December 2004 Vol. 1, No. 9
Caprice captain describes engine room fire, lessons learned By Capt. Chuck Limroth This is the follow-up to the article in the September edition of The Triton concerning the engine room fire onboard the M/Y Caprice in July. Caprice is a 123-foot Oceanco built in 1994, all aluminum with an aft engine room. We were on a tandem charter with the 115-foot M/Y Claire under the command of Capt. Bruce Cardish.
Our guests were an extended family of 17 – nine onboard Caprice, eight onboard Claire. The charter began July 24 at Atlantis, Paradise Island. Following is a briefing of the events for informational purposes. On Sunday, July 25, at 1800 hours, Caprice and Claire were making their approach toward the southwest shore of Norman’s Cay, Bahamas. About two miles offshore, Caprice’s engine room fire alarm sounded.
Engineer Ian Morris checked for the temperature of the engine room’s main deck-level door (which he exited 20 minutes prior after a full engine room check and log entry) and found it to be normal. He discovered smoke at deck level upon slowly cracking open the door and looking inside. He immediately closed and secured the door and reported to me via radio. Main engines were shut down from the pilot house.
I instructed chief stewardess Simone Seckington to locate and muster all guests to the foredeck and to instruct chef Cherry Kannemeyer to shut down all galley equipment and assist stewardess Madeline Tusler with mustering guests and getting life vests. Engineer Morris then checked the temperature of the engine room’s transom door. He found it to be
See CAPRICE, page 8
Syncrolift collapses, Sacajawea falls in river Captains seek compatibility in new hires By Lucy Chabot Reed
The 130-foot M/Y Sacajawea slid into the New River at Fort Lauderdale Shipyard on Nov. 18 after one of the hoists of the yard’s Syncrolift gave way. It was unclear exactly what happened or why, but Sacajawea slid about 12 feet forward, suffering three holes in her port bow, and rested bow down in the river. Damage to the megayacht was minimal, according to broker Mark Elliott with International Yacht Collection, central agent for the charter yacht. The real damage may have occurred to the yard’s Syncrolift. One of its four hoists was underwater. At least some of the remaining hoists were still operable and Sacajawea was refloated a few hours after Preliminary reports indicate damage to the 130-foot M/Y Sacajawea is the accident, said Rick Roughen, PHOTO COURTESY OF A TRITON READER president of Fort Lauderdale Shipyard. minimal. “We don’t know what the damage professionals at the scene, it appeared damage appears to be minimal,” is yet, and we have no idea what that the port forward hoist of the Elliott said. “It was not as bad as it caused it,” Roughen said a day Syncrolift collapsed into the water, looked. There was minor water in the after the accident. “The evidence is and the yacht appeared to have bilge, but not up to the floorboards as underwater. It’s too early to tell.” collided with the hoist. everyone thought.” The fiberglass-hulled Hatteras was Divers with TowBoatU.S. Ft. Repairs to Sacajawea’s fiberglass towed to Bradford Marine on Nov. 20, the same day The Triton went to press. Lauderdale patched three areas in the hull should be straight-forward and port bow about 2 square feet each, swift, he said, noting that the yacht Sacajawea was expected to be hauled said Capt. Larry Acheson, president of is expected to complete her charter out at Bradford and her damages the towing and salvage company. schedule. more thoroughly assessed. “It floated right away and the According to several industry See SACAJAWEA, page 13
Recreational yachts exempt from ANOA in South Florida, page 10.
OSHA to investigate dangerous welding situations. See Getting Under Way, page 15.
Part of the routine before the winter season begins each year is the interview dance to fill open posts onboard and, hopefully, find that magical, perfect crew. So we asked 11 captains gathered for The Triton’s monthly Bridge luncheon what they see in the megayacht crew FROM THE BRIDGE labor pool. Do interview candidates LUCY CHABOT REED have the experience captains are looking for? What exactly are captains looking for? As always, individual comments are not attributed to any one person so as to encourage frank and open discussion. The attending captains are identified in a photograph on page 7. The most important quality most captains said they look for in potential crew is the ability to get along. “You’re looking for compatibility more than anything,” one captain said. “Experience is one thing, the CV is another. But it’s how this person is going to get along with the rest of the crew that really counts.”
See THE BRIDGE, page 7
Captain finds gem in old European city, page 29.
2 The Triton
December 2004
WHAT’S INSIDE Making Connections, page 10 Publisher David Reed
david@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
Graphic Designer Christine Abbott
sales@the-triton.com
Distribution Ross Adler
National Distribution Solutions zakad68@aol.com
The Triton P.O. Box 22278 Ft. Lauderdale, FL 33335 (954) 525-0029 FAX (954) 337-0702 www.the-triton.com
Editor Lucy Chabot Reed lucy@the-triton.com editorial@the-triton.com
Contributing Editor Lawrence Hollyfield
Contributors
The Bridge, Blair Duff, Don Grimme, Lisette Hilton, Jack Horkheimer, Lisa H. Knapp, Capt. Chuck Limroth, Capt. Herb Magney, Donna Mergenhagen, Jeff Ostrowski, Steve Pica, Rick Roughen, Rossmare Intl, Michael Thiessen, Ian Watson, Phaedra Xanthos
Vol. 1, No. 9. The Triton is a free, monthly newspaper owned by Triton Publishing Group, Inc. Copyright 2004 Triton Publishing Group, Inc. All rights reserved.
Dozens of captains and yachting professionals attended The Triton’s November Connection to hear from the USCG. PHOTO/KRISTY FOX
Advertiser directory 30 Calendar of events 33 Classifieds 30-32 Crossword puzzle 33 Crossword answers 25 From the Experts: Body Business 24 Manager’s Time 24 Into Account 25 Fuel prices 18 Horoscopes 27 In the Stars 27
In the Yard 15 Letters to the Editor 35 New products 20-21 News 4-6,10.28 Opinions 34-35 Photo Gallery 14,23 Reviews: Books 26 DVD 26 Technology Pull-Out: Getting Under Way 15-22 Travel: Taking Time Off 29
4 The Triton
INDUSTRY NEWS
December 2004
ICW bridge test begins Dec. 1 It’s official – for the next 90 days, the bridges over the Intracoastal Waterway in Ft. Lauderdale’s Broward County will open twice each hour beginning Dec. 1. Details of the test – called a temporary deviation – were published on Nov. 16 in the Federal Register in 33 CFR Part 117. The test was requested by several county officials to “ease vehicular traffic, which has overburdened roadways, and to standardize bridge openings for vessel traffic,” according to the notice, authorized by Greg E. Shapley, chief of bridge administration for the district. The test period is designed to make it easier for car drivers and boat operators to remember opening times, said Barry Dragon, chief of bridge operations for the U.S. Coast Guard’s District 7. The schedules will be staggered to help with the movement of vessels from bridge to bridge along the ICW, the notice reads. During the test, which will run from 6 a.m. Dec. 1 to 8 p.m. Feb. 28, the bridges will operate as follows: Open on the hour and half hour: Atlantic Boulevard, Commercial Boulevard, East Sunrise Boulevard, S.E. 17th Street Causeway, Dania Beach Boulevard, and Hollywood Boulevard; Open on the quarter hour and three-quarter hour: N.E. 14th Street, Oakland Park Boulevard, East Las
Olas Boulevard, Sheridan Street, and Hallandale Beach Boulevard. The test will “allow the Coast Guard to gather data to determine if this schedule meets the reasonable needs of navigation while accommodating an increase in vehicle traffic throughout the county and whether it should be proposed as a permanent change,” the notice reads. If the schedule is determined to pose any safety concern at any location, the test may be stopped, the notice reads. Coast Guard officials are open to and encourage public comments, which must reach them by March 15, 2005. “Hopefully, this will provide a timeframe for cars to avoid bridge openings and provide consistent opening times for vessel traffic,” Dragon said. “We want to know if it’s good, bad, or if there’s something better.” Mail comments and related material to Commander (obr), Seventh Coast Guard District, 909 SE. 1st Ave., Room 432, Miami, FL 33131. Include your name and address and identify docket number for this notice, CGD07-04-136. The existing regulations governing the operation of bridges in Broward County are published in 33 CFR 117.5 and 117.261. For more information, contact Dragon at (305) 415-6743. – Lucy Chabot Reed
INDUSTRY BRIEFS
December 2004
The Triton 5
Crews of Big Roi, Ecstasea honored for aiding Mirabella V The crews of M/Y Big Roi and M/Y Ecstasea were honored with this year’s Distinguished Crew Award for their efforts in the rescue of M/Y Mirabella V, the largest sloop in the world. The 247-foot Mirabella V was in distress in the south of France on Sept. 16 when wind conditions and bad weather caused her to drag anchor, grounding her on the rocks near the entrance of Beaulieu sur Mer harbor. The crew of the 206-foot Big Roi were first to respond with tow lines, followed by the 282-foot Ecstasea. Mirabella’s crew was evacuated and the three yachts remained connected for more than six hours until a salvage tug arrived. The Super Yacht Society honors crew each year whose acts exemplify the standards to which all yacht crew should aspire. – Lisa H. Knapp
Tracey Whiteford of M/Y Ecstasea accepts the award for distinguished yacht crew on behalf of her crew mates. PHOTO/LISA H. KNAPP
Longtime captain retires Capt. Ian James of the M/Y Melreni announced he would retire at the end of November, after more than 30 years working on boats. James has been skipper of Melreni for the past three years and spent more than 18 years making the journey between Seattle and Alaska. It was unclear at presstime who the new captain would be. James is available to help with trip planning in the Pacific Northwest, and might even take another master’s post in that region if the right boat and owner came along. Contact him at 7542 Briskham St., Mission, B.C. V2V 3L9 in Canada, or 604-826-4963, or by e-mail at ian_ james@hotmail.com. – Lucy Reed
Tiger sues Christensen Golf pro Tiger Woods sued Christensen Shipyards during the Ft. Lauderdale International Boat Show for breach of contract and to stop the builder from using his name and photographs of his boat, the 155-foot M/Y Privacy. The lawsuit alleges that Christensen violated clauses of the purchase contract that says the builder will
not disclose the name of the yacht or its owner for any purpose, including promotion or marketing of the builder’s products. Terms of the suit are not specified, but it does say that “based on Woods’ established value as an endorser and promoter of products, the compensatory damages reasonably could exceed $50 million.”
Voters OK bonds for marinas Palm Beach County voters approved $50 million in bonds in November that will help government officials preserve public access to marinas.
The money will enable the county to buy development rights to privately owned marinas to prevent the owners from selling to condo developers. Broward County’s marine industry closely watched the election. “For the first time, a community has stepped forward and recognized that an industry that is so important to their way of life and economy is slipping away,” said Frank Herhold, executive director of the Marine Industries Association of South Florida. Any sort of similar initiative in Broward County, which includes Ft. Lauderdale, would include marinas and yards, Herhold said.
Bon Bon sells at auction The 122-foot M/Y Bon Bon sold at auction in October for $4.95 million, introducing the auction concept to megayachts. The minimum price was set at $3.8 million. A new Ft. Lauderdale-based company named Yacht Auction Group organized the auction, which has been used for luxury homes for decades. Yacht Auction Group was started by auctioneer Craig King, Fort Lauderdale yacht broker Kelly Drum, and Kaye Pearson, president of Show Management, which produces the Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show.
6 The Triton
INDUSTRY NEWS
December 2004
Peterson Fuel Delivery’s Deliverance II fuels the 85-foot M/Y Kelly G at the mouth of the New River in Ft. Lauderdale. The company christened a second, similar ship in November. PHOTO COURTESY OF PETERSON FUEL DELIVERY
Peterson adds fuel ship, relocates Peterson Fuel Delivery christened its second fuel ship in November. The boat, named Provider I, is similar to Peterson’s existing ship, Deliverance II. Both are 65-foot, double-hulled, all steel fuel ships. They each have two spuds – hydraulic winches that enable the ships to “anchor” in up to 26 feet of water. They are also equipped with bow thrusters to make fueling at sea easier. The ships provide up to 10,500 gallons of diesel fuel at tanker-direct prices, according to the company. They can also deliver lube oil, fuel additives
and degreasers as well as take away waste oil. The fuel ships’ pumps can deliver up to 200 gallons a minute. A third fuel ship – the Provider II – is under construction, the company said. Peterson has relocated its offices from Pompano Beach, Fla., to Lauderdale Marine Center in Ft. Lauderdale. Contact the company at 2015 S.W. 20th St., Ft. Lauderdale, FL 33315, at (954)764-3835, or online at www. petersonfuel.com. – Lucy Chabot Reed
December 2004
FROM THE FRONT
Attendees of The Triton’s November Bridge were, standing from left, David Gies, Alan Montgomery, Christine Stewart-Knecht, Warren Thompson, Paul Brunton, Christopher Walsh, Bill Donahue and Rick Ackerman; and kneeling from left, Andy Grocott, Tristan Judson and Chris Barker. PHOTO/LUCY REED
Attitude, honesty are desired, basic STCW training required THE BRIDGE, from page 1 Qualifications and talent are only 20 percent of the job, one captain said. The other 80 percent is compatibility, not only with other crew but with the reality of working on boats. “You’ve got to want to be on the water, and understand your task,” this captain said. “Not many people can do this, be on a boat all the time.” There are many ways to test for compatibility. One captain looks for something in the job candidate’s past that indicates he or she would do well living on a boat. Another shows up 15 minutes late for interviews so the crew can interact with the job candidate first. Then crew can offer a thumbs up or down as the real interview begins. Another captain calls in crew to take a prospective candidate out to dinner. “My crew has been doing this a while,” that captain said. “They know which buttons to push to find out what people are really like.” Most captains agreed that the best tool for weeding through job candidates is references – not resumes or crew agency referrals. They agreed they would not give a bad reference, but say only that the person in question was “ineligible for rehire on this boat.” One captain who said a person was “ineligible for hire on this boat for cause” reported that he was sued and lost. Now, though he will write a letter of reference, he no longer gives verbal references. Several captains offered funny stories of actual job applicants they had met – the one who approached
the yacht on Rollerblades and tried to board without taking them off, another who confessed to a drinking problem after about a minute in the interview. “The first thing I do in an interview: I went to Walgreens and bought one of those home drug kits,” one captain said. “It sits on the table during the interview. It really speeds up the interview sometimes.” All the captains agreed that STCW training is the industry’s minimum standard and basically required. “It makes the ones serious about being in the industry better prepared,” a captain said. “They ask more questions. The ones who have taken the course will ask about the equipment, about the life raft, about how to deploy it.” “Don’t come to the interview if you don’t have it,” another said. Yet two captains admitted that their best crew members were people with no training or experience. So who is an ideal job candidate for a crew position on a megayacht? “I look for someone the boss is going to like, someone upbeat and energetic,” one captain said. A good sense of humor and honesty were also mentioned. “I look for enthusiasm, and a desire to be in this industry,” one captain said. “I look for longevity,” another said. “A month here, a month there sends the wrong message.” Despite the growing formality in the industry, most captains said they are open to crew dropping off resumes. “Someone walking down the docks has got initiative,” one captain said. Contact Editor Lucy Chabot Reed at lucy@the-triton.com.
The Triton 7
8 The Triton
FROM THE FRONT
December 2004
De-watering pump helped cool vessel’s exterior warm spots CAPRICE, from page 1 normal, then slowly cracked open the door. He discovered heavy smoke and determined the engine room was unsafe to enter. I instructed Morris to secure both engine room entrance doors and meet me at the fire station. We activated fuel supply shutdown, ventilation fan
shutdown, damper closure, and halon discharge. All appeared successful; the fire appeared to have been suppressed. Morris recommended the additional suffocation procedure of sealing all exterior engine room ventilation areas. We determined there was no abnormal heat emanating from these areas so with the assistance of First Mate Jason Keffer all areas were sealed within
minutes using heavy-duty garbage bags and blue masking tape. Caprice was now in dead ship status and remained this way for six days. All fire extinguishers were gathered and brought to the aft deck area. I manually dropped anchor. Capt. Cardish instructed his crew to lower their tender for transfer of guests. We briefed the guests on the situation: the vessel was unusable, at least for the night, and a big family slumber party was suggested on the Claire. The guests disembarked via the starboard side retractable accommodation ladder. During the briefing Engineer Morris discharged two large CO2 portable fire extinguishers into the engine room through the engine room door lockset hole as an additional precaution. Morris and Mate Keffer inspected the guest accommodation areas for signs of heat intrusion. None was found. Stewardesses Seckington and Tusler were fitted with Evacu8 emergency breathing apparatuses to retrieve the guests’ belongings. On the aft deck, Engineer Morris checked for and located warm spots on the exterior of the vessel, particularly the port reverse transom and adjoining area. Mate Keffer poured buckets of seawater continuously on the warm areas to remove heat. Claire delivered its portable fire and dewatering pump, which was used for the next several hours for further cooling. Using an infrared thermometer, it was determined several hours later that temperatures were stable and then dropping on their own. The fire was assessed to be extinguished, smoldering at best. I ordered the engine room to remain sealed until professional shipboard fire fighters could arrive. At approx 1900 hrs., I contacted
Resolve Marine Group in Ft. Lauderdale and requested a team of firefighters arrive as soon as possible. A team was ready to depart within an hour, but was unable to due to the lack of runway lights on Norman’s Cay. All guest belongings were transferred to Claire along with Caprice’s chef and stewardesses to assist in servicing guests and to spend the night. Engineer Morris, Mate Keffer and I maintained fire watch. Claire remained on scene overnight and the entire next day, assisting with manpower, its tender and other equipment. Our most grateful appreciation is again extended to Capt. Cardish and his crew. On Monday, July 26, Camper & Nicholsons’ charter manager Dee Kraley was requested to locate a replacement vessel. At about 0930 hrs., a Resolve Marine Group team of three arrived with firefighting equipment. After a briefing, they suited up and took initial engine room air samples with a probe inserted through the transom engine room door lockset hole (the lockset was removed). Air samples proved OK. With foam fire extinguishers, Brownie’s Third Lung air supply system (filled scuba tanks were not permitted on the flight over) and fire pump at the ready, the engine room door was opened. No re-ignition occurred and the Resolve team declared the fire out with little or no chance of re-ignition. Damage was significant but isolated, with no apparent damage to most major machinery. According to Resolve’s team leader, the fire appeared to have been electrical in nature and appeared to have started in the aft end of the ship’s main electrical cabinet. The fire appeared to travel via a wire chase in the direction of the extractor fan. At about 1430 hrs., a towing team member arrived with three fire/ dewatering pumps, a portable A.C. generator, and other equipment. Claire departed for Highborne Cay Marina with all 17 guests and three Caprice crew members onboard. On Tuesday, July 27, at about 1130 hrs. replacement vessel Joanne, under the command of Capt. Dan Webster, arrived at Highborne Cay to pick up Caprice guests. Joanne then proceeded to Caprice for provisions and gave chef Kannemeyer and myself a ride to Norman’s Cay to catch a charter flight to Ft. Lauderdale. Joanne then departed for Staniel Cay. Thanks again to Capt. Webster for his quick actions and assistance. By Wednesday, July 28, at about 0800 hrs., the tug Manatee arrived with workboat in tow. By 2030 hrs., Caprice was in tow, bound for Florida. After being in tow all of Thursday, July 29, Caprice arrived at Port
See CAPRICE, page 9
December 2004
FROM THE FRONT
The Triton 9
Power supply for little-used passarelle may be fire culprit CAPRICE, from page 8 Everglades on Friday, July 30. At 1700 hrs., Caprice arrived at Roscioli Yachting Center. The next day, the initial inspection by the surveyor for the insurance underwriter revealed the fire was most likely electrical in nature originating in or near the aft end of the main switchboard. A later investigation by a forensic fire investigator determined the most likely cause was the 24-volt D.C. power supply cable for the passerelle. Interestingly, the passerelle was rarely operated during the past two years, other than for scheduled periodic maintenance every 60 days.
What we learned We were fortunate. This was an easy, textbook fire. The alarm sounded, we did what we were trained to do, and the fire suppression equipment did what it was supposed to do. (Incidentally, having an older halon system didn’t hurt.) The seas were flat, the water shallow, it was daylight and we had another yacht right behind us. Still, we did learn some things. First, the obvious: Practice your emergency drills regularly. We do. Everyone knew what their responsibilities were and carried
them out. The guests said they never once felt that they were in any danger. Maintain your fire suppression equipment and test it on a regular basis. We do, and all of our equipment worked as designed. Have the proper equipment onboard. Even though we were unable to enter the engine room to fight the fire, a portable fire/dewatering pump is invaluable for boundary cooling. Breathing apparatuses, even those such as the light duty Evacu8 brand hoods, can be valuable, even lifesaving. And the not-so obvious: We all realize that on most older vessels in the size range and design of the Caprice, when you have an engine room fire and lose A.C. electrical power, you lose valuable safety equipment, most notably the fire pump(s), which are usually located in the engine room. What we may not realize are some of the other equipment you lose. Think about being a complete dead ship (except emergency D.C. power, which was not initially affected in our case). You have no lights, no refrigeration, no air conditioning, no battery chargers, no toilets. Also, you cannot use your davit to put the tender in the water. Had the Claire not been right behind us and had the fire quickly gone out of control, we may not have had time to deploy the life rafts and may have all been forced into the water.
M/Y Caprice expects to be in sea trials before Christmas and back in charter service soon thereafter. PHOTO/KRISTY FOX We will endeavor to tow our tender whenever possible and practical, at least when guests are onboard. (Some of us should take this example as ammunition to get the boss to buy that Intrepid we told him we should have.) We also learned that a portable electric generator became invaluable for communications and comfort. We were able to charge our VHF radios, cell phones, and the ship’s batteries as well as operate a freezer, refrigerator and the main salon entertainment center. The entertainment center may sound frivolous on the surface, but think about being on a dead ship for six days. Consider always having both an
emergency portable generator and a fire/dewatering pump onboard. We are currently undergoing repairs and expect to be performing sea trials before Christmas. It has been hard to see a silver lining in this situation, but when the fire repair work and the additional repairs and upgrades are complete, we will have a new, state-of-the-art electrical system, new generators, rebuilt main engines, and many other enhancements and improvements to the vessel. Capt. Chuck Limroth has been a skipper for 20 years, running the Caprice for nearly five years. Contact him through editorial@the-triton.com.
10 The Triton
THE CONNECTION
December 2004
Flag state can help vessels avoid USCG’s ANOA requirements Recreational vessels less than 300 gross tons coming into South Florida do not need to file an advanced notice of arrival (ANOA) with the captain of the port, according to U.S. Coast Guard Lt. Cmdr. George Zeitler. Zeitler is chief of inspections for the U.S. Coast Guard’s Sector Miami, which THE CONNECTION LUCY CHABOT REED stretches from the southern border of Miami-Dade County north to Malabar (just south of Melbourne). He was the featured speaker at The Triton’s November Connection. More than 80 captains and other yachting professionals attended to hear Zeitler describe Sector Miami’s enforcement of the 96-hour ANOA and other federal regulations.
“There’s been a lot of confusion over this issue,” Zeitler said of the ANOA as it applies to megayachts. “Is 96 hours reasonable in South Florida? Not really.” The regulation offers an out, Zeitler said: If the voyage is less than 96 hours, submit an ANOA prior to departure, but at least 24 hours before arrival. The source for much of the confusion on behalf of megayachts is when they qualify as commercial or recreational vessels. All vessels – foreign and domestic – over 300 gross tons must file an ANOA with the National Vessel Movement Center in West Virginia. Under the ANOA rule (33 CFR 160, subpart C), foreign-flagged vessels 300 tons or less coming into District 7 – which covers all of Florida, Georgia and South Carolina as well as the U.S. Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico – must
file an ANOA with the captain of the port. But Zeitler said that Sector Miami is not enforcing that rule for recreational vessels not engaged in trade. “Technically, if you pull the lawyers aside, yes” the rule applies to recreational vessels, he said. “Realistically, do we have the resources? No. “We process arrivals for 50 commercial vessels a day,” he said. “It takes two people 4 1/2 hours to do that. We realize what the law says and what the regulation requires. We just can’t do it.” The trick is determining which vessels are recreational and which are commercial. Often, the Coast Guard has relied on a vessel’s certificates to determine its commercial status. Megayachts that voluntarily comply
USCG Lt. Cmdr. George Zeitler of Sector Miami fielded questions about ANOAs and ISPS at The Triton’s Connection. PHOTO/KRISTY FOX with SOLAS requirements were automatically classified as commercial, even if they were not engaged in trade while in U.S. waters. As a commercial vessel, they would be required to file the ANOA. But Zeitler said the Coast Guard will accept a new certificate of registry from the flag administration saying this is a pleasure yacht not engaged in trade and exempt from SOLAS. The Coast Guard will also accept a letter from the flag administration saying that for a specific, noted time, the yacht is not engaged in trade so the SOLAS certificates don’t apply. These flag administration declarations would also impact vessels that might be subject to the International Ship and Port Facility Security Code (ISPS), Zeitler said. ISPS requires foreign-flagged vessels over 500 tons that are engaged in trade to meet a litany of security requirements before sailing or docking in U.S. waters. ISPS also impacts vessels less than 500 tons if they carry more than 12 passengers for hire. “As long as the flag administration acknowledges that the vessel is operating outside their certificates, do we really need to say ‘no, you’ve got to mail your certificates back’?” Zeitler said. “Is that really benefiting anybody just to meet the letter of the law? Not really. We’re trying to be reasonable.” On Oct. 26, the Coast Guard issued a policy letter that answers the question “What does the term ‘subject to SOLAS’ mean?” Letter 44-04 answers that question with 10 examples of yachts of various tonnages carrying various complements of SOLAS certificates. To read the letter, visit www.uscg.mil/ hq/g-m/mp/policy.html, and scroll down toward the bottom to letter 44-04 “Determining Which Yachts are Subject to SOLAS.” “Under the intent of the law, yachts don’t fit nicely into any box,” Zeitler said. “You fit in your own box. Technically, I have to apply this to yachts, but how?” See CONNECTION, page 11
December 2004
THE CONNECTION
Eighty captains and other yachting professionals gathered to learn more about the U.S. Coast Guard’s enforcement of ANOAs. PHOTO/KRISTY FOX
USCG Web sites offer forms, more information on ANOAs CONNECTION, from page 10 Until that question gets sorted out through the higher levels of the Coast Guard, Zeitler said Sector Miami will be honoring flag administration letters and registry certificates to determine recreational or commercial status. “One thing we preach is that this is not to place a burden on the industry,” Zeitler said as the audience chuckled. “The purpose is to increase our
awareness of vessel movement. We’re trying to be a kinder, gentler Coast Guard.” Contact Editor Lucy Chabot Reed at lucy@the-triton.com. For more on the ANOA, visit www.nvmc.uscg.gov/ download.html. For the updated CFR rule on the ANOA, visit www.the-triton. com/anoa. For questions about the ISPS, visit www.uscg.mil/hq/g-m/mp/policy. html or call 1-877-MTSA-AID.
The Triton 11
12 The Triton
OTHER VOICES
December 2004
Competitors offer support during incident As every major shipyard will testify, there are times that come along and events that take place that will interrupt our sense of normalcy and cause the regular course of doing business to take a drastic turn sideways. Our day came Nov. 18 at about 11 a.m. when the incident at Fort Lauderdale Shipyard took place. The event, which at first appeared to have the makings of a catastrophe, was quickly diffused by the experts and determined to be something far less. We all took a moment to thank God that nobody was injured, and our highly valued customer, the M/V Sacajawea, was resting safely alongside our docks a few hours later. The cause is still yet to be determined. The upside to this whole episode was manifested in the way that others mobilized to assist. It is hard to describe the professionalism displayed by the TowBoatsU.S. team. Larry and Barney, as always, you and your guys are top shelf and we appreciate you. Mark Pratt was quick to offer emergency services through Lauderdale Marine Center, and he and his crew offered to remain on standby for us in the event that further complications would have arisen. Thank you Mark and Lauderdale Marine Center. Greg Poulos at Rolly Marine Service offered pumps and manpower. Paul Engle and Tom Krigger at Bradford Marine offered their tugs and haul-out assistance. Syncrolift was quickly on the scene with two engineers to assess and assist. Thanks to each of you and your respective teams. There were many others who selflessly dropped what they were doing to lend assistance, and for each of you we are grateful. Had the situation actually proven to be as ugly as it appeared, I am certain that with all of the resources at our disposal it would have been successfully resolved with the help of our friends. Fort Lauderdale Shipyard is open for business. Our main lift is temporarily down, but alternative arrangements have been secured that will keep our haul-out schedule on time with the help of New River Marina (our sister company), New River Dry Dock Company (another affiliated company), Lauderdale Marine Center and Bradford Marine. Our incredible group of talented craftsmen is all the more determined to provide the highest level of service that our customers have come to expect. Rick Roughen President Fort Lauderdale Shipyard
December 2004
FROM THE FRONT
Sacajawea was bow down for several hours before the remaining hoists of the Syncrolift refloated her. PHOTOS COURTESY OF A TRITON READER
Other yards to help with ‘thick schedule’ of haul outs support we had.” No other yachts were damaged in the accident. Capt. Bill Donahue, “It’s not as bad as everyone thought, skipper on the 93-foot catamaran that’s the bottom line,” Elliott said. Roughen was busy after the accident jet boat Star 7 docked beside the Syncrolift, said the hoist collapsed working out haul-out and work toward the Sacajawea and away from schedules for the yachts at his yard. his yacht. Bradford will take some of the vessels “The Gods were with me,” he said. and Lauderdale Marine Center will “Not a scratch, and there provide space for Fort was every reason to Lauderdale Shipyard to Read Fort Lauderdale believe I would have a complete its work. Shipyard President whole bunch.” “We have a thick Rick Roughen’s Donahue and some of schedule of boats to be comments about the Sacajawea’s crew stayed hauled,” Roughen said. onboard overnight. incident on page 12. “Our reputation is we do “If something doesn’t what we say we’re going happen every three or four to do. We’re working to months, we all get worried,” Donahue make sure all our boats’ schedules are said. He noted that other yards have met.” had similar accidents, including one Yachts already hauled at Fort where a 163-foot “classic Feadship” fell Lauderdale Shipyard will be launched by crane when their work is finished, he off a lift. “It’s not a high-focus sort of thing for said. Word of the accident spread quickly, those of us in the industry,” he said. “It happens.” and calls offering assistance in the way Sacajawea’s crew reported her of tug services, pumps and haul-out tonnage at 150 on the dockage services came nearly as fast, Roughen agreement with the yard, Roughen said. said. The Syncrolift can handle vessels “It was great to see such an up to 200 tons, he said. Officials with incredible, unselfish response,” he said. Syncrolift, a Miami-based company, “In the event it was a catastrophe, it would not comment on the incident. would have all been mitigated by the For the past two years, the yard has been discussing replacing the yard’s Syncrolift with a 650ton model. Roughen said he was unsure if the accident would expedite that replacement or if the existing Syncrolift would be rebuilt.
SACAJAWEA, from page 1
Contact Editor Lucy Chabot Reed at lucy@the-triton.com.
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24 The Triton
FROM THE EXPERTS
December 2004
Better to be prepared for workplace violence How safe is your workplace? I’m not asking you whether you’ve had a violent incident – yet. I’m asking how prepared you are to prevent one or minimize its damage. I’m not going to paint a vivid picture of just how devastating – e.g., financial, morale, reputation, litigation, etc., – violence at your workplace would be. It’s just too MANAGER’S TIME distasteful. DON GRIMME I’m just going to assume for the moment that you would rather avoid violence in your organization. If that’s what you really want, what have you done about it? For example, have you implemented the following processes prescribed by OSHA? 1. Policies that clearly state your stand
on violent and threatening behavior, as well as weapons in the workplace. 2. A clear and consistent commitment by management to a safe workplace and to a culture of civility and respect. 3. A risk assessment of your vulnerabilities and current state of readiness, and a crisis management plan and team. 4. A hiring process that screens out the potentially violent or unstable. 5. Discipline, termination and lay-off processes that – above all – preserve the involved employees’ dignity. 6. An Employee Assistance Program (EAP) or other referral/support process. 7. An incident reporting and tracking process to identify trends. 8. An alternative reporting process in case the conventional channels and chains of command fail or aren’t trusted. 9. Means for employees and managers to safely and confidently communicate
a threatening situation, for example, some form of duress alarm system or code words. 10. Training of supervisors and managers on: proper discipline and terminations, the early warning signs of a dangerous employee or situation and their duty to report, how to de-escalate threatening situations, their role in response and crisis management, their responsibility to treat all people with respect and dignity. 11. Training of employees on awareness and reporting processes. 12. Periodic testing of the systems/ processes and ongoing reviews and assessments. Don Grimme is co-founder of GHR Training Solutions in Coral Springs, Fla. He specializes in helping managers reduce turnover and attract excellent job candidates. Contact him at dgrimme@comcast.net.
Gain control over the stress, stressors in your life Being in the leisure business often requires that you put on a happy face, despite underlying anxiety and stress. You might shrug off the little demands – requests or responsibilities that come one or two at a time. But heap a bunch of the job’s demands on at once, and you might find your blood pressure and heart rate going up. It’s not pretty. And if it happens too BODY BUSINESS often, we pay with ill LISETTE HILTON health. To keep stress from getting the best of you, it helps to understand why we respond the way we do to stressful situations. According to Eric Goldstein, a clinical psychologist in Miami who specializes in treating stress and anxiety disorders, stress is a physiological response designed for survival. The cave woman walking out of her cave hundreds of thousands of years ago might have been greeted by a sabertoothed tiger. The only two responses that would give her a chance to survive would have been to fight or flee. This automatic stress response to a life-ordeath situation saved a lot of lives. Physiologically, all the same things happened that happen as a result of stress today. The body releases adrenaline, which increases strength and endurance. While cave dwellers had good cause to get so upset, “nowadays, 95 percent of the stress responses we have are in response to psychological demands that are not life- threatening but we have life-threatening responses anyway,” he said. “We are pre-wired that way.” Learning to control your reaction to potentially stressful situations is
well worth the effort. According to Goldstein, 90 percent of all high blood pressure is because of stress, lack of exercise and poor diet. “The research shows that people who start eating well and exercising but continue to have high levels of stress still have high blood pressure,” he said. Stress also leads to headaches, increased muscular tension (which can cause low back pain, jaw pain, etc.), circulatory problems and more. You can help yourself by determining when a stressful response might help you get the result you need, as well as when it will do nothing but harm. In the case of a life-or-death incident, let stress to do its thing. Because of stress, we’ll have quicker reaction times and be able to make faster decisions. “The key is that once the stressful event is over, the mistake that most of us make is that our body is still kicking in those chemicals. That’s when the damage occurs,” Goldstein said. Goldstein recommends simple techniques based on the premise that we can’t change the person who gets under our skin, but we can change our reaction to that stressor. One technique involves first getting to a relaxed state (doing something you enjoy); then, coming up with a word or color that you associate with relaxation. Practice this relaxation technique a dozen or so times and, theoretically, you should be able to evoke calmness without first having to relax, but rather just by uttering the word. Another calming technique is “mental de-powering,” Goldstein says. Let’s say you have a person in authority who triggers your stress. Imagine the person doing what he usually does to annoy you. “Get a good, clear image,” Goldstein says. “All of a sudden, I want you to
imagine two white floppy bunny ears pop out of the person’s head. Imagine drool starts running on the person’s chin. Maybe you can imagine a big red clown nose. Every time you see that person, recreate that image.” Imagery is powerful. You can actually fool the brain for a few minutes, sometimes, about what is real and not real, according to Goldstein. “You’ve had a stressful episode and dealt with it as best you could,” he said. “Now you’re sitting back in your cabin, your heart is still pumping and the adrenaline is still going through your body, and you’re feeling miserable. “Take a vacation. In your mind, picture yourself some place that you find peaceful and relaxing and see yourself doing and enjoying the things that you find relaxing in your life. Maybe it’s lying on that beach or skiing down that mountain. The more senses you can use [the better]. Bring in sounds, tactile sensations, smells.” Still another technique you can use anytime, anywhere is the “perspective technique.” “The key is always to remember to keep things in perspective,” Goldstein said. “We tend to ‘catastrophize’ things, taking negatives and making them into mountains.” These simple exercises can help you see stress more clearly and deal with it so that it works for you, not against you. The great news is that if you’re successful, you can change your physiology, reducing your chances for negative health consequences from stress and enhancing your quality of life during each stressful event. Do you have a health issue you would like to know more about? E-mail Lisette Hilton, a freelance health reporter, at lisetteh@bellsouth.net.
December 2004
FROM THE EXPERTS
Personal plan starts with dreams and goals My grandparents have offered me words of wisdom over the years about saving and investing for a lifetime. They taught me that a life of decent work and planning will lead to comfort, whether you can predict the markets and speculate well or not. I wish I had been born with their outlook. It has been my experience that INTO ACCOUNT it’s difficult to be PHAEDRA XANTHOS patient in the fastpaced world we live in. There are so many choices about how to live and where to live – so many amazing and beautiful experiences to pursue – that existence alone can sometimes overwhelm the senses and make the concept of planning and waiting seem anachronistic at times. This outlook that I’ve found to be shared by many in my generation can be limiting in the whole scheme of things, however. We all want to see and do and experience today. And rightly so, but the smart way. The more I see of the world, the more I revert to those basic tenets about how to live, and I find that there is sound reasoning behind a philosophy of fiscal perseverance and incremental growth. And my conclusion is that we do not have to choose happiness for either today or 50 years from now. We can do both, if we’re careful and proactive. I’ll be explaining each of the steps necessary to construct your own general financial plan over the next few months. You already know the reason it’s important to take these steps today. To begin, it is necessary to clearly define your financial goals. Some people like to start by figuring out initially what they have to work with. That aspect is obviously very important, too. However, I find that it’s more helpful to initiate the exercise by thinking of specifically how you want to live your life five years from now, 10 years from
Answers to puzzle on page 33
now and 30 years from now. Then work backwards. Do you plan on working at sea forever? Do you plan on purchasing a home in five years and transitioning back to shore-life? Which country do you want to live in? Where do you want your career path to take you? What are your hopes for your family life? When do you want to retire? It’s important to clearly delineate these goals and give yourself a timeframe for achieving them. Make a list of where you would like to see yourself at each of these mileposts in the future and create a timeline for these achievements. Shooting for a (fairly) specific point in time helps with planning because it creates urgency around our goals. It helps to know that in order to get to point C a year from now you must
accomplish A by January and B by June. Make this simple task your homework for this month, and next month I’ll outline the assessment of your status quo. You will have completed phase one of your homemade financial plan. A professional financial adviser can be a huge help in the development of your financial plan. Creating a general outline for yourself is a great starting point on the path to financial independence and you can and should consider consulting with a pro to help expedite and refine your path. Have questions about how to invest your money? Ask Phaedra Xanthos, a licensed financial adviser in Ft. Lauderdale specializing in the yachting community Contact her at phaedra@ transcontinentalfinancial.com.
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Make Money. Positions available for commision-based advertising sales reps around the world. For more information, contact Publisher David Reed at david@the-triton.com or (954) 525-0029.
26 The Triton
DVD/BOOK REVIEWS
December 2004
What we’re watching, reading In Hollywood movies, kids are cute, precocious and cynical, not to mention clever enough to vanquish bad guys. The children in Italian flick “I’m Not Scared” are different – and more realistic. These kids, who live in a tiny village in southern Italy in the 1970s, are naive and so in awe of their elders that they let their parents’ questionable judgment overrule their own. The star is 10-year-old Michele (Guiseppe Cristiano), a good-hearted boy who discovers his father is partly responsible for kidnapping someone else’s 10-year-old son and holding the child in squalor. Where Macaulay Culkin would hatch a plan for escape, Michele’s response seems truer to life. He comforts the victim as best he can but never considers betraying his father. Director Gabriele Salvatores, best known for “Mediterraneo,” shifts gears effortlessly. “I’m Not Scared” is by turns languid and terrifying, innocent and luridly creepy. The movie is loosely based on a true story, but its tone is more impressionistic than documentary. We see Michele rolling in vast wheat fields and bargaining for a coveted toy. Salvatores’ biggest feat in this compelling film is his accurate portrayal of children just before they lose their innocence. – Jeff Ostrowski
David Baldacci’s thriller “Split Second” (Warner Books, $7.99) centers around the failures of two Secret Service agents on candidate details. In 1996, agent Sean King was distracted for a split second and the result was the assassination of a thirdparty presidential candidate. His career over, King retreated to a small town and a routine law practice. Eight years later, agent Michelle Maxwell makes an error in judgment and the candidate she is guarding is kidnapped. Career in jeopardy and sensing a comrade in King, she seeks his help to rescue the candidate. The fast-paced twists consistently raise the possibility that the recent kidnapping was the final step in a dance begun eight years before. As the pair investigate former campaign staff, service detail and witnesses, the body count increases. The competitive relationship of multiple law enforcement agencies “adjusts” history (from the witness protection program to the protest movements of the 60s and 70s) and complicates the efforts of King and Maxwell. They bend rules and themselves become suspects. Typical of Baldacci, the conclusion of “Split Second” is compelling and neatly wrapped. – Donna Mergenhagen Owner, Well-Read, Ft. Lauderdale
IN THE STARS
December 2004
HOROSCOPES
By astronomer Michael Thiessen SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 23-Dec. 21) Don’t be too quick to judge others. Empty promises are evident; therefore, get it in writing, to be safe. This is not the time to be extravagant. CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 20) You can make money if you get involved in real estate. You can pick up an additional responsibility that will lead to higher wages and a better position. Someone may try to damage your reputation. AQUARIUS (Jan. 21-Feb. 19) Complete those hobbies you started. Love could develop at social events that are work related. Your ability to put a deal together will surprise others. You may find that your boss is not delighted with your work lately. PISCES (Feb. 20-March 20) Channel your energy wisely and you can score points with the boss. You could come into extra cash. Don’t forget family obligations. You can make changes to your living quarters, but not everyone will be pleased with your efforts. ARIES (March 21-April 20) It’s doubtful anyone will try to stand in your way or cut you off at the pass this month. You should be doing something special with children. Take time to visit someone who has been confined due to illness. TAURUS (April 21-May 21) You may have difficulties with someone who lives with you. Your emotions may be hard to control if your mate is forcing you to undergo drastic alterations in your relationship. You may have a hard time relating to children this month. GEMINI (May 22-June 21) Unreliable people will be negative about your ideas. Deal with the needs of children. Don’t hesitate to present your unique ideas. You can have a great time if you go out with the one you love. CANCER (June 22-July 22) Personal alterations will be in your best interest. You may want to get involved in some kind of creative group. Be on your best behavior. Romance can develop; however, it will probably be short-lived. LEO (July 23-Aug. 22) Your anger stems from lending or borrowing money. Those who have been too demanding should be put in their place or out to pasture. You can make professional changes and direct your energy into making all the right moves. VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 23) Verbal abuse could lead to carelessness. Your trendy style and unique way of doing things will entice new acquaintances. Take care of your own responsibilities before you help others. LIBRA (Sept. 24-Oct. 23) Friends may not be completely honest with you. This could be a difficult time to deal with co-workers. Get involved in groups that can offer intellectual stimulation. SCORPIO (Oct. 24-Nov. 22) Remember that no one can walk through your door if there’s someone standing in the doorway. You might find group functions tiring. Tell them to get out of the mess they are in and then you’ll consider getting together with them.
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Year’s only asteroid shower rains mid-month By Jack Horkheimer From sunset on Dec. 13 to dawn on Dec. 14, we will be able to see the only known asteroid/meteor shower. Officially it’s called the Geminid meteor shower but I like to think of it as the Geminid asteroid shower because it’s different than all other meteor showers. We see it every December, and this year it should be even better because there will be no bright moonlight to wipe out the faintest meteors. On Dec. 13 at about 8 p.m. facing east, you’ll see some of the brightest stars of winter – the seven bright stars of Orion and just to his left, Castor and Pollux, the two brightest stars of Gemini. You’ll also notice that this year Castor and Pollux are joined by the exquisite ringed planet Saturn. Because there is no bright moonlight, you may see 40-50 meteors an hour if you are far away from city lights. By meteors I mean streaks of light flashing across the sky that most people incorrectly call shooting stars. A meteor is nothing more than a tiny speck of space dust that slams into Earth’s atmosphere so fast that its friction heats up the gases in our atmosphere and causes them to glow like the gases in a neon tube. A few times every year, Earth plows into massive concentrations of this space dust, which we call meteor streams. Comets orbit around our sun just like the planets. Every time a comet comes close to our sun, it sheds some of its material. Eventually this comet debris gets spread all along its orbit and whenever Earth plows into one of these space rivers of comet debris, we see many more meteors than usual. We call such an event a meteor shower.
The best one usually occurs in August and is called the Perseid meteor shower. The second best is often December’s Geminid meteor shower, which we now know is different than all other meteor showers because its debris does not come from a comet but from an asteroid named 3200 Phaethon. That makes the Geminid meteor shower the only known asteroid shower. This shower is also different from the others because unlike the other showers, which are really good only after midnight, the Geminids are also good before midnight. Do your watching from 8 p.m. until dawn. Gemini will be overhead around midnight and in the west around dawn. But look all over the sky to see its meteors.
southeast. As the hours go by, it will slowly climb up the southeastern sky and at midnight will reach its highest point due south. Telescope users know this is significant because the higher a sky object is above the horizon, the better its telescopic image. No matter where you happen to be on New Year’s Eve, the brightest star in the heavens, Sirius, will reach its highest point at midnight. Think of it: the brightest star visible from our planet reaches its highest point above the horizon at midnight every New Year’s Eve. How wonderful. Sirius is a wonderful star almost twice as big as our Sun and very close cosmically speaking, only 8 1/2 light years away. That means when we look at Sirius on New Year’s Eve, we’ll see the light that left it in 1995.
Celebrate New Year’s with a star
Jack Horkheimer is executive director of the Miami Museum of Science. This is the script for his weekly television show co-produced by the museum and WPBT Channel 2 in Miami. It is seen on public television stations around the world. For more information about stars, visit www.jackstargazer.com.
Did you know that the brightest star in the heavens reaches its highest point at midnight every New Year’s Eve? In early evening New Year’s Eve, the brightest star visible from Earth is Sirius, which will be rising in the
28 The Triton
INDUSTRY NEWS
December 2004
Many crew opt out of health insurance costs By Lisa H. Knapp Chef Ricki Stone pays her chiropractor bills out-of-pocket, with cash. Having worked in the yachting industry for 12 years, she has crewed on yachts where her employer provided health insurance. But she lost coverage when she changed jobs recently and is now uninsured. “It’s just too pricey” to pay for insurance, she said. “If I need to go to the doctor, I just pay cash.” Many yacht crew members who do not have traditional health and dental insurance partly or completely funded by their employer opt to go without, taking the chance that their youth and good health will continue. “The crew member is young, and there are no problems right now, so why have health insurance?” said Sandy Cohen, a physician’s assistant with Sunshine Medical Center in Ft. Lauderdale. “It’s so expensive.” Yachts that are willing to pay an agent tend to offer health insurance to crew. “Almost all the vessels that use our services include health insurance for the crew,” said Ian Pelham, manager of The Crew Network in Ft. Lauderdale. “Most of the boats we work with, the megayachts, offer health insurance
as a basic benefit,” said Angela Arthurs, crew agent with Elite Crew International in Ft. Lauderdale. Ninety percent of Elite’s boats offer basic health insurance, about 40 percent provide dental, she said. With most privately owned and charter yachts offering coverage, Arthurs said she was unsure why any vessel would operate without it. “Health insurance is a strong crew recruiting tool, which could lead to better crew longevity,” she said. All yachts are required to have protection and indemnity insurance known as P&I. Like worker’s compensation, P&I covers medical illnesses and injuries to crew while working on the boat. So a crew member is covered for on-the-job injuries (the chef cuts his finger, first mate gets a hernia lifting the anchor) without actually being insured. Because those unexpected emergencies are covered, many crew may see other health insurance as an unnecessary expense. But crew members who are active while not on duty – hiking or riding motor scooters on questionable island roads – could face five-figure medical bills if they are the victim of an accident. Air evacuation and emergency care are services that most people can’t relate to needing until being in the unlikely situation of actually requiring them. Shortly after Hurricane Grace in 1991 while still a Navy dependent on his father’s insurance, Capt. Julian Massey fell violently ill from eating bad conch in Martinique. The contaminated conch caused a near lethal infection in his bloodstream. “I was air evacuated from Martinique to New York to Port Smith Naval Hospital in Virginia,” he said. “It could have killed me, left untreated.” There is some middle ground for uninsured crew to mitigate potential medical costs. “But accident insurance and travel assistance are not considered health insurance,” said Betty Orr, communications specialist for Divers Alert Network (DAN). With more than 170,000 insured, DAN covers the bulk of recreational divers and yacht crew who join and dive. Accident coverage provides a measure of protection. For instance, one is covered if injured in a car accident in Mexico. A ruptured appendix, on the other hand, would not be covered. Few standards exist; it all depends on where you are when you hurt yourself or fall ill. “If you are injured in the Caymans, a country with socialized medicine, the cost for treatment is nominal,” Orr said. However, the same problem in Grenada, a country with no socialized medicine,
would likely require the patient to be med-evaced. That means payment up front. “Of those [crew] insured, it is likely they are underinsured,” said Carlos Perez, president of Global Insurance Net in Ft. Lauderdale. U.S. plans may only cover emergency expenses abroad, within a certain time limit such as 30 days, so it is important to understand the policy. In general, health coverage for crew presents problems with more uninsured. Many have a U.S. health coverage plan that won’t cover illnesses overseas. “It is actually easier to provide coverage for non-U.S. citizens who don’t have to leave,” said Maria Karlsson, sales agent for Global Insurance Net. “As long as we have an idea of what the traveling schedule will look like in the near future, we can accommodate those needs.” A traditional domestic policy can be supplemented with a short-term travel medical plan when assignment is frequently outside the home country, but still less than six months. “It’s a single trip policy,” said T. Brent Judge, senior account executive with MultiNational Underwriters (MNU) in Ft. Lauderdale. “We carry foreign nationals on the plan, those who aren’t able to get domestic U.S. coverage. Groups and crew leasing companies are most important for us to reach.” With the boat footing the bill for onboard accidents, it’s cheaper to just go to the doctor when and if you need to, said Engineer Joel Antoinette. “So far, not paying for health insurance is working for me,” he said. “Many policies don’t cover dental or vision coverage, anyway. Why pay $50plus a month for nothing?” Contact freelance writer Lisa H. Knapp at lisa@the-triton.com.
Questions to ask when buying your own health insurance Is there air evacuation and ambulance coverage for emergency medical evacuation? Does it have worldwide coverage. Can you transfer the insurance between boats? Is someone there 24/7 to help with claims? Can you access referrals to providers and facilities? Does the insurer deal with multiple languages and currency conversions? Is medicine shipped?
December 2004
TAKING TIME OFF
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Checking out a boat for the boss uncovers sweet port town By Capt. Herb Magney Where’s Gdansk? That’s what some people asked when I told them of my travel plans. I must admit after 16 months of great white boat hunting, being asked if I would go to Poland to continue the hunt was a bit of a curve ball. As I remember doing in Little League many years ago, I swung at that curve ball like
Like any number of classic Baltic seaports, Gdansk is sprinkled with public fountains and pedestrian areas. It celebrated its 1,000th anniversary a few years ago. PHOTOS/HERB MAGNEY
all the rest. “Of course I’ll go to Poland,” I told the boss. “I’ll go anywhere I can on my U.S. passport for you, just say when.” “When” was now, of course, and the middle of July (high season). Within 48 hours, I was in Gdansk, Poland. I had no idea what to expect. I packed for warm and cold weather. I figured my background with the romance languages would not be of much service, so I made sure to also pack my best smile and nod. Gdansk is a very old city by any standard. It just celebrated its 1,000th anniversary a few years ago. It reminded me of the classic Baltic seaports of Copenhagen, Oslo and Stockholm. The direct flight from Frankfurt to the small airport serving the beach cities of Gydinia, Sopot and Gdansk was very easily negotiated. A $10 cab fare and I was checked into a nice hotel two blocks from the marinas and beach at Gydinia. I took a nice walk around the waterfront, had some local chow and took in the traditional music at the crowded seaside patio bars. I looked at my watch and saw that it was 2200 hours, and still twilight. I had forgotten about those longer summer days in the northern latitudes. The next morning I was off to the Conrad Shipyards in Gdansk. The shipyard is known in the commercial market for its construction of coastal freighters, lighters and ferry construction. It also builds for Amels, Ted Hood, and has built several yachts. I realized after being there a while that this was a true find. The vessel being built is a 89-foot (27m) tri-deck motoryacht designed by Bill Dixon by a company called Royalship.
The best part of any day was the afternoon walk around the waterfront, dotted with crowded patio bars and traditionally dressed residents playing local music.
Impressive is what I found, a well run, very organized yard with the capabilities of doing it yacht-style without hesitation. After spending several days viewing with the most critical eye possible, I could find no fault. The shipyard wasn’t the only thing I couldn’t find fault with; Gdansk proved to be a wonderful experience. For the most part, Gdansk is pretty much your average European city. It has also managed to be a popular beach destination for the Poles, Russians and Germans, in addition to being a busy industrial port. The shipyards have been the heartbeat of Gdansk and became well known for the Labor Movement and Solidarity, led by former president Lech Walesa. A super part of my day was to return to the old town/downtown where the hotels are located to walk through the riverfront area. It was similar to the Riverwalk area of Ft. Lauderdale, except the buildings were built in the 14th century with a major rebuild following World War II. The old town is full of vendors, shops and cafes, and there is some terrific people watching and street entertainers from all over the Baltic and Eastern Block countries. The Hansa hotel and café is top of the
The shipyards have been the heartbeat of Gdansk for decades. It’s also a popular beach destination for Poles, Russians and Germans. list with excellent service, food and location, location, location. I guess the best way to sum up my experience would be to say, “You bet I would go again.” Just not this week. Contact Capt. Herb Magney at captainmagney@hotmail.com.
GIVE IT UP
30 The Triton
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CREW NEEDED Mate/stew for 70’ private M/Y based in Ft. Lauderdale. FT/PT, self motivated, detail oriented, willing to travel. Some experience needed, will train. 305451-8874 Experienced mate, stew needed for 100’ motor yacht. Must be detail oriented and self motivated. Individuals, couples OK. George, geohall67@aol.com Seeking captain with minimum 150-ton
December 2004
Classifieds license, chef and cook/ stew for 90’ yacht. Send resume, references to apply@goldquickline. com
www.megayacht.org
CREW AVAILABLE American freelance chef with 18 years experience. Non-smoker, free to travel. DJ Marchand, 954421-4348 Yacht captain, 27 years experience, commercial license. Fast racing or cruising sailing yacht preferred. captainivan
grekov@yahoo.com, 786-201-9577 Lic. chief engineer team, USCG unlimited licenses plus Master 100T, yacht owners. Submersible experience. Team or separate. Daywork, deliveries or permanent. tugs@earthlink.net Tender for hire. Southeast Florida, Bahamas & the Keys. 32’ Donzi, twin engine, 35 knots, open, set up with head and fresh water for fishing to just cruising. Captain USCG 100 ton Masters, STCW
www.megayacht.org 95 compliant. 30 years experience. References. Capt. Joe Mazzarella, 561-309-6577, beefishing@aol.com Captain, 100-ton, 25 years experience. Mate/ stew also available. Nonsmoker, non-drinker, single, excellent health. captaindewey@hotmail. com, 561-371-8091 American stewardess, 12 years experience on yachts up to 180’. Seeking non-live-aboard chief or solo position on South Florida-based power yacht. Also
December 2004
available for freelance and daywork. Excellent references. Dawn, 954-366-6862, ddk1509@hotmail.com. American mate, 200ton USCG license. Five years experience on large charter yachts. STCW, dive certified. Hard working and available immediately. 954-6140554, juice4444@aol.com Freelance chef, Canadian with green card. 7 years experience charter and private. Fran, 954-763-8905, frances8905@bellsouth. net American stew with 14 years experience, extensive travels through the Bahamas. Dive master. Will cook for a family, detail oriented. Vicki Elwyn, 954-6122503. Skilled chiropractor available for private or charter yachts. Specializing in chiropractic, neuromuscular &
sports massage, yoga, physical training and spa treatments. Licensed, certified. Dr. Tina, yogadoc@earthlink.net, 912-898-1988 Freelance chef or chef/ stew available for charter or private. US citizen, STCW-95. Excellent references, professional attitude. Heidi, 954-2985504, cailleux@excite. com Chef/stew/mate, 10 years experience. Available full time or freelance, private, charter or delivery. Reliable, dependable and able to perform. Catherine E. Clement, 954-815-1025 Captain, off shore with 22 years experience. References. Mike Buzzi 954-253-6302, mikegone2c@hotmail. com Ft. Laud.-based freelance cook/stew team or separate. Smoke/drug free, US citizens. Available as yacht delivery crew. References.
GIVE IT UP cookstewcrew@yahoo. family. Temporary or com, 954-764-0686 permanent. Kathy Bell, 954-965-2735, 954-609Experienced American 7513 chef, broad culinary expertise, STCW 95. Full Freelance chef available time, will freelance. Will for charter or private, travel. Reb, 828-399-0318, and catering for yachts, rebwingfield@hotmail. homes and offices. com Excellent references. Gail Murphy, 954-525-1398 1,600-ton licensed captains, 22 years American chef, experience, full or part hospitality specialty time. Palmarine Yacht with 18 years experience. Management, deliveries, Permanent or freelance. project management, STCW 95. 954-600-2069, new construction. 954cheforvis@hotmail.com 684-5340, fax 954-7648998 Captain 1,600-ton, full time or part time, American chef deliveries. Best prices or chef/stew. 13 to the Bahamas and the years experience. Keys. Tom, 954-925-7378 Served Clinton and ELECTRICAL ENGINEER, 40 hrs per week, 8 AM- 4PM, $55,000 per year. The job in located in Davie, Florida. Bachelor degree in Electrical Engineering is required. Will supervise 3 employees. Duties include: Research, develop, design and test electrical components, equipment, and systems of yachts power vessel and other watercraft applying principles and techniques of electrical engineering. Design electrical equipment, facilities, components, products, and systems for various marine purposes. Design and directs engineering personnel in fabrication of test control apparatus and equipment, and determines methods, procedures, and conditions for testing products. Develop applications of controls, instruments, and systems for new commercial, domestic, and industrial uses. Direct activities to ensure that manufacturing, construction, installation, and operational testing conform to functional specifications and customer requirements. Direct and coordinate operation, maintenance, and repair of equipment and systems in field installations. Use computer-assisted engineering and design software and equipment to perform engineering tasks. Send resume to Agency for Workforce Innovation P.O. Box 10869, Tallahassee, FL 32302. RE Job Order FL #2570010.
The Triton 31
Sign up online for free classifieds at www.megayacht.org
OTHER PROS Hiring full-time, experienced technicians in electrical, electronic, A/C refrigeration, hydraulic. Salary + benefits + holidays + vacation. 954-527-0716 Hiring full-time yacht cleaner/detailer. Salary + benefits + holidays + vacation. 954-527-0716 Marine propeller reconditioner, experienced in all phases of recon. Welding a plus. S. Fla., 954-894-8089
Tender/commercial diver for underwater maint. of yachts. Must be strong, have c- card, dive gear and driver lic. 954325-1189
FOR SALE 26’ Boston Whaler 2000. Used as yacht tender. Outriggers, depth
Need crew? Need a job? List your needs for free in The Triton. Contact Kristy Fox at kristy@ the-triton.com or 954-931-1590
GIVE IT UP
32 The Triton
sounder, chart plotter, radar, CD, VHF. Recent engine rebuild, Twin Yamaha 200s. $53,000. 954-292-3562
Sign up online for free classifieds at www.megayacht.org
FOR RENT Office for rent at marina. Las Olas & A1A area. Perfect for 1-2 people. Reception area & conference room with ocean view. $700/mo. Available immediately. (754) 2043454 Seasonal rental on water. Large furnished 2/2
house with linens, etc. Near yards and 17th St. Remodeled, clean, quiet, private. $2,500/mo. 954767-6076
2 minutes from Las Olas Riverfront, close to marinas, schools and beach. $250/wk, $995/ mo. 954-294-0641
Car Storage behind locked gate in Ft. Laud. Minutes from marinas, yards, airport and train station. Cars: $65/mo., $20/wk, $3/day. 954-2940641
2-room eff., unfurn. Private yard, close to Harbourtown, $650/ mo., incl. utilities. DSL/ satellite TV available. 954-921-9500
Short- or long-term cottage. Large, furnished, queen bed, premium package satellite TV, telephone line and all utilities included. Lush landscaping, private patio, great neighborhood in Tarpon River, Ft. Laud.,
$125 weekly or $500 monthly, large room in River Oaks area (SW 23rd Ct. & 15th Ave.) Spacious home with yard, washer/dryer, parking & cable/sat. TV. Fran 954763-8905
Sign up online for free classifieds at www.megayacht.org
December 2004
Isn’t this copy of The Triton great? Don’t miss the next one. Subscribe online with PayPal at www.the-triton.com, then click on subscriptions. For U.S. addresses*, mail $25 to: P.O. Box 22278,
Ft. Lauderdale, FL 33335
NAME: OCCUPATION/TITLE: BOAT NAME/BUSINESS NAME: MAILING ADDRESS: CITY/STATE/ZIP: E-MAIL: PHONE: *For international rates, e-mail peg@the-triton.com.
WHAT’S UP?
December 2004
The Triton 33
On the Horizon in December Dec. 1 The Fox Network, 7 p.m., Ft. Lauderdale. Monthly socials hosted by The Triton’s Kristy Fox. RSVP to kristy@the-triton.com. Dec. 2-7 43rd annual Charter Yacht Show, Antigua, www. antigua-charter-yacht-meeting. com. Dec. 5 Sunday Jazz Brunch, Fort Lauderdale, along the New River downtown, 11 a.m.-2 p.m., free. Five stages including a variety of jazz types. www.fortlauderdale. gov/festivals.
EVENT OF THE MONTH Dec. 7-11, St. Maarten Marine Trades Association Charter Yacht Exhibition
The four major marinas in Simpson Bay Lagoon and the new marina in Marigot have joined together to support the first of what organizers hope will be an annual show. Dock space is available for more than 200 yachts up to 315 feet. Fifty boats had signed up for the trade-only show by mid-November. www.charteryachtexhibition.com.
Dec. 4,5,11,12 Ropework, Splicing and Canvas, International Yacht Restoration School, Newport, RI. (800) 343-8294, dmeyer@oceanmark.com, www. iyrs.org. Learn to make stuff with rope and twine. $405
Germany, www.mdna.com/ shows/boot.html. This boat show includes a few halls dedicated to megayachts.
Jan. 15-23 36th Annual Boot Düsseldorf 2005, Düsseldorf,
Feb. 6 Superbowl XXXIX, Jacksonville, Fla., Alltel Stadium.
The National Football League’s championship game. www. superbowl.com Feb. 14-15 Superyacht Conference, Ft. Lauderdale. www. superyachtconference.com.
Answers on page 25
34 The Triton
WRITE TO BE HEARD
December 2004
Dear Santa: Bring my dad home for Christmas When I was a kid, my mom helped me write a letter to Santa every December. Then we drove to the post office to officially mail it to Santa Claus at his workshop, North Pole. I fibbed a lot in my letters to Santa. (It was my first fiction.) I reported myself as an especially good girl, every day, all year long, and that I was TIED UP IN KNOTS quiet and always LISA H. KNAPP behaved in church. I would list toys that I felt were well deserved and absolutely necessary to my continued well-being. My interests were diverse, as they are now. But my letters had one unique feature: the top request was always a heartfelt plea for Santa to let my dad, a marine engineer, come home for Christmas Day to play with me. It would make my Mom and big brother happy, too. Well, Santa was a big cop-out. Over 20 years, Dad rarely ever made it home for the holiday, and was usually in a part of the world where no one even celebrated Christmas. There were lights on our tree and merry tunes on the radio, but there was a pall over the hearth because Dad was gone away, on the ship. Dad usually wrote a letter or sent
a telegram on Dec. 23, his birthday, saying how much he missed and loved us and that he would be home real soon. Mom always said he was probably alone in his tiny cabin, staring in silence at our photos, or working in the hot engine room, wishing he was anywhere but on the ship. Mom made gargantuan efforts to make Christmas the happy holiday it was supposed to be, but I knew she was sad and lonely under her facade. The sadness sometimes triggered arguments between my dueling grandmothers, and then the whole day was officially shot. As I grew older, I began to dread the whole month of December. How could I be happy with Dad gone and Mom missing him while sitting on eggshells waiting for an argument to break out? Since Dad was AWOL on holidays, I followed suit as soon as I was old enough. I worked for the airlines in college and always signed up for OT. It made a long day pass a lot faster. I’d make an appearance for dinner, and we’d maximize what was left of the day for the sake of Norman Rockwell, even though Dad was still on the ship. Last week my brother, Stan, called and said he was contemplating a Christmas visit to Florida. His son will be in Miami on Christmas Day coaching a soccer tournament. Stan said he might pack up our mom, his
Christmas was a sad time with Dad at sea. PHOTO COURTESY OF LISA H. KNAPP wife and daughter, and invade my husband and I. But Dad still won’t be home for Christmas. He died three years ago. We’ll definitely be missing Dad, as usual. This is just the longest voyage he has ever been on. Lisa Hoogerwerf Knapp is a freelance writer in Aventura, Florida. She is the wife and granddaughter of a captain, and the daughter and granddaughter of a marine engineer. Contact her at lisa@the-triton.com.
December 2004
WRITE TO BE HEARD
The Triton 35
ISPS Code confusion
Confusion abounds within the yachting industry regarding the new security regulations and their effect on individual yachts. This confusion stems from a misunderstanding of the requirements and erroneous information disseminated by some lawyers, yacht managers and so-called private “maritime security experts.” On Nov. 25, 2002, President Bush signed the Maritime Transportation Security Act (MTSA) of 2002. On Dec. 13, 2002, the International Maritime Organization adopted the 2002 Amendments to the Safety of Life at Sea Convention (SOLAS). These amendments were ratified Jan. 1, 2004 and contained the now infamous International Ship and Port Facility Security (ISPS) Code. Both the MTSA and the ISPS Code became effective on July 1, 2004, and their purpose is to improve the security of ships and ports – the former with regards to the United States, and the latter with regards to the international maritime industry. While they contain similar provisions, they are not the same. Yacht owners and captains must understand the relationship between the two to know what regulations apply at any given time and place. The MTSA is domestic legislation. Even though it incorporates the ISPS Code by reference, it does not require the ISPS Code to be effective. Consequently, the U.S. Coast Guard’s stated intent to implement the MTSA through the ISPS Code is causing considerable confusion. This is because the ISPS Code is extremely vague, which allows for all sorts of individual interpretations and legal challenges. Furthermore, because of its fundamental conceptual flaw that allows each of the 167 member states to interpret it as each state sees fit, the ISPS Code has created not a uniform system of maritime security as intended, but a non-uniform system fraught with legal loopholes. Unlike the ISPS Code, which is supposed to be self-regulating among the member states, the MTSA contains a $25,000-per-violation civil penalty provision for violation. And “any person” violating the act, such as a yacht’s owner, captain, designated security officer, or yacht manager, can be held personally liable. So, if the U.S. Coast Guard intends to implement the Act through the ISPS Code, and the ISPS Code is so vague as to leave serious doubt that the Coast Guard’s interpretation regarding compliance is correct, and noncompliance is a violation of the MTSA for which fines may be levied, litigation of the Coast Guard’s assessment of those fines is a certainty. Kenneth Gale Hawkes Maritime attorney, Miami kgh@sealawyer.net
The Triton’s Connection meetings valuable You are doing a very good thing by gathering industry professionals (at The Triton’s monthly Connection seminars) to keep us up-to-date with issues as well as talking about problems and situations that plague us all. It seems that we need to pull together and voice our opinion together to better our representation as a whole industry instead of the live-and-let-die attitude that so many have today. Thanks again. Capt. Kenny Tassin M/Y Gatster You do a great job keeping us all up to date with the Connections. It’s appreciated. Michael Hand Wright Management Group Hearing the U.S. Coast Guard officer interpret the rules of notification was interesting. He stated the rules and then said they cannot enforce them due to lack of staffing. The rules, however, are enforced in other parts of the country. I understand their position because of cutbacks, but what good is homeland security if you can’t enforce the rules? He also stated that security notification may get tighter. This, again, may be unenforceable. How can captains keep up with all the changes, and also know what is going to be enforced and where? I guess the big question is who is responsible for enforcing the law? If
they are not enforcing the law, then is someone negligent in their duties? Are they breaking the law by not enforcing it? Where does the buck stop? Captains want to abide by all the rules. How do we get the Coast Guard the help they so desperate need? Capt. Pete Gannon M/Y Destiny One Just a quick note to say thank you for the invitation to yesterday’s meeting (the November Connection featuring U.S.C.G. Lt. Cmdr. George Zeitler). I found the forum to be interesting and informative. Keep up the good work. Capt. Peter Harrison M/Y Osiana Thank you for remembering to contact me for the meeting [November’s Connection]. It was helpful, and I do appreciate it. It’s clear you put a lot of time and effort into helping keep us captains informed, and toward increasing the professionalism in yachting in general. Keep up the good work. Capt. Greg Clark M/Y Mystic Capt. Rick Boggs and I enjoy The Triton and think you’re all doing a wonderful service for the yachting community. We attended The Triton Connection meeting on ISPS (“Speaker: Adhering to ISPS simple, doesn’t have to be expensive,” page 6,
Where am I? On which Caribbean island the dockmaster in the cartoon above is standing, based on the miles on the pole? If you think you know, send an e-mail to lucy@the-triton. com. A winner selected at random from correct answers received by Dec. 15 gets a $50 gift certificate to BOW Worldwide Yacht Supply. October 2004) and were impressed with the work that you are doing. Chief Eng. Christine VanHulle The meeting with [USCG Lt. Cmdr. George Zeitler] was very informative. This is the guy actually making decisions that we come face-to-face with daily. I am anxiously awaiting the information that he said he would forward to The Triton about ISPS, etc. [See story, page 10.] Thanks for hosting the event. Capt. Mac McDonald M/Y Magic Happy Thanksgiving to everyone at The Triton. Capt. Jeff Ridgway M/Y Utopia EDITOR’S NOTE: And right back to you and your crew on Utopia. To all our readers: Happy Holidays.
Getting Under Way Technical news for captains and crews
Tesu refit stretches yacht in various ways By Ian Watson RMK Marine is located in Tuzla on the coast of the Sea of Mamara near the mouth of the Bosphorus on the southeastern fringes of Istanbul. This region has a historic landscape as rich as any in the world. Its location on the boundary of Europe and Asia places it at the epicentre of three successive major empires – the Roman, Byzantine and Ottoman. Originally a commercial shipyard, RMK Marine expanded its operations in the mid-1990s to include the production and refit of pleasure yachts, including the recent new-builds Private Lives and Jasmin, both 120-foot expedition-type vessels. An interesting refit that is currently under way is the significant alteration and improvement of M/Y Tesu, a 112foot (34m) steel-hulled yacht belonging to a Turkish owner who chose RMK to carry out the work as a result of previous positive experiences with the yard. Tesu arrived at the end of September and the yard anticipates delivery to take place by the end of May. The work is progressing well; the steel work has been completed and the aluminium superstructure with the exception of the mast and the fly-bridge arch will be finished before Christmas All drawings and designs are by in-house naval architects and, where relevant, work will be completed to RINA classification standards. RINA (Registro Italiano Navale) is the Italian
Dec. 2004 Pages 15-22
PULL-OUT
Welding hull without OK is dangerous I recently was making an inspection on a steel-hulled yacht where there would be welding on the outer hull. When I arrived after lunch, the vessel was locked and the captain and crew had left for the day. (Actually, they were gone for the weekend since it was a Friday.) I couldn’t access the fuel tanks in the engine room to SAFETY MATTERS make my inspection. BLAIR DUFF The workers were grinding and welding near the bow without a fire watch even before I had arrived.
All drawings and designs of Tesu’s refit were done by in-house naval architects at RMK Marine. PHOTO COURTESY OF RMK MARINE marine standards organization that was established in 1861 and can be compared to Lloyds or ABS. The key aims for the refit were to increase interior space and modernize the lines, which involved substantial structural alterations and additions. The forward section of the wheelhouse has been cut away and a new crew area is being constructed in aluminium stock, H5086 and H216. The second deck is being extended outward by 80cm and aft by 70cm with
supports forward and aft on either side. In addition, the wheel house and bridge are being extended 70cm. The extensions to the second deck allow a newly spacious lounge area to be created. A new fly-bridge will be created and an upper deck arch and mast added. One of the more substantial changes is the extension of the upper deck by 4.5m aft with coaming over the fly-
See IN THE YARD, page 16
Several problems What’s wrong with this situation? First, the captain and crew left their ship unattended and locked. Second, the welders were working within 25 feet of the fuel tanks and the vessel hadn’t been certified as “Safe for Hot Work” by a marine chemist. Third, there was no fire watch, especially within the vessel. A qualified fire watch needs to be on the inside of the vessel to make sure that the area of work is clear and that a fire doesn’t start.
See WELDING, page 17
All crew members must respect the engine room By Lisa H. Knapp All crew members should be able to recognize onboard equipment. Without an engine and the equipment to move a yacht, they would all just be working in a five-star hotel. That was the message from Captain/ Engineer Steve Ernest, who led a seminar on the engine room for crew at the Ft. Lauderdale International Boat Show. Designed for stews, chefs, deckhands and mates, the session described the basics of the engine room, which Ernest called the heart of a vessel. The session was part of the Super Yacht Society’s crew training seminars. “Many crew are intimidated by the different systems in the engine room, but you should respect it – not fear it,” Ernest said. All systems that the vessel relies on for its safe operation are located in
the engine room: the main propulsion engine; electrical generators and main switch board; air conditioning and refrigeration; water, purification and plumbing; hydraulic and pneumatic systems; firefighting system; and alarms and security systems. Assisting the engineer – or at least knowing when to call him or wake him up to check on a potential problem – is everyone’s duty, Ernest said. While repairs must be done by an engineer or qualified professional, many crew can help detect problems. For instance, if an area seems too warm, the air conditioning system – which is often taken for granted – may be the culprit. “Everyone should know where the circuit breakers are for the lights, for the air conditioning,” Ernest said. “It’s good to know how to start a generator up or switch from shore power to generator, especially if you’re
at anchor or on watch in the dark. Have your captain or the engineer show you how to do these things in their absence.” All crew should know the location and function of alarm and security systems, which are often scattered across the yacht in the wheelhouse, crew quarters, engine room, gangways, doorways, and some televisions. All of the alarm systems have different sounds and crew should be able to distinguish the noises. The high water bilge alarm could indicate that a pipe could be broken in the bottom of the boat. This is a different sound from the drag anchor alarm or man overboard alarm. “You enhance your yachting career by knowing what everyone else does,” Ernest said. “You can’t call 911 at sea.” Contact freelance writer Lisa H. Knapp at lisa@the-triton.com.
Capt. Steve Ernest explained engine room basics to non-engineering crew at the Ft. Lauderdale boat show. PHOTO/LISA H. KNAPP
16 The Triton
FROM THE TECH FRONT
December 2004
Tri-Clad makes strong bond between superstructure, hull IN THE YARD, from page 15
epoxy. A layer of 12mm marine ply will be laid down and the Iroko fastened to this layer by Silkaflex. Paint and fairing systems will be International Products and all paint application will be to manufacturer’s paint specifications. Humidity levels and environmental conditions will be monitored and recorded during the painting process to ensure compliancy and to provide an audit trail should quality issues arise. All new cabinetry and furniture is being replaced and will all be custommade in the RMK carpentry facilities by skilled in-house tradesmen. Ahmet Adali, the RMK production coordinator, said he is pleased with how the project is progressing. “I am confident that the project will be completed on time,” he said. When asked his feelings on ensuring a successful refit, he said “My best advice is to have good communication between owner and yard. Issues can be dealt with quickly and the owner feels his requirements are being understood.” RMK Marine has performed a number of refit projects including Mabich, Ladina, Moon & Star, Ashley, Nazenine IV and Sirma. The next major project will be the new build of a 38m yacht. The yard facilities include two 40m environmentally controlled paint sheds, and an 80m-by-25m construction shed. For haul-out purposes, there are three travel lifts of 40, 210 and 320 tons, and a slipway. For in-water repairs there is a 120m pier. In addition access to the RMK commercial shipyard means that any scale of vessel can be accommodated.
bridge area. This will provide a new tender storage area, which has been carefully designed so the existing crane still performs its function without relocation. A new hard-top bimini was also created to provide additional shaded exterior space. Another external alteration was to re-profile the reversesloping transom. Additional fairing was applied to create a convex curve from the previously flat design. Given the substantial nature of the alterations to the mid and upper decks and the resulting impact of additional weight above the waterline, new stability curves were calculated by the naval architect responsible for the planning of the refit. As is common in the industry, the yacht has a steel hull and aluminium superstructure. Combining these two metals can be problematic due to galvanic action; in effect an electrical cell or battery is created when steel and aluminium are joined directly. This electrical flow has a hugely corrosive and destructive effect on both materials. There are different methods of producing a stable bond between these two metals, generally using a nonconductive interface called transition joint. A solution that is becoming ever more prevalent is the use of TriClad, a trade name for a three-layer composite material combining pure aluminium, the aluminium-alloy Al-Mg 4,5 and steel. These three materials are explosively bonded using dynamite and the resulting composite and bonds are stronger than aluminium alone. One key benefit beyond the Ian Watson is a director with Custom protective properties is the ability Yacht Consultants, which has offices in for both the aluminium and steel to Ft. Lauderdale, London and St. Thomas. be joined to the Tri-Clad by welding, Contact him at ian.watson@custom producing a continuous joint with yachtconsultants.com. an even stress distribution unlike a riveted or bolted seam. A decision was taken to replace all the wooden deck surfaces. Rather than using teak, the alternative tropical hardwood Iroko will be used. Rather than using premilled stock, RMK produced the 4m-by16cm planking strips from 6m planks. The original deck and underlay Fairing was applied to re-profile the reverse-sloping has been entirely transom to create a convex curve from the previously removed, and the flat design. PHOTO COURTESY OF RMK MARINE surface faired with
December 2004
FROM THE TECH FRONT
OSHA to pursue violations of fire protection at shipyards WELDING, from page 15 New regulations by the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) on Fire Protection for Shipyards addresses this situation directly by requiring the captain to have a written fire plan that must be submitted to the shipyard. The subcontractors must also have a written fire plan that has been reviewed by the ship’s representative – usually the captain – and also with the shipyard. The person standing by as fire watch has to be trained in accordance with 29 CFR 1915, Subpart P.
Captain may be liable What would have happened if the crew left after working and something caught on fire? That vessel would have burned to the ground, as well as the two other ships next to it. Without a marine chemist certificate, the insurance company wouldn’t have covered the damages. Now with the new regulations, OSHA will hold the captain, subcontractors and shipyard liable if these regulations aren’t followed. I have been told that OSHA will be
‘What would have happened if the crew left after working and something caught on fire? That vessel would have burned to the ground, as well as the two other ships next to it.’
– BLAIR DUFF Marine Chemist
actively pursuing any incident in which it becomes involved. And it expects both domestic and foreign-flagged vessels to have written fire safety plans if they are doing any repairs or maintenance anywhere within the United States and its territories. Resolve Fire and Hazard Response in Port Everglades has developed new courses to meet the training requirements of 29 CFR 1915, Subpart P. For schedule information, visit the company’s Web site at www.resolvefire. com or call (888) 886-FIRE. Blair Duff is a marine chemist in South Florida. Contact him at (305) 469-7594 or blaircmc698@yahoo.com. Contact other U.S. marine chemists at www. marinechemist.org. For OSHA shipyard regulations (29 CFR 1915), visit www. osha.gov.
The Triton 17
18 The Triton
INDUSTRY NEWS
December 2004
Companies honored for innovative products at IBEX Eight companies were recognized with IBEX Innovation Awards at the International BoatBuilders’ Exhibition and Conference (IBEX) in Miami Beach in October. The winners were: In the Boatbuilding Methods & Materials category, Prairie Technology Group won for its SWORL product. SWORL is a sprayable silicone bagging material that can be sprayed onto tooling to form a removable injection molding seal or a vacuum bagging barrier coat. In the Electrical Systems category, Westerbeke won for its Safe-CO Generator, a new line of electronically fuel injected gasoline-fueled marine gensets that reduce carbon-oxide emissions by 99 percent compared with typical carbureted generators. “Safety is very important in boating, and Westerbeke should be applauded for the development of this genset line,” said judge Bill Pike, boats and boating editor with Power & Motoryacht magazine. “I look forward to the time when we see a propulsion system utilize this technology.” In the Engine Systems category, R&D Enterprises won for its Polymer Heat Exchanger, which has no metal parts to react with the engine alloy. If the tube bundle corrodes it can be
Fuel prices Prices for low-sulfur gasoil expressed in US$ per cubic meter (1,000 liters) as of Nov. 15. Region Duty-free*/duty paid U.S. East Coast Ft. Lauderdale 420/450 Savannah, Ga. 430/NA Newport, R.I. 448/NA Caribbean St. Thomas, USVI 522/NA Trinidad 446/NA Antigua 573/NA North Atlantic Bermuda (Ireland Island) 446/NA Bermuda (St. George) 485/NA Cape Verde 426/NA Azores 445/NA Canary Islands 432/NA Mediterranean Gibraltar 426/NA Barcelona, Spain 451/NA Palma de Mallorca, Spain NA/915 Antibes, France 434/1,131 San Remo, Italy 635/1,225 Naples, Italy 630/1,211 Venice, Italy 625/1,223 Corfu, Greece 484/900 Piraeus, Greece 462/922 Istanbul, Turkey 431/NA Malta 411/NA Tunis, Tunisia 430/NA Oceania Auckland, New Zealand 452/NA Sydney, Australia 441/NA Fiji 510/NA *When available according to customs.
replaced at about one fifth of the cost of replacing the entire heat exchanger, according to judges. In the Furnishings & Finishes category, Current Composites won for its Silent Running – SR1000 Marine Coating, a water-based, VOC-free, single-part vibration and sound dampening coating that absorbs vibrations and then dissipates it throughout the applied surface. In the Hardware Fittings category, Hayn Enterprises won for its Hi-Mod Failsafe Insulator, the only fail safe wire rigging insulator on the market. Delrin bushings are used to insulate the stainless steel body, ensuring that no electrical current can flow across the unit, and should the delrin brushing fail an internal nut will bottom out against the housing, ensuring the yachtsman does not lose a mast. In the Mechanical Systems category, Sea Fire Marine won for its Fire Foe, an automatic fire suppression system that extinguishes fires through a self-activating, temperature sensitive delivery tube. When the temperature gets too hot, the tube ruptures, spraying an extinguishing agent that is harmless to humans and boat engines. In the OEM Electronics & Electronic Systems category, Tacktick won for its Micronet System, a new range of wireless, solar-powered electronics that use low power, high speed radio communication protocol to produce electronics that are wireless, waterproof and use zero power consumption. “The installation savings alone makes the system worth it,” said BWI judge Zuzana Prohaska. “You don’t have to take down the overhead, run wires through the mast or behind furniture. Now an instrument package can be installed without drawing power from a sailboat’s batteries.” In the Outboard Engine category, Mercury Marine won for its Verado, the world’s first production supercharged four stroke outboard. Its inline sixcylinder design uses an efficient twinscrew supercharger with electronic boost bypass control and charge air cooling to deliver low- and mid-range torque and acceleration rivaling the strongest two-stroke engines. The awards were presented by the National Marine Manufacturers Association, a co-producer of IBEX with Professional BoatBuilder. This year’s IBEX hosted the most industry professionals in the show’s 14year history, according to organizers. More than 5,300 trades people attended, a 25 percent increase over last year. IBEX 2005 is scheduled for Oct. 19-21 at the Miami Beach Convention Center, returning the show to a Wednesday through Friday schedule. – Staff report
METRIC CONVERSION
December 2004
How big is that in feet? Get stumped when yacht brokers talk about the length of a megayacht in one measurement when you know it in the other? Converting from meters to feet and vice versa is easy with this chart. Basically, if you know meters, multiply by 3.3 to get feet. If you know feet, multiply by 0.3 to get meters. Or use these lengths to patch together the conversion:
Feet
Meters
Feet
1 2 3 4 5
3.3 6.6 9.8 13.1 16.4
80 90 100 110 120 130 140 150 160 170 180 190 200 210 220 230 240 250 260 270 280 290 300 310
25 30 35 40 45 50 55 60 65 70 75 80 85 90 95 100
82.0 98.4 114.8 131.2 147.6 164.0 180.4 196.9 213.3 229.7 246.1 262.5 278.9 295.3 311.7 328.1
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
Meters 0.3 0.6 0.9 1.2 1.5 1.8 2.1 2.4 2.7 24.4 27.4 30.5 33.5 36.6 39.6 42.7 45.7 48.8 51.8 54.9 57.9 61.0 64.0 67.1 70.1 73.2 76.2 79.2 82.3 85.3 88.4 91.4 94.5
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20 The Triton
NEW PRODUCTS
December 2004
Boat, trade shows offer plenty new products to look, wonder at As the staff of The Triton wandered around IBEX in Miami and the Ft. Lauderdale International Boat Show last month, we stumbled across products we thought were pretty cool. Through no scientific process whatsoever, here are a few of the products that caught our eye:
This sock eats oil The BioSok bilge maintenance system comes in a white fabric covering about the size of a can of tennis balls. It contains 100 percent natural material that will literally eat leaking oil in the bilge. You just toss this little bag into the bilge and leave it there. Depending on the type and amount of contamination, it might last a whole season, according to the Pennsylvania-
The all-natural product inside the BioSok biodegrades along with oil in the bilge, leaving an empty sock to discard. PHOTO COURTESY OF THE COMPANY based company. The award-winning BioSok absorbs up to a pound of oil in the bilge and the natural microorganisms eat it and
degrade it. It’ll degrade much more oil over time, according to the company. Then you throw away the outside fabric because nothing is left to harm the environment. According to company literature, the principle behind BioSok is that of biodegradability whereby the oils and grease found in bilges are destroyed by using other oils (such as beeswax). These oils are added into microorganisms that feed on beeswax and bilge refuse, transforming them into recycled material during digestion. This isn’t a new product, but it’s still pretty cool. It’s been nominated to the NAASA Hall of Fame. Check them out online at www.bio-sok.com. It is available through select distributors, including Yacht-Mate Products in Ft. Lauderdale.
Click on, click off Here’s an old product that was new to us. Click Bond fasteners are about the size of a quarter with two thin layers of aluminum sandwiching a slender foam core and a clicking device. Snapped in its concave state, it can be stuck with adhesive to a hole in a tank. After the glue dries, you can peel off the top aluminum disk, the foam core and the “clicker,” leaving a thin piece of aluminum plugging your hole. The company has other products using this same technology. Those products can be used to repair punctures, apply patches, lay insulation, even secure wires with cable ties. Companies such as Javelin, Morris, and Hinckley have been known to use these products. And the military uses them on carriers, combat ships, destroyers and submarines. We just liked holding that little disk in our hand as we walked around the shows, clicking it and showing it to everyone. Check them out at online at www. clickbond.com.
An assortment of products from Click Bond can plug holes, apply patches, lay insulation, even secure wires. PHOTO COURTESY OF THE COMPANY See NEW PRODUCTS, page 21
NEW PRODUCTS
December 2004
The Triton 21
Smothered sound, bouncing granite grab attention, catch eyes NEW PRODUCTS, from page 20
which the company says has four times the life of polyurethane. Check out the California-based company online at www.glacierbay. com.
Riding on granite
The six-layered design of the Ultra dB by Glacier Bay has two layers of ‘randomly adhered elastomeric particles.’ PHOTO COURTESY OF THE COMPANY
Bring on the noise The exhibit of Glacier Bay was always crowded at IBEX. Among other hands-on products for refrigeration, air conditioning and insulation was a silver box about the size of a good cooler. A faint rumbling drew passers-by closer to open the lid and recoil at the terrible noise coming from a portable stereo inside. The box was lined with the company’s Ultra dB insulation, a highperformance acoustic insulation that weighs about half other insulations, is about a quarter less thick and covers a wide band of frequencies. The six-layer insulation has two layers of “randomly adhered elastomeric particles” of varying sizes (what a sales rep at the exhibit explained as basically recycled rubber tires). When sound waves strike, different particles within the layer will resonate depending on the frequency of the wave. At any given frequency only a fraction of the particles vibrate. They two layers of particles are sandwiched between polyether foam,
Perhaps the funniest display we saw featured a senior executive of Stone Panels, a Texas company that makes granite, marble and limestone countertops, floors and walls. The man was gently bouncing on a 10-foot length of what appeared to be granite. The company shaves a top layer of stone about 3/8 of an inch thick and backs it with an aluminum honeycomb material, making it flexible and lightweight – two good things for yachts. The company says it provides
A 3/8ths-inch layer of real stone is made flexible and lightweight by an aluminum, honeycomb backing. PHOTO COURTESY OF THE COMPANY
natural stone panels with 80 percent less weight than traditional 3cm thick granite. According to company literature, its slabs weigh 3.3 pounds per square foot,
about the same as 1/4-inch-thick glass. And they will withstand 60 percent more impact than solid granite. The stone is real stone, and the company can even modify a stone slab someone (such as a yacht owner) selects from a quarry. Propped up on cinder blocks, the slab under the feet of the company executive was a lovely shade of orange marble. The company has been paneling elevator walls, building facades, jets and yachts for years. Check them out at www.stone-panels.com. These stories were compiled by Triton staffers. If you discovered an interesting product at this season’s boat shows, let us know about it. Feel free to write a review or just pass the info along and we’ll research it. Contact us at editorial@the-triton.com.