Triton January 2016 Vol.12, No.10

January 2016 The-Triton.com

23

/tritonnews | www.The-Triton.com | January 2016

Vendors back Miami boat show changes, hope for best

News

Crew collect plankton These little critters are a big deal for ocean conservation.

11 Obituaries

By Dorie Cox Yacht crew in Miami during boat show week will notice several changes this year. Of the two annual shows that will take place Feb. 11-15, one has been renamed and the other is preparing a new location.

The show on Collins Avenue, formerly known as the Yacht & Brokerage Show, is being rebranded as Yachts Miami Beach in an effort to highlight its location, but also to separate it from the Miami See MIAMI, page 26

South Florida yachting industry loses leader; crew lose chief engineer.

6,7

Where in the World

Cuba, an underwater view UPWARDLY MOBILE: The crew of M/Y Lady J shine during the Antigua Charter Yacht Show with a win from Chef Ben Dineen, second from PHOTO/LJ HOUGHTING left. See more photos page 42.

Captains debate rotations and relief options As much as yachting has changed in the past decade, some facets of it remain stubbornly the same. Time off, especially on yachts with smaller crew, can be challenging to squeeze in. It’s still not uncommon to find crew who have worked several years without a holiday.

Sure, we can blame them for not taking a stand or criticize them for allowing themselves to be taken advantage of, but the reality is that it still happens. Some yachts don’t offer much downtime outside of use and maintenance, and some crew - captains especially -- haven’t figured out how to step away without quitting first.

So we asked yacht captains gathered for this month’s From the Bridge

From the Bridge Lucy Chabot Reed roundtable discussion how they arrange relief for time off.

Not everyone has been successful at it. One captain who has been with the owner for 12 years told a harsh story of what happened about three years ago.

“When I had my daughter, I told him months ahead that I will not be here on the due date,” this captain said. When the time came, the owner decided he wanted to use the boat that week. “He billed me for the relief captain for two weeks. I had been with them nine years by then. It hurt.”

There was a bit of silence in the

room when he finished, a shaking of heads and questions as to how he dealt with it.

“I’ve never been a grass-is-greener kind of guy,” this captain said, “but it kind of reminded me of the relationship we have. So yes, I got relief, but I had to pay for it.”

“When I had my daughter, she came two weeks early,” another captain said. “I had the owners onboard, and we pulled the hook, got to shore and he had a cab waiting for me. He flew a relief captain in the next day on his dime.”

As always, individual comments are not attributed to any one person in particular so as to encourage frank and open discussion. The attending

See BRIDGE, page 44

8 Events

Triton networks

23,24

Triton Survey Have you ever lost control of a yacht?

No 16% Just once 21%

More than once 63%

30

Navigating The Triton

January 2016 The-Triton.com

What’s Inside Columnists Career 18 Owner’s View 13 Leadership 12 Crew Coach 9 Training Mask making stew. Page 10

News 1 From the Bridge 6,7 Obituaries 10,11,20,21 Crew News 42 Antigua Yacht Show 30 Triton Survey 43 Marinas / Shipyards 48 Boats / Brokers 34 Fuel prices

Operations 15 Diesel Digest 16 Engineer’s Angle 17 Rules of the Road 38 Sea Science

Crew catch up at Triton networking event. Page 23.

Events 23 Networking photos 24 Networking QA 46 Calendar

Advertisers 50 Business Cards 53 Display Advertisers

Wedges inspired by salt-andvinegar chips . Page 19.

Crew Health 35 Nutrition 40 Onboard Emergencies 41 Yachtie Glow Charter yachts unite before the season begins. Page 4.

Write to Be Heard 4 Letters to the Editor 5,39 Opinion

Interior 14 Stew Cues 19 Top Shelf 19 Crew Mess 36 Culinary Waves Editor Suzette Cook, suzette@the-triton.com

Publisher David Reed, david@the-triton.com Advertising Sales Catalina Bujor, cat@the-triton.com Production Manager Patty Weinert, patty@the-triton.com The Triton Directory Catalina Bujor, cat@the-triton.com

Associate Editor Dorie Cox, dorie@the-triton.com

Underwater discovery. Page 8.

Where in the World 8 Cruising Grounds: Cuba 4 Crew Eye 42 Antigua Photo Gallery 54 Triton Spotter Lawton Johnson, Chief Stew Alene Keenan, Brian Luke, Scott E. McDowell, Rich Merhige, Keith Murray, Chief Stew Angela Orecchio, Rossmare Intl., Capt. John Wampler, Capt. Jeff Werner

Vol. 12, No. 10

Editor Emeritus Lucy Chabot Reed, lucy@the-triton.com

The Triton is a free, monthly newspaper owned by Triton Publishing Group Inc. Copyright 2016 Triton Publishing Group Inc. All rights reserved.

Contributors

Contact us at: Mailing address: 757 S.E. 17th St., #1119 Ft. Lauderdale, FL 33316 Visit us at: 1043 S.E. 17th St., Suite 201 Ft. Lauderdale, FL 33316 (954) 525-0029; FAX (954) 525-9676

Carol Bareuther, Capt. Brandon Burke, Nicole Caufield, Capt. Curtis Cook, Capt. Michael Dailey, Capt. Jake DesVergers, Paul Ferdais, Capt. Rob Gannon, Chef Mark Godbeer, Charles J. Hazouri, Peter Herm, L.J. Houghting, Chef Mary Beth

Careerto Be Heard Write

The-Triton.com January 2016

Letters to the Editor

Obamacare article still needs more clarification In response to the “U.S crew face higher premiums, penalties as Obamacare matures” article [page 7, November issue], we wanted to clarify some statements made by the author.

The Affordable Care Act, or Obamacare, is not only applicable to U.S. citizens.

Rather, it applies to any U.S. taxpaying person who does not meet one of the exemption criteria.

The author states that in 2016, the uninsured can expect to pay the greater of $695 or 2.5 percent of MAGI. For a family, that could be more than $2,000.

Clarification: The maximum penalty is the yearly premium for the national average price of a Bronze plan sold through the Marketplace on HealthCare.gov.

The author states: “If no refund is due, the IRS can do little more than take the case … to court.” Clarification: The penalty increases one’s tax liability. This may cause someone to owe money at tax time versus breaking even or getting a return.

The author states: “If the cost of health insurance premiums exceeds 9.5 percent of a full-time employees’ MAGI, the business is responsible for the difference.”

Clarification: If the cost of premiums exceeds 9.5 percent, the business may pay a penalty. The penalty occurs when a full-time employee receives a subsidy through an exchange as a result of not having affordable coverage offered by their large employer.

The employer may want to offer plans that are affordable for all, increase wages for those that could cause them to be penalized, or contribute more toward the premiums.

Stephen Beck Manager, Life & Health Division MHG Insurance Brokers

CREW EYE

C

apt. Curtis Cook of M/Y Casino Royale took this photo with the yacht’s drone as Nelson’s Dockyard filled up in anticipation of the start of the Antigua charter show in early December.

Crew can consider this page a canvas to share views of yachting. Send photos to editorial@the-triton.com.

Herhold a mentor for many, will be greatly missed Editor’s note: Frank Herhold, former executive director of the Marine Industries Association of South Florida, which owns the Ft. Lauderdale International Boat Show, died in December. He touched many in his 20 years at MIASF and beyond. See his obituary on page 6.

I worked at MIASF for several years with Frank Herhold, a wonderful boss, respected by many, and deeply committed to the marine industry. He will be missed.

Martha Lord Florida Regional Councils Association Someone once said, “The true gentleman is a man whose conduct proceeds from good will and an acute sense of propriety.” Such was Frank Herhold, a true gentleman.

Bob Saxon Industry consultant Frank was a mentor to me, and always generous with his time and knowledge to so many. What a great legacy he left behind for our industry.

Julie Balzano National Marine Manufacturers Association My thoughts and prayers go out to his family. What an incredible person. We miss you, Frank. Thank you for sharing your love of life with us, and making it a better and kinder world because of you Maura Brassil

Editor’s note: The yacht crew community also lost Chief Eng. Lars Starner. See his obituary on page 7.

Farewell to Chief Eng. Lars

Thanks for all the memories, Lars, from diving school to chili bar. We will miss you. Forever in our hearts. … Deep sorrow and pain, buddy, but hope you have a great journey now. Fair winds and following seas Marf Ireland This is very sad news. All of the crew from M/Y Spada send their condolences to his family and friends.

Brian Coleman What can I say? Devastating news. My deepest condolences to Chikako, family and his loved ones. … A great man, true friend and one of the best engineers I’ve ever had the pleasure of working with.

Capt. Carl Carlsson

CYBA bottle effort honorable

Thank you CYBA for this campaign [“CYBA’s Going Green to Save the Blue targets plastic water bottles,” page 24, December issue]. An incredible, vital effort. The plastic waste issue is such a complex problem, especially for remote areas, as demonstrated on the Friendly Drifter Web site. Thank you again, CYBA, for recognizing this serious matter.

Lynn June Mom of Friendly Drifter founder, deckhand David Pennington

Write to Be Heard

January 2016 The-Triton.com

Towing has been around long before yachting was invented

By Capt. Michael Dailey This letter is in response to the Owner’s View column in The Triton, and is aimed precisely at the captain who opposes towing and claims “the most knowledgeable” surveyors and insurance adjusters will back him up. [“Owner’s gain, crew’s pain when yacht tows tender,” page 6, October issue.]

Towing, like any marine endeavor, requires preparation. Both the tow and the towing vessel need to be set up properly. Also, the crew manning one or both vessels need to be trained and familiar with the required equipment and procedures to tow safely and securely. This includes any surveyors or insurance adjusters involved, of which there are many of both.

Towing has been around since long before yachting was even a spark in some owner’s eye. The procedures have been refined over several hundred years from the early days of towing sailing ships with oared boats. Everything that floats – and even some things that do not – have been towed.

The correct implementation of these console with a 100-foot motor yacht is highly evolved procedures requires its not at all difficult, nor is it the least bit own skill set, a skill set that is rarely unsafe, if done properly. It can indeed found in yachting. The owner in the be daunting as well as downright referenced article mentioned that dangerous for any captain or crew his captain had this unfamiliar with the experience “in spades.” procedures, skills and I wonder. If his captain equipment necessary.

Everything that was as well versed I might mention floats – and even as this owner thinks, here that a well-versed some things that towing his tender captain should have do not – have should not have been at least a rudimentary anything more than a knowledge of how to been towed. minor inconvenience. rig up the required gear For the sake of this to tow his own vessel response, we are not out of harm’s way, even talking about towing a vessel larger with a small blow-up boat, should the than the tow vessel. We are talking need ever arise. about towing a 20-, 30-, 40-, or maybe An excellent source to assist any even a 50-foot boat with a 100- to 150captain in becoming familiar with foot yacht. It is all only a matter of towing techniques is called “Primer of scale. The size of the tow, as well as the Towing” by George H. Reid. It should size of the towing vessel, dictate the already be on every yacht’s bookshelf size of the towing gear required, just along with several others, such as “The the same as any vessel’s ground tackle U.S. Navy Towing Manual” and “Tugs is determined by the tonnage to be held Today.” fast and in what conditions.

It is hard for me to imagine any selfThe task of towing a 30-foot center respecting captain who has not read

Farley Mowat’s “Grey Seas Under” or “Serpent’s Coil” at least once.

As to the extreme limitations imposed by the owner’s insurance company in the referenced article, I can only say fire them and hire another insurance company that is more familiar with the risks associated with towing. Such a company would also be aware of the increased relative safety of the towing yacht by having a high horsepower platform that would be able to tow a stranded yacht out of harm’s way.

Towing a vessel should be a fun and easy task to teach crew, practicing in fine weather with smaller tenders or blow-up boats. It isn’t rocket science at all and is largely governed by practical considerations, all of which can be found in the abundant literature available.

Capt. Michael Dailey has been in yachting more than 20 years after a career driving tugboats in the commercial sector and six years in the U.S. Navy driving submarines.

Obituary

The-Triton.com January 2016

Colleagues connect through Frank Herhold’s legacy

By Dorie Cox Nearly 25 years ago, a couple of strong and long-lasting presences moved to South Florida. Frank Herold became executive director of the Marine Industries Association of South Florida (MIASF) in Ft. Lauderdale and the Carrie B paddlewheel boat began touring the waterways.

In early December, one honored the passing of the other.

“Frank was always an ally for the

industry and the Carrie B,” Capt. Steve Jordan said.

Jordan has been at the wheel of the 112-foot boat since before it came to town, and he first met Mr. Herhold at city advisory board meetings in the early 1990s.

“I had to give our guests a heads up that I would sound the ship’s bells to honor Frank,” Jordan said about a tribute he made to honor Mr. Herhold.

“I told them about how deeply he was involved in the city, the marine

industry and the making of this as the yachting capital of the world.”

Jordan then steered out of the center of the Intracoastal Waterway toward the seawall where attendees stood to hear the bells during a memorial service for Mr. Herhold held at the International Swimming Hall of Fame.

Mr. Herhold died Dec. 5 at his home in Ft. Lauderdale. He was 75.

Many in the industry said Mr. Herhold helped guide them into and through their careers, like Betty

Bauman, who founded Ladies, Let’s Go Fishing about 20 years ago.

“Frank was my mentor, and he was a master networker,” Bauman said. “I admired his kind heart. He would take anyone who needed help under his wing. He made the world a better place.”

Gordon Herhold Connell, president of Connell Communications and executive director of Marine Industry Cares Foundation, was interviewed by Mr. Herhold in 2000 for an internship with MIASF. Connell was hired and eventually worked as director of association services under Mr. Herhold for 11 years.

“He was my introduction into the marine industry,” Connell said. “And he introduced me to everyone in it.”

Leadership seemed to be natural for Mr. Herhold, Connell said.

“He didn’t set out to be a mentor and a leader, it’s just who he was,” Connell said. “Frank just genuinely wanted to help, share his knowledge and introduce us to make things better and people better.”

Jimmie Harrison, owner of Frank & Jimmie’s Propeller, credits Mr. Herhold with bringing him out of his shell.

“Twenty years ago I wasn’t involved in civics, the community or even my customers,” Harrison said. “I was introverted.”

Then Harrison was asked to work to create the Fort Lauderdale Maritime Museum.

“I got Frank onboard and even though we were not successful, I enjoyed the people I met and that kept going,” Harrison said. “The vast majority of the people I know are directly because of Frank. He taught me that the more you give, the more you get.”

Kitty McGowan, president of NautiCom Communications, was hired

by Mr. Herhold after she worked as a chef on yachts.

“He saw my energy and ideas and the best thing he did was get out of my way,” McGowan said. “He championed and cheered on to the finish.”

She said he was the most supportive boss she ever had.

Patience Cohn worked closely with Mr. Herhold since she began at MIASF in 2005.

Obituary

January 2016 The-Triton.com

An attendee at a memorial service for Frank Herhold stands at the water’s edge as the Carrie B sounds ship’s bells in Herhold’s honor. PHOTO/DORIE COX “He was a good guy that let you make your own way, but he would guide or tap you back on track,” Cohn said. “He was willing to share and he included you, so you could learn.”

Susan Engle, president of EnviroCare Solutions International, served on the MIASF with Mr. Herhold and said they accomplished several issues that have benefitted the marine community.

Waterways were deepened, boating programs for kids were created, compromises were reached on manatees and boater issues, legislation was passed to keep waterfront businesses, and Homeland Security regulations were supported.

Mr. Herhold was involved in numerous associations and was named Citizen of the Year by the city in 2007.

Before coming to Ft. Lauderdale, Mr. Herhold owned Anchorage-Eau Gallie Marina in Melbourne, Fla. Ft. Lauderdale Mayor John P. “Jack” Seiler pointed out photos in the memorial video showing Mr. Herhold with political leaders, industry groups

and at award ceremonies.

“He never once made it about himself; he was never front and center, but his ideas were,” Seiler said. “He listened, took your ideas and moved them forward. He was a lesson in leadership and humility.

Former Mayor Jim Naugle said Mr. Herhold attended every city meeting, often coming early to prepare, and stayed until the end.

“He put in all those hours because he truly cared,” Naugle said. “He will never be replaced.”

Mr. Herhold is survived by his wife, Mary Jo; daughter Pamela (Jeff Tinianow), grandchildren Ella and Dashiell Tinianow, a sister and brother, and nieces and nephews.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to the Frank Herhold Scholarship Fund at MIASF. Contact the MIASF for details, www. miasf.org, +1 954-524-2733.

Dorie Cox is associate editor of The Triton. Comments on this story are welcome at editorial@the-triton.com.

Chief Eng. Lars Starner dies in a motorcycle accident Lars Starner, a chief engineer on yachts, reportedly died in a motorcycle crash in early December in Cebu, Philippines. He was 53.

Mr. Starner was born in Sweden and served five years in the Royal Swedish Navy, working with diesel electricpowered submarines before beginning in yachting in the early 1990s. He held an MCA Y2 certificate and worked as chief engineer on motor and sailing yachts including Aviva, Parsifal III, Hyperion, Peaceful Fish, Kismet, Marathon, Lady Lauren, Zeus and Blue Crystal according to his CV online.

A captain and friend in yachting, Carl Carlsson, posted a comment on www.the-triton.com.

“After having worked together on M/Y Carinthia VI, Lars as first engineer and me as captain, we’ve stayed in touch over the years, and it was always a true pleasure getting an update on his whereabouts and everlasting adventures,” Capt. Carlsson wrote. “A great man, true friend and one of the best engineers I’ve ever had the pleasure of working with has now entered a long journey into the unknown. I’ll end this message the same way Lars always ended his e-mails: I wish you fair winds and following seas!”

Mr. Starner is survived by his wife, Chikako, who works as a stew.

– Dorie Cox

Where in the World

The-Triton.com January 2016

Underwater visit to

Cuba

PHOTOS FROM BRANDON BURKE

The island nation of Cuba is home to a variety of scuba diving sites.

Editor’s Note: Capt. Brandon Burke was the deckhand/dive instructor of a 120foot yacht in 2011 when the owner took the yacht to Cuba for a diving excursion.

He shares his experiences from that trip here.

By Capt. Brandon Burke The owner of my former yacht loved to dive, and we spent a lot of time in the water, especially in the Bahamas.

As a PADI dive instructor, diving there for years, I usually guided us. In 2011, we completed a stay in the Bahamas, freedive spearfishing and upgrading his PADI license.

“Why don’t we go to Cuba?” the owner asked. After a short trip, we were in Havana.

We arrived after dark and docked in a hangar, set in an industrial-looking area.

Next came customs. A group of customs agents, some uniformed and some wearing street clothes, arrived. They boarded and spread out, inspecting … well, everything … for hours. I met with a customs inspector in the engine room, two other inspectors met with the captain, and the rest fanned out over the yacht’s 120 feet.

In the end, we were welcomed, my passport was “stamped”, and we laid our heads down to sleep.

In the morning, we navigated out of Havana.

As we left the channel, there was an ancient fort set on one side.

The Castillo el Morro, built in 1589, is truly beautiful. We proceeded west. Our next marina was a short way away and after docking, we met customs again.

This time, five agents arrived and only inspected for an hour.

Locals with fresh fruit, baked goods

and other sundries visited us dockside.

A small dive shop was in the marina and I met with them, learning that wreck diving was possible just a few miles away. The local divers who ran the shop had their own dive boat and guided us the next day.

The weather was fair and the seas were calm, so the owner and myself geared up and boarded their open fisherman. We arrived at the wreck, which was an 80-foot vessel with a lot of coral sitting in 60 feet of water atop a rock ledge. There weren’t many fish, but the visibility was amazing, so it was a nice dive.

OK, so it was an average dive, but then I thought about where I was. I was in Cuba, and that was a humbling thought. For someone who grew up in Miami, in the United States, I never dreamed that I would be In Cuba, let alone scuba diving a wreck there.

The owner’s plan was to circle Cuba counter-clockwise, skirt the south coast, and head for the Dominican Republic.

Still, I looked into diving on the south side of Cuba. Most of the Web searches were for all-inclusive dive holidays, but cubadiving. org had detailed information with dive locations and descriptions. The site is run by a local dive operation in the Queen’s Garden area on the south coast and I called them. They spoke English, but our phone connection was bad so I emailed them about the legality of diving and asked to hire locals to guide us.

There are restrictions on diving in some areas of Cuba. To dive in

the Queen’s Garden area, a marine sanctuary, we needed to book space on a liveaboard dive boat. Only certain dive outfits have permission to dive there, and the waters are patrolled.

In the Caya Largo, Isla de la Juventud, and Maria la Gorda area on the southwest coast, it is legal to dive without a special license. Cubans may be hired at the marinas as guides to dive spots in the area.

Our nautical chart showed reefs and submerged ships, and we found suitable anchorages. We anchored near shore in about 20-30 feet of water. I lowered the tender and went on a scouting mission with the engineer.

Armed with a GPS and knowledge from my research, I strapped on my gear, dropped in, looked around. We had found our dive site. Now it was time to prepare for our dive the next day.

I was so excited about the day’s potential that I woke up the next morning before dawn to prepare our equipment. After breakfast, we were off. We arrived at our dive site and dropped in. It was a rock formation in about 50-60 feet of water. The topside was covered with coral and swarming with reef fish. We discovered spiny lobsters, groupers, snapper and teams of their brightly colored neighbors. We dove into caves and through tunnels that peppered the rock formation. This dive reminded me of some of the unspoiled areas that I have been to in the Exumas, full of life.

On paper, the diving seemed to get better farther east on Cuba’s south coast. For example, in one dive travel document, it said: “In the Jardines de la Reina, you can swim with and

See CUBA, page 37

Career

January 2016 The-Triton.com

Complacency, overworking can lead to yacht career neglect On Course Capt. Brian Luke

I am sitting among more than 100 megayachts at the 2015 Antigua show as I write this. A light breeze, 70-degree temperatures and blue skies remind me why so many want to be crew members.

The charter show has been a great opportunity to spend time with crew of all levels of experience. I have come to the realization that there is a subtle dichotomy among these crew.

About half pursue a long-term career in yachting, and half simply have fun until they can figure out what to do with the rest of their lives.

Those crew who consider themselves professionals and plan a career in yachting do a fantastic job taking care of the yacht, the owner, the guests and each other. The problem I see is that they often inadvertently neglect their own careers in the process.

I see this every day as chief operating officer of our yacht training center in Ft. Lauderdale where, with a

great sense of responsibility, I provide guidance that will assist crew in having fulfilling, successful maritime careers.

There are basically three reasons why someone would inadvertently neglect their own career: 1. They work long hours for months at a time. Pursuing training and certification to advance their career becomes an afterthought, so progress stagnates. They wait months, even years, to take action, despite promising themselves that they will.

2. They procrastinate because they believe that courses and testing are more difficult than they actually are.

Yachtmaster-, OOW- and Master-level courses are not easy. The truth is that they are not all that hard, either. They simply take some study and experience.

Procrastinating becomes justified when crew combine being overly busy and having little time for course preparation with the mindset that courses and testing are more difficult than they actually are.

3. They are happy where they are. Crew with the proverbial “good deal” often think they have no

need to continue with licensure and certifications. From a shortterm perspective, this makes sense.

Unfortunately, these “good deals” disappear with little or no notice.

Owners die, boats sell. And crew members are left with a low-level license, despite many years of experience. That’s not a good mix when searching for another “good deal”.

This was the true story of the captain of a 180-ton yacht who came into the training center to upgrade his license to an MCA OOW CoC and then an MCA Master <500 gt CoC because the owner was building a 450-ton yacht.

His current 200-ton ticket would no longer serve him on this new boat. He had worked for this owner for more than a decade.

By now, this career captain should have held a Master <3000gt CoC; with his current boss, he never felt it necessary.

Unfortunately, this captain struggled to get through his training. It had been a long time since he last enrolled in a maritime course. This lapse in his formal professional education resulted

This is what success looks like. Chief officers Lance Hartley of M/Y Harle (left) and Patrick Fynn of M/Y Casino Royale worked their way up the PHOTO/BRIAN LUKE ranks. in knowledge and skill deficiencies that were surprising challenges for his level of experience.

This applies equally to engineering and interior professionals. If the engineer continued her or his professional education, they would be prepared to move up to the larger yacht when the opportunity presented itself.

In the long run, it can mean the difference between thousands of dollars and hitting all your long-term goals.

Capt. Brian Luke is chief operations officer for ICT in Ft. Lauderdale. Contact him through www.yachtmaster.com.

10

Crew News

The-Triton.com January 2016

Mask-making stew explores her creative, artistic side

By Suzette Cook All that Stew Caroline von Broembsen needs to satisfy her urge to create art is a 4-foot by 2-foot space, a glue gun and some swatches of leather, silk, satin, and perhaps a few feathers and Swarovski crystals.

Von Broembsen, 44, is a native of South Africa who has found a way to combine her need to craft with the love of traveling.

“I used to be an architect, and I used to do a lot of creative stuff,” von Broembsen said. “I met somebody who was in yachting and going overseas, and I always wanted to be on the sea. I wanted to learn how to sail.”

Three years into her crew career, von Broembsen said, “I’m not new to yachting and I’m not new to masks, but I’m new to combining the two.”

She started making masks five years ago after receiving a request from her cousin to duplicate a peacock hairpiece.

“I made a few more because there was a trend going on with creations for hair for weddings,” she said. “Then my friend said there is a wedding on and they wanted to have two masks for the grooms. They wanted to arrive in leather masks. I really enjoyed it, so I started a sideline making masks back in South Africa.”

normally sell directly to people.”

Von Broembsen said she definitely uses her architecture background when creating her masks.

She studied architecture at the University of the Witwatersrand in Johannesburg, beginning with residential house architecture before branching into upmarket interiors and apartment renovations.

“I do use architecture for the structural aspect” of her masks, she said. “I want to make a mask that is solid, so you have it in four years time. That you’ve either framed it on the wall as decor or worn it to 20 events. It’s always an aspect that is foremost in my mind, that the structure must be put together very well.”

Stew Caroline von Broembsen creates handcrafted Jill Maderia, crew division coordinator with masks for masquerade balls and other events as a Denison Crew, wore one of von Broembsen’s masks side career.

PHOTO/SUZETTE COOK to a masquerade-themed event recently and received compliments on it.

Von Broembsen’s next job was a tall one.

“She made a mask for me for an event I was “A celebrity was getting married and she e-mailed having,” Maderia said. “They’re beautiful, and I still me, could she have 140 masks for her wedding?” she have it out on my dresser because it is so pretty. said. “So that was how I got into it. I love masks; I find It’s like a piece of art, it’s so beautiful. She’s such a them fascinating.” creative girl.”

Each mask is custom made and priced according Charter boats that create themed events for guests to the materials used and time involved. would have fun with her designs, she said.

“They’ve got a solid base covered in satin, silk, “If they order something and then keep them chiffon,” she said. “I’ve covered them with leather, crystals, peacock feathers. I have an Etsy store, but I See MASKS, page 37

Crew News

January 2016 The-Triton.com

11

Researchers and crew throw a net over the side, at left, to collect plankton samples. Penny Mae crew and UF scientists, center, make one expert research team. M/Y Penny Mae’s sky lounge, right, became a biology lab during a trip from New York City to West Palm Beach.

PHOTOS PROVIDED BY SEAKEEPERS

M/Y Penny Mae becomes floating lab for plankton research

By Suzette Cook M/Y Penny Mae carried along six scientists on its end-of-season repositioning from New York to West Palm Beach, picking up sea critters and lots of knowledge along the way.

Capt. Mike O’Neill and the yacht’s owner once again put the Penny Mae into service to help the International Seakeepers Society, this time with researchers from the University of Florida collecting and analyzing plankton.

Over six days, UF scientists and the eight-member crew of the 138-foot (42m) Richmond M/Y Penny Mae pulled more than 130 nets filled with at least 400-600 marine planktonic species.

More than 95 percent of the total species collected had never been sampled for genomic analyses before, making this research trip aboard the Penny Mae the largest sampling of its kind ever obtained to date, according to ISS. “It made what would have been a very boring delivery from New York to Palm Beach into something that was really interesting and educational to the crew,” Capt. Mike O’Neill said. The crew got a chance to learn about the study by helping with sample collection and peeking into microscopes along the way.

“They get so super excited about everything they find, and they are so keen to teaching and showing the crew what they’re learning and what they’re gaining,” he said about the UF researchers. “You just ask a question, and you’ll get a whole story from them.”

Leonid Moroz, the principal investigator from UF and a professor of neuroscience, genetics, biology and chemistry, led the research. Tiny, planktonic organisms, which are

found in the upper part of the water column, are critical to the health of all oceanic ecosystems, and yet are the least understood. Performing genetic analyses on these organisms allows for identifying and tracking the origin of unique species.

Sampling these animals in waters on the edge of and within the Gulf Stream was especially significant because this major current plays an important role in climate and fisheries in North America, Africa and Europe.

Being able to do some of the analyses onboard the yacht was also significant because it mitigated the problem of tissue disintegration that often happens when samples are stored and brought back to shore for analyses.

The new and representative species were preserved and photographed for the Museum of Natural History at UF

in central Florida. The museum has one of the largest online collections of invertebrates in the world, which will soon include the new species catalogued from this trip. Some of the species were also specially preserved for further genomic analyses to identify new biologically active compounds, which could be used in the development of future pharmaceuticals.

M/Y Penny Mae and its tender, Little Penny, both have been involved in several other SeaKeeper expeditions in the past, including shark research in Florida and the Bahamas.

The owners of the yacht have been involved with ISS since its inception in 1998.

“Over the past two years, we’ve become more active with regard to working with scientists through Seakeepers on different expeditions,”

Capt. O’Neill said.

The trips are beneficial to both scientists and crew because the two groups function as a team.

“They come along as crew,” he said.

“We work together as one big crew. They eat with the crew, share housing with the crew.”

The Penny Mae is already thinking about its next scientific adventure.

“We’re headed to Costa Rica for the winter, and could possibly to bring them along on the return trip to complete the research leg from Florida to Panama,” Capt. O’Neill said. “Then they would get a complete picture of the plankton.”

Suzette Cook is editor of The Triton.

Comments on this story are welcome at suzette@the-triton.com. For more information or to get involved in ISS research trips, visit www.seakeepers.org.

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Career

The-Triton.com January 2016

Has drinking become an issue in your professional life?

Crew Coach Capt. Rob Gannon

Drinking too much can be a dangerous game. Done on a regular basis, it can be unhealthy in many different ways. It can harm relationships, our health and our careers. It can get ugly. It’s all fun and games till someone gets hurt.

The yachting industry is well acquainted with drinking. In fact, it goes back in history in maritime tales.

We are kind of connected to it.

From the grog of the early ocean voyages to the drinks at the local yacht club, drinking revolves around the sailing life.

I don’t write this as some sort of saint or teetotaler. I’ve had my share of indulgence and debauchery, but thankfully it never went over the line to messing things up in my career. It can be a fine line and something to be careful with.

I imagine there may be a few captains or crew out there who wander close to the danger zone. It may be someone you work with or know well and care about. So let’s look at some things the drinker and the persons who are concerned about the drinker can do.

One major factor to understand is that changing ingrained habits is a process. There are stages to the process of attempting permanent change. This can be a bit of work, especially when dealing with addictive substances (alcohol, nicotine, and certain foods).

As a coach, I work with change and transition a lot. I constantly read and research this topic, and believe me, there’s plenty out there.

One book I came across recently is called “Changing for Good” by Drs. Prochaska, Norcross and DiClemente.

In it, they explain these stages of change, backed up by studies of hundreds of people.

The six stages that self-changers go through are precontemplation, contemplation, preparation, action, maintenance and termination.

You may notice that before any action is taken there is some contemplating going on. We think about changing a bit before we are really ready to. This is where the saying that nobody changes till they are

ready to comes in. We can’t just bark at somebody with a deep-seated habit to change or else, or question their willpower.

We can be of assistance if we understand what stage they are at. It works like this: the precontemplator is not ready to change. They may be defensive and not want to talk about the subject at all. They just can’t look at it. They just aren’t there yet. In this stage, the person concerned can only put out statements of some concern such as, “You may want to take a look at how much you’re drinking mate”.

Plant the seed and step back.

In contemplation and preparation, the changer will talk about what’s going on. There is some forward motion here. As a friend, it’s just time to offer support and be a non-judgmental sounding board. Let this changer know you’re in their corner. This holds for the next stages as well. A person trying to change a tough habit really benefits by support.

In the action stage, let them know you’re proud of their effort and applaud them for doing their best. It’s not over yet, though.

This process doesn’t head in a straight line; it tends to be more like a spiral. It can swing around and go backwards for a while. It’s OK. Hang in there, and the maintenance stage is just up the road.

So the key thing here for the changer and those who want to support them is understanding what stage the changer is in. Don’t expect or demand someone not ready for action to take action.

There’s a good chance they will fail.

The changer first has to raise their awareness around their harmful habit.

They have to do an honest selfassessment and see the effects and potential damage that can be done. An emotional connection has to be made with the habit. Only then can there be action.

So captains and crews, take care out there. Look out for one another, and if you think you may have a problem, take a good look at it.

When you’re ready, find some support and sail on through the changes. Enjoy the voyage.

Capt. Rob Gannon is a 30-year licensed captain and certified life and wellness coach. Contact him through www. yachtcrewcoach.com.

Career

January 2016 The-Triton.com

Best leaders master themselves before trying to lead others Taking the Helm Paul Ferdais

This may sound odd coming from someone who coaches leaders, but leadership isn’t something that can be taught just in a classroom.

Learning leadership isn’t like learning how to read a chart or to make the boss a perfect cup of coffee.

Leadership is practice. It happens in the heat of the moment with people, not in the safety of a classroom. This is why many leadership courses often fail to bring change to the people enrolled.

Leadership, as a concept, is made up of many components: how well we lead ourselves, how effectively we interact with others, and how skilled we are at leading the organization. Each of these components, or competencies, includes different elements: how well we communicate, the environment we create to help motivate others, being adaptable, being accountable, having vision, etc. This is what characterizes leadership in the eyes of others.

Our ability to demonstrate the competencies of leadership is what determines whether others follow.

That’s it. Of course, it’s easy to say that but challenging to put into practice.

Stages of leadership

The foundation of good leadership consists of three actionable, independent yet related areas: selfleadership, leading others and leading the organization. Start at the beginning and progress through the stages, building one on top of the other.

Stage 1: Self-leadership This crucial stage is often skipped.

Who a person is at his/her core is the basis of their leadership: their character, how trustworthy they are, how credible they are. These demonstrate to others how well a person leads themselves.

What a person says is one thing; how they behave is what people really notice.

Stage 2: Leading others This is where most people think leadership begins. And this is often when leaders run into challenges. They tell others to do one thing and then do the opposite. For

example, if a captain tells the crew no drinking when operating the tender and then is seen to take the tender to the pub and returns drunk, the crew sees what the leader does versus what he says and considers the captain a hypocrite. That captain just undermined his ability to lead, no matter how successful he might have been up to that point.

Stage 3: Leading the organization The final set of competencies to understand is what skills are necessary to lead the organization. This includes communicating purpose to the team, having a vision of what the organization can look like or achieve, planning and organizing, taking risks and innovating, and getting results, as well as other skills.

If a captain has grand ideas about what level of service he would like to see on his vessel yet has no plan or direction on how to achieve that goal, he won’t be seen as an effective leader.

So what?

So what is the point in taking a leadership training course? At its core, workshops will give leaders the tools to identify their strengths and the areas where they can improve.

Leadership development requires self-analysis and examination of experiences to gain insight on how to behave as a person. Personal awareness directly influences our abilities as a leader.

The material presented in any leadership training course is a collection of tools that are available. It’s up to the student to make the material part of who they are. The hard work is just beginning.

When you walk out the door at the end of a training session, what are you prepared to do with the information you have received? The facilitator of the course isn’t going to be with you when you get back to work. It’s up to you to aspire to be the best example of all of the competencies you examine so you can be inspirational to those around you.

A former first officer, Paul Ferdais is founder and CEO of The Marine Leadership Group. Contact him through www. marineleadership group.com.

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Interior

The-Triton.com January 2016

Being a great stew starts with checklists Stew Cues Alene Keenan

Do you ever wonder what other stews think about when they first open their eyes in the morning, especially with the owners or guests onboard?

There’s a pretty good chance they are going over checklists in their minds.

Was everything finished on time yesterday? What are the guests going to do today? Will they be off the boat so we can vacuum?

Good stews are always thinking of ways to be efficient and save time.

The secret to great service is knowing what has to be done when, which tools and materials are needed to do the job right, and the best sequence of steps to perform in what order so nothing must be repeated.

Great stews learn how to be organized and efficient so they can operate with a sense of urgency but without looking hurried or stressed.

Creating structure and practicing good time management makes the interior job easier.

Knowing how to prioritize tasks and anticipate guest needs creates confidence.

The most often overlooked tools stews need to increase efficiency are administrative tools, including schedules, rosters and checklists.

Schedules and rosters keep crew informed about where and when work is performed, plus the tasks associated with each. They change according to the mode of operation of the yacht.

For instance, the daily schedule in the shipyard is different from the daily schedule with guests on and “in service”.

Checklists are “To Do” lists that outline what steps need to be taken to finish each task. When they are written down, prioritized and used regularly, they provide predictability and minimize mistakes.

As a reminder of each step to be completed, they make it easier to delegate work and guarantee that everything gets done as it should.

The first step is to create a checklist that itemizes all of the day’s tasks. A general list of daily interior jobs when guests are onboard might include: 1. Opening duties 2. Check laundry 3. Set up for breakfast 4. Serve breakfast

5. Cabin service / Turn ups 6. Continue laundry and start ironing, if needed 7. Clear breakfast 8. Run dishwasher 9. Set up for morning activities 10. Clean and check guest areas 11. Clean crew areas and bridge 12. Clean captain’s cabin 13. Unload dishwasher 14. Set up for crew lunch 15. Clear crew lunch 16. Set up for guest lunch 17. Serve guest lunch 18. Clear guest lunch 19. Set up for afternoon activities 20. Run dishwasher 21. Tidy guest areas and check cabins 22. Continue laundry and ironing 23. Unload dishwasher 24. Set up for cocktail hour 25. Set up for guest dinner 26. Set up for crew dinner 27. Serve cocktails and appetizers 28. Clear crew dinner 29. Serve guest dinner 30. Clear guest dinner 31. Evening turndowns 32. Run dishwasher 33. Evening guest service 34. Unload dishwasher 35. Pull set-ups for breakfast 36. Finish laundry and ironing 37. Fill in daily journal 38. Close down duties This extensive list is really just a starting point. The second step is to make a separate checklist for each job.

Create a bullet-point list of what needs to be done to finish the job correctly, according to the procedures and protocols of each yacht.

For instance, here is an example of how one boat might expand the “Set up for breakfast” item on the daily jobs list.

1. Check in with the deck department if set up is outside. Make sure they are finished uncovering cushions and cleaning the area.

2. Greet the chef, get the menu and find out how much time is needed to get food out once guests are up. Print menu, put it in a frame and post it where guests can see it.

3. Set the table.

4. Set up beverage station.

5. For a buffet, determine when food goes out, how to arrange items, and what is needed for proper service and food hygiene. Organize service pieces.

6. As guests get up, offer drinks and

inform chef. Begin service when they are ready. If there is long wait, quickly make beds.

7. Stay available for service.

While this second step might seem time-consuming, it is only the beginning. It is critical to reaching the third and most important step: showing crew how to do it.

This is where teams fail most often.

To have jobs done consistently to a standard, this is the key step. There must be a “how to” training document to explain every step of each task.

Photos are helpful, too.

Stews multitask by performing and monitoring several duties at once. The amount of workload and the level of detail depends on whether there is a sole stew or more than one.

Timing is crucial, and solo stews have to learn to cut corners. Here are some tips for solo stews: Be sure any swimwear, sports gear and guest items for morning are ready to go before they arise.

Turn up cabins in steps. Work fast and don’t neglect the guests. Make the bed, pick up clutter and wet items, and then check on breakfast status. Wait until after breakfast before tackling the bathrooms.

Tidy up guest common areas in between trips to the table. Keep the laundry going, and check on crew areas. Once breakfast is finished, return to cabins to finish cleaning.

If guests go off the boat, try to finish cleaning common areas. Vacuum if possible.

Great stews move fast and make their work look effortless. They stay organized while taking care of guests by setting up good manuals, and by using schedules and checklists.

Knowing every job that needs to be done and in the right sequence is key.

The standards of service will vary by boat, so make sure to know what the department head and captain expect.

Ask for feedback from the captain, other crew, and maybe even the owners, if the chain of command allows.

Alene Keenan is lead instructor of yacht interior courses at Maritime Professional Training in Ft. Lauderdale.

She shares her experience from more than 20 years as a stew in her book, “The Yacht Guru’s Bible: The Service Manual for Every Yacht”, available at http://createspace.com/5377000 and on amazon.com. Contact her at info@ yachtstewguru.com.

Operations

January 2016 The-Triton.com

15

Strict rules on fuel cleanliness mean more work for filters Diesel Digest Capt. Jeff Werner

It is a common belief that the diesel engine fuel filter, installed by the engine manufacturer, will provide the required level of contamination protection to achieve reliable operation. This is a fair and reasonable assumption because the intended purpose of that filter is to “achieve a fuel cleanliness that will enable the fuel injection components to function reliably and within their designed operating parameters throughout the life of the component.”

However, engine fuel filters alone cannot achieve the stringent cleanliness level recommended by high pressure common rail (HPCR) fuel injector manufacturers.

Most major engine manufacturers have determined that fuel must meet or exceed a cleanliness level between 1,300 to 2,500 contaminant particles of four microns in size per milliliter of diesel. To put this into perspective, the average red blood cell is eight microns in diameter, so these organic and inorganic particles are very small indeed.

But the manufacturers of HPCR fuel injectors rely on a higher cleanliness level between 20 to 40 particles four microns in size per milliliter.

The typical passive diesel fuel filtration system installed on a HPCR engine uses both a primary filter and a secondary filter. The primary filter is usually plumbed between the fuel tank and the engine, while the secondary filter is frequently mounted on the engine and is fed by the engine’s low pressure pump. Manufacturers will modify this design depending on the requirements of their engine and their research into what they believe works best.

The primary filter removes larger particles that can damage the low pressure pump and also separates free water from the fuel. The secondary filter removes the smaller particles, about four microns in size, which can damage the downstream engine components such as the high pressure fuel pump and the fuel injectors.

Some new filter designs use a singlestage system that incorporates the water removal capability of the primary filter with the high efficiency particle removal of the secondary filter.

The distribution of contaminant particle sizes within diesel fuel is vastly different from other hydrocarbons.

Lubricating oils, engine oils and hydraulic oils typically have a wide distribution of particle sizes within a given sample.

A typical sample of diesel fuel, however, comprises about 80-97 percent of particles at or below four microns in size. With such a high percentage of particles in the fuel at the same size that causes the greatest damage in a HPCR injection system, filter companies have changed the filtration size on engine fuel filters to below four microns.

This transition to a lower micron rated filter has led to a reduction in the life of the filter element because the physical size of the filter canister has not changed. In effect, the same

amount of fuel is being pushed through a smaller “screen size”, which causes the filters to work overtime, and they can get plugged up more quickly.

Engine manufacturers list the fuel filter change intervals in their operation or service manuals. Today, most HPCR engine manufacturers schedule engine fuel filter changes at 500 hours. However, as the filter micron ratings have been reduced to target particles below four microns, some engine manufacturers advise their customers to reduce the fuel filter change interval to 250 hours.

This reduction in the preventive maintenance interval helps ensure that the engine fuel filter will not get completely blocked. Filters are

not intelligent devices; they remove contaminants in the fuel as they pass through the filter media. Reducing the level of contaminants before the fuel reaches the engine filter will increase its service life and dramatically reduce the amount of dollars spent on filters.

Having a diesel dialysis system on board to clean the fuel, and using it regularly as part of the fuel’s planned maintenance program reduces the risk of damage to, and the costly repair of, the components of the high pressure common rail injector system. Reliable fuel does matter.

Capt. Jeff Werner has been in yachting for almost 25 years. Contact him through MyDieselDoctor.com.

16

Operations

The-Triton.com January 2016

Wet exhaust systems help neutralize vibration issues on yachts Engineer’s Angle Rich Merhige

Over the past few years, more and more frequently, exhaust systems have been identified as the source of vibration on yachts. Today, most yachts are equipped with wet exhaust systems, whereas an injection of water is used to cool exhaust gases, and then passed overboard through an outlet.

Sea water discharged from the engine’s jacket water is used for the water injection into the exhaust.

Much like humans need to exhale after inhaling, wet exhaust systems are designed to remove the gases that

are the by-product of the engine’s combustion, as well as waste heat.

The design of the system’s piping must be properly laid out and installed, and also be properly maintained to prevent noise, vibration, and damage to engines and mechanical components.

Never attach structures supporting the weight of the exhaust piping directly to the engine block or components.

Engines are not designed to support the weight of the exhaust system and this will short circuit the engine vibrations through the piping into the structure. To prevent vibration, the piping must be isolated. Isolator pipe supports should be used.

The isolator supports are most effective when spaced irregularly, rather

than at regular intervals to reduce pipe resonances. Exhaust lines are too small in diameter, designed with too many bends, or, have clogs. All of these scenarios can cause back pressure.

Engines have different specs for exhaust back pressure, pay attention to the requirements of the manufacturer.

The engine cooling water is injected into the exhaust line using a spray ring right after the exhaust riser begins to drop. As the gasses are cooled, their volume decreases, which in turn, decreases exhaust vibration.

After being injected into the exhaust, the mixture is often routed to an inline muffler or water-lift muffler for further noise reduction before being ejected overboard. In some

cases a water separator muffler is also used, which allows the gas portion be discharged above the waterline and the water portion to be quietly discharged below the waterline.

Boats with underwater exhaust have a secondary bypass to relieve backpressure from the exhaust when the boat is not on plane. On plane there is a venturi effect that sucks the gases out. Wet systems provide for better cooling, which means that flexible hoses can be utilized. Flexible hoses absorbs more vibration and movement from the engine, meaning they are also less likely to suffer stress cracks.

They are also not as vulnerable to corrosion, and are easier to run.

A properly installed and maintained system will provide the proper back pressure which will muffle the sound of the exhaust water. When stiff piping is used, they can have a resonance that can be excited at different speeds.

When this occurs, it’s recommended to install an expansion joint and more hangars into the exhaust system. Water must not backflow into engine from the exhaust system. One way to minimize the possibility of the water entering is to have an exhaust riser. These are pipes that elevate the exhaust gas and typically have a deep downward slope, downstream of the engine.

The weight of the risers must be supported from the engine and/or the marine reduction gear. Exhaust noise is the main source of noise from any engine installation. It arises from the release of high pressure exhaust gas releasing from the engine cylinders, which causes strong gas pressure fluctuations in the system.

The symptoms are discharge noise at the outlet, and noise coming from the exhaust pipe and silencer surfaces.

Silencers are used to reduce the noise of the exhaust before it is released.

As with all mechanical components, exhaust systems need to be properly specified to the anatomy of the vessel, and complement the other machinery it interacts with. Systems need to be well designed and supported to properly minimize and deter noise and vibration. Proper maintenance of the system is just as important, to prevent the worsening of noise and damage to the system, and the engines.

Rich Merhige is owner of Advanced Mechanical Enterprises and Advanced Maintenance Engineering in Ft. Lauderdale. Contact him through www.

AMEsolutions.com.

Operations

January 2016 The-Triton.com

New rules on steering, escapes, testing, more Rules of the Road Capt. Jake DesVergers

As we say goodbye to 2015 and welcome in the New Year, we look ahead to what awaits us in the world of maritime regulations. The various regulatory bodies were again very busy and 2016 will exhibit many of those initiatives. We will see a number of new regulations enter into force. Below is a summary of those that will affect new and existing yachts. Please remember that for regulatory purposes, a yacht is considered a cargo ship. Those yachts that carry more than 12 guests while engaged in trade are by definition a passenger ship, regardless of tonnage.

SOLAS Convention, Regulation II-1/29 Steering Gear Jan. 1, 2016: This amendment outlines three different possible methods of demonstrating compliance with testing of steering gear on new yachts: 1. Ship at even keel and the rudder fully submerged with the speed of the ship corresponding to the number of maximum continuous revolutions of the main engine and maximum design pitch; 2. If full rudder immersion is not possible an appropriate speed should be used, calculated on the basis of the actual rudder submersion. The chosen speed should result in a force and torque on the steering gear which is at least as great as if the full service draught was being used; and 3. A prediction made of the actual service condition force and torque on the steering gear, which is then extrapolated to the full load condition.

This regulation affects all new construction yachts at initial sea trials.

SOLAS Convention, Regulation II-2/13.4 Emergency Escapes Jan. 1, 2016: Following a serious engine room fire on a cargo ship, the IMO decided to improve the requirements for means of escape in machinery spaces on cargo ships. The revision harmonizes the regulation with those for passenger ships. This requires two means of escape from a machinery control room. There will be significant cost implications since the new amendments would require design changes to the escape routes of machinery spaces of cargo ships

and smaller passenger ships. The new escapes must provide the same level of protection as the passenger ships.

This regulation will apply to new yachts and passenger ships wonly.

SOLAS Convention, Regulation XI-1/7 Atmospheric Testing July 1, 2016: The IMO adopted Resolution A.1050 (27) - Revised recommendations for entering enclosed spaces aboard ships.

Following this adoption, the IMO recognized that hazards originating from oxygen-depleted or oxygenenriched, flammable or toxic atmosphere could be present on other ships types (not only tankers and bulk carriers). The IMO agreed to develop relevant SOLAS and related code amendments to mandate the carriage of appropriate atmosphere testing instruments.

The primary objective of this new regulation is to focus on non-cargo enclosed spaces, including, but not limited to, ballast tanks, fuel oil tanks, void spaces, chain lockers, steering gear spaces, inerted spaces adjacent to cargo spaces, and sewage tanks. Because it was discovered that only testing for oxygen in any enclosed space is not necessarily sufficient for evaluating whether it is safe to enter, multi-gas detectors must now be carried on board.

This regulation affects all yachts.

MLC, 2006 Dec. 12, 2016: As of March 2014 when this amendment was originally suggested, the ILO’s abandonment of seafarers’ database listed 159 abandoned merchant ships, some dating back to 2006. Many of them with cases unresolved. Numerous

abandoned seafarers are working and living on board ships without pay, often for several months, and lack food and water supplies, medical care, or means to return home. As such, amendments to the MLC 2006 were proposed to provide abandoned seafarers with further protection. The new amendments require ship owners to provide proof of financial security in respect of repatriation of seafarers following abandonment by the ship owner. In addition, a ship owner must confirm liability and financial security to assure compensation for contractual claims following the death or disability of a seafarer.

This regulation applies to all yachts engaged in trade, regardless of tonnage.

STCW, 2010 Dec. 31, 2016: For holders of licenses issued by the U.S. Coast Guard, the

regulatory changes that became effective on 24 March 2014, require additional training and/or assessments for certain Standards of Training, Certification, and Watchkeeping (STCW) endorsements. Mariners who hold STCW endorsements issued under the previous regulatory requirements must meet these “gap-closing” requirements.

Mariners who submit applications without evidence of meeting the gap-closing items may have their STCW endorsements limited to “Not valid after 31-Dec-2016.” Failure to comply with the STCW gap-closing requirements does not affect limitation or retention of national endorsements for domestic use.

Capt. Jake DesVergers is chief surveyor for International Yacht Bureau (IYB).

Contact him on www.yachtbureau.org.

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Career

The-Triton.com January 2016

Owners don’t want to hear ‘no’; ‘yes but…’ goes much farther Owner’s View Peter Herm

Owners of big boats are not generally known to enjoy hearing the word no from anyone. The income required to support our yachting habit is often concurrent with a healthy ego and eternal optimism, places where the word no isn’t heard as frequently as with lesser-driven individuals.

Good captains are required to say “no” in a variety of situations, and learning how to say it right is an important, long-term skill. Often, saying “yes, but …” is a better approach.

For example: 1. An owner has just decided to use the boat for an unscheduled cruise. He calls the captain and says, “Hey, my New Year’s plans just changed and I want to use the boat Dec. 30 to Jan. 5.”

The captain has long ago booked his overdue vacation with his extended family for those dates. He would like to say “No, you can’t. I am not available,” but this will most likely not make the owner happy.

Another answer might go something like this: “Hey, Mr. Owner, that is great.

Anytime you want to use your boat, we will make it happen. Since our agreed schedule included time off for me that week, and I have a big family

event, would you mind if we did that cruise with my good friend, Capt. Bob, who is familiar with the boat and crew and is almost as good as I am?” (Great captains do have a backup captain or captains trained on the boat and ready.)

This way, the captain gets his vacation and the owner does not hear “no”, but rather “yes, but …”, a far more palatable answer.

2. An owner spent four days at the Ft. Lauderdale boat show, and he and a shrewd generator salesman decided that a night generator might be a great addition. The owner tells the captain his brilliant plan. The captain knows that this simple “improvement” will end up being a giant, painful project.

He also knows how to use a calculator, so he responds with this: “Mr. Owner, that is a great idea.

Let me do the math on the cost of the system and installation vs. the fuel savings and get back to you on what it would look like financially.”

The captain figures out this will be a $50,000 project. The night generator will save about one gallon per hour vs. the main generators, for the eight hours it will be used at night, times the 30 nights per year the boat is used by the owner at anchor. His call back to the owner goes something like this: “Mr. Owner, I did the math, and at our current $2 per gallon fuel cost, it will only take 104 years to make that investment pay for itself. Or if fuel prices go up to $5 per gallon, we would pay for it in about 40 years. I think with about $1,000 of new sound deadening materials, we can solve most of the noise issue.” (I love my crew.)

Notice that he didn’t say “no”, but he made a “yes” pretty illogical. Even factoring in overhaul times, I cannot justify the project financially. Owners understand numbers.

3. It is blowing hard in the Abacos, and the boat is anchored on the calm, lee side of an island. The owner wants to take the big boat out and chase some fish. The captain knows this is going to be a rough and miserable ride for all involved. Instead of saying “no”, he suggests that perhaps the guests should split up into the fishing people and the non-fishing people. The fishing folks can take the tender into some nearby flats and catch bonefish while the other guests enjoy cocktails on the big boat, anchored in the nice calm water. Again, “yes, but …” is a better alternative.

Sometimes, however, a “no” is required, particularly on safety issues.

A respected captain should always have the last word where safety is involved.

Whether an owner’s desire is to make a rough crossing in bad weather to meet a schedule or trying to cruise with suspect mechanical systems, the captain must explain his firm “no” as it pertains to safety. And I did say explain.

Sometimes, a “no” comes without explanation or justification, but not often. Whenever possible, an owner will more favorable respond to a “yes, but …” explanation.

Peter Herm is the pen name for a veteran yacht owner who is an entrepreneur based on the East Coast of the U.S. Contact him through www.thetriton.com/author/peter-herm.

Interior

January 2016 The-Triton.com

Pickled, Spiced & Everything Nice Potato Wedges Top Shelf Chef Mark Godbeer

This recipe was inspired from my love of salt-and-vinegar potato chips and fries with vinegar. With various applications, this dish can be a perfect accompaniment to any buffet, paired with any protein, or even served as passed hors d’oeuvres or a plated appetizer. Whatever fate is destined for these crispy, tangy little miracles, the results will be unanimous. Enjoy.

Serves 10-12 Ingredients: 2 cups sherry vinegar (white or flavored) 1 cup sea salt 2 liters chicken stock 1 Tbsp dried thyme 1 Tbsp dried onions 1 tsp chili flakes 1 tsp garlic powder 10 large yukon gold potatoes, skin on, cut into wedges 5 cups ice 5 cloves garlic, peeled

1/3 cup rosemary leaves 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil Juice of 1 lemon 1/4 cup olive oil 1/4 cup coconut oil 1/2 cup shaved parmesan Salt & crushed pepper to taste Place the vinegar, sea salt and chicken stock in a heavy bottomed large pot and stir to dissolve the salt.

Lay out a piece of cheesecloth. Spoon the thyme, dried onions, chili flakes and garlic powder in the center.

Pull the corners together and secure with kitchen string.

Place the spice parcel and potato wedges in the pot. Slowly bring to a boil over medium-high.

Immediately remove from heat and place a tight fitting lid on the pot.

Let sit for 1 hour.

Place ice in the pot and let sit for 2 more hours (at least, or refrigerate overnight).

When ready to bake, preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Place garlic cloves on a baking tray and drizzle with a little oil. Roast until the garlic browns (10-15

minutes). Remove from oven.

In a food processor, place the garlic, rosemary, oil and lemon juice. Pulse and set aside for plating.

Pierce potatoes with a knife. They should be soft. Drain.

In a large bowl, toss the potatoes, and oils, and season. Place in a Pyrex dish in a single layer. If they don’t fit, use two dishes.

Roast for 30-45 minutes, or until golden brown.

Serve immediately with a drizzle of the rosemary oil and a sprinkle of parmesan shavings.

Mark Godbeer has been a yacht chef for more than 10 years. Contact him through chefmarkgodbeer.com.

Bacon Chocolate Chip Cookies with Maple Cinnamon Glaze Crew’s Mess Capt. John Wampler

Provisioning for a recent trip out of Camden, Maine, the local market had bacon brownies in the bakery. At a county fair, I found a vendor selling bacon strips dipped in chocolate.

If this sounds off, then you are out of the loop. The bacon-chocolate craze has been taking off like a banshee. The combination of crisp salty-smoky bacon and the subtlesweet smoothness of chocolate is an incredible contrast in tastes.

This recipe is one of my all-time favorites.

Yield: 60 cookies.

Ingredients: 1 cup unsalted butter, softened (2 sticks) 2/3 cup packed brown sugar 2/3 cup granulated sugar 1 tsp hazelnut extract 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

2 eggs 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 1 tsp baking soda 1/2 tsp salt 1 cup white chocolate chips 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips 2 cups bacon bits. Use real bacon bits, not imitation. Or make your own in a food processor. Just be sure to pat down the bacon with paper towels to remove as much grease as possible.

Wrap dough on a sheet of waxed paper and refrigerate at least an hour.

Once chilled, pinch off 1-inch pieces of dough and roll into balls.

Set dough balls about 2 inches apart on an ungreased cookie sheet.

Flatten slightly in the center.

Bake for about 10 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on a wire rack.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Beat together the butter, sugars, flavorings and eggs until creamy.

In another bowl, sift together the dry ingredients.

Add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture and mix well.

Add in chocolate chips and bacon bits.

Stir until well integrated.

Mix all ingredients together until smooth and creamy.

Spread a small amount of the glaze on top of each cooked cookie and top with any leftover bacon bits. Enjoy.

Maple Cinnamon Glaze: 2 cups powdered sugar 1 Tbsp maple extract 1 tsp vanilla extract ½ tsp cinnamon Enough water for a thick glaze.

Capt. John Wampler has worked on yachts for more than 25 years. Contact him through www.yachtaide.com.

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The-Triton.com January 2016

Know, know, know your boat

According to Mate/Chef/Stew Molly Malloy, the S/Y Sonny was built in Maine. It is a replica of a boat the owner donated to a charity. He missed it PHOTO/SUZETTE COOK so much, he had another handcrafted.

S/Y Sonny a hand-measured replica built in Maine boatyard

By Suzette Cook The Triton knows captains and crew become curators of their vessels.

They learn about the boat’s history, the maker, the way their boats function.

So stand ready and when our reporter approaches you and asks you “What do you know about your boat?” tell us all the details and we’ll snap a few photographs and feature you in the next issue.

Our first candidate, Molly Malloy, hails from Connecticut and serves as mate/ chef/stew of the S/Y Sonny which was designed

by Dieter Empacher Designs and is docked at Rybovich Superyacht Marina in West Palm Beach.

According to Malloy, the sailboat measures 70 feet in length, has a 16foot beam and an 8-foot draft.

But there is more to the story behind Sonny than dimensions, she said.

“It’s a gorgeous boat,” Malloy said.

“It’s all wood and she sails really fast.

“It was built only a couple of years

ago, but designed many, many more years ago than that,” Malloy said.

“The owner of the boat donated his last boat and about a year later decided he had made a big mistake. So he went to Brooklin Boat Yard in Maine and said ‘my old boat is here, at this school and I’d like you to rebuild it for me.’”

Steve White, owner of Brooklin Boat Yard in Brooklin Maine, said he built the first and second versions of Sonny.

“We built the first one for him in 2000,” White said.

About a month after the owner donated the boat to the Maine Maritime Academy, White said he got the request to build another. “It took about a year,” White said.

“I still had the drawings. He literally did not change anything. Same materials, color, everything exactly.”

Suzette Cook is editor at The Triton.

Does your boat have a story? Suggestion for future stories are welcome at suzette@the-triton.com.

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January 2016 The-Triton.com

21

Four AEDs donated to St. Croix Four rescue services in St. Croix each received a new life-saving automatic external defibrillators (AEDs) to add to their arsenal of tools to protect citizens and visitors. They were purchased for $6,000 by the AED Fund Project, which collects money to buy and maintain AEDs around the island.

As recently as six years ago, there was one AED on the island. Now there are 124 in 91 locations.

“When someone stops breathing, is nonresponsive, and has no heartbeat, there is a 10-minute critical window before that person dies,” AED Fund Project Director Cher Will said. “Having an AED nearby can be the difference between life and death for that person.”

Having AEDs on the marine units of first

Scholarship opens for entry-level crew Alison Rentoul, who operates the Antibes-based The Crew Coach, has launched a new scholarship designed to give four people new to the yachting industry a head start.

The scholarships, valued at 2,800 euros, include training, uniform, housing in Antibes, travel insurance, a CV and career guidance package, a mentor, a yachting association membership, and what she calls “crew agency red carpet treatment.”

“Not everyone can afford the high cost of entry into this life-changing career, and we want to make it possible for those who might not otherwise be able to afford it,” Rentoul said. “This is part of The Crew Coach’s commitment to give back to the industry that has given us so much.”

One winner will be chosen from the interior, exterior, galley and engineering departments. The winners will be decided by a panel of judges from prize sponsors and will be announced on a live webinar in early March. One of the four winners will also win the grand prize, a jackpot of extra goodies worth more than 6,700 euros. Prizes include a six-month crew coaching package, a flight between home and Nice, STCW 95 basic safety training course, a professional photo, and a pair of designer sunglasses.

Applications open Jan. 1 and close at the end of February. Applicants must be ages 21 to 30. Fluent English is a prerequisite.

To apply, fill out an online form at www.superyachtscholarship.com.

responders means that boaters have a better chance of surviving a heart attack on board.

The four new AEDs self-check daily, are easy to use, and can be adjusted for use on children weighing less than 55 pounds.

To use an AED, just turn it on and it will “talk you through” the procedure to save a life.

“Odds of survival for a person who is in sudden cardiac arrest are 6 percent with immediate CPR; those odds increase to 49-90 percent when an AED is used along with CPR,” Will said.

The unit delivers an electric shock to the heart and restores it to the proper rhythm. The machines indicate when the paddles are in the correct position and can sense how much of an electric shock to give and when to give it.

– Ellen Sanpere

Llewellyn Westerman, sailor, singer, Calypsonian, was brought back to life when he suffered a sudden cardiac arrest aboard his boat, the 34-foot mongoose S/V Charis+. Cher Will was called and brought her personal AED to the club, located on PHOTO/ELLEN SANPERE the East End.

January 2016 The-Triton.com

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Networking

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Triton Networking with West Marine

bout 250 captains, crew and industry professionals kicked off December with regular first Wednesday of the month Triton networking. The festive crowd enjoyed barbecue and beverages and many attendees searched for nutcrackers hidden within the store PHOTOS/DORIE COX for prizes.

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Triton Networking

The-Triton.com January 2016

Start fresh in new year and career at Triton networking Network your way into the new year on the first Wednesday of the month.

The Triton joins Yacht Chandlers and International Crew Training on Jan. 6. The two companies have relocated into one 42,000-square-foot building on Sunrise Boulevard in Ft. Lauderdale.

Until then, learn more from James James, general manager of Yacht Chandlers, and Brian Luke, chief operations officer at International Crew Training.

Q. James, please tell us about Yacht Chandlers.

Yacht Chandlers is a leader in megayacht supply and support, headquartered in Ft. Lauderdale for over 25 years. Our main departments are deck, engineering, provisions, interior and fuel bunkering.

Tim McMillan, our original partner, has grown our company from the ground up, and I joined him eight years ago. Our other offices are located in Antibes, France, St Thomas (at Yacht Haven Grande), St. Maarten, and a store at Lauderdale Marine Center.

Our tagline is “Anything, Anytime, Anywhere”, and we our proud to offer that kind of service. We offer discounted services to management companies, captain and crew with rental cars and scooters on site, discount storage for yachts and crew, and more.

Q. What sets you apart?

Our service and listening to customers needs and our employees.

From putting a person on a plane to Maldives in a moment’s notice, to a local delivery (and taking away the boxes after delivery), our team takes pride in everything we do.

If you need our office open at midnight on Sunday for some emergency parts, we are there. Our new-build packing list has every item listed by pallet and box number so customers can quickly find the parts they need.

By listening to customers we have grown into many services and added unique products. While our purchasing and support process has stayed the same, the type of products we offer and solutions have changed. When a customer wants an alternative, faster service, or a better price, we get it.

We are an employee-run company

and our best ideas come from our employees. They are the face of our company and we try hard to offer a great place to work.

We set goals and when they are met, we take our entire company on a cruise (just did it again this year in August).

Our office has fitness area/gym, indoor pool and racquetball court for our teams use.

Q. What trends do you see?

Seems like new cruising areas are becoming more popular (Cuba, South Pacific, Mexico and Bahamas) and Internet purchasing from crew. Crew want to purchase their own goods sometimes. We set up a crew mail program, where we just charge labor, storage and packing. Crew and yachts can have their own “mail box” and we can support their needs in a new way.

And training, part of the reason for having ICT in with us at the new location is the demand for training and career development. We are proud to have them with us.

Q. What is important for crew to know about provisioning/supply?

There aren’t a lot of shortcuts, provisioning is simply a lot of hard work. If you want it right, we have to inspect everything. Quality of produce, condition, packing.. etc.. We have our own brand of beef, McMillans Reserve.

We have been to the ranch and seen the select cattle and controlled packing.

For other departments, it’s all about the details, as well. More info we have, the faster we can get to work on the solution. If we have an alternative solution, we will present it. For example, we had a customer looking for new VHF radios and the interior department was looking for new radios.

We suggested digital radios so they got a better product and saved money.

Q. Brian Luke, please tell us about International Crew Training.

International Crew Training grew out of a predecessor yacht training company started in Ft. Lauderdale in the mid-1990s, the first such program outside of Europe to focus on the training requirements unique to the superyacht industry. A few years ago, the management team became members of the International Association of Maritime Institutions

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January 2016 The-Triton.com

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Yacht Chandler, ICT together on first Wednesday of year (IAMI), was awarded new MCA and USCG course approvals, and established its relationship with the Large Yacht Qualification Panel, all part of a reorganization effort to be the leading yacht training facility anywhere. As part of this the center came to be known as International Crew Training.

Q. What are your most popular courses?

Two of our most in-demand courses are Security Awareness and S.A. with Designated Security Duties because of the new requirement under the Manila amendments for everyone to have security training.

Additionally, for deck officers the gap closing courses are most often requested. These courses include Human Element and Leadership Management (HELM) and Electronic Chart Display Instrument System (ECDIS). The Manila amendments are also responsible for bringing in these courses.

Q. You have a lot of new technology, tell us about that.

ICT has incorporated the use of Smartboard technology for all our classrooms. This provides our students with a much more interactive experience. We have also added brand new Transas 5000 simulators for ECDIS, navigation, radar, ARPA and new stand-alone Transas 5000 touch screen GMDSS equipment. We are the first training center worldwide to incorporate touch screen training for GMDSS. Q. What advice do you recommend to crew?

Get the pre-requisite experience before attempting to move up the chain of command. When you get the experience pre-study and take all the modules you can and move to the next level with a pre-formulated plan. When the process becomes confusing seek out our help at ICT. We are very good at guiding you through the obstacles that can hinder your career. Becoming stagnant in the industry negatively affects your career goals and income.

Q. What trends are you seeing in crew education?

There has been an increasing demand for onboard training. There are two types of onboard training.

Training for better performance and efficiency such as emergencies or general operating procedures which can also help out with insurance claims and potentially reduce premiums.

And training for mandatory certification such as security awareness that will simply make you a better team or individual. An

example of this training might be interior training for PYA GUEST program certifications. This type of training will better prepare crew to serve the owner at the highest level possible.

Networking will be Jan. 6 at the Yacht Chandlers and International Crew Training building at 750 W. Sunrise Blvd., Ft. Lauderdale (33311), www. yachtchandlers.com, +1-954-761Yacht Chandler and ICT share a building in Ft. 3463.

Lauderdale.

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News

The-Triton.com January 2016

Workers are on site in mid-December at the Miami Marine Stadium Park for PHOTO/DORIE COX the Miami International Boat Show on Key Biscayne.

Beach show highlights home with name; Miami moves venue show was required to move and is expected to be based at the newly created Miami Marine Stadium Park International Boat Show. and Basin on Virginia Key in temporary Yachts Miami Beach is an in-water structures and on temporary docks. show now in its 28th year and held MIBS also includes the Strictly Sail along more than a mile of the Indian show at Miamarina at Bayside in Creek Waterway in Miami Beach. downtown Miami.

Produced by Show Management Decades of consistency has some and co-owned with the Florida MIBS visitors and vendors concerned Yacht Brokers Association, the show about the changes including off-site was originally created to showcase parking, travel to the show, ongoing brokerage and previously owned boats, lawsuits and issues with temporary said Efrem “Skip” Zimbalist III, CEO of dock permits. For yacht crew at Yachts Show Management.

Miami Beach, a trip to MIBS used Yachts Miami Beach is expanding to be a couple of miles by road on a to include boats on newly completed shuttle bus. This year the trip will be docks at Island Gardens on Watson about 10 miles by land or a shorter trip Island. Last year, three yachts showed to a water taxi stop for a boat ride to at the property. Although a visit to the Virginia Key. Show Management website pictures a Dane Graziano, senior vice president facility complete with high-rise hotels, retail shops, a promenade and a marina and COO of Show Management, expects to have full of megayachts, a bus available in reality just For more information for crew to travel the docks and a to Miami Beach lounge are ready on Yachts Miami Marina where they for the show. The Beach, visit www. can catch a water marina, named showmanagement. taxi to MIBS. Island Gardens “We support com. For details about Deep Harbour, the Miami can hold about the Miami International International Boat 50 Med-moored Boat Show, visit www.

Show, plus we yachts up to 550 miamiboatshow.com. don’t have room feet in length. for accessories The upland at Yachts Miami development is Beach,” said Graziano, noting that scheduled to be complete by 2018. some companies display at both shows.

The other show, the Miami “Some vendors are trying us. The trend International Boat Show (MIBS), is a crossover, if they can do that.” is owned by the National Marine Nautical Ventures has displayed Manufacturers Association (NMMA). at both shows for about five years, Because of a $515 million renovation CEO Roger Moore said. He expects and expansion of the Miami Beach increased emphasis and marketing for Convention Center, the 75-year-old

MIAMI, from page 1

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January 2016 The-Triton.com

the Yachts Miami Beach show this year where his company will have in-water and dock displays of yacht tenders and watersports equipment.

“They really got behind the Miami Beach show this year because of changes at the Miami show,” Moore said of the show organizers. Nautical Ventures also has its booth booked at MIBS, and Moore hopes for good crowds at the show’s new location.

“I didn’t take it too seriously at first, so it’s my fault that we don’t have the booth we want,” Moore said. “We were nervous to put up all that money and not be sure. They [NMMA] have been consistently positive. The main thing everyone needs help on is to feel comfortable about transportation to the show.”

SeaRay will also be at both shows, said Paul Cherney, president of Mer International, managers of the company’s strategic show planning.

“We’re inside the tent at Miami International Boat Show; we don’t have wet slips,” he said. “And yes, we’re in water at Yachts Miami Beach. We’ve been pretty active. These shows are a pretty big deal.”

But Cherney admitted he has heard concerns from colleagues and attendees.

“There are schools of thought all over the place, but we anticipate a smooth transition into the show, within and during, and out of the show,” he said. “We’re hopeful.”

Sea Vee Boats are built in Miami and have also exhibited at MIBS for years, said John Caballero, marketing director.

dynamic,” he said. “New, new, new.

Everything is new. This comes with a little bit of stress.”

Marine Solutions in Ft. Lauderdale typically gets a booth at the convention center for MIBS but is considering Yachts Miami Beach instead, said Michelle Hoekstra, controller and office

Work continues in mid-December for boats to be part of Yachts Miami Beach at Island Gardens Deep Harbour, the marina at the future Island Gardens on PHOTO/DORIE COX Watson Island.

“Our entire display is on water, so for us [the move to Virginia Key] is outstanding,” Caballero said. “This is something we have never done before.

We can entertain, display and give rides.

“The scary part is the whole new

manager.

“We have been debating whether to do the Show Management side; we’re up in the air,” Hoekstra said. “The fact that Miami hasn’t solidified, if they can’t get permitting, the traffic … .

We’ve almost decided to pull back until

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next year. These shows are hundreds of dollars, plus labor, setup, breakdown, parking. And every show is a bigger show.”

AERE Docking Solutions will be at MIBS. COO Vicki Abernathy said the company displays were originally in the convention center and, last year, in the accessory tent. As to the new MIBS location?

“It is a little bit of a journey,” she said. “We’re cautiously optimistic. We did have the discussion on whether to go or not. But between the fact that we want to support the show and the NMMA, we will continue to do Ft. Lauderdale, Palm Beach and Miami.”

Sea Tow has exhibited at MIBS for more than 20 years, said Cindy McCaffery, vice president of program development. Sea Tow doesn’t display at the broker show, she said, because their boats are on-call nearby in the water.

“We’re signed up and excited,” McCaffery said, and she thinks attendees are, too. “The space is new, and the visitors will explore the nooks and crannies.”

Dorie Cox is associate editor of The Triton. Comments on this story are welcome at dorie@the-triton.com.

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Triton Survey Most captains have lost control of yacht; it’s still scary

By Lucy Chabot Reed It happens. As electronic control of mechanical systems becomes more and more common on yachts, occasionally the electronics can fail. A yacht in the Bahamas last month likely faced that very issue when the yacht seemed to have a mind of its own as it bounded around the marina. (See the captain’s explanation of that incident in the accompanying letter.)

Turns out that most of the 90 captains who answered this month’s survey have either had a similar incident or knows someone who has.

Have you ever lost control of a yacht, regardless of the reason, even for just a moment?

Eighty-four percent have – 21 percent have had it happen just once and 63 percent have had it happen more than once.

“Of course,” said the captain of a yacht 100-120 feet in yachting more than 25 years. “Over more than 300,000 miles, we have seen it all. Luckily, we have kept just on the good side of impacts.”

“Having run somewhere in the area of 250 different yachts, I have had

Yes, electronic 77%

multiple failures of electronic controls,” said the captain of a yacht 120-140 feet in yachting more than 20 years.

“Sometimes it was the potentiometer in the controls, battery issues or just an all-out failure of the electronic controls.

With hydraulic controls, I have had failures with leaks or low pressure in the system. With pneumatic controls, I have had failures with the air controls, compressors and air lines/fittings. I have had several Detroit diesels run-away on me where I had no choice but to shut off the air or fuel to the engine.

“Never any damage more than a few small scratches, but definitely several moments that scared me,” this captain said. “Ninety-nine percent of the events were on freelance deliveries where I was not in charge of maintaining the yachts.

I can definitely contribute some failures to deferred maintenance.”

Many of the captains who had this experience shared their story, several indicating that it was the time they were most afraid at sea.

“About 12 or 13 years ago, I was preparing to Med moor in Cannes, when what I believe was St. Elmo’s Fire surrounded the ship,” said a captain in

Did you ever figure out the reason for the loss of control?

Yes, mechanical 15% Yes, human error 5% No 3%

yachting more than 30 years on vessels 120-140 feet. “Previously, I’d thought it only a figment of sailor’s stories.

“The hydraulic 50hp bow thruster started running hard to port, with nobody touching the controls,” this captain said. “The fairly new electronic controls became somewhat unresponsive. I called to the mate to retrieve the anchors and get inside, which he did. We shut the engines down and rebooted engine computers. The controls went back to normal operation, but the thruster continued to function.

Shutting off the thruster circuit breaker stopped the thruster.

“We idled out of the harbor, dropped anchor, and shut everything down,” this captain said. “An hour later, we returned to the harbor in Cannes. I had a man look into the bow thruster problem. It turned out that one of the relays had been welded shut. No good explanation.

This never happened again in several more years of operation.”

“With no one near either control station, the yacht 40-60 feet went into gear at around 1,500 rpms, heading toward a dock 100 feet away,” said the captain of a yacht 100-120 feet in yachting more than 25 years. “I dove on the controls, had to use the kill switches.

The only control I had was a weak bow thruster, which helped minimize the damage to a 2-foot hole in the side of the boat. Control rep came, replaced the system for free, but claimed no responsibility. Off the record, the rep said it’s happened before on other boats.”

“At a yard on refit, the gyro compass indicator lamp had failed and the manufacturer’s rep came to fix it,” said the captain of a yacht 120-140 feet in yachting more than 30 years. “He had to go and get a part. Whilst he was away, the yard asked us to move. After we threw the lines off and were moving, the thruster went crazy. We ended up smashing a window on another boat before we realized where the problem was and pulled the breaker on the gyropilot. The technician had left bare wires hanging under the console. These shorted out and sent random signals to the integrated thruster/steering. …

We now have a written brief for any technician working on any mission-

critical system.”

“Electronic controls can fail,” said the captain of a yacht 80-100 feet in yachting more than 20 years. “I was on a new yacht in the 2006 Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show, and of course it was blowing 20-25 knots when it came time for the show to break. The yacht was side-to a finger pier, and the wind was coming across the bow. It was going to be a tight and difficult maneuver to exit, so extra crew was put on board to release all the lines quickly on command. The engines were warmed, the thruster tested, and then came the gear test with the remote. The starboard engine was bumped into forward and then quickly to neutral, however instead of going to neutral, the engine began to throttle up. Instinctively, I depressed the emergency kill switch on the remote, which did nothing, and at the same time moved the engine control to reverse. The engine switched gear, but then started to throttle up in reverse.

“While walking to the main helm station, I toggled the engine between forward gear and reverse gear, trying to minimize any damage that may be occurring, and upon reaching the helm station, keyed off the motor,” this captain continued. “We inspected the system and could find nothing visibly wrong, so we removed the remote, and resumed start-up procedures without incident. Luckily no damage occurred beyond a slight paint scratch on the aft rubrail.

“Upon reaching open water, I reinstalled the remote to make sure I wasn’t going crazy, and sure enough, the remote produced the same results with both engines,” this captain said.

“With the remote, the engines would go to full throttle once placed into gear.

I contacted the manufacturer, which ran the serial numbers of the control head in the engine room, and confirmed there was an update that needed to be installed. Diodes were added and the problem was resolved ever since.

“I have had 15 years experience with electronic controls, and 95 percent of the time they are bulletproof, especially if you maintain and monitor them properly,” this captain concluded. “But as with any accident in the maritime industry, it is that 5 percent of the time

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January 2016 The-Triton.com

Triton Survey Do you think it could ever happen to you?

Did the yacht suffer any damage because of it?

Yes 75%

Yes, just once 27%

Do you know anyone to whom this has happened?

No 4%

Yes, more than once 14%

No 25%

Did the owner understand?

No 38% No 59%

Yes 63%

Yes 96%

that we are working to reduce.”

“Once, electronic shift controls failed to work,” said the captain of a yacht 120-140 feet in yachting more than 30 years. “Twice, steering arm came off the rudder post.”

“While working on a charter boat, we lost control on the wing stations more than once,” said the captain of a yacht 200-220 feet in yachting more than 25 years. “The first time, small damage was done, and the second time the fenders saved us. When it happens, I find I am thinking: Get the controls back, so notify the engineer. Then, how long do we have before I hit something? Then, take action to suffer as little damage as possible. Then, use the radio to let others know.”

“On a night cruise on the ICW approaching a bridge with the current on the stern, we lost throttle controls and went dead ship,” said the captain of a yacht 120-140 feet in yachting more than 10 years. “Thankfully, the engineer got down there in time to reacquaint power and control before it became an extreme situation. The same situation occurred with a stiff north crosswind as we headed out of a channel – and toward one of the concrete pilings.”

“It was a new yacht to me, and the bow thruster would not stop, causing the bow to spin around and the stern to hit the dock,” said the captain of a yacht 160-180 feet in yachting more than 15 years. “When we opened the wing controls, the terminals were wet and rusty and had failed. Very scary.”

We learned that these incidents can happen for a variety of reasons.

“Crew flipped the wrong switch in the

engine room, overrode helm controls,” said the captain of a yacht less than 80 feet in yachting more than 30 years.

“The stainless steel gear cable broke, and the port motor was stuck in forward gear,” said the captain of a yacht less than 80 feet in yachting more than 20 years. “I was in very close quarters in a windy marina, left with only one engine and a stern thruster because my port engine is the source of hydraulic power for the bow thruster. I quickly disabled the port engine and was able to maneuver the boat to an open dock with only starboard engine and the stern thruster. No damage was done but I do recommend checking the cables from the transmission to the throttle control regularly.”

“Once I lost control due to low battery voltage and hit a dock,” said the captain of a yacht 100-120 feet in yachting more than 15 years.

“The damage, luckily, was minor. In retrospect, I think the system was not set up properly. It was a boat I was just driving for the day and did not look into the system further. Another time, I lost response due to a loose connection in the engine room. I was able to reset the system and complete the docking without a problem. Another time, a watermaker hose broke and sprayed water on a connection in the engine room. It caused the entire system to stop responding. I ended up having to control the throttles with zip ties for 700 miles and get a tow into the dock. I do think the systems I have had have good fail safes, but stuff happens when water and electricity mix. Good installations prevent most issues.”

“Pulling into a slip, the damn pneumatic shifts stuck in forward and we were pulling into the boats ahead, luckily in slow speed,” said the captain of a yacht 80-100 feet in yachting more than 30 years. “I ran down the ladder to the cockpit controls and was able to manually put the transmissions in neutral, then reverse for a bit. Just missed the dock ahead by inches. The air lines had frozen over, causing the shifts to jam. Glad to have manual back ups. My next boat had built-in manual back ups. I’ve lost steering systems a few times but was able to anchor and make repairs.”

“I was running a yacht 50-70 feet and the controls at the lower helm failed,” said the captain of a yacht 80-100 feet in yachting more than 10 years. “I climbed the tower and ran from there from Key West all the way to Ft. Lauderdale and nearly lost my life in a storm. One of my worst days at sea ever.”

Just 16 percent of our respondents have never had this happen to them.

“I check all controls prior to getting under way as well as prior to getting into tight quarters,” said the captain of a yacht 120-140 feet in yachting more than 15 years. “If a crucial system is not working properly, I plan accordingly or abort the planned maneuver.”

“There is a big red button on every yacht clearly labelled ‘emergency stop’ for every engine and even hydraulics controls such as davits, cranes, doors, etc.,” said the captain of a yacht more than 220 feet in yachting more than 20 years. “There is no excuse for any of that ‘the electronics failed’ BS. That answer lies in the same category as ‘the dog ate

my homework’.”

We asked these captains Do you know anyone to whom this sort of event has happened? Nearly twothirds have. And they, too, wanted to share their stories.

“I didn’t lose control but was the victim,” said the captain of a yacht 200220 feet in yachting more than 25 years.

“I was the captain of a yacht 180-200 feet docked in a shipyard. A yacht 160-180 feet was coming in to dock in front of us.

The captain had moved out on the wing and told the mate who was on the wheel that he had control. The mate then left the wheelhouse to assume docking duties. Shortly thereafter, the captain yelled that he had no control. The vessel had a fair amount of way on as it slammed into a mooring barge, breaking the barge loose, which then slammed into our bow and scrapped down the side of our yacht, causing extensive damage. Overall cost of this allision was about $600,000. It turned out that this had happened several times before and was one of the reasons the yacht was coming to the yard.”

That leaves just six of the 90 captains who took this month’s survey who have avoided being touched by this event in their careers. What surprised us is that they all have been in yachting longer than 20 years, two of them longer than 35 years.

Among those captains who have experienced a loss of control of a yacht, we asked Did you ever figure out the reason for the loss of control?

Nearly all had, with most – 77

See SURVEY, page 32

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The-Triton.com January 2016

Systems can fail, cause yachts to lose control

By Capt. Chris Hezelgrave I am the full-time captain of the vessel that suffered a control system failure in the Bahama this fall. Unfortunately, at the time of the failure, I was on vacation, and we had a relief captain on board who was less experienced with this system.

In brief, there is no such thing as a perfect system. Whether it is a mechanical system that can suffer a hydraulic or Morse cable break or malfunction, or a state-of-the-art system that may incur an electronic “glitch”, all systems are fallible.

Many accidents -- I would venture to state all accidents -- are a result of multiple errors, a combination of control failure, lack of system familiarity, poor judgment and an inability to react in such a way that prevents an inconvenience from becoming an accident. Remove any single aspect of this formula and in all probability, most accidents could be avoided.

The incident in the Bahamas is a perfect example. There was, in all probability, a system failure. Let’s call it a ghost in the machine. There was also

unfamiliarity. The relief captain, though a highly competent and experienced captain, had only maneuvered the vessel a couple of times. His ability to counter the effect of losing control of one pod was hampered by this unfamiliarity with the system (she has azipods), the vessel was in a narrow channel, perhaps too far to the leeward and being pushed further to lee by combined current and wind.

All in all, an unfortunate set of circumstances. The controls had been fully serviced by Schottel a few weeks earlier. Just prior to the failure, there was a loss of generator that may have caused an amperage surge on restart. This may have caused a temporary glitch, but the system is well serviced. The rumored culprit of humidity is an unlikely factor.

The lessons to be learned: Do not blame the system; know your system.

Learn intimately the physics of the system you use, the reaction delays on controls, and the degree the vessel reacts to inputs. Drive with the head, not with reactive response. Be deliberate. Plan ahead for contingencies; know your sea room.

Also, have an escape and be prepared to use it, such as a crew member on

master controls (if you are on the wing station), the engineer in place to reset systems, anchors ready. And if you are unfamiliar with the system, don’t be too proud to have a tender in the water. (The recovery at sea, later, is good practice for the crew, anyway.)

Had all of this been put into play, then there would be at least one owner out there who would not have lost the use of his yacht for Christmas.

For general information, the vessel concerned has amazing sea handling characteristics, having previously circumnavigated the globe without incident. The Schottel azipods make her highly maneuverable. With an experienced hand on the helm, she can be brought to berth where most conventionally propelled vessels would hesitate to venture, and the economy from the duo-prop pods is amazing.

The adverse publicity the vessel has received caused by this incident is unjustified and unwarranted.

Capt. Chris Hezelgrave skippers a yacht 140-160 feet and has been in yachting more than 30 years. He asked that the yacht’s name not be printed.

Manufacturer defect is most common cause SURVEY, from page 31 percent – attributing it to an electronic malfunction.

“Once, electronic throttles had a bad control box,” said the captain of a yacht 100-120 feet in yachting more than 20 years. “Second time, charger and alternator issues failed to provide enough power to electronic engine controls.”

“Three separate electronic control failures,” said the captain of a yacht 100120 feet in yachting more than 25 years.

“I have had the link that engages the engines in and out of gear break during a docking maneuver, had bow thruster systems fail, etc.,” said the captain of a yacht 120-140 feet in yachting more than 25 years.

“Controls shorted out and a single 3-amp fuse blew, rendering the throttles inoperable,” said the captain of a yacht 80-100 feet.

“We recently had our electric shift change the gearbox from forward to reverse while motoring along at speed,” said the captain of a yacht 100-120 feet in yachting more than 25 years. “That

nearly destroyed the gearbox, but in the end all the parts survived.”

About 15 percent had mechanical issues, and about 5 percent admitted to human error.

“Once, someone on the bridge bumped into throttles,” said the captain of a yacht less than 80 feet in yachting more than 10 years. “Once, we ran out of fuel approaching the dock.”

“Running a jet boat is a little like trying to ice skate in tennis shoes,” said the captain of a yacht less than 80 feet in yachting more than 25 years. “When you lose reverse in one engine (bucket failure), it’s like trying on one leg.”

Did the yacht suffer any damage because of it?

While these loss-of-control situations may be common, nearly 60 percent said they did not result in damage.

“Lucky to have been at sea one time, and in a large bay with no wind another,” one captain said.

“Just one broken window on the other vessel,” another said. “Good fender work by our crew saved us from worse.”

“Fortunate to realize the issue and compensate before any disaster,” said

a third captain. “It could have gone the other way easily.”

“Just to my dignity,” a captain said.

Among those captains who did have damage to the yacht after a loss of control, about 27 percent said the yacht was damaged just once, and often it was minor.

“Light keel damage after a rudder cable broke in bad weather on a lee shore,” said a captain.

What was the situation or circumstances surrounding your loss of control?

The most common situation was a manufacturer defect.

“Computer circuitry and age,” said the captain of a yacht 160-180 feet in yachting more than 30 years, who checked this box as a reason but was cautious to blame. “That it might be a manufacturer’s defect is debatable.”

The next most common answer was “other”, the bulk of which was attributed to either the age of the equipment or part, or the fact that it broke.

“Corroded part that took three techs

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Most yacht owners understand that accidents can happen SURVEY, from page 32 to find,” said the captain of a yacht 100120 feet in yachting more than 25 years.

“Otherwise, old throttle and possible short in unit.”

“Failure of 12-year-old electronic control unit,” said the captain of a yacht 120-140 feet in yachting more than 25 years.

“Electrical short due to corrosion at the drive-by wire exterior station,” said the captain of a yacht 80-100 feet in yachting more than 10 years.

Another chunk of these “other” answers referred to faulty installation or service by vendors.

“Maintenance does not guarantee confidence; technicians have human error, too,” a captain said.

About 22 percent of respondents listed human error as contributing to their loss of control, and about 18 percent said it was lack of maintenance.

“Either sabotage by an outgoing crew member or human error,” a captain said. “I’m not sure which and will never know.”

“Another layer of skill and sophistication is called for with modern yachts,” said the captain of a yacht 100120 feet in yachting more than 35 years.

Bad weather and humidity were the least likely reasons.

When these events occur, especially if there is damage, we were curious to know Did the owner understand?

Captains overwhelmingly said that the owners did understand.

“We are lucky that our owner feels such disasters are great fun and part of yachting,” said the captain of a yacht 100-120 feet in yachting more than 25 years. “Another time, our captured mainsail winch went into payout mode.

The 3-ton boom went out of control, swinging wild. We managed to get control with just the loss of a solar panel. That was caused by a bad electric over-pressure valve. The manufacturer said, ‘Well, it is seven years old. You should change everything at that age.’

And so it goes.”

Among the 16 percent of captains who have never lost of control, we asked Do you think it could ever happen?

Three-quarters said yes.

“Although it’s unlikely if proper maintenance and precautions are taken,” said the captain of a yacht 140-160 feet in yachting more than 20 years. “However, it is always possible due to the automated nature of modern components.”

“I hope not, but I realize it can happen, and I must continue to be extra prudent,” said the captain of a yacht 100120 feet in yachting more than 20 years.

“We are so dependent on complex systems aboard today that it is our primary responsibility to anticipate failure,” said the captain of a yacht 100120 feet in yachting more than 35 years.

That left about four captains who said they didn’t think this sort of thing would ever happen to them.

“I avoid ridiculous control items such as remote operation boxes, wireless vessel operation systems, etc.,” said the captain of a yacht 120-140 feet in yachting more than 15 years. “If you can’t run a boat with basic controls, go back to school.”

“There are many steps to help

prevent a loss-of-control event,” said the captain of a yacht 120-140 feet in yachting more than 15 years. “We all get a bit complacent at times, and the instant you do, the s--- hits the fan.”

If it did happen to them, the majority of captains who have never had a lossof-control event suggest they would initiate an emergency shut down, drop anchors and deploy fenders.

“Gain control via manual control steering or throttle control,” said the captain of a yacht 120-140 feet in yachting more than 15 years. “We as captains drill, but this is one area that gets overlooked. What happens if you lose steering or a throttle sticks? If it’s drilled and the crew knows how to react, it could save you from an accident.”

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

We conduct monthly surveys online. All captains and crew members are welcome to participate. If you haven’t received an e-mail to take our surveys, e-mail lucy@ the-triton.com to be included.

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

Region Duty-free*/duty paid U.S. East Coast Ft. Lauderdale 430/460 Savannah, Ga. 575/689 Newport, R.I. 618/771 Caribbean St. Thomas, USVI 649/NA St. Maarten 675/NA Antigua 658/NA Valparaiso 570/NA North Atlantic

Bermuda (Ireland Island) 589/NA Cape Verde 421/NA Azores 514/1,181 Canary Islands 444/724 Mediterranean Gibraltar 506/NA Barcelona, Spain 449/1,029 Palma de Mallorca, Spain NA/1290 Antibes, France 384/1,113 San Remo, Italy 534/1,493 Naples, Italy 545/1,504 Venice, Italy 598/1,432 Corfu, Greece 565/1,197 Piraeus, Greece 521/1,110 Istanbul, Turkey 612/NA Malta 674/1,328 Tunis, Tunisia 684/NA Bizerte, Tunisia 688/NA Oceania Auckland, New Zealand 496/NA Sydney, Australia 488/NA Fiji 640/NA

One year ago Prices for low-sulfur gasoil expressed in US$ per cubic meter (1,000 liters) as of Dec. 15, 2014 Region Duty-free*/duty paid U.S. East Coast Ft. Lauderdale 665/709 Savannah, Ga. 733/NA Newport, R.I. 690/NA Caribbean St. Thomas, USVI 995/NA St. Maarten 1,030/NA Antigua 920/NA Valparaiso 930/NA North Atlantic

Bermuda (Ireland Island) 989/NA Cape Verde 798/NA Azores 794/1,405 Canary Islands 794/1,093 Mediterranean Gibraltar 569/NA Barcelona, Spain 781/1,555 Palma de Mallorca, Spain NA/1081 Antibes, France 769/1,555 San Remo, Italy 799/1,922 Naples, Italy 899/1,872 Venice, Italy 894/2,182 Corfu, Greece 794/1,705 Piraeus, Greece 783/1,642 Istanbul, Turkey 713/NA Malta 744/1,380 Tunis, Tunisia 781/NA Bizerte, Tunisia 781/NA Oceania Auckland, New Zealand 734/NA Sydney, Australia 744/NA Fiji 751/NA *When available according to local customs.

The-Triton.com January 2016

Comments: Key lessons can be learned In an effort for others to learn from these sometimes scary incidents, we asked What is your key lesson learned when it comes to losing control of a yacht? l

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Always test your equipment before you enter confined spaces, especially in windy or fast current conditions.

And if you do have any problems with any of the control stations, figure it out before you go in. l

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Don’t panic, and do what is needed to gain control. l

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Always only go as fast as you want to hit something in close quarters. l

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Pay attention to small electrical and electronic issues. They can be a sign of more excitement to come. l

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Do your best to keep the cables clean and dry. In my incident, someone put a splice between the shift head and the gearbox. We changed the cable. l

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Always assume any component can fail at any time, and operate with that in mind. For example, docking should be done in neutral, applying thrust only when needed. Never approach a dock under more power than absolutely necessary. You will do a lot less damage when you lose control at 1 knot than you will at 5 knots.’ l

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Have a plan B and C in place and practiced for when the system fails. l

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Check for anchor gear functionality and always have anchors ready to deploy. l

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It happens fast, and a good crew can make all the difference between damage and getting away without any dings. l

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Never leave electronic controls energized when near other boats or docks unless you are at the controls. l

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Never approach a dock faster than you are willing to hit it.

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Do everything very slow in closequarter maneuvering. l

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Think three steps ahead.

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Be prepared, and expect it to happen every time. l

affect the maneuver.

Take it off of autopilot earlier, reduce speed earlier, always put the vessel in neutral prior to entering a tight area.

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Train the crew how to dock from a captain’s perspective. Train what each line going over does and how they

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Go slow. The older I get, the more conservative I get. Perhaps that’s why insurance companies like me. l

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I instill in my crew that the first action to take is throttle back. It should be automatic. It will get me to the bridge in a real hurry, and it will lessen the damage in case of collision. l

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It is a helpless feeling. You’ve got to get those engines shut down immediately and get an anchor down.

Then, the entire system needs to be torn down and inspected. I’ve had the same system fail numerous times in a row after technicians “repaired” it and declared it operational. l

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Remain calm, always approach a dock like you may lose control. Slow is pro. l

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We always, always, always perform steering, gear and thruster checks prior to casting off lines, even if only shifting berths. l

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It happens. If it hasn’t happened to you, it will. It will happen at the worst possible time. But remember nothing is so bad that it can’t be made worse. (Not my quote, but it is a good one.) The point is, don’t quit when it happens. Stay calm. Think.

Communicate with crew. There is always something you can do to help the situation.

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Electronic components installed on the exterior of the vessel are subject to deterioration over time and require regular inspection. Proper battery voltage is critical to electronic control reliability. When the system “glitches” once, replace the obviously affected part or the entire system; it is critical to safe operation. l

With today’s yachts using computers and electronics for everything, a failure is almost a given at some point. Always have as many manual back up systems as possible, and test them regularly.

Your last option in an emergency is dropping an anchor in hope of avoiding or at least minimizing damage. Make sure the crew is trained and practices free-fall anchoring.

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Mechanical backup is great, but it’s still not foolproof. Test systems regularly.

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Prepare the crew to step away and let it happen; sometimes it is inevitable and the only concern is crew injury. l

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It’s really all about staying calm and having well prepared crew. Before every single time I dock or get off a dock, I have a meeting and go through every single scenario, even if it’s perfect weather, because you never know what can happen mechanically.

My crew is never complacent.

Always have roaming fenders ready and someone who knows how to drop the anchor on your command.

Calm, cool and collective. And well trained. l

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You can’t be too slow when you dock. Slow is pro. l

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Test your clutches and bow thruster before you untie the boat. Do not let eager crew or guests loosen a single line until you tell them to. l

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Yachting can be hours of endless pleasure interrupted by moments of sheer terror.

Crew Health

January 2016 The-Triton.com

Excess sodium, a hidden culprit; don’t rely on menu icon to spot it Take It In Carol Bareuther

Salt recently made the news when the U.S.’s National Restaurant Association (NRA) took on New York over the city Board of Health decision to require restaurant chains with 15 units or more to place a salt shaker icon next to menu items or combo meals that exceed the recommended daily sodium intake of 2300 milligrams.

The reasons? The NRA calls the regulation “arbitrary and capricious” and “filled with irrational exclusions and nonsensical loopholes.” It may have a point, but it’s one that comes with a larger grain of salt.

In theory, a warning icon should steer diners away from unhealthful fare.

There’s limited research to show this actually happens. Results of a study published in November by researchers at the New York University School of Medicine and New York University’s Robert F. Wagner Graduate School of Public Service show that calorie labeling on menus doesn’t change food choices.

More specifically, the food scientists looked at itemized cash register receipts from nearly 8,000 people at four fast food restaurants over five years. They discovered no statistically significant changes in the amount of calories purchased or frequency of fastfood restaurant visits. The usefulness of menus icons should well be taken with a grain of salt.

Why worry about sodium?

Sodium is over-consumed worldwide. In fact, average global per capita consumption is nearly twice that recommended by health professionals.

Eating too much sodium is linked to health ills such as high blood pressure and risk of cardiovascular disease, stroke and heart disease. That’s why the World Health Organization recommends eating less than 2000 mgs of sodium daily.

The Scientific Report of the 2015 Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee in the U.S. goes further by saying that a decrease to 1500 mgs can result in an even greater reduction in blood pressure in some people.

Salt is the most common way we get sodium in our diets. It is a compound

made up of 40 percent sodium and 60 percent chloride. One-quarter teaspoon of salt contains 2300 milligrams of sodium or an entire day’s suggested intake. It would be really easy to measure out this amount of salt and use it or less each day over foods to stay within the guidelines. Unfortunately, it’s not that simple. That’s because salt gets on our plate in two other ways.

One is the sodium naturally occurring in foods, and the other is salt added to foods.

Instead of leaving it to icons on restaurant menus, what is better is to learn how to control sodium intake in what and where we eat. Here’s how: 1. Cut down on processed and restaurant-prepared foods. According to the U.S. American Heart Association, more than 75 percent of dietary sodium comes from processed foods or those prepared at restaurants. The best way to reduce sodium from these sources is to prepare fresh foods at home.

2. Leave the salt shaker on the shelf. Instead, use herbs, spices, lemons, limes, peppers and onions for seasoning.

3. Use naturally high sodium foods to advantage. One-cup servings of fresh, uncooked vegetables such as beets, carrots, turnips, beet greens, celery, Swiss chard and sweet potatoes each provide from 70 to 100 mg of sodium. This ranks high in the vegetable world. However, instead of not eating these veggies, use them as natural sources of sodium in side dishes, salads and soups.

Most of all, remember that no one food – whether it’s high in sodium or not – is good or bad. Rather, it’s what you eat day in and day out. If you crave a once-a-year birthday meal of Olive Garden’s Tour of Italy – a plateful of chicken parmesan, classic lasagna and fettuccine alfredo – eat it.

Then, since this menu choice provides a day and a half ’s worth of sodium and would definitely get a salt shaker icon in New York City, make lower sodium choices in the rest of your meals.

The old rule applies: Everything in moderation. Maybe this motto should be made into an icon for all foods.

Carol Bareuther is a registered dietitian and freelance health and nutrition writer. Contact her through www.thetriton.com/author/carol-bareuther.

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The-Triton.com January 2016

Security, budget can be compromised during travels, shopping Culinary Waves Chef Mary Beth Lawton Johnson

Recently, I found myself in Rome at the Roma Termini Station with a man pointing a device at me. It was larger than a cell phone but smaller than an iPad. It didn’t occur to me what he was doing, and then as fast as it happened, maybe 10 seconds, he was gone.

It turns out he was pointing a scanning device at me. He hacked my credit card.

Yacht crew face lots of security issues in their travels. Criminals tend to flock to busy tourist destinations and count on people being distracted by the scenery to pay much attention to the strange device being pointed at them.

They come to town, stay for a day, use their scanning devices and then are gone. Then they sell their catches (card numbers) on a black market Internet site or use it to their benefit.

By the time we realize our credit card has been compromised, it is too late.

May I suggest an RFID-blocking wallet? It saved my bank account debit card, my passport and my seaman’s book. Unfortunately, my credit card was loose in my pocket.

Yacht chefs should be vigilant when it comes to shopping in town. Smart thieves will see your yacht uniform and know you are headed into town with money. Keep it close to your body, not dangling off a shoulder in a purse.

When you pay, be discreet handing money over, or even holding a credit card out too long. Bad guys can take a photo of it for their nefarious intent.

On the subject of credit cards, don’t give away a pin number if the card reader is not working, try to avoid handing your card to a cashier, and certainly don’t let it leave your sight.

Once the purchase is over, look over your receipt before you leave the store.

You may discover that the cashier has charged twice for an item, or charged for an item you didn’t buy. If you wait to review the receipt back onboard, who among us would take the tender back to shore to fight a $7 overcharge?

This habit of checking receipts is

handy with deliveries, too. Provisioners have been known to stack up deliveries to several yachts on one bill for drop shipping. Check that shipping charges on your bill are for your orders only.

While you are scouring the bill, check to make sure your food costs are in line with what you expected. Don’t be afraid to call your provisioner and ask them what the actual cost is.

Don’t get items shipped into a foreign port and then try to pick it up at customs without a bill of laden and a receipt from the provisioner. I had a case of filets confiscated by customs agents because of this.

To avoid criminals who may target yacht crew, be aware of your surroundings. Dress differently, like a local. Don’t make yourself so obvious.

Or have supplies delivered to the marina where you are docked.

And most importantly, don’t go out by yourself in a foreign port. Does anyone remember Chef Sara Kuszak?

She went jogging alone near a marina in Puerto Rico in 2009 and was murdered. She was a friend of mine, and she had just gotten to the island,

waiting for her fiance to come to the yacht.

Our best defense against crime is to stick together and be constantly aware of our surroundings. Don’t be fooled by escorts who offer to take you around.

Most will take you to stores they get kickbacks from. Do some research and decide where you want to go.

Don’t get distracted by strangers or get caught up in the tourist awe of a place. Be aware of pickpockets.

Keep everything on the inside of your clothing. Avoid long straps on purses or backpacks. Long straps are easily slashed. Several travel sites, like www. travelsmith.com, offer non-slashable bags and RFID wallets.

Finally, learn some self defense moves. These classes are often taught for free by local police agencies and they might just save your life. Stay safe.

Mary Beth Lawton Johnson is a certified executive pastry chef and Chef de Cuisine and has worked on yachts for more than 25 years. Contact her through www.the-triton.com/author/ chefmarybethlawtonjohnson.

Crew News

January 2016 The-Triton.com

Masks make people wonder MASK from page 10 onboard, then they can say ‘we’ve already got this gold or black-andwhite-themed mask,” von Broembsen said. “It can branch into Swarovski crystal eye patches for pirates, starfish for mermaids.

There can be so many different things.”

Chief stews, deckhands and yacht owners have all approached her to create custom designs that start at $40 each.

“I just feel that the quality of accessories and things that people wear to events can be quite magical,” von Broembsen said. “Masquerades have an elegance to them, and it works well on a yacht.

In Venetian times, they would go to parties and flirt behind a mask and people wouldn’t know who it was. I

think it’s that whole veil of illusion, sensuality, beauty.

“All of that is in a little bit of the unknown, not necessarily the known,” she said. “I like to make things for people who go to a party and when they walk out after, they feel like they had an amazing time because they’ve stepped into another reality.

They [the masks] are about creating characters.”

Von Broembsen’s next goal is to start making masks out of recycled materials.

“I’d like to create masks that have a purpose about the ocean, but also bring in the glamour and glitz,” she said. “I’m lucky because I can visualize easily, and creativity always finds its way.”

Suzette Cook is editor at The Triton.

Comments on this story are welcome at suzette@the-triton.com.

Restrictions strictly enforced; scuba diving allowed where fishing is not CUBA from page feed sharks, silky, reef, and bull. The Jardines de la Reina consists of 230 islets and is about 150 miles long. In 1996, it was proclaimed as a first sea reservation, and is the largest protected locality in the whole Caribbean Sea. Well-preserved, vital reefs, and no divers in the area.” The Jardines de la Reina (Queen’s Gardens) was named

by Christopher Columbus in honor of Spanish Queen Isabella of Castille.

I reached out to fellow divers in Cuba before writing this article and learned more about the current situation and if things are the same.

Restrictions placed on fishing and diving in places such as the Queen’s Garden are strictly enforced, I was told.

Commercial fishing is prohibited in that area, and diving is only allowed from licensed Cuban vessels.

Diving in other areas on the south coast, such as Maria la Gorda, is possible from yachts. Hiring local

guides there may be a legal grey area. It may be possible, but I would recommend further research by anyone wishing to do so. GPS coordinates may also be hard to come by as GPS use is not allowed in Cuba by Cubans.

A guide with local knowledge may be the best way to find specific dive sites.

Catch 22s and cultural idiosyncrasies aside, diving the south coast of Cuba is a promising proposition.

Next time I am lucky enough to find myself diving in those tropical climes, atop reefs teeming with life, I will treasure my time there. Reefs and sealife everywhere are under assault by humans and cannot last indefinitely.

So, if you have a chance to see those natural wonderlands before they are gone, make sure to take advantage of your time in Cuba … underwater.

Capt. Brandon Burke has a background in chemistry, is an arborist, a PADI dive instructor and holds a 200 ton U.S. master license.

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The-Triton.com January 2016

Atmospheric fronts the driving force behind meteo-tsunamis Sea Science Scott McDowell

Tsunamis are well known for their inundation of coastal regions in the South Pacific, but most American boaters have little concern with this natural process. Tsunamis of a different type, called mateo-tsunamis, can devastate marinas and damage vessels.

Normal tsunamis are caused by subsea seismic events such as a major vertical shift in the seafloor that sends a sea wave toward shore. These waves heighten as they encounter shallow areas. Devastation results from the shoreward movement and pile-up of water.

In contrast, meteo-tsunamis (MTs) are caused by long, intense atmospheric fronts (thus the meteoprefix) that move rapidly from west to east across the continental United States. Meteorologists call these fronts derechos, from the Spanish adjective for straight, a long, straight front. They develop in the Great Lakes region as well as across the East Coast.

The intensity of an MT is governed by the magnitude of the atmospheric pressure fluctuation observed during the passage of the front, such as a 5millibar pressure drop in 10 minutes, and by the speed at which the front passes over lake or coastal waters.

The strong atmospheric front can move in any direction as it passes over the impacted coastal waters.

The MT wave originates offshore at a specific water depth and propagates perpendicular to the depth contours in two directions: onshore and offshore.

A harbor can be impacted by an MT generated from a strong front that passed well north of the area and many hours earlier. Thus, MTs can affect harbors when local skies are clear and winds are calm, a big surprise to the unwary boater.

Conversely, MTs are not generated in a harbor during the peak of a squall nor when a vesselâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s barometer drops as itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s tied to the dock.

The National Geophysical Data Center (NGDC) tsunami database contains global observations of 1,680 tsunamis between 2,000 B.C. and 2014, with about 3 percent (32 events) associated with meteorological processes, thus MTs. Additionally, a

large number had unknown sources and many could have been MTs. In Japan, where MTs are called abiki, a major event occurred in 1979 with a wave height of nearly 15 feet.

The Spanish coastline in the western Med also experiences major MTs, locally called rissaga. One such event occurred in 2006 when a storm crossed the region and generated waves up to 15 feet high within a harbor whose geometry was resonance-favorable.

The eastern shore of the Adriatic Sea also encounters numerous MTs as occurred in 1978 and 2003, having wave heights up to 19 feet.

In the past century, significant MTs have been reported in the U.S., including in Lake Michigan, which encountered a 10-foot wave in 1954.

Lakes Michigan and Erie are hot spots because of the frequency of intense meteorological fronts that move eastward during summer months.

Daytona Beach was impacted by a 10-foot wave in the summer of 1992, caused by a squall line that passed north and offshore. There was no local meteorological disturbance to warn the public that such a wave would occur.

The coast of Maine experienced an MT event in 2008 with surge heights up to 12 feet caused by a meteorological storm that passed over the continental shelf in the Gulf of Maine.

Southern New England was impacted by an MT in June 2013, caused by an intense front that moved offshore. Rapid sea level rise was experienced at numerous locations with a maximum height of 2 feet in Narragansett Bay. In 1984, the Spanish Meteorological Agency established a Rigassa Warning System that notifies the coastal public if a forecasted storm is likely to generate an MT. Because of the large metropolitan population along the U.S. East Coast, an MT warning system would be difficult and costly to implement.

Regardless, there needs to be better education of the coastal populace and boaters in the United States so they understand the MT phenomenon, atmospheric warning signs and potential risk of impact.

Scott E. McDowell has a doctorate degree in ocean physics, and is a captain and author. Contact him through www.scottemcdowell.com.

Operations

January 2016 The-Triton.com

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Thermal imaging a better solution for inspecting G10 laminates

By Charles J. Hazouri Thermal imaging is the use of special camera-like devices that measure thermal patterns and temperatures across the surface of an object. The image produced can detect changes in materials used and temperatures, which can identify moisture intrusion and heat loss.

The benefit of using thermal imaging is that it is non-contact, two dimensional, real time, and saves cost by reducing time spent troubleshooting a specific anomaly or deficiency.

Infrared thermography is a more informative and non-invasive inspection technique, making it the perfect tool for marine inspections of G10 as well as all fiberglass laminates.

G10 laminate was first introduced in the 1950s and is best described as a thermo-laminated continuous filament woven fiberglass sheet bonded with difunctional or trifunctional epoxy resin. It has great strength, high temperature resistance, good electrical loss and strength, low moisture

absorption, is chemical resistant, and is among the most versatile laminates available.

In the marine industry, G10 laminate can be used as backing for carbon fiber sheeting, as structural frames and stiffeners, and as backing plates for various shipboard systems.

To demonstrate the value of thermographic imaging of G10 laminates, a thermal inspection and series of tests were conducted. The initial inspection involved imaging sections of a Hatteras motor yacht. The second test used two sections of G10, one of which was made with a distinctive non-conformity.

The test vessel and samples were offered and supplied by Nathan Goodwin of All Points Boats in Ft.

Lauderdale. The inspection and tests were conducted in August and October using a FLIR T440BX thermal imager, which is a camera-like device capable of detecting, displaying and recording thermal patterns across the surface of an object.

The initial inspection proved that imaging of G10 laminates is comparable to imaging solid materials such as structural framing constructed of aluminium and steel. The images show that G10 has well-defined, delineated edges, and appears much darker and is distinctive from regular laminates.

In the next test, two samples were heated and then imaged using thermal infrared technology. Sample A was a standard piece of G10 with no

anomalies; Sample B was a piece of G10 with an anomaly consistent with an area of delamination or a small void.

Together, the samples showed that there is a defined pattern to G10 laminates and that any nonconformity can be easily identified with thermographic inspection techniques.

Based on the evidence in these inspections and tests, qualitative and quantitative infrared thermography can clearly identify and document the thermal patterns of G10 laminates when used in the structural capacity of vessel repair and/or construction, or for product failure such as moisture intrusion, delamination, and voids.

It is the perfect tool for marine inspections because it has the benefits of being both a more informative process and a non-invasive inspection technique.

Charles J. Hazouri is a certified Level III thermographer, certified marine surveyor, auditor and consultant based in New Orleans. Comments on this essay are welcome at editorial@the-triton.

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Crew Health

The-Triton.com January 2016

Turn a new calendar leaf, then check on first aid kits Sea Sick Keith Murray

It’s that time of year again: Time to buy a new calendar, make new year’s resolutions and go through the first aid medical kit.

Begin the latter by gathering all medical equipment, first aid kits, oxygen and AED – Automated External Defibrillator in one place. This includes any small kits on the tender, in the galley and in the engine room. Try to rally as many crew members for this as well, as it is a great time to get to know the kits.

Check everything for missing or expired items, opened packages or things that look out of place. If you are not sure what something is, ask. If nobody knows what it does, you may not need it.

Let’s start with the simple things, such as medical exam gloves, eye protection (safety goggles) and CPR mask. Gloves have a shelf life and should be replaced annually. They are inexpensive, about $6 for a box of 50 so when in doubt, throw them out.

Does the eye protection look worn, dirty or discolored? If so, replace it.

Same with the CPR mask. Does it look cracked, dirty, discolored or melted? If so, replace it. Again, this is an inexpensive item, about $20.

Next, look at each medication.

Is it current? What is it used for? If anything is expired, order replacements and dispose of the old medication properly. Unsure what the medication is prescribed for? Check the manual or USB drive that came with the kit. If you can’t find them, e-mail me I will try to help.

Having an organized medical kit and quality first aid training helps make sense of the kit so first responders know what medications are available, how to use them, and where they are located in the kit, saving valuable time in an emergency.

And having at least one AED onboard is essential. Without one, the chances of surviving sudden cardiac arrest outside of a hospital are small, less than 5 percent. However, if the AED is applied quickly, the victim’s odds increase to about 70-90 percent.

Many yachts I work with have two: one on the main ship and another on the tender. Often, the tender is the closest

to the medical emergency.

If an AED is part of the yacht’s medical supplies, the new year is a great time to inspect it. Most manufacturers recommend a monthly inspection, but at a minimum, create a logbook or use a tag to track inspections. If you are not comfortable performing the inspection, e-mail me. I can walk you through it.

AEDs have two major parts that must be replaced periodically – the electrode pads and the battery. Most electrode pads have a two-year life and the expiration dates should be clearly marked. The battery has a life span from 2-5 years. Write the installation date on the battery or on a sticker on the back of the AED as a reminder.

Don’t wait until the AED is beeping its low battery warning.

Carry a spare set of electrode pads as well as pediatric electrodes if children are ever onboard. Check to make sure the AED has been updated to the new American Heart Association guidelines.

Perhaps most importantly, check to see if your AED has been recalled or requires a software update. Several companies have issued recalls and yours may require service. If you are unsure, check with the manufacturer or e-mail me the make, model and serial number and I will check for you.

How old is the AED? Often there is a manufacture date on the back. If it is more than 10 years old, consider replacing it. Many trade in AEDs every eight years. Remember, this is a life saving medical device. Is your cell phone eight years old? Your computer?

Next, look at your medical oxygen. Is the tank full? When was the last time the tank itself was inspected? These tanks generally require hydro testing every five years and should only be filled with “medical” oxygen, which is highly filtered. Turn it on to make sure the regulator and tank function properly.

What about the oxygen masks, nasal cannulas and tubing? Do you have both adult and pediatric masks? Are these in good condition? If they look old, worn or yellow, it’s time to replace them.

Trained as an emergency medical technician, Keith Murray now owns The CPR School, which provides onboard CPR, AED and first-aid training as well as AED sales and service. Contact him through www.TheCPRSchool.com.

Crew Health

January 2016 The-Triton.com

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Embrace new traditions, enjoy the holidays with fellow crew The Yachtie Glow Angela Orecchio

Most crew celebrate their holidays with guests onboard or getting ready to have them onboard for New Years.

Either way, they most likely aren’t home with family and friends.

This can be tough, especially if it’s their first time working on a yacht and away from family.

For those crew who choose yachting as a career will deal with this every year, and it might not get any easier emotionally.

Making it through the holidays

Here are five healthy ways to learn to deal with being away from home and family on any holiday or occasion.

1. Drink and swallow a healthy dose of yachtie reality. We are in a service industry where holidays are reserved for those who pay our salaries and afford us this lifestyle.

The quicker we accept this, the quicker we can start enjoying

holidays with our temporary families and start having some fun.

2. Start new traditions. How many cultures are there on board right now?

Surely, all of them have some sort of holiday tradition. Think of all the new and fun ways to join international traditions together.

3. Take the initiative. Be the one who brightens up everyone else’s holiday. Do other crew members mope around, missing family and home. Be the happy Elf in the group and plan some fun activities. Even smiling at other crew and being there for them will change their day and holiday experience more than you can ever imagine. This is also called “fake it until you make it,” and it works.

4. Be grateful for what you have.

I know it sounds like a cliché, but when we feel down, it is easy to forget how fortunate we are to have these jobs. Even though we are away from home, we likely are in some beautiful location, living on a yacht, with money in the bank. So many people would give their left … ahem …reindeer antler for a life like that.

5. Keep in contact with family.

Arrange a holiday or occasion Skype date or something similar to stay connected.

After years in the industry, crew begin to lose connection to family over holidays. It could be a coping mechanism or just something that happens after being away so long.

Make an effort to stay in touch, and let family and friends know you still care.

A merry yachtie Christmas

For those crew spending Christmas onboard this year, not to worry. It can be a lot of fun.

Even for those working, keeping in the spirit will make a noticeable difference in crew morale.

A few weeks before Christmas, get the crew together and draw names for a Secret Santa.

Agree upon an amount each person will spend on a gift.

Buy and wrap the gift anonymously, and stuff in a stocking to be opened with the group on Christmas day.

Find a small tree in a pot, a rosemary bush or a plastic tree with

lights, and put it in the crew mess.

Buy reindeer antlers, Santa hats and maybe some ugly cheap holiday clothing to wear on the day.

Play a holiday-themed movie to watch together, sipping hot cocoa or hot cider.

Make holiday foods such as Christmas cookies or a birthday cake.

Cover the table and/or crew mess with festive decor.

Take photos and place them around the crew mess the next day.

Being away from family and friends is hardest when the holidays come around.

But our crew mates are our temporary family and friends. Make the best of your situation, and you just might make some lasting memories and friendships.

Angela Orecchio is a chief stew and certified health coach. This column was edited from her blog, Savvy Stewardess, The Smart Girl’s Guide to Yachting. Contact her through www. savvystewardess.com.

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Where in the World

The-Triton.com January 2016

Antigua Charter Yacht Show The 2015 Antigua Charter Yacht Show kicked off on Dec. 5 and concluded with the Captains Soiree Charity Dinner on Dec. 9. For many, the event signals the beginning of the Caribbean charter season.

PHOTOS PROVIDED

Winners named in Antigua show chef and table setting contests The 16th annual Charter Chefs Competition held during the the Antigua Charter Yacht Show in Antigua highlighted a three-course Christmas luncheon with a Caribbean twist. Yacht chefs created three dishes: a starter, a main course and a dessert.

Hyperion 1st place Ben Dineen of M/Y Lady J Yachts over 160 feet: 3rd place Leishan Van Den Berg of M/Y Amaryllis 2nd place Diego Andra of M/Y Sea Wolf 1st place Scott Dickson of M/Y Inception

Charter Chefs Competition: Yachts under 125 foot: 3rd place Audrey Harper of M/Y Bamarandi 2nd place Eric David of M/Y Andiamo 1st place Michelle Bonetti from M/Y Zeepard Yachts from 125-159 feet: 3rd place Jilles Kuppens of M/Y Scorpion 2nd place Shantala Tengblad of M/Y

Table Setting Competition: Yachts under 125 foot: 1st Chief Stew Jessica De Beer of Zeepard Yachts from 125-159 feet: 1st Chief Stew Zayntana Jonsson of M/Y Mim Yachts over 160 feet: 1st Chief Stew Elaine Cameron of M/Y Sea Wolf

Career

January 2016 The-Triton.com

LMC prepares to upgrade, hires three; fire burns club Work to expand Ft. Lauderdalebased Lauderdale Marine Center (LMC) is slated to begin in February.

The expansion to the southwest portion of the property will add six slips for yachts up to 150 feet and will include multi-phase, multi-voltage power capabilities up to 480 volts.

Renovations at the adjacent River Bend Marine Center will include new drainage, paving of the upland boat storage area and new landscaping as preparations are made to incorporate the property into LMC. The shipyard has hired Doug West as president. West previously was president of Rybovich for nine years.

Kurt Winselmann joins the company as controller. He spent 21 years with Seaboard Marine as controller of its ship management division as well as four years with Norwegian Cruise Line. Jennifer Lang has been hired as operations director to manage the leasing, office administration activities, human resources and coordination of I.T. support.

The Carlyle Group acquired the property in July, keeping most of the existing staff. LMC is a 50-acre facility consisting of a boatyard, marina and marine service center. It has 19 covered sheds and 156 wet slips, three marine travel lifts with haul-out capacity up to 300 tons, and 65 on-site contractors.

Fire Annapolis Yacht Club burns

A fire in the main clubhouse of the Annapolis Yacht Club gutted the top two floors on Dec. 12. A local television station reported that witnesses said it started on a fake Christmas tree on the second floor.

The club was closed to the public at the time, and the staff inside got out safely, another station reported.

“We are saddened by the events of today but thankful that no one was seriously injured,” Commodore Rod Jabin said in a statement. “The yacht club was closed to its members while preparing for the Lights Parade and all of the staff got out safely.”

The fire prompted the cancellation of the Parade of Lights and a party that was supposed to host about 1,000 people at the club.

Club officers and management have since met to determine the extent of the damage and move the process forward to rebuilding, Jabin said.

The cause of the fire was not determined by press time. Half-models and some racing trophies are believed to have been destroyed. The yacht club traces its roots to 1886, though the building itself was relatively new.

Viking withdraws master plan

Master developer withdraws Riviera Beach marina area development A South Florida deal in the works between the city of Riviera Beach, the Riviera Beach Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) and Viking Developers ended in early December when the parties could not come to an agreement on final terms in the public-private partnership for development centered around the marina district.

Discussions to redevelop the area began in 2006, said Viking Chairman Robert T. Healey Sr. Viking was named master developer for the project.

Viking Developers owns about half of the commercially developable land in the marina district, and the company intends to continue moving forward by expanding Viking Yacht Service Center, the Riviera Beach Maritime Academy and other properties.

“We’ll focus on our own projects and continue to work together,” Tyler Alten, V.P. of Viking Developers, said.

– Dorie Cox

Cape Charles moves historic home

In an effort to revitalize the town of Oyster, Va., the Baldwin family restored the historic General Mercantile store originally built in 1906. Cherrystone Aqua Farms needed to expand its nursery and purchased the land from the Baldwin family. The expansion plans did not include the building, so it was loaded onto a barge and floated around the tip of the peninsula to Cape Charles Yacht Center. Named Harvey, the building will be the new curated store and restaurant for the yacht center by this summer.

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Career

The-Triton.com January 2016

From the Bridge Captains say crew can provide relief if they’re well trained BRIDGE from page 1 captains are identified in a photograph on page 44.

Most of the captains had their own story to tell about the challenges they’ve faced arranging relief. One captain who lost both his mother and father in the same year needed to go home three times.

He didn’t have a large network of fellow captains to help him out, so he hired guys he didn’t know over the Internet.

“The first guy came on board and said ‘oh, this is for me’,” this captain said. “He told the crew I wasn’t coming back. Another guy got drunk every night.”

“There are two kinds of relief guys: the guy who can’t get a full-time job, and the guy who’s really good and has a reputation. If you are good enough, you can pick and choose when you work.”

Can the crew relieve you?

“That’s what we always did,” said one captain who spent a career as a first mate because the program was so good. “The whole crew was great, it was like we were on cruise control. As first mate, I was good friends with the captain, and he knew I wasn’t going to take his job.”

“Crew can absorb your relief if they are trained well enough,” another captain said.

“The problem with that [moving the mate up] is the insurance company,” said a third. “If he has the license, then that’s the ideal situation.”

Not everyone agreed.

“If you’re talking about a relief taking your job, that’s the one to worry about, the mate,” a captain said. “The mate is willing to work for half the price.”

But most other captains disagreed, pointing out that when crew dynamics are good, that won’t happen. Neither should it happen from an owner’s perspective.

“If the owner is willing to do that …,” one captain began. “… then you have the wrong job,” another finished.

One captain showed the stronger side, where he trained his mate to take over for him. And now, as the owner

moves up in size, the mate will take on even more responsibility.

“As a captain, all I did was teach him,” this captain said. “He’s been with me five years, he’s got the licenses. So the insurance company said go for it.

“I would never be scared of that,” this captain said of the mate taking his job. “The best relief is your first mate. I

an industry, can’t sit down with owners and management companies and set up a rotational system,” one captain said. “People need to have time off.”

“The real problem is that none of us get to have a home, a domestic life,” another said.

“That’s who we’re screwing, our families,” said the first.

Captains share experiences about relief requests. would much rather move the mate up as relief captain and hire a relief mate.”

Several captains in the room had spent time in the commercial sector, and coming back into yachting makes them realize how dysfunctional the time off situation really is.

“I’ve been doing both for many years, and I think it’s completely [screwed] up and retarded that we, as

PHOTOS/SUZETTE COOK

“I’m making $40,000 less a year than I was a year ago because I want to see my kids,” said a third.

“I started a long time ago, when if you wanted time off you had to quit,” said one captain who also has experience working commercial.

“You learn out there that there are structures. The yachting industry has a bad opinion of captains and crew

having rotation.”

Relief is a start, but the real solution, he said, is official rotations.

And the key to that, this captain said, is to point out to owners what he called the “hidden costs” of quick fixes and temporary solutions such as relief.

A full-time captain might average out at about $200 a day, while a relief captain might cost $500 a day.

“But more important is how the relief crew treat the boat,” this captain said. “When something happens, they say ‘That just broke, I’m sorry about that.’ A lot of people focus on the cost of uniforms and things like that, but it’s more how they treat the boat.”

And he told the story of relief crew unfamiliar with equipment who ended up sinking a Jet Ski. Their liability is limited to “I’m really sorry,” resulting in significant hidden costs.

“We all know how the capital value of a boat can drop dramatically if you don’t have the right crew onboard,” another captain said.

Yes, owners can be demanding, and sometimes they can be insensitive to the personal lives of their crew.

But these captains didn’t seem to have much patience or sympathy for that situation, and instead accepted responsibility.

“If you want to blame anyone, it’s the captain,” one captain said. “Years ago, engineers stood up and said ‘I won’t work for you’ and ‘I won’t work for that’.”

As yachts got larger, engineers were recruited from the commercial sector, where rotations are standard.

And because they were in demand, they were able to demand that sort of system on yachts, as well as better pay.

The key, they reiterated, is teaching the owner about the value, in this case of rested and home-life-happy crew.

“If you are willing to tell your owner that it’s OK that you take time off and get paid, you’re teaching him,” one captain said.

“There’s no school in that, but I can tell you it’s not easy.”

“I’m my guy’s sixth captain in three years,” another captain said. “You’re not going to teach him anything.”

“Some owners, you can’t,” the first captain agreed.

“But this industry is so different

From the Bridge

January 2016 The-Triton.com

Attendees of The Triton’s January From the Bridge luncheon were, from left, Martin Secot of M/Y 4 Tranquility, Chris McKenna of M/Y One More Toy, Andrew Brennan, Paul Preston of M/Y Paradise, Brent Holleman of M/Y Cedar Island, Matthew Inglis of M/Y Ada, Charles DuGas-Standish of M/Y Natita, Scott Gaffga of M/Y Serenity, and Robb Shannon of M/Y My Maggie.

PHOTO/LUCY REED

boat to boat,” said a third. “It’s up to me to say ‘no way, I’m gone,’ and lose my job.”

“If he won’t give you time off, that’s a good decision, but you had to make it,” the first captain said. “You actually have to make the choice.”

“There should be a happy medium” between time off and quitting, one captain said.

“Crew need to have a life. It’s good for the crew member, and it’s good for the boat.”

These captains talked about how committed to a vessel they can become.

“As individual captains, we tend not to take time off; we epitomize workaholics,” one captain said. “Why? Because we don’t plan it.”

“I think it’s reputation, too,” another said. “And you like the job.”

“When I talk to the owner now, it’s our boat, and he loves that,” said a third.

“It’s more than that,” another captain said. “Ten months a year, it’s my home.”

One captain just joined a new program where the yacht is owned by several friends, and each one wants to use the boat every month. He’s begun the process of explaining that both the yacht and the crew need down time.

“I don’t care if I get fired,” he said. “If I do, it wasn’t meant for me. They need a 24-year-old who wants to be married to the boat.”

Several of the captains are married

and starting families. And they’ve gotten to the point where they only want to consider jobs where the owner will understand that.

“It’s on my resume: married with kids,” one captain said. “I don’t even want to talk to them if they can’t make room for that.”

“I don’t care about the money; I want to be happy,” another said.

“Somehow, we have to get our message across,” said a third.

“We need brokers to be involved,” a captain said.

One captain on a yacht that splits between charter and owner use said the owner’s opinion about crew and time off changed when his charter broker got involved.

“The broker told him, ‘keep your crew happy’,” this captain said, noting that he’s had minimal turnover in the past three years, thanks to a nice salary, flights and school covered, and four weeks of vacation a year. The charter season is busy and the crew are happy.

“The boss got it,” he said. “Your crew are the most valuable thing on your boat.”

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

Captains who make their living running someone else’s yacht are welcome to join in the conversation. E-mail us for an invitation to our monthly From the Bridge luncheon.

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Events

The-Triton.com January 2016

Upcoming Events EVENT OF THE MONTH Jan. 25-26 USSA St. Maarten Captains Briefing and Golf Outing, St. Maarten

Nautical networking and activities for captains and senior crew include golf, rugby, roundtable breakfast, dinner and more. www.ussuperyacht.com

Jan. 6 The Triton’s monthly networking event (the first Wednesday of every month from 6-8 p.m.) with ICT and Yacht Chandlers, Ft. Lauderdale. Join us for casual networking, no RSVP required. www.the-triton.com

Jan. 7-16 Florida Keys Uncorked

Food and Wine Festival, Key Largo and Islamorada, Florida Keys. floridakeysuncorked.com

Jan 8-17 London Boat Show, UK. At ExCel London with 500 exhibitors and hundreds of products. www. londonboatshow.com

Jan. 11-13 Electric & Hybrid

Marine World Expo, Ft. Lauderdale.

Showcase for electric and hybrid marine propulsion technologies, components and solutions. www. electricandhybridmarineworld expoflorida.com

Jan. 13-15 41st annual Fort

Lauderdale to Key West Race, Fla. This 160-mile ocean race runs before Key West race week. www.keywestrace.org

Jan 15-16 Caribbean CrewFest,

Christophe Harbour, St. Kitts.

Professional development masterclasses on silver and interior service; ropes, rigging and splicing; chefs’ masterclass; team building excursions and island diversions, www. acrew.com

Jan. 15-18 San Francisco Boat Show, Pier 48 and McCovey Cove, San Francisco. SFBoatShow.com

Jan. 16 Marine Industry Cares

Foundation Chairman’s Gala, Gallery of Amazing Things, Dania Beach, Fla. Monte Carlo Casino

night theme to benefit MICF. www. marineindustrycares.org

Jan. 17-22 28th annual Quantum

Key West race week, Key West, Fla. Race features strong international programs and top-tier competitions. keywestraceweek.com

Jan. 20 The Triton’s monthly

networking event (the occasional third Wednesday of every month from 6-8 p.m.) with Smokey News, Ft. Lauderdale. Join us for casual networking, no RSVP required. www. the-triton.com

Jan. 23-31 Boot Dusseldorf, Germany. www.boat-duesseldorf.com

Jan. 23-24 Leadership workshop for

2nd & 3rd Stews, Ft. Lauderdale.The Marine Leadership Group offers 2-day workshop on self-leadership. www. marineleadershipgroup.com

Jan. 27-29 13th International

Marina and Boatyard Conference, Ft. Lauderdale. Presentations, workshops, roundtables, panel discussions, exhibit hall of 130 booths, networking receptions, field trip to local marinas and more. www.marinaassociation.org

Jan. 28-29 Refit International

Exhibition & Conference, Ft. Lauderdale. A trade show and technical seminar series focused on improving yacht refits. refitshow.com

Jan. 28-31 Baltimore Boat Show,

Baltimore Convention Center, Baltimore. BaltimoreBoatShow.com

Jan. 30 - Feb. 1 and Feb. 6-8 Primo Cup Trophée Credit Suisse, Monaco.

Competitive racing for almost 1,000 sailors from Europe represent 15 nationalities. primo-cup.org

Feb. 3 The Triton’s monthly networking event (the first Wednesday of every month from 6-8 p.m.) with Denison, Ft. Lauderdale. Join us for casual networking, no RSVP required. www. the-triton.com

Feb. 5 Wobbly Race, Antigua. A BYOB

(build your own boat) race for yacht crew to “race” for prizes including finest raft, first to sink and best costume. The annual event aids ABSAR

Events

January 2016 The-Triton.com

Upcoming Events (Antigua and Barbuda Search and Rescue). For details contact ABSAR at info@absar.org.

Feb. 5-7

Miami International Map Fair. The 23th anniversary of the fair, the largest map fair in the world. Search map fair at www.historymiami.org.

Feb. 6 27th annual Women’s Sailing

Convention, Southern California Yachting Association, Corona del Mar, Calif. www.scya.org

Feb. 9 Mardi Gras, New Orleans. One

of the world’s most famous celebrations for this holiday of excess before the limits of Lent. www.mardigras.com and www.mardigrasneworleans.com.

Feb. 10 6th annual Yacht Show Miami Beach in Miami Beach party to benefit Shake-A-Leg Miami. fyba.org

Feb. 10 Miami to Havana Race

Inaugural race hosted by Coral Reef Yacht Club and Hemingway International Yacht Club of Cuba with SORC as race committee. www. havanarace.org

Feb. 11-16 28th annual Yacht Show

Miami Beach (formerly The Yacht and Brokerage Show). The megayacht part of Miami’s boat shows, not to be confused with the Miami International Boat Show, showcases hundreds of millions of dollars worth of yachts inwater along a one-mile stretch of the Indian Creek Waterway. Free, www. showmanagement.com.

Running concurrently is the Miami International Boat Show at a new location at Miami Marine Stadium.

Strictly Sail will be at the Miamarina at Bayside. Free water taxis and shuttle buses from Miami and Miami Beach, www.miamiboatshow.com.

Feb. 13-21 New England Boat show,

Boston, Mass. NewEnglandBoatShow. com

Feb. 14 7th annual Team Westrec Fun

Walk and Run, Ft. Lauderdale. Marina team takes part in the Fort Lauderdale A1A Marathon. Westrec’s team runs to benefit students from the Marine Magnet Program at New River Middle School. A1AMarathon.com

Feb. 17 The Triton’s monthly

networking event (the occasional

third Wednesday of every month from 6-8 p.m.) with Yacht Mate Products in Ft. Lauderdale. Join us for casual networking. www.the-triton.com

Feb. 24-26 MYBA Broker Seminar,

Nice, France. This broker seminar is an intensive course covering charter, sale and purchase and yacht management. www.myba-association.com

Feb. 25-28 59th Los Angeles Boat show, Los Angeles.

LosAngelesBoatShow.com

Feb. 27 51st Fort Lauderdale Billfish

Tournament presented by Marine Industries Association of South Florida. This year to benefit Marine Industry Cares Foundation. www. fortlauderdalebillfishtournament.com

March 1-5 Dubai International Boat

Show, Dubai International Marine Club.

To host more than 26,000 visitors from 76 countries. www.boatshowdubai.com

March 4-13 33rd Miami International Film Festival, various locations in Miami. www.miamifilmfestival.com

March 8-13 Moscow International Boat and Yacht Show, Russia. eng. mosboatshow.ru/boat

March 9-12 Loro Piana

Caribbean Superyacht Regatta and Rendezvous, BVI. www. superyachtregattaandrendezvous.com

March 17-20 St. Barths Bucket

Regatta. www.bucketregattas.com

MAKING PLANS March 17-20 31th annual Palm Beach International Boat Show, Palm Beach, Fl.

More than $1.2 billion worth of boats, yachts and accessories from eight-foot inflatables to superyachts more than 150-foot.

In-water portion of the show is on the Intracoastal Waterway along Flagler Drive. Show entrances are at Evernia St./Flagler Dr. and North Clematis St./Flagler Dr. Free shuttle buses. www.showmanagement.com

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Boats / Brokers

The-Triton.com January 2016

Boats / Brokers Yachts sold

M/Y Felix, a 170-foot (52m) Amel built in 2004, listed for $22 million with Josh Gulbranson and Stuart Larson of Fraser Yachts in Ft. Lauderdale.

Project Alba, a 50m semidisplacement Heesen, sold by Arne Ploch of Camper & Nicholsons.

M/Y Sotaj, a 139-foot (42m) Abeking & Rasmussen, by Kevin Merrigan and Wes Sanford of Northrop & Johnson.

M/Y Perle Noire, a 122-foot (37m) Heesen, by Moran Yacht & Ship.

M/Y Our Toy, (above) a 120-foot (36m) Feadship built in 1991, by Merle Wood & Associates and broker Dirk Johnson of Perini Navi.

S/Y Canova, a 117-foot (36m) yacht

by Baltic Yachts in 2011, listed with Jurgen Kock of Fraser Yachts in Spain.

M/Y Jiva, a 34m Sunseeker, sold by ICY Monaco M/Y Scout, a 111-foot (34m) yacht

built by Brooke Yachts in 1993 and listed for 4.15 million euros, sold by Stuart Larson of Fraser Yachts in Ft. Lauderdale.

New 100-foot Ocean Alexander, by MarineMax. A 98-foot (30m) berth in Mangelieu la Napoule, listed for 950,000 euros with Dennis Frederiksen of Fraser Yachts in Monaco.

yacht built by Canados International Shipyard in 1992, now listed for 250,000 euros with BGYB and Moore International.

A 147-foot (45m) berth on the outside quay in Port Camille Rayon in Golfe Juan in the south of France, listed for 1.85 million euros with Jan Jaap Minnema of Fraser Yachts in Monaco.

New sales listings

M/Y Axantha II, a 43m explorer yacht built by JFA Yachts in 2011, is available in the Mediterranean and listed with Neo Yachting.

M/Y Aprodite, a 130-foot (40m) Westport, available in the Caribbean this winter, now listed with Northrop & Johnson.

M/Y Sunday Money, a 100-foot (30.5m) Hatteras, now available in Florida, the Bahamas and New England with Allied Marine.

M/Y Karma, a 78-foot Ferretti launched in 2007, available in the Bahamas and now listed with Allied Marine Brokerage & Charter.

M/Y Lionwind, a 155-foot Feadship built in 1983, listed for $3.95 million iwth Denison Yachts.

M/Y One O One, (above) a 115-foot yacht built by Tecnomar in 2008, listed for $4.5 million with Alex Clarke of Denison Yachts.

M/Y Entrepreneur, (below) 110-foot Broward built in 2004, listed for $3.4 million with Denison Yachts.

M/Y My Paradis, a 108-foot (33m) Benetti built in 2014 and listed for 9.5 million euros with Antoine Larricq of Fraser Yachts in Monaco.

S/Y Rosinante of Notika, a 107-foot (32.6m) sailing yacht built in Turkey in 1998, listed for $1.6 million with BGYB. M/Y Altisa, (below) a 96-foot (29m) yacht built by Nordlund Yachts in 1995, listed with Camper & Nicholsons.

M/Y FX29, a 94-foot (29m) yacht built by FX Yachts in 2011 and listed for 3.9 million euros with Alain Tanguy and David Legrand of Fraser Yachts in Monaco.

M/Y Danush, an 80-foot (24m) yacht built by Baia in 2004 and listed for 890,000 euros with Fraser Yachts’ Thorsten Giesbert in Spain and Sinan Suleiman in Turkey.

M/Y Aigue Marine, a 70-foot

News in the charter fleet

D.J. Kiernan rejoins Merle Wood

Ft. Lauderdale-based Merle Wood & Associates has rehired D.J. Kiernan as director of marketing. He previously worked at the firm as a marketing specialist. Most recently, he helped established the charter division for Feadship.

“D.J. returns to our firm with a tremendous amount of experience and knowledge,” firm president Merle A. Wood said in a news release.

Kiernan “We have enjoyed watching his achievements over the years and are pleased that he will be implementing our marketing strategies.”

In 2010, Kiernan joined Camper & Nicholsons as director of charter marketing in the United States. Within eight months, he was promoted to director of charter marketing worldwide and he moved to Monaco.

In 2013, he struck out on his own and launched a business development consultancy called Connect K3. His first move was to establish the retail wine division for Eten Food Company in Ft. Lauderdale.

Originally from Dallas, Kiernan earned his bachelor’s degree in tourism marketing from Niagara University.

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DISPLAY ADVERTISERS Company

Page

American Yacht Agents 48 Anchor Marine 35 Antibes Yachtwear 38 ARW Maritime 16 Beer’s Group 35 Bellingham Marine (Marina Di Loano) 27 BlueStar Marine 40 Broward Shipyard 46 Brownie’s Yacht Diver 23 Business card advertisers 50-53 C&N Yacht Refinishing 36 Cable Marine 55 Cape Ann Towing 16 Carpe Diem Chiropractic 43 Chelsea Clock 8 Clean-Exhaust 13 Culinary Convenience 15 Denison Yacht Sales 49

Company

DYT Yacht Transport Fendelegance Freestyle Slides Galley Hood GeoBlue Insurance Gran Peninsula Yacht Center IGY Marinas International Crew Training ISS GMT Global Marine Travel Lauderdale Diver Lauderdale Propeller Lifeline Inflatables Longbow Marine Luke Brown Marine Industry Cares Marina Mile Yachting Center Maritime Marine Matthew’s Marine A/C

Page

21, 41 24 7 19 26 18 28-29 14 25 18 15 32 12 8 42 35 11 12

Company

Page

MPT Maritime Professional Training 56 National Marine Suppliers 3,22 Neptune Group 46 Northern Lights 47 Palladium Technologies 33 Perry & Neblett 6 ProStock Marine 5 Quiksigns 42 Refit International Conference 45 Renaissance Marina 21 River Supply River Services 46 Rossmare International Bunkering 47 Royale Palm Yacht Basin 43 Sailorman 24 Scope Maritime Solutions 9 Seafarer Marine 17 Sea School 32 Smart Move Accomodations 12

Company

Smokey News Staniel Cay Yacht Club TESS Electrical The UPS Store TowBoatU.S Trac Ecological Green Products Tradewinds Radio Universal Marine Center Watermakers, Inc. Watermakers Air West Marine Westrec Marinas Yacht Chandlers Yacht Entertainment Systems Yachty Rentals Zeno Mattress Zodiac of Fort Lauderdale

Page

13 2 38 54 40 48 54 37 2 2 40 20 39 47 10 24 19

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Triton Spotter

The-Triton.com January 2016

Georgia, Ft. Lauderdale, Manila

Thomas McGowan, owner of Engineered Yacht Solutions, took his Triton on holiday with him to the top of Stone Mountain in Georgia. That’s downtown Atlanta in the background. Engineered Yacht Solutions is based at Lauderdale Marine Center in Ft. Lauderdale and does metal fabrication, welding and plumbing.

Triton patriarch and matriarch Stephen and Jan Reed took their new fancy Triton on the new fancy Goodyear blimp. Actually, Goodyear is replacing its three U.S. blimps (non-rigid airships) with three new semi-rigid airships.

This ship is the Wingfoot One, the first such model in Goodyear’s U.S. fleet.

The only way to ride in one is to win the privilege in a charity auction.

Tim Davey, president of ISSGMT, an international travel agency that specializes in marine fares, made his global tour of offices for the holidays.

He snapped this shot with the staff in the ISSGMT Manila office. “We are now up to 68 smiling faces in the Philippines,” he reports. Happy holidays to all.

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