The Triton Today FLIBS Day 4

DALE

FT. LAUDER

o o o Test Your Mates

S u n d ay • O c t. 30, 2011

Sun & Moon

Weather

Sunset: 6:40 pm; Sunrise (Monday): 7:29 am Moonrise: 11:30 am (Monday); 21.7% lit High tides: 11:38 a.m / 11:50 pm Low tides: 5:42 pm / 6:06 am (Monday)

Today: 60% chance of rain, high 78; winds NE, 19 mph; 76% humidity Tonight: 70 percent chance of rain, low 73 Tomorrow AM: Thunderstorms, high 79

Find out how nautical you and your crew mates are with this quiz. n What is a cyclone? Which direction does it flow? n Is there such a thing as an anticyclone? ANSWERS on page 2.

Upcoming Events Today, 5-8 p.m.

Island Global Yachting hosts a cocktail party and will give away an iPad at 6 p.m., followed by cocktails with IGY managers. Tomorrow, representatives from Costa Rica, Puerto Rico and Colombia will be on hand.

Tonight, 7:30 p.m.

Sights and Sounds of the Pacific Corridor, hosted by Pacific Bound Yachts, with a screening of the IMAX movie “The Ultimate Wave Tahiti” and naming of the Perseus award winner. Invitation only for captains and first officers. RSVP: info@ pacificboundyachts.com

Tomorrow Deadline to upload videos for the 4th annual Fort Yachtie-Da International Film Festival, to be held Nov. 12 in Ft. Lauderdale. www.fortyachtieda.com

Nov. 10-12 24th annual Showboats International Boys and Girls Clubs Rendezvous, at Rybovich Yacht Club in Palm Beach. www.yachtrendezvous.com

IT’S A COVER UP: Crew on M/Y Miss Michelle held off as long as they could, but by mid afternoon, the rain was staying so covers came out. See more wet photos on pages 4-5.

PHOTO/DORIE COX

Docks still busy in downpour

By Staff Report What started out as a chamois dance ended up as a cover call when morning showers turned into a torrential downpour yesterday at the Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show.

As many as 3 inches of rain fell per hour in some areas of South Florida yesterday, waterlogging exhibit areas and, in some cases, putting carpeted walkways completely under water.

Interestingly, though. the rain didn’t keep serious boat people away from the show.

As the rain fell, the tents got crowded. The second it stopped, the

docks got crowded again. (That’s how it rains in Florida, on and off, with a downpour usually not lasting longer than a few minutes.)

Following Friday night’s rain, yesterday’s storm caused the National Weather Service to issue a flood warning for Fort Lauderdale and other areas until midnight last night.

The good news: this rain is supposed to be in front of a cold front that entered South Florida last night. Still, it is South Florida in October. Don’t pull out a sweater yet.

FreelancerTom Serio and Editor Lucy Chabot Reed contributed to this report, editorial@the-triton.com.

For more news, visit www.the-triton.com

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Congressman vows to help industry

By Lucy Chabot Reed Those days of U.S. customs officials sometimes stopping yacht crew for having the “wrong� visa may be coming to an end.

At a marine industry summit at the boat show yesterday, U.S. Congressman Allen West, who represents part of South Florida in Washington D.C., called on groups and leaders to create what they call in the military an After Action Report (AAR) when the show is over that points out the hurdles the yachting industry deals with. Then to sent it him so he can endorse it and send it to the pertinent federal agencies so the issues can be addressed. “For whatever reason, people respond when they get a letter from me,� West said. “Create a document with your big ticket issues on it and the lessons learned so I can start getting them addressed. I don’t want to be sitting here next year talking about these issues again.�

Top of the list

Test Your Mates Answers to the quiz on page 1: n A cyclone is a hurricane in the Indian Ocean. It’s a system of winds that rotates about a center of low atmospheric pressure. It spins counterclockwise in the northern hemisphere, clockwise in the southern. n Yes, similar to a cyclone, but it rotates about a center of high atmospheric pressure, and it spins clockwise in the northern hemisphere, counter-clockwise in the southern hemisphere.

About us Triton Today Ft. Lauderdale is published

by Triton Publishing Group.

Vol. 3, No. 4.

Copyright 2010, All rights reserved.

was the inconsistent application of visa requirements for yacht crew.

Another is the amount of export duties – or lack of import duties – that make it harder for U.S. boat builders to compete globally.

Ken Hickling of Awlgrip got the most laughs of the meeting when he said that buying a superyacht may just be the most humanitarian thing a wealthy person can do with his money. “The best way to extract wealth from wealthy people -- and it appears to me that’s what he [President Obama] wants to do, extract wealth -- is with a superyacht,� Hickling said. “Fifty million dollars can buy a jet, jewelry, art, but a $50 million yacht oozes $5 million a year in maintenance, crew, and all that. That’s money ingested into every local community a yacht visits.�

Another issue that’s coming up that crew will eventually feel is the bureaucratic interpretation and implementation of the Longshore legislation passed in 2009 that may reverse the insurance benefits that companies doing business in shipyards gained. In some cases, “pleasure� vessels may be considered “commercial� vessels when in shipyards in the United States, changing the insurance and labor rules completely.

West is already tackling this issue and expects to make a public statement about union influence tomorrow. “We cannot allow special interests to change law in the United States of America,� West said. “It’s wrong.�

As for that AAR, industry leaders have their work cut out for them. He expects it on his desk by Jan. 15.

Lucy Chabot Reed is editor of Triton Today, lucy@the-triton.com.

Correction In a story yesterday, Triton Today reported erroneously that U.S. Marshals seized the assets of All Ocean Yachts, Inace Yacht’s U.S. representative, from its booth at the boat show on Friday.

Only the assets of Inace Yachts were seized.

We regret the error.

S u n d ay • O c t. 3 0 , 2 0 1 1 | 3

Captain makes bid for paralympics

By Lucy Chabot Reed Capt. Jody Hill, former skipper of S/Y Flicka, sat at a press conference during the Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show, beaming from ear-to-ear because someone just made it possible for him to go sailing.

Paralyzed in a car accident on Tortola in 2006, Hill had no insurance. The years since have been financially hard, but sailing has kept him going.

That, and his friends in the yachting industry.

“I want to thank the yachting community for supporting me financially and looking after me for the past five years,” he said during a press announcement at the show on Friday.

Moore Stephens Isle of Man will be his primary sponsor in his bid to represent the United States in the 2012 Paralympics in London.

“Everything I have is because the yachting community has come out,” he said. “It’s the only way I would have survived.”

Moore Stephens is offering Hill logistical support for his Team Positive, a Web site (www.jodyhill2012.com) and social media support, repairs and equipment for his boat, and personal coaching.

“Moore Stephens is honored to become part of Team Positive,” said

Charlotte Easton marketing supervisor of Moore Stephens, in making the announcement. “You are truly an inspiration.”

Moore Stephens is a wealth management and financial planning company. It has a crew benefits division.

At the time of his accident, Hill had been in the yachting industry 13 years.

Just two weeks before, his mother sent him $500 to secure health insurance, but he didn’t.

“I have nothing to show for working 13 years for some of the wealthiest people in the world,” he said, his electric smile fading briefly. “I urge anyone working in the yacht industry today to protect yourself. Think about your future.”

Since his accident, Hill has been given a boat that he’s refurbished and races. He also uses it to take others with physical handicaps out on the water.

“I wanted to share the freedom, independence and serenity you get from sailing,” he said. “I feel lucky. A lot of people are a lot worse off than I was.

“I just love taking people out sailing,” he said, his smile returning. “The wind catches the sail and the boat heels over and their eyes light up and they ask, ‘are we going to tip over?’ I love that question.”

Now he’s going for the gold in London. And Moore Stephens is helping him get there.

Lucy Chabot Reed is editor of Triton Today, lucy@the-triton.com.

Tax cap boosts revenue five times

By Lucy Chabot Reed Initial data collected from boat dealers around the state show that the $18,000 sales tax/use cap has nearly quadrupled the state’s collection of taxes, according to a statement from the Florida Yacht Brokers Association.

Since going into effect in July 2010, the state has collected nearly $5.5 million in sales tax on vessels selling for more than $300,000 and about $2.3 million in use taxes on vessels opting to home port in Florida.

Previous sales tax collections were about $1.4 million, FYBA said.

“Capping the tax has allowed boat owners to operate their vessels in Florida, spending badly needed revenue with Florida businesses, not only in the marine sector, but also at local stores, restaurants and other non-marine businesses,” said Cromwell Littlejohn, president of FYBA, which pushed for the cap, along with the Marine Industries Association of South Florida.

Lucy Chabot Reed is editor of Triton Today, lucy@the-triton.com.

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4 | S u nd ay • O c t. 3 0 , 2 0 1 1

DOING THE CREW THING, DAY 4: Making the best of a rainy day Thunderheads that had threatened for days finally struck on Saturday, leaving crew to pack it in. Luckly, die-hard boat lovers stuck it out, crowding the docks between downpours all afternoon. And somehow, crew continued to smile.

PHOTOS/DORIE COX, TOM SERIO

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S u n d ay • O c t. 3 0 , 2 0 1 1 | 5

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CHECKING THE TIDE: Triton Today’s Question of the Day

What do you spend money on?

We asked crew where they spend the biggest part of their paycheck.

Their answers ranged from wellplanned investments to not really knowing.

We were proud to learn that a full fifth of the respondents save it. Some are saving for something specific, such as buying a house or starting a business, but others said they are just plain saving.

An equal amount send it home, some to support their families, others to fix their houses.

The next largest group – about 18 percent – spend it on having fun, going to nice restaurants or buying dive or fishing gear.

Much of the rest were split evenly between traveling, going to school Eng. Harry Lee M/Y Cheers 46 116-foot Azimut “My money goes home to pay the mortgage. But a big budget is for fun and I plan to buy a juicy motorcycle out of the fun budget.”

Stew Rachel Lenardson M/Y Status Quo 150-foot Richmond “I’m saving up for something important, maybe the down-payment on an apartment.”

Capt. Joe Nolan M/Y Unforgettable 100-foot Inace “The wife. Who knows what she does with it. We have commercial property, but we’re waiting to get back to Australia to buy a house.”

Invest it – 7.1% School – Save it – 21.4% Other – 10.7% 10.7% Send it home Travel – – 21.4% 10.7% Buy stuff – 17.9%

or other things. One respondent said he winds up spending much of his paycheck on traffic tickets.

And there is still a portion, albeit small, who invest.

We didn’t ask too many details about that, so maybe some of our “save it” answers – those saving for real estate – really would fit better here.

– Dorie Cox Stew Renee Helmore M/Y Paradigm 115-foot Benetti “I have a plan to make handbags. I design them myself and will have them made. This is a means to an end.”

Chief Eng. Robert Weinkle M/Y Incentive 142-foot Palmer Johnson “I built a house, so I spend money paying for it. But I save most of it. I’m old; I can’t stay in this forever.”

Chief Stew Tracey VanDerWesthuizen M/Y Easy 147-foot Trident “It goes to one store on Las Olas [in Ft. Lauderdale], Shop 603. After that I rely on my partner,” First Mate Brad Shrives.

Mate David Babat M/Y Muse 122-foot Palmer Johnson “I save most of it. I’m thinking of buying a house, possibly in Rhode Island. Or maybe in Ft. Lauderdale.”

Crew Olivia Seago M/Y Sea Jewel 118-foot Trinity “The money just goes. It filters out in every direction. It just filters out and it’s gone.”

Capt. Keston Lyman M/Y Dulcinea 106-foot Westport “We own a home in Ft. Lauderdale and we’re fixing it up. It is great, only had one owner, but that’s where it goes.”

Mate Travis Ahlf M/Y Miss Michelle 130-foot Westport “Recently, it really goes to courses.”

Mate Tom Gebhardt M/Y Krishelle 95-foot Intermarine “Properties in foreign countries. I have investments in up and coming parts of the world.”

S u n d ay • O c t. 3 0 , 2 0 1 1 | 7

OFF THE DOCKS: Last night’s big party

@ National Marine National Marine Suppliers’ 7th annual Bizarre-B-Q last night was damp but crew spirits were not.

PHOTOS/DORIE COX

For way more photos, visit www. thetriton.com.

Find us at 1073 S.E. 17th St. in Ft. Lauderdale, also home to the new Triton headquarters upstairs.

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