September 2004 Vol. 1, No. 6
Haphazard enforcement of ANOA confuses captains By Lucy Chabot Reed
Several megayacht captains have discovered the hard way that at least some U.S. Coast Guard officers are serious about the 96-hour Advance Notice of Arrival regulation. Capt. Glen Allen, skipper of the 140-foot Feadship Andiamo, received a citation July 10 for failing to file a notice upon arrival in Charleston, S.C. “It’s a letter of warning, but it’s part of my record,” Allen said. “It’s a $32,500 fine if I get any other citations against
my license this year.” At 422 gross tons and flying a Cayman Islands flag, Andiamo filed an ANOA with the National Vessel Movement Center in West Virginia before pulling into Ft. Lauderdale earlier this summer. “We cleared immigration and customs, everything, and went to the shipyard,” he said. But when Andiamo moved on up the coast, Allen didn’t file another ANOA. When he got to Charleston, he said two Coast Guard officers boarded him,
cited him for not filing the ANOA, and told him to leave port for 24 hours. Because Allen had arranged for a Ft. Lauderdale electronics company to fly up for repairs, the officers let him stay. “Fifteen minutes after the technicians had finished, we were forced to leave,” Allen said. The 96-hour ANOA rule was final in February 2003, but megayacht captains have only begun noticing problems complying with it this summer. According to the rule (33 CFR 160, subpart C), all vessels – foreign and
domestic – larger than 300 gross tons “bound for or departing from ports or places in the United States” must file a 96-hour Advance Notice of Arrival. “The U.S. Coast Guard is now part of the Department of Homeland Security,” Allen said. “Why don’t they have a database that lets the ports talk to each other and say, ‘yeah, Andiamo reported in and they’re going to this port’?” That communication doesn’t exist, and megayachts over 300 tons have to file each time they change See ANOA, page 4
In hurricanes, stick to a plan, have a spare
Chef Nardine Jones, left, and Capt. Don Lessels take a short break on the 118-foot S/Y Whisper, which won the Newport Bucket this summer. See more scenes from New England on page 14. PHOTO/LUCY REED
Stuart marinas prepare for megayacht growth By Lisa H. Knapp City officials in Stuart, Fla., took the first step on Aug. 23 to slow down boaters and control the wake in the north fork of the St. Lucie River. By passing a resolution, city commissioners have asked Martin County and state officials to change the speed zone through the north fork of the river, a move that a handful of marina operators say is critical to attracting megayachts to the city.
Capt. John Dial is ready to spend $1 million to double the size of Stuart Harbor, his deep-water marina, from 35 slips to 70. In the heart of downtown Stuart, Dial said the renovated marina would have six slips for megayachts up to 120 feet, as well as a yacht club, pool and restaurant. But he won’t start the project until the river is safer for dockage. “To tie a boat at present is detrimental and a safety issue affecting 350 boats in area marinas,” he said.
Coast Guard turns megayacht away from marina. Page 12.
Before you plan a trip to Alaska, read page 26.
“Picture a 5-foot wake in Bahia Mar, then you can imagine the danger,” said Jon Burkard, vice president of Allied Richard Bertram Marine Group Stuart. The problem is large wakes, said Frank Thomas, a contract administrator for the city of Stuart who drafted the resolution to enforce and control minimum wakes. The resolution asks the state to authorize the permit for slow speed, no wake zones, with the city and county See STUART, page 9
When a powerful storm like Hurricane Charley is swirling away a few days out, megayacht captains have a lot of decisions to make. Should they stay or should they go? If they stay, do they find a safe slip to tie to or anchor out? Mid-August was the perfect time to talk about hurricane preparedness, FROM THE BRIDGE as Charley – the LUCY CHABOT REED strongest storm to hit the United States since Hurricane Andrew in 1992 – was bearing down on Southwest Florida. And as expected, the eight captains gathered for The Triton’s monthly Bridge luncheon had myriad experiences that influenced how they handle storms, each a little differently. As always, individual captains are not identified so as to encourage frank and open discussion. They are identified as a group with a photograph on page 6. Avoiding bad weather was the emergency plan of choice.
See THE BRIDGE, page 6
Captain-turned-broker offers tips when shopping for the boss. The Connection, page 13.
2 The Triton
September 2004
WHAT’S INSIDE Still in the Med? Don’t miss the show, page 30 Publisher
Editor
David Reed
Lucy Chabot Reed
david@the-triton.com
lucy@the-triton.com editorial@the-triton.com
Advertising/ Business Development Kristy Fox kristy@the-triton.com sales@the-triton.com
Business Manager/ Circulation Margaret Soffen peg@the-triton.com
Distribution Ross Adler National Distribution Solutions
Contributing Editors Lawrence Hollyfield,
Contributors
James Barrett, Grace Bloodwell, The Bridge, Steve Drago, Margaret Egan, Don Grimme, Lisette Hilton, Jack Horkheimer, Lisa H. Knapp, Capt. Herb Magney, Capt. Michael Murphy, Susan Oliver, Jeff Ostrowski, Steve Pica, David Raterman, Capt. Dave Reams, Rossmare International, Michael Thiessen, Crystal Wong, Phaedra Xanthos
The Triton P.O. Box 22278 Fort Lauderdale, FL 33335 (954) 525-0029 FAX (954) 337-0702 www.the-triton.com
Vol. 1, No. 6. The Triton is a free, monthly newspaper owned by Triton Publishing Group. Copyright 2004 Triton Publishing Group Inc. All rights reserved.
Advertiser directory 32 Calendar of events 30-31 Classifieds 32-33 Crossword puzzle 31 Crossword answers 27 From the Experts: Body Business 24 Into Account 25 Manager’s Time 24 Taxing Matters 25 Fuel prices 18 Horoscopes 29 In the Stars 28
In the Yard 15 Letters to the Editor 35 News 7,8,12 Opinions 34-35 Photo Gallery 14,23 Profile: American Princess 10 Reviews: DVD 29 Product 19 Technology Pull-Out: Getting Under Way 15-22 Travel: Taking Time Off 26 Triton Connection 13
4 The Triton
FROM THE FRONT
September 2004
Different CG districts handle ANOA differently, captains say ANOA, from page 1 ports, according to the rule. Other megayachts may have to comply as well. Foreign-flagged vessels 300 tons or less entering District 7 – which covers all of Florida, Georgia and South Carolina – must file an ANOA with the captain of the port. At least, that’s what the rule says. Capt. Pete Gannon, who skippers the 94-foot dive boat Destiny One, said the Coast Guard told him he didn’t need to report in upon arrival from the Bahamas. At less than 300 gross tons and foreign-flagged arriving in District 7, the rule says Gannon has to file an ANOA with the captain of the port he enters. When he called Miami in midAugust, Gannon said he was told not to bother, that the staff there was too overworked to handle the call. “That’s the problem, every port is doing something different,” Gannon said. “I was surprised when they told me to just check in with customs and immigration. I made two calls, just to check. Washington said to call the local port. The port of Miami said I didn’t have to check in. I said, ‘Are you sure?’ They told me I wasn’t big enough and they just couldn’t keep track of everybody.” What happened to Gannon is “absolutely wrong,” said Susan Engle, who has been working on Coast Guard
security issues on behalf of the Marine Industries Association of South Florida. The only explanation Engle could offer was that Gannon called by telephone. She thought maybe the captain of the port needed the ANOA filed electronically or by fax. Nothing in the rule prohibits phone calls, however, and indeed two phone numbers are listed as appropriate ways of filing an ANOA with the National Vessel Movement Center. The rule does not include guidelines on how to submit the ANOA to captains of the port in District 7. Engle warned that even though a petty officer who answered the phone told Gannon that he didn’t need to report in, a Coast Guard officer “could board him and still fine him.” U.S. Coast Guard Lt. Kimberly Anderson is the expert on the ANOA, but was unable to answer questions on deadline, so it is unclear why Gannon was told he didn’t have to file his ANOA. It is also unclear why different ports handle enforcement of the rule differently. The rule offers one possible explanation. At the end of subpart C, there is a paragraph called “waivers” that gives a captain of the port the authority to waive the requirements of the rule for “any vessel or class of vessels upon finding that the vessel, route, area of operations, conditions of the voyage, or other circumstances
are such that application of this subpart is unnecessary or impractical for purposes of safety, environmental protection, or national security.” Capt. James Watson, former captain of the port in Miami, told The Triton in May that U.S. vessels that are recreational in nature – which he defined as taking six or fewer passengers if less than 100 gross tons, 12 or fewer if more than 100 gross tons – are exempt from this rule. Nothing in the rule indicates that to be the case, though. “These new regulations are really screwy,” Allen said. “Even when you try to comply, you can’t. In each port, things are different. “I’m ex-Coast Guard. I understand the importance of reporting in and the seriousness of security. I don’t have a problem reporting in if I know how to do it.” The rule does, however, allow vessels that plan to enter two or more consecutive ports to file a consolidated ANOA before entering the first port, which might have saved Allen from getting a citation. No notice need be filed when “operating exclusively within a captain-of-the-port zone.” At least one megayacht captain is believed to have received the $32,500 fine this summer for failing to file an ANOA, according to a source, but attempts to reach that captain for verification were unsuccessful.
Capt. Scott Truesdale of the 150foot M/Y Imagine also was boarded in Charleston this summer, but received only a warning for failing to file his ANOA. He said the Coast Guard officer simply advised him what he needed to do to comply. “But I can tell you that Charleston is taking it very, very seriously,” Truesdale said. Contact Editor Lucy Chabot Reed at lucy@the-triton.com.
ANOA: Who’s to comply? All vessels larger than 300 gross tons must file an ANOA with the National Vessel Movement Center via an electronic NOA (eNOA) at www.nvmc.uscg.gov; by e-mail to sans@nvmc.uscg.gov; by phone at (800)708-9823 or (304)264-2502; or fax at (800)5478724 or (304)264-2684. All foreign-flagged vessels 300 gross tons and smaller entering any port in District 7 must file an ANOA with the captain of the port. In South Florida, contact the COTP by phone at (305)535-8701 or by fax at (305)535-8761. For copies of the electronic forms to file an ANOA, as well as the link to read the rule, visit www.the-triton.com/anoa.
6 The Triton
FROM THE FRONT
September 2004
Can’t always run from storm, so know what’s coming and prepare THE BRIDGE, from page 1 “We base our itinerary on the seasons,” said one captain who frequently travels the world. “You don’t want to be in Asia in the monsoons. You’ve got to plan.” “Part of it is educating the owner enough to say, ‘it’s better not to be there at that time’,” one captain said. “Then you suggest other itineraries. Every time, they say ‘yes’.” Sometimes, though, owners can be pretty adamant about where they want to be. “One year, I was working for a guy who wanted to be in New England for the charter season,” one captain said. “I was up there when George came through, and Floyd, and Irene. I was stuck in every one of them. I just blew up every fender I had and threw out more line.” Regions prone to Atlantic hurricanes are apparently becoming more popular in summer, despite the danger. Captains, charter brokers and businesses are reporting one of the busiest summer seasons in memory in the Caribbean this year. Many shipyards in Ft. Lauderdale, too, have been unusually busy. With good weather tracking, captains who find themselves in hurricane areas during hurricane season can make the call to run from
Captains at The Triton’s August Bridge luncheon were, from left, Ian van der Watt, Herb Magney, Brit Robinson, Carl Moughan, Denise Fox, Kevin Smart, Ian Robberts, and Rick Harris. PHOTO/LUCY REED the storm or not. “Sometimes you hunker down, sometimes you run like hell,” one captain said. “From St. Thomas, it’s only three to four days to Venezuela,” another said. Of course, the whole idea of a “hurricane season” is nebulous. Insurance policies often restrict movement to more southern latitudes until Oct.1, despite the fact that the
Atlantic hurricane season isn’t over until Nov. 30. And with global weather patterns changing, hurricanes are coming later in the season. “You’ve got to take pilot charts with a grain of salt,” one captain said. “The way I look at it, they should make the season later.” So when hunkering down, do captains stay on board or head for dry land? “Stay on board,” several captains said in unison. “That depends,” said another. “I stayed on for Hugo, got off for Fran. Hugo ended up being the worse storm. It put the fear of God in me.” Several, though, said they would stay on board. “And pray you have a survival suit, even in warm water.” One captain facing a hurricane in Turks and Caicos anchored out in about 20 feet of water and had the scuba gear ready. If things got really bad, the crew was ready to sit on the bottom and wait it out. There was lively debate on whether to anchor out or tie up to a dock. With time and location on their side, a majority of captains preferred to anchor out. Anchoring out offered an opportunity to “ride out the storm,” provided captains could get there early for a good position in the harbor with enough time to set a perimeter of anchors to a common riser – and encircling the yacht with fenders, of course. But anchoring out also puts a yacht in danger of being hit by another boat that might not be so carefully anchored, one captain said. Properly tied to a dock, a yacht would have protection from being hit on at least two sides, possibly more, this captain said. Though a slip may offer some
protection from other boats, another captain dismissed it as a never-ending task of tending the lines. For one powerful storm, “there were two of us on a huge sailboat and we spent the whole night jockeying the lines,” this captain said. “I never want to do that s--- again.” The group’s preparedness tips were basic, but are worth noting. Get everything off the deck. Put up storm shutters, if you have them. Flood the tender on deck to keep it from getting ripped off. Fill all your tanks and make a lot of water. Have extra filters. “I was in Puerto Rico when David, then [Frederic] came through,” one captain said. “We were anchored out and by the time we got back to the dock, there was nothing in the grocery store. I mean nothing. “Right then I made the point that there’s always going to be canned food on my boat. On an island, even a week after, there’s still no food.” “Have extra fenders,” another captain said. “Deflate them and store them somewhere, like in the bilge if you have to. And get line. There is no way you are going to find line right before a storm.” Other captains recommended having an extra anchor, extra chain, and four-inch ratchet straps. “A lot of people have become blasé,” a captain said. “You go through one and it’s not so bad. Another one, and it’s not so bad. Then you get hammered. We’ve got to put the same amount of effort into each one.” “By the time you know where it’s going to make landfall, it’s too late to move, so you have to be ready.” “You have to monitor the weather, and you have to have a plan.” If that plan calls for moving inland, make sure you’ve called ahead and reserved a spot. “Call … early in the season,” one captain said. “Several months in advance, even the season before.” But even the best plans aren’t always enough. “My plan is to always go up river, but the owner is complaining about the costs, so we’re docked behind a house,” one captain said. “Here I am compromising my plan.” Contact Editor Lucy Chabot Reed at lucy@the-triton.com.
How do you prepare for a hurricane? Do you have suggestions that could help fellow captains? Do you think anchoring out is a really bad idea? Send your comments to lucy@the-triton.com.
September 2004
NEWS
The Triton 7
Fire drill training helped avert charter disaster on Caprice By Lucy Chabot Reed
A potential emergency aboard the M/Y Caprice while on charter was averted in late July thanks to the action of her experienced captain and crew, the support of her sister charter ship M/Y Claire, and M/Y Joanne. On Sunday, July 25 – the second day of a tandem charter with 17 guests – Caprice and Claire were making their approach to Norman’s Cay in the Exumas, Bahamas, to anchor for the night when, at about 6 p.m., Caprice’s engine room fire alarm signal sounded. Capt. Chuck Limroth and his fivemember crew quickly went through the motions of their practiced fire drills, mustering guests on the fore deck, sealing the engine room, shutting down all machinery, closing all fire dampers, and discharging the halon. Caprice Engineer Ian Morris suggested the extra step of further sealing all engine room air intakes and discharges to ensure no ingress of air, which was promptly carried out. The guests were boarded onto Claire. On Monday morning, Caprice’s charter broker at Camper & Nicholsons put out the call for a fast boat to pick up the charter and Capt. Dan Webster of Joanne responded. “They hollered for help and I came to the rescue,” Webster said. Webster was in Daytona Beach with his first mate when he got the call that Monday. Joanne, a 120-foot Mefasa jet boat, was in Ft. Lauderdale, her crew scattered. Webster sent his first mate to Orlando for the wave runners, he picked up kayaks from Daytona, collected a freelance chef, and headed to Ft. Lauderdale. After clearing customs in Nassau, Joanne and her crew arrived at Norman’s Cay midday Tuesday, July 27. “We got all the groceries off Caprice, and all the guests off Claire and completed the charter,” Webster said. “The guests were just the nicest people.” Limroth said the fire was a textbook case that he and his crew were well trained to handle. The guests told him they never once felt in danger and were hoping for word they could return to Caprice the next morning, he said. “There was not a whole lot of damage,” Webster said. “From the outside, you couldn’t see anything. “Chuck did an excellent job keeping the fire contained,” he said. “He kept the compartment shut and that kept the oxygen out. Instead of opening it to see what was going on, he left it closed until the fire company showed up.” Limroth called Resolve Marine Group’s professional shipboard firefighters to open the engine room the next day, after being sealed for 16 hours. No re-ignition occurred as the fire was extinguished. The origin of the fire appears to have been electrical, Limroth said. Limroth said his attendance at
The Triton’s Connection seminar on megayacht fires and insurance matters on July 14 reminded him of some important procedures that helped him handle the fire on his yacht. At the seminar, former Janie II Capt. Steve Ernest discussed what helped him through the process with the insurance company after a fire destroyed his boat in April, including
having a back-up of all maintenance records off the boat and having phone numbers of firefighting support services readily available. Caprice, a 123-foot Oceanco, is the ninth megayacht to be damaged or destroyed by fire since March, according to Triton reports and other news accounts. And ironically, Caprice was the
replacement vessel for the originally chartered Janie II. “I will do a final, comprehensive report of the incident so that we can all learn and benefit from this incident, as I did by listening to Steve,” Limroth said. “Stay tuned.” Contact Editor Lucy Chabot Reed at lucy@the-triton.com.
8 The Triton
NEWS
September 2004
Charley skids across Florida Hurricane Charley, a Category 4 hurricane, slammed into the quiet Southwest Florida towns of Punta Gorda and Port Charlotte on Friday, Aug. 13, leaving the big-boat towns of Ft. Lauderdale and Tampa unharmed. About a million people were advised to evacuate as the storm approached. By the time it had passed through Florida by late afternoon, more than two dozen people had lost their lives. With sustained winds of 140 mph, Charley was the most powerful storm to hit the United States since Hurricane Andrew, a Category 5 storm, slammed into South Florida in August 1992. Only eight hurricanes of Category 4 or stronger have hit the United States since 1950, according to the National Weather Service. Charley traveled northeast through Orlando and Daytona Beach before heading out to sea. A weakened storm came back ashore north of Charleston, S.C. on Saturday, Aug. 14 with winds of about 75 mph. On its way to Florida, a smaller Charley bypassed the Cayman Islands, but hit western Cuba near the port of Batabano south of Havana. It gathered strength to become a Category 4 storm as it crossed the Gulf of Mexico. According to the Associated Press, three people were killed in Cuba and one person died the night of Aug. 11 trying to rescue six other people from rising oodwaters in Jamaica. Coast Guard Station Fort Myers Beach received structural damage during the storm and lost VHF radio capability. The station temporarily lost the use of its boat docks due to storm damage and debris but two boats stored elsewhere were available for search and rescue response. – Compiled from news service reports
Are you out there? The Triton is hiring a few happy people as our sales representatives around the world, especially in Europe, the Mediterranean and New Zealand. Is that you? E-mail our publisher David Reed at david@the-triton.com.
September 2004
FROM THE FRONT
Tom Button, left, of Stuart Cay Marina and John Dial of Stuart Harbor have been pushing for a minimum wake zone on the St. Lucie. PHOTO/LISA KNAPP
Wake problem must be fixed to attract more megayachts STUART, from page 1 responsible for enforcement. Because the north fork of the St. Lucie River is not part of the Intracoastal Waterway, Martin County has jurisdiction over its regulation. A minimum wake zone can be easily established by ordinance. But a state permit is needed to erect signs. “The problem is not hard to fix, it’s finding the right players to fix it,” said Tara Alford, a planner with the Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission. “The current regulation in the north fork is actually ‘Slow Speed Year Round, Channel Excluded.’ There is no numeric speed limit in this area. Therefore, my recommendation would be for the county to enact an ordinance of Slow Speed, Minimum Wake.” A similar effort three years ago never went anywhere, but there is now organized support by way of the St. Lucie River Marina Association. The group gathered signatures recently from 200 boat and home owners requesting a minimum wake in the one-mile vicinity by the Roosevelt Bridge. The city needs the minimum wake zone if it ever wants to attract megayachts, said Tom Button, manager of Stuart Cay Marina. “The constant wakes have caused numerous injuries and boat repairs,” said Button, who is also vice president of operations with Kadey Krogan Yachts. “We’ve lost reservations strictly because of the wake problem.” If the minimum wake zone is enacted, megayacht dockage in Stuart is projected to grow from six to 22 slips by March, with dockage for 50 or more megayachts to be available within the next three years. Stuart’s revitalized downtown, the renovated marinas and relatively low dock rates of $10-12 per foot per month could make it a new
destination for yachts visiting South Florida. Boater-friendly Stuart has a courtesy dock at city hall, a city marina that opened in 2001, and plans for a yacht club at the City Anchorage with 850 feet of dock space – once the minimum wake zone is in place. “This is long delayed, and has now come to fruition,” said Thomas, the city contract administrator. “Stuart’s restaurants and shops are ready to extend hospitality to yachters looking for a new end destination. I’d like to see a water taxi develop, too.” Now that the city has passed the resolution, Martin County commissioners could address the proposed ordinance as early as this month. The state’s process could take about six months. Most of the marinas’ managers are eager for the paperwork to be complete so they can get to work expanding their marinas for megayachts. “If it’s safe and the demand is there, we’ll build more big slips,” Dial said. At least one marina doesn’t intend to wait. Allied Richard Bertram plans to begin work – within the next six months, Burkard said – to add 18 slips for megayachts up to 150 feet. “We’ve got a couple million dollars earmarked and are building our marina complex for bigger yachts with more beam, length and power.” Contact freelance writer Lisa H. Knapp at lisa@the-triton.com.
To see a video clip of the wake problem in the north fork of the St. Lucie River, visit www.the-triton.com/video
The Triton 9
10 The Triton
CREW PROFILE
September 2004
M/Y American Princess sparkles under hands of all-female crew By Lucy Chabot Reed Capt. Linda Lupi notices everything. That tiny scratch in the gel coat, she sees it. That book out of place on the shelf, she straightens it. That napkin holder that’s not where it’s supposed to be, she moves it. She notices when her first mate isn’t doing precisely what she asked, and she notices when her stew is in the weeds and needs a hand making beds. All that attention to detail has gotten Lupi noticed as well. Her boss, a yacht owner for 14 years, says she’s the best captain he’s ever had. The manufacturer, Lazarra, keeps referring her for jobs. Her crew notices, too. “I love working with Linda because I know the condition the boat will be in,” said Jennifer Mooney, the stew/mate. “I’ve been on so many boats where the maintenance is not followed,” said Catherine Albright, the mate/stew. “I feel very fortunate to be on this boat.” Even yards notice. “It is absolutely the cleanest, most well-maintained vessel we’ve seen in a long time, and we see a lot of boats,” said Kaye Hendrix with Rolly Marine Service in Ft. Lauderdale where Lupi’s boat, M/Y American Princess, recently
visited. “The engine room was so clean you could have prepared food in there.” Getting all that attention hasn’t come easy. Lupi has been boating since 1988, starting out as a dive instructor on those liveaboard yachts in the Caribbean and Central America that are in port for just a few hours once a week to pick up guests. She moved around and up on those 120- to 130-foot yachts, working in the engine room while doing her other job so she not only earned her hours but also the knowledge to one day be a good captain. She got her captain’s license in 1995. But in 1998, after a decade away from port all the time, she decided to give private yachting a shot. She asked a few crew agencies what her chances were, being a woman with a 1,600-ton captain’s license. Her gut told her she was rare, but a stack of resumes on a bottom shelf in an agency office told her she was nothing special. “I kind of felt at the time that I was being judged against people who were wives or second captains, who were not really experienced like I was,” she said. So she took a job as chef/mate. It didn’t take long for that owner and
See PRINCESS, page 11
September 2004
CREW PROFILE
The Triton 11
Trio create magic, teamwork to get job done on 80-foot Lazarra PRINCESS, from page 10 crew to see she could handle more. When the captain left, Lupi said she got the job. That was an 80-foot Lazarra, and while she’s move up and down in size, she’s been on a Lazarra ever since. Now she runs the 80-foot American Princess with a female mate and, when the owner is on board, a female stew, making the boat a rarity on the megayacht circuit with an all female crew. “I’m very particular how the boat looks,” said Lupi, who joined American Princess about a year ago. “I may have had to work a little harder in this industry, but the boat’s spotless.” Working for a woman can be challenging, but it has its advantages. “She helps with the lines and fenders,” said Albright, who has worked on boats since 1989. “On some bigger boats, you get captains who say that’s not my job, or I wasn’t hired to do that.” But Lupi has done it all. “I’ll clean the head, make a bed or help the chef,” she said. “I’ve worked with plenty of people who just want to stick to their jobs, they didn’t want to carry a wine bottle or set up a food tray. But I have done every aspect of service on a yacht. “It just kind of flows now,” she said. “It’s hard to put into words.” The word is magic. It’s magic when a crew clicks, when each member – simply because of the kind of people they are – work toward the same goal without being prompted or nagged. Perhaps it’s the magic that gets noticed. “I can’t wait to do a trip on this boat,” said Mooney, who also works as stew on another megayacht. “We have a good time. It’s fun when we work hard together. There’s a lot of pride.” “She runs a very tight ship, and I like it,” Albright said. “Some people like to work a bit more casual, but I prefer to know what is expected of me.” It took Lupi a while to get this mix. She knows her style of management isn’t for everybody. But at this moment in time, on this boat, with this crew, it works. It’s also the first time she’s had an all-female crew. “I know there are crew members who maybe weren’t so happy that I was so strict,” Lupi said. “But I’ve had maybe six call me in the past few years and say, ‘I didn’t know how important all these things were.’ They didn’t understand until they went somewhere else.” Lupi knows the magic doesn’t end with getting the right crew. She credits Lazarra with having a strong support system, and she credits her owner with providing her the money to maintain the boat properly. “I feel very fortunate,” Lupi said. “I have a good owner and a good manufacturer that stands behind its
product. That makes my job easier, and it enables me to do my job better. They give me the opportunity to do my job the way I think it should be done.” “She taught me that,” said owner Vin Gupta. “With a $3 million boat, you cannot be cheap about maintenance. Whatever she needs, we have to make sure she gets it.” Gupta, founder and chairman of the database company InfoUSA, said he has many female managers among his 1,500 employees, and he notices that women are “more conscientious, more responsible.” “There’s something about women,” he said. And there’s something about his crew. It’s called magic. Contact Editor Lucy Chabot Reed at lucy@the-triton.com.
From left, the crew of M/Y American Princess: Mate/stew Catherine Albright, Capt. Linda Lupi, and Stew/mate Jennifer Mooney. PHOTO/LUCY REED
12 The Triton
NEWS
September 2004
ISPS-compliant yacht turned away from non-compliant marina By Lucy Chabot Reed Large megayachts often turn heads. In New England this summer, under new international security rules, one such yacht also attracted the attention of the U.S. Coast Guard, which kept her from docking in at least one marina. The Triton is honoring this yacht’s request that neither the captain nor the vessel be identified until safety and security issues are worked out. At more than 500 tons and foreign flagged, this megayacht must comply with the International Ship and Port Facility Security Code (or ISPS Code), which went into effect July 1. And she does, her captain said. She carries a vessel security plan, has an onboard ship security officer, and adheres to strict security requirements. ISPS says compliant vessels can only dock at compliant facilities, though, which many U.S. marinas still are not. “The reality is that I can’t go anywhere except commercial ports,” the captain said. “Why would I want
to do that? I can’t go to Nantucket or Newport or Boston, I can’t go anywhere. Why would I even come to the United States then?” Several U.S. marina managers have told The Triton that their Coast Guard officers indicated they needn’t worry about ISPS because they would not receive the kinds of vessels seeking a compliant facility, such as container ships, cruise ships and freighters. It turns out, though, that large private megayachts also fall into the mix. In U.S. waters, ISPS applies to all commercial vessels over 500 gross tons. A megayacht of at least 500 tons carrying even one charter guest makes it a commercial vessel in the Coast Guard’s eyes. Foreign-flagged vessels of less than 500 gross tons must comply with ISPS if they carry more than 12 passengers for hire. According to the skipper of the megayacht that was turned out of a New England marina, his vessel charters internationally. In U.S. waters, it is used privately. While she meets
ISPS regulations for her international voyages, he said she shouldn’t be forced to abide by them when in private use. The Coast Guard doesn’t distinguish between commercial or private use on the same vessel. To charter, megayachts over 500 tons must meet safety standards equivalent to SOLAS requirements. Once those standards are met and a certificate is in place, the vessel is commercial as far as the Coast Guard is concerned. The issue, this captain said, is that many yachts come into the United States for the summer that are documented as private vessels and given cruising permits by U.S. Customs. So there is a contradiction in the regulations – one branch of government considers his yacht commercial, another private. Even more troubling, at least for marinas in South Florida, is the upcoming influx of megayachts for the Ft. Lauderdale International Boat Show, scheduled for Oct. 28-Nov. 1. The inwater portion of the show is centered
around Bahia Mar Yachting Center, Hyatt Pier 66 and Marriott Portside Marina on the Intracoastal Waterway. As of late August, several did not yet comply with ISPS. With a backlog of plans awaiting approval at the U.S. Coast Guard’s appointed consultant – a firm in Kansas City – Coast Guard officers in South Florida are picking up the slack to approve plans in time for the boat show, said Susan Engle, co-chairman of the Homeland Security Task Force with the Marine Industries Association of South Florida. The marina at Hyatt Pier 66 had not received final approval of its plan as of Aug. 22, but dockmaster Steven Carlson said he expected to have it this month, certainly by the boat show. “This is crunch time for us and the Coast Guard is aware of that,” Carlson said. “They’re trying to get everyone approved before the boat show.” Contact Editor Lucy Chabot Reed at lucy@the-triton.com.
Marina managers oppose way ISPS lumps megayachts with commerical vessels While the objective of ISPS is not only laudable but necessary in today’s fragile climate, the span of the policies has raised deep concerns in the yachting community. Marine facility managers in Boston met with harbor officials Aug. 16. Timothy White, the maritime transportation security specialist who led the meeting, FROM THE MARINA said all foreignGRACE BLOODWELL flagged SOLAS vessels in question will be barred from facilities in Boston Harbor save Black Falcon Terminal, whose clients are cruise ships, tankers and cargo ships. White outlined the improvements marinas needed for clearance of Code 105 (33 CFR Part 105), including surveillance equipment, ground and water patrol, added lighting, and 24hour security. He suggested marina personnel become familiar with current security threats, the detection of weapons and dangerous substances, crowd management techniques, and methods of body and cargo searching. It was also explained that the application process for Code 105 clearance will undoubtedly be met initially with failures as inspectors are used to regulating port facilities with commercial vessels, not pleasure yachts. The meeting was disheartening for Capt. Patrick F. Danaher, marina manager at Boston Yacht Haven. His marina will now undergo the lengthy and unnavigated process of applying for Code 105 status. Knowing improvements will be costly, Danaher must consider the possibility that his
marina will not be able to meet the new standards and will lose out on considerable business. Danaher’s stance, which is shared by other marinas, is that megayachts should not suffer the same regulations as commercial vessels. Furthermore, expecting marinas to foot the bill for improvements while also shifting the burden of security to the facilities is unfair and makes little sense. “If the law stays intact, why should marinas take the hit? Why should I be asked to train a kid working a summer job to learn the art of cargo searching when the city has received millions of dollars from Homeland Security for the purpose of training professionals to do this sort of thing?” Danaher raises an interesting point. Boston Harbor has received millions of dollars from the Homeland Security Department over the past three years to increase defense. In June of 2003, Boston received $1.7 million in a State Homeland Security Grant. On July 15, 2004, three new patrol boats were acquired by the Boston Harbormaster under a $2.8 million federal grant. Boston Harbor, like many harbors, is teeming with patrol boats. With the enormous amount of funding and new resources every year, it seems that the duty of monitoring pleasure craft could rest more heavily on the shoulders of officials being paid to enforce security rather than the marina whose area of expertise is hospitality. Danaher sees the SOLAS issue as a small part of a broader trend of paranoia and over-regulation in yachting. He and others site the loss Boston businesses experienced during the Democratic National Convention as a result of citizens’ anxiety over
terrorism and their desire to avoid the hassle of a hyperregulated city. The empty stands in Athens suggest the paranoia runs worldwide. When events that traditionally draw droves of people suddenly repel the masses, the question must be asked; is terror winning? Have security measures gone so far that their presence is Capt. Patrick Danaher, marina manager of Boston feeding the fear? Are Yacht Haven, is fighting ISPS for yachts. PHOTO/LUCY REED we willing to allow regulation to affect businesses on such a damaging scale? in more than 12.8 million tons of bulk Denying SOLAS yachts access to fuel cargos yearly, he concedes that this marinas is damaging to the economy. volume demands proper security. It is a latent handicap for the port Overall, MTSA is an exemplary piece because the amount of money thrown of legislation, save its use of tonnage into the various entities and services – not vessel content or category – as of the city has been overlooked, not an index of security measures. As it is, by the businesses that stand to profit, the policy is a cancer on the yachting but by the policymakers who made community. this stymieing legislation. Rental car “If the regulation stays in place, two agencies, hotels, restaurants, bars, things are certain: marinas will suffer, boutiques, tourist attractions, street as will port economies,” he said. “But vendors and taxi companies all stand as for yachting in general, who is to to benefit from the arrival of an owner, say what form it will take? Eventually his or her friends and family, and crew maybe all these vessels will forfeit their eager to use city services. Local and SOLAS documents. Is this what the state leaders should be made aware legislation seeks to do?” that there is a connection between Danaher, along with others, is regulations deterring yachts and the sensitive to the fact that yachting is amount of money that flows into a city on the brink of momentous change, as a byproduct of yacht expenditures. a change he is altogether not eager to While Danaher argues passionately witness. against regulations on yachts, he is careful not to be too hard on the Grace Bloodwell is assistant dockmaster ISPS Code. Recognizing that Boston at Boston Yacht Haven. Contact her at Harbor’s main port, MASSPORT, draws graciebravo@yahoo.com.
September 2004
THE CONNECTION
Captains, crew can help brokers find right boat for owners When an owner wants to sell his boat and buy another, a broker nearly always gets involved. Big-boat captain-turned-broker Curtis Stokes said captains involved in the boat-buying process would do well to create THE CONNECTION a team with the LUCY CHABOT REED broker and establish from the start how matters are to be communicated. In August, more than 30 captains and other yachting professionals gathered to talk about how to best shop for the boss. The first bit of advice from Stokes, who worked with brokers while on several large yachts including the 142-foot Lloyd’s Renegade, is to select one broker. Despite opposition from a few in the audience, Stokes said brokers are put in an awkward situation when several are asked to, essentially, do the same thing. “Don’t involve more than one broker,” said, Stokes, now a broker with The Sacks Group in Ft. Lauderdale. “I just makes us all look unprofessional.” Instead, he said, interview brokers, ask for references, steer clear of brokers who demand your loyalty, and don’t pick one who looks down on a captain’s ability to contribute to the team. Like real estate agents, yacht brokers all have access to information on every listed boat for sale. True that they do not represent them all, but they can show any boat on the market to a potential buyer. If, as the buyer’s representative, a captain discovers that a broker is only showing his listings, find a new broker, Stokes said. “Expect a lot from your broker,” he said. “Get it, or move on.” The captain’s role in the process of buying a boat is critical, he said. Who better than the captain to know the real habits of owners? Does they like to anchor out all the time? Do they like to stay at the dock? What is it about this owner that makes them enjoy yachting? The captain also should be part of the team previewing potential purchases for an owner, he said. If possible, bring members of the crew to
Capt. Dale Smith, left, won The Connection door prize of a SIM card with 100 minutes, donated by Global Satellite USA of Ft. Lauderdale. He networks with Capt. Jim Bean, center, and Capt. Mike Travers. PHOTO/KRISTY FOX get as much input on each part of the boat. Then compile that information in an information package for the owner. But don’t, he advised, bring the crew when the owner previews the yacht. “It’s an emotional thing for an owner to buy a yacht,” Stokes said. “The last thing an owner wants to do is to go on a yacht and have the chef drag him into the galley and say this is what I like about this galley. “Once the captain has figured out if this is a good boat, making the purchase is a feeling.” A captain’s expertise also comes into play after the boat has been selected, with surveys and sea trials, Stokes said. Several captains in the audience were skeptical of a broker’s motives in finding the right yacht for the owner. That shouldn’t prevent a captain from working with all brokers, Stokes said. If the feeling arises with one specific broker, drop him and move on. One of the pitfalls to avoid is the uncomfortable situation with commissions and referral fees. “I actually have no problem with paying a referral fee as long as it’s above board and the owner knows about it,” he said. “If you present it properly, it’s not an issue.” One captain in the audience wanted to know why brokers often made unannounced visits to a listed boat. That insults the crew by not providing notice and doesn’t present the yacht in its best light.
Connection speaker Curtis Stokes, left, catches up with Capt. Marcus VanOort, and Joey Ricciardelli and Darren Coleman of Yacht Equipment Systems. PHOTO/KRISTY FOX
Stokes said that sometimes potential owners are in town for a very short time – perhaps just a few hours – and they want to see a boat. Occasionally, someone will be in town buying a house and decide they want a yacht, too. “If at all possible, I’m going to show him a boat,” he said. James Barrett, a consultant with Custom Yacht Consultants and a Triton contributor, said crew should be a bit more understanding of the process. “You have to compromise,” he said. “The boss wants you to sell the boat. That’s your primary reason for being there. Do it.” Contact Editor Lucy Chabot Reed at lucy@the-triton.com.
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