34 minute read
Gear on the Go
SOLVOLT COMPACT AND SOLAR CHARGER
Attach this solar phone charger to your hiking pack or your kayak bungees and charge it as you go. The rugged waterproof design is made to resist rain, snow, dust, and wind. It can charge up to two devices at a time, and an iPhone or Android can be charged up to three times on a single unit charge. Currently discounted at $39.95 each. Buy a few more to give as gifts and get an even greater discount per unit. solvoltcharger.com
APPLE AIRTAG
Apple’s AirTag is tracked through the Find My app and is slightly bigger than a quarter, fitting into any wallet or bag. The Federal Aviation Administration recently approved AirTags in suitcases too, meaning you can track your luggage while you travel. $29 | apple.com/airtag Muama’s two-way instant translator allows travelers to have two-way conversations in over 36 languages. Users speak into the translator, then play back the immediate translation in any language they choose. The small, simplistic design makes it easy to carry and use anywhere. $89 | enence.com/translator
ICEMULE CLASSIC COOLER
IceMule Coolers keep food and drinks cold for at least 24 hours. They come in 3 different sizes, holding from 6 to 18 cans plus ice. They’re designed to roll up flat for storage when not in use, so they’re easy to fit into a suitcase while traveling. You can wear them like a backpack — and they float! $70/$80/$90 icemulecoolers.com
Whether it’s a new gadget to take along on your next adventure or a great holiday gift that you’re looking for, these Triton picks are sure to please.
Gear on the GO
JBL GO 3
The JBL Go 3 is a pocket-sized speaker that wirelessly connects to any Bluetooth-enabled device, allowing users to enjoy five hours of playtime on a single charge. It’s also waterproof and dustproof, making it perfect for the beach. $30 | jbl.com/bluetooth-speakers/GO+3-.html
MUAMA ENENCE INSTANT TRANSLATOR
LEAN GREEN MACHINES
Innovative designs and sustainable solutions are cleaning up the yacht toy box and offering exciting new eco-friendly ways to play.
By Gemma Harris
Frank Ferraro, director of marketing Nautical Ventures
A yacht is only half the fun without its toys. They can turn a simple day on the water into pure exhilaration. But when it comes to reducing the industry’s environmental footprint, the superyacht toy box has had a lot to answer for. Now, with the development of increasingly innovative designs and greener technology, a new wave of toys is on the rise — equally exciting but without the fossil fuel-guzzling engines and unsustainable materials.
MADE TO MATTER
A long-standing issue with many of the current yacht toys on the market is the materials, from toxic resins to the lowquality plastic that will stay on our planet much longer than the people using it. Today, more companies are considering the life cycle of their products. One example is Osiris Outdoor, a U.S.-based company that manufactures its “Reprisal” kayak entirely with recycled plastics from U.S. recycling facilities. The lightweight kayak is easy to store and it comes with storage
compartments, rod holders, and a watertight hatch for gadgets.
When it comes to innovative uses of biodegradable materials in the toy box, FunAir takes the prize. Its Yacht Golf floating greens use Albus Golf Ecobioballs. These eco-friendly golf balls are biodegradable, with a core of edible marine food, so guests can play straight from the yacht without harming marine life.
POWERED BY HUMANS
Today, the onboard toys menu doesn't have to be fast and furious. The toys market has responded to the newer generation of yachting enthusiasts, all vying to be healthier and fitter. Guests can enjoy a workout while on vacation and can do it without the eco-guilt of fossil fuels.
One toy becoming increasingly popular is the waterbike. The New Zealand-based Manta 5 offers the hydrofoiler XE-1, which simulates the experience of cycling on the water. It offers a powerful workout but can be adjusted for all fitness levels with the use of a battery-operated pedal assist. Californian-based Schiller offers a different option for on-the-water cycling with their “catamaran-style” S1 bike, which has the ability to float when the rider is not pedaling.
Moving on from pedaling to paddling, SUPs also boast a more sustainable playtime, and not just because they don’t need fuel. Sustainable manufacturing processes for stand-up paddleboards are becoming more widespread, with increasing options for eco-friendly boards. Los Angeles-based Infinity SUP’s Ecoboards, for example, are plant-based resin boards constructed from hemp, bamboo, and recycled wood. In addition, the company uses U.S. materials whenever possible to reduce its environmental footprint.
FOILING FUN
The foiling revolution began in San Francisco at the 2013 America's Cup, where catamarans flew out of the water, reaching eye-watering speeds. Since then, foiling has become present in many water toys, and now, the addition of a battery provides lots of fun. “Thanks to major advances in foiling technology and a world of new possibilities for surfing previously 'unsurfable' waves, we are seeing record orders for foiling and wind toys,” says Tom Stapley, the digital marketing manager of Superyacht Tender and Toys.
The Australian company Flite has made considerable advances in e-foiling technology and is now onto its second series electric hydrofoil, the Fliteboard 2.2. Offering a virtually silent, emissionsfree experience, these electric hydrofoils are a great alternative to wakeboarding and wake surfing sports, which require the tow of an engine-run tender. On top of their green credentials, e-foils are simple and low maintenance, as well as lighter and more compact for easier storage.
Carrying the concept into futuristic realms, the Q2 by Quadrofoil is a battery-powered two-seater. Channeling James Bond vibes, these next-generation watercraft are revolutionizing the industry with their electric hydrofoil technology, high performance, and a fun factor that is out of this world.
WATTS ON THE WATER
Electric has been the buzzword for a while now, and what's not to like about virtually silent, emission-free toys?
Within the non-foiling sector, the Swedish manufacturer Radinn offers a range of electric surfboards with varying features. Another U.S.-based company, Yu-Jet, offers a jet-powered electric surfboard boasting up to a 40-minute ride time.
The all-electric Orca by Taiga Motors ensures that the PWC sector isn't missing out on lowering the toy box footprint. The Canadian company produced the Orca, a sporty personal watercraft, with all the fun of a fuel-powered Jet Ski without the noise and, more importantly, without emissions. Orca’s electric drivetrain reportedly gives about 28 miles of range.
Taking a look below the surface, all-electric submersibles are also diving deep into eco-friendlier ways of ocean exploration. Dutch manufacturer U-Boat Worx uses lithium-ion battery technology lasting up to 18 hours with 10 dives daily. These green-powered submarines pave the way to a cleaner future and are used for scientific explorations and leisure.
IS THE FUTURE GREENER?
The yachting industry must set a path toward sustainability and a circular economy to survive, as well as for the planet’s future. This is fueling ecoconscious decisions, and the investment in and progression of emerging green technology.
But the significant emphasis today on a yacht being sustainable must also extend to everything that comes with the yacht, including the tenders and toys. Stapley cautions that the future of the superyacht toy box hinges on the safe storage of lithium-ion batteries.
“Appropriately charging and discharging, safe stowage, downtime in use, etc., is absolutely imperative if the electric toy market is to really establish itself in the yachting world,” he says. "It is an exciting industry with great wealth and enthusiasm for new products, but like with anything, it's consumer confidence that drives investment." ‹
Performance + Preservation = Win2 for Tenders
By Gemma Harris
AS ALTERNATIVE PROPULSION SYSTEMS DRIVE THE INDUSTRY FORWARD, TENDERS ARE RIDING THE WAKE TO A MORE ECO-FRIENDLY FUTURE. HERE ARE A FEW EXAMPLES OF HOW BOATBUILDERS ARE WORKING HARD TO BRIDGE THE GAP BETWEEN PERFORMANCE AND OCEAN PRESERVATION.
PHANTOM
Dubbed by its maker as “the first-ever 100% recyclable boat,” Vision Marine Technologies’ new Phantom tender made a splash at the recent Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show. The Canadian company, already leading the charge in alternative propulsion systems via its high-performance, fully electric E-Motion 180E outboard motors, touts the Phantom as “the first-ever 100% recyclable boat.”
HODGEN TENDERS
When it comes to sustainability, luxury can sometimes be left behind. The U.Sbased Hodgdon Tenders is making sure this is not the case with its fully electric tenders, designed to remain true to the limousine style of its Venetian line. CANDELA C-8
Speed and range can be sticking points when switching to sustainable, but that’s not a worry with the Candela C-8. Hailed as the “Tesla of the seas,” this electric foiling boat is for high-speed, emissionfree cruising at speeds of up to 30 knots with a range of 50 nautical miles.
IGUANA YACHTS AMPHIBIOUS TENDER
Shining the sustainability spotlight on versatility, Iguana Yachts, a Normandybased company committed to a fully electric future, now offers electric amphibious tenders. Powered by an electric outboard motor, the boats have retractable tracks for moving on land, and foldable foils for propulsion on the water.
SUPERYACHT TENDERS & TOYS ROAM or RIB
From propulsion systems to materials, Superyacht Tender & Toys has developed the fully recyclable aluminum hulls of its ROAM shadow boats and RIB tenders with sustainability in mind. RS ELECTRIC BOATS’ PULSE 63
RS Electric Boats uses sustainable materials wherever possible. Its Pulse 63 electric RIB, built from recycled carbon fiber and PET core, offers emission-free, silent rides at speeds of up to 23 knots and a range of up to 100 nautical miles.
LANEVA VESPER
The fully electric, silent, odorless, vibrationfree Lanéva Vesper from Lanéva boats is not only modular and fully customizable, but it’s also constructed responsibly using sustainable, bio-based materials.
TENDERS BLAZING NEW TRAILS
Mapping technology allows tenders to scout safe passageways in uncharted waters and beam hi-res seafloor images back to the bridge in real time.
By Erik Speyer
Anyone who has spent significant time on the water is familiar with the concept of depth sounders: Send a wireless signal to the bottom, wait for it to be reflected, apply some simple math, and voilà! You know the depth! It’s a far cry from the days of painstakingly dropping a line with a lead weight and measuring the distance to the seafloor.
Today, there are many types of sounding technologies to provide mariners with seafloor mapping in real time. Such products come in all shapes and sizes, and many have become very affordable — even for a weekend warrior. One product, though, is capable of transforming a yacht tender into a powerful frontline reconnaissance tool — and that, especially for explorer yachts, can be a treasure worth its weight in gold.
WASSP (Wide Angle Seafloor Sonar Profiling) was originally designed by Furuno company ENL for the lobster and cray fishermen of New Zealand, allowing them to produce very highresolution mapping of the seabed, according to Rufus Whiteford, sales and marketing manager at WASSP. After the 2011 Christchurch earthquake, the seafloor had changed so much — up to 7 or 8 meters in some places — that the New Zealand navy had the fishermen
map the entrance to the harbor for them.
Impressed with the quality of the data, the navy reached out to ENL and a portable version of WASSP was created. It allowed the New Zealand navy to put a unit on a tender, do a survey of the seafloor, and beam it back to the mothership in real time. That same technology is now available to the public, and Whiteford says the demand is quickly growing in the superyacht market.
As exploration becomes more and more popular with superyacht owners and charter guests, vessels are looking to get off the beaten path and venture into places they’ve never been before. Some of these locations can be poorly charted, leaving captains to fend for themselves. Sending a crew member out on the tender to scout ahead and radio back the depths as the yacht carefully follows the tender is a common tactic in such situations.
Now, WASSP’s W-Series (“W” meaning wireless) allows the captain of a yacht to see — in real time — exactly what the seafloor under the tender is like while standing on the bridge of the mothership. As David Gratton, of Telemar Yachting Americas, explains: “Unlike other top-tier processing solutions, WASSP allows you to separate the mothership from the tender and report the data back, potentially enabling safer navigation from a distance.”
WASSP contends that its Multibeam Sounder technology allows vessels to profile the seafloor 100 times faster than traditional single-beam echo sounders, and its real-time 3D mapping allows for a 120-degree, port-to-starboard view of the water column and seabed.
The clever part, Whiteford says, is that even if the Wi-Fi link is lost, the data is stored on the tender and becomes available once the link is reestablished. The Wi-Fi link is based on line-of-sight, but vessels can expect about 1.5 miles of range between the mothership and the tender.
The coverage is roughly three times the depth, so if you are in 20 feet of water, you will see a profile that is about 60 feet wide. It’s a much larger picture than simply knowing what the depth is under that tender.
What’s more, once that data is streamed back to the mothership, it’s saved — so the captain can then navigate off that data. This can be done in real time, or a harbor, for example, could be surveyed and that data saved for later use.
While WASSP has its own interface, it also integrates with navigation software commonly used on yachts, such as Timezero. This not only allows captains to view the data in a navigational context with which they are familiar, but it also allows for the use of more robust computers.
Gratton, who understands that yard time is a precious commodity, says yachts should budget at least two to three weeks for a WASSP install once parts arrive. He cautions that “the transducer being glassed in can be a large endeavor.” On the low end, a full tender-mothership installation will run about $65,000, but each application is different, he said.
While systems like WASSP may not be the solution for every yacht program, technological innovation and growing demand have resulted in commercial-grade systems becoming more commonplace in the leisure market. They are not cheap, but these technologies could save a vessel from a catastrophic grounding, easily making up for their cost. And let’s just face it — they are fun! ‹
ERIK SPEYER IS DIRECTOR OF SALES AT BLUEWATER BOOKS & CHARTS AND PREVIOUSLY WORKED IN THE TECHNOLOGY SECTOR. HE CAN BE REACHED AT ERIK@BLUEWATERWEB.COM.
PHOTO TRITON SUBMARINES PHOTO CAPT. LES ANNON
UNFATHOMABLE FUN
The star of the yacht toy box has sunk to new levels.
By Corey D. Ranslem
Yacht toys have evolved rapidly in recent years as owners and charter guests have become increasingly interested in more thrilling, unique experiences. During the Mare Forum at the recent Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show, participants were asked to name the up-and-coming innovation that is most likely to bring the biggest change to the industry. The answer for most? Submersibles.
Triton Submarines, founded in 2008 in Florida by Patrick Lahey and Bruce Jones, introduced the first submersible to the large yacht industry: the Triton 1000/2, which dives to 1,000 feet and carries two people.
“Collectively, the Triton team has more than 400 years of submersible experience on over a hundred different submersibles,” said Hannah Shellenback, of Triton Submarines. Noting that Triton has designed, engineered, and manufactured some of the world’s most advanced submersibles, Shellenback points to the Triton 7500/3, which is the world’s deepest-diving three-person acrylic submersible, and the Triton 36,000/2, which is the world’s first submersible with a nonspherical acrylic hull and the only submersible in the world certified to “Full Ocean Depth.” The 36,000/2 has been to the bottom of the Mariana Trench over 20 times now, Shellenback said.
Capt. Les Annan has been a submersible pilot for six years. He’s done more than 6,000 scuba dives and is a master diving instructor, so he understands the underwater world and its requirements. He spent two weeks in training at Triton Submarines, including 20 dives with the instructors, theory studies, and both an oral and written exam.
“I have done over 220 dives as pilot, and I am also a sub tech on the Triton 3300/3 sub,” Annan said. “Safety is a huge component, and the pilot must know what every valve on the sub does and all the backup systems. Triton has spent a lot of time making the sub easy to operate and safe.”
Annan says the submersible has voice communication with the surface, along with GPS and surface tracking. Air conditioning and music are a plus. Most submersibles use an older, sound-wave technology to communicate with the surface, but according to Shellenback, there are some unique advances coming.
“Triton and Espen Øino International have recently unveiled a unique submersible called Project Hercules, capable of traveling in the range of 8 knots and diving to 200 meters,” Shellenback said. “The submersible’s expansive interior affords lounge seating or daybeds, a minibar, a small day head, and a private pilot cabin. The goal with this model is to change the focus from what’s happening outside the sub and create an intimate and personal experience inside the sub.”
Triton has also expanded its capabilities to include other leisure industries. The company currently has a 24-passenger submersible working at a resort in Vietnam.
Most submersibles are certified through a Class Society with yearly inspections. Insurance, which stipulates some restrictions, is also required.
Annan said a submersible completely changes the onboard experience for guests. “The sub opens a whole other part of the world that very few people are ever able to see. When you do a dive, you will never forget it,” he said.
“You lose all light in the Bahamas after about 250 meters, so it is like going to the moon or Mars. The sub has a massive lighting system, so you can see everything down there.” ‹
THE BOTTOM of the WORLD
It’s charter season “Down South,” where breathtaking beauty, teeming wildlife, and challenging seas offer the adventure of a lifetime.
By Capt. Grant Maughan
Antarctica remains a rampart of inhospitable ice and wind with a facade of beguiling beauty that for over a century has drawn intrepid explorers, scientists, and wayward seafarers into her frozen clutches. Recent decades have seen a rise in commercial tourists aboard cruise vessels and hastily refitted ex-research vessels, heralding a new era in cruising off the beaten path. This deviation from the well-worn “milk run” has also brought new, complicated logistics and compliance requirements to yacht captains and their crew, as well as routes through tempestuous waters to test even the finest sea-going hulls.
A visit to the Southern continent aboard a yacht should not be taken lightly. Apart from the inherent dangers of ice, thundering wind, and heavy seas, the great distances just to reach the tip of South America will challenge fuel range and maintenance — as well as the transit crew! The yacht will require passing Polar Code compliance, and navigating officers will need at least a basic Polar Code certificate.
Most, if not all, yachts will stick to itineraries that wander around the Antarctic Peninsula, an 810-mile protuberance from the main landmass. To go further requires ice-strengthened hulls and ice-breaking bows, and includes the real risks of getting caught in the ice, possibly damaged, or even destroyed. The majority of yachts are neither designed nor constructed to withstand heavy ice conditions or allision with “growlers” or “bergy bits.”
The typical jumping-off points are Ushuaia, Argentina; Puerto Williams or Punta Arenas, Chile; or Stanley, Falkland Islands. All are a considerable distance (more than 7,000nm) from Europe or North America. Fueling points to consider on the transit are the Cape Verde islands; Trinidad; Recife, Brazil; Montevideo, Uruguay; and Mar del Plata, Argentina.
Once based at the chosen jumping-off point, the next great challenge is crossing the infamous Drake Passage, a more than 600nm stretch of some the most violent seas on the planet that skirt past the equally infamous Cape Horn. The stories of gigantic seas, screeching winds, and battered ships are more truth than fireside fiction, and any crossing should be timed with a wary eye on the weather forecast.
That does not mean, however, that it cannot at times be generally calm, and after eight crossings, I can vouch that only two were uncomfortably rough. The sea is usually on the beam and comes out of the west. Even on a calm day, the swell is large and lumpy because there is nothing to stop it, or the wind, as it circles the bottom of the earth until it gets compressed between Patagonia and the Antarctic Peninsula.
It can be tough on crew, but it’s downright horrible for guests if they choose to experience the “Drake Shake.” The best option for embarking guests is to have them fly into King George Island in the South Shetlands from Punta Arenas or Ushuaia. However, there is a very real chance for delays due to weather when flying into or out of KGI. It’s not unusual for a flight to take off from South America in beautiful weather, then have to turn back when nearing the island because of snow, fog, or screaming wind. It’s important to factor in these delays and to warn your guests in advance.
Meanwhile, the vessel can stand by at anchor in Slalom Lake, just off the Chilean scientific base of Presidente Eduardo Frei Montalva. This provides a (mostly) protected anchorage for pickup operations, but don’t expect a limo and a nice dock to meet your guests.
The runway and apron are dirt, and the “road” is a muddy track down to a beach, where they will hopefully not get wet feet when boarding the Zodiac. (A rubber boot selection arranged on the beach is a welcome footwear change for guests.)
Transit from the airport will be either a 1.5-mile walk or a bumpy ride in the back of a dilapidated vehicle — or if they’re lucky, a tracked Snow Tiger tractor. Again, it’s within your best interests to advise your guests before arrival on the conditions they will face in getting to Antarctica and on board the yacht.
The vessel’s insurance company may require an ice pilot on board at all times, and if the captain doesn’t have ice experience, it is definitely recommended. A guide/naturalist will add to the guests’ experience and alleviate some of the planning chores for the crew in regards to daily itinerary and getting guests ashore. They can also assist in coordinating the timing of visits with other vessels to avoid overcrowding. The pre-eminent company handling luxury yachts in these remote locations is EYOS Expeditions. They can supply ice pilots, guides, aircraft, and advance planning services.
A 7- to 10-day cruise will allow the guests to experience the main highlights of the peninsula, including Deception Island, the Lemaire and Neumayer channels, and Port Lockroy. The abundance of wildlife is staggering and, apart from the jaw-dropping scenery, is the main focus of shore visits. The hardier among them can try a polar plunge into the icy waters, kayaking, paddleboarding, and even scuba diving.
A great add-on trip after Antarctica is to make your way from Ushuaia through Patagonia up to Punta Arenas or Puerto Montt in Chile. Pilots will be mandatory for most large yachts moving in and out of the Strait of Magellan to Punta Arenas and the Beagle Channel to Ushuaia and Puerto Williams, depending on size and/ or tonnage. Be sure to have all necessary pilot boarding arrangements squared away per SOLAS regulations. ‹
FUN FACTS
• Antarctica, covering 5.5 million square miles, is the world’s fifth largest continent (larger than Oceania and Europe), as well as the highest, driest, windiest, and coldest continent on Earth. • The Antarctic ice sheet is the largest on
Earth and contains 70% of the world’s fresh water. • The continent has no indigenous population. • Multiple research stations dot Antarctica, but no sovereignty claims have international recognition. • Under the Antarctic Treaty System, countries do not attempt to enforce claims and no one country owns
Antarctica. • Military activity is banned, however, military personnel and equipment may be used for research or delivery of supplies to bases.
PHOTO CAPT. GRANT MAUGHAN
TENDERS
The ubiquitous Zodiac-type inflatable boat is the go-to tender for ice operations. A solid bottom tender will be easily damaged or holed, and will be difficult to extract off a shoreline after picking up guests.
An outboard motor with good fuel supply and recommended safety equipment is the basic setup. It must have room, not just for the crew and guests, but also for the polar safety gear that must be carried on every trip, which includes shelter, food, clothing, and other survival equipment in case the tender cannot return to the mother ship.
It must be easily deployed and recovered onto the mother ship, and a full inventory of spares is recommended. The crew will spend time pushing and dragging the tender onto the shoreline, so weight is a consideration, as well as ruggedness.
ICE TERMS
GROWLERS: Small, dense pieces of ice smaller than a pickup truck. BERGY BITS: Medium to large pieces broken off of an iceberg. FAST ICE: Grounded sea ice on shore or shallows. BRASH ICE: Accumulation of floating ice from fragments not more than 6½ feet (2m) across. Usually, the wreckage of other forms of ice. FIRST-YEAR ICE: Sea ice of not more than one winter’s growth. FRAZIL: Fine spicules or plates of ice suspended in water. SHUGA: Accumulation of spongy white ice lumps a few inches across. Formed from grease or slush ice. SASTRUGI: Sharp, irregular, parallel ridges on a snow surface created by wind erosion and deposition.
NORTHWEST PASSAGE on your BUCKET LIST?
The window is short — and now’s the time to start planning! By Rob MacDonell
EDITOR’S NOTE: The Northwest Passage is a famous sea route from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean through the sparsely populated Canadian islands known as the Arctic Archipelago. Regulations are strict and it’s only accessible for boats from July to September. Chief Officer Rob MacDonell of M/Y Blue Moon offers the following rundown based on his own experience as a passagemaker.
COLD
Expect it to be cold while traveling through the Northwest Passage. Although this is obvious, make sure to purchase extra space heaters for crew and guest areas, as well as for lockers out on deck. Warn the crew to prepare for very dry and irritable skin.
MEDICAL SUPPLIES
There are very limited medical facilities while traveling through the Arctic. Before we left, we asked a doctor who has been to the Arctic and who specializes in remote access and medevac coordination to come aboard and go through our marine medical kit. He made valuable suggestions as to what other supplies we might need to get before the passage. NAUTICAL CHARTS
It is advised to carry paper charts for all of the areas where the vessel might plan on going. The electronic charts on Transas were mostly accurate for all the areas we traveled. We also made an effort to only go into the well-charted areas. As a backup, our ice pilot had a laptop with an Olex system installed, which provided more bottom contour information than what was on the electronic and paper charts.
WHO NEEDS TO BE CONTACTED
The city of Cambridge Bay charges for anyone who steps ashore. Arrangements and payment should be made well in advance of arrival (mailed in by check). Notify them well in advance so they can
have everything ready once the vessel arrives.
Clearing into Canada can be a bit of a challenge, and we coordinated this with EYOS Expeditions. All crew and guest information was sent to the Canada Border Services Agency in Yellowknife about a month before our arrival.
There are also a number of tribes in Nunavut that need to be contacted for permission to go ashore on their land. This was also taken care of through EYOS.
POLAR WATERS OPERATION MANUAL
This is a comprehensive 170-page guide specific to the vessel on the complete operations of the vessel. A representative from EYOS came on board to see what systems were in place and could be used for the trip. They also made recommendations, such as additional spotlights to make sure the vessel would be up to SOLAS Polar Water Code.
It takes 8 to 12 weeks for the manual to be made. Once that’s done and the recommendations have been implemented, the manual must be submitted to the vessel’s class society for approval, which can take another 8 to 12 weeks. There are only a few people who are qualified to approve it, and if they go on holiday for a month, you will have to wait. In my experience, they go on holiday in late spring!
Once the manual has been approved by class, a surveyor must be brought on board to confirm that everything in the manual has been implemented. They will then issue the vessel a Polar Waters Certificate. All of this should be done before the end of June.
GUIDES
We contracted with EYOS to provide the vessel with an ice pilot and polar bear guide, both of which are required for entering polar areas. Before guests or crew can go ashore, the polar bear guide goes first and scouts the area for wildlife. If any wildlife is found, no one is allowed to go ashore. If the area is clear, then the polar bear guide, armed with a loaded rifle, must accompany the group at all times while ashore.
ZODIAC
A Mark V Zodiac was purchased with a 70hp outboard engine for all of our excursions ashore. This is a nice, light tender to take ashore with guests and crew. To make room for it, one of our tenders needed to be left behind and trucked across the U.S. for us to pick up on the other side. It is advised to purchase at least one extra prop for the outboard. They do come with prop guards, but the frigid water causes them to shatter when even lightly touched by an underwater rock.
CAMPING EQUIPMENT
Personal survival kits — with warm clothing, drinking water, a pocketknife, etc. — are required for each person on board. The full list of necessary items is written up in the Polar Waters Operation Manual.
General, eight-person survival kits were provided in enough sets to cover everyone on board. Each kit included an eight-person tent, two sleeping bags, two mattresses, a shovel, etc. These kits are mandatory, as it
What the Deck!
By Chief Officer Wesley Walton
TIPS FOR AN ARCTIC ADVENTURE
• Yachts tend to head to Arctic regions during the summer months, and therefore, experience the phenomena of the midnight sun. To avoid having your body clock completely thrown off track by the constant sunlight, you should set a time to close all the deadlights and curtains on board. • The area is relatively uncharted and potentially very dangerous, so I highly recommend taking a local guide and some spare propellers for the tenders. • Fog can roll in suddenly and things can get hazardous very quickly. I found keeping a graph to plot the trend of surface temperature against dew point extremely helpful in predicting when to expect fog. • The Arctic is renowned for strong katabatic winds. These winds also come relatively unexpectedly. When choosing
an anchorage, stay away from ice fields as these can be pushed upon you very quickly and cause some panic. • Foul weather gear is of the utmost importance. Gloves are lifesavers, especially when operating davit controls and driving tenders. The windchill when moving drops the temperature well below the freezing point and takes the feeling out of your hands. • Try to avoid pushing icebergs away from the mother ship with tenders. Icebergs can crumble or flip without warning.
The majority of the iceberg is underwater, so when it flips it could very well damage the tender.
• Arctic wildlife is beautiful, but you must respect the animals and give them space — especially polar bears!
might take up to five days for a rescue crew to arrive if needed.
INTERNET
Although we had planned on our satellite internet connection not working for the duration of the trip, it actually did work from time to time. There were also a number of cell towers between Nome and Cambridge Bay. Once the vessel was in Cambridge Bay, the satellite internet did not work and LTE was not compatible with any of the cards on board or any of the crew phones. We were able to purchase LTE hotspot WiFi routers and SIM cards in town for the crew to use in their phones, however, the programming needed to be done by the store — it was not just a straight SIM swap. Once purchased, the SIM cards worked in other communities of Nunavut as well, such as Resolute and Pond Inlet.
Since we did not have consistent internet, it was very important that we had an Iridium dish installed with a data contract. It’s a slow and expensive connection, but it was important for safety as well as completing the daily ice reports for the Canadian government. ICE REPORTS AND PASSAGE PLANS
Because we were a private vessel and had an ice pilot aboard, it was not necessary for any of the crew to have basic or advanced Polar Code certification. It was necessary, though, to understand how the ice reports work. The ice reports come out at the same time every day and are crucial for planning some sections of the trip. We needed to log on and download the reports daily, then use them to create our passage plan reports, which needed to be sent out an hour and a half before we weighed anchor so that we could get confirmation from NORDREG that we were clear to proceed. Once underway, we were required to send position reports at noon and when we arrived at our next anchorage.
PROVISIONING
A good portion of the dry and frozen food was purchased in Seattle, then a bit more in Juneau. Once the vessel arrived at Nome, we got a bit more — but just necessities. There are two supermarkets there with a bit of fruit, vegetables, and milk. Our next stop was Cambridge Bay. We were able to coordinate with an agent there a couple of weeks in advance to put an order in for some fresh fruit and vegetables. Overall, provisioning for the trip did need to be organized ahead of time but was easier and more straight forward than expected. Everyone needed to understand that all meals were not going to be as abundant or balanced as usual, but the chefs did an amazing job with what they had and no crew went hungry at any time.
GARBAGE
This is one of the larger concerns when planning the Northwest Passage. Once you leave Nome, you will not be able to unload garbage until Greenland. For us, this was a full five weeks. We planned for months in advance on how to reduce our garbage, and an eight-day dry run from southeast Alaska to Nome got the crew into the habit of separating their garbage.
Soda cans were banned from the boat and substituted with drink mixers like Gatorade and flavor drops. All crew and guests were given personalized Yeti cups for hot and cold drinks. Items like paper towels and napkins were substituted with cloth. Dishwasher tabs with less packaging were purchased. Anything on board that could be transferred into reusable containers was. Every cupboard was measured to maximize storage space.
Svalbard, a remote Norwegian archipelago between mainland Norway and the North Pole.
Whenever wine was consumed on board, the empty bottle was placed back into the rack where it had been taken from. Similarly, if someone used up something like shampoo, the empty bottle was placed under their sink until the end of the trip.
A recycling program was implemented, and all garbage was divided into paper, plastic, glass/metal, and “other.” Paper, plastic, glass and metal were cleaned and crushed before being placed into the appropriate bins, then compacted and stored in a bilge for the remainder of the trip. The “other” garbage was placed neatly in our garbage fridge.
At the end of the trip, it took three crew members 15 minutes to unload all of the garbage, and not a drop of it leaked. It was one of the cleanest end-of-trip garbage disposals that I have ever done. In fact, due to their efficiency and ease, it was decided that a lot of the measures implemented for the Northwest Passage would be kept in place after the journey.
FUEL STOPS
It is best to get fuel at Dutch Harbor, then top up again in Nome. Both places can be booked a week in advance. Nome has a very difficult dock for crew to get on and off, and is exposed to the south. If a storm comes through, you will have to depart the dock and sit at an exposed anchorage.
The next stop for fuel is Cambridge Bay, which is 1,700 nautical miles from Nome. There are some small communities along the way that might have fuel as well, but we did not stop on this portion of the trip.
Fuel in Cambridge Bay needs to be confirmed a minimum of three months in advance. All of the community’s fuel for the year arrives at the end of August. Once a confirmation has been made that fuel is available, it should be paid for as quickly as possible via a Canadian bank account wire transfer or by check. If paying by check, note that it can take three to four weeks for the check to arrive in the mail. It is important to get the confirmation and payment done as quickly as possible and to confirm that the check has actually arrived.
There should also be a possibility to get fuel in Pond Inlet, but we continued on and went over to Greenland to get our fuel before heading down the coast. Fuel is fairly easy to get in Greenland, but it will need to be organized a month in advance and can be prepaid with a standard wire transfer. ‹
