www.the-triton.com May 2009Vol.6, No. 2

Tender ByeMissing tenders recovered in the Bahamas. A4

Bad foodU.S. crack down on galley food, provisions. A23

ConnectionsExpo speakers give crew tips, advice.

C1

By Lucy Chabot Reed

Unfortunately, it’s true that the 165-foot M/Y Azteca dropped anchor a few meters from the coral reef outside San Pedro off Ambergris Cay in Belize.

After that, though, much of the story that has made its way around chat rooms and Internet reports has gotten distorted, according to Azteca Capt. Salvador Villerias-Eckart.

About 0530 on April 7, the yacht was approaching San Pedro, intending to clear in for a cruise in Belize.

“We were coming from Cozumel to Belize, and we were told the best place to clear in is San Pedro,” Capt. Villerias-Eckart said. “Even our agent told us that.”

While turning toward the pass, the tow line for the yacht’s 33-foot tender fouled the starboard propeller, causing the engines to stop. Winds were blowing from the north at 20-25 knots with seas of 5-7 feet.

Initially, Capt. Villerias-Eckart didn’t realize the yacht was in a restricted area. None of his charts, maps or books indicated the area outside San Pedro as protected. And while they show the reef, none prohibit anchoring near it.

“We saw some buoys, like fisherman’s buoys, so I dropped an anchor 100m off one of the buoys,” he said. From there, he intended to wait until daylight to dive and free the prop.

With daylight, though, the swell continued and Capt. Villerias-Eckart took the tender ashore to clear in. While in the customs office, Azteca First Officer David Botton hailed him on the radio that locals had approached to say they had anchored in a restricted area.

By the time Villerias-Eckart was

finished clearing in, officials from several agencies came to meet him and accompany him back to the yacht.

Once aboard, the authorities searched the vessel thoroughly and insisted that every guest, including the owner, awaken to prove they were who their documents said they were.

“They were just not nice,” Capt. Villerias-Eckart said. “They are rude

with crew, too, and they get seasick.“I offered to move the yacht to

another location, even to Belize City, so we would stop causing damage but it was refused, saying that the yacht was detained until further orders, even if we continued to damage the reef.”

Throughout the morning, local

Myths vs. Reality1. Azteca did not drop two anchors; it dropped one. 2. The anchor did not drag over 150 meters of coral; it did

not drag at all.3. Authorities were not dispatched to the yacht; Capt.

Villerias-Eckart was already ashore, clearing in to cruise in Belize. Photographs that say he was being “escorted to police headquarters” actually show him taking authorities back to the yacht.

4. Capt. Villerias-Eckart was not charged or arrested with

anything; he was asked to remain at the police station while authorities resolved the situation with the owner and lawyers. He was free to walk outside for cigarette breaks, make and take phone calls, and eventually invited the officers to lunch, buying them all pizza.

5. Azteca does not fly two flags (Bermuda and Union Jack); she flies the Isle of Man flag.

6. Azteca was not towed to Belize City; she departed the waters around San Pedro and cruised the islands before heading back to Mexico in mid-April. – Lucy Reed

Captain: Anchor incident exaggerated

‘Our first officer is a marine photographer, and he took photos ... We did not do the damage they said we did,’ Capt. Salvador Villerias-Eckart said.

PHOTO/FIRST OFFICER DAVID BOTTON

See BELIZE, page A17

CLEARING UP MISINFORMATION ABOUT THE M/Y AZTECA

We’re not sure about you, but we are pretty tired of talking about the economy and the depressing job situation.

So at our captains’ roundtable discussion this month, we talked about yachting, specifically the best places to take a yacht.

“Someplace new,” one captain began.

“I agree,” chimed in another. “Not St. Barts and St. Maarten again and again.”

As always, individual comments are not attributed to any one person in particular so as to encourage frank and open discussion. The attending captains are identified in a photograph on page A20.

Going someplace new could mean an exotic port or, for at least one long-time captain, an otherwise popular place that somehow was not visited.

“Even St. Lucia,” this captain said. “I just went last year. It was my first time

From the Bridge

Lucy chabot Reed

See BRIDGE, page A20

What is the best place to take a yacht?

TRITON SURVEY

Yes – 56%

No – 44%

Did you consider yachting as a career when you started?

Yes – 93%

No – 7%

Now that you are in it, do you consider it a career?

More, C1

A� May 2009 www.the-triton.com The Triton

Yachties go the distance ...

... but just where are they headed? Find out on page A19. PHOTO/LUCY REED

WHAT’S INSIDE

Advertiser directory C19Boats / Brokers B10-11Business Briefs A12-13Calendar of events B17-18Columns: In the Galley C1 In the Stars B13 Latitude Adjustment A3 Nutrition C5 Personal Finance B12 Onboard Emergencies B2 Photography B13 Rules of the Road B1 Stew Cues C9

Cruising Grounds: Solomons, PNG B14Dockmaster B3Fuel prices B5Marinas / Yards A10Networking Q/A C3Networking photos C2News A1,4-9,16Photo Gallery A18-19,C6Puzzle C16Technology B1-9Triton spotter B19Triton survey C1Write to Be Heard A23

The Triton www.the-triton.com May 2009 A�LATITUTE ADJUSTMENT

Well, believe it or not, yachts are selling. More importantly for crew: yachts are being bought, which means they will likely be used, which means

they need crew. And that

means motion, finally.

At the Triton Expo last month, two captains wandered the hall looking for crew after recently being hired for new vessels.

Capt. Greg Clark, who last fall moved his entire crew from the 150-foot Mystic to the 161-foot Lohengrin, has done it again.

Clark is the new skipper of M/Y Casino Royale, which recently sold and will likely be renamed. He has joined the new owner and taken seven of his nine crew with him, so he was wandering the Expo looking for an entry-level couple to bring onboard.

When I talked to him that evening, he had talked to several who might fit the bill.

As Clark moved on, that left Lohengrin in need of a skipper. Enter Capt. Mark Diekmann, who needed

a whole crew. Diekmann contacted several of his favorite former crew and had brought together several of them, but he, too, walked the Expo looking for a few good crew.

Capt. Brendan O’Brien of M/Y Lady Jenn, is taking advantage of the slow period to ride his bicycle in the 150-mile, two-day ride to raise money and awareness for Multiple Sclerosis.

“It’s nice to have some spare time to do something for charity,” he said. The vessel is for sale and has been still for several months, he said.

But that’s OK. It’s also given him time to plan his wedding to Chief Stew Martine van der Velde. They plan to wed on Sept. 19. Congratulations.

Capt. James Clephane and his partner, Angelika, have taken command of the 40m Benetti M/Y Desamis, but not before six months of an emotional roller coaster ride. Here’s how he described it.

“Angelika and I finished up on M/Y Paramour in September last year. Since that time we have done everything humanly possible to find another couple’s position. We marched the docks at boats shows, we registered with millions of crewing agents, we went in to their offices to show our

faces, we handed out our credentials to anyone willing to take them.

“But, this is yachting and we all know that it has to be one of the most unstable, volatile and unpredictable careers on the planet. It has been a terrifying ordeal to sit and watch your career slide brutally through your fingers. After 22 years of dedicating my life to the industry, it was a major wake-up call to be reduced to a mere statistic and to be just another one of the many other mice chasing after the same piece of cheese.

“It became abundantly obvious that no matter how good you are at your job, no matter how great your credentials are, if you are not in the loop with crew agents, brokers, shipyards and other captains, your resume doesn’t even make it to the starting blocks.

“I heard about this position from a fellow captain in Palma, who heard it from a broker who had been approached by the owner. When I learned there was another candidate, my heart plummeted to the deck with a thud that rattled the furniture. I had already been pipped at the post on two other interviews and the feelings of failure and disappointment were still fresh in my memory.

“The owner opened with ‘James, I am trying to sell this boat.’ That thud

was the old heart hitting the floor. The interview picked up and we raced along, hammering away at various topics. Also present at the interview were the owner’s personal assistant and the broker. We all then piled into a limo and headed for the harbor to continue the interview on board.

“After spending what could be argued the most testing and terrifying six months of my life scratching for morsels in Lauderdale, I was overjoyed when the owner extended his hand and said ‘James, I would be delighted if you would join us as captain.’

“With only a brief handover (half a day), I found myself hitting the turf running. The program is to have Angelika join me in Palma as soon as she can get a visa and we will relocate to Tarragona to continue with some repair work in preparation for the owner’s month-long visit in June.”

There are jobs out there, and there is hope. Things are moving in the world. I can just feel it.

Have you made an adjustment in your latitude recently? Let us know. Send news of your promotion, change of yachts or career, or personal accomplishments to Editor Lucy Chabot Reed at lucy@the-triton.com.

Feel that? It’s a shift in this economy; things are moving again

Latitude adjustment

Lucy chabot Reed

A� May 2009 www.the-triton.com The Triton NEWS: Stolen tenders

Two megayacht tenders that were stolen on April 6 have been recovered.

The 32-foot Regulator named Freak Show that was stolen from Highborne Cay Marina was recovered with a gash in the bow and all of her accessories gone. The men who stole this vessel were all apprehended in a daytime chase that ended in gunfire (though no deaths) and the arrest of the five men aboard.

“My boat wasn’t really secured,” Capt. Kelly Esser said, explaining how the theft occurred. “I do what we all do. In a secure marina at a secure dock, it was just tied with lines.”

Now the boat will be secured with half-inch thick cables, he said.

The 28-foot Intrepid that was tied to M/Y Relentless while at anchor off Highborne Cay and also stolen that morning was recovered with some damage to her topsides, including a missing hard top. The robbers had used bad fuel and hotwired the ignitions, killing the engines, Esser said.

All four outboard engines on both vessels were still aboard when the boats were recovered. Authorities told Esser they believed the men were making a drug run to Jamaica.

“Mine was stolen because of its range,” Esser said. “They wanted it to make a drug run.”

After the robberies, Capt. Robin Norquoy of M/Y Relentless contacted numerous radio stations, televisions stations and other media and social outlets as far away as Turks & Caicos to get the word out about the thefts. Esser credited those efforts with getting the authorities involved.

“He really went above and beyond to get his tender back,” Esser said.

Esser’s first contact with the U.S. Coast Guard left little action, so he pursued the issue with the Royal Bahamian Police and the Royal Bahamian Defense Force, both of which got involved. The U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency also assisted.

“Without those agencies, our boat

would have never been recovered.”– Lucy Reed

After hearing about the thefts, Capt. Zack Green of M/Y Incentive offered this story about his own experience.

“On the night of March 22 while the Incentive, a 142-foot Palmer Johnson, was anchored at the eastern end of Nassau Harbor, our 32-foot Intrepid with twin 350HP outboards was stolen from the swim platform.

“It was 9:30 p.m. and all the lights were on. Crew were on deck as we were preparing to depart for Palm Beach. There was a 10-minute window that no one was on the aft deck, and during this time the line was cut.

“We launched a Jet Ski and a tender and contacted the local marine patrol. After hours of searching, the crew gave up for the night. In the morning I had the engineer go to the airport to charter an airplane because there were no helicopters available.

“After 45 minutes in the air, they spotted what could be our tender under some trees in the Sea Breeze canal on the south side of Nassau. I then sent our other tender to investigate and, sure enough, it was our Intrepid, fully intact.

“After the police tried to take fingerprints we used the spare set of keys to bring the Intrepid back to Nassau and quickly got under way for Florida.

“I thought it might be useful for other captains to know about this location at the end of Sea Breeze canal as it might be used as a hiding spot again.”

Bahamian and U.S. drug officers approach and apprehend the robbers of the 32-foot tender stolen from Highborne Cay in April. Below, three fuel barrels fill her bow. PHOTOS COURTESY OF CAPT. KELLY ESSER

Tenders stolen off Highborne recovered, five thieves arrested

The Triton www.the-triton.com May 2009 A�

By Martin Fierstone

There are two main methods of tracking tenders: via VHF and via satellite. VHF only works in line of sight, while satellite offers greater range.

There are four solutions for tracking.1. Global Polaris. This is a self-

contained, water- and shock-proof, battery-powered, lightweight tracking device capable of reporting its position, speed and course at pre-determined intervals. It is programmable remotely.

The device works on battery power alone or on external power. It is capable of sending more than 4,000 position reports on one battery charge, the equivalent of every half-hour for 80 days or almost 14 days at 5-minute intervals. What makes this device stand apart is that it combines the best capabilities of other reporting systems all in one unit.

Communication is via the Internet over Iridium, therefore a captain can track a vessel from the other side of the world. The captain can set certain parameters, so as soon as the boat goes beyond those boundaries an alarm is sent through the Internet to the captain’s laptop or cell phone.

Onboard sensors can be connected to detect both theft and unauthorized entry. A report can be sent to a cell phone immediately when there is a

change in status.Because the system is so small and

lightweight, guests on tenders can use the Polaris to send a communication to the mother ship. In the event of an emergency such as a man overboard, the alarm button will send a satellite message to several recipients within a few seconds.

The Polaris, which is also LRIT compliant, retails for about $2,000.

2. SAT 201. This is a self-contained system that provides navigation, messaging and Internet-based tracking. Sensors can be connected to detect theft and unauthorized entry. A report can be sent to a cell phone immediately if there is a change in status.

With the IMO and national governments imposing regulations on commercial maritime operators, the SAT 201 can also be used to integrate Ship Security Alert Systems (SSAS) and Vessel Monitoring Systems (VMS). The SAT 201 provides the answer to reliable and cost-effective monitoring and reporting for both these systems.

The SAT 201 terminal consists of a control, modem, optional battery, antenna and interface functionality all housed in a single-piece design. There are four input/output interfaces, a serial interface connection and an integral GPS with data logger.

The SAT 201 retails for about $750.

3. Global Personal Tracker 9601. This is a stand-alone, pocket-size Iridium satellite tracker with an internal rechargeable battery pack and Iridium GPS antennas.

The 9601 unit is designed to operate with the Iridium low-Earth orbit satellite network. It operates on an internal micro-controller/GPS receiver.

It is also designed with ultra-low power consumption electronics. With a battery the size of a AA alkaline, it is capable of delivering uninterrupted service of up to two years of two reports a day. Battery life can be further extended by using a built-in motion sensor to reduce reporting frequency when a platform is not in motion.

The tracker can send either a standard or a 256-bit AES encrypted GPS report at a pre-programmed interval ranging from once every four seconds to once a week. The interval can be changed remotely while the unit is in the field.

There is an available serial port that can be used to communicate with a sensor or PDA. There are also 12 discrete I/Os for external sensor interfaces.

The 9601 retails for about $1,300.4. Global Satellite Assist. This is

our company’s Web-based tracking system using data from a GPS-enabled cell or satellite phone.

This system provides a visual story of a vessel’s travels, viewable on any Internet-enabled computer. The captain can select who can see the vessel’s location. The service also advises captains of the political and environmental climate before they arrive at each destination. The system will also relay SOS emergency e-mails to up to 10 recipients, relay emergency SMS messages to up to 10 mobile phones, and provide 24/7 phone assistance for access to emergency advice and rescue services, personal security briefing, and related crisis management services.

The service works by the user acquiring his or her GPS position using the standard features of a cell phone, then sending this automatically via SMS. The user’s location is then displayed in the Web browser for friends, family and employers to see. Maps, satellite images and aerial photography are made available via Google Maps or Windows Virtual Earth. This is a subscription service that costs $249 a year.

Martin Fierstone is founder of Global Satellite USA and has more than 35 years experience in satellite and electronics for the maritime industry. Contact him at +1-954-854-3389 or through www.globalsatellite.us.

Technology, monitoring can help ward off tender theftsNEWS: Stolen tender prevention

A� May 2009 www.the-triton.com The Triton

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Broker Rob Moran, owner of Moran Yacht & Ship in Ft. Lauderdale, pleaded guilty in mid-April to filing a false tax return and failing to report more than $3 million in assets he kept with Swiss bank UBS, according to a statement from the U.S. Department of Justice.

UBS agreed in February to cooperate with U.S. investigators seeking to press specific charges against specific people for tax evasion. UBS turned over otherwise-private records on about 300 U.S. residents under a $780 million settlement with U.S. banking authorities.

Moran was the second man charged with hiding assets in UBS and not paying taxes on them. Steven Rubinstein, an accountant for a yacht builder in South Florida, was charged two weeks earlier with avoiding taxes on about $6 million through UBS, according to a statement from the U.S. Department of Justice. The statement does not name the builder. He is free on $12 million bond awaiting a court appearance scheduled for late April, according to news reports.

Moran could face up to three years in prison and $250,000 fine. He is expected to be sentenced in late June.

“We will continue to prosecute those who use offshore schemes to avoid paying their taxes,” Miami U.S. Attorney R. Alexander Acosta told the Associated Press.

The United States has sued UBS for the identities of 52,000 account holders who may be hiding income from the Internal Revenue Service. UBS is fighting the suit.

State taxes due, tooYacht broker Ronald J. Sperry was

sentenced to four years in jail in March for failing to pay state sales taxes, according to a report in the Puget Sound Business Journal.

The state said Sperry owed nearly $1 million in business and occupation taxes and underreported commissions on yacht sales at Everett Yacht Sales and Hanan Yachts.

Sperry pleaded guilty in November but was given time to make restitution of the $953,000 debt. He had paid back $3,000 at the time of his sentencing, the paper reported.

One credential replaces fourThe U.S. Coast Guard has

consolidated the Merchant Mariner Credential (MMC) to reduce the number of credentials for U.S.

mariners.Previous regulations allowed for

up to four credentials to a mariner: Merchant Mariner’s Document (MMD), Merchant Mariner’s License, Certificate of Registry (COR), and STCW Endorsement, which can now be consolidated into a single credential thereby limiting the number of times they need to appear in person to provide fingerprints and proof of identity.

To read the rule see the Federal Register’s Web site (MC Final Rule) or www.gpoaccess.gov/fr/ and quick search MMC.

The regulation also streamlines the application process for the MMC by removing the requirement that all mariners appear at one of 17 Regional Exam Centers if they have already enrolled for a Transportation

Worker Identification Credential (TWIC) at one of 149 TWIC Enrollment Centers.

Without the change, a mariner could have been required to obtain up to five credentials, and to appear in person for duplicative

applications. After April 15, U.S. mariners are required to hold a valid TWIC.

For TWIC information, visit www.tsa.gov.

Crew blacks out underwater, diesFrancis Gobinet, a 25-year-old crew

member on S/Y Klosters, died in late March while the 150-foot yacht was anchored off Peter Island in the British Virgin Islands.

Gobinet, a UK citizen and resident of Antigua, lost consciousness while taking underwater photos after apparently swimming too deep, according to news reports.

He was taken onboard and given CPR but was not able to be revived.

There has been speculation that Gobinet, who was young and fit, may have died as a result of a shallow water blackout, a condition where a swimmer does not feel an urgent need to breathe and has no other obvious medical conditions, according to BVI news sources.

New York kills tax on boatsNew York officials are not including

a proposed 5 percent tax on boats of more than $200,000, which was initially included in Gov. David Paterson’s budget, according to press reports.

“We’re pleased that the legislature and the governor realized that this

Broker arrested for tax evasion, USCG credential condensing

See NEWS BRIEFS, page A16

NEWS BRIEFS

‘We will continue to prosecute those who use offshore schemes to avoid paying their taxes.’

– R. Alexander AcostaMiami U.S. Attorney

A� May 2009 www.the-triton.com The Triton NEWS: St. Barth’s Bucket

By Capt. John Campbell

This year the St Barth’s Bucket regatta for superyachts was held on the last weekend in March. The number of entrants has been limited by the French authorities to just 35 yachts. It attracts some of the largest yachts currently sailing.

The regatta has its origins in the old St Barth’s regatta of the early 1980s, organized by Loulou Magras. We were fortunate enough to sail what turned out to be the penultimate regatta in 1982 on board Bob Dylan’s schooner Water Pearl. That year, there were some 136 boats entered, and these ranged from a rather unlikely Hobie 16 to the schooner Lindo. She seemed massive back then, since she was just about a hundred feet on deck.

It is a sign of the times that this year there were just two boats smaller then 100 feet. S/Y Timoneer is 147 feet and there were 12 boats bigger than her. The largest was S/Y Maltese Falcon at 289 feet.

The races for these large yachts are always pursuit races; that is, the handicap is applied at the start of the race and the yachts start at intervals according to the handicap. First boat home wins.

Because of the value and relative lack of maneuverability of these boats, special rules apply. There are no recalls for boats over the line as it would be just too dangerous to have such a large boat suddenly turning back to restart. Instead, a five-minute penalty is imposed for any boat over the line early. This was to hurt us badly in the second race.

Each day, the first boat away was the 154-foot Perini, Andromeda La Dea. The first race was anti-clockwise around the island, and we started 28 minutes after Andromeda, in company

with the 180-foot schooner Adela. Maltese Falcon started 3 minutes before us and on the beat she was clearly struggling to get to windward.

Timoneer goes very well to windward and soon we found ourselves in fifth place. We might have finished there had not Maltese Falcon caught us on the reach to the finish. As she passed us, we were becalmed in her lee, and half a dozen boats sailed past us. We finished 11th and the first race went to the stunning new 171-foot Huisman schooner Meteor.

The second race was on the so-called Wiggley Course, which took us in and out among the rocks on the north side of the island before reaching off to Isle Fourche and back to the finish. Handicaps were adjusted overnight and for this race we had the same start time as the 184-foot Perini sloop Salute. Unfortunately we both elected to start at the windward end of the line. We were a few seconds early, but with the monstrous bows of Salute bearing down on our port quarter, we had nowhere to go except over the line a few seconds early.

Our race went well, and it was close between many of the boats. On the north side of the island it was amazing to see the tightly packed fleet close-tacking in among the rocks, being pursued by three helicopters and a couple of kite-surfers, which I felt sure were destined to get tangled in somebody’s rigging.

We worked our way steadily up to the front of the fleet and we were first boat home. It is a testament to the closeness of the racing that when our five minute penalty was applied, we dropped to a disappointing seventh. The win went to Paraiso, the 108-foot sloop from Alloy Yachts.

Crew of Timoneer after the last race. PHOTO COURTESY OF CAPT. JOHN CAMPBELL

See BUCKET, page A9

St. Barth’s Bucket offeringsmaller field, bigger yachts

The Triton www.the-triton.com May 2009 A�NEWS: St. Barth’s Bucket

For the third race, the wind was a little lighter, which did not suit Timoneer. Once again the handicaps had been tweaked and thanks to our first place finish the previous day, we found ourselves starting even nearer the back of the fleet.

This race was round the island in a clockwise direction, and unfortunately we found a few calm spots and remained near the back of the fleet until the finish.

The race was won by Windcrest, a 98-foot ketch built by Hodgdon Yachts

in Maine.The racing for all three races was

close and exciting. Often just a couple of minutes separated half a dozen yachts or more. The overall winner was the beautiful schooner Meteor, ahead of Windcrest and Adela.

Full results can be seen at www.bucketregattas.com.

Capt. John Campbell is the non-racing skipper of the 45m S/Y Timoneer. He has been a yacht captain for more than 20 years and a sailor all his life. Comments on this story are welcome at editorial@the-triton.com.

BUCKET, from page A8

Meteor, the winner,

about to pass Maltese Falcon.

PHOTO/CAPT. JOHN CAMPBELL

All three races closely contested

S/Y Meteor, a 51m Royal Huisman modern classic schooner, won first place overall in the 14th annual St. Barths Bucket with the 30m modern classic ketch S/Y Windcrest in second place and the 54m classic schooner S/Y Adela in third place.

The Wolter Huisman Spirit of the Bucket was presented to Meteor, according to the official report of the bucket, “by having the most fun while displaying the best Corinthian values, sailing their yacht perfectly

with a non-professional group of great sailors while sharing their joie de vivre and generosity with the fleet.”

Vitter’s Shipyard Seamanship

Trophy was awarded to S/Y Virago for the best seamanship and sportsmanship in the interest of promoting safety on the race course.

“On several occasions, Virago chose to give way to other yachts in order to decompress potentially dangerous situations,” according to a news release about the bucket. “She was run and raced like a proper yacht in all respects while setting a safety example that we would all do well to follow.”

The All-Star Crew Award, presented by Holland Jachtbouw and The Yacht Report, went to those aboard S/Y Maltese Falcon. It is selected by peer ballot, with each yacht putting forward a vote for the crew that has the best-run yacht with the tightest crew family.

A complete recap is available at www.bucketregattas.com.

Meteor, Virago honored for spirit and seamanship

The All-Star Crew Award went to those aboard S/Y Maltese Falcon.

A10 May 2009 www.the-triton.com The Triton

Broward Marine, the South Florida-based megayacht builder, has gone dormant as it attempts to restructure.

“We’re in the process of contraction and we’re making changes,” General Manager James Brewer said. “Because of the economy, we’re looking to go dormant.”

The company is not going out of business, nor is it filing bankruptcy, Brewer said. It still owns the brand of Broward yachts and can reopen should the economy or the company’s financial situation turn around.

The builder, which also had an active refit and repair business, released most of its remaining employees in April.

Unable to keep up with the lease payments on its property in Dania Beach, however, the yard has stopped taking repair work.

One of its unfinished new builds is in mediation talks. Once that is resolved, perhaps in June, company owners will know better how it can proceed.

Jimmy Floyd leaves Smallwood’s After 28 years with Smallwood’s,

the yacht uniform business in Ft. Lauderdale, Jimmy Floyd has joined Bradford Marine’s sales and marketing team.

Floyd started his yachting career at Bradford Marine as dockmaster in the late 1970s.

“I’m very pleased to be associated with Bradford Marine once again,” he said in a company statement. “I’m particularly excited about the growth that has taken place at Bradford Marine and their ability to keep up with yachting’s ever-changing needs.”

Bradford is one of the world’s largest undercover yacht repair facilities, offering a full line of services.

Contact Floyd through the shipyard at +1-954-791-3800.

In other Bradford news, Bradford Grand Bahama hired John Biggs as commercial manager in the Freeport shipyard. Biggs has more than 41 years of welding experience and 28 years of marine fabrication and repair experience. He holds 14 welding certifications.

Contact Biggs through the shipyard at +1-242-352-7711.

New resort/marina in Bahamas

Albany, a luxury resort community, is under construction in the Bahamas.

Being developed by Tavistock Group, Tiger Woods and Ernie Els, the 565-acre resort community is scheduled to open in 2010 in New Providence, about five miles from Nassau.

It is planned to include a 71-slip megayacht marina for yachts up to 240-feet, a luxury boutique hotel, family water park, equestrian center and more.

Construction on a deep-water channel has begun and is expected to be complete this month.

For more information see www.albanybahamas.com.

Dania marina to take larger yachtsPort Royale Yacht Harbor has begun

improvements to its slips in Dania, Fla. to accommodate larger vessels.

The marina has also upgraded its pilings and shore power.

For more information visit www.portroyaleyachtharbor.com.

Miami marina begins renovationFifth Street Marina in Miami has

begun a $2.5 million renovation west of

downtown Miami. The marina is one of the first

commercial marinas on the Miami River and is scheduled to have 630 linear feet of dockage suitable for megayachts.

Renovations include 400 linear feet of new seawalls, an over-water platform, dockside utilities, video security, lighting, and updated warehouse and office space.

Dockage will be available this summer and commercial subleasing opportunities exist.

For more information, visit www.5thstmarina.com.

Saunders a Boat Yard of the YearSaunders Yachtworks in Alabama

received the Boat Yard of the Year award from the American Boat Builders and Repairers Association (ABBRA).

The award is given to the boatyard that “demonstrates excellence in all facets of business through commitment to customer relations, quality management and positive vendor and employee relations”.

“We are very proud to have won this fine award as real symbol of

recognition from our peers,” said Andrew Saunders, chairman of the company’s board. “It is fitting that it comes in both our 50th anniversary year as well within weeks of the opening of our new Gulf Shores headquarters building.”

Saunders Yachtworks was founded in 1959 as a marine service company in Mobile. In the past 25 years, it has grown into a full-service company with dedicated facilities including a 60-ton Travelift, 10,000 square feet of interior work space and 50

employees. For more information, visit www.saundersyacht.com.

Gillen opens at LMCGillen Diesel & Marine Services

has expanded into a second facility at Lauderdale Marine Center in Ft. Lauderdale that will allow the company to haul vessels up to 300 tons.

“We had been looking for another facility that would allow us to haul our megayacht customers,” company owner Dave Gillen Sr. said. “Lauderdale Marine Center’s new renovations provided the perfect environment to support our expansion.”

Gillen Diesel & Marine Services is a full service yacht repair, maintenance and refit facility with its headquarters and main service center at Harbour Towne in Dania Beach, Fla. For more information, visit www.gillendiesel.net.

Broward Marine goes dormant, marinas grow

Floyd

Biggs

MARINAS / YARDS

Miami’s Fifth Street Marina starts a $�.� million renovation on the Miami River that will include ��0 linear feet for megayacht dockage, utilities and warehouse space.

A1� May 2009 www.the-triton.com The Triton BUSINESS BRIEFS

After eight years working on megayachts, former First Mate Luka Peruzovic, above left, has opened a shore-based agent business in Croatia.

This summer marks his second season in business with his partner, former chief stew Petra. LP Yacht Support handles everything from

dockage and customs formalities to day workers and other onboard support.

“Our season here in Croatia has already started,” Peruzovic said in mid-April. “We are very excited about the new season.”

LP Yacht Support helped more than 15 vessels last season, including M/Y Phoenix and M/Y Katharine. Based in Split, LP works with DrYachting in Montenegro to cover the whole coast.

As former yachties, Peruzovic said they are able to anticipate issues and help yachts have smooth visits. Petra is also a certified tour guide so she can assist with itineraries as well.

“We left behind a reputation as hard workers and so we’re happy to hear from our old former crew who need a friendly face in Croatia.”

For more information, visit www.lpyachtsupport.com.

Australia group has new headAzzura Marine Managing Director

David McQueen has been appointed the new chairman of Superyacht Base Australia (SYBA), the body representing Australia’s superyacht industry.

McQueen has more than 30 years of boat building and management experience.

“I am dedicated to representing SYBA and its 300-plus members throughout the world,” he said. “These are unprecedented times in our industry, and this gives rise to new opportunities.

McQueen has served six years on the SYBA board and was unanimously elected by his peers. He succeeds past chairman Barry Jenkins after 10 years. For more information, visit www.superyachtbase.com.

Got Godfrey?Vivien Godfrey, co-owner of

Bluewater Books & Charts in Ft. Lauderdale and Newport, has taken a full-time position in Washington, D.C., as chief executive officer of the MilkPEP program, a national marketing campaign funded by the dairy industry to encourage people to drink milk. It created the “Got milk?” advertising spots.

She started April 1 and now oversees a budget of $107 million and a staff of 10.

“I’m going back to my roots,” she said. “I spent four years as CEO of Haagen Dazs in the late 1990s and I know a lot of people in the industry.”

Godfrey still maintains her home in Ft. Lauderdale and commutes to Washington during the week. She is still involved with the bookstore through husband and co-owner John Mann.

Justin Mann is taking over many of her responsibilities at Bluewater, including becoming vice president of business development as well as continuing as head of the electronic charts department.

Finance Director Tom Gretzinger will handle Godfrey’s administrative responsibilities, and the store hired a part-time financial assistant, Maricela Sarmiento, Justin Mann’s wife.

With a foot still in the marine industry, Godfrey said she hopes her presence in Washington – her office is just three blocks from the White House – will help make connections for groups such as the U.S. Superyacht Association. And being away allows her to focus more on the strategic part of the store, especially on those frequent flights.

For more information, visit www.milkpep.org.

Stabilizer firm hires sales managerMaryland-based Seakeeper, an

internal stabilization technology company, has appointed Andrew Semprevivo to international inside sales manager. Semprevivo will be responsible for handling worldwide sales, service and technical support inquiries.

“After being aboard during a sea trial, I felt the Seakeeper Gyro would be the future of stabilization and I wanted to be a part of it,” he said. “Because the product is so revolutionary, I believe sales will continue to grow even during this troubled economy.”

Semprevivo most recently served

Former yachties start season two in shore-based agent business

Godfrey

See BUSINESS BRIEFS, page A13

The Triton www.the-triton.com May 2009 A1�

as international/west coast sales representative for Viking Yacht Company.

For more information, visit www.seakeeper.com.

Dovaston, Riviera partnerCapt. Phil Edwards and Karen

Dovaston have expanded Dovaston, the Palma-based crew agency.

The pair entered into an agreement at the recent Antibes Yacht Show with Antibes-based Riviera Yacht Support Services to represent Dovaston in France.

Riviera will benefit from Dovaston’s database while Dovaston can access the pool of crew in Antibes for job-hunting.

Fred Dovaston, namesake of the company, died unexpectedly last summer.

For more information, visit www.dovaston.com.

Cello hires new marine directorCello Technologies has appointed

Bruce Christianson as director of marine services, a division of this entertainment and communication systems company. Christianson has 30 years in the audio/visual industry as a designer, engineer and salesman.

“Bruce appreciates the coordination necessary between Cello, the owner, builder, captain, electricians, bridge electronic experts, designers and others involved in creating a superyacht and we feel his unique experience will help us accelerate our expansion in this market,” said Tom Hall, president of Cello.

For more information, visit www.celloseattle.com.

Paradox creates new core teamParadox Marine of Ft. Lauderdale,

has created a corporate executive team to direct growth as a supplier of wireless boat security, monitoring, GPS tracking and surveillance systems.

Above, from left: Jay Keenan, formerly vice president

of sales and marketing, has been promoted to president and CEO;

Erin West, formally chief financial officer of CSU Development Corp., has joined the company as chief financial officer; and

Marc Curreri, formerly president of Paradox Marine, has been named chief operating officer.

Paradox Marine products include Marine Magellan Insight Wireless Boat Security, Monitoring, Surveillance & GPS Tracking System; and Nav-Tracker 2.0 GPS Tracking System.

For more information, visit www.paradoxmarine.com.

Fix Caribe Inflatables at SecureCaribe Inflatables has appointed

Secure Chain & Anchor’s inflatables division in Ft. Lauderdale as an authorized service and repair center. For more information, visit www.securechainandanchor.com.

From left, Karen Dovaston and Capt. Phil Edwards of Dovaston, and Ulf Sydbeck and Campbell Cormack of Riviera Yacht Support Services, agree to work together to expand Dovaston.

Dovaston, the Palma-based crew agency, has expanded

Christianson

BUSINESS BRIEFS

BUSINESS BRIEFS, from page A12

A1� May 2009 www.the-triton.com The Triton

I’m going to tell this story backward. It starts with the people around our

main character – loving, caring and supportive friends, co-workers and

family – because without them, our person may not have survived this long.

Every day he shows for work at National Marine Suppliers in Ft Lauderdale, he’s welcomed with smiles and words of support, all as his co-workers keep an

eye out for him. A former sales representative for the

global provisioning company, he now works in the warehouse on inventory control and research. This move was not because he did a poor sales job; on the contrary. It allows him to keep working while he undergoes dialysis three mornings a week.

“He’s a walking miracle” said National Marine owner Dean du Toit. “He helped build this business, and he’ll always have a job here.”

A “walking miracle” may be an understatement. Having undergone a triple organ transplant in 1994, which included a kidney, pancreas and

duodenum (first part of the small intestine), he is once again in need of a kidney.

Having his good kidney fail put him back on the transplant list in October, but with a typical two- to three-year wait. Receiving an organ from a live donor instead of a cadaver is preferred since there are other means to help the recipient’s body accept the new organ, including injecting bone marrow cells from the donor. Recent research shows this helps reduce the need for drugs that suppress the immune system, “tricking” the body into tolerating the transplant.

But, as our subject bravely states, he’ll take what he can get.

Helping him through much of this is his significant other of 10 years, Faith Harty, who he has actually known since grade school.

“She’s a bona-fide angel,” he said. “There’s a seat in heaven waiting for her.”

More astonishing may be the acts of kindness from all the people around him. National Marine held a blood drive specifically for his blood type. (Other types were donated to the blood bank.) And four co-workers offered to be kidney donors, though none

matched.“Just knowing what

he is going through and how much he suffers, I had to offer,” purchasing manager Will Mosher, 38, said. “He’s been an

inspiration to us all. We love the guy.”Mosher did have reservations

about offering the kidney at first since he is active in sports, but he said he learned that the human body can work normally on one kidney.

Most likely brought on with a bout of juvenile diabetes, our main character’s treatment is through the Miami Transplant Institute, a joint program between Jackson Memorial Hospital and the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine. The program has grown to become one of the largest transplant centers in the world, performing more than 500 transplant procedures a year.

Not new to the yachting community, our subject has been in various parts of the business for 24 years. Formerly a 100-ton captain who ran yachts and worked for Palmer Johnson, he built a following when he was in sales; so much so that some customers still call on him directly.

At 53 years old, his physical presence shows a slight build due to his

condition but his voice is upbeat, with an attitude that wants to conquer this current hurdle and move on with life.

Du Toit and everyone at National Marine is hoping for another miracle.

“We’re a tight-knit family here, and [our guy] needs help,” he said. “We need to make people more aware of the need for organ donations. The yachting industry can help.”

Our subject is David Barbee. You may have done business with him, seen him behind the helm, or shared a cold one. He thanks his co-workers for their support, and the owners of National Marine for their flexibility. He does yoga to stay in shape, and plays the guitar as a “natural sedative.”

Barbee has been an employee with National Marine Suppliers for “nine years and two months,” he said proudly.

And he needs a new kidney.

Capt. Tom Serio is a freelance captain, writer and photographer in South Florida. Comments on this story are welcome at editorial@the-triton.com. For more on organ donation, visit www.miamitransplant.org.

RepoRteR’s Notebook

Capt. tom Serio

Awaiting transplant, man survives with work, family, friends

Barbee

INDUSTRY FEATURE

‘He’s been an inspiration to us all. We love the guy.’

– Will MosherPurchasing Manager

The Triton www.the-triton.com May 2009 A1�

By Carol Bareuther

The hot topic at the 2009 St. Thomas Yacht Show in April was plans for a proactive future for the island’s charter industry in the face of economic woes.

Though little more than a dozen yachts and brokers attended, the spring show set the stage for big plans in the fall and a move by the host Virgin Islands Charteryacht League (VICL) to actively network with private and public sectors to aggressively go after both the traditional and megayacht charter market in the Caribbean.

“Next year, we’ll hold the fall show between the Ft. Lauderdale and Antigua shows to facilitate bringing in more megayachts,” said VICL executive director, Erik Ackerson. “Our eye is on the ball to expand and open up St. Thomas to the megayacht market.”

Yacht chartering in the Caribbean, and the world, has seen a downturn in recent months.

“In general the charter business has been off by estimates as high as 40 percent,” said Bob Saxon, of Bob Saxon Consultancy in Ft. Lauderdale. “But that’s not surprising when one considers that the charter business historically follows the stock market. When disposable income abounds, the charter business flourishes.

“That said, what with the recent stock market upturns, I understand there has been a corresponding positive reaction in the charter market,” he said.

Repeat business has kept many term charter operators afloat, Ackerson said.

“It’s the yachts new to charter, that don’t have a stable of repeat customers, who are having to get creative in their marketing,” said Jennifer Saia, president and charter specialist with The Sacks Group in Ft. Lauderdale. “We were pretty fortunate to have such long-time, multi-repeat clients that we had a decent winter, but certainly it was not a banner first quarter.

“As for summer, we are seeing a rise in the Mediterranean inquiries again, particularly for Greece and Turkey,” she said. “We do have some strong interest for the south of France and Italian Riviera, too. Plus, there are yachts staying in the Caribbean longer, through June and July, thus, we have

some early summer bookings for the Virgin Islands already, too.”

Some yachts have responded to the economic downturn by offering cut rates as an incentive to charter.

“Although the posted rate sheets for charter yachts might not readily indicate it, owners of yachts are ready to make deals,” Saxon said. “I’ve noted some yachts offering extended charter vacations (for example 10 days for the seven day rate) and others holding to their 2008 charter rates wherein the market in previous years would have dictated an annual charter rate increase as much as 10 percent.”

Looking ahead in terms of proactive ways to boost the charter market, Saxon said, “This doesn’t simply mean discounts, but for example, exploiting the most valuable assets that the particular charter yacht offers. For some it may be the crew, others the destination, and even for others the amenities and activities the charter vacation offers. The days of simply offering a yacht in the Mediterranean and assuming a reasonably reliable yacht, crew, and venue, and capturing charters to meet the owner’s volume activity objectives, are for the immediate future, ended.

“It’s a variation on ‘build a better mousetrap and the world will beat a path to your door’,” he said.

The U.S. Virgin Islands is looking to build just such a mousetrap. In April, Governor John P. deJongh signed an executive order to establish the Virgin Islands Marine Economic Development Council. The VICL’s Ackerson will head the council.

“Our mission is to represent marine tourism in the territory,” he said. “The council will be federally funded, meaning we can go after grant money to build a stronger infrastructure. This will include funding for adult retraining into jobs in the marine industry in order to offer more services. Also, to market destinations such as St. Croix, that has the best fuel rates in the Caribbean thanks to the Hovensa refinery, as a megayacht stop-over.”

Carol Bareuther is a freelance writer in St. Thomas. Comments on this story are welcome at editorial@the-triton.com.

St. Thomas gets proactive to protect its charter future

Megayachts at St. Thomas’ Yacht Haven Grande. PHOTO/DEAN BARNES

CHARTER NEWS

A1� May 2009 www.the-triton.com The Triton

boat tax would not only fail to bring in revenue, but would significantly damage many marine businesses,” David Dickerson, National Marine Manufacturers Association’s director of state government relations, said in a statement.

NMMA and its allies organized a letter-writing campaign to have the proposal eliminated from the budget.

“The impact of the proposed tax would hit New York marine dealers most immediately,” the letter read. “About 38 percent of their sales are of boats 30-39 feet long, most of which retail for more than $200,000. Loss of even 20 percent of these sales to neighboring states, or to decisions to not purchase a vessel rather than pay the tax, would lead to even greater layoffs than already experienced in the New York market.”

The tax would have done nothing to increase state revenue because consumers will simply buy fewer boats or purchase them out of state, said New York Marine Trades Association Executive Director Christopher Squeri. That will hurt everyone, from dealers to marinas and other waterfront businesses.

Hurricane forecast: AverageThe Colorado State University

forecast team predicts an average 2009 Atlantic basin hurricane season based on the potential for a weak El Nino and an observed cooling of tropical Atlantic sea surface temperatures.

The team anticipates 12 named storms forming in the Atlantic basin between June 1 and Nov. 30.

Six of the storms are predicted to become hurricanes, with two of those expected to develop into intense or major hurricanes with sustained winds

of 111 mph or greater.“We expect current weak La Nina

conditions to transition to neutral and perhaps weak El Nino conditions by this year’s hurricane season,” said William Gray, who is beginning his 26th year forecasting hurricanes at CSU. “If El Nino conditions develop for this year’s hurricane season, it would tend to increase levels of vertical wind shear and decrease levels of Atlantic hurricane activity.”

The team has seen anomalous cooling of sea surface temperatures in the tropical Atlantic over the past few months. Cooler waters are associated with dynamic and thermodynamic factors that are less conducive for an active Atlantic hurricane season.

“Based on our latest forecast, the probability of a major hurricane making landfall along the U.S. coastline is 54 percent compared with the last-century average of 52 percent,” said lead forecaster Phil Klotzbach. “We are calling for an average hurricane season this year.”

DHS processed 175m visitors in ‘08Last year, the United States

processed 175 million nonimmigrant admissions, according to statistics released in April by the Department of Homeland Security.

Nonimmigrants are foreign nationals granted temporary entry into

the United States for business or travel. I-94 admissions accounted for 23

percent (39 million) of admissions. The majority (90 percent) of I-94 admissions were short-term visitors, such as tourists and business travelers, while the remaining 10 percent (3.7 million) were temporary residents characterized by a longer duration of stay, such as specialty workers, students, and nurses.

The leading countries of citizenship for I-94 admissions were Mexico, the United Kingdom, and Japan.

Florida bill would cap boat taxesA bill moving through the Florida

Legislature in mid-April would cap the sales tax on boats and planes at $25,000. It is referred to as the Aviation and Maritime Full Employment Act.

With a tax rate of 6 percent, the cap would be for items above $400,000.

Some legislators and marine industry advocates say high taxes lead buyers to purchase outside of Florida.Others have called the cap a tax cut for the wealthy.

The Legislature was still in session as The Triton went to press. If approved, the cap would take effect July 1.

Charity accepts old marine partsFreedom Waters Foundation (FWF)

raised almost $10,000 at the Dania Beach Marine Flea Market in Dania

Beach from donated marine items, including a water pump that will be used in the Children’s Home in the Bahamas.

The profits surprised FWF’s board and executive director, exceeding their expectations during their first year at the flea market. Donations were collected from yacht brokers, boat yards, individuals and businesses in the boating industry. The owners of the flea market donated the space, and USA Self-Storage donated storage space for the year.

Chris Barlow has been appointed the marine merchandise manager and will continue to take in and sell marine related items for FWF. Contact him at +1-954-790-4753 or through www.freedomwatersfoundation.org.

Thieves kill boat owner in ThailandThe British owner of a 44-foot

sailboat was murdered in Thailand in late March.

Malcolm Robertson, 64, was killed near Koh Dong, an island off southern Thailand in Tarutao National Marine Park, by three Burmese migrants who tried to steal his dinghy. The teenage men confessed to the crime.

Irish-born Robertson, who runs a chain of coffee shops in Sussex, England, shouted for help when the men climbing onto his moored yacht. They cut his throat, beat him, and threw his body overboard.

Robertson’s wife, Linda, suffered minor injuries and was tied up for hours. She was rescued by a fishing boat that saw the yacht adrift.

There have been no recent attacks on yachts in southern Thailand, but Tarutao National Park was an area notorious for pirates during World War II, according to British and Thai news media.

Charity accepts old marine parts discarded during refitsNEWS BRIEFS, from page A6

NEWS BRIEFS

Colorado State University’s hurricane forecast team predicts an average �00� Atlantic basin hurricane season: 1� named storms forming between June 1 and Nov. �0; six of the storms are predicted to become hurricanes; two of the hurricane are expected to develop into hurricanes of Category � or greater.

The Triton www.the-triton.com May 2009 A17

boaters approached the vessel, shouting at anyone in earshot with foul and disparaging language, Capt. Villerias-Eckart said. At some point, two men tried to cut the anchor loose, but failed.

“Two guys went diving with saws, trying to cut loose our chain,” Capt. Villerias-Eckart said. “Then there would have certainly been huge damage to coral reefs once the yacht reached the reef, endangering private property, natural resources and human lives, also.”

Environmental officials dove the area and reported “extensive damage” because the chain dragged across the reef.

“They reported extensive damage because it has a metal chain … and the metal chain is dragging on the bottom of the coral reef,” Miguel Alamilla said in an online forum about Ambergris Cay. Alamilla is manager of the Hol Chan Marine Reserve, which begins about 3 miles southwest of where Azteca was. “There is a strong north wind and the boat is swaying back and forth and the anchor keeps dragging on the reef.”

By mid-afternoon, Capt. Villerias-Eckart returned with authorities to the police station while the owners and lawyers worked through the matter with Belize officials.

“I was not arrested,” he said. “I was just asked to go to the police station and stay there.”

After about three hours, Capt. Villerias-Eckart was allowed to return to Azteca, pull up anchor and leave.

Details of the settlement were not disclosed, but the skipper said the owner has committed to paying a “reasonable amount” to repair damage Azteca caused the reef.

“Our first officer is a marine photographer, and he took photos of the reef from the bow to the anchor,” he said. “We did not do the damage they said we did. They said we dropped two anchors and dragged them 150 meters across the reef. That’s just not true. I dropped two-and-a-half shackles of chain [about 225 feet], and there were no signs of dragging.”

Other skippers had sympathy for Azteca and her crew.

“The captain did what we are all trained to do in that event: Get the anchor down before you run aground,” said a megayacht captains who talked

with the Azteca crew in Mexico after the incident. He is cruising the area now and asked to remain anonymous.

“Stuff like this happens to all of us, and if a country allows us to travel in their waters, they have to expect it to happen from time to time,” he said. “It sounds to me like the captain did the right thing. If he didn’t anchor, he could have done a lot more damage by running aground.”

Two freighters ran aground on the reefs in the fall, neither of which had been tried as of press time.

“They were originally asking for $800,000,” Capt. Villerias-Eckart said. “Suddenly, they see a nice big yacht and think, maybe that’s where we can get some money.”

After leaving San Pedro, Azteca took her guests for a cruise around the Turneffe Islands just south of Ambergris Cay, and to Lighthouse Reef to the east of it.

“If someone goes to Lighthouse Reef, to the Blue Hole, do not use the buoys at the southwest tip; they are for the live-aboard vessels operating there, at least the first three or four are,” Capt. Villerias-Eckart said.

“If your yacht is not big, say up to

100 feet, you may use the other buoys,” he said. “If your draft is about 7 feet, you may be lucky enough to go all the way in and get closer to the Blue Hole. If you are not an experienced diver, the trip is useless.”

He also offered some advice for yachts visiting San Pedro.

“If you intend to enter Belize in San Pedro but your draft is more than 10 feet, do not stop there as you cannot enter inside the reefs, and now we know that you can’t anchor outside either, so it’s better go to Belize City,” he said. “And if you have crew from Jamaica or South America, they have to get visas prior to going there. “

What bothers Capt. Villerias-Eckart most about the incident, even more than the half-truths printed about it, is the way he, the owner, the guests and crew were treated by the Belize authorittes.

“Personally, I have found after 27 years of sea time and more than 300,000nm on my back, the poorer the country you are traveling in, the harder the authorities are, as if you were trying to sneak in.”

Lucy Chabot Reed is editor of The Triton. Comments on this story are welcome at lucy@the-triton.com.

BELIZE, from page A1

Visiting yachts, be aware of depth and mooring options

‘Two guys went diving with saws, trying to cut loose our chain. . . . Then there would have certainly been huge damage to coral reefs.’

— Capt. Salvador Villerias-Eckart

FROM THE FRONT: Reef damage in Belize

A1� May 2009 www.the-triton.com The Triton PHOTO GALLERY

Roscioli Yachting Center in Ft. Lauderdale, above, was abuzz with feds on the morning of April 1 when U.S. marshals seized the 56-foot classic Rybovich S/F Bull that belonged to Bernie Madoff. Madoff, 70, is the financier who bilked thousands of investors out of billions of dollars in the country’s largest Ponzi scheme. As of press time, he was in a New York jail awaiting sentencing. The 40-year-old wooden yacht had been annually stored and maintained by Roscioli since 1996, and recently underwent a

refit that included work on the keel and a new paint job. Madoff pleaded guilty in March to investment fraud and is expected to be sentenced in June. Several captains were involved in the seizure and moved the vessel to Jackson Marine, down river from Roscioli. A week later, another of Madoff’s yachts, an 88-foot Leopard also named Bull, was seized in Antibes by French finance company Meeschaert. U.S. federal officials also seized Madoff’s 24-foot Pathfinder and his Palm Beach mansion. PHOTOS/CAPT. CHUCK LIMROTH

Chief Engineer Matthias

Kunert and Mate Nick

Gray had boat show

duty in Palm Beach aboard

the 160-foot Christensen

M/Y Primadonna.

PHOTO/ CAPT. TOM SERIO

Onboard M/Y Seven J’s, Deckhand Kerry Juhr and Stew Jessica Beitzel worked hard to keep all 110 feet of this Lazzara shining. PHOTO/CAPT. TOM SERIO

Mate Ben Toth spent his last few days aboard the 98-foot Westship M/Y Citation II in mid-April before heading home to California. Watch for Toth around San Diego/Newport Beach soon (he’s for hire) and his former ride around New England this summer. PHOTO/CAPT. TOM SERIO

At the Palm Beach show, Capt. Craig Lewis and Susana Hinojosa (she does everything the captain doesn’t want to do) showed the 87-foot Johnson M/Y Lady Alice. This crew recently came off M/Y Serenity, which included a 20,000-mile cruise. PHOTO/CAPT. TOM SERIO

The Triton www.the-triton.com May 2009 A1�PHOTO GALLERY

Bahamas Yacht Management hosts a yachtie gathering

every Thursday from 6:30-9:30 p.m. at the Green Parrot

at Hurricane Hole Marina on Paradise

Island in Nassau. All yacht crew and yachting industry

businesspeople are invited. Several

crew enjoy a recent gathering in late

March. PHOTOS COURTESY OF

SHANNON BRUCE

Provisioning is part of the game in the yacht business, as evident by Deckhand Jason Pliatsikas grabbing a few bags for the 121-foot Moonen M/Y Victoria Del Mar, just back from Nassau in mid-April. Yacht and crew were heading to the Rolly yard for some maintenance before making their way to the Med for the summer. PHOTO/CAPT. TOM SERIO

The marine industry raised more than $28,333 during its first spin-a-thon for Kids in Distress, a South Florida agency that helps abused and neglected children.

More than 100 industry people turned out to keep 26 bikes moving for 12 hours over two days.

Above, from left: Capt. Brendan O’Brien of M/Y Lady Jenn, Capt. Brad Cunningham of TowBoatU.S. Fort Lauderdale, Capt. Denise Fox, and Mark “Torch” Tortora of International Maritime Associates.

Right: Capt. Herb Magney won the prize for best attire.

Below: Capt. Oliver Dissman had fun, but broker John Motta of International Yacht Collection took it seriously. Motta rode four hours each day, eclipsing even the two Lone Rangers who rode a single bike for an entire one-day, six-hour stint. (They were Mike Blake of Palladium and Rupert Connor of Luxury Yacht Group.)

Other notables: MHG raised the most money; and Scott MacPhee of AvMar International, won the raffle, a 12-day cruise donated by Oceania Cruises, valued at $19,000. Lest anyone think MacPhee simply won a raffle, he also put in four hours on a bike.

The event was dreamed up by The Triton but it happened because of the hard work of the teams at MHG, Quantum, IMA Yachts and Kids in Distress. Special thanks to The Zoo and JustFit for donating the space, and to Yacht Entertainment Systems for the tunes and energy. We’ll do it again next year. Start training. PHOTOS/DORIE COX, LUCY REED

THEY SPUN UP $28,333 FOR CHARITY

A�0 May 2009 www.the-triton.com The Triton

there in 18 years of yachting. When the owner said he wanted to go I said, ‘Great. Let’s go.’”

“There’s excitement in researching and investigating new places,” another captain said.

“Owners keep going to the same places because they don’t know any better,” said a third. “They go there because they always go there.”

But there’s a reason the busy places are busy, one captain pointed out. With attractions, restaurants, shopping and simply “being seen,” owners and guests can entertain themselves and have a comfortable holiday.

“And don’t forget, they have a lot more fun at these places than we do,” one captain said. “From May to September, we get one day off. I love it when the guests ask us what we think of this restaurant. Don’t ask me; I never get off the boat.”

If they can choose, several captains know exactly where to take a yacht.

“The Maldives,” one said.“Bali to Northern Australia,” said

another. “The owners were worried but the crew really enjoyed it. The Far East is opening up and there will be more facilities. I predict you’ll see more cruising there soon.”

“Croatia and Montenegro,” said a third. “The water is so clean you can take the tender and follow the anchor chain all the way out.”

“I would love to cruise the San Blas Islands and the Mosquitos [south of Roatan off the coast of Honduras],”

another captain said.“There are no facilities and you

have to be really careful with your navigation,” said a captain who has been there. “But it’s some of the best diving in the world.”

“Hogsty Reef off Turks & Caicos,”

suggested another captain. “It’s a horseshoe, completely surrounded by reef. There’s not a single light, so at night the stars would have been tremendous, but the weather was bad so we couldn’t get in.”

“I spent three days there – without the owner – on our way to St. Thomas,” our well-traveled captain said. “You are completely surrounded by a reef with a 3,000-foot drop. It’s a diver’s paradise.”

“We’re talking about going to Bermuda this summer,” another captain said. “Why not? Halifax to Bermuda to Ft. Lauderdale is the same distance as hugging the coast.

“But most owners are not like that,” this captain said. “My boss says, ‘I want to go in this general direction, and end up in the Caribbean’ so we’ll go to the Bahamas to Turks & Caicos, stop in St. Thomas, and we’ll tuck into various islands along the way. My boss gives us the freedom to explore. He has a weekend boat [back home] and this boat is to explore with.”

“These boats are for adventure,” another captain agreed. “We want that adventuresome spirit.”

This sparked a bit of depressing conversation about how some owners lack that spirit. Some, in fact, don’t even like to venture too far from home.

Attendees of The Triton’s May Bridge luncheon were, from left, Stefan Czuplak of M/Y Antonia II, Richard Mason (freelance), Peter Erasmus (freelance), Steve Janzan of M/Y Double Haven (behind), Dale Smith of M/Y Sovereign, Menkin Nelson (freelance), Stephen Grono of M/Y INXS, Scott Sanders (looking), and Craig Mitchell (looking). PHOTO/LUCY REED

BRIDGE, from page A1

See BRIDGE, page A21

‘The Far East is opening up and there will be more facilities’FROM THE BRIDGE: Best place to take a yacht

The Triton www.the-triton.com May 2009 A�1

“We had a great trip planned in Grenada for seven days, but it took the boss four hours on his private jet to get there and he said that flight was too long,” a captain said.

“In the Med, they just wanted to be able to walk off the boat and go to a restaurant…

“…or go shopping…,” another said. “They all want to be seen getting on and off the boat.”

Sometimes, though, even a new place can bring hazards.

“If I have guests on the boat, I want to go to places I’ve already been,” one captain said. “I want to take them where I’m comfortable and where I know things will work out. Inevitably you get late, and if you are going someplace you haven’t been before and you are late, then you have to rely on the charts and sometimes it’s not so good.”

“You have to always have a contingency plan,” another said. “The owner is not aboard while we run down [to the Caribbean] so we stop along the way and check someplace out.”

“Listen, my life has been about going to new places, but there’s no doubt that they pressure is on you when you take the owner or guests on that first visit,” said a third.

“When we’re on delivery, we don’t have time to stop to check places out,” another captain said. “Someone’s paying you to get it there fast.”

“Or you are chasing weather,” said a fifth.

The captain talked of the benefits to the owner and guests of having that time to explore, telling the story of a lovely week-long stay at an out-of-the-way place in Turks & Caicos.

“What did you break to stay there for a week?” another captain wondered.

So how do you convince owners or charterers to go someplace new?

“Bribe them,” one captain said, only half joking.

“I use coffee-table books of the places I’d like to go and put them out,” another said.

“It’s good for them, to explore, but it’s rarely good for us,” a captain said, referring to the work and worry, and the fact that the crew often don’t get to explore the places they visit.

“But it can work both ways,” another said. “The owner’s son was really into diving so we went to a great diving spot. At the end of the trip, if the family is

happy, the owner is happy.What makes one place better than

another?“A pristine place,” one captain said.“Seeing what not everyone sees,”

another said.“An empty beach and a restaurant

full of celebrities,” one jaded charter captain said.

“The best place is wherever makes the owner happy,” a captain said. “Sometimes you have to point them in the right direction because they don’t always know what will make them happy.”

One a separate but similar topic, we asked these captains the best places to take crew.

“It depends how often you get to go home,” one captain said.

Removing that from the equation, these captains agreed that crew like to have an adventure. And that could happen in New York City as easily as it can happen in Costa Rica.

“It really depends what you make of it,” a captain said. “Some crew get ashore and the first thing they do is look for the Irish bar.”

“I know where I want to go,” another captain said. “The hell with them; their time will come.”

“Yeah, you take crew to a great place and the first day there, they get smashed at the bar.

The next day they are too hungover to do anything, and the third day we leave. I don’t care what they want anymore.”

Several captains worked for owners who were generous in inviting crew members to join their excursions, and encouraging them to go off as a group on their own.

“I’m always setting up things we can do as a group,” one captain said. “I don’t make them go, but they always want to go.”

“You are always going to have some people who want to go to the pub,” another said.

“Sometimes all you can do is give them the option.”

“When we were in Asia, the young guys couldn’t wait to get back to Ft. Lauderdale,” one captain said. “I tried to tell them to enjoy it while you can because you’ll never get back here. Now they are captains and want to go back.”

Lucy Chabot Reed is editor of The Triton. Comments are welcome at editorial@the-triton.com. If you make your living as a yacht captain, e-mail lucy@the-triton.com for an invitation to our monthly Bridge luncheon.

BRIDGE, from page A20

‘If I have guests ... I want to take them where I’m comfortable’

‘You take crew to a great place and the first day there, they get smashed at the bar. The next day they are too hungover to do anything, and the third day we leave. I don’t care what they want anymore.’

FROM THE BRIDGE: Best place to take a yacht

The Triton www.the-triton.com May 2009 A��

PublisherDavid Reed, david@the-triton.com

Advertising SalesPeg Soffen, peg@the-triton.com

EditorLucy Chabot Reed, lucy@the-triton.com

News staffDorie Cox

Lawrence Hollyfield

Production ManagerPatty Weinert, patty@the-triton.com

The Captain’s MateMike Price, mike@the-triton.com

Contributors

Carol M. Bareuther, First Officer David Botton, Shannon Bruce, Capt. John Campbell,

Mark A. Cline, Patrick Deroose, Jake DesVergers, Martin Fierstone, Jack Horkheimer, Chef Mary Beth Lawton Johnson,

Alene Keenan, Capt. Taylor Lawson, Justin Mann, Capt. Grant Maughan,

Keith Murray, Steve Pica, Rossmare Intl., James Schot,

Capt. Tom Serio, Rachel Shapiro

Vol. �, No. �. The Triton is a free, monthly newspaper owned by Triton Publishing Group Inc. Copyright 2009 Triton Publishing Group Inc. All rights reserved.

Contact us at:Mailing address: 757 S.E. 17th St., #1119

Visit us at: 111B S. W. 23rd St.Ft. Lauderdale, FL 33315

(954) 525-0029; FAX (954) 525-9676www.the-triton.com

WRITE TO BE HEARD

I wanted to tell you about our recent arrival into the United States and some new measures that were enforced.

We departed Jacksonville for the Bahamas for a two-week trip. The boat was fully provisioned (from Publix) with a bit extra onboard just in case.

Ready to return, I filed the requisite ANOA. When you file an ANOA with the National Vessel Movement Center, it is automatically sent to all necessary parties. Although, we were clear with the Coast Guard, customs also had our ANOA. They were on the dock waiting to clear us in. This was a rather smooth process, except we had agriculture officials waiting to inspect us as well.

I thought nothing of it since I had done no provisioning in the Bahamas. I had taken enough with me and, thanks to Debbie Meyer’s green bags, still had some decent produce onboard as well as meats, eggs and dairy.

This is where we ran into a problem.Because we had gone to a foreign

port, all our provisions were considered contaminated. It doesn’t matter that all of my provisions had been bought at Publix; they could have come into contact with foreign goods. Even my

frozen meats were suspect, vacuum-packed or not.

My provisions onboard must be consumed or thrown away. Then we had to hire an approved sanitation company to remove all our trash. Nothing that was considered contaminated was to leave the rails of the boat. This included the packaging from the meats, the egg cartons and milk cartons, and anything that might have come in contact with the “contaminated” items. I also had to defrost the freezers and fridges and clean them all with a bleach solution.

It was explained that this was for the health of the animal population in the U.S., mad cow, avian flu, things like that. We were also told that this is not a new procedure; it had been mandated for a long time, but they were starting to enforce it on yachts.

They were surprised that this was a surprise to us. We were told that this inspection should have happened in Ft. Lauderdale as well, but that that’s a busier office and couldn’t get to every boat. But the potential was there as they were cracking down on yachts.

So off they went and we were left to

eat all of our “contaminated” food. It took us about a week.

I then scheduled a pick up with a sanitation company and an appointment for re-inspection. Everyone arrived on time, my trash was hauled away for a not-so-cheap price and I now have an inspection certificate that says I am in compliance with the law.

Although, this was a hassle for us – we kept all of our smelly trash aboard – we were lucky because we didn’t have many provisions. It made me think of all the times I had provisioned the boat for the whole season for hops back and forth from the Bahamas. This could have been a very expensive trip.

Everyone throughout the process was friendly and helpful, but there would be no exceptions.

I and many others think our ANOA just gets filed and then goes into the abyss called government bureaucracy. I have been taught a proper lesson.

They know we are here. Don’t be surprised if you get an inspection from U.S. agriculture one day soon.

Chef Heather PritchardM/Y Cheemaun

ANOA alerts more than just USCG; watch food

The Third Avenue bridge on the New River closed on a sailboat today [April 10]. I do not know the details, but one scenario could be: This sailboat was following another vessel that called for a bridge opening. The bridge tender opened for the calling vessel, then started the closing procedure, not expecting another vessel.

At the Third Avenue bridge, inbound vessels do not come into sight of the bridge tender until they are within 200 feet of the bridge due to a bend in the river. The sailboat captain was most likely expecting and assuming the bridge would stay open, not an unusual expectation because most bridge tenders have a view of vessel traffic.

There are always going to be boaters who are not aware of the rules of the road that we, as professional yacht crew, take for granted.

Yes, boaters should be more knowledgeable, but we have to face the fact that is never going to happen so instead of grumbling about the unknowing and the clueless “weekend warriors,” let’s empower them with knowledge.

The simplest solution would be the posting of a sign at the entrance of the New River stating the following, or something to this effect:

All vessels transiting the New River must monitor VHF channel 09 for large vessel traffic and be prepared to give way.

All vessels requiring a bridge opening must call the bridge tender and provide vessel name and location.

Captains, wouldn’t it be nice not to discover a 50-foot vessel coming around the corner in the “wiggles” while you are piloting your 130-foot (with a 28-foot beam) yacht, but instead to have them respond to your security call for meeting arrangements?

I have posed the question before, in this publication, as to how we can get this sign made and posted, but unfortunately it went unanswered. So I ask again and offer my assistance to anyone knowing the path to take so we can make the river safer for all of us.

Capt. Chuck Limroth

Rivers should post rules for regular boaters

www.the-triton.com May 2009Section B

Change of course

B3From golf to boats.

Venom victims

B2What not to do when bit.

WWII relics in Solomons

B14Are only part of adventure.

Medevac limits

B8Takes more than a ring.

It’s been a busy month for criminals at sea. The headlines have been aplenty. Tenders stolen in the Bahamas. Murders in the islands.

U.S.-flagged ship seized by Somali pirates; the first in more than 200 years.

With this increase in crime coinciding with the world’s economic downturn,

many in the yachting industry are revisiting an old question, “Should I carry a gun on board?”

Having sailed on ships in war zones and during peace time, experience asks a follow-up general question, “When would you use a gun?” Based upon conversations with several key figures in our industry, the following scenarios were created for discussion:

It’s late at night. You are in the galley and hear a noise on deck. You grab your gun and go out to find someone stealing your tender. He has already cut the line and is about 20 feet from the boat. Would you shoot? After all, he is stealing your property or that of your owner.

You are asleep in your cabin and awake to see someone going through your wallet. Would you go for your gun and shoot? Are you being threatened or just robbed?

An intruder is threatening you with a knife. Would you go for your gun and use it?

The yacht is approached by a small boat of heavily armed individuals. Does the presence of weapons on your vessel increase or decrease your level of safety?

These are questions that cannot

Rules of the Road

Jake DesVergers

See RULES, page B5

Carrying a gun onboard is a complex issue

See NAVIGATION, page B6

By Justin Mann

What’s new in software-based navigation programs? There are too many to cover, so I will talk about a few well known and a few less well known, but equally powerful systems.

Keep in mind that manufacturers make multiple versions, but I am focusing on the bread-and-butter installments. These are the workhorses and the starting point for PC-based navigation.

Boatcruiser 2.0 is manufactured by Navsim, a Canada-based company that you may not have heard of. But don’t be deceived; it has been building powerful software with an emphasis on flexibility.

When it comes to vector charts Boatcruiser is not short on options. The program supports C-Map Max, MaxPro and NOAA S-57 Encs. Not to exclude raster fans, it runs BSB charts from Maptech, NDI, CHS, and their own Mapserver charts. You also get instrument flexibility with support for GPS, AIS, ARPA/MARPA and depth sounder.

Sick of paying for upgrades? Boatcruiser has free automatic updates via online support and a built-in search engine that tracks down a marina or other point of interest.

If you like to customize your program, Boatcruiser’s interface allows you to change the layout and configuration, customize the size and number of windows, and save your settings as a customer configuration.

Suggested retail price is $399. To learn more or download a demo, check www.navsim.com.

Coastal Explorer by Rosepoint Navigation might not be a program you

have heard of but if you have ever used Maptech Chart Navigator Pro then Coastal Explorer looks familiar because Rosepoint supplied Maptech with its

SOFTWARE-BASED NAVIGATION PROGRAMS

Best choice is driven by your needs

Max Sea Time Zero software showing Ft. Lauderdale using Mapmedia vector charts. PhOTO COURTESY OF MAPMEDIA

Nobletech software showing Andros Island using Cmap Max Pro charts. PhOTO COURTESY OF NAVSIM

Boatcruiser 2.0, Coastal Explorer, Visual Navigation Suite and MaxSea Time Zero, all workhorses, range in price from $399 to $650.

B� May 2009 www.the-triton.com The Triton

I receive a lot of questions about snakebites while conducting training classes onboard yachts, so this month I would like to start by telling you what

not to do. Do not cut

or suck on the wound. In addition to the obvious risk factors to the rescuer, you can damage skin and organs, increase the risk of infection, and it

will not remove venom.Do not use ice. Ice has no effect on

venom.Do not use alcohol. Alcohol will

not help and may increase venom absorption.

Do not use a tourniquet. They do not stop venom and may cause the victim to lose a limb.

There are more than 3,000 species of snakes worldwide; about 500 species are venomous. About 5 million snakebites occur worldwide each year, causing about 125,000 deaths.

Venom is basically a modified form of saliva. It immobilizes prey so a snake can eat. It acts quickly, affecting the central nervous system, lungs and heart.

If you are bitten by a poisonous snake or lizard, seek emergency medical care immediately. Don’t wait until you experience symptoms.

Never try to kill or capture the reptile just to identify it. Further exposure risks an additional bite. A snake has the ability to bite and release venom by reflex for up to 90 minutes after it is dead. Get as much information about the reptile as possible. If you can safely take a picture, this may help.

Antivenin may not be readily available at every medical facility. Call ahead to find the best place to be treated for the specific bite.

In North America, we have several snakes and lizards that are poisonous: pit vipers, which include rattlesnakes, copperheads and water moccasins/cotton mouths; coral snakes; the Gila monster; and the Mexican bearded lizard. In Maine, Alaska and Hawaii, there are no native poisonous snakes.

Symptoms from snakebites may appear within minutes or take hours. Symptoms may include severe burning or pain where bitten, swelling that starts at the bite and spreads, and possible bleeding from the wound as well as blistering, fever, nervous system disruption, numbness, convulsions, excessive sweating, diarrhea, vision

problems, increased thirst, nausea and vomiting, rapid pulse, difficulty speaking, and difficulty breathing and/or cessation of breathing.

Sea snakes and some Australian snakes can cause muscle death in multiple areas of the body. These dead muscle cells can clog the kidneys, which can lead to kidney failure.

Use caution when dealing with snakebites. A victim may have no initial significant symptoms, and then suddenly develop breathing difficulty and go into shock.

If you do not develop any symptoms after 10-12 hours, it is possible that you were either bitten by a non-venomous snake or no venom was injected. This type of dry bite occurs in approximately 25 percent to 50 percent of all bites.

Of those bites where venom was injected into the body, only about 10 percent are severe. But even if you do not develop symptoms after 10 hours, still seek medical attention and continue to look for symptoms for the next several weeks.

Snakebite victims should seek medical care unless the snake is positively identified as non-venomous. If you are not certain the snake is non-venomous seek medical attention.

A victim who is young, old or has health problems is generally at greater

risk than a healthy adult. Factors that affect the severity of a poisonous snake or lizard bite include type and size of the reptile, as well as the quantity of the venom injected, the potency of the venom, the location and depth of the bite, and the number of bites.

Bites by non-venomous species require good wound care. Wash the bite with lots of soap and water and carefully inspect the wound for broken fangs, dirt or debris. Victims that have not had a tetanus booster within the past five years should get one.

Remove any constricting items, such as rings, wrist watches or other jewelry that could reduce blood flow if the bite area swells. Immobilize the bitten area and keep it lower than the heart. Cover the area with a clean, cool bandage to minimize swelling, and monitor vital signs. If any changes occur, immediately call or radio for help.

Keith Murray, a former Florida firefighter EMT, is the owner of The CPR School, a mobile training company that provides CPR, AED and first aid training. He also sells and services automated external defibrillators. Contact him at +1-561-762-0500 or keith@theCPRschool.com. Comments on this column are welcome at editorial@the-triton.com.

Fatal snakebites rare but still require emergency first-aidONBOARD EMERGENCIES: Snakebites

sea sick

Keith Murray

The Triton www.the-triton.com May 2009 B�

By Dorie Cox

Hal Parsons would still be on the greens if it weren’t for the boat.

With his Class A professional golf certification and seven years in the golf industry, Parsons was on course in his career. Then he bought a 19-foot Wellcraft and his shot began to veer. He found himself navigating the waters more often than swinging his nine iron.

Fast-forward from interim golf pro to Thunderbolt Marine where Parsons is now dockmaster. Thunderbolt is a marina and yacht repair/refit facility along the shore of the Wilmington River in Thunderbolt, Ga.

Growing up, Parsons lived 90 miles from the coast. But he always enjoyed the water, he said, and was drawn to it enough to buy himself that boat.

The appeal was also enough for him to leave his golf job and get his captain’s license for a new career with a water tour company. Next, he was assistant dockmaster at Bull River Marina in Savannah for seven years.

During this time, Parsons thought he wanted to start or buy a marina, but he realized that although he loved marinas, he preferred to work in one. When the dockmaster position opened at Thunderbolt Marine five years ago, Parsons found his perfect fairway.

Parsons manages the marina, which can accommodate vessels up to 200 feet. The yard can lift 160 tons and 1,150 tons. And it will get new floating concrete docks after dredging beneath is complete.

“We have long-term dockage, but transients are the focus of the marina,” Parsons said. “This is such a pretty part of town; people really enjoy the surroundings.”

When heading north on the Atlantic, yachts can enter the marina through the Wassau Sound, then head north to the Wilmington River. There is no overhead height restriction and megayachts often use this path. Take it several miles north when it becomes the ICW and turn south. There are no signs, but the marina is easy to find, Parsons said.

Thunderbolt can also be reached through the Savannah River entrance and down the ICW, but there is a 65-foot overhead height restriction. There is a mean river depth at low water of 12 feet (3.7m) and the basin in the yard is dredged to 14 feet (4.3m).

On the ICW at statute mile 583 there is no issue getting into the marina if you are in the channel. Outside the channel there can be shoaling.

“We’re known for our hospitality, so we get to see the same people year after year,” Parsons said. Hospitality arrives each morning via Krispy Kreme doughnuts and a newspaper delivered

to transient yachts, same as they have for the past 40 years.

Lots of things don’t change much around Thunderbolt. Even though Parsons has a sensible 17-foot Boston Whaler that he uses with his wife and two young boys, he still has – although motorless – that 19-foot boat.

Dorie Cox is a staff reporter with The Triton. Comments on this story are welcome at dorie@the-triton.com.

Parsons lands one on the green with Thunderbolt Marina post

Hal Parsons left a golfing career to play with boats. He’s been dockmaster at Thunderbolt Marine in Savannah for five years.

PhOTO COURTESY OF hAL PARSONS

ON ThE DOCKS: Thunderbolt Marine

B� May 2009 www.the-triton.com The Triton

Canada-based software manufacturer Northport Systems has added Hilton’s Realtime-Navigator support to its online Fugawi X-Traverse collection for use with Fugawi navigation software, Apple iPhone and MacENC for Apple OS X.

Realtime-Navigator provides boaters with the latest sea surface temperature, altimetry, water color and surface currents, allowing anglers to target desired fish species. X-Traverse’s support allows users to see their GPS position on maps using iNavX software for iPhone or computer.

Users can now download up-to-date maps directly from the Internet to their navigation software. In addition, the X-Traverse data plan allows users to plot waypoints and save tracks and transfer them to the iPhone, or vice versa.

“This is a game-changer,” said Thomas Hilton, president of Hilton’s Fishing Charts. “Our partnership provides offshore anglers unparalleled abilities to use high-resolution water condition imagery to navigate to the most productive fishing grounds.”

Hilton’s maps are expected to be live in the X-Traverse system this month.

Northport Systems also announced that its X-Traverse online map collection for the Apple iPhone now supports Navionics charts. Navionics charts are downloaded directly into

iNavX software through the iPhone’s Internet connectionand saved locally on the phone for use when outside of cell phone or wi-fi Internet coverage.

For more information, visit www.fugawi.com or www.x-traverse.com.

New system links phone, InternetGlobal Satellite USA has launched

MCG-101, an Iridium communications system that allows for Iridium satellite phones to operate as a telephone, Internet gateway, GPS device, and send/receive SMS and attach to other devices.

“Global Satellite has developed a single channel Iridium PBX that operates anywhere in the world as a telephone, Internet portal, GPS and SMS device all in one package,” said Martin Fierstone, CEO and president of Global Satellite USA.

The MCG-101 weighs 4 pounds and measures 2 inches high by 8 inches wide by 8 inches deep. For more details, visit www.globalsatellite.us. 3D sees farther

FarSounder has introduced 3D Forward Looking Sonar technology with the FS-3ER Extended Range, with a range of 800-1,000 meters with an operational speed of up to 25 knots.

“FarSounder has always planned to develop a product suitable for larger

and more commercial vessels,” said Ian Bowles, the company’s vice president of sales and marketing. “While breaking the one nautical mile barrier is still the challenge, we know that many operators will now see the FS-3ER as a realistic navigation tool for their vessels.”

The FS-3ER will be available with network capability. It has previously been used on commercial and private ships for obstacle avoidance and shallow water navigation,

FarSounder FS-3 sonars with patented technology, are capable of generating a complete three-dimensional image of the sea floor and in-water objects at navigationally significant ranges with a single ping.

For more information, visit www.farsounder.com.

Natural product fights moldNational Marine Suppliers now

carries Kanberra Gel, a natural product that protects against mold and mildew in onboard air handling systems.

The gel uses a patent-pending formula containing pharmaceutical-grade Australian Tea Tree oil with antiseptic and antifungal properties. Kanberra Gel is packaged in sealed, drip-free plastic containers that are placed in a yacht’s air handling units.

The vapor also penetrates porous

materials such as fabric, wood and plastic, and provides protection. The vapor will not harm fabric, carpeting or furnishings, and it is safe around children and pets.

For more information, e-mail nathalie@nationalmarine.com or visit www.nationalmarine.com.

KVh offers free airtimeAt the Palm Beach Boat Show in

March, KVH Industries launched a promotion that offers a $1,000 airtime credit to customers who purchase a new TracPhone 252 satellite communications system by June 30 and activate Inmarsat mini-M service using Inmarsat Airtime by KVH.

“We’re excited to offer this promotion as the spring boating season gets under way,” said Jim George, KVH’s director of sales for satellite products. “The TracPhone 252 and mini-M satellite communications service are the perfect telephone and fax solution for the boater on a budget, because they offer connections to shore that are important for safety and other operations at a very reasonable cost and on a near-global basis.”

The TracPhone 252 allows the user to connect telephone/PABX systems, fax machines, and computers.

For more information, visit www.kvh.com.

Partnership helps anglers find best fishing holes on iPhonesTEChNOLOGY BRIEFS

The Triton www.the-triton.com May 2009 B�

Today’s fuel prices One year agoPrices for low-sulfur gasoil expressed in US$ per cubic meter (1,000 liters) as of April 15.

Region Duty-free*/dutypaidU.S.EastCoast

Ft.Lauderdale 434/465Savannah,Ga. 419/NANewport,R.I. 506/NA

CaribbeanSt.Thomas,USVI 541/NASt.Maarten 563/NAAntigua 539/NAValparaiso 650/NA

NorthAtlanticBermuda(IrelandIsland) 627/NACapeVerde 508/NAAzores 466/NACanaryIslands 438/640

MediterraneanGibraltar 433/NABarcelona,Spain 490/1,159PalmadeMallorca,Spain NA/1,137Antibes,France 523/1,309SanRemo,Italy 612/1,411Naples,Italy 577/1,385Venice,Italy 584/1,364Corfu,Greece 543/1,256Piraeus,Greece 526/1,239Istanbul,Turkey 489/NAMalta 436/NABizerte,Tunisia 591/NATunis,Tunisia 587/NA

OceaniaAuckland,NewZealand 493/NASydney,Australia 517/NAFiji 559/NA

*When available according to local customs.

Prices for low-sulfur gasoil expressed in US$ per cubic meter (1,000 liters) as of April 15. 2008

Region Duty-free*/dutypaidU.S.EastCoast

Ft.Lauderdale 949/1,011Savannah,Ga. 976/NANewport,R.I. 1,050/NA

CaribbeanSt.Thomas,USVI 1,085/NASt.Maarten 1,046/NAAntigua 1,013/NA

NorthAtlanticBermuda(IrelandIsland) 981/NACapeVerde 882/NAAzores 925/NACanaryIslands 908/1,098

MediterraneanGibraltar 939/NABarcelona,Spain 894/1,742PalmadeMallorca,Spain NA/1,854Antibes,France 1,036/2,095SanRemo,Italy 1,129/2,182Naples,Italy 1,089/2,066Venice,Italy 1,114/2,134Corfu,Greece 1,143/1,938Piraeus,Greece 1,121/1,814Istanbul,Turkey 980/NAMalta 944/1,114Bizerte,Tunisia 907/NATunis,Tunisia 895/NA

OceaniaAuckland,NewZealand 997/NASydney,Australia 967/NAFiji 1,077/NA

*When available according to customs.

be answered with a simple yes or no. They are purely subjective and certainly depend on many factors, including personal experience, ethics, and level of risk, but are definitely food for thought.

Taking the human factor out of the equation, what are the legal ramifications and when is it allowable to use deadly force? Those of us living in the United States may think we know the answer to this one, but what about in the many countries that we frequent?

Consider this: A homeowner in the United States hears a noise at his front door and goes to investigate. He finds a would-be intruder trying to break in and yelling that he is going to kill the homeowner. The homeowner gets his gun and kills the would-be intruder. Self-defense, right? No.

The homeowner is tried for manslaughter, because he did not exercise all other options before resorting to deadly force. The court said he could have gotten away from the intruder by going out the back door. That same scenario can be played out on any yacht.

Let’s look at this subject from a matter of convenience. Every country you visit on a yacht will be less tolerant of guns than the United States. All will require you to declare them on entry and some will require you to turn them over to the authorities while you are in the country, such as the Dominican Republic.

Others, such as the Bahamas, will require you to account for every round of ammunition. In the worst case scenario, some countries in the Leeward Islands require you to clear in and out of customs at each port of call. That means you are constantly turning in and picking up your guns. That’s not very convenient, especially on a busy charter schedule.

A few countries allow you to keep a gun on board if you have a secure gun locker that customs can seal with tape. However, in our research, we never found anyone who could define “secure gun locker.”

Of course, one could lie on the customs form and not declare your gun. Congratulations, you fooled them, but now you have an illegal firearm in a country whose gun laws you do not know. Even if you were in a situation where you had a legal right to use the gun, did you just forfeit that right by smuggling the gun into the country?

Back in the United States, laws differ

based upon federal, state, county, or parish, and even municipality. There is extensive information available on the Internet. Perhaps the best source available is the National Rifle Association (ww.nra.org). The legal department of this not-for-profit consumer advocate group has exhaustively researched each state and the reciprocity laws for the carriage of firearms.

For example, residents of Florida who possess a license to carry a firearm have reciprocal rights to carry that firearm, without need for a new license, in Georgia. You’re enjoying a nice stay in Savannah and decide to sail for Charleston, which is in South Carolina. You have now just illegally trafficked a firearm into that state.

For international travel, the best sources for information are the consulates of the nations you intend to visit on your voyage. Request from them verifiable information on firearms laws for cruising yachts. Do not rely solely on the information

reported in cruising guides. It can be outdated, wrong, or dangerously misleading.

What about a non-lethal weapon, such as a police nightstick or pepper spray? The highest

recommendation from all security experts emphasizes training, training, and more training. These are not toys. The mere presence of such an item may have the opposite effect of deterrence and require its immediate use. Pepper spray may be a better option, but this is also considered a weapon in some places. If not used properly, imagine being in the salon on your yacht when pepper spray is released.

If you decide to carry weapons, do your research. Check with your flag administration, the ports you plan to visit, your insurance company, and definitely the owner.

Capt. Jake DesVergers is chief surveyor for International Yacht Bureau (IYB), an organization that provides inspection services to private and commercial yachts on behalf of several flag administrations, including the Marshall Islands. A deck officer graduate of the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy at Kings Point, he previously sailed as master on merchant ships, acted as designated person for a shipping company, and served as regional manager for an international classification society. Contact him at +1-954-596-2728 or www.yachtbureau.org. Comments on this column are welcome at editorial@the-triton.com.

RULES, from page B1

FROM ThE TECh FRONT: Rules of the Road

Every country will be less tolerant of guns than the United States is

For international travel, the best sources for information are consulates of nations you intend to visit.

B� May 2009 www.the-triton.com The Triton

Explorer program, which Maptech repackaged. There are changes for Coastal Explorer for 2009 and, as of this writing, this version is not available from Maptech.

One word to sum up Coastal Explorer would be automatic. The new version offers automatic chart updates via the Internet and automatic chart installation. Just drop the disk in and off you go.

Support has grown, too. In addition to running the S-57 vector and BSB raster charts, Coastal Explorer is compatible with the international S-63 ENC charts.

True global coverage is now available for mariners looking to explore the farthest reaches of the planet.

In another nod to automation, Coastal Explorer has a unique feature called chart collection and management. Ever wonder where all those charts have gone that you loaded over the years? This program will scan your computer’s hard drive and tell you the charts you have loaded and how old they are.

Not sure if you should use raster or vector? If you have both types loaded, just select the vector+raster option and Coastal Explorer will automatically display the best scale of either. It will even quilt your vector, raster and photo charts seamlessly to give you a single quilted chart.

Since weather is an ever-present

concern for the mariner, no program would be complete without weather support, so it offers local text weather and GRIB file support.

Coastal Explorer includes more than 1,600 charts for all U.S. coastal waters including Alaska, Hawaii, Puerto Rico and nearly all the major U.S. waterways.

Suggested retail price $399 and the Web site is www.rosepointnav.com.

Visual Navigation Suite by Jeppesen Marine was a big departure for the company in that it was the first version to support its C-Map MaxPro charts.

A year old, the program has had updates for more features and functionality.

VNS will run the MaxPro charts and BSB charts from several sources including NOAA, NDI, CHS, and Softchart.

With the changes came a change to updating.

In prior versions, users were resigned to a one-time update or purchasing a “subscription update” for four chart updates with the release of each new world folio.

VNS MaxPro users will now be able to update their charts in real-time anytime. You provide the Internet connection and Jeppesen does the rest. As an added bonus, updates are free for the first year.

Introduced with an earlier version of VNS, the Plus Packs continue. The three modules are weather, sailing, and

Sailcruiser software showing Nassau using C-Map Max charts.

NAVIGATION, from page B1

Not sure if you should use raster or vector? If you have both types loaded, just select the vector+raster option and Coastal Explorer will automatically display the best scale of either.

Weather support too important to be omitted from any system

See NAVIGATION, page B7

FROM ThE TECh FRONT: Electronic charts

The Triton www.the-triton.com May 2009 B�

bathy recorder. The base program will support

GRIB files. The Weather Plus Pack adds support for XM, Sirius and OCENS Weathernet. The Sailing Plus Pack allows the software to use Polar and instrument data from B&G, Ockam or NMEA data to create a recommendation for the best route.

The Bathy recorder, for divers and fisherman, ties into the sounder/depth finder and creates a topographic seafloor image. The more trips over an area, the better the image gets.

As with many programs in this range, VNS will support GPS connectivity, AIS, autopilot, and single radar.

If you make an error, it has an “undo” feature to clean up.

Tides and currents are included with the program for North and Central America.

Suggested retail price $490; visit www.nobeltec.com.

As of press time MaxSea Time Zero was ready to be released, and a good thing for those waiting for this much-anticipated program. To describe this as a version update to MaxSea Navigator would be an understatement. This release is a totally new program.

The chart support is in the form of Mapmedia .mm3D charts.

These charts are available in vector and raster with new regions becoming available.

For the wow factor, Time Zero MaxSea has found a way, in 3D mode, to seamlessly blend chart, topographic and bathymetric data into one cohesive display.

Redraw time for the charts is effortless and is enhanced with the patented Photofusion process. With Photofusion, Time Zero “intelligently” blends satellite photos, nautical chart data and 3D data putting the user “in the chart” to provide them with complete situational awareness.

In the Photofusion mode, land areas are opaque to lend detail to buildings, harbors, rocks, coasts and hazards. As the user scrolls into deeper ocean, the photo becomes more transparent, allowing the chart data to filter through.

Once offshore, the satellite imagery becomes transparent, displaying only the chart data.

With this the user can differentiate between water hazards such as reefs, sandbars and rocks, and the deeper safe water, greatly increasing planning and routing capabilities.

Time Zero did not forget its roots. MaxSea has been known for powerful weather forecasting capabilities and builds on MaxSea’s free weather

forecasts available 24/7. Time Zero users can now “draw”

their area of coverage right on the chart and select their transmission method, via Internet or e-mail.

Once received, the weather data is displayed on the chart.

To upgrade, three modules are offered: Routing, AIS and NavNet 3D. Routing is a combination of the previously offered performance and weather routing, while AIS represents

the previous Mobiles module. The NavNet 3D upgrade will facilitate integration with Furuno NavNet 3D units.

As of this writing, pricing was expected to be $650. Check www.maxsea.com.

This is by no means a complete list of programs available. Current users might want to consider upgrading and for those getting started there are many

articles as well as books. For example, “Get Onboard With E-Charting” by Mark and Diana Doyle offers comprehensive coverage.

Everyone seems to want to know what the best program is.

It depends on factors unique to the user, so when looking, do your homework, ask questions, consider the charts that are supported for where you will go and, where possible, try them out.

There is no substitute for hands-on experience.

Justin Mann runs the electronic navigation department at Bluewater Books & Charts in Ft. Lauderdale. Contact him at jamann@bluewaterweb.com. Comments on this story are welcome at editorial@the-triton.com.

Current users might want to consider upgrading and for those getting started there are many articles as well as books. For example, “Get Onboard With E-Charting” by Mark and Diana Doyle offers comprehensive coverage.

NAVIGATION, from page B6

If at all possible, try a system before you buy itFROM ThE TECh FRONT: Electronic charts

B� May 2009 www.the-triton.com The Triton

By Patrick Deroose

Being part of a medical assistance company for more than 30 years, especially one that manages an evacuation every 33 minutes, has taught me three lessons in life: l Put the patient’s needs first.l Follow procedures and protocols

(and, from time to time, know when to deviate from them). l Always plan for the unexpected.By following these rules, I sleep

soundly at night. As yacht captains and crew venture

the high seas, this question surely has come to mind: What would I do if someone had a heart attack while sailing in the Caribbean?

So that you can sleep soundly, too, I encourage yacht crew to develop a risk management plan, test it and gain a true understanding of the resources available in the middle of the ocean.

Within the plan, insert a solution that will address preventative and emergency medical needs. One way to easily fulfill this is to select a medical assistance provider that knows how to carry out a medical evacuation mission,

if necessary, and agrees to help develop a logical plan of action before and during a crisis.

But with that, understand that placing a call to an assistance company or any other reputable provider will not deliver an aircraft in 30 minutes or less like a pizza.

Coordinating a medical air evacuation, when done correctly, is a sophisticated, well-orchestrated operation. While it’s medically driven, it must also align with all the logistical and administrative needs, such as visa issues, and it’s often done in an emotionally charged environment.

When a medical crisis happens, emotions from the patient, family and others naturally erupt. An assistance company knows how to manage these emotions and help make rational, next-step decisions.

A captain called us when a guest woke up paralyzed on one side of his body. All of the guests and even some crew demanded a helicopter come immediately, thinking that would solve the issue. After our medical team spoke with the patient and discussed options with the captain, it became clear that some first-aid treatment was really what the patient needed, not a plane.

Here are best practices around working with a medical assistance company.l Use an assistance company before

departure. Pre-travel advice is usually part of the package and can mitigate risks at sea.

For example, I worked with an astute captain who sailed from San Diego into the Pacific. We gave him pre-travel advice based on his destinations and pre-existing conditions of his guests and crew.

We recommended specific items for the vessel’s medical kits, a realistic view of emergency resources based on his locations, a reminder to contact MedLink for a medical event, and much more. l Call before an issue escalates.

Do not wait until someone becomes critically ill. If someone has a bad cold and looks unhealthy, don’t wait until his temperature reaches 104 degrees and he has bilateral pneumonia. Call when symptoms arise.l Work closely with the assistance

provider to make critical decisions in an emergency or evacuation. As soon as we take a call, we look at each case from not only how to help in the short term, but the long-term.

At first we stabilize and “treat the treatables.” What can crew do to stabilize the patient? Who is first-aid trained?

Next, we work with the captain and patient to build a plan of action with the end in mind. Will she eventually have to get home? If so, what steps do we take to get her there safely? l Know that evacuations come in all

shapes and sizes. Many variables play into developing a medical evacuation to determine the best and most logical way to move a patient. We may recommend a port that may be a little farther but has the appropriate medical facility and is willing to accept the patient.

Or, someone may be in a remote location and we need to arrange a sea plane. If we have to choose an airport, we have to determine where, length of runway, light availability, operating hours, customs, immigration and quarantine issues, and other factors.

If an air ambulance is required, questions need to be answered, such as: Is the patient fit to fly? Who will medically manage the patient on board? Has a “welcoming” hospital been identified and notified, and if so what doctor will accept and give prior approval? Can the patient’s luggage fit on the airplane and can a loved one sit next to her?

These issues need to be decided beforehand to ensure the best possible outcome. l Understand the limitations.

Logistics amplify any type of medical evacuation. Such considerations range from the obvious (the need to transfer medical information) to the mundane (identifying if a patient has a yellow fever vaccine to enter a country). An assistance company can take care of all these details. The more sophisticated ones have offices or clinics around the world so they can tap into local intelligence.

Also worth noting are the financial obligations. A private jet or airline will not perform an evacuation without securing a guarantee of payment from a medical insurance or assistance company.

We think of the end result right from the start and ensure that everyone is aware of the various costs. We also work with insurance companies to help figure out the financial aspect for our members.

I am a firm believer in travel and have taken the path less traveled, going to some of the most remote parts of the world. But life has taught me to always plan ahead, as you never know if or when you may have a medical emergency.

With this outlook, I travel and sleep with peace of mind.

Patrick Deroose is group general manager of corporate assistance with International SOS Assistance, parent company of MedAire. MedAire is an aviation and maritime company that offers 24/7 MedLink telemedicine service, medical equipment and medical training for yachts, ships and aircraft around the world. For more information, visit medaire.com. Comments on this article are welcome at editorial@the-triton.com.

Why a medical evacuation cannot happen in 30 minutes or lessEMERGENCY PREPARATION

B10 May 2009 www.the-triton.com The Triton

Broker Peter Thompson with Ocean Independence has sold M/Y Casino Royale, the 50m Christensen. Capt. Greg Clark of M/Y Lohengrin has been hired as her skipper.

Stabbert Yacht & Ship Shipyard in Seattle sold the 308-foot ex-NOAA research ship Sahara to a European buyer. The vessel is undergoing a refit and conversion. The vessel will be exported from the United States.

“The advantages to foreign buyers in the current economy are enormous,” said Dan Stabbert, company CEO. “Market conditions present unique opportunities to buy seaworthy commercial vessels for conversion to exploration yachts, shadow boats, or for specialized missions such as oil research or security duties.”

For more information, visit www.stabbertmaritime.com.

Brokers Michael Mahan and Gavin Ferguson of International Yacht Collection have sold the 186-foot M/Y Bad Girl.

IYC added these yachts to its central listings: M/Y Carpe Diem, a 149-foot Trinity by Chany Sabates III and Thom Conboy; M/Y No Escape, a 150-foot Heesen by Conboy; a new construction to be delivered in summer; and a 125-

foot vessel being built by Northcoast Yachts of Tacoma, Wash., by Jim Eden.

For more, visit www.iyc.com.

Fraser Yachts has sold these boats:M/Y Surprise, a 115-foot (35m)

McMullen & Wing by Allan Jouning in Auckland and David Legrand in Monaco; M/Y Aviva, a 108-foot (33m) Monte Fino, by Patrick McConnell in San Diego; and M/Y Lady Pirate, a 70-foot (21m) Johnson by McConnell and Jose Arana Sr. in Mexico City.

The brokerage also announced the following new central agency listings:

M/Y Mystique, a 165-foot (50m) Oceanfast; M/Y Kanaloa, the 159-foot (48m) CRN; M/Y Aero Toy Store, a 147-foot (45m) Sterling; M/Y Sotaj, a 139-foot (42m) Abeking & Rasmussen; M/Y Monte Carlo, a 132-foot Amels; M/Y Tradition, a 122-foot (36m) De Vries Feadship; M/Y Mas Grande, a 121-foot (37m) Sovereign; M/Y Crystal Lady, a 114-foot (35m) Warren; M/Y Moon Goddess, a 114-foot (35m) vessel; M/Y Steadfast, a 112-foot (34m) Baratucci; M/Y Fabris, a 108-foot (33m) Mangusta; M/Y One More Toy, an 88-foot (27m) Pershing; M/Y Ellen Louise, an 82-foot (25m) Horizon; and M/Y Camilla II, a 79-foot (24m) CN.

Broker Michael Selter of Fraser’s San Diego office was elected to the board of

directors of the San Diego Superyacht Association. (SDSA).

Fraser has hired Jim Wallace as a sales broker in Ft. Lauderdale. Wallace started as a broker in 1980 with McMichael in Annapolis, but the bulk of his business quickly came in motoryachts. He moved to Palm Beach in 1993 and began working with Camper & Nicholsons in 1995, where he stayed until joining Fraser in March.

His son, Jamie Wallace, also joins Fraser as a junior sales broker in the Ft. Lauderdale office.

Northrop and Johnson broker Kevin Merrigan sold the 125-foot Delta expedition yacht M/Y Lara, part of the buy-one-get-one-free deal that includes M/Y Jo-Jo, a 60-foot Tempest.

Instead of including Jo-Jo, Merrigan accepted M/Y Princess Yolini, a 103-foot Broward, as a trade.

Jo-Jo will now be paired with Princess Yolini in the buy-one-get-one-free deal. For more details, e-mail kmerrigan@njyachts.com or call +1-954-522-3344.

Broker Gregg Child sold the 80-foot Offshore, Miss Penny.

The first Sunreef yacht launched in 2002, the 74-foot Che, has been put up for sale by its owner, who is buying the biggest Sunreef, a 114-foot vessel,

currently under construction. It is scheduled for launch early next year.

Che is available for purchase through Sunreef at maciej.stompor@sunreef-yachts.com. For more information, visit www.sunreef-yachts.com.

M/Y Zorro, an 82-foot Hatteras, sank at the dock of a private home in Ft. Lauderdale on March 23. Salvaged by TowBoatU.S. Ft. Lauderdale, the vessel suffered a fire and was partially submerged during attempts to extinguish the fire. The vessel was completing a million-dollar refit and was nearly ready for sea trial, according to a report from TowBoatU.S.

Vicem Yachts of Turkey will introduce the new line of Trumpy Yachts, starting with the Trumpy 63 flush deck motoryacht.

Designed from original Trumpy drawings, it will have modern yachts systems, equipment and accessories with a base price of $2.93 million. Construction and delivery will be overseen by Johan Trumpy, grandson of company founder John Trumpy.

Vicem also hired Bruce Livingston Jr., as production director for the company’s shipyards in Turkey. Livingston’s career spans more than

Megayachts sell, brokerage firms hire, new offices open

See BOATS/BROKERS, page B11

BOATS / BROKERS

The Triton www.the-triton.com May 2009 B11

three decades, including 14 years as general manager for Little Harbor Custom Yachts in Taiwan. In 1996, he was appointed director for Grand Banks Yachts’ operations in Malaysia.

The builder also recently selected Nauttia Yachts of Spain as exclusive dealer for the Iberian Peninsula.

For more, visit www.vicemusa.com.

Bruce Schattenburg, managing director and broker at The Sacks Group Yachting Professionals, has been named president of the Florida Yacht Brokers Association (FYBA). Schattenburg was FYBA vice president for 2007 and 2008 and has served as a member of the FYBA board for the past 11 years.

“This is a great honor and comes at what is a very challenging time for the yachting industry,” Schattenburg said. “One of my goals will be to reach out and work with other professional yachting organizations and government bodies to develop ways to meet the challenges posed by today’s difficult world economy.”

A native of Santa Cruz, Calif., Schattenburg sold his first boat in 1977, almost immediately after graduating from high school. He became the youngest broker for Fraser at age 23.

By 1985, he was Fraser’s top West Coast salesman. A year later, he transferred to Ft. Lauderdale. He ended a 19-year stint with Fraser in 1999 when he joined The Sacks Group.

Broker Curtis Stokes added two megayachts to the brokerage’s central listings: the 153-foot Feadship M/Y Paraiso (1983/2008) and Balkan 28, a 28m (91-foot) raised pilothouse motoryacht built by Cantieri Di Pisa.

Marcali Yacht Brokerage and Consulting has opened in Fort Myers on Florida’s southwest coast. The company is a full-service yacht brokerage for all vessel types. Marc Harris, a U.S. Coast Guard-licensed captain and owner, has more than 30 years experience in yacht management, construction and consulting.

For more information, visit www.marcaliyacht.com.

Ft. Lauderdale-based International Yacht Collection has opened an office in Dubai, UAE. The office will offer the entire range of yachting services: brokerage, charter management, yacht management, new construction, refit, retail charter and crew placement.

“This was a natural location for us to expand into,” said Brian Tansey, vice President of IYC. “As the yacht market continues to grow within the Middle East, we want to be supportive of this.”

Robert W. Livingston retired as Grand Banks Yachts’ chief executive officer on March 31. He will continue to serve as chairman of the board.

Livingston’s retirement comes after 35 years as CEO. He joined the company in 1972, when the builder was still known as American Marine Ltd.

“I am extremely proud of our team’s accomplishments during the many years I’ve had the privilege to lead this company,” Livingston said. “We’ve seen a remarkable evolution as Grand Banks has transformed from a modest builder of stalwart trawlers to one of the most highly regarded brands in the world.”

The board of directors has selected Livingston’s son, President Robert W. Livingston II, to assume the additional duties of CEO, effective April 1.

Schattenburg takes helm at FYBA, Livingston retiresBOATS/BROKERS, from page B10

BOATS / BROKERS

B1� May 2009 www.the-triton.com The Triton PERSONAL FINANCE: Yachting Capital

Diversification is always the key to obtaining investment success.

Real Estate Investment Trusts or REITs (as discussed last month) are not

to be confused with Tenants in Common or TICs.

REITs have many similarities to mutual funds. They do not typically require large amounts of money to invest in them and you own shares in

multiple managed properties.A TIC investment means you own

shares in a particular piece of real estate such as an office building or an apartment complex.

The biggest benefit to a TIC is that the investor can take advantage of 1031 exchanges. The 1031 exchange is used to defer tax liabilities when an investor sells a piece of property where capital gains taxes are required.

For those investors with a lot of time to defer taxes until retirement and who want to supplement their income, this is a viable option as part of an overall investment plan.

I have suggested this approach for some clients who are in a negative cash flow on an investment property. In other words, they subsidize the rental income they receive from their tenant to keep the property, which creates a loss every month.

People in these situations typically hope that the real estate market will go back up to what it was a couple of years ago. There are a lot of changes

in our economy and lending practices that will prevent us from regaining those real estate gains we recently lost, especially in Florida.

What do I mean by changes in lending practices? Think about how many yacht captains have gotten mortgages with “stated income” or “non-income verified loans” typically due to the fact that they change boats frequently. They have the money to afford the loan but they can’t prove its source based on tax returns.

With less access to loans and mortgages, there is less of a demand for houses, which in turn lowers sales prices. This creates a buyer’s market, which does little to increase the value of property.

Think outside the box for a moment and forget the emotional attachment that exists with an investment

property. With enough equity in a piece of property, how might an investor get something out of it in today’s market? Here’s a thought: By transfering that equity to a property, perhaps in Arizona, Louisiana or Georgia, where real estate is appreciating.

Several of my land-based clients have moved to Georgia and the Carolinas because it is cheaper to live and there are more job opportunities. This impacts supply and demand, pushing home values up.

If you are going to invest in real estate, understand that there are geographical shifts in population, and property values go up and down, just as they do in the stock market.

This is a big reason that many investors like TICs. With TICs, investors have the advantages of owning real estate but not the hassles. The biggest advantage is that they are professionally managed, meaning you don’t have to be there to fix backed-up toilets or collect the rent. This is a big selling point with crew who are often traveling, making it hard to be a landlord.

Also, with TICs, it is easier to diversify into multiple properties geographically, by industry, by lease terms, and by type of properties.

Another thought on diversifying. Let’s say you have $100,000 from the sale of a property and do not want to pay capital gains tax. Do a 1031 exchange and diversify $25,000 into four types of properties, such as a high rise in Phoenix, an apartment complex in New Orleans, an office in Austin and a medical complex in Atlanta.

You can expect returns from 6 percent to 8 percent a year, depending on the property.

Once the property is sold (typically in six to 8 years), the investor receives the rest of the money, as if you sold a rental.

At this point, you have the choice to use the 1031 exchange for the proceeds and start all over again, or you can pay the capital gains tax.

The real estate market should be looked at as an asset class. Blend this investment with other investments to meet certain financial objectives. As with any investment, do your homework and ask questions. Then ask more questions.

Information in this column is not intended to be specific advice for anyone. You should use the information to help you work with a professional regarding your specific financial objectives.

Capt. Mark A. Cline is a chartered senior financial planner and mortgage broker. He is a partner in Capital Marine Alliance in Ft. Lauderdale. Comments on this column are welcome at +1-954-764-2929 or through www.capitalmarinealliance.net.

Diversify out of the stock market with real estate investments

Yachting capital

MarK a. Cline

The Triton www.the-triton.com May 2009 B1�

Welcome aboard photo enthusiasts. Continuing from where I left off last month on researching a camera, I used dpreview.com to go through a list of

specifications, adding clarifications to each spec for the Lumix DMC-FX150 camera, manufactured by Panasonic.

Panasonic makes a fine camera, but I research it here as an example, not a

recommendation. We left off with pixel density and continue with:

Sensor type: CCDCCD means charge coupled device,

and you will also commonly find the CMOS (complementary metal oxide semiconductor) image sensors. Both have had their disadvantages to overcome. The CCD chip was power hungry, made for a larger end product, and was more expensive; the CMOS chip enabled a smaller product and was more power efficient, but its image taking was not as sharp. Both now work well today.

Sensor manufacturer: PanasonicI can’t speak for one manufactured

chip being better than another.ISO rating: Auto, Hi Auto (1600-

6400), 100, 200, 400, 800, 1600Reading this suggests this function

is always set automatically and there is no manual setting of the ISO. This function is the equivalent to film speed; the higher the number the “faster” the film and the more sensitive it is to light, making it more usable in low light.

This rating has many aspects related to it. You may think the more sensitive

the better, but higher ISO settings come with higher noise in your image. When it is normal-to-bright daylight and I’m not trying to capture a fast-moving Cigarette, I will have this camera set at ISO 100. When dusk falls, I’ll keep the camera set to 400 ISO. Then again, all the settings are available, and sometimes different settings can have interesting results, so play around.

If this specification is as it states to be – Auto, Hi Auto -- with no manual capacity to set an ISO, I would not be keen to buy this camera. This is one setting I wish to have control over.

Zoom wide (W:28mm)This is music to my ears knowing

this camera has a true wide angle, which begins with 28mm and can be lower. You all know how tight the quarters are onboard ship, so a wide angle can often come in handy.

I haven’t noticed as often lately the added words “35mm equivalent” when talking about the widest focal length, but you may still find it expressed as “W:37mm (35mm equivalent)” or, in other words, it is not a wide-angle lens.

I strongly recommend you buy a camera able to take wide-angle shots. (Going too wide – that is, lower than 24mm – can get you into some serious distortions, but I’m not familiar with a pocket camera with that wide of a lens).

Zoom tele (T): 100 mm (3.6 x)That 3.6 times 28 gets you 100mm,

which is the optical (real) zoom range of the lens. The 28mm wide angle is terrific for mariners in tight places, but the 100mm is lame in open spaces.

Unfortunately, it is always difficult to get the best of both worlds. Lenses with greater zoom ranges are heavier (with more parts to malfunction), more expensive, and may not maintain a great level of quality results throughout

the zoom range. There are pocket cameras with

longer zoom ranges. As a mariner, I would look for a 5x, or a 28-140mm or better. The only other solution in getting some distant shots is moving the boat closer.

Digital zoom: Yes, 4 xI ignore this spec. It lets your camera

zoom in closer through electronic enhancement, not true optical magnification. The results are heavily pixilated and poor. I never use it.

Image stabilization: Yes, LensThis, on the other hand, is useful.

Image stabilization (IS) can range from two to five stops of light. It would take a lot of digging to learn exactly how much IS a particular camera may offer, but closer to two stops is more likely for a pocket camera.

Recall above when discussing ISO settings, I mentioned in daylight I stay with 100 ISO and in evening I switch to 400 ISO. This equals two stops, and with IS keeping my image steady the equivalent of two stops, I am more likely able to stay with 100 ISO, even when dusk falls, and still get a sharp photograph.

I guess they mention lens in specifying image stabilization for emphasis. I am not familiar with IS in camera bodies, even at a professional level. It is always engineered in the lens.

There are still more camera specifications to cover, so I’ll see you on board with the next issue. In the meantime, I ask for permission to come ashore.

James Schot has been a professional photographer for 30 years and owns James Schot Gallery and Photo Studio. Comments on this column are welcome at james@bestschot.com.

PhOTOGRAPhY: Photo Exposé

Getting into the pixels, stops of camera specs

photo exposé

James schot

Spring brings Southern Cross, high Big DipperBy Jack Horkheimer

Every year during May, the fabled Southern Cross and the star closest to our Earth other than the Sun are visible for a brief time after sunset.

One hour after sunset in the southern parts of the northern hemisphere, face south and see four stars. Draw lines between them to make the Crux Australis, the Southern Cross.

To its left and close to the horizon you’ll see two bright stars, Beta Centauri and Alpha Centauri. To see them really well, wait until the Southern Cross sets and Beta and Alpha Centauri replace it due south.

The star closest to the Cross is Beta Centauri, a blue-white double star, each about eight times the size of our Sun.

Its companion, Alpha Centauri, is the real winner. In addition to being the fourth brightest star we can see with the naked eye, it is also the closest star

to Earth other than our Sun. Still, that’s very far away. Our Sun is 93 million miles away; Alpha Centauri is 26 trillion miles away.

Or think of it this way: It takes 8 1/3 minutes for light to reach us from the Sun but it takes 4 1/3 years for light to reach us from Alpha Centauri, which is actually three stars that look like one because they are so far away.

Back to the Cross. If you look closely you will see that in addition to its four stars there is a fifth, not-quite-so-bright star just off center, which bothered American author Mark Twain so much that he threatened to write his congressman and urge that it be moved to the center.

The last weekend in May will be perfect for star gazing because of a new Moon, which means no Moon glow so stars will really stand out.

At about an hour after sunset, face north and you will see the seven stars

of the Big Dipper. Every spring, the Dipper reaches its highest positions above the North Star. In early spring it is to its right (east), and in late spring it is to its left (west).

Once you find the Big Dipper, draw a line through the three handle stars, extend that arc and land on the third brightest star in the heavens, Arcturus, which is 26 times as wide as our Sun.

Next, continue that arc and you’ll speed right on to Spica, the brightest star of Virgo, the virgin. Although it is only a third the size of Arcturus, it is still eight times the size of our Sun.

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.

B1� May 2009 www.the-triton.com The Triton

By Capt. Grant Maughan

The M/Y Turmoil spent five weeks this spring in the Solomon Islands and Papua New Guinea. We cleared into the Sollies at the capital, Honiara, after the long haul down from Hawaii. Our local agent was Gerald Stenzel from Tradco (tradco@solomon.com.sb).

Clearance was straightforward, though we did notice that most officials down this way ask for lunch when they come onboard.

The heat and humidity was pretty intense the first few days after the more temperate climes in Hawaii. Being the end of the rainy season it was usual to get a good dosing in the afternoons as the big black cumulus piled up on the horizon and marched over the coast. Malaria is fairly prevalent in the Sollies and we took Malarone tablets as a precaution.

We anchored off the Point Cruz yacht club and were pleasantly stoked to find some good cold Aussie beer available there to be enjoyed under the rustic, open facade of the local drinking

hole.Our focus for this area was World

War II history, cultural exchange, diving and other associated water sports.

Honiara is situated on Guadalcanal, which had a violent and bloody interlude during WWII when the U.S. Marines landed in their first amphibious offensive since 1898 to secure Henderson Airfield from the Japanese and start their long, painful push to Japan to regain the Pacific theater.

There are many interesting war sites around the area including Bloody Ridge, Beach Red, Alligator Creek, Mt. Austen and an austere open-air war museum in the jungle where forlorn fighter plane wrecks are watched over by remnants of Japanese artillery pieces and the shredded detritus of war.

At Boneki beach you can wade off the sand to dive or snorkel on a Japanese transport ship that was bombed whilst unloading supplies for the besieged Japanese garrison near

See SOLOMONS, page B15

Finding history and beauty on the islands in the Pacific

CRUISING GROUNDS: Solomon Islands, Papua New Guinea

Stew Roxy Ellis on anchor watch. PhOTOS/CAPT. GRANT MAUGhAN

The Triton www.the-triton.com May 2009 B1�CRUISING GROUNDS: Solomon Islands, Papua New Guinea

Tassafaronga.Before the low black clouds roll in

by mid-afternoon, you can see on the horizon the infamous island of Savo guarding over Iron Bottom Sound and its multitude of lost warships and sailors at rest in the inky depths.

The Ngella (Florida) islands are also just a short hop from Honiara where the old capital of Tulaghi bakes under a tropical sun. The northern group of islets in this archipelago has a gorgeous anchorage off Mangalonga Island. Drift snorkeling in the passage as the tide changes was well worth the effort. There are also some nice waves to be had off the two points.

Heading north to the New Georgia group is the wide turquoise expanse of the Morovo Lagoon that has some world-class diving, local villages full of smiling locals and hordes of kids in dugout canoes.

Getting into the lagoon is restricted to only a few passes and because of the lack of hydro info, we maneuvered the Turmoil in by using forward-looking sonar and using our jet tender to scout ahead to take soundings. We have a Class B AIS transponder on this tender so it can be tracked on our chart plotter. (This proved invaluable one afternoon when a fierce electrical storm and torrential rain reduced visibility to arms length and we were able to guide the tender back to the mother ship from the AIS signal.)

When anchored off villages such as Mbili, Chaea and Tehlina, the locals paddled out in their dugouts to show their exquisite wood and stone carvings. We also brought a bunch of giveaway stuff for the locals such as clothing, soccer balls, school books, crayons, old car batteries and files to sharpen machetes.

Working our way farther north we took in many WWII sites around the Gizo area, including diving on sunken war planes and Japanese freighters,

and trekking through dense jungle to see remains of war tanks, large caliber shore guns and underground hospital tunnels.

We explored the old PT boat base at Rendova Island that the late U.S. President John F. Kennedy was stationed at, and we anchored off the small islet where he and his remaining crew swam to after being rammed by an enemy warship. On Ranonga Island, the last remaining local that rescued JFK and his crew stood to attention next to a U.S. flag at half staff and JFK’s picture as we made a welcome visit to his village.

As luck would have it, a cyclone churning off the east coast of Australia sent some swell up to the Gizo area and the Turmoil surf crew got down to some tasty surfing. The coral reef was shallow and claimed some broken fins and a few abrasions but elicited hoots all round.

We found many surf spots in the Sollies and crowds were nil. With 30 C (86 F) water, it was like surfing in a hot tub. The sun is relentless and requires bucket loads of sunscreen and a wide-brimmed hat – even when surfing – to ward off a good scorching.

Late one afternoon I nosed the Turmoil into the Diamond Narrows south of Noro and we enjoyed a downstream sled ride past villages and

See SOLOMONS, page B16

Bosun Anders Spangberg with his “posse” of dolphins.

Capt. Grant Maughan surfing at Gizo. PhOTO COURTESY OF CAPT. GRANT MAUGhAN

Rendova Island is the home of John Kennedy’s PT boat baseSOLOMONS, from page B14

B1� May 2009 www.the-triton.com The Triton

overhanging jungle only a few feet off either side. The narrows flood into the Vona Vona Lagoon near Munda and, after anchoring behind one of the many palm tree-encrusted islands, the tender was launched for a run to Lola retreat, which is a laid-back little establishment with half a dozen bungalows and chill out written all over it. The bar looks over the lagoon and cold beers follow the sun down as dreamy-eyed travelers have their toes tickled by lapping waves.

Nearby is the evocatively named Skull Island. Bleached skulls of past warriors and head-men sit atop a monument of collected enemy heads, attesting to a dubious past in the Solomons of head-hunting and cannibalism.

As we pushed farther north off the east coast of Bougainville Island, we anchored off gorgeous little islets with plumage of palm trees surrounded by rings of white sand and turquoise water. They looked like they had been air-brushed onto a postcard from someone’s imagination.

Early one morning, the black belching of Tavurvur volcano draped the horizon in a somber shroud as we entered the bay bound for Rabaul, Papua New Guinea. The black ash of the volcano carpeted the Turmoil, much to the chagrin of the deckies, but proved fairly easy to remove with fire hoses blasting.

Rabaul was buried by the same outfall years ago and walking around

the town is like some surreal trek in a post-apocalyptic movie. Buildings are still half buried under black mud and the local hotel gives you a shovel and broom when you check in just in case you need it to get out of the door.

This was a Japanese stronghold during WWII and bombers flew out of here to give the U.S. Marines and Navy grief in the Solomons.

We used Inchcape Shipping as our agent in PNG (Joe Aufeke, joe.aufeke@iss-shipping.com.pg). They were friendly and organized and nothing was a problem.

We overnighted to Kimbe Bay and anchored off the resort at Walindi. The diving in Kimbe Bay is spectacular and is what draws travelers to these parts. Walindi has its own dive center and boats and can organize day trips, multi-dives, shore excursions, and more.

The giant moths and beetles were frequent visitors to the Turmoil and drew a lot of oohs and aahs.

Cruising these areas of the South Pacific is very satisfying. The people are friendly and giving; the geography above and below the water is staggering; the waves are great; and the beer is cold. That’s a gold star in my log book.

Capt. Grant Maughan is skipper of the M/Y Turmoil, which started 2009 in the Sea of Cortez then made west to Hawaii before heading through the Kiribati group to the Solomons. The vessel and her crew were headed to Fiji at press time. Comments on this story are welcome at editorial@the-triton.com.

SOLOMONS, from page B15

CRUISING GROUNDS: Solomon Islands, Papua New Guinea

M/Y Turmoil checking out the Tavurvur Volcano in Rabaul, Papua New Guinea. The ash carpeted the vessel but proved ‘fairly easy to remove’ with fire hoses. PhOTO/CAPT. GRANT MAUGhAN

Headhunting on Turmoil

The Triton www.the-triton.com May 2009 B1�CALENDAR OF EVENTS

May 4-8, 21st annual MYBA Charter Show, Porto Antico, Genoa, ItalyYachts 80 feet and larger, scores of charter and sales brokers from around

the world, and exhibiting companies. With a nod to the worldwide economic slowdown, the MYBA Boat Show Committee has lowered the stand fees this year to encourage vender participation. www.mybashow.com

The trade-only show is open to charter agents, charter brokers, exhibitors and press only. PhOTO/LUCY REED

EVENT OF ThE MONTh

May 3 SunTrust Sunday Jazz Brunch (first Sunday of every month) at Riverwalk from 11 to 2, Ft. Lauderdale. Free. www.fortlauderdale.gov

May 5-10 18th annual St. Lucia Jazz Festival. Pigeon Island National Landmark and the Mindoo Phillip Park, St. Lucia. www.stluciajazz.org.

May 6 World Royal Superyacht & Luxury Congress and May 5-8 World Royal Superyacht & Luxury Show in Tarragona, Spain. A branding and marketing event featuring executives from Trinity Yachts, Shadow Marine and Bentley Motors. www.worldroyalcongress.com.

May 6 Networking Triton style (the first Wednesday of every month), 6-8 p.m., with Lauderdale Marine Center in Ft. Lauderdale, 2001 S.W. 20th Ave. This is the largest marine repair facility in the country. Read more on page C3.

May 7 The Triton Bridge luncheon. This is our monthly captains’ roundtable where we discuss the issues and trends of the industry. Yacht captains only, please. If you make your living running someone else’s yacht, contact Editor Lucy Reed at lucy@the-triton.com or 954-525-0029 for an invite. Space is limited.

May 11-14 American Superyacht Forum, Seattle. Hosted and organized

by The Yacht Report, this is the U.S. version of the popular event formerly known as Project in Amsterdam each fall. Attendance is limited to 250 delegates; cost is $1,150. Includes tours of Boeing and Delta Marine facilities, ends with a yacht regatta. www.synfo.com/asf

May 13-24 62nd Cannes Film Festival, France. The opening ceremony film is UP, the new animation from the Disney Pixar studios, produced under John Lasseter’s supervision, a world premiere in Disney Digital 3-D. Join 35,000 film professionals and 4,000 international journalists for the world’s biggest film event. www.festival-cannes.com

May 15-17 Newport Spring Boat Show, Newport Yachting Center. 200 boats with 300 exhibits in the water, on land and under tents. From kayaks to express cruising yachts up to 65 feet - plus equipment, services and more. Ticket $5, children under 12 free. 401-846-1115, www.newportspringboatshow.com

May 19-20 Maritime Accident and Incident Investigator Course, U.S. Maritime Institute, Ft. Lauderdale. $1,095. www.usmaritimeinstitute.com

May 20 Networking Triton style, 6-8 p.m., with V-Kool at Cafe Bluefish in Ft. Lauderdale, 3134 N.E. Ninth St.,

See CALENDAR, page B18

Mid-May: Cannes Film Festival

B1� May 2009 www.the-triton.com The Triton CALENDAR OF EVENTS

near Sunrise Boulevard and A1A. Read more about V-Kool and its owner Scott Frishhertz on page C3.

May 21-24 21st Sanctuary Cove International Boat Show, Australia. The largest on-water display in the Asia-Pacific region with 350 exhibitors of luxury vessels, marine accessories and engines. www.sanctuarycoveboatshow.com.au

May 21-24 Monaco Grand Prix, Monaco, www.visitmonaco.com, and scroll under “events.” Hosted by Automobile Club de Monaco, for ticketing and more see www.acm.mc.

May 24-27 Marinas 2009, Queensland, Australia. This year’s theme is Marinas: Sustainability through Innovation. Topics include profit generation, economic impacts, environmental sustainability issues, innovation, cooperative ventures and best practice customer service. Field trips and networking opportunities included. www.marinas2009.com.

May 24-June 7 The French Open, Paris. One of the four grand slam tennis tournaments. Played on clay. www.fft.fr/rolandgarros.

June 3 Networking Triton style (the first Wednesday of every month), 6-8 p.m., with our sponsor and Triton.

June 4 The Triton Bridge luncheon. This is our monthly captains’ roundtable where we discuss the issues and trends of the industry. Yacht captains only, please. If you make your living running someone else’s yacht, contact Editor Lucy Reed at lucy@the-triton.com or 954-525-0029 for an invite. Space is limited.

June 6 annual Great Chowder Cook-off, Newport Yachting Center, Newport, Rhode Island. Features over 3000 gallons of chowder served up by some of the best restaurants and chefs as they compete for over $10,000 in prizes. For more call 401-846-1600 and www.newportfestivals.com

June 6 Take the Helm 8th Women’s Sailing Conference, sponsored by BoatU.S. and organized by the National Women’s Sailing Association, Corinthian Yacht Club, Marblehead, Mass. For women to introduce and/or enhance skills in recreational sailing. Workshops include hands-on charting, knots, diesel engine troubleshooting, suddenly being alone on the boat, sailing, racing, boat systems. Also

breakfast, lunch, dinner, raffles, and guest speaker. www.BoatUS.com/women or 781-631-2084.

June 7 Sunday Jazz Brunch (first Sunday of every month) along the New River in downtown Ft. Lauderdale from 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Free. www.fortlauderdale.gov

June 7-12 26th annual Treasure Cay Billfish Tournament, Treasure Cay, Abaco. www.treasurecayfishing.com. Sabine Kirchner, 954-525-7711 or email: info@treasurecay.com

June 8 World Ocean Day. Hundreds of communities around the globe will celebrate to learn about the world ocean, our connection to it and to raise awareness about the role of the ocean in our lives, and the ways people can protect it. The Ocean Project has over 830 partner aquariums, zoos, science museums and educational organizations in 70 countries to focus on conservation of the ocean. See events at www.WorldOceanDay.org

June 12-14 New York Yacht Club’s 155th annual regatta presented by Rolex, the longest-running regatta in America. Open to yachts 25 feet and larger. www.nyyc.org

June 15-21 The U.S. Open, Black Course at Bethpage State Park, Farmingdale, N.Y. One of golf ’s major tournaments. See info and interactive course online at www.usopen.com

June 18-21 AVP Pro Beach Volleyball Tour, Ocean City Beach, Maryland. Series features more than 150 of the top athletes in this sport. www.avp.com

June 26 Sunset Music Festival, Newport Yachting Center. First act in the summer-long series is Los Lobos ($30 and $20). www.newportfestivals.com

CALENDAR, from page B17MAKING PLANSJune 22USSA Captains briefing/receptionNewport Shipyard, Newport, R.I

The U.S. Superyacht Association hosts a captains briefing on the Northeastern United States. Captains and senior officers of large yachts are welcome to attend at no cost. It’s an opportunity to ask questions and hear updates from government officials. www.ussuperyacht.com

Monaco Grand Prix, French Open form a Mediterranean double play

The Triton www.the-triton.com May 2009 B19

Where have you and your Triton been lately? Send photos to lucy@the-triton.com. If we print yours, you get a T-shirt.

Triton Spotter

SPOTTED

Capt. John and Shannon Bruce, owners of Bahamas Yacht Management, were in Scotland in March visiting family, and they carried along a copy of The Triton to Princes Street below the Edinburgh Castle. Right where the working-class newspaper should be, eh? PhOTO/ShANNON BRUCE

The Triton loves to see yachties

digesting the news, even when they

have no teeth. Six-month-old

Sterling Roesch enjoyed his “stroll” around the Triton Expo last month,

mostly just flirting with the pretty girls. Not ready

for a job yet, mom Cleo Thompson

of Appearance Maintenance

Systems (AMS) also brought her cousin,

Graeme Lamonde of New Zealand, who

was looking for a mate’s post.

Sterling lives in Ft. Lauderdale with

mom and dad, Hadrian Roesch of

M/Y Starfire.PhOTO/CAPT. TOM SERIO

www.the-triton.com May 2009Section C

May networking

C3Will be twice as nice.

April networking

C2At Radio Holland and TMS

Superplums

C5

Age-old fruit packed with goodies.

Expo time

C6Get a sense of the energy that day in photos.

Workin’ it

C4Elbow grease best tool for a clean interior.

Several speakers at The Triton’s spring Expo in April offered valuable information for yacht crew, both novice and veteran. Beginning this month, we will reprint some of the presentations.

By Capt. Taylor Lawson

Yachting is truly a job and it requires hard work. Even though it seems glamorous, it is indeed work. Here are the 16 things all great crew know.

1. There are specific rules to yachting. The first is to refrain from intimacy with the owner and guests. Know that guest spaces are for guests, crew quarters are for crew. If you find yourself waking up in the master cabin, it could prove problematic.

2. Dayworking is often your interview. Quite often before hiring, two or three top candidates are invited to come and daywork at the same time. The one who is willing to do the hardest and dirtiest job without much hesitation and definitely without complaining is the one who will rise to the top and get the job.

If the captain takes you out for a drink at the end of the day, it does not mean that you can be hungover the next day. Consider it part of the interview.

Texting or talking on the phone during your work day is the quickest way to end your daywork.

3. Make resumes and CVs accurate in all areas. Lady Stephanie is different from Miss Stephanie. Azimuth is different than Azimut. Taylor Lawson is different that Tyler Larsen. Only make 100 percent truthful statements on your CV. One of my favorite untruths is the crew member

who thinks they are a non-smoker if they only smoke when they have a drink. This is misrepresentation and you will be discovered. Remember, when you work on a yacht, you don’t go home at night.

Do not overstate your skills. You will invariably be put in a situation where you need the skills you list on your resume and if you don’t have them, you will at the very least look bad and at worst, put yourself and others in danger.

4. This is a very small industry. If you have a vessel listed on your CV but do not use the captain as a reference, chances are good that your new

captain will call him/her first, and that reference will carry significant weight. Everyone makes mistakes. If you leave a boat on a bad note, it’s best to make amends, even if it takes several months to cool down. In the end, your new captain will be talking to the old captain at some point.

5. Understand the chain of command. The captain is the only person on the boat who works for the owner. Everyone else works for the captain and serves the owner. (Unless you’re married to the captain, in which case all rules are out the window.)

16 things great crew know

See EXPO, page C7

“1. There are specific rules to yachting. The first is to refrain from intimacy with the owner and guests. Know that guest spaces are for guests, crew quarters are for crew. If you find yourself waking up in the master cabin, it could prove problematic.”

– Capt. Taylor Lawson

No. 9 on the list. “Monotony is part of the business. Chamois the exterior. It rains. Chamois the exterior again. It has to be done; get used to it. ... Don’t get upset by it; just get fast at it.” PHOTO/LUCY REED (2007)

Nearly all Asian food has some Chinese influence in it. Centuries ago, the Chinese ruling classes looked at food as more than survival but more of

an art.Not much

has changed. Asian food can be considered not only healthy and easy on the wallet, but much more than survival food with myriad eclectic fusion foods that overlap.

If you are looking for ways

to trim your cost budget, have healthy meals onboard and give your crew and

Culinary Waves

Mary Beth Lawton Johnson

See WAVES, page C8

Add Asian flair to your cooking

By Lucy Chabot Reed

With our heads in heavy planning mode for our Triton Expo in mid-April, we could think of nothing but jobs and all the things that go with them: resumes, interviewing skills, networking techniques and, of course, career planning.

We had a couple of rousing discussions with captain friends about the yachting industry and the job-versus-career mentality of crew. So we decided to ask our readers about their jobs in yachting and whether they thought of them as a career.

We were a little surprised to learn that just more than half of the 244 captains and crew who responded to our survey considered yachting a career when they started. Less surprising was that a strong majority (almost 93

Survey: Is your job your career?

See CAREERS, page C10

C� May 2009 www.the-triton.com The Triton NETWORKING LAST MONTH: Radio Holland

M ore than 150 yacht captains, crew and industry professionals mingled

on the busy street corner at Radio Holland in Ft. Lauderdale in April. Our monthly networking events are free to attend and are designed to create casual environments where businesses and crew can mingle.Make plans to join us at one of two events in May. See details on the next page.

The Triton www.the-triton.com May 2009 C�NETWORKING THIS MONTH: Lauderdale Marine Center and V-Kool

The Triton’s first networking event this month on May 6 (the first Wednesday of May) is at Lauderdale Marine Center, the Ft. Lauderdale shipyard on the New River. Learn a bit about the yard from Dockmaster John Terrill, a former megayacht captain, and make plans to visit the repair yard at 2001 S.W. 20th St. from 6-8 p.m.

Q. OK, let’s start with LMC’s claim of being the largest yachting facility in the United States. How do you quantify that?

Lauderdale Marine Center recently completed an expansion that makes

it the largest yachting facility in the United States, yet we all know it’s not the size that matters but what you can do with it that counts. With more than 50 acres to play with, we can do a number of things and all at the same time – pure bliss.

We have a superyacht marina that can accommodate 48 yachts up to 175 feet with 13 covered wet slips. When it comes to hauling the yacht, we have three travel lifts with a maximum capacity of 300 tons. The space on the hard is virtually unlimited (some 18 acres) with 19 covered sheds. OK, you got me bragging again about size.

What this all means is customers get their needs met, now. This is especially true when a hurricane is bearing down. Where else can you find space in a hurricane hole when everyone else has the same idea? See, size does matter!

Q. Tell us what was added with the expansion.

When we expanded into what was formerly the Broward Yard, rather than renovate and try to make it work we tore everything down and started new.

This approach allowed us to install new covered wet and dry slips, new docks and shore power (240 single phase, 208/480 three phase), all of which meet the needs of today’s yachts.

What I am personally most proud of and continue to receive compliments from captains and owners is the cleanliness of LMC. Great care was taken in the building of LMC to ensure an environmentally friendly “green” marina and shipyard.

Our efforts have been recognized by the state of Florida in its Clean Marina/Clean Boatyard program. Brokers and owners have discovered the cleanliness

of LMC makes it the ideal setting for showing the yachts to buyers.

Q. What makes LMC different is that the yard doesn’t really do much. Captains find their own vendors, right?

At LMC, we rent slips in the marina and on the hard, haul the boat and wash the bottom. That’s it. We don’t paint the boat, pull the shafts, or work on the engine.

For that work the options are unlimited. We have on site more than 40 of the finest craftsman and marine service providers in the industry (we have room for a few more), or the captain can bring in any outside vendor – even other shipyards.

There is never a markup on outside

With summer approaching, one can’t help but think of long, sunny days. If you work on a yacht, however, those long, sunny days also mean really hot days, even inside where it’s air conditioned.

Triton advertiser V-Kool has a product that keeps the heat out and lets the light in. Read more about it from Scott Frishhertz, owner of V-Kool, which distributes the product in South Florida. Better yet, come meet him at our networking event on May 20, from 6-8 p.m., at Cafe Bluefish, 3134 N.E. Ninth St., near Sunruse Bouleveard and A1A.

Q. What is V-Kool? V-Kool is a clear window film that

rejects more heat than conventional window tint. V-Kool is manufactured by Southwall Technologies of Palo Alto, Calif. Southwall also has a version of V-Kool that is incorporated into glass during the manufacturing process.

Q. How is it different from regular window tint?

Window tint is dyed polyester; V-Kool does not contain dye. V-Kool is made of multiple layers of optically clear polyester sheets embedded with silver. The silver in the film is so fine it allows visible light to pass through while rejecting nearly all of the infrared rays.

Q. So is it better than tint?When tint is applied to glass, it

causes an increase in heat absorption, much like wearing dark clothing when in the sun. Heat absorption causes an increase in glass temperature. The heat in the glass radiates into the room.

V-Kool has an extremely low absorption rate and consequently, the glass doesn’t increase in temperature.

Also, tint decreases light transmission. With tint, the interior lights usually have to be turned on during dusk and dawn or even on a cloudy day. Because V-Kool is clear, it harvests the natural light from the sun while rejecting the heat.

Q. Did you invent this stuff?No. The core technology was the

result of a five-year, government-funded research project at M.I.T. (the Massachusetts Institute of Technology) in the late 1970s in response to the oil embargo. The initial product was a film that is incorporated between layers of glass. In 1996, the film was developed into an aftermarket product applied to the inside surface of glass.

Q. It’s clear how it might be beneficial in the wheelhouse. Do yachts use V-Kool in other parts of the yacht?

Yes. V-Kool is often used in the entire yacht, especially on windows that don’t have exterior overhangs such as a sky lounge. The film can be applied to any location that has excessive solar heat gain.

Q. And you do more than yachts right?

Yes. We also install V-Kool in homes, condos and commercial buildings. The main advantage in all these applications is the lack of change to the building’s or vessel’s appearance.

Mingle at the largest yachting facility in the United States

V-Kool has window product that keeps heat out, lets light in

Frishhertz

Terrill

See LMC, page C4

C� May 2009 www.the-triton.com The Triton

This month we’re going to learn various tips about detail cleaning the cabins and bathrooms on the boat. Some of these tips will also apply to

furnishings in other living areas of the boat, so feel free to apply them where appropriate.

Dusting: When you detail-clean a room, start with dusting all furnishings, including tabletops, counters, bookshelves,

artwork, etc. Run a dust cloth over upholstered furniture, headboards, and lampshades. Check window treatments and draperies. Vacuum if necessary.

A dry-cleaning sponge can be used to gently clean upholstered items. Don’t forget to check ceilings and overheads and the tops of doors and doorjambs. Also, when cleaning lamp bases, always stay on the safe side and use only a soap-and-water solution to clean them.

Electronics: Next move on to the electronics. Disinfectant wipes are great for killing germs and bacteria on telephones and remote controls. Squeeze out any excess liquid and then wipe the entire surface of the remote including the front, back, sides and buttons. To dissolve sticky patches and grim, use a cotton swab dipped in rubbing alcohol. Pinch off the excess moisture and run the tip around the tops of the buttons. Try not to use too much liquid on any electronic items and always dry carefully.

Liquids should not be used on iPods or iPod docks, since they can seep through the cracks and damage the machinery. To clean, unplug and wipe down the unit with a cloth lightly dampened with water and a mild soap solution. Dry carefully.

DVD players, VCRs, stereos and televisions should be wiped down with an electrostatic dust cloth, used either dry or lightly moistened with a mild dishwashing liquid and water solution. Abrasives and solvents such as rubbing alcohol and spray cleaners can damage the metal finish on electronics.

A can of compressed air can be used to clean CD and DVD trays and to clean

the vents on electronics. Holding the can at a 45-degree angle blows out the greatest amount of dust. Always read the instructions for proper use of this product.

Television screens should be wiped horizontally from top to bottom using an electrostatic cloth. To remove stubborn dirt, purchase a specialty screen wipe at an appliance or office-supply store and follow the package instructions. It is usually safe to use a little spray cleaner applied to a cloth to shine the metal parts of the casing of the set.

Artwork: Great care should be taken when cleaning artwork and frames. Dust paintings and sculptures with a clean, dry piece of muslin. Muslin is gentle and is not treated with chemicals or fabric softeners, so it won’t damage artwork. Purchase it at craft stores.

Frames can be dusted with a dry cloth or one lightly dampened with soap and water. Always dry carefully to avoid saturating wood.

If glass or Plexiglas protects a painting, use only ammonia-free cleaners or a mild soap-and-water solution to clean. Never spray anything directly onto the glass as it could drip, leak into crevices and damage the art. Wipe in horizontal strokes from top to bottom.

Bathroom: As with the galley tips from last month’s column, clean vanity tops and sinks with high-gloss finishes (such as Avonite and Corian) with a vinegar-and-water solution. Matte and satin finishes are better off with a mild soap-and-water solution.

Ceramic and stone, including granite, limestone and marble, benefit from a soap-and-water solution followed with the proper polish or sealant. Avoid using abrasive cleansers (which can scratch the surface), ammonia or bleach (which can dull it), and vinegar- or lemon-based cleaners (which can eat through it).

Glazed ceramic tile: Mix one capful of rubbing alcohol with 1 gallon of water. Dip a scrub brush into the solution and work in a circular motion over the entire span of tile. Avoid using oil-based soaps or ammonia, which can yellow the grout. Avoid vinegar, too, since the acidity can damage grout.

Unglazed ceramic tile: Use a mild soap-and-water solution instead of the alcohol solution. Dry carefully to prevent mineral deposits and lime-scale build-up.

Faucets and fixtures: The key for all fixtures is to avoid ammonia, steel wool and abrasive cleaners or pads, which can strip or scratch the fixtures. Use a mild soap-and-water solution to clean. Work around wall mounting with a soft toothbrush or cotton buds if necessary. Dry carefully to prevent water scale deposits from forming, and then apply the appropriate polish according to package directions. If no polish will be used, use a dry, soft cloth to buff to a high shine.

Medicine cabinet: Wipe the walls and the shelves (top and undersides) of the cabinet with a mild soap-and-water solution. Dry with a clean cloth. If the door is glass, spray glass cleaner or use a vinegar-and-water solution on a cloth and wipe in a circular motion.

Mirrors: Refrain from spraying cleaner directly onto mirrors because excess liquid can seep behind the edges, causing black spots to form or surfaces to delaminate. Dry carefully with clean cloth to prevent streaks.

Showers and tubs: Beware of abrasive pads, cleaners and/or bleach overdose, which can damage the surface. Vinegar- and lemon-based cleansers and bleach can eat through stone, and vinegar can actually dissolve the non-skid surface of some tubs. Soap and water and copious amounts of elbow grease are always the safest solution. Always dry showers and tubs to prevent mineral deposits and lime-scale build-up.

That about covers this segment on tips for detail cleaning the bathrooms and cabins of the boat. Next month we will cover tips for the care of various types of furniture, upholstery, and carpets.

Alene Keenan has been a megayacht stewardess for 16 years. She is the founder of Stewardess Solutions, which offers training and consulting for stewardesses to improve their jobs and careers. Contact her through www.stewardesssolutions.com. Comments on this column are welcome at editorial@the-triton.com.

Stew CueS

Alene KeenAn

INTERIOR: Stew Cues

Damage-free tips for detail cleaning the interior

contractors, not to the owner or sub.

Q. So what does the LMC staff do? There is always a hum of activity

with yachts arriving at the marina and being hauled and launched daily. Our 30-person team keeps everything moving smoothly while maintaining the pristine condition of the facility. Since our recent expansion much effort

has gone into sharing this new facility with the community. This includes tours with visiting captains and owners as well as being the chosen venue for important city functions. LMC recently hosted a U.S. Superyacht Association forum that featured Ft. Lauderdale’s newly elected mayor, Jack Seiler. We will also be hosting the next Florida Yacht Brokers Association boat show this month, and of course the next Triton

networking event.

Q. Do you have the latest on the dredging of the New River?

A feasibility study for dredging the New River will be completed early this summer. If all goes according to plan, dredging will be completed within the following year. In the meantime, yachts up to a draft of 9½ feet are arriving daily.

LMC, from page C3

Dredging of the New River may take another year

The Triton www.the-triton.com May 2009 C�NUTRITION: Take It In

There’s a new super food on the horizon: plums. According to research conducted at Texas A&M University, one plum contains as much or more

disease-preventing antioxidants and phytonutrients as a handful of blueberries.

What’s more, when researchers took these findings into the lab, they discovered that the phytonutrients in plums stopped the growth of

breast cancer cells while not adversely affecting the growth of normal cells.

Plums are native to Europe, America and China. In China, where they were first thought to be cultivated, plums symbolize good fortune. Today, they are one of the most popular summer fruits.

One plum is just the right serving, a little bigger than a golf ball in size. What’s more, plums come in 2,000 varieties that all have sweet, juicy flesh and skin colors from blue-black to pink.

Plums are high in energy-providing carbohydrates, low in fat and low in calories. One plum contains about 75 calories. Plums are an excellent source of vitamin A, calcium, magnesium, iron, potassium and fiber. They are also free of sodium and cholesterol.

Antioxidants include nutrients such as vitamins A and C. These antioxidant nutrients help protect healthy cells from damage caused by “free radicals.” Normal body functions such as breathing or physical activity, and lifestyle habits such as smoking, can produce free radicals that attack healthy cells. When healthy cells are weak we are susceptible to cardiovascular disease and certain cancers.

Phytonutrients are the substances in plants that give plant foods, such as fruits and vegetables, their color and flavor. Research over the past decade points to the many health benefits that phytonutrients provide. Plums are specifically high in phytonutrients called chlorogenic and neochlorogenic acid. These phytonutrients are themselves potent antioxidants that can help keep cancer, heart disease and a host of other chronic diseases at bay.

In addition, research shows that these two phytonutrients can help slow the release of sugar into the bloodstream after a meal, which can have positive effects on blood sugar levels, especially in those who are diabetic.

Eating the skin on plums keeps the intestinal tract regular as well.

More good news is that, when compared to other super foods such as exotic gogi berries, acai and mangosteen, plums are relatively inexpensive and easy to get. They also taste great. In fact, breeders in recent

years have specifically bred for varieties that are juicy, sweet and flavorful, as opposed to a hard piece of fruit designed to last through the supply system and sit on the shelf until sold.

In addition, there’s been increased plantings and consumer interest for pluots. Pluots are part plum and part apricot. Since pluots have a majority of plum parentage, they are smooth skinned and look very much like plums.

Breeders have embarked on ambitious programs to bring many types of pluots to market. In fact, some supermarkets will offer pluot-a-ramas

in the summer where several varieties are available at once for customers to mix and match according to their tastes. Other companies have sought to intrigue customers with catchy names. For example, mottled colored pluots are marketed as Dinosaur Eggs. There is no specific health information on pluots at present, but with plums for a parent, they must have some of the same healthful goodies inside.

Look for plums or pluots that are plump and well colored for their variety. Soft fruit is ready to eat. You can ripen fruit at home by setting it

out at room temperature. Most people enjoy plums and pluots out of hand, but they are also popular stewed, in desserts and poached.

If fresh plums aren’t available, the dried form does contain many of the same health-giving nutrients, antioxidants and phytonutrients. Just look for dried plums in the store. They’re called prunes.

Carol Bareuther is a registered dietitian and a regular contributor to The Triton. Comments on this column are welcome at editorial@the-triton.com.take It In

Carol Bareuther

Ancient plums (and prunes) ‘discovered’ as the newest superfood

C� May 2009 www.the-triton.com The Triton

Photos by Lucy Chabot Reed, Capt. Tom Serio and Dorie Cox

More than 400 captains and crew visited the Triton Expo in April. There were more than 50 vendors, seven speakers on topics ranging from resume tips to

financial planning, and a resumé clinic. We’re planning another Expo later this year. Keep reading The Triton for more details.

FROM THE CAREER FRONT: Triton Expo

The Triton www.the-triton.com May 2009 C�FROM THE CAREER FRONT: What Great Crew Know

Working on a yacht is the closest thing you may ever experience to being in the military or a private boarding-school. Get used to someone else being in charge of you.

6. Place emergency contact information inside your passport. When you get onboard a vessel, the captain will want your passport to put in a safe. Make sure you have your details on a sticky note on the inside.

7. The master of the vessel has the right to access all spaces, including the area you consider your private cabin. Be advised.

8. Things break and get broken. If you break something, tell someone right away, even if it means admitting that you broke it. Consequences are more severe for not admitting it than for actually breaking it, whatever it is. This also comes down to safety.

9. Monotony is part of the business. Day covers come off, duvets go on; duvets come off, day covers go on. It has to be done; get used to it. Jet skis come down (even though the guests may not use them), jet skis go up. It has to be done; get used to it. The hot tub gets filled (even though the guests may not use it), the hot tub gets emptied. It has to be done; get used to it. Chamois the exterior. It rains. Chamois the exterior again. It has to be done; get used to it.

Monotony is the business. Owners and guests pay these prices for the availability factor. Don’t get upset by it; just get fast at it.

10. Know the location of safety equipment and what it does. At a minimum, know

a. emergency position-indicating radio beacon (EPIRB)

b. locations of life rafts and how to deploy them

c. location of ditch bag and first aid kit

d. how to make a satellite phone call and a VHF radio call

e. location of your personal life jacket (most likely in your closet)

f. emergency exit from crew quartersg. fire extinguishersThese items should be reviewed

when you first begin on a boat and before any voyage with new crew. If not, then request that they are and make it a priority. Take responsibility for your own safety.

11. Take “watch” seriously. Pay attention. Consider it like standing in for the CEO of a multimillion-dollar corporation for three or four hours. Know how to stop and turn the boat. Stay awake. And if something looks wrong, say so. Know who to ask for help and where they are on the boat. During docking, never put your hands out to stop the yacht from hitting

anything. It won’t work. Use a fender or get out of the way. Know how to properly secure a line to a cleat, tie a bowline and a clove hitch.

12. Seasickness happens; being useless while under way is not acceptable. When you take a job on a yacht, you know that the boat goes from place to place by going in the ocean. Be prepared to be seasick.

There are three stages of being seasick: you think you are going to die, then you wish you would die, and finally you are disappointed because you didn’t die. Accept them all. You are on the yacht to do a job. Sick or not, you have a responsibility to the rest of your crew members. So if you get seasick, medicate. If you think you might get seasick, medicate. If you aren’t sure if you get seasick or not, medicate anyway.

13. Know the definition and importance of privacy. Never tell who owns the yacht. Never talk about the vessel’s itinerary in person or on Facebook. Never discuss the owner’s or guests’ business. Never go out drinking or partying while wearing clothing with the boat name on it.

14. There is a difference between being good at your job and being a good crew member. There should be a book titled “Everything I Needed to Know About Being a Good Crew Member I Learned in Kindergarten.”

Be considerate of other people’s privacy. Keep your business to yourself. Adapt to living in small spaces. Everything has a home; if you use something, put it back. Restock. A team is only as fast as its slowest member, so help that member get faster. Close doors quietly and walk softly; sound resonates throughout a boat like a drum. Clean up after yourself (this will win you big points with the interior staff. Drugs are a big no-no. Never leave a crew member behind (not in a bar, not on shore, not in a sinking ship.

15. The captain is always right. I say this only in jest, because it is important to recognize that a yacht is not a democracy. If you disagree with the captain, handle yourself professionally and address the situation in private, never in front of the owner or guests, or even in front of other crew. If you cannot come to a mutual resolution, excuse yourself and pack.

16. The final thing that all great crew know is to wear sunblock, and lots of it. When you’re 50, you’ll be glad you did.

Capt. Taylor Lawson has worked on private and charter yachts for more than 10 years as a professional captain, including a yacht with a live-aboard family. In 2007, he produced a series of safety DVDs. Comments on this article are welcome at editorial@the-triton.com.

EXPO, from page C1

Emergency contact information should be inside your passport

C� May 2009 www.the-triton.com The Triton IN THE GALLEY: Culinary Waves

guests a taste of the exotic, then try incorporating Asian ingredients into your cooking.

When I speak of Asian ingredients, I mean eastern Asia including Vietnamese, Chinese, Japanese and Thai. In Europe, some Asian food focuses on the cuisines of southern Asia and India. Southeast Asia includes cuisine from such countries and areas as Burma, Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Laos, Thailand, the Philippines, and Vietnam.

It is not uncommon to find that some of the cuisines are fused with one another. Fusion refers to a combination of elements from different cuisines or regions. Contemporary takeoffs can be found in every city in the more modern restaurants such as a Thai dish where Indian and Chinese flavors overlap. The recipe given with this column is a fusion dish.

If you don’t already use Asian sauces or ingredients, take a look at the Asian pantry list I created so you can have an idea of what to stock up on next time you go shopping for the yacht. These are the basics. Once you feel comfortable using them in your recipes, buy some products you don’t know and try them.

One tip: Try to buy Asian ingredients from Asian grocery markets. A regular grocery store will be more expensive.

Asian pantryl Soy sauce. Used as a condiment,

soy sauce is usually dark in color and has a salty flavor. It is also available in clear.l Fish sauce. Used as a seasoning, it

often replaces salt.l Oyster sauce, used as a flavor

enhancer, especially for savory foods and vegetablesl Yuzu sauce, a citrus-based sauce,

used like a lemon would bel Tamari, a Japanese soy saucel Other sauces such as black bean,

hoisin, chilil Rice vinegarl Noodles, such as egg, rice, bean

thread, or soba. Some need to be soaked before use.l Rice, such as jasmine, short grain,

black, or sushi

l Sesame oil, used for stir fries, cookingl Peanut oil, used for deep fryingl Curry paste of red and green in

various degrees of spicel Tofu, a soy curd used as a

vegetarian protein, available in silken, soft and firml Miso, a soy paste available in red,

white, brownl Tempura batterl Mushrooms, dried and cannedl Ginger, pickled and pastel Ginger root. Use a spoon to peel it

quickly, then grate or slice.l Wasabi paste and powder. With

powder, add water to make the paste.l Chinese mustard, typically spicyl Coconut milkl Bonita flakesl Sea vegetables, seaweed

l Cornstarch. Asian cuisines use this instead of flour to thicken sauces.l Teal Dried shrimpl Dried beans

such as adzuki for dessert, mung beanl Cabbage and

bok choyl Carrots,

typically baby carrots, juliennedl Baby cornl Bamboo

shootsl Mangosteen,

a fruit commonly found cannedl Torch ginger.

Eat only the white buds.l Laksa leaf, used to flavor soups.l Spinach, water spinach and

amaranth, a Chinese spinachl Fiddlehead fernsl Watercressl Sproutsl Cucumberl Bellflowerl Lotus rootl Wok, steamer, rice cookerThis is by no means a complete list.

Select what you want to have onboard based on the menus you will be preparing.

Simple ways to add Asian flavor

Here are a few suggestions for quick and easy ways to incorporate Asian cuisine onboard.l When you have fresh tuna, sear

it in soy and grated ginger for five seconds on each side. Serve with an oriental salad of differing seaweeds or Asian noodles.l Make green tea and steep Chinese

‘If you don’t already use Asian sauces or ingredients, take a look at the Asian pantry list I created so you can have an idea of what to stock up on next time you go shopping for the yacht. These are the basics. Once you feel comfortable using them in your recipes, buy some products you don’t know and try them.

WAVES, from page C1

Asian ingredients? Asian grocer. Good way to save some money

See WAVES, page C9

The Triton www.the-triton.com May 2009 C�IN THE GALLEY: Culinary Waves

8 U12 shrimp, deveined, peeled, tail on

1 cup flour2 eggs, beaten with a little water1/2 cup shredded coconut1/4 cup panko crumbs, mix with

coconutSet up a typical breading station,

dredge the shrimp in the flour, then the eggs and finally in the coconut-bread crumb mixture.

Bake at 375 degrees F until golden brown, basting with melted sherry butter, or deep fry.

Slaw3 tablespoons sesame oil2 tomatoes, seeded and chopped1/2 small head cabbage, shredded1/2 small head red cabbage, shredded1 small cantaloupe, balled 1/2 teaspoon fresh ginger, grated

2 garlic cloves, minced2 tablespoons Mirin1/2 teaspoon fish sauce1 tablespoon fresh dill, mincedA couple drops of chili oil1 handful parsley, chopped1 tablespoon red wine vinegar1 teaspoon rice vinegar

Heat the sesame oil until hot in a wok or large skillet.

Add the tomatoes and cabbage and stir fry until just tender, a couple of minutes.

Add the remaining ingredients including cantaloupe balls. Remove from heat. Stir.

To Plate:Using a ring mold, plate some slaw in

the center of a plate and arrange the shrimp on top.

Not a true kimchee because it is not hot, this dish works great as a first course for lunch or dinner. PHOTO/JENNIFER REBER

Coconut ShrimpServes �

noodles in it. Drain and add some shrimp.l Add soy sauce or oyster sauce to

vegetables.l Coat firm white fish such as sea

bass with black bean sauce and bake it.l Next time you do chicken wings,

use teriyaki sauce instead of barbecue sauce.l Next time you do pork ribs, use

hoisin sauce.l Take left over rice and add sautéed

seasoned vegetables, chili paste, some left-over meat, oyster sauce, fish sauce

and stir fry with sesame oil in a wok. This is called a bibimbap and is often served for breakfast.l Miso paste makes great soup.

Combine 2 tablespoons of white miso paste with water, chopped tofu and seaweed for an instant miso soup.

Mary Beth Lawton Johnson is a certified executive pastry chef and Chef de Cuisine. A professional yacht chef since 1991, she has been chef aboard M/Y Rebecca since 1998. (www.themegayachtchef.com) Comments on this column are welcome at editorial@the-triton.com.

WAVES, from page C8

Leftover rice often served at breakfast

C10 May 2009 www.the-triton.com The Triton TRITON SURVEY: Is your job your career?

How long did you expect your time in yachting to last?

3-5 years – 16.5%As a career – 53.1%

5-10 years– 9.9%

A few months – 7.4%

1-2 years – 13.2%

Why did you take your first yacht job? (Check the closest reason that applies.)

Travel/adventure – 44.9%

Career opportunities – 35.9%

Money – 16.7

Love (of anotherperson on board) – 2.4%

How did you discover you could get paid to work on yachts? (Check the closest reason that applies.)

Someone asked me if I wanted to do it – 27.2%

Relative told me about it – 10 %

School – 5%

Movie/ book/ TV – 4.2%

A friend told me about it – 32.6%

I asked someone about it – 17.2%

Web – 3.8%

How long has it lasted (or how long do you expect it to last)?

More than 20 years – 34.7%

percent) consider it a career now that they are in it.

“Yachting should be considered a profession rather than a job,” said a captain in yachting more than 30 years. “I feel good every day because I strive to deliver more value than I’m paid for, regardless of my salary.”

“Best job, career ever,” said a captain in yachting more than 20 years. “I will never do anything else. I should have started eight years earlier and will work for another 18 in it. I have had the most amazing times and met the most amazing people.”

“I grew up sailing and when I found out that I could make a living at it, well...,” said a captain in yachting more than 30 years.

One of the most interesting results showed up in our one-two punch of questions that asked “how long did you expect your time in yachting to last” and “how long did it last”.

More than half of our respondents expected yachting to be their career, lasting longer than 10 years. That was surprising, considering the number of anecdotes we’ve heard and written about of crew stumbling into the industry expecting to stay a season and lasting a decade.

“It’s hard to answer the question of how long I thought I’d be in yachting, because I had no idea what I was getting into,” said a chef in her 30s. “Now that I’ve been in the industry just over five years I am so grateful I made that leap. The experiences I have had as well as my own professional growth have been very rewarding.”

Yet, when asked how long they actually lasted (or intend to last now that they have begun), just 35 percent expect to last 20 years. When we added all the time ranges of longer than 10

years, though, we found our majority, a full two-thirds of respondents.

“I plan on spending the rest of my life on the water and when I can no longer do it I hope I have a nice burial at sea,” said a captain in his 60s.

When they started, a third of respondents expected their time in yachting to last less than 5 years. Once in it, though, just 16 percent were in that category.

We crunched those stats a little farther to discover that of the 18 respondents who thought their time in yachting would last just a few months, half had been in longer than 15 years, and seven were in more than 20 years.

And of the 129 respondents who expected their time in yachting to be a career, three quarters were well on their way at more than 10 years.

“For me it is a passion, not a career,” said a captain in yachting more than 20 years. “It is only work if you would rather be doing something else.”

The oddest statistic we discovered was of the 18 people who said they do not consider it a career, six have been in yachting more than 20 years.

“I’m working at a ‘job’ that’s always been my favorite hobby,” said a captain of more than 30 years who does not consider yachting his career. “I’m getting paid for what I love to do.”

“I married into it and enjoyed it while it lasted,” said a stew in yachting between 3-4 years. “If I would have known about this industry when I was 20, I would have gone around the world 20 times by now.”

It’s always interesting to find out how people discover the industry and land their first job on a yacht. We experimented with this question by only allowing one answer from among our list: A friend told me about it;

CAREERS, from page C1

See CAREERS, page C12

‘I will never do anything else’

Statistics/graphics by Lawrence Hollyfield

The Triton www.the-triton.com May 2009 C11TRITON SURVEY: Is your job your career?

How long did you expect your time in yachting to last?

3-5 years – 16.5%As a career – 53.1%

5-10 years– 9.9%

A few months – 7.4%

1-2 years – 13.2%

How long has it lasted (or how long do you expect it to last)?

5-10 years – 16.3%

More than 20 years – 34.7%

16-20 years – 16.7%

A few months – 2.4%

1-2 years –4.9 % 3-5 years

– 8.6%

11-15 years – 16.3%

What makes you stay in yachting?

It’s my career – 49.4%

The money – 17.6%

A good boss/boat/crew – 14.7%

I have a job – 5.7%

It’s the right amount of travel for me – 4.1%

Don’t know what else to do – 8.6%

What would make you leave yachting?

Time to retire – 38.0%

No longer fun/interesting – 18.8%

Not enough/too much travel – 2.4%

Too many regulatory requirements – 2%

Unable to find a job – 13.9%

Having kids – 9.8%

Bad boss/boat/crew – 6.1%

Too many unreasonable demands – 4.5% Other family responsibilities (such as elderly parents) – 3.3%

We asked respondents to share who or what had the biggest influence on their time in yachting, good or bad. Many responses credited a thoughtful and experienced captain who offered words of advice or took the time to teach others what they know. Another large group of responses said the traveling and their love of the ocean had the biggest impact on their lives.

Several respondents credited their spouses for either getting them in yachting or making their time in it pleasurable. And still others credited the owners for appreciating the work they do. Here are some additional thoughts:

l l l

50 percent luck (I have been blessed with three great owners over a 27-year period) and 50 percent knowing how to interview an owner.

l l l

Captains, both the great and the lousy.

l l l

Realizing that there was life beyond managing a boatyard when I met a young crew delivering a 90-foot motoryacht

l l l

A captain and first mate I had on separate vessels. Both officers pushed me to learn and excel at my job, and turned my passion for the water into a passion for my job and career.

l l l

My military training.

l l l

Inexperienced and incompetent captains. I have been unfortunate in my career to have worked for quite a few of these captains and feel that this, more than any other reason is why owners become jaded, crew lack proper hands-on experience and boat costs become astronomical.

l l l

The time off after working a hard charter,

See INFLUENCE, page C14

Identify the person or thingthat most affected your career

Getting married – 1.2%

C1� May 2009 www.the-triton.com The Triton TRITON SURVEY: Is your job your career?

A relative told me about it; I asked someone about it; Someone asked me if I wanted to do it; Internet research; Learned about it from a book/movie/TV; Learned about it at school.

The largest group of yachties got into the business through a friend (32.6 percent), or someone asking them if they wanted to do it (27.2 percent). That supports our anecdotal belief about crew tripping over this industry.

“I got into yachting by mistake,” said a stew in her early 30s. “I owed some money to family and a friend called about a freelance job. I figured I could take the 10-day charter and pay off the debt. Four years later and I am still here and, for the most part, loving it.”

Another interesting result was why our respondents took that first job. Nearly 45 percent took it for the travel and adventure; nearly 36 percent took it for the career opportunities; only 16.7 percent took it for the money. And of the 2.4 percent who took it for love, all but one were female.

“If you don’t love it then leave it,” said a captain in yachting more than 25 years. “For this to be your career you have to love the boats, ocean and the lifestyle. If you started for the travel, you won’t be in it long. It’s an old cliché, but true: All ports look the same from the port hole.”

“I love the perfection, the ability to maintain and operate a vessel as close to perfection as possible while experiencing remote destinations and showing people a really grand time,” said a captain in his late 30s. “What could be better?”

Also interesting to us, especially now, is why crew might consider leaving the yachting industry. The largest group (38 percent) said they would leave because it’s simply time to retire. Half as many people would leave because it’s no longer fun.

“After 10 years I am starting to feel the strains,” said a chief stew. “It is no longer fun or interesting. It has become just a job. It may be time to move on to something else. Possibly still within the industry.”

The troubling result was that almost 14 percent would leave if they can’t find a job. Only a small group considered leaving because they had kids or because of other family responsibilities, and even fewer would leave the industry because of a bad boat, owner or crew.

“Got married and gave it up for a short time,” said a captain in yachting more than 20 years. “Now I have an ex-wife, and I am back doing what I love to do.”

One option we didn’t give was loneliness, but several respondents

wrote it in.“Working on yachts as a single

person can become very lonely, and finding long-term partners becomes difficult when you move a lot,” said a second engineer new to the industry. “It’s certainly something that has made a lot of friends leave the industry. Also, I have a lot of couple friends looking for work together and finding it difficult.”

“I went looking for travel and adventure as a youngster and found a way of life that offers all of this and more with the added bonus that I can share it with my husband of 24 years,” said a chef in yachting more than 20 years. “It can be a lonely position with the sacrifice of family and friends. The lows may be greater than the average job lows but the highs can be higher than one’s wildest imagination. Every day offers new challenges, some make you laugh and some not, but every day is different with something new to learn, and that is what I love about my yachting world.”

So if there is something to pull people out of the industry, perhaps there’s something that keeps them in it. Almost half of our respondents (49.4 percent) say they stay in yachting because it’s their career.

“I am now in a place where I want more time off in order to start meeting someone to settle down with,” said an engineer in his early 30s. “To accommodate this, I work on rotation (two on/two off) and this is going to keep me in yachting a lot longer. If rotation was not an option, I would leave yachting altogether to experience a new life.”

The next largest group at 17.6 percent stays for the money.

And while a bad boss might not chase many people out, a good boss, boat or crew keeps almost 15 percent of yachting in the business.

“It is a good life when matched with the right owner and boat,” said a captain of more than 10 years. “It’s a pain in the a** when not.”

“I wish you would have given the choice ‘all of the above’ to answer this question,” said a captain of more than 20 years who thought he’d only be in yachting a few years. “In my case, and probably many other captains, most or all of the answers apply.

“I still can’t believe I get paid to do this,” said a captain in her late 30s.

Several respondents offered advice to younger crew members on the industry and their careers:l This work is some of the most

demanding and relentless. There is no such thing as being ‘off the clock’. Understanding the rigors of this job is to be successful in this job. I would say

CAREERS, from page C10

See CAREERS, page C15

Travel/adventure was cited as top reason to start in yachting

C1� May 2009 www.the-triton.com The Triton TRITON SURVEY: Is your job your career?

getting to enjoy the exotic locations, diving in the most beautiful waters in the world, and being out at sea. Those are the moments that make it all worth it. That’s what really pays.

l l l

As an American female officer/captain I have had to deal with a lot of discrimination due to my gender and nationality. The yachting industry is still in the Dark Ages of recognizing an individual based upon his/her experience, credentials and references without involving gender or nationality as the main factors.

l l l

As a first mate, having to deal with the inexperienced, non-qualified and unskilled 14-year-old son of the captain

being the deckhand on a large yacht carrying 10 guests and six crew. This should never be allowed in professional yachting.

l l l

Crew politics, and inexperienced and unsafe captains

l l l

Positive: good owners can really make it happen for you. Negative: the inexperienced, just-qualified, think-they-know-it-all crew who give actual crew a bad name.

l l l

Two people have greatly influenced the effort I put into my life and career: My father, who always told me “It’s not worth doing a job unless you do it properly,” and working for Mr. Michael Dingman

for three years early in my career. He demanded exceptional standards and appreciated the effort it took to obtain them. He made me realize I could achieve more than I thought possible. I was and still am proud of the standard he set and that I continue to strive for on a daily basis.

l l l

Working with people from all over the world. It has really helped me to see things from a different perspective.

l l l

Gardner McKay’s “Adventures in Paradise”

l l l

Being brought into the fold and shown how things work (engineering, chartering, administration,

instrumentation) and being trusted. I had the great fortune of having some very good captains who have taken me under their wing.

l l l

The yacht has been repossessed and the captain and crew are out of work.

l l l

Capt. Kevin Gerbich of the M/Y Grand Cru. He has not only shared his knowledge of the industry with me, but he has also given that knowledge to me with years of patience.

His famous words to me were “be careful what you ask for” because dreams do come true if you want them bad enough. Now in my present job as a first mate I do see that all things are possible and now I, too, can share my knowledge with those who want it as much as I do.

l l l

The independence and the challenge of the sea, together with a good crew

l l l

Unfortunately I had the displeasure of working under a real idiot captain. If you’re a captain, understand that while you may not have a life outside the boat, your crew might.

l l l

The decision to go the engineering route as opposed to deck.

l l l

The way other people try to make you feel, like you’re not good enough, you don’t have experience (when you do), or you’re too old (I still run circles around girls half my age).

l l l

When I was young I worked at a marina in Kentucky. We spent the entire summer hanging out on the docks and just enjoying being on the water. When I have a rough day on charter, I say, “Let’s just go sit on the dock a while.” That brings back the reasons I’m here.

l l l

Good captains and good boats/owners. Crew who are kind and considerate. My own ambition to run a large yacht has driven me for much of my career.

l l l

Participating in three major builds overseas, learning how to build a yacht from the ground up.

l l l

Finding a boss is key, but once you find him and establish that relationship it’s very rewarding. I was fortunate to find two of them. I went to work for the

INFLUENCE, from page C11

See INFLUENCE, page C15

Yachting still in ‘Dark Ages of recognizing an individual based upon ... experience, credentials and references

it’s not for everyone.l Crew are the hardest thing to get

right in yachting. Once you do, it’s a wonderful experience.l As in every job/career, things

change. Either you change, the requirements change, the world changes and so the job that drew me in isn’t the same as it was 15 years ago. I believe you can put up with anything/anyone for a short period of time, and I have stuck with that. I have changed my work to charters and shorter trips freelancing and it suits me well. l What younger crew should keep

in mind when they come into this industry is that although there is the potential to make a lot of good money, everyone started at the bottom, listened, worked hard, learned from their peers and just got on with it. If you are capable of doing that then you will succeed. Success is a state of mind, not a particular achievement.l To make this industry profitable as

a career, you need to give it at least 10 years. Otherwise you are wasting your time.l Steer clear of crew politics as

much as possible. Instigators do not last. Work first, play second. Never forget you are part of a team, even if there are only two of you. It cannot be overstated: attitude is everything. From the moment your feet hit the deck in the morning, you determine how you want to interact with the world. It’s win-win if you can rise to the challenge.l People should abide by all the

new regulations but at the same time not forget about all the tradition that makes yachting special.

Lucy Chabot Reed is editor of The Triton. Comments on this survey are welcome at lucy@the-triton.com. We conduct our monthly surveys online. All captains and crew members are welcome to participate. If you haven’t been invited to take our surveys and would like to be, register for our e-mails online at www.the-triton.com.

CAREERS, from page C12

Be ready for at least 10 years in yachting

TRITON SURVEY: Is your job your career?

first and after a year I left and found my own gig that lasted three years until I left due to an unforeseen circumstance during a new build. I was hired back by the first employer for 18 months before I was lured back by the previous employer who I am still employed with today. That’s the power of not burning bridges.

l l l

In the beginning: I fondly remember waking up (early of course) down island and looking out over the beautiful blue water and thinking that I was the luckiest person in the world.

l l l

Being in the charter market. Private boats don’t present as many opportunities.

l l l

The fact that I found my niche. I am good at it because I love it.

l l l

Previous owner stiffing me for $15,000.

l l l

Good crew to mentor me at the start of my career.

l l l

My background of pre-school teaching, restaurant owner and interior decorating have all played a huge part in my yachting career even though I am now a chef. Being able to work and play

with crew and still know your place in the morning is also very important.

l l l

The biggest influence upon my yachting career has to be my captain. He was a teacher, mentor and friend. And now, he has three former crew members (the engineer, mate and chef ) from the same boat running their own boats as captains.

l l l

Knowing that the captains and crew that have come before me have turned yachting into a career, gives me thought in regard that I can do the same.

l l l

My first owner treated me like a member of the family. I learned from that experience to interview owners as they interviewed me, and can honestly say I never worked for a bad or unpleasant owner.

l l l

Wonderful owner and captain/crew, horrible captain, onboard politics, not respected as female.

l l l

Growing up near Newport and spending my formative years boating on the waters of Narragansett Bay.

l l l

The standards of perfection that most crew try to reach in their work have impressed upon me the need to always try a little bit harder, and to do the job a little bit better.

INFLUENCE, from page C14

‘I found my niche. I am good at it because I love it.’

The Triton www.the-triton.com May 2009 C1�

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FREIGHT

TRITON SURVEY: Is your job your career?

getting to enjoy the exotic locations, diving in the most beautiful waters in the world, and being out at sea. Those are the moments that make it all worth it. That’s what really pays.

l l l

As an American female officer/captain I have had to deal with a lot of discrimination due to my gender and nationality. The yachting industry is still in the Dark Ages of recognizing an individual based upon his/her experience, credentials and references without involving gender or nationality as the main factors.

l l l

As a first mate, having to deal with the inexperienced, non-qualified and unskilled 14-year-old son of the captain

being the deckhand on a large yacht carrying 10 guests and six crew. This should never be allowed in professional yachting.

l l l

Crew politics, and inexperienced and unsafe captains

l l l

Positive: good owners can really make it happen for you. Negative: the inexperienced, just-qualified, think-they-know-it-all crew who give actual crew a bad name.

l l l

Two people have greatly influenced the effort I put into my life and career: My father, who always told me “It’s not worth doing a job unless you do it properly,” and working for Mr. Michael Dingman

for three years early in my career. He demanded exceptional standards and appreciated the effort it took to obtain them. He made me realize I could achieve more than I thought possible. I was and still am proud of the standard he set and that I continue to strive for on a daily basis.

l l l

Working with people from all over the world. It has really helped me to see things from a different perspective.

l l l

Gardner McKay’s “Adventures in Paradise”

l l l

Being brought into the fold and shown how things work (engineering, chartering, administration,

instrumentation) and being trusted. I had the great fortune of having some very good captains who have taken me under their wing.

l l l

The yacht has been repossessed and the captain and crew are out of work.

l l l

Capt. Kevin Gerbich of the M/Y Grand Cru. He has not only shared his knowledge of the industry with me, but he has also given that knowledge to me with years of patience.

His famous words to me were “be careful what you ask for” because dreams do come true if you want them bad enough. Now in my present job as a first mate I do see that all things are possible and now I, too, can share my knowledge with those who want it as much as I do.

l l l

The independence and the challenge of the sea, together with a good crew

l l l

Unfortunately I had the displeasure of working under a real idiot captain. If you’re a captain, understand that while you may not have a life outside the boat, your crew might.

l l l

The decision to go the engineering route as opposed to deck.

l l l

The way other people try to make you feel, like you’re not good enough, you don’t have experience (when you do), or you’re too old (I still run circles around girls half my age).

l l l

When I was young I worked at a marina in Kentucky. We spent the entire summer hanging out on the docks and just enjoying being on the water. When I have a rough day on charter, I say, “Let’s just go sit on the dock a while.” That brings back the reasons I’m here.

l l l

Good captains and good boats/owners. Crew who are kind and considerate. My own ambition to run a large yacht has driven me for much of my career.

l l l

Participating in three major builds overseas, learning how to build a yacht from the ground up.

l l l

Finding a boss is key, but once you find him and establish that relationship it’s very rewarding. I was fortunate to find two of them. I went to work for the

INFLUENCE, from page C11

See INFLUENCE, page C15

Yachting still in ‘Dark Ages of recognizing an individual based upon ... experience, credentials and references

it’s not for everyone.l Crew are the hardest thing to get

right in yachting. Once you do, it’s a wonderful experience.l As in every job/career, things

change. Either you change, the requirements change, the world changes and so the job that drew me in isn’t the same as it was 15 years ago. I believe you can put up with anything/anyone for a short period of time, and I have stuck with that. I have changed my work to charters and shorter trips freelancing and it suits me well. l What younger crew should keep

in mind when they come into this industry is that although there is the potential to make a lot of good money, everyone started at the bottom, listened, worked hard, learned from their peers and just got on with it. If you are capable of doing that then you will succeed. Success is a state of mind, not a particular achievement.l To make this industry profitable as

a career, you need to give it at least 10 years. Otherwise you are wasting your time.l Steer clear of crew politics as

much as possible. Instigators do not last. Work first, play second. Never forget you are part of a team, even if there are only two of you. It cannot be overstated: attitude is everything. From the moment your feet hit the deck in the morning, you determine how you want to interact with the world. It’s win-win if you can rise to the challenge.l People should abide by all the

new regulations but at the same time not forget about all the tradition that makes yachting special.

Lucy Chabot Reed is editor of The Triton. Comments on this survey are welcome at lucy@the-triton.com. We conduct our monthly surveys online. All captains and crew members are welcome to participate. If you haven’t been invited to take our surveys and would like to be, register for our e-mails online at www.the-triton.com.

CAREERS, from page C12

Be ready for at least 10 years in yachting

TRITON SURVEY: Is your job your career?

first and after a year I left and found my own gig that lasted three years until I left due to an unforeseen circumstance during a new build. I was hired back by the first employer for 18 months before I was lured back by the previous employer who I am still employed with today. That’s the power of not burning bridges.

l l l

In the beginning: I fondly remember waking up (early of course) down island and looking out over the beautiful blue water and thinking that I was the luckiest person in the world.

l l l

Being in the charter market. Private boats don’t present as many opportunities.

l l l

The fact that I found my niche. I am good at it because I love it.

l l l

Previous owner stiffing me for $15,000.

l l l

Good crew to mentor me at the start of my career.

l l l

My background of pre-school teaching, restaurant owner and interior decorating have all played a huge part in my yachting career even though I am now a chef. Being able to work and play

with crew and still know your place in the morning is also very important.

l l l

The biggest influence upon my yachting career has to be my captain. He was a teacher, mentor and friend. And now, he has three former crew members (the engineer, mate and chef ) from the same boat running their own boats as captains.

l l l

Knowing that the captains and crew that have come before me have turned yachting into a career, gives me thought in regard that I can do the same.

l l l

My first owner treated me like a member of the family. I learned from that experience to interview owners as they interviewed me, and can honestly say I never worked for a bad or unpleasant owner.

l l l

Wonderful owner and captain/crew, horrible captain, onboard politics, not respected as female.

l l l

Growing up near Newport and spending my formative years boating on the waters of Narragansett Bay.

l l l

The standards of perfection that most crew try to reach in their work have impressed upon me the need to always try a little bit harder, and to do the job a little bit better.

INFLUENCE, from page C14

‘I found my niche. I am good at it because I love it.’

C1� May 2009 www.the-triton.com The Triton BUSINESS CARD ADVERTISERS

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SUDOKU

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The Triton www.the-triton.com May 2009 C1�BUSINESS CARD ADVERTISERS

C1� May 2009 www.the-triton.com The Triton

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The Triton www.the-triton.com May 2009 C1�BUSINESS CARD ADVERTISERS

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