Ft. Lauderdale trolley expands
Fort Lauderdale’s Sun Trolley has expanded its beach route to seven-day service, according to a story in the South Florida Business Journal. The trolley runs from the Harbor Shops off 17th Street east to the beach, north to Sunrise Boulevard and back across the ICW to the Galleria Mall, which is across the street from Sunrise Harbor Marina. The trolley now operates from 9:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.
Passengers flag the driver anywhere along the route to board. The fare is 50 cents for one trip or $2 for all day.
Storm gives boating a boost
Hurricane Sandy, the bizarre superstorm, damaged or destroyed 65,000 recreational boats and is blamed for roughly $62 billion in damage. The storm, which blew offshore of South Florida the weekend of the Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show in late October, came ashore in New Jersey the following week, wreaking havoc on property as far inland as Chicago. “Hurricane Sandy was the single largest loss to recreational boating since we began keeping track in 1966,” said Scott Croft of Boat Owners Association of the U.S. With insurance companies paying claims on those loses, many boat dealers reported their best sales months ever in December and January. New York’s boat show in early January was also labeled a success. “Technicians who work in the yards are coming back to work to fix boats,” Jeff Vaughn, vice president of sales for Boston Whaler, told CBS News. “People are buying boats, so people are hiring sales people. So we’re actually seeing our businesses and dealerships grow and become more stable.”
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CREW NEWS: M/Y Big Fish in Fiji
Above: Some of the supplies M/Y Big Fish transported to Fiji after the storm. Nearly 20 companies donated items. Below: Crew from M/Y Big Fish, including Capt. Winston Joyce-Clarke at right, unload supplies at Lautoka Wharf. Bottom: Yacht crew, yacht agents and locals celebrate the PHOTOS FROM YACHTAID GLOBAL delivery.
M/Y Big Fish, YachtAid Global bring relief after cyclone in Fiji On New Year’s Eve, the 148-foot (45m) M/Y Big Fish pulled into Lautoka, Fiji, to deliver a mammoth load of supplies for victims of Cyclone Evan. The effort was organized by YachtAid Global in partnership with Superyacht Support New Zealand and Yacht Partners Fiji. The yacht’s nine crew, led by Capt. Winston Joyce-Clarke, unloaded 24 boxes of medical supplies along with portable generators, mattresses, a cache of hygiene supplies, 129 large bags of clothing, books, toys, tools, kitchen equipment, stationery, food and other items. The haul, valued at about $50,000 (New Zealand dollars), was collected from nearly 20 businesses in and around New Zealand. Cyclone Evan caused widespread destruction across the Pacific and battered Fiji for more than 12 hours when it made landfall on Dec. 17. More than 11,700 people evacuated their homes, which suffered flooding and were hit with high winds. “Fiji is a major destination for superyachts heading
through the Pacific and quite often the last stop before the vessel arrives in New Zealand or the first stop after it leaves,” said Jeanette Tobin of Superyacht Support. “With Big Fish heading up there empty, it was a nobrainer.” David Jamieson of Yacht Help Fiji contacted YachtAid Global to help, which made contact with Big Fish.
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he Triton held its first networking event of the new year with JC’s Carpet Cleaning on Jan. 16. About 200 captains, crew and industry professionals rekindled working relationships and made new connections at Lauderdale Marine Center in Ft. PHOTOS/DORIE COX Lauderdale.
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www.the-triton.com FROM THE FRONT: Boat show bond
There are rules to the boat show bonds BOND, from page A1 citizens while in U.S. waters” sign. And it lets owners enjoy their vessels before, during and after shows. Despite advantages, downsides are that the bond only allows the boat to be for sale during a show itself, and the yacht must leave the country after the six-month bond expires. But this bond is a good option for non-U.S.-flagged yachts for sale in U.S. boat shows, said Jeff Erdmann, president of Bollman Yachts and director of government affairs with the Florida Yacht Brokers Association. Yachts can file for the boat show bond and not have to hand over any money. “It’s works terrific,” Erdmann said. “You temporarily import the boat for a show by filing for a bond for 3 percent of the value of the boat.” On this route, the guarantee of payment allows a yacht longer than 79 feet to be offered for sale during boat shows to residents of the United States. That means a $10 million yacht avoids paying $150,000 in federal tax (duty) by promising to pay $300,000 if rules are broken. And with the boat show bond, yachts don’t have to display the sign “not for sale or charter to U.S. citizens while in U.S. waters” during boat shows.
How the bond works
When filing for a bond, the captain must forfeit the megayacht’s original registration and cruising permit to U.S. Customs, said Steele Reeder, president of Howard S. Reeder in Ft. Lauderdale. Yachts less than 79 feet don’t get the option for a bond, Reeder said. Trey Reeder, a yacht specialist with the firm and son of Steele Reeder, visits the yacht requesting the bond and takes the original cruising license and original registration, which he drives to a nearby customs office. “We’re the go-between between the client and customs,” Trey Reeder said. “We try to prevent captains from spending hours in customs.” Right before the Ft. Lauderdale International Boat Show is a busy time for Reeder as he puts about 200 miles a day on his Dodge Charger traveling between vessels, bond and customs offices. “Most of the boats start the bond in October because it has a six-month lifespan,” Trey Reeder said. “And six months puts them through April, that way they can do all shows.” The Ft. Lauderdale show is in October, Miami’s Yacht and Brokerage
See BOND, page A14
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A12 February 2013 PHOTO GALLERY: South Florida
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reelance Stew Anna Kozma took camera in hand in January to shoot some of her crew mates on yachts around Boca Raton Resort Marina and Ft. Lauderdale. The crew are, at right, Mate Kim of M/Y Lady Sylvia; the guys from M/Y Helios II: Deckhand Matt Handcock (below left), Bosun Oli Gillespie (below center) and First Officer Jules Phillemore below right); Jeremy of M/Y Claire hanging loose; and the team off M/Y Moonraker: Mate Bernardo (bottom left) and the interior team of Chief Stew Rachel and Stew Anessa (bottom right).
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FROM THE FRONT: Regulations
February 2013 A13
Leadership, deckhand, officer of watch have updated courses COURSE, from page A1 “For example, we’re in the five-year phase-in for STCW,” Liberatore said. “Don’t wait until the end to update.” There is a two-and-a-half-day refresher course for STCW, lifeboat, basic firefighting and advanced firefighting; there is no sea time requirement, but there will be training requirements. Liberatore said there will also be a security training course at the STCW level. “It is not defined yet, but it will be for security officers and others working with security issues,” she said. “And an environmental course will be coming. We are unsure if this will be able to be taught within the current course, or if we will be able to drop something.” STCW changes go into effect in 2017, but the UK has passed legislation to implement the new STCW beginning July 1. HELM (human element leadership and management) training is also recommended. And there is a master level version also. There is the Efficient Deckhand (EDH) five-day course to improve basic seamanship with things like knots and basic safety. “There just isn’t that culture anymore, so they are just trying to improve conditions,” ICT’s French said. “It’s been around since the 1920s, but it’s now being implemented.” As of July, the MCA’s OOW training will require an EDH certificate. This means that if a crew member applies for a Notice of Eligibility (NOE) for the oral exam after July 1, he or she will be required to submit an EDH certificate. In addition to the EDH training requirement, MCA Master candidates and Y2 and Y1 engineers will need to complete a five-day leadership and management course. OOW candidates (Y4 and Y3 candidates) will need to undertake a three-day version. And there is a new written exam for celestial navigation at the chief mate level. No course is required, but the subject will be tested in the exam sequence, French said. Electronic Chart Display and Information System certification will be required for crew who work on vessels that have it. “ECDIS is coming with a 2017 deadline,” French said. “Crew need to start training now because they often wait until the last minute and it’s possible that there will not be enough facilities to teach everyone who will need to be qualified.” Deck officers who do not have the certificate will carry a negative endorsement that reads “not for use on ECDIS-equipped ships.” There is a high-voltage course for engineers on ships where the distribution board has more than one kilovolt. Without it, certificates will
have a negative endorsement. In reference to hiring practices under the MLC 2006 (which comes into effect in August), there are changes in crew agreements, according to Angela Wilson, senior crew agent and office manager at Elite Crew International in Ft. Lauderdale. “We make sure crew know their rights and have the contract before they go to the job,” Wilson said. “This gives them a chance to read through and understand the agreement. “Ten years ago it was a handshake,” she said. “Now crew have contracts defining hours, leave, repatriation,
standard operating procedures and confidentiality. These will alleviate horror stories of crew being left at the docks. And now there is a complaint form for crew.” Wilson said there are no changes required in resumes. “Photos and information are placed at will,” she said. “If crew don’t want to use their photo, they don’t have to. It is up to crew.” Although there appear to be many changes in licensing and credential requirements, French said it is not true that some in the industry are creating regulations just for the money.
“The MCA is reluctant to add more courses,” French said. “Licensing is not a conspiracy,” Liberatore said. “For most mariners it is not going to affect them. It’s not crumpling up the rules, tossing and starting over. Some of this is tweaking.” Liberatore said although it is time to plan, there is no need to panic. “These things are never without time to implement,” she said. “They never say ‘surprise’.” Dorie Cox is associate editor of The Triton. Comments on this story are welcome at editorial@the-triton.com.
A14 February 2013 FROM THE FRONT: Boat show bond
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It is important to close out the bond in the originating port the show to clear the bond,” Ridgway said. “But that can consist of a trip to Show is in February and the Palm the Bahamas and back.” Beach International Boat Show is in Another rule is to plan before March. traveling and to communicate with Customs. Boat show bond rules “You have to be aware that you If boat show bond rules are broken, can’t just move around, but have to let the bond will be forfeited. One them know that you want to move,” important consideration is that the Ridgway said of the Reeders, who he bond doesn’t just expire in six months, uses as customs brokers. “If the owner Trey Reeder said. surprises you with a trip, just let them “You have to cancel know.” it,” he said. “At that time, To move without a To get another cruising permit, a vessel I go to customs, get the original paperwork and cruising permit, has to communicate deliver it back to the with the USCG. Either the yacht must boat.” you have a cruising leave the U.S. When the bond is permit or your closed, in order to get documents go on file another cruising permit, because you are not three conditions must be met: the eligible, Steele Reeder said. In that case, vessel must leave the United States if you want to move the vessel you get for a foreign port or place, the yacht a “permit to proceed” from the USCG. returns from that foreign port or place, Vessels in this category must obtain and at least 15 days have elapsed since a permit before proceeding to each the previous license expired. subsequent U.S. port. Capt. Jeff Ridgway of the 154-foot Boats get exactly six months to use Burger M/Y Ingot has been through the the bond. boat show bond process four or five “And there is positively no extension times. See BOND, page A15 “We have to leave the country after
BOND, from page A11
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www.the-triton.com FROM THE FRONT: Boat show bond
Boats on the bond must keep list of all clients BOND, from page A14 on the bond,” he said. Another important rule refers to closing the bond. “A kicker, that everyone hates, is that they have to close the bond in the same port they received it,” Trey Reeder said. “The bond never leaves the Custom office.” “For example if start in Ft. Lauderdale and go to Rybovich [West Palm Beach], and want to depart for a trip from there, they can’t,” Reeder said. “They have to travel back here, make plans to dock or tie up somewhere and close the bond,” Reeder said from his office in Ft. Lauderdale. Also, a list of visitors during the show must be kept because the boat may not be offered for sale before or after a show, Erdmann said. “That way they can continue to work with the people on that list even after the show,” he said. “We have never seen a problem with this because brokers usually keep records,” Steele Reeder said. “They keep a list because these are sales lead.”
Private use allowed
Owners may continue to use their yachts, during shows and between shows, with a few rules. “There are no specific restrictions saying you can’t use the boat,” Steele Reeder said. “Yachts can travel within the customs jurisdiction of the office where the paperwork is being held.” For example, yachts in Ft. Lauderdale can use the boat between the border of the West Palm Beach and the Miami custom’s coverage. But they have to physically close the bond to leave from the originating office. Why can’t yachts go to shows in Newport or Annapolis? “We typically don’t let our bonded
boats go to other ports other than West Palm Beach, Ft. Lauderdale and Miami,” Trey Reeder said. “The reason being is control and our assurances to customs and to the bonding company that our boat will follow the rules.” “It would be too hard for us to keep track of our clients and control their movements if we let them go to much farther than the three boat show ports in South Florida,” he said.
‘A kicker, that everyone hates is that they have to close the bond in the same port they received it. The bond never leaves the Custom office. ‘For example, if they start in Ft. Lauderdale and go to Rybovich [West Palm Beach], and want to depart for a trip from there, they can’t.’
– Trey Reeder Customs agent Howard S. Reeder Ft. Lauderdale
The boats purchase the bond, but no money changes hands between a boat and customs unless a boat breaks the bonds rules, Reeder said. But if they don’t follow rules, customs will collect from the bonding company and the bonding company will then look to the boat to recoup the lost funds, he said. “Buy purchasing the bond, the owner is essentially agreeing to follow the rules or payback the bonding company,” Trey Reeder said. “There
is a risk involved with bonding an asset that can fire up the motors and disappear to a foreign country at any point.”
The bond history
The bond has made boat shows big, Steele Reeder said. What would Florida boat shows look like without this option? “We would lose the big boats because they wouldn’t want to pay the import tax for a five-day show,” he said. “We would see a cut in numbers and a decrease value-wise.” Reeder was a member of the Marine Industries Association of South Florida in the late 1990s when the group wanted to expand the Ft. Lauderdale show by creating a free-trade zone, he said. The group said, “Why couldn’t we come up with a temporary solution for the shows and let customs keep control?” Steele said. “We came up with a draft, had the customs guys in on it, but thought it was a pipe dream. Why would people want to give yachts a break?” But U.S. Rep. E. Clay Shaw Jr. saw hundreds of thousands of people in the industry who would benefit and got it attached to legislation. “It passed to all our amazement,” Reeder said. So, for yachts that want to sell at U.S. shows, the boat show bond is chosen by most all of the large foreign-flagged boats in South Florida shows, said Trey Reeder. “Who has the boat show bond?,” Reeder said. “Most every boat on the outside docks at these shows has the bond.” Dorie Cox is associate editor of The Triton. Comments on this story are welcome at dorie@the-triton.com.
February 2013 A15
A16 February 2013 FROM THE BRIDGE: Cheap owners
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Who’s to blame if owner can’t afford yacht? BRIDGE, from page A1 thrifty, inherently cheap, and those who can no longer afford their yacht.” That includes an owner, this captain said, who bought his yacht at one point in time, thinking charter would help offset the running costs. But perhaps charter revenue has been cut in half, meaning the yacht costs much more than the owner thought. These definitions triggered a whole tangential conversation about who is to blame for the fact that some owners can no longer afford their yachts – and it’s not the owner himself. “It’s the broker who does the deal who tells him he can run the boat with three crew when it needs eight, or that he can get a captain for $3,000 a month when it really costs $10,000,” another captain said. 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 the photograph on the next page. “There are people who are naturally cheap and guys who get into it [yachting] accidentally because brokers are good at their job,” another captain said. “If a guy comes up and says I can spend $10 million on a boat, I’d get them into a $9 million boat so they have some
money to make the improvements. But a broker will show them $12 million boats and upsell them.” That leaves these owners pinching pennies from the start, this captain said. But it’s not all the brokers’ fault. “Some owners don’t like to hear the truth about what it’s going to cost,” one captain said. “People listen to what they want to hear,” said another. And they want to hear they can afford the yacht, they all agreed. The captains had cautious things to say about turning the yacht commercial, which is required if putting the yacht on the charter market. While brokers, especially those with management companies, will push putting the yacht commercial to “offset operating costs”, those running costs go way up under commercial endorsement, several captains said. And the management company has just secured itself a new client, not to mention charter boat. “A lot of owners are misled and misguided,” one captain said. “They’re not necessarily cheap.” Another captain pointed out that some owners just don’t know what it means to maintain a yacht. With no trips planned for several months, one captain said his owner told him to release the crew, that the captain could look after the boat solo. “That’s completely out of touch,” this captain said. “The yacht suffers, but they don’t want to hear that.” Another captain blamed the economy, which has hurt owners of yachts larger than they could afford. “Now, they have to be frugal, but that doesn’t necessarily label them as cheap,” a captain said. “Cheap is when I’m asked to get all the dockage rates between [points A and B] and pick the cheapest one,” a captain said. “No,” said another. “Cheap is anchoring offshore.” “We do that, too,” the first captain said. “We anchor 100 feet off the marina so we can get the free wi-fi and use the pool. That’s what I call cheap.” The other captains agreed. “The trouble is, the owner who tries to be frugal with money ends up paying more than if they just paid in the beginning,” one captain said. “It’s the unscheduled, emergency problems that cost three times as much to fix. “It’s sad that they don’t listen to captains with experience and their engineers.” Several captains recounted stories of owners who delayed purchases or repair of equipment, searching for better deals. “You do that with an airplane [fly when the pilot says something needs to be repaired] and you get arrested,” one captain said. “There comes a time when you have to start trusting someone,” another said. These captains agreed that some
of their peers take advantage of yacht owners, which often makes the matter of trust harder for the next captain. “Boats without budgets are totally abused by guys like us,” one captain said. “And that’s what gave management companies all the ammunition they needed to start offering management services.” So we talked about some of the behaviors that signify a cheap owner. These captains agreed that not issuing a credit card for the boat or asking the captain to run expenses through his own accounts for reimbursement was not only a sign of being cheap but also a dangerous red flag. Other behaviors these captains said show signs of being cheap include being micromanaged, not having a budget, cutting crew salaries or crew quality, and not paying their bills on time. “The problem is you don’t know [some of these things] about the owner until you take the job, so let’s talk about the interview,” one captain suggested. In interview, several captains said they ask to see the crew salary budget. They ask if crew get a 13th month bonus, and if the yacht pays for courses. “The first question I ask in the interview is what’s the budget,” another captain said. “I started with a budget of $250. Spending anything over that was like going to a congressional subcommittee meeting. “But one thing I learned: If that pump was broken and it wasn’t a safety issue, he would let it sit for three months shopping around, trying to save $200, and we’d end up making the repairs I suggested,” this captain said. A few captains again defended owners. “The owner is perceived to be cheap, especially when you first start, because they want to train you into being frugal with their money,” a captain said. “It’s only a training tool. You have to have all the answers. They give you guidance and then they want bids/quotes.” “Every owner tests you,” another said. “You’re spending $50,000 here, $100,000 there, and they ask you to itemize the VOIP bill for $27. They’re letting you know they’re keeping an eye on the figures. “And you can’t blame them,” this captain continued. “They didn’t get where they are by being fiscally irresponsible.” One captain said he’ll always remember the owner who told him, “Spend the money as if it was yours.” “That really gets you thinking about it, about getting him the best deal, the most value,” this captain said. “As I get older, I see that it’s just human nature to be frugal,” another captain said. “They’re ramping down, squeezing a little tighter. And there’s sticker shock in this industry.
See BRIDGE, page A17
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www.the-triton.com FROM THE BRIDGE: Cheap owners
Attendees of The Triton’s February Bridge luncheon were, from left, William Maguire (freelance), Rupert Lean of M/Y Ingot, Patrick McLister (looking), Steve Riley (looking), Mark O’Connell (looking), Craig Rutkai of M/Y AnneMarie, Martin Wasilewski (formerly of S/Y Prana), Brad Helton of M/Y El Lobo, PHOTO/LUCY REED and Jeffrey Herbik (freelance).
Safety is the line between making a repair or waiting BRIDGE, from page A17 Everything costs more than it should.” “If it wasn’t ‘marine’ it wouldn’t cost that,” said a third. The behaviors of a not-cheap owner are also identifiable and include not questioning expenses related to safety matters and supporting the captain’s or engineer’s recommendation on work when research and three quotes have been obtained (and not automatically picking the lowest price). Of course, they agreed, that comes after a relationship in which the captain has not been wasteful and provides detailed budgets. “There are an awful lot of good owners out there,” a captain said. “The owners who got it right have had a good rapport with their captains.” “Not cheap owners come in as many forms as cheap owners,” another said. “One telltale sign of a good owner with a good budget: Those jobs never come out on the open market. When that captain leaves, he recommends a friend.” One captain explained how he built trust and rapport with an owner with numbers. “Owners don’t want to be lied to,” this captain said. “He had fired a previous captain who said ‘This is what I think it will cost’. I gave him spreadsheets of the job that I did on a previous yacht, real figures and times. We got on great.” So can a captain turn around an owner who has been “cheap” in the past? “Yes, but it takes a lot of patience,” one captain said. “When it comes to planned maintenance, you’ve got to let him know it will cost far more in the long run,” another said. “You’ve got to get his attention with a very specific conversation and with documents,” said a third. “You have to mention resale value to them again and again,” another captain said. “Sometimes, that’s the
magic way to get them to spend money on something they don’t want to. Or mention insurance.” “Or they have to make the repair to stay in class, and they have to stay in class or pay the VAT,” a captain said. One captain said he always reminds owners that there are three elements: fast, cheap and good. “You can only have two,” he said. “Everybody is looking at the bottom line,” another captain said. “No one is actually figuring out what you are losing by making that bottom line cheaper.” Aside from testing a captain’s patience, working for a cheap owner can impact a captain’s reputation. “Poor maintenance can damage you quite badly,” one captain said. “The owner’s a billionaire and he won’t pay his bills,” another captain said. “Companies come after me for it. I’m the captain on the contract. Doing things like that will not get you cheaper dockage later on, and it won’t get you laborers when you need them.” “Yes, some owners are slow paying bills, but if you’re dead straight with people, it doesn’t reflect on you,” said a third. “It reflects on the boat.” And, in turn, the owner. So perhaps the first step is making sure owners have all the information they need to make a wise purchase, including what it really costs to own and run a yacht. “It costs 10-12 percent of the replacement cost to run a yacht every year,” one captain said. “That’s the cost today, not the build cost. If it cost $15 million to build 10 years ago, that doesn’t work for today. “At the end of the day,” this captain said, “the cheap bit is buying the boat.” Lucy Chabot Reed is editor of The Triton. Comments on this story are welcome at editorial@the-triton.com. If you make your living working as a yacht captain, email us for an invitation to our monthly Bridge luncheon.
February 2013 A17
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WRITE TO BE HEARD
February 2013 A19
Yachts should already abide by regulations A couple of things jumped out at me from your article on the Moran symposium [“New rules on hours of rest concern captains, industry,” page A1, January issue]. These regulations are not new. We are supposed to have been abiding by them for years. If you must work beyond the allowed hours due to limited number of crew, then the way that this is possible is to add this to the contract or standing orders. Note: It is collectively understood and agreed that we will work outside these regulations for short periods, but get more rest off charter. We are generally able to give a day off, from time to time, in the season (which would clearly never happen on a commercial vessel). Then you are covered. Happily enough, on this boat we manage to keep within the regs, anyway. My feeling is that long term, you are not going to provide a better level of service with tired people by simply making them work ridiculous hours, quite apart from the safety aspect of it. Competent, experienced, well-trained, well-prepared crew will obviously get more done in fewer hours. If we have inexperienced people in senior positions ineffectively managing junior crew, then they will be running around inefficiently for more hours than would otherwise be needed to provide the level of service that we are striving for. As always, this starts at the top with owners and managers hiring underexperienced, minimally trained captains who then hire the rest of the crew and the problem self-perpetuates. Also, the dates you have for implementation of BNWAS are not correct. We do not need one on here until June 2014. (We are 498GT). Capt. Chris Lewis M/Y Ellix Too Editor’s Note: Compliance dates for BNWAS are: New yachts with keels laid on or after July 1, 2011, should be in compliance. For existing vessels, compliance is based on tonnage: 3,000 tons and greater were due July 1, 2012; vessels between 500-2,999 gross tons should comply by July 1, 2013, and vessels 150-499 gross tons by July 1, 2014.
Beware of illegitimate ‘boardings’ off St.Tropez Boardings take all shapes
In reference to your recent captains lunch conversation about boardings [From the Bridge: “Boardings range from normal to nerve-racking,” page A1, January issue]. If I may, I’d like to be of help to other skippers in the Med regarding boardings, but not by “officials”. If at anchor in St. Tropez, for example, if you leave the yacht to go ashore with the owner or guests, make sure all doors and hatches are closed and locked. I was “boarded” twice off Club 55. Thanks to the navette driver who called me on the portable, the person left. Another time I was having a nap in the salon and heard noise. As if on board, the navette driver called again. Here’s another tip: Make sure the navette drivers are given a good tip, as they only work in season and get to know the yachts and skippers who are good, which are bad. Capt. Dave Williams Editor Lucy Chabot Reed, lucy@the-triton.com Associate Editor Dorie Cox, dorie@the-triton.com
Publisher David Reed, david@the-triton.com
Production Manager Patty Weinert, patty@the-triton.com
Advertising Sales Mike Price, mike@the-triton.com
The Triton Directory Mike Price, mike@the-triton.com
Boardings take all shapes
Kudos to the captain cleaning the waterways from his stand up paddleboard. I take my hat off to Capt. Carlos Macias and his wife, Rose, [“Skipper’s anger nets a ton of trash, all pulled from his SUP,” page A9, December 2012] for picking up all that trash, and wish them all the best. Marcia and I live on Rockfish Canal in Ft. Lauderdale and are constantly out on the water, in a kayak or dinghy, doing trash patrol. This year, having participated in
the Marine Industries Association of South Florida’s annual Waterway Cleanup once more, we returned home in time to see our neighbor tossing his yard trash and doggie doo from the dock into the canal, yet again. We asked him to cease and desist, and informed him it is against the law, common sense, courtesy and decency. I accomplished nothing as “stupid does what stupid wants.” And no one in authority gives a toss. Martin H. Samuel Ft. Lauderdale resident
You have a ‘write’ to be heard. Send us your thoughts on anything that bothers you. Write to us at editorial@the-triton.com Contributors Carol Bareuther, Capt. Mark A. Cline, Capt. Jake DesVergers, Capt. Rob Gannon, Chef Mary Beth Lawton Johnson, Chief Stew Alene Keenan, Stew Anna Kozma, Keith Murray, Steve Pica, Sue Price, Capt. Gordon Reid, Rossmare Intl., Capt. John Wampler, Capt. Marvin Wilson
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February 2013
B Section
Show us your Triton. Wherever you are. See B15.
B5 It’s just some discomfort Take your pain seriously. It could be a hernia. B2
Father and son together A South Florida shipyard is back in the family. B8
Expiration date on job? Yachting careers may have a shelf life. Watch for change. B12
We’re not at the fiscal cliff But there are still some financial battles on the landscape. B13
The Titanic event was start of IMO and its rules The London-based International Maritime Organization (IMO) occupies a special position within the maritime community. This specialized agency of the United Nations has 170 member states and an annual budget of nearly $100 million dollars. It is the force behind nearly all technical Rules of the Road standards and Jake DesVergers legal rules for safety at sea and prevention of pollution by ships. Its priorities are reflected in its motto, “Safe, secure, and efficient shipping on clean oceans.” The concept of the IMO was born after the RMS Titanic disaster. By modern standards, the design of the Titanic made her appallingly vulnerable. Her “watertight” bulkheads, by design, did not extend all the way to the main deck because the designers calculated that it was impossible for the ship to take on a trim or list sufficient for water to cascade over their tops if the bulkheads were of a certain height. When Titanic struck the iceberg, these calculations were proven dismally incorrect. In addition, when people began abandoning ship, it became obvious that not nearly enough lifeboats were available or those trained in their use. Many lives and much money were lost in this tragedy. Until that time, each nation had made its own rules about ship design, construction, and safety equipment. The Inter-Governmental Maritime Consultative Organization (IMCO) was formed in response to the Titanic event, but was “put on the back burner” when World War I broke out. After the war ended, IMCO was revived
See RULES, page B9
Several megayachts have been based at Paradise Village Marina, near Mazatlan, including M/Y Piano Bar and M/Y Shogun. Dozens of others including M/Y Turmoil, above, and M/Y Linda Lou have visited. PHOTO FROM DAVID RAMIREZ
Cruising in Mexico may surprise yachts By Lucy Chabot Reed For yacht captains and crews thinking of cruising Mexico there are just two things to know, said Dick Markie, a long-time area cruiser and harbor master at Paradise Village Marina near Mazatlan. And both are hard to believe at first. First, safety is not a problem. And second, Mexicans don’t like to say “no.” Quickly getting the first point out of the way during a seminar at the Antigua Charter Yacht Show, Markie said there has not been a cruiser in Mexico that “legitimately had a problem.” While some visitors might have have been in danger, injured or even killed, they were in a place and at a time when they shouldn’t be. “It’s like anywhere else in the world; there are some places you don’t go at night,” he said. Once over that hurdle – which he said often stops yachts from exploring Mexico – the cruising is magnificent and the experiences rewarding.
As for the second lesson – that Mexicans don’t like to say no – Markie said it takes patience and practice to learn how to talk to the local people. “You have to learn how to ask the right questions,” he said. Mexicans don’t like to say no, so they might not be completely honest when asked a question. For example, if a boater asks if the marina has potable water, the answer might be “It’s the same water we drink in town” or “We’ve never had a problem yet”; neither of which answer the question. “There is no law that says you have to have potable water, so you have to be aware of the question and the answer you get,” he said. Dickie gives about 10 talks a year to cruisers. And despite working for what Pacific Coast Sportfishing Magazine has declared the best marina in Mexico, he prefers to talk more about the country he’s lived in for 15 years and less about his marina specifically. The basics are simple: Mexico has everything a yacht guest wants
with all the things they need. That is to say lovely coastal and land-based destinations, affordable food and amenities, cheap fuel and mostly free water. The exchange rate is favorable, dock labor is cheap and dockage rates are some of the lowest in the world. Most yachts come between November and May. “Check in at the first place you stop,” he said. “It’s not necessarily a rule, but you should. Check out when you leave.” Other tips include bringing things to trade with fishermen (balloons, soccer balls, crayons), resisting the urge to buy everything in a small town’s grocery store (“the locals only get shipments in once a week) and surviving chabascos, quick heavy storms (they come with no warning and last 30-45 minutes with 40-50 knots of wind). “It’s not a third world country anymore,” he said. “The days of having to bring three months worth of toilet paper with you are gone. There are big
See MEXICO, page B10
B February 2013 ONBOARD EMERGENCIES: Sea Sick
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Lifting, bending, straining, even laughing can cause a hernia Last November I noticed a little discomfort and swelling in my groin area, on one side. At first I thought nothing of it, maybe I was imagining things. Maybe if I ignore it, it will go away, I thought. Well, after several days of discomfort, neither the pain nor the swelling went away. Next step, Sea Sick I consulted Keith Murray the Internet. I grabbed my handy iPad and typed in hernia. Low and behold, it described the lump and discomfort I was feeling. So, I made an appointment with my primary care doctor, paid the man $75 to have him confirm what I already knew. I had a hernia. The type of hernia I had is called an inguinal hernia - this occurs when there is a weak spot in the area where the abdomen meets the thigh on both sides. In this weak area, the tissue or intestines push through the groin muscle. This causes a bulge in the groin or scrotum that may sometimes hurt or burn. It feels like a round lump and can often be pushed back in by hand. The
bulge may form over a period of several that hernias are more common in men days, weeks or months. It may also than women. appear suddenly after straining, heavy My doctor suggested I have surgery lifting, coughing, bending, straining, to get this corrected as there can be or laughing. A hernia may be painful, problems if left untreated. So, I asked however some around, did my hernias bulge research and made Through research without pain. an appointment I found that people Medical with a surgeon. Warning – If you After the initial are more likely to get have sudden consultation, I a hernia if they are and severe felt comfortable overweight or do a lot pain, nausea, or with my surgeon vomiting you must and scheduled my of lifting, coughing, or seek immediate surgery with Dr. straining. medical attention. Arroyo at Jupiter I also learned that These are warning Medical Center. signs that a part of The surgery, hernias are more your intestine may I was told, took common in men than be trapped in the about an hour. I women. hernia. can’t confirm this My doctor suggested How did this as I was sedated happen? I have and really did not I have surgery to get no idea. There become fully alert this corrected as there was not one until about three can be problems if left specific instance hours after the that sticks in surgery. Then, it untreated. my memory. My was home to the doctor said it lazy boy recliner, could have been remote control in from something as simple as coughing. hand and ice pack on my groin. Through research I found that people The surgery was done with a are more likely to get a hernia if they laparoscope, a fiberoptic instrument. are overweight or do a lot of lifting, The doctor inserted it into a small coughing, or straining. I also learned incision in my navel and two other
small holes a few inches below my navel. Today, almost two weeks out from the surgery, I feel about 95 percent of how I used to feel. I experienced very little pain after the surgery and took only a few of the pain medications provided. The key, in my mind, was to not overdo any activities and avoid anything which could result in ripping my stitches open. If you require this surgery, plan on light duty for the first few weeks. For those of you with a possible hernia, debating whether to have surgery done or not, I can tell you from my experience, that I have no regrets. The only side effect I feel is a little nerve tingling in my left upper thigh, but I was told this is common and will go away in time. If you have a hernia, it will not heal on its own. The only way to correct a hernia is with surgery. Keith Murray, a former firefighter EMT, owns The CPR School, a first-aid training company. He provides onboard training for yacht captains and crew and sells and services AEDs. Contact him at 877-6-AED-CPR, 877-623-3277 or www.TheCPRSchool.com. Comments on this column are welcome at editorial@ the-triton.com.
B February 2013 TECHNOLOGY BRIEFS
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Technology news for vessels using satellite and wireless service KVH introduces business class
Rhode Island-based KVH Industries has launched unrestricted rate plans featuring business class service for its mini-VSAT broadband network. Designed to meet the demand for maritime connectivity, KVH’s new service provides unrestricted, prioritized, multi-megabit service with access to all Internet applications and protocols, including streaming media formats, popular voice-over-IP (VoIP) services such as Skype, and rich media Web sites. This service, traditionally only available with dedicated satellite capacity and used exclusively by high-end cruise ship or megayacht customers, is competitively priced with other shared maritime VSAT services, but delivers faster service and a better user experience. “The launch of our new Business
Class Service culminates a two-year initiative to upgrade our network, increase our capacity, integrate network management capabilities into our core product offering, and devise unrestricted rate plans that provide unprecedented performance while also being cost effective,” said Brent Bruun, executive vice president of KVH’s Mobile Broadband Group. “In the past five years there has been an 18fold increase in the use of mobile data, while more than half of all Internet traffic is now video. There are more than 700,000 apps for iPad, iPhone, and Android devices, millions of which are sold every year. Connectivity services that don’t embrace these new technologies will not be able to keep up with the new cloud-based services and other exciting innovations we are sure to see in coming years.” KVH’s new usage-based rate plans
provide a defined amount of data in a monthly package and give the customer the opportunity to buy more service if the package threshold is exceeded during the month. With these new plans, KVH monitors usage and can add satellite capacity as required. With bundles from 5 GB to 40 GB and additional gigabytes for $200, these new plans are faster than comparably priced fixed rate plans and offer speeds as high as 4 Mbps. To support the service, KVH has incorporated the features of its CommBox Ship/Shore Network Manager into the belowdecks unit of its new TracPhone V7-IP and TracPhone V11 products. On many vessels with VSAT, crew use accounts for 85-90 percent of bandwidth consumed. KVH also offers Internet café and VoIP calling card services to help crew selfmanage their use.
In other news, KVH also recently announced it has doubled capacity of its mini-VSAT broadband network for the Caribbean. The increase was provided as part of the ongoing global network upgrade involving deployment of Variable Coding, Spreading, and Modulation (VCSM) technology provided by ViaSat, KVH’s partner in the mini-VSAT broadband network. This was the second major upgrade to the network in less than a month, following improvements that increased the capacity in Europe by more than 60 percent. For more information, visit www. kvh.com.
Globe Wireless in new deal
Florida-based Globe Wireless and Arimar entered into an agreement in December to provide Globe Wireless products and services to Italian-flagged vessels. As part of this agreement, Arimar will act as the billing agent for the vessel, enabling Globe Wireless to offer more communication services to Italian and Mediterranean customers. “Both parties bring distinct strengths and infrastructure to the table; I am confident this collaboration will considerably strengthen both our business.” said David Kagan, president and CEO of Globe Wireless. “By collaborating with Arimar, Globe Wireless now has a partner with indepth knowledge of the Italian and Mediterranean maritime market and we are now able to offer our wide range of solutions to our joint customers, who will benefit in terms of better service and more innovative solutions.”
Waterproof PC launched
California-based Stealth Computer has released a fanless, waterproof computer designed to survive liquids, chemicals, dust and dirt intrusion. The new Stealth WPC-525F has no cooling fans, instead cooling the internal CPU passively through the small form factor chassis design, also making it noiseless. It is powered by Intel’s D525 1.8GHz Dual Core CPU. Basic models start at $1,595. For more, visit www.stealth.com.
New extinguisher mount released
Arkansas-based Off-Road Solutions (ORS) has introduced a modular Quick Release Mount kit for 1- , 2.5- and 5-lb. extinguishers. The kit features two billet aluminum mounting brackets and stainless steel pins. Pulling the release pin allows the mount to swivel apart for fast fire extinguisher removal. Owner-supplied hardware can be used for custom installations. The ORS Quick Release is NHRAapproved. For more information, visit www.quickreleasemount.com.
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February 2013 B
Several yachts larger than 50m sell since shows Camper & Nicholsons has recently sold the 184-foot (56m) Perini Navi S/Y Selene by broker Alex Lees-Buckley to a repeat client. It will be renamed S/Y Parsifal IV. The brokerage has added to its central agency listings for sale the 196foot (60m) Benetti M/Y Lyana and the 131-foot (40m) M/Y Imperial Princess built by Princess Yachts IK. Merle Wood & Associates has recently sold the 184-foot (56m) Perini Navi S/Y Zenji, the 183-foot (56m) Benetti M/Y Four Aces, the 173-foot Oceanco M/Y Sunrise, and the 157-foot (48m) Christensen M/Y Scott Free. The brokerage has added to its new central agency listings for sale the 230foot (70m) Benetti M/Y Reverie (in a joint listing with Ocean Independence and Burgess) for $49.5 million, the 148foot (45m) M/Y Karia built by RMK Marine (in a joint with Burgess) for 19 million euros, the 100-foot Broward M/Y Insatiable, and the 90-foot (27m) Hargrave M/Y My Lady M (in a joint with Hargrave) for $4.99 million, available at the Yacht and Brokerage Show in Miami Beach this month. New to the firm’s charter fleet is the 109-foot S/Y Avalon and the 92-foot catamaran M/V Black Swan.
Show in October. And the 106-foot Westship M/Y Miz Doris III has been sold by broker John F. Dane, son of Trinity Yachts President John Dane III, with Talbot Freeman of Talbot Freeman & Associates. The brokerage has added to its central agency listings for sale the 144foot (44m) Oceanco M/Y Deep Blue II (launched in 1996 as M/Y Ultimate) for $12.75 million, and M/Y Corona del Mar, a 120-foot (36.5m) yacht built by Mefasa in 1991 for the King of Spain for $2.49 million. The company also named its brokers of the year. Mark Elliott was named yacht broker of the year, the sixth time he’s been so honored with the company. After 20 years running and managing yachts, Elliott heads the firm’s St. Maarten office in the winter and its Newport office in summer. Barbara Stork Landeweer was named charter broker of the year, her second consecutive year with the title. She organized charter holidays on such yachts as the 290-foot M/Y Nero, the 230-foot M/Y Reverie and the 228-foot M/Y Sherakhan. She joined yachting with Fraser and then worked with The Sacks Group, which was acquired by IYC.
Ft. Lauderdale-based IYC has sold the 183-foot Benetti M/Y Four Aces, pictured above, by broker Mark Elliott with Rupert Nelson of Burgess, making seven yachts the firm has sold since the Fort Lauderdale International Boat
Worth Avenue Yachts has sold the 180-foot (55m) Newcastle M/Y Harbour Island, including the trade of the 130foot Westport M/Y Sovereign, which sold to another buyer and closed the same day. The firm’s Michael Mahan represented both buyer and seller in the joint central listing with Peter Thompson and Mike White at Ocean Independence. Bryan Long of Westport Yacht Sales represented the buyer of the Westport. Kevin Merrigan of Northrop & Johnson acted as a special consultant
to the buyer of Harbour Island. M/Y Harbour Island will be renamed M/Y Sovereign and the Westport will be renamed M/Y Days Like This. Brokers with Fraser Yachts have recently sold a new build 132-foot (40m) Benetti, listed for 17.9 million euros, the 108-foot (33m) Alloy Yachts S/Y Paraiso listed with broker Jeff Partin in Ft. Lauderdale, the 103-foot (31m) M/Y Moon River by West Bay by broker Jody O’Brien in Ft. Lauderdale, and the 88-foot (27m) Ferretti M/Y Aurora Dignitatis listed and sold by Jose Arana Jr. of Ft. Lauderdale and Jose Arana Sr. of Mexico. The firm has added to its central agency listings for sale a 170-foot (52m) new build explorer yacht by Fassmer for 22 million euros, the 164-foot (50m) Delta M/Y Happy Days for $34.5 million, the 156-foot (47.5m) Delta M/Y Rochade for $38.5 million, the 120-foot (36.5m) Feadship M/Y Ozark Lady for $5.5 million, the 114-foot (35m) M/Y Pacific Yellowfin (originally built by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in 1943) for $3.5 million, and the 100foot (30.5m) yacht M/Y Splash built by Rayburn for $6.49 million. Northrop & Johnson has recently sold the 112-foot Crescent M/Y Attitude (ex-99 Problems, with a 92foot Tarrab in trade), and the 90-foot Abeking & Rasmussen M/Y Sea Diamond. The brokerage also added to its central agency listings for sale the 125foot (38m) Feadship M/Y Odalisque for $5.9 million, the 102-foot (31m) M/Y Beothuk built by Kuipers Woudsend for $11.9 million, the 92-foot Tarrab M/Y The Bee’s Honey for $1.99 million (in a joint with Westport), and the 90-foot
See BOATS, page B6
Today’s fuel prices Prices for low-sulfur gasoil expressed in US$ per cubic meter (1,000 liters) as of Jan. 15. Region Duty-free*/duty paid U.S. East Coast Ft. Lauderdale 825/880 Savannah, Ga. 730/NA Newport, R.I. 725/NA Caribbean St. Thomas, USVI 1,050/NA St. Maarten 985/NA Antigua 1010/NA Valparaiso 970/NA North Atlantic Bermuda (Ireland Island) 1040/NA Cape Verde 960/NA Azores 880/NA Canary Islands 950/NA Mediterranean Gibraltar 865/NA Barcelona, Spain 825/1,740 Palma de Mallorca, Spain NA/2925 Antibes, France 950/1,860 San Remo, Italy 945/2,075 Naples, Italy 970/2,090 Venice, Italy 1024/2,215 Corfu, Greece NA/2,020 Piraeus, Greece 1040/1,845 Istanbul, Turkey 920/NA Malta 960/1,700 Tunis, Tunisia 920/NA Bizerte, Tunisia 920/NA Oceania Auckland, New Zealand 885/NA Sydney, Australia 890/NA Fiji 720/NA
One year ago Prices for low-sulfur gasoil expressed in US$ per cubic meter (1,000 liters) as of Jan. 15, 2012. Region Duty-free*/duty paid U.S. East Coast Ft. Lauderdale 875/939 Savannah, Ga. 852/NA Newport, R.I. 847/NA Caribbean St. Thomas, USVI 1036/NA St. Maarten 1,124/NA Antigua 1,140/NA Valparaiso 1,218/NA North Atlantic Bermuda (Ireland Island) 990/NA Cape Verde 924/NA Azores 950/NA Canary Islands 910/1,060 Mediterranean Gibraltar 920/NA Barcelona, Spain 910/NA Palma de Mallorca, Spain NA/1,720 Antibes, France 966/1,832 San Remo, Italy 1,041/2,192 Naples, Italy 1,130/2,203 Venice, Italy 1,022/2,097 Corfu, Greece 1,023/2,039 Piraeus, Greece 934/1,874 Istanbul, Turkey 935/NA Malta 870/1,600 Tunis, Tunisia 881/NA Bizerte, Tunisia 896/NA Oceania Auckland, New Zealand 957/NA Sydney, Australia 948/NA Fiji 962/NA *When available according to local customs.
B February 2013 BOATS / BROKERS
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Builders unveil new designs, launch new vessels, start refits BOATS, from page B5 (27.7m) Nautor’s Swan S/Y Zigzag (in a joint with Y.CO) for 5.25 million euros. New to the firm’s charter fleet include the 190-foot M/Y Salila in Indonesia. 26 North Yachts of Ft. Lauderdale has sold the 100-foot M/Y Unreel by Falcon Yachts. It was listed at $1.49 million. Dutch builder Heesen Yachts has unveiled designs for a new 58m superyacht in collaboration with Italian designer Francesco Paszkowsk. The two worked together on the exterior lines of the 35m M/Y Opus II and more recently with the interior design of two vessels in the 50m semidisplacement class. The exterior lines of the new 58m combine elements inspired by automotive and aeronautical designs. The builder also recently signed a contract for a new 50m custom motor yacht, marking the fourth yacht sold in 2012. The Dutch shipyard has 13 yachts under construction. The owner appointed Clifford Denn Design to create the exterior lines, while Van Oossanen Naval Architects and Heesen Yachts take care of her naval architecture. The tenders will be enclosed in a forward garage and the main deck has a bar that is half on the aft deck outside and continues into the main salon. The yacht will carry eight guests for cabins and an owner’s suite. Robert Cury & Associates has added to its new central agency listings for sale the 110-foot Hattaras M/Y Waterford for $3.3 million.
acquisition techniques used, including automotive-style data acquisition, have their origins in motor racing. “Boats are not racing cars but to use F1-style telemetry for data logging makes a great deal of sense,” said SAM Engineering Director Giorgio Stirano, who has run Formula One motor racing teams. “With equipment such as accelerometers and gyroscopes, along with GPS positioning, we have been able to build up a good picture of the boat’s abilities.” The prototype used in the sea trials is an open hull and lacks the superstructure of the finished yacht. Sea trials are expected to continue into the coming months. Claasen Shipyards in Holland has begun a refit of the classic S/Y Alert, first launched in 1948. Alert, shown below, is a 62-foot (19m) wooden yacht designed by Philip Rhodes.
The yard announced that there will be no fundamental changes to the yacht. The plan is to restore her to asnew condition, replacing several frames within the hull. The deck, including the salon and superstructure, will be removed and later replaced in original condition. The mast, running rigging and sails will also be renewed. Churchill Yacht Partners has added to its charter fleet the 105-foot (32m) S/Y Bolero, its first time on the charter market. She is available in the Mediterranean this summer and the Caribbean next winter. Bolero has accommodations for eight guests and runs with five crew.
Maine-based Hodgdon Yachts has delivered its fourth custom tender, pictured above. The 10.5m open tender was designed to match the limousine tender delivered two months ago. It has seating for 12, with a Volvo D6-370 and an estimated speed of 32 knots. For more information, visit www. hodgdonyachts.com London-based Silver Arrows Marine has completed sea trials on its new 14m Granturismo design being styled in collaboration with MercedesBenz and unveiled at the Monaco Yacht Show in September. Many of the data
OceanStyle by Burgess has added the 105-foot (32m) M/Y Marnaya to its charter fleet. The yacht is based in Athens and can take 12 guests. YachtZoo has hired Caroline Arselin as a charter marketing agent in its Monaco office. Arselin has previously worked with Camper & Nicholsons and Fraser Yachts. Ferretti Group America plans to open a new retail showroom in Palm Beach. The group includes the brands of Ferretti, Pershing, Bertram, Riva, Mochi Craft, and CRN.
B February 2013 MARINAS/SHIPYARDS
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Florida family marina on Dania Cut back in the family By Lucy Chabot Reed
out a basin for the marina -- “back when you could use dynamite,” he son A Marrone has taken back the said -- and established the shipyard. shipyard at Royale Palm Yacht Basin in He ran them both until 2000, when he South Florida. leased the yard to another company. The shipyard and marina was built With his son back at the yard, he will and opened by Ronald F. Marrone in continue to run the marina and think 1966. About 12 years ago, the yard about retiring. was leased out to another company, Marrone, the son, has plans to but in January, upgrade the Marrone’s yard, including son, Ronald L. widening the Marrone, came haul out slip, back to the yard improve the face he grew up in. dock with threeThe son, who phase power, says he could get put up a new used to being fence and lay called “Junior” new asphalt, but around the yard, Ronald F. Marrone and son Ronald L. for now, he just worked with Marrone at Royale Palm Yacht Basin in wants to get it Awlgrip for the PHOTO/LUCY REED open and back to South Florida. past 12 years work. and plans to bring his expertise to the It has a 75-ton Travelift and room on yard. its face dock for yachts up to 145 feet. The yard and marina are on the And there is about 3,000 square feet of south bank of the Dania Cut-off Canal shop space in the 1-acre yard. just south of Port Everglades. Across He said he expects to put a paint the water is Derektor Shipyard and crew together and find good companies Playboy Marine. to contract out engine and electrical The marina has been a long-time work. base for live-aboards with 60 slips for “The yard had a great reputation, yachts to 80 feet. The deeper water on with clients coming back year after the face dock will be made available for year,” the elder Marrone said. “That fell the shipyard’s clients. off, and Ron’s gotta build it up again.” Marrone the elder bought about 15 acres on the canal after moving Lucy Chabot Reed is editor of The to Florida from New Jersey and built Triton. Comments are welcome: lucy@ apartments east and west. He blasted the-triton.com.
Grenada maritime expands, new owners in Greek marinas UK invests in Grenada yachting
Grenada has been awarded a US$375,000 grant to expand and develop the country’s marine and yachting sector, specifically with a 15minute video about the island. (See it on YouTube.com/grenadayachting.) In addition, Grenada is investing in the training and certification of its yacht maintenance and technical staff, a security protocol for its marinas and shipyards, and streamlining the clearance requirements for yachts travelling between Grenada and St. Vincent, the government said in a statement. The marketing image will be Grenada Grenadines Yachting. The grant comes from CARTFund, a trust fund financed by the UK government and administered by the Caribbean Development Bank to assist CARIFORUM member countries in boosting growth and reducing poverty
through trade and regional integration.
D-Marin takes over Greek marinas
Turkey-based D-Marin Marinas Group, a Dogus Group company, has recently entered into a partnership with MedMarinas S.A., part of the Greek Kiriacoulis Group, the largest chain of marinas in Greece. Under the deal, D-Marin has acquired majority shares in the management company of three marinas: Gouvia in Corfu, Lefkas in Lefkas, and Zea in the ancient harbor of Pireaus. In so doing, D-Marin added 3,355 wet and dry berths to its total capacity. This gives it the largest chain of marinas in the Eastern Mediterranean basin and in the Adriatic Sea, according to a company statement. D-Marin also has control of Flivos Marina. bringing their capacity in three countries to almost 9,000 berths.
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www.the-triton.com FROM THE TECH FRONT: Rules of the Road
These regulations eventually cascade down to yachting RULES, from page B1 and produced regulations concerning shipbuilding and safety called the “International Convention for the Safety of Life At Sea (SOLAS).” SOLAS and subsequent regulations have been modified and upgraded to adapt to changes. Today, many of the new regulations unfortunately stem from an accident. Recent examples include the Exxon Valdez (oil spill), M/S Scandinavian Star (fire), M/S Estonia (flooding), M/S Costa Concordia (grounding), and the events surrounding 9-11 (security). The IMO adopts international shipping standards regulations and it is the responsibility of governments to implement them. Implementation of IMO standards is crucial to achieving the IMO’s objectives. The flag state of the ship has the ultimate responsibility for ensuring the ship meets standards and for issuing certificates confirming the ship is seaworthy and the crew trained. All ships must be surveyed in order to be issued certificates, which establish their seaworthiness, type of ship and statutory conformity. The flag state has the option of performing these surveys directly or they may “entrust the inspections and surveys either to surveyors nominated for that purpose or to organizations recognized by it.” In practice these “recognized organizations” are often the classification societies. The largest of the classification societies, such as American Bureau of Shipping (ABS), Bureau Veritas (BV), Det Norske Veritas (DNV), Lloyd’s Register (LR), and Nippon Kaiji Kyokai (NK/ClassNK) belong to the International Association of Classification Societies (IACS). They are a non-governmental organization, which was granted consultative status with the IMO in 1969, and act as the primary technical source. Noting the structure of the IMO, where do these regulations come from? Unbelievably, they originate from the members. While there is a considerable amount of proactive initiatives established by the IMO in an effort for continuous improvement, it is a regrettable reality that most rules that are developed or revised initiate from a serious marine incident. Take for example, the fire aboard the Bermuda-registered cruise ship Star Princess, while on passage between Grand Cayman and Montego Bay, Jamaica. The fire began on an external balcony and spread over several decks. The cause was investigated by the UK’s Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) on behalf of the Bermuda Maritime Administration in cooperation with United States’ authorities. Before the investigation
was complete, the MAIB and the International Council of Cruise Lines (ICCL) issued a safety bulletin and a safety notice, which included urgent safety recommendations pertaining to the incident. A related paper was submitted to the IMO, which the Committee agreed to fast track. The result? Amendments to SOLAS aimed at ensuring that existing regulations for primary deck coverings, ceilings and linings, use of combustible materials, and smoke generation potential and toxicity are also applied to cabin balconies on new passenger ships. For existing passenger ships, the IMO approved relevant provisions to require that furniture on cabin balconies are of restricted fire risk unless fixed water spraying systems, fixed fire detection, fire alarm systems are fitted, and that partitions separating balconies be constructed of noncombustible materials, similar to the provisions for new passenger ships. How does this affect yachts? It is very important to monitor the actions affecting large commercial ships. As history has illustrated to us, regulations that are enacted to protect higher risk vessels, such as passenger ships and tankers, are always modified over time and customized to affect all vessel types and sizes. These regulations eventually cascade down to yachts. Alternatively, yachts are being built larger than ever, thus requiring them to be designated as ships. These actions not only pertain to international regulations, but also to the flag-specific Large Yacht Codes enforced by the United Kingdom, Marshall Islands, Malta, and various other registries. Is there an end to these regulations and the work of the IMO? Quite the opposite. There are new regulations being put forth regarding the actual number of inspections. It appears that upon review of the IMO’s own work over the years, so many new rules have been developed that ships and yachts are now being over-inspected. The pendulum has swung from one extreme to the next, hopefully with something in the middle now the goal. Capt. Jake DesVergers is chief surveyor for International Yacht Bureau (IYB), an organization that provides flag-state inspection services to yachts on behalf of several administrations. 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 +1 954-596-2728 or www.yachtbureau.org. Comments on this column are welcome at editorial@the-triton.com.
February 2013 B
B10 February 2013 CRUISING GROUNDS: Mexico’s Pacific coast
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Bend but don’t break rules and take caution with guns MEXICO, from page B1
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box stores in or near all the cities.” He acknowledged that some yachts still run into paperwork problems and explained Mexico’s habit of watching with one eye. “They [Mexican officials] know you have to bend some rules (they know the rules are dumb) but don’t break them,” he said. As an example, he noted the law against taking crustaceans. “If you take a few for your own use, that’s fine,” Markie said. “But take 50 and you’ll be invited to leave. … They are patient people, but once their patience is broken, it’s broken.” He was careful to note that in Mexico, if you are charged with something, you are assumed guilty until you prove yourself innocent. And the authorities can search anything at anytime for any reason. “Don’t say things like, ‘that’s not how we do it in the United States’,” he said. Boardings are not like they are in the United States, either. “If they ask, do you have guns, drugs, say no and let them look around,” Markie said. “They take for granted that you have guns and that they are locked up. If you say yes, they have to write it up in the paperwork. “Don’t take weapons ashore. If you are caught with them, they will get confiscated and you will go to jail.” Mexican authorities may come aboard wearing masks, he said. But don’t worry; it’s normal. Obscuring their identity is for the officers’ safety, he said. If criminals see officers doing their jobs, they may seek retribution. “And the smaller the gun, the more important the man and the issue they are dealing with,” he said. “Don’t ask any questions, and don’t offer them anything they don’t ask for. He told the story of one yacht captain who offered the high-ranking officer his fishing license, which was far beneath his authority and insulting. “Just welcome them aboard and let them tell you what they want,” he said. “Say ‘what can I help you with?’ They will tell you what they want.”
The west coast
In working with captains who have cruised the area, especially Capt. Robert Wallace, Markie compiled these tips for cruising Mexico’s Pacific coast. Yachts entering Mexico from the Panama Canal or Costa Rica should make their first stop in Puerto Chiapas, which has a new Marina Chiapas (www. marinachiapas.com) and is just above the Guatemala border. Dockmaster Enrique Laquette (marinachiapas@ hotmail.com) says he can handle yachts to 180 feet and has no surge. The port can handle any size yacht
alongside large piers where fuel trucks can drive right up. Laquette acts as agent and will arrange all paperwork clearance (zarpe) with customs, immigration and capitania. Contact him well in advance so the paperwork will be done. Tapachula International Airport is 20 minutes from the marina. Get a 10-year import permit and fishing licenses in advance. That can be done online. The next marina north at the northwest side of the Gulf of Tehuantepec in the Huatulco area is Marina Chahue. During the strong north Tehuantepec winds, follow the beach closely from Puerto Chiapas around to the commercial port of Salina Cruz before heading off southwest to Punta Chipehua and on to the Bays of Huatulco. Marina Chahue can handle yachts to 170 feet and it can also arrange all entry paperwork and fuel. Depth is 11.5 feet at the entrance, and there is some surge here. Dockmaster Eziquiel Gutierrez can arrange it all and get a local agent if needed. Contact the marina well in advance. A short taxi ride to the charming village of La Crucecita can’t be missed for the world famous food of Oaxaca. Safe anchorage can be had outside the marina as well as in Bahia Santa Cruz to the west. Huatulco International Airport is nearby. From here north, the weather becomes benign and cruising is great. For larger yachts, the next stop could be Acapulco. It’s best to anchor off Acapulco Yacht Club and take the tender in for paperwork or to use the bar and pool. They charge somewhere between $35 to $50US per day for tender access to the club. This old port is interesting to visit and is well worth it as the club office staff can be helpful, security is at the highest level and it’s a nice place to hang out and plan activities. Acapulco has an international airport for owners and guests. (Though it is not safe in town at night). Don’t bother to get a berth because the surge is very pronounced. The club fuel dock can handle a yacht of about 110 feet. Larger yachts can arrange for large quantities of fuel at the municipal wharf downtown. Guests will want to at least go and see the famous Acapulco Cliff Divers nearby at La Quebrada and walk around the old town and have some good local food. The club office staff can give you several great places to go. Next stop for large yachts not to be missed is the bay of Zihuatanejo. Anchor just off Punta El Morro and outside smaller yachts. Cruise ships will anchor farther out. Tenders can See MEXICO, page B11
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www.the-triton.com CRUISING GROUNDS: Mexico’s Pacific coast
Accessible anchorages abound along the coast MEXICO, from page B10 ferry guests to the town pier or into the small darsena (repair dock), or there are always water taxis. Zihuat has incredible scenery and beaches, and the old town has shopping and many excellent restaurants. The nearby marina of Ixtapa can only handle yachts of no more than 70 feet but large yachts can lay off the marina and ferry guests by tender who may be coming to or from the nearby Ixtapa-Zihuatanejo Airport. Or better, guests from the airport can be taken to Zihuatanejo if anchored there. Now on to the Manzanillo area, which includes everything north to Bahia Chamela. The main Manzanillo harbor can fuel any size megayacht inside the El Pedrito Lagoon. Permission from the capitania is required first. A word about Manzanillo: It is a large commercial port and has a large naval base so it can be used as a port of entry for those who come directly from Panama or Costa Rica. Best to anchor off the Hotel Las Hadas and deal with an agent from there while owners and guests enjoy the amenities of the hotel, beaches and golf course. Twenty-five miles north is Barra de Navidad. The best thing about that place is the wide open fuel dock with 12 feet of water in the channel. It’s got a great village and everybody likes the French baker. Then there is Tenacatita anchorage and Careyes, which can take about a 150-foot yacht max if there’s nobody else in there. Stern anchor here is a must and watch the weather. Guests can watch polo matches ashore, and also cruise the coast to see the numerous private homes which is a lot of fun. Don’t miss the Copa del Sol. Banderas Bay should not be missed. It is the largest bay on the Mexican mainland coast. Paradise Village Marina (www.paradisevillagemarina. com) is inside and is well protected. It has 200 slips for yachts, including 23 for those of 150 feet to 240 feet and two slips dedicated for helicopter takeoffs and landings, the only marina in Mexico with that authority. Contact the marina on Channel 16. It is a great place with a large hotel, golf course, hospital, spa, sand beach, and more. Markie and his wife, Gina, can handle almost any need. The bay has whales and dolphins (but no sharks) and great local fishing, including tuna, sailfish and marlin. The bay is full of tourist attractions and some of the best restaurants in Mexico. It is home to the largest marine store in Mexico and the best place to provision. It is 15 minutes from the Puerto Vallarta International Airport and is
the best location to leave for Baja. North of Banderas Bay is Chacala, and Isla Isabela shouldn’t be missed. There are just a couple of anchorages up Baja for large yachts. First is beautiful Santa Maria Bay at the north end of Magdalena Bay on the outside. It’s an excellent anchorage to wait out bad weather with good surfing at Punta Hughes with a south swell. Also, at high tide, it’s a lot of fun to take the tender inside the lagoon through the mangroves for a chance at spotting the one-eared donkey. About 90 miles north is the large cove inside Punta Pequena called San Juanico. Another excellent anchorage for any sized yacht when it’s rough. Some of the best surfing in the world is here. Surfers call it Scorpion Bay. The next anchorage with superb protection from the northwest winds is Asuncion. Next, Turtle Bay is an all-weather anchorage big enough for many yachts. Fuel can be purchased and brought out on a barge. There are markets and a few restaurants here as well. Cruisers share local knowledge on Channel 22 every morning at 8:30. One last thing: In Ensenada harbor there is shipyard called Gran Peninsula Yacht Center (www.granpeninsula.com) that can haul yachts to 80m and up to 2,500 tons on its Synchrolift.
Checking out
Don’t leave Mexico without a zarpe. Sometimes U.S.-flagged yachts pull into San Diego without checking out of Mexico. Customs agents in San Diego usually don’t care, but foreign-flagged yachts better have all their ducks in order. If you are enroute to San Diego and need the assistance of the Mexican navy or you get boarded, you better have your paperwork in order. You can get an exit zarpe at any Mexican port that has a port captain. But to get a zarpe, all tourist cards will be taken away, so the zarpe is done on the last day. Yachts aren’t required to stop in Ensenada to check out of Mexico and if they have their zarpe from Puerto Vallarta or Cabo, they don’t need to. But Ensenada has cheap fuel. Yachts up to about 130 feet can get an end tie at the Marina Coral with advance notice and can use the fuel dock. Large yachts can obtain dockage, power and fuel at Gran Peninsula where you can also check out for about $150. The yard can arrange for a fuel truck. Anchoring is not permitted in the harbor and anchoring outside is sketchy so get a slip. Lucy Chabot Reed is editor of The Triton. Comments on this story are welcome at editorial@the-triton.com.
February 2013 B11
B12 February 2013 YACHT CAREERS: Crew Coach
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Your yacht career may have a shelf life; watch for transition There are many careers that have a becoming more important. Of the limited shelf life. In other words, you three, the one I caution folks on is the can stay in these fields for a certain pressure from outside sources. If this number of years before age and attitude pressure sounds familiar and you still may force you love what you do, be careful. Be strong to look for other and clear on the inside and follow that. options. You kind Regret is a powerful negative energy. of reach your Make sure you are changing your life expiration date. I for the right reasons, from the inside. think it’s safe to With a second adulthood shift say working on some different factors can be at work. yachts falls into One is loss of passion for the work, this category. burnout, or the enjoyment is gone. It’s not This is connected to the second factor Crew Coach quite like a and that is the desire or a call to do Rob Gannon professional something more meaningful in the athlete’s career second half of adulthood. The loss of where physical skills can start to passion or feelings of burnout are cues, decline in your thirties and you can’t signals to you, that the time is upon catch up to the you. The time to fastball anymore. grow, expand, Change is inevitable Yachting careers maybe challenge in life and changing may be closer to yourself with Hollywood, where careers is more common newness, is calling. as you get older, It is said we don’t than ever. it gets harder to really choose this land those parts new calling, it you used to play. chooses us. Opportunities seem to start shrinking. Understand that all the research It might be getting time for a new and study of human development role in life. This is all not age related. shows this shift to be perfectly normal I mentioned attitude as well. You may and healthy. I coach people through just get tired of the lifestyle or have this period because I have lived it something else you feel called to. That myself and what I can tell you is it can happen at any age. The point is, you can be one of the most enlightening, are most likely not going from working transformational and sometimes scary on a yacht to retirement. There is going periods of your life. It’s important to be a next chapter. to bring awareness to the shift. Yes, there could be exceptions to Understand the stage you are entering this. Let’s face it, captains have the and stay open to possibilities and enjoy longevity in this industry and if they the process. Always keeping in mind have had some good paying gigs and it’s the journey and enjoying it that were smart with their money, after 25 matters. or 30 years some could possibly “retire.” So what’s next? Now what? Will But you still will be looking at a next you be able to answer those questions chapter because you’re probably only when they come your way? They will in your late 50s or early 60s. In case show up sooner or later. If you’re in you haven’t noticed, that old model of the sooner group, you may want to retirement at 65 isn’t really happening work on getting clear on the person anymore. That ship has sailed over the you want to become, sharpen your horizon. awareness of the situation and then One of the things I love about being trust the process. It will require some a coach is that I get to work with folks patience and a balance of precision and from the yachting industry and all experimentation. If it’s unclear or feels walks of life as they navigate transitions overwhelming, consider working with a and reinvention. Change is inevitable coach to guide you along the way. in life and changing careers is more If your changes seem way down the common than ever. road, understand they are coming. Here are two of the stages where Enjoy where you are now. Enjoy your a shift can occur; first in your 20s or process of becoming. And always 30s, also known as first adulthood. remember, getting to be truly yourself And second in your 40s or 50s, second will make you happier than any dream adulthood. job, dream mate, or dream house that In a first adulthood shift, the three requires you being someone other than most common causes seem to be, your true self. disillusionment - the work and/or the lifestyle isn’t what one thought it would Rob Gannon is a 25-year licensed be. Pressure from outside influences, captain and certified life and wellness like family convinces you it’s time for coach (yachtcrewcoach.com). a “real job”. Relationship issues like Comments on this column are welcome stability and the desire to nest, are at editorial@the-triton.com.
The Triton
www.the-triton.com PERSONAL FINANCE: Yachting Capital
Fiscal cliff averted, concerns continue on U.S. tax landscape I start writing this the day after the United States edged away from the so-called “fiscal cliff ”. However, the realization that other fiscal battles loom tempered any sense of any celebration. Congress passed the American Taxpayer Relief Act of 2012, which ensures that workers Yachting Capital will pay more Mark A. Cline in payroll taxes and the highly successful will pay more income taxes. So taxes are going up this year for almost everyone, but one group of top earners will feel the pinch more than others: the so-called .7 percent. It’s an exclusive club created by President Obama’s new tax plan. Already the most progressively taxed nation in the world, the U.S. becomes more top heavy with the new tax code, analysts say. A question to ponder: Can the U.S. sustain a situation where the top 1 percent of its citizens pays 40 percent of the tax burden, while the bottom half (roughly) pays no income taxes at all? (Data shows about 37 percent of the federal income tax burden falls on the top 1 percent, while 41 percent have a zero or negative tax liability.) This could create a huge division in society. It is also unsustainable because it disconnects voters. The bottom half of the population that pays no income tax has an incentive to lobby for federal spending, and disconnects them from the cost of the federal government. Unfortunately, we see that in yachting when crew don’t think twice about overspending for the boat; crew members are not in touch with the ones footing the bill. While most taxpayers were shielded from increases in their income taxes, payroll taxes went up for everyone. The IRS issued new withholding guidelines for employers in early January. Some workers have seen the higher deductions in their paychecks this year. The good news is that many of the new tax rules are permanent, which will give individuals and business owners a welcome sense of stability. These changes were better than the higher income taxes that would have burdened just about all taxpayers had the tax cuts been allowed to expire without further action. Below is a summary of the new tax rules that have been made permanent. I will not go into detail of the changes for those making more than $400,000. Income tax For workers with taxable income below certain levels, their tax rates
will remain at 10, 15, 25, 28, 33 and 35 percent. For single filers with taxable income above $400,000, the new 39.6 percent rate will replace the 35 percent tax rate. Payroll tax The Social Security tax withholding rate is expected to return to 6.2 percent after two years at 4.2 percent. For someone earning the 2011 median income of $50,054, that translates into $1,001.08 a year or about $40 less in a biweekly paycheck. Capital gains, dividend income Like the income tax rates for people with incomes below certain levels, the tax rates that apply to their capital gains and dividends will remain the same. This is good news for those who earn less than $400,000, are retired or living off their investment income. But for taxpayers with higher incomes, their capital gains and dividends tax rate increases from 15 percent to 20 percent. Medicare surtax Actually, this was a tax increase that was tucked away in the Obama health care laws to offset the cost of health care legislation. The so-called Medicare surtax is a 3.8 percent tax on net investment income, which is income from interest, dividends, tax exempt bond interest, royalties, rents and capital gains, among other things. This tax only applies to taxpayers with modified adjusted gross income that exceeds a threshold ($250,000 for married filers, $200,000 for singles). Personal, dependent exemptions Beginning this year, taxpayers with incomes in excess of certain adjusted gross income (AGI) levels (singles at $250,000, married jointly at $300,000, head of household at $275,000, married filing separately at $150,000) will lose some or all of these exemption deductions. Itemized deductions Taxpayers with the same AGI levels as above can lose up to 80 percent of their deductions for mortgage interest, property taxes, state income taxes and charitable deductions. So again, make a plan and stick with it, but review periodically. For my clients that stuck with their plan and continued to dollar cost average, they did well through the “fiscal cliff ” drama. Information in this column is not intended to be specific advice for anyone. You should use the information to help you work with a professional regarding your specific financial objectives. Capt. Mark A. Cline is a chartered senior financial planner. Comments on this column are welcome at +1-954-7642929 or through www.clinefinancial.net.
February 2013 B13
CALENDAR OF EVENTS B14 February 2013
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The Triton
Stay informed with a month of conferences and boat shows EVENT OF MONTH Feb. 14-18 The Yacht and Brokerage Show, Miami Beach The megayacht part of Miami’s boat shows showcases yachts inwater along a one-mile stretch of the Indian Creek Waterway. Free, www.showmanagement.com. Running concurrently is the Miami International Boat Show at the Miami Beach Convention Center and Sea Isle Marina and Yachting Center. Strictly Sail will be at the Miamarina at Bayside, featuring more than 200 exhibitors. Free shuttle bus, www. miamiboatshow.com.
Feb. - March Major League baseball’s spring training in Florida. www. floridagrapefruitleague.com
Feb. 1-3 and 8-10 Primo Cup -
Trophée Credit Suisse. Sailors from all over Europe representing 15 nationalities. primo-cup.org
Feb. 2 24th annual Women’s Sailing
Convention, Southern California Yachting Association, Corona del Mar, Calif. Open to all women. www.scya.org
Feb. 2-3 Miami International Map Fair.
The 20th anniversary of the largest map fair in the world. Search map fair at www.historymiami.org.
Feb. 6 The Triton’s monthly networking event (the first Wednesday of every month from 6-8 p.m.) with AERE Docking Solutions in Ft. Lauderdale. www.the-triton.com
Feb. 6-8 Seatec 11th International
Ft. Lauderdale to Montego Bay. www. montegobayrace.com.
Feb. 8-10 14th annual Delray Beach Garlic Fest, Delray Beach, Fla.www. dbgarlicfest.com
Feb. 12 Mardi Gras, New Orleans.
World famous celebration for the holiday of excess before the limits of Lent. www.mardigras.com
Feb. 20 The Triton’s monthly
networking event (the occasional third Wednesday of every month from 6-8 p.m.) with Tess Electrical in Ft. Lauderdale. www.the-triton.com
Feb. 23 IGY Marinas 3rd Crew
Olympics, Crew Olympics,, St. Maarten. A day of food, fun and competition. www.igymarinas.com
Feb. 24-March 1 Advanced Marina
exhibition of technologies, subcontracting and design for boats, megayachts and ships, Marina di Carrara, Italy. www.sea-tec.it
Feb. 14-17 Millennium Cup, Auckland,
Feb. 6-10 St. Louis Boat & Sport show,
Festival, Miami. www.cgaf.com
Monitoring Conference, London, UK. www.informaglobalevents.com.
Feb. 16-17 Palm Beach Marine Flea
Feb. 28-March 3 Baltimore Boat show,
St. Louis, Mo. StLouisBoatShow.com
Feb. 7 The Triton Bridge luncheon, Ft.
Lauderdale, noon. Captains’ roundtable for people who earn their livings as yacht captains. RSVP to Associate Editor Dorie Cox at dorie@the-triton. com or 954-525-0029.
Feb. 7-10 57th Los Angeles
Boat show, Los Angeles, Calif. LosAngelesBoatShow.com
Feb. 8 The Pineapple Cup-Montego
Bay Race, an 811 nautical mile run from
New Zealand. www.millenniumcup. com/
Feb. 16-18 50th Coconut Grove Arts
Market & Seafood Festival, West Palm Beach, Fla. www.flnauticalfleamarket.com
Feb. 16-24 New England Boat show, Boston, Mass. www.NewEnglandBoatShow.com
Feb. 17 4th annual Westrec Fun Walk
and Run, Ft. Lauderdale. Hall of Fame Marina event to benefit marine magnet students.Call +1 954-764-3975 or visit A1AMarathon.com.
Management course, Charleston, S.C. marinaassociation.org
Feb. 27-28 Vessel Tracking and
Baltimore, Md. BaltimoreBoatShow. com
MAKING PLANS March 21-24 Palm Beach International Boat Show, Palm Beach, Fla.
More than $350 million worth of boats, yachts and accessories from inflatables to megayachts. www. showmanagement.com
The Triton
www.the-triton.com SPOTTED: New Mexico, Costa Rica, Turkey
Triton Spotters
Sue Price of Crew Unlimited and her family (including Triton sales executive Mike Price) celebrated the holidays in Angel Fire, N.M., with Capt. Dave and Chef Heather Pritchard. The Prices took their two young daughters skiing for the first time but they still wanted to keep up with news from The Triton.
Capt. John Wampler checks up on crew rest requirements in The Triton while zip-lining in the rainforest of Costa Rica.
Captains and crew can catch up on news in the yachting industry no matter where they are. Capt. Marvin and freelance Stew Anna-Kate Bultema celebrated New Year’s Eve in Antalya, Turkey this year. With no print copy nearby, they visited The Triton online (www.the-triton.com) to catch up on the news.
Where have you taken your Triton? Send photos to editorial@the-triton.com.
February 2013 B15
C Section
Network with The Triton Join AERE Docking Solutions and Tess Electrical. C2-3
February 2013
Is it day one on a new yacht? Be early, take notes, expect unknowns, just for starters. C4
Serve the color of love Choose healthy foods in the red-hued food group.
C5
TRITON SURVEY: Matters of the heart
Yachties make time and space for love By Lucy Chabot Reed In honor of St. Valentine’s Day this month, we asked yacht captains and crew about matters of the heart. We began simply with Do you have a significant other? The majority of our 131 respondents – 70.2 percent – said yes, they were in long-term committed relationships. The next largest group at less than 20 percent does not have a sweetie. “I am still young and do not want to be crowded by such a close relationship in such close quarters constantly, day in and day out,” said a chief stew on a yacht 100-120 feet. About 5.3 percent are in a relationship, though not yet long-term. And the smallest group – 4.6 percent or six of our respondents – date more than one person. So for those yachties with sweeties, we were curious How did you meet that person? Interestingly, nearly half our lovers met their mates outside of yachting, including several who have been friends since childhood or who met in college, and two who met through online dating Web sites. Still, a sizable portion – 30.4 percent – met their mates working on yachts. The remainder met them through a yachting colleague or job, including yacht racing and industry networking. Given that so many couples hooked up outside of yachting, the answers to this next question shouldn’t surprise, but somehow they still do. During your yachting career, have you ever dated a crew mate? The largest group – 38.3 percent – said no. Combined with the other “no” response (“not officially or publicly”), more than half our respondents have never dated a crew mate. “You should keep in mind you are part of a team of working professionals in close quarters, the ups and downs, good and bad of your relationship will impact crew dynamics regardless, and that’s not fair to your crewmates,” said a captain in yachting more than 25 years who is in a relationship but has never dated a crew mate. That leaves slightly less than half
Use spices to build flavor profiles, jazz up cooking
logistics are a bit more complicated. “We tried to keep in touch and look forward to being in the same place at the same time,” said the captain of a yacht 100-120 feet. “We were patient and used Skype, text, phone, and every opportunity to fly to each other,” said a stew in yachting less than three years. “Trying to be on vessels that cruise the same itineraries so that if one has time off it’s a quick flight/ferry to see the other,” said a stew on a yacht of 120-140 feet. The realities of yachting’s demands takes its toll on many relationships. “More than six years on one yacht together but, ultimately, not enough time off scuttled the relationship,” said a captain in yachting 30 years. And making time for relationships is not at the top of everyone’s list. “I didn’t [make time]; we just worked with what we had,” said a stew on a yacht 180-200 feet. “I find it hard to make concessions in my career for something so hard to have in yachting.” Some found that solidifying their relationship was the best way to make it work. “We got married,” said the captain of a yacht 80-100 feet. “We have spent 32 years on yachts; might be a record.”
There is always a new sauce on the market, a new flavor that is supposed to enhance your cooking or cut your time in the galley. But to simply buy a pre-made sauce is dismissing your creative abilities as a chef and cheating your boss out of a great meal. Yes, it might save time, but premade sauces and Culinary Waves prepackaged spice rubs don’t offer the Mary Beth Lawton Johnson flavors that will really develop a meal. When creating a new dish onboard, we must use our understanding of flavors and how they fit together. Just as we might use tarragon with eggs, we wouldn’t use it with pork. Well, you could but it likely wouldn’t give the meal the impact you desire. It comes down to the flavor profile. Flavor profiling is balancing the flavors we taste: sweet, sour, bitter and salty. There is a fifth, less well-known flavor, umami (a savory taste). So how do you create a flavor profile? Take the primary flavor of what you are cooking and then layer it with other, complementary flavors. The primary flavor should have attributes or character notes, appearances, aftertaste and amplitude (how well it blends). Take grits, for example. You can make a corn soup base to flavor the grits while they cook. You can top the grits with buttered corn. And you can dust the grits with freeze-dried corn powder. This is layering flavor. Another example would be rosemary lamb. While you would certainly add other seasonings as you go, it can be
See HEART, page C8
See WAVES, page C6
Yachting relationships come in lots of different styles. What works for one PHOTO/DORIE COX couple might not work for another. our amorous respondents who have dated a co-worker, including more than 27 percent who met working on the same yacht. Fewer than 10 percent have experience dating crewmates in a variety of situations or circumstances. For those couples who have had relationships onboard, we were curious How did you make time or space for your relationship while working on a yacht? Most lovers who work together (53.8 percent) acknowledged that the best way to tend to their relationship was after work or, even better, off the yacht. “Date night once a week,” said the chief stew on a yacht 160-180 feet. “It was not always the same night but we make sure to fit in one night a week (only without guests on, obviously).” “We have always worked together on the same boat and take our holidays together,” said the chief stew on a yacht 140-160 feet. More than a few crew admit to being just plain lucky. “Since I’m with a captain, we have been lucky to have plenty of space in the captain’s cabin,” said a chief stew in yachting more than 10 years. “Plus, we have been lucky to land jobs on boats where they end up at the dock a lot so we have had lots of weekends off.” For those yachties whose partners are ashore or on other yachts, the
This recipe is easy to make Brown then toss it in the pot for a crew’s delight. C5
C February 2013 NETWORKING THIS MONTH: AERE Docking Solutions
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Network with Triton, AERE Docking Solutions on Feb. 6 The Triton hosts networking with AERE Docking Solutions on Feb. 6 in Ft. Lauderdale. All yacht crew and industry professionals are welcome to join. Until then, learn more from Mike Yorston, Galactic sales manager. Q. What is Praktek? The company was started in 1998 by Gary and Vicki Yorston Abernathy when they moved to Florida. Since they had worked in the high-tech industry, they named the company Praktek to mean Practical Technologies. This was before they entered the marine industry. Q. So what’s AERE? It is the brand name of our inflatable products including fenders, work platforms and inflatable docks. In 2011, the Abernathys renamed the company AERE Docking Solutions since the industry knew the product name and not the corporate entity. This also allowed us to provide other products used at dockside such as fender covers, lines and fender hooks. Q. Your primary business is fenders. Tell us more. Every boat needs fenders and we have more than 40 sizes and types including standard fenders, round ball fenders, and flat mat fenders. We can make custom sizes for any requirements. Our fenders are on boats from 20 feet to more than 400 feet, and we also provide commercial grade fenders to vessels such as towboats and barges. We have provided fenders for use by the U.S. Coast Guard and Navy. Our smallest standard fender is 9 inches-by-22 inches; our largest standard fender is 8 feet-by-20 feet. That will cover almost any vessel afloat. Q. What is the science of fenders, a formula to choosing them? You have to review the following items: boat length, boat weight and type/location of dockage. A larger boat at a nasty dockage will require more and larger fenders to protect the vessel. We actually have sizing information on our Web site’s FAQ section (www. aeredockingsolutions.com). Recently, a salvage company has been using our 18-inch-by-96-inch heavy-duty fenders as beach rollers to salvage boats off the beach in New Jersey after Hurricane Sandy. Q. Tell us about your accessories. We started to make our own fender covers early on and then discovered the Fenda-Sox brand in the UK. We originally imported them as North American distributor and acquired the company in 2008. Fenda-Sox covers for all fender
types, sizes and brands are now manufactured at our site in Coral Springs, Fla., from all-American raw materials. We work with leaders in the marine industry as partners for many premier products including fender hooks, fender whips, dock lines, chafe gear, and dockside fendering supplies. We pride ourselves in supplying the highest quality products available. Q. What sets you apart from other companies in your field? First is our customer service. We will do almost anything for our customers around the world. We have actually delivered 4-foot-by-20-foot fenders to a 400-foot yacht at Miami’s cruise ship terminal so they could tie up safely. Our crew had the fenders deployed, waiting for the vessel to arrive. We are also a one-stop shop for outfitting new builds for their docking requirements. We’re the only inflatable fender company offering so many options including our new inflatable work platforms and jet ski docks and soon-to-be-released inflatable docks for freshwater lakes and ponds. Our Fenda-Sox fender covers can be embroidered with a name or logo and add a bit of “bling” to the vessel. And crew love the Yacht Sox slippers we make from the soft fabric. Q. Where do you do business? We are an international company and have dealers and customers in every country where you find a boat. We travel frequently to support and train our dealers around the world. Last fall I attended the Monaco Yacht Show and then traveled throughout Italy meeting with our dealers, builders and customers. I’m a lucky guy. Q. Why do crew love your fenders? With back injuries being the most common worker’s comp injury, crew love how lightweight our fenders are. They are a back saver. They also love how well the fenders perform when things get interesting. We were told a story about two large sailboats racing into port (with their owners onboard) when the crews realized that a collision was imminent. One quick-thinking crew member went to the bow of their boat and threw our fenders in between the vessels, saving thousands of dollars in damage to the boats, but leaving embarrassed captains. The event will be held Feb. 6 from 6-8 p.m. at Coco Asian Bistro and Bar in the Harbor Shops, 1841 Cordova Road, Ft. Lauderdale 33316, +1 954-525-3541. For more information contact AERE Docking Solutions +1 954-345-2373, info@aeredockingsolutions.com and visit www.aeredockingsolutions.com.
The Triton
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NETWORKING THIS MONTH: Tess Electric
February 2013 C
Enhance your networking circuit with Tess Electrical and Triton On the third Wednesday of the month, Feb. 20, join The Triton as we network with Tess Electrical Sales and Service in Ft. Lauderdale. Until then, learn more about the company from General Manager Paul Salenieks: Q. What should crew know about Tess? Tess, now formally part of Salenieks Imtech Marine USA, has been in business for more than 30 years in South Florida. We provide worldwide service and work diligently around a yacht schedule. We understand that the yacht is the owner’s or quest’s relaxation and the crew’s living and workplace. Our motto is “our strength is our commitment to service,” and we live by that. We need crews to understand that when they call Tess, their request will be addressed in a timely manner and executed to perfection with after-sales service offered worldwide through our partners Imtech B.V. The last thing crew need to be concerned with are whether onboard electrical systems are functioning properly. With us as their preferred contractor, we have their back covered
and we go beyond what is normally expected in the service arena. Q. In what do you specialize? In close cooperation with our parent company Imtech Marine B.V., we specialize in engineering, alarm and monitoring systems, generator power management systems, switchboards, shore convertors, control panels, load banks, DC systems, and general electrical service work, whether repairs, retrofits, or new construction. With the newly formed Imtech Marine USA, which includes Tess, Radio Holland, VB&H and Imtech HVAC, we have become highly diversified and hope to provide our customers with the ability to handle all facets of yacht installations including marine and shore electrical. These include engineering and design, service, green technologies, LED lighting and control, automation including alarm, monitoring and fire detection systems, electronics and navigationcommunication, audio/video and lighting systems and large HVAC design and installations. Q. Who will crew work with? Tess has a vast array of specialized individuals and as a whole, Imtech has 40 nationalities on board with almost 30,000 years of combined experience. In Ft. Lauderdale, Paul Salenieks is the general manager, Greg Vaughan
handles special and large projects, Leendert Wolf heads our automation department, Jesse Pady and Joe Torres head our service department. Stop by Tess sales and say hi to Bob Houser, Frank Salenieks, and Karl Gallet when in Ft. Lauderdale. Q. What are the big problems? Proper maintenance schedules for important electrical systems. Most emergency service calls happen due to lack of maintenance. Electrical systems are hidden and while in working order, no attention is given. They become forgotten until a problem arises. Not all crew are familiar with electric systems, so they’re not on the routine maintenance. Connections should be inspected, tightened and components in a marine environment, salt air, dust and dirt particles are hard on components. Regular cleaning should be scheduled, generator electrical ends should be cleaned and an annual thermal survey inspection should be scheduled. Without maintenance, failure is usually catastrophic in nature. Q. What do captains overlook? Most captains and management companies, do a decent job of including electrical maintenance in their schedules. Some fall short on replacement of obsolete systems. We hear, “its been working fine for years.”
They don’t realize is that if one small part fails, it can cause a major issue. Obsolete system can become an unscheduled refit. Q. Where do you offer services? Tess, in conjunction with Imtech B.V., has facilities in all significant yachting areas around the world. But, often our customers request a specific technician, so Tess offers worldwide service to all our customers. Q. What trends have you seen? There is more emphasis on “green” technologies. Organizations are pushing for more efficient propulsion and power systems. Ships will become “smarter” and have more integration between systems for monitoring and control. This will require more specialized service to maintain and upgrade. The engineers will need to be more knowledgeable in IT systems. This creates a challenge for the industry to have properly trained personnel. The company has two locations, the service office at 2300 State Road 84 and the office at Imtech Marine USA, 2860 State Road 84. The Triton networking event will be at the latter, the Imtech office (on the south side of S.R. 84, west of I-95, in the Marina Mile Plaza). For more info, visit www.imtechmarine .com or call +1 954-583-6262.
C February 2013 INTERIOR: Stew Cues
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That first day in a new job can be challenging for stews Before starting a new job, learn why the position is available. It’s possible that a new role has just been created or, just as likely, someone left and needs to be replaced. If the latter is the case, it’s important to know why that person left. The answer to that question gives some insight about the atmosphere on Stew Cues the boat. Alene Keenan Know what you are stepping into before you arrive. It’s important to know that so you’ll know how to proceed more effectively. You are probably going to be a little nervous preparing to begin a new job. Keep in mind Murphy’s Law: anything that can go wrong will go wrong, so be conservative in planning. Arrive on time; arriving late is unprofessional. It’s not fair to the rest of the crew, and believe me, they will notice. On the other hand, if you are always a few minutes early, you show your enthusiasm and establish that you’re reliable. There is always a lot of activity in the morning, as each department organizes its schedule for the day. Your first day
will not be any different. It is easy to be overlooked in the confusion, but don’t take it personally. You may already feel shy and self-conscious; I know I do. On the first day of any job, there are many unknowns, including whether someone can show you around. You may work for a captain who is not communicative, so open a dialogue with him. Captains often expect you to know what is required to do the job well. Beware, because this is one of the gray areas of yachting: The truth is they may not know or be able to verbalize what the specific requirements are. One way to handle this is to check in with the captain and give a progress report occasionally to be sure you are on the same page. Always ask for clarification of anything you are unsure about. If you are shown around, ask intelligent questions, but don’t be overbearing. Take notes about rules and regulations, and scan for organizational gaps. If there is no one to show you around, just jump right in and get to work. Take your own tour, familiarize yourself with the layout, look in all the cabinets and make notes of what you want to work on. Eventually, a stew needs to clean and organize all cupboards and storage areas and create an inventory and
storage spreadsheet, but not on the first day. With any luck, there is an inventory of items on hand, and where they are stowed. Unless you join a yacht in a complete refit, there will be dishes, glassware, cutlery, sheets, towels, and table linens for guests and crew on board. You may think that the items are insufficient or unacceptable, but keep these thoughts to yourself for the time being and simply deal with what you’ve got. I have heard so many stories about stews rushing out to buy a ton of new stuff only to find those very same items later, stowed away somewhere on the boat, in storage somewhere off the boat, or even at the owner’s house. Be conservative in your expectations at first, then improve things as you go. So where do you begin? First, find out the schedule of the boat. If it is in the yard for repairs, your tasks will be different than if it is at a marina preparing for guests or if it is preparing to reposition for a new season. Having an immediate situation creates deadlines, and there are specific things to be accomplished in a particular order. For instance, if preparing for a trip, there might be dry cleaning to pick up, flowers to buy, wine to be ordered, provisioning to be done. Prioritize tasks to accomplish this by a
definite time before you leave the dock or the guests arrive. Near the end of the day, talk to the person in charge to be sure you have finished what is expected of you. Changes may be needed before you leave, so be sure that your pay for any extra time is approved. If you’re moving aboard, you have more flexibility with your hours and can work as long as you want. But don’t sell yourself short by working too late, and don’t cut yourself off from the rest of the crew. These first few days are important for socializing and bonding with your new crewmates. Take care to make a good first impression by maintaining friendly but professional boundaries and by showing your excellent work ethic. Remember that this is only the beginning, and you have time to accomplish all the things needed to make things work efficiently and smoothly, just the way you like it. Alene Keenan has been a megayacht stewardess for 20 years. She offers interior crew training classes, workshops, seminars, and onboard training through her company, Yacht Stew Solutions (www. yachtstewsolutions.com). Comments on this column are welcome at editorial@ the-triton.com.
The Triton
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NUTRITION: Take It In
Show your love with healthy red foods for Valentine’s Day Red is the color of Valentine’s Day. levels had a 55 percent reduced risk Instead of treating your sweetie to a of stroke compared to those with the box of chocolates, serve him or her lowest levels. How about a fresh loveone or more healthful red-hued foods. apple salsa over grilled fish for your These fruits and honey this Valentine’s Day? vegetables are Strawberries. What could be more guaranteed to love romantic than long-stem strawberries you both back. dipped in chocolate? While chocolate, Red cabbage especially dark chocolate, offers microgreens. heart-healthy benefits due to its rich Microgreens antioxidant content, strawberries are tiny, leafy themselves can help keep your mind vegetables. and memories sharp. Although small in This was the result of research Take It In size, they serve up conducted last year by scientists in Carol Bareuther surprisingly intense Boston. Researchers looked at data flavors, vivid colors from the nearly 17,000 women and and crisp textures. Microgreens are one found that those women who ate the of the hottest culinary trends served greatest amount of strawberries, as well as either an edible garnish or salad as blueberries, delayed their cognitive ingredient. Red cabbage microgreens aging or memory loss by 2 ½ years. boast eye-catching red leaves and A higher intake of flavonoids, stems that make them an artful and phytonutrients found in berries, was appetizing topping for a dish such as thought to be the chief reason for this fresh salmon ceviche. brain boost. Last year, researchers at the Other good food sources of University of Maryland conducted a flavonoids include citrus fruits, red nutrient analysis of 25 commercially skinned onions, parsley, white and available green tea – and, microgreens to appropriately in see if they were as this case – dark nutritious as they chocolate. were delicious. Red grapes. They discovered If you fancy hand that these greens feeding grapes, varied widely in one by one, to the amount of your reclining nutrients such sweetie, make as vitamin C, as sure they’re Heirloom Tomatoes, a healthy choice red grapes. Red well as diseasefor Valentines Day. PHOTO/DEAN BARNES grapes are a preventing phytonutrients potent source such as carotenoids and tocopherols. of resveratrol, a phytonutrient found However, red cabbage microgreens in the skins of the grapes as well as in topped the list for highest other fruits and nuts. A recent study concentration of these nutrients, by researchers in Arkansas discovered followed in descending order by that resveratrol is a potent preventative cilantro, garnet amaranth and green against neurodegenerative diseases daikon radish. This information makes such as Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s and red cabbage and other microgreens a multiple sclerosis. good way to add good taste and good Pomegranate. Phytonutrients such health to a Valentine’s Day dish. as polyphenols found in pomegranates Tomatoes. Once thought to possess have been linked with heart health. aphrodisiacal powers and thus termed What’s more, researchers in Scotland pomme d’amour or love apples by the earlier this year found that men and French, tomatoes are a versatile fruit women between 21 and 64 who drank that eats like a vegetable in salads, a glass of pomegranate juice daily for soups and sauces. two weeks enjoyed a surge in levels of There are lots of varieties to choose the male sex hormone testosterone, from: vine-ripe, beefsteak, cherry, translating into a greater level of desire grape, plum, heirloom and more. The by all participants. one feature they all have in common This fruit, which is filled with sweetis lycopene, a phytonutrient that gives tart seeds, isn’t in season in fresh form tomatoes their red color. in February, but the juice is available In addition to your heart, Finnish year-round. So, instead of wine this scientists have discovered that eating Valentine’s Day, pour your sweetie a tomatoes can be good for your brain, glass of pomegranate juice. especially when it comes to stroke prevention. Researchers looked at Carol Bareuther is a freelance writer in blood levels of lycopene in 1,000 men St. Thomas. Comments on this story are and found that those with the highest welcome at editorial@the-triton.com.
February 2013 C
C February 2013 IN THE GALLEY: Culinary Waves
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Make a memorable difference with intense, distinguishable tastes WAVES, from page C1 layered with the same flavors, such as a lamb stock made from roasted lamb bones. It could be two ingredients or 10. When we speak about food and how it tastes, we describe the scents we taste, but there remains one flavor profile that is the primary one, and it should unravel as you taste the dish. Think of it like an onion. It has one flavor on the outside but as you get closer to the center, the flavor changes slightly, often giving you a sweeter core. The same applies to dishes where you create a flavor profile. The flavors should be intense and should each be distinguishable. If the simple route is more your style, then a great way to experiment with flavor is to start with one basic
flavor and keep it as close to a natural approach as possible. You have to coax all the different kinds of flavor out of one item. For example, take pears. They are naturally sweet. So to coax more tastes out of them, try poaching them in a syrup of pureed pear, sugar and water. After poaching, roast them. You’ll be left with a soft pear with two complex flavors, and the sweetness will be amplified. A simple yet intense flavor profile with shrimp, for example, might be to to cook them in a shrimp stock, or better yet, dry out the shells (or simply use dried shrimp), turn them into a
powder and then coat your shrimp in it before cooking. If you are unfamiliar with flavor profiles, experiment with cuisines that have already developed profiles, then add something to create your own. Most cuisines are characterized by the flavor fundamentals and principles they employ. Italian and Greek cuisines share olive oil, olives, eggplant, peppers and tomatoes. Mexican and Spanish cuisines share tomatoes and oil, but by adding saffron, the cuisine is now more Spanish. Adding lime now differentiates it as Mexican. Here are some basic flavor profiles of classic cuisines. Use them as they are,
There is a great spice shop on Las Olas Boulevard in Ft. Lauderdale called The Spice Quarter (www. thespicequarter.com). If you want true flavors to build a flavor profile, check it out. If there’s a spice you want and the store doesn’t stock it, Paul, the owner, will get it for you. They also ship to yachts and have a yacht following already. Also check out their line of vinegars and specialty oils and some truly wild spices that can’t be found anywhere else. Let them help you build a true flavor profile.
or add to them to create a flavor profile for your food. Chinese: soy sauce and ginger Indonesian: soy sauce, garlic and peanuts Asian/Indian: curry (garlic, cumin, ginger, turmeric coriander, cardamon and hot pepper). This is one of the oldest flavor pairings, dating back to the 14th century B.C. Chinese (western) and European (eastern): sweet and sour (sugar and vinegar) Chinese (northern): hot and sour Middle East/Near East: lemon and parsley Turkish, Greek, Iranian, Indian: yogurt, dill and mint Middle East/Greek: olive oil, tomato, and cinnamon or lemon Greek: lemon and oregano Mediterranean: olive oil and tomato Italian (southern): olive oil, tomato and garlic Italian (northern): wine, vinegar and garlic French: wine and herbs French (southern): olive oil, tomato and mixed herbs French/Italian (northern): butter, cream and wine Russian, Scandinavian and Hungarian: sour cream and dill German, Ukranian, Russian: sour cream and caraway Hungarian: sour cream and paprika Scandinavian: sour cream and allspice Mexican: tomato, cumin and chili as well as lime and chili Knowing what herbs and spices go well with food items -- in other words, how to build a flavor profile -- is central to a successful meal. Start with one underlying flavor and add in spices or other ingredients to accent other attributes. When done well, all those ingredients combine to make the meal complex and wonderful. Mary Beth Lawton Johnson is a certified executive pastry chef and Chef de Cuisine and has worked on yachts for more than 20 years. Comments on this column are welcome at editorial@thetriton.com.
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IN THE GALLEY: The Crew’s Mess
February 2013 C
THE CREW’S MESS – BY CAPT. JOHN WAMPLER
Try this easy recipe of French classic to woo mates this holiday When Valentine’s Day comes around I think of two things: Beef bourguignon and poetry. “Where love is great, the littlest doubts are fear. Where fear grows great, great love grows there.” William Shakespeare In the mid-1980s, I was a sailing instructor for Club Med at Ste. Anne, Bourg du Marin in Martinique. This is a quick and easy beef bourguignon recipe that I picked up from a French watercolor artist and his wife who befriended me during my tenure there.
Beef Bourguignon Pre-time: 30 minutes Cooking time: 10 hours in a slow cooker Ingredients: 1 pound of chuck roast cut into 3/4-inch cubes 1 large white onion, chopped 3 large carrots cut in 3/4 inch pieces 3 cups cooked broad noodles 3 cups whole mushrooms 3 whole bay (laurel) leaves 2 cloves garlic, minced 4 tsp quick cooking tapioca 1 tsp dried crushed thyme 3/4 tsp dried crushed marjoram 1/2 tsp salt 1/4 tsp black pepper 1 1/2 cups Pinot Noir or Burgundy wine (I like a full-bodied burgundy.) 3/4 cup beef broth 3 slices bacon, crispy and crumbled Preparation: Brown meat, chopped onion and garlic in large skillet in canola oil until onion is translucent. In a four-quart slow-cooker, layer mushrooms and carrots. Sprinkle with tapioca. Place the meat mixture on top of the vegetables. Add marjoram, thyme, bay leaves, salt and pepper. Pour wine and beef broth over meat and vegetable mixture. Cover and cook on low heat setting for 10 hours (or 5 hours on high setting) or until meat and vegetables are tender. Discard bay leaves. Stir in crumbled bacon. Serve over hot noodles. Serves 6.
Crew’s Mess Capt. John Wampler
Capt. John Wampler has worked on yachts big and small for more than 25 years. He’s created a repertoire of quick, tasty meals for crew to prepare for themselves to give the chef a break. Contact him through www.yachtaide. com. Comments on this column are welcome at editorial@the-triton.com.
Quick and easy beef bourguignon recipe.
PHOTO/Capt. John Wampler
C February 2013 TRITON SURVEY: Matters of the heart
Do you have a significant other? If yes, how did you meet that person? Not at the moment –19.8% Yes, long-term –70.2%
Yes, still new – 5.3% Not just one – 4.6%
During your career, have you ever dated a crew mate? Not officially – 13.3%
Working on yachts – 30.4% Yachting job – 11.8% Outside of yachting – 49%
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Yacht colleague – 8.8%
No – 38.3%
Do you think its OK to date a fellow crew mate? Yes–27.5%
Yes, on different yachts – 11.7% Yes, all kinds –9.4%
Yes, on same yacht – 27.3%
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Never –23.7% Sometimes –48.9%
Rules against dating common; actually stopping dating HEART, from page C1 “It’s what I do,” said a captain in yachting more than 25 years. “It’s more than a job and my wife understands it and supports me. I’m the luckiest guy in the world.” There was no shortage of comments to this question: Do you think it’s OK to date a fellow crewmate? And interestingly, the answers were a good mix, with the bulk of our respondents (48.9 percent) opting for the non-committal “sometimes”. “A yacht is a pretty closed community, and should be a pretty tightly knit one,” said a captain in yachting more than 15 years. “If the relationship falls apart for any reason, it will disrupt the harmony on board, much like it would in any group household.” “If taken seriously and you can end up with the love of your life, then it’s worth it,” said a captain in yachting less than 10 years. “Favoritism and special privileges between the couple is hard to avoid,” said a stew in yachting 13 years. “Also, when there is a tiff, it’s hard not to impact fellow crew members. On the other hand, if two people are in love and can stay professional, who am I to complain?” “Sometimes, because you never know how long it will last or how volatile the breakup will be and who
it will affect,” said the captain of a yacht 140-160 feet. The rest of respondents were evenly split between “yes” (27.5 percent) and “never” (23.7 percent). “You are not going to meet anyone else that you can actually spend any time with on a busy yacht,” said a captain in yachting more than 15 years who voted “yes” to dating crew mates. “I really want to say ‘yes’ but I feel that most of the time it will fail because you have no time apart and there is just no way to keep it a secret,” said a dayworker on a yacht larger than 200 feet who opted for “never” when it comes to dating crew mates. Many of the “yes” votes came from those who support couples positions or who acknowledge that each yacht and crew dynamic is different. “Crew in relationships are often more stable and, from a smaller boat perspective, they tend to help one another complete jobs before bailing for the day,” said a captain who supports dating onboard. “On smaller boats, it seems to be more the norm,” said the captain of a yacht 80-100 feet who ran yachts with his ex for more than 10 years. “Running with just one or two additional crew does not seem to be as politically volatile as a couple in a larger crew.” “It depends on circumstances,” said an engineer in yachting more than 10 years. “Some crew dynamics would not work with a couple in the mix. Also, I think both halves of the couple need to be very
mature to be able to deal with any difficulties that arise without disrupting the rest of the crew.” “It depends on the culture of the boat,” said the first officer of a yacht 120-140 feet. “Some more mature boats can absorb a relationship between crewmates, other can’t.” Other “yes” respondents are just realists. “Yachting is a tough job and can be lonely,” said a chief stew in yachting 4-6 years. “Having a partner allows you to enjoy yachting for longer and to feel content.” Most of the “never” responses seemed to focus on the break-up and its impacts. “Intercrew relationships create too many issues and sometimes generate bad feelings that result in the loss of not one but two previously valuable members of the crew,” said a captain of more than 30 years who is opposed to crewmates dating. “This should be a take-it-very-slowly type of circumstance,” said a captain in yachting more than 20 years. “If you rush into something and it does not work, one of you will be hurt and one of you should be out of a job.” “Ultimately, it ends in uncomfortable situations between them or them and the rest of the crew … always,” said the captain of a yacht 120-140 feet. “Generally, it is disruptive to a cohesive crew,” said the captain of a yacht 160-180 feet. “The couple
will star from th maintai relation And extreme “Lov yachtin “As a the capt become Does about d Most “I im establis than 20 almost “On m policy a yacht la Started with 11 it was O “Prob underst respect
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TRITON SURVEY: Matters of the heart
Have you ever worked on a yacht How was that experience? as part of a team or a couple? Challenging – 30.7%
February 2013 C
Have you ever worked with other How was that experience? people in a couple or team?
Good – 26.1%
No –36.6%
Yes – 84.6%
Yes – 63.4%
Great, like family – 13.9%
Challenging – 33.3% No – 15.4%
Terrible – 5.7%
Terrible – 13.9% Good – 38.9%
The best – 37.5%
g not so much ‘Trust and having time to enjoy each other’
rt their own click and separate themselves he rest of the crew. It is rare that a couple can in a professional composure and an intimate nship.” then there were those who embraced the es. ve will not be denied,” said a captain in ng more than 30 years. a captain, I do not want couples onboard,” said tain of a yacht 120-140 feet. “If crewmates e a couple, I’ll fire both of them.” s the yacht you work on now have rules dating a crewmate? t (68.8 percent) do not. mplement them but I am not opposed to hiring shed couples,” said a captain in yachting more 0 years. “New relationships on a boat are always a nightmare for the entire crew.” my last yacht, I implemented a no-couples at the owner’s request,” said the captain of a arger than 220 feet. “Of course, it didn’t work. d the season with 22 singles, ended the season 1 couples. But as long as I didn’t know about it OK. blems arise when the dating couple don’t tand the limitations of onboard life and don’t other crew by, say, making out in the crew
See HEART, page C10
One of our questions asked captains and crew what they thought was the key to having a successful relationship and a career in yachting. l
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The same keys as all relationships (honesty, good communications, etc.) and understanding that you both need space. Maybe even formalizing separations: guy’s night, girl’s night, for example. l
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Get home as often as you can. l
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Trust, and having personal time to enjoy each other, and your own individual time. l
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Communication and trust. If you don’t have those two, it won’t work. l
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I’m married with children. I have an understanding owner and I’m home a lot. I’m always away for Valentines
Day and my wife’s birthday. The key for my relationship’s success is a very understanding wife and a good nanny. l
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One of the keys is to let her know how lucky we are to be doing something like this together. l
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Time together must be planned, not accidental. l
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Venting problems as soon as they appear. l
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Respecting your work environment, partner, and your crew. l
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Rotation, or have a home base for part of the year where it is possible to go home at night. l
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Keep relationship matters strictly during non-working hours, do not
isolate yourselves from the crew, do not work in the same department, and try not to have one as the boss. l
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To have the same target and be able to find time together, far from crew and yacht. Intimacy and privacy are the most important. All crew should stay out of the couple’s relationship and should not try to take advantage of it. l
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You have to laugh at each other a lot. Expect to argue but always laugh after. We are a captain/stew team. We are careful that my wife does not overstep her position by being the “captains wife”. If she see a problem, she will inform me and let me deal with issues. This is hard to do when she has more experience than most of the crew we hire. Mates do not like any direction from a stew. We realize that crew living with
See ADVICE, page C11
C10 February 2013 TRITON SURVEY: Matters of the heart
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Working as a couple or with a couple is common HEART, from page C9 mess,” this captain said. “The other problem is that couples are rarely matched in job performance, so as you fire one for non-performance, you usually lose the other as well.” “I can understand why captains can be against crew dating, but I think it is an unrealistic rule,” said the engineer of a yacht 140-160 feet. “Most deckhands and stews are young, fit, good-looking people. As crew, we are stuck in very close quarters with each other, and if there is any spark of attraction at the beginning, it’s hard to stop it in these conditions.” Have you ever worked on a yacht or for a captain that forbids crewmates from dating? These responses were closer, with only slightly more (51.2 percent) never having worked under dating rules. Respondents’ opinions about these rules ran the gamut from “very smart” to “out-dated.” “It’s the right of the owner or captain to have such rules if they want to,” said a stew in yachting more than 10 years. “It is the captain’s job to set the rules of conduct,” said a captain in yachting more than 30 years. “Sometimes he or she would like to not worry about potential conflicts on board.” “It’s impossible to prevent but [rules] make people think ‘is it worth it’ when they have a sit down with the captain and tell him what’s going on,” said the chief stew on a yacht 160-180 feet. “It can be good because it is clear cut and everyone knows where they stand, but on the other hand, if you meet someone you think is ‘the one’ you both probably have to leave the boat,” said a deckhand on a yacht 180-200 feet. “Relationships will inevitably develop between crew members,” said a captain in yachting more than 30 years. “Any captain who thinks he can stop them is delusional.” “It’s the only sensible way to run a yacht,” said a captain in yachting more than 10 years. “Crew will date no matter what, so the best is to allow it and keep an eye on it.” said the captain of a yacht more than 220 feet. “If crew decide to be in an onboard relationship, they should leave the vessel and seek a position in which they can be hired as a team/couple,” said the captain of a yacht of 100-120 feet. Some respondents made a distinction between new and established relationships. “They’re clearly there for a reason as couples generally can cause a lot of problems if they are not stable in their relationship,” said a captain in yachting more than 20 years. “Drunken crew hookups are a nightmare situation.”
“While it’s OK to have a policy of not hiring couples, if two people start dating once they’ve been hired, it seems wrong to fire them simply for that reason if they’re still performing their duties to the standard they were before,” said the chief stew on a yacht 100-120 feet. Have you ever worked on a yacht as part of a team or a couple? Most yachties – 63.4 percent – have. And when we asked How did you find that experience?, most (63.6 percent) said it was at least good. The largest group (37.5 percent) said it was the best time they had in yachting. “We had each others backs and had someone around that was there for you,” said the chief stew of a yacht 160180 feet. “It can be very amazing.” “Loved it,” said a stew on a yacht 120-140 feet. “It was a very stressful itinerary and it was nice to have a confidant when things got tough.” “I got to travel and experience amazing places with my other half,” said the first officer on a yacht 80-100 feet. “Who else would I have wanted to do that with?” “If it wasn’t for meeting my fiancé and working together, I would have gotten out of the yachting industry four years ago,” said the chief stew of a yacht 120-140 feet. The next largest group, however, acknowledged that it was challenging. “It is psychologically very hard when one person in the relationship is the other person’s employer,” said the captain of a yacht of 140-160 feet. “It put a lot of strain on the relationship because we were working so closely together,” said a deckhand in yachting 4-6 years. “In our personal time we found ourselves arguing about work issues. We didn’t have a life outside work.” Just 5.7 percent said it was terrible. “Never again,” said a captain in yachting more than 25 years. “It was the worst experience of my life.” “It was a lot easier 20 years ago,” said the captain of a yacht 140-160 feet. And one captain reminded us that relationships in yachting are just as they are in every other career. “I’ve been married for 30 years and it has been all of the above,” said this captain, in yachting more than 15 years, referring to our choices of “best time of my career”, “good”, “challenging” and “terrible”. Lucy Chabot Reed is editor of The Triton. Comments on this survey are welcome at lucy@the-triton.com. We conduct our monthly surveys online. If you haven’t been invited to take our surveys and would like to be, e-mail lucy@the-triton.com to be added.
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TRITON SURVEY: Matters of the heart
‘Keep in touch every day and communicate well’ ADVICE, from page C9 a married couple is a unique living and working situation. Therefore, we are sensitive to the way we conduct ourselves around our crew. If you don’t already have a great relationship, don’t expect it to get better working together. We try to take a few moments a day – even a 10-minute walk or a coffee off the boat – just to talk and catch up. Sometimes with owners on for two months, it’s very hard to do. We are social with our crew but do not go out with them unless for a crew dinner. We like to keep some distance or it becomes uncomfortable at some point if they are not doing a good job and need disciplinary action. We don’t go out drinking with them. l
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Trust, love and understanding. It works better when neighbors and friends are in the industry. l
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Find the right girl who has expectations in line with reality. l
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To not be together 100 percent of the time. I know in yachting we don’t get a lot of time off, and you would want to be with your significant other, but take a girls/guys weekend every once in awhile. Sometimes you need to miss someone to re-appreciate what you love about them. l
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Staying connected with the ones at home as much as possible, and to remember that family comes first, not the job. l
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Both individuals need to be committed to a career in yachting and open with each other regarding goals, both in their relationship and career. l
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Keep your personal life separate. You do your job and let her do hers, although sometimes it’s tough when you are the ultimate authority. l
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Make as much time for each other outside of the boat as possible. Remember, your life is your life. The boat is not your life. l
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Both partners must want to be there – together – on that boat. l
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A balance between time at home and time away. If you can’t achieve that
due to the type of position you have, choose one or the other. You can’t have both. l
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Keep it off the yacht. l
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As someone who has a significant other halfway across the world, keep in touch every day and communicate well. I know that the opportunity to talk to your significant other every single day can be difficult. However, a quick hello by phone or a ‘good morning’ e-mail can help the relationship that much more. l
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Both people must be career-oriented and focused; there cannot be one person “following” the other. l
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It must be more important to you than your career. l
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Trying to keep any tiffs or arguments sheltered from the other crew as much as possible. Cut back on the drinking as it tends to exacerbate petty arguments. l
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Division of responsibilities and decompression time off the boat. l
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Every situation is as different as the characters involved. Every new person creates a new dynamic that can only be understood in time. There is no recipe for success here, but I think the best thing that crew can do is try to understand the others around them.
February 2013 C11
C12 February 2013 BUSINESS CARD ADVERTISERS / PUZZLES
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SUDOKUS
Try these puzzles below based on numbers. There is only one rule for the number puzzles: Every row, every column and every 3x3 box must contain the digits 1 through 9 only once. Don’t worry, you don’t need arithmetic. Nothing has to add up to anything else. All you need is reasoning and logic.
CALM
STORMY
ADVERTISER DIRECTORY Company
Page
Adventure Sports A9 Alexseal Yacht Coatings B9 Antibes Yachtwear C4 AERÉ Docking Solutions A4 Argonautica Custom Yacht Interiors B4 ARW Maritime B6 Beard Marine B11 Beer’s Group A16 Bellingham Marine (Rybovich) B14 BOW Worldwide Yacht Supply A20 Bradford Marine A3 Bristol Clean Air of Florida C5 Brownie’s Yacht Diver A17 Business card advertisers C13-15 The Business Point C6 C&N Yacht Refinishing A2 Cable Marine B16 Dennis Conner’s North Cove Marina A6
Company
Divers Discount Dockwise Yacht Transport FenderHooks GeoBlue Global Yacht Fuel GO2 Global Yachting Gran Peninsula Yacht Center ISS GMT Global Marine Travel KVH Industries Lauderdale Diver Lauderdale Propeller Lifeline Inflatables LXR Luxury Marinas Mail Boxes Etc. (Now the UPS Store) Maritime Professional Training The Marshall Islands Registry Matthew’s Marine A/C National Marine Suppliers
Page
B10 B4,C4 A14 B8 B10 B2 B5 A5 A18 A11 A15 A8 A8 B13 C16 C9 B12 B3,C3
Company
Page
Company
Page
Neptune Group Newport Shipyard Northern Lights Overtemp Marine Palladium Technologies Professional Tank Cleaning & Sandblasting Professional Marine Duct Cleaning ProStock Marine Quiksigns Renaissance Marina Rick Case Honda Powerhouse River Supply River Services Rossmare International Bunkering Royale Palm Yacht Basin RPM Diesel Sailorman Seafarer Marine Seahorse Marine Training
B12 C11 C6 A6 C8 B10 A7 A7 B12 A10 B7 B13 A6 B11 B11 A2 A10 A6
Sea School Sixt Rent a Car Slackers Bar & Grill Smart Move Accomodations Staniel Cay Yacht Club SunPro Marine TESS Electrical Thomas Marine Systems TowBoatU.S Trac Ecological Marine Products Tradewinds Radio Turtle Cove Marina Universal Marine Center Ward’s Marine Electric Watermakers, Inc. West Marine Megayacht Supply Westrec Marinas Yacht Entertainment Systems
A16 C11 A12 A16 A11 A15 C10 B15 A16 C2 C10 B13 A12 A13 A11 C7 A14 A14
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February 2013 C13
C14 February 2013 BUSINESS CARD ADVERTISERS
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