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/tritonnews | www.The-Triton.com | September 2016
Like it or not, guns are often onboard yachts From the Bridge Dorie Cox
The recent arrest of a yacht owner with an unpermitted gun in New York prompted questions about firearms in yachting. We presented the topic to
captains at our From the Bridge lunch, a changing group of captains gathered by The Triton once a month, and we started the conversation with, "Who has guns onboard?" The answers ranged from "everybody", "we used to" and "never have" to "depends where we go". "People don't talk about it because
a lot of captains have guns that are ‘onboard’ but, they're ‘not onboard’, if you know what I mean," a captain said. Individual comments from the lunch are not attributed to any particular person in order to encourage frank and open discussion. The attending captains
See GUNS, page 40
Unexpected loss of power tests captains’ skills, nerves By Dorie Cox
PHOTO/CAPT. GLEN ALLEN
Megayacht fleet tackles training to build team, stop crew turnover By Lucy Chabot Reed A month after sharing his ideas for crew training, Capt. Glen Allen of Fleet Miami organized his second three-day course for the company’s employees and says he’s close to what he calls the kind of training that could help stop crew turnover. “I’m really excited about it,” Capt. Allen said a few days after the course ended. “It’s already made a difference in our organization, and it is something I feel could make a difference in yachting overall.” The first class, while it brought employees together, lacked the impact
Capt. Allen was hoping for. The second class held in mid-August with the crew of the 154-foot M/Y Usher, above, delivered. “I am so amazed how well it worked,” said Capt. Veronica Hast, who took over Usher in early August as relief while its full-time captain, Nicole Fawcett, is having a baby. “I saw a crew of 10 people go from just people who work together to being a real team. I felt it too, in just three days. It was the kind of feeling you have after the hardest charter season ever or after a year of working together.”
See TRAINING, page 46
Capt. Paul Preston was at the helm of a yacht more than 100 feet long. He was navigating into the lagoon on St. Maarten as the bridge opened. “There was a stiff current running, and she was not the most responsive of boats,” Preston said. “Everything was fine until we were between the bridge abutments and committed to the approach.” And then came the unexpected. “The port engine died,” he said. “Had never died before and never died since.” Somehow, he managed to “crab the boat through without hitting either side, using one engine, bow thruster and a lot of helm.” Yacht captains are highly trained, but occasionally encounter a scenario for which they are not prepared. And potentially dangerous ones, as in Capt. Preston’s case, often include the loss or reduction of engine power. The variables that lead to power
See POWER, page 34
News
Crew take a chance Goodbye corporate world. Hello to life onboard.
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Staying power The Triton prints it 150th issue. Reminisce with us, and help us get better.
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Where in the World
35,38 Get up and go Away from the maddening crowds, captains report back.
Events
Next Triton Networking Join us on the first and third Wednesdays of September.
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Triton Survey Are you going to FLIBS this year? No 12.5% Yes, with a boat 19.2% Don’t know 21.7%
Yes, without a boat 46.7%
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