Yachting Like It Is

BOOZE CREWS

Mike French — Thu, 02 Dec 2010 18:31:13 +0000

Right, well the contention is, at first glance anyway, easy on this one: Is drinking a problem in Yachting? Yes or no? Should be pretty straightforward, there is always someone willing to blame alcohol for the evils of the world. Let them state their case, get couple of quotes and then head to Waxy’s and find the other half of the debate; no problem.

Hold on a minute, shouldn’t the debate be: Is alcohol a problem in yachting? Again, at the outset a simple enough argumentative essay would seem to suffice. But that said, we can’t very well contend that alcohol is a problem because we get straight into the whole, ‘are guns dangerous or is it the people that shoot them, debate.’ This would seem to miss the point of bringing the subject up at all.

Should then the contention be; do yacht crew drink too much? This is again a slightly dodgy thing to contend because it all depends on who you compare them (yacht crew), to. Yes they drink more than your average olympic hopeful, but at the time of writing it is ‘freshers’ season around the world. The streets in university towns everywhere are awash with drunken students, coughing up kebabs, who drink enough to make a ‘yachties’ liver wince at the very thought. So ‘too much’ is a too relative a term.

The fact is that everyone in yachting seems to have an opinion on whether crew drinking is a problem or not. Many yacht crew event organisers, spend much time discussing the pros and cons of giving away free drinks and you’ll rarely find free liquor being offered at a crew bash nowadays, such is the fear of what might happen. To be fair though, the same consideration could be true when organizing a wedding. However it is still the case that, more often than not, when someone in the industry wants the attention of yacht crew it is beer and wine they use to lure them.

In essence you either take the position that drinking is a problem in the industry or that it isn’t. If you think it is, then looking into why, is a very useful exercise and further looking into what harm heavy drinking can do is worthwhile. However, if you think that drinking is not a problem you are surely faced with a somewhat complicated proposition: You are forced to accept that the deaths and injuries caused through alcohol abuse over the last few years are acceptable. Casualties of bar, perhaps?

So where are we? It is probably quite important to establish at this point, a couple of fundamental differences in describing just what we are talking about. A phrase often used, some would say over used, to describe the yacht crews’ apparent affection for a drink or two is ‘drinking problem’. For our purposes, ‘drinking problem’ is a medically determinable illness and really refers to Alcoholism. Alcoholics have a very serious addiction. They have a disease which causes them to drink with compulsion. An alcoholic is generally unable to control their drinking although many are apparently able to disguise it well. Stories abound about alcoholics in the Yachting Industry, but they are often hearsay and statistically, alcoholics are not particularly common. They are not the focus of this article. Alcoholics are extreme examples when the focus here is the generic trend.

A better phrase is perhaps ‘problem drinking’. Not the sort of problem drinking you experience when the dentist has numbed half of your mouth and you dribble like a septuagenarian St Bernard, licking Tabasco sauce off an unripe lemon, but problem drinking as in drinking enough, regularly, to cause problems. Interpersonal, health or social problems. The two phrases ‘drinking problem’ and ‘problem drinking’ seem to be used in conjunction with often subjective definitions. They are mixed, matched and juxtaposed depending on one’s moral standpoint. And let’s be honest, when we choose to look at an issue in such a way as to describe it as a problem, we are often, in fact judging. Now, whilst we may be greatly experienced in the judging of those docking, judging those in the dock, unless done by jowly old man in a wig, would imply the overt use of subjective moral values and not objective ones. And after all it is drinking that is on trial here!

So, just what do we mean by problem drinking? It is actually quite complicated to define ‘problem drinking’ although describing it to anyone who has experienced stepping, accidentally, into what looks like an uncooked, egg white omelet outside a nightclub, it is straightforward. The signs are quite obvious, damaged golf carts, one deck shoe left in the basket, hangovers, weight gain, lethargy, empty wallets, negativity and being on first name terms with strippers are some of a huge number of indicators of problem drinking. Harmless? Well maybe, maybe not.

Let’s look at problem drinking from two perspectives: The effect it has on the drinker and the effect it has on others. The great majority of yachties are young and healthy and fit enough to cope with even quite significant bouts of social drinking. But whilst we use the phrase social drinking with alacrity, the actual amounts of alcohol we consume when social drinking, gives Science, the Establishment or ‘The Man’ whichever you prefer, the cause to name it something else: Binge Drinking. Binge drinking has been the cause of much research over the last few years. Most notably in the UK where the opening hours of pubs were extended a few years ago and politicians from both sides of the house, sought to gain currency by investigating the effects of alcohol.

According to the British National Health Service, alcohol-related illnesses cost the government about $5 billion a year in healthcare expenses. In the US there has also been much research into Binge Drinking. It has been found to be a common pattern of excessive alcohol abuse in the United States. The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, defines binge drinking as a pattern of drinking that brings a person’s blood alcohol concentration (BAC) to 0.08 grams percent or above. This typically happens when men consume 5 or more drinks, and when women consume 4 or more drinks, in about 2 hours. The research also showed that most people who binge drink are not alcohol dependent. So it is clearly a definable problem, but, not necessarily an illness.

Perhaps more of a shock is the fact that recently in the UK, the president of Royal College of Physicians) stated that “ …Alcohol is responsible for 20 percent of deaths in men between the ages of 18 and 34 – [and] probably the commonest cause of death….”

According to national surveys:

^·Approximately 92% of U.S. adults who drink excessively report binge drinking in the past 30 days.
^·Although college students commonly binge drink, 70% of binge drinking episodes involve adults age 26 years and older.
^·The prevalence of binge drinking among men is higher than the prevalence among women.
^·Binge drinkers are 14 times more likely to report alcohol-impaired driving than non-binge drinkers.
^·About 90% of the alcohol consumed by youth under the age of 21 in the United States is in the form of binge drinks.
^·About 75% of the alcohol consumed by adults in the United States is in the form of binge drinks.
^·The proportion of current drinkers that binge is highest in the 18- to 20-year-old group (51%).

It is very clear that binge drinking is not restricted to Yachting and in fact is commonly recognised as an issue around the world. Is this good or bad for our particular case of yachting? It is probably good in that, if yachties are involved in binge drinking they are in good company and certainly by no means unique. That said it is probably bad because binge drinking clearly isn’t a good thing. The below list outlines some of the many health problems associated with binge drinking. If we are honest few of us can say we have not experienced or been aware of any of these issues in our yachting lives.

Unintentional injuries (e.g., car crashes, falls, burns, drowning).
Intentional injuries (e.g., firearm injuries, sexual assault, domestic violence).
Alcohol poisoning.
Sexually transmitted diseases.
Unintended pregnancy.
High blood pressure, stroke, and other cardiovascular diseases.
Liver disease.
Neurological damage.
Sexual dysfunction.
Poor control of diabetes.

There are simply no statistics available for the amount of drinking that goes on in yachting and so the point of reporting opposing, ill informed opinions is likely to prove fruitless. What is clear is that over indulging, binge drinking or whatever you call it is becoming more and more common among the world’s very same demographic group that make up the majority of yachties. And, very sadly the statistics would seem to demonstrate that many of the associated problems are caused through the altered behaviour of the binge drinker. This directly affects others not just the actual drinker. The risks to ‘others’ are almost certainly increased if they share their lives, workspace and social time with the binge drinker.

So now, whether you think it exists in yachting or not, very important is the reason why yachties may commonly drink to excess. Is it their peers and the example they set? Is it a simple matter of the ease of access granted to crew members. Lets face it, it is more difficult to find a gym than a bar in most marinas these days. Is it a lack of discipline and regulation that would allow drunken crew members to think it is okay to drive a tender when under the “affluence of incohol.” Perhaps it is a matter of the lack of enforcement. The last two tender accidents; one involving a death, involved no reported sobriety test whatsoever. Easy then for one to draw from this fact that neither the port state nor the flag state considered it worthy of interest. Perhaps it is the stress and strain of a busy season that makes alcohol an easy and obvious way to unwind?

What to do? The thing about rules and regulation is that they are there to legislate the lowest standard of behaviour so looking to the authorities to make more rules would seem to be missing the point. There will always be people who after a few beers turn into complete muppets. There too will be those that never cause harm or injury to themselves or others. If we really want to understand the incidence of binge drinking in yachting or the extent of its causes and effects we will have to take it seriously and gain some hard empirical facts. Until then we should all be aware that there are undoubtedly risks associated with alcohol abuse but that the social life of a yachtie is almost inevitably likely to involve a roister or two. We all have a vital part to play in avoiding more tragic accidents where alcohol has been a factor and reducing the risks whilst maintaining the fun and socialising we all love.

Crew and booze are like a celebrity marriage: They seem perfectly suited and though they may appear inseparable in pictures, there are also many who would venture that they are bound to end up on the rocks.

MANAGEMENT IMPERIALISM?

Mike French — Mon, 04 Oct 2010 16:44:49 +0000

Can management companies at both ends of the size spectrum offer an equally high standard of service and support to yachts. Is it a David and Goliath story or is it the way of the ‘corner shop’ versus the major international supermarket chain?

Regulation and Safety are two words often juxtaposed in the modern business of yachting. As yachts have increased in size, so they have moved firmly into the realms of shipping as defined by several conventions; SOLAS, GMDSS and MARPOL to name but a few. It has long been the way of the commercial sector to maintain much of the management of a vessel ashore, so it is perhaps unsurprising that yacht operations are emulating this system. This is evidenced by the significant increase in the number of management companies providing shore based support and administration. Indeed with the inception of ISM, the shore based operation is considered an integral part of the safety standard on board a vessel.

ISM then, is one of a number of regulatory requirements for larger vessels which demands verifiable standards be maintained ashore. It is generally accepted that operating a large yacht is becoming more and more complex and in turn, yachts are becoming more and more reliant on their shore support to help them navigate through the sea of documentation and regulation.

It is the realm of the Flag State to determine exactly what level of regulation and compliance it requires of a vessel and her operators. The future is almost certainly to continue the trend of more regulation rather than less and while this will mean more shore support is likely, the flag states are not well equipped to monitor a management company’s performance. Many companies rely on international standards such as the various “ISO” standards or subscribe to Quality Management System providers like Det Norske Veritas (DNV). Many of these standards are recognized and respected by many flag states and go some way toward filling the niche for a standardized level of quality. These standards of course cost money which in turn means increased costs are passed on.

When talking about yacht management companies it seems we are talking often about polar opposites in the scale and size of operations. Perhaps it is only a perception stemming from their marketing strategy, as companies in the yacht management business generally seem to be offering to cover all the bases through their wealth of resources or offering a more personalized, efficient service through their comparative agility or flexibility.

A company offering shore management to a vessel smaller than 500 GRT, needs little more than a cell phone and a calling card to set up in business. Yachts under 500 GRT are not required to comply with the ISM or ISPS code and therefore the shore side management they utilize is not regulated by any international standard or convention. This surely means less standardization but does this in turn lead to a lesser standard?

“There is only one standard of safety management.” says Erik Schiffelbian, Designated Person Ashore (DPA) and Company Security Officer (CSO) at Vessel Safety Management of Fort Lauderdale. “We manage both vessels that are required to comply with the ISM code and those that are under the 500 GRT limit. We treat them in exactly the same way in principal, only the paperwork requirement differs.”

Schiffelbian went on to point out that for the smaller vessels, adopting the full ISM standard provides captains and crew with a head start as ultimately if their career leads them to larger vessels they are better prepared for the associated paperwork. “We do our best to encourage and support the philosophy that ISM is simply a tool that contributes to the safe operation of a vessel. To this end we have made our ISM systems logical and streamlined and not cumbersome and bureaucratic.”

The role of a management company has therefore evolved beyond providing purely safety management support. It is routine for management companies to handle much of the administration required of a yacht. From the crew payroll to effecting payments to contractors and from organizing refits to providing technical and logistical support, yacht management is multi faceted. The very fact that ‘management’ is so diverse, perhaps gives larger yacht management companies who have a wealth of institutional knowledge under one roof, or at least under one brand umbrella, an advantage. So is size the issue when it comes to management standards?

“As one of the largest yacht management companies Fraser Yachts is able to bring a vast number of resources to bear,” offers Michael Bach, the Manager of Business Development at Fraser’s Ft Lauderdale office. He adds, “I can walk just down the corridor and find expertise in chartering, brokerage, crew placement and safety management.” Bach echoes the sentiment that operating a yacht is likely to become an ever more complex proposition. This especially as new regulations such as the Maritime Labour Convention (MLC) will bring with it additional challenges to the design, building and operation of yachts in the near future.

However, there are surely some advantages to the smaller companies offering management. After all, the ‘Boutique’ business model is well established in the luxury sector. One captain suggested the larger firms simply cannot offer the personal service offered by the smaller companies.

“I prefer small management companies that deal with predominantly smaller yachts.” Says Ken Maff, Captain of M.Y. Kapalua. “For me they are far more hands on and much less likely to have an agenda outside that of supporting the captain in his efforts.” He went on to suggest, “The larger firms sometimes have to put their corporate objectives before the interests of the boat.”

Maff’s management company is MTS Yachts who were asked what they perceive their comparative advantage to be if any? “With fewer boats we are able to develop a far greater technical knowledge of each vessel,” says Graham Thompson, president of MTS Yachts. “Our ethos is support and not management and we see our objective to assist the captain and leave him to deal with the owner.” But what of the lack of resources compared to the larger companies who a have vast in house network of expertise? “With so long in the business we have an extensive network and can call on any number of experts who provide tailored technical assistance on the scale we need when we need it.” Thompson points out.

For all the freedoms that yachting allows there are clearly many conventions that must be observed. Whilst many choose to operate their yachts privately, the regulated standards required of commercially operated vessels have, unsurprisingly, become accepted as ‘best practice’. Large vessels over 500 GRT that operate commercially, must comply with the International Safety Management (ISM) code. The ISM code stipulates that the safety management and pollution control system onboard, must be augmented by a formal system of compliant safety management ashore. A company offering shore based ISM support to vessels over 500 GRT must hold a document of compliance (DOC) issued by a flag state and is under the scrutiny of regular external auditing.

Ultimately the provision of any service is a subjective choice. Companies providing management support to yachts are in a competitive market place and their standards will likely be shaped through the Darwinian method and the free market. However it is clear that safety management should be of a universal standard and be a product of the owner’s responsibility to maintain a seaworthy vessel and the captain’s responsibility to oversee that process without compromise. Regulations will change, but so too will technology and the efficient capacity to comply with more stringent demands of the authorities. Management with all its connotations is a part of modern yacht operation and if there is a migration of executive responsibility away from the bridge and towards the office, with it will come greater scrutiny.

Flagging Faith?

Mike French — Mon, 14 Jun 2010 17:39:12 +0000

This years’ Caribbean season is largely over and as it is confined to the annals of yachting history I am concerned that the it will soon be out of sight and out of mind. There were a number of injuries, accidents and even a fatality during the season that should give us cause for concern and yet they have largely been swept under the table and kept from entering the public domain.

Why have there been no published results of any investigations or were there simply no investigations?

Should it matter that accidents and their causes are kept quiet? Maybe they are not being kept quiet but are simply still ‘under investigation’.

We could all benefit from finding out the truth and the documentalble facts of any case. It might shape future legislation or training requirements for the better, it might simply make us do things in a safer way. After all, since the Titanic we have been forced to learn from accidents which have not only yielded clear lessons but provided the political capital to see changes made.

Following the one particular accident where a tender was driven into a rock in the dark, there has been much speculation about the cause and even a statement by one of the crewmembers. This has added to the arguments for a “highspeed” component to be incorporated into any rib training course. Why? The speed may not have been important. If they were drunk let’s hear it and be done with it. We all assume that the driver was drunk, after all they were said to be returning from a bar late at night so it is a forgiveable summation, but, we don’t know for a fact. My point is this: Was it investigated, was anyone breathalysed? Drug tested? Isn’t that the norm in the case of a serious accident?

It is difficult to have faith in a “system” if there is not a dicernable system at all. We all have to train and qualify and conform to the system because that is what is demanded of us yacht crew. Are we not expect we have reasonable demands of the system to inform us of failures.

The MAIB serve to investigate accidents for British flagged vessels but who should investigate accidents for other vessels, the local authorities or the flag state or both? It just seems to easy to let these things go unreported. You have to ask why?

PORSCHE SPICE

Mike French — Tue, 02 Mar 2010 14:51:15 +0000

Love or lust, the two can be easily confused. They are the basis for the themes of a million songs and unquestionably, they contribute to the collective inspiration of every generation of poet and writer alike. From the sonnets of the Bard to the whimsical fancy of the modern song writer, the experience of love won and lost has etched upon most of us the relative value of poem and verse alike.

My affair started some time ago. We passed in the street and I was at once taken with her beauty. Her face, fresh and unblemished by the years, captivated me in a moment. As she passed I glanced over my shoulder. Her shape as she swooped by was trim and taught and athletic but all the while feminine and quite beautiful. Her body was smaller than average and she looked petite and demure but maintained a hint of menace. Like a cat soft and graceful but ready to pounce and devour at a moment’s notice. I became instantly desirous of her and from then on planned my next meeting.

We ‘met’ shortly after that day as I had managed to get an introduction. She was German and very new to the local scene. After some time I arranged to fly to Europe and pick her up in Germany in the town that she was born. I will not lie; I spent a fortune on a holiday and flew out to meet her. We traveled together through Germany and France and I even took her across the channel to meet my parents. I was smitten.

No one could deny her looks were stunning but several people seemed a little daunted and surprised by her inner darkness. We had our ups and downs and from the start I was aware that she drank a little too much. On a number of occasions she drove me around the bend quicker than ever before but as I learned to handle her moods she became predictable. As we took our road trip together and spent many hours in traffic I found her totally comforting and supportive. She kept me cool during that hot summer in Europe and was happy to go wherever I chose.

She spoke a number of languages and was as excellent navigator and played music whenever I asked, the perfect companion one might say. But there were problems on the horizon. I was married and my wife wanted children. I had to decide if I should continue my affair but I simply could not part with her.

I returned home and she came to the USA, I actually paid for her to get here by ship as she could not fly. I found her a place to stay and she waited for me patiently until the weekends when we could go out together. As time went on I realized that she was simply too much of a goer for me; she was built for speed and I started to need more comfort. After the birth of our first child my priorities had also started to change. She was simply incapable of coping with a baby. It may sound a little strange but my wife, who knew of the affair, had started to enjoy her company. I saw them together once or twice and I realized that I simply had to let her go for fear she would come between us.

So now I have made the decision to part. I want to know if there is anyone out there who is thrilled by the thought of travel on the open road and who is interested in buying a 2006 Porsche Cayman S. She will be sorely missed and although she is not what you would call high maintenance she does have expensive taste. She is not good with kids but great for weekends away. Always ready for an adventure, in 16000 miles I have only seen her tired once.

Lessons Passed

Mike French — Tue, 02 Mar 2010 14:50:18 +0000

Yachting has experienced, over the past decade or so, what amounts to a technical revolution. The advance of technology with its ‘smaller, faster and ever more efficient systems has given us everything from black box navigation gear to high speed internet, global communications and even stabilization. A good friend of mine recently took out his I-phone and showed me the alarm monitoring status of everything in his engine room as we sat at dinner several miles away. Even the yachts that are getting greener are mostly reliant on technology and not common sense to achieve a reduced carbon ‘keel print’.

In the context of all these changes there is inevitably a chorus of ‘old school’ voices, several here on “Dockwalk.com” forums, that would seem to be saying that the new crew just ‘aint what they used to be’. However in many respects, and writing as someone who can only text with two fingers and at a rate slower that an arthritic farmer, I have to say that these new yachties might well have a natural ability that can be exploited.

I suspect that many of the skills common to the newer generation of yacht crew could be quite useful. After all there is surely greater and greater emphasis on computerized control of even rather modest functions aboard modern yachts. Climate control, Audio Visual, Computer Networking, and Alarm monitoring, are systems that these days have a lot more silicone trickery invested in them than a car dealer’s wife. Gone for good are the days of simple switches flashing lights and audio alarms.

But does this mean then, that the emphasis on technology will cause or is causing the focus on traditional skills both on deck and in the engine room to be left behind? It is a reasonable concern and many these days seem to suggesting that it is indeed evident to the knowledgeable eye. Many of the ‘accidents’ of the recent past suggest a failure to observe some of the very basic principles of Seamanship. And seamanship is one of those things which is better passed on working environment than in a classroom. Quite telling is the fact that even with the benefit of hindsight several people posting in the forums have seemed to suggest that there was a piece of technology that could have prevented some of 2009’s accidents in the first place.

So is there a skills gap developing for real? Or is it more of a cultural gap where the modern techie culture is not accepting or interested in learning the basic concepts that keep things like the art of seamanship and hands on engineering alive. Perhaps a bit of both.

I would imagine that for your average techie engineer who is most interested in interfaces and programming, it must be quite frustrating to have to learn the ‘Suck, Squeeze, Bang, Blow’ principles of Diesel’s cycle. And, equally so for a captain to have crew that want to use the AIS interface on the radar overlay of the ECDIS plotter but who cannot tie anything other than a bowline.

Some time ago I watched in horror as a reasonable sized vessel tried to moor stern-to in Nassau on one of the outer docks of the Hurricane Hole marina. The boat was berthing ‘down tide’ and the tide was moving at perhaps, half a knot. The boat barged and scraped its way into the dock causing, rather fortunately, only a few thousand dollars worth of paint repair work but leaving fingers mostly intact. In fact the largest dent was done to the captain’s ego. Sitting in the bar a week later and discussing the incident the captain and crew all had suggestions and solutions that may have prevented the problem: Less delay in the throttle system, more powerful bow thruster, different props, different steering gear etc. Etc. Etc. When someone suggested that they should simply have waited for the tide to turn or arrived earlier they totally discounted the notion. Instead citing other priorities as “…far more important to consider than getting into the dock with a favourable tide.”

There is undoubtedly less emphasis of some of the traditional ways of operating yachts which may simply be a skills gap. What concerns me is that there is a lack of respect for the traditional ways of operating yachts. From sound engineering practices to seamanship and ship husbandry there must be a commitment to keeping the past alive, we will certainly be safer for it.

CEASE SICKNESS

Mike French — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 18:42:48 +0000

There are any number of possible health hazards that may affect those working on yachts. And, unsurprisingly, there is no end of mechanisms that we can employ to combat them: From wearing shoes to avoid foot injuries to observing defined ‘hours of rest’ in order to combat fatigue. However very little these days is mentioned about good old fashioned sea sickness. I was always told that the best remedy for this particular ailment was to stand under a large oak tree. Whilst this remedy is undoubtedly effective, even the very largest yachts are apparently unwilling to accommodate the seasickness threat in this way.

So just what is it and what can be done to avoid or cure it? Supposedly seasickness a result of one’s balance being upset. Inside the inner ear are three semicircular canals that contain liquid. On the inner walls of these canals are hairs which move with the motion of the liquid and send messages to the brain. As the motion of the body becomes more unusual the messages sent to the brain seem to range from ‘yawn’ to ‘vomit’ with ‘lay down clutching a bottle of water’ somewhere in between.

To those susceptible to the condition, sea sickness is terrible, debilitating disease, whereas to those who are unaffected; it is all in the mind. There can be no question that sea sickness is indeed real in the clinical sense, but like stress and hypertension there is much to suggest that the mind can also play a role in its onset and severity.

I once sailed with a lady who would develop symptoms of seasickness within a few minutes of hearing a less than favourable weather forecast, even if the local conditions were calm. Such was her mind’s ability to generate the feeling of nausea. Likewise, when I sailed as mate aboard an old schooner and having been shipwrecked on a lee shore, the twelve passengers who had been previously confined to their bunks suddenly forgot about their “Mal de Mar” and became more concerned about drowning.

There are plenty of old wives who have, over the centuries, concocted solutions to sea sickness, from staring at the horizon to staying busy. However in keeping with the times there are also numerous gadgets and devices on the market claiming to offer a cure. From bands with little beads using the science of acupuncture to small electrodes designed to galvanize the same theory into more effective action. There are also dietary solutions that are recommended from eating ginger to not drinking seventeen pints of beer the night before putting to sea.

In essence everyone is affected by sea sickness in different ways and over time everyone tends to develop their own means of coping. I for one would be fascinated to know what people think is the best way to deal with it. Whether you are affected by the motion of the ocean, reliant on a potion or if you are able to use mind over matter, just what do you do to cure what just may be the oldest disease on earth?

REMEMBER HAITI!

Mike French — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 18:22:38 +0000

There can be no greater feeling of helplessness than watching a disaster unfold from position that renders it impossible to help. Such have the last few days been for many who have watched the people of Haiti deal with a catastrophic earthquake from the distant and sometime guilty comfort of their television sets.

For Haiti the clock is ticking, the actions taken in the first two weeks after such an event can reduce the overall death toll by a huge amount. The greatest killers in these situations are the diseases which can spread incredibly quickly where mass concentrations of people gather without sanitation, medicine, shelter or food. In 1994 in Ngara, Tanzania, where the exodus of refugees from Rwanda first gathered, some estimates put the daily death toll at a little short of ten thousand. But perhaps more startling is the fact that this number had decreased to a little as ten a day within a couple of weeks. It is astounding what medicine, sanitation and shelter can do in such a short time if properly administered.

In Haiti there is a huge amount of Aid being delivered through a port and airport not equipped to deal with even a tiny proportion of the traffic is is seeing now. The Militiary have already set up a full communication infrastructure and developed a coordinated system of planning and implementing everything from search and rescue activities to medical treatment centres and food distribution plans.

The initial phase of activity is intense with huge amounts of resources and a ‘save life at any cost attitude’. As the first few weeks go by the problems become more complicated as politics, corruption and security issues become more concerning. How many saw the images of a presidential palace in near ruins following the earthquake and wondered how such an opulent building could be justified amongst such impoverished neighbours. It will be interesting to see how long it takes to be rebuilt and just who pays for it!

The disaster response to Haiti has been tremendous and huge number of yachties have been involved gathering supplies and organising their despatch to Haiti. I has been great to see such efforts but there is still that never ending feeling of helplessness many seem to be experiencing. Wondering just what they can physically do to make a difference and there is something that we can all do. It is very simple and we are all capable of it, it cost little but it is vital. You see in a few short weeks and months the news will have another focus and our attention will be diverted elsewhere perhaps an Oscar upset or perhaps a new war. Very soon after donations will slow and relief will become development and in a few short months Haiti may just become a shocking memory. So it is most important not to forget. There is nothing the aid agencies fear more than donor fatigue and being forgotten it makes operations incredibly difficult.

Whatever we are doing now in the way of gathering donations and supplies we should keep doing it and perhaps this should be the theme of fundraising for the boatshow party season this year. It is vital not to forget what has happened in Haiti not in a few weeks or months. We may forget the recent property crash, no Haitian ever will.

MYTH UNDERSTOOD

Mike French — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 18:15:47 +0000

In ancient Greek mythology, the human condition was determined to exist in three distinct status: Those who were dead, those who were alive and those who were “at sea”. Such was the significance of the sea in the both the mythical and historical Greece. Today much of the influence of ancient Greece can still be felt in our political doctrine, astronomy, medicine and language. In fact it is all over the place if you know where to look. If however, you think of ‘the classics’ as albums released by eighties bands with dubious, large haircuts and white jackets with shoulder pads, then the names of many of the yachts we see come and go will mean little. it might be of interest to some that to this day, many yachts are named after the Gods, Heroes, Heroines and Deities brought to life and recorded in the tales of Homer more than 800 years before Christmas was even invented.

I have listed a few of the yacht names and mentioned their namesake and their character or qualities as they are portrayed in mythology. They are in no order in particular and I am sure the list is far from complete.

TRITON – The son of Poseidon, Triton was a sea god with fishes tail and must have looked like a cross dressing mermaid. Triton was said to form into smaller sea spirits called Tritones. Triton’s major contribution to ancient mythology was to guide Jason and the Argonauts when they were lost and to use his special trumpet formed from a sea shell, to blow on to the waves in order to calm the sea.

PERSEUS – Was only a demi-god being born of a God, Zeus and a mortal. He grew up on an island, being mentored by a fisherman. Perseus was later despatched to behead the evil Medusa. This he did with the help of some flying shoes from Hermes and a reflective shield from the goddess Athena. On his way back from killing Medusa, Perseus rescued a bird called Andromeda who was about to besacrificed to a sea monster.

ATHENA – The Goddess of Wisdom, Athena was said to be the most fair and benevolent of all the gods. Athena was born to Zeus and was said to have sprung from his head into existence.

PEGASUS – Pegasus was a winged horse sired by Poseidon and Medusa who was a Gorgon. Pegasus was strong and fast but could be captured and ridden by others.

APHRODITE – Was popular at all the God parties. She was the goddess of love, desire and beauty but also the sea which is probably why her name is often lent to the transom of a yacht. Aphrodite got around a bit and had a number of children, enough said.

ARTEMIS – Daughter of Zeus and the goddess of the hunt. She was a strong warrior and helped protect the Olympians from the giants. She was a staunch protector of women and to a lesser degree young men.

GAIA – Mother Earth, Gaia was the Earth and relates to what we today may describe as mother nature. She emerged onto the mythological scene shortly after the ‘Chaos’. Gaia was one of the first Gods and is said to give berth to mankind.

HELIOS – The Greek god of the sun and indeed the sun itself. He moves across the sky daily in a chariot led by four horse that breathe fire from their nostrils. At the end of the night Helios is brought back to the starting point in very large cup. Helios sees all and informs the gods of what he sees.

KANGAROO CAUGHT

Mike French — Mon, 25 Jan 2010 16:39:03 +0000

Another new year in St Barts gets off with a bang. Two anchored yachts collide and through a series of pictures taken from a single perspective, a number of would-be Sherlock Holmes are revived from the dead to demonstrate an uncanny, almost instinctive ability to deduce fault and point the finger of blame.

There are almost certain to be many more pictures and videos of these sorts of events which are, frankly, at times greatly entertaining especially to see from afar. It simply has to happen more and more as ever greater numbers of people are using smart phones equipped with video and more ‘apps’ than a Swiss Army, dual voltage, digital, multi tool sort of thing.

Without doubt, the numpties out there will appear, in most cases in absentia, before the court of free speech where their minimum sentence will be an open aired public spanking. Egos will be dented and mechanical failures will be invented. There may even be a “Yachting’s Dumbest ” TV series with a former ‘captain to the stars’ reading scripts linking puns of pure cheese and introducing video clips of yachting prangs to a room full of salad dodging morons who look like they were hired to entertain deaf children. Obviously, I’d be up for presenting such a show as that.

There is a serious point though and that is; just supposing for a moment that the power yacht with the unusual design and star of the 2010 St Bart’s ‘first anchored shunt’ competition, was dealing with an electrical problem that rendered the yacht systems useless and the tender was being launched to get the chief engineer; who had suffered a massive electrical shock, to hospital. And, that the captain had decided that he and his crew’s best efforts were to forget about a bit of scratching to a lightweight blow boat in favour of saving a life. In this case the typical speculation would not serve the common good. Especially if the part that failed causing the electrical fault was poorly designed for its application, new to the market and in danger of exposing others to the same risk. In this case, the communal ears would serve better than the mouth.

There is absolutely no question about the fact that the greater good is served by learning from the mistakes and misfortunes of others. But, open and frank discussion is very different from smug speculation which serves a subjective agenda. We cannot escape the fact that laughing at the misfortunes of others is a vital part of entertainment and where no-one is hurt who cares. But let’s not kid ourselves that it benefits anyone other than the kindred voyeur among us.

There is discussion within the industry about a forming a forum already used in other sectors of the Maritime industry; where officials get together to share their own honest accounts of their misadventures, mistakes and lessons gleaned from accidents. There are no notes allowed to be taken, no names allowed to be used and no publicity allowed to be exploited even by others that could gain from it. The idea is that such a forum would be an altruistic gesture aimed at sharing safety issues in a candid, frank and honest forum.

Could this work in yachting? Do we care? Is criticism so hard to swallow? Perhaps it’s alimentary, my dear Watson.

TERRIBLY PREDICTABLE

Mike French — Mon, 25 Jan 2010 15:59:02 +0000

Just what are we expecting to happen in 2010? I am sure we are bored of hearing what went wrong in 2009 so I wonder if making a few predictions for 2010 will prove more encouraging. Well at least we can predict, with some degree of certainty, the tides. After last year however, there will no doubt, be many who are just as likely to be relying on Astrology as Astronomy. In our business we can get pretty used to dealing with the stars and looking fondly upon heavenly bodies.

I have set out a few categories and made a couple of suggestions for 2010 but I would be grateful for those of you at the coal face so to speak to offer your own suggestions. For fun I will review it one year hence and offer a reward for anyone that was in the fortunate position of saying “told you so”.

TECHNOLOGY – Well we have flat screen TVs, internet, zero speed stabilizers and sewage treatment plants that can turn urine into your drinking water, what could possibly come next. My guess is power management systems that can improve further the bang one gets for one’s generator buck. It seems as this area is something that is still appetizing to owners and still worth a premium. That is likely to lead to investment and further improvements in yachting applications. The technology is already out there in most cases so it is more a question of automating different systems in order to work together without the chief engineer being compelled to turn things on and off like a two year old who has just reached the height of the light switches. Believe me I know what I am talking about!

More economic propulsion systems are also on the cards with much talk of hybrid and diesel electric applications becoming more available on smaller size yachts. But, I suspect there is more than a year before they are an obvious option.

SECURITY – Everybody is investing in new security devices and solutions for yachts and I am sure 2010 will bring in more expensive kit. Sonic cannons which can be used by untrained deckies should prove fun until someone loses an ear. However I would hazard a guess that biometric security solutions will make further headway into the market. Also I would guess that bodyguards will be wearing navy blue next year rather than black which is getting a little predictable.

DESIGN – The plum bow is in and 2010 will probably see more of this sort of look as the axe bow means you pay for more dockage than you can walk on. Coatings for paint that reduce maintenance are coming too. They are out there already but seen as a costly addition however, as they are more and more embraced by the paint companies or bought by them, they will possible be seen as a cost saving investment. The same is true of glass treatment, particularly in light of the push toward eco sense.

AV SYSTEMS – There is always the chance of someone bringing in an AV system that an owner’s wife can use without going mental but we are probably looking at another ten to twenty years or so don’t hold your breath. The IPOD looks set to become a firm fixture as part of the AV system for some but it may prove too cheap and uncomplicated for many to spec. They may come up with a way to broadcast Blue ray around the boat during 2010.

NAVIGATION – Reliability is not really the issue these days, nor is accuracy but the interface system will become further simplified and intuitive. I would like to see a return to simpler concepts where judgment is left to the watchkeepers who can easily get the info they need as opposed to the info that is available.

BUSINESS – Sales of yachts are a subject debated around every bar in every port and discussed in every magazine. My guess is that sailing yacht sales will increase more than power yachts but that new boats may be designed without the resale or market acceptance being as much of a concern. There will therefore be some interesting designs to come next year with owners applying their own subjective wants outside the market influence. It may be that the brokerage business may come under pressure to be more transparent about yacht pricing after the market turmoil and extreme valuations of the recent past. Could this happen? Well if it does it will not be implemented by anyone called Mr. popular.

Chartering seemed to have adapted to the market, after the initial reduction in charter bookings, it seemed that many charters occurred at shorter notice with pricing discounted. I would that this continues as value and pricing will continue to be predominant forces throughout 2010.

CREW TRAINING – I guess most people were hoping for a sea change to online courses by now but the STCW convention is going to make that tricky both from a legislation and business point of view, so I would suspect that online will serve the needs of the elective training market which is very small, before the mandatory training courses.

I could go on but I would genuinely love to hear from you out there on the cutting edge about just what you think the next 12 months may bring; good or bad. However in looking online I did find a quatrain from a fellow called Nostradamus:

FROM THE EAST BEHIND A CURTAIN OF IRON

ARISES A SON WHO WILL BUILD AN ARK OF STEEL

FROM GERMANY SHE WILL SAIL

HER PICTURE WILL ADORN THE COVER OF EVERY PARCHMENT OF MANTOYS

Well I suspect good old Nostradamus was right again but only time will tell.