January 2020 The-Triton.com
www.The-Triton.com | January 2020
Destination dreams often go unfulfilled
Antigua Charter Yacht Show
News Several docked boats damaged in South Florida crash after 128-foot yacht loses control. 10
Where in the World
From the Bridge
Diver offers hopeful report of reefs in the Bahamas after 12 Hurricane Dorian.
Dorie Cox
Most of the time, captains take the yacht where the owner says: on the standard holiday trips, charters and a couple of boat shows. But where would captains visit if it were their choice? The Triton gathers a different group of captains each month to dive into a particular yacht issue for our From the Bridge discussion lunch. This month we asked them to ponder their dreams, given unlimited resources and no restrictions. “I’d like to go to Bali, Indonesia, other exotic places,” a captain said. “But it’s not necessarily realistic.” We thought these captains would spill forth with wish lists, but they See BRIDGE, Page 38
The Croatian Adriatic coast is a yachting paradise – and the city of Split is its heart and soul. 24
Obituaries PHOTO/BILLY BLACK
With the hills of Antigua as a backdrop, the crew of M/Y Ariadne, a 124-foot yacht built by Breaux Bay Craft, are at their best during showings at the Antigua Charter Yacht Show in December. Pictured from left are Deck/Stew Terrea Bateman, First Officer Mike Nelson, Capt. Ian Berrington, Engr. Nick Caruso, Chief Stew Chantelle Rix, and Chef Keith Williamson. See more photos on Page 26. Photo by Billy Black
Court awards chef $1.2 million after surgery By Dorie Cox A yacht chef sued the owner of the yacht after his request to recover about $4,000 for emergency hernia surgery in Cuba was denied. A judge awarded him more than $1 million. A U.S. federal judge in South Florida cited general maritime law when he ordered the owner to pay for pain and suffering, as well as punitive damages, because of the yacht’s failure to pay maintenance and cure for the chef. The verdict was reached after a three-day nonjury trial in U.S. District Court, Southern District of Florida in late May. The Triton learned of the case through
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Celebrating 15 years
the plaintiff’s attorney, who shared details on the condition of anonymity of those involved.
Chain of events lead to court
According to the findings of the court, the chef began to experience pain during a private trip through the Caribbean in 2017. When he first began to feel ill, the chef alerted the captain. When the yacht got to port the next day, the chef went to a doctor who told him he needed surgery for a strangulated hernia. The following day, the chef traveled alone in a taxi to the nearest hospital in Havana three hours away. The hospital attempted unsuccessfully to contact the
yacht’s insurance company and would not perform the surgery without $1,000 payment, which the chef did not have. “For reasons that are unclear, however, the insurer never made contact with the hospital,” according to court documents. The chef reportedly sat in pain in the hospital waiting room until, on the second day, he was transferred to a public hospital that would do the surgery without payment upfront. Eventually, 18 days after the initial request for coverage, the yacht’s insurance company responded, suggesting the chef provide a
See LAWSUIT, Page 36
Friends, colleagues recall Capt. Achim Fischer and former engineer and yacht surveyor Mark Webb. 6,7
Refit Report
The refit world takes center stage in The Triton’s newest column. 18
Events Triton Networking gallery
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9 Next Triton Event Yachting calendar
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