May 2016 The-Triton.com
“I even go so far as requesting that the crew sleep in the master and guest staterooms when we are gone.“
– Yacht owner
See page 10
/tritonnews | www.The-Triton.com | May 2016
Crew rescue plane crash survivors By Dorie Cox Something in the water in the Atlantic Gulf Stream caught the eye of Capt. J.R. Klassen on M/Y Free Spirit, a 105-foot Northstar, after 10 a.m. on April 15. He was watching a center console boat splash through the waves. “It looked like another boat behind him but it wasn’t splashing,” Capt. Klassen said. “The next second I said, “That’s a plane going down.” I saw the plane hit the water then the right wing caught and it turned facing us.” The yacht was 22.5 miles offshore Florida and heading to Ft. Lauderdale
See RESCUE, page 48
Questions to ask before diesel fill-up By Capt. Jeff Werner Chances are that when a yacht ties up at a fuel dock, the captain asks how much does the diesel cost per gallon, and is there enough fuel to fill the yacht’s fuel tanks. Although these are logical questions to ask, they are the wrong questions to ask…at first. There are five vital questions that should be asked whether fueling up at a marina or bunkering from a fuel barge or truck: When was the last time the marina’s
See DieseL, page 16
Photo galleries shine
The right to return
A Cuban-born captain’s journey By Suzette Cook
“It’s discrimination,” he said. “It doesn’t matter where you In the open bay at Lauderdale were born.” Marine Center, Attorney “Another country is putting Michael Moore said these words a restriction on a U.S. citizen. to a group of 85 I don’t know why,” captains about Cabrera said. “And the traveling to Cuba: U.S. is trying to open a “If you were born in relationship.” Cuba you cannot go According to his Capt. Juan Cabrera, second from left below, down by vessel, you U.S. Certificate of sailed this boat, above, from Cuba to Mexico. have to go down Naturalization, Cabrera by plane and come was born in Cuba on back by plane.” Dec. 8, 1982 and that This is a law Capt. Juan Cabrera country became his that Cuba-born “Country of former Capt. Juan Carlos nationality” when he Cabrera was not surprised to was granted U.S. citizenship on hear, but it is a law he hopes will be overturned one day. See JOURNEY, page 26
Captains share perceptions about world view of USA To find out how the world sees the United States of America in reference to yachting, we listened to yacht captains who talk to, and work with, a variety of nationalities. They relayed what they hear about U.S. crew, yachts, flags and cruising. The conversation covered perceptions. Not necessarily factual, the topics focused on the way people think about, or understand, the United States. Everyone at the The
Wrap around STCW
Crew go all out to connect at Expo, networking, parties and golf.
Dorie Cox
Triton monthly captains’ luncheon was a U.S. citizen. Half of the group were originally from other countries and made the choice to become U.S. citizens.The other half were born in the United States. One captain began with perceptions
Keep up with Melissa
Time is now to prepare for code to take full effect.
6-9
From the Bridge
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he heard when he left his home country to relocate to America. “I got persecuted for making the choice to move here from Europe,” he said. “People would say, ‘What are you doing? America sucks.’ “ He wondered if they had only been to Ft. Lauderdale. “I said, “What are you basing that on, where have you been? If that’s their
See BRIDGE, page 44
Triton Survey Have you ever witnessed a fire on a yacht?
Keep in ‘ship shape’ with new column from yacht stew.
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No 19.3% Yes 80.7%
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Navigating The Triton
May 2016 The-Triton.com
What’s Inside Emergency personnel await plane crash survivors picked up by M/Y Free Spirit. 1
Crew connect at networking events.
News
Columnists Career
1 From the Bridge 42 Marinas/Shipyards 30 Triton Survey 36 Fuel prices 1 News 52 Boats / Brokers
10 Owner’s View 11 Taking the Helm 12 Crew Coach 13 On Course
Operations 15 Rules of the Road 14 Engineer’s Angle 1 Diesel Digest 17 Sea Science
industry 6-9
Events 4 Calendar 6- 9 Networking photos 40, 41 Networking QA
Advertisers 57 Display Advertisers 54 Business Cards
Interior 19 Top Shelf 19 Crew’s Mess 22 Stew Cues 23 Culinary Waves Crew eye point of view.
50
Write to Be Heard 51 Letters to the Editor 50 Publisher’s note
Crew Health 18 Take It In 20 Sea Sick 21 The Yachtie Glow 24 Ship Shape Editor Suzette Cook, suzette@the-triton.com
Associate Editor Dorie Cox, dorie@the-triton.com Publisher David Reed, david@the-triton.com Advertising Sales Catalina Bujor, cat@the-triton.com Production Manager Patty Weinert, patty@the-triton.com The Triton Directory Catalina Bujor, cat@the-triton.com
Where are you reading your Triton? Send us a photo. 58
Where in the World 28 Global News 50 Crew Eye 58 Triton Spotter Keith Murray Chief Stew Angela Orecchio, Capt. John Wampler, Capt. Jeff Werner
Vol. 13, No. 2
Editor Emeritus Lucy Chabot Reed, lucy@the-triton.com
The Triton is a free, monthly newspaper owned by Triton Publishing Group Inc. Copyright 2016 Triton Publishing Group Inc. All rights reserved.
Contributors
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
Carol Bareuther, Capt. Jake DesVergers, Paul Ferdais, Capt. Rob Gannon, Chef Mark Godbeer, Peter Herm, Chef Mary Beth Lawton Johnson, Chief Stew Alene Keenan, Brian Luke, Melissa McMahon, Rich Merhige,
Calendar
The-Triton.com May 2016
Upcoming Events EVENTS OF THE MONTH May 7-10 Mediterranean Yacht Show, Nafplion, Greece
Greek Yachting Association (GYA), includes a yacht chef competition. www. mediterraneanyachtshow.gr
May 13-18 15th East Med Yacht Show, Piraeus, Greece
Features yachts, catamarans, sail boats, motor sailors, seminars and networking events. Hosted by Hellenic Professional Yacht Owners Association and Hellenic Yacht Brokers Association. www. eastmedyachtshow.gr
April 28 - May 2 Palma Superyacht
Show, Port of Palma de Mallorca. A showcase of yachts more than 24m for sale and charter. The show attracted 36,000 visitors in 2014. Runs concurrently with Boat Show Palma. www.palmasuperyachtshow.com, www.boatshowpalma.com
April 29 - May 2 Hong Kong
Gold Coast Boat Show, Castle Peak Bay, Hong Kong. www. hongkonggoldcoastboatshow.com
May 2-4 Cayman Maritime Week.
Event designed to attract maritime industry leaders, ship owners, yacht managers and brokers and professionals to showcase Cayman. caymanmaritimeweek.com
World Series, New York. This marks the first America’s Cup racing in New York in nearly 100 years. Oracle Team USA, defending champions of the America’s Cup, race Emirates Team New Zealand. americascup.com
May 9-11 American Boating Congress, Washington D.C. A comprehensive legislative conference that brings together recreational boating industry leaders to formulate public policy and present a unified front on issues that impact marine businesses. dorie@the-triton.com
May 11-22 69th Cannes Film Festival, Cannes, France. Join 35,000 film professionals and 4,000 international journalists for the world’s biggest film event. www.festival-cannes.com
May 13-16 Monaco Grand Prix Historique, Monaco. Hosted by Automobile Club de Monaco. www.acm.mc
May 18 The Triton’s monthly
networking event (the occasional third Wednesday of every month from 6-8 p.m.) with ISSGMT. www.the-triton.com
May 18-22 Ladies, Let’s Go Fishing!
Saltwater Seminar, Cuba. Encourages women to enjoy fishing and boating. www.ladiesletsgofishing.com
May 19-22 Sanctuary Cove
International Boat Show, Queensland, Australia. The largest on-water display in the Asia-Pacific region. www.sanctuarycoveboatshow.com.au
May 22 Boating Safety Day, Bahia Mar Yachting Center. www.bahiamaryachtingcenter.com
May 23-26 ABYC/NMEA combined
event (the first Wednesday of every month from 6-8 p.m.) with V-Kool in Ft. Lauderdale. Join us for casual networking, no RSVP required. www. the-triton.com
marine electrical training, Ft. Lauderdale. ABYC marine electrical and NMEA marine electronics standards and training. Designed for boat builders, installers, technicians, marine mechanics and surveyors. abycinc.org and www.nmea.org
May 5 The Triton Bridge luncheon,
June 1 The Triton’s monthly
May 4 The Triton’s monthly networking
noon, Ft. Lauderdale. A roundtable discussion of the issues of the day. Yacht captains only. Request an invite from Associate Editor Dorie Cox at dorie@the-triton.com or 954-525-0029. Space is limited.
May 7-8 Louis Vuitton America’s Cup
networking event (first Wednesday of every month from 6-8 p.m.) in Ft. Lauderdale. Join us for casual networking. www.the-triton.com
June 1-5 21st Les Voiles d’Antibes Trophée Panerai. www.voilesdantibes.com
Calendar
May 2016 The-Triton.com
Upcoming Events June 4 15th annual Women’s Sailing
Conference, Marblehead, Mass. The National Women’s Sailing Association’s event sponsored by BoatUS is tailored for women to enhance sailing skills. www.womensailing.org
June 8 World Ocean Day. Hundreds
of communities around the globe will celebrate to learn about the world ocean, our connection to it and to raise awareness about the role of the ocean in our lives and the ways people can protect it. worldoceansday.org
networking event (third Wednesday of every month from 6-8 p.m.) in Ft. Lauderdale. Join us for casual networking. www.the-triton.com
June 15-19 23rd annual Solar Splash
competition, Dayton, Ohio. Student competition includes 300m sprint, two-hour endurance and slalom events. solarsplash.com
June 16-19 12th annual San Diego
Club Annual Regatta presented by Rolex, the longest-running regatta in America. nyyc.org
Yacht and Boat Show. San Diego’s largest in-water and outdoor boat show. This year includes an expanded selection of superyachts more than 80 feet, in partnership with the U.S. and San Diego Superyacht Association. www.sandiegoyachtandboatshow.com
June 11 IGY Community Outreach
June 17 50th Newport Bermuda Race.
June 10-12 162nd New York Yacht
Project, “Inspire Giving through You”. Yacht owners, captains, crews will give back to communities in Charleston, SC, Newport, NJ, Manhattan and Hampton, NY, St. Petersburg and Ft. Lauderdale in Florida. www.igymarinas.com
June 15 The Triton’s monthly
635-mile ocean from Newport, RI to Bermuda. bermudarace.com
June 17-20 56th annual Melbourne
Boat Shows, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. Melbourne Convention & Exhibition Centre. biavic.com.au/ melbourneboatshow June 18 3rd annual Marine Industry
Day. A showcase for Broward County, Florida’s marine industry hosted by Marine Industries Association of South Florida (MIASF) to promote the industry. To be held at Esplanade Park in downtown Ft. Lauderdale. www.miasf.org
June 18 35th Annual Great Chowder
Cook-off, Newport Yachting Center, Newport, R.I. Enjoy samples of chowders from across the country and vote for the best in three categories: clam, seafood and creative. www. newportwaterfrontevents.com
June 21-23 Electric & Hybrid Marine
World Expo, Amsterdam. Showcase for electric and hybrid marine propulsion technologies, components and solutions. Joined by the Autonomous Ship Technology Symposium. www. electricandhybridmarineworldexpo. com and autonomousshipsymposium. com.
June 21-23 Marine Maintenance
World Expo, Amsterdam. Showcase for showcase marine maintenance technologies, tools, spare parts,
MAKING PLANS June 21-24 Newport Charter Yacht Show, Newport, RI Dedicated to yacht charter professionals, agents, owners, brokers and captains showcasing yachts up to 225 feet. Crew competitions include best charter yacht chef event, tablescaping contest, food and beverage challenges and seminars. www. newportchartershow.com services and suppliers. www. marinemaintenanceworldexpo.com
June 22-25 Superyacht Cup, Palma de Mallorca, Spain. The longest running superyacht regatta in Europe. Yachts range from 24 to more than 50m. www. thesuperyachtcup.com
Networking
The-Triton.com May 2016
Wild West at Sunrise Harbor
C
rew and captains turned out in their Western best for Sunrise Harbor Marina’s customer appreciation party on April 9. Can this really have been its 16th year? From sushi and saki shots to cigars and line dancing,Westrec Marinas sent captains and crew off for the summer in style. PHOTOS/SUZETTE COOK AND LUCY REED
Networking
May 2016 The-Triton.com
National Marine Suppliers Golf Tournament
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full field of 144 golfers took to the links in Hollywood, Florida as part of National Marine Suppliers annual Yachty Nationals Invitational golf tournament. Dressed in everything from traditional garb to goofy elf costumes, captains, crew and industry professionals spent a great day having fun. All proceeds – which as of this writing tops $12,000 – go to the Marine Industry Cares Foundation, a South Florida charity to help match the goodness of yachting with the needs of children in the community. PHOTOS/LUCY REED
Triton Networking
The-Triton.com May 2016
Triton Expo
T
he Triton’s ‘Under the Sea’ Spring Expo attracted more than 600 captains and crew who enjoyed the aquatic theme complete with all-you-could-eat clams. Vendors showed off their wares and made valuable business contacts. From dinghies to training centers, dart boards and fishing games, many connections were made that evening at the event held at Bahia Mar on April 6. PHOTOS/DORIE COX AND SUZETTE COOK
Triton Networking
May 2016 The-Triton.com
Triton Networking with Universal Marine Center
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bout 200 captains, crew and industry professionals networked in the yard among the yachts at Universal Marine Center in Ft. Lauderdale. The Triton continues with the goal to enhance career opportunities with networking events every first Wednesday and most third Wednesdays of each month. PHOTOS/DORIE COX
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Career
The-Triton.com May 2016
Go ahead captain and crew, feel free to use all of my stuff Owner’s View Peter Herm
I met an experienced boat owner at the Palm Beach Show. As boat owners tend to do, we quickly got to the topic of crew. While we agreed on many aspects of boat ownership, we diverged sharply on what is apparently a heavily debated topic; crew use of the boat and the toys onboard. He was of the belief that the “big boat” and its toys were for his enjoyment alone, not the crew’s. He prohibited his crew from using tenders, Jet Skis, etc. I have the extremely opposite view. For many years, I have had a simple policy: I want my crew to use anything I do and even the stuff I don’t. I will admit that this is primarily selfish, but I think it is a good thing for everyone involved. Why is it selfish? I want the crew to experience what the guests will; find the flaws in our operation before the guests have to. This is true of the toys, watersports
equipment, almost everything. I even go so far as requesting that the crew sleep in the master and guest staterooms when we are gone. First, I believe this is a nice thing to do for the crew. Some of those bunks get a little tight after a while. But more importantly, they will hopefully find all the little things that drive me crazy before I do. The loose toilet paper holder, the funny sounds coming from the running pumps, the squeaks when underway, the odd smells. This is especially true of the guest staterooms. Unless my snoring gets out of hand, I am not a regular inhabitant of the guest quarters. I really don’t experience what my guests will. My goal is for my guests to have as perfect an experience as possible. Guests don’t tend to complain or
point out flaws even when they should. One guest sheepishly mentioned at the end of our trip that he had no hot water in his shower for the entire week! Now, I go so far as to have a paragraph in our guest manual that asks them to bring any issues or suggestions with their accommodation or the boat in general to the captain’s attention as they find them. They rarely do, as I guess they think it is complaining. By putting the crew in the guest accommodations when available, I consider it preventive maintenance. They will find all the little irritants before the guests do and resolve the issues. I want the crew to do the same with the tenders and toys. Sure it puts a little more wear and tear on things, but if you have the right crew, this is not an issue.
I don’t expect them to burn $1,000 worth of gas running to bars every night, but I think we are better off to have happy, well-recreated crew. I think we have mutual respect and thus damage or abuse is not an issue. However, I do put my foot down when it comes to consuming the booze onboard. We had a chef in Alaska whose primary cocktail of choice was vodka and milk starting at sunup. I ultimately solved the problem by putting a note on the bottle of vodka in the bar suggesting it was mine, not theirs. Hint dropped, hint taken. My suggestion to all owners is to load up the boat with toys and let everyone enjoy them, including the crew. You will have a happier boat and your guests will have a better experience. In the big scheme of things, you buy crew loyalty which comes back in spades over the years. Peter Herm is the pen name for a veteran yacht owner who is an entrepreneur based on the East Coast of the U.S. Contact him by emailing editorial@the-triton.com
Career
May 2016 The-Triton.com
Take charge of leadership training by choosing wisely Taking the Helm Paul Ferdais
It seems that society has become quite enamored with the idea of leadership in recent years. The last time I did a Google search of the term “leadership,” I came up with about 700 million results, which included books, blogs, videos, lectures, college programs and other websites. We’re so inundated with leadership information we usually don’t know what to believe when we hear ideas and suggestions from socalled leadership “experts.” Billions of dollars are spent every year worldwide on leadership training, but many businesses seem to stay the same, or become worse. If nothing actually changes in the workplace after a leader takes a leadership training program, how effective can you say the training actually was? You may ask, why this is important? The honest answer is because leadership training is now mandated for senior crew in the marine industry. Leadership instructors owe it to their students to offer information that is useful and can be put into practice in the workplace. In order for a marine school to bring lasting, effective change to the seafarers who must now take leadership training, instructors have to be equipped with the foundational knowledge that participants need. The challenge for students is that there are many places to get training, so how do you choose? Look for programs that will enhance and supplement your skills and help you propel your career forward. These types of classes will usually involve a great deal of selfawareness exercises as well as hands-on activities. Leadership training is not just about reading rules and regulations from a textbook. Students should expect to walk away with actual leadership knowledge and practical tools for implementation, not suffer through an ineffective week-long course. A school that simply throws together the components required by the IMO for leadership training, really offers nothing of substance. To affect real change, an instructor must provide students with tools that can be useful away from the safe setting of the classroom. Without the means to
implement what students have learned, course material can be easily forgotten and rendered useless. The reason to consider this topic today is that leadership training isn’t the same as training someone how to read a chart or use a radar. There are no hard-and-fast rules in leadership like there are with these other skills. Context is the foundation to leadership training, which means that what worked in one situation, may not work in another. Good leadership instructors will be able to provide insight for students to take away. A training school that sets up a leadership program without the understanding of context does their students a disservice in the long run. Because of the worldwide explosion of companies offering leadership training, students should ask questions about what qualifies someone to be a leadership instructor. Just because someone has a title, like captain or chief engineer for example, and has been working in their position for many years, they shouldn’t be considered a “leadership expert” unless they have the foundational knowledge to back it up. In the late 1800s and early 1900s almost anyone could say they were a doctor. The barriers to enter the medical field were almost nonexistent. Over time, the profession became more legitimate and required increased knowledge and expertise for practitioners. Doctors today require eight years of schooling and up to seven years of residency before they can be considered a full medical professional. Similarly, the leadership industry today is in the same place the medical profession was centuries ago. Almost anyone can say they’re a leadership “expert.” Instructors range from good looking, charismatic people who energize their audiences by telling feel good stories to those who have PhDs and have spent years researching the topic of leadership. An effective instructor’s knowledge is based upon the underlying foundations of social science, which includes, but isn’t limited to: psychology, sociology, cognitive science, political science and many others. A former first officer, Paul Ferdais is founder and CEO of The Marine Leadership Group. Contact him through www.marineleadershipgroup.com.
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Career
The-Triton.com May 2016
Sometimes things are not as they appear, take another look Crew Coach Capt. Rob Gannon
In the April issue of The Abaconian, the newspaper out of the Abacos in the Bahamas, there was a column that got my attention and my dander up. Seems there was an agreement between the Bahamian government and the Japanese and Chinese governments to use a port in North Abaco for whale hunting. I couldn’t believe what I was reading but there it was on the page. I even looked for a disclaimer at the bottom of the page because it was so bizarre and disturbing. I proceeded to write a scathing column for The Triton condemning this barbaric plan. Surprise, April Fools! On their website the paper fessed up that this was an April Fools’ day column. Well, thank goodness for one and two, that whole thing was real for me for a few days. I think if I read it on the April 1, I might have been thinking April Fools but I was reading it on April 10 and not thinking April Fools stuff at all.
Ok, but now I needed a whole new column for this issue. I felt I just had to write about how things are just not as they appear sometimes. If you stop and think about it, I think we all have examples of this throughout our lives. One happened to me last year. I was sitting on a boat docked outside a popular waterfront restaurant. It was a weekend day with lots of boats coming in and out for lunch. As I watched a couple in a little center console come in to dock, I was impressed with the woman’s handling of the lines as she hopped off the boat. I was not so impressed with the guy who never got off his butt to help her as she struggled to keep the boat off the dock. My little captain/instructor voice chirped into myself about the poor effort of this guy at the wheel. So the woman struggled a bit but she got all the lines secured nicely. Then they pulled out the folded wheelchair from the floor of the boat. This guy, who I was mentally chastising 30 seconds before for his apparent laziness, with great strength and agility, maneuvered his full body weight with his hands and arms over the
rail and into his chair on the dock. Immediately it hit me, things are not always as they appear. A lesson learned for sure. A note to self; watch your judgements of others till all the facts are in. Here’s another one. I recently had a new neighbor move in next door to me, a lovely retired couple that seemed friendly enough. Then one day I was coming out of the post office and I see my new neighbor driving towards me in the parking lot. I smiled and waved and he just ignored me, kind of gave me a weird look. I started thinking ‘what’s with this guy?’ Did I say or do something to offend him? What’s the problem? He just drove off heading for town. I drove straight home and when I arrived, there’s his car in his driveway. It wasn’t him outside the post office. To top it all off, after I turned him into some grumpy old man in my mind, he comes over to me and a couple days before he saw me trying to inflate a basketball. I couldn’t find the little needle to attach to the pump. He holds out his hand with a new inflate needle. He tells me he was at the hardware store
and thought of me, so he picked one up for me. Wow, what a nice gesture and again; things are not always as they appear. I know this can happen if you’re working on a yacht. Sometimes there are just misunderstandings. We don’t fully communicate so we start making things up in our heads. We don’t have all the info, so we improvise. We are sure someone has a problem with us or someone doesn’t care or has a bad attitude. We are so sure and suddenly we are shown we were so wrong. It’s a good lesson when our madeup thoughts are proven inaccurate. It is good for us to log those lessons and remind ourselves to hold off on our judgement of people and situations till we have the full story. We save ourselves a lot of useless concerns and possibly salvage relationships. Enjoy the Voyage. Capt. Rob Gannon is a 30-year licensed captain and certified life and wellness coach. Contact him through www.yachtcrewcoach.com at rob@ yachtcrewcoach.com.
May 2016 The-Triton.com
Career
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STCW Code will enter full force soon, are you prepared? On Course Capt. Brian Luke
As we quickly approach January 1, 2017, the Manila Amendments to the STCW Code will enter into full force by year’s end. When it comes to licensing and certification, understanding these amendments may be causing unnecessary concern for some crew members around the globe. So let’s try and clear up some of those concerns with a brief overview of what the code means and the changes yacht crew members will be facing. The Standards of Training Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers (STCW) is a comprehensive set of international regulations intended to ensure that a minimum standard of competence for seafarers is maintained on a global scale. Think of it as an internationally agreed upon set of regulations that determine the minimum training requirements for crewmembers around the world. The original STCW code was adopted in 1978 with amendments in 1995 and 2010. The amendments in 2010 came out of the convention held that year in Manila, which is why they are often referred to as the “Manila Amendments.” Today, many still incorrectly refer to the code as STCW ‘95, the correct way to refer to the code is “STCW Code 1978 as amended.” The changes are aimed at ensuring that the necessary global standards will be in place to train and certify crew to operate technologically-advanced vessels for some time to come. The maritime industry is an everevolving industry and the IMO amends the code every so often so that it will remain relevant. It would probably be less confusing if the Manila Amendments were implemented on one specific date. However, this would not be practical, as there are more than 170 flag states that are required to comply with the new changes. First implemented on January 1, 2012 with a 5-year transition period gives all flag states enough time to fully comply by January 1, 2017. The following bullet points list the most significant amendments to the
STCW code: n Improved measures to prevent fraudulent practices associated with Certificates of Competency and strengthen the evaluation process n Revised requirements on hours of work and rest, and new requirements for the prevention of drug and alcohol abuse, as well as updated standards relating to medical fitness standards for seafarers n New certification requirements for able seafarers n New requirements relating to training in modern technology such as electronic charts and information systems (ECDIS) n New requirements for marine environment awareness training n Training in leadership and teamwork The following is a timeline of what is required under the Manila amendments: JAN 01, 2012 Manila Amendments come into force with a 5-year transition period. New rest requirements are immediately effective. However, Training and Certification continue under the old STCW 95 system. JUL 01, 2013 New training standards are mandatory. Training and Certification under the new Manila Amendments begins. Anyone who commenced training before this date may continue under the old system. JAN 01, 2014 New mandatory security training is now required for all crewmembers. JAN 01, 2017 Manila Amendments come into full force. All crewmembers must adhere to the new training and certification requirements. Mandatory training requirements required by January 1st, 2017; 1. Personal Survival Techniques (water survival) 2. Fire Prevention and Fire Fighting 3. Advanced Fire Fighting 4. Fast Rescue Boat (only if you currently possess and need this certificate) 5. Proficiency in Survival Craft and Rescue Boats (PSCRB) or for yacht certificates, Advanced Sea Survival (AdvSS). Capt. Brian Luke is chief operations officer for International Crew Training in Ft. Lauderdale. Contact him through www.yachtmaster.com and Brian.Luke@ yachtmaster.com
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Operations
The-Triton.com May 2016
Vibration, poor performance and higher fuel use can all be signs of misalignment Engineer’s Angle Rich Merhige
No matter how diligent you are with your maintenance plan, almost all captains or crew will experience misalignment at one point or another. Misalignment presents itself in a multitude of ways, including vibration, loss of performance and increased fuel consumption. In more serious cases, it also accounts for premature wear of shaft line components such as seals and bearings, and, if severe enough, mechanical outages or failures. When applying alignment to marine applications, it’s usually the engines or drivelines that are being referenced. Shaft alignment is defined as the positioning of two or more machines so that at the point of power transfer from one shaft to another, the axes of rotation should be collinear when the machine is running under normal conditions. However, not all misalignment is the same. Misalignment falls under two main categories: parallel and angular misalignment. With parallel misalignment, misalignment can be present in the vertical or horizontal planes. Angular misalignment is a combination of vertical and horizontal misalignment. There are several things that can cause shaft misalignment. Aging, worn, or incorrectly installed engine mounts is a common cause. The rubber elements in engine mounts typically end their life cycle after 10 years. This has nothing to do with operating hours, and more to do with the properties of the rubber which degrade over time, and harden, making them lose their ability to properly isolate the forces from the engine. The forces for the engine are also not properly isolated when they are incorrectly installed, or the incorrect mounts are used for the application at hand. When not addressed, improper support of the engine will cause it to shift, which will jeopardize the running gear. Suffering a grounding is another cause of misalignment. Even getting some line tangled in a propeller can shift the struts, causing them to become misaligned.
Other causes of misalignment include the changing of the hull shape (hull deflection), which is why pre-and post-hull deflection measurements are crucial for proper alignments. In this case, a final laser alignment check should be done once the vessel has been waterborne, and has had a chance to settle 24 hours. Hull deflection is often overlooked during the build process, which can cause misalignment from the beginning of the vessel’s life. Since misalignment is a major source of vibration, the most accurate, efficient, and economic way to
What causes vibration? n Misalignment of shaft couplings, flexible machine couplings n Misalignment of underwater running gear such as propeller struts n Propeller defects n Bent shafts n Unbalance of rotating components n Main engine misfire problems n Mechanical looseness n Deterioration of rolling- element bearings within transmissions and thrust bearings n Gear tooth wear n Mechanical rubbing n Structural resonance n Machinery soft-foot conditions diagnose misalignment, is by way of a vibration analysis. Vibration analysis identifies what mechanical issues a vessel is having and eliminates the guesswork that way too often comes into play with repair services. More specifically, it can determine exactly where the misalignment is. When the collected data is analyzed by an experienced professional, many problems can be diagnosed, including: l Misalignment of shaft couplings, flexible machine couplings. l Misalignment of underwater running gear such as propeller struts l Propeller defects l Bent shafts l Unbalance of rotating
components l Main engine misfire problems l Mechanical looseness l Deterioration of rolling-element bearings within transmissions and thrust bearings l Gear tooth wear l Mechanical rubbing l Structural resonance l Machinery soft-foot conditions Another way to diagnose misalignment is by conducting periodic alignment checks. In accordance with good marine practice, alignment should be checked six months to a year after a new installation; when experiencing a shaft seal or bearing failure; or, when a bearing is replaced. Once the data from a vibration analysis or laser check is analyzed, a proper course of action can be implemented, which, includes, an alignment procedure based on the mechanical arrangement of the components involved in the misalignment, as well as the specific issue at hand. Generally speaking, misalignments are corrected with either laser and/or optical alignments. Optical alignments are performed using optical borescopes, and must be done out of the water when the running gear has been removed. Laser alignment is the process of measuring misalignment between mechanical components, usually one or more shafts. It is a precise way to align machinery while minimizing the likelihood of human error. It utilizes laser beam transmitters and receivers to attain alignment within extremely high tolerances. Misalignment, regardless of its origin, can cause rapid wear on bearings, damage shafts requiring them to be repaired, and, in more extreme cases, replaced. Extreme vibration can cause increased damage to engine mounts, and the reduction gears, sometimes even causing failure. Shaft sealing systems can also become damaged, and need to be replaced. When machinery is correctly aligned, a 1 to 3 percent increase in energy efficiency can be achieved. Rich Merhige is owner of Advanced Mechanical Enterprises and Advanced Maintenance Engineering in Ft. Lauderdale. Contact him through www. AMEsolutions.com.
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May 2016 The-Triton.com
Employment agreements mean proper employment conditions Rules of the Road Capt. Jake DesVergers
Congratulations! You’re hired. All of those classes you have taken, hours of hitting the docks, networking with friends and fellow crew have finally paid off. It’s the position you wanted and the wages are great. But do I need to do anything more? As regular readers know, the course of my daily work involves the representation of several yachting registries. The most common complaint that our offices regularly receive from crew is unpaid wages. Our immediate question to each of them is, “Do you have a copy of your contract?” Before any work, get a contract. It is the best guarantee of proper employment conditions. As a crewmember, you need to be aware of your basic rights. While the term is seldom heard, yacht crews are considered seafarers. As such, there are multiple international labor standards that provide for the protection of seafarers, including the Maritime Labour Convention (MLC). MLC applies to all vessels of any size that are normally engaged in trade. These are commonly referred to as Commercial Yachts. Crew on commercial yachts must be issued a Seafarer Employment Agreement (SEA). However, most yachts are not engaged in trade. They are considered private yachts. What contract requirements do these yachts have? The regulations will fluctuate based upon the flag of registry. During the month of March, the United Kingdom’s Maritime Coastguard Agency (MCA) released a new Marine Guidance Note (MGN). MGN 474 (M) outlines the recommendations for a Crew Agreement in lieu of a Seafarer Employment Agreement. While a private yacht may voluntarily implement a SEA, the crew agreement is the acceptable method. The MCA states in the MGN that they will no longer produce the documentation for these agreements. Development of future agreements will be at the discretion of owners / employers.
To provide sufficient guidance for these agreements, the MCA attached two annexes to the document. Their contents outline minimum details to be included in the agreement, plus certain contractual clauses that must be included. Owners or employers who wish to use a crew agreement other than in the standard form will be required to submit their agreements to the MCA for approval. These types of agreements are known as non-standard agreements. To be approved by the MCA, these agreements must comply with International Labour Organization (ILO) Convention 22 (Seamen’s Articles of Agreement). The agreement cannot conflict with the general law of the United Kingdom or place the UK in breach of its international obligations. Any agreements that do not comply with these requirements will not receive the MCA’s approval. In considering requests for approval of non-standard agreements, the MCA desires to ensure that the seafarers are as adequately protected under these agreements, as they would be under the standard form of agreement. While not commonly seen in the merchant fleet, the use of Indefinite Crew Agreements is almost the norm in yachting. The MGN outlines the minimum requirements for these documents. While this MGN is primarily geared towards those yachts under the Red Ensign, the topics it addresses are derived from international regulations. As such, the national law of each country will provide similar requirements. Capt. Jake DesVergers currently serves as Chief Surveyor for the International Yacht Bureau (IYB), a recognized organization that provides flag-state inspection services to private and commercial yachts on behalf of several flag-state administrations. A deck officer graduate of the US Merchant Marine Academy at Kings Point, he previously sailed as Master on merchant ships, acted as Designated Person for a shipping company, and served as regional manager for an international classification society. Contact him at 954-596-2728 or www. yachtbureau.org
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Filter at pump dispenser can overwork or plug yacht filter DIESEL from page 1
a biocide is included as an additive, it can cause problems aboard the yacht. A biocide kills bacteria and fungi, that’s its job. When these organisms die, they Diesel Digest fall to the bottom of the yacht’s fuel Capt. Jeff Werner tank and form a sludge that can clog filters. The only remedy at that point fuel supply tanks were cleaned? is a complete fuel polishing and tank If the marina’s storage tanks are not cleaning. cleaned at a minimum of twice a year, What size micron filters are used at there is probably a fair amount of water, the fuel dispensing pump? organic and inorganic contaminants Primary fuel filters aboard yachts sitting at the bottom of that tank and should filter out particles greater can be drawn up by the fuel dispensing than 30 microns (0.0011811 inches) pump and dumped into the yacht’s fuel in size, leaving the secondary engine tanks. Even if the yacht’s fuel tanks are mounted filters to catch the smaller kept scrupulously clean, adding dirty particles before they reach the injection fuel will soon spread contamination system. At a minimum, the filter on the throughout the yacht’s fuel system. It marina’s fuel dispensing pump should can be likened to adding a cup of sour be rated at 30 microns and changed milk to a gallon of fresh milk, within regularly. If it is greater, the yacht’s a short time that whole gallon will be primary filters will be overworked unfit to drink. and get plugged up quickly by larger When was the last time particles. If it’s less, the marina’s fuel supply say 10 microns, tanks were filled by the fuel then even better, distributor? as it will save on Since having fresh, clean primary filter diesel is the goal when replacement costs. fueling up. One would What is the think that if the distributor name and contact delivered the fuel just an information of the hour before bunkering, it fuel distributor? would be the ideal scenario. PHOTO/Aaron Mankins Should bad Well it’s not. When tanker fuel get bunkered, trucks deliver the fuel to the marina’s chances are the marina won’t admit storage tank, the process causes that the fuel was dirty. This is not turbulence which stirs up any bacteria, because they are being underhanded, mold, water, sand and rust from but they may truly believe they are the bottom and walls of the storage pumping clean fuel. If the marina tank. The heavier particulate matter doesn’t want to accept the liability of will precipitate out in a relatively dispensing dirty fuel, then contact the short time. But the lighter organic fuel distributor who delivered that fuel contaminants can stay in suspension to check their records and the methods in the fuel for up to 48 hours. It is best they used to keep the fuel clean prior to wait at least two days after a fuel to delivery. Every captain should delivery before topping off at a marina. exercise due diligence before they agree What type of additives are being to buy any diesel fuel, lest the yacht’s mixed with the diesel by the distributor fuel system become contaminated. or marina? A full spectrum additive It makes no sense to have a rigorous package is an important part of diesel fuel preventive maintenance program fuel maintenance, and if mixed in aboard a yacht, and then top off with before it reaches the yacht’s fuel tanks, dirty fuel because five easy questions it can help guarantee cleaner fuel and were not asked. better operational characteristics of the engines. The types of chemicals that Capt. Jeff Werner has been in the can be mixed in at the refinery or by the yachting industry for 25 years, distributor include injector cleanliness and is the owner of Diesel Doctor additives, lubricity additives, smoke (MyDieselDoctor.com). All Triton suppressants, stabilizers, dispersants, readers receive a 10 percent discount solvents, antioxidants, de-emulsifiers on online orders. Contact him at Jeff@ and corrosion inhibitors. However, if MyDieselDoctor.com.
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May 2016 The-Triton.com
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Electrocution while swimming in your boat slip: ESD Warning Sea Science Scott McDowell
People die each year in the U.S. while swimming in fresh water around boats and piers with alternating current (AC) shore power; seven persons in 2012 alone. Electric Shock Drowning (ESD) is called the “Invisible Killer” and there needs to be more publicity and boater education about this deadly process that causes immediate muscular paralysis and subsequent drowning. With the proliferation of electric boat lifts and underwater lighting of slips, ESD events are growing rapidly at the expense of unsuspecting swimmers. Why are people so comfortable entering the water around boats in a marina when boats and piers have the potential to kill swimmers?
Electrical facts for boaters
Saltwater is 500 times more conductive than fresh water and stray electrical current can easily find a ground for dissipation – a safe situation. However, when AC current is discharged into fresh water, a nearby swimmer’s body becomes the equivalent of a sponge for the stray electrical charge. Stray DC current from boats does not kill swimmers. Small boats typically have 30-amp AC service from a shore-power source but only 0.1 amp discharged into a nearby swimmer can cause death in a few seconds. This is equal to one-third of the current needed to illuminate a 40-watt light bulb. ESD is normally caused by an electrical fault or grounding problem in a shore-power cable or aboard the vessel and these problems can easily be detected by a trained boater. Another common source of AC ground-faults aboard boats are onboard water heaters that have electrical leakage from their heating elements. Marina managers should conduct annual checks for electrical faults around their piers. Additionally, boaters should have a marine electrician conduct tests if a problem is suspected. Take responsibility for electrical testing to save lives - maybe your own.
Lifesaving of ESD victims
If you’re swimming and feel tingling or electrical shocks, shout to people about your problem and get out of the
water, preferably far from boats and the pier that provides AC power. Warn people not to jump in to save you as they could die also. If you witness a person experiencing ESD, do not enter the water. Get them out in some other manner and have the AC power shut off at its source. ESD victims often respond to Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) so administer this lifesaving procedure as soon as possible, on dry land. For prevention of ESD casualties, do not let swimmers come within 100
yards of a boat or pier that has active AC shore power. All boaters should be aware of ESD dangers and educate others. Whenever boating in freshwater and docking at piers with AC shore power, consider the water is ‘hot’ from stray electrical current until you have proven otherwise. Freshwater conditions conducive to ESD are found in lakes and rivers but don’t overlook riverine areas, estuaries and marinas where freshwater may reside above saltwater due to natural density differences.
Imagine the thousands of boats berthed in the Miami River and Fort Lauderdale’s New River that reside in fresh water during rainy periods. Divers beware! If you are a saltwater boater, remember ESD when you visit friends who are inland boaters. Scott E. McDowell has a doctorate degree in ocean physics, is a licensed captain and author of Marinas: a Complete Guide available at www. scottemcdowell.com. Contact him at scott@scottemcdowell.com.
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The-Triton.com May 2016
Smoothies no longer considered two-dimensional concoctions Take It In Carol Bareuther
Ice cold smoothies are a hot trend. In the restaurant arena, 66 percent of nearly 1,600 chefs surveyed in the National Restaurant Association’s “What’s Hot 2016 Culinary Forecast” said smoothies were either a hot or perennial trend. The popularity of smoothies is boosted by their easy-tomake, fast-fixing, versatile, delicious, nutritious and tummy-filling nature. If you haven’t tapped into this trend yet or you’re a smoothie aficionado, read on to find out how to make this favorite even better.
Blending vs. juicing
In its simplest form, a smoothie is a blend of fruits and vegetables often with added ice. Blend is the operative word. That is, whole or cut-up fresh fruits and vegetables, are put in a blender and pulsed until smooth. This is different from juicing. In juicing, only the liquid part of a fruit or vegetable is extracted leaving the fiber-rich pulp behind. You specifically need a juicer to accomplish this. The nutritional superiority of a smoothie is that all the vitamins, minerals, phytonutrients and dietary fiber in the fresh produce ingredients end up in your glass rather than in the trash can. Researchers at Texas A&M University confirmed the nutritional
benefits of blending over juicing in a 2012-published study in the Journal of Food Science. The food scientists took Texas ‘Rio Red’ grapefruit and prepared them in three common household practices: blending, juicing and squeezing by hand. Results showed that blending resulted in higher levels of disease-preventing nutrients called flavonoids than the other two methods.
Have it your way
Bananas and berries have long been some of the most popular fruits used in smoothies. Nowadays, ‘green smoothies’, those with vegetables like kale and spinach in the mix have become commonplace too. In fact, this is a great way to ‘eat’ your veggies,
something most people don’t get enough of on a daily basis. If you really want to change it up, try adding a variety of other colorful veggies. Beets, carrots, pumpkin and cabbage are poised to take off in acceptance in 2016, according to the ‘Top 10 Smoothie Trends’, published in December 2015 by the Blendtec Corporation, the Orem, Utah-headquartered manufacturer of high-speed blenders. On the fruit side, interest in tropical fruits like dragon fruit, mango, papaya, star fruit and goji berries makes them a ripe addition.
Smoothies 2016-style
Smoothies are no longer twodimensional concoctions of fruits and vegetables. Blendtec says ‘functional add-ins’ are gaining traction. These are ingredients like protein, superfoods and healthy fats that transform smoothies from a mere thirst-quencher or snack into a well-balanced meal. Protein ingredients include milk, yogurt, milk alternatives like soy, almond, rice, as well as nuts and seeds. If you are going to add nuts, such as cashews, almonds or walnuts, you need to have a blender strong enough to pulverize these or they will simply float to the bottom. Or, stir in an already-ground nut butter. Superfoods include quinoa, chia seeds, flax seeds, goji berries and wheat germ, while healthy fats are found in avocados. Give your smoothie an international taste by blending in in cilantro, basil, ginger, nutmeg, cinnamon, cayenne or turmeric. Smoothies are a great way to gulp down lots of nutrients while on the run. However, like any food or beverage, smoothies can add up to too many calories and weight gain if you overindulge. Therefore, choose ingredients carefully, leaving out items like sugar, syrup and chocolate sauce, and figure a 2-cup portion for a meal replacement. Be sure to add protein to the smoothie if drinking as a meal. For those who like smoothies but miss the sit-at-the-table type of dining, the next craze forecast by Blendtec is smoothie bowls. These are super thick smoothies, topped with granola, dried or fresh fruits, and nuts, that are served in a bowl and eaten like a soup. Straw or spoon, smoothies are good food. Carol Bareuther is a registered dietitian and freelance health and nutrition writer. Contact her through www.thetriton.com/author/carol-bareuther.
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May 2016 The-Triton.com
Sugar Dipped Butter Cookies Crew’s Mess Capt. John Wampler
I am sitting at Valentine’s Resort at Harbour Island, Bahamas with owner and guests aboard a 98-foot motor yacht, when the boss asks me to make something sweet. This sugar butter cookie recipe takes only about 20 minutes to prepare and makes for a nice bar snack. Simple, yet satisfying, spells success. Ingredients: 2 cups sugar ¾ cup unsalted butter 1 tsp vanilla 1 egg 2 cups flour
1 tsp baking powder ¼ tsp salt substitute Preparation: Preheat the oven to 375°. Combine 1 cup sugar with ¾ cup butter (1 ½ sticks) in large bowl. Add vanilla. Beat at medium speed (I use a stand mixer), scraping bowl until creamy. Add egg; continue beating until well mixed. Reduce speed to slow; add flour, baking powder and salt. Beat until well mixed. Place remaining cup of sugar in a small bowl. Shape dough into 1-inch balls and dip the top of the balls in the sugar. Place sugar-dough 2 inches apart on an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake for 8-12 minutes or until edges are lightly brown. Enjoy, JW
Capt. John Wampler has worked on yachts for more than 25 years. Contact him through www.yachtaide.com.
Mushroom, Caramelized Onion & Rosemary Marmalade Top Shelf Chef Mark Godbeer
Versatility is a paramount quality in any yachtie, regardless of position. Being able to help out in other departments is what really brings a boat together. This leads to empathy for fellow crew members’ roles and responsibilities and it keeps the “not my job” mentality to a minimum. Bearing this in mind, I decided to share a recipe that fits the versatile mold. Just like on deck, my food/recipes/ ingredients have to be versatile whenever possible, just like this marmalade. Served cold, it will be jam-like and perfect for cheese boards, fried eggs, sandwiches, etc. Served hot, the sugars are redissolved lowering the viscosity and allowing the marmalade to attain a sauce-like consistency great for pairing the meat richness of the beef, with the earthy sweetness of the marma-glaze. Ingredients: 1/2 stick salted butter 2 red onions 4 Tbsp olive oil 4 cups thinly sliced button or brown mushrooms
5 Tbsp Kecap Manis (or reduce 1 cup soy) 5 sprigs rosemary (leaves removed and finely chopped) 2 cloves garlic crushed 1 cup white sugar 1 cup sherry vinegar 5 Tbsp sweet chili 1 tsp sea salt 1 tsp cracked black pepper Preparation: In a heavy bottomed large sauce pan set at med - high, add 1/4 stick butter and allow to brown (2-4 minutes) Add the onions and sweat, approx 5
minutes. After the onions have turned translucent, add the olive oil and crank the heat to high and cook for a further 3 - 5 minutes until a good coloring has been achieved. Transfer the onions to a bowl and turn the heat to med-high, add the butter and melt. Add the mushrooms and brown. Once browned, add the recap manis, rosemary and garlic and cook for a further 1 minute mixing continuously to incorporate all the flavors. Add the onions back to the saucepan and add all the remaining ingredients. Cook on a medium heat for 5 minutes, then turn the stove down to simmer and allow the marmalade to continue cooking for 2 hours, stirring occasionally. You are looking for a syrup-like consistency. As pictured, I served my marmalade hot (so it was more sauce like and runny) with a sous vide filet mignon, and then again cold the next day on my toast. Enjoy. Mark Godbeer has been a yacht chef for more than 10 years. Contact him through chefmarkgodbeer.com.
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The-Triton.com May 2016
Women, men can show different signs during heart attacks Sea Sick Keith Murray
Earlier this year, the American Heart Association published its first scientific statement on heart attacks in women, highlighting some notable gender and racial disparities in cardiovascular events and outcomes. The study indicates that a woman’s heart attack may have different underlying causes, symptoms and outcomes compared to men, and differences in risk factors and outcomes are further pronounced in black and Hispanic women, according to a scientific statement published in the American Heart Association’s
journal Circulation. “Despite stunning improvements in cardiovascular deaths over the last decade, women still fare worse than men and heart disease in women remains underdiagnosed, and undertreated, especially among African-American women,” said writing group chair Laxmi Mehta, M.D., a noninvasive cardiologist and Director of the Women’s Cardiovascular Health Program at Ohio State University.
What causes heart attacks?
Most often a heart attack is caused by blockages in the main arteries leading to the heart and can occur in both men and women. Think of a clogged drain or blocked fuel line.
Often, this is caused by too much cholesterol in your diet, which basically causes rust to build up in your pipes.
What are heart attack symptoms?
While the most common heart attack symptom is chest pain or discomfort for both sexes, women are more likely to have atypical symptoms such as shortness of breath, nausea or vomiting. Other symptoms that both men and women may experience are pain or discomfort in one or both arms, weak, tired, breaking out in a cold sweat, lightheadedness, back or jaw pain, an uncomfortable pressure, squeezing, fullness or pain in the chest. People often say it feels like an elephant is sitting on their chest. If you notice
any of the symptoms on yourself or anyone around you, call for immediate medical attention. Several years ago, my friend Capt. Rob noticed he was feeling tired earlier in the day. He was also sweating more than usual, but being out in the hot Florida sun working did not raise any concerns. About the same time, he noticed indigestion or heartburn so he started taking Zantac. He wasn’t sure what it was, but he knew he did not feel well. After several days of this he decided to go to the doctor. Upon his arrival to the doctor’s office he was informed that he was having a heart attack. Happily, my friend survived. While teaching a class in Pennsylvania, a student shared a similar story with the class. When he was 40 years old, he started to feel really bad heartburn and indigestion. He started to drink Maalox antacid. For two weeks, this feeling continued and he continued to drink the Maalox. Then one morning, a new symptom began. He said it felt like someone stabbed him with a two-by-four between the shoulder blades and lit it on fire. At this, point he dialed 911 and was flown by helicopter to the hospital for surgery. Happily he survived. The two stories above are not uncommon. Chest pain may be an indication of a heart attack or it may only be heartburn. The problem is that it can be difficult to tell the difference. Sometimes our body sends signals to the brain that don’t always sound logical. I had two female students that experienced heart attacks and they both felt the pain in their elbows. Normally we don’t associate elbow pain with heart attack, but it can happen. Chest pain can be a heart attack, but it can also be a gastrointestinal problem such as ulcers, muscle spasms in the esophagus, Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD), a gallbladder attack, and pancreatitis. Often they can cause chest pain and symptoms that are similar to a heart attack or angina. Angina is chest pain or discomfort that occurs if an area of your heart muscle doesn’t get enough oxygen-rich blood. Often, angina feels like pressure or squeezing in your chest or like an elephant sitting on your chest. The pain also can occur in your shoulders, arms, neck, jaw, or back. Keith Murray is the owner of The CPR School, Keith@TheCPRSchool.com. Comments on this column are welcome at editorial@the-triton.com.
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May 2016 The-Triton.com
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When it comes to caffeine, listen to your body, not studies The Yachtie Glow Angela Orecchio
I have a confession to make. I’m a caffeine addict. No one would know now, though, because I gave up caffeine a few years ago. Coffee was my worst foe. I’d drink it all morning and afternoon and when I wasn’t drinking it, I was thinking about drinking it. It seemed like the best answer to the long hours and little sleep. I suspected I might be addicted when I noticed my moods fluctuating aggressively, my hands shaking and my resting heart rate through the roof. Not only was I addicted, my body didn’t react well either. I could smell coffee oozing out of my pores, I didn’t feel like exercising as much and my stomach was often upset. I’d lay awake at night for a long time before falling asleep. Then, one day, our chef noticed me in an afternoon slump. She told me that I wouldn’t be so tired if I didn’t drink so much caffeine. It hit home and I knew she was right.
What caffeine does to the body
Caffeine makes nerves fire faster in the body which raises blood pressure and makes the adrenal glands, above the kidneys, release the stress hormone cortisol. The adrenals are responsible for regulating your energy levels, hormones and other vital components to health. When they’re overworked and regulating false energy from caffeine, they are less able to assist with natural energy. When adrenals are worn out, the body is worn out as well. Putting caffeine in the body is like burning the candle at both ends leaving the body tired and weak.
Caffeine is good for you
The problem with this statement is that for every study that says caffeine is good for you, there is another that says it’s not. Instead of relying on an external study, I suggest doing an internal study and listen to your body. Are you able to have one cup of caffeine periodically, stay balanced and feel fine? Or, is your body giving you signs of feeling more tired, less balanced or more reliant on caffeine to get through the day? Either way, reducing caffeine has its benefits.
How to give up caffeine
Giving up caffeine altogether can
sound daunting, however, it can be done and the benefits far outweigh the short term discomfort. To minimize the psychological and physical withdrawls: Switch to black tea and drink as much as you would normally drink for a few days. Cut down by one cup each day until you’re only drinking one cup per day. Switch to one cup of green tea per day and continue until you are ready to drop it as well. When you’re ready to drop caffeine all together make sure you sleep more than usual, drink 2-3 liters of water, eat water-rich fruits and vegetables in abundance, and sweat daily from exercise. This will help you detox the caffeine from your body and help with
any symptoms of withdrawal. Drink herbal teas as a replacement instead of caffeine. Get 8-10 hours of sleep daily. Get sleep during your breaks. Drink camomile and practice meditation and deep breathing. Drink 2-3 liters of plain water. Eat whole foods, not junk foods. Make fitness a priority. If you cannot sleep, eat well or keep up with your fitness for long periods of time, because you’re too busy on board, ask yourself if you’re on the right boat for your long-term health
Where will I get my energy?
Natural, sustainable energy comes from a healthy, rested body. Getting
8-10 hours of sleep consistently and feeding the body with healthy food, water and exercise are the only things that will truly give sustainable energy. While yachting is not always in alignment with healthy living, the more you take care of yourself the more you’ll be rewarded with natural energy. Eventually, caffeine cravings will be a thing of the past and nothing beats the feeling of being in control of your body and riding the wave of a natural high from healthy living. Angela Orecchio is a chief stew and certified health coach. This column is from her blog, Savvy Stewardess, The Smart Girl’s Guide to Yachting. Contact her at www.savvystewardess.com.
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The-Triton.com May 2016
Table design, setting key to creating mood for dining onboard Stew Cues Alene Keenan
I recently had the privilege of assisting as a guest and sponsor with Aqualuxe Outfitting’s Top Notch Tabletop Challenge 2016 at the Palm Beach Boat Show. With four categories and 21 stews participating, the event is not a “competition” as such. It is not judged or critiqued. Instead, it is a Facebook event where the number of likes determines the winner. The categories were: Luxe Interior, Chic, Menu Design and Tip of the Day. If you have not already done so, check them out on Facebook. This
is a real opportunity to see what designs are being created. Sponsorship is growing every year, and the impact that events like this have on encouraging professionalism for stews is commendable. Table top design is frequently on a stew’s mind, and many people are surprised to learn how elaborate and amazing they are. When guests are onboard, food is in focus and meal planning is a large part of the day. Guests anticipate the table décor as much as the food. Requirements vary from boat to boat, but generally speaking, the evening meal is usually the most elaborate. Ranging from simple to elaborate, the table décor can set the mood for the meal.
Basic rules of table setting
A place setting is called a cover. It includes the napkin, dinnerware, glassware, and flatware to be used. The rule is to allow 24 inches of width for each person, but the dining space you are serving may not be large enough to accommodate that. The bottom tip of dinnerware and flatware should be about one inch from the edge of the table or place mat. We call this the “rule of thumb”. If you place your thumb on the edge of the table, the length of the thumb nail is about the right distance.
Spatial symmetry
The menu determines what utensils are used. Use only the items necessary
for the foods you plan to serve. Silverware is arranged in order of use, from the outside in. Forks go on the left and knives and spoons on the right. Knife blades always face in towards the plate. Place water or beverage glass about one inch above the point of the knife. Wine glasses go to the right and slightly below the water glass, according to their use. You may also arrange glasses in a triangle. Lighter wines are served before heavier wines. The glass used first is farthest to the right. When used, cup and saucer are placed outside the flatware slightly above and to the right, with handle facing right. A teaspoon may be placed on the saucer or to the right of a coffee mug. Bread and butter plates are placed directly above or to the left of the forks. A butter spreader lies across the top of the plate with the blade parallel to the edge of the table, or parallel to the other flatware with the blade facing the plate. Salt and pepper shakers should be within easy reach and in a consistent pattern. If individual shakers are used decide which side the salt will go on and set each setting identically, every time. Salad plates go to the left of the fork. The napkin goes left of the setting or in the center of the cover as a decorative accessory. Dessert silverware may be placed above the cover horizontally with fork handle to the left and spoon handle to the right. The item pulled down to the right goes on top. It may also be brought to the table when dessert is served. Centerpieces should be low enough so diners can see and talk to the person across the table. Candles should be lit with flame above or well below eye level to prevent glare. There are many ways to set a table, and many styles of service to take into consideration when planning. Stews are acting as designers each time they set the table, by choosing and arranging elements according to a plan for beauty and order. Alene Keenan is lead instructor of yacht interior courses at Maritime Professional Training in Ft. Lauderdale. She shares her experience from more than 20 years as a stew in her book, “The Yacht Guru’s Bible: The Service Manual for Every Yacht”, available at createspace.com/5377000 and on amazon.com. Contact her at info@ yachtstewguru.com.
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May 2016 The-Triton.com
The secret to satisfying those late night cravings: plan ahead Culinary Waves Chef Mary Beth Lawton Johnson
You are on charter and the guests have just arrived back onboard after a night out on the town. They ate about 6 hours ago, but are now hungry. What do you have to serve those real late night munchers? Have you fixed something ahead of time that perhaps the stewardess can serve in no time, or prepare with ease if you have signed off from galley duties for the night? Some guests know what they want, so having to figure it out is no big deal. Others just simply want to experience late night food onboard a luxury yacht and be served. I remember having to make Creme Brulee at 1 a.m. not too long ago for a guest who craved it. While still others want the filling pizza at 2 a.m. So, to make your life easier, here are some suggestions to carry you through the night without interruptions from hungry passengers. Might I suggest a late night snacking menu to be added to the menu services of the yacht for not only crew but also the clients. It is already in place on large yachts with more than two chefs so has your yacht implemented a menu as such? For one-chef yachts, remember that you make up the menu you will probably have to make it in the early morning hours. Make it small and easy to fix. For yachts with more than one chef, the menu can be more varied as the chefs are taking turns in rotational cooking during the night and day. Simply offer the menu to the guests upon arrival or have a daily card placed on their bed or dresser early in the morning and have them leave it on their door or in their room or upon leaving the yacht and have a stewardess collect it and pass it on to the chef or person on duty. Why risk the guests going into the crew area or the galley fridge to find something to eat and ruin a clean galley? Even worse, the crew or guests eating what you had planned to serve the next day. Here are a few menu suggestions:
Tapas
A tapas menu that they can simply order prior to going out and have it waiting in the their room upon arrival.
This is a fantastic idea for late night snacking. However, the one drawback is the ability to keep it hot if there is not something already in place to do so. So plan on room temperature or cold tapas for service.
Breakfast ready to order
Here is a great idea, easy to prepare and get it out so you can get some sleep. If the guests have a tendency to order waffles or pancakes then have the batter made up ready to go.
Fruit tray with dipping sauces
Put together a fruit platter for the guests who want something fresh and clean rather than sugar laden desserts. Be sure to offer sauces in case they want to dip their strawberries in maple syrup or melted chocolate. Chop ingredients for omelettes or for egg preparations and have it set aside clearly labeled so you can use at a minute’s notice for frittatas or omelets.
Pizza, pizza
For the seriously hungry, buy the ready made pizza dough found in stores for making a signature pizza or calzone for the ravenous crew or guest. Go ahead and make them up, and freeze them. Put your own personal spin on them and offer it on the menu. Don’t buy the pre-made pizzas. They’re just awful. People appreciate homemade much more.
Finger foods
Put together a selection of canapes for the guests to snack on upon arrival in their room. Perhaps a crudite platter or a meat or cheese tray or mini dessert plate can be made up and put in the refrigerator.
Seafood
Think seafood too, don’t rule that one out. A shrimp cocktail or crudo plate of smoked salmon or caviar with blinis is a must for quick and easy fixings. There is no limit to the imagination of what to have on hand for the late night snackers. Just remember to keep it simple so you can get some sleep too. Mary Beth Lawton Johnson is a certified executive pastry chef and Chef de Cuisine and has worked on yachts for more than 25 years. Comments are welcome at editorial@the-triton.com.
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Crew Fitness
The-Triton.com May 2016
Inflatable paddle board fits in your cabin, bring it with Ship Shape Melissa McMahon
We all have our questions when it comes to joining a new yacht. One in particular that we often wonder about is if we are able to use the yacht’s amenities. As crew members, we strive for that cool adventurous life in places people only dream of. To be able to use the yacht’s toys and recreational equipment makes it a better experience and more fun for the crew. But, then, there are the strict yachts that don’t allow you to use anything onboard and you’re left on your own to find fun activities. That’s okay though, because there are plenty of other ways to have fun out on the water. If you can’t use the paddle-boards from the yacht, go and buy an inflatable stand-up paddleboard (SUP) kit and store it in your cabin. They do run around $500 to $1,000 depending on size and brand. Most kits come with the board, a collapsible paddle,
hand pump, repair kit, and focus on your poses because a carrying bag. Some places of the board leaning and/or require you to have a lifejacket moving. with you at all times. They Do you have too many long make the manual inflatable crazy work days? When you lifejacket where they look like get off you can just sit on the fanny packs and go around board and relieve some of your waist. Safety first! that heaviness that weighs on You may have seen plenty of you. The ocean is known to SUP users out on the water, and mellow your mind, and help you probably thought it does you de-stress. As yachties, not take much to do. It actually we absolutely love the water requires a decent amount of so it’s a perfect way to get effort to stay balanced the off that yacht and explore. whole time, use your arms to Who knows, maybe you will paddle against tough currents see some beautiful wildlife (depending where you are), and underneath you. Make sure your quads will burn. It is a to bring a GoPro or any other killer workout and a ton of fun. type of waterproof camera, The more waves and because you can get those Stew Melissa McMahon finds the stand-up most amazing pictures. currents you are in, the more paddleboard easy to stow and it makes for a great intense your paddling will I’m sure all your friends workout of abs and quads. GOPRO PHOTO/MELISSA MCMAHON and families back home will be, obviously making you burn more calories. The main be in awe. muscles it targets are your abs. ab workout to keep us fit and healthy. Balancing involves your abdominal If you want to find a nice quiet spot to Melissa McMahon of Long Island, New to always be engaged. I’m sure with just cruise around that is fine as well. York is a stew onboard a 230-foot motoryacht, who loves to workout as she all the delicious food we eat from our You can try yoga and do all sorts of chefs onboard, we can all use a little different poses. It will allow you to fully travels the world at sea.
May 2016 The-Triton.com
Yachty Hockey
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acht crew take to the ‘ice’ for street hockey league every Tuesday at 6:30 p.m. for Yachty Hockey in Ft. Lauderdale. A group of up to 20 captains, engineers, deckhands, marina managers and dockhands face-off for fun and a good workout. “It’s a good group of people who enjoy the fun and exercise,” said Kevin Quirk. Goalie Jeremy Beller, of M/Y Enchanted Lady, remembers when the group started three years ago at Bahia Mar Marina. “We wore life jackets because we didn’t have PHOTOS/DORIE COX pads.”
Crew Fitness
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Career News
The-Triton.com May 2016
Capt. Cabrera looks to future daywork in Miami or Ft. Lauderdale when possible, and works as an Uber driver and a fusion cuisine chef at local July 24, 2015. hotels. Cabrera said his dream is to return For Cabrera, the news of Cuba lifting to Cuba as a captain of a charter yacht some of the restrictions on travel for and be able to walk off of the vessel and onto the island he grew up on, fished on, U.S. citizens has been good, but those changes don’t guarantee that his learned about and navigated with his father Carlos Cabrera, who was a harbor journey to fulfill his dream of arriving to Cuba on a vessel one day will ever pilot captain. become a reality. Cuba is also the place Juan left eight The Cuban law has years ago at 4 a.m. on Sept. become the subject of recent 25, 2008 on a homemade boat controversy as Carnival Corp. named La Rosa. announced plans for a ship His family is still in Cuba. from its Fathom line to sail When he left, his son was from Miami to Havana in May. just one month old and his At first, the company abided daughter had just turned four. by Cuba’s rule and was not He visits them by flying home selling tickets to Cuba-born and is preparing to bring them passengers. to the United States when he On April 18, however, can afford a home and life Cabrera Carnival Corp. changed for them. But first, he wants its stance and issued this to find a job in the yachting statement: industry. In the meantime, he juggles “As we continue our discussions with jobs as a chef and driver for Uber. Cuba, and in anticipation of Fathom “We are waiting for them to allow us travelers being on equal footing with Americans born in Cuba to be part of those who travel by air, we are accepting a crew of any yacht,” Cabrera, 33, said. bookings from all travelers, including “But we are not allowed.” Cuba-born individuals. However, if This was the first event Cabrera has Cuba’s decision is delayed beyond May attended with other captains in the U.S. since being granted citizenship less 1, we will delay the start of our sailings.” And as a class action lawsuit looms than a year ago. The panel presentation over Carnival Corp. for discriminating was held on March 29 for captains against Cuba-born Americans visiting interested in traveling to Cuba. Cabrera the island by ship, Cabrera, a U.S. said he thought it would be a good way to network. Cabrera, who graduated top citizen, wants to know why his rights are restricted while other U.S. citizens’ in his class from Cuba’s Naval Academy, rights are not. said one captain at the event expressed “For me, a U.S. citizen, this is interest in working with him because discrimination, ” he said. “There is no of Cabrera’s 25 years of knowledge of other name.” his native Cuba, but later, the captain Cabrera said Cubans and South changed his mind. Cabrera thinks that Florida residents are loyal cruise ship was because of the restrictions placed travelers and he thinks the pressure of on him when it comes to traveling to the latest protest against the Cuban law Cuba by water. might change the rule that prevents That restriction was one of captains like him from entering Cuba many topics mentioned during the via docks. educational panel and discussion sponsored by the Marine Industries Deciding to leave of South Florida (MIASF). It included “It is really hard to understand how presentations about traveling to Cuba it works,” Cabrera said about why he by the U.S. Coast Guard Sector Miami, decided to leave Cuba at age 25. Moore, senior partner with Moore & “If you are a captain of a big diesel, Co., a bank representative and U.S. you get a contract, for example, for Treasury Department attorney Charles $4,000 or $5,000 a month,” Cabrera Bishop. explained about working in Cuba. “You Despite his Master 500 ton mariner only get paid for $700 a month. The certification from the Academia Naval government takes it. “Granma” of Republica de Cuba and “If an American company wants to endorsement from the Cayman Islands, hire you, they can’t hire you directly. Cabrera said he is still unsuccessful finding a full-time job as a yacht captain The bigger percent, they take it,” he said about the Cuban government. “They do or first mate. For now, he picks up
JOURNEY, from page 1
May 2016 The-Triton.com
it with doctors, too. He said they marked pieces of the “I decided to leave because I was boat so they could match them when getting a little tired about that. You feel they were ready to reassemble it. that they are using you,” Cabrera said. “We covered it with aluminum. “I went to school. I love what I do, There’s a lot of waterlines in Cuba but it’s hard they use for when you see agriculture. somebody steal We cut it on your money. one side and “I have to we open it. keep silent,” he We try to put said. “Everything a big piece over there is very flat and censored. I don’t we used it want to live like to cover the this, I want to boat. For express myself. the unions “When I left (joints) we Google Earth image of La Rosa as it sits used asphalt. Cuba, there was abandoned on the beach. no option. In “That day 2008, I was in they called me charge of a boat, and somebody there’s a lot of problems. Your own crew picked me up from my home,” he said go against you and can take your boat about leaving in 2008. to leave Cuba. Cabrera said they walked for almost “It was scary to work in boats at that 10 km to get to the boat. time. In 1994 it started,” he said. “People “We had to go to the woods, close to assault captains and they take control, the coast. I had to walk carrying food, put a gun to your head and make you supplies, water. It’s coast, it’s like the take them to the U.S.” Everglades,” he said. Because the weather wasn’t cooperating, Cabrera said they spent Building the boat an extra four days waiting out storms Growing up, Cabrera said he was and that delayed the trip along with best friends with his father who mechanical issues. started as a shrimp boat captain and “The engine kept falling in the water,” became a harbor pilot captain. Cabrera he said. “The starter wouldn’t work. We remembers jumping from the pier in left at 4 a.m.” his small coastal town of Jucaro, in the Province Ciego De Avila, where his dad’s shrimp boat was docked. Journey by sea “My father was my best friend,” he Cabrera was 25 years old and the only said. “My father was my teacher. Every passenger who was a captain. trip that he went on, I always wanted to “No one else had captain experience,” go with him.” he said. “Me and my brother were the When the time came for Cabrera to biggest part of the group who was leave, he kept his plans secret from his family. family. “I only carried a small magnetic “My Mom, she smelled it, my plans,” compass and chart from England,” he said. “My father? No. If I had told Cabrera said about how he navigated him, he would have stopped me.” the boat for the 600-mile journey. “The boat got built in nine months,” “The nautical chart was from the ‘70s Cabrera said. “I provided books, a lot from a friend. That’s hard in Cuba to get of ideas. Probably 90 percent of the a chart,” he said. “There’s no store like construction was in my mind.” Bluewater Charts or West Marine. “It was not a real boat,” he said of “We traveled for 15 days,” Cabrera its rough construction. “In these nine said. “Five days with a motor. We ran months, I visited the boat two times.” out of gas and we sailed the last 10 “Being a captain, doing what I was days.” doing, they’d take me away from my job Two tropical storms crossed Cuba and it would be a mark forever,” Cabrera that month, Cabrera said. “We got said about what would have happened if caught in the depression.” he and his friends and family had been “We arrived to Cayman Brac, we caught building the vessel. went to Little Cayman and then to “My group would bring me pictures. Grand Cayman. Twice I visited the boat. They built it in “When we left Grand Cayman, that’s a house,” he said. when the story began, that was the “When they finished, they took it all See JOURNEY, page 28 apart.”
Career News
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News
JOURNEY, from page 27 worst travel.” The boat was named La Rosa after the name of the family whose house it was built in. It measured about 10 meters long with a 2-meter beam and was a tight space for Cabrera and the other 11 passengers onboard who were a combination of friends and family. Cabrera said the wood boat was stabilized by inflated inner tubes removed from tractor tires. “We secured the boat with inner tubes on starboard and port sides, we wrapped it with lines for stability. We had water, food, medicine, a lantern to do signals. “Sea conditions for that type of boat were really worse,” he said. “You build something and you don’t do a sea trial and the first time you get in, that’s crazy. You build a yacht you do sea trial. On the sixth day at sea, they ran out of water and food. The canned goods, cookies, candies, peanuts they had brought were gone. “Four of the passengers, they quit in Grand Cayman because we ran out of food, ran out of gas,” Cabrera said. “I get close to the coast at Grand Cayman and they jumped in the water and they were sent back to Cuba.” The next day, a seagull landed on the mast of the makeshift, vinyl sail and his friend grabbed it by the neck. It made for good bait, Cabrera said. They caught four mahi-mahi with the pieces of that bird. “After sixth day, the rain came through and we put it in containers,” he said. “The rain saved our lives. “Things we learned in school. You know, how to survive. “The rest of the days were terrible. Raining, storms. We traveled, the wind was always heading west, west, west. The first thing we saw, some seagulls. The smell at nighttime, when the wind changed. The land wind, you smell it. The next morning I was on the bow of the boat and I see some pine trees. We’re close. “We get to Banco Chinchurro, a very huge coral reef line close to the coast of Mexico and you see the next morning we get close to that and you see all of the water on that reef. “It’s a lot of reef and we are not under command, no engine. “I can see a little spot to cross. I get to that point and okay we got to jump to the water to raise the boat. “We jump and at that time a wave comes. Push it. Big history. Little by little with our sail, 4 knots, 3 knots. We see a search light. Is it a light house? No it’s not a light house.
The-Triton.com May 2016
The Mexican Navy had spotted them the night before, but Cabrera said they had waited until daybreak to pick them up and tow the handmade vessel. “The next morning at about 7:30 a.m. two big boats from the Mexican Navy tried to get to the point that we were. They told us it was them that night but they kept us on track and waited until morning to get us. “They talked on the speaker close to us, ‘You are in Mexican waters and you need to come with us.’ ” “We were really cooperating. It’s part of the process. We can do nothing. We leave the boat and we boarded one of the boats and the other towed the boat we come over in” Cabrera said. “We’re going to be in Mexico.”
Landfall in Mexico
Cabrera relives details of the arrival in Mexico. “They take you to a small military place on the coast,” Cabrera said. “We get there and we get checked by a doctor. We took a shower. It was the best part of the day. “After that, they took us to immigration. We spend 18 days waiting in Mexico for paperwork to continue travel. “We pay the fine. $400 for each person. My uncle from the U.S. sent me money. We pay to fly from Chetumal to Mexico City, Mexico City to Matamoros, and we reach the border. We stay on the border for 12 days and we asked for political asylum. “We wait for 10 hours.”
In the United States
“We arrive to the border at 10 p.m. at the end of October. U.S. officials accepted Cabrera’s request for protection and granted him asylum. By definition, “asylum may be granted to people who are already in the United States and are unable or unwilling to return their home country because of persecution or a well-founded fear of persecution on account of race, religion, nationality, membership in a particular social group, or political opinion.” “When you feel like you are harassed by your country,” Cabrera said. “The day I entered the U.S. was October 30. I spend almost a month,” he said. “When we get our parole, paperwork, we take a taxi to a hotel. We went to an airport first but it was too late. “We went to a small hotel, rest, eat, take a shower. Next morning from Brownsville, Texas to St. Louis to Kentucky.
News
May 2016 The-Triton.com
New life
Cabrera moved in with his uncle in Kentucky and spent two years there working at restaurants but eventually moved to Miami with his brother Abel Perdomo Rey who traveled from Cuba with him on La Rosa and eventually moved to Tampa. Cabrera recalls what is was like to move to Miami from Kentucky. “Here I am in Miami,” he said. “No friends, no family. My brother has a friend who was working at a hotel on Key Biscayne. My brother’s friend spoke for them. At that time, I don’t know anyone in the industry, how that works. “I started working, anything to survive. I spent time working in hotels. “One night I took a shower, lay down, and I look at the ceiling. I realize, I’ve got to do what I’ve got to do.
Getting back on water
Cabrera plans to work as a captain again. “I did some research,” Cabrera said. “I got some instruction. I went to ICT (International Crew Training) but was at MPT (Maritime Professional Training) first. He realized that he needed to update his training and start getting his certifications in order. “When I go into MPT, I was frozen,” Cabrera said. “Technology, a lot of new things.” “I have a friend who is a marine surveyor. He gives me some magazines. I learn that Cayman Islands can accept my Cuban captain certification. “I met with Todd Bice at MPT where I was taking my classes. I was the only Spanish guy in that classroom, and I would ask when I didn’t understand. “Matt was my instructor. MPT, they knew it was not my language. So they showed me, to help me. When I got the test, I did well. They were proud of me. Now, Cabrera is working with the USCG on getting his certifications recognized and looking for work in the industry. “I am doing daywork,” he said. “Meeting people and trying to get involved in the industry. I want to see. It’s good way to meet people. “I’m a very simple person. I’m a captain but I will do a deckhand job,” Cabrera said. He’s been working on the M/Y Happy Hour in Miami as a deckhand, he said.
Journey continues
Cabrera said he is lucky to have made the trip to the U.S. safely. “It’s hard when you have to leave your country. The place you were born, you grow, to go to work. You don’t know
what’s going to happen in the middle of the sea. A lot of people left and did not see their dreams come true,” he said about surviving the boat ride. And while he continues to prepare for his family to come join him, he knows they have hope of a better life in the U.S. and are patient. His mother ended up coming to Miami to visit and spent two years with Cabrera, he said. His father died of a heart attack three years ago and never came to the U.S. Cabrera plans to unite with his girlfriend and children as soon as they are ready. “Probably next year, I will bring them here,” he said. “We see a future if we bring them here.”
Making history in Cuba
When he returns home, friends and family still speak of his journey to the U.S. “Especially with my Mom,” he said. “When my father was alive, we spoke a lot about it. “I was missing for 15 days,” he said about how they worried until they knew he was safe. “They know after I get to Mexico, probably day 17, I was able to call Cuba,” Cabrera said. Cabrera says that much of the journey is undocumented because, “We did not have phones back then to take pictures.” But he still has looks back on the
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journey. He has a photo of himself and the other passengers in the boat taken by the Mexican Navy. He plays the footage via the internet from the Mexican TV news reporting that eight Cubans who successfully sailed to Mexico from Cuba. And on Google Earth, Juan is excited to have discovered a photo of the boat that delivered him on this journey, sitting askew and abandoned on the beach in Mexico. Suzette Cook is editor of The Triton. Comments on this survey are welcome at suzette@the-triton.com.
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May 2016
Triton Survey Fire onboard Sooner or later captains, crew will face a fire By Suzette Cook Recent serious yacht fires got us thinking about fire safety onboard and how common blazes on yachts really are. In recent months, local and global news organizations and social media have been airing images of yachts afire with smoke billowing and rescued crew piled in safety rafts. The Triton’s Feb. 1, 2016 post of news of the fire and subsequent sinking of M/Y Camarina Royale garnered more than 30,000 views. Comments attached to the post were asking why so many fires were happening so often. So we wondered, are yacht fires happening more often or are they being captured and reported more often on social media? From full blown abandon ship scenarios to small fires that captains and crew have snuffed out with minimal damage, results of this month’s survey reveal that a majority of veteran captains have faced more than one fire onboard in their careers.The odds are that the longer you’re at sea, the greater the chance you’ll face a fire. But we wanted to know more than if fires have occurred on yachts, so we explored safety training,
inspections, where they were happening and what might be causing them. Captains came through with a series of experiences and advice that may not only help prepare others to fight a fire, but possibly to prevent one from happening at all. More than half of the captains we surveyed have been at the helm for 20 years or longer. We started with the basic question Have you ever had a fire incident onboard? More than 85 percent of the captains responded “yes” so we asked them to rate the level of seriousness of those fires. A full blown abandon ship scenario was reported by 6.4 percent of the captains. The majority, 44.5 percent surveyed, revealed that they had fought a fire onboard and beat it and 34.5 percent said they were able to nip a fire in the bud, so it amounted to just smoke with no threatening blaze. Less than half of the captains (41.5 percent) said their experience with fire was limited to the one time. In fact, 31.9 percent said they faced two fires, 18.1 percent said they had battled three fires over their career, 5.3 percent answered four fires, 2.1 percent
Have you ever had a fire incident onboard? Yes, full blown and had to abandon ship 6.4% No 14.5%
Yes. But we were able to nip it in the bud 34.5%
Yes. A fire we fought and beat 44.5%
said five fires happened under their watch and 1.1 percent had experienced six to 10 fires with zero reporting more than 10. What about from afar? With the close berthing arrangements at marinas and boat shows, captains and crew have to pay attention to emergencies that happen on neighboring yachts. So we asked Have you ever witnessed a fire happening on another yacht? A whopping 80.7 percent said yes. In the spirit of The Golden Rule, we asked captains about their level of involvement when they have witnessed a fire on a nearby yacht. Did you assist? A majority, 43.9 percent said they went to the scene to help. Others, 9.8 percent, said they were able to send crew to help with the emergency and 7.3 percent said they helped by calling 9-1-1 and reporting the emergency. “In a number of cases the crew and I grabbed equipment and went directly to assist,” commented a veteran captain with 35 years experience on a more than 220 -foot yacht. Another captain of yachts ranging from 201 to 220 feet with more than 25 years of experience shared this experience he had in Antigua. “In 1989, while working on a yacht called Azzurra, we were moored in Antigua stern to the dock. The small sailboat next to us was cooking a turkey and it caught (fire). I witnessed the smoke from Azzurra and then quickly ran down to tell the crew onboard what was going on next to us. With help from the second engineer onboard Azzurra, I got an air pack on me and with a fire extinguisher I ran over to the sailboat and went below and put the fire out. “Once the fire was out, we opened the yacht up to cool and to start the clean up. Needless to say, they were left hungry. Since I was only wearing shorts and a T-shirt, I got a good “sunburn” from all the heat in the galley when I went in. That was before the fire suits of today.” One captain with more with 20-24 years experience on 141-160-foot yachts was impressed with how the fire on a completely lossed Benetti was handled. “Watched from a distance while shipyard and local fire teams contained a fire to a new 54M Benetti in Livorno,” the captain commented. “ Vessel was a total loss. Shipyard actually send men into the sub deck to open sea-cocks to scuttle vessel evenly to the bottom to prevent roll over and resultant spilling of fuel oil etc.” Another captain with 15-19 years of experience on 121-140-foot yachts said he/she carried out a post-fire inspection on another yacht. “I was the bosun at the time on a 48m. I got dressed in turnout gear to go in with a fire extinguisher to inspect the galley for residual fire, assist with de-energizing the circuit and standby for
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The-Triton.com
Triton Survey Did you assist?
No 39%
Yes, I went to the scene and helped 43.9%
Yes, called for help or reported the Yes, I sent crew fire and equipment 7.3% to help 9.8%
Could it have been prevented?
No 40.2% Yes 59.8%
How many times in your career has a fire broken out? Five 2.1%
More than six 1.1%
Four 5.3% Three 18.1%
One 41.5% Two 31.9%
watch until we could accurately determine the fire was extinguished.” In an effort to pinpoint where fire hazards are prevalent on yachts we asked Where did the fire incident(s) originate? It might not be a surprise that the majority, 52.9 percent, of reported fires in our survey happened in the engine room followed by 22.4 percent reported starting in the galley. Extensive fire damage to the yacht may have prevented 12.9 percent of the captains surveyed to say they were not able to determine where the fire started. We wanted to know what captains learned from the fires they experienced so that advice might help prevent more fires from be caused the same way. So we asked about the most serious fire our survey participants had encountered. Could it have been prevented? A majority responded with a definite “Yes.” And offered advice with their explanations. “By simple danger labelling,” advised one captain with 35 years experience. “Had the engineer put a sticker on the circuit breakers that controlled the electric to the equipment he was working on. Then the first mate would not have switched them on while doing his normal rounds on watch. Caught it just in time,” he continued. “We could have lost that yacht if we were a few minutes slower on the response. No one hurt, but it was close to being an out of control disaster!” Another suggested having “a fire watch while the welding was going on.” A captain with 20 to 24 years of experience on 141 to 160-foot yachts suggested “Regular inspection of all areas inside yacht with an infrared heat detector.” “Inverters can be particularly dangerous during an electrical fire,” offered another captain. “The crew may think they have disconnected the electricity to the ignition source, but the inverter(s) may still be producing AC power to feed the fire.” We know all yacht crew are required to receive fire training through the The Standards of Training, Certification & Watchkeeping for Seafarers (STCW). We asked the question Do you feel trained to handle minor and major fire incident(s)? Close to 90 percent of those surveyed said that they did feel adequately trained. So we probed further to find out how captains emphasized fire training with their crew. Do you conduct onboard fire drills onboard? we asked. Turns out not all yacht crew receive fire training onboard the yachts they work. At least 12.2 percent of the respondents said “no” to this question. But the 87.8 percent who responded “yes” explained in the next series of questions how they ensure fire safety through drills and inspections. How often do you do these drills? We asked. About half of the captains answered that they hold fire drills either on every trip, season or at least once a year. But the other 53.3 percent answered “other” to this question.
See FIRE, page 32
Where did the fire originate? Galley 22.4%
Engine room 52.9%
Wheelhouse 10.6%
Laundry 3.5%
Lazarette 3.5%
On deck 7.1%
Guest staterooms 10.6%
Guest living space 4.7%
Crew cabin 4.7%
Crew lounge 2.4%
Not sure 12.9%
Other 9.4%
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Some realistic fire drills involve abandoning ship FIRE from page 31 We asked for more details about fire drills to get a feel for the extended or yacht specific training that occurs. We asked What does your fire drill entail? Answers ranged from a variation of drills at least once a month to full fire gear dress rehearsals when crew least expected them. “We do different fire drills at least once a month,” commented a captain of a more than 220-foot yacht. “Engine room fire, galley fire are the most common.” Another captain urged a variation of drills. “Practice different scenarios. Get the crew used to thinking about fires in different areas and getting to know where fire equipment is.” One captain emphasized talking with the crew after the drill was carried out. “Full crew, varying scenarios, full BA team, debrief afterwards,” they commented. What a about a drill every week? One captain with 30 to 34 years of
Do you feel trained to handle fire incidents?
Do you conduct onboard fire drills?
How often do you conduct fire drills?
No 12.2%
No 11.3%
Every trip/charter 16.3% Other 53.3%
Yes 88.7%
experience on yachts larger than 220 feet described drills carried out once a week. “Dress out, operate hose stations. Simulate secure power and ventilation. Train on various pieces of equipment from safety locker.” And the more realistic, the better one captain commented. “A typical fire drill will include tripping a heat
Yes 87.8%
Every season 22.8% Every year 7.6%
or smoke detector to observe and fine tune the responses of all crew from hearing the alarm to communication and coordination of the attack at the scene until all clear given. “Many times, hoses and bunker gear are involved, though our primary response is to attack with extinguishers before a small problem can escalate.
Renting a DJ’s smoke machine can do wonders for a surprise fire drill!” One crew would hear this, said one captain. “Fire! Fire! Fire! Galley, Galley Galley! Drill!” Then, all crew onboard were required to grab the nearest extinguisher and come to the site of the drill.
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May 2016 The-Triton.com
With new crew joining yachts on a regular basis, one captain with 20 to 24 years experience suggested this approach. “We drill on fires in different areas as in engine room,galley, etc. Basics include inspection of problem areas that may contribute to causing a fire. Inspection of extinguishers and periodic discharge of extinguishers. Blocking off air supply to fire area. Notification of fire onboard to authorities. Marina Office or Coast Guard. Periodic inspection of fire suppression system by certified parties. Checking of crew to make sure they all know where all extinguishers are located. Especially new crew members.” Extra fire precautions such as bringing in an inspector as a way to identify potential problems are utilized in most industries, so we asked Do you bring in a third-party inspector to sign off on fire safety? The response was almost and even split with 49.5 percent saying that they did use the extra advice of a third party to look for any hazards onboard. And those who do use an independent inspection company did so mostly once a year (63.1 percent). Very few brought on an inspector before every trip (3.1 percent).
Do you bring in a third-party inspector to check fire safety?
How often do you bring in a fire safety inspector? Every trip/charter 3.1%
No 50.5%
Yes 49.5%
Every season 10.8%
Other 23.1%
Comments:
Yacht captains offered advice for
dealing with fires onboard and possibly preventing future blazes: Be sure to take care of the electrical side of things and monitor often, including shore power connection on the dock. Most smaller vessels are not equipped with the man power (crew) to safely fight a fire without serious risk to human life. l
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Yes!! More drills than before the 1st one = and it has certainly paid off !
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You have to be as prepared as possible. Drills are essential to get the crew as familiar as possible with the gear and procedure so that, in a real life situation, there is less confusion. Their functions have to be as automatic as possible. l
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Every year 63.1%
The lessons learned by those captains surveyed is perhaps the most important feedback we received. We asked What did you learn from your experience with fire on yachts? and Do you do anything differently now than you did before the experience? These responses proved to be invaluable, so we have included them all, just in case.
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We carry bunker gear and make sure all the fire systems are up to code. l
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Fire watch while welding. l
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Good housekeeping helps prevent fires. Also regular testing of electrical circuits by Megger and thermal imaging. Do drills often. Train the way you’ll fight. Fire doesn’t care. l
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Keep training. More drills, more preventive maintenance. l
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If we can not put it out with a fire extinguisher, we are leaving. It (the yacht) is insured. Lives come first. l
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See FIRE, page 34
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The-Triton.com May 2016
Captains advise: Have greater awareness, trust instincts FIRE, from page 33
worst.
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Inspect all equipment carefully for signs of deterioration. l
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No, same routine. We had a stack fire that was caused by a blown oil seal in a turbo charger. Main engine shut down and cooled the exhaust system with fresh water. l
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I make sure all detection points are checked monthly at minimum and all crew are capable of donning bunker gear in less than 2 minutes. l
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Be prepared, and do drills. l
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Learned how quickly it can happen, nothing different, just more alert to the rapid pace of ignition. l
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Just confirmed that the drills and experience paid off. Fire inspectors and insurance investigators both concurred, decisive immediate correct action taken. l
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Yes, drill and be prepared for the
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All crew get to use a fire extinguisher and hose. l
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Keep doing drills. l
Always on guard to prevent. l
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Each fire I’ve dealt with was due to careless people. As then, and now, I do my best to see the future. That’s real fire prevention. Then if it happens, you’re all on the same safe page. l
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Perform a thorough inspection prior to getting underway that targets fire hazards and gear adrift. l
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They scare hell out of me. Can start from a halogen light in a closet stuffed with pillows or sparks on a battery. l
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Just greater awareness from a preventative perspective. l
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Pay closer attention to the maintenance of the various fuel/ hydraulic lines.
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Learned that our regular testing of the engine room fire suppression system and yearly re-certification proved invaluable, along with crew knowledge of how to operate it. The system performed as designed and suppressed the raging fire. Also learned that fire damper systems may not completely eliminate air ingression into the engine room. We took further steps to seal off all air intake and discharge ducts. l
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Yes drills. Increased awareness as to cause. l
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I pray a lot. It can happen, be prepared. l
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General awareness and discussion. Watch walk arounds off charter and underway. Prevention ahead of time. l
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I told crew if they think something is wrong, it probably is wrong. If you smell, see or think something is not
right, bring it to the attention of someone else. Never hurts to have a second opinion. l
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Try to reinforce safety, proper stowing of chemicals and paint supplies. l
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We had a fire on the yacht I was on. It was caused by dirty rags with dissimilar chemicals in the same bucket and a very hot August day. l
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Learned there is a very real possibility of it happening on any yacht at any time. Even before any of the three fires I have experienced, I require underway a human nose and eyes are doing an engine room every single hour underway, and regular yacht walkthroughs. Fires I had would have been MUCH worse, maybe unsurvivable, without having caught them early this way. l
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Keep training. Fires spreads quickly. Crew awareness is key. Always have a fire
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May 2016 The-Triton.com
safety chat with the chef. l
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Create in everyone a high level of consciousness of the importance to maintain (keep) all crew aware of the situation. By practicing fire drills, the crew became more focused and act in a positive way that could save a life and possibly minimize damages to the vessel. l
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Quick action and crew training. I never did this before. l
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Yachts are the most flammable thing on the water with the interiors filled with highly flammable materials of sorts, and varnished to make them get fully involved and fill with toxic smoke all that much faster. The only place on a yacht that is designed to deal with fire reasonably well is the engine room. Even galleys are poorly constructed, and the launders is just a death trap disguised as a lint trap. If a fire starts spreading in an interior, DO NOT continue to fight the fire, go to abandon ship. The fire is most likely already in the walls and you cannot combat it. l
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Stay calm. There is no substitute for training and practice, and fiberglass burns faster than steel or aluminum. People are harder to protect when they panic. l
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No candles aboard. l
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Treat electrics with the most respect. l
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We keep a hot water hose hooked up in the engine room at all times. l
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Be more diligent. l
Risk assessments and added precautions. Engine room tidiness and all flammable material correctly stored away from engine room. l
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We were lucky that we got it under control really quickly. The engine room fire was caused (on a 1961 yacht) by a fuel line to a boiler that had been repaired eons before with a bit of plastic hose. CO2 system extinguished it almost instantly. The other one could have been disastrous to due to location at middle of a spiral stairwell running from tank top to sundeck. l
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Never assume it won’t happen, always be aware.
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There is so much inherent risk associated with what we do every day that my job is to earnestly try to eliminate unnecessary risk. Being unprepared for a fire or any emergency is an unnecessary risk. We prepare. I find that in being prepared the crew, as a whole, develops a better sense of responsibility, has a sharper eye and can catch accidents waiting to happen, and provides a team building mentality. We are better at responding to emergencies as a team and we all play a critical part in one another’s wellbeing. l
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Inspect fixed systems, and know the locations of handheld extinguishers. Fast response can save the ship. l
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I am very aware of the yacht, and what happens during each day. I keep a good eye on things. l
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Better to launch tenders early, than fight a bigger one. SOS early on. l
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We asked for any other thoughts about yachts and fire. We are adequately prepared for small/controllable fires. Other than a safe evacuation, no one is prepared for an uncontrollable fire. l
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Being conscious of emergency situations and pre-planning what to do - how to react quickly = saves lives! (safety first is a good rule to live by!) l
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You can never have enough fire extinguishers. l
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In my case, it was in the design of the vessel built before today’s standards. Designs have changed since and fire suppression systems are much better. l
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Always be prepared. l
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Training on fire prevention and proper use and stowage of flammable products and materials is key to fire safety. l
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Stressing rapid response anytime an alarm is triggered is the most crucial part of prevention. Aside from modern detection equipment, your nose is the best for early detection too. The See FIRE, page 36
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Triton Survey
Today’s fuel prices Prices for low-sulfur gasoil expressed in US$ per cubic meter (1,000 liters) as of April 15. Region Duty-free*/duty paid U.S. East Coast Ft. Lauderdale 382/411 Savannah, Ga. 407/NA Newport, R.I. 509/NA Caribbean St. Thomas, USVI 622/NA St. Maarten 567/NA Antigua 445/NA Valparaiso 440/NA North Atlantic Bermuda (Ireland Island) 653/NA Cape Verde 375/NA Azores 431/1,128 Canary Islands 369/654 Mediterranean Gibraltar 434/NA Barcelona, Spain 401/976 Palma de Mallorca, Spain NA/1,162 Antibes, France 376/1,188 San Remo, Italy 470/1,478 Naples, Italy 496/1,442 Venice, Italy 479/1,758 Corfu, Greece 507/1,174 Piraeus, Greece 468/1,118 Istanbul, Turkey 562/NA Malta 580/1,274 Tunis, Tunisia 490/NA Bizerte, Tunisia 494/NA Oceania Auckland, New Zealand 403/NA Sydney, Australia 407/NA Fiji 607/717
One year ago Prices for low-sulfur gasoil expressed in US$ per cubic meter (1,000 liters) as of April 15, 2015. Region Duty-free*/duty paid U.S. East Coast Ft. Lauderdale 641/688 Savannah, Ga. 530/NA Newport, R.I. 536/NA Caribbean St. Thomas, USVI 839/NA St. Maarten 790/NA Antigua 700/NA Valparaiso 488/NA North Atlantic Bermuda (Ireland Island) 785/NA Cape Verde 530/NA Azores 582/1,303 Canary Islands 667/934 Mediterranean Gibraltar 502/NA Barcelona, Spain 619/1,133 Palma de Mallorca, Spain NA/825 Antibes, France 545/1,271 San Remo, Italy 647/1,632 Naples, Italy 641/1,495 Venice, Italy 645/1,559 Corfu, Greece 503/1,109 Piraeus, Greece 486/1,091 Istanbul, Turkey 626/NA Malta 561/1,006 Tunis, Tunisia 709/NA Bizerte, Tunisia 709/NA Oceania Auckland, New Zealand 582/NA Sydney, Australia 573/NA Fiji 598/NA
*When available according to local customs.
The-Triton.com May 2016
Power strips, dirty rags, open flames can cause fires FIRE, from page 35 slight plastic smell you notice walking through the boat, could be someone’s cell phone charger or power adapter left unattended in the early stages of becoming a problem. Do not stop looking for a burning smell until you find it...you will! l
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Every scenario is different - don’t judge others as you are not in their shoes. Prepare your crew and be as ready as possible for various scenarios. l
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I’ve put out the many fires others have started due to poor safety practice. l
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On a fiberglass boat, the fumes are so toxic, if you cant put it out at the “trashcan” stage get the life raft over.
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Yachts and Fire. Fire Training other than basic training required for a 100 ton license is nonsense within the context of private yachts. Pretty much every private yacht built as such up to about 140’ does not carry and\or was not built to fight any major fire incident. The plain fact is 95 percent of all yachts under about 130’ just do not carry enough scot paks and protective clothing for more than a couple people. It is a one shot mission and should one of those people get trapped or go down, there is no backup. Also, the companion ways on yachts are smaller than on most commercial vessels.
abandon ship scenario. Fire is perhaps the most serious as it can kill before it’s even detected (smoke while sleeping). l
Galley fires are very scary, I had to tell the crew they could not cook anything when they came home after being in the bar. One of my crew members almost started a fire at 2 a.m. I know a friend that this happened to about 3 years after I had implement the “no cooking” after drinking policy. l
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I do not consider the majority of yacht crews skilled enough to fight major fires especially in confined areas, Boats can be replaced, lives not. If a fire can be beat, it should be done in the first several minutes, if not (if possible) leave it to the full time fire fighters. l
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Fire and flooding are the two emergencies that can lead to an
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You can never practice enough. Eddie Cooney on the Feadship Aviva was a prime example of the proper way to train and fight the fires aboard. l
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Drill, be prepared. Don’t skimp on costs for safety equipment and maintenance. l
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Bloody scary , decisive immediate corrective action MUST be taken!!!! l
The Coast Guard training is skewed toward commercial vessels. Nothing wrong with it, except it does not reflect the real world day-to-day operation of private yachts and the limitations of fighting fire on them. We need a separate 200 to 250-ton Yacht Master License that covers vessels 150’ or less.
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Lost a 120-foot motor yacht in 1982 in the West Indies on charter. Fire started in guest lounge. Wood boat burnt to waterline, fuel tanks exploded and she sank in “the bight” in Norman Island, BVI . l
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Fires are very dangerous and happen very fast. You can have a total loss in just a matter of minutes. l
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Power strips are one of the reasons for fires, crew always overload them. Plus, they always purchase the household brands instead of the ones made for vessels that are used by the Navy and USCG training, It’s all about the training, Getting crew comfortable using fire fighting equipment, doing drills weekly, everyone says it won’t happen to me, I can guarantee if you stay in this business long enough it will. l
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Galley fires are very scary, I had to tell the crew they could not cook anything when they came home after being in the bar. One of my crew members almost started a fire at 2 a.m.
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May 2016 The-Triton.com
I know a friend that this happened to about 3 years after I had implement the “no cooking” after drinking policy. l
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Anywhere on land where people sleep and could just run outside, there are required by law to be smoke detectors present and operating. Why the hell in the MORE dangerous situation of sleeping below deck are smoke detectors NOT REQUIRED on private yachts!!! I’m not stupid, if I’m going to sleep on someone’s yacht I bring my own detector and tape it to the ceiling because I KNOW most yachts don’t have any! l
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Most are built and maintained so badly they are an accident waiting to happen. l
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Fire is a serious situation aboard, but you can minimize the losses by training and practicing fire drills. Because drills create security to all crew at the time of a real emergency, The crew involved will not ask him or herself, WHAT I SHOULD DO? Instead, she or he will act as they had been taught to during the drills. No question should come their minds, just actions and procedures. l
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Yachts are viewed as luxury toys so all safety standards are basically ignored. They really only start to take affect when you add the thirteenth paying passenger and need to meet SOLAS. l
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Pay attention to condition of electrical equipment and wiring. l
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There are very few truisms on boats, but, when it comes to equipment, for fire or anything else dealing with safety, “It’s better to have it and not need it, than to need it and not have it.” l
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Too often we do quick electrical repairs and then they are real fire
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Ban halogen light bulbs, they generate too much heat. Safety isolation switches in galley and laundry. No late night drunken cooking allowed by crew. Galley out of bounds and use of electrical or gas appliances restricted after hours. Strict no smoking policy. Correct use of ironing equipment and proper storage. No open flames allowed without proper precautions. Use of candles for dinner tables and ambience setting is to be supervised by chief stew and correct stable candle holders are to be used and securely anchored to surfaces. Guest ash trays are to be the covered type and cleared regularly. l
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It spreads real fast - don’t spend too long fighting it - get off safely and in good time. l
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I wish you asked in this survey what caused the fire and how it was extinguished. Like most incidents, especially minor ones, they go unreported. And we all know that serious fires begin as minor incidents and go unnoticed or unresolved. I’d love to know what causes the majority of fires onboard. I’d also like to know how many times actually donning a full fire gear team has successfully extinguished a fire. I run a smaller vessel now with a crew of 3. I don’t have the capability of a fire team. Our approach is if we can’t get it with an extinguisher, we are containing the fire as best we can while abandoning ship. I wonder if this isn’t a better approach as a whole on yachts. I am doubtful that these fire teams that I have had to train and perform in front of class and flag state inspectors are actually effective or just downright risky. Suzette Cook is editor of The Triton. Comments on this survey are welcome at suzette@the-triton.com.
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Crew News
May 2016 The-Triton.com
Surf n’ Turf Chef Competition
A
bout 300 people enjoyed a cook-off among eight yacht and restaurant chefs at the first Surf n’ Turf Chef Competition on April 16. Under a tent at Culinary Convenience in Ft. Lauderdale, the chefs prepared appetizers while attendees sampled and voted, giving first place honors to Chef Peter Kahan of M/Y Acqua. Talented yacht chefs swept the competition, including second place to Chef Marsell van der Westhuizen of M/Y Incentive, and third place to Chef Kevin Rico from M/Y Rebecca. The event was organized by Crew Unlimited and Culinary Convenience, and part of the proceeds benefitted the Marine Industry Cares Foundation. PHOTOS/LUCY REED
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Triton Networking
The-Triton.com May 2016
Join The Triton to network, chill with V-Kool in Ft. Lauderdale The Triton invites captains, crew and industry professionals for cool monthly networking on the first Wednesday in May. V-Kool of Florida hosts the May 4 event from 6-8 p.m. in Ft. Lauderdale. Bring business cards to optimize your connections, no RSVP required. Until then learn more from V-Kool of Florida owner Scott Frischhertz. Q. Just what is V-Kool? V-Kool is a clear window film which rejects more heat than conventional tint. V-Kool is the only infrared reflecting film on the market. All other films absorb infrared. The V in V-Kool came from the angle that is formed when the sun’s infrared rays bounce off of the film. Q. How did you get into the business? I am a former captain and met the owner of V-Kool on a charter in 2003. After he explained the film to me, I purchased a roll and installed the first piece of film on the boat I was running, M/Y Carib Queen. Q. Does V-Kool interfere with night vision? V-Kool does not contain any dye which is found in tint. The function is to only filter out infrared rays and allow visible light to pass through. As a result, it will not darken the room. The product was named “One of the top 10 inventions of the millennium by Popular Science Magazine”. Q. How has business been over the last year? I’ve found that V-Kool is starting to saturate the local yacht market. When I walk down the docks, I notice the number of boats that already have V-Kool, we have completed more than 900 yachts. V-Kool carries a five year warranty in a marine application, however there are boats that were treated over 10 years ago and the film is still going strong. The only way for the film to fail is direct exposure to salt water (i.e. a leaking window) or damage from impact or sanding. Q. How does a captain best explain V-Kool to the owner? There are many benefits that affect the bottom line for the yacht. l Yachts will see a 55-percent reduction in heat gain at the glass which results in a cooler dashboard. We have seen dashboard temperatures reduced as much as 60 degrees Fahrenheit. Most mid-sized to
large vessels have a chill water loop system. Keeping any part of the boat cooler,helps keep the loop cooler. l European-made yachts have air conditioning systems designed for use in much cooler water temperatures. When these yachts arrive in the warm waters of Florida, The Bahamas and Caribbean, the A/C systems struggle to keep the boat cool. Reducing the heat gain at the glass greatly helps the system perform more efficiently. l Stops fading of bright work and fabrics. l Lowers the overall power consumption of the vessel which relates to considerable amounts of money especially in the Bahamas and Caribbean where power costs more than double than it does in the States. Q. You’re on the docks often, what do you hear about V-Kool? I recently went aboard a Millennium built yacht which had recently sold. The owner requested a price to treat the entire boat. While measuring the pilot house, I noticed that there was existing film on the glass and after testing it, I determined that it was V-Kool. In our database I found that we had installed V-Kool only in the bridge in January of 2009. The film still looked great. The new owner was happy to hear the news and is proceeding with V-Kool throughout the rest of the boat. Q. Are there other companies selling V-Kool in South Florida? My company, “V-Kool of Florida” is the only authorized dealer for V-Kool in South Florida. There have been other tint companies claiming to sell V-Kool however they are using a cheap knock off. The owner or captain should give us a call if they have any questions. Q. You’ve been hosting this event for a couple years now and you always have crayfish. Why crayfish? I’m originally from New Orleans where crayfish parties are common place this time of year. When you’re standing around a table with a bunch of strangers eating crayfish, you can’t help but strike up a conversation. I fly the crayfish in live from New Orleans. The networking event is Wednesday, May 4th behind the V-Kool office located at 1304 SW 1st Ave., one block north of Tap 42 Bar and Grill in Ft. Lauderdale (33315). Visit www.V-Kool-florida.com for more details.
Triton Networking
May 2016 The-Triton.com
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Add networking with The Triton, ISSGMT to your itinerary Marine travel specialists ISSGMT will host Triton networking on the third Wednesday in May. Yacht captains, crew and industry professionals are welcome to join on May 18 at ISSGMT’s offices off 17th Street in Ft. Lauderdale from 6-8 p.m. Until then, learn more about from the yacht division team, Sales Manager Laurence Carlier and Sales Coordinator Shawn O’Brien. Q. Tell us about ISSGMT ISSGMT is a full service travel agency catering exclusively to the yachting industry and offering 24/7/365 customer service. Due to the nature of the industry, it is not unusual for our clients to arrange last minute travel and with the 24/7 team in place, ISSGMT is able to respond quickly. All our calls and emails are handled by in-house agents based in the USA, Europe and Canada. ISSGMT offers negotiated discounted marine airfares worldwide which are designed to provide cost effective travel solutions to our
yachting clientele. In addition to our contract airfares, we are also able to access regular published airfares including low cost carriers so we can always present multiple options to our clients. As a full service travel agency we can also help with car and hotel reservations worldwide. Q. What is a marine airfare? A marine airfare is a negotiated one-way refundable and changeable airfare which means that your flight reservation can be amended/cancelled at minimal or no fee. It also usually includes one extra bag free of charge which is a bonus as most airlines now charge a fee to check in a second bag. It is very convenient, in particular for captains who need to fly in crew, and additionally you can make a courtesy reservation without having to purchase the ticket immediately. We all know plans change quickly in the industry and we are able to change the crew flights accordingly at minimal cost. Q. Who can use your services? Captains and crew will use us
primarily, however airlines are now extending these discounted airfares to a O’Brien and Carlier wider range of travelers involved in the yachting industry. Today we work with management companies’ personnel such yacht brokers and managers as well as contractors and technicians needing to fly to service the vessel (usually last minute). When plans are changing on the vessel, it does not only affect the crew, but all the companies supporting that vessel. Our 24/7/365 availability is a real plus when travelers need to act quickly. Q. What’s the best way to connect? “We’re Always Open” so you can email 24/7 to info@flyissgmt.com or call anytime +1 (954) 761-9595. There is always a team of agents ready to assist. In addition you can jump on our website at www.flyissgmt.com and use
our instant messenger to communicate with our team. Q. Is ISSGMT in the Med? We sure are. The office is located in Palma Mallorca, Spain – in the heart of STP Boatyard. Crew love stopping by the office in the global building for a coffee, and to meet Gemma and Monica, our two representatives over there. Q. Anything new coming up? We are starting a new air charter division to assist captains and charter brokers with private jet requests for yacht owners and charter guests. It’s an exciting addition to our other services, which now allows us to become a complete travel management solution partner. ISSGMT is hosting Triton networking in the parking lot on May 18. No RSVPs are required; just bring business cards to network and meet new people. ISSGMT is located at 1800 SE 10th Ave., Suite 220, Ft. Lauderdale (33316). Contact Shawn at Shawn.OBrien@flyissgmt.com, +1 954-761-9595.
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Marinas
The-Triton.com May 2016
News Briefs Cruise awaits Cuba change
Carnival Corporation is awaiting word of policy change from Cuba. The company hopes that Cuba will allow the transport of Cuba-born citizens to and from the island in the way air charters operate. Fathom line is owned by Carnival and has scheduled the 704-passenger Adonia cruise ship for bi-weekly trips to Cuba starting on May 1. If Cuba agrees to the changes, this will mark the first cruise ship to sail from the United States to Cuba in 50 years. If the decision is delayed past May 1, Carnival will delay the start of its voyages to Cuba.
Naval architects’ founder dies
Dubois Naval Architects’ founder, Ed Dubois, died March 24 due to an undisclosed illness he suffered last year. He been back to work as normal, but was unexpectedly admitted to hospital where he died. Peter Bolke has moved from senior designer to managing director. Bolke has worked with the company for 23 years. Mr. Dubois was awarded an Honorary Doctorate in Design by Southampton Solent University in 2004
and is a Fellow of the Royal Institute of Naval Architects and Royal Academy of Engineering. The family plans a private funeral for Mr. Dubois next week. A memorial service to celebrate his life and achievements will be scheduled for the public in the near future.
Brouwer named Heesen CEO
Arthur Brouwer was appointed CEO of Heesen Yachts effective February 1, 2016. Arthur Brouwer has been serving as Executive Chairman since September 2014. With an established track record of 19 years both in senior leadership roles as well as CEO positions in listed Brouwer large family firms and private equity, Mr. Brouwer has indepth experience in retail, automotive wholesale and production. His current mandate is to take Heesen Yachts, leader in custombuilt superyachts and internationally renowned for creating exceptional performances in speed, range and
Project Manager Capt. Parker Stockdale shared his challenges, under and on Project Anodyne, at Derecktor Shipyard in Dania, Florida on April 13. As a member of Young Professionals in Yachting, Capt. Stockdale was the keynote speaker at the group’s membership meeting and took groups onboard to see the progress. Previously 95 feet, the steel yacht is undergoing an extensive rebuild, including being lengthened to 110 feet. PHOTO/DORIE COX
Marinas
May 2016 The-Triton.com
News Briefs stability, to the next stage of its development. ‘It is a great privilege to head Heesen, an internationally respected company which has been setting standards of excellence and design engineering innovation for the past 38 years’ commented Mr. Brouwer. ‘My past experiences have enabled me to acquire great knowledge of the operational excellence, sales and marketing, strategy and my concrete aim moving forward is to capitalise and build on what has previously been achieved by taking Heesen to the next chapter of its history’.
Canal expansion opens in June
The Panama Canal’s newly expanded locks are scheduled for inauguration on June 26 and the first commercial vessels will transit on June 27, according to reports in media reports. The Panama Canal Authority began taking transit reservations on April 18 for vessels classified as Neopanamax. These ships are more than 966 feet long or more than 107 feet wide and will be able to transit the new wider, deeper locks. The expansion created a new lane of traffic with a new set of locks, doubling the waterway’s capacity. Work on the project began in September 2007 at a total cost of $5.2 billion. The first reservation was booked by an LPG tanker more than 750 feet long with a beam of more than 120 feet.
Grants awarded for U.S. yards The U.S. Department of
DERECKTOR FLORIDA CELEBRATES Derecktor Florida’s Parts Manager Dickie Doolin celebrated his 88th birthday on April 21. Doolin started working at Derecktor 20 years ago at the age of 68 when most people are planning on retiring. PHOTO/SUZETTE COOK
Transportation’s Maritime Administration (MARAD) awarded grants to support capital improvements at nine small U.S. shipyards. The $4.9 million comes from the Small Shipyard Grant Program and is aimed at modernizing the industry to better compete in the global marketplace. “Small shipyard grants do more than just improve shipyard infrastructure and equipment or add to the bottom line,” U.S. Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx said. “They also create jobs and new opportunities, and they strengthen local economies.”
Boating council to fill vacancies The U.S Coast Guard is seeking applications for membership to fill
upcoming vacancies on the National Boating Safety Advisory Council (NBSAC), which advises the Coast Guard on recreational boating safety regulations and issues. Each member serves for three years at their own expense and receives no salary or other compensation from the federal government, with some exceptions for NBSAC meetings. Seven positions will be vacant on Dec. 31. including representatives responsible for state boating safety programs, recreational boat and associated equipment manufacturers and national recreational boating organizations or the general public. Applications are due to the Coast Guard on or before May 23. Please visit the Federal Register
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From the Bridge U.S. crew perceived as more litigious than other countries BRIDGE from page 1 perception of America, if you base it on South Florida, you’re way off, there is so much more,” he told them. Individual comments are not attributed to any particular person in order to encourage frank and open discussion. The attending captains are identified in an accompanying photograph.
Legal perceptions of U.S. crew
A perception that each of these captains hear most often is that U.S. crew are more litigious than other nationalities in yachting. “You can employ one or two Americans in a crew. You know why?,” a captain said. “Because the litigious nature of our judicial system. Lawyers can sue anyone for anything. It doesn’t matter if it has merit or not.” “But not in Europe,” another said. “If you sue someone in Europe and you lose, you have to pay the defendant’s legal bill.” “In the U.S. you can sue someone and cause them to spend a lot of money, tens of thousands of dollars, and if you don’t win, you can walk away with impunity,” the first captain said. “And that’s the big problem with insurance companies.” A captain born in Europe said he cannot get a job there since becoming a U.S. citizen. “They say insurance does not cover American crew,” he said. “People are afraid of sexual harassment suits, someone falling and other liability,” another captain said. “And to have American lawyers step in and try to shake them down for millions of dollars, that’s the reason.” Another captain wondered how having two Americans as crew creates more possibility for litigation. “You heard of the woman who goes into McDonald’s, spills hot coffee on herself and gets a $3 million award. They think it will carry onto yachting,” the first captain said. “Higher premiums,” another captain answered. “They actually pay at a rate they quoted the owner, if they were going to have more than two it was more, because the risk of a lawsuit is
greater. And the insurance company has to defend if there is a lawsuit.” “It’s dictated by the insurance company, whether it’s fair or not,” another captain said. Although everyone in the group has heard the litigious perception, most countered that they had not experienced it. “I have done this for many many years,” a captain said, “We have all done this for years, and in all my career I don’t remember anyone suing anybody.”. “I’ve never been in the environment of someone being sued, but I’ve worked
for owners that have made me sign off on things because the owner was being sued,” another captain said. A third captain said his crew signs non-disclosure agreements to prevent problems. “The incidence have been negligible in the yachting industry,” a third captain said. “But what goes on in the court system with corporations... it’s the McDonalds thing. It creates the perception.” “But it’s been proven, the issue is not the American crew doing the suing, it’s foreign crew suing American owners,” a fourth captain said.
The captains were interested in learning more about the statistics of litigation. “There must be a record somewhere, who sues the most,” a captain said. Next, the talk veered to the Jones Act, or the Merchant Marine Act of 1920, which regulates maritime commerce in U.S. waters and between U.S. ports. A captain said he has been involved in lawsuits, in the commercial industry, in reference to the Jones Act and he explained that it applies to yachting for American crew and American flagged vessels. “If you get hurt onboard, the owner
From the Bridge
May 2016 The-Triton.com
Attendees of The Triton’s May From the Bridge luncheon were, from left, Capt. Rupert Lean, freelance, Capt. Gianni Brill, freelance, Capt. Christoff Spies of M/Y Bandido, Capt. Mark Macioce of M/Y Unity, Capt. Ingo Pfotenhaur and Capt. Richard Alcott of M/Y Scorpio 12. PHOTOS/SUZETTE COOK of the ship is responsible for your medical care and your repatriation to get back to the United States if that’s required,” he said. “People do get hurt in boating and I am glad to hear we don’t hear it so much in yachting,” he said. But just how is the Jones Act perceived by people in yachting? The captains have heard positive and negatives. “It goes both ways, but it is good for me because I’m protected,” a captain said. “My boss has to carry an insurance policy for every crew onboard, for both the owner and the crew’s protection,” another captain said. “We never call the insurance, the boss pays. He says, “Here’s the credit card, whatever the bill is, whatever it takes,” another captain said. “Sometimes I don’t even ask because I know what they’re going to say, especially the American owners.” A captain talked of a stew who fell off the boat after drinking at a bar. She said she was injured and the captain said he had to make a report because of the Jones Act. “I told her this is what happens: the fact that you were at a bar, drunk, you’re going to get blood-alcohol tested. Then, if you make the claim, you can’t stop it,” he said. “Once a claim starts, it goes both directions and it protects both people.” We paid, it was cheap, if we had gone the insurance route, it would have been more. This way, the boss was not overexposed and the stew kept her job, he said. “As an American we have to report it, I can’t decide not to,” another captain said. The perception is that Americans are over-litigious, but it protects the owner as much as the crew member, a
captain said. “If you don’t, it becomes, “he said, she said.” It’s a very professional way to do it: You got hurt on this date, where you were coming from, what were you doing, were you at work, all that stuff gets documented,” the first captain said. “It starts a chain reaction.”
Perceptions of Americans as crew
Most of the group had something to say about different nationalities of yacht crew. A European-born captain recalled a yacht owner’s perception of American crew when he was hired as an American captain on an American-flagged boat. During the initial interview, the owner asked if he considered himself a typical Florida captain. “This is an American saying this to me and I wondered what he meant by that,” the captain said. So he answered, “Yes I would think so.” “Well, that’s not good,” the owner said. “His perception of an American captain was that they’re lazy, not hands-on type people. I told him I was not that and I did get the job,” the captain said. “But he did throw that question which brings up an important point, whether they are captain, engineer, deckhand... that is the perception.” “It’s five o’clock, time to get a beer crew,” another captain said. “But, I don’t think there’s any difference to European or other countries. It’s really up to who you are,” another captain said. Another captain agreed and said he had good American crew, it depends more on the person than the country. “There are people who would say there are no good American crew out
See BRIDGE, page 46
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From the Bridge
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Captains say good crew depends on person, not country there,” he said. “I would completely disagree. In my experience there is a shortage of good American crew. “I’m tired of hearing there’s no good American crew,” another captain said. “I had good crew working for me chartering, I would hire them again in an instant.” “I’ve had great Americans and bad Americans; I’ve had great South Africans and bad South Africans,” another captain said. “It’s more. It’s work ethic and more. But a lot of American crew that don’t know service, came from wealthy families and don’t know how to serve. It’s easy to say Americans are lazy because they’re spoiled.”
One captain said there are also different regional perceptions. “When I first started it was, ‘New England captains, they’re always on the take,’ then it was, ‘Florida captains, they’re getting a kickback’,” he said. “In reality it doesn’t matter where you’re from, good people and bad people are everywhere.”
Perceptions of U.S. yachts, owners
We asked the group what is the perception of the number of U.S. yacht owners. “Where are yacht owners from? I would say most are from the United States. A lot are here sitting in Ft. Lauderdale,” a captain said. “We
have the largest number of wealthy gazillionares. It’s countries with the highest number of high net worth people that have the highest percentages of yachts. “If we were in Europe, we would say something different,” another captain said. He said the majority of owners are from Northern Europe, the United States and Russia in that order. On a similar topic, what is the perception of how many yachts are built in the United States? “The perception is the U.S. is losing shipyards and big builders,” a captain said. “Lack of business, cost of doing business and cost of workers. It’s definitely cheaper outside the US., like
Turkey.” Another captain felt that most yachts are built in Italy. “At last count they had 78 building yards. Then Holland was next,” he said. “It’s a shame we don’t have many American builders left.” “I saw a list of new builds predicted and Italy was first,” another captain agreed. “We’re losing American builders, I’m not sure why.” “They’re not building anything until it’s ordered,” another captain said. “Where is America on the scale, I would say 20th. We have good repair yards but not good building yards any more. I think our repair yards are leaving as well. I think we’re losing a lot to development.” “These are the rumors, but it makes sense that they’re worth more as a 40 story condo tower,” another captain said. Several captains agreed that another perception is that no non-American would buy an American yacht. “More Americans buy foreign boats,” one of the captains said. “If we had the money I would tell my boss to buy a foreign boat, they are better quality.” The perception is that people that work in the U.S. yards are not as qualified, several captains said. “They aren’t third generation boat builders,” he said. “Here in U.S. it’s, ‘We’re busy, so we need to hire a dozen people now.’”
Perceptions of a U.S. flag on a yacht What perception comes to mind at the sight of a U.S. flag on a yacht? “You have to have U.S. crew,” a captain said. “You don’t see so many American flags,” a captain said. “They can’t do it because of taxes, insurance, regulations and class societies.” “I think if you have enough money to build a big yacht and are proud to be American, you should put an American flag on it,” another captain said. “You want to buy American boat, you can’t buy a Feadship because it’s not American, but you can put an American flag on it.” “I worked for American owners that said their boat will always be American,” a captain countered. Another captain asked how long ago that was? The previous captain said it was about 20 years ago. And that scenario doesn’t happen as often now, he said.
From the Bridge
May 2016 The-Triton.com
“Now we have Americans with foreign flagged boats and hire foreign crew that don’t pay taxes, that get to enjoy all of great America and piss and moan about how bad it is,” a captain said.
U.S. as a yacht destination
Yachts often follow a seasonal path and we wondered about the perception of cruising in the United States. “Yachting started in Europe and the Caribbean then yachts migrated to South Florida,” a captain said. “But they don’t cruise U.S. waters often.” “One of the drawbacks is there are lots of charter yachts in worldwide yachting charter fleet and charter yachts can’t charter in U.S. waters. They can’t engage in commercial activity in U.S. waters.” “That cuts out a lot of yachts from coming into the U.S.,” he said. “A lot of European yachts go into mothballs before coming into this area,” another captain said. “There is such great cruising in the U.S.,” another captain said. “I don’t think there’s enough realization of what U.S. waters offer.” “I think European crew discourage their owners, they don’t have the knowledge,” another captain said. Is the perception that it is hard for Europeans to come into the U.S. because of visas? “No, they come in as visitor. The crew has to have visa, for sure but the U.S. is welcoming and helpful,” a captain said. “You can go to Rome, Paris, Madrid and get visa, you can get one on the way here and on the way back, even if you never had visa.”
“They’re easy to get and very rarely are you denied,” he said. Another captain said he heard it depends on the crew visa, whether B1 or B2. “There are a lot of people deported on B1 or B2 , they think they are working legally and they are not,” another captain said. To wrap up the complex topic, several captains agreed that they lacked facts. The conversation was about perceptions, justified or not. “We are stereotyping, but how can you fight these stereotypes?,” a captain asked. Another captain said, anyone sharing a bad perception doesn’t know the facts about the United States. “If they want to really understand, they need to dig a bit,” he said. Each of the captains wrapped up the lunch with good points about America. “I’ve been all around the world on boats and on land; I think it’s the greatest country in the world,” a captain said. “There are so many other places where things are so bad.” Everyone at the table agreed. “Be proud of your country and stop spreading rumors,” a captain said. “As yachties we do this. I am guilty of this too, we love telling the bad of everything in the industry. Let’s focus on the positive instead of the negative.” Dorie Cox is associate editor of The Triton. Comments on this story are welcome at editorial@the-triton.com. Captains who make their living running someone else’s yacht are welcome to join in the conversation. E-mail us for an invitation to our monthly From the Bridge luncheon.
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Three survivors reported no injuries after plane crash in ocean RESCUE from page 1 from Bimini, in the Bahamas when Capt. Klassen immediately diverted course to head to the crash. “I was concentrating on getting to them, we were one-and-a-half to two miles away,” Klassen said. “I didn’t know if we could get to them fast enough if they were stuck in the plane. We had no idea what we would find.” Then the yacht crew saw a yellow life raft. As Chef Diane Carroll, the
yacht owner and guests on the Free Spirit, tried to keep eyes and binoculars trained on the raft, it would disappear behind waves and then pop up again. They could see people in the raft. The captain ran full-throttle. “I was watching through binoculars as the plane sank. I watched the tail going down... then it was gone,” Klassen said. “It was like three to four minutes. I had no real realm of time, but it might have been even shorter.” When M/Y Free Spirit was close
enough to the raft, the yacht owner’s son tried to throw the life ring. The swells and wind caused the ring to fall short. “I got as close as I wanted, but with the wind the line wouldn’t go where he wanted,” Klassen said. “When it missed they got a little panicky,” he said of the three people in the raft. “We were towing a 33-footer Contender, so I pulled it around the way you would pick up a water skier,”
he said. Then the crew yacht tossed out a tow line and the pilot grabbed it. The crew pulled in the line as the pilot held on. The pilot said he had two female passengers and they all made it into the life raft. “We got them up on the swim platform. They were wet, cold, shaking; the girl had to be lifted out, she had no sea legs,” Klassen said. “We didn’t see any cuts, but I am sure they were bruised.” They were in shock, so Chef Carroll got them wrapped in blankets and offered dry clothes, he said. “We finally got Free Spirit T-shirts on them,” he said. Once onboard, Klassen called the U.S. Coast Guard and started toward Ft. Lauderdale. He relayed the survivors’ medical conditions. “The coast guard called back and said they had a North Miami fireboat coming and would meet us eight miles out to transfer the people,” Klassen said. “To me, someone would have gotten hurt worse if we tried to get them off, it was just too rolly. I don’t even like doing that with our Contender,” Klassen said. When the fireboat arrived they agreed to leave the survivors. “So they decided to put an EMS on our boat,” he said. “They tried to pull up but with the boat’s rocking, it took 15 minutes to get him onboard.” The emergency medical specialist checked the survivors while the captain headed to Ft. Lauderdale’s 15th St. Boat Launch near the 17th St. Causeway Bridge in Port Everglades to meet with Ft. Lauderdale emergency personnel. Once in Port Everglades, they put a yacht guest on the tender to untie it for navigation down the canal to the public ramp. The three plane passengers refused further medical treatment and were released after U.S. Customs and Border Protection came onboard at the launch ramp. Capt. Brad Helton was at the helm of M/Y Makara about 10 miles south of the crash site when he first heard a broadcast of the coordinates. “Then I heard Free Spirit give their position and they had already picked the people up,” Capt. Helton said by phone from his boat. “I thought, “Those guys have a good good captain and crew to rescue them.” The two yachts cruise in the same waters and dock next to each other about three times a month, Helton said.
News
May 2016 The-Triton.com
Capt. J.R. Klassen steers M/Y Free Spirit, a 105-foot Northstar, into the public boat ramp at 15th St. in Ft. Lauderdale on April 15 after rescuing three survivors from a small plane crash. Klassen, right, saw the plane go down while PHOTOS/DORIE COX navigating from the Bahamas to Florida. He holds the life raft that held the survivors. “We get all this training in first response, man overboard, and they finally put it to use,” Helton said. “This was one of those times when the training kicks in and captain and crew go to work.” “The crash was in the middle of the Gulfstream, if a boat hadn’t been there,
they would have been gone. No telling where they would have they found them,” Helton said. “Kudos to the crew on Free Spirit.” The pilot looked like he was trying to land by the other boat we saw, Klassen said. “But that boat never saw him. If I
had been looking straight out of the windshield, I never would have seen it either,” Klassen said. “We were just in the right place at the right time.” Dorie Cox is associate editor of The Triton. Comments on this story are welcome at dorie@the-triton.com.
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CREW EYE M/Y Dorothea III and S/F Post One arrived safely in Nuku Hiva, Marquesas on April 7 after a 16 day, 3,998 nm crossing from Northern Panama. The yacht will spend seven months cruising and fishing the South Pacific en route to Australia. Pictured in back row from left: Eng. Aaron Drake, Chef Dwayne Sinclair, Capt. Josh Heater (S/F Post One), delivery crew Ben Koppenhoefer, Stew Jamey Harrison; center row: Capt. John Crupi, First Mate Jenifer Rosser, Deck/Bosun Mike Torres and front row from left: delivery crew Bruce Morrison, Chris Erickson, Matt Drake and Stew Jess Thomson. Crew see yachting like no one else can. Send your images to editorial@the-triton.com.
Legislation on yacht importation offers to shift time duty applies Publisher’s Post Lucy Reed
About five years ago, when the Florida Yacht Brokers Association (FYBA) was bringing home its drive to cap the sales tax on boats sold in Florida at $18,000, Jeff Erdmann was asked by a member of Congress what the government could do on a national level to help the marine industry. Erdmann, now a broker with Denison Yachts, immediately thought of deferring the importation duty on yachts (1.5 percent of the value) that come into the U.S. for sale. Erdmann and his colleagues at FYBA got to work creating legislation that delays payment of that duty until the vessel sells. Doing so, would translate into a lot more boats coming to the United States for sale, a lot more people able to view vessels for sale, a lot more sales, and a lot happier yacht owners, Erdmann said during a breakfast meeting with The Triton and several issue stakeholders. To show a foreign-flagged yacht for sale, it must either pay its duty (an expensive proposition that is mostly
refundable if the yacht doesn’t sell) or of sale versus at the moment of take out a boat show bond., which lets importation.” yachts larger than 79 feet be shown for In November, Rep. Lois Frankel sale during boat shows spanning a six- introduced the bill that would scratch month period. The bond covers duty that not-for-sale language off the of 3 percent of the value of the yacht in cruising permit. It has been referred case the rules are broken. to committee but hasn’t come up Some yachts opt for neither option, for a vote yet. The bill has gathered coming in instead under a cruising nine co-sponsors and the support license. As such, the yachts are for of more than 60 associations and recreational use only and cannot be agencies. Erdmann and others from shown “for sale to U.S. residents while FYBA will be in Washington during in U.S. waters,” which the American Boating we’ve all seen hanging Congress this month to ‘Right now, I off the back of yachts keep the issue front and can show Mrs. in myriad boat shows. center with legislators. Sales may still happen By the way, years ago, Bin Laden a this way, but brokers, some groups opposed yacht, but I brokerages and yacht capping the Florida can’t show your owners risk a lot taking sales tax at $18,000, mother a yacht.’ that route. arguing that it would Deferring translate into lost importation until tax revenue. Instead – Jeff Erdmann the moment of sale of losing more the enables yachts to come predicted $1 million in here and be shown to the first year, the cap anyone interested. If they sell, duty is encouraged yacht owners to pay so handled as a part of the sales process. they could keep their yachts in Florida If not, the yacht can stay for cruising waters -- to the tune of more than $13 or service. million the first year. “All we want is a shift in the time The same caution is being leveled when the duty is applicable,” he said. by a minority of people who disagree “We want it applicable at the moment with deferred importation, arguing
that yachts that sell here will just go offshore to close, avoiding the importation duty. Even if that turns out to be true, it’s not much different than what happens today. At least with deferred importation, the economic impact is clearly on our side if it means having yachts on the ground in the U.S., in marinas during boat shows where they can be shown to everyone, in shipyards before and after a sale, and cruising our unique destinations. There’s about $2 billion worth of yachts on YachtWorld, the central agency listings of yachts for sale, that carry that “not for sale to U.S. owners” line. No one really knows what will happen to them if this bill gets passed. Time will tell, of course, but we in yachting know that these tax requirements surrounding yachts and their use are not really about the money. It’s more about excessive expenses and – more particularly – unnecessary expenses. Kudos to FYBA – and to Erdmann and his team – for bringing another issue to the plate. Here’s hoping they bring it home, too. Lucy Chabot Reed is publisher of The Triton. Comments are welcome at lucy@the-triton.com.
Write to Be Heard
May 2016 The-Triton.com
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Letters to the Editor
Dockmaster memorial and maintenance issues get feedback from Triton readers Re: Former Bradford Marine dockmaster dies
Sarge is my father. I remember someone at the funeral telling me about the article that might be posted. I was very young when my dad worked at Bradford but even I remember going down to the boatyard and riding around on the golf cart with him looking at all the boats. He was always happiest when he was on the water or with his family. Thank you all for your kind words. Ben Sargent
use of systems for the monthly or weekly checks/tasks. Thanks. Duncan Warner As many times as I’ve heard it before, it’s always a good reminder to keep up on machinery repairs as you go along. A small repair now can and will become a big problem if it’s not addressed. I can’t tell you how many times that I’ve had the experience of thinking I would be fine and I wasn’t. Like I said, it’s a good reminder to stay on top of maintenance. Thanks for sharing! Tobias Armstrong
Re: Corrective maintenance saves money Re: Strain gauge alignment allows for in the long run shaftline measurement while afloat An interesting article. On the face of it nothing new here, however combining the different maintenance systems is new to me. I run a scheduled maintenance system on my vessel which, when we are not offshore a lot, doesn’t take into account the no or low
Strain gauge shaft measurement is not common on yachts because of the small shaft diameters; but it is quite common on larger ships, especially those with long shafts and midships engine rooms. Kevin M. Kerwin, PE
Re: No waste mentality means discards get a second chance
Comments
Horrible advice for people working on yachts. It’s a lovely idea in a world of sunshine and rainbows but in our industry it just doesn’t work. When in doubt throw it out! Sean Bennett
Re: Publisher role a new challenge for Triton’s founding editor
l Wow! It’s only been 13 years. I thought it was longer, almost an institution. Linda Joyal l We all know that you will do great things in your new position. I look forward to seeing more of the high quality and standards that I have come to expect from The Triton. Scott Redlhammer l You will always be The Triton. Such an amazing job and publication you have been doing all these years. Always look forward to my Triton. Martin Secot l Good Luck Lucy, The Triton only gets better. Robert Cowart l Stepping outside your comfort zone and excelling in something different can only be a good thing. Nicole Lawrence
ISS GMT
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Career/ Brokers Boats
The-Triton.com May 2016
Boat Briefs Northrop & Johnson Broker Bart Kimman. M/Y Solandge, the 85.1-meter Lurssen joins Moran Yacht & Ship for sale at 169 million euros. M/Y Over The Rainbow, the classic 114-foot (35m) luxury motor yacht is now for sale with Northrop & Johnson Sales Brokers Wes Sanford and Ed Dickinson. She was built by Dickie & Sons in the 1930s and is listed at 7,450,000. S/Y Chubasco is for sale with Northrop & Johnson Sales Broker Dennis Moran for the first time in nearly 50 years. She is now listed at $775,000. M/Y Tiziana is now offered by Camper & Nicholsons. The 117-foot (35.6m) is listed exclusively with Jean-Marie RĂŠcamier. It was originally built in 1963 by Abeking & Rasmussen and is offered at 4.9 million euros. S/Y Rosinante, the 107-foot by Notika is offered at $1,595,000 by Bernard Gallay Yacht Brokerage. M/Y Gaja the 115-foot Hotchya built in 2006 is offered by Broker Rytis Babravicius of Camper & Nicholsons International with the asking price of 6.9 million euros.
Yachts Sold
D/V Copasetic, the 43-meter expedition yacht, above, jointly listed for sale by Fraser Yachts and Burgess, has been sold with Paul Madden & Associates introducing the buyer. Designed by Guariono & Cox, she was built in steel and aluminium by Canadian yard Hike Metal Products and delivered in 2006. S/Y Mondango II, the 170-foot Alloy Yacht launched in 2008, was sold by Camper & Nicholsons International with Alex Lees-Buckley of Camper & Nicholsons acting on behalf of the buyer. M/Y Antares, the 80-foot (24.38m) Azimut launched in 2004 was sold by Camper & Nicholsons Int. with Jeff Partin representing the buyer and the seller.
New to the sales fleet
M/Y Jade 95, the 95-foot (28.95m) expedition yacht is offered for $6,500,000 by
New in the charter fleet
S/Y Dwinger, the 48.5-meter Royal Huisman built in 2012 is offered for charter by Bernard Gallay Yacht Brokerage. M/Y Destination, the 134’6-foot (41m) 2003 Alloy Yacht is offered for charter by Camper & Nicholsons International. M/Y Legend, the 77.4-meter hit the water with a hull optimised for navigating through iceberg-strewn waters. She is offered for charter by Camper & Nicholsons. M/Y Taransay, the 38.5-meter Rossinavi launched in 2015 and inspired by M/Y Ocean Glory, a beautiful 1930s motor yacht, is offered for charter by Camper & Nicholsons International. M/Y Temptation, 123-feet (37.49m) Palmer Johnson designed by Nuvolari & Lenard, is now available for charter with Northrop & Johnson.
Boats / Brokers
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Boat Briefs Piano just for yachts
Northrop & Johnson Strategic Global Partner Goldfinch unveiled its new grand piano, designed precisely to perfectly fit the dimensions of a superyacht, at Northrop & Johnson’s display at the 2016 Palm Beach International Boat Show. The Goldfinch Sygnet is the smallest grand piano in the world. It is available with Goldfinch’s renowned Virtuoso self-playing feature, which will allow for entertainment without a pianist with the swipe of an app. The Sygnet is another piano by the British piano company and can be tailored to suit the needs of the yacht owner. “The Sygnet has been meticulously designed to perfectly fit aboard a superyacht with its graceful curves and unparalleled elegance,” says Goldfinch director Tomas Norman, whose family has been handcrafting fine pianos for more than 40 years.
World’s largest megayacht
Months after the launch of Crystal Yacht Cruises 62-guest Crystal Esprit, and in response to traveler’s feedback and enthusiasm, Crystal cruise line is again upping the ante with the world’s first purpose-built polar class megayacht. Measuring 600 feet (183 meters) long, the 25,000 gross ton new build with 100 guest suites will be the largest and most spacious megayacht afloat. During a special press event at the annual SeaTrade Cruise Global convention in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, Crystal’s President and CEO Edie Rodriguez announced the introduction of the line’s first-ever expedition megayacht, Crystal Endeavor, which will debut in August of 2018. The yacht is named after Captain James Cooks’ research ship HMS Endeavour which discovered Australia and New Zealand nearly 250 years ago – the newly built vessel will be designed for global expedition in Arctic, Antarctic and tropical conditions. The megayacht will be the first purpose-built Polar Code compliant yacht in the world with a PC6 Polar Class designation. As such, Crystal Endeavor will be able to cruise in Polar Regions during the summer and autumn in medium “first year” ice which may include old ice inclusions. She will also be fitted with the state-of-the-art offshore dynamic positioning technology, with computer-controlled systems to automatically maintain the ship’s position with its own propellers and thrusters. This will enable the megayacht to float atop coral reefs and other underwater wonders without utilizing anchors, which can damage the terrain or other underwater wonders in waters too deep for anchors.
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Triton Spotters
The-Triton.com May 2016
Triton Spotters
Crew at the Palm Beach International Boat received hand-delivered copies of The Triton and some were treated to Triton coffee mugs filled with treats.
Adrienne Gang, original crew on Bravo’s Below Deck series, is always resourceful. After reading, she used her old Triton for wrapping birthday presents (at left) for one of her crew members. She is currently running several charter boats based out of South Florida and the Bahamas. Above right, Capt. Keith Talasek, of M/Y Virginia Del Mar takes time with his Triton.
Igor Miscokic and Ken Youngchild, project managers at Thunderbolt Marine, look to The Triton for the latest news at Palm Beach International Boat Show in February.
How do you read The Triton? Show us by sending your best Triton Spotter to editorial@the-triton.com.