/tritonnews
www.the-triton.com
July 2015 Join The Triton and Marina 84 Sports Bar and Grill to network on July 1.
C2 Inconveniences overcome Bring captain, owner solutions to solve your problems. A3
Eight bells for Whale Round-the-world sailor a mentor to many in yachting. A4
Florida repair tax capped There will be no tax on boat repairs over $1 million. A6
Set sail for Triton Bay Dives divulge treasures from seahorses to whale sharks. B1
Carlyle to buy LMC; tenants hope business remains a yard By Dorie Cox Lauderdale Marine Center (LMC) is under contract to be sold to Carlyle U.S. Real Estate Group in a deal expected to close on July 1, according to a source close to the transaction who spoke on the condition of anonymity. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. “Immediate and long-term plans are to operate in the same manner as it operates today,” the source said. “Almost all onsite personnel will be retained and no changes are expected other than those in the ordinary course of business.” Neither LMC nor Carlyle executives would comment on the sale, but with no official word, there has been speculation from tenants and business partners surrounding the sale and the future of the property, located on Ft. Lauderdale’s New River just east of the I-95 overpass. “I think there will always be
FROM LAND TO SEA: Lauderdale Marine Center, with the skyline of Ft. Lauderdale in the background, is one of the PHOTO BY DAVE KRESGE/davekresge.com largest service and repair facilities in the United States. speculation when a private equity group purchases a marine entity,” said Philip Purcell, executive director of the Marine Industries Association of South Florida (MIASF). “That said, LMC is a thriving yard that is a valuable component of our industry.” One LMC employee said the yard wanted to communicate with employees and tenants before talking to the press. They had not done so by June 18. In the past few years, LMC has acquired adjacent properties, including River Bend Marine Center and six other lots, to make the property about 60 acres. This makes it Florida’s largest yacht facility and the largest yacht repair facility in the United States in terms of how many large vessels it
can haul and service, according to Jim Parks, operations manager at LMC. It is owned by Dr. Selvin Passen and Morio Mito. “It’s difficult to give exact numbers because we can mix and match according to boat sizes,” Parks said. The yard has 19 covered sheds for boats up to 165 feet, space for about 70 others under 100 feet and about 150 slips, he said. LMC handles hauling, pressure washing, docking, some rental equipment and vessel storage, but does not do service and repair work. Instead, customers have the option to work with about 60 on-site contractors or provide their own licensed contractors. “It’s up to the owner, crew or contractors; we don’t get involved or mark-up services,” Parks said. “It’s a
Captains prioritize family, emergencies, career With a career choice that for many means being on call 24/7, a personal life can be an inconvenient thing. When they are able to match some time away from the vessel with a personal milestone such as the birth of a child or the passing of a parent, captains will say they were lucky From the Bridge that the boat didn’t Lucy Chabot Reed need them, or they were lucky to be between jobs. Is that really what it is? Lucky to work for an understanding owner? Lucky to thread the needle of taking personal time during a spate of no emergencies? Is having a personal life in yachting really a matter of luck? For the captains engaged in this month’s From the Bridge conversation,
it’s not. At least, not any more. Most of these captains have all found yacht positions that fit with their personal life goals. One captain with a young son works on a yacht based in South Florida that cruises the Bahamas and Keys. He made the effort to find that match. “My family means more to me than anything,” this captain said. “It might have taken me some time to find, but I did. Larger vessels won’t accommodate a lot of time away from the boat, but I told the owner from the get-go this was important to me.” As always, individual comments are not attributed to any one person in particular so as to encourage frank and open discussion. The attending captains are identified in a photograph on page 8. Another captain was single for a
long time, and credits part of that with working in yachting. “I had girlfriends but had no life,” this captain said. “The dream was to find an owner with a white boat in Ft. Lauderdale. You’ve got to be local to have a life.” But it’s the life of “having it all” – a career, a house with a white picket fence, kids – that is difficult to juggle in yachting. Other kinds of lives are available. “You don’t have to be local,” another captain said. “I see my career as a very varied life. I have chosen this career because it fulfills me completely. I like my career enough that it’s OK to miss those things [weddings, births, deaths]. But it never makes me feel like I want to be a lawyer. … I’ve missed weddings.
See BRIDGE, page A8
do-it-yourself yard on a very large scale. The equation works because it is so large.” Carlyle’s parent company, The Carlyle Group, has holdings in residential and commercial real estate, including condos and hotels. That has some tenants concerned. “As one of the biggest on-site contractors, we see this yard is successful under the current operating mode,” said Chris Brown, owner of High Seas Yacht Service and Hydraulic, tenants since about 1998. “I have talked with a lot of different people about the new owners and every indication I have leads me to believe that they will continue to operate in the same way.” A lot of people would be affected by
See LMC, page A10
TRITON SURVEY
Do you expect the buyer’s broker to know the boat? No 13%
Yes 34%
It would help 53%
This month we take a look at the relationship between captains and brokers during a sale. See story on C1.
A July 2015
WHAT’S INSIDE
www.the-triton.com
The Triton
Under the deep blue sea
Garbage collector of the ocean? Find out what is happening here with a close up on page A15. PHOTO FROM CAPT. BUTCH VOGELSANG
Advertiser directory C15 Boats / Brokers B6 Business Cards C13-15 Calendar B14 Captain’s Lunch A1 Columns: Career Coach A12 Crew Eye A15 From the Engine Room B2 Health A11 In the Galley: Crew Mess C6 Culinary Waves C5 Top Shelf C7 Interior C1 Leadership A13 Motoring B3
Nutrition C4 Onboard Emergencies B5 Owner’s View A3 Rules of the Road B1 Training B4 Cruising Grounds B1 Fuel prices B5 Marinas / Shipyards B13 Networking QA C3 Networking photos C2 News A6 Obituary A4 Technology B13 Triton Spotter B15 Triton Survey C1 Write to Be Heard A14-15
The Triton
www.the-triton.com
OWNER’S VIEW: A new boat
July 2015 A
Proactively offer solutions to captain and owner; all happy As a family man, I value time with my kids. They will be grown and off on their own too soon. Mariners are in a career that will impact their family life. This is the career they have chosen. Fortunately for yacht crew, there are options. The trick to being content in a yachting job is to Owner’s View find a good match. Peter Herm If the goal is to be home most nights, job options are limited to those where the boat spends most of its time at the dock. There are thousands of these boats out there. On the other hand, if the goal is to cruise the world and gain sea time, family time sacrifices must be made. There is really no way around it. It is important for all involved to communicate their desires and goals as it pertains to off-the-boat family time. It is a balancing act that requires clear disclosure on everybody’s part. As we neared closing on our current boat, the new captain sheepishly brought up that he was scheduled to attend a wedding smack dab in the middle of the first week I wanted to use the new toy for the first time. He wisely gave me lots of warning. My plane tickets had not yet been purchased and there was nothing pressing about the dates I’d chosen, so I told him to have a nice time. Inconvenient for me? A little, but I have high hopes for this crew and want to start off on the right foot. Any relationship is about give and take, right? I have been married more than 20 years and there has been a lot of “give” coming my way. I am OK giving some back. Some owners, me included, have invited crew members’ families to join us on the boat. Not entire clans, but boyfriends, girlfriends, wives, husbands, etc. And not for extended time, but even short trips can ease the longing. And even in situations where the crew has committed to an extensive time away from home, there can be flexibility. Certain events should not be missed and, if the boat is docked for even a brief period, I encourage my crew to make the trek to special events, even if it requires us to adjust our cruising schedule (slightly, anyway). The best way to juggle a life situation is to plan ahead as much as is practical. Tell the captain or owner that at some specific date three or six months out is a special event. Most owners will understand. We want you to be happy, and if you are a valuable employee, we will work with you to make it happen. For those times when planning is not possible, I am much more flexible
when the crew member or the captain has some sort of contingency plan. The engineer who has a family situation that needs his attention would get a lot less push back from me if he offers up a replacement so there would be little or no disruption to guests and crew. That’s rarely easy to arrange on short notice – especially when emotions and stress are involved – so it would benefit any captain or senior crew member to have a “mini-me” available on short notice. The replacement would, of course, be at the discretion of the captain, but providing a solution instead of just a problem makes all of this easier for owners and guests. Anytime you can proactively reduce the impact of a schedule disruption, it will work out better for all involved. Would I say no to this engineer or any crew member distraught by a family
emergency? Couldn’t do it; family first. But would I prefer the problem to be solved with a temp offered up by the engineer in this case instead of three days of the captain’s time arranging for one? Absolutely. Life issues are common; we’re all human. But how these things go always comes to the relationship the owner has with his crew. A crew that bends over backward for an owner will receive that same bending when needed. Over the years, I have become friends with my crew. Not too friendly (they are still employees), but more than a few beers have been shared. I still keep up with crew from boats of 25 years ago because I liked them then and still do today, even those who made some major mistakes. By the way, if you are curious about my sign off – high tide only and bow
west – it comes from one of the few crew I no longer keep in touch with. This captain was scheduled to come into a new dock and I pointed out prior to his arrival that it was shallow, so please come in only at high tide and bow to the west, just in case. He ignored me. I got a $50,000 propeller bill and he received the opportunity to seek employment elsewhere. Mistakes happen, but intentional ignorance should not. Peter Herm is the pen name for a real yacht owner who is an entrepreneur based on the East Coast of the U.S. It comes from Pieter Harmensz, original owner of the oldest known stock certificate in 1606, issued for a Dutch company with the largest shipping fleet in the world. Comments are welcome at editorial@the-triton.com.
A July 2015
OBITUARY
www.the-triton.com
The Triton
Yachting legend Paul “Whale” Weakley dies By Lucy Chabot Reed Round-the-world sailor and yacht captain Paul Weakley, known throughout the industry simply as Whale, died June 11)from complications related to cancer. He was 70. “I first met Whale in the mid ’70s during the SORC days,” Capt. Don Anderson wrote in an e-mail to friends about Whale’s death. “Back then, few people got paid for sailing so all the boat workers would hang out together between races and
find all sorts of entertainment to keep them occupied. … Anybody that did the SORC in those days will remember the famous trashcan parties at Miamarina, the blue Jeep, and other escapades that bonded everyone together. We have Whale to thank for these memories and friendships that have lasted the test of time.” Known to many as a generous man, Whale shared his love of sailing and the ocean with anyone who wanted to learn. He mentored a generation of young mariners and
taught the fading art of marlinspike seamanship, everything from whipping and splicing to crafting respectable bell pulls and monkey’s fists. “He was a mentor to me and taught me so much of what I know today about boating,” Eng. Vinnie Jones said in an e-mail. “Whale had a wealth of knowledge and took the time to teach and make it fun.” Whale was born in Canada, educated in Minnesota and Wyoming, and lived in Ft. Lauderdale. He died in his home, where his brother had been overseeing his care. News of his death generated the most comments on The-Triton.com. A few of them are excerpted here. A mix of sadness and mirth reflecting on my time with Whale. Like others, the connection started in the mid ’70s on the sailing circuit. A transAtlantic race together, a few SORCs, Admirals Cup, some notable deliveries and all that time in between. Whale brought out the child in all of us. However anyone found their way to the sailing scene, Whale showed us all how to enjoy life and not take ourselves so seriously that we shut out others. That was a gift. Lastly, Whale was ageless. Always laughing, always helping; always bringing folks together. Pete Stalkus Whale, now that man could tell a tale. I had the honor of making a few deliveries in the ’80s with him. I knew it was an honor because he told me. Whale collected little trinkets from all over the world and displayed them all through his home. Every one had a specific spot and direction to face, and one of my biggest pleasures was getting that call from Whale cursing me out for rearranging everything as I left his house. Jack Maguire I am greatly saddened to hear of this news. I sailed bow for Whale on Mandrake, the big Intuition and the little Intuition in the late ’70s, early ’80s. I climbed trees in Cowes with him and others I will not name. We have lost touch over the years but the memory of our times together have not dimmed. The Blue jeep, the parties at Miamarina… these are memories of my youth and sailing with the Pied Piper. It just doesn’t seem possible he is gone now, but never forgotten. Scotty King
See WHALE, page A5
The Triton
www.the-triton.com
OBITUARY
Sailor remembered as racer, teacher, inspiration WHALE, from page A4 I was a fraternity brother of Paul Weakley’s at what is now called Minnesota State University. For years I thought he made stuff up, as the stories were always bigger than life. Time after time, over the years, his stores proved to be true. Paul had a very positive look at life and nothing seemed to push him back, not even the cancer. There were about 100 of us from the fraternity that got together last April and Paul was there. He was full of life right up to the end. We have lost a real treasure of a person. Jan Akerberg Having a love for all things beautiful, simple, and small; wet feet and a green thumb made him an amazing teacher. When you walked into his classroom, bunker, or as he liked to call it “Whale’s chateau relaxo” it was a feast for the eyes. Each trinket to us, a treasure to him, told a story reminding him of a friendship or an adventure he once embarked on. These treasures are the most unusual, perfectly fitting for such a man that was far from ordinary. Engineered simple things to make his life easier or more fun for others;
orchids with intense irrigation system, a homemade wonderful swing children and adults could not resist, his port and starboard lights above his garage so he would know red on his right when returning home, the famous ring game, just to name a few. Watching kids look up at him as if he were a magician, hanging onto every word he would say warms the heart. Some of his magic tricks included turning lanyards into name badges, coasters into rolling wheels, 2×4 pieces of wood into building blocks, convincing kids mangos are the new candy, kids barely old enough to walk had to go for a ride in his sidecar motorcycle, restaurant napkins became princess tiaras, feeding Sammy the squirrel peanuts in his backyard. His mind was always creating fun. Hanging out in his picture perfect garage, country music blasting, Harley talk, cocktails in hand made for several unforgettable afternoons, and jealous neighbors. I have always thought of him at a monkey’s fist glance, convinced he could make those keychains with his eyes closed. He never seemed to sit still, even while his classic Westerns would be playing, always a new project sprawled out on his compass table.
Having cancer, Whale realizing he might not live to 120, kept his head high, smiled with a positive attitude, and reminded people that he is a cowboy and this was not his first rodeo. May your spirit be free from your body that hindered you. Rest in peace, hopefully not doing too much resting but dancing with Elvis. You are in good company my friend. Carolyn Pollock Whale was always there to remind me that being a yachtsman was not just a career, as many see it these days. Being a member in good standing of the IBNA and a life-long gypsy in the palace, I raise a glass to a true romantic and a great friend who has gone over the bar in fine style. Capt. Jeff Neuwirth In 1983, I just got out of the USCG and headed to St. Pete for SORC. I met Whale on Thunderbolt. He took me under his wing, gave me a place to stay in return for work on the boat, and introduced me to many of the sailing industry people that I still call friends today. Although I hadn’t seen him in quite a few years, memories of him will be with me till we meet again. Tim Stodola
July 2015 A
A July 2015
NEWS BRIEFS
www.the-triton.com
The Triton
Yacht repair on Florida tax capped; memo on migrants out Florida Gov. Rick Scott signed a bill today that caps sales tax on yacht repairs at $60,000, meaning any repairs over $1 million are free from the state’s 6 percent sales tax. The bill takes effect July 1. “ We will now be able to compete with states along the eastern seaboard and international yards,” said Phil Purcell, executive director of the Marine Industries Association of South Florida. “This tax cap will enable us to leverage this opportunity for additional jobs and economic growth.” The bill amends Florida Statute 212.05 that sets the maximum tax paid on the sale of a boat at $18,000 (which was approved in 2010) and now repairs at $60,000. South Florida employs 136,000 people in the marine industry and generates $11.5 billion annually in economic impact to the state, making it one of the world’s centers for yacht service and repair. The tax cap is part of a taxation bill approved by the Florida Legislature today during its special session to approve a state budget. It also includes 10 days of tax-free back-to-school shopping in August and a cut in taxes on cell phone and cable television bills. Lawmakers in New Jersey have passed a bill to limit the sales tax collected on boat purchases to $20,000. New Jersey’s sales tax is 7 percent, meaning that anything over $285,715 would be tax free. The bill would also allow New Jersey residents who purchase boats in another state to dock their boats at New Jersey marinas for up to 30 days without paying state use tax. The bill must still be passed by the full Senate and Assembly before reaching Gov. Chris Christie’s desk. Earlier this year, New York capped its sales taxes at just under $20,000, or the first $230,000 of the price. In most counties, the sales tax rate is 8.25 percent. – Lucy Chabot Reed
Advice when migrants spotted
The Professional Yachting Association has distributed a memo to advise yacht captains how to handle interactions with migrants in the Med. The 20-page Aide Memoire shows where the highest volume of migrant boats have been seen, including just east of Gibraltar, along the southern coasts of Sicily and Italy, and the eastern and southern coasts of Greece. It suggests actions to take when a migrant boat is encountered at sea in various situations including when to take them aboard, onboard management of survivors, and what to do once they have disembarked. It includes checklists for things like
pre-season planning, passage planning, necessary equipment and training as well as forms to record the incident and activities of the captain and crew. PYA members Capt. Rod Hatch and Capt. Adrian Croft worked with Allmode Yachtsafe, a yacht risk management organization, to produce the document. It is posted online through Onboard Online at www.onboardonline.com/assets/ Aide-Memoire-for-Migrant-BoatEncounter2.pdf
Mentor program in the works
In other PYA news, the group is asking captains to take a survey about student work placements onboard. “It is the intention of MYBA, GEPY, ItalianYachtMasters, Yacht Captains Association and the PYA to encourage young people to enter the yachting sector,” the YCA said in a statement. “We are in a position to encourage local colleges and schools throughout France and Italy to send students on work placements onboard yachts for all departments; and if this survey is positive we intend to explore other regions and countries to be included in this incentive.” The yacht does not have to be based in France or Italy to participate, and program would focus students in the winter months as the placements would range from one to six weeks. To take the survey, visit www. surveymonkey.com/s/work_ placement_on_yachts
Man jailed, fined in hoax
A Virginia man was sentenced in mid-June for falsifying statements to law enforcement officers in 2014, which launched a search-and-rescue operation involving multiple agencies. Bryan Serafini, 43, was sentenced to 14 months incarceration, three years supervised probation and full restitution of the $117,913 associated with the search. Serafini violated a security zone and was found intoxicated aboard a recreational vessel May 11, 2014. He told law enforcement officers the boat’s owner was overboard in an attempt to conceal that he had actually stolen the watercraft. The owner was never aboard with Serafini. His false statement prompted a search by Coast Guard Sector Hampton Roads, Newport News Police Department and Virginia Marine Resources Commission.
Nicaragua canal impact questioned Costa Rica’s president has asked Nicaragua for more information about the potential environmental impact of
See NEWS BRIEFS, page A7
The Triton
www.the-triton.com
NEWS BRIEFS
Impact of Nicaragua canal is questioned; Brit on AC team NEWS BRIEFS, from page A6 a shipping canal project that would link the Pacific and Atlantic oceans. The plan would dredge a portion of Lake Nicaragua, the region’s largest source of fresh water, to almost twice its current depth, a move Costa Rica fears would create sediment in the San Juan river. “The only thing we want is information on possible environmental impacts on Costa Rica, and other than that we wish them well,” President Luis Guillermo Solís Rivera told a news conference in Geneva in early June, according to a news report by Reuters. Nicaragua has said the 172-mile canal would rival the Panama Canal and raise the country’s economic growth to more than 10 percent. It expects to begin the $50 billion project in December, and it would be open four to five years later. The 50-mile Panama Canal took Americans nine years to build and cost more than $370 million at the turn of the last century.
Brit joins Japan AC team
British sailor Chris Draper, an Olympic medalist, multiple European and World champion, and America’s Cup helmsman, is joining SoftBank Team Japan as sailing director and will race with team CEO and skipper Dean Barker at the first Louis Vuitton America’s Cup World Series event in Portsmouth, UK, in July. He said Barker will be on the helm when racing starts; Draper will be in a tactics/wing trimmer role. Draper is a world champion in the Olympic 49er class and won a Bronze Medal at the 2004 Olympic Games. He sailed with Team Korea during the America’s Cup World Series in 2011. He was helmsman for the Luna Rossa Challenge to the challenger finals in the last contest but fell to Barker’s New Zealand team. Luna Rossa has announced it will not compete in the 35th America’s Cup, to be held in Bermuda in 2017.
Repairs on Merrimack under way
The U.S. Coast Guard has released a notice that the Merrimack River North Jetty in Salisbury, Mass., and the South Jetty in Newburyport, Mass. are undergoing scheduled maintenance and repair through April 2016. The CG has asked mariners to use extreme caution in the area and transit at the slowest safe speed, especially at times of reduced visibility. “The Number Four fixed Aid to Navigation Tower and Light at the seaward end of the jetty, and the Rough Bar Guide Light on the inland end of the jetty will be temporarily removed during North Jetty repairs,”
the notice said. “The duration of the temporary removal will be published in the Local Notice to Mariners and during scheduled “Notice to Mariners” broadcasts on VHF-16. For emergencies, contact Coast Guard Station Merrimack River via VHF-16 or 978-465-0731. For nonemergency questions or concerns, contact Coast Guard Sector Boston, 617-447-1620, mark.e.cutter@uscg.mil.
New cutter based in Puerto Rico
The U.S. Coast Guard has commissioned Cutter Richard Dixon, the 13th Sentinel Class Fast Response Cutter (FRC) in Coast Guard 7th District and the first to be home ported in San Juan, Puerto Rico. It is named after Richard Dixon, a First Class Boatswain’s Mate stationed at Tillamook Bay in Oregon, for his heroic actions July 4th weekend in 1980. Dangerous storms swept across the Pacific Northwest. Dixon and his crew performed rescues that saved the lives of nine people, including the captain of M/V Fantasy Isle.
U.S. boaters can ease entry
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers encourage U.S. boaters to enroll in and use the Small Vessel Reporting System to expedite the entry process. The online reporting tool is a voluntary program and is open to all U.S. citizens and permanent residents, Canadian citizens, Canadian landed commonwealth residents and Canadian landed immigrants who are nationals of a Visa Waiver Program country and have a valid passport and an Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA), or hold a U.S. visa for admittance, a valid passport, and a CBP Form I-94. Boat owners and passengers can fill out an online application on the CBP web site and schedule a visit to an enrollment center near them to apply to the program. There is no fee and members of a CBP Trusted Traveler Program (e.g. NEXUS or Global Entry) or who hold a current form I-68 can enroll without visiting in person. Once enrolled, boat owners file a small vessel reporting float plan prior to their departure if the trip begins in the U.S., or prior to their entry into the U.S. if the trip begins foreign. Upon arrival in the U.S., boat masters can then call CBP at the closest port of entry with the float plan identification number received when the plan was filed, answer a few questions pertinent to their arrival and receive clearance to enter the U.S. For more information, visit the Pleasure Boats section of the CBP web site, www.cbp.gov.
July 2015 A
A July 2015
FROM THE BRIDGE: Private life
www.the-triton.com
The Triton
Worth a struggle, juggle to keep crew during problems BRIDGE, from page A1 So? I’ve been in the south of France for two years. We do have a life. Where else do we get to drive $25 million toys? We have the life.” The answer, they said, was for a mariner to know what they want, and then to seek it. “Where does everything fall in your values?” one captain said. “I think people don’t even ask because they think the answer will be no.” Another captain said he spent three months looking for his latest job. “One of the selling points was that I was a single guy and didn’t have a pull on my personal life,” this captain said. “I accept that I will put it on hold, until that balance shifts.” The captains talked about those captains and crew who struggle with balancing their private life with work on board, and some of them, they said, haven’t accepted the realities of a career in yachting. They go ashore to find it, can’t make the same kind of living, and return to yachts. “It’s just a revenue stream to them, and that’s not what this is about,” one captain said. “And by the way, those
people will be unhappy in any career.” Beyond time off, we talked about handling sickness and illness. As a captain dealing with a health issue, what happens career-wise? “You don’t get sick,” one captain said. Though it was meant as a joke, no one really chuckled at that. In a way, they are serious. “It really depends on how understanding the boss is,” said another captain. What about when it happens to crew? The captains said they handle each case as it arises, that there really aren’t any rules or guidelines about it. “Back in the day, captains were less patient with crew, but now we have more responsibility to the crew,” one captain said. “I want the guy to come back.” Does that mean you will hold the position open, maybe hiring a temp or relief person? “It depends on the crew member and their value to the boat,” another said. “Some people tend to be habitual about it,” said a third. “They get hurt and sick often. If they can’t fulfill their duties, you let them go.” One captain told the story of when
Attendees of The Triton’s July From the Bridge luncheon were, from left, Keith Talasek, Herb Magney of M/Y Island Heiress, Veronica Hast of M/Y SoTaj, Paul Corgill of M/Y Mac Attack, James Fiske of a 51m Feadship, Shane Mace of M/Y Crescendo, and Greg Quackenbush of M/Y Moondance. PHOTO/LUCY REED
he was a mate and the large yacht he worked on had a crew member down. “The captain said, ‘look, I have to run the ship. If you can’t cover for him, I have to put him ashore’,” this captain said. “He was so valuable to the ship and a friend to us that we all stepped up, did extra watches and just covered for him.” “It really depends on where you are, what you’re doing, if there are guests onboard, and their tenure,” another captain said. “You have to ask yourself, are they worth it?” There was a brief discussion about the legal responsibility to take care of a crew member who gets sick, but we brought it back to the logistics of
handling the reality of a crew member who has this private health issue. “I don’t want people afraid to come forward to say they’re sick because they might be terminated,” another said. “If it’s manageable, we’ll deal with it.” “I have had to put people ashore before,” the first captain said. “With senior people, you claim back salary for their replacement. He was valuable; I wanted him back. Insurance covered the salary for the delivery captain.” Another private life issue that presses on yacht crew’s career lives is the caring for aging parents. Many senior captains and crew are of an age
See BRIDGE, page A9
The Triton
www.the-triton.com
FROM THE BRIDGE: Private life
To quit for vacation, training still a conversation on yachts BRIDGE, from page A8 where their parents, if they are lucky to still have them, are requiring more care. “I’ll have somebody in my back pocket, one or two people I can call,” to take over, one captain said. “I know I may get a phone call and have to leave immediately. Then, when I go to talk with the owner, I’ll put the pieces in place and all will go smooth.” “Good, successful people will appreciate that,” another captain said. “If they can’t see that, I don’t need to be working for them.” Others in the room said “amen”. “You have to pick the jobs,” another said. “If you’ve got a lot going on at home, you want a job closer to home.” “It’s getting better,” said a third. “There are so many boats now, so many different owners. If an owner doesn’t understand your personal life needs, find another one. We’ve all been working long enough, we don’t work for those people anymore.” Even the usually sensitive topic of having to quit to take courses or vacation didn’t rankle these captains “Quit to vacation or train? That’s your choice,” one captain said. “Most boats I know will pay for schooling,” said another. “When crew quit to go to school, it’s usually because the boat doesn’t have a position for them to come back to.” The captains talked about the awkward position of an up-and-coming second officer wanting time off to take courses to move up, but there being no place in the yacht’s roster to move into, which requires that seaman to quit and find a different yacht. “Would you put somebody through that?” one captain said. “Most of us would work with them to do that,” the first captain said, referring to increasing the officer’s qualifications. “Especially if they were valuable to us.” A few of the captains lamented for a moment or two on the things this
yachting career keeps them from doing, such as coaching Little League or being involved in a charity. But others pointed out that they can give back to the places they visit, too. “The best jobs I have had, on bigger boats, we worked in communities wherever we went,” one captain said. “If we can charter 15 weeks in a season and go to an orphanage, you can find the time. “And it doesn’t have to be a lot of time,” this captain continued. “To see the look on their faces is hugely rewarding. For people who don’t get along well on the boat, you’ll see them get along better after they volunteer together. It’s important for leaders to show their crew this side of life onboard, and support it.” “You have to remember, none of us are being held at gunpoint to do this,” a captain said. “Yes, your options [of private time] may be limited, but you have to set your priorities, and make decisions accordingly.” “You have to know what your goals are to manifest them,” another said. “The wealthy people who own these yachts see it and feel it, and they will work with you because they value you.” “A better question would be, how do you stay fulfilled in this career choice?” said a third. “Trying to stay balanced. You have to bloom where you grow. If you work all day to go to the bar, that is not balanced.” It’s that balance, not only of work and time off, but of goals and expectations that can create a balance in a yachtie’s career. “If you are constantly looking for the perfect job and feel it’s never going to come, then it’s never going to come,” another captain said. “You never have everything right; It’s never perfect.” Lucy Chabot Reed is editor of The Triton. Comments on this story are welcome at editorial@the-triton.com. If you make your living working as a yacht captain, e-mail us for an invitation.
July 2015 A
A10 July 2015
FROM THE FRONT: LMC
www.the-triton.com
The Triton
Longtime contractors await official word of sale and future LMC, from page A1 changes to the business model. “I look around this yard and see the volume of 150-foot yachts,” Brown said. “It’s June and it should be slow, but the yard is full and we are very busy. It would be crazy for the industry to see this facility change. If you count the number of contractors that come through the gate each day, they represent tens of thousands of jobs.” He and his company hope the new owners continue to run it as LMC has. “Each year they’ve made improvements for the captains, crew, customers and contractors,” Brown said. “Here at High Seas, we’re 19 employees and growing. I expect to hire three more this summer.” Dennis Foster, owner of Foster’s Yacht Service, has been on the property since it was just dirt roads. He and his 15 employees specialize in repairs for insurance claims and custom refits. He pointed out that Carlyle’s investors will expect to make money with the purchase of LMC and they can do that a variety of ways. “I realize it’s a real estate deal, but there is need for this stay to as a boatyard,” he said. Advanced Mechanical Enterprises (AME), with headquarters in Ft. Lauderdale, recently opened a second machine shop at LMC. As of press time, Christine Battles, office administrator, said her company had not received official notice that the yard had been sold nor how a sale might impact her company’s leased space. “We heard they would keep the same business model, but we have no e-mail, no phone call, no letter,” Battles said. “I expect we will hear soon. … I love change. I am excited about what this could possibly bring. This may open up new opportunities.” One tenant not so excited about the change is Roger Moore, CEO of Nautical Ventures Group, which previously managed River Bend Marine Center. Before that marina and yard was bought by LMC, Moore said his company had about 75 boats and was doing a brisk business with refits. “We expected this to be our longterm home,” Moore said. “We had completed negotiations to acquire the ground lease. At the 11th hour, Dr. Passen purchased the land from the owners. “We remained as tenants [with LMC] as they began the clean up, upgrades and new floating docks to the standards of the rest of LMC.” But then all construction stopped in April, Moore said. Plans are still being formulated for River Bend Marine Center and adjacent lots as they transfer to new owners, according to the source. According to its Web site, the
Carlyle U.S. Real Estate Group “focuses on opportunistic investments in the major metropolitan markets in North America, primarily in the residential, hotel, industrial, office, and retail sectors. The U.S. Real Estate team focuses on acquiring assets whose fundamentals are under-priced, and by implementing a business plan to capture that value for investors. “The team locates pricing anomalies by identifying situations where the real estate fundamentals are under-priced by the capital markets, and locates assets in markets with diverse tenant demand, supply constraints and exit liquidity.” Although it has invested in and acquired condo properties in the past, the LMC property is zoned industrial and likely would be difficult to change. “It would take a zoning and land use change,” said Jim Naugle, a realtor who specializes in the marine industry and who also was an elected official in Ft. Lauderdale for more than 20 years. “It would be a long process where there would be a lot of public input.” The city’s master plan protects marine properties, he said. “The master plan recognizes that marine uses are vital to the city’s economy and wouldn’t rezone an industrial area along the river to residential,” he said. “There are plenty of places to build condos, but not so many for a shipyard. “Is it impossible? No, it’s not impossible,” he said, “but I sure would hope it would get the scrutiny of the neighborhood.” Marine acquisitions by private equity firms are not new, and not necessarily bad, MIASF’s Purcell said. “Venture Capital, a private equity or industries group have made purchases in our industry in recent years,” Purcell said, such as when Louis Vuitton acquired Feadship and Princess Yachts, Versa purchased Hatteras, and Shandon Group purchased Ferretti, Pershing and Riva. “All have a presence here in South Florida,” Purcell said. “We should focus on the benefits brought to our industry, and continue to drive awareness of the global marine businesses that contribute to our region.” But until official word comes, speculation continues. “As of today we have had no communication and we have no idea of our position. Rumors abound,” Moore said. “We are as anxious as everyone else to learn what is going on. It is amazing the number of lives that are impacted by this.” Dorie Cox is associate editor of The Triton. Triton Editor Lucy Chabot Reed contributed to this report. Comments on this story are welcome at dorie@thetriton.com.
The Triton
www.the-triton.com
HEALTH: The Yachtie Glow
Tap into your natural energy , feel fantastic even with guests When guests are coming on board, it is crunch time to get the boat ready. This often means crew get worn out before the real work even begins. While doing whatever it takes to get the boat ready for guests is inevitable, it’s important for crew to prepare themselves mentally and physically in any The Yachtie Glow way you can. Angela Orecchio 1. Prepare yourself. If you want to feel healthy with guests on board, it’s crucial to take care of yourself before they arrive. Plan ahead for early nights, enough sleep, and exercise. Make a plan on exactly how you will take care of yourself when guests are on board. 2. Healthy food. When guests are on board, one of the first things crew do is start indulging in the guest leftovers such as cheese platters, croissants and latenight dinner leftovers. Falling into this trap will most likely leave you feeling heavy and even more tired, so find ways to eat healthy, eat early and snack smart. Healthy foods such as bananas are proven to boost serotonin in the brain for a better mood, while foods such as dairy and meat, which are high in fat, can leave you sluggish and not feeling your best. If produce is not an option as a snack, make sure you have other healthy snacks like granola bars, hummus and nuts. Also, make sure you eat enough during meal times so you’re not snacking on whatever comes your way all day. 3. Sleep. No matter what anyone says, you need a sufficient amount of sleep to perform well. While the amount of sleep necessary may be different for everyone, it’s still a fact. There is only a set amount of days you can have a deficit of sleep before you start to lose it. Find a way to get to sleep right away when your shift is over and train yourself to nap on your break. If you’re on a boat where there are too few crew and sleep is scarce, make sure to take care of yourself in every other way to make up for the sleep deprivation. Be aware that when your body is tired, you will likely crave junk food and coffee as a stimulant. If you indulge, you will probably feel even worse later. Keep eating healthy and drinking enough water and you will offset some of the effects of not getting enough
sleep. 4. Water. When we’re busy it’s easy to forget to drink water. After a few days of guests on board, coffee also becomes a staple. However, coffee is acidic, overworks your adrenals and is dehydrating. This combination will likely make you feel even more tired. When you’re tired and dehydrated, you are more likely to snack on unhealthy foods. To combat this, limit coffee or get rid of it all together. And drink water. Try putting rubber bands around your bottle and taking one off each time you finish a bottle. This will help you reach your water consumption goal each day. 5. Sunshine. Vitamin D is essential to feeling good. Studies have shown that a high number of people are deficient in vitamin D, even if they live in a sunny climate. If you can, step outside on breaks, even if it’s only for 15 minutes to soak in some feel good rays. 6. Fitness. If it’s a long guest trip, spending some time on your break doing simple exercises in your cabin will drastically improve how you feel. The key is to not wear yourself out; just raise your heart rate enough to get some endorphins flowing. Try doing 1-3 sets of 20 squats, lunges, push-ups, tricep dips and holding plank pose for 1 minute. See how you feel. Then get some rest, have a shower and notice how great you feel for the rest of the day. 7. Commitment. One overlooked element to feeling your best when the guests are on board is just deciding that you are going to feel good, no matter what. Have you ever known the type of person who seems like they are in a good mood all the time? Chances are it’s not because they feel good all of the time. It’s more likely that something in their personality has made them decide to present themselves that way to the world. It might sound difficult to feel your best all of the time but the decision actually is moment-to-moment and with each circumstance. All you have to do is stop, breathe and decide before you react. With practice, it gets easier and will change your experience on board like nothing else. Angela Orecchio is a chief stew and certified health coach. This column was edited from entries in her blog, The Yachtie Glow (www.angelaorecchio. com), which offers tips for crew on how to be healthy, fit and happy on board. Comments are welcome at editorial@ the-triton.com.
July 2015 A11
A12 July 2015
YACHT CAREERS: Crew Coach
www.the-triton.com
The Triton
Coach considers bold move of returning to the bridge I have written in this space in Interesting. I have always said I had no previous editions about thoughts for interest in going back unless I was part those entering the yachting world, of a team. Well, here we are, freed up and about veteran captains and crew and teamed up as captain and chef if staying and going. we desire to go that way. This month, This is really interesting to me. I’d like to focus For the past six years as a coach, I’ve on re-entering been the one, helping others look into the profession, and deal with this yachty life. Now specifically I’m looking at it again for myself and about yours truly a partner. There are certainly some considering a rethings we understand at this stage of entry. the game. One is, if we go for it, we As a captain know what we want. We are pretty clear Crew Coach who also works on the situation we want and what we Rob Gannon with people as a don’t want. life coach, I often We also are not desperate. If that support others through change and right situation finds us, great. If not, transition. We clarify goals and visions that’s OK, too. We are conscious of and take steps to make things happen. the trade-offs the life requires, that Well, right now, I’m also assessing my personal time and freedoms shrink. own possibilities and taking a look It will be certainly more demanding at another go round in the world of than the life we have now, but along running private yachts. with that we will probably improve our After doing my share of term financial situation. charters and private yachts for more We know it’s a young person’s game than a decade, I made a conscious shift but we would not be going in for the in my life. I set long haul, but my life up just to just for as long After doing my share do day charters as we enjoyed it. of term charters and and excursions. I We would have to wanted to go home move out of our private yachts for more at night and have comfort zone. This than a decade, I made a dog and a yard is something I have a conscious shift in my and maybe a more written about and stable personal coached people life. life. I had my own around quite a bit. I set my life up just excursion boat in We are really to do day charters and the Virgin Islands, at our best when a great big loving we step out excursions. dog and over the and challenge next decade, some ourselves. Well, I stable relationships surrounded by guess I’ll see if I walk the talk on this some crazy. There were no thoughts one. It is an interesting mental process of going back to the charter life or the right now. We have not committed constant demands of running a private to this yet. We are moving toward yacht. All in all, a pretty good life. our next path. The CV as a team has I left the islands about six years not gone out yet but it probably will ago and made landfall back in Florida, soon. You can’t stay in limbo with making a living with day excursions, your visions or they just remain idle deliveries, sailing instruction and life daydreams. coaching. Throw in a cool place on I received some inspiration recently. the water to call home and things are We went to see legendary singer/ pretty nice now, too. songwriter David Crosby last week. In the past year however, there have He’s out touring on his own at age 73. been a couple of events that started He sounded fantastic and commented me looking at things a little differently. between songs how he was doing this About a year ago I lost my loyal, loving tour to challenge himself, to step out canine companion of 10 years. That’s a of his comfort zone of singing with his tough one, as any pet owner can attest, famous band mates. but I took some solace in the fact that Right on Mr. Crosby. It was good to it would free me up a little to some hear that message now from someone new possibilities. There was no looking other than myself. Enjoy the voyage. at yachting opportunities as long as Tango was around. Rob Gannon is a 25-year licensed The second experience to turn captain and certified life and wellness things a bit was forming a steady coach. He offers free sample coaching relationship with a woman who has sessions and can be reached at +1 772been in the yachting industry and 486-5136 or rob@yachtcrewcoach.com. has the skills and desire to possibly Comments are welcome at editorial@ continue in it if she can do it as a team. the-triton.com.
The Triton
www.the-triton.com
LEADERSHIP: Taking the Helm
Crew don’t ‘just know;’ offer clear expectations as guidance People work to the expectations of their leader. Does your crew clearly know what’s expected of them? Let’s face it, no one comes to work to do a bad job. When leaders encounter a situation where the crew hasn’t lived up to their expectations, they must look at how they Taking the Helm contributed to the crew’s Paul Ferdais lack of success. Was the leader clear in his or her communication about what needed to be done and how? Clear expectations may be the issue behind the lack of success, rather than a crew being lazy or stupid. Expectations are the clear and unambiguous requirements for a task, explained in advance, for someone to achieve. When leaders set clear expectations for the people they work with, you eliminate misunderstandings, disappointment and conflict before they happen. For example, perhaps a captain hires a new first officer. Maybe the captain assumes she knows everything she needs to know about the job, which means the captain doesn’t explain or train. Because of this assumption, problems may arise as the first officer tries her best to do her job, but still may not meet the captain’s expectations. If the captain feels frustrated that the new mate isn’t working as expected, then he should stop and revisit his own communication. Was he clear in his expectations? Even when an experienced crew member joins a vessel, setting expectations and training is still necessary. This experienced crew person knows how to do their tasks, but do they know what is expected of them on this new vessel? Captains must communicate with department heads, too. Each leader’s expectations could be different; you can imagine the conflict that creates in individual crew. As a leader – and especially as the captain – it is essential to make expectations clear right up front. I was once hired as a chief mate. The captain and I reviewed all my responsibilities and I felt I understood what was expected. A couple of months later, as we walked through the galley, we passed the open garburator, I noticed it was full but we were on our way to deal with a duty. Suddenly, the captain shouted that I was walking past the full garbage without stopping to take it out. I did as he asked. Later, I mentioned it to the engineer who laughed and said most
everyone had had the same experience. I spoke to the captain, who said he expected his crew to take out the garbage when they saw it full. I explained that the reason crew didn’t was because no one had instructed them to. His response was that people should just know. I pointed out that he was suggesting his crew read his mind. I talked with the crew and laid out the expectation. We never had another issue with the garbage again. Expectations make it clear up front what people are expected to do. The odd thing is that many leaders generally think they provide clear, specific goals. However, when crew members fail to perform as expected, it’s normally because they haven’t understood what was expected of them. Leaders are frustrated because the work isn’t getting done the way they want. Crew become frustrated because they think they’ve been doing a good job, when they’ve been wasting time. Follow these steps to make your expectations are clear. The benefit is that crew members can be held accountable for not achieving tasks. 1. Ensure that all crew clearly understand what is expected of them, both in their formal role as well as any expectations beyond their specific job. 2. Train your crew and provide the support necessary so they can achieve whatever you expect from them. 3. Make sure your crew know what tasks are a priority. 4. For each task your crew will do, set specific goals that include the following criteria: quality of the work, quantity of the work, resources available, and time frame. Team members must be clear regarding each of these expectations. 5. When you’ve set clear expectations with adequate training, team members can be held accountable for achieving their objectives. Always start by making sure that the individual understands the expectations, knows why they are important, and has the required skills. Your crew should receive continual, ongoing coaching and support. If expectations have been clearly laid out and understood, yet the crew member is still unable to achieve what’s expected of them, the leader can focus on other reasons why. Set clear expectations from the interview stage and watch your team perform to the level you expect. Paul Ferdais is founder and CEO of The Marine Leadership Group (www. marineleadershipgroup.com) delivering leadership training workshops and coaching. He holds a master’s degree in leadership and spent years working on yachts. Comments are welcome at editorial@the-triton.com.
July 2015 A13
A14 July 2015
WRITE TO BE HEARD
www.the-triton.com
The Triton
U.S. owners, crew can travel to Cuba, with a plan By Thomas Gresh According to a May report from the Associated Press, American tourism in Cuba has risen a dramatic 36 percent within the past year. Only 90 miles from Florida’s coastline, Cuba is still considered one of the last frontiers in the Caribbean, leaving many U.S. yacht owners eager to navigate and explore the country’s waters. Although diplomatic negotiations have made traveling between the two countries easier, the rules and regulations are constantly changing, so it’s imperative that yacht owners consult with a marine insurance specialist and maritime attorney before planning a voyage. Late last year, President Obama announced a plan to begin easing trade and travel restrictions with Cuba. The Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) made certain amendments to the Cuban Assets Control Regulations (CACR) to implement this plan beginning on Jan. 16. This news spurred interest among yacht owners and crews, as many expected the changes to allow Americans to travel to Cuba without any restrictions. Unfortunately, this is not entirely true. The ease in regulations’ focal point is a revision to the type of travel license required. The U.S. trade embargo remains in effect, and can only be lifted by Congress. Prior to the policy shift, U.S. citizens traveling to Cuba had to apply for a special license on a caseby-case basis. Now, U.S. citizens can visit Cuba if they qualify for a general license within the 12 categories of authorized travel, which include these:
official business of a government, and certain intergovernmental organizations; journalistic activity; professional research and meetings; educational activities; religious activities; public performances, clinics, workshops; athletic competitions and exhibitions; support for the Cuban people; humanitarian projects; activities of private foundations or institutes; exportation, importation, or transmission of information; and certain authorized export transactions. Negotiations have eased the restrictions for private boat travel, as several U.S. yachts have legally participated in sailing races and fishing tournaments over the past few months; however, these vessels and their crews were properly licensed to do so. Everyone on board the vessel, including the yacht owner, passengers and crew, must qualify for one of the 12 general licenses in their own right. If an individual does not qualify for one of the general licenses, they must obtain a specific license from OFAC. To transport passengers to and from Cuba, the yacht owner must obtain a specific license from the Office of Foreign Asset Control (OFAC). Also, the yacht, itself is subject to the Department of Commerce’s Export Administration Regulations (EAR), and requires a specific export license before the yacht can be temporarily brought into Cuba. According to the commodore of Cuba’s largest marina, the Ernest Hemingway International Nautical Club, the island’s infrastructure is not prepared to handle a large influx of boats, especially yachts. Cuba is estimated to have about 15 marinas and 800 slips total, and lacks both shipyards and nautical stores. Yachts over 150 feet must anchor offshore,
as no marina on the island can accommodate their needs. As of press time, a limited number of U.S. carriers offered yacht coverage after the proper licensing had been approved. The OFAC certification process is time consuming, so yacht owners should research coverage upon approval. Another consideration is health and travel insurance. Should an authorized U.S. traveler become ill or sustain an injury while traveling in Cuba, a limited number of U.S. insurance carriers may pay medical claims provided that the individual or group policy is a global policy. This means that the travel or health policy cannot be issued to specifically cover a trip to Cuba. For yacht owners interested in taking their yacht to Cuba, advanced planning is required. The first step would be to ensure the trip falls within the scope of OFAC’s authorized categories. The next step would be to contact the Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Industry and Security division (BIS) to obtain a license required for the temporary journey of the yacht. Once the two U.S. government agencies have approved the voyage, provide all licensing, a navigation itinerary and a crew manifest to the yacht’s insurance adviser for approval. Although not all insurance companies provide coverage for Cuba, those carriers that do can issue coverage on a per-trip basis. The process to issue coverage can take up to four weeks to clear with the insurance company’s legal department. Thomas Gresh is vice president of the marine division of Celedinas Insurance Group (www.celedinas.com) and based in Palm Beach Gardens, Fla.
The Triton
www.the-triton.com
WRITE TO BE HEARD
Misdiagnoses common with Lyme; try transport to cross My daughter has had chronic Lyme disease for 12 years. She got bit when she was 7 and it went misdiagnosed as arthritis, chronic fatigue, etc. We’ve taken our daughter for treatment all over the world, including a special Lyme clinic in Germany. It’s a heartbreaking and insidious disease and my heart goes out to Chantelle [“Stew bites back after ‘mysterious’ ailment” page A6, June issue]. I hope the IV antibiotics are helping. I do know a number of people who have seen big results from these, though our daughter wasn’t one of them. The best thing for her was a raw vegan diet, with no sugar, no gluten, and as much exercise as she could handle. That brought her from being bedridden for six years to feeling well enough to attend high school this past year, though she still isn’t back to health. She just tries really hard. Michael Verdon via the-triton.com
Med crossing advice
Regarding Peter Herm’s column [“New yacht, crew, flag kick off next adventure in the Med,” page A3, June issue], all he needs to know is DYT, otherwise known as Dockwise Yacht Transport. That is his answer to crossing in a safe manner if he runs with only three crew. Do the crew, insurance company, boat and wallet (after repairs) a favor and ship it. And if he wants cruising that provides a quiet setting where he won’t be next to the 100m yachts in the seeand-be-seen setting, then he should go to Croatia. It is the best cruising with the prettiest waters, and is just peaceful and beautiful. Capt. Keith Moore M/Y Lady Sheridan
ISM survey ‘informative’
Excellent and informative article
Great captain will be missed
I am truly saddened that Capt. Price is no longer with us. He was a great captain and person. I had the pleasure of knowing Mark for 20 years. He always treated me with respect at work at Bradford Marine where we became friends. We are both big Cincinnati Reds fans, a regular topic of conversation. You will be missed by many, my friend. Tim Griffin Bradford Marine
History and importance of service
Kudos to Chief Stew Alene Keenan for her article on the history and importance of service. [“Focus on job, service got stew through dark hours, hardship,” page C1, May issue] I recall having an employer who spoke about hiring new crew and her comment was, “They need to have a desire to be of service.” That phrase has always stuck with me when hiring crew and also in my relationship with an owner. A few years ago I worked for a long-time yacht owner, a true yachtsman, and he thanked me once for some fairly minor thing I had done. My response was a sincere, “It was my pleasure.” His reaction was strong. He turned to his wife and said, “I like that. It drives me nuts when I hear kids say “no problem” or “no worries.” At least acknowledge me with “you’re welcome.” His point was he appreciated my response because it indicated to him that I enjoyed working for him. Capt. Deb Radtke American Yacht Agents Ft. Lauderdale
Editor Lucy Chabot Reed, lucy@the-triton.com Associate Editor Dorie Cox, dorie@the-triton.com
Advertising Sales Mike Price, mike@the-triton.com
CREW EYE
[“Safety procedures in place; not all internationally compliant,” Triton Survey, page C1, May issue]. Well done, Triton. Capt. Mark Drewelow C2C and YachtAid Global
We value your opinion and you have a ‘write’ to be heard. E-mail us: editorial@the-triton.com.
Publisher David Reed, david@the-triton.com
July 2015 A15
Production Manager Patty Weinert, patty@the-triton.com The Triton Directory Mike Price, mike@the-triton.com
C
apt. Butch Vogelsang shared these photos of a normally ugly job. But it looks lovely in 15,000 feet of water in the middle of an Atlantic crossing, 1,500 miles offshore. He delivered the 60m Lurssen to the Med in June.
A
school of bonefish at Compass Cay catches the reflection of M/Y Domani. Capt. Barry Flanigan Jr. caught it with is iPhone. Crew see yachting like no one else can. Send us images of yachting as you see it, in all its beauty and luxury, or all its toughness and tedium. Consider this page your canvas to share your views of yachting. Send photos to editorial@the-triton.com. Be sure to include where it was taken, when, and what kind of equipment you used.
Contributors Carol Bareuther, Capt. Jake DesVergers, Paul Ferdais, Capt. Barry Flanigan Jr. , Capt. Rob Gannon, Chef Mark Godbeer, Sue Hacking, Peter Herm, Chef Mary Beth Lawton Johnson, Chief Stew Alene Keenan, Brian Luke, Rich Merhige, Keith Murray, Chief Stew Angela Orecchio, Capt. Deb Radtke, Matt Rosenberg, Rossmare Intl., Capt. Butch Vogelsang, Capt. John Wampler, Capt. Jeff Werner, Chef Peter Ziegelmeier
Vol. 12, No. 4
The Triton is a free, monthly newspaper owned by Triton Publishing Group Inc. Copyright 2015 Triton Publishing Group Inc. All rights reserved.
Contact us at: Mailing address: 757 S.E. 17th St., #1119 Ft. Lauderdale, FL 33316 Visit us at: 1043 S.E. 17th St., Suite 201 Ft. Lauderdale, FL 33316 (954) 525-0029; FAX (954) 525-9676 www.the-triton.com
July 2015
B Section
Make the connection Complexities with cardan shaft require maintenance. B2
Oil and water don’t mix Fear of fines and jail time keep separator use sporadic. B3
New crew can plot a course Green deckhands fare well with certificates and training. B4
CRUISING GROUNDS: Triton Bay, Indonesia
Convention cleans up; shipwrecks to be removed
More than 30 named dive sites lie within the Triton Bay area, and exploration of this intricate coastline continues. Strong currents feed colorful soft corals along the entrances to the straits, and backwater coves harbor the macro-life that many divers seek: brilliant nudibranchs and carefully camouflaged pygmy seahorses. Visibility varies from 30 feet to more than 100 feet (10-30m) but each dive brings new creatures to light. You can swim with turtles, be surrounded by schools of unicorn fish and snappers, and marvel at the huge groupers and sweetlips that lurk behind pink and purple sea fans. In the open bays, huge fishing platforms called “bagans” anchor out for nightly net fishing. They are 80foot (25m) trimarans with two stubby masts festooned with ropes to hold up the many bits of wood that go out to the bamboo floats 20 feet (6m) on each side of the main hull. With a small house on deck for the crew and a small generator, these craft anchor and work at night, lowering nets under each wing-deck and attracting fish with lights on deck. At intervals throughout the night, the
The Nairobi International Convention on the Removal of Wrecks, 2007, was adopted by an international conference held in Kenya in 2007. The Convention, also referred to as the WRC, provides the legal basis for governments to remove, or have removed, shipwrecks that may have a Rules of the Road negative effect Jake DesVergers for the safety of lives, goods, and property at sea, in addition to the marine environment. The Nairobi Convention went into force on April 14. It applies to all vessels, including yachts, of 300 gross tons and greater. The Convention resolves a continued absence in the existing international legal framework. It provides a set of uniform international rules aimed at ensuring the prompt and effective removal of wrecks located beyond a nation’s territorial sea. The WRC also includes an optional clause that allows those countries adopting it to apply certain international provisions to their own national, territorial waters. Territorial waters are usually the 12 miles closest to a nation’s coast. While it is widely recognized that the occurrence of marine casualties has decreased dramatically in recent years, the number of worldwide abandoned wrecks is estimated at nearly 1,300 vessels. Because of this large number of occurrences, the International Maritime Organization has identified a call for action. The non-removal of wrecks creates three major concerns. First, and depending on its location, a wreck may constitute a hazard to navigation. It
See TRITON BAY, page B11
See RULES, page B12
A DAY AT WORK: Nets lowered from bagans catch bait fish and attract whale sharks. Below is the business end of a PHOTOS FROM SUE HACKING whale shark as seen from underwater.
Varied, rare life blooms in Triton Bay By Sue Hacking A chorus of pigeons, hornbills and cockatoos has awakened us in the Triton Bay Divers cove. Cool mist hangs low over the mainland mountains. Donning our swim gear for a morning dive, we’re pleased to see blue sky over the strait. It will be a bright day underwater. South of Indonesia’s Raja Ampat and east of the famous Spice Islands of Ambon and Banda, lies a newly “discovered” cruising ground: Kaimana Regency and, specifically, Triton Bay. Encompassing some 90nm north to south and numerous coves and offshore islands, this coast of Papua is home to the best of tropical marine life: from giant whale sharks to tiny pygmy seahorses. Papua is one of Indonesia’s least populated areas, and many a day passes with only a lone dugout canoe or small inter-island freighter chugging along the straits. The only resort in the region is the newly opened Triton Bay Divers, located on Iris Strait, about 30nm south of Kaimana. Owners Leeza English and Jimmy Thai welcome visiting yachts and look forward to sharing their knowledge of the area.
Kaimana and Triton Bay are formed inside towering limestone cliffs up to 3,000 feet high, bedecked in lush green, often pristine forest. Bird song echoes from shore to shore; overhead, one can spot sea eagles, parrots and frigate birds. The sound of a feathery deep thrumming marks the passage of the black, white and brown Blyth’s hornbill.
Local custom has banned reef bombing, and the villagers are ardent in keeping non-Papuan fishing vessels from entering the waters. It was here, just nine years ago, that marine biologists from Papua and Australia observed more than 330 fish species in one dive site, breaking the record set previously from a dive in Raja Ampat. They also discovered more than 20 species of marine life never seen before. This is truly a cradle of life.
Rough sailing with injuries A fall can mean dangerous internal or spinal issues. B5
B July 2015
FROM THE ENGINE ROOM: Engineer’s Angle
www.the-triton.com
The Triton
Cardan shafts need alignment even though often complex to do When we think about what causes misalignment, cardan shafts are often overlooked. When they are present in a mechanical arrangement, maintenance can be quite difficult due to their size, design, and accessibility. Because of this, alignment checks are often skipped, and alignments postponed, causing Engineer’s Angle continuous wear Rich Merhige of the cardan shafts, which results in continued and worsening misalignment. To best understand cardan shaft alignment, we must understand what a cardan shaft is and what it does. Rather than a shaft, a cardan shaft is more of a coupling whose purpose is to connect two machines that offset – one being a stationary machine, often referred to as a motor, and the other machine being the “driven” one. Cardan shafts are specifically designed to allow for parallel misalignment caused by these two machines being offset. In a yacht, the arrangement is called a drive train and is placed between the engine and gear, transmitting torque
and rotation. The cardan shaft serves as a universal or U-joint because the two machines are not able to be directly connected to each other. Cardan shafts usually have two joints, one at each end, and is referred to as a single cardan. A double cardan will have three or more of these joints. The joints of the cardan shafts allow for necessary movement without becoming uncoupled. The construction of the U-joint is a key component to how the cardan shaft functions and is able to transmit forces. Each U-joint consists of two yokes and four pivot pins. The hole in the yoke carries the pivot pins, which oscillates as the joint rotates. All of the bearing occurs in the small space between the pins and the yoke holes, which means that proper lubrication is crucial at all times. The lubricant must be constantly circulated to prevent the joints from sealing, which is why cardan shafts are usually installed with three to six degrees of angle present at each joint. The difference between these angles should always be less than 0.25 degrees and, in a perfect world when precision alignments are always possible, the difference would be 0. Even though cardan shafts are constructed for flexibility, they are not
able to absorb angular misalignment between the shafts. While offset does not affect alignment, angularity does. It can be vertical or horizontal, and can cause excessive vibration and speed fluctuations. Angular misalignment can be present in the same plane or in separate ones, depending on the layout of the machinery. When angular misalignment is present, there’s a huge fluctuation in RPMs of the driven shaft. Traditionally speaking, cardan shafts are designed for tight spaces, and historically alignment procedures have required that the cardan shaft be completely removed for alignment to be achieved. An “offset” fixture or bracket is mounted on the coupling flange of the driven machine with a laser sensor mounted on the rotating part. A second laser sensor would need to be mounted on the driver. The bracket would allow for virtual positioning of the rotational axis that connects the two machines. Data would then be collected on both the vertical and horizontal planes. With technology constantly outdoing itself, cardan shaft alignments are now becoming faster, safer and more cost effective. Current laser systems allow for these alignments to be performed with the
shaft in place. This is made possible by using two specially designed brackets with a handheld computer, laser transmitter and receiver. One bracket serves as a sort of chain and has a “third arm” that can be directly mounted to the shaft. The other bracket features a rotating arm, where a sensor is mounted. When the shafts rotate, the bracket arm turns, allowing for the sensor to move while picking up the laser being transmitted. Cardan shaft alignments can be intimidating and complex, to say the least. However, with the new equipment available to perform these services, there is absolutely no need to put off this procedure to prevent cardan shaft joint wear. With minimal effect on your maintenance budget, you can prevent a lot of headache. Rich Merhige is the owner of Advanced Mechanical Enterprises and Advanced Maintenance Engineering in Ft. Lauderdale, which specializes in rotating and reciprocating machinery. This column is co-written by Teresa Drugatz, marketing manager at AME. Contact them through info@ AMEsolutions.com or +1 954-764-2678. Comments on this column are welcome at editorial@the-triton.com.
The Triton
www.the-triton.com
MOTORING: Diesel Digest
July 2015 B
Fear of violation guides oily water separation technology use Shipboard oily water separators are internationally mandated as engine room equipment and are intended to allow engine room crews to clean engine room bilge water prior to discharge into the world’s oceans. This equipment was mandated based on the assumption that uncleaned discharge of engine room bilge water Diesel Digest would result in Capt. Jeff Werner discharge of oil to the environment. It has never been clearly established if oily water separators actually work to a level that enable crews to operate them in a reliable fashion. – Society of Naval Architects and Marine Engineers (SNAME), 2005 The International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships (MARPOL) was developed in response to the major oil spills caused by the wrecks of the oil tankers Torrey Canyon in 1967 and Amoco Cadiz in 1978. MARPOL Annex I came into force in 1983. That regulation stated that the discharge of oily water mixtures is prohibited by all vessels except if it is processed through oil filtering equipment from which the cleaned bilge water doesn’t exceed 15 parts per million of oil. Annex I also sparked a new industry: the design and construction of oily water separators. But if the oily water separators didn’t function as advertised, as SNAME hypothesized prior to its study 10 years ago, then many vessels were at risk for violating MARPOL rules. If a vessel, whether a container ship or a yacht, was found in violation of MARPOL, what could happen? According to the MARPOL Training Institute, “(a) vessel may be detained, the owners/operators fined and placed on probation, and the involved crew member may be imprisoned and/or fined. Many companies have been fined millions in U.S. dollars for MARPOL violations worldwide.” Scary stuff if you are an engineer on a charter yacht or a cruise ship. Hendrik Van Hemmen, the author of the SNAME study, concluded that his assumption was true. “Despite numerous (but often disorganized) efforts, shipboard bilge water oily water separation systems fail to produce satisfactory results for owners, regulators and crews. The failure of these systems is not solely related to technical equipment design issues, but reaches back into human factors, systems design, record keeping methodologies and inspection procedures.” Fast forward to 2015, and these same
oily water separation systems issues are scared of the possibility of fines/jail have yet to be resolved. In fact, it is time for violating accidentally. A lot such a continuing hot topic that the of time, the oily water separator is not National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, run out of fear. Teach everyone how to a non-profit organization founded properly use and care for one.” Another by the U.S. commented, Congress, “Crews are in ‘People are scared of the recently hired an absolute Van Hemmen panic for even possibility of fines/jail time for to conduct documentary violating accidentally. A lot of a six-month mistakes as time, the oily water separator study on the they believe continuing they will be is not run out of fear. Teach problems viewed as everyone how to properly use with oily criminals even and care for one.’ water if the mistake separators. is genuine or This most minor.” recent study included a survey of crew Clearly, there is still much work to members responsible for operating the be done. So much so that the major oily water separators. One said, “People stakeholders (the cruise ship industry,
the offshore oil industry, the deep water commercial vessel industry and the regulators) met in June to discuss the recently completed study. Their goal was to come up with best practice solutions to this ongoing problem in machinery spaces. Once the results of this conference are disseminated, they will filter down to the yachting industry and hopefully make the job of the yacht engineer a little less stressful. Capt. Jeff Werner has been in yachting for more than 20 years on private and charter yachts, both sail and power. He is an instructor for RYA, MCA, USCG and US Sailing courses and owns Diesel Doctor (MyDieselDoctor.com). Comments on this column are welcome at editorial@the-triton.com.
B July 2015
TRAINING: On Course
www.the-triton.com
The Triton
Deck crew new to yachting build future course by course The question we most often hear from people new to yachting is, “What training do I need?” The answer is rarely a simple one. Welcome to the yachting industry, where trying to navigate the maze of courses and the regulatory structure can be daunting. For deck crew with little or no exposure On Course to the yachting Brian Luke world, it is critical to understand what is beneficial to accomplish during training. First and foremost is safety. New crew need to understand how to work and live safely in the new environment. Second, they need to build a solid foundation for future training, experience, work and career. No training course can be designed to teach everything; each is a building block to the next. It is up to crew to build on this foundation. Finally, from a practical standpoint, crew need the certificates required to work on most yachts. Crew need to be safe and readily employable. With these points in mind, crew should ask, “Do I want access to all the yachts in our industry or just some of them?” Part of the secret of success is to have qualifications that allow work on as many yachts as possible. The more qualifications crew have, the higher the likelihood that they will be hired. If crew limit their qualifications, they will inadvertently limit the number of yachts available on which to work. For example, many yachts now require all deckhands to have a Powerboat Level II certificate. If crew don’t have it, they have just eliminated themselves from the possibility of being hired on that particular yacht. Where do new crew start? Training centers should help guide crew to the right training and give appropriate career advice to be safe and marketable. Step one is to complete STCW basic training. This includes PSSR (Personal Safety & Social Responsibility), BST (Basic Survival Techniques), Basic Fire Fighting, and First Aid/CPR. Crew should also take a security course right away. In a previous Triton article [“Increase in security awareness means training for some crew”, page B4, June issue] I wrote about Security Awareness, and Security Awareness with Designated Security Duties. Many in our industry are pushing security awareness. In my opinion, and the opinion of many captains who are looking to hire crew, this is the wrong qualification for most crew
in the yachting industry. We work on yachts and, generally speaking, we will all have a designated duty according to the vessels’ ship security plan. I recommend that crew forget taking security awareness and take the yachting-appropriate Security Awareness with Designated Duties course. Security Awareness is less expensive and just a bit less time consuming, but in the long run, crew will just have to go back to class and take Security Awareness with Designated Duties, thereby unnecessarily spending more money and time. Next, crew should get Powerboat Level II (PB II), AEC (Approved Engineering Course) and ENG1 medical exam. Yes, I am aware that these courses, and the medical certificate, are not regulatory requirements, but remember that our goal here is to increase the odds of getting hired, and sooner rather than later. Statistics show that as a newbie with low to no experience, crew will increase their odds of getting picked up by a yacht when they have invested in themselves. If a yacht has an open position and two otherwise equally personable deckhands present themselves, one with PBII, AEC and ENG1 and the other without, which one would you choose? These courses are not required to get hired in yachting and I know a few crew that didn’t have STCW when they were hired. This is the exception. I also know hundreds who took four or five entry-level courses at the outset and were hired quickly. Instead of spending three to five months looking for a position, by setting themselves apart with the extra qualifications and willingness to invest in themselves and their job or career, they went to work relatively quickly and earned good salaries for those three to five months, more than offsetting the additional time and expense of that extra training. These crew increased their odds of getting hired early on and it paid off well. If new crew are serious about a deck job on a yacht, or even a lifetime of opportunity in the yachting industry, no matter how much or little experience they have, it’s always important for crew to build their resume in order to help keep their career on course. Capt. Brian Luke is chief operations officer for International Crew Training in Ft. Lauderdale. He is an airline captain and holds a USCG 1600/3000ton master’s ticket. ICT trains crew for entry-level through 3000 ITC Master licenses, engineering and interior operations. Comments are welcome at editorial@the-triton.com.
The Triton
www.the-triton.com ONBOARD EMERGENCIES: Sea Sick
Internal or spinal injury adds to challenges at sea Boats move; we all know that. Sometimes boats move a lot and sometimes not as much but they are almost always moving. When a person walks around on a moving object, they can fall, and the chances of failing greatly increase with age, medication and intoxication. But how do you know if someone who has fallen is Sea Sick seriously injured, Keith Murray and how do we move someone who is seriously injured? First, when I teach a class for a land-based client, I almost always tell them it is a bad idea to move an injured person with internal injuries. On land, I use the Double-D rule. Only move someone if they are dead or in danger. Otherwise, call 911 and wait for emergency professional help. At sea, calling 911 and waiting for help may not be an option, so the rules are different onboard. Anytime someone falls, always ask yourself if there could be internal damage. Is there an injury you can’t see? And anytime you suspect spinal injury, do not move the affected person unless it is immediately necessary. Permanent paralysis and other serious injuries may happen if you move an injured person improperly. Always assume a person has a spinal injury if: 1. The fall victim sustained a head injury and you notice a change in their level of consciousness. 2. The fall victim complains of severe pain in the neck or back.
3. The injury has exerted substantial force on the back or head. 4. The fall victim complains of weakness, numbness or paralysis. 5. The fall victim lacks control of his or her limbs, bladder or bowels. 6. The fall victim’s neck or back is twisted or positioned oddly. Often, emergency personnel will hold the victim’s head stable until a C Collar and backboard can be applied. But onboard even the largest of ships, often a long backboard is not available. This is where a shorter, vest-type backboard called a KED will come in handy.
Anytime someone falls, always ask yourself if there could be internal damage. Is there an injury you can’t see? And anytime you suspect spinal injury, do not move the affected person unless it is immediately necessary. One of the tools often used by emergency personnel is a Kendrick Extrication Device. A KED is a spinal stabilization device used to remove victims trapped inside motor vehicles. Typically used in conjunction with a cervical collar, the KED is a semirigid brace that secures the head, neck and torso in an anatomically neutral position. This position reduces the possibility of additional injuries to these regions during extrication. Commonly carried on ambulances,
the KED is typically applied by a first responder. If you have never seen a KED before, it’s worth looking at a YouTube demo. They are easy to use and I often incorporate their use into my onboard training classes. I always suggest yachts carry them when a long backboard is not a viable option for potential spinal injuries. Another option to the long, hard backboard is the Ferno Vertical Rescue Stretcher. I just used one of these for the first time in training last week. It has many benefits over the old hard backboard as it rolls up to store in a relatively small space. The major downside I experienced with this device is the straps are not very intuitive. They are not color-coded quick connects like we see on the KED, but with training, crew will become proficient in their use. This could prove to be a valuable piece of equipment in any yacht’s medical kit. When next performing emergency drills, I suggest incorporating a mandown scenario with possible spinal injury. Try the drill in the engine room or crew quarters, or in even tighter places such as heads and storage compartments. Try all of these spinal injury drills with your current backboard and C-Collar, then grade the crew’s performance. Hopefully, they will get an A. Keith Murray, a former firefighter EMT, owns The CPR School, a first-aid training company. He provides onboard training for yacht captains and crew and sells and services AEDs. Contact him at 877-6-AED-CPR, 877-623-3277 or www.TheCPRSchool.com. Comments on this column are welcome at editorial@ the-triton.com.
July 2015 B
Today’s fuel prices Prices for low-sulfur gasoil expressed in US$ per cubic meter (1,000 liters) as of June 15. Region Duty-free*/duty paid U.S. East Coast Ft. Lauderdale 583/625 Savannah, Ga. 572/NA Newport, R.I. 576/NA Caribbean St. Thomas, USVI 834/NA St. Maarten 820/NA Antigua 750/NA Valparaiso 686/NA North Atlantic Bermuda (Ireland Island) 802/NA Cape Verde 573/NA Azores 647/1,404 Canary Islands 742/1109 Mediterranean Gibraltar 565/NA Barcelona, Spain 692/1,532 Palma de Mallorca, Spain NA/897 Antibes, France 602/1,398 San Remo, Italy 694/1,725 Naples, Italy 689/1,725 Venice, Italy 720/1,687 Corfu, Greece 564/1,193 Piraeus, Greece 548/1,176 Istanbul, Turkey 599/NA Malta 636/1,095 Tunis, Tunisia 735/NA Bizerte, Tunisia 735/NA Oceania Auckland, New Zealand 636/NA Sydney, Australia 624/NA Fiji 639/NA
One year ago Prices for low-sulfur gasoil expressed in US$ per cubic meter (1,000 liters) as of June 15, 2015 Region Duty-free*/duty paid U.S. East Coast Ft. Lauderdale 918/955 Savannah, Ga. 890/NA Newport, R.I. 896/NA Caribbean St. Thomas, USVI 1,095/NA St. Maarten 1,120/NA Antigua 690/NA Valparaiso 711/NA North Atlantic Bermuda (Ireland Island) 986/NA Cape Verde 597/NA Azores 900/1,652 Canary Islands 846/1,239 Mediterranean Gibraltar 882/NA Barcelona, Spain 873/1,699 Palma de Mallorca, Spain NA/883 Antibes, France 853/1,780 San Remo, Italy 1,002/2,275 Naples, Italy 1,002/2,302 Venice, Italy 1,076/2,217 Corfu, Greece 1,029/2,051 Piraeus, Greece 1,015/1,821 Istanbul, Turkey 947/NA Malta 968/1,767 Tunis, Tunisia 866/NA Bizerte, Tunisia 871/NA Oceania Auckland, New Zealand 930/NA Sydney, Australia 913/NA Fiji 930/NA *When available according to local customs.
B July 2015
BOATS / BROKERS
www.the-triton.com
The Triton
Motoryachts Aurora, Engelberg, Ocean Paradise, Obsession sell Northrop & Johnson has sold the 200-foot (61m) Lurssen M/Y Aurora by broker Sean Doyle. New to its charter fleet is the 164foot Delta M/Y Victoria Del Mar and the 101-foot classic schooner S/Y Lady Thuraya. The firm has made several new hires. After 15 years with Merle Wood & Associates, broker Cromwell Littlejohn has joined N&J’s Ft. Lauderdale sales office. Born and raised in Florida, Littlejohn worked as crew on the America’s Cup committee boat M/Y Black Knight and also captained a large motoryacht, cruising and chartering throughout the Bahamas, U.S. East Coast and the Great Lakes. Littlejohn has also served on the board of directors of the Florida Yacht Brokers Association for 11 years, including a two-year stint as president, and he sits on the board of the American Yacht Charter Association. The firm has also hired John Arruda as a sales broker in its Ft. Lauderdale office. A former crew member, Arruda has also owned a charter company for high-performance boats, and a highperformance boat building company. He has created a turbine-powered generator that the U.S. nuclear power plant industry adopted as the official emergency standby generator in case of nuclear attack. The firm hired Juliette van Bueren as its marketing coordinator for Asia. She most recently was a marketing specialist at L’Oreal in The Netherlands. Moran Yacht & Ship has sold the 200-foot (61m) Lurssen M/Y Aurora (ex-Phoenix) and the 180-foot Amels M/Y Engelberg. New to its central agency listings for sale is the 150-foot (46m) Palmer Johnson M/T Clifford II for $17.5 million. New to its charter fleet is the 203foot (62m) Feadship M/Y Positive Carry, based in the Baltic this summer. Camper & Nicholsons International has sold the 180-foot (55m) Benetti M/Y Ocean Paradise by broker Rytis Babravicius, the 139-foot (42m) M/Y Calliope build by Holland Jachtbouw, the 103-foot (31.5m) M/Y Celtic Dawn built by Astondoa, the 100-foot (30m) Leopard M/Y RG 512 by broker Gaston Lees-Buckley, the 100-foot (30m) Moonen M/Y Sofia II, the 86-foot (26m) Moonen M/Y Etoile d’Azur with Fraser Yachts, who represented the buyer, and the 80-foot (24.6m) M/Y Stalca built for Prince Rainier and Princess Grace of Monaco by brokers Jonathan Syrett and Jean-Marie Recamier. New to its central agency listings for sale is the 138-foot (42m) M/Y
Billa built by Admiral, the 137-foot (42m) Westport M/Y Bandido, the 135foot (41m) partially built M/Y Global Explorer designed by JFA, and the 124foot (38m) Codecasa M/Y Good Bye. New to its charter fleet is the 143foot (43.6m) Benetti M/Y Libra Star available in the Western Med this summer. Merle Wood & Associates has sold the 180-foot Oceanfast M/Y Obsession, and the 123-foot (38m) Trident M/Y American Pride.
Heesen (above) has sold YN 18151, a 168-foot (51m) semi-displacement aluminum motoryacht below 500GT. Its exterior lines and interiors are by Eidsgaard Design. SuperYachtsMonaco brokered the deal. It will have room for 10 guests and 10 crew. YPI Brokerage has added to its central agency listings for sale the 155-foot (47m) M/Y Balista built by Cantieri di Pisa and listed for 19 million euros.
Fraser Yachts has sold the 147-foot (45m) Hakvoort M/Y My Trust Fund (above) listed for $25.25 million, a 112foot (34m) Westport listed for $12.5 million, the 86-foot (26m) Moonen M/Y Etoile d’Azur listed for 3.4 million euros and the 78-foot (24m) Classen Jachtbouw S/Y Drumfire listed for 2.5 million euros. New to its central agency listings for sale include the 164-foot (50m) M/Y Mayra built by Mayra Yachts listed for 22.5 million euros, the 122-foot (37m) Sanlorenzo M/Y Anastasia M listed for 8 million euros, the 92-foot (28m) Horizon M/Y C’est la Vie, the 91-foot (28m) S/Y Diablesse built by Trehard listed for 690,000 euros. The firm also has two berths for sale
See BOATS, page B7
The Triton
www.the-triton.com
MARINAS / SHIPYARDS
July 2015 B
Gibraltar plans allow berths, apartments; Heesen constructs dry dock Gib OKs berths, apartments
Government permission has been granted for new superyacht berths and short-stay and rental apartments in Marina Bay at Ocean Village in Gibraltar. The masterplan outlines 10 stern-to berths with crew lounge, pump-out, improved electricity, spa-style facilities, storage, workshop and laundry. For more information, visit www. superyachtsandshortstayapts.com.
Heesen builds 85m drydock
Heesen Yachts began construction
Fourth Arcadia sells; YATCO opens Italy site BOATS, from page B6 at Marina Port Vell, a 262-foot (80m) slip for 9 million euros and a 230-foot (70m) slip for 7.5 million euros. New to its charter fleet is the 146foot ((45m) M/Y Beluga available in the western Med.
Italian shipyard Arcadia Yachts has sold the fourth Arcadia 115 hull in as many years, this one in the Middle East. With a shape adapted from designs originated by Britain’s National Physical Laboratory, the efficient hull is coupled with 60 square meters of 5-kilowatt photovoltaic panels, which eliminated the need of a generator to run the refrigerators, freezers, lights, fans, and pumps. Neo Yachting has sold the 88-foot (27m) Sanlorenzo M/Y GPS. YATCO opened its first European office in Bologna, Italy, managed by Gherardo Gardo, European business development director, and supported by Orlando Florio, European sales and marketing manager. Sunreef Yachts has launched M/Y Blue Belly, the first catamaran from the next generation of the 70 Sunreef Power line, which forgoes the interior navigation station in the salon to increase lounge and dining areas. The predecessor, 70 Sunreef Power 1 Life, launched in 2014, and the first 70 Sunreef Power was launched in 2008.
of an 85m drydock at its facility in Oss, the Netherlands. It is scheduled to be completed by October 2016 with the official inauguration on Nov. 11, 2016. The new drydock will enable Heesen to build yachts up to 80m. It will be equipped with temperature and humidity control, heated floors, automatic sun tracker lights on the roof to reduce the use of power for lighting by 25 percent, and a high quality air filter system to provide optimal conditions for painting. The new shed will be replacing two sheds built in 1995.
Big Game renovates
Bimini Big Game Club Resort & Marina in the Bahamas has completed the first phase of a $5.6 million renovation, including a larger pool and upgrades to the 75-slip marina, as well as landscaping, painting inside and out, and new windows, sliding glass doors and ceiling tiles. Resort owner Hankey Group of Companies based in Southern California said a second phase will be completed this fall, including a C Dock re-build. For more information, visit www.biggameclubbimini.com.
Derecktor getting new lift
Derecktor of Florida is acquiring a 200-ton Travelift. The lift will replace a 150-ton Travelift that has been used for 30 years and was sold to a commercial ferry operator in Tortola, BVI. The new lift is scheduled to be installed by September. “Our intent is to offer our services to a wider range of smaller yachts in addition to the megayacht community served by our 900 ton machine,” James Brewer, business development at Derecktor Shipyards, said. – Dorie Cox
B10 July 2015
CRUISING GROUNDS: Indonesia
www.the-triton.com
The Triton
Tips to travel to Triton Bay, Indonesia Access by air: Wings Air (a subsidiary of Lion Air) has daily flights into Kaimana from neighboring Ambon, which is served daily from Jakarta. Facilities in Kaimana: A small grocery store, Senja Mart, has staples but no dairy products except powdered milk. The town’s main market (pasar) is a bustling array of stalls where you can find cucumbers, eggplant, tomatoes, avocados, various greens, cabbages, shallots, potatoes, bananas, the occasional pineapple, some papaya and pumpkin. Across the road lies the buzzing fresh fish market. Minibus “bemos” ply the streets, going from town to the market (10 minutes, 50 cents) and to the airport (25 minutes, $1.50). Officialdom: Kaimana is not a port of clearance for Indonesia, so all paperwork must be in order before arriving. A quick visit to the Englishspeaking Harbor Master is in order, as well as a courtesy visit to customs, all on the waterfront near the container docks. There is no good dinghy tie-up location so it’s best to drop folks ashore in front of the golden-spired mosque on the beach/sea wall and have them call for a pickup. All visitors to Kaimana are required to buy a $50 Conservation Pin, valid for one calendar year, which helps support the local villages. At the police station, foreigners must register and receive a “surat jalan”, a travel pass, granting the right to visit the regency. Boats arriving from the south may be able to make arrangements for the pins through Triton Bay Divers. Best time to go: Triton Bay is at its best from November through April when the days are normally clear, winds are light, and the evenings are cool and often bug-free. May-September brings strong southeast trades from the Pacific, so the live-aboard dive boats all return to Bali, and Triton Bay Divers resort closes. Paying for the shark experience: The value of bait fish thrown in during a half-an-hour swim amounts to about $5 (50,000 rupiah), and Leeza of Triton Bay Divers (TritonBayDivers.com) asks that payment be made with goods, not cash. The men appreciate bags of sugar, noodles, instant coffee and cigarettes. Spare clothing, rain gear or spare lines would also be welcomed. Anchorages: Many can be found on GoodAnchorage.com, including all those used by S/V Ocelot on this visit. Navigation: This coast of Papua is so remote that charts have not been updated and are inaccurate. On Ocelot, we use Google Earth-generated KAP file overlays. Capt. Jon has published an article on how to create accurate geo-referenced KAP files at svocelot.com/Cruise_Info/ Equipment/KAPFiles.htm.
The Triton
www.the-triton.com
CRUISING GROUNDS: Indonesia
Underwater world filled with huge and tiny life TRITON BAY, from page B1 nets are raised, the fish removed, and the nets lowered again. Obviously, some fish escape and the whale sharks have worked this out. The best time to swim with these gentle giants is at dawn during the dark of the moon, when they are more likely attracted to the lights of the bagans. There is no need to arrange a visit beforehand; just dinghy over and ask for “ikan besar”, literally “fish big”, and you’ll be met with shaking heads or bright smiles and pointing. If a huge gray-and-white spotted body appears beneath your tender, slip in and swim with the world’s largest
Villagers turn out to greet visitors in Kaya Merah village. Weird and beautiful lined nembrotha nudibranch can be found (below). To see more photos visit S/V Ocelot’s Facebook page (svOcelot). PHOTOS FROM SUE HACKING fish. The fishermen will feed the whale shark handfuls of bait fish to keep the whale shark circling back for more. Mid-afternoon sun burns hot on this coast of Papua, but the rays are welcome after a morning spent in the sea. Today’s highlights were two 5-foot tasseled wobbegong sharks, fields of orange soft corals, and the spotting of two new nudibranchs. We wave to a passing longboat that has come to the cove for fresh water from the spring. Tomorrow we sail for Tual in the southern Malukus, re-entering the hubbub of southern Indonesia. But
Papuan smiles, bird song, the fragrance of jasmine on the night air, and the quiet of jungle-clad mountains over pristine coral reefs will beckon our return. Sue Hacking is a writer based on her 48-foot catamaran Ocelot. She has been sailing the world with her husband and children since December 2001. They have spent the past eight years cruising Indonesia and Southeast Asia. To read more, visit hackingfamily.com. Comments on this story are welcome at editorial@the-triton.com.
July 2015 B11
B12 July 2015
FROM THE TECH FRONT: Rules of the Road
www.the-triton.com
The Triton
Certificate, insurance, money to be required for some waters RULES, from page B1
financial security to cover the costs of wreck removal. In conjunction with can potentially endanger other vessels the financial means, the WRC provides and their crews. Second, depending those affected countries with a means on the nature of the cargo, there is of direct action against insurers. the potential for a wreck to cause To show proof of insurance, any substantial damage to the marine vessel, including yachts of 300 gross and coastal environments. Third, in tons and greater, must obtain a Wreck an age where goods and services are Removal Convention Certificate becoming increasingly expensive, there (WRCC). Normally, this certificate is is a concern with the costs involved obtained from the vessel’s flag state. in the proper marking and removal of However, there are a limited number hazardous wrecks. of nations that have signed the Like most international regulations Convention. These include Antigua issued by the IMO, the contents of the and Barbuda, Bulgaria, Congo, Cook Convention are extensive. The major Islands, Denmark, Germany, India, topics covered include: Iran, Liberia, Malaysia, Malta, Marshall l reporting and locating ships and Islands, Morocco, Nigeria, Palau, wrecks, covering the reporting of Tuvalu, and the United Kingdom. casualties to the nearest coastal state, So what does this mean for a yacht? warnings to mariners and coastal The nations listed above require that states about the wreck, and action by any applicable vessel flying their flag the coastal state to locate the ship or and those vessels visiting their waters wreck; must have a WRCC. l criteria for determining the hazard If your yacht is visiting one of these posed by wrecks, including depth of countries, but your flag state has not water above the yet adopted the wreck, proximity Convention and of shipping routes, is not issuing the If your yacht is traffic density WRCC, do not panic. visiting one of these and frequency, Several of these flags type of traffic countries, but your have established a and vulnerability system for obtaining flag state has not of port facilities. the WRCC through yet adopted the Environmental them, for a fee. Convention and is criteria such as From research, the damage likely to not issuing the WRCC, easiest and lowest result from the cost option appears do not panic. Several release into the to be Liberia. The of these flags have marine environment entire application of cargo or oil are process is offered established a system also included; electronically. Visit for obtaining the l measures its website at www. WRCC through them, to facilitate the liscr.com. removal of wrecks, for a fee. Currently, including rights enforcement is not Visit its website at and obligations to at a heightened level. www.liscr.com. remove hazardous However, as more ships and wrecks, parties adopt the which sets out when Convention, this the ship owner is will change. It is responsible for removing the wreck and recommended that captains coordinate when a government may intervene; with their hull insurance carriers to l liability of the ship owner for ensure that this new regulation is the costs of locating, marking and addressed. removing ships and wrecks. The registered ship owner is required to Capt. Jake DesVergers is chief surveyor maintain compulsory insurance or for International Yacht Bureau (IYB), other financial security to cover liability an organization that provides flag-state under the convention; and inspection services to yachts on behalf l settlement of disputes. of several administrations. A deck As previously stated, the WRC officer graduate of the U.S. Merchant provides a legal basis for coastal states Marine Academy at Kings Point, he to remove, or have removed, from their previously sailed as master on merchant coastlines, wrecks that pose a hazard ships, acted as designated person for to the safety of navigation or to the a shipping company, and served as marine and coastal environments, or regional manager for an international both. classification society. Contact him at +1 The Convention makes ship owners 954-596-2728 or www.yachtbureau.org. financially liable. It requires them to Comments on this column are welcome possess insurance or provide other at editorial@the-triton.com.
The Triton
www.the-triton.com
TECHNOLOGY BRIEFS
Ethanol alternative named; folding RIB out, toilet debuts Engine manufacturers from across the recreational boating industry have identified biobutanol as a suitable and safe alternative biofuel to ethanol, which damages numerous types of engines. For the past five years, the National Marine Manufacturers Association (NMMA) and the American Boat and Yacht Council (ABYC), under the direction and guidance of the U.S. Department of Energy and Argonne National Laboratory, have evaluated the performance of recreational marine engines operated on fuel containing up to 16 percent biobutanol. The U.S. Congress has mandated a Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) that requires 36 billion gallons of renewable fuel to be blended into the gasoline supply by 2022. Methods to increase renewable fuels in the gasoline supply have primarily focused on ethanol. Multiple reports show that ethanol blends greater than 10 percent cause significant damage to marine engines. Biobutanol does not phase separate in the presence of water like ethanol does. Phase separation occurs when water is introduced and ethanol separates from gasoline, forming two separate solutions. An engine won’t run on the ethanol solution, which sinks to the bottom of the tank and is corrosive. Biobutanol has a higher energy content compared to ethanol and has caused no performance-related issues in marine engines. Consumer availability of biobutanol fuel blends is not expected for a couple of years, the NMMA said in a statement. For more information on biobutanol, visit the U.S. Department of Energy Alternative Fuels Data Center at www. afdc.energy.gov, hover over “Fuels and Vehicles” and click on “Emerging Fuels.”
Winboat offers foldable RIBs in U.S. Russia-based Winboat has begun offering its fully foldable RIBs in the United States. The design merges the compact properties of an inflatable boat with the performance of a classic rigid inflatable boat. Winboat foldable RIBs can be assembled and inflated in less than 10 minutes.
Constructed with a fiberglass, Vshaped hull and flexible tubes, the first prototypes were made in 2004. Winboat’s boats range from 9 to 15 feet and come with a 5-year warranty on the hull and 3 years for the other components. Boats are made with nondegrading German PVC and S-grade fiberglass. The boat’s design and folding mechanism are patented worldwide and are CE certified by IMSI. For more information, visit winboat. net.
Carbon fiber toilet debuts
Michigan-based Thetford Marine has introduced the short version of its Tecma X-Light carbon fiber toilets. Each toilet is hand-crafted of pre-preg carbon fiber for maximum rigidity and low weight, 15.4 pounds; the X-Light Short is 14.6 pounds and 13 inches high.
Like all Tecma toilets, the macerator unit and clog-resistant turbine are selfcontained. For more information, visit www. thetfordmarine.com.
KVH to distribute Fleet services
Inmarsat and KVH Industries began a reciprocal distribution agreement under which KVH is a global distributor of Inmarsat’s Fleet One and FleetBroadband services, and Inmarsat is a distributor for KVH’s Videotel Basic Training Package for all vessel types and NEWSlink newspapers for leisure and non-passenger merchant vessels. Both agreements are non-exclusive. Fleet One is a voice and data service. Videotel’s Basic Training Package offers training on subjects including basic firefighting, coping with hazardous weather and entry into enclosed spaces. NEWSlink is a portfolio of more than 75 publications in 17 languages delivered daily by e-mail. “KVH is happy to see more of Inmarsat’s customers gaining access to our NEWSlink news and Videotel training content, which are already used by more than 20,000 maritime vessels,” said Martin Kits van Heyningen, KVH CEO. “KVH has sold Inmarsat’s maritime services to our customers around the world for nearly 20 years, and we’re pleased to become a global distributor for the new Fleet One services.”
July 2015 B13
B14 July 2015
CALENDAR OF EVENTS
www.the-triton.com
The Triton
Check out regattas, tournaments, shows on the summer list EVENT OF MONTH July 1 Triton networking Marina 84 Sports Bar and Grill Ft. Lauderdale. Join The Triton for casual networking over conversation, snacks and beverages, No RSVP required. Networking on the first Wednesday of every month. www.the-triton.com
July 2-5 26th Superyacht Rendezvous
Montenegro, Porto Montenegro. Social events for sailing and motoryachts. superyachtrendezvous.com
July 9 Triton Bridge luncheon, noon,
Ft. Lauderdale. A roundtable discussion of the issues of the day for yacht captains. RSVP to Editor Lucy Reed at lucy@the-triton.com or 954-525-0029. Space is limited.
July 9-11 Solar 1 Solar Grand Prix
Monaco. Event for solar boat world championships. www.solar1races.com
July 11 IYRS Summer Gala,
Newport, R.I. Annual event at IYRS, an experiential school with a core education model dedicated to teaching technical and craft-oriented career skills. iyrs.org
July 15 No Triton networking for the
third Wednesday during July. Join us on the first Wednesday of August. www.the-triton.com
July 15-19 12th annual Cape Panwa Hotel Phuket raceweek. Yachts race off Phuket’s east coast. www.
phuketraceweek.com
July 25 Annual Lionfish Bash, Coconut Grove, Miami. Charity fishing event to raise money and awareness for the spinal cord injured community and eradicate invasive species. woodyfoundation.org
July 29, The Marshall Islands Registry
(IRI) crew networking, Ft. Lauderdale. The event, hosted by the Marshall Islands Registry/IRI, is open to all crew and industry professionals at Waxy O’Connor’s from 5-7 p.m. Register-iri. com.
July 30-Aug. 3 48th Sydney
International Boat Show, Glebe Island and Darling Harbour, Sydney, Australia. www.sydneyboatshow.com.au
July 31-Aug. 1 Seven Seas Cruising Association Gam, Islesboro, Maine. This organization for cruisers holds regular informative and social gatherings around the world. See schedule at www.ssca.org.
Aug. 5 Triton networking (the first
Wednesday of every month) with IGY in Ft. Lauderdale from 6-8 p.m. Stay tuned to www.the-triton.com for details.
Aug. 8-15 Cowes Week, Isle Of Wight. One of the UK’s longest running sporting events with up to 40 daily races for up to 1,000 boats. www. aamcowesweek.co.uk
Aug. 14 11th annual Ida Lewis
Distance Race Newport, R.I. Features 104 and 177nm race courses in Narragansett Bay. www.ildistancerace. org
Aug. 14 Newport Yacht Rendezvous. Events include dinner, dancing and superyacht hop. www. newportyachtrendezvous.com
Aug. 19 No Triton networking for the
third Wednesday during August. Join us on the first Wednesday of September. Stay tuned to www.the-triton.com for location details.
MAKING PLANS Sept. 23-26 25th edition of the Monaco Yacht Show, Monaco
This year’s show to add extra berths and reorganized exhibition area for 115 yachts from 25-100m (including 40 new launches, 500 exhibits and 34,000 visitors. www. monacoyachtshow.com
The Triton
www.the-triton.com SPOTTED: Bahamas, Nantucket, Wyoming
Triton Spotters Where have you taken your Triton lately? Whether reading on your laptop, tablet, smart phone or in print, show us how you get your crew news.
Send photos to editorial@the-triton.com.
Chef Peter Ziegelmeier shows off his Triton in the Exumas, too, this time at the Drunken Duck Pub at the Sandals resort on Emerald Bay.
Matt Rosenberg, the guy who makes the blue diamond plate cover guard with Bainbridge International, kicked off a recent Sunday morning in May at the Nantucket Boat Basin Capt. Deb Radtke of American Yacht Agents carried her Triton with her to during Figawi Race Weekend with deliver parts at Black Point in the Exumas in the Bahamas, which now is the closest airport to Staniel Cay. some Triton news.
Capt. John Wampler was on assignment for Sea Ray Corp. in June teaching a Hollywood VIP client how to operate a 2015 Sea Ray 310 Sundancer on Jackson Lake in the Grand Teton National Park in Wyoming.
July 2015 B15
C Section
Network with The Triton June event with AME; July visits Marina 84 Sports Bar. C2,3
July 2015
Break up the beverages Focus on food is not always the culprit in weight gain. C4
Lay it all out Experience, job description are key in chef salary talks. C5
TRITON SURVEY: Brokers
Yacht captains positive on brokers in sale, but offer advice Captains have suggested for years that we conduct a survey about brokers. ON BOARD: Most captains have dealt with brokers during their careers and the Usually, they have had a negative majority of interactions are positive. But that doesn’t mean they don’t have experience and wanted to vent. We’ve TRITON FILE PHOTO suggestions for better relations. resisted since we didn’t want it to the experience they had with brokers different brokerage houses on the same become a way to beat was mostly good. When we asked yacht, one good, the other mediocre,” up on this necessary our respondents to elaborate on their said a captain in yachting more than 15 part of the industry. answer, we got a lot of “mostly good, years. “Communication is paramount, But I’ve recently but…” and respect.” been asked to “Other than making too much “A lot depends on the owner and his moderate a panel of Triton Survey money for doing so little, lack of notice relationship with the broker,” said a Lucy Chabot Reed captains at a brokers for showings, etc., and general lack of captain in yachting more than 30 years. seminar in Ft. appreciation, the experience has been “It only takes one bad experience to sour Lauderdale. Suggested by an innovative OK,” said a captain in yachting more one’s view of the whole group.” and by most accounts enlightened than 25 years. “I’ve had several experiences with broker, it seemed like a great way to get “I picked ‘mostly good’ but the reality brokers; some are extremely helpful with the two sides to understand each other a is it depends greatly on the broker,” the captains but other ones didn’t care little more. said a captain in yachting more than 30 at all,” said a captain in yachting more The relationship captains have with years. “In my case, maybe 60/40, good to than 10 years. “I strongly believe that to brokers is complex and may touch many frustrating.” optimize a sale and do it smooth, the facets of a captain’s yachting career, “I have been fortunate to have a long communication between parties should including finding a job. But in an effort be excellent for the benefit of sellers and to focus the conversation, we asked buyers.” about just one slice of it, where captains Do brokers give you enough Still, one in five of our respondents and brokers interact to sell a vessel. said the experience of selling a yacht notice before a showing? (And we purposefully left out the big was mostly bad. ingredient of a gratuity after the sale. “Basically setting up a 24/7/365 That’s a whole other survey.) scenario where the captain will be We started simply by asking Have Rarely available to show the yacht to unyou ever been involved with a broker 14% qualified tire kickers who often never and a yacht for sale? show up for viewings, often after the All but one of the 78 captains who yacht has been prepared for showing took this month’s survey have been on Sundays,” said a captain in yachting Usually 53% involved in the sale of a yacht. more than 10 years. “Broker often absent “It takes a well developed and Sometimes and asking captain to show vessel. A cohesive team to effectively sell a yacht 33% few brokers insist on doing their job as – owner, broker and captain (and professionals. My sincere respect for his crew) – and to present a unified them is acknowledged here.” front to a prospective buyer,” said a “There are some great brokers out captain in yachting more than 10 years. there but many are just marine used car “This shows the buyer this vessel has salesmen,” said a captain in yachting professionals involved with it and makes more than 25 years. “They don’t care a positive impression rather than a relationship with an excellent broker,” what it takes to sell the boat as long as negative one.” said a captain in yachting more than 30 they get their commission.” In general, how would you rate years. “Most deals, of course, involve a “There’s good and bad to the that experience? seller’s and a buyer’s broker, and some experience,” said one captain in After all the complaining we’ve heard can be difficult.” yachting more than 30 years who didn’t from captains over the years, we were “I have been involved with two See SURVEY, page C8 surprised to learn that 80 percent said
Meals stir memories Cowboy stew and breakfast for dinner tap into pasts. C6-7
Kid baggage: Keep first aid, food safety, allergies on list Summer is here and that means the summer charter season is at hand. Kids and summer are synonymous, and the yachting world sees a lot of kids from June to August. Whether it is the owner’s children or grandchildren or charter guests, school is out and kids are Stew Cues on the go. Alene Keenan Child safety is a concern everywhere, but especially on a boat. I spoke to a few yachties about their take on how to deal with kids onboard so everyone is safe and secure and happy, and each group had insight to share. I interviewed stews, deckhands, engineers and captains. Every stew I spoke with listed first aid, food safety, and allergies as items of concern. While preference sheets and notes on family members will list food preferences and allergies, it is up to the stews to make sure that safe conditions are in place for the littlest guests, too. Stews are on the front line to monitor what kids eat and take care of any bumps and bruises they collect. Accidents can happen in a split second and stews need to be aware of areas of concern. One boat that I worked on had a sliding door between the stew pantry and the dining room that was operated by a foot control. An 18-month-old child on board managed to slip away from the nanny, open the door and get his little hand lodged between the door and the frame as it was opening. Luckily a stew noticed what was happening and was able to stop the door in time to prevent a severe injury. The poor nanny was upset,
See STEW, page C12
C July 2015 TRITON NETWORKING: Advanced Mechanical Enterprises
W
e celebrated a second Cinco de Mayo this year with networking on the first Wednesday of June in Ft. Lauderdale. About 200 yacht captains, crew and industry professionals joined The Triton and Advanced Mechanical Enterprises for a night of meeting new contacts and seeing old friends over spicy treats and cold beverages. PHOTOS/DORIE COX/LUCY REED
www.the-triton.com
The Triton
The Triton
www.the-triton.com
TRITON NETWORKING: Marina 84 Sports Bar and Grill
Join a sporting good time at Marina 84’s Triton networking Yacht captains, crew and industry professionals are invited to join Triton networking with Marina 84 Sports Bar and Grill on July 1. Centrally located for the yacht industry, this is an opportunity to gather on Marina Mile Boulevard in Ft. Lauderdale. The Triton hosts regular first Wednesday of the Pandey month networking, but there will not be an event on the occasional third Wednesday in July. Learn more about Marina 84 Sports Bar and Grill from president of Kanti Group, Rajiv Pandey. Q. What should crew know about Marina84 Sports Bar and Grill? Marina 84 Sports Bar & Grill is the first in a series of Ft. Lauderdale restaurants and bars created by The Kanti Group, a hospitality and business development company. The concept is set to expand throughout South Florida. Marina 84 Sports Bar and Grill is a unique sports bar with the ambiance of a gastropub. We offer a huge variety of handcrafted burgers and wings with a wide selection of bourbons and craft beers. We also offer hand-muddled cocktails. Q. We’ve heard you cater to yacht crew and the marine industry. Tell us about that. Lunch is served daily from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. starting at $5.99. All marine crew are welcomed with an additional 5 percent discount. For the international crowd, Marina 84 is also proud to be the only sports bar in Ft. Lauderdale selling Dutchy’s Gourmet Sausages’ delicious Boerie
Rolls. We are not shy with the quality of our menu. We also offer a great steak and seafood entrees. Q. You have big TVs, an outdoor area and a pool table, right? Marina 84 offers 40 high definition TVs with the option of indoor or outdoor seating, with personal TVs in each and every booth. So, if you’re looking for a restaurant or sports bar in Ft. Lauderdale, check us out. Q. Yacht crew are quite international. Do you show sports for them? We are the premier sports bar to watch the major sporting events including NFL, NHL, NBA, MLB, soccer and rugby, and we show every game in Ft. Lauderdale. We have entertainment such as karaoke and we host live bands on weekends. We’ll also show the Rugby World Cup. The first game starts Sept. 18 with England versus Fiji. Q. Where are you located? Marina 84 Sports Bar and Grill is located at the southwest corner of I-95 on State Road 84, also known as Marina Mile Boulevard. Q. How should crew find out about specials or events (online, in person, social media? Crew can find events and specials on our web site, at the bar and on our social media pages. Keep up-to-date with what is happening on our Web site at marina84.com, Facebook at www. facebook.com/marina84sportsbargrill, Twitter at twitter.com/marina84sports and Instagram at instagram.com/ marina84. Networking will be July 1 at the restaurant at 2440 W. State Road 84 (Marina Mile Boulevard), Ft. Lauderdale (33312). For more information contact +1 954-734-2424 and visit marina84.com.
The Triton hosts regular first Wednesday, but no third Wednesday networking in July and August.
July 2015 C
C July 2015 NUTRITION: Take It In
www.the-triton.com
The Triton
It’s not what you eat that piles on pounds, it’s what you drink Around dinner time one night, popular sugar-sweetened beverages a friend brags that he hasn’t eaten provide? Sports drinks have about 60 in anything all day. He says it as if it were an 8-ounce or 1-cup serving. This is the something to be proud of, like a badge caloric equivalent of one slice of bread. of honor. Juice-drinks, 100 percent fruit juice What is true is and soft drinks average about 120 that he hasn’t yet calories a cup. Double the serving with chewed anything. popular 16-ounce serving sizes and the He has, however, tally jumps to 240 calories or an eighth drunk six cans of a moderately active woman’s daily of soda: two for calorie needs. breakfast, two Two-percent-fat milk and soy around lunchtime beverages average 120 calories per cup. and another two as Alcoholic beverages can really be in-between-meal calorific. While a 4-ounce glass of Take It In thirst quenchers. red or white wine serves up about Carol Bareuther And he can’t 100 calories and a 12-ounce beer 180 understand why he calories, mixed drinks can provide as doesn’t lose weight. After all, he rations, many or more calories as a candy bar. he only eats one meal a day. An 8-ounce pina colada is 312 calories, Many times, it’s what we drink that a 6.3-ounce margarita is 327 calories can keep us from losing those extra and a 12-ounce mudslide (made with pounds or even contribute to piling on vodka, coffee liqueur, Irish cream and more. vanilla ice cream) Beverages are is 820 calories. big business. The There are global beverage several ways market is forecast to cut excess to reach nearly $1.4 beverage calories. billion by 2017. A switch to diet What is driving this soft drinks may isn’t the traditional sound like a good non-alcoholic idea. However, (coffee, tea, milk research shows and juice) or even that consumption Popular drinks are a big business. alcoholic drinks of these drinks PHOTO/DEAN BARNES (beer and wine). can increase Instead, it’s a flood belly fat through of products specially formulated to fill a mechanism linked to how the the niche for the latest, greatest diet phosphoric acid in these drinks is and culinary trends. Hence, there is a metabolized in our bodies. dizzying array of energy, sports, herbal, The best way that does work is dairy, non-dairy, vitamin-infused and swapping sugar-sweetened beverages sparkling drinks as well as craft beer, for water. Researchers at the Harvard wine coolers and blender mixed drinks. School of Public Health in Boston have What all of these have in common is estimated that replacing just 1 cup of calories. Total calorie consumption and a sweet drink with 1 cup of water each obesity among folks in the developed day leads to 1 pound less in weight gain world has been steadily rising in recent over a four year period. years. This trajectory parallels the Other ways to cut down beverage fast rate we guzzle calorie-containing calories is to reduce portion size. beverages. Too many sugary drinks, it Instead of a 12-ounce juice, choose seems, are making us all bigger. a standard 6-ounce serving and cut Studies show that drinking sugary calories in half. beverages does add inches and piles on Finally, instead of drinking juice, eat the pounds. For example, researchers the fruit. So eat an orange instead of in Spain found that of the 2,000-plus drinking orange juice. The whole fruit subjects they studied, those who upped provides vital fluids and nutrients, plus their intake of soft drinks by an average dietary fiber that keeps you filled up 3 1/2 ounces daily over a decade instead of out. expanded their waistlines by half an Think before you drink to prevent inch or more. unwanted weight gain. If my friend What’s more, research who looked had done that, we would have realized at a mix of nearly 1,000 U.S. Caucasian, those 840 calories from half a dozen Hispanic and African-American adults Cokes provided as many calories as a aged 20 to 39 years found that the full meal. greater the consumption of sugarsweetened beverages, the greater the Carol Bareuther is a registered dietitian likelihood of abdominal as well as total and a regular contributor to The Triton. body obesity. Comments on this column are welcome So, just how many calories do at editorial@the-triton.com.
The Triton
www.the-triton.com
IN THE GALLEY: Culinary Waves
Experience, comparisons, benefits weigh in salary talks The interview went well and the chef. Make sure it is more than that, say captain has made a job offer. What 5 percent or better to start. Document remains is to agree on a salary. Is the what you do with your time onboard. offered salary acceptable? It’s a tough What the captain or owner doesn’t see question to answer. you doing can be a detriment. Maybe We never want to they don’t pay attention, but you do. be underpaid, but Are bonuses offered regularly? Is we don’t want to there a performance-based bonus? Or price ourselves out are there solely tips? If so, what is the of a job, either. chef ’s share of the tips, or is it divided To determine equally? what your salary 5. Get it in writing. Even if the should be, consider position is a trial, that does not give these points: the yacht the liberty to use and abuse Culinary Waves 1. Are you fresh chefs to do more than is reasonable. I Mary Beth out of culinary have seen it happen; it’s happened to Lawton Johnson school or do me. Sure, the chef is expected to pitch you have several in but not to clean the owner’s house years of experience under your belt? or be loaned out to cook for his friends And if you do have experience, is it or clean their houses. If it says the chef just cooking experience or yachting is to perform “duties onboard or where experience? ever the owner deems necessary”, The difference is in the experience. clarify that. Does this mean you will go Chefs new to to his 20-bedroom yachting must mansion and cook Even if the position prove themselves. three meals for is a trial, that does It doesn’t matter his house staff, if you graduated too? (That’s what not give the yacht at the top of your happened to me.) the liberty to use and class. And it doesn’t What exactly abuse chefs to do more are the job’s only matter how well you can cook. requirements? Get than is reasonable. Working and living specific language on a yacht is not for in a contract and everyone and chefs hold them to it, or have to prove they can manage both to ask for more compensation in return. command top-dollar salaries. If you don’t you may find yourself in a 2. Do some research. What do situation that you have set a precedent other chefs on similar-sized and used for and can’t get out of easily. yachts make? Ask around. Perhaps a There are so many options to write captain friend can offer some insight. into a contract. I suggest consulting Fellow chef friends may be honest with a maritime attorney if you are about what they make. A reputable negotiating a large contract. Don’t do and knowledgeable crew agent can let it alone. you know what to expect in a salary 6. Believe in yourself. Have faith in package. your abilities, but know your limits. 3. Besides the money, what else Do you really want that huge yacht does the yacht offer? Insurance? Any with all that extra stress, or can you be perks? One couple I worked for thought happy with six or 12 crew? I remember that riding with them on their private years ago being asked if I would be the jet was a perk. Not meaning to sound second executive chef on a very large ungrateful but that was part of my job yacht. I had to turn down the offer; the as they took me to their estate to cook. pay was not enough. And there was Perks should translate into tangible nothing else offered, either. The hours money, such as 401(k) programs, stock were too long and I had no culinary options, paid long weekends, a car, a freedom onboard to show what I could per diem for meals. What about carryreally do. over vacation time for those seasons Sure, it might look good on a resume when we can’t use it? One yacht I but we have to be happy, too, not just worked on was so busy that we could the owner. Through hard work and not take vacation for several years. The determination, you can be the best chef owner paid us for that vacation time. It in yachting, but don’t forget to bring really added up. your calculator to champion your cause Think outside of the box. Perhaps as to why you deserve more. you live far away from where the yacht travels. Will the owner pay for a plane Mary Beth Lawton Johnson is a certified ticket home once a year? Twice? executive pastry chef and Chef de 4. Negotiate your raise structure. Cuisine and has worked on yachts for A simple bump such as the standard more than 25 years. Comments on this of living increase is not acceptable in column are welcome at editorial@theterms of a raise for crew, much less as triton.com.
July 2015 C
C July 2015 IN THE GALLEY: Crew Mess
www.the-triton.com
The Triton
Cowboy Stew Every once in a while, I get an assignment that makes me say, “what the …?” I received a call last week from the vice president of marketing of Sea Ray Corp. in Knoxville, Tenn. He had a Hollywood VIP client who needed instruction in two days on a Sea Ray 310 that was being trucked from California to Jackson Hole, Wy. Jackson Lake, 45 miles north of Jackson Hole, is a 15-mile-long, high altitude (6,774 feet) lake that parallels the base of the Grand Teton Mountains. The boating was beautiful, but what I really enjoyed on this trip was the food. Buffalo burgers. Elk tips fondue. Venison tenderloin. The food took me back to my childhood when I spent summers on my grandparents’ two cattle ranches in Wyoming. It is with this memory that I present Cowboy Stew. If you don’t have a cast iron skillet, a casserole dish will do just fine. Ingredients: 1 pound cubed stew meat 2 tsp meat tenderizer (non-MSG) 2 Tbsp dried sage 1 (14.5 ounce) can chicken broth 1 (10.75 ounce) can condensed cream of chicken soup 1 envelope dry onion soup mix 1 (16 ounce) package frozen stew vegetables
1 (10 ounce) can crescent dinner rolls In a large cast iron skillet over medium-high heat, sprinkle the meat tenderizer over the meat and cook until browned. Drain off any excess juices. In a small bowl, mix the sage, chicken broth, soup and soup mix. Pour over the meat, reducing heat to medium low, and simmer for 45 minutes. Preheat the oven to 350° F. Add frozen stew vegetables to the skillet and simmer 10 minutes more. Unroll the crescent dough and arrange over the stew in a pie shape. Bake in preheated oven for 15 minutes, or until crust is golden brown. Remove from oven and serve. Yelling yee-haw is optional. Enjoy, JW Capt. John Wampler has worked on yachts for more than 25 years. He’s created a repertoire of quick, tasty meals for crew to prepare for themselves to give the chef a break. Contact him through www.yachtaide. com. Comments on this column are welcome at editorial@the-triton.com.
The Triton
www.the-triton.com
IN THE GALLEY: Top Shelf
July 2015 C
Breakfast for dinner
Sweet pea, dill egg white and goat cheese frittata-filled potato rosti loaf I grew up with a working mom. Correction: I grew up with a magician, a woman who made time for everything and then some. As an adult, I am still extremely boggled as to how she got everything done. But even those with superhuman abilities run out of time, and when she got home late from the office, breakfast for dinner was served. We loved it, every time, which wasn’t often. Something resonated in me of late. Maybe I was feeling nostalgic in the middle of a charter or maybe I just felt like my Ma’s cooking. Whatever it was, this little number was the result.
Stripped to the bone, you can look at this recipe as a kind of vessel – the rosti loaf. The stuffing/accompaniment possibilities are truly endless, as long as you add a low-moisture-yielding “stuffer”, you will be golden. Pictured is a home “comfort food” approach, but stuffed with shrimp, lobster and crab meat and served with a filet mignon … . As I said, the possibilities are endless. Ingredients: 1/3 cup coconut oil, slightly heated 1/4 pound pancetta, chopped 1 red onion, finely diced 1 large can cannellini beans 1/2 cup chicken stock 3 Tbsp. tomato paste 1/2 cup Hoisin sauce Salt and pepper 8 Yukon potatoes, peeled, grated and starch squeezed out). 4 garlic cloves, crushed 1 Tbsp. dried thyme 1 tsp. chili pepper flakes 1 1/2 cups egg whites 1/3 cup goat cheese 1/4 cup fresh dill, chopped 1 cup frozen sweet peas, thawed 1/2 cup mozzarella, shredded
In a heavy-bottomed pot set at medium-high, drizzle a teaspoon of coconut oil and add the pancetta. Cook for 15 minutes, until most of its fat has rendered and it starts to become crispy. Add the diced onions and saute for 5 minutes. Add the cannellini beans and chicken stock, and simmer for 10 minutes. Add the tomato paste and hoisin sauce. Reduce to a simmer, stirring occasionally while you start the rosti. Grease a mini loaf pan tray (with 10 segmented loaves; muffin tray could be used) with Pam, butter or oil, and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Heat the oven to 375 degrees F, on convection bake. Squeeze out the starch from the grated potatoes and add them to a mixing bowl. Add crushed garlic, thyme, pepper flakes, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Mix thoroughly. Grab a handful of potato and make a rough rectangle in your hand, a little bigger than the allotted loaf pan size. Place the pressed potato in the pan, and mold it to its shape, pressing the potato so 1/2-inch is sticking out the top of the mold. Drizzle with coconut
oil. Using a pastry brush works great for getting an even coat. Repeat this for all molds and place in the oven for 30-35 minutes, or until the rostis are brown and crispy. In a mixing bowl, add the egg whites, goat cheese and dill. Whisk until incorporated and all lumps are removed. Stir in peas, salt and pepper. Evenly spoon the egg mixture among the loaves and top with mozzarella. Place back in the oven for 15 minutes, or until egg whites have cooked. To plate, spoon a decent amount of the beans in the center of the plate, topped with a frittata loaf. I served it with a french baguette, sliced red onions and basil. Enjoy. Mark Godbeer, a culinary-trained chef from South Africa, has been professionally cooking for more than 10 years on yachts (chefmarkgodbeer. com). Comments on this recipe are welcome at editorial@the-triton.com.
C July 2015 TRITON SURVEY: Brokers and the sale
Have you been involved with brokers and a yacht for sale? No 1%
How would you rate that experience?
www.the-triton.com
Do you create a relationship with the listing broker?
Do you want the listing broker there during a showing?
No 4% Mostly bad 20%
No 16% Sort of 38%
Yes 99%
The Triton
Mostly good 80%
Yes 58%
Yes 84%
Captains often sell themselves out of a job; not paid for showings sURVEY, from page C1 choose an answer. “The bad being that captains do all the physical acts involved in a sale: preparing for a showing, demonstrating equipment, sea trials, and the toughest part of going through the survey and list of recommendations, polishing all the while. And then comes acceptance, delivery and training new crew/owner. All the while, Mr. Fancy Pants stands on the sideline telling you he’s going to buy you a beer when all is said and done. “The good being that owners often offer an incentive to remain through the sale,” this captain said. “I know some stand-up brokers do, but often conveniently forget or are unavailable.” With there being two sides to a sale, we started with the listing broker, the one who presumably knows the owner, captain and yacht. Do you create a relationship with the listing broker? More than half – 58 percent – said they do, that it’s helpful for the sale to get to know the broker well. “Brokers need to remember that
captains will help wherever they can because the owner wants the boat sold,” said a captain in yachting more than 25 years. “However, the captain works for the owner, not the broker, and as such represents the owner’s interests, not the broker’s.” And most of the rest – 38 percent – said “sort of ”, acknowledging that they work together professionally but they don’t really create a relationship. Just 4 percent said that creating a relationship was unnecessary, that each has his own job to do. When it’s time to show a vessel, we were curious if listing brokers helped, so we asked Do you want the listing broker there during a showing? Most – 84 percent – said yes, but they fell in two categories: those who felt strongly that the listing broker should be there and those who didn’t think it was required but that it was a good idea. “First of all, it’s his job to sell the boat,” said a captain of more than 20 years. “We are not paid a commission for doing this and may very well be selling ourselves out of a job by doing
so. Being helpful and cooperative is one thing, but too often there is not a recognition from the broker that ceasing corrective or routine maintenance to set up the boat for a showing takes time. While this is often a necessary event, the least the broker can do is to show up to personally conduct the showing.” “The owner expects it,” said a captain of more than 30 years. “The captain is too detail oriented and can say things better left to the broker to explain.” “One hundred percent there for every showing,” said a captain of more than 20 years. “They are being paid huge fees to sell the vessel, so be there. But, with that being said, the captain and crew can make or break any showing by the way the product is presented to a buyer. So the broker better have a good relationship with the owner, captain, crew, and vessel manager because it truly takes the entire team to put a sale together on some of these super yachts.” “The broker is getting the commission, not the captain and crew,”
said a captain of more than 35 years. “The captain and crew are there to compliment the broker but not do his job.” “They represent the owner and have a contract to sell the vessel,” said a captain of more than 15 years. “They should be handling the showing.” “What else do they do for their commission?” said a captain of more than 25 years. “Of course they should be there. A listing and a little advertising is not enough for the commission amounts.” Many of these captains didn’t think the listing broker needed to be there, but felt it was a good idea. “I don’t really care either way,” said a captain in the industry more than 10 years. “But I think they should be because they made a commitment to my boss to sell the boat.” “Not necessary for listing broker to be there, but if there is an issue with what you did or did not say to the potential buyer, it helps that there is a witness,” said a captain in yachting
See sURVEY, page C9
The Triton
www.the-triton.com
TRITON SURVEY: Brokers and the sale
Do you give tours and answer questions?
July 2015 C
Has a listing broker ever helped Do buyer’s brokers preview the Do brokers ever show up with you get the boat ready? boat? a client unannounced?
No 3%
Never 6%
Sometimes 29%
Yes 16%
Yes 30% Yes 69%
No 70%
Rarely 21%
No 42% Sometimes 57%
Yes 58%
Captain, crew can make or break a deal; duty to owner is main guide sURVEY, from page C9 more than 35 years. “For the first showing, yes, but after that the buyer is looking for more information and 99 percent of the time the captain will know the answer, not the broker,” said a captain in yachting more than 25 years. Those who said no, 16 percent of our respondents, agreed that the listing broker can make the showing awkward. “Having the listing broker present can make the buyer’s broker nervous,” said a captain in yachting more than 15 years. “The buying broker does not want his client to be influenced by anyone other than himself,” said a captain in yachting more than 35 years. Do you participate in the showings by giving tours and answering questions? The majority – 69 percent – said yes, and 29 percent more said they do but it depends on the broker. “It’s his job to answer the tough questions or not; it’s my job to assist and only answer questions when asked, go over with the broker the pitch he will be making and support him,” said a captain in yachting more than 30 years. “Tell him straight off you are not going to mislead anyone or not be honest.” Just 3 percent of our respondents said they do not give tours or answer questions during a showing. One of the most conflicts between captains and brokers is the belief that the listing broker doesn’t do much to sell the boat, other than create a sales listing and brochure. So we wondered Has a listing broker ever helped you get the boat ready for a showing or for sale? Perhaps the broker has brought beverages or flowers to the boat, or maybe made a case with the owner to hire some dayworkers to help with maintenance. Seventy percent said no broker had ever done anything to help get the boat ready for a sale, leaving about 30 percent who had brokers who did. “The brokers should advise the owners about a fair severance package
or handover fee,” said a captain in yachting more than 15 years. And finally, when it comes to listing brokers, we asked this openended question: From a captain’s perspective, what could listing brokers do better? The most common response – mentioned by more than half of captains – was to communicate better about showings and cancellations. “Make sure there is always reasonable notice for a showing,” said a captain in yachting more than 35 years. “Reasonable depends on what the boat has been doing the past few days, the number of crew, etc. A minimum of 24 hours, and maybe don’t expect a perfect boat with that.” “Be more realistic with time frames to show a boat,” said a captain in yachting more than 25 years. “Don’t call me on a Sunday at 6 p.m. and ask to have another broker show the boat at 7 p.m. and you need the boat opened up and the entire outside uncovered and I have one crew member on watch.” “Try to give at least 48 hours notice if the yacht will be visited by a serious buyer,” said a captain in yachting more than 15 years. “Often we will have maintenance going on, and a yacht should be at its best when being shown.” “Often they will cancel and not tell you,” said a captain in yachting more than 30 years. “A showing stops the regular day-to-day work and costs the owner. If the broker is a no-show, it wastes everyone’s money and effort. If the client cancels, have the decency to take 5 minutes and call the crew. Most brokers don’t bother.” “Be on time or arrive earlier than the client for a briefing with the captain,” said a captain in yachting more than 10 years. The next most common suggestion was to have listing brokers more involved with the crew and more knowledgeable about the boat. “Help with some of the work, not just show up and try and sell the boat,” said a captain in yachting more than 30 years. “Do you know how many
times at the shows brokers show up 2 minutes before the show and say ‘let’s sell a boat’? This is after all the real work has been done.” “Take time to fully understand the boat properly and all the little things that make that particular boat special,” said a captain in yachting more than 35 years. “Stop misleading or flat out lying to potential clients about the vessel’s abilities, true operating costs and manning, and asking crew to ‘just go along with it’,” said a captain in yachting more than 20 years. And they want to be treated with respect. “The captain can make or break a sale,” said a captain in yachting more than 35 years. “Just treat us as professionals, not slaves.” We shifted gears here and asked a few questions about the buyer’s broker. Do they ever show up ahead of time, without a buyer, to preview the boat? About three-quarters said they sometimes (57 percent) or always (16 percent) do. Most of the rest – 21 percent – said they rarely do. Just 6 percent said they never do. “Brokers are generally lazy (I know that is painting with a wide brush, but ...),” said a captain in yachting more than 20 years. “They want an obvious listing to copy and want the skipper or crew to provide information instead of really inspecting the vessel. We only deal with the central broker, and still get poor or inaccurate information. I’ve personally had to correct listings several times, items listed that are not on the vessel or structural errors in description, etc. The days of a broker coming aboard and making copious notes and then asking for updates, equipment details, etc.? I’ve not seen it the last 4-5 years.” Do you expect the buyer’s broker to know the boat in detail? Most – 53 percent – didn’t think it was crucial but did agree that it would help with the sale. Much of the rest – 34 percent – said
yes, it is a broker’s job to know the boats they show. “They should know their product as well as we do,” said a captain in yachting more than 25 years. “They are selling it and getting paid, not us.” About 13 percent said no, the buyer’s broker didn’t need to know the boat because that was the captain’s job. Do brokers ever show up with a client unannounced? After hearing that timing is the biggest issue with listing brokers, we were surprised that the answer to this question was as balanced as it was. About 58 percent said buyer’s brokers will show up unannounced; 42 percent said they don’t Do brokers give you enough notice before a showing? Again, we were surprised at the general civility of the responses here, considering this issue of notice is important to captains. The biggest group – 53 percent of respondents – said brokers usually give enough notice. And a third more said they sometimes do. “Sometimes they don’t respect all the time and work it takes to get ready to show a vessel,” said a captain in yachting more than 30 years. “They just call and say I’m coming.” The remaining 14 percent said they rarely do. “They think captains are their personal slaves on 5-minute call 24/7, and they have great difficulty with the truth,” said a captain in yachting more than 35 years. It’s worth noting that none of the respondents chose “yes, always” when it came to brokers giving enough notice. We wrapped up the section about buyer’s brokers with this openended question: From a captain’s perspective, what could buyer’s brokers do better? This time, responses were more diverse. The largest group of captains (34 percent) wanted the buyer’s brokers to be more knowledgeable not only about the boat, but also about their
See sURVEY, page C10
C10 July 2015 TRITON SURVEY: Brokers and the sale
www.the-triton.com
The Triton
Know your boat, understand client, schedule visit; tell the truth sURVEY, from page C9 own clients. “Provide a description of what his client is looking for,” said a captain in yachting more than 10 years. “This would prevent a 5-minute showing. Again, do your job and don’t just play the law of averages game for your commission. You owe this to your client.” “Preview the boat prior to showing it to make sure it fits the buyer’s criteria, assuming they know it,” said a captain in yachting more than 25 years. “Generally, they do a decent job, but honestly they could do their job better by putting them in a good boat,” said a captain in yachting more than 25 years. “Not selling them just anything they may fancy.” “Know what he/she is selling and
be honest,” said a captain in yachting more than 10 years. “There is no point in selling the wrong boat to the wrong person. Nobody comes out well in the end, including the broker.” “Speak to his client about what he really wants,” said a captain in yachting more than 15 years. “Quite often it is a waste of my time and the client’s time as the boat does not fit the client’s requests.” And as they suggested for listing brokers, captains wanted more notice on showings, a courtesy phone call when a client cancels, and more communication. “Touch base with a phone call 48 hours before a showing, rather than 24 hours,” said a captain in yachting more than 15 years. “It makes planning to stop maintenance and start detailing much easier.”
“Show more respect by actually showing up and not blowing us off,” said a captain in yachting more than 25 years. “Show up on time as well. We have things to do and we are on the owner’s dime, not yours.” But the third largest group wanted the buyer’s broker to stop suggesting unrealistic operating budgets and manning levels. “Have had trouble with them lowballing estimates on crew, wages, etc., to try to make the buyer think it will cost less than it does to own the boat,” said a captain in yachting more than 35 years. “Not feed their client a load of crap regarding the vessel, like extremely low operating costs just to facilitate the sale, or ‘you can run this boat with four crew’ when manning requirements call for seven. Stop embellishing things just
During a sale, do you feel you are putting yourself out of a job? Yes 14%
No 22%
It’s part of the business 64%
to line your pockets. Be honest.” “Captains are put in a difficult position where they are encouraged to go along with the broker’s exaggerations regarding running costs, crew levels and generally failing to manage the buyer’s expectations,” said a captain in yachting more than 15 years. Beyond the interaction with brokers, we were curious about another obvious piece of the sales picture where captains are concerned. As you prepare a yacht for showings and sale, do you feel as though you are preparing for the end of your job? Nearly two-thirds of captains said they do feel this way but it’s OK because it’s just part of yachting. “It’s part of the business and inconveniences are sometimes unavoidable,” said a captain in yachting more than 20 years. “A healthy dose of consideration and patience from both sides will help the process.” “Almost every yacht I have ever run was for sale,” said a captain in yachting more than 30 years. “It’s part of the job, so help as much as you can. There will be another one if you do right by the owner and boat. I have been given bonuses from broker and owner for my help in the sale.” Twenty-two percent more said they don’t usually feel this way, that they often will stay with the owner even after a sale. Fourteen percent said they do feel like they are putting themselves out of a job and that it’s the pits. “Unless they tell me directly they either want me to stay on until the boat sells or they are going to be actively looking for another boat and they want me to stay, then I start looking as soon as I get the word,” said a captain in yachting more than 30 years. “Clean it up. Drop it off. Next.” “It is tricky because to help sell a boat means the crew have worked themselves out of a job,” said a captain in yachting more than 25 years. “The solution is the crew often receive 1 percent of the sale price split between
See sURVEY, page C11
The Triton
www.the-triton.com
TRITON SURVEY: Brokers and the sale
Try offering crew a percentage for a win/win scenario for all sURVEY, from page C10 the broker and the owner. This turns a lose/win to a win/win. Besides, if the crew is motivated to help with the sale, the boat will sell for more money and quicker.” Several captains had a few kind words for the brokers they have worked with. “I had an excellent working relationship with my last listing broker,” said a captain in yachting more than 35 years who noted his experience with brokers has been mostly good. “With an absentee owner, it was also nice to have him as a third party reporting to the owner all the effort I was doing on the owner’s behalf.” “I have endured over 80 showings
as first mate, engineer and captain resulting in four sales,” said a captain in yachting more than 10 years. “One broker called me two days after a sale and asked if we could meet. He handed me a check for $1,000 (from his commission) and said ‘Thank you. This sale would not have happened without you.’ That made my day. Not the money part but the ‘thank you’ part.” 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.
Cut out overselling, unfulfilled promises, lying during process What one thing do brokers on both sides do during a sales process that you wish they didn’t? Use the showing as a comparison for the other yachts that he is trying to steer the buyer toward. l
l
l
Overselling the vessel’s condition and appropriateness for buyer’s intended purpose for vessel. l
l
l
Not explain fully the high maintenance costs of running a multimillion-dollar asset. Overselling the charter potential. l
l
l
Expect to be treated like the owner. l
l
l
Promise to look after the crew and never do. Not even a thank-you dinner. l
l
l
Get way too involved. Stay out of management. That is what owners have captain and crew for. I have only met one broker that has the ability to stay out of trying to become the manager. He makes it clear to his clients that he is there to market and sell or find and buy. He will manage if needed, but only until the boat has a captain. Then he steps away completely. It is fantastic. Too many brokers want to hold on in some capacity. Just sell or buy. Let those of us who actually have to live on the boat make the decisions. l
l
l
Lounge around the boat and pretend they are guests. l
l
l
Speak to the crew about anything regarding the deal as they are already nervous about losing their job, the
place where they sleep, etc. l
l
l
Make as much as they do in commissions l
l
l
l
l
l
Lie. Act like they are above the captain and crew. l
l
l
Talk about the color of the couch instead of the space the couch sits in. You can always redecorate. Captains offered no shortage of advice for brokers on how to make the sales process better. l
l
l
There has been no discussion here about additional compensation to the captain for going beyond the call of duty to help sell the yacht. I have never asked for a contracted amount and hoped that my actions would warrant a gratuity from the broker for my hard work. Sometimes it has paid off well by not asking, and sometimes it never happens, which can be disappointing after a long for-sale period. Sometimes I am left feeling used up and forgotten once the deal goes through. l
l
l
I believe there should be a crew fee per showing. When the boat sells, the crew split the money, paid out of the broker’s commission, at the closing. It may eliminate tire kickers as well, and give some incentive to show the boat in its best light. l
l
l
Be more understanding that sometimes with the brokers success comes unemployed and homeless crew.
July 2015 C11
C12 July 2015 INTERIOR: Stew Cues
www.the-triton.com
The Triton
From galley to aft deck, don’t forget littlest guests onboard STEW, from page C1 but the many dangers onboard that were different from those in the owner’s home had simply not occurred to her. Other stews mentioned having a proper first aid kit, including children’s versions of Tylenol, Benadryl, Advil, Pepto Bismol, Dramamine, Benadryl spray and an epi pen. Here are some common items for a child-friendly first aid kit to be prepared for every minor emergency: l Thermometer. l Ear drops to prevent ear infections. l Child-friendly eye drops. l Bandages. Make sure to have some cute, colorful bandages on hand. You’ll be surprised how quickly the tears fade when the characters from “Frozen” show up. l Flexible gauze that sticks without tape is great for cuts and scrapes requiring more than a single bandage. l Children’s formula sunscreen and aloe vera gel to soothe sunburn. l Sanitizing wipes to clean your hands before you treat an injury. l Antiseptic wipes to clean the injured area. l Instant cold packs are great for soothing bumps and bruises in minutes. l Tea tree oil and Motherlove Green are great all-natural remedies for bug bites and bee stings. l An antibiotic spray, which is cooling and soothes as it prevents scrapes and cuts from getting infected. l Hydrocortisone cream for rashes. l Baby products as needed. l Tweezers and sterile needle for splinters. It’s crucial to restrict access to dangerous spaces onboard and to limit access to water. There are so many places a child could become attracted to the water, reach over and lose their balance, and fall overboard. This could easily lead to tragedy. On many yachts, a swim platform watch and gangway watch are core systems in place to
make sure kids are not left unattended near the water’s edge for a single moment. For water sports and toys, properly fitting personal flotation devices for children are a must. Kids love to be in the water and many yachts have an array of water toys for them to play with. From wave runners to wake boards, from trampolines to slides, kids want to be in the water. They will be with the deck crew much of the time, so be sure the crew has training in first aid and water safety as well. Play pens, portable cribs, high chairs, and booster seats are another consideration for having kids on a boat. Make sure you know the ages and weights of all children who will need baby gear so that you buy the right model to ensure safe use. Many children will have phones and electronic games, but it is useful to have some old-fashioned board games as well. An assortment of games, toys and books will come in handy when kids get bored. Smaller kids love to help with service. Let them help decorate the table using shells and found objects from their day at the beach. Having kids aboard can be loads of fun, but a stew’s first priority must be safety. These little guests don’t know about the dangers prevalent on a yacht and rely on us to protect them, as do their parents. But they are still guests, so treat them just as special as the grown-ups and watch the grown-ups enjoy their holiday even more. Alene Keenan has been a yacht stew for more than 20 years. She teaches at MPT and offers customized onboard interior training and consulting through her company, Yacht Stew Solutions (www. yachtstewsolutions.com). Order her self-published book “The Yacht Guru’s Bible: The Service Manual for Every Yacht” from Amazon.com or directly from Create Space at www.createspace. com/5377000. Comments are welcome at editorial@the-triton.com.
The Triton
www.the-triton.com
BUSINESS CARD ADVERTISERS
July 2015 C13
C14 July 2015 BUSINESS CARD ADVERTISERS
www.the-triton.com
The Triton
The Triton
www.the-triton.com
BUSINESS CARD ADVERTISERS
July 2015 C15
ADVERTISER DIRECTORY Company
325 Dania Adventure Sports Alexseal Yacht Coatings American Yacht Agents Anchor Marine Electric Antibes Yachtwear ARW Maritime Beer’s Group Bellingham Marine (Marina Costabja) BlueStar Marine Broward Shipyard Brownie’s Yacht Diver Business card advertisers C&N Yacht Refinishing Cable Marine Clean-Exhaust Culinary Convenience DYT Yacht Transport
Page Company
A9 A9 A7 B13 A10 B6 B3 B13 A8 C5 C12 A13 C13-15 A2 B16 A10 A3 A3,C2
FendElegance Fender Covers Galley Hood GeoBlue Insurance Global Yacht Fuel Gran Peninsula Yacht Center Hacker Boat Company IGY Marinas International Crew Training ISS GMT Global Marine Travel Lauderdale Diver Lauderdale Propeller Lifeline Inflatables Longbow Marine Marina Mile Yachting Center Marine Outfitters Maritron Matthew’s Marine A/C MPT Maritime Professional Training
Page
Company
Page Company
Page
A6 B4 C4 B11 B5 C3 B8-9 B14 A4 C10 A14 A5 B10 A11 C5 A6 B4 C16
National Marine Suppliers Neptune Group Newport Yachting Center Overtemp Marine Palladium Technologies Professional Tank Cleaning & Sandblasting Professional Marine Duct Cleaning ProStock Marine Quantium Marine Quiksigns Renaissance Marina River Supply River Services Rossmare International Bunkering Royale Palm Yacht Basin Sailorman Seafarer Marine Sea School SK Watermakers
C7 A14 C6 A6 C8 C5 B10 A5 B2 B12 B3 A14 C12 C6 A2 B15 B13 C10
B4 A16 B10 A11 A11 B12 A6 C11 C12 B7 A16 A16 B6 A12 C3 B11 C6 C5
Smart Move Accomodations Staniel Cay Yacht Club TESS Electrical The International Seakeepers Society The Marine Leadership Group The UPS Store TowBoatU.S Trac Ecological Green Products Tradewinds Radio Ward’s Marine Electric Watermakers, Inc. Watermakers Air West Marine Westrec Marinas Yacht Entertainment Systems Yachty Rentals Zeno Mattress Zodiac of Fort Lauderdale