www.the-triton.com November 2010Vol.7, No.8

Legal rulesIn compliance with SOLAS, MARPOL and more? B1

Heart of a yachtSee what makes the best engine room.

Boat show partyTriton kicks-offfor FLIBS A18

B1

A panoramic view of the harbor in Monaco, showing one of the largest collections of megayachts in the world. The massive ship top right is the Queen Mary 2. She is 1,132 feet (345m) with a beam of 135 feet (41m) at the waterline. PHOTO/DAVID REED, ADAM SOHN

MAJESTIC VIEW IN MONACO

Tax and spending cuts – 43.1%

Politically speaking, what would be the best thing that could happen in Washington to stimulate the yachting industry?

TRITON SURVEY

– Story, C1

More Republicans/fewer Democrats

– 33.3%

Open travel to Cuba – 5.9%

Let business fix economy

– 9.8%

Reform 9/11 clearance regulations – 7.8%

Captains joked about playing with BB guns as kids and paintball guns as they grew up, but when we addressed firearms as weapons on yachts, the

tone grew serious.“I always have

a gun,” a captain said.

“I think every yacht has had a weapon at some time,” another captain said.

“I thought we didn’t have guns, but it turned out, we did,” a third said.

Guns are prevalent onboard in the yachting industry, according to most

of the captains at this month’s Triton From the Bridge luncheon.

Who has guns and why? The group included captains who bring their personal firearms to work, those who work for owners who have guns onboard, and those without firearms on their yachts.

As always, individual comments are not attributed to any one person in particular so as to encourage frank and open discussion. The attending captains are identified in a photograph on page A13.

One captain said that since he is responsible for the safety of everyone

From the Bridge

Dorie Cox

Captains weigh in regarding shotguns, handguns on yachts

See BRIDGE, page A12

By Dorie Cox

The lack of indisputable answers has gun laws in the cross hairs for captains traveling with firearms.

Recent attention comes as the case is pending against Capt. Paul Giusti after his arrest on Aug. 27 for possession of a firearm aboard his employer’s yacht. Giusti said he talked with the N.Y. District Attorney in September and October.

“The D.A. was not aware of some of the facts,” Giusti said by phone in late October. “It sounds hopeful.”

With U.S. national and local gun laws varying in severity, enforcement

and jurisdictions, even professionals are taxed for definitive answers.

“There are cases of people getting arrested by accident, because they lacked one certain form,” said Michael Rawlins, managing director of Green Ray Marine, a maritime service agency specializing in security consultation, based near Washington D.C.

Many firearms suppliers, governmental bodies and security teams keep their knowledge close to the vest and do not exchange information, he said.

“And then, of course, there is always

Gun laws: more questions and fewer clear answers

See GUN LAWS, page A14

See HEALTH, page A17

Lloyd’s of London may drop U.S. crew to shield itself from health care reform.

By Lucy Chabot Reed

In the wake of the United States’ recent health care reform, Lloyd’s of London, the largest insurers in the world, is considering adding an exclusion to health insurance policies that would eliminate illness coverage for American

yacht crew.Though still in the draft stage, the

exclusion is basically in answer to the Affordable Care Act’s provision that lifetime coverage limits be illegal.

“The crew medical insurers in Lloyd’s have taken the legal opinion, and it’s a very conservative opinion, that they’ve got to do something to limit their exposure, and this endorsement is what they’ve come up with,” said Nancy Poppe, the North American Yacht

Uninsured against illness?

WHAT’S INSIDE

What’s a yachtling?

And what have their yachtie parents been up to lately? Find out on page C6. PHOTO/DORIE COX

Advertiser directory C19Boats / Brokers B12Business Briefs A8Calendar of events B17-18Columns: Fitness C14 In the Galley C1 Latitude Adjustment A3 Nutrition C5 Personal Finance C16 Onboard Emergencies B2 Photography B16 Rules of the Road B1

Stew Cues C4Fuel prices B5Life After Yachting C6Marinas / Shipyards B8Monaco Boat Show B10Networking Q and A C3Networking photos C2News A4-11Photo Gallery A18-19Technology B9, 14Triton spotter B19Triton survey C1Write to Be Heard A20-23

A� November 2010 www.the-triton.com The Triton

LATITUDE ADJUSTMENTThe Triton www.the-triton.com November 2010 A�

I forget how great it can be to just wander around a shipyard.

On a recent visit to Palma, I had that chance at the STP yard. A big, bright

sunny place (at least on the day I visited) there were all sorts of boats getting work done. Capt. Guy O’Connor introduced me around and we caught up with Capt. Guy McClave of M/Y Ronin, who was wrapping up

a yard period.It was nice to walk around and have

a visit. I must remember to do that more often.

The last time we talked with Len Bilton, he was project manager of a refit of the old 138-foot Sterling Maverick II. We got word in October that he was going to miss our boat show kick-off party because he was in the middle of a crossing as chief engineer on M/Y Pegasus II.

Capt. Lee Rosbach is now in command of the 120-foot Broward M/Y Sovereign, a charter vessel that will be based in St. Martin at Marigot for the winter season. Say hi to him in the Antigua show in December.

My favorite expedition boat, M/Y Turmoil, is still out there “wandering around,” as Capt. Grant Maughan says.

“This year we have been out in the Pacific again: Tahiti/Tuamotos, San Francisco, Seattle, Vancouver, Alaska and the Aluetians islands in the Bering Sea, Japan and Hawaii,” he wrote in an e-mail as if he were in Newport and Sag Harbor.

“We have just left Portland, Ore., after a Lewis & Clark history cruise on the Columbia River crossing the infamous river bar at 12-15 feet,” he said. “Big rolling waves breaking either side of the channel and some thick swells for us to push through.”

Turmoil and her crew can handle it.

Capt. Brad Tate and his wife, Stew Jennifer left their jobs running M/Y El Jefe over the summer. The yacht is based in St. Maarten and it’s a tough place to be year round, Capt. Tate said. So they took some time off and took a road trip around Colorado.

They have fallen in love with Telluride and decided to stay.

No word yet on what kind of work they will find, but I’m guessing there will be lots of skiing involved, at least in the winter.

Have you made an adjustment in your latitude recently? Let us know.Send news of your promotion, change of yachts or career, or personal accomplishments to Editor Lucy Chabot Reed at lucy@the-triton.com.

It sure can be rejuvenating to make a trip to a shipyard

A couple of Guys in Palma: Capt. Guy O’Connor, left, and Capt. Guy McClave, of M/Y Ronin. PHOTO/LUCY REED

Capt. Randy Steegstra of M/Y Tsalta, center in long sleeves, reported in that crews on yachts in Annapolis had a great end-of-season party in September, with great food from the local butcher My Butcher and More. PHOTO FROM CAPT. RANDY STEEGSTRA

Latitude adjustment

Lucy chabot Reed

NEWS

By Dorie Cox

Yacht crew on the look out for a new job might jump at a job offer in their morning e-mail.

But be cautious, said Stacy Geddis, owner of Crew 4 Yachts in Ft. Lauderdale. Several crew she’s working with have received fraudulent job offers via e-mail from a company named SeaBourn Yacht Group in the United Kingdom.

“Crew need to be cautious and aware of solicitations for employment by e-mail,” Geddis said. “There are several versions currently circulating the Internet.”

Applicants are being asked for personal information and are sometimes being asked to pay a recruiting fee. Positions offered in the e-mails are for every career in yachting including engineer, captain, stew, deckhand, first mate, stewardess and chef.

Many e-mails offer “coverage of transportation expenses, accommodation, feeding and a month training on arrival.”

Some of the contact names are Capt. Alex Cole, Capt. Lee Smith and Capt. Wilson Scott.

A legitimate company named The Yachts of Seabourn, which is unaffiliated with the scam, is aware of the e-mails and has posted information

on its Web site to clarify that someone is falsely using versions of its company name.

“I can confirm that any and all job offers that your readers receive from different captains are part of a scam that has been going around for the past month,” said Gabor Varga, the recruitment specialist of fleet personnel at The Yachts of Seabourn. “Our captains do not have the authority to make any decisions recruitment-wise and we do not offer employment without a face-to-face meet with all of our candidates.”

If an agency or individual requests fees, they are not affiliated with The Yachts of Seabourn.

The incident can be reported to the company via e-mail at seabourn.jobs@seabourn.co.uk.

Email spam and scams are nothing new to the yachting industry. The Triton has published several stories about similar scams including “Job-seekers beware: e-mail scams target crew” (April 2009, www.the-triton.com/node/848) and “Captain warns of a job scam that came to him by Internet”(Nov. 2008, www.the-triton.com/node/3884).

Dorie Cox is a staff reporter and associate editor with The Triton. Comments on this story are welcome at dorie@the-triton.com.

By Dorie Cox

If a yacht is coming into the United States, even from U.S. territories, it must dispose of foreign garbage. The U.S. Department of Agriculture will be enforcing Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) laws, said Kevin Quirk, operations manager of LXR Luxury Marinas, which manages Bahia Mar Yachting Center.

“Even if you bought products in the United States, then went to the Bahamas and returned with the same products, they must be disposed of,” Quirk said. “Officers came to the marinas and gave us brochures saying they will be enforcing the law this year.”

The brochure says if a vessel has been outside the United States, including Hawaii, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands, then garbage of plant and animal origin, including food scraps, packaging materials and any items that have come in contact with these materials, is considered foreign.

Upon arrival in the United States, the yacht must ensure that all foreign garbage is placed in covered, leak-proof

containers within the vessel railings while in U.S. waters, according to the brochure.

Those yachts planning to off-load garbage must contact U.S. Customs and Border Protection officials at their port of entry.

All off-loaded garbage must be in containers labeled “foreign garbage”, “regular garbage”, or “international garbage”.

Dumping of foreign garbage into U.S. territorial waters or non-designated garbage receptacles is illegal and could result in fines or criminal prosecution, according to the brochure.

For more details on agricultural clearance, visit the official Web site at http://www.aphis.usda.gov/import_export/plants/manuals/ports/downloads/mac.pdf.

The department’s Web site is www.usda.gov and the information hotline is +1 202-720-2791.

Dorie Cox is a staff reporter and associate editor with The Triton. Comments on this story are welcome at dorie@the-triton.com.

U.S. Department of Agriculture will enforce foreign garbage rules

Yacht crew are being targeted in yet another e-mail job scam

A� November 2010 www.the-triton.com The Triton

A� November 2010 www.the-triton.com The Triton NEWS BRIEFS

A 28-year-old crew member died on the final night of the 2010 Monaco Yacht Show in late September after the tender he was driving struck a sailboat anchored off the show.

According to crew in the area at the time, the 28-year-old man took the yacht’s RIB to retrieve fellow crew members ashore.

On his return to the yacht, it is believed he hit the sailboat and was thrown overboard.

By 11:30 p.m., local police and coast guard boats were in the harbor looking for the man, enforced by helicopter support. The search continued into the next day, but the man’s body was not found.

The harbor outside the Monaco Yacht Show was filled with large vessels, possibly more than many yacht captains said they had seen before.

– Lucy Reed

St. Maarten show canceled The St. Maarten Charter Yacht

Exhibition has been canceled for this year.

“It’s because of the economy, not from pressure from the European houses,” said Kass Johnson-Halliday,

a board member of the St. Maarten Marine Trades Association, which produces the show. She said the decision was made in May.

“It takes a lot of sponsorships to put on the show and we just couldn’t go out to the industry asking for them. Charters are down,” she said. “There probably won’t be one next year either, but maybe in a couple years.”

The show, which would have been its seventh annual this year, has run during the first two weeks of December

Crew member dies in tender accident after Monaco Show

CorrectionsThe newly dredged Manatee

Pocket in Port Salerno, Fla., can accommodate vessels with a draft of 8 feet. A story on page B8 of the September edition indicated otherwise. We regret the error.

An Eastern L-1011 that crashed in the Everglades in 1972, was not a Delta 1011 as written in a column on page A18 of the September issue. We regret the error.

See NEWS BRIEFS, page A8

A� November 2010 www.the-triton.com The Triton NEWS BRIEFS

and often overlaped with the Antigua show, now in its 49th year.

– Lucy Reed

LYG offers salary dataLuxury Yacht Group, a crew

placement and management company based in Ft. Lauderdale, has analyzed salary information from its database of more than 50,000 crew and offers the statistics on its Web site, www.luxyachts.com.

The data is updated weekly to offer a real time analysis of data reported by both crew actively looking and by crew recently placed in more than 30 crew positions. It considers salary, length of experience, size of yacht, and position.

“As a captain, I knew what my crew members were earning, but I wondered what my peers were paying and what my fellow captains were making,” said Rupert Connor, president of Luxury Yacht Group.

“With this salary statistics tool, I feel that LYG is adding value to the industry as a whole. This is a helpful, factual, and practical resource for crew, captains and owners.”

The statistics are paired with their respective positions on the Luxury Yacht Group Web site’s job descriptions page. From the home page, click on “crew” then “job descriptions.”

Security conference for yachtsThe U.S. Maritime Security Council

is hosting a yachting industry security conference in St. Thomas in December. Admission is open to anyone, particularly owner, operators and brokers of luxury yachts.

The two-day conference to be held at Yacht Haven Grande will “identify security best practices appropriate for application to the yachting industry, and to reduce opportunities for this sector of the maritime industry to serve as a vector for the successful introduction of threats into the yachting marina host countries,” according to the MSC Web site.

“Lots of countries are focusing on the small vessel security threat because it is seen as an avenue for terrorism,” said Capt. Scott Curley, division chief of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.

“We’re all about information exchange, about getting everyone in the same room to talk about best practices,” he said

In addition to disseminating information, Capt. Curley said facilitators will also be collecting information from the yachting industry about security measures and regulations.

Registration is $750. For more information, visit www.maritimesecurity.org/meetings.html.

– Lucy Reed

Miami Show vs. NFLA group of South Floridians trying to

capture a Super Bowl for South Florida have reportedly asked organizers of the Miami boat shows to consider moving to another weekend, according to an Oct. 14 story in the Miami Herald.

President’s Day weekend in mid-February is one of the weekends the National Football League has asked host cities to reserve for a possible Super Bowl, about two weeks later than normal since the league plans to expand the playing season.

The Miami International Boat Show, held at the Miami Beach Convention Center, and the Yacht and Brokerage Show, held in the Intracoastal Waterway in Miami Beach, give the hotel industry its busiest weekend, according to the newspaper.

So far, boat show organizers and tourism industry leaders are backing the boat shows and resisting a date change.

The soonest South Florida could get another Super Bowl would be 2015.

IYC acquires The Sacks Group International Yacht Collection, the

Ft. Lauderdale-based yacht brokerage firm owned by Trinity Yachts, has acquired The Sacks Group Yachting Professionals, a charter and brokerage company. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

“Our companies share similar values,” said Felix Sabates, chairman of IYC, in a statement. “We both put our clients first and are committed to new ideas to improve their yachting experience. As partners, together we offer a compelling first-class service to charter clients, owners, captains, crew and shipyards around the world.”

Employees from The Sacks Group moved into IYC’s offices at 1850 S.E. 17th St. in mid-October. Jennifer Saia, owner and president of The Sacks Group, is now executive director of the Luxury Yacht Vacation Division and will be involved with new business development. Saia has been with The Sacks Group for 20 yeas, 17 as its owner.

“Today the superyacht world has blossomed into a vibrant and professional business, and we feel by joining forces with IYC that we can benefit from the company’s vision and global reach to deliver a more enjoyable yachting experience for our collective clients worldwide,” Saia said.

Salary data pulled from 50,000 crew according to job positionNEWS BRIEFS, from page A6

See NEWS BRIEFS, page A10

A10 November 2010 www.the-triton.com The Triton NEWS BRIEFS

NEWS BRIEFS, from page A8

Rybovich answers activists’ lawsuit with one for $20 million

The Sacks Group’s partnership with IMA Yachts, a provider of new build, operational and management services, will continue, according to a statement.

With this acquisition, the group has more than 160 in a combined fleet of charter, brokerage and management yachts.

“Our clients now will have the best of all three firms’ experience, expertise and relationships within the yachting industry around the globe,” Saia said. “This merger is a winning proposition for everyone.”

Rybovich sues community activistsIn answering a lawsuit that Riviera

Beach residents filed two weeks ago against Rybovich, the company has filed a counter claim seeking $20 million in damages from two activists for “intentionally and unjustifiably” interfering with the company’s relationship with the city, according to a story in the Palm Beach Post.

The city agreed in mid-September to lease a part of its public marina to Rybovich for a megayacht service yard. A group of citizens have objected to the development, claiming it would make that part of the public marina a private venture.

The group, Citizens Task Force, gathered enough signatures to get the issue on the Nov. 2 ballot for all residents to decide. But after city council members approved the lease on Sept. 15, the group filed a lawsuit arguing the city could not lease submerged land and that it did not get competing bids for a service yard.

“Rybovich had hoped that everyone, including this small group of dissidents, would agree to let the residents within the city decide the issue through the ballot initiative,” Rybovich Vice President Carlos Vidueira said in a statement.

“By choosing to initiate direct legal action, their clear intent is nothing more than political retaliation against the city council and to bring direct harm to Rybovich.”

Marina Mile Assoc. founder diesRobert “Bob” Elmore died Sept. 20 in

Ft. Lauderdale, at the age of 91.“Mr. Elmore was a founder, along

with five other original and present-day officers, of the Marina Mile 84 Association,” said Margaret Croxton, executive director of the association. “We made him the only honorary founding member several years ago.”

Marina Mile 84 Association covers an area of south Florida that is home to 75 businesses, primarily marine related, which includes 22 marinas, Croxton said.

“There wouldn’t be a Marina Mile without Bob,” she said. “He has been a big land owner in the area since before I met him in 1966.”

“I met Bob Elmore in 1961 when I joined RPM Diesel Engine Co.,” said Joe Rubano, chairman of RPM Diesel and first vice president of the association. “Bob, then owner of Hardrives Paving, was one of RPM’s first customers.

“Bob was a most generous person and concerned with the needs of others,” he said. “This was evident by his many generous financial contributions to many organizations in the community. Bob was a big supporter of the Marina Mile Association. I will miss Bob and he will certainly be missed by the community.”

Marina Mile is home to shipyards and yachting businesses such as Roscioli Yachting Center, Bradford Marine, Rolly Marine, Lauderdale Marine Center and Marina Bay.

– Dorie Cox

Marine industry impact study A recent study presented to the

Working Waterway and Waterfronts National Symposium on Water Access 2010 addressed the economic impact of the marine industry in South Florida pointing to the decline in waterfront parcels for marine industry development.

According to the report, South Florida is losing boat manufacturing and related marine industry because of a decline in developmental opportunities along waterfronts. The economic impact of marine industry is about $18.6 billion and employs about 220,000 people.

Dania Beach has drafted a redevelopment plan to increase its share of the marine industry. The plan calls for the reconstruction of two major bridges and the creation of a marine industry district with land uses and zoning codes that permit the expansion of marine-related businesses.

For more information or to request a copy of the report, e-mail Leigh@GregoryFCA.com, call +1 610-228-2108, or visit www.irr.com.

Former Redline staff start firmFive former employees of Redline

Marine in Ft. Lauderdale, which closed earlier this year, have started their own engine company, Atlantic Marine Engine, based at Broward Shipyard.

James Newman is one of four owners and president of the company. Previously, he was marketing and sales manager with Machinery & Engineering, the Caterpillar company in Nassau, Bahamas.

See NEWS BRIEFS, page A11

The Triton www.the-triton.com November 2010 A11NEWS BRIEFS

NEWS BRIEFS, from page A10

Bridge and mooring rates cut for smaller boats in St. Maarten

Chris Oswell is a yacht captain and will be vice president of sales and marketing at Atlantic Marine Engine.

“We’re trying to do something different,” Oswell said. “We can see both sides, from the captain and owner’s perspective and from the technical side.”

Stephen Tufts is the chief financial officer, Jay Allen is the shop technician, and J.R. Efron Ramos is the shop foreman.

“We understand the constraints of the owner so we’re trying to base our estimates as close to what we can get them so they don’t get sticker shock,” Newman said.

“We’re not trying to take the industry by storm or reinvent the wheel. We’re just starting a business and offering service. We want to do what we can do efficiently to the best of our ability, with a focus on customer service.”

The company started this summer and has been servicing clients since August.

– Lucy Reed

Bridge and mooring rates cutBridge and mooring rates in St.

Maarten for vessels smaller than 60 feet (18m) have been cut 30 percent in an effort to encourage those yachts back to the lagoon, according to a story in the island’s Daily Herald newspaper.

Effective Jan. 1, rates will be cut and vessels will get two weeks free for every eight consecutive weeks in the lagoon.

A study revealed that since rates went up in Jan. 1, 2008, this size of vessel was the most adversely affected by the fee increase and their appearance in the lagoon had dropped 50 percent drop, the story said.

Ethanol approvedIn a long-awaited decision

announced on Wednesday, Oct. 13, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced a limited approval for the sale of gasoline containing up to 15 percent ethanol (E15) for model year 2007 and newer motor vehicles.

This decision excludes marine engines and other non-road engines such as snowmobiles, lawn and garden equipment, as well as other gasoline-powered small engines such as generators.

The waiver also excludes motorcycles, heavy-duty vehicles and older cars, although EPA is expected to approve E15 for cars and light-duty trucks made in 2001 and after later this year.

ACR launches receive-only AISCobham Life Support and ACR

Products have introduced the Nauticast Receive Only AIS, an entry-level Automatic Identification System for recreational boaters.

The Nauticast system interfaces with a boat’s chart plotter, radar or computer for reception of all AIS transmissions from both Class A and Class B systems, including position, speed, course and vessel identification.

Suggested retail price is $320. For more information, visit www.acrelectronics.com.

Marina Management coursesThe International Marina Institute

is hosting its Advanced Marina Management (AMM) program in Ft. Lauderdale on Dec. 5-10. The AMM course provides training in site planning, marina-development skills, marina-operation techniques, business strategies, risks and liabilities, environmental policies, and other topics as final preparation for IMI’s Certified Marina Manager (CMM) designation.

Other upcoming IMI courses include an Intermediate Marina Management (IMM) course in Ft. Lauderdale Nov. 14-18 and Charleston, S.C., from Feb. 27-March 3.

For more information, visit www.marinaassociation.org and click on training/programs.

Stone crab season openThe commercial and recreational

harvest season for stone crab claws in Florida opened Oct. 15 and will end May 15.

Recreational harvesters are allowed to use up to five stone crab traps, and there is a daily bag limit of one gallon of claws per person or two gallons per vessel, whichever is less.

More information is available online at MyFWC.com/Rules (click on “Fishing – Saltwater”).

Palladium partners with SchneiderFt. Lauderdale-based Palladium

Technologies, a supplier of monitoring, control, alarm and security technology, has formed a relationship with Schneider Electric to supply components for Palladium’s SiMON integrated solutions along with its electrical switchboards.

Schneider’s new family of Modicon M258 PLCs will make it possible for Palladium to design and bring to market new products faster and more smoothly, said Mike Blake, company.

The M258 PLCs have been certified by the American Bureau of Shipping, and Schneider Electric is working to gain approvals from Det Norske Veritas and Lloyd’s Register.

For more information, visit www.palladiumtechs.com.

FROM THE BRIDGE: Guns on board

in his charge and because criminals, both pirates at sea and crooks on land, have firearms, he prefers to have them also. Several captains justified weapons because yachts are often crime targets.

“If someone tries to board us, I’m saying, ‘you may get on, but you won’t get off ’,” this captain said.

“Pirates will usually have bigger weapons, but I think even small guns can be a deterrent,” a second captain said. “A lot of them are opportunists, like in the Bahamas, and they’ll try unless it gets too difficult. Now Somalia is a different thing. Those guys are pros.”

“You can do like the Saudi boats with the big guns and rocket launchers,” a third captain said.

One of the captains said he has worked on three yachts over a hundred feet and all the owners had guns.

“It’s almost unhealthy not to have a firearm,” a captain said.

“But, if you’re not prepared, don’t have one,” another said, “There are alternate forms of defense, like tasers and pepper spray.”

“We have a taser, but you know you have to declare them?” said a third. “They are considered a weapon.”

“I thought a flare gun would work,” another captain said.

“But that would burn the boat,” a captain responded.

Two of the captains in attendance have backgrounds in military and law enforcement and said they have guns at work because they carry one in their personal lives, anyway.

But, even a captain who had worked on yachts with guns wasn’t comfortable in every situation. He said he once showed up for a job interview and was frisked as he boarded to meet the interviewer.

“I looked around and saw they were all carrying. That’s not a boat I want to work on,” he said.

“Some people say they don’t like guns, but guns have a place,” another captain said. “If someone is threatening your family or kids and I can help with a gun, you’ll like guns.”

Occasionally, one captain said, firearms are to guard against people within the industry. “Freelance work is tough, you never know who you’re working with,” one of them said. “I’ve worked with some shifty characters as crew.

If a yacht has guns onboard, who knows about them and where are they kept? Whether crew are told about the shotgun, .308 rifle, .45 pistol, 9mm handgun, or semi-automatic Mini-14, possibly found on board in this group, varies with each yacht.

“Maybe tell the mate, it depends on

the crew or the size of the boat,” one captain said.

“It depends if they’re comfortable with them,” another captain said.

“You need to train the crew if they’re not comfortable with guns,” said a third. “If you’re off the coast, you can teach them at sea.”

“I don’t tell anyone I have a gun,” a fourth captain said.

The most common firearm listed by the group was the shotgun.

“Shotguns are the best deterrent, everybody knows that sound,” a captain said. “And you don’t have to have good aim; you’ll stop someone.”

Captains will store the weapons in their cabin, the owner’s stateroom, the yacht safe, the lock box and behind false walls or in a hidden compartment.

“It lives in my briefcase,” one captain said.

“If I leave the boat, I leave it unloaded and separate the ammo,” another captain said. “When it’s locked you can’t load it, but sometimes I take the ammo with me.”

The captains discussed how they handle their ordnance while travelling because rules vary from cruising ground to cruising ground. In additional to international laws, there are regional regulations and even different laws between neighboring marinas that happen to fall across state lines.

Without a definitive place for answers, the captains shared their sources.

“I call the dockmaster for local rules.”

“I call the [U.S.] State Department and check online.”

“Talk to a captain who’s been there before.”

“Check the country’s laws and check with your yacht agents.”

“I go to a good gun shop, one that sells to the police, to find out the current laws.”

The experience of having a gun onboard differs by country, several captains said.

“The gun stays on the boat in the Bahamas,” one said. “But in a lot of places, they take it, like in the British Virgins and Bermuda.”

Some governments leave the guns on the boat and seal the gun box, while many count the rounds of ammunition and verify all are accounted for upon departure, another captain said.

“But everyone is overlooking the laws for international,” one captain said. “You’re not supposed to have firearms in international waters, so you can’t travel with them.”

“Even cruise ships?” another asked. “Are you sure? I figured the captain

See BRIDGE, page A13

BRIDGE, from page A1

‘It’s almost unhealthy not to have a firearm’

A1� November 2010 www.the-triton.com The Triton

should be armed. I don’t think it’s right the captain can’t carry.”

“Now they lock the crew in, like on airplanes,” the first captain said. “They have that room where the crew is safe and the rest of the boat can do whatever.”

“But piracy is on the rise,” the second captain said. “They should be able to have guns.”

The conversation veered to laws in the United States where federal laws can differ greatly from states laws.

“Each state is different, that’s why I don’t take firearms along the U.S. coast,” a captain said.

Especially in New York, several captains said, referencing the recent arrest of a captain by N.Y. police. [Yacht captain arrested in NY over possession of firearm, Oct. 2010 http://thetriton.com/node/9423]

“If you are not stopping in New York and you do get boarded by the Coast Guard, I imagine you’ll still have a problem if you don’t have their permit,” a captain said.

“In Massachusetts you [can] get a year in prison for not having a permit,” a third captain said.

“Regulations are comical anyway; people who don’t follow rules, don’t follow rules,” a captain said.

A concern of several of the captains is simply knowing if there are firearms onboard their own boat.

“If the Coast Guard boards, I need to know if there are guns,” a captain said. “I ask everyone about narcotics and guns, especially charter guests. I have a form for everyone to fill out.”

“What if the owner has a gun and doesn’t tell you?” another captain said.

“It’s like drugs, you really don’t know,” another responded. “I had one where I found out several years later there was a gun on board.”

“What are you going to do? You can’t tell the owner he can’t bring a gun,” he said.

One of the captains said it is important, if boarded, to tell the Coast Guard about weapons, even if the officer doesn’t ask.

“But they’re supposed to ask,” a captain said.

“Yeah, but sometimes, whether they’re young, new or they just don’t, they freak out if they see it or find it,” the first captain said.

Another captain said it is better to declare because there are search dogs that can detect guns and ammunition by smelling the oil and gunpowder.

Firearms can have disadvantages, even when captains have good intentions for their arsenal.

“A problem with guns is that people will use them,” one captain said. “If

they’re drunk or mad, they will use them. And people can use them to commit suicide.”

“It’s all in the responsibility of the gun holder,” a second captain said.

Things can go wrong, another captain said. He told of an onboard incident that changed his boat’s gun policy.

“We were fishing with an observer who wanted to go home, but we explained the boat would not be returning for a while. He freaked out, got the gun onboard, barricaded himself in and was threatening us,” this captain said. “The captain tricked the guy and got the gun away.

“We just had the gun onboard to kill big fish, but after that, the policy was no more guns.”

Dorie Cox is associate editor of The Triton. Comments on this story are welcome at editorial@the-triton.com. If you make your living working as a yacht captain, e-mail dorie@the-triton.com for an invitation to our monthly Bridge luncheon.

Attendees of The Triton’s November Bridge luncheon were, from left, Brendan Roney; Timothy Gifford, freelance; Nicholas Montello, looking; Chris Day, freelance; Andrea Rand, freelance; Jonathan D. Parmet, freelance; Steven Naimoli, M/Y Kena Marie; Russ White, M/Y Miracle; Jeff Wyckoff, formerly M/Y Absolutli Rutli. PHOTO/DORIE COX

BRIDGE, from page A12

‘A problem with guns is ... people will use them’

FROM THE BRIDGE: Guns on boardThe Triton www.the-triton.com November 2010 A1�

something coming out of the woodwork that no one expects,” Rawlins said. “So, if a vessel comes to New York, should crew toss their guns overboard?”

Not necessarily, he said, but there can be unknown factors, as in Giusti’s case. Giusti said he declared his unloaded and locked weapon and had been cleared by U.S. Coast Guard officers on a routine inspection and then was again cleared by New Jersey police when he let passengers disembark. Neither the Coast Guard nor N.Y police spokesmen could confirm why he was arrested and Giusti said he did not want to speculate until the case is settled.

And it’s not just on board that yacht captains have been arrested.

Capt. Garry Schenck was arrested in New York at the airport several years ago as he attempted to fly home to Ft. Lauderdale and was checking his personal luggage, which included a handgun. He had flown with his firearm before and again followed airline procedure for his Delta flight.

Schenck had spent nine months in the Bahamas working on a yacht. He then took the yacht to Ft. Lauderdale (for yard work) and Sag Harbor, N.Y.

At the end of the season, Schenck went to the airport in Long Island to

fly home with his personal luggage and was arrested by police for attempting to board an airline with a firearm.

“I explained that I was yacht crew and had just done an offshore delivery, but that didn’t matter,” Schenck said, “I was checking the gun, I wasn’t boarding with it.”

He stayed overnight in jail and was released the next day.

“I’ll never take my personal firearm to a yacht job again,” he said. “The owner had asked me to bring it at his request. In the future, if the owner wants a gun, I will go with him to get it and leave it with him, or on the yacht.

“Now, I’m out my gun, legal fees, plus time in jail.”

Firearms laws differ between federal laws and statutes in each of the 50 states plus territories of the United States.

Lists of regulations have been compiled in online sources, but changes quickly make them obsolete, illustrating the volatility of U.S. firearms laws.

Rules are subject to “frequent change through legislative action and regulatory interpretation” according to the National Rifle Association’s Web site. Links from that site, www.nra.org, and state government Web sites often show daily legal firearms news.

Rawlins has posted a maritime security guide with recent rules and

suggestions on his company’s Web site www.greenrayusa.com.

Traveling between jurisdictions is an issue for captains continually on the move. To carry a weapon, many states require a permit, but permits from one state may not be recognized in another state. In those cases, the carrier must apply for a non-resident permit. Some states, including Delaware and Georgia, do not offer them. Some recognize permits from other states, and some, including New York, New Jersey, California and Oregon, do not.

An example would be a captain traveling from Florida to New York with a carry permit from his home state of Georgia. His permit is recognized along the coast in Florida and North Carolina but not in South Carolina, Virginia, Maryland (which recognizes no other state permits) or Delaware. And many states only recognize permits from residents of the issuing state. Then some states do not require permits for guns at all, such as Alaska and Vermont.

“There are so many variables, no one can be sure,” Rawlins said. “There can be loosely interpreted laws, lack of communication between agencies. It’s just not getting easier.”

International laws don’t get any clearer, so companies are innovating, Rawlins said, citing an example of an

international solution in the works. There are companies attempting to create international platforms, 12 miles offshore, where vessels could turn in firearms before visiting a more strict country such as Mexico, and then go back to retrieve them.

“Like in the old Western movies where everyone turned their gun into the sheriff,” he said.

The U.S. Department of State is one source for international regulations. An example from its Web site (www.state.gov): “Vessels entering Mexican waters with firearms or ammunition on board must have a permit previously issued by the Mexican Embassy or a Mexican consulate. Mariners do not avoid prosecution by declaring their weapons at the port of entry.”

With companies in the full-time business of deciphering law, it is clear how crew can be confused.

“Many crew get scared because they have no legal way to disembark firearms from the vessel,” Rawlins said. “What do you do, drop them over the side?

“Sometimes, there is no good answer, and that is the answer.”

Dorie Cox is a staff reporter and associate editor with The Triton. Comments on this story are welcome at dorie@the-triton.com.

Volatility of U.S. firearms laws makes them hard to followGUN LAWS, from page A1

Gun lawsA1� November 2010 www.the-triton.com The Triton

Practice Leader for Willis Marine in Ft. Lauderdale.

The United States passed its health care reform bill in March of this year, with provisions being enforced periodically over the next four years. Several provisions went into effect on Sept. 23, prompting Lloyd’s Market Association to announce in early October its new position to carriers around the globe.

“I don’t even know if owners are aware of it yet,” Poppe said, noting that the change could come into effect as policies are renewed. “It does not affect the owner’s insurance nor does it cost the owner more.”

Underwriters are wary of the portion of the U.S. law that prohibits insurance companies from setting lifetime caps on the dollar value of benefits and for excluding anyone for pre-existing conditions. (The pre-existing conditions prohibition is in effect now for children; that portion of the law for adults goes into effect in 2014.)

“I am not aware of a universally agreed-to date to use this endorsement, whether individual insurers will modify it, whether they will all adopt it at all, and most importantly, to which yachts it will apply,” Poppe said. “I am being told that for the Lloyd’s-based crew medical products, if there is a U.S. beneficial owner, the endorsement will be added at some point, regardless of nationality of company owner. This is all still very new.”

In addition to the Protection and Indemnity insurance that owners buy for the vessel itself, many yacht owners also buy health insurance for the crew. From a business perspective, that health insurance would be the first line of defense in an accident or illness for the crew and fiscally protects the owner from hikes in P&I premiums, by far the more expensive insurance.

If underwritten by Lloyd’s, American crew’s health insurance would cover only injury, not illness. As Poppe said she understood it, policies that cover only accident or disability income are exempt from health insurance regulatory law, making the Lloyd’s policies exempt from the recent changes to U.S. health law.

The endorsement, as it is called, means Lloyd’s can cap lifetime coverage benefits as most all insurance companies have always done and as it does for crew from other nations.

Mark Abba, general manager of the life and health division of MHG Marine

Benefits in Ft. Lauderdale, said he is frustrated that Lloyd’s is considering this position.

“For someone to say they can’t offer health insurance to U.S. crew because of health care reform is wrong,” Abba said. “Of course they can. And MHG will continue to offer individual and group health insurance to any American crew member if they want it.”

In a note to his clients offering MHG’s perception of the issues, Abba wrote: “We do not foresee a need at this point to address or react to the changes until we have a clearer understanding and clarification from the U.S. federal government on their expectations as to how foreign companies are to handle the health needs of U.S. nationals.” The provisions enacted on Sept. 23 “are essentially domestic driven and serve to address current carrier issues. They do not, in our opinion, have any implications on international coverage requirements, nor do they provide a guarantee in any way that the U.S. government has to provide coverage to the U.S. citizen.”

The biggest changes to U.S. health care will come into effect in 2014, including prohibiting discrimination based on pre-existing conditions, eliminating annual limits on coverage, and creating state Health Insurance Exchanges where residents can buy insurance if they can’t get it at work.

“Our position is to wait until 2014, not to react right now to something that hasn’t been enacted yet,” Abba said in an interview.

To prevent any surprises, Poppe suggested yacht crew learn what insurance they have and who underwrites it. If their main source of coverage is the plan offered by the yacht and underwritten by Lloyd’s, they may need to seek health insurance on their own to make sure they are covered for illness and accidents.

“I am confident there will continue to be insurance available covering both accident and illness for all nationalities of crew,” she said. “The issue is whether owners will feel compelled to seek alternatives if they have one of the policies that are effected” by the Lloyd’s endorsement.

“What I believe will happen is it will give U.S. crew members one more reason to be frustrated at being treated differently, and it is outside of their control.”

Lucy Chabot Reed is editor of The Triton. Comments on this article are welcome at lucy@the-triton.com.

Underwriters fear the ban of lifetime caps of benefitsHEALTH, from page A1

To read the proposed endorsement from LMA, visit www.the-triton.com/node/97��

NEWS: Crew health insuranceThe Triton www.the-triton.com November 2010 A17

7th Annual Boat Show Kick-Off Party

More than 2,000 captains, crew and industry

professionals joined us on Oct. 13 in the first party of the boat show season. With fantastic support from our sponsors (without whom there would have been no party), we shared smiles, hugs, beers and great music to reconnect before the busy days ahead.

Photos by Tom Serio

A1� November 2010 www.the-triton.com The Triton

7th Annual Boat Show Kick-Off PartyThe Triton www.the-triton.com November 2010 A19

A�0 November 2010 www.the-triton.com The Triton

By Peter Rimmeland Blair M. Duff

We read with interest your article entitled “HAZWOPER, HAZ what?” [page A1, September issue]. We are glad that The Triton featured this type of safety training.

It is needed in all industry, not just the marine industry.

Sadly, the marine industry has fallen behind shoreside industries when it comes to safety training.

We know this firsthand because we teach the marine equivalent of the HAZWOPER course. (It is interesting that no mention of this equivalent training was made in your story by someone who wanted to make you aware of a safety need.)

You quoted OSHA regulations 29 CFR 1910.120 as defining who must have training. These rules only cover shoreside industry. OSHA 29 CFR 1915 is an entirely separate set of regulations that covers the marine industry.

The reason that there is a separate standard for the maritime industry is that the situations encountered in it are more varied than on shore.

For example, a shoreside facility has fixed systems, be it storage tanks, refinery reactors or other equipment. They rarely are changed and can have an entire set of rules and procedures written for any expected mishap or emergency.

The maritime industry is in a greater state of flux, and conditions change every time a vessel moves or a different vessel is brought into a facility. Also, entry and access to many areas of a ship, yacht or barge is much more limited.

Many of the principles and ways of handling toxic or dangerous situations are similar on shore and afloat, but since so many differences are encountered in the maritime industry, a separate set of rules has been written and must be applied in the marine environment.

HAZWOPER training is good to acquaint shipboard personnel with the hazards and to teach them about chemical safety, but it does not teach any of the marine regulations that must be strictly adhered to under OSHA. Remember, OSHA laws cover every worker in the United States and its possessions, whether on shore or on a vessel in U.S. waters.

For example, every firefighter in the United States has had the HAZWOPER training, but not one of them is allowed to deal with or enter a toxic situation

on a vessel afloat or in a repair facility, according to the OSHA 29CFR1915 rules. Only an NFPA-certified marine chemist has the authority and training to deal with such situations.

Your article mentioned the three workers who were overcome and killed by argon gas that escaped into the cargo hold of a ship in Port Everglades. The fire department went in, but should not have.

As soon as that was realized, we were called to come to the ship and perform testing to determine when the situation was safe, not only for workers, but for investigators. Our job further entails certifying that the affected spaces and all adjacent spaces are free from any hazards, so that any person (perhaps in the next port of call) would not encounter an unexpected or hidden hazard. HAZWOPER does not cover that aspect of safety at all.

Since starting Marine Chemists & Testing Company, we have trained close to 1,000 workers in the maritime safety standards of 29CFR1915. We daily visit shipyards to determine and certify what is safe for entry (sufficient oxygen and free from toxic hazards) and also

when and where it is safe to perform welding and other types of hot work.

We have been called out day and night when toxic problems have been encountered in emergency

situations in our ports and shipyards to evaluate and deal with whatever has occurred.

Since there is no professional with equivalent shoreside training, we also perform similar inspections on everything from jet fuel and gasoline storage tanks on shore, underground pipelines in the ports and airports, tank trucks, intermodal tank units full of chemicals that are hoisted aboard ships, and just about anything else in Florida and Caribbean islands that have held chemicals and/or fuels.

Safety training is important, but so is the proper training for the industry in which so many of your readers are involved. We would not want to see them misled to think that a HAZWOPER course is the way to go to keep their vessels safe. It is a start, but the marine training that we teach is just as important, since it deals with the law as written, and what they must know to keep within that law while performing their duties.

Peter Rimmel and Blair M. Duff are NFPA-certified marine chemists with Marine Chemists & Testing Company in Ft. Lauderdale.

HAZWOPER training is just beginning for maritime pros

WRITE TO BE HEARD

Safety training is important, but so is the proper training for the industry.

WRITE TO BE HEARDA�� November 2010 www.the-triton.com The Triton

By Jeff Erdmann

The state of Florida’s major tax policy change to cap sales tax on yachts at $18,000 was conceived to stimulate Florida’s maritime industry, its 220,000 jobs and Florida’s overall economy by keeping more boats in Florida.

By competing with the lucrative financial incentives of offshore yacht ownership and registration, Florida will collect additional much-needed tax revenues for our state rather than losing those dollars to other more competitive states and offshore jurisdictions to legally avoid paying Florida’s 6 percent full tax. Paying the capped tax at $18,000 allows yacht owners to remain and enjoy their boats in Florida waters – a win-win for all.

The sales and use tax remains at 6 percent but places a first-ever Florida cap of $18,000 on boat sales or use tax, regardless of size and price tag.

To fully understand the benefits I will lay out how we arrived at the cap amount.

The sweet spot – the amount of tax a buyer will pay to any state or nation – was determined by looking at the competition and a survey of what price buyers exercised their right to pay another taxable jurisdiction to legally avoid Florida sales tax. FYBA commissioned the research firm of Tom J. Murray to compile the data used and presented to state legislators. The study clearly demonstrated that $18,000 and higher was the threshold where 63.4 percent chose to pay someone other than Florida.

With the cap, it’s estimated the state could collect $17.2 million in additional tax revenue from boat sales, compared to the $1.5 million that’s currently

collected on sales over $300,000. (That’s right. Florida collected only $1.5 million in sales tax revenue on vessel sales over $300,000 in 2009).

The cap will produce a significant increase in tax revenue for Florida, while generating sales, creating jobs and new business for people who work in marine related businesses, and an incentive for our clients to stay in Florida.

With more boats remaining in Florida year round, money spent for goods and services stays in Florida, including registration, legal advice, dockage, repairs, painting, decorating, upgrades, equipment, maintenance, groceries, car rentals, restaurants, hotels, etc., that yachts consume, not to mention that businesses hire state residents to perform these services.

Florida’s entire economy benefits from this bold change in tax policy.

Because there are many scenarios and individual circumstances of various owners, this is not a one-size fits all fix, but here are some facts to consider for purchasers or owners of vessels valued at more than $300,000:

1. U.S. buyer from Florida can pay $18,000 capped tax and keep his boat in Florida.

2. U.S. buyer from out of Florida can pay $18,000 capped tax and stay in Florida.

3. U.S. buyer from out of Florida can pay $18,000 capped tax and get $18,000 credit toward his/her home state’s sales tax.

4. A non-U.S. buyer can foreign flag their vessel as well as pay the $18,000 and register in Florida.

5. Vessels that were purchased out of Florida can pay the $18,000 capped use tax and register in Florida.

6. After a foreign-flagged vessel is imported for sale, the owner can pay the $18,000 to Florida as a maximum use tax.

7. Vessels having paid the capped tax are not required to place a vessel for sale in the Care, Custody and Control of a broker, which restricts owner’s personal use.

The $18,000 sales and use tax cap will create more jobs for the marine industry by driving boat sales and needed tax revenue into Florida while encouraging boaters to buy, store, use, upgrade, and resell their boats in Florida. It’s a win-win-win situation for yacht owners, the state of Florida and everyone involved in the yachting industry.

Jeff Erdmann is president of Bollman Yachts in Ft. Lauderdale and chairman of the legislative committee of the Florida Yacht Brokers Association. Comments on this column are welcome at editorial@the-triton.com.

Florida’s sales and use tax cap a boon for marine businesses

WRITE TO BE HEARD

PublisherDavid Reed, david@the-triton.com

Advertising SalesBecky Gunter, becky@the-triton.com

Mike Price, mike@the-triton.com

EditorLucy Chabot Reed, lucy@the-triton.com

News staffDorie Cox, dorie@the-triton.com

Lawrence Hollyfield

Production ManagerPatty Weinert, patty@the-triton.com

The Triton DirectoryMike Price, mike@the-triton.com

Contributors

Carol Bareuther, Mark A. Cline, Jake DesVergers, Blair M. Duff, Jeff Erdman, Capt. Stan Glover,

Beth Greenwald, Chief Stew Julianne Hammond, Capt. Natalie Hannon, Chef Mary Beth Lawton Johnson,

Chief Stew Alene Keenan, Keith Murray,Steve Pica, Capt. Michael Pignéguy,

Capt. Robert Richardson, Peter Rimmel, Rossmare Intl., James Schot,

Capt. Tom Serio, Capt. Ned Stone

Vol. 7, No. �. The Triton is a free, monthly newspaper owned by Triton Publishing Group Inc. Copyright 2010 Triton Publishing Group Inc. All rights reserved.

Contact us at:Mailing address: 757 S.E. 17th St., #1119

Visit us at: 111B S. W. 23rd St.Ft. Lauderdale, FL 33315

(954) 525-0029; FAX (954) 525-9676www.the-triton.com

The Triton www.the-triton.com November 2010 A��

That accident with the Jet Ski was totally preventable. [“Deckhand dies after fall when lifting sling fails,” page A1, September issue.] I do not allow my deckhands to do that.

Common sense tells you that when you see something suspended in mid-air that you don’t walk under it because it could fall. You don’t walk under a piano hanging out a window, do you? So why would you get on it [a personal watercraft] and ride it down? The same possibility exists; it hasn’t changed.

Yeah, it’s easier to ride it down, but what’s the cost?

We put ours in the water with two taglines, one on the bow and one on the stern. One guy operates the davit, one guy hangs onto both taglines. We swing it over the side so it clears the boat and lower it down.

The guys pass the lines to someone on the lower deck until the watercraft hits the water.

Then we swing the davit over until the Jet Ski comes up against the side of the boat, step on the rub rail, put a foot in the port hole and climb on.

Nobody gets hurt.And we always inspect the slings and

cables. Twice a year, at the beginning of every season, we string the whole cable out, take a gloved hand and run it down the length of cable. Any broken strands will get caught on the glove and we know it needs to be replaced.

When I worked construction, we checked our cables at the beginning of every job. If there were ever any broken strands, they got taken off and thrown away.

The only exception I can think of is if the Jet Ski is on the bow and you can’t get to it in the water. But then I think I would make the guys use a Jacob’s ladder to climb down.

We should always think the cables are going to fail. These are huge and heavy pieces of equipment. Treat it with the idea that it’s going to break. Always.

Lee RosbachM/Y Sovereign

Thank you for this article [“Lesson learned: To protect your ship’s interests, take control of insurance claims,” page B1, October issue] and for reinforcing a concept that I preach to anyone who will listen, which is captains and crew must be involved with regards to all operational aspects of the boat.

It’s important to understand that an insurance policy and the company behind it are not static, two-dimensional things. They require (possibly demand) active involvement to best serve their clients’ needs.

Crew members don’t have to be insurance professionals, but they certainly shouldn’t be absentee representatives when things go wrong and simply yield all authority and all decisions to a claims manager whose job it is to mitigate the loss on behalf of the insurance company.

Good stuff and well done.Gary P. Carroll

CYA / Comprehensive Yacht Assurance

Ft. Lauderdale, FL

Strong mate saved Jupiter charterThe fishing community of Palm

Beach lost a long-time charter captain and friend in September when Capt. Tom Henry died from injuries sustained in a boating accident in

Jupiter Inlet.While returning from a half-day

charter, Capt. Tom’s charter boat, the Waterdog, nearly broached. Unfortunately, Capt. Tom was thrown from the flybridge and suffered serious injuries when he fell on the side of the boat before being swept overboard.

His mate, Tim Sperling, was also thrown around in a now-flooded cockpit. He looked up to the flybridge to find there was no one at the helm. While the boat was at full throttle in a tight turn, Tim climbed up to the flybridge and took control of the vessel. After looking in the water for the captain, Tim radioed the Coast Guard to alert them of the situation.

After quickly assessing the situation, Tim decided it prudent to proceed to Lake Worth Inlet, a better foul weather inlet, to discharge the charter. That decision most certainly guaranteed the safety of both vessel and crew.

Unfortunately for Tim, after having lost all 12-volt electronics and communication, he was soon beset by a typical violent Florida afternoon squall while in the Intracoastal Waterway with high winds and torrential downpour by himself.

Needless to say, communication with all bridge tenders was difficult, and it was not until he reached the

Indiantown Road bridge that he managed to leave the squall behind him.

One of my first thoughts on this tragedy was how lucky the charter was that Capt. Tom had chosen a well-qualified mate such as Tim to have fished with them that day. Jupiter Inlet has claimed many victims over the years and I’m sure the charter that day was glad that they had Tim on board. There are many factors that can affect a day at sea, including weather, mechanical problems, or just plain bad luck.

One should always consider hiring the best available crew whenever they venture out for a day of fishing. Often owners or charterers consider the mate as someone who simply can rig a bait or gaff a fish, but experience has shown that when fate determines, your mate may have to assume his captain’s duties.

In the old days, it was thought that before a mate could become a captain, he should have extensive experience in the cockpit. In today’s boating world, with the advance of high performance and very technological vessels, it’s almost necessary that a person have a captain’s know-how in order to be a proficient mate.

Capt. Robert Richardson

It makes no sense to ride Jet Ski down off the yacht

Insurance ‘lesson learned’ important for all

www.the-triton.comSection B November 2010

Spotted in Monaco

B19Triton spotters come in all signs.

Itching may mean bedbugs

B2Onboard, they’re a career hazard

News from Monaco

B10MCA update, charter awards

Trying out some green

B14New products need a chance.

For a pleasure yacht to be legally engaged in trade and considered a commercial yacht, she must be surveyed and certified to numerous

international and national regulations. These rules cover a spectrum of topics for safety, environmental protection and security. Applicability is based upon a

combination of the yacht’s length, tonnage and the number of people on board.

In general, the majority of international regulations are established by the International Maritime Organization (IMO). The IMO is a specialized agency of the United Nations. Its 169 Member States and three Associate Members are the force behind nearly all technical standards and legal rules for safety at sea and prevention of pollution by ships. The key rules that affect yachts are the following:

SOLAS – International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea

The SOLAS Convention, in its successive forms, is generally regarded as the most important of all international treaties concerning the safety of merchant ships. In its current structure, the 12 chapters cover all aspects of shipping from construction and fire protection to nuclear propulsion, dangerous cargo, safety management and maritime security. The bulk of SOLAS affects internationally trading vessels of 500 gross tons and greater.

For regulatory purposes, a

Rules of the Road

Jake DesVergers

Pleasure yacht or commercial:Many rules will be invoked

See RULES, page B13

By Michael Pignéguy

The heart of any power-driven vessel has to be its engine room. If it does not function well, then the whole operation of the vessel can suffer.

So what does make a good engine room?

Good reliable and well-proven machinery has to be on top of the list. The machinery has to be well sited and well lit. Follow that up with easy access, good working spaces and ventilation, plenty of tools designed to fit any job along with a well sized workbench, and we should have something approaching the ideal engine room. For a captain who is also the engineer, this is the dream.

Over the past few years I have been lucky enough to relieve as captain/engineer on a good looking 84-foot (25.6m) Dutch built motor yacht,

based on the US East Coast. Together we have cruised both the East and West Coasts of the US, Canada and SE Alaska and the Mediterranean.

Apart from being a great boat to handle, the other reason I enjoy her is that she has an engine room like the one described.

Designed in the style of a trawler expedition yacht by Dutchman Dick Boon, the M/Y Aisling was built by Kuipers yard in Holland in 2000. Her corten steel hull and bulwarks are topped with an aluminium superstructure, and hull lines are taken from that of a traditional deep sea Dutch trawler; thus giving her a good pedigree. This makes her very sea kindly, especially with her stabilizers in action.

Her vital statistics are LOA 84 feet (25.6m), beam 23 feet (7m) and loaded draft 7 feet (2.13m). When fully fueled

and watered, the full-bodied M/Y Aisling displaces 148 tons.

Built for long range economical cruising at around 10 knots, twin Caterpillar 3406C engines, down-rated to 300hp, were chosen for the main power plants. These have provided some 50,000 miles of trouble free cruising over the past 7 years. At 1500rpm, depending upon the sea conditions, 10 knots can be achieved with a consumption of between 56.8 to 63.5 ltrs/hr (14.8-16.78 USgph), which includes the genset running. Cheap, especially in superyacht terms.

To assist the main engines in being eco-friendly, they are fitted with Nelson Eco Vent Recirculation Systems. These systems remove 99.9 percent of oil mist and airborne particles coming from the crankcase

The hearT of every power boaT

See ENGINE ROOM, page B4

A view of the engine room, looking forward. Main genset is to port under main alarm panel and writing shelf/communication center. Workbench to starboard with stand-by genset under and CCTV camera above. Nelson Bilge Boy with bilge pump piping system underneath on forward bulkhead. phoTo/CapT. MiChael pignéguy

Delve into what makes a good engine room

Bed bugs are small insects that feed on the blood of humans, pets and other animals. They resemble cockroaches and ticks. Adult bed bugs have oval flat

bodies, antennae, no wings, small eyes and are a reddish-brown color. They can be seen with the naked eye, however they often hide in cracks and crevices. Similar to ticks, when bed bugs feed,

their bodies swell and turn bright red making them easier to see.

Bed bugs feed primarily on the blood of humans. Generally, for a bedbug dinner time is at night while we are sleeping.

Bed bug bites generally are not painful and rarely awaken the sleeping person. But they can produce large, itchy welts on the skin. A bed bug bite will resemble a mosquito bite.

While definitely a nuisance, bed bugs are not known to spread disease. Their saliva can cause allergic reactions in some people.

Please note: Although bed bugs are not generally hazardous to your health,

if the owner, his family and guests find bed bugs in their cabins, they may be hazardous to your career.

If someone onboard is having an allergic reaction to bed bugs, consult with a physician immediately, if possible. The doctor will most likely suggest medications such as antihistamines and corticosteroids to treat the allergic reaction.

Bed bugs live about 10 months, but they can survive for several weeks or even months without feeding.

So just how do these little critters get on a yacht?

In most cases, they are transported from an infested areas when they cling onto someone’s clothing, or crawl into luggage, furniture or bedding that is then brought onboard. They are not like lice though; they will be on the clothing, not the person. Although not always practical, you can always ask the

person to change their clothing before coming on board. Any clothing that may have bed bugs should be placed

in plastic bags and washed in hot water.

If you suspect they are aboard, check all bedroom/cabin furniture for any signs of the bed bugs or their droppings with a bright flashlight. Look behind and under the headboard, at the seams on the mattress and box spring. On bunk-style beds, look

along the along the crevices and in the corners of the wood.

The easiest way to know if you have them is to watch your passengers and crew. If anyone complains about itchy welts similar to mosquito bites, you should investigate further. Have all crew regularly clean their bunks as well as other beds onboard.

If you see tiny bugs, small bloodstains that are caused when the sleeping person rolls over one, or dark

spots from bed bugs droppings, contact a pest control company experienced with yachts and bed bugs. A professional exterminator can evaluate what type of pest is present, and treat the problem without damaging property or endangering lives with harmful chemicals.

Washing clothing and bedding in hot water and then drying them on the hot cycle will kill bed bugs. For delicate items that will not tolerate hot water and the high temperatures in the dryer, soak them in warm water with a lot of detergent and allow them to soak for several hours.

In addition to washing clothing, bedding, towels and draperies in hot water, vacuum and steam clean all carpets. You should also vacuum the mattresses. This, coupled with a professional exterminator, should eliminate any infestation problems.

Keith Murray, a former Florida firefighter EMT, is the owner of The CPR School which provides onboard CPR, AED First Aid Safety Training for yacht captains and crew as well as AED Sales and Service. Contact The CPR School at +1-561-762-0500 or www.TheCPRSchool.com. Comments on this column are welcome at editorial@the-triton.com.

onboarD eMergenCieS: Sea Sick

sea sick

Keith Murray

B� November 2010 www.the-triton.com The Triton

Watch guests and crew for itching when bedbugs are suspect

If you see tiny bugs, small bloodstains that are caused when the sleeping person rolls over one, or dark spots from bed bugs droppings, contact a pest control company experienced with yachts and bed bugs.

B� November 2010 www.the-triton.com The Triton

breather vent. It’s a completely closed system removing 100 percent of blow-by mists and gases from the atmosphere providing a cleaner and safer engine room. A differential pressure meter indicates the time when the filters require cleaning.

Heavy grade stainless steel railings and good working spaces surround both engines.

The total fuel capacity of 31,000 liters (8,189 U.S. gallons), which give the M/Y Aisling a range of more than 4,000 miles, is carried in four main tanks, plus two settling and day tanks each side of the engine room. My only complaint is that the amount of fuel in each tank could only be found by using an air-pressure system which could give widely differing results, depending upon who was using it. The best method in my opinion is by looking at a good old fashioned sight glass.

Using one of the simplest fuel transfer systems I have come across, fuel can be easily moved around in order to adjust trim or list, and also to transfer into the settling tanks. All tanks are represented on a valve chest arrangement, the top part being suction from tanks and the bottom being return (or fill) lines. All fuel movements are made with an electric pump situated next to the valve chest. In case of this pump’s failure, a permanently fixed hand pump is also in the system.

Fuel is moved from the settling tanks to the day tanks by way of the Alfa Laval MIB 303 Separator. This unit is amazing in what it extracts from seemingly clean fuel, and does increase the life of pistons, rings and valves, and of course injectors, by a high degree. Regular checks in the bowl of the Alfa Laval are essential if you want to avoid a major clean of the unit. If left for too long between cleanings, the unit can become completely clogged with a thick black tar. Depending upon the cleanliness of the fuel, checks on the bowl should start at about 60 hours use, but I have sometimes reached 180 hours before having to clean it.

Inside this MIB 303 are some 35 cones that have to be removed during a full clean and it’s a tricky business getting all the little bits and pieces back in the right order. After the first time that I did a major clean on the unit and had put it back together, I switched it on and stood well back as I didn’t want to be too close in case it self destructed at its operational speed of 7,200rpm. But regular inspections and cleaning of the outer bowl are good ways of extending the periods between major strip downs of the unit.

The cleaned fuel from the day tanks then has to pass through the twin Racor primary filters before the engine’s own filter is reached.

A differential pressure meter sits between the two Racors giving a good indication as to the state of the filters. So by the time the fuel enters the injection pump and makes its way to the injector and into the cylinder to do its work, the fuel is as clean as it can possibly be.

Twin Disc 506 gearboxes are fitted to the Caterpillars. In the event that the vessel has to steam on one motor, each gear box is fitted with a trailer pump that will automatically start and keep lube oil circulating. This prevents overheating in the gearbox since even with the engine stopped the shaft will continue to rotate.

On the forward end of each main engine are large power take-offs (PTOs) that provide the pumping power for the vessel’s hydraulic system. The Cramm hydraulic system has a 200ltr (44gl) main tank and supplies power to the bow thrusters, steering gear, Maxwell Windlass and two mooring capstans, an 890kg SWL crane, and the Kaupnautic FAL 124 AVA Stabilizers. Next to the tank is a 7.5kVa electric motor pump that can be activated to work the hydraulic system in case of PTO failures, or while the vessel is in port. This is handy if mooring lines have to be tightened and the capstans are required.

Electricity on board is supplied by two Onan gensets. The main 35kVa genset is powered by a Cummins 4BT-3-9D(M) and has given an almost faultless performance for more than 12,000hrs. If there is a power shut down when in port and plugged into shore power, this genset has an auto cut-in switch. This saves a mad rush in the dark to the engine room in the middle of the night when cut-

Workbench with the Matrix Desalinator, Emergency 240-volt cross-over system with the inverters above, and the waste oil tank along the aft bulkhead. phoToS/CapT. MiChael pignéguy

31,000 gallons of fuel offers a range of more than 4,000 milesENGINE ROOM, from page B1

See ENGINE ROOM, page B5

The fuel transfer system with the Alfa Laval MIB 303 Separator fuel polisher.

froM The TeCh fronT: engine room

The Triton www.the-triton.com November 2010 B�

Today’s fuel prices One year agoPrices for low-sulfur gasoil expressed in US$ per cubic meter (1,000 liters) as of Oct. 15.

Region Duty-free*/dutypaidU.S.EastCoast

Ft.Lauderdale 670/715Savannah,Ga. 625/NANewport,R.I. 660/NA

CaribbeanSt.Thomas,USVI 785/NASt.Maarten 890/NAAntigua 910/NAValparaiso 900/NA

NorthAtlanticBermuda(IrelandIsland) 780/NACapeVerde 740/NAAzores 735/NACanaryIslands 750/910

MediterraneanGibraltar 685/NABarcelona,Spain 790/1,450PalmadeMallorca,Spain NA/1,530Antibes,France 760/1,630SanRemo,Italy 875/1,745Naples,Italy 800/1,690Venice,Italy 835/1,625Corfu,Greece 820/1,905Piraeus,Greece 755/1,710Istanbul,Turkey 730/NAMalta 770/1,710Tunis,Tunisia 650/NABizerte,Tunisia 655/NA

OceaniaAuckland,NewZealand 690/NASydney,Australia 710/NAFiji 760/NA

*When available according to local customs.

outs usually occur. There is also a smaller genset of 20kVa that produces 230/380V at 50 Hz and 29amps.

Shore power is handled by an Atlas shorepower unit, classic frequency controller. This is a superb piece of equipment and worth every one of its US$68,000. It will accept any voltage within the 180-520V range, frequencies between 40 and 75 Hz, and either single or three phase. It has an output of 230/400V, 3 phase, 58 amps, 50 Hz, and 50 kVa. No matter if we were in American, Canadian or European marinas, all one had to do was to plug the shore power in and without so much as flicking a switch, the Atlas would take over automatically as soon as the genset was turned off.

A Glendining Cablemaster powers a system of rollers through which the 100amp 28m shore power cable is pulled in and out. A lot of heat can build up if a lot of cable is left in its own storage space while plugged in ashore, so it is a good idea to have most of the cable out and flaked down on

the dock to keep it cool.Demand for power is high on board

the M/Y Aisling as she is usually in a climate where air conditioning is required. To keep the vessel’s interior cool, there are 13 air-handling units on board. The air-conditioning is a Marine Air SCW 108-CSTM, 9 ton, 3 staged and requiring single-phase 230V.

When the vessel went into Southeast Alaskan waters, a heating unit was installed into the aircon system. Using the compressor units, heat is extracted from seawater and transferred through the boat via the air-handling units.

There is also a high demand for fresh water on board, hence the large freshwater tanks of 15,000lts (3320gal) capacity. Six freshwater flush toilets, six showers, 11 sinks, a dishwasher and a Jacuzzi, plus of course the (almost) continuous washdown process, all contribute to the making of freshwater a high priority. While at sea the process is facilitated by a Matrix Desalinator, Model 3600 that has been beefed up to

Looking aft to the Steering Flat watertight entry door and the main stern entry door. The twin Racor fuel system is visible on both engines. phoTo/CapT. MiChael pignéguy

See ENGINE ROOM, page B6

ENGINE ROOM, from page B4

atlas shorepower unit ‘superb’

froM The TeCh fronT: engine room

Prices for low-sulfur gasoil expressed in US$ per cubic meter (1,000 liters) as of Oct. 15, 2009

Region Duty-free*/dutypaidU.S.EastCoast

Ft.Lauderdale 551/588Savannah,Ga. 527/NANewport,R.I. 629/NA

CaribbeanSt.Thomas,USVI 667/NASt.Maarten 770/NAAntigua 692/NAValparaiso 640/NA

NorthAtlanticBermuda(IrelandIsland) 674/NACapeVerde 606/NAAzores 581/NACanaryIslands 608/868

MediterraneanGibraltar 564/NABarcelona,Spain 691/1,470PalmadeMallorca,Spain NA/1,395Antibes,France 632/1,522SanRemo,Italy 743/1,669Naples,Italy 725/1,627Venice,Italy 711/1,615Corfu,Greece 659/1,479Piraeus,Greece 643/1,457Istanbul,Turkey 607/NAMalta 603/1367Bizerte,Tunisia 596/NATunis,Tunisia 587/NA

OceaniaAuckland,NewZealand 607/NASydney,Australia 605/NAFiji 659/NA

*When available according to local customs.

B� November 2010 www.the-triton.com The Triton

produce up to 5,600ltrs/day (1240gals/day).

The starting and house banks of batteries are kept charged by two Mass battery chargers, one for 24, 50 and 230V, the other for 24-100V. These work with the two Mass inverters, a 24/3500 and a 24/2500. Although there are various meters and electronics that indicate battery condition, it’s still hard to beat a hydrometer and voltmeter to keep track of the health of

each battery.In each aft corner of the engine

room there is a 188 ltr (41.5gal) lube oil tank with a sight gauge. One is for waste oil, the other for new lube oil, and each with its own suck-in, pump-out electric pump. Oil changes on both the main engines and gensets are real easy as hoses from each tank can be connected to the sumps so that the old oil is sucked out and the new pumped in. In theory, you shouldn’t even see oil let alone get in on your hands. The waste oil may then be pumped from

the tank into drums on the dock.In the center of the forward

bulkhead is a Nelson oil/water separator, model 10025. This ingenious little unit will separate out any oil from bilge water and put it into a sludge tank from where it can be transferred into the waste oil tank. The cleaned bilge water is pumped overside.

Also on the forward bulkhead is the manifold for raw water intakes and bilge suction lines. This sea chest can be worked by either the 230V fire or bilge pumps. The raw water

intakes for the main engines are also integrated into this system and are the two vertical tubes on either side. The tubes rise to above the waterline level, giving the opportunity to and clean the strainers while at sea. The strainers are easily accessed by removing eight bolts from the plate at the top of the tube.

For those jobs that require a blast of air there is a 1.5kw single phase Dari Jet 25-2005 compressor tucked out of sight with an air hose long enough to reach all around the engine room. It also supplies the air for the vessel’s significantly loud horn.

And, of course, no engine room is complete without a good workbench with a decent sized vice attached. On the bench is a thick rubber mat that makes for an easy, non-slip working surface. It also helps to keep the large toolbox in place, too.

The entire engine room is well insulated with foam silencing material that is covered with Formica sheets. This makes for a quiet boat when under way, and in the wheelhouse it’s only the instruments that will let you know if the engines are running.

The Formica panelling makes it easy the keep the engine room clean and bright.

The bilges are, of course, spotless. They are well hidden under aluminium checker plates that are easy to keep clean and remove. Under the engines I always have the square white oil soak pads so that any leaks are quickly spotted and cleaned.

Everything in the engine room is under the surveillance of the adjustable and unblinking eye of a CCTV camera that displays its images on a large screen in the wheelhouse. Audio communication to the wheelhouse and fly bridge is by way of a headset and microphone.

There are three entry/exits to the engine room, all through watertight doors. One goes out into the lazarette that exits onto the swim deck; one comes in from the main deck; and the emergency exit opens into the owner’s wardrobe.

In case of a fire there is an Ajax fire fighting system incorporating a 45kg CO2 storage bottle. This, along with fuel shut-off lines and ventilation flap closing system, is situated at the door entering from the main deck.

At the end of a busy day, having been kept cool by the forced air ventilation system, hands can be washed in the sink before ascending the ladder to the main deck.

It has to be one of the best engine rooms for a vessel of its size.

Capt. Michael Pignéguy is a relief captain on charter boats and superyachts around the world. He is an RYA instructor and examiner in Aukland, NZ, and the author of three boating books (www.boatingfun.co.nz).

Silencing material makes for a quiet boat when under wayENGINE ROOM, from page B5

froM The TeCh fronT: engine room

B� November 2010 www.the-triton.com The Triton Marina / ShipyarD newS

The Corporation of St George’s has entered into an agreement with Leading Edge Ltd. to investigate and possibly develop a marina and boutique hotel in St George’s

The marina, which will be sited around Ordnance Island, will cater to yachts and the growing megayacht business, according to a government statement. Bermuda Yacht Services has been working with the Corporation the past two years to expand megayacht business in St George’s and will assist in the development.

The marina will accommodate more than 100 yachts.

risker now gM at universal MarineButch Risker, a long-time shipyard

manager in South Florida who was laid off from Broward Shipyard this summer, has landed on his feet as general manager at Universal Marine Center in Ft. Lauderdale.

Universal Marine is on the property of the former Fort Lauderdale Shipyard on State Road 84, which Risker helped manage with Rick Roughan before it closed in 2005.

Risker, who started officially Oct. 18, described the new company as a do-it-yourself yard that will accept all reputable subcontractors as it builds a following. There is no lift on the property, so it is available for dockage and in-water service.

For details, call +1 954-791-0550.– Lucy Reed

Merrill Stevens manager returnsRandy Knauss, a former manager

of the supply yard at Merrill Stevens in Miami, has joined Marina Mile Yachting Center on State Road 84 in Ft. Lauderdale.

Knauss, who had relocated to Michigan, was called back to South Florida in early September to be superintendent of operations at the yard, which is just west of I-95 on the south bank of the New River.

– Lucy Reed

igy adds puerto rico marinaFt. Lauderdale-based Island Global

Yachting has added Palmas del Mar Yacht Club in Puerto Rico to its network of marinas in the Caribbean.

Located on Puerto Rico’s southeastern coast, about 45 minutes from San Juan, Palmas del Mar Yacht Club is linked to a resort community that includes homes, two golf courses, tennis center, hotel and casino, and a bilingual K-12 school.

The marina has 158 slips for yachts up to 175 feet, including 44 slips for megayachts, with a maximum draft of 14 feet. It has in-slip fueling and waste pump-out, a neighboring full-service boatyard with 100-ton lift, and customs

and immigration available on call.For more, visit www.igymarinas.com

or www.palmasdelmaryachtclub.com.

berthing incentives in CaribbeanIGY has announced two new

berthing incentives. IGY HomePort, a long-term berthing program, offers customers a 5-year or 10-year berth at a discount off the long-term dockage rate. Targeting the less transient yacht owner, it offers guaranteed dockage in IGY’s Caribbean facilities in St. thomas, St. Maarten and St. Lucia.

The IGY Caribbean Anchor Pass, targeting transient yachts, offers 365 days of dockage in its Caribbean network with the purchase of 120 days at the existing long-term rate.

For more information, e-mail berthoffers@igymarinas.com.

igy starts marina in Qatar Mourjan Marinas IGY, a developer

and manager of luxury marinas, has started construction on the first marina within the Lusail City development in Doha, Qatar. Located just north of Doha, the marina will start operating after Qatar National Day in mid-December.

Mourjan Marinas IGY is responsible for design, construction and operation of all marinas in the Lusail City development. It will develop 96 berths for yachts of 10-40 meters. The marina will include three on-water lounge areas and a café. Misters will air condition the walkways.

The marina will feature underwater lighting, black and grey water pump-out at the berths, a fuel service station, 24-hour security, a concierge service, laundry service, a deck wash for all yachts and valet parking.

Marina pez vela now openBuilt by Bellingham Marine, Marina

Pez Vela in Quepos on Costa Rica’s Pacific Coast features extra-wide concrete floating docks; 100 slips with telephone, cable, high-speed Internet, fresh water and electrical hook ups; high-speed fuel pumps; septic pump-outs and dockside concierge services.

Slips range in length from 10m to 60m. About half of available slips have been sold.

“Given the demand we’ve seen for berths in the region, we are confident the remaining slips will go quick,” said Harold Lovelady, partner in the marina.

A second phase of construction will add 200 slips and amenities such as a maintenance facility with a 200-ton travel lift, a boutique hotel, residential units, restaurants, and a retail center including tackle shop, marine supplies, deli and grocery store.

For more information, visit www.marinapezvela.com.

Marina and hotel slated for St. George’s in Bermuda

The Triton www.the-triton.com November 2010 B�TeChnology briefS

How to persevere when budgets dictate otherwiseBy Capt. Stan Glover

As captains, we know when something just doesn’t sit right, especially when it’s safety related.

The old saying “It’s always been like that” is unacceptable.

Checking aboard a new yacht, there are bound to be some alarming issues that show their ugly faces. For me, it was the crane operation, an inherent dangerous operation on the best of days. Even with the finest equipment, one could say that the caution and training required is of the utmost importance.

My story begins with a crane control pendent that forced the operator to constantly look down to find which button to press for the crane action and losing focus on the lift. I always tell operators to “keep your eye on the ball.” Nightly operations inevitably increase the probability of an accident.

The second problem was the crane itself, a dated unit unlike the more elaborate proportional cranes with joystick controls we see today.

Sure, the easy fix is replacing the whole thing with modern technology and a hefty lot of cash for a new crane. Budgets dictate otherwise.

The task: Incorporate a safer crane control operation where actions are instinctive with repetition whilst staying within a reasonable budget.

The solution: Joystick operation within two levers.

The technical sideIn our case the solenoids on the

hydraulic valves are the bang-to-bang action, and all are non-proportional.

It’s powered by a 24-volt common that powers each of the crane actions:

cable up/down, boom up/down, extension up/down, and rotate left/right.

The goal was to incorporate a joystick – or two in this case – to control all eight actions.

That joystick was found at ETI systems, an off-the-shelf switch with an IP-65 environment rating (waterproof).

The wire was sourced at IGUS (part number CF 5-7-12), an 18 gage, 12 conductor chainflex wire.

We added some engraving, a control box, a Bulgin 10-pin plug and socket,

and a polished stainless steel handle that allows the operator to work the joysticks without a harness and prevent accident activation if the controller is laid on its side.

The end result: A safer crane controller that allows functions to be easily memorized, keeping eyes on the ball and crew extremities and some paint where they belong.

ETI Systems J20-YQ4-R2G Joysticks: $198.75 eachIgus wire: $2.15/ft; $49.45 for 23 feet Nema control box: $77.55Stainless strap 1/8”x 24”: $23Bulgin 900 series Plug -Px0911/10p: $25Bulgin 900 series Socket -Px0941/10s: $35Engraving: $50Wire connectors: $20

Grand Total: $677.50

Capt. Stan Glover holds Master 500-ton Oceans and Chief Engineer 4000hp licenses and commands M/Y Sojourn, a 130-foot custom motor yacht.

Crane operaTionS

Capt. Stan Glover of M/Y Sojourn, a 130-foot custom motoryacht, pieced together this controller for an out-dated crane. Grand total: about $650. Savings to the yacht owner: Many thousands.

phoTo/CapT. STan glover

B10 November 2010 www.the-triton.com The Triton 20th annual Monaco yacht Show

Capt. Roger Towner of the MCA delivered good news and bad news at a forum of the Professional Yachtsmens Association on Sept. 21. The bad news is that all the formalities he predicted last year – a final official version of the LY2, for example – still haven’t been delivered.

The good news: The MCA will not require that existing license holders come back in for extra ECDIS training. This generated the evening’s only burst of applause. The Manila amendments to the STCW require revalidation of ECDIS certification, and deck officers likely will have to receive more training in this area in the future, but those with licenses since about 1997 do not need

more training in electronic charts.Another item Towner listed under

“good news” is the requirement that basic safety courses such as personal survival techniques and basic firefighting will need to be refreshed every five years. Beyond basic courses, though, the MCA will require masters and medical-persons-in-charge to refresh their first aid certification every five years, even if the IMO does not.

The new engineering certification, the ETO (Electro-Technical Officer), will be available to yachts but is not required. There is still talk of combining the Y1 and Y2 engineering tickets, he said, and confirmed that there will be consultation on the lower-level

engineering certifications.The audience seemed most

interested in sea time, or specifically, the transferability of yachting sea time toward a merchant license. With the MCA yachting license topping out at 3,000 tons, Towner made it sound relatively straightforward to complete all the courses for the unlimited Officer of the Watch certification via a distance-learning program – all while making a yachting salary – and then joining a commercial ship for a higher master’s ticket.

The IMO, however, is not so sure sea time on a yacht should transfer. The MCA is set to argue that point with the IMO in a meeting in January.

An update on all things MCA

T riton Editor Lucy Chabot Reed attended the 2010 Monaco Yacht Show and produced Triton

Today, a daily supplement for the show. Here are the

highlights. To read the full stories of any item or to see more photos, visit www.the-triton.com/events/boatshow and scroll down to the pertinent headline.

Dozens of multimillion-dollar megayachts were anchored in the harbor just outside the Monaco Yacht Show, many of them are seeing clients as if on exhibit in the show.

Captains and brokers were hesitant to talk on the record about the yachts because they were unsure if it was permitted.

But organizers of the show don’t seem to mind them being there, simply shrugging and suggesting that “they are allowed” to anchor. In fact, one woman with the show said it was good that all those yachts were anchored out because they likely brought more people into the show, all paying the 60-euro per day per person ticket prices.

The yachts are there for various

reasons. One captain said he is not seeing clients but visits the show each day by tender for the networking and parties.

Another captain was told by the boss to anchor out, in the hopes that a potential buyer would see the yacht there.

Several captains and crew said the owners wanted their yachts in the show, but simply couldn’t get in, either because there was no space or because they had been in the show last year. Yachts cannot exhibit at the Monaco show two years in a row, according to several captains.

One broker noted that it was more convenient to have yachts anchored nearby than moored in a marina since

it is easier to travel by tender to see it than by car or even helicopter.

Harbor offers second yacht show

While the weather was nice, dozens of megayachts filled the harbor off the 20th annual Monaco Yacht Show. phoTo/luCy reeD

We were happy to learn that a majority of the crew we spoke to had been busy with the owner and/or guests aboard.

With all these yachts so busy this summer, we wanted to learn when and where they would have their next yard period. The majority of the crew we talked to said they were heading there later this fall, some in the Med, but more in the United States.

The most common place was back to their home port in the Med to wait. More than a fifth were headed to their yard period, and about 17 percent were headed across the pond to the Ft. Lauderdale International Boat Show.

With the way the economy has been of late, we were curious to learn if crew in the Monaco Yacht Show were really working or just there for show. It comes as no surprise that this show’s crew are the real deal.

CheCking The TiDe: The TriTon’S Daily Survey

what did you do this summer?

Cruised with the owner – 50%busy with

charter – 41.7%

Just hung around– 8.3%

who is onboard?

full-time crew – 93.8%

Temporary crew – 6.2%

when’s your next yard period?

This fall in u.S. – 33.3%

nothing planned

11.1%

Just had one, new launch – 22.2%

This fall in Med – 22.2%

not til spring – 11.1%

where is the boat going after the show?

home dock – 27.8%

To the yard – 22.2%flibS – 16.7%

owner’s trip – 11.1%

not sure – 11.1%

Caribbean – 11.1%

20th annual Monaco yacht ShowThe Triton www.the-triton.com November 2010 B11

briefS

new marina in old town wowsImperia, the new marina in the old

town just east of Monaco, had even the most seasoned yachtie gushing.

“I love Imperia,” said Capt. Mark Elliott, a broker with International Yacht Collection. “It’s got great big slips, easy access. It’s got a big exit ramp off the motorway, it’s easy to get into and easy to drive around. I love it.”

Imperia is actually two towns that have merged around the river that gives it its name, Oneglia and Porto Maurizio.

Likewise, there are two marinas: an older, more commercial port in Oneglia, and the newer, more recreational side of Porto Maurizio, according to several captains familiar

with the area. Porto Mauricio is still being built, but part of it is open. And it’s not congested.

Captain, crew celebrate launchCapt. Bill Zinser and Purser Carmen

Golinski helped Derecktor shipyard celebrate the launch of the 85.6m M/Y Cakewalk with a champagne toast. Capt. Zinser has been with the owners 20 years and worked the build.

Golinski has been with the owner six years and actually christened the yacht when it launched last month. (More about that experience in next month’s Triton.)

Cakewalk is the largest yacht ever launched in the United States. She makes her debut at the Ft. Lauderdale

International Boat Show at the end of October.

Seakeepers honors prince albert ii

In a quiet ceremony overlooking the 20th annual Monaco Yacht Show, H.S.H. Prince Albert II of Monaco received the 2010 SeaKeepers Award for his work bringing awareness to the care and protection of the world’s oceans.

Captains appreciated at lunchUlf Sydbeck, managing director of

Riviera Yacht Support and seated at the head of the table, hosted the fourth annual captains lunch at Quai des Artistes. About 30 captains and guests attended.

Capt. Butch Vogelsang, a veteran American captain still a little sunburned from a busy summer of charter, was selected Fraser Yachts’ Best Charter Captain of the Year on Sept. 23.

Three years now aboard the 170-foot Feadship M/Y Dream, Vogelsang accepted the honor with grace.

“I’m really honored because the competition is so good,” he said. “I’m touched to be considered, let alone win. But I’m going to need 11 more of these because it was the whole crew who made the charters a success,” he said.

Fraser picks the winner of this annual award based on comments from charter guests aboard its yachts. Guests said of Vogelsang “nothing is too much trouble” and “exceeds our expectations.”

“I don’t know how to say no,” he

joked after accepting the award.After the awards ceremony at the

Monaco Yacht Club, he was headed back to the yacht moored in Italy for two more charters.

Fraser also honored the Best Charter Crew on two classes of yachts. For yachts larger than 40m, the brokerage honored the 12-member crew of the 52m M/Y South. The crew completed six weeks of charter this summer, including one that was a month long. Among them, they speak five languages.

For yachts smaller than 40m, Fraser honored the seven-member crew of M/Y Touch, which had 63 days of charter since May, and also attended both the Genoa and Monaco boat shows. Capt. Andrew Law has been onboard four years.

Honorees received a silver platter

noting their achievement and dockage at Vilanova Grand Marina in Barcelona. Vogelsang also received a Hublot watch and a bottle of wine.

Fraser honors top charter captains, crews

From left: Capt. Andrew Law of M/Y Touch; the unidentified captain of M/Y South, and; Capt. Butch Vogelsang of M/Y Dream.

phoTo/luCy reeDWe were happy to learn that a majority of the crew we spoke to had been busy with the owner and/or guests aboard.

With all these yachts so busy this summer, we wanted to learn when and where they would have their next yard period. The majority of the crew we talked to said they were heading there later this fall, some in the Med, but more in the United States.

The most common place was back to their home port in the Med to wait. More than a fifth were headed to their yard period, and about 17 percent were headed across the pond to the Ft. Lauderdale International Boat Show.

With the way the economy has been of late, we were curious to learn if crew in the Monaco Yacht Show were really working or just there for show. It comes as no surprise that this show’s crew are the real deal.

CheCking The TiDe: The TriTon’S Daily Survey

what did you do this summer?

Cruised with the owner – 50%busy with

charter – 41.7%

Just hung around– 8.3%

who is onboard?

full-time crew – 93.8%

Temporary crew – 6.2%

when’s your next yard period?

This fall in u.S. – 33.3%

nothing planned

11.1%

Just had one, new launch – 22.2%

This fall in Med – 22.2%

not til spring – 11.1%

where is the boat going after the show?

home dock – 27.8%

To the yard – 22.2%flibS – 16.7%

owner’s trip – 11.1%

not sure – 11.1%

Caribbean – 11.1%

B1� November 2010 www.the-triton.com The Triton boaTS/brokerS

Northrop and Johnson has hired Daniel Ziriakus as marketing director and John Weller into the sales division.

Both based in Ft. Lauderdale, Ziriakus will oversee sales, charter, charter management, yacht management and crew services. He has an extensive marketing background and worked for Fraser Yachts as head of U.S. marketing department.

Weller has been awarded his company’s top-broker award 26 times and recently completed construction of a new 240-foot Feadship, M/Y Predator, for a previous customer. For information visit www.njyachts.com.

Northrop and Johnson and Yachting Partners International (YPI Group) announced the sale of S/Y Kalikobass II, 104-foot Fauroux/Trehard below by listing brokers Ann Avery of Northrop & Johnson and Will Bishop of YPI and selling broker Bernard Gallay of Bernard Galley Yacht Brokerage.

The sloop is the third central listing recent sale for YPI Brokerage and the second joint central held by YPI and Northrop and Johnson recently sold.

The others were M/Y Monte Carlo, a joint central agency listing held by Matt Albert at YPI and Kevin Merrigan at Northrop & Johnson. Monte Carlo is a 132-foot (40m) yacht. YPI also recently sold the 177-foot (54m) Amels Limited Edition Series, Hull 458.

HMY Yachts announced a new office at Palm Harbor Marina in West Palm Beach. Staffed by Steve Barcsansky, Michael Burke, Steve Conroy, Jay Hendrix and Steve Sadosky, for sales, brokerage, new construction and charter services. For details call +1 561-833-6060.

Destination Yachts in Indiana has launched a hydrogen-powered houseboat, according to television

station WTHI. The company is the first in the United States to put a hydrogen fuel system into a marine engine, the station reported.

The company expects the hydrogen system to produce 40 percent of the vessel’s energy required to run the boat.

The engine, developed by Hydro-Phi Solutions is expected to add $27,000 to vessel costs. For information visit destinationyachts.com.

Ocean Independence Palma announced the sale of M/Y Courage, 35.5m Lübeck Yachts, for delivery next summer, by Marc Haendle.

The company announced the following new central listing for sale: M/Y Diamonds are Forever, 61m Benetti due for delivery next summer, by Peter Thompson and Michael White of OCI London; M/Y Anatomic, 42m new build by Trianian Yachts, by Haendle of OCI Palma; S/Y Sailing T, 30m 26DS Jongert, by Peter Hürzeler of OCI Zürich; M/Y Follow Me 4, 35m Benetti Classic 115, by Rainer Wilhelm of OCI Vienna; M/Y Sugar, 26m Posillipo Cantieri Navali Rizzardi by Yannis Mitsopoulos of OCI Athens; and M/Y Aspiracion, 27m 2003 Pershing and M/Y Adler, 22m Ferretti, both by Jim Acher of OCI Palma.

Luxury Yacht Group announced M/Y Solemates, a new 200-foot Lürssen available for charter worldwide. For details, visit www.yachtsolemates.com.

Burger Boat Company announced the delivery of M/Y Sea Owl, above, a 142-foot (43.3m) tri-deck. For details visit www.burgerboat.com.

YCO announced the sale of S/Y Gliss by Ben Bartlett. The yacht will join the YCO management fleet. For details visit www.ycoyacht.com.

Zodiac SOLAS introduced a new rescue boat, the RIBO 450N. The 4.5m replaces Zodiac’s RIBO 420 and is compliant with revised IMO MSC 81(70) SOLAS requirements that came into force in July and can accommodate a standard SOLAS specified stretcher.

The boat is delivered ready for immediate deployment and is fully equipped with items including a search light, paddles and all emergency accessories, plus rapid inflation ‘righting bag’ to assist in turning the boat in the event of capsize.

For more, visit www.zodiacsolas.com.

Weller moves to N&J; hydrogen system powers houseboat

Ziriakus

Weller

The Triton www.the-triton.com November 2010 B13

commercial yacht is considered a cargo ship. If she is certified to carry more than 12 guests, regardless of size, the yacht is no longer a cargo ship, but a passenger ship, even if one calls her a yacht.

There is a distinct difference between these two vessel types.

ICLL – International Convention on Load Lines

The International Load Line Convention, as it is used today on all commercial, internationally trading yachts of 24m in length or greater, establishes detailed regulations on the assignment of freeboard, its affects on stability, and most importantly, the safe transportation of guests and crew. The Convention takes into account the potential hazards present in different zones and different seasons (Winter North Atlantic versus the Tropics).

The technical annex contains several additional safety measures concerning doors, freeing ports, hatchways and other items.

The main purpose of these measures is to ensure the watertight integrity of ships’ hulls below the freeboard deck.

MARPOL – International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships

MARPOL is the most important of all global treaties established for protecting the marine environment. The Convention includes strict regulations focused at preventing and minimizing both accidental and operational pollution.

The current requirements are outlined in six technical Annexes, each of which is designed to combat a particular class of pollutants: oil, noxious liquid, packaged dangerous goods, sewage, garbage, and air pollution.

STCW – International Convention on Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers

STCW sets certification standards for masters, officers and watch personnel on seagoing merchant ships. Commercial yachts are subject to compliance with the Code, as well as any person holding a certificate of competence for a certain rank. The Convention prescribes minimum standards relating to training, certification and watchkeeping for seafarers, which countries are obliged to meet or exceed.

Member states enforce laws

While the IMO is the source of these regulations, it is the Member States that are responsible for enforcement. Commonly referred to as the Flag Administration or Flag State, this is the government that registers the yacht. Through a series of inspections,

plan reviews, surveys and audits, the Flag ensures that a yacht meets the requirements of the applicable regulation.

For example, for yachts registered under the British flag, the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) is the Flag Administration for the United Kingdom and its dependencies (Bermuda, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Gibraltar, Isle of Man, and other overseas territories). In some cases, the Flag delegates its enforcement authority, or a portion thereof, to a Recognized Organization (RO). An RO is most commonly a classification society. The major classification societies in yachting are the American Bureau of Shipping (ABS), Bureau Veritas (BV), Det Norske Veritas (DNV), Germanischer Lloyd (GL), Lloyds Register (LR), and Registro Italiano Navale (RINA). There are also organizations dedicated solely to yacht certifications, such as the International Yacht Bureau (IYB).

Classification, as a completely private service performed by these societies, consists of the issuing of rules for the safety of vessels, and performing inspections to ensure that these rules are being applied. The main purpose is to protect the vessels as a piece of property. The rules apply principally to the structural strength of the hull and the reliability of its essential machinery and equipment. The owner uses the certificate issued by the classification society as an assurance of technical soundness and as a tool for obtaining insurance at a reasonable cost.

On the local level, sovereign and other self-governing nations have the right to control any activities within their borders, including those of visiting yachts. Authority and control over foreign-flagged yachts in a country’s ports, used for verifying compliance with the requirements of the applicable maritime conventions, is called Port State Control (PSC). PSC may enforce its own unique, and sometimes unilateral, regulations. An example of this can be seen in the United States and its requirement for an Advanced Notice of Arrival. This is not an international regulation and is specific only to vessels entering/departing U.S. waters.

As previously mentioned, the majority of rules outlined in SOLAS are designed for yachts of 500 gross tons or greater. For yachts, these rules can be difficult to meet full compliance as the regulations in SOLAS are predominantly written for internationally trading merchant ships. The major yachting Flags have recognized that yachts in commercial use for sport or pleasure do not fall naturally into a single class, and certain prescribed merchant ship safety standards have been found to

be incompatible with the intended use, scope of operations, or safety needs particular to such yachts. Because of this, the Flags that focus predominantly on yachts created and maintain their own sets of national regulations (Yacht Codes) for equivalencies to the major rules. The major codes in use:

Belize: The Codes of Standards for Yachts in Commercial or Private Use

Malta: Commercial Yacht CodeMarshall Islands: Commercial Yacht

Code (CYC)St. Vincent & the Grenadines: Safety

Code of Practice for Pleasure Yachts Engaged in Commercial Trade

United Arab Emirates: UAE Yacht Regulations

United Kingdom and Red Ensign Group: The Large Commercial Yacht Code (LY2)

Most notably absent from this list is the United States. With such a large fleet of yachts, one would think that it has a yacht code. This is not the case. The U.S. does not have a Large Yacht Code or similar standard. Regulations for U.S.-flagged yachts are intertwined with those for merchant ships in the Code of Federal Regulations (CFRs).

Another area of contention is the allowance for private yachts to charter. This is where opinions fluctuate and,

in many cases, conflict with the actual rules. It is a dynamic topic and will certainly be expanded in a future column.

Many people can attest that achieving commercial certification for a yacht is a difficult process. Some have the opinion that maintaining the certification is an even higher task. Commercially certifying a yacht has traditionally been a taboo subject for all but the largest of yachts seeking to charter. Breaking this chain of incorrect, pass down, verbal history for “impossibility” is imperative for elevating the quality standard within our industry to the next level.

Capt. Jake DesVergers is chief surveyor for International Yacht Bureau, an organization that provides inspection services to private and commercial yachts on behalf of several flag administrations. A deck officer graduate of the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy at Kings Point, he previously sailed as master on merchant ships, acted as designated person for a shipping company, and served as regional manager for an international classification society. Contact him at +1-954-596-2728 or www.yachtbureau.org. Comments on this column are welcome at editorial@the-triton.com.

iCll rules aim to guarantee watertight integrity of shipRULES, from page B1

froM The TeCh fronT: engine room

B1� November 2010 www.the-triton.com The Triton

Through research and development, testing and employing technology of related industries, propulsion systems are gaining efficiency, waste treatment systems are becoming more effective, and maintenance products are getting “greener.”

Industry workers understand their livelihood depends on clean water, and helping keep it that way is simply the right thing to do. -- National Marine Manufacturing Association

By Julianne Hammond

Bringing a product to market in the United States is a daunting path for any entrepreneur, requiring total dedication, staying power, teamwork, and financial support throughout the process.

The “green” market is no exception, with at least these stages to get through: concept, design, patents, prototype, testing, revision, manufacture, marketing, sales, warranty, inventory and payroll. Some new products will seek certification from industry or environmental councils, adding additional stages.

The products featured here are each in a different phase of this process. Market forces will determine the ultimate results, and yacht captains and crew can affect those market forces.

in the bilgeControlling fluids, odor and residue

in yacht bilges is a constant problem for crew. Small amounts of saltwater or condensation, and minor valve leaks contribute to an atmosphere of mold, stains and foul odors.

But the big threat is the potential for the discharge of fouled waters tainted with hydraulic fluid, diesel fuel, lube oil, antifreeze -- a rogue’s gallery of toxins.

TheGreenYacht.com in Deerfield Beach, Fla., offers a nine-step installation to monitor, assess and resolve all bilge problems. The first step is the Arid Bilge system, which vacuums liquid from up to nine bilge sections up to 100 feet away, and sends it to a central unit, ready for discharge at less than 17gph.

From there the liquid goes to the Eco Friendly Discharge Companion II, essentially an oil/water separator

with accessible chambers. The captured oil is either manually removed or led to the waste oil container. The remaining liquid is pumped through a polishing cartridge and regulated by a flow stabilizer

into the U.S. Coast Guard-approved OMD-21, where the particles and hydrocarbons are reduced to below 15 ppm and prepared for safe discharge. The lucky yacht then has approved discharge and dry bilges.

Residual stains and their visible patterns can assist crew in determining content and source. This system has been installed in a new construction, 114’, and also by retrofit in a 120’ yacht. according to Al Baurley, president of Arid Bilge Systems. Approximate cost is $19,000. aridbilge.com

Sewage treatmentA radical technology in sewage

elimination is being developed by Nassef Engineering and Equipment Company in Pensacola, Fla.

The ThermalTreat Zero Liquid Discharge uses recaptured thermal energy, produced by a running engine or generator. At a temperature of 550 degrees F, the device seeks out gray and black water in its equalization tank (smaller than five gallons) and forces it through a homogenizer (somewhat like a macerator) where solids are dissolved into the liquid to a size less than 0.02 inches.

This processed fluid enters an

green, lean and not so mean

See GREEN, page B15

Market forces will determine the ultimate results, and yacht captains and crew can affect those market forces.

New technologies for on and off the boathelp yachties leave a smaller footprint

TeChnology: green Market

The Triton www.the-triton.com November 2010 B1�

injection pump, is pressurized and sent to an injector nozzle located in the exhaust of the engine. The controlling microprocessor determines that waste and heat are adequate and allows the injector nozzle to spray the liquid into the hot exhaust pipe.

At that point, 98 percent of sewage evaporates, oxidizing the dissolved organics into bacteria-free vapor and a “negligible amount” of mineral ash, according to the company. The device is a rapid “start and stop” design, designed as a plug-in for easy installation, repair and maintenance, and can process about 500 gallons a day, depending on heat source. The processing unit is 12’”x15”x30” and weighs less than 100 pounds.

The “magic” qualities are: no liquid discharge, no odor, no palliative chemicals, and minimal additional electrical load, according to company literature. It has a U.S. Coast Guard approval, all its patents, and awaits only willing investors and yachts, Nassef said.

Prototype testing has been conducted on a 224-foot commercial boat in the Middle East. Nassef estimates installation in a 100-foot yacht at $20,000. www.thezld.com

on the bottomEco-Clad anti-fouling marine

coating is an epoxy-based coating system that, once immersed in salt or fresh water, forms a biofilm similar to the slime naturally found on fish, which is why healthy fish don’t have barnacles. This biofilm gradually “eats” the coating, becoming a food source for the naturally occurring bacteria, and repels – as a result of this “eating” -- unwanted marine life attachments, soft and hard.

The process is visible in the change of color – a copper color upon application that turns dark when the process begins (generally within 24 hours) and continues. The coating is anti-corrosive on all applied surfaces and can be cleaned with a rubber squeegee, the company said.

Here is a new vocabulary word for crew: stenoprophilicity, casually defined as “quality that mimics natural systems without negative ecological effects.”

Eco-Clad Coating should last for several years after an industrial or commercial application by spray. Applying the paint by brush and roller,

typical for the yachting industry, will last multiple seasons.

At this point in its development, the company recommends it for yachts with fiberglass hulls.

Eckerd College in St. Petersburg, Fla., has three search-and-rescue boats in trial, and experiencing excellent results, the company said.

Eco-Clad, patented and developed by Luritek in Pennsylvania and based on an idea by a professional environmentalist, meets the U.S. Navy requirements for its lack of toxin release into waters.

Yacht captains will find it available at Apex Marine on the New River in Ft. Lauderdale. www.eco-clad.com

on the dockYachts cruising the Indian Ocean

will find a different kind of floating dock in Bahrain, the Seychelles, and throughout the United Arab Emirates.

Majestic Jetties and Marinas manufactures floating docks in Fujairah, UAE. These environmentally conscious docks are made from fiberglass and wood, eschewing concrete and metal. The sections are produced with timber frames, and the company strives to purchase only from certified sustainable sources.

The fiberglass does not leach corrosive chemicals and, for the most part, can be recycled at end of service, according to company literature. The Moisture-Shield decking is made from a 90 percent recycled composite (recycled wood fibers and plastics). It rates a high LEED certification (an internationally recognized green building certifier, developed by U.S. Green Building Council). The dock

sections have a 40-year warranty.

The underwater engineering is notable for its complete lack of pilings, chains and concrete blocks. Hazelett Elastic rodes,

(with an expected 20-year lifetime) connected to environmentally sensitive Helix anchors hold the docks in place. These anchors have a small footprint, strong comparative holding power, and accommodate varying seabed composition. The rodes stretch and retract with tide and currents, remain taut, and don’t affect water clarity, the company says. www.majesticjetties.com

Do you know of a new technology for yachts? Let us know for a future feature at editorial@the-triton.com. Julianne L. Hammond is a chief stew/first officer on megayachts.

GREEN, from page B14

Eco-Clad anti-fouling marine coating forms a biofilm similar to the slime naturally found on fish.

Clean discharges, minimal impacts, and natural, recycled prototypes

TeChnology: green Market

B1� November 2010 www.the-triton.com The Triton phoTography: photo exposé

Welcome aboard photo enthusiasts. When leaving the helm last time, I was beginning to answer the last question given to me by Eng. Scott Fratcher,

regarding taking the best water sports action shots.

To answer this, let’s review what’s involved in taking a perfect (and there is nothing better than aiming for perfection) photograph, and this is the ability to

control or use the given light. In taking most sports activities you are given the amount of light by the sun. Let’s say you are photographing a water skier on a sunny day, how should you think through the photographic process to get some great shots?

My thinking begins with… lots of sun means plenty of light and that means I can set the first exposure variable for overall quality of image to its best quality setting. I am talking ISO (sensor sensitivity), the lower the ISO (least noisy) the better the quality of the final image. The lowest ISO setting on most cameras is 100 ISO, so I would set it to this. Now, my camera light meter has its first marker by which to take a good in camera light meter reading and exposure.

Press the shutter button lightly, half way down, to automatically activate the metering system. It can easily be recognized as a horizontal scale with a center point and a -1 then -2 on the left as well as a +1 then +2 on the right. Going to the left direction on the scale means you can be exposing one or two stops under, resulting in a dark photo, or to the right one or two stops over,

resulting in an overexposed photo.First note, only if your camera

allows some control such a a manual, aperture or shutter priority setting will you see this light metering scale. On “auto” or “P” (program mode) it will not be displayed. Also, you can set your aperture or shutter to be over or under exposing even more, these further exposure extremes will not be apparent on your metering scale, but after exposure you will see either a very white bright or dark image. And a final note, remember for digital it is better to slightly overexpose, so meter slightly to the right of center, for the best exposure.

My next consideration after having set the ISO and by looking at my light meter is to ask myself…what is most important to consider - the shutter or the aperture? The aperture controls the depth of field and the shutter stops

(freezes) action. Freezes action! This is what we want to do, what do we have in sports? Lots of action. The best (sharp) results for shooting sports is to first consider the shutter speed.

On a bright sunny day with your ISO set to 100 you can likely achieve a shutter speed of 1/2000 at (aperture) f/4. This may or may not allow for enough sharpness throughout the depth of field for the sports activity you are taking, and you may have a faster shutter speed than you require. You may want more depth of field, such as f/8 (2 stops higher-less light than f/4), which means to keep a balanced light reading you need to either change the ISO to 400 (2 stops more light than ISO 100 - not my first choice), or lower the shutter speed to 1/500 to allow in 2 stops more light .These questions you have to ask yourself depending on what type of sports activity you are photographing and under what light conditions is it taking place.

For instance, let’s now say you are in a fast moving speed boat to photograph a water skier being pulled by the boat you are in, on a cloudy day. Well, a cloudy day may get you to thinking about changing the ISO, but wait you may be able to leave this at its best quality setting. Why? Because you, on the boat, and the water skier, are moving at the same speed. Therefore, even though water skiing is fast action (and it is from side to side now, jumping waves) it is not as fast if you were standing on a fixed platform.

You will have to account for side to side movement in making a shutter speed decision. If you truly wish to freeze all details you may want to set the shutter at 1/1000 and on a cloudy day hope your lens goes down to an aperture of f/2.8, a very shallow depth of field.

But my advice for this shot is to move your camera with the skier as he/she goes wave jumping from side to side, setting your shutter speed at 1/500 or 1/250, possibly lower, and raising your aperture accordingly (in this cloudy day case, f/4 or f/5.6, respectively, etc.). You not only add some insurance on the sharpness of depth of field as the skier moves closer and away from you, this will also somewhat blur out the wake and ski water spray giving more of an impression of speed.

These same considerations can be given to wind surfing and wakeboarding, etc. Essentially, I am expressing a photographic thought process that should be applied in some form to any photograph you plan to take. In the meantime I’ll take permission to come ashore…

James Schot has been a professional photographer for more than 35 years and has a studio/gallery in Ft. Lauderdale. Send questions to james@bestschot.com.

Capture the action of wakeboarding, skiing guests and crew

Photo exPosé

James schot

The Triton www.the-triton.com November 2010 B17

nov. 2-5 Marine Corrosion Certification, Portland, Oregon. Covers general theory to marine building materials, corrosion control, and more. Call +1 410-990-4460 with questions or visit www.abycinc.org for more classes.

nov. 3 Triton networking at the YES Festival, Broward Shipyard in Dania Beach, 6-8 p.m. Venders, music, burgers and hot dogs, beer and wine, soft drinks and fun. A raffle for charity with the main prize a Darius Rucker-signed guitar. www.the-triton.com

nov. 4 The Triton Bridge luncheon, noon, Ft. Lauderdale. A roundtable discussion of the issues of the day. Active captains only.RSVP to Associate Editor Dorie Cox at dorie@the-triton.com or 954-525-0029. Space is limited.

nov. 4-7 29th Charter Yacht Society annual BVI Charter Show, Village Cay Marina, Tortola. www.bvicrewedyachts.com nov. 6-14 49th annual Barcelona International Boat Show. www.salonnautico.com.

nov. 6-7 Vero Beach Rotary Nautical Flea Market at Riverside Park. Fundraiser with proceeds donated to local youth services. www.verorotarynauticalfleamarket.com

nov. 7 SunTrust Sunday Jazz Brunch (first Sunday of every month) at Riverwalk from 11 to 2, Ft. Lauderdale. Veteran’s Day Salute. Noreena Downey and The Dizzy Blue Big Band, Frank Hubbell’s Swing Quartet, Harvey Nevins Quartet, Billy Bones. Free. www.fortlauderdale.gov

nov. 9-11 ABYC Basic Marine Electric course, Albany, NY. Designed for the marine professional who is an electrical novice with minimal or no electrical experience. Topics include basic theory, alternators, battery charger, bonding. AC/DC standards and troubleshooting practices. +1 410-990-4460, www.abycinc.org for more classes. nov. 11-13 23rd annual ShowBoats International magazine’s Yacht Rendezvous at Rybovich in northern West Palm Beach to benefit Boys & Girls Club of Broward County.+1 954-537-1010, www.yachtrendezvous.com.

nov. 12-14 Ladies, Let’s Go Fishing! in Islamorada, Fla. Weekend seminar includes reception, seminars, hands-on training and use of equipment, lunch, goody bag, and more. 954-475-9068, www.ladiesletsgofishing.com

nov. 13 3rd annual Fort Yachtie-Da International Film Festival. Organized

by Crew Unlimited and C U Yacht Charters, short films shot by yacht captains and crew. Winning films will be shown at Cinema Paradiso.Winners receive cash prizes and an “Oscar.” www.crewunlimited.com, +1 954-462-4624.

See CALENDAR, page B18

evenT of MonTh

nov. 10Triton expo, gallery one Doubletree hotel, ft. lauderdale

The Triton Expo is designed for yacht crew, both working and looking, to help them develop the contacts that can make their career better. There will be seminars, exhibitors, a resume clinic and raffle prizes.

Stay tuned at www.the-triton.com. RSVP requested.

Nov. 13: Fort Yachtie-DaInternational Film Festival

CalenDar

Seminars, demonstrations and socializing await. file phoTo

B1� November 2010 www.the-triton.com The Triton

nov. 13 Errol Flynn Benefit Ball, Jamaica. The 100th anniversary of Errol Flynn’s birth, the annual ball provides funding to a local charity. Errol’s widow, Mrs. Patrice Wymore Flynn, is patron of the event. Tickets at $6,500 Jamaican dollars (USD$77) include buffet dinner and drinks. +1 876-715-6044.

nov. 13-15 Annual convention and general meeting of the Seven Seas Cruising Association (SSCA), Melbourne, Fla. www.ssca.org, +1 954-771-5660

nov. 14-21 27th annual Miami Book Fair International, the largest in the country with more than 350 authors and a half million visitors. (Street fair is Nov. 19-21) On the streets surrounding Miami-Dade Community College. +1 305-237-3258, www.miamibookfair.com nov. 15-16 21st International HISWA Symposium on Yacht Design and Yacht Construction organized by HISWA Association, Delft University of Technology and Amsterdam RAI. www.hiswasymposium.com

nov. 15-17 Global Superyacht Forum, Amsterdam. Superyacht industry

conference to focus on ownership, business and technology and design with networking opportunities. www.superyachtsociety.com. nov. 16-18 Marine Equipment Trade Show (METS), Amsterdam. World’s largest trade exhibition of marine equipment, materials and systems for the international marine leisure industry organized by Amsterdam RAI under the auspices of ICOMIA (International Council of Marine Industry Associations). For trade only. www.superyachtevents.com

nov. 18-21 45th annual Ft. Lauderdale Billfish Tournament, www.miasf.com/billfish

nov. 30-Dec. 2 Seatrade Med, Cannes, France. www.cruiseshippingmiami.com Dec. 1 Networking Triton style (the first Wednesday of every month) with Designer Lighting Solutions, 6-8 p.m. Watch for details on www.The-Triton.com. No RSVP necessary.

Dec. 1-3 International WorkBoat Show, New Orleans. 900 exhibitors targeting the people and businesses who work on the coastal, inland and offshore waters. www.workboatshow.com

Dec. 2 The Triton Bridge luncheon, noon, Ft. Lauderdale. A roundtable discussion of the issues of the day. Active captains only. RSVP to Associate Editor Dorie Cox at dorie@the-triton.com or 954-525-0029. Space is limited.

Dec. 2-5 St. Petersburg Power and Sailboat Show, St. Petersburg, Fla. The U.S. Gulf Coast’s largest boat show features boats and three exhibition tents. Fishing clinics, seminars, live music, food, drinks and more than 400 new and pre-owned powerboats and sailboats. www.showmanagement.com

Dec. 3-4 Florida Dive Show, Palm Beach County Convention Center, West Palm Beach. Sea Shepherd crew from the television show Whale Wars scheduled. Tickets are $15 at the gate, with discounts available from local dive stores for 50 percent off coupon. Kids under 16 free. www.floridadiveshow.com Dec. 5 SunTrust Sunday Jazz Brunch (first Sunday of every month) at Riverwalk from 11 to 2, Ft. Lauderdale. Jimmy Cavallo, East-West Fusion, Peter Betan & Marc Berner, WT Heck. Free. www.fortlauderdale.gov. Dec. 6-10 Intermediate Marina

Management course by the International Marina Institute, Ft. Lauderdale. To become a Certified Marina Manager (CMM) or Certified Marina Operator (CMO). Includes law, contracts, risks and liabilities, fire- and emergency-response, and fuel-system management. www.MarinaAssociation.org, +1-401–247–0314. Dec. 7-9 ABYC Standards Certification course, Jacksonville, Fla. +1 410-990-4460, www.abycinc.org for more classes.

Dec. 7-9 ABYC Standards Certification course, Costa Mesa, Calif. +1 410-990-4460, www.abycinc.org for more classes.

Dec. 9 Conch Republic Navy Flotilla Sail Along to Port Antonio, Jamaica. Led by Admiral Finbar’s 74-foot schooner Wolf, the flotilla departs from Key West, Fla. Goal is to attract 50 yachts to this “first” for Jamaica. Arrival in Port Antonio tentatively set for Dec. 21-23. +1 305-296-0604, sailaway@schoonerwolf.com.

CALENDAR, from page B17

Making planSDec. 6-11antigua Charter yacht Show

49th annual Antigua Charter Yacht Show, Antigua, in Falmouth and English Harbors with shuttle service between marinas. www.antiguayachtshow.com

Miami hosts largest book fair in U.S. Nov. 14-21CalenDar

The Triton www.the-triton.com November 2010 B1�

Where have you taken your Triton recently? Send photos to editorial@the-triton.com.

If we print yours, you get a cool Triton T-shirt.

SpoTTeD: Charleston, france, Texas

The folks in Charleston sent a special message with their Triton spotter this month: a birthday wish for Triton Publisher David Reed. Thanks guys. From left, Tess of Charleston City Marina, freelance Chief Stew Chris, Mate Natalie Hannon of M/Y Innisfail, Carlie Donohue of Captain Choice Yacht Management, and Reid of Charleston City Marina.

Capt. Ned Stone is an ambassador for The Triton wherever he goes. This was on a recent trip to the Marine Science Institute at the University of Texas at Austin.

Capt. Paul Canavan of M/Y Paramour welcomed the final day of the Monaco Yacht Show with a hot coffee on the aft deck, sipping from his Triton mug, of course.

www.the-triton.com November 2010Section C

October networking

No excuses: a workout for allYou can do this routine anywhere

November networking

C3Music, exhibits and food at YES Fest

Give respect where it is due

C4Yacht stews are professional, too C14

At Kemplon Engineering

Adversities. We all face them. No chef is impervious to them. You will, sooner or later, come face to face with a challenge that is hard to deal with.

Whether it shows up in the form of a new crew member, a health issue, or a conflict of some sort, all yachties face adversity.

These tough challenges not only affect our jobs and our state of mind, but also how we deal with fellow crew onboard and,

ultimately, our tenure in this profession.The adversities that can affect you

as chef can stem not only from your personality but from outside sources. Perhaps your supplier didn’t come through with that certain item the owner requested specifically. Maybe the stew didn’t buy the right item and you only have a few hours to prepare the meal with something entirely different. It could be as simple as sharing quarters with someone not of your liking or putting up with a lack of respect for your work space, tools or you. It can come in the form of illness, injury or death, or it could be abusive behavior by other crew members or guests.

The list goes on.All of these scenarios can create

chaos in life onboard, ultimately affecting your work. The problem is that you have to live there and deal with it.

What would you do if your food budget was tighter than normal and you were expected to make a high-end meal out of a lesser grade of meat?

All chefs must learn to deal with adversity

Culinary Waves

Mary Beth Lawton Johnson

See WAVES, page C8

By Lucy Chabot Reed

Two years ago, when Americans were hip-deep in the presidential election, we were surprised to learn that the yachting industry -- which is so international -- paid attention.

“As America goes, so goes the world,” megayacht captains and crew told us at the time.

We held a yachtie mock election to see who our international industry would elect if it could and then-Sen. Barack Obama won by a landslide. Support for the Democrats was strong after eight years of President George W. Bush, a Republican.

The picture is different today.While Obama still has two years

left of his term, this fall’s mid-term elections have heated up for members of the U.S. House of Representatives and Senate. Again, we were surprised yachties care.

“Americas strength, both economically and politically, has a ripple effect worldwide,” one captain told us.

So this month’s survey asks just a few simple questions to see whether and how politics in America impacts captains’ jobs and the operations of the vessels they command around the world. Unlike our survey two years ago when the presidency was at stake, we didn’t ask the 109 responding captains their nationality nor the nationality of their bosses.

Instead we asked, regardless of your nationality, do politics in America impact your job as a yacht captain?

Nearly 80 percent of captains said yes.

“As captain on an American flag/owned vessel, any political changes that affect the owner, his business or his financial stability affect me,” said

the captain of a yacht 120-140 feet. “That would include his willingness to spend money on the boat’s maintenance as well as its usage.”

When we asked why America’s politics impact such an international job as yacht captain, nearly 60 percent of respondents credited the economy.

“American owners are highly influenced by the economy of the United States,” said the captain whose most recent command was a yacht 140-160 feet. “I was laid off because of the government’s meddling with the housing market.”

“From an economic standpoint, when the U.S. economy sneezes, the rest of the world gets the flu,” said the captain of a yacht 120-140 feet with the boss less than three years. “Maybe not as much today as in the past, but it’s still that way.”

See SURVEY, page C10

POLITICAL SEA OFCHANGE

Two years ago, yacht crew surveyed by The Triton staunchly supported Barack Obama and the Democrats. This time, opinions have flipped.

TRITON SURVEY: U.S. POLITICS

C2

C� November 2010 www.the-triton.com The Triton NETWORKING LAST MONTH: Kemplon Marine Engineering Services

More than 300 captains, crew and industry professionals joined us on Oct. 6 for our monthly networking event (the first Wednesday of

every month). The folks at Kemplon Marine Engineering Services were our gracious sponsors and flipped burgers, gave tours and shared cold beverages. It was nice to see everyone back in town. PHOTOS/TOM SERIO

The Triton www.the-triton.com November 2010 C�NETWORKING THIS MONTH: Yacht Entertainment Systems

The Triton’s networking event on the first Wednesday in November will be a little different than normal. The creative and energetic YES boys have organized YES Fest, an evening of exhibits, food, and music videos.

More than 20 companies will be there to share their wares, and there will be a raffle to give away an autographed acoustic guitar. It’ll all be in a festival atmosphere with music, fun foods and a big screen hanging off the Travelift.

Join us Nov. 3 (that’s just a few days after the Ft. Lauderdale International Boat Show ends) at Broward Shipyard in Dania Beach from 6-8 p.m. for YES Fest. To find Broward Shipyard (from Lauderdale), take Andrews Avenue south until it turns onto Taylor Road in the port. Go straight through the traffic light, and straight through the stop sign. Broward Shipyard is at the end of the street before it doglegs right to other yards on the Dania Cut-off Canal.

There is parking at Broward Shipyard and at Dania Cut Superyacht just down the street. Also, the Yachtie Bus will run between Waxy’s on 17th Street and the shipyard during the party.

Until Nov. 3, learn a little more about this fun event from the YES boys, Darren Coleman and Joey Ricciardelli.

Q. So why a festival?Darren: With the economy the

way it is, we wanted to give everyone the opportunity to go in on a party together. We’re all in the same boat

Joey: It gives Broward Shipyard some exposure, which they need, and it’s not so expensive when we all come together. Plus it’s fun. Why else would we do it?

Q. Tell us about the raffle.Darren: We have a guitar signed by

Darius Rucker, the lead singer of Hootie and the Blowfish who is now pursuing a career in country music. Most of the music will be classic rock and country, and part of the proceeds will go to a charity.

Q. What will YES Fest be like?Joey: It’s going to be a festival with

music videos, burgers, kegs, wine, and all that cool festival food like popcorn and cotton candy (if we can get the machine). Dania Jai-Alai will bring their big prize wheel, so it’ll be a lot of fun.

Darren: And there will be 20 exhibitors. KVH will have a big HD display up. [Other exhibitors include: AB Sea Global, Antibes Yacht Wear, BWA Yachting, Claire’s Marine Outfitters, Commercial Diver Services, Crew Unlimited, Dockwise Yacht Transport, ISS GMT Global Marine Travel, Hot Yachtz Marine Services, KB Yachts, Lauderdale Diver, MHG Marine Benefits, Maritime Professional Training, New Wave Design Group, Ocean Medical International USA, Ocean Raider, Palladium Technologies, RPM Diesel Engine, Springboard Holdings, TowBoat US, Waterballs, Yacht Fitters, and Yachtmate Products.]

Q. Throwing parties isn’t really your business, though, is it?

Joey: We’re an audio/video, satellite communication, navigation company. We’re not really DJs or karaoke guys. That’s just the fun part.

Q. YES does a lot of troubleshooting, right?

Darren: We do onboard audio/video analysis. We will go on a yacht and see what’s there, go room by room, and end it all with easy-to-follow, pictorial style cheat sheets letting the crew know what’s on the boat.

Joey: Ninety percent of boats we go on, the crew has no idea how to work anything. They are new to the boat and just don’t know. But the worst thing is when the owner comes on and asks for CNN on the back deck.

Darren: And it takes the crew 20 minutes of trying to get it to work before they say “we can’t figure this out.” With our analysis, they can use our cheat sheets to give the boss what he wants when he wants it.

Q. High-definition TV on yachts is a new business for you. How’s that going?

Darren: Actually, pretty well. It’s something everyone’s been waiting for for a long time. We’ve done a few boats with a high level of success and intend on flooding the market with more.

Joey: It’s interesting to be able to offer the boss the same kind of high-definition satellite like he has at his house.

It’ll be great to have KVH at the party to show everybody how it works. True HD-TV at sea.

‘We’re an audio/video, satellite communication, navigation company. We’re not really DJs or karaoke guys. That’s just the fun part.’

— Joey Ricciardelli,YES partner

with Darren Coleman

Just say ‘Yes’ to YES FestThe Nov. 3 event, from 6-8 p.m., will be an evening of exhibits, food and music videos that doubles as The Triton’s monthly networking gathering.

C� November 2010 www.the-triton.com The Triton INTERIOR: Stew Cues

Learning new skills keeps professional stews on topOne of my students recently told

me that she was frustrated because the captain on the boat she was working on did not encourage her to take any

formal training.“After all,” he

told her, “there is no licensing requirement, and as we all know, it’s not rocket science.”

I have heard that line of reasoning before, but that remark is offensive, disrespectful and basically out of

line. What it boils down to may be simply a matter of perspective.

Perhaps it is true that the job of a yacht stew is not rocket science, but it’s no simple thing either. I sometimes

wonder if captains and owners understand just what it takes to lay the groundwork to become a member of this elite group of professionals who serve movie stars, celebrities, titans of industry, millionaires, royalty, and sometimes relatively normal, everyday families.

Not only do we have to be meticulously trained to handle an immense range of duties, we have to master the skills and responsibilities needed to serve a demanding clientele

with the utmost attention to every little detail. We have to move fast, fast,

fast. And, oh, by the way, we are expected to look good, too.

We can easily break some of the duties, skills and responsibilities down into categories, such as guest services, housekeeping, protocol and professional etiquette, and service standards and expectations. There are

fundamental rules about what needs to be done, when, and by whom. It

is relatively simple to quantify the level of skill and attention to detail and common sense it takes to do the technical part of our jobs.

But there is no checklist to tick off the values and attitude that make one stew perform better than another. If part of our job description includes the phrase “anticipate guest needs” (and it always does), we must be able to articulate what those wishes are. Clearly, we must know what standards are important to the owners, guests and captain on a particular vessel to develop the skills necessary to satisfy their requirements.

This is the area that benefits most from building up your knowledge and skills, because it broadens your perspective. It is hard to quantify the value that this kind of investment brings to you; let’s just say that it is priceless.

As business guru Peter Drucker says, “The only skill that will not become obsolete in the years ahead is the ability to learn new skills.”

The amount of knowledge and information available to us is doubling in every field every 2-3 years. That means that our knowledge has to double as well. Today, it seems like we practically have to run just to stay in place. By continually learning and upgrading your skills, you add more value to your company and, more importantly, to yourself. If you continue to reach and grow, you will never have to worry about becoming obsolete.

Believe me, our jobs are hard enough as it. Could we please get a little respect here?

When we have the desire and the discipline to learn and move ahead, we add value to our world. The desire to learn and grow should be respected and rewarded. It breaks my heart to hear that stews are not encouraged when they are willing to carve some time out of their crazy schedules and make a serious effort to develop themselves professionally.

Training lends intrinsic value to our lives and adds interest to what can become rather mundane aspects of our work. Other than longevity, what better way is there to ensure that you are promotable within an organization than to demonstrate a desire to grow? To earn more, it helps to learn more. When you learn more, you broaden your perspective, empower yourself, motivate your crew, and inspire your guests. That seems like a good bargain to me.

Alene Keenan has been a megayacht stewardess for 20 years. She teaches a 10-day intensive silver service course at Maritime Professional Training in Ft. Lauderdale and offers onboard training through her company, Stewardess Solutions (www.stewardesssolutions.com). Comments on this column are welcome at editorial@the-triton.com.

Stew CueS

Alene KeenAn

The amount of knowledge and information available to us is doubling in every field every �-� years. That means that our knowledge has to double as well. Today, it seems like we practically have to run just to stay in place.

The Triton www.the-triton.com November 2010 C�NUTRITION: Take It In

It’s time to bring out the nut cracker. No, not Tchaikovsky’s famous ballet, but those plier-size stainless steel utensils perfect for separating a

nutmeat from its shell.

Nuts are a popular feature of Christmas celebrations around the world. For example, in the Dominican Republic, nuts such as hazelnuts, almonds and

walnuts are served for snacking both before and after the holiday meal. In Poland, festive desserts include tangerines, chocolates and nuts. A traditional Christmas pudding in England includes raisins, cherries and nuts. And in Germany, stolen, a loaf-shaped yeast-raised fruitcake, is filled with raisins, candied citrus and nuts.

All Christmas sweets in Italy usually contain nuts and, according to Italian folklore, eating nuts at this time of the year favors the fertility of the earth and increases both flocks and families.

The good news is that in this season of over-eating, nuts are good for you, so relax, celebrate and enjoy.

Just how good? For one, eating nuts can actually help you lose weight. According to a study, volunteers who followed a weight reduction diet for 12 weeks and ate 2 ounces of pistachios daily as an afternoon snack, instead of an equal amount of refined carbohydrates in the form of pretzels, lost weight and lowered blood levels of heart unhealthy triglycerides.

Nuts are definitely good for your heart. Researchers looked at five large epidemiological studies conducted across two continents. Results showed an 8.3 percent reduction in death caused by heart disease in those who ate a weekly serving of nuts.

Looking deeper, it seems that nuts offer many heart healthy benefits. For example, the more than 40 additional studies showed that nut-eating can lower total and LDL (bad) cholesterol and that this is due to the nut’s unique ratio of unsaturated to saturated fats and its bounty of cardio-protective nutrients such a fiber, vitamin E, folic acid, magnesium and copper.

Nuts can be stroke stoppers, too. A study of nearly 22,000 U.S. male physicians, revealed a lower rate of hemorrhagic strokes, especially for those who consumed nuts daily.

The nutrient-rich nature of nuts can help lower high blood pressure and high blood sugar in those with diabetes. Professionals identified even more beneficial bioactive substances in nuts, including L-arginine, phytosterols and polyphenols. These are all plant-based substances that can aid in good health.

Nuts can also help prevent and

control diabetes. Canadian researchers revealed eating a snack of nuts won’t raise blood sugar like snacking on carbohydrate-containing crackers, pretzels and chips. What’s more, they discovered that eating nuts as part of a meal can lessen the rise in blood sugar that occurs after a meal.

Put this information into action, for example, by sprinkling nuts in a dinner salad, tossing them in a rice pilaf, or serving that Christmas turkey or goose with a savory walnut stuffing.

Cancer is another lethal disease that

nut-consumption can help. In 2006, researchers linked nuts’ ability to halt cancer, especially in the colon/rectum and possibly the prostate too, to all the healthful substances in nuts.

Finally, making nuts a part of your diet can provide you with a healthier diet. For example, researchers looked at nut consumption and diet quality in more than 13,000 adults. Results showed that nut eaters consumed more fiber, vitamin E, calcium, magnesium and potassium, and less sodium, than those who didn’t eat nuts.

So, what all these studies boil down to is that nuts are good food. However, there’s no need to overeat when it comes to these nutritional gems. Just a handful will do. That means to limit your nibbling to just 28 peanuts, 22 almonds, 20 pecan halves, 18 cashews, 14 walnut halves, 12 macadamia nuts, or 47 pistachios per serving.

Carol Bareuther is a registered dietitian and a regular contributor to The Triton. Comments on this column are welcome at editorial@the-triton.com.

Sounds nutty, but you lose weight and promote health

take It In

Carol Bareuther

C� November 2010 www.the-triton.com The Triton LIFE AFTER YACHTING: Yachtling

By Dorie Cox

yachtling: (yä-tling) n., a child on a boat or interested in being on the water; offspring of yacht crew, grandchildren of boater, any kid who enjoys the water.

Sharyn Wellnitz doesn’t remember the first time she heard the word yachtling, but she understood it immediately.

Wellnitz, a former stew, and her husband, Capt. Marc Wellnitz of M/Y Miss Michelle, have two yachtlings of their own. Ayden, 8, and Tye, 6, act as consultants, in a kid sort of way, in her new children’s clothing line company, Yachtling.

With almost as much energy as the family dog, a bouncing border collie, Wellnitz explained her company.

“We had the idea to make kids

clothes, and Marc said to make some T-shirts,” Ms. Wellnitz said. “But it wasn’t that simple.”

Now, there’s an entire line of clothes kids will wear: rash guards, sundresses, visors, tank tops, and onesies.

The Yachtling logo is of a simple pirate face with a red bandanna inside the letter G.

“We’re not artists, but we knew what we wanted and had the art done,” she said. “Then we asked the kids. They told us, ‘that’s stupid’ or ‘that’s cool’.

“Through osmosis, they know so much about yachting,” she said. “They want to be a part of it. They want to be captains when they grow up, and they definitely relate to pirates.”

The Web site, www.yachtling.com, was expected to go live in late October and will also have a social network function for yacht crew with kids.

Wellnitz is among the group of wives, known among themselves as yacht widows, who work at home taking care

of their families while their captain husbands are away on yachts.

“My two goals are to sell products and to provide support for yacht widows, their families and the yachting community,” said Wellnitz, a land-based wife herself.

“Yachting is not easy,” she said of the weeks separated. “Many of us are orphans, stranded in places that may not be where we want to be. We get through it, but I wish I had known more when I was first land-based.”

The Wellnitzes moved to Ft. Lauderdale in 1999 to be in the hub of the industry and were married in 2000. She is originally from Adelaide, Australia, and her husband is from Canada but grew up in Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico.

Ms. Wellnitz was introduced to megayachts when she and a former boyfriend were traveling the world and got jobs on boats. She met Marc in 1998 in St. Maartin. At the time, he was a mate and she was a stew, which eventually progressed to them working as a captain/stew team. Wellnitz got off the yachts nine years ago when she became pregnant.

There are no guarantees in the industry, she said. Captains can be employed one day and out of work the next. With her new venture, she aims to add to the family’s financial security, send the kids to school and get her husband off the boat.

“He loves yachting, but I tell him, ‘you guys have expiration dates’,” she said. “Growing up, I chose the travel-the-world route instead of school, and it’s hard to get into the workplace now.”

But she packs a lot into her days. She helps with management for several yachts and works part-time at a daycare center with lots of yachtie kids. She employs her background in retail management and visual merchandising to tweak packaging, labels and presentation for the clothing line, which fits newborns through kids about 10 years old.

“You can’t take photos of the sundress because the logo is too low,” she said during a recent visit. “A perfectionist? Can you tell?”

She admited that she is finally happy with the quality and is excited about seeing kids in Yachtling-wear.

“I don’t care the size of the boat, everyone gets the same feeling about being on the water, whether fisherman, boaters, yachties or grandkids of boaters,” she said. “This is for the next generation of yachties.”

Dorie Cox is a staff reporter and associate editor with The Triton. Comments on this story are welcome at dorie@the-triton.com. Do you know someone who has made a transition from yachting to another career? Let us know at editorial@the-triton.com.

Yachtling: children of yacht crew and new clothing line

Sharyn Wellnitz shows off Yachtling children’s wear. PHOTO/DORIE COX

C� November 2010 www.the-triton.com The Triton

What if the owner and guests were all on separate diets and you had to cook for them four times a day? Suppose you became injured and could not work? Could you face those adversities with flying colors?

Let’s look at adversities carefully. You either created them with your responses, or they were put upon you by others, such as mechanical issues, going into the boatyard for months and ultimately lose your job. Sometimes it could be a situation beyond your control but it ultimately affects your job or manifests itself in you and how you deal with others.

Perhaps the owner wants to save money by going with fewer crew. You might be expected to not only cook but scrub toilets and make beds to save the owner money. These are all faces of adversity that will come into play at some point in your yachting career. I know as they happened to me, and on more than one occasion

Unfortunately, it’s adversity that causes people to leave a yacht or the profession of yachting because we can get so disgruntled. The trick is to know how you will handle a certain adversity before it happens, knowing your personality and knowing how you are capable of reacting.

Your reaction to a given adversity will dictate how well you will survive onboard. Self-made adversities

A negative personality trait such as anger could cause conflict with others. The solution, which you must understand beforehand and incorporate into your daily behavior, is found in your reactions.

Remember the old saying “kill them with kindness”? Turn it around on a positive note.

The solution lies within you: Do the opposite, react the opposite. If you have a stew who questions your every move as a chef, try to provide him or her with a trusting environment.

Suppose the deckhand is having a rough go and his attitude is misdirected anger toward you or your food. Don’t fuel the fire by calling him out on anger issues Give him a calming attitude. Do the exact opposite of what he feels and

you will find that he is more likely not to treat you with disrespect but align with you.

Suppose the yacht broker or management company questions your knowledge as a chef. How do you deal with that adversity? It doesn’t always work but to reassure skepticism you need tact and respect. If you show respect and kindness, you will always win. Maybe not in keeping your job, but for integrity’s sake. You know what you are capable of, even if they have not seen it yet.

Other uncontrollable forms of adversity would be an injury or illness that has sidelined you, such as cancer or heart problems that take you away from the boat. Even worse is the loss of

a crew member, family, or friend, and your employer expects you to do your job as though nothing happened.

This type of adversity can impact your mental well being. Allow time to heal, regardless of the circumstances.

If you are expected to carry on the job as chef, don’t overlook your primary mission: to create great

meals. You can heal in private; just make sure to give yourself that private time.

If you can’t stay or it is truly unbearable to be onboard, challenge yourself to find a better position. The solution lies in you to learn from your adversity and use the experience to better cope next time.

Remember, you carry yourself to your new job, and with that come the old personality traits. Work on them before you land your next job. To combat adversity in a person, do the opposite of what is opposing you; to combat uncontrollable challenges that arise, look at it for what it is, and then decide on a plan of action.

There is a yacht for every crew, and a crew for every yacht. Try to find the perfect fit in spite of adversities, and when you find they become too much to bear, remember, I walked through them, so can you. It just makes you a tougher chef.

Mary Beth Lawton Johnson is a certified executive pastry chef and Chef de Cuisine and has worked on yachts for 20 years. (www.themegayachtchef.com) Comments on this column are welcome at editorial@the-triton.com.

WAVES, from page C1

It doesn’t always work but to reassure skepticism you need tact and respect. If you show respect and kindness, you will always win. Maybe not in keeping your job, but for integrity’s sake. You know what you are capable of, even if they have not seen it yet.

Know how you will handle adversity before it happens

IN THE GALLEY: Culinary Waves

The Triton www.the-triton.com November 2010 C�

Seasoning mix for quailSalt and finely ground black pepper to

taste1/2 teaspoon onion powder1/2 teaspoon garlic powder1/2 teaspoon paprika1 teaspoon rubbed sage1 teaspoon thymeMix together, set aside 1 Grade A lobe of foie gras, deveined,

small diceSalt and pepper to taste

Heat pan on high and add diced foie gras.

Cook until caramelized brown, draining fat off as necessary. Skim fat of impurities and set aside. (The foie gras will give off a lot of fat. Use it to roast the root vegetables and cook the quail. It gives it wonderful flavor.)

Wash and pat dry the quail.Cut birds vertically down center

of breast bone and cut in half horizontally to separate upper and hind quarters. You can use scissors.

Separate the legs at the joint to form a drumstick and thigh.

Make sure wing tips are still attached to breast. Fold the wing tip under.

Season and set aside For the Drumstick LollipopsRun a paring knife around the top tip

of the drum stick cutting tendons and ligaments. Discard.

Push meat down to base of drumstick to form a lollipop. Trim off any loose ends.

Season the breast and lollipops with seasoning mix. You can also do the same with the thighs.

Heat 2 tablespoons of the rendered foie gras fat. Once hot, add the quail.

Cook quail, searing until brown and caramelized on all sides until cooked through. Remove from pan and keep warm.

Add more fat as necessary and cook some minced scallions, garlic and thyme. Remove once translucent, stirring often. Keep pan hot for red wine sauce.

For the Red Wine Sauce1 cup excellent quality dry red wine1 cup roasted chicken stock

3 teaspoons butterHeat same pan on medium high heat.

Scrape up any remaining seared meat bits, juices in the pan and add the red wine to deglaze.

Add the roasted chicken stock. Bring stock to a boil.

Reduce sauce until desired consistency is achieved.

Once thick, pass the red wine sauce through a sieve. Adjust seasonings as necessary. Keep warm and covered.

For the Roasted Root

Vegetables2 yellow beets, tops removed, bottoms

trimmed1 large red beet, tops and bottom

trimmed1 large rutabaga, scrubbed1 large turnip, scrubbedPreheat oven to roast at 400 degrees.Wash well, dry and rub with any

leftover foie gras fat. Season with salt and pepper.

Place on pan and roast until skins are charred, about 40 minutes. Put beets in a separate pan while roasting in duck fat.

Remove from oven. When cool enough to handle, peel skins. Dice small. Reheat when serving and season with truffle butter, salt and pepper if necessary. (I use gloves when peeling beets to prevent staining my hands.)

Whipped Celery Root4 celery roots, peeledEnough water for boilingWater and 3 teaspoons of lemon juice,

mixed to prevent oxidation, enough to cover.

Salt to taste1/4 cup chicken stock1 tablespoon butterWhipping creamwhite pepperBring water to a boil in a large pot with

salt to cover celery root. Peel celery root, cut and put in a bowl

with salt, water and lemon juice.Boil celery root until soft. Drain.Mash with potato masher. Add chicken stock, butter and

enough whipping cream to whip until smooth. Adjust seasoning if necessary with salt and white pepper. Serve warm.

Airline Breast of Quail with Drumstick Lollipops, Seared Foie Gras, Roasted Root Vegetables and Whipped Celery Root

Recipe and photo by Mary Beth Lawton Johnson

What better way to welcome the start of fall than to serve game? Here’s a lighter, smaller version. Roasted root vegetables with truffle butter offer the ultimate polish to a perfect meal. Sixteen semi-boneless whole quail (2 breasts, 2 drumstick lollipops per person) serves 8.

IN THE GALLEY: Culinary Waves

C10 November 2010 www.the-triton.com The Triton TRITON SURVEY: U.S. Politics

The next largest reason politics impacts a captain’s job -- mentioned by 11.5 percent of respondents -- was because of the rules and regulations that impact yachts and their movements, including customs and immigration clearance rules implemented since Sept. 11, 2001.

“The increase in ‘security theater’ by the TSA [Transportation Security Administration] and DHS [Department of Homeland Security] has been a royal pain without any increase in safety, so as a captain my job has gotten more complicated,” said the captain of a vessel less than 100 feet for more than nine years. “A more reasonable administration would make entry into the country much less of a concern.”

“Politics control regulations, facility maintenance, waterway maintenance, finance and budgeting, crew requirements, documentation requirements, ...,” said a captain on a yacht 120-140 feet. “How much space do you have in the article?”

Twenty percent of respondents said American politics did not impact them.

“U.S. crew are a minority in the

industry,” said the captain on a vessel 180-200 feet. “Many boats no longer come to the United States and more will stop in the near future. The United States is applying more rules, which will cause us to bypass it more and more. The nature of the industry is changing. It’s no longer just Med/Caribbean.”

The third largest reason was a reason why politics don’t impact yacht jobs. Also 11.5 percent of respondents, this group of captains said politics didn’t impact them because the owner was either wealthy enough or insulated enough from politics that nothing had changed onboard.

Nearly 5 percent more had non-U.S. crew or did not travel to the United States.

“Life still goes on,” said the captain of a yacht less than 100 feet. “The volume of the owner’s money is the main impact.”

We were curious to see if the number of bosses a captain had over the course of a career meant he/she felt more or less impacted by politics. We were surprised to learn that it was so evenly neutral.

Of the captains who said politics do not impact their jobs, they had an average of 4.75 owners over the past 20 years. That was the same number among the captains

who said yes, politics do impact them.We also thought that the more bosses a

captain had, the less likely politics would impact a career. Not really. Fifteen percent of captains who answered “no” had 10 or more bosses; the same percentage of those who said “yes” also had 10 or more bosses.

In addition to the impact on an individual’s job, we were curious to know if American politics impacted movement or travel. So we asked, regardless of his/her nationality, do politics in America impact how the boss uses his/her yacht?

The division here was a little less dramatic compared with our first question, with 61.1 percent saying it did.

“The present recession that we are coming out of is a prime example of how it impacts yacht use,” said the captain of a yacht 120-140 feet. “Look at the decline in charters, as well as how the wealthy wanted to be perceived during the recession. Yacht owners are just starting to use their yachts again, as probably was evident in Monaco.”

When we asked why this was so, half of respondents blamed the economy and the fact that owners have less disposable

income.“With a foreign flag, politics controls

every aspect of his yachting agenda,” said the captain of a yacht 120-140 feet with the boss 3-5 years.

“The owner’s wealth is tied to the economy, which is directed by political policy,” said the captain of a yacht 180-200 feet with the boss less than three years.

“If the owner is confident in business stability or/and growth, he tends to use the yacht more,” said the captain of a vessel less than 100 feet.

“He’s selling because of the dividend tax change at the end of the year,” said the captain of a yacht less than 100 feet with the boss less than three years.

The next largest group – almost 10 percent – said politics impacted where the owner can travel with the yacht.

“Only in the aspect of U.S. politics affecting the cruising areas that he prefers,” said the captain of a yacht 120-140 feet. “If it does, we just move to another area that is not affected.”

The 38.9 percent of captains who said that politics didn’t impact how the boss uses his/her yacht steered farther away from the economy than those impacted in

their jobs and more toward policy.“The rules that they make and their

policies perhaps affect us but certainly not the politics behind them,” said the captain of a yacht 140-160 feet with the boss less than three years.

“American policy, especially tax policy, directly effects how much owners use, or even if they keep, their boats,” said the captain of a yacht less than 100 feet and with the boss more than nine years. “The current climate of taxing the rich will have the greatest impact on luxury items and leisure activities. Every dollar spent in the yachting industry comes from someone’s discretionary income. Many of us in the yachting industry will find ourselves looking for work if those with incomes over $250,000 are taxed out of the game.”

“The family is extremely wealthy and are only moderately affected by the economy,” said the captain of a 120-140 foot yacht.

“They [politics] don’t impact the current boat – it’s paid for and he uses it,” said the captain of a yacht less than 100 feet. “But he sure isn’t buying a new one

‘A more reasonable administration would make entry into the country much less of a concern’SURVEY, from page C1

Yes – 61.1%

Do U.S. politics impact how the boss uses his yacht?

No – 38.9%

Regardless of nationality, do U.S. politics impact your job as a captain?

Yes – 78.9%

No – 21.1%

How do U.S. politics impact your job as a captain?

Because of economy/tax policies – 59.0%

Because of rules/regulations – 11.5%

No effect; business as usual – 11.5%

Higher costs – 4.9%

No effect; non-U.S. travel/crew – 4.9%Other – 4.9%

Because of perception – 3.3%

Because of economy/less disposible income – 51.0%

How do U.S. politics impact how the boss uses his yacht?

No effect; non-U.S. travel/owner – 7.8%

No effect; owner’s wealth not impacted – 7.8%

Other – 5.9%

Impacts destination options – 9.8%

Because of perception – 5.9%

No effect; business as usual – 5.9%

No, but policy does – 5.9%

The Triton www.the-triton.com November 2010 C11

The subject of politics generated a lot of comments from respondents. Here is a sampling.:

l l l

We serve at the pleasure of wealthy people who in turn employ all of the people associated with yachting, and in turn we employ a lot of other people whose services we use. Without the wealthy, like it or not, we don’t have the jobs we enjoy now. The wealthy are directly impacted by the decisions made in Washington, DC. I don’t feel that just because someone has been successful, by hard work, dedication and some luck that they should have the wealth they have accumulated dispersed arbitrarily by the government.

l l l

My job is to keep my yacht and everything about the yacht legal. The rules change regularly irrespective of who is making them. I have no say in it and therefore no interest in it.

l l l

Less government is the answer. I was excited to see Obama take office; now I’m excited to see him leave. Just because people worked hard and made

enough money to buy a yacht doesn’t make them evil, so stop treating them like they are.

l l l

Money makes the world go round. The world is staggering to keep going right now. I feel very lucky to still have a job, as does my sole crew member, a cook/stew.

l l l

Consumer confidence is hugely affected by the policies enacted by Congress. When confidence is low, no one buys boats, and vice versa. Owners are skeptical of what party is going to do what. When boats aren’t being bought, captain jobs are going to be less available. And those finding jobs are likely to be paid less.

l l l

It is not so much the exact issue of politics, but the fiscal health of the country overall that affects our industry.

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I don’t think President Obama is a yachtsman. Perhaps if an owner, broker or yacht builder would invite President Obama and his family aboard for a vacation this winter, the opportunity

may present itself to enlighten our intelligent, young president just how many jobs are generated by this industry in the United States. We all know it is not difficult to convert most people to the joys of boating. Just a thought.

l l l

There are always opinions and groups. Best to enjoy the yacht and keep politics and religion off it.

l l l

Conservative Republicans have always been the driving force behind less government and a better promotion of free enterprise. Also, there seem to be more owners who are Republicans. Not to condone the Madoff and Stanford greed, but both were yacht owners.

l l l

The United States isn’t the only country with money. So many new builds are financed from outside the United States that I’m not convinced it really matters.

l l l

Unfortunately, world politics affect our lives and our jobs. Even though

‘Without the wealthy ... we don’t have the jobs’

See REACTION, page C13

Yes – 31.8%

Has the impending end of the Bush-era tax cuts impacted your vessel?

No – 68.2%

Will you vote in the November elections?

Yes, I will cast my ballot – 49.5%

Yes, but by absentee ballot – 29.4%

No – 6.4%

No, I’m not a citizen –

14.7%

A1 ART COPYRIGHT JEFFREY COLLINGWOOD; IMAGE FROM BIGSTOCKPHOTO.COM / SURVEY GRAPHICS BY LAWRENCE HOLLYFIELD

The next largest reason politics impacts a captain’s job -- mentioned by 11.5 percent of respondents -- was because of the rules and regulations that impact yachts and their movements, including customs and immigration clearance rules implemented since Sept. 11, 2001.

“The increase in ‘security theater’ by the TSA [Transportation Security Administration] and DHS [Department of Homeland Security] has been a royal pain without any increase in safety, so as a captain my job has gotten more complicated,” said the captain of a vessel less than 100 feet for more than nine years. “A more reasonable administration would make entry into the country much less of a concern.”

“Politics control regulations, facility maintenance, waterway maintenance, finance and budgeting, crew requirements, documentation requirements, ...,” said a captain on a yacht 120-140 feet. “How much space do you have in the article?”

Twenty percent of respondents said American politics did not impact them.

“U.S. crew are a minority in the

industry,” said the captain on a vessel 180-200 feet. “Many boats no longer come to the United States and more will stop in the near future. The United States is applying more rules, which will cause us to bypass it more and more. The nature of the industry is changing. It’s no longer just Med/Caribbean.”

The third largest reason was a reason why politics don’t impact yacht jobs. Also 11.5 percent of respondents, this group of captains said politics didn’t impact them because the owner was either wealthy enough or insulated enough from politics that nothing had changed onboard.

Nearly 5 percent more had non-U.S. crew or did not travel to the United States.

“Life still goes on,” said the captain of a yacht less than 100 feet. “The volume of the owner’s money is the main impact.”

We were curious to see if the number of bosses a captain had over the course of a career meant he/she felt more or less impacted by politics. We were surprised to learn that it was so evenly neutral.

Of the captains who said politics do not impact their jobs, they had an average of 4.75 owners over the past 20 years. That was the same number among the captains

who said yes, politics do impact them.We also thought that the more bosses a

captain had, the less likely politics would impact a career. Not really. Fifteen percent of captains who answered “no” had 10 or more bosses; the same percentage of those who said “yes” also had 10 or more bosses.

In addition to the impact on an individual’s job, we were curious to know if American politics impacted movement or travel. So we asked, regardless of his/her nationality, do politics in America impact how the boss uses his/her yacht?

The division here was a little less dramatic compared with our first question, with 61.1 percent saying it did.

“The present recession that we are coming out of is a prime example of how it impacts yacht use,” said the captain of a yacht 120-140 feet. “Look at the decline in charters, as well as how the wealthy wanted to be perceived during the recession. Yacht owners are just starting to use their yachts again, as probably was evident in Monaco.”

When we asked why this was so, half of respondents blamed the economy and the fact that owners have less disposable

income.“With a foreign flag, politics controls

every aspect of his yachting agenda,” said the captain of a yacht 120-140 feet with the boss 3-5 years.

“The owner’s wealth is tied to the economy, which is directed by political policy,” said the captain of a yacht 180-200 feet with the boss less than three years.

“If the owner is confident in business stability or/and growth, he tends to use the yacht more,” said the captain of a vessel less than 100 feet.

“He’s selling because of the dividend tax change at the end of the year,” said the captain of a yacht less than 100 feet with the boss less than three years.

The next largest group – almost 10 percent – said politics impacted where the owner can travel with the yacht.

“Only in the aspect of U.S. politics affecting the cruising areas that he prefers,” said the captain of a yacht 120-140 feet. “If it does, we just move to another area that is not affected.”

The 38.9 percent of captains who said that politics didn’t impact how the boss uses his/her yacht steered farther away from the economy than those impacted in

their jobs and more toward policy.“The rules that they make and their

policies perhaps affect us but certainly not the politics behind them,” said the captain of a yacht 140-160 feet with the boss less than three years.

“American policy, especially tax policy, directly effects how much owners use, or even if they keep, their boats,” said the captain of a yacht less than 100 feet and with the boss more than nine years. “The current climate of taxing the rich will have the greatest impact on luxury items and leisure activities. Every dollar spent in the yachting industry comes from someone’s discretionary income. Many of us in the yachting industry will find ourselves looking for work if those with incomes over $250,000 are taxed out of the game.”

“The family is extremely wealthy and are only moderately affected by the economy,” said the captain of a 120-140 foot yacht.

“They [politics] don’t impact the current boat – it’s paid for and he uses it,” said the captain of a yacht less than 100 feet. “But he sure isn’t buying a new one

‘A more reasonable administration would make entry into the country much less of a concern’

See SURVEY, page C12

Because of economy/less disposible income – 51.0%

How do U.S. politics impact how the boss uses his yacht?

No effect; non-U.S. travel/owner – 7.8%

No effect; owner’s wealth not impacted – 7.8%

Other – 5.9%

Impacts destination options – 9.8%

Because of perception – 5.9%

No effect; business as usual – 5.9%

No, but policy does – 5.9%

TRITON SURVEY: U.S. Politics

C1� November 2010 www.the-triton.com The Triton

until and unless things stabilize.”We looked at these answers by length

of the vessel, thinking that the larger the yacht, the less likely American politics would impact its operation. That wasn’t the case. In fact, there was no correlation among boat operation and vessel size.

The Bush-era tax cuts expire at the end of the year. Has that possibility impacted the operation of your vessel?

Most respondents – 68.2 percent – said the potential that the tax cuts would expire has not impacted the yacht, at least not yet.

“Who knows how things will be if the cuts are not extended,” said the captain of a yacht less than 100 feet.

More than 65 percent of the captains who say the yacht will be impacted are on vessels less than 100 feet.

Politically speaking, what would be the best thing that could happen in Washington to stimulate the yachting industry?

Most, 43 percent of captains who answered this question, believed that tax and spending cuts in Washington – basically, a change in policy – would have the greatest impact on owners and their money, which in turn would enable them to use their yachts.

“Create more jobs by tax cuts, specifically for small business, less government spending, and smaller government,” said the captain of a yacht 120-140 feet. “We need to get back to creating wealth, not spending what we have.”

“Although not a national policy, I think that Florida has made a step in the right direction by capping the tax on yachts,” said the captain of a yacht 100-120 feet. “This has already begun to generate more U.S.-flagged vessels, which will in turn have them staying longer and spending more money.”

The next largest group, a full third of respondents, thought that voting out Democratic congress people and electing Republican ones was the answer, which presumably would cause tax and spending cuts to occur.

“A new, right-leaning president,” said the captain of a vessel less than 100 feet. “2012 [the next U.S. presidential year] can’t get here fast enough.”

“Return Republicans to power and get rid of these short-sighted nitwits that think taxing the rich and giving to the poor is the answer,” said the captain of a vessel less than 100 feet.

“The best thing for the economy would be if [Speaker of the House] Nancy Pelosi and the Democrats are thrown out of the Congress so things could settle down,” said the captain of a yacht 120-140 feet.

This was the exact opposite reaction that yachties had in the fall of 2008 when crew overwhelmingly voted for Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama two to one over the Republican, Sen. John McCain. Among non-U.S. crew, the percentage voting Democratic in that mock election was even higher; 86 percent would have voted for Obama if they could.

“I have voted Republican for years but I am an independent registered voter,” said the captain of a yacht 100-120 feet. “I have spent considerable time hearing the views of many from both parties regarding the current state of our economy. I am convinced that until we get the hard right, good-old-boy Republicans out, things will not change for the better. We need more open-minded, common sense politicians in our government.”

Almost 10 percent supported getting politicians out of the way so businesses could fix the economy through job creation and market competition.

“A return to common sense economics and politics,” said the captain of a vessel less than 100 feet. “Let the folks who can really jump-start the economy make the decision and have an incentive to do so. Lawyers and bureaucrats cause more harm than good as we’ve seen in the past 20 months.”

“Let the free market work and reduce taxes to U.S. marine businesses so it is more attractive to do repairs in the United States,” said the captain of a

vessel less than 100 feet.Some captains stayed away from

politics, though, and suggested simple, frontline changes to get owners to use their yachts more.

“Make it easier for foreign flag vessels to enter U.S. waters and to travel within the U.S. without onerous reporting requirements,” said the captain of a yacht 200-240 feet with the boss 3-5 years.

“Clear up the ongoing confusion and continually changing aspects of clearing in foreign crew,” said the captain of a vessel less than 100 feet. “It would be extremely helpful to issue crew on B1/B2 visas entry periods that concur with the yacht’s cruising permit.”

“Reconstruct the post 9/11 [baloney] that has been implemented with no or little benefit to safety or security,” said the captain of a yacht 160-180 feet. “It has only created a number of expensive hurdles that make going to or cruising in the United States unattractive and unappealing.”

About 6 percent urged opening travel to Cuba as a way to stimulate the yachting industry.

“Lifting the Cuban embargo would be huge,” said the captain of a vessel less than 100 feet. “I suspect it would help the South Florida economy as well, by encouraging more yacht owners to head south in the winter.”

And there were, of course, an assortment of specific suggestions.

“Tell the president to go to work and get off the TV,” said the captain of a yacht 120-140 feet. “He is, by himself, scaring the hell out of people. I own a charter yacht in Palm Beach. Our phones stop ringing every time the president is on TV. People are holding onto their money because they don’t know what is going to happen (or be passed) next.”

“Revise the USCG licensing/credentialing system, revoke the need for TWIC for licensed mariners and improve legislation to help U.S. licensed mariners to be employable by yacht owners,” said the captain of a vessel less than 100 feet.

“A 20 percent flat rate sales tax on all goods sold in America, and the elimination of income tax,” said the captain of a yacht 120-140 feet.

“Allow recreational yachts to operate as private vessels with a U.S. flag, regardless of size or tonnage, and give tax incentives to builders and the owners who want to spend their money in the United States on U.S. goods, services and crews,” said the captain of a yacht 120-140 feet.

“Don’t stigmatize spending on large items,” said the captain of a vessel less than 100 feet. “When my boss spends, it is a stimulus.”

A few responses had nothing to do with Washington:

“Developing a set of standards for

See SURVEY, page C13

SURVEY, from page C11

‘Who knows how things will be if the cuts are not extended’TRITON SURVEY: U.S. Politics

The Triton www.the-triton.com November 2010 C1�

yachts navigating U.S. waters that prevent the exploitation of crew,” said the captain of a yacht 100-120 feet. “Longer paid leave, a minimum standardized salary structure, medical aid and forced payment of anyone injured on duty, etc. The salaries are being forced down and expectations are rising. And some owners feel they have no obligation to pay leave and severance pay because they are foreign flagged. Most of us have to live in America and pay taxes, etc., while being short changed by owners of vessels.”

“Change the insular racist discriminatory attitude and encourage Americans to travel and see the real world, not the myopic view expounded by the country’s media,” said the captain of a yacht 120-140 feet. “Get Americans out to see the real world, make friends, see the truth and change the attitudes to the world.”

And finally, we were simply interested in learning, Will you vote in the November elections?

The largest group, almost 50 percent, will. (Obviously, that says a lot about who takes our surveys.) Thirty percent more said they will vote by absentee ballot.

Just 6 percent of respondents were U.S. citizens who said they don’t plan to vote. And almost 15 percent said they were not U.S. citizens and cannot vote this fall.

Because the respondents were so heavily American, we were curious to know if those who feel they are more directly impacted by U.S. politics will actually vote. They will.

Ninty-six percent of those who said yes, American politics impacts their job as a yacht captain, will vote. Interestingly, 78 percent of those who said politics did not impact their jobs also will vote this fall.

“November is going to be a wake-up call,” said the captain of a vessel less than 100 feet. “Many of my friends who were taken in by Obama are now admitting to their disgust and concerns. We need a true leader, a real statesman, to come out of the woodwork, from either party.”

Lucy Chabot Reed is editor of The Triton. Lawrence Hollyfield is an associate editor. Comments on this survey are welcome at lucy@the-triton.com. We conduct our monthly surveys online. All captains and crew members are welcome to participate. If you haven’t been invited to take our surveys and would like to be, register for our e-mails online at www.the-triton.com.

Like it or not, U.S. economic policy is a key facet of U.S. politics in general, and those of us who depend upon successful business owners for our employment (U.S. or otherwise) should be encouraging business-friendly policies in our respective countries. The growth of independent business creates jobs and empowers people to determine their own destinies, and lessens the social burden placed upon society and governments by those who are unable to work.

You’ve never been hired by a poor person. An unemployed person is unable to help a poor family. Successful business people grow their businesses, hire more people and when they are successful enough, some of them buy yachts and create even more jobs as they enjoy the fruits of their labors.

All of this is affected by politics, and by American politics perhaps more than any other. Independent achievement in the United States is under assault, now more than ever before. Success is being villain-

ized in a state-friendly media, and dependence upon the state is being encouraged by an ever-growing elitist class of politicians who believe that dependence (politically and economically) upon the government is better than self-reliance. The United States is moving perilously close to finding more of its citizens dependent upon either government jobs, or government social programs for their livings than people who have real jobs in the free enterprise system.

The present administration’s motives are not altruistic; rather, this is about power and control. To believe otherwise is naive.

Yes, U.S. politics is important. We in yachting have a unique opportunity for meaningful discussion of these matters as our crews are often international. We need to encourage respectful, rational and open discussion about politics instead of it being a taboo subject. In this way, we can share international perspectives and learn from each other. Otherwise, what’s the point? The same goes for

religion. Just look at what’s happening in the world and the effect that religion is having upon world politics, policies and, therefore, our respective economies. We need to become students of history in order to learn from it and not repeat its mistakes. We need to learn how to debate different points of views with a genuine interest in each other’s opinions. We need to develop the ability to learn from each other and agree to disagree without it affecting our relationships.

We need to pay attention to politics, U.S. and otherwise, because the more uninformed we remain, the more suceptable we are to manipulation (by governments or others). Those of us who are fortunate to come from free Western cultures have everything to lose as a consequence or our laziness and inattention. If we don’t start paying more attention, we may wake up someday soon and find ourselves helpless to do anything about it.

From the captain of a yacht 160-180 feet with the current

owner less than three years.

‘Independent achievement in the United States is under assault’

SURVEY, from page C12

‘When my boss spends, it is a stimulus’

many of us consider ourselves “world citizens,” every country that we visit imposes its economic and political statutes on us.

l l l

As long as Democrats are in office, America keeps spending and raising taxes. People with yachts are wealthy, and Democrats target them for redistribution of their money. They now have to revise how they spend their play money (i.e., yachts/my job).

l l l

Politics in China, Russia, the EU and America all affect the yachting industry. Global economics and international banking will continue to play a large part in shaping our futures. The Robin Hood policies of the current administration in Washington will only further persuade current citizens to bank and flag their yachts as far outside the reach of the IRS as possible.

l l l

Not having the same political views as the owners can make a captain’s job difficult if not unbearable.

l l l

Politics in America affect the rest of the Western world, for good or for worse. If socialists gain a further foothold, our industry is in potential jeopardy. Remember, no one needs a yacht.

l l l

With a multinational crew, politics seems to surface around each country’s election time. We’ve had spirited and thought-provoking discussions about our countries’ leadership, and

the lack thereof. It’s given us a better understanding of our fellow crew

members, a more personal view of the world, and showed us how much we

Differing view from owner can make captain’s job ‘unbearable’REACTION, from page C12

TRITON SURVEY: U.S. Politics

C1� November 2010 www.the-triton.com The Triton

Feeling pressed for time? Here is a workout that you can take anywhere; all you need is one set of dumbbells. After a brief warm up, move through the circuit without taking much time to

rest. Try to perform 15-20 repetitions of each exercise-some you may be able to do more repetitions depending on the weight of the dumbbells, challenge yourself. Aim to complete the circuit three times. As you

become more advanced, complete each exercise for one minute before moving to the next.

Balancing chest fly

Stand tall and hold a dumbbell in each hand. Extend both arms out to your sides, palms facing forward, elbows slightly bent. Lift your right leg off of the ground and keep your balance throughout the exercise. Squeeze the chest, bring your arms together in front of you until the palms are facing each other. Return the arms to starting position.

Balancing row to triceps extensionLean forward with your feet

shoulder width apart. Holding onto the dumbbells let your arms hang down in front of you. Slowly lift one leg and extend it slightly behind you, keeping your balance throughout the exercise. Squeeze your shoulder blades together, lifting both weights up to your sides,

bringing your elbows high but keeping them close to your sides. Continue the movement by extending both arms behind you, focusing on squeezing your triceps. Reverse your movement to return to starting position. Squat with overhead press

Stand with feet slightly wider then hip width apart, holding a dumbbell in each hand. Bend elbows, keeping hands at shoulder height. Bend your knees, keep your weight on your heels, and sit back as if lowering into a chair. Your chest should be up and your knees should not cross over your toes. Squeeze your glutes, and press your weight through your heels to raise yourself to standing position while pressing the dumbbells overhead. Repeat the movement, lowering the dumbbells as you lower toward the ground. Standing calf raise

Hold a dumbbell in each hand. Stand up tall with feet close together. Slowly rise onto the balls of your feet, hold for one count, lower until heels almost touch the ground and repeat. If a step is

keep It up

Beth Greenwald

See KEEP IT UP, page C15

FITNESS: Keep It Up

Take this workout with you: onboard, after work, all day

The Triton www.the-triton.com November 2010 C1�FITNESS: Keep It Up

available, place balls of feet on the step edge and perform the exercise. Standing side crunch

Stand tall with your feet shoulder width apart and lift your right arm overhead. Simultaneously, lift your right knee out to the side and bend your right elbow bringing the two close together focusing on contracting your right oblique. Extend the arm and lower your leg and continue repeating the movement. Complete all repetitions and then switch sides. Front lunge with bicep curl

Stand with feet shoulder width apart. Hold a dumbbell in each hand, palms facing forward. Step your right foot forward (lowering until your thigh is parallel to the floor) while bending both elbows, curling the weights to

your shoulders. Keep your chest up and ensure that your right knee does not cross over your right toe while in the lunge position. Simultaneously return to standing position and lower the weights. Repeat the movement, lunging forward with the left leg. Back lunge with front raise

Stand with feet shoulder width apart. Hold a dumbbell in each hand, palms facing your sides. Take a step backwards with your right foot, lowering until your left thigh is parallel to the floor while raising both dumbbells (thumbs facing up) in front of you to the height of your shoulders. Simultaneously, return to standing position and lower the weights. Repeat the movement, stepping backwards with your left leg. Standing oblique twist

Hold a dumbbell in each hand, stand with feet slightly wider then hip width apart and knees slightly bent. Bend elbows and hold the dumbbells in front of you. Slowly and controlled, rotate from the torso and twist from side to side. Side lunge with lateral raise

Stand with feet shoulder width apart and hold a dumbbell in each hand, bending your arms so that elbows are at a 90 degree angle. Keeping both toes pointed forward, take a giant step to the side with your right foot, bending the right knee as your hips lower toward the ground. At the same time, raise your arms out to the side, bringing the dumbbells and your elbows to the height of your shoulders. Lower your arms and push off your right leg to return to starting position before repeating on the left side.

Beth Greenwald received her master’s degree in exercise physiology from Florida Atlantic University and is a certified personal trainer. She works in the Fort Lauderdale area. Contact her at +1 716-908-9836 or bethgreenwald@hotmail.com. Comments are welcome at editorial@the-triton.com.

KEEP IT UP, from page C14

These exercises add more balance, strength, flexibility

C1� November 2010 www.the-triton.com The Triton PERSONAL FINANCE: Yachting Capital

Recently I had a conversation with a gentleman that was just getting started in his retirement years. He wanted retirement but he didn’t want

retirement. He was tired of a daily routine that could not change and was looking forward to a more flexible routine.

To him, retirement did not mean that he would stop

working. His father stopped working when he retired and that was the definition of retirement in those days. For this gentleman, doing something different is retiring. His main concern was if he had planned enough for inflation, cost of health care and other expenses. His concerns are shared by others as the media recently reported that 30 percent of those eligible for retirement are opting to continue to work because of unknown expenses and concerns over finances.

As our life expectancy continues to grow, our definition of what we’ll do in retirement years may change. Listening to the chatter in Washington, D.C., it is clear that social security is becoming a questionable source of retirement income.

Speaking of Washington chatter, make sure that if you can vote in the United States, that you make yourself aware of the topics and the candidates up for election this month. Your vote does make a difference and what happens now will impact your retirement in the future. Don’t rely on catchy television ads. Dig deep into the issues or talk to someone who is up on the issues and get a recap. Your vote or non-vote will ultimately determine results.

Look at health care. Costs for health care will go up for most everyone. Don’t expect to get something for nothing as

someone must always pay. It is difficult to plan several years in advance what you will do and how much it will cost. The key word here is “plan”.

After our conversation about his upcoming retirement, I thought about some of my other clients. Many had no real idea what they would do for retirement. However, they all understood that, no matter what happens, not having enough money is a limiting factor.

If you do not have a written plan for your retirement income and just jump on “the best investment of the day” with your investment dollars then you will most likely not have an enjoyable retirement. Paying for retirement requires getting help from a professional who is willing to take the time to understand your objectives. In most cases, your plan requires frequent updates as investments change over time, and preservation of existing money changes as you get closer to retirement years.

On my standard soapbox: If you don’t have a plan, get one. We all make plans to accomplish what we want but it is truly amazing the number of people who just ignore the need for a retirement plan in their life when it is the longest and most expensive trip they will ever take.

If you are a captain and the owners asked you to plan a yearlong trip with a monthly budget to cover all costs and a $50,000 bonus to you at the end, how much planning will you do? Don’t make planning vacations more important than your future.

Information in this column is not intended to be specific advice for anyone. You should use the information to help you work with a professional regarding your specific financial goals.

Capt. Mark A. Cline is a chartered senior financial planner in Ft. Lauderdale. Comments on this column are welcome at +1-954-764-2929 or through www.clinefinancial.net.

More planning for vacation than for your retirement?

YaChtIng CapItal

MArK A. Cline

The Triton www.the-triton.com November 2010 C17BUSINESS CARD ADVERTISERS

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C1� November 2010 www.the-triton.com The Triton BUSINESS CARD ADVERTISERS

www.worldofyachting.com1126 S. Federal Highway, P. O. Box 230

Ft. Lauderdale, FL 33316Toll Free: 877-98World (877-989-6753)

Ph/Fax: 954-522-8742

WORLD OF YACHTINGThe one source for all your yachting needs Here’s what we can do for you:

• FIND CREW NO agency commissions or percentages no matter how many or how long you need crew members per year.

• CREW Post your CV/Resume for FREE.• Order your APPAREL/UNIFORMS & much more online, phone, fax

or in-person.• Custom Monogramming and Screen Printing• Find or sell a boat (or any other item!) on our boat classifieds.• GET MORE EXPOSURE Advertise with us! Post your charter brochure.• Find information on travel destinations, boatyards, flower shops,

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The Triton www.the-triton.com November 2010 C1�BUSINESS CARD ADVERTISERS

Advanced Mechanical Enterprises A12Alexseal Yacht Coatings A3Antibes Yachtwear A10ARW Maritime A12Atlantic Marine Engine A13BAE Systems B7Beard Marine C3Bellingham Marine (Albany Marina) C2Brownie’s Yacht Diver A21Bush Brothers Provisioning A10Business card advertisers C17-19The Business Point B14C&N Yacht Refinishing A2Cable Marine A15Commercial Diver Services C8Crew Insurance Services C9Crew Unlimited B13, B19Dennis Conner’s North Cove Marina A20Designer Lighting Solutions C4Divers Discount C12Dockside Corporate Services A11Dockwise Yacht Transport A6,C6FenderHooks C8

Fibrenew Leather Repairs A10Global Satellite B14Global Yacht Fuel C3Gran Peninsula Yacht Center C6The Grateful Palate B6Hot Yachtz A11International Registries (Marshall Islands) B10IGY Marinas A9ISS GMT Global Marine Travel A5Jaws International B11Johnson Electronics & Machinery B8Kemplon Marine A8Ko Olina Marina C13Kristy Fox C15Lauderdale Diver A22Lauderdale Propeller B16Leather Solutions B16Lifeline Inflatables B12Mail Boxes Etc. (Now the UPS Store) C16Marina at Emerald Bay B9Maritime Professional Training C20Matthew’s Marine A/C A8Mediterranean Market C5

MHG Marine Benefits B20Moore & Company C8Moore Stephens Crew Benefits Limited C3MTN Satellite Communications Yacht Services B3National Marine Suppliers C10Neptune Group B15Newport Shipyard B4Palladium Technologies C11Peterson Fuel Delivery A20Porto Cupecoy Yacht Club A22Pioneer Linens B2Praktek C7Professional Captain’s Services A7Professional Tank Cleaning & Sandblasting C15ProStock Marine B18Quiksigns C15Renaissance Marina C4Resolve Marine A11Rio Vista Flowers C14 River Supply River Services A20Rocky’s Superkleen Dry Cleaners B5Royale Palm Yacht Basin B15Rossmare International Bunkering B15

R&L Yacht Refinishing C12Sailorman A2Save Our Seas Foundation B17Seafarer Marine A13Sea School C16Slackers Bar & Grill A6Smarteffx B12Smart Move Accomodations B15SunPro Marine C16Thomas Marine A10TowBoatU.S. A8Trac Ecological Marine Products B12Tradewinds Radio C14Turtle Cove Marina A20Verizon Wireless/Wireless Zone A4Westrec Marinas A14Wright Maritime Group A17Yacht Entertainment Systems B12Yacht Equipment & Parts A24Yacht Next Interiors & Outfitting C9The Zinc Guy A8

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