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November 2013 Ft. Lauderdale show calendar on A4. Poker run/networking on Nov. 20. See C2.
A12 Becoming a pilgrim A walk along the Camino de Santiago clears the soul. B1
It can happen fast Be prepared with updated oil spill plan; rules clarified. B1
A packed house in Monaco Photos, awards and updates from 23rd annual show. A10
Chef’s job not shown Reality in the galley needs to be seen above deck.
C1
Fires on yachts pose new risks for firefighters By Dorie Cox
Crew members from the 75m Lurssen M/Y Northern Star, left, and the 70m expedition yacht M/Y Amadeus, right, visit via tender while working the Monaco Yacht Show in late September. For PHOTO/ALISON RESE more about this year’s show, see pages A10-11.
Relationship, not price, lands vendor loyalty As the economy changes, it seems that the yachting industry had shifted over the past few months. That may be because of the time of year, and we don’t discard that. So we asked the captains gathered at our monthly From the Bridge roundtable Lucy Chabot Reed From the Bridge luncheon what they experienced this summer and fall, wherever their travels took them, in terms of vendors. Were they as eager for business as they were a year ago? Did they offer discounts without even being asked? The first thing that came to mind for these captains was shipyards (it being boat show season in Ft. Lauderdale and all). “It takes more time to get things done and it costs the owner more money,” one captain said. “Personnel are strapped all over the yard, that’s for sure,” said another. As always, individual comments are not attributed to any one captain in particular so as to
encourage frank and open discussion. The attending captains are identified in a photograph on page A9. They compared notes on the different yards in town, how busy some had become, and how others seem to have lost their traditional foothold. They had different preferences based on whether they could bring in their contractors. But they all agreed that Derecktor-Florida, with is new 820ton lift, has changed the dynamic among shipyards in South Florida. “Some yards have grown, some have shrunk,” one captain said. “And Derecktor’s put that big lift in so now everyone wants to go there.” “We were hauled at Derecktor the first of the year and they couldn’t get us out of there fast enough,” another captain said. “They’re busier now, that was very apparent to me. ... We were there in 2001 and they kept us there forever.” They also discussed the impact that the Rybovich shipyard near West Palm Beach has had on the industry in South Florida. The size of vessel it attracts – and the vendors who follow them – has put it on the map.
“One of the things you’re missing in all of that is Rybovich,” one captain said. “I’m not a huge fan, but for the past two years, they’ve been the place to be.” “Rybovich has forced people’s hands,” another said. “No one else can do it here. But now Derecktors is chasing Rybovich to keep that work in Ft. Lauderdale.” Not too long ago, it seemed, space was available and gave captains and owners pretty much whatever they asked for, just happy for the work. Those days may be gone. “The things you’re negotiating for now is service,” one captain said. “You’re not coming to the yard and saying, ‘I’m spending X amount and I demand this.’ You’re lucky to get in there.” “Every yard up north is busier than before,” another said. “Of course, there are more yards here so it’s harder to see.” Despite the uptick in yachts getting work done, these captains said that they don’t have much trouble getting their chosen vendor to take their call. “It’s still a lot of who you know
See BRIDGE, page A9
As Capt. Dan Corcoran leads the tour single-file through a narrow passageway onboard the 151-foot M/Y Freedom, Davie Fire Capt. Miguel Ferrer stops in the doorway. When his firefighters are suited up for a fire, they may barely fit through this frame. He realizes this is only one of the challenges to fighting a fire on a yacht. “We come onboard with two hoses and eight guys and we’ll be bottled up here in the door,” Ferrer said. “With an airpack and a hose, you are not turning around in here. … In firefighting, it’s one of the most important things: you don’t put yourself in a situation you can’t back out of.” About 15 land-based South Florida firefighters met in mid-October in Ft. Lauderdale to learn differences between fighting fires in structures and on yachts. Officers from Ft. Lauderdale Fire-Rescue and Davie Fire-Rescue received advanced classroom training, did onboard burn simulation exercises and took yacht inspection tours for firsthand knowledge to take back to their departments. The three-day program is the second one organized by American International Group (AIG),
See FIRE, page A9
TRITON SURVEY: Issues in yachting
Captains, what is the biggest issue you are dealing with in the industry?
Ethics 19%
Other 19% Management 6%
Owners 20%
Sales brokers 4% Brokers 4% Rules and regulations 27%
Insurance 2%
– Story, C1