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January 2013 Network on Jan. 16 in Ft. Lauderdale. See page C2
A12 Latitiude Adjustment Crew news on the docks at Antigua Charter show.
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New Year, new rules Jake DesVergers lists some deadlines coming due.
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Blinded by the sun Caribbean winters still pack a weather punch.
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Good boy, doggy Even with begging, sad eyes, don’t give in with treats. B12
New rules on hours of rest concern captains, industry By Dorie Cox
The crew of M/Y Harle, a 146-foot (45m) Feadship, won their marina’s Yacht Hop during the Antigua Charter Yacht Show in early December with a Moroccan theme. In addition to the colorful, cultural costumes and delicious food, dockside was decorated with curtains, low couches and a hookah. Other Yacht Hop winners on other nights include M/Y Lazy Z and M/Y Lady Linda. Read all about PHOTO/LUCY REED the show and see more photos on page A10.
Top-level captains and crew listened intently during Moran Yacht Management’s symposium in December. When the session opened to the audience for questions, hands shot up. Everyone wanted to know more about how yachts were to comply with the new rules about hours of work and rest. Although many international conventions were clarified, the panel of yacht managers, lawyers, flag state representatives and insurance brokers highlighted unresolved issues in megayacht regulations including hours of rest and annual leave allowance. “It’s always going to be near impossible to get the prescribed hours of rest with the amount of crew on a particular size boat, generally 10 or less,” Capt. Craig Turnbull of M/Y Allegria said. The discussions continued to a cocktail party after the event. “It seems it will be up to captains to make it work.” Capt. John Shawcross of M/Y Perle Noire flew in from Thailand to attend the conference and agreed. “I think the biggest issues will be implementing the new MLC code,” Shawcross said. “How can busy yachts comply to the logged hours of rest? How
Boardings range from normal to nerve-racking Every captain at this month’s Triton Bridge luncheon has worked on a boat that has been boarded by law enforcement during his/her career. Often inconvenient and occasionally nerve-racking, the captains accept these visits as part of their job on the water. And they From the Bridge were quick to share adventures. Dorie Cox “When we were boarded in the Bahamas, they asked for our guns,” one captain said. “They all had different
uniforms, I wasn’t sure who was in charge, and they took the guns into their control. “I was nervous,” this captain said. “But our papers were cool, and they eventually gave back the guns.” As always, individual comments are not attributed to any one person in particular so as to encourage frank discussion. The attending captains are identified in a photograph on page A17. The group discussed boardings by coast guard, military and other law enforcement officers in the United States, Bahamas, Caribbean and Europe. Many of the boardings were routine and followed standard protocol. One
captain described how a typical U.S. Coast Guard boarding starts with a call on radio. “You know they are talking to you, they call in with the lat/long,” this captain said. “This is commander soand-so, where are you headed, where have you been? They ask how many onboard, are all U.S. citizens, who is master of the vessel. And they say they will come alongside.” If you are under way they tell you to reduce speed and maintain course, the captain said. “They’ll have you reel in lines with bait on,” another captain said.
See BRIDGE, page A17
can we address this? More crew? Where do we fit them?” Although Moran’s vessel and shore management software was the primary focus of the two-day seminar in Ft. Lauderdale, experts also addressed deficiencies found at audits, electronic charts and bridge navigational watch alarm systems to the group, which had assembled from not only the United States, but from England, the Caribbean, Europe, Russia and Thailand. The panel fielded questions on what is commonly called hours of rest, guidelines created by the International Labour Organization (ILO) and International Maritime Organization (IMO) to standardize working arrangements and seafarers’ daily hours of work and rest, and to monitor compliance. The MLC set limits on hours of work at a maximum of not more than 14 hours in any 24-hour period and 72 hours in any seven-day period. Several captains in the audience said charter yachts are not able to comply due to back-to-back charters and limited crew quarters. One captain said crew have implicitly signed up for such conditions and should not have to comply. Several on the panel of experts agreed
See SYMPOSIUM, page A9
TRITON SURVEY
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Employee (yacht) –20.3% Independent contractor – 19% – Story, C1
A January 2013 WHAT’S INSIDE
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LATITUDE ADJUSTMENT
Positive news from crew on the docks at Antigua Charter show Capt. Gianni Brill has taken over the 150-foot S/Y Milo. He’s got a fantastical story to tell about this yacht and how she came to be floating on the water -- quite an unlikely event, he assured me. But she is afloat and was looking lovely in Antigua last month. Brill met the owners years before when Latitude they acquired Adjustment the yacht in an Lucy Chabot Reed auction. It would take a lot of work and fittingly, he didn’t hear from them for several years outside of the occasional e-mail or phone call touching base. Then, as he’s driving out of town for a weekend, he gets the call that the yacht is ready and the owner wants him to be captain. Just like that. When he returns to town, he visits the yacht and makes plans to join it in Europe for the summer season. Nevermind that it might have been easier for him and the owner if he had joined the vessel during her refit, but no matter. A few hiccups and yard periods later, Brill and the crew of Milo were looking forward to winter in the Caribbean. Good luck to you all. The little table in the breezeway at the yacht club caught my eye a few times during the Antigua show, but I was always running to meet someone and couldn’t stop. Finally, on the last day of the show in early December, I stopped. Draped over driftwood and laying over coral were huge pearls strung on leather. Simple yet exquisite jewelry made by a local sailing cruiser and delivery crew named Julie. Julie found out this summer that she has stage 1 breast cancer. Her friend and delivery captain Capt. Maiwenn Beadle of a 95-foot sailing yacht is gathering money for her Beadle care back in South Africa, selling her jewelry for her, and selling a black-andwhite calendar of Julie’s friends wearing her jewelry and nothing else. She has already sold enough to buy airline tickets for Julie’s husband and teenage son to fly from Antigua to South Africa to be with her, and hopes to sell the rest to help pay for her care or reconstructive work, should she choose that.
“Women agonize over breast cancer,” reads the Web site her friend had created for the occasion. “We take as personal the lump in every friend’s breast.” And even in the friends of those we meet for a moment. I bought one of the necklaces and get compliments on it everywhere I go. One of the calendars hangs by my desk. To buy your own, visit BoobiesForJulie.com. To see her jewelry, visit rushjewel.com. During the Antigua show, there are morning seminars on destinations that always seem interesting. Like many people at the show, I intend on attending them all, but because they are held at the crack of dawn, it gets harder and harder to wake up that early as the show goes on. On Thursday morning, four people sat in on a session about clearing into Antigua. A broker and his colleague from Greece, I think; me; and Capt. Aaron T. Clark of M/Y Four Wishes, the 144-foot Palmer Johnson. Capt. Clark and I struck up a conversation and I told him about the captains on Natita and Bad Girl who work a rotation, which seemed pretty cool to me. (See that story on pages A12-13.) I must not have explained it clearly, because he wasn’t impressed. Clark is a two-time winner of Fraser’s Charter Captain of the Year award and clearly loves what he does. But being away from the program for months at a time just didn’t make sense to him. “If you charter, you have to have a reliable product,” he said. “That’s why I work on 3-5 year contracts. How many Fortune 500 companies do you know where the CEO is off for three months? These kids need direction.” He made a good point, and as we talked more, I learned that he’s on stage for the entire winter and summer charter seasons. When the yacht is in transit and when it’s in the shipyard, he has a relief captain take over. “Some guys are really good at maintenance, but I want my energy to do what I’m good at,” he said. It occurred to me later that he’s on a sort of rotation, too, although it’s called something else, and the “product” doesn’t notice. Four Wishes is as busy as it wants to be in season, with a crew full of spirit and smiles. That’s all anyone can ask for in yachting, isn’t it? And it makes one more case for scheduled time off. Have you made an adjustment in your latitude recently? Let us know. Send news of your promotion, change of yachts or career, or personal accomplishments to Editor Lucy Chabot Reed at lucy@thetriton.com.
January 2013 A
A January 2013 NEWS BRIEFS
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M/Y At Last pays it forward; donates cash, time to orphans Chief Stew Joanne Farrell of M/Y At Last did something special for her birthday in December. Farrell spent it at an orphanage in Nassau, New Providence, Bahamas, visiting children. Her fellow crew members and the yacht’s local provisioner tagged along, bringing donations and spending time with the children. The orphanage is assisted by Ambassador Chorale International Association run by Rev. Michael Bullard. Rev. Bullard takes in orphaned children and provides a care center for children to come to on a temporary basis, according to At Last 3rd Stew Kelly Von Holdt. Some children are dropped off at the care center by their parents when they are unable to care for them, and may retrieve them at a later date. The care center is not state subsidized and relies solely on support from the community, Von Holdt said. So since M/Y At Last is based in Nassau, the crew is able to visit the home whenever they can to play with the children and to take toys and donations. “We prefer to show our support in this fashion, as opposed to handing
over the cash,” Von Holdt wrote in an e-mail to charter guests and others who have donated. “This way, the crew can rest assured that the money will always be used to the benefit of the children, irrespective of who their caretakers are.” Most importantly the crew spends valuable time with them as big sisters and brothers, Capt. Herb Magney said. There are between 18 and 30 children in the center with ages between 2 to 18, and the majority of the children reside at the orphanage. Through discussions with Rev. Bullard, the crew identify what physical needs the home has, Magney said, including items such as beds, linens, bathing products, generators and wheelbarrows. The crew raises money by collecting donations from friends and donating a percentage of their charter tips. The crew plan to revisit the orphanage this month for some physical labor to help clean up the place, Magney said.
Father sues owner in death of daugher in Farallones Race Father sues over race death
The father of a California woman who died when S/Y Low Speed Chase crashed into rocks during the Full Crew Farallones Race in April has filed a lawsuit against the yacht’s owner for wrongful death. Corey Busch, father of 26-year-old Alexis Tracy Busch, filed the complaint in San Francisco against James Bradford of Chicago, the yacht’s owner, who was aboard the 38-foot yacht at the time. He was one of three survivors. In his lawsuit, Busch alleges that at the time of the accident the yacht was in an area avoided by other vessels, a place where waves can be as high as 30 feet, according to news reports. The yacht passed through this area to make up time, the lawsuit claims, and it was there that huge waves slammed into the Low Speed Chase, snapped her mast, and swept all but one of her crew overboard. Four other sailors aboard the yacht died as well. Marc Kasanin, 46, was pulled from the water by rescuers but was pronounced dead at the scene. The body of 25-year-old Jordan Fromm was later recovered near the island. The bodies of Busch, Cahill and fellow crewman Elmer Morrissey were not
found and they are presumed dead. The crash was one of the worst yacht racing accidents in the San Francisco Bay area in decades and marked the only fatalities in the history of the annual race, which has been held annual since 1907. A report issued earlier this year by U.S. Sailing said crew members could have prevented the tragedy had they sailed in deeper water. Low Speed Chase was one of 49 boats that left the San Francisco Bay to make the journey around the uninhabited Farallones Islands that sit about 27 miles west of San Francisco.
Yacht burns, crew escape safely
M/Y Bliss, an 80-foot Ferretti, caught fire and was sunk about a mile off Miami Beach on Nov. 24. Three people were rescued by the U.S. Coast Guard after they jumped into the ocean. None were injured. The crew of U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Sitkinak was about to board the vessel at 10 a.m. that morning when it caught on fire, according to the USCG. The USCG then launched a boat crew from Coast Guard Station Miami
See NEWS BRIEFS, page A6
A January 2013 NEWS BRIEFS
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Yacht job scams continue; Dockwise may be bought NEWS BRIEFS, from page A4 Beach to assist. “We were told the crew said they had taken the yacht out for an outing,” said Capt. Chris Smith, owner of Sea Tow Miami. “The Dade county fire boat arrived and filled it with water. “We heard a mayday call from a nearby good samaritan and were on the scene to assist if needed,” he said. “We were there when the fire started, it was about a mile offshore.” The yacht sank in about 720 feet of water. “The fire was going so fast, it was hard to tell where it started,” Smith said. – Dorie Cox
Yacht job scams continue
Internet scams are so prevalent online that crew almost expect them to arrive in their e-mail inboxes. But job-seekers must remain vigilant as the scammers continue to innovate. A current e-mail includes an unsolicited employment offer from an e-mail address with no company name. The e-mail also comes from a personal name with no company name in the e-mail address, in this example Katherine Carter at the e-mail address of katherinecarter98288@gmail.com. Legitimate companies usually have company e-mail addresses instead of a Gmail, Yahoo, Hotmail or other account. The introduction letter in this example contains incorrect grammar, another sign of a scam: “We aim to help every job seekers in the United States find employment quickly. We also aim to help every businesses who are looking to hire competent employees to help them build a solid business team.” The job descriptions are vague and require an applicant to reply to receive more details. This leads unemployed crew to share their information and CVs with potential scammers. In this most recent case, the e-mail contains a URL with a company name and Web page, jlsmanagementgroup. com/jobs, but online searches on consumer Web sites such as www. ripoffreport.com stated that a request for financial information leads applicants to share their personal credit report with an unknown source. Crew should be alert to allowing any online entity access to the information contained in their credit reports. And they should remain vigilant against suspicious e-mail addresses and requests for important personal details upfront. – Dorie Cox
Boskalis attempts to buy Dockwise
A Dutch dredging company made offers in November and December to buy Dockwise Ltd. It has also bought about 33 percent of its shares, according to news reports. The unsolicited offer by Royal Boskalis Westminster N.V. – which values Dockwise’s equity at 690 million euros, according to the Financial Times – is likely to go through early this year. Boskalis is the world’s largest dredger with 2.8 billion euros in revenues in 2011. Dockwise, parent company of Dockwise Yacht Transport, operates the world’s biggest heavy-lift ships for moving drilling platforms and other infrastructure. It was unclear how the Dockwise’s yacht division would be impacted by a sale.
Colombia loses water
The International Court of Justice ruled in mid November that tens of thousands of miles of Caribbean Sea that Colombia had traditionally owned now belonged to Nicaragua. A week later, Colombia said it was withdrawing from a 1948 treaty that binds it to the United Nations’ body, according to a story in the Miami Herald. “I have decided that the nation’s highest interests demand that territorial and maritime borders be established by treaties,” Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos told a meeting of the national coffee industry, the newspaper reported, “and not by rulings of the International Court of Justice. “Never again should we have to face what happened to us on Nov. 19,” he said. Last week, the Netherlands-based ICJ ratified Colombia’s sovereignty over the San Andres Archipelago but it expanded Nicaragua’s territorial waters around the islands, the newspaper reported. The decision left two smaller uninhabited Colombian islands, Serrano and Quitasueño, in Nicaraguan waters. The tourist haven of San Andres lies about 128 miles from Nicaragua and 455 miles from Colombia, and has been at the center of the historical dispute, which goes back to the 1800s. Nicaragua took its case to The Hague in 2001. Colombia was expecting to lose some of its territorial waters, but experts were surprised by the amount put in play. The ruling denied Colombia an estimated 46,000 to 56,000 miles of water it has considered its own. The biggest impact of the ruling is on the fishing industry based on the
See NEWS BRIEFS, page A7
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January 2013 A
Cayman premier arrested; Charleston named best U.S. city NEWS BRIEFS, from page A6 San Andres Archipelago, the Herald reported. Alain Manjarres, executive director of the San Andres Chamber of Commerce, told the newspaper that most fishermen are avoiding the disputed area for fear of running across Nicaraguan patrols. He said more than 1,000 families relied on the fishing grounds that are now barred to them.
Cayman head arrested
Premier McKeeva Bush of the Cayman Islands was arrested Dec. 11 on suspicion of corruption over misuse of a government credit card and importing explosives without a permit, according to news reports. As of press time a week after his arrest, Bush denied any wrongdoing and refused to step down, blaming his problems on Gov. Duncan Taylor, who was appointed by Britain’s queen. Police did not detail the charges of theft. Bush was free on bail. Bush was elected in 2009 as premier of the Cayman Islands, a British Overseas Territory with a population of 55,000 people and a global tax haven, according to a Reuters story. The islands are home to most of the
world’s hedge funds, offering both tax advantages and financial secrecy for companies and investors, the wire service reported. Bush also holds the position of minister of finance and tourism. He is the longest-serving member of the Caymans’ Legislative Assembly and was first elected in 1984.
Body on sailboat identified
The body of a man in his 30s found aboard a yacht carrying more than 200kg of cocaine that washed up on a deserted Pacific island has been identified as Milan Rindzak, 35, of Slovakia, according to news reports. Tongan police found the badly decomposed body on the 13m S/Y JeReVe in November. An international police task force, including the Australian Federal Police and U.S. Customs, was monitoring the boat after it left South America, but lost contact with it until two local divers came across the yacht stranded on an uninhabited atoll in Tonga’s Vava’u island group. Investigators found Rindzak’s body and 204 one-kg blocks of cocaine worth up to $120 million on the vessel. Tongan police commissioner Grant O’Fee said Rindzak’s passport and other passports, as well as currency from the
United States, the Dominican Republic and Poland, were found on the vessel and would form part of an ongoing investigation. The yacht was believed headed for Australia.
Charleston named best city
The city of Charleston, S.C., was named the best city in the world in October by Conde Nast Traveler magazine. Cities were judged on the following criteria: culture/sites, friendliness, ambiance, restaurants, lodging, shopping. “Today, when grace and charm are so hard to come by, the city’s spell is more powerful than ever,” Traveler wrote in its story about Charleston. “In the last few years, Charleston has become a magnet for thousands of escapees from the world’s stridor and stress. Most washed up here casually, with no intention of putting down roots, but found themselves sucked in by the easy pace, the relatively low cost of living, the climate, the beauty of the surrounding Lowcountry, and something deeper: a feeling that here, as in few other cities, it is still possible to live the Good Life.” The city is home to several megayacht marinas, including
Charleston City Marina, Charleston Harbor Marina, and The Harborage at Ashley Marina. The city also was named the No. 4 Top City in the U.S. and Canada in Travel + Leisure’s World’s Best Awards, the No. 3 Best Weekend Getaway by U.S. News & World Report, and one of the top 21 places to visit in 2012 by Fodor’s Travel Guides.
ICT offers new engine course
The Approved Engine Course (AEC), now offered at International Crew Training in Ft. Lauderdale, provides students with basic theoretical knowledge, combined with practical training on both working and static diesel engines. The course enables students to meet the requirements of the MCA-approved Engine Certificate. Specifically, the course covers: compression ignition engines (general principles), cycle of operational and constructional details, fuel systems, the role of air in the combustion process, cooling and lubrication systems, engine electrical systems, power transmission, hull fittings, pollution prevention and legislation, code of safe working practices and bottled gas installations. For course dates and costs, visit www.yachtmaster.com.
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www.the-triton.com FROM THE FRONT: Moran symposium
Signing dayworkers as ‘crew’, annual leave still tough issues SYMPOSIUM, from page A1 that although yachts are different from container, cruise or other commercial vessels, all under the agreement must comply and have crew sign documents detailing their time. These hours of rest documents will also be checked during audits, surveys and inspections, said David Goldie, large yacht manager with Moran Yacht Management UK. “Owners may choose not to put their yachts into charter because there will be no way to have enough crew for rotations around the clock to fulfill the demands of many charter guests,” Capt. Denise Fox said. Several on the panel suggested captains come up with ideas in the way the industry represented yachting during the adoption of the ILO crew accommodation convention. “This may sound radical, but maybe we can address it in the charter contract,” Capt. Turnbull said. Ways to comply must be created because the hours of work addresses fatigue, the primary cause of accidents, and the topic will not go away, several on the panel said. Hiring dayworkers was offered as a possible option to allow crew time off. But further discussion pointed out issues that must be solved first. Kevin McLean, fleet manager with Moran Yacht Management, cited a yard that does not allow dayworkers. A captain asked if they could be described as crew and panel members said if dayworkers are named as crew they may need to have STCW, time off, insurance and other benefits. A panel member said that failure to comply with hours of rest will be the first thing looked at during audits. Annual leave allowance, as addressed in Maritime Labour Convention (MLC) 2006, also brought earnest questions from the audience. The MLC has increased the rights of the mariner with the Seafarer Employment Agreement that states all crew will be entitled to a minimum of 2.5 days annual leave per month. This is 30 days per 12 months of service. It states that seafarers cannot take payment; they must have days off. And flag states may add public holidays. Again, enforcement on yachts presents challenges, said captains in the audience. Plus, weekends during crew leave do not count, meaning crew get six weeks off each year. As an example, Gerry Fultz, a purser on large yachts, explained how this will impact yachts with many crew. “Mainly I see cost increases for the owners covering what will effectively be seven paid weeks of leave for each crew member,” Fultz said in an e-mail
after the event. “For a crew of 30, that’s 210 weeks of vacation to be managed per annum whilst still meeting the manning requirements and further associated costs with temporary crew. “Perhaps the end result will be a percentage decrease in crew salaries to defray the increased expense,” Fultz said. “For the under 45m yachts, compliance with the mandated hours of rest will be difficult, if not impossible.” Mark Theissen of Telemar Yachting addressed the “deadman’s alarm,” officially Bridge Navigational Watch Alarm System (BNWAS). Unclear issues on this topic include whether the system must be on during anchor watch and when it may be off. “BNWAS is supposed to be in operation whenever a vessel is ‘under way at sea’ (under way meaning not at anchor or made fast to the shore), but the interpretation of at sea will vary depending on local regulations where the vessel is currently located,” Theissen said by e-mail after the event. BNWAS is a safety system made mandatory in SOLAS to monitor bridge activity and detect operator disability. It became effective in 2011 with exceptions until July 1, 2012. “One thing for sure, waiting to install is like buying window shutters during a hurricane,” Theissen said. In reference to common deficiencies found during audits on yachts, Gene Sweeney, manager of maritime development for International Registries, said paperwork accounts for most issues. All documentation must be kept up to date, he said. Mandatory ISPS B13.3 training for crew was also offered. Attendance fulfilled requirements for ship security and crowd control under the International Ship and Port Facility Security (ISPS) Code/Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS). “Security is everyone’s business,” Moran’s Goldie said. “Vessels should incorporate security drills into regular drills, for example do a bomb search before a fire drill.” At the end of the two days, captains and crew expressed satisfaction at the knowledge they gained during the event. But conversations continued on the points that remain unclear. And while many of the conventions are implemented, there are still noncompliant yachts. Moran Yacht Management plans to host the symposium again next December. Many captains and crew will be expecting more answers before then. Dorie Cox is associate editor of The Triton. Comments on this story are welcome at dorie@the-triton.com.
January 2013 A
A10 January 2013 ANTIGUA CHARTER YACHT SHOW
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Festive show kicks o Photos and news by Lucy Chabot Reed The 51st annual Antigua Charter Yacht Show welcomed 97 yachts in early December, honored more than 30 yacht crew in the Concours des Chefs (turn the page for that story), and recognized three yachts in particular for their festive participation in the yacht hops. Several companies took the occasion to introduce new products and several crew celebrated news of their own. Here’s a wrap-up of news from Antigua. Now in it’s second year, the Andreas Liveras Best Yacht Hop awards went to: M/Y Lady Linda at Falmouth Harbour Marina for its Alice in Wonderland party; M/Y Harle at Nelsons Dockyard Marina for its Moroccan Night; and M/Y Lazy Z at Antigua Yacht Club Marina for its cancer awareness charity party. The crew of M/Y Lazy Z used their yacht hop to raise more than $2,300 for breast cancer research. They also plan to run 100km (each running 10km) in a fun run in St. Maarten this winter. l l l Danielle de Vere, former first officer of M/Y Mary Jean, a 167-foot (50m) Feadship, was promoted to captain a few weeks before the show, making her the only female captain in Camper & Nicholsons’ charter fleet. She only just discovered yachting in 2006 after a childhood sailing around Australia’s Whitsundy Islands where her parents had charter boats. Six years
on dive boats and she met an yacht captains. “I started hearing about i “It was this whole other wor know anything about. A guy job on M/Y Huntress and I th can I.” She went to Ft. Lauderdal later landed a deck job with Y Corrie Lynn. The rest she e The new first officer on b Botes, who was promoted fr her partner of three years. Former Mary Jean Capt. Chief Stew Julie Givens, ha home. They will take over th Christina based in France. l l Capt. Aeneus “Nee” Ho 47m Perini S/Y Andromeda owner’s development compa in St. Kitts. Though the proje ago, it stalled when the hote Now, Park Hyatt has comm on their peninsula, with con begin in the middle of next y As marina agent, Capt. H of the 12 slips available for m is expected to begin in Janua l l Capt. Nick Line has step M/Y Vabene to launch Anch Yacht Services to handle any
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ANTIGUA CHARTER YACHT SHOW
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l l ollins has stepped off the to work full time with the any at Christophe Harbour ect started several years el/resort builder pulled out. mitted to building a resort nstruction expected to year. Hollins has already sold nine megayachts. Construction ary. l l pped off M/Y Sequel P and hor Concierge and Super ything yacht captains and
crew need in Antigua, including duty-free import of parts, customs and immigration, charter APA funds, crew placement and provisioning. He’s established partnerships with several yachting companies around the world to offer specialized goods and services, including the Palma-based uniform company Deckers and the Ft. Lauderdale-based marine travel company ISSGMT. “The whole point of having local representation here for us it to break into smaller boats that have crew and don’t necessarily know about our company because we don’t spend enough time here,” said Laurence Carlier of ISSGMT. “Nick will act as an agent for us and can handle everything for crew.” Find him in the old marina office at Falmouth Harbour Marina or online at www.anchorcsys.com. l l l Yacht Chandlers hosted the first ever Captain’s Lounge during the show. All day, every day, they turned the Mad Mongoose into a place for crew to get off their yachts, with free breakfast and lunch, open bar, and wi-fi. It was sponsored by Budget Marine, MTN Satellite Communications, IGY Marinas and AGents by Catalano. l l l Camper and Nicholsons announced that it will bring Alison Rentoul, also known as the Crew Coach, in-house to work with the crews on yachts in its charter fleet. She’ll create and implement original crew professional development projects to help crew deliver better charters.
January 2013 A11
A12 January 2013 ANTIGUA CHARTER YACHT SHOW:Concours de Chef
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Antigua’s winning chefs take menu, competition in stride By Lucy Chabot Reed At the end of November, Chef Stuart was having his first full day in the galley aboard the 165-foot (50m) M/Y Arianna. A week later, he would win his category in the 13th annual Concours de Chef during the Antigua Charter Yacht Show. “I don’t know how I won it, really,” Stuart said, noting that he had recently taken a two-year break from yachting. After last year’s multiple-item buffet theme, the judges toned this year’s competition down to embrace a healthy food theme. Also unlike last year, the winning chefs were not overly stressed about the competition. “The theme was healthy food, and that was good because that’s our protocol anywhere we go,” said Chef Jerry Pond of the 130-foot Westport M/Y Arioso, who won for yachts 100-159 feet. He won second in this category last year. “The roasted yam salad is a staple; we serve it on every charter we do.” Here’s a taste of the winners and what they served.
Chef Stuart, M/Y Arianna
Starter: A Lobster Tasting Plate with lobster remoulade, lobster bisque and lobster croque monsieur Main: Red Snapper with saltcod acras and sauce chien, red pepper puree, pickled scallions and sweet potato Dessert: Pineapple financier, coconut pannacotta, moscavado sugar and nutmeg ice cream with salted nutmeg crunch and pina colada espuma Stuart has been cooking since he was 14. He served in the army in the UK before heading off to college and then working in five-star hotels in London. He joined yachting in 2001. In 2010, he took some time off. “I needed a break from cooking; not the working, but the cooking,” he
said. “Traveling changes everything. It changes your attitude. You think if you stop cooking, the world will end.” But it doesn’t. He continued to cook, but in limited jobs, over the past two years. He cooked his last nonyachting meal in August for former U.S. President Bill Clinton. He joined Arianna on Nov. 22. “It was time to come back into something structured,” he said. “I like the dynamic of a crew”
Chef Jerry Pond, M/Y Arioso
Starter: Roasted Yam Salad (yams, grilled onion, sauteed arugula, gorgonzola vinaigrette) Main: Grilled Caribbean Lobster with a jerk seasoning, chilled quinoa salad (roasted corn, sweet peppers, cucumber, fresh thyme) topped with scallion and mint puree Dessert: Coconut Bavarois, a bittersweet chocolate coconut husk with fruit and mango coulis Pond calls himself the non-yachtie yachtie. With a career in bakeries – including Storks in South Florida, which he helped set up in the mid1990s – he’s only worked with one yachting family. At first he stepped in for a week to help a friend, then that turned into a month, and eventually the season. Now, each season he talks to the captain and decides to stay a little longer. “Seven-and-a-half years later, here we are,” he said. In addition to his staple roasted yam salad, Pond prepared for the competition grilled lobster with a side quinoa salad, which he prefers cold to enhance the nutty flavor. Dessert – his forte – was a coconut “husk” he made by dipping a balloon in tempered dark chocolate and toasted desiccated coconut. Once cooled, he removed the balloon and filled it with fresh fruit and a mango coulis. “We did what we did within the
See WINNERS, page A13
The Triton
www.the-triton.com ANTIGUA CHARTER YACHT SHOW:Concours de Chef
January 2013 A13
More than 30 chefs and stews honored in several contests WINNERS, from page A12 parameters of the contest,” he said. “We just produced good tasting, good looking product.”
Chef Toni Leslie, S/Y Inukshuk
The banana leaves in the main dish gave the fish a slightly smoky flavor, and the chilled avocado salsa rounded out the experience with the meal. “I didn’t want everything hot; it’s too heavy,” she said. Just three years in yachting, Leslie’s culinary training came through years working with her father in her family’s restaurant in Cape Town, South Africa. “I grew up in my dad’s kitchen,” she said. “He was my school.”
Other winners
Cocktail (dubbed wagwan, a local greeting): Lemongrassinfused rum, lime, pineapple, honey and a hint of coconut Starter: Chili and tamarind seared beef sashimi with sticky honey pineapple and a side of green papaya, cucumber and carrot salad Main: Sea salt & ginger red snapper in banana leaves with avocado salsa and sticky rice Dessert: Vanilla and lemongrass baked yogurt with drunken bananas Leslie didn’t spend a great deal of time planning her menu for the contest. She relied on her favorite flavors, including tamarind and lemongrass, to cook simple, fresh dishes that her guests always enjoy. For her starter, she decided on beef sashimi because she was serving fish as the main, and noted that 12 cuts of beef are healthier than chicken thighs. None of her dishes were cooked with oil or salt, and the only sugar was what naturally came in the ingredients she chose (plus the drunken bananas).
The contest was limited to 10 yachts in each size range. Other winners in this year’s competition: Among yachts 160 feet and larger, second place went to Morgan Lonegran of S/Y Red Dragon and Ty Power of M/Y Lazy Z won third. Among yachts 100-159 feet, second place went to Jacob Ebert of M/Y Symphony II; Tonya Bohn of M/Y Amitie won third. Among vessels less than 100 feet, second place went to Robin Thompson of S/V Matau. Tied for third were Emma Whicher of S/Y More Magic and Claudia Salomon of S/Y Clevelander. The judges gave a special honor for “amazing effort” to Andrew Graham of M/Y Spirit. In addition to the dinner, chefs could enter a separate category for best use of coffee in a recipe, including food or drink. Among large yachts, Lazy’s Z’s Power won first place, Marcus Warm of M/Y Darlings Danama won second, and Red Dragon’s Lonergan won third. For yachts 100-159 feet, James Catling of M/Y Harle won first place, Arioso’s Pond won second, and Symphony II’s Ebert won third. For yachts smaller than 100 feet, Whicher of S/Y More Magic won first place, Inukshuk’s Leslie won second and Audrey Harper of S/V Flow third. Winners of the table setting challenge were Jen Lanza of M/Y Natita (larger than 160 feet), Sandra Jordan of M/Y Arioso (100-159 feet) and Casey Barnes of S/V Matau (less than 100 feet).
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A14 January 2013 CREW NEWS: Job rotations
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Natita captain: Rotation is the only schedule that makes sense By Lucy Chabot Reed Capt. Charles Dugas-Standish has worked 25 years to land the gig he has now on M/Y Natita. Sure, it’s a beautiful 217-foot (66m) superyacht, and a captain isn’t likely to end up on one of those without a career behind him. But it’s not the size that matters; it’s the schedule. Capt. Dugas-Standish works four months on, two months off. Perhaps the most unique thing about the program, though, is that all crew are on rotation. “I love it,” Natita First Officer Don McKee said. “I like to have time to not do courses, to go home and reconnect with family.” “And you know in advance when you’re leaving so you can make plans,” Natita Stew Tiffany Faulkner said. On the yacht now two years, Capt. DugasStandish said it’s taken much of that time to work the program in. It started with Faulkner the engineers who were already working a one-on, one-off schedule.
Capt. Don Anderson of M/Y Bad Girl, left, and Capt. Charles Dugas-Standish of M/Y Natita work a four-month-on, two-month-off rotation with a relief PHOTO/LUCY CHABOT REED captain, Capt. Steve Hilton. He pulled in the second engineer to have a three-person rotation for the two positions and made it four on, two off. “It was just a matter of time to see the benefits,” he said. He then added the wheelhouse, where he pulled in Capt. Don Anderson
of the 187-foot (56m) M/Y Bad Girl (also owned by Natita’s owner) and relief Capt. Steve Hilton to make a three-person rotation of four on, two off on both vessels, which were on display at the Antigua Yacht Club in the Antigua Charter Yacht Show in early December.
Natita’s senior crew were soon worked into the scheme, and junior crew were placed in a rotation of five on, one off. On Bad Girl, senior crew are on the same schedule, but junior crew work three on, one off. (It’s an older yacht with four bunks to a cabin, so it’s hard to go five months without a break, Anderson said.) So now, the entire crews of this owner’s megayachts work on rotation. “I love it,” Capt. Anderson said. “I actually have a life now. I’ve never done a rotation before but now I see why it’s something everybody strives for. … It’s by far the best program I’ve ever heard of.” Capt. Anderson has been with Bad Girl just a few weeks and said he can already see the advantages. “The biggest thing is the morale issue because crew know they’re going to get time off,” he said. “Everybody is very happy.” The rotation schedule costs the owner more since more crew are on the payroll at full pay, so why would he do it? “Because he’s a great businessman,” Capt. Dugas-Standish said. “You’ve got to remember, the fundamental
See ROTATION, page A15
The Triton
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CREW NEWS: Job rotations
Yacht’s owner must believe in benefits to support rotation ROTATION, from page A14
for another first officer job without goal behind the whole thing is a rotation.” professionalism, in how the yacht is run The charter and in how it is maintained. What crew yachts offer the gain out of it is what he gets out of it. added benefit of It’s his investment.” tips, of course, but Capt. Dugas-Standish minces no there is no 13th words when talking about the sense month or other McKee – or lack of – behind cutting crew to kind of bonus. save on operating costs. Instead, it pays “It’s stupid,” he said. “You’re a for flights to and from the vessel for businessman with a hundred-milliontime off, and health insurance. Plus the dollar project and you cut a $30,000 time off, of course. deckhand? It’s just stupid.” A few stars are properly in line for For the cost of that one extra this schedule to work on these yachts. deckhand, he said, all the maintenance First, it helps that the owner gets done. Cut just one deckhand is familiar with the oil/gas and and those left employed pick up the commercial industries where rotation workload. Usually, something doesn’t is the standard. get done. Having “It’s a tough engineers on learning curve,” rotation was a Capt. DugasDugas-Standish no-brainer, so it Standish minces no said. “As soon wasn’t a hard sell as you cut crew, words when talking to get the owner to things get pushed see the benefit of about the sense – or aside. You’re having the rest of lack thereof – behind upping the ante the crew in similar for things to go work situations. cutting crew to save wrong.” Second, the on a yacht’s operating For example, owner has an heading into a independent yacht costs. shipyard period manager who “It’s stupid,” he said. with a list of work works exclusively to do, it wouldn’t for the owner and “You’re a businessman be unusual for a who handles the with a hundredsmaller crew to logistics of his million-dollar project only get 90 percent fleet of vessels. of it completed And he does a and you cut a $30,000 before the yacht is good job, Dugasdeckhand? back in service. Standish said. Do that a couple “What “It’s just stupid.” years in a row and solidifies this is it’s easy to see the manager,” he how a standard said. “You have can quickly fade. to get past the So, too, will the value, Capt. Dugas[captains’] egos. You’ve got to sort out Standish said. tips, the money, how you’ll interact “The first thing they want to do is with the boss. The manager takes the cut crew, and that’s the worst thing egos out of that.” they can do,” he said. “What you do is But even without those stars aligned, anchor the boat. I can cut a guy $30,000 other yachts can make a rotation work like that,” he said, snapping his fingers. if the owner agrees it is worth the cost. Adding extra crew to the payroll to To Capt. Dugas-Standish, it doesn’t ensure time off buys much more than make sense to do it any other way. an up-to-date maintenance schedule, With the savings from lower turnover, too. the better experience from a happier “Crew morale is another aspect,” crew, and a better yacht from more he said. “You don’t get people who are consistent maintenance, he says checked out, who get 10 months in and operating without rotation is the go, ‘Oh, I broke that, sorry.’” expensive way to run a yacht in today’s And they tend to stay longer so economy. turnover – and all its ancillary expenses And he’ll likely not do it again. – is reduced. “I’ve been on yachts since 1989,” he “If you know you’ve got a bit of leave said. “I’ve been trying my whole career coming, you can push through and to set this up.” work that much harder,” said McKee, Natita’s first officer. Lucy Chabot Reed is editor of The “I know what I’ve got with this Triton. Comments on this story are rotation,” he said. “I would never leave welcome at lucy@the-triton.com.
January 2013 A15
A16 January 2013 FROM THE BRIDGE: U.S. Coast Guard
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U.S. waters require local compliance By Dorie Cox Although most yachts adhere to international, commercial or higher regulations they still must abide by local laws and may be inspected by the U.S. Coast Guard while in U.S. waters. Auxiliary vessels and dinghies must also be compliant. According to the USCG Web site (www.uscg.mil), “boardings are not necessarily based on suspicion that a violation already exists aboard the vessel. Their purpose is to prevent violations.” While specific requirements vary by vessel size, these are categories found on the boarding report form used by enforcement officers on the water. - Vessel numbers and documentation papers must be on board with name and hailing port on the exterior hull. - Personal flotation devices (pfds) must be “readily accessible” in a size for each person, including children. One type IV (throwable) device must be “immediately available.” And pfds must be worn by personal watercraft riders. - Visual distress signals include a minimum of either three day and three night pyrotechnic devices; one day nonpyrotechnic device (flag) and one night non-pyrotechnic device (auto SOS light); or a combination of both. - Fire extinguishers on most boats. - Ventilation for boats with gasoline engines in closed compartments must have a powered ventilation system and “certificate of compliance.” - Backfire flame control is required on all gasoline powered inboard/ outboard or inboard motor boats. - Sound-producing devices/bells are required. - Navigation lights are required and boats more than16 feet must have navigation lights and anchor light. - Pollution placards are required on boats 26 feet in length, must display a MARPOL trash placard and boats 40 feet need written trash disposal plan. - Marine sanitation devices must be Coast Guard approved and discharge outlets must be capable of being sealed. - Boats 39.4 feet and larger must have a current copy of the state and/or local requirements and must meet requirements of the local laws. - Officers may assess overall vessel condition and look for clean bilge, electrical systems with fuses or reset circuit breakers, batteries secured and terminals covered to prevent arcing, and that portable fuel tanks are secured. Dorie Cox is associate editor of The Triton. Comments on this story are welcome at dorie@the-triton.com.
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FROM THE BRIDGE: Boardings
January 2013 A17
Be prepared, make it easy, and vessel boarding will run smoothly BRIDGE, from page A1 When the inspection is initiated from a cutter, the boarding officers are deployed in a smaller boat. Then several officers from that boat jump on board, the first captain said. “They leave one guy on the boat, on the gun,” the captain said of the officer on the .50-caliber machine gun on the bow. “They want to present an overwhelming force.” One of the captains said yachts can offer fenders and help from the crew, but officers usually handle it without assistance. “Sometimes they request you gather all the crew,” another captain said. “Mainly, they don’t want any surprises. That’s why you explain what you are doing, like, ‘my mate is going to get the flares’.” They ask about weapons and then walk around the vessel, assessing if things look in order, the captains said. Then they ask about safety gear, navigation information and pollution prevention. They want to see ships papers, pfds, lights, flares, horns, fire extinguishers, up-to-date navigational charts and garbage plans. If all inspection requirements are met, boardings can last a few minutes. But if paperwork is missing or equipment isn’t up to par, it can
take several hours. The captains agreed that boardings can be mitigated by preparation. “They are measured by the number of boats they see,” a captain said. “If you make it easier for them to go and see more, you help them,” another said. “You help them make up time, get through more cumbersome boats, or have free time.” “The easier you make it for them,” said a third, “the easier it will be.” Several captains put paperwork for the captain, crew, ship, safety equipment and navigation in an accessible place. “We always go above and beyond with the paperwork,” a captain said. “We are always prepared with the notebook. They’re looking to see if you are Joe-sixpack versus a professional.” “All of it is about being ready,” another captain said. “If you look sketchy and unorganized, that’s a problem.” All boats are required to comply when hailed for an inspection, no matter how difficult. One captain said the yacht was between Panama and St. Thomas, USVI, when it was stopped by the U.S. Coast Guard from Puerto Rico. “They were looking for drugs and immigrants,” the captain said, “but we were in six- to eight-foot seas and we were very tired.” This captain said the officers went
Attendees of The Triton’s January Bridge luncheon were, from left, Richard Mason (freelance), Ned Stone (freelance), Donald and Natalie Hannon of M/Y Sea Star, Jake Farley of S/F Aldonza, Luis Nunez de Castro, Randy Steegstra of M/Y Tsalta, and Martin Secot of M/Y La Sirena. PHOTO/DORIE COX through the boat, wiped surfaces and sent the samples back to the cutter for analysis. All the while, the captain was told to keep the boat running steady in the current and waves. “They said they found traces of cocaine in the toilet,” this captain said. “They finally came back and said it was such small amounts, they let us go.” Another inconvenient boarding required a sailboat to stop.
“They had us haul down sails and made us stand so they could see all our hands over the boom,” a captain said. As the officers searched the sailboat, the captain offered assistance. “We said they could look in our bags,” this captain said, “but they said, ‘we can’t look in bags’. They were looking for illegals and only looked in man-sized spaces.” See BRIDGE, page A18
A18 January 2013 FROM THE BRIDGE: Boardings
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The Triton
Professional, helpful, yachts often boarded by training officers BRIDGE, from page A17 The second search in as many days brought up the topic of how the coast guard and other law enforcement agencies handle their internal communication and record-keeping. “In the U.S., you are always issued some kind of piece of paper,” this captain continued. “But that’s not necessarily true in the rest of the world.” “Customs asks lots of questions, sometimes with questions that proved they had my file called up,” another captain said. “USCG is now part of Homeland Security. There is no doubt they have a file on us.” But another captain said he wasn’t sure how well the difference branches communicated. “I always do the local boater option,” the captain said of an attempt to make boardings in the United States more efficient by pre-reporting his arrival information online. “But they can never find the information.” The captains agreed that officers who came aboard, regardless of where they were in the world, were always professional, but several in the group said they have been boarded by inexperienced officers. “I’ve been boarded three times,” a captain said. “I actually told them what they needed to look for.”
“I had one boarding that seemed opportunity to hand-write his missing uncalled for,” another captain said. garbage plan. “They wanted to do an inspection, but “They let us search our own boat,” they were green thumbs. I think it was a said one captain who was boarded training group.” during a new yacht delivery. “We didn’t One captain’s trip was delayed while know where the flares were because delivering a “go-fast” and believed the with new boats, they’ll hide them in the boat was profiled for criminal activity. oven or something.” “They were young guys, being One captain was boarded by the trained,” the captain USCG and officers said. “But they still looked for about 10 were professional and items off a checklist, What to expect doing a good job.” including the trash when boarded by “I had the tide plan. issue to be able to get “I felt like they U.S. Coast Guard. See in and had lost an knew I didn’t have details on A16. engine,” the captain a trash plan,” this said. “I requested they captain said. “I follow me through, thought the placard but they said no.” was sufficient, but The captain missed the tide required no. But they give you a citation with to navigate to the destination and had to over a year to comply. It’s a boarding hold the boat in a small channel in the report.” current, while officers did paperwork. “They are especially looking for a few Several captains said although being things, like oil,” another captain said. boarded is a disruption, the USCG, for “On the other hand, the local example, is doing a service on the waters enforcement is looking to write tickets,” and is primarily trying to help boats a third captain said. comply with laws. Several had examples “But the USCG is not so much in it of how the officers tried to avoid citing to get money,” a fourth captain said. the captain for violations. “I know the Department of Natural “They really are there to help,” one Resources is watching, they are keeping captain said. “They say, ‘I’ll be doing this track for taxes.” while you see if you can find that bell’.” On this topic, no one in the group One captain was given an had paid a ticket or fine due to a
boarding. A captain said he keeps any boarding paperwork onboard for any subsequent boardings, so officers do not have to repeat the check. Overall, the captains agreed that boardings are just part of the job, especially since most had experienced several during their careers. But megayachts may still be novel for many law enforcement officers. “I’ve had them bang on the boat at 8:30 in the morning in the marina,” another captain said. “I’m a foreign flag and they run [over] when they see a foreign flag.” “I think a lot of it is, they don’t know what we are,” this captain said of larger boats. “They understand yachts in coastal Florida,” another captain said. “But not so much north up the coast.” One captain said they were boarded by the Dominican Republic Navy just because of the large yacht. “It felt like they wanted to see the boat,” this captain said. “They looked all around, so we just offered them a Coke.” Dorie Cox is associate 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, e-mail us for an invitation to our monthly Bridge luncheon.
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WRITE TO BE HEARD
January 2013 A19
Original GPS needed unique maintenance While you are cruising amongst the beautiful islands of the Bahamas and Caribbean and navigating by consulting the usually vast array of screens that adorn a wheelhouse these days, spare a thought for those early navigators for whom making landfall was a celebration of both skill and science. On a recent visit to the crowded port of Victoria on Vancouver Island on the occasion of its Classic Boat Festival, I came across a motoryacht fitted out with an original GPS unit that I thought would be of interest to the modern navigator. I’m sure that there aren’t many seafarers around these days that really know what the letters GPS stand for. Way back in the days of sail, vessels in the interisland trade in the Caribbean always used to carry a pig on board, and they were not there to be company for eggs at breakfast. No, they had a much bigger mission in life, and that was in having the ability of being able to direct the vessel toward land, should it lie below the horizon. Those pigs with a navigator-y snout were highly prized, but the method used was somewhat bizarre as they had to be tossed over the side for their homing instinct to kick in. No doubt that a stout line was firmly attached to the animal as it took to the water, with the captain carefully noting the direction in which the pig would swim. A bearing would be taken of that heading, the pig carefully hauled aboard, undoubtedly amidst some loud squealing, and the vessel’s course directed onto the pig’s heading. But not all pigs could swim, apparently, and ship’s captains were always on the lookout for Good Pigs that could Swim, or a GPS. Now those pigs are flying in orbit around the earth. Who would have thought it possible? But, if you do go for the old fashioned GPS, make sure that you have a good supply of turnips on board. Isn’t modern technology a wonderful thing? Capt. Michael Pignéguy
Let’s start a regular discussion on job rotations Time has come to discuss rotations
Great article about rotations. (Originally published online from the Antigua Charter Yacht Show, it is reprinted on pages A14-15.) I keep wondering how to make it work in our size range. I have some captains willing to do it but the owners in our size range just can’t seem to fathom it. It’s a good topic for regular discussion. I’m sure it will grow in the future. Mike Joyce CEO, Hargrave Yachts
Industry gathers to help its future The Triton hosted its 6th annual Poker Run and networking at West Marine on Dec. 5th and raised three times the previous donations toward the Triton “Nautical News” scholarship at Broward College. Broward College has a 24-month Marine Engineer Management training program, which is an accredited program, taught by industry professionals, to give students practical knowledge needed 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
to care and maintain the complicated systems on today’s yachts and superyachts. The money raised in the latest Poker Run amounted to $4,500, which was matched by Broward College and the state, giving the scholarship a total of $9,000. Education is the key to success for both the student and the industry if we can assure a high level training it will reflect well upon the professionals involved. National Marine and West Marine challenged each other and each donated $1,000. West Marine also gave away prizes and gift cards, including a GO Pro camera, a television monitor and a Simrad handheld VHF. Bluewater Books and Charts donated a gift basket with a variety of items.
Overall, another great event organized by The Triton to support the industry. It was very well organized from a rider point of view and well hosted by National Marine Suppliers and West Marine. Thank you to all who supported this event and its success. I was impressed by the amount of money donated to Broward College. Capt. Adrian Gordyn Editor’s Note: Thanks for the shoutout Capt. Gordyn, but thanks go to you and others for coming to the poker run and playing. It’s because of people like you being generous that we were able to raise so much. Donations are still being accepted at www.browardcollegefoundation.org/ named-funds.
We value your opinion and you have a ‘write’ to be heard. E-mail us: editorial@the-triton.com. Contributors Carol Bareuther, Capt. Mark A. Cline, Amanda Delaney, Capt. Jake DesVergers, Capt. Rob Gannon, Chef Mary Beth Lawton Johnson, Chief Stew Alene Keenan, Chef Kenneth Maginnity, Keith Murray, Steve Pica, Capt. Michael Pignéguy, Rossmare Intl., Tom Serio, Capt. John Wampler
Vol. 9, No. 10
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January 2013
B Section
Where are you? Share your Triton Spotter and see this month’s on B15.
B8 Missing, expired, broken You don’t want to need first aid if the kit isn’t ready. B2
Not just for school Learning is not just for green crew; it’s for you, too. B6
Want to buy an island? New York City is worth an investment consideration. B13
New year means new regulations
Sunshine, warm days belie winter in the tropics By Amanda Delaney It’s early winter and another migration is coming to an end. In this case we are not talking about birds, but mariners in the northern latitudes who are heading south into ports along South Florida, the Bahamas, and the Caribbean. These regions are desirable in avoiding the cold and snowy weather, but winter is still present there and traveling can become hazardous at times. Cold fronts track through Florida and the Northern Bahamas in November through early December about every three days. These fronts strengthen and move farther south before stalling out over Hispaniola or passing north of the Eastern Caribbean from later December through early February. By later February, fronts begin to stall farther north over Florida and the Bahamas. Winds typically veer from southeast to southwest and ease 12-24 hours ahead of a frontal passage. However, thunderstorms can locally enhance the southerly winds,
Cold fronts track through Florida and Bahamas in winter. particularly across Florida and the Bahamas. This is common when a strong low or gale is developing offshore of the southeastern U.S. coast. Thunderstorms gradually weaken once the gale moves northeast over the northwestern Atlantic. However large northwest swells will propagate southward from the gale and reach the shores of eastern Florida, the Bahamas and the northeastern Caribbean. In the wake of these pattern shifts, high pressure will usually build eastward from the Gulf of Mexico, across Florida and the Bahamas, then spread over the Caribbean. Initially, the cold air will produce fresh-to-strong north-to-northeast winds. (And, at
PHOTO FROM NOAA
times in January, up to gale force winds, especially in the Yucatan Channel and Florida Straits.) These stronger winds usually occur about 24-48 hours behind the cold front, before gradually easing and veering to the northeast-to-east. These high winds are the leading edge of cold air that has plummeted south from southern Canada. Large swells will build from the northwest at first, and eventually originate from the northeast. The swells are usually highest in the Gulfstream, though in January it is not unusual for northwest swells as high as 12-15 feet to reach the northeastern islands of the Caribbean.
See WINTER, page B10
Yacht captains: Share your knowledge By Michael Pignéguy As a tutor of RYA/MCA courses and other commercial certificates, I am getting to the point of not being surprised when, at the beginning of a course, I ask the students for their boating experience, only to learn that most have little or no knowledge of a nautical chart, how to take a compass bearing or how to plot a position. Two young men in my most recent course had spent three years on their last superyacht and their captain had neglected to teach them anything about navigation, let alone show them a chart. It seems that there are two basic
All around the world Shows in New York, London, Germany and Los Angeles B14
kinds of captains: those willing to share their knowledge, and those who won’t. I once relieved as captain on a 50m motor yacht that had a crew of 12 and, after a brief hand-over, the captain took off for his leave. The console on the bridge was a little unusual and not everything was labelled, and so I asked the first mate what the unlabelled switches and buttons were. “Don’t ask me,” he said. “We are not allowed to touch anything up here.” When I asked him to lay off some courses on the chart plotter, I received the same reply. It quickly became apparent that the only person who knew about everything on the bridge was now in
an airplane 35,000 feet somewhere over the ocean. Little comfort was had from all the gold braid that was in his wardrobe. The vessel would have been in serious trouble had that captain been incapacitated during a voyage, but obviously his insecurities overrode any other concerns that he may have had. The crew were then surprised when I posted an itinerary in the mess room as they said they rarely knew what was going to happen more than a few hours ahead, let alone the next day. Needless to say there was minimal training done for emergencies and a complete
See CHARTS, page B10
As we say goodbye to 2012 and welcome in the New Year, we look ahead to what awaits us in the world of maritime regulations. The various regulatory bodies have been very busy the last few years and 2013 will exhibit many of those initiatives. We will see a number of new regulations enter Rules of the Road into force. Below Jake DesVergers is a summary of those that will affect new and existing yachts.
Lifeboat/rescue boat release hooks Jan. 1: All yachts fitted with lifeboat and/or rescue boat on-load release mechanisms must be fitted with equipment approved under the newly amended Lifesaving Appliances (LSA) code. The new gear improves upon hook stability, locking devices, and hydrostatic interlock.
Garbage plan and record keeping
Jan. 1: All yachts of 100 gross tonnage and every vessel certified to carry 15 or more persons are required to carry and implement a garbage management plan. The provisions for allowed discharges are also amended to include previously excluded scenarios (cargo residues, cleaning agents, cooking oils, etc). The permission to discharge in certain location and geographic distances are made more stringent. The new table is quite exhaustive and can be downloaded from the International Maritime Organization’s Web site: ww.imo.org.
U.S. Caribbean sea emission control Jan. 1: The U.S. Caribbean Emission Control Area (ECA) begins enforcement. The area of the ECA includes waters adjacent to coasts of
See RULES, page B6
B January 2013 ONBOARD EMERGENCIES: Sea Sick
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When the new calendar begins, give your medical kit a check-up It’s that time of year again. Time to buy a new calendar, make New Year’s resolutions and go through your first aid medical kit. The first step is to gather all of your medical equipment, first aid kits, oxygen and your AED (automated external defibrillator). This includes Sea Sick any small kits on Keith Murray the tender, in the galley and in the engine room. I suggest gathering your crew members for this as it is a good learning experience. After everything is assembled, you need to check all kits for missing or expired items, opened packages or things that look out of place. If you are not sure what something is, ask. If nobody knows what it does, you may not need it or you may need a first aid refresher class. Let’s start with the simple things such as medical exam gloves, eye protection and a CPR mask. Gloves and masks have a shelf life and should be replaced annually. Gloves are inexpensive so when in doubt, throw them out.
Does the mask look cracked, dirty, or melted? If so, replace it. Next, look at each medication. Is it current? Is it organized? What is it used for? If anything is expired, order replacements and dispose of the old medication properly. Unsure what the medication is prescribed for, check the manual or USB drive that came with your medical kit. If you can’t find the manual or USB drive, call or e-mail me and I will try to assist. This is where having an organized medical kit and quality first aid training comes into play. It is important that you understand what medications you have, how to use them, where they are located and when they expire. Having at least one AED onboard is essential. Many boats now have two, one for the main ship and another for the tender. Without an AED, the chances of surviving sudden cardiac arrest outside of a hospital are small, less than 5 percent. However, if the AED is applied quickly, the victim’s odds increase to between 70 and 90 percent. If you have an AED, inspect it. Most manufacturers recommend a monthly inspection. If you are not doing so, create a log book or use an AED inspection tag to track inspections. If you are not comfortable performing the
inspection, call or e-mail me, I can walk you through the process. AEDs have two major parts that must be replaced periodically – the electrode pads and the battery. Most pads have a two-year life and the expiration dates should be marked. The battery, once installed in the unit, has a lifespan between two and five years. Write the installation date on the battery or on a sticker on the back of the AED as a reminder. Don’t wait until the AED is beeping. This is the low battery warning. Be proactive and order a new battery before this happens. Verify that you have a spare set of electrode pads as well as pediatric electrodes if you ever have children on board. Check to see if your AED has been updated to the new American Heart Association guidelines. Several companies have issued recalls on their AEDs. If you are unsure, check with the manufacturer or e-mail me the make, model and serial number and I will check for you. Do you have a backboard or KED for moving injured people? If so, pull it out and try it on one of the crew. If you are missing straps or not sure how to use it, now is the time to learn. Look at your medical oxygen. Is the tank full? When was the last time the tank itself was inspected? Oxygen tanks generally require hydro testing
every five years and should only be filled with “medical” oxygen, which is highly filtered. Turn it on to make sure the regulator and tank function properly. What about the oxygen masks, nasal cannulas and tubing? Do you have both adult and pediatric masks? Are these in good condition? If they look old, worn or yellow, it’s time to replace these. Ask one of the crew to apply the mask to another crew and see if they know how to properly work the equipment. Please note: If you are using the oxygen for training purposes be certain to have it re-filled immediately. During our courses we pull out the ship’s AED to inspect it and show the crew what to look for. If a medical kit is available, we also review what is in the kit and explain how things work. Be proactive. Asking questions is a good thing and being prepared for emergencies is the key to saving lives. Have a safe and happy new year. 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 +1-561-762-0500 or keith@ theCPRschool.com. Comments on this column are welcome at editorial@thetriton.com.
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TECHNOLOGY BRIEFS
Caribbean’s Antigua only island to now offer superfast Internet Palma-based E3 Systems became the yacht liaison to Antigua’s new 4G LTE service as the charter show began in early December, making the island’s superfast Internet service available in one-month and six-month contracts. The service, available up to 30 miles from shore, enables guests and crew on yachts to watch streaming live video with no buffering delays and watch multi-channel IPTV in HD as well as speed up response time for Internet uses and quicken downloads. “It will improve the quality of communications for every type of yacht, owner, guest and crew,” said Roger Horner, managing director of e3. “It is very fast, has massive data limits
with no excess charges and covers all the main yachting locations. “This is so far ahead of Europe it’s outrageous,” he said. Antigua is the only island in the Caribbean with the service. Digicel launched it over the summer. Digicel also is working with the Antiguan government in its GATE initiative, the Government Assisted Technology Endeavor to improve Internet access for school children and government services on the island. E3 has committed a percentage of each 4G LTE contract it signs to the GATE program. Before the charter show was over, E3 had already inked 20 contracts with yachts.
New limousine tender takes guests from sea to shore in style Amphibious tender launched
Boston-based Nouvoyage has introduced the Limousine Tender 33, a luxury amphibious yacht that travels on land as well as at sea. Historically, amphibious vehicles have been plagued with reliability and performance limitations due to their complex mechanical systems, said Martin Bodley, Nouvoyage chief executive officer. Nouvoyage’s improvements include higher speeds, increased land and water range, simple and reliable drivelines, better fuel efficiency, open water classification, climate controlled spaces, convertible roofs and windows, luxury interiors and a restroom onboard. The tender is designed with commercial series diesel electric drivelines. For more information, visit www.nouvoyage.com.
KVH upgrades VSAT
KVH Industries upgraded to the mini-VSAT broadband network to provide customers in Europe, the Middle East, and northern Africa (EMEA) with a 60 percent increase in satellite capacity. “Rapid growth of our customer base, which now includes well over 2,500 systems in the field, resulted in increased utilization of the network during peak periods in the EMEA region,” said Marc Edwards, KVH’s director of network operations. “We reconfigured our satellite coverage to more effectively serve this region with a single beam. At the same time we implemented VCSM, and the combination of changes increased our network capacity by 60 percent overall in the EMEA region.” VCSM will be introduced
throughout the remainder of the miniVSAT Broadband network early in 2013. The KVH mini-VSAT broadband network uses both C-band and Kuband satellite capacity provided by commercial satellite operators, several of which have initiatives under way to provide additional satellite capacity over the world’s oceans. For more information, visit www. kvh.com.
Tess Electric expands
Tess Electrical Sales and Services in Ft. Lauderdale has opened a shore-side electrical division, completing the link from yacht to land power supply. Bill Quarantello will head this new division. Quarantello has been with the company for four years as a yacht electrical technician and has 25 years experience in electrical contracting in the Boston area. He has a master electrical contractor license.
Brownie’s, Triton partner
Brownie’s Marine Group created an agreement with Triton Submarines to actively promote each other’s products. Triton Submarines was established in 2007 to manufacture manned submersibles designed exclusively for yachts. “We have been working with Triton [Submarines] on a limited number of products for a couple of years now,” said Robert Carmichael, Brownie’s CEO. “This agreement expands our scope to their entire product line and vice versa. Triton embodies everything that Brownie’s stands for and has worked hard to build over the years – innovation and development of the best products our industry has to offer.” For more information, visit www. browniesmarinegroup.com.
January 2013 B
B January 2013 MARINAS / SHIPYARDS
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USVI lays new moorings for yachts up to 100 feet in St. John By Carol Bareuther
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Yachts up to 100 feet can now moor in Virgin Islands National Park waters. In December, officials installed 14 “big boat” moorings in the seas surrounding St. John to accommodate yachts measuring from 61 to 100 feet. This undertaking completes a decade-plus $750,000 mooring program funded by the non-profit Friends of the V.I. National Park that has overseen placement of more than 300 moorings in the park and in the V.I. Coral Reef National Monument waters in an effort to protect seagrass beds. Previously, boat moorings in the park and monument were rated for vessels up to 60 feet. “We saw a big gap for boats larger than 60 feet,” Friends President Joe Kessler said. “Security is utmost for the park, and due to the nature of the open water and wind conditions in the bays where the moorings were installed, the moorings themselves have been comprehensively designed and held to a high specification.” The mooring system uses twin helical anchors and a custom beam that carries the load along a horizontal plane and connects nylon line to a surface mooring. Minimum breaking strength of the new “big boat” moorings is 32,000 pounds.
Four of the moorings each were placed off Lind Point and Francis Bay, two each in Leinster Bay and Great Lameshur Bay, and one each in Hawksnest Bay and the southeast entrance of Princess Bay in the monument area. The moorings are for day or overnight use. There is a $15 fee per night. Usage regulations for these moorings are the same as apply to all others and can be found at the National Park Service Web site (www. nps.gov/viis/planyourvisit/boaterinformation.htm). The new mooring in the monument area is day-use only and free of charge. Private yachts from 100 to 125 feet can anchor seaward of the large boat moorings off Lind Point, while those 125 to 210 feet can anchor west of the line between Mary’s Point and America Hill in Frances Bay. Anchoring is not permitted in the monument. Positive effects of the mooring program have been quick to see, Kessler said. “In 12 to 13 years, we’ve seen the regrowth of a rich carpet of seagrass and, as a result, a significant increase in the sea turtle population.” Carol Bareuther is a freelance writer in St. Thomas. Comments on this story are welcome at editorial@the-triton.com.
European marinas see growth, expansion in large yacht arena Dogus buys stake in Athens marina Turkey’s Dogus Holding, a company active in several businesses including media and banking, has moved into Greek maritime business, acquiring a 50 percent stake in Flisvos Marina, one of the largest in Athens, according to a story in the Turkish Hurriyet Daily newspaper in mid-December. The marina, which has 303 slips for yachts up to more than 70m, is owned by Lamda Development of Greece’s Latsis Group.
Pendennis expansion OK’d
UK yacht builder Pendennis received approval in late November to proceed with plans to improve its shoreline and create two wet docks and a wet basin to hold back the tide alongside the north facing area of the yard. These plans will run in conjunction with the shore-based proposals that were approved earlier this year that include increasing the height of its existing dry dock by 9m to allow for larger vessels, the construction of two new seaward facing halls that will be large enough to see yachts transported
into them using the company’s 400-ton travel hoist and a new support complex housing a hospitality suite, crew quarters, six ground floor workshops and office space for Pendennis staff. This redevelopment approval provides the opportunity to build and refit larger vessels. “As a company, we are very proud of the growth and expansion that we have achieved over the past 25 years, and keeping Pendennis and the wider Falmouth community on the map as a world renowned superyacht destination is key to our continued success,” Toby Allies, sales and director at Pendennis, said in a news release. Recent projects at the yard have included the refits of S/Y Adela, S/Y Nostromo, S/Y Gloria, S/Y Hemisphere, S/Y Andromeda La Dea, S/Y Tugatsu, M/Y Fair Lady, M/Y Va Bene and S/Y Margaret Ann; the new builds of Barracuda 105-foot sloop S/Y Akalam and the Ron Holland 150-foot S/Y Christopher; and the current refits of S/Y m5, S/Y Trading Network, a 50m Feadship, and M/Y Teleost.
See MARINAS, page B5
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New Bedford marine terminal set to develop MARINAS from page B4
Barcelona marina gets OK
The Port of Barcelona has approved plans to refurbish Marina Port Vell. The approval includes an extension of MPV’s concession period by 10 years until 2036. The refurbishment of Spanish Quay was also approved. The next step in Marina Port Vell’s transformation is garnering a final approval from the city council for the amendment to the Special Plan. The step is already under way, according to a company statement.
EPA OKs terminal in New Bedford
The U.S. EPA issued its final OK for Massachusetts to construct a 28acre marine terminal in New Bedford Harbor. The primary purpose of the project will be to serve offshore renewable energy facilities, specifically wind, and accommodate future international shipping. The project consists of about seven acres of filled waters and 21 acres of upland area, as well as the navigational dredging of 47 acres of the harbor. The dredging also addresses about 225,600 cubic yards of PCB-contaminated sediment. In order to mitigate for the loss of a freshwater wetland and salt marsh, intertidal and subtidal habitat (including winter flounder spawning habitat), and more than 9 million shellfish due to the impacts of dredging and/or filling, EPA’s final determination commits the state to construct: 1.02 acres of salt marsh restoration and creation at River’s End Park adjacent to the Achushnet River; 22.73 acres of winter flounder spawning habitat in the outer harbor; 4.47 acres of intertidal habitat
creation or enhancement in the outer harbor; 14.91 acres of shallow subtidal enhancement in the outer harbor; and Replacement shellfish beds by planting more than 24 million seed shellfish in 10 areas of the outer harbor over 10-15 years. “This facility makes Massachusetts the East Coast hub for offshore wind development while strengthening New Bedford’s position as a port city,” Gov. Deval Patrick said. “The construction of the terminal helps launch a new clean energy industry in Massachusetts that will create hundreds of jobs, enhance our energy security, and reduce fossil fuel emissions.”
CNI to run Greek marina
Camper & Nicholsons Marinas has been appointed to operate the new Ermioni Marina, south of Athens, which is scheduled to open for the 2014 season. The marina will accommodate 127 yachts up to 65m. Located on the Peloponnese Peninsula about 50nm south of Athens, Ermioni is near the islands of Hydra, Dokos and Spetses. A naturally safe harbour, the marina is 20 minutes from Porto Heli, Greece’s ‘Cap Ferat’. The marina will have its own bars, restaurants and shops as well as a swimming pool and chandlery. Camper & Nicholsons collaborated on the design with the owner and developer, Ermioni Marina S.A. Construction is due to take about 18 months, with the opening date scheduled for late 2013 / early 2014. For more details, visit www. cnmarinas.com.
IGY starts refund program
Ft. Lauderdale-based IGY Marinas has introduced a new 365-day berthing
plan for yachts over 80 feet. The Anchor Pass includes eight IGY destinations, dockage discounts and a new refund program on unused dockage. Participating IGY Anchor Pass destinations are Yacht Haven Grande in St. Thomas, The Yacht Club at Isle de Sol in St. Maarten, Simpson Bay Marina in St. Maarten, Rodney Bay Marina in St. Lucia, Palmas del Mar Yacht Club in Puerto Rico, Marina Cabo San Lucas in Mexico (Sea of Cortez), La Amada Marina in Cancun, and Red Frog Beach Marina on Panama’s Caribbean coast.
Northern hired new chiefs
Washington-based Northern Marine, a builder of long-range expedition yachts, has expanded its management team. New company CFO Jan Kallshian has been a self-employed business and financial consultant for 20 years. Prior to this, he was controller for Northwest Marine Technology for 10 years and worked in public accounting for seven years. Kallshian also serves as an active volunteer for Habitat For Humanity. Controller Bryan Kay has more than 25 years experience in financial and accounting management in a wide variety of industries. Production manager Randy Stoneman is a master boat builder with 29 years of experience in the marine industry, the past 20 of which include the production of megayachts in the Pacific Northwest. Stoneman is also founder of RivTech Drift Boats, manufacturing handcrafted fishing boats. Chief naval architect Mark Allred has six years of experience in the marine industry, most recently at Marquis Yachts in Wisconsin. For more information, visit northernmarine.com.
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Today’s fuel prices Prices for low-sulfur gasoil expressed in US$ per cubic meter (1,000 liters) as of Dec. 15th. Region Duty-free*/duty paid U.S. East Coast Ft. Lauderdale 814/868 Savannah, Ga. 721/NA Newport, R.I. 718/NA Caribbean St. Thomas, USVI 1,040/NA St. Maarten 974/NA Antigua 998/NA Valparaiso 961/NA North Atlantic Bermuda (Ireland Island) 714/NA Cape Verde 953/NA Azores 872/NA Canary Islands 938/1,181 Mediterranean Gibraltar 858/NA Barcelona, Spain 815/1,731 Palma de Mallorca, Spain NA/845 Antibes, France 842/1,768 San Remo, Italy 938/2,069 Naples, Italy 959/2,094 Venice, Italy 940/2,244 Corfu, Greece 1,054/1,990 Piraeus, Greece 986/2,097 Istanbul, Turkey 843/NA Malta 871/1,561 Tunis, Tunisia 871/NA Bizerte, Tunisia 880/NA Oceania Auckland, New Zealand 875/NA Sydney, Australia 880/NA Fiji 713/NA
One year ago Prices for low-sulfur gasoil expressed in US$ per cubic meter (1,000 liters) as of Dec. 15. 2011 Region Duty-free*/duty paid U.S. East Coast Ft. Lauderdale 870/930 Savannah, Ga. 850/NA Newport, R.I. 845/NA Caribbean St. Thomas, USVI 970/NA St. Maarten 1,060/NA Antigua 1,150/NA Valparaiso 840/NA North Atlantic Bermuda (Ireland Island) 965/NA Cape Verde 925/NA Azores 915/NA Canary Islands 915/NA Mediterranean Gibraltar 870/NA Barcelona, Spain 910/NA Palma de Mallorca, Spain NA/1,810 Antibes, France 920/1,845 San Remo, Italy 1070/1990 Naples, Italy 1,185/2,100 Venice, Italy 915/1,815 Corfu, Greece 1,045/1,820 Piraeus, Greece 950/1,820 Istanbul, Turkey 940/NA Malta 890/1,680 Tunis, Tunisia 850/NA Bizerte, Tunisia 855/NA Oceania Auckland, New Zealand 970/NA Sydney, Australia 980/NA Fiji 980/NA *When available according to local customs.
B January 2013 FROM THE TECH FRONT: Rules of the Road
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Yachts busy with charters, maintenance; be realistic to comply RULES, from page B1 the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands, up to roughly 50 nautical miles from the territorial sea baselines of the included islands. The ECA is bound such that it does not extend into marine areas subject to the sovereignty, sovereign rights, or jurisdiction of any state other than the United States. The new standard of 0.1 percent fuel sulfur (1,000 ppm) is expected to reduce airborne particulates and sulfur dioxide emissions by more than 85 percent from today’s levels.
Energy efficiency management
Jan. 1: The new MARPOL Annex VI requirements create several new benchmarks for environmental protection and the reduction of
greenhouse gases. For all existing ships and yachts of 400 gross tonnage and greater, there is the new Ship Energy Efficiency Management Plan (SEEMP). It establishes a mechanism for a yacht to improve the energy efficiency of its operation. The SEEMP seeks this through four steps: planning, implementation, monitoring, and self-evaluation and improvement. These components play a critical role in the cycle to improve energy management. Achieving these goals can be done through a combination of structural and operations actions. These may include voyage planning, weather routing, optimized speed, consistent shaft power, enhanced use of rudder and heading control systems (autopilots), and hull maintenance. For all yachts of 400 gross tonnage and greater built after January 1, an energy efficient design index must be
calculated. It provides a minimum energy efficiency level for new ships and yachts. It is a non-prescriptive, performance-based mechanism that leaves the choice of technologies to use in a design to the industry. The IMO is not dictating how to meet the EEDI, so long as the energy-efficiency level is attained. This means that designers, architects, and builders are free to use the most cost-efficient solution in order to comply with the regulations. To verify compliance with these new rules, yachts must carry a new statutory certificate called the International Energy Efficiency (IEE) Certificate. The survey will be conduct by the yacht’s flag-state or classification society appointed on their behalf.
will begin to be enforced on yachts of 500 gross tonnage and greater. The purpose of a bridge navigational watch alarm system is to monitor bridge activity and detect operator disability, which could lead to marine accidents. The system monitors awareness of the Officer of the Watch (OOW) and automatically alerts the master or another qualified person if the OOW becomes incapable of performing his/ her duties. This is achieved by a series of indications and alarm to alert first the OOW and, if he is not responding, then to alert the Master. Additionally, the BNWAS provides the OOW with a means of calling for immediate assistance if required.
Bridge Navigational Watch Alarm
Aug. 20: After 12 years of development and 7 1/2 years since being adopted, the Maritime Labour Convention will enter into force. It will require all commercial yachts of 24m and greater to be inspected and certified by its flag state or a classification society. Noting the complexity of the process and subject areas that may be new to most in the industry, it cannot be stressed enough that action on this regulation is required sooner than later. Let’s put this in realistic terms. It is now January. The winter months are charters, owner’s use, and maintenance. April hits us before we know it and the summer begins. Boats head to the Med. Yachts already in the Med awaken from their winter naps. June sees us positioning for the summer season and by July, things are full speed ahead. Illustrating the above typical schedule, one can see that there is little time to prepare, let alone become certified. In addition, another extremely important aspect to remember is the availability (or lack) of inspectors. The ILO has dictated that passenger ships and bulk carriers take priority when scheduling the onboard inspections. This may leave many yachts uncertified by the August deadline. There are a finite number of approved inspectors. There is an understanding that Port State Control will recognize this shortage, but there is no guarantee that they will accept it.
July 1: This new piece equipment
Maritime Labour Convention 2006
Capt. Jake DesVergers currently serves as Chief Surveyor for the International Yacht Bureau (IYB), a recognized organization that provides flag-state inspection services to private and commercial yachts on behalf of several flag-state administrations. A deck officer graduate of the US 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 954-596-2728 or www.yachtbureau.org.
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BUSINESS BRIEFS
January 2013 B
Parnership with currency company could save yachts money YPI in deal with currency co.
Yachting Partners International (YPI) has partnered with foreign exchange specialists Currencies Direct to help its clients and crew save on all international transactions. “We are always searching for ways to help our clients and crew limit the cost and inefficiency surrounding these transactions and with our new partnership service we are able to bring savings of up to 5 percent,” said Ian Petts, financial director for YPI. Currencies Direct has 16 years experience in international payments and are authorized and regulated by the UK’s Financial Services Authority. “We have taken the time to understand the industry’s needs to develop a tailored product specifically for the yachting industry,” CEO Keith Hatton said. “Currencies Direct is looking to develop a long-term relationship with the industry.” Sim Lighten, a former yacht captain and now business development manager for yachting partnerships at Currencies Direct, said using the company to send transfers or make international payments can result in savings of between 2 percent and 5 percent compared to using a bank. “On the large sums involved, that quickly adds up to savings of thousands of pounds,” he said. For more information, visit www. ypigroup.com/currenciesdirect.
IYB grows, adds division, staff
International Yacht Bureau, the Ft. Lauderdale-based flag-state inspectors, has surpassed 500 yachts in its register and has launched an Advisory Services Division. Since its launch in October 2006, IYB has had continued growth through the statutory certification of private and commercial yachts on behalf of yacht registries. IYB has expanded to 35 locations in the Americas, Europe and Asia with surveyor availability in every major yachting location worldwide. IYB now represents more than 10 major flags, with more expected to enter the yachting market soon. The new Advisory Services Division will provide 24/7 emergency support to all yachts of any flag and includes the environmental response as a Qualified Individual required by the U.S. Coast Guard for Nontank Vessel Response Plans (NTVRP). Consulting services will complement the company’s experience as flag-state inspectors. The options range from training manuals and safety management systems to pre-MCA survey assessments and assistance with implementation of the upcoming Maritime Labour Convention. IYB has hired Capt. Bill Feaster to lead this new division. Feaster recently worked with MedAire and the Marshall Islands Yacht Registry.
IYB’s president and chief surveyor is Capt. Jake DesVergers, who writes The Triton’s monthly Rules of the Road column on B1.
Pinmar raises new record
Palma-based yacht painter Pinmar hosted the 24th Pinmar Golf Tournament in October and raised a record of 72,000 euros for its nominated charities, despite one of the most torrential downpours in Mallorca in recent memory and the resulting cancellation of part of the tournament for the first time in its history.
Again hosted at the Son Gual Golf Course in Mallorca and co-sponsored by Awlgrip, The Pinmar brought together more than 100 companies, 90 volunteers and 364 golfers for the annual tournament, which culminated with the prize-giving dinner, Come Fly With Me Show and new after party. This year’s winner, in the Best Yacht category, was S/Y Pro-rigging. The money raised will go to several charities, including YachtAid Global, Allan Graham 4 Kidz in Mallorca, Great Ormond Street Hospital, and Action Aid. This year’s tournament has been
confirmed for Oct. 9-12. For more information, e-mail nick@pinmar.com.
GOST hires new op manager
Marine security, monitoring and tracking systems supplier GOST (Global Ocean Security Technologies) has promoted Nicole Lorenzi to operations manager. Previously the company’s office manager, Lorenzi is a South Florida native. Prior to joining GOST, she worked with a marine electronics dealer in Ft. Lauderdale. For more, visit www.gostglobal.com.
B January 2013 BOATS / BROKERS
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IYC, Gilman sell Zoom Zoom Zoom; N&J, Fraser sell Cameleon B RJC Yachts has sold the 98foot Burger M/Y Think Big, which underwent a major refit in 2010 that added 10 feet to the cockpit.
IYC Broker Mark Elliott has sold the 161-foot (49m) Trinity M/Y Zoom Zoom Zoom, above (with Jeff Stanley of Gilman Yachts representing the buyer). The yacht will remain in IYC’s charter fleet.
Broker Kevin Bonnie with IYC in Monaco has sold the 120-foot Palmer Johnson M/Y Anna J, above (with Edmiston representing the buyer), and the 92-foot Mangusta M/Y Bear Market.
Northrop & Johnson has sold the 140-foot (42m) Proteksan M/Y Cameleon B, right, by Bill Titus, the 112foot (34m) Crescent M/Y 99 Problems, below, by Wes Sanford (Andrew Miles of Westport represented the seller and the deal included the trade of the 92foot Tarrab M/Y Bee’s Honey), and the 92-foot (27.8m) S/Y Aphrodite I by Joost Goverts.
New listings to the firm’s central agency listings for sale include the 150-foot (45.7m) S/Y Milo for $12 million, the 122-foot (37m) M/Y Shogun for $4.5 million, the 115-foot (34.8m) M/Y Aries for 675,000 euros, and the 113-foot (34m) Hatteras M/Y Capricorn for $2.49 million.
Fraser Yachts has recently sold the 140-foot (42m) Proteksan M/Y Cameleon B, above (Bill Titus of Northrop & Johnson in Newport represented the buyer), the 107-foot (32.8m) S/Y Swift, the 104-foot (31.8m) Crescent M/Y Flipper, and the 100-foot (30m) Inace M/Y Beyond. The firm added to its central agency listings for sale the 148-foot (45m) M/Y Atmosphere, the 95-foot (28m) M/Y Pity V, and the 78-foot (24m) M/Y Archimedes. New central agency listings for charter include the 179-foot (55.5m) Feadship M/Y Chantal Ma Vie available in the Caribbean this winter and Pacific Northwest this summer, and the 169-foot (51m) Benetti M/Y Sai Ram available in the Med. Moran Yacht & Ship has added to its new central agency listings for sale M/Y Grand Coroto, a 115-foot (35m) Benetti.
The 112-foot (34m) catamaran M/Y Curvelle Quaranta, due to be delivered in March by the Curvelle-Logos shipyard in Turkey, will be available for charter in the western Med this summer through Hill Robinson. The yacht has four decks and a 9m beam, giving it 50 percent more space than a comparable 30m monohull, the company said in a statement. It has a flexible accommodation layout system to grow from three suites with double beds to six double or twin cabins. It also includes a lifting platform/beach that lowers guests and the tender straight from the main deck into the water.
Trinity Yachts has delivered M/Y Tsumat, above, the 164-foot (50m) yacht that debuted at the Ft. Lauderdale International Boat Show in October.
See BOATS, page B9
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BOATS / BROKERS
January 2013 B
Sailrocket sets speed record at almost 60kts; Sunreef deck is solar BOATS, from page B8 The yacht has an aluminum hull and superstructure. It has six staterooms, all ensuite, with a full-width main deck master suite with 180-degree view. Four guest staterooms – two king and two twins – are on the lower deck amidships. A fifth queen guest stateroom is on the pilothouse deck. It has accommodations for 11 crew. On Nov. 16, the Vestas Sailrocket team reached speeds of 59.23 knots (about 70 mph) over a 500m course at Walvis Bay in Namibia, breaking the outright world speed sailing record. Sailrocket’s peak speed during the record-breaking run was 62.53 knots in winds of 25 knots. The outright world speed sailing record is set by taking the average speed between two points set 500m apart. The previous record stood at 55.65 knots (about 64 mph). SP-High Modulus, the marine business of Gurit, has been involved with the Sailrocket project from the early stages and supplied materials including Ampreg 22, prepregs from its SE 84LV and SE 70 product ranges, and dry reinforcements, along with technical services to the project. “Everyone at SP-High Modulus is delighted that Sailrocket team has achieved its goal of breaking the
world speed sailing record,’ said Paul Goddard, general manager-marine at SP-High Modulus. “The team has put in a lot of work to make this happen and we congratulate them.” For more, visit www.sailrocket.com.
features a sofa, sun pads and a tender garage on the aft.
OceanStyle by Burgess has sold the 83.7-foot (25.5m) M/Y Du Ciel, above, and the 80-foot (24m) M/Y Moon, below, built by Horizon Yachts. Sunreef Yachts has unveiled the Sunreef 90 Ultimate, above, a light carbon, high-performance oriented superyacht. Her hulls with reversed bow allow for 20+ knots of speed on sails. The abundance of green energies on board such as solar panels and wind and hydro generators allows for silent running at anchor. For the first time, the flybridge will be dedicated to sails maneuvering and entirely covered by solar panels, which allows for transparent ceilings in the salon and master cabin. The entire superstructure will be made of carbon fiber and glass panels. The 20-square-meter cockpit
in December. “A number of our dealers from the U.S. and Canada travelled to Paris specifically to preview every detail of Beneteau’s newest yacht before its introduction to the North American market, and we’ve already secured our first two retail orders,” said Denise Hanna, director of sales for Beneteau America. The Oceanis 55, designed by Berret Racoupeau Yacht Design, features a mast set back to enhance balance and performance under sail. The chine extends the full length of the boat to increase speed while reducing the initial angle of heel. Large windows allow natural light to illuminate the interior living spaces. The Oceanis 55 is designed to accommodate families of all sizes and is available in three-, fouror five-cabin layouts. ABYS Yachting has added M/Y Piola, an 83-foot Ferretti, to its central agency listings for charter.
Annapolis-based Beneteau will unveil its new Oceanis 55 at Strictly Sail Miami in February. The yacht made its world premiere at the Paris Boat Show
Camper & Nicholsons International has added the 138-foot (42m) expedition yacht M/Y E&E to its charter fleet. Launched in 2011 by Turkish shipyard Cizgi, the yacht can sleep up to 10 guests in five suites, with room for nine crew.
B10 January 2013 FROM THE TECH FRONT
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Know paper charts to navigate when fuses blow CHARTS from page B1 reliance on the captain’s knowledge of electronic navigation. If deckhands who want to pursue a maritime career do not receive any encouragement or training on the vessels they work, then it has to be up to themselves to ask questions, read the appropriate books, and do some exercises in preparation before attending a maritime school in order to obtain a certificate. Have your brain already operating before you sit at a desk with a tutor in front of you starting to unravel the marvels of coastal and celestial navigation. While electronic navigational aids are certainly a wonderful invention, they should in no way replace the ability of a seaman to navigate his vessel when all the fuses have blown. This was experienced by a superyacht that recently sailed into Auckland that had all its electronics “cooked” by a lightning strike that hit the water about 30m away. It’s a good example of why a navigator should keep his basic navigational skills alive and well. If you are a captain, you should encourage your crew to learn everything there is to know about the running of your vessel, not only in their own departments, but also the basics of how every department works. Not only
will it create a better understanding and appreciation of each others’ jobs, it will also be the foundation of a more efficiently run vessel. Emergency drills should be held regularly and should be as realistic as possible, with crew members swapping roles. Real emergencies have little respect for roles and capabilities. Captains should also hold regular and in-depth training sessions with their crews. These could take anything from half an hour to half a day and should cover everything from chart work, how to use the chart plotter, radar, radio and all the other electronics on the bridge. Boat handling, handling the tender, rope work and berthing situations are just some of the other topics that a good crew should know and understand. Yes, the running and managing a superyacht can keep a captain really busy at times, but if he has a well-trained crew, he can spread his responsibilities with confidence and make his load somewhat lighter. One of the problems with marine education for superyacht mariners is that there is no structured learning program for them. Relying upon getting taught all that is necessary by sitting in a classroom for a couple of weeks does not make for an in-depth understanding of subjects.
Even with electronics available, Michael Pignéguy keeps paper PHOTO FROM MIKE PIGNEGUY charts. So before you come ashore to attend a maritime school to obtain a certificate, find out what subjects you will be covering, buy some books and make time for some study. And of course, ask your captain for advice. Capt. Michael Pignéguy is a relief captain on charter boats and superyachts around the world. He is an RYA instructor and examiner in Auckland, NZ, and the author of three boating books (www.boatingfun. co.nz).Capt. Michael Pignéguy is a relief captain on charter boats and superyachts around the world. He is an RYA instructor and examiner in Auckland, NZ, and the author of three boating books (www.boatingfun.co.nz).
Yacht transits best when done two days before frontal passage WINTER from page B1 High pressure will typically move eastward from the Southeastern U.S. to the north of the Bahamas and Caribbean. The high will interact with low pressure that resides between 10N and the equator, which allows for trade winds to increase across the Caribbean and southern Bahamas. Fresh-to-strong easterly winds are typical across this region, and stronger highs to the north will enhance these winds even more to near-gale force at times. Areas that are prone to “funneling” winds are in passages between islands, offshore capes (Cabo Beata in the southern Dominican Republic, for example), and offshore of the Colombian coast. These conditions may last up to four days across the southern Bahamas and the northwestern Caribbean, but can last up to seven days over the southern and eastern Caribbean. Given the frequent cold fronts to the north and strong trade winds, when is a good time to move to a new location? The best time to transit is usually 1-2 days prior to a frontal passage. High pressure retreats to the east and trade winds usually ease and become more southerly ahead of the front. This
is advantageous when departing from South Florida and heading into the Bahamas or Old Bahama Channel. It is best to avoid transiting immediately after a cold front moves through the region, as strong northerly winds and building large swells will be present. If this is the only option, it is best to travel in protected waters such as in lee of islands to minimize northerly swells. Also, when traveling between southern Central America to the northeastern Caribbean, a more northern route would be best to avoid enhanced east-to-northeast trade winds that will be offshore Colombia (where gale force winds are common). Usually aiming for a waypoint in the area of 14-15N and 76-78W will help minimize these conditions. However, it is always best to confirm with a reliable weather source in being aware of these expected conditions before departing port. Amanda Delaney is a Senior Meteorologist at Weather Routing Inc (www.wriwx.com). Weather Routing Inc. has been providing forecasts to mariners for over 50 years. Comments on this story are welcome at editorial@ the-triton.com.
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NEWS: Boat shows
January 2013 B11
Miami boat shows in middle of South Florida’s bid for Super Bowl Two South Florida cities are figuring out a way to lure the 2016 Super Bowl, making that year’s Miami boat shows a possible force to be reckoned with. 2016 is the 50th Super Bowl, that season-ending championship American football game, and organizers want the cities that bid for the chance to host it to keep the first three weekends in February open for the privilege. Miami and Ft. Lauderdale both say they can host it, but reserving Presidents Day weekend, which includes the third Monday in February, is a problem in Miami since the Miami International Boat Show, the Yacht and Brokerage Show, Strictly Sail and the Coconut Grove Arts Festival all occur on that weekend. In mid-December, South Florida was selected as a finalist for the game. News reports immediately after quoted Miami-Dade Tourism Director William Talbert as saying the city didn’t have enough hotel rooms to handle the Super Bowl on the same weekend as the boat shows. That brought up debates as to whether the boat shows should move (they have resisted), the urban core for the Super Bowl should be in Ft. Lauderdale, or cruise ships should be brought in to house everyone. In 2010, the National Football League began asking cities to reserve
President’s Day Weekend as one of three potential dates for the Super Bowl. South Florida didn’t guarantee that date in either of its 2010 or 2011 bids, and lost both. South Florida has hosted 10 Super Bowls, the most of any city. Tourism officials in Broward County and Ft. Lauderdale say they won’t do that again. Broward is ready to be the Super Bowl hub, said Nicki Grossman, president of the Greater Fort Lauderdale Convention and Visitors Bureau. Boat show officials have resisted the suggestion to move weekends, a slot they’s held for decades. South Florida is competing with San Francisco for the golden anniversary game. Owners of the 32 teams will determine the host city on May 21.
Singapore show expands
The Singapore Yacht Show will open on Thursday, April 18 – one day earlier than previously planned – and run until Sunday, April 21, at ONE°15 Marina Club, Sentosa Cove. Andy Treadwell, managing director of the Singapore Yacht Show, said in a statement that his team acknowledges the cost and logistical effort of bringing a vessel and an exhibition team to a Yacht Show, and the date extension will
allow both exhibitors and visitors to maximize the networking opportunity the show presents. “The Singapore Yacht Show is an ideal platform for us to interact with Asia’s new wealth,” said Russell Morris, managing director of Palmer Johnson. The 5th Asia Pacific Superyacht Conference occurs on the two days preceding the show, and organizers recently announced the inaugural Singapore Private Jet Forum, which will run alongside the superyacht industry conference. These two events will be followed by a one-day Luxury Summit.
“For six days, there will be a concentration of key people meeting and discussing the luxury leisure lifestyle industries emerging in Asia,” the show’s Treadwell said. Major international shipyards including Feadship have attended the show. “This year we made a bigger commitment to the market by completing an Asian roadshow with M/Y Helix, including attending the Singapore Yacht Show,” said Jan-Bart Verkuyl, sales director of Feadship. For more information, visit www. singaporeyachtshow.com
YACHT CAREERS: Crew Coach B12 January 2013
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Look for chances to teach what you know, learn what you don’t Teaching others what we know, know it all, there is danger. We never ongoing learning and a thirst for know it all. knowledge adds satisfaction, energy With that being said, here is some and wisdom to our lives. advice for the know-it-alls: Let it go. Education You don’t have to pretend you know and teaching it all. Don’t be afraid to say, “I don’t enhance the know.” joy and clarity Benjamin Franklin said, “the of the human doorstep to the temple of wisdom is a experience. knowledge of one’s own ignorance.” The best part In other words, don’t be a knowis, it is available it-all. If you’re intelligent, it will show. to everyone. If you’re a master of your craft, it will And certainly show. You don’t need to prove it. Your Crew Coach the yachting skills have been noticed. Rob Gannon profession is The best teachers say, ”Good filled with these question. I don’t know, but I’ll find out opportunities. and let you know.” It works well for Sometimes when we think about both teacher and students. teachers, we remember the formal Teaching what we know and setting, classrooms watching for and and school years. seeking teachers are Benjamin Franklin But, as we move great components along in life, we to a full life. said, ‘the doorstep to realize it didn’t We also must be the temple of wisdom stop there. Those open to learning. is a knowledge of years were just the Most careers beginning of our have continuing one’s own ignorance.’ education. Teachers education show up throughout opportunities. our lives and it is our job to recognize Yachting has abundant opportunities them when they do. to learn new skills and upgrade Sometimes teachers are obvious, credentials. but other times they show up in These are the more formal avenues, unsuspecting forms. I remind coaching but remember a great way to learn is clients that the people we perceive as simply by talking and listening. If you difficult or challenging can be valuable speak with people like you, there is teachers. Keep your eyes and mind something to learn from them and it open for these teachers in disguise. opens pathways for knowledge. There are times in the yachting Learning opportunities go on daily industry when you are in perfect with all types of folks. I’ve learned from teaching situations. This profession books and writers, philosophers and offers an almost constant stream of scholars. But I also love to learn from teaching and learning scenarios. mechanics, landscapers, plumbers, Certainly, the new crew, or new-tomusicians and artists. the-industry crew, need some training. A great example of someone who If you are the more experienced one, valued lifelong teaching and learning take the opportunity and offer your was Abraham Lincoln. He didn’t mince help with information and share your words when he stated, “I do not think knowledge. much of a man who is not wiser today If you had someone take you under than he was yesterday.” their wing and show you the ropes, you These teaching and learning know how good that felt. Remember, it opportunities are all around us. To also feels good to be on the other end of have no interest or to place yourself that as the teacher. It follows a natural above others is a disservice to oneself order of things. Showing, as well as and others. To jump in and swim in the explaining, is a great teaching tool. waters of teaching and learning is to When I was in training to be a feel a lot of what life is about. coach and physical education teacher, No matter if you’re a captain, stew, I was taught the five steps of teaching chef, engineer or mate, as you approach a new skill: preparation, explanation, your next learning/teaching moment demonstration, observation and aboard, consider these words from supervision. These steps are quite writer Logan P. Smith: ”It takes a great effective, especially when teaching man (woman) to give sound advice things such as sailing. tactfully, but a greater one to accept it It is not only the newbie that graciously.” benefits from teachers. The seasoned captain and crew should also keep Rob Gannon is a 25-year licensed themselves open to learning and should captain and certified life and wellness seek teachers. You can be very good coach (yachtcrewcoach.com). at what you do, but if the time comes Comments on this column are welcome where you think you have it down and at editorial@the-triton.com.
The Triton
www.the-triton.com PERSONAL FINANCE: Yachting Capital
Here’s a way to diversify in one investment-rich town Much of my work is involved in feet of rentable space. Denver, Atlanta, staying aware of new investment Dallas, Philadelphia, San Francisco, Los opportunities for my clients. I preach Angeles, Boston and Chicago combined investment diversification and only total 360 million. frequently, Because NYC is an island, there I touch on cannot be more office/retail space new types of added. Since 1990, the supply has been investment about 400 million square feet. The only opportunities. real change in the past two decades was Investing in the loss of the World Trade Centers. New York City The next step is to understand real estate has the cycles of supply and demand for historically NYC. We obviously have gone through been impossible a recession that has hurt real estate for the smaller across the country. If you review the Yachting Capital investor. This last two complete cycles since 1990 you Mark A. Cline investment will see that it is clear that NYC is on its has only been way up again. possible through either institutional If you add typical real estate investing or through millions of your strategies of buying good quality own money. A REIT (Real Estate properties from distressed sellers Investment Trust) can specialize in a (someone that is having financial specific type of property or a specific troubles and has to sell), buying strategy of properties similar to a them with vacancies so there is room mutual fund portfolio of stocks. for improvement, then holding it to But this type of specialized REIT liquidate before the cycle starts to peek, should be in a portfolio with other NYC is an attractive option. types of REITs or other Remember, when types of investments. investing in real estate, For many years, I Recently, I had don’t fall in love. This the good fortune is the reason people have discouraged to visit with many lose on real estate; they clients from of the principals feel the value will keep investing in real of different REITs going up and don’t pay that are investment attention on when to estate in only one opportunities for my geographic area. ... get out. clients. This gives me The advantage The only exception of this type of REIT the opportunity to I have found is learn firsthand from is that it has the many successful large potential to be a New York City. scale investors and lucrative investment. portfolio managers. It is managed by Having just professionals with the completed a visit to evaluate a REIT experience of investing in NYC real opportunity specifically for the island estate and, for the last couple of cycles, of Manhattan, I decided to share my a track record of knowing when to get thoughts. Originally, I was skeptical out. This is a blueprint for potential because I did not see the diversification success. as I do in many other REITs that I share This strategy must be based on with my clients. Obviously, the more personal goals, circumstances and risk you learn about investments, the more tolerance. If investors understand this comfortable you become. Learning basic investment advice, they will be in and seeing first hand gives you the full a better position to ride out recurring perspective of the investment. market volatility. For many years, I have discouraged A plus to this type of REIT is that clients from investing in real estate they would be looking for more capital in only one geographic area such as appreciation so the dividend paid out Florida. If you are going to invest in on a monthly basis would not be taxed residential homes, for example, invest as dividends but instead would be in multiple markets. The only exception deferred. to that I have found is investing in New Information in this column is not York City. intended to be specific advice for There are several factors that go anyone. You should use the information into this variance that justifies this to help you work with a professional approach. regarding your specific financial To better understand the real objectives. estate history of NYC and the how the cycles play a big part of its Capt. Mark A. Cline is a chartered uniqueness, you need to understand senior financial planner. Comments on how NYC compares to other cities. NYC this column are welcome at +1-954-764comprises about 400 million square 2929 or through www.clinefinancial.net.
January 2013 B13
CALENDAR OF EVENTS B14 January 2013
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Networking opportunities at boat shows, conferences EVENT OF MONTH Jan. 16-17 8th annual USSA Captain’s Briefing, St. Maarten
For captains, senior crew and industry leaders. Topics include security initiatives in the Caribbean, situational awareness and security technology, ISPS/ SOLAS and security, STCW Manila amendments, U.S. cruising, port state control and flag state audits/ Paris MOU, MLC update. For more information, contact the USSA at +1 954.792.8666, info@ussuperyacht.com, ussuperyacht.com
Jan. 3-6 New York Boat Show, Javits
Center, New York. NYBoatShow.com
Jan. 5-6 25th annual Las Olas Art
Festival-Part I, Ft. Lauderdale. More than 300 regional and national artists show. Free. (Part II is the first weekend in March.) www.ArtFestival.com
Jan. 8-11 ABYC’s Basic marine
electrical and corrosion protection course, Essex, Conn. +1 410-990-4460, www.abycinc.org.
Jan. 11 The Triton Bridge luncheon,
noon, Ft. Lauderdale. A roundtable discussion of the issues of the day. Active captains only. RSVP to Editor Lucy Reed at lucy@the-triton.com or 954-525-0029. Space is limited.
Jan. 12-20 Tullett Prebon London
Boat Show 2013, UK. 500 exhibitors and hundreds of products. www.londonboatshow.com
Jan. 20-25 Quantuum Key West race week. Race features international programs and top-tier competitions. www.premiere-racing.com
Jan. 24-27 Strictly Sail Chicago Navy Pier, Chicago, Ill. StrictlySailChicago. com
Jan. 26 7th annual Dania Beach
Vintage Motorcycle Show, Dania Beach, Fla. Free to visit, a fee to enter bikes with proceeds to benefit Stray Aid & Rescue. 10 a.m.- 5 p.m. www. daniabeachvintagebikeshow.com
Jan. 26-Feb. 2 ISAF Sailing World
Cup, Miami. The regatta hosts top Olympic and Paralympic class sailors on Biscayne Bay. Miami is the second stop in the 2012-2013 series following Melbourne, Australia and preceding Palma, Spain, and Hyeres, France. www.sailing.org
Jan. 30-Feb. 1 11th International
Marina and Boatyard Conference, Ft. Lauderdale. Presentations, workshops, roundtables, panel discussions, exhibit hall of 130 booths, networking receptions, field trip to local marinas. www.marinaassociation.org/imbc
Feb. 2 24th annual Women’s Sailing
Convention, Southern California Yachting Association, Corona del Mar, Calif. Open to all women, from novice to expert, with workshops presented by top women sailors. www.scya.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. Join us for casual networking. www.thetriton.com
Jan. 16 The Triton’s monthly
networking event will be the third Wednesday of January instead of the first Wednesday due to the holidays. Join us from 6-8 p.m. with JC’s Carpet Cleaning at Lauderdale Marine Center in Ft. Lauderdale. Bring business cards and meet new people in the marine industry. www.the-triton.com
Jan. 16
Fort Lauderdale to Key West Race. This 160-mile ocean race leads into Key West race week. www.keywestrace.org
Jan. 16-18 ABBRA Annual Conference, Ft. Lauderdale. Provides information about issues, best business practices and new technology in the boatyard industry. www.abbra.org
Jan. 19-27 Boot Dusseldorf, Germany. www.boat-duesseldorf.com
MAKING PLANS Feb. 14-18 The Yacht and Brokerage Show Miami Beach. The megayacht part of Miami’s boat shows showcase 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.
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SPOTTED: India, Antigua
Triton Spotters Chef Kenneth Maginnity carried The Triton to Pangong Tso, India, the highest salt lake in the world, at a height of 14,270 feet (4,350m). Maginnity met up with people throughout his ride, but was alone at the peak. So, he took a photo of The Triton tucked in his seat. Also pictured at another location, Maginnity raised money for charity through a partnership with endpoverty.org. He was featured in The Triton in October 2011 before he left on his trip, “Yacht chef to ride the dusty roads of India for charity.” “It was in the height of summer and was still a cool 37F/3C overnight and 60F/16C in the day,” Maginnity said. “One third of the lake is in India and two thirds in China and it causes a lot of tension in the area. “The only boats on the lake are Coast Guard/border patrol boats,” he said. “I was lucky to get out of the area as I was trapped there by a massive landslide. The Indian army opened up a road (see road, think, dirt path) normally used just by the army,” Maginnity said.
With a bright blue M/Y Northern Lights crew shirt and great smile, First Mate Bradley Clements was happy to receive his December Triton on the opening day of the Antigua Charter Yacht show. Thanks for being a good sport and letting Triton Editor Lucy Chabot Reed snap this Triton Spotter.
Where have you taken your Triton? Send photos to editorial@the-triton.com.
January 2013 B15
C Section
Network in the new year Join JC’s Carpet Cleaning in Ft. Lauderdal on Jan. 16. C2
January 2013
Poker run/ event photos Easy riders, crew and industry pros gather at West Marine. C3
Finally on your own Solo stews’ list of duties can really be quite long.
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TRITON SURVEY: Are captains hired as employees or independent contractors?
Most captains hired as small businesses By Lucy Chabot Reed When last we surveyed yacht captains and crew about their pay, we asked technical questions such as how often they were paid and how they received their compensation (digitally or the old-fashioned way). During that discourse, a few captains noted that we should have asked if captains worked as employees or as contractors through their own corporations. So, this month, we asked about that. Eighty-two yacht captains completed our survey, but when considering the results, know that more than 80 percent of our respondents were American. First things first: How do you collect your income? Most captains – 70.9 percent – are not employees. The most common way to collect income was through a small business corporation, which in the United States is called an S Corp. More than 44 percent of respondents are employed this way. About 7.6 percent more are employed through an LLC, a limited liability corporation. “Most savvy and highly professional U.S. yacht captains have their own LLC or similar,” said the captain of a yacht 100-120 feet. “Not only is it a form of a buffer from liability (as captains, we take on a lot of liability responsibility) but it can also be a way to pay less overall tax to the U.S. government if you use expense deductions and pay yourself an income as an employee of the corp. Corporate tax is less than payroll if you report both, as advised by your tax adviser. “Many foreign captains I talk to don’t even report their income when it is originated from out of their country but we as U.S. citizens do not have this luxury,” this captain said. “We are supposed to report and file all income, no matter where in the world we are or where we get it. Of course, that is if one plays the game by the rules.” “Americans are screwed, tax-wise,” said an American captain in yachting more than 25 years. “If you claim to be a licensed
When it comes to managing their incomes, most yacht captains turn to tax and accounting professionals who are familiar with yachting. BIGSTOCKPHOTO.COM
professional, then become one and legitimize your operation,” said the captain of a yacht 140-160 feet. “Take advantage of the benefits if you can. If your employer is an employer, it might not be worthwhile, but for most of us, the owners are not employers; they are our No. 1 customer.” Another non-employee method of payment is directly as an independent contractor (19 percent). “I prefer the (potential) freedom of being an independent contractor,” said a captain in yachting more than 30 years. “In my experience, owners think and act much more professionally about the relationship than if I were ‘just an employee’. I am free to do what is right, and to work with the owner for his and his guests’ enjoyment rather than being just ‘another employee.’ “I say potential freedom because the independent contractor relationship has worked so well that I am currently at eight years with the same owner.” Among those captains who are employees, it was more common to be an employee of the yacht’s corporation; 20.3 percent of respondents are paid this way. Just 8.9
percent are employees of the boss’s corporation. “It’s best to get on the boss’s corporate payroll, that way you start paying into social security,” said a captain who is paid through his S Corp. “Also, you get better disability coverage.” One respondent said he is paid in cash. In addition to knowing the how, we wanted to know Why do you collect your income this way? The most common reason is for tax purposes (46.7 percent of respondents). “Just about everything we buy for our business, from sunglasses to dive gear, we can buy with pre-taxed dollars,” said a captain paid through his LLC. “To me, that makes sense.” “We dedicate a lot more time to our jobs than the average profession requires,” said the captain of a yacht less than 80 feet. “Many of our expenses can be legally written off because we are constantly working. You’ll get a greater tax advantage if you work through your own
See SURVEY, page C8
When good goes bad Healthy eating can go too far for the fixated.
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Feeding Fido not as easy as buying a bag of dog food More and more often, the yachts I find myself on have a non-human guest onboard. Creatures of the four-legged variety, especially dogs. As the principals on the boat aren’t there to work, it usually falls on the crew to see to their care. Feeding time falls to the chef, usually. Either that or the pooch has parked itself in the Culinary Waves galley. He’s really Mary Beth only there for the Lawton Johnson free food. So let me tell you of one such pup and my challenges in meeting his dietary needs onboard. His name is Jupy, an unusual mix of ridgeback and retriever. Charmingly, Jupy is the master of many facial expressions designed to garner goodies above and beyond his dog food. Watch out for these, they work. First there’s the “I’m not leaving till you give me something” look. Jupy likes to plant himself right in your path and he won’t budge for anything. His eyes lock on you like radar. Although not aggressive, this hound isn’t moving until he gets a sample of your cooking. Even more effective is the “I’ve never been fed in my entire life and you’re the only one who can save my life” look. This is the sad-sack look that always breaks my heart. Then there’s the look that I really like: “I’ll be your best friend for one minute.” But the problem is that what you have on your prep table or in your sauté pan may not be what’s best for Fido. In fact, it could be downright harmful. For example, most dogs will love a bite of your chocolate bar, but it will cause pancreatic problems. Crew might think that they’re being nice by sharing their snack but instead are unknowingly harming the dog.
See WAVES, page C6
C January 2013 NETWORKING THIS MONTH: JC’s Carpet
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Start new year’s clean with Triton networking
Everyone at The Triton would like to wish all our supporters a very Happy New Year!
The Triton is networking with JC’s Carpet Cleaning on Jan. 16 in Ft. Lauderdale. Due to the New Year holidays, this will be the first Triton networking event of the year. All yacht crew and industry professionals are welcome to join us in the captain’s lounge at Lauderdale Marine Center. Until then, learn Curte more from owner John Curte. Q. What is important to know about JC’s Carpet Cleaning? I take great pride in what we do. Since 1999, we have cleaned somewhere in the neighborhood of 400 yachts. Captains and stews are always commenting about the low moisture process I use, and they love our detailing. A good amount of the yachts I clean use us in New York and Florida. Q. How did you start cleaning yachts? Well, I was asked to come to Chelsea Piers in New York City to remove a stain. Soon after that I started getting recommended to other yachts in New York, N.J. and then the Hamptons on Long Island.
In a short time I was doing almost every yacht that came to the New York area. One day I was chatting with a captain and asked what he thought if I came to Florida for the winters. Now, this is my fifth year coming south. It was a slow start, but the last couple of years it started to work out. Now, about 70 percent of my business is yachts. Q. You say you have a ‘green’ cleaning system. What does that mean? Yes, my process and all detergents are green seal approved. We use 90 percent less water than steam cleaning, so by using less, we are wasting less. That makes us environmentally friendly. Our detergents meet all the criteria as regulated by the green seal standards. Q. What can you clean? We specialize in the finest upholstered fabrics, cushions, drapery, leather, vinyl and wool carpets. Q. How does your dry foam extraction system work? Does it use chemicals and leave residue or odor? The dry foam extraction system is a special low moisture detergent mixed with air pressure to become a foam. It is brushed into the carpet for a truly deep cleaning, but it doesn’t penetrate to the backing of a carpet, so it is extremely fast drying.
Low moisture equals fast drying. This system leaves behind the least amount of residue and whatever is left crystallizes. With one vacuuming it is gone. Less residue equals a longer lasting clean. Q. How do you divide your year back home and in Florida? We service New York in the summers and South Florida in the winters. And for the first time this year, we came down the month of October for the Ft. Lauderdale International Boat Show. Q. What is different about cleaning a yacht? Well, sometimes they need it done very quickly, especially if they are a charter yacht. Mainly, just being extremely careful of the very expensive things onboard. Personally, I would much rather do a yacht than a home. Q. Who will captains and crew work with? They will always deal with me. I go through the boat with them, explain the process, give a fair estimate and do all the work with my crew. For more information, visit www. jcscarpets.com or call +1 516-361-7919 in New York or +1 954-892-9228 in Florida. Find Lauderdale Marine Center at 2001 S.W. 20th St., Ft. Lauderdale, 33315; or call +1 954-224-5847.
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NETWORKING LAST MONTH: Poker Run/West Marine
he Triton hosted its 6th annual Poker Run and networking on Dec. 6 and raised three times the previous donations toward our “Nautical News� scholarship at Broward College. More than 250 captains, crew and industry professionals joined the networking event at West Marine after poker run stops at National Marine Suppliers and Hall of Fame Marina in Ft. Lauderdale. The $4,500 raised by the marine industry was matched by Broward College for a total of $9,000 being made available to area students. The fund will help about 18 students in the marine training program learn boat repair, electronics, engine room, fiberglass and more. Donations are still being graciously accepted at www.browardcollegefoundation.org/named-funds. PHOTOS/TOM SERIO AND DORIE COX
January 2013 C
C January 2013 INTERIOR: Stew Cues
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New job as solo stew is exciting but tough; Here’s how to start As a new year begins, I got thinking of new beginnings. One of the most challenging ones in an interior crew’s world is taking a job as a solo stew. Being the solo stew on a new yacht is exciting. You finally get to do what you love to do, show off all of your talents and be your own boss (for the most part). On the other Stew Cues hand, there is no Alene Keenan one to monitor your behavior and give you friendly reminders to keep up the pace. And you’ll need that, because it’s a big job. So how do you start? Everything depends upon what the owner and captain consider your
responsibilities to be. Being a solo stew encompasses much more than merely interior service standards and expectations. You will be in charge of organizing your own administration, accounting, and culinary preferences files, as well as scheduling provisioning, cooking and serving, personal services delivery, and housekeeping work. When you get down to the basics about your new job, first answer these three key questions: 1. What systems are already in place? 2. What type and level of service do the owners want? 3. What is the schedule for the boat?
Existing systems
The first point to consider is the systems that are in place, including the culinary and housekeeping standards and the general tone of the boat.
This is where you discover food and beverage likes and dislikes and the “do’s and don’ts” regarding your work performance. Is the structure formal and strict, or casual and flexible? The interior goods and furnishings will influence this, depending on how they are used, from china, crystal and silverware to linens and décor. The amount of detail and the time spent taking care of interior goods depends upon how exacting the owners are. That being said, decide how will you schedule your time to complete all of your duties. There will be tasks and routine maintenance that need to be completed daily, weekly, monthly, and seasonally. Break it down into categories, and decide which are interior responsibilities, and which are captain/deck responsibilities.
What the owner wants
The next point to consider is learning the type and level of service the owners want. This depends to a large degree on their ability to articulate their needs. If the owners have particular standards in general, they may expect a high level of service. However, don’t make the mistake of underserving them just because they do not want gourmet meals three times a day. This is a communication phase that requires a lot of information exchange. Your service scheduling will be determined mostly by the type of service the owners want. You need to know what time they get up in the morning, how many meals you’ll be expected to cook and/or serve daily, and what time certain tasks must be completed. The first part of your day will be filled with opening up the boat, preparing and serving breakfast, and cleaning up afterward. Cabin service and general housekeeping is typically next. If there are many detailed items to care for, it will take longer to finish housekeeping duties. If you are going to be needed to help on deck during this time frame, factor that into your schedule, too.
Boat’s schedule
The third consideration is what’s happening with the boat. Will you be moving frequently, or staying at the dock? Will the owners have guests or family onboard? Will crew eat the same food as guests? Now it is time for menu planning and shopping lists. But before you can even begin that, you must find out the dietary preferences and restrictions of the owners and guests, and what types of cuisine they prefer. When I was a crew cook, I had a standard set of 20 recipes that I kept pantry items on hand for at all times, so I would only have to purchase fresh produce, meats, and dairy each week. By having options available, I created flexibility within the menu framework. If you plan a week’s worth of meals in advance, you can save lots of time by creating a grocery shopping list within that framework. Being a solo stew for the first time can be adventurous, entrepreneurial, and quite challenging, so make the best of this opportunity to demonstrate your abilities and really shine as you begin the new year. 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.
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NUTRITION: Take It In
January 2013 C
Be weary of disorder with New Year goals of healthy eating It’s great to eat nutritiously. After all, the No. 1 New Year’s resolution most people make is to lose weight. That means forgoing all those cakes, cookies, chips and candies in favor of highly nutritious whole grains, fruits and vegetables. However, if you or someone you know starts to hyper-focus on healthful food, such Take It In as refuse to eat Carol Bareuther with friends for fear of junk food on the menu or spend hundreds of dollars on special foods or supplements, then they may have or be at risk for orthorexia. Orthorexia was first coined in 1997. The term literally means fixation on righteous eating, according to the National Association of Eating Disorders, headquartered in New York. In many cases, this disorder begins as an innocent and well-meant attempt to lead a more healthful lifestyle. But in orthorexia, good intentions go wrong and the person becomes overly fixated on the quality of their diet and develops an iron-clad will that doesn’t allow for dietary slip-ups (i.e. a cookie or two). One step further, people with orthorexia also tend to omit a long list of foods: those with pesticides, those that are genetically modified, contain unhealthy fats, or have too much salt or sugar. It even goes deeper. For example, they spend hours to search out and buy only certain foods (think organic oatmeal from a specific company), they prepare foods in only healthful ways such as steaming or broiling, they slice vegetables in a precise way to retain the most nutrients and they may eat on natural wood plates rather than plastic. Not doing any one of these things each and every day brings on an overwhelming sense of guilt for the orthorexic. This disorder, obviously, consumes someone’s life. Ironically, such strict ritualistic eating can cause malnutrition and other health disorders. Orthorexia is not that uncommon. Italian researchers in 2004 found 6.9 percent of subjects surveyed by questionnaire showed signs of orthorexia, yet this figure soared to 57.6 percent in a 2011 study conducted by a different set of Italian scientists. What’s more, a Turkish study of performance artists published in 2009 revealed that 32.1 percent of ballet dancers, 36.4 percent of orchestra musicians and 81.8 percent of opera singers studied showed orthorexic tendencies. What may lead someone to become orthorexic? There are many reasons. These include feeling that eating a certain way might stave off life-
threatening diseases, such as heart disease or cancer, that took the lives of loved ones, or may fulfill a compulsion for control over one’s life. To help, get the person to admit they have a problem. This is difficult, but the opportunity to help may come when they’ve lost a job due to their behavior or are financially strapped because of the costs. As with other eating disorders, they need to realize that it’s not food per se, but other issues such as control or selfesteem that they seek. Behavioral change and coping skills, along with meal planning, are key components of treatment for orthorexia. Do realize that 95 percent of people with orthorexia find making even a small change in eating habits anxiety provoking. For example, learning not to obsessively measure
Orthorexia, though focused on healthy food, is still an eating disorder and PHOTO/DEAN BARNES can alter your health and your life. out a bowl of cereal, or eating frozen rather than fresh vegetables or being able to order and eat at a restaurant with friends. That’s why baby steps, made one at a time over time, are most
successful in treating orthorexia. Carol Bareuther is a freelance writer in St. Thomas. Comments on this story are welcome at editorial@the-triton.com.
C January 2013 IN THE GALLEY: Culinary Waves
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Beware those tasty-looking dog treats; they are dangerous WAVES, from page C1 Corn and wheat can trigger allergic reactions such as itching. The sodium, nitrates and nitrites in bacon can upset a dog’s digestion. Should you find yourself provisioning for a dog and you’re looking for doggie treats, beware those tempting-looking ones you see in the bins by the register at the pet food store. They’re there for impulse buying and if you read the ingredients, you probably wouldn’t touch them with a 10-foot pole. Many times, they look incredibly appealing in fancy burger shapes. I’ve even seen some made to look like little cupcakes. But then read what they’re made of. That’s not beef giving it its appealing red color, its food dye, sugar galore and wheat. Then there’s the litany of fillers and preservatives in them. When the owner says to buy some dog food but doesn’t name a preference, watch out for these items. Meat meal: Meat meal contains the boiled down flesh of animals we would find unacceptable for human consumption, including zoo animals, road kills and the 4 Ds (already dead, diseased, disabled and dying animals). It is scary to think that this also includes cats and dogs in shelters that are killed due to not being wanted. I am serious when I say this. Fillers: Most dog food companies find that by using white rice as a filler will save them money. The problem is the dog gets empty calories and an increased risk of diabetes. White rice is a refined carbohydrate. Remember that dogs age differently than humans, seven times as fast. So what we feed an animal today will deliver results much more quickly. If you give them cheap food filled with fillers, then diabetes and other health issues will show up much sooner. Human food: I have watched countless crew give the owner’s dog their leftover snacks. These foods often contain refined ingredients such as white sugars, chemical additives, and over-processed ingredients. Not only will these things give the animal unhealthy side effects and shortened life span, they might even kill them. One such item is onions, found in many processed spice mixtures such as a meat rub. Onions can interfere with the production of a dog’s red blood cells, resulting in anemia and death. I know one of the key ingredients in my cooking and seasoning is onions, including the powder form. We might think that giving our dogs what we eat is best but it is not. Here is a list of foods not to give the dog onboard: Avocados. Recently I saw a brand of natural dog food that included
Healthy and simple dog biscuits
These can be made by combining any of the following leftovers from your refrigerator to create a mix: Ingredients: • Pieces of meat (unseasoned) about 3 cups. • 1/2 cup potato • 1/2 cup vegetables (no onions) • 1/4 cup fruit (no grapes or raisins) • 2 1/2 cups whole wheat flour (substitute regular flour or oats if your dog is sensitive to wheat) • 1 tsp. salt (or less) • 1 egg • 1 tsp. beef or chicken bouillon granules (can substitute beef or chicken broth/stock) • 2/3 cup hot water Preparation: 1. In a food processor, combine the meat, potatoes, veggies and fruit. Blend into a paste. 2. Combine the above mixture with the balance of the ingredients and knead into a dough. 3. Cut the dough into half-inch thick by 1 inch slices or bone shapes (you can purchase a bone shaped cookie cutter) 4. Place dough pieces on a lightly greased cookie sheet 5. Cook in a preheated oven at 350 degrees for 30 minutes avocados. It claimed to give dogs a healthy coat, full of vitamin E and potassium as a result. Avocados contain large amounts of a substance called persin, and can be fatal not only to dogs but also to cats and other animals because it interferes with their heart, lung and liver productivity. Alcohol: There is a bar in Costa Rica where patrons all have a turn at feeding the resident pig beer. Don’t do it. Even a small amount of alcohol can cause vomiting and damage their liver and brain. Chocolate: Chocolate contains theobromine, which can cause a dog’s heart to beat irregularly. The dark and semi-sweet variety is especially toxic. Candy: The fake sugar Xylitol is to blame here. This can cause a sudden drop in the dog’s blood sugar level and can lead to seizures or even death. Humans also can suffer the same kind of effects but with artificial sweeteners, we suffer diarrhea if we consume too much. Grapes/raisins: These can lead to kidney failure. Even a few pieces can result in a quick cumulative effect. Onions (as well as onion powder,
See WAVES, page C7
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IN THE GALLEY: The Crew’s Mess
THE CREW’S MESS – BY CAPT. JOHN WAMPLER
Chicken tenders with French flair I really enjoy cooking. Through cooking comes great satisfaction, especially with putting a bunch of ingredients together and creating dishes that are simple, savory and sometimes out of the ordinary. I like to keep a couple of bags of white meat chicken tenders in the freezer for a quick snack or as an ingredient. By using pre-made chicken tenders in this recipe, the preparation time is shortened considerably, with no need to cut up and dredge the chicken through flour. You can make this delicious Chicken Provençal from items normally found in the ship’s pantry.
Quick and tasty, make this dish with items likely already in PHOTO/Capt. John Wampler the pantry.
Chicken Provençal Ingredients: 2 tsp extra virgin olive oil 3/4 pound white meat chicken tenders (or strips) 6 scallions, sliced 2 garlic cloves, minced 6-8 firm plum (or roma) tomatoes, chopped 1 tbsp chopped parsley 1 tbsp capers, rinsed and drained 1 tsp red wine vinegar 1/4 tsp dried rosemary 3 cups hot, cooked, wide noodles Preparation: In a large skillet, heat the olive oil. Saute the chicken tenders for 4 minutes. Add scallions and garlic. Cook an additional 2-4 minutes. Stir in tomatoes, parsley, capers, vinegar and rosemary. Reduce heat and simmer uncovered until liquid evaporates; about 10 minutes. Serve
chicken over noodles. Serves 5. Per serving: 288 calories, 5 grams of fat, 1 gram saturated fat, 81 milligrams cholesterol,123 milligrams sodium, 36 grams total carbohydrates, 5 grams dietary fiber, 23 grams protein and 51 milligrams calcium. 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@thetriton.com.
Cheap food hastens health issues WAVES from page C6 minced onions): They interfere with a dog’s red blood cell production, destroying them, resulting in anemia and breathing difficulties. Wheat and corn: Most dog foods have wheat in them, modified food starch or are made with wheat or corn. The problem is, we buy them and wonder why our dogs have skin problems. Just as humans can have wheat allergies, so can dogs. Look for a wheatfree, corn-free pet food such as Evo, which is grain free and all natural. Cheap dog food: Ever notice the list of ingredients in your dog’s food? The first ingredient should be chicken or beef, not animal parts. Most of the animal parts are parts of animals we never knew would be used for dog food, including cow brains and hoofs. Food produced in China: Remember back in 2007 when pets were dying
from poisoned food that was traced back to China? Do we really think that strict laws were enacted to protect the ingredients in the future? A friend’s dog who ate dog food that we see on the shelves in our grocery store was poisoned and died. Go to any dog food company Web site to see what brands or names are recalled. Caffeine: Coffee can cause heart palpitations, just as it does in us. Just as we offer the best ingredients for the owner of the yacht, we should do the same for their pet. Check the ingredients of the food you feed the pooch you were put in charge of. Mary Beth Lawton Johnson is a certified executive pastry chef and Chef de Cuisine and has worked on yachts for more than 20 years. Material in this column was adapted from Natural News (www.naturalnews.com). Comments on this column are welcome at editorial@ the-triton.com.
January 2013 C
C January 2013 TRITON SURVEY: Employee or contractor
Why do you collect your income this way?
Have you always collected your yacht income this way?
Accountant recommends –29.3%
No – 48.8% Boss insists – 24%
Tax purposes - 46.7%
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What made you change?
Accountant recommends – 47.6%
I changed – 26.2%
Yes – 51.2% Boss insists – 26.2%
Sometimes, how a captain is paid not up for debate; the o SURVEY, from page C1 corporation. I save a few thousand dollars per year this way.” The next common reason – for 29.3 percent of respondents – was because the captain’s accountant or tax adviser recommended it be taken that way. If we assume that recommendation is for tax purposes as well, that means 76 percent of captains collect their income in a way most advantageous for tax purposes. That’s not really surprising. Of those captains who use the S Corp. to collect their income, all but two do so for tax purposes or because their accountant recommended it. The remainder – 24 percent of respondents – said the boss insisted on paying that way. We were curious which captains might not take their income in the most tax-advantageous way, so we looked at this group a little more closely. The bulk of these captains – 65 percent of this group – are paid as an employee of the yacht or the
owner’s corporation. One captain said he was paid partly from the corporation for insurances coverage requirements, the rest directly for tax purposes. He is in a category of his own. We were curious if something in a captain’s career prompted him/her to change the way they were paid, so we asked Have you always collected your yacht income this way? The results were fairly evenly split, with a slight majority (51.2 percent) saying yes, they had always collected their income this way. That left 48.8 percent noting they had changed the way they handled their income over the course of their careers. “A lot depends on dependents and benefits, but I have done both and if the employer pays for my family insurance and pays me through my corporation, I do that,” said the captain of a yacht 100-120 feet. “As it is now, my employer offers to match 401(k) up to a certain percentage, a good
medical and dental plan with life insurance for all, profit sharing, proper vacation/sick days that get paid if not used, etc.” Among those who have changed the way they collect their income, we wanted to learn more, specifically what made you change? Nearly three-quarters changed because they either changed the way they handle their taxes or their accountant recommended the change. “I was also advised by a maritime lawyer” to change, said a captain in yachting more than 25 years. “I began to work on foreign-flagged yachts,” said the captain of a yacht 160-180 feet. “The owners think it limits their liability and they leave all the payroll issues to me,” said a captain in yachting more than 20 years. In talking to captains while researching this month’s survey, one suggested we ask Do you have an employment contract? Most – 51.9 percent – do not.
Whil professi noted th of 100 fe “I do not an e 160 feet “I do describe manage captain my cust our agre “The the cust standard “It’s b agreeme employm
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TRITON SURVEY: Employee or contractor
Do you have an employment contract?
January 2013 C
Does the owner offer more gross pay to compensate for payroll taxes?
No, nothing in writing – 51.9%
Do you use a tax professional?
No – 86.9%
Yes by me – 14.8%
Yes by flag – 3.7%
Yes – 82.7%
Yes by owner – 17.3%
Yes by management – 12.3%
No – 17.3%
Yes – 13.1%
owner decides ‘Find a good accountant; do what he says’
le that may seem surprising in today’s uberional yachting environment, it should be hat about a third of respondents are on yachts eet or less. not have an employment agreement as I am employee,” said the captain of a yacht of 140t who operates through an S Corp. have a 60-page operations manual that es how I will direct, coordinate, operate and e the vessel and its crew and guests,” this said. “This is read, edited and approved by tomers, then I go to work based on that being eement as to how things are done. e financial agreement is given to me by tomer and the action of it constitutes the d.” better to try and get an employment ent in writing to clarify the terms of ment,” said a Canadian captain in command
See SURVEY, page C10
Some advice from yacht captains about how to collect income and why they set up their business the way they did: l
l
l
There are a lot accountants out there who are not good for our business. You should employ one that has a proven yachting background. l
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Persevere to find a professional tax accountant who is well versed with S Corp. reporting requirements, and has familiarity with foreign income exclusion provisions. Not many are familiar with both. l
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Pay an accountant to run the account for taxes and payroll.
Keep all your receipts and follow up on your accountant’s work monthly, if not bi-monthly. l
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Never get paid on a 1099. The straight, self-employment tax is charged prior to any deductions. l
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First, see a professional and understand your tax situation. Do not listen to what anyone else might speculate. See two or three professionals for a decent cross-section of guidance items. It is up to you to know and understand your own country’s tax requirements. l
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Step one: Find a good accountant.
Steps two through the rest of ‘em: Do exactly what he says. l
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Don’t let the owner pay you cash; big mistake in the long run. l
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Three rules: 1. Never loan money to the boat; 2. Never loan money to the boat; 3. Never loan money to the boat. l
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Seek advice ahead of time based on your individual needs and specific situation. Revisit if circumstances change. Look ahead; plan ahead. That short-term position just might turn out to be long term, and benefits might get left on the table.
C10 January 2013 TRITON SURVEY: Employee or contractor
If a corporation, are you eligible for employer offered benefits?
No – 44.4%
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Have any owners refused to pay through a corp. as opposed to as an employee?
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Is working for a U.S. employer easier than working for a non-U.S. employer?
No difference – 53.1%
No – 92.8%
Not directly, reimbursed – 25.4%
More difficult – 15.6% Easier – 31.3%
Yes – 7.2%
Yes – 30.2%
Employment contracts popular for half of captains SURVEY, from page C9 of a vessel less than 80 feet. “Many owners are so reluctant to commit the employment terms to paper. They seem to prefer to leave it as a verbal agreement with a handshake. “The owners I have worked for did stick to the verbal agreement terms,
but it is better to have those terms in writing, especially if the relationship goes sour for whatever reason.” Of those captains with contracts, the largest group (17.3 percent) indicated theirs was generated by the owner (and perhaps modified by themselves). About 14.8 percent generated their own employment contract.
And 12.3 percent indicated their contract was generated by the management company. Just 3.7 percent said their contract was generated by the flag state. “Get your deal in writing,” said a captain in yachting more than 20 years. “Things tend to change after the honeymoon.” Here’s another question suggested by a captain: If you are paid through your corporation, does the employer offer more gross pay to compensate for payroll taxes? On the surface, it seems like an
outlandish question. If the annual salary is $100,000, would the owner pay $135,000 to offset the tax burden? It seemed unlikely, and indeed it is. About 86.9 percent of respondents said no, the boss didn’t give any extra money for the tax liability. That left 13.1 percent of captains who said the boss did pay a little more. Do you use a tax professional? Most – 82.7 percent – do. “I recommend that every captain and/or team have a trusted tax advisor
See SURVEY, page C11
A cross analysis of ‘Why do you collect your income this way?’ based on ‘How do you collect your income?’ 100% As an employee of the yacht’s corp.
80%
60%
Through my LLC
Through my S Corp.
40%
20%
As an employee of the boss’s corp.
As an independent contractor
I prefer it for tax purposes
Tax adviser recommends
The boss insists
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TRITON SURVEY: Employee or contractor
Do you only employ yourself through your corp. or other crew, too?
Just me – 69.5%
Do the expenses of the boat go through your corporate account?
January 2013 C11
If you work through your corporation, do you have other clients/employers?
No – 57.4%
No – 79.4%
Some crew – 25.4%
All crew – 5.1%
Yes – 20.6%
Yes – 42.6%
Even as independents, some captains get yacht benefits SURVEY, from page C10 who tells them not just what they want to hear but what the issues and consequences are for each type of business arrangement,” said the captain of a yacht 120-140 feet. “A good accountant is worth their weight in gold,” said a captain in yachting more than 10 years. Among those who don’t use a tax professional – 17.3 percent – all are employees or independent contractors. None operate under small businesses. This was another question suggested by a captain, and perhaps we should have delved a bit deeper to learn more. If you work through your corporation, are you eligible for employer offered benefits? The largest group – 44.4 percent – are not eligible for benefits such as health insurance. About a quarter more don’t get the benefits directly but are reimbursed by the owner for such expenses. It was interesting to note that 30.2 percent of captains noted that they are eligible for employer-offered benefits, even though they are employed through their own corporation. As previously noted, it would have been interesting to learn more about how that works. We were curious to know if the “boss insists” option to that question asking why captains collect their income in a certain way was really that strict, so we asked Have any employers refused to pay or hire you through your corporation as opposed to paying/ hiring you as an employee? The bulk of respondents – 92.8 percent – said no. That left 7.2 percent of captains who have run into this situation in their careers. And because there is a perception (real or not) that U.S. captains may not earn as much in a career because
of U.S. tax rules about foreign-earned income, we wanted to know if working for U.S. employers mattered in the grand scheme of things, so we asked Is working for a U.S. employer easier or more difficult than working for a non-U.S. employer as far as the employer-employee structure is concerned? Most captains – 53.1 percent – said there was no difference. A little less than a third – 31.3 percent – said U.S. employers were easier. And about 15.6 percent of respondents said U.S. employers were more difficult. Another thing queried captains wanted to know was Do you only employ yourself through your corporate entity or do you employ other members of your crew? Most – 69.5 percent – employ just
themselves. But the bulk of the rest – 25.4 percent – employ at least some crew through their corporation. While we didn’t ask this question specifically, that portion may include many couples. Just three respondents – 5.1 percent of respondents – employ all crew through their corporation. We didn’t ask how many “all” was, but two of the three are on vessels 80-100 feet so it’s possible they are couples. One respondent, however, runs a yacht of 120-140 feet and pays all the crew through his LLC. For those captains who operate through a corporation, several wanted to know of their colleagues Do the expenses of the boat go through your corporate account? Most – 79.4 percent – do not. Still, that means more than 20 percent do.
One of the big issues for the U.S. tax man when it comes to independent contractors is whether that person has other clients. Arguably, if an independent contractor has only one client that he derives all his income from, he technically should be an employee. So we asked If you work through your corporation, do you have other clients/employers? Most – 57.4 percent of respondents – said they do not. About 42.6 percent said they do. 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. All captains and crew members are welcome to participate. If you haven’t been invited to take our surveys and would like to be, e-mail lucy@the-triton. com to be added.
C12 January 2013 BUSINESS CARD ADVERTISERS / PUZZLES
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SUDOKU 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
ADVERTISER DIRECTORY Company
Page
Adventure Sports A9 Antibes Yachtwear B14 AERÉ Docking Solutions B3 Argonautica Custom Yacht Interiors A16 ARW Maritime A12 Atlass Insurance A6 Beard Marine A4 Beer’s Group B10 Bellingham Marine (Rybovich) B9 Bradford Marine A3 Bristol Clean Air of Florida B10 Brownie’s Yacht Diver A17 Business card advertisers C13-15 The Business Point C5 C&N Yacht Refinishing A2 Cable Marine B16 Dennis Conner’s North Cove Marina A6 Divers Discount A13
Company
Page
Dockwise Yacht Transport A16,B8 FenderHooks B11 Fibrenew Leather Repairs C6 Global Yacht Fuel A12 GO2 Global Yachting A18 Gran Peninsula Yacht Center A16 ISS GMT Global Marine Travel A5 Lauderdale Diver C11 Lauderdale Propeller B5 Lifeline Inflatables C7 LXR Luxury Marinas C2 Mail Boxes Etc. (Now the UPS Store) B12 Maritime Executive Solutions B4 Maritime Professional Training C16 The Marshall Islands Registry C8 Matthew’s Marine A/C A15 MHG Insurance Brokers B2 National Marine Suppliers B11
Company
Page
Company
Page
Neptune Group 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 Sailorman Seafarer Marine Seahorse Marine Training Sea School Sixt Rent a Car
A6 B6 B13 C9 A12 C7 A7 B13 C5 A8 A15 B13 A4 A2 C3 B4 B12 B6
Slackers Bar & Grill Smart Move Accomodations Staniel Cay Yacht Club SunPro Marine TESS Electrical TowBoatU.S Trac Ecological Marine Products Tradewinds Radio Turtle Cove Marina Universal Marine Center Watermakers, Inc. Water’s Edge Consulting West Marine Megayacht Supply Westrec Marinas Yacht Entertainment Systems Yacht Equipment & Parts
C7 B4 C4 B12 B14 B4 B15 C10 A6 C6 C4 A15 B7 A14 C6 A20
The Triton
www.the-triton.com
BUSINESS CARD ADVERTISERS
January 2013 C13
BUSINESS CARD ADVERTISERS C14 January 2013
www.the-triton.com
The Triton
The Triton
www.the-triton.com
BUSINESS CARD ADVERTISERS
January 2013 C15