Regina

The New Generation

Daima

The New Generation

Infinity

The New Generation

Jasmin Forever

The New Generation

Dolce Mare

The New Generation

Saturday, December 28, 2013

The New Generation

Design
It is a totally new class of sailing yacht with Mediterranean styling that boasts pure elegance and unique design with famous arts and designers.

Technology
The New Generation is fitted with the latest technology for ease of navigation, sailing and maneuvering.

Comfort
Close attention to the finishing details is paid throughout design benefitting from many ingenious solutions to make life easier on board while enjoying comfort and decor.

Engineering & Labour 
Throughout creation process, a wide-vision team is in progress leaded by famous futuristic engineers and that makes The New Generation an engineering art with uncompromised quality of finishing.

New generation is attempting to set a new standard of luxury yachts within Turkey’s traditional yacht grounds.

In General
The aim is to have a new style, modern day comforts, charms of tradition and higher performance for sailing.
It is a totally new class of sailing yacht with Mediterranean styling and the cutting-edge performance luxury yacht that boasts pure elegance.

Close attention to detail is paid throughout her design, construction and fit out, benefitting from many ingenious solutions to make life easier on board while enjoying the uncompromised quality of the interior finishing and decor. Distinguished and comfortable, sophisticated and seaworthy, New Generation establishes a new definition for luxury yacht in Turkey.

Complete and well-conceived The New Generation does more than justice to all the contemporary requirements for styling, functionality and sheer beauty.

The New Generation is fitted with the latest technology for ease of navigation, sailing and maneuvering, along with hi-tech rigging and sails allow a performance which far surpasses that of a Traditional Gulet, this “stand-out” yacht into a classification of her own.

The details of quality and material has paid to it’s construction and fit out, benefitting from many experience and knowledge to make her to have the best finish and strength.

This is a real “go anywhere” sailing yacht, made for 'real' sailing whilst living luxuriously on board.

Modern day comforts and the charms of tradition, this is what new generation is all about.

Wednesday, October 30, 2013

Wood

The idea that a wooden boat has a higher maintenance requirement is no longer true. While rot, peeling paint, and worm damage once gave a small degree of credence to this argument, materials such as epoxy resins, urethane coatings, marine-grade plywood, and hi-tech caulks and glues have long since ended that concern. All boats require maintenance but a properly constructed wooden boat will require no additional effort over an equal boat of alternate construction.

The many natural attributes of wood combined with modern materials offers the best of both worlds. Wood also provides inherent design flexibility which results in hull forms that are light, stable, and strong. This further translates into fuel efficiency for the powered craft and speed for the sailing variety.

In many ways then, the question becomes one of aesthetics and in this area there are few that will deny the unsurpassed, timeless beauty of wood. So why wood... perhaps simply because wood speaks to the heart and satisfies the senses in a way that synthetic materials never will. A wooden boat continues a tradition that spans the centuries and will always be the choice of the nautical connoisseur and those who value the qualities of the natural world.

How to Look after Wood

Of all woods, teak is considered to be the most noble, durable and decadent. Especially luxury yachts use if excessively for decks and decorations. Caring for teak is a different issue – surely, it is a very strong material, but there are a couple of things to keep in mind with teak care. In this article, I try to give to practical advice for proud teak-owners.

Teak is a noble wood; it is expensive and should be treated with consideration. Generally speaking, Teak requires little care compared to other woods. It is hard and durable and for these reasons, has been used in Southeast Asia for centuries. If exposed to the air, untreated teak bleaches to a noble grey or mousy with a shiny surface.

If you are an environmental sailor, like me, you should either avoid teak or check where it comes from and if it was lumbered legally. Teak is a tropical wood and in many Third World countries, native forests are sacrificed to the wood industries. Teak is very evenly patterned and rich in oils. It is the oils that make it unattractive to termites, which is partly the reason for its popularity in Asia.

Like essentially all woods, even teak might need some protection to extend its lifetime. There are several ways of protecting teak, and they all aim for mainly two things: Protection of the oil content in the wood itself on the one hand and sealing off hazards like UV radiation, water and fungi.

Paint, oil or varnish

Apart from crudely painting over the wood (which is commonly done with all sorts of wooden things, because it is cheap and requires little maintenance efforts, but should be avoided with luxury woods like teak), or leaving it untreated, you can protect teak by applying varnish or oil and seals.

If your teak is not oiled, sealed or varnished at all, there is no need to panic: Many boat owners prefer plain teak, even if it might lose its shiny touch after a while. Depending on the local climate in your area, it might well be possible to leave your teak untreated. If in doubt, ask sailors from your area for advice – they should know what products and treatments are best for protecting your wood.

Regardless of what protective layer you decide to get, you should always start with cleaning the wood unless it is newly bought. There are detergents available that are specifically developed for the needs of teak. To wash the wood, use warm water with a mild detergent and a small amount of bleach as an alternative to “special teak detergent”. Apply this solution, let it soak for a bit and rinse it off with clear water.

Wood on boats needs to be clean

If the first treatment did not lead to the desired result, repeat it and increase the concentration of detergent and bleach. Be careful though, teak is sensitive and you should not destroy the surface by chemical means or through rubbing wildly. Use soft brushes or cloth. If you decided to go for “professional” teak detergent, follow the instructions. After rinsing the wood, let it clean in a warm, well-ventilated spot.

Once the wood has dried, you can go for the varnish: It is generally composed of protective waxes, solvents such as alcohol, and other substances with specific effects such as sunscreen-like chemicals that will absorb harmful UV radiation. Especially if you are from a very sunny area and you need varnish for teak on the deck, check for products with highly protective properties with respect to UV.

Do not try to safe money on the varnish! Low-quality varnish might spoil your wood, and it would be a waste of the luxury teak. You should apply several layers of varnish, at least six are generally recommended. Renew at least one layer of varnish once every couple of weeks and before winterizing the boat.

Teak care with oil versus lacquer finishes

A more natural alternative to varnish is oil. There are hundreds of products available, many of them specifically developed for the needs of teak. They replace natural oils in the wood and thereby enhance the look of it and prevent the formation of cracks, fungal growth and the penetration of water.

Wood oils are made of linseed oil and much like varnish, often come with other ingredients such as sun blockers, solvents or water repellents. Some oils tend to darken the wood, so be careful to buy only oils that were developed for teak and outdoor-applications.

Apply oil generously, but avoid drops to sit, as they will leave unattractive stains on the wood. Let the teak dry in a warm and well-ventilated place. Repeat this procedure at least three times and renew the oil once every few weeks during the summer and once before winterizing the yacht.

Finally: Seal your boat

To protect oiled wood even more, you can apply sealers as a finish. They generally consist of resins and solvents with the mentioned additives. Don’t seal wood for at least two weeks after the oiling, since “greasy” wood will not hold the sealer. Wash the wood slightly with soap to remove oil from the surface, rinse it and dry it properly.

Then apply the sealer in a thin layer, let it dry and repeat the treatment. Three layers of sealer should be plenty (follow the instructions given for outdoor conditions), and depending on the quality and strength of the sealer, it won’t have to be renewed for weeks or even months.

Pine

Pine (pinos strobus, pinos resinosa, pinos nigra, pinus palustris) is the most abundant local wood suitable for building gulets. It is widely available along the interior of the Aegean coast and the least expensive material available for builders. Live pine trees can be chosen by the builder and cut down to exact dimensions and specifications. The drawback to using pine is its long life especially under water if it is regulary maintenanced well, there are red, white and black types. With the recent trend towards progressively longer, more luxurious gulets, Bodrum builders began to use alternatives to white pine for increased strength and durability.

Mahogany

Imported African mahogany, available from Istanbul wholesalers, became a favored material due to its medium weight and resistance to decay. Mahogany is available in many different grades and qualities and good quality mahogany also makes an excellent exterior finish material. The best mahoganies are Khaya ivorensis, Sipo utile, Sapeli aboudikro and Niangon nyankom. (ref) There are also varieties of mahogany not well suited for building gulets, which reinforces the fact that choice of reputable boatyard and suppliers is of paramount importance in the commissioning of a gulet. It is suggested specially for interior and frames.

Iroko

Perhaps the most durable but also the heaviest and most expensive wood used to build gulets is Iroko. The natural oils found in Iroko prevent water absorption, impede shrinkage, and many feel that it becomes increasingly beautiful with age and use. However, the weight of Iroko can alter the sailing and handling of the vessel and must be factored into the design of the boat. It is suggested for frames.

Mulberry and Oak

Some premium builders prefer the durability of mulberry or oak frames for gulets, but working with these particular woods involves a longer aging process as well as one of the increasingly rare craftsmen (usta) with experience using them. Increasingly builders are using laminated epoxy constructed frames with traditional planking, or epoxy frames with diagonal veneer planking. Again, mahogany is usually the choice of wood.

Winterize

How to Winterize a Gulet

Winterizing a boat is a necessary task that comes along every year. Unfortunately, there are plenty of small mistakes one could make that might damage the boat. This article should help you think about how to prepare your boat for the frost.

In case you live in an area with a harsh climate, it is likely that you will have to winterize your boat. How much time and effort this will require vastly depends on the size of Gulet we are talking about – it might be as short as a few hours dedicated to your small Gulet, or several weeks of sporadic work if you have to winterize a large Gulet.

In any case the work normally starts with a decent clean-up; remove all gear, personal items and anything that doesn’t belong to the boat itself. Wash the decks, windows, pillows or whatever else comes along your way. You might want to use your boat as a storage space for gear or personal items (kitchen tools in the galley, for example, or rudders, ropes and alike). Even if this is the case, you should clear the boat and clean it before you add these items. Everything stored on the boat should be kept in boxes and storage– however; putting these things into place aboard should be the last step in the winterization ceremony.

Check the boat for water traps: Ice has a lower density than liquid water, which goes along with an increased volume. In other words: wherever there is water caught, cracks might occur in the spring. Drain all water from pipes on the boat by disconnecting them. Some pieces of equipment such as pumps, the engine or the toilet might be supposed to keep some water.

Avoid frost damages by removing water

In that case they are normally on the safe side with no risk of frost damages. However, if you are in doubt, stick with the instruction sheet of the respective piece of gear. Don’t forget to check exhaustion pipes – they often catch water which might cause corrosion or even heavy frost damages.

Remove all electronic devices. Once again, the amount of work dedicated to this will depend on the type of boat you are winterizing. Especially with cruisers that hold a lot of electronic gimmicks, make sure that you label every bit of wire that you remove. Store them in a dry place that doesn’t get too cold (no frost!). In spring you will be grateful for every single label that will tell you which wire needs to be connected to what plug.

If you have batteries on your boat, charge them fully and then remove them from the boat in case you expect frost. Make sure to grease the terminals to prevent corrosion damages. Depending on the type of batteries, they might be grateful for an occasional slow discharge and recharge during the winter. Ask the manufacturer about this.

Making your yacht worthy

Removing batteries and electronics will also keep them from getting stolen if you keep your boat in the water rather than indoors. You might want to do the same with other “valuable” bits: the propeller, brass-items, outboard, fire extinguisher, first-aid box, buoyancy…long winter evenings are great for checking and possibly repairing or replacing things like these for the next season.

Winterizing an engine is a major task by itself, even if it is only an auxiliary engine. Fill the engine’s fuel tank until it is almost full – allow some room to remain in the tank for expansion. Add some stabilizer; change the oil in the engine and gearbox after operating the engine for a few minutes to warm up the old oil contents; then, change the oil filters, too.

Clean the surface of the engine, tilt all loose parts, oil it up or apply anti-freeze substances to prevent corrosion and frost-damages on the surface parts.

A sleeping beauty waiting for spring

Store the equipments in boxes in a dry, not too cold place: ropes, lines and canvas are might need some cleaning before the winter, too. Finally, cover your boat: if the boat stays outside or even in the water, a decent, water-proof and well-fitting cover is mandatory. Make sure that water will not get caught in pockets and fix the cover properly. Check the cover occasionally during the winter.

Rigging & Sails

The Mast and Balance of the Topsides

At the mast have a close look at the limber hole in the base of the mast and make sure that it is clear; you would be amazed how much salt water gets inside the mast!

Check all exit blocks and lubricate then slowly work your way up the mast checking the gooseneck, paying particular attention to the pin, the boom and all lines and fittings on it.

At this point you will most likely find yourself at the spreader lights. Check they are working and that the lenses are clean and well sealed. Look closely at the wiring checking for chafe especially where it enters the mast.

At the masthead check all lights and fittings not forgetting the attachment of the stays.

Also clean and check your VHF aerial and clean the connections. CRC electrical contact cleaner and lubricator is good here. As mentioned before check all wiring, lubricate the sheave boxes and blocks including the roller furler swivel.

On the way down give the mast paint, varnish or a polish with a good quality cleaner polish such as "International Products". This helps protect the alloy, the anodizing, and helps stop black marks from the mast going on the headsails.

Lastly give the sail slides a spray of silicon as this will help the main go up the track without jamming and include you jib hank pins as well.

Sails

The condition and setting up of the sails will also have a great bearing on pointing ability. The H28 responds well to subtle changes in the positioning of the Genoa cars and the tension on the halyards of the main and Genoa. Also the backstay tension will affect the on wind performance and you will find on your boat to obtain best upwind speed in 12knots.

Fit tell tails (wools) to your Genoa and mainsail on both sides. (Available from your sail maker or chandlery in made up packs).

The over sheeting of the headsail will also cause the main to stall and back wind up the luff due to the slot between the main and headsail being closed up. The rule of thumb here is; if in doubt let it out!

The amount of kicking strap applied will control the twist in the leach of the main and this will also influence the amount of weather helm and pointing, as will the position of the mainsheet traveler, which you should be able to pull up past the boats centre line and to windward. This pulls the boom on to the centerline of the boat without flattening all the shape out of the mainsail and effectively opens the slot between the sails that I mentioned above.

All of these points and more are fully covered in the book I have mentioned. Quite often your sails will only need re-cutting which is much cheaper than a new suite. I have mentioned some of the main areas and it is really only through experimenting with settings on your own boat that will get peak performance when sailing.

Sail Care

Correct sail maintenance can make a large difference to the life and performance of your sails. Regardless of the sail material, a little care can help a lot.

Avoid flogging: Flogging and leech flutter are the worst causes of cloth deterioration. To maintain the shape and strength of your sails, minimize the amount of time they are flapping in the breeze. When hoisting a sail while motoring, don't go too fast and, if motor sailing, keep the main trimmed. Always keep the leech lines tight enough so that the leeches don't flutter.

Stretch: Using a sail in a higher wind range than what it was designed for is one of the quickest ways to destroy it. It is better to reduce sail before the wind does it for you.

Chafe: Any part of the boat or mast that a sail rubs against should be protected, and don't drag a sail over anything rough. Tape up spreader ends especially with leather etc.

Sunlight: While direct sunlight is one of the worst enemies of sails, you cannot keep your sails out of the sun unless you only sail when it is cloudy. You should, how- ever, keep your sails covered any time they are not being used, even if only for an hour or two.

Storage: Sails should only be stored dry, free of salt and folded or rolled into sail bags. Don't fold sails in the same place each time as you will finish up with permanent creases. If you have a damp sail at the end of a cruise, take it home to dry or, if unable to, stow it loosely in the boat as long as it is a well ventilated craft.

Cleaning: To get rid of most of the salt from a sail, a gentle hosing down regularly. To clean a sail of dirt, use a diluted solution of a mild cleaner and warm water. Contact your sail maker to advise a good cleaner suitable for your sails.

Folding: A folded or flaked sail will take up less room than one which is randomly stuffed into a bag, and it is much better for the life of the sail itself.

Headsails: To fold a genoa, start at the foot and fold in panels wide enough to fit in your stowage area. When the sail is entirely folded from foot to head, then fold both ends toward the middle leaving the tack on the outside of the last fold. It is preferable to have a large flat area to fold a sail - but rarely available - so you can fold on the cabin top using the boom as a feeder or fold on a marina using the boat as a feeder.

Mainsails: Can be easily stored on the boom by flaking it on to the boom and pulling the bottom fold out and wrapping it over the rest of the sail, then put a tie around the sail and boom or use shock- cord.
When the main is taken off the boom and mast it is folded from the foot the same as for a headsail.

Spinnakers: As long as they are dry, spinnakers or other nylon sails do not need to be folded. As long as the head and clews are gathered and the sail is not twisted, these sails are the only ones that can be stuffed into a bag.

Machine & Machinery

Motor

Your manual will set out the maintenance requirements here. Do not forget to check your motor anode and the impeller in the water pump.  Think of it is a good idea to replace your impeller each year and keep the old one as a backup.

Also a simple filter on your water intake line between the gate valve and the pump will save a lot of hassles with potential blockages. Wingate" make a simple clear inline tube one and these are available from farm stores, marine shops and garden centre. All hoses should be double hose clamped for safety and checked for wall softening or damage. Replace as necessary. A tip, get your hoses from your local "Hose Doctor" usually a lot more cost effective.


Water tanks and hoses

All water tanks should be flushed clean every year or two and especially if you can "taste" the water. This taste is caused by black algae in the tank or in the clear plastic hoses that runs to your pumps at the sink or the hand basin. Good potable water always contains some solids in suspension and over a period of time these settle out in the bottom of your water tanks.

The best way to drain the tanks is to use a spare piece of hose and connect one end to the tank outlet and the other to the inlet for the motor cooling water. Start your motor, make sure that it is out of gear so the propeller will not turn, and drain tanks and flush motor at the same time! If you don’t have inspection ports in the top of the tank to allow you to agitate the water then remove your deck filler plug and run a hose from the fresh water tap, turn on and stir up the sediment that way.

NOTE: do not let the motor run out of water so keep a good eye on it during this operation.

This procedure can be carried out either on the hard or in the water. (No you most likely won’t have a mains water faucet handy out on a mooring!) If you have clear plastic water carrying pipes I suggest that you change them for black food grade neoprene ones as this will stop any light getting to the water and inducing algae to grow. Enough light does get into the areas where these run for this problem to occur.

Finally you can obtain from you chemist "Milton" solution or water treatment tablets. These can help sweeten the tanks and it is well worth while to consider fitting a small inline activated charcoal filter and make sure that all tanks are well fastened to the hull. Remember that 1-gallon of water weighs 4.5kg so a full 40-gallon tank has 200kgs of potential kinetic energy. Check also that all hoses are securely attached to tail pieces.

TIP: If you ever suddenly find water over the floor boards taste it first as this will determine whether it is fresh or salt and help you to quickly narrow down the possible source.

Before you leave down below take a look at your batteries, gas lines, wiring, switches and lights and your fire extinguishers.


The propeller, shaft, stern tube and stuffing box

Look for wear in the stern tube bush by trying to move the shaft sideways. If you need to replace this you might need to remove the shaft depending on what type of bush you have. For a cut less bearing usually after removing the propeller with a proper prop puller, you can loosen the grub screw or clamp bolt on the side of the bronze housing and grip the cut less bearing with a pair of vice grips, and twist it out.

Most others require that the shaft be removed.

Don’t forget to replace your zinc anode.

When pulling the shaft out from the coupling at the back of the gearbox, if it is tight, place a slightly smaller diameter spacer between the end of the shaft and the gearbox coupling insert some longer coupling bolts through the two halves of the coupling and evenly tighten them up to press the shaft out. Do not use a hammer as this could burr the end of the shaft and when putting the shaft back into the coupling. Do not be tempted to hit the propeller end of the shaft to drive it home, while using the gearbox and engine as a dolly. This will result in the rear gearbox bearing being damaged. While the shaft is out, check for wear and straightness.  Roll it back and forth and watch to see if the ends wobble. If it does, or it is badly worn at the gland end or stern bearing end, get a new shaft made.

Check the stern tube. This connects the outer bearing housing with the inner stuffing box or shaft seal. This is usually a threaded length of copper or bronze tube. Several boats have had a hard to find leak from this area and have found that the stern tube had developed a hole or broken. To remove this assembly you need to unscrew the two outer lag screws, which hold the outer housing to the hull and then unscrew the outer housing and stern tube. Get your local marine engineering shop to turn you up a new one. Reinstall bedding, it down in plenty of high quality marine sealant.

Don’t forget to check your shaft to motor alignment. This should be done each year as the motor mounts do slowly compress. The easiest way is to make sure that the shaft and gearbox couplings are in line and that an equal gap exists between the coupling faces when they are in close proximity. Use a feeler gauge or a set space for this.

Topsides

On deck strip and service all your winches including those on the mast and don’t forget to grease them well with grease. When you dismantle any winches always check that you block off the scuppers just incase you accidentally drop a pawl, spring or screw.

Check that all the Genoa track bolts are tight and well sealed, as this is a common area for leaks to occur.
An excellent idea here is to slightly countersink each hole in the deck as this enables the sealer to form a "O" ring, which ensures no leaks. This also applies to your stanchion bases, and bolts.

Give all your stainless a treat with a coat of reviver and polish and check the swages on the stanchion wires for corrosion or broken wires.

Have a look at the stays, rigging screws, clevis and cotter pins. Some lanolin grease here helps keep everything free and sealed. Put a little lanolin grease where the wire enters the swages on the bottle screw as this helps seal out water from wicking down the wire strands.

With the rigging wire that is used for the stays it pays to inspect the strands carefully and if you find a broken one replace the whole stay. The recommendation is that you replace all your rigging once every 10 years. Do not throw out the old ones, as these can be kept as an emergency spare. Also look at the spreader tips and make sure that they are bisecting the angle correctly and that the cap shrouds are wired into the ends and that a boot or insulation tape is wrapped well around the ends to protect your Genoa.

Check all your sheets and halyards and if they are showing slight signs of wear, end for end them. This applies for your anchor warps and chain. This is a good time to re-mark the chain and warp with either fathom, or 10-meter marks. Use paint on the chain and colored sailcloth or twine on the warp.

Make sure that all shackles and pins are tight, secure and seized.

The bitter end of the warp should be attached to an eye in the anchor well with some medium lashing to prevent the whole lot going over the side! Do Not shackle this to the eye, as one day you might need to let the whole lot go in an emergency and you won’t have time to fiddle with a spanner undoing a pin! Just cut the lashing with a knife! While checking all this out remembers to check your spare anchors stored below the floor and the dinghies tackle.

Hull Fittings

These include skin fittings, sea cocks, cockpit drains, and instrument fittings.

All skin fittings should be checked, no matter what material they are made from.

Bronze can corrode and be affected by stray electrical currents which may originate from your boat, underwater cables, a marina berth or the boat next to you. Look for signs of pitting or Verde grease, (green corrosion). If found, be suspicious and take them out check them over and replace if necessary.

Check for cracks or damage on composite plastic fittings and replace if necessary. Do not over tighten these just make them nice and snug.

Re-bed them with a good marine sealant (Not Plumbers silicon leaves this stuff for the plumbers to "play with")

When re- bedding any fitting it always pays to mask off and clean around the area of the fitting and be generous with the sealer.

Always lightly tighten the fitting so that sealer squeezes out evenly and leave for 2 days to allow the sealer to cure. Then give a final tighten to snug the fitting home. This will give you a much better seal as you have allowed a thin gasket to form.

After 2 days you can also trim off any excess sealer with a Stanley knife. To protect the thread while doing this and allow you to carry out the final tighten up put a little petroleum jelly or silicon grease on the area where the nut will be.

All through hull fittings should have a ply backing plate on the inside and under the nut.

Check for leaks between the thread and the seacock,(Valve) and the hose tailpiece.(if fitted). This is a good place to use PTFE tape (thread seal tape). This gives a good seal and makes it easy to remove valves and tailpieces.

Check that all valves are operating properly. The motto is to disassemble and lubricate with silicon grease every 3-4 years. OK, the Toilet outlet valve it just replace when it stiffens up!

Under no circumstances should BRASS gate valves be used anywhere there is salt water, always use bronze, reinforced plastic (RC marine type) or 316 stainless.

All hoses and hose clips should be checked and fit double hose clamps on all underwater through hull fittings.

Of course you will all have a softwood tapered plug of the right size tied to each through hull with light nylon cord "just in case a valve or skin fitting breaks off and in does cometh the sea".

What do you mean you haven’t yet, well now lets get that done too because there is no way you can hold your hand over a hole under, lets say the sink, and at the same time reach over and find the softwood plugs which are kept in the lazaretto! These plugs can be purchased from any good chandlery and are not expensive.

Hull

The hull is the part of your boat that keeps you floating and thus quite an important one. Keeping it in good shape is essential for a good sailing experience, and the effort to achieve this depends hugely on the type of Gulet you have. In this article, I outline the different basic maintenance tasks a neat hull requires.

In order to estimate the amount of care that will have to be dedicated to the hull, it is useful to think of the different materials it can be made of and the resulting specific maintenance needs.

The first material to think about is the classic one: Wood has been used in boat building ever since people have built boats. It looks good, feels natural, but is generally heavy and requires a great deal more work than GRP. The wood itself is always protected by at least one layer of paint, epoxy resin or other finish.

If this finish is damaged under physical pressure and parts of it rub off, the damage needs to be fixed to prevent water from getting in between the protective layer and the wood. It might be necessary to sand the affected area; for large-scale repairs, you might have to strip off a larger part of the hull. Take care to roughen the surface in order to increase the adhesion of the paint.

The finish on wooden hulls normally needs to be polished once a year. Fall is a good season for that, in the course of winterizing the boat. Depending on the quality and type of paint that you use, your finish should last for 3 to 7 years.

Hulls of some Gulets are made of metals, most commonly steel or aluminum; the are durable and require less work than wooden ones, however, don’t meet some (traditionalist) sailor’s aesthetic preferences and are not the ideal material for small boats. Much like wood, steel hulls come with a finishing layer of paint. Maintenance work for steel and wooden hulls is very similar, too.

Aluminum hulls are a different story; the material is light and very easy in maintenance, but expensive. If you apply paint to an aluminum hull, than essentially for aesthetic reasons – if they are left untreated, you will save on work and the metal’s surface will oxidize over time to an elegant gray. If you choose to paint the hull, it requires similar maintenance as steel hulls.

Tuesday, October 1, 2013

Concept Yachts


Tuesday, May 28, 2013

How to Manage Running Maintenance Work

Every yacht that is in use will deteriorate over time, the heavier the use, the faster. No boat owner will get around frequent repairs, and it is useful to manage these “running repairs” in an efficient manner. In this article, it is given some advice on how to achieve this.

The maintenance of a yacht will require frequent repairs, since many parts of a boat are “consumables”: they wear off, they deteriorate, and eventually they break and need to be fixed. It is useful to have a checklist handy when it comes to managing running repairs.

Since different Gulets have different “weak spots”, it can only give general advice on how to manage repairs and maintenance work. A big uncertainty factor is the weather, which will depend widely on your local climate. Take this into consideration when you plan repairs.

Checklist for Returning Repairs

1.) Try to write down all parts of your boat that might need to be exchanged, fixed or treated in some way. Rank them according to their importance for safe sailing – start with crucial parts like the canvas and go down to “cosmetic” parts such as the teak on your deck. Designate numbers to each of these parts.

2.) Think about how often you need to check these items – once a year, once a month, before every sailing trip? Under most conditions, there will be checks necessary at the beginning of the sailing season and at the end of it; before major sailing trips; and maybe some for special occasions, for example, when it is dry in the summer and the ideal season for repairs on the hull or woodwork.

Write down all these dates or occasions and then add the numbers of all the parts that should be checked at this occasion. For example, you might find “Early spring: 1, 3, 4, 8, 12, 18.” This will then match with all those parts of your yacht that you should check at the beginning of the sailing season of this time. A list of this kind can be very convenient.

3.) Over the course of a year or season, you should keep an eye on your boat; it is likely that you will discover more things that wear off and need to be fixed. Be ready to amend your list and keep in mind that it is meant to be a guideline, not a natural law.

4.) Mind the “risk curve”. Let’s go back to the list from above: The top-positions should be held by vital parts that will be crucial for sailing. If they break, you will have serious problems during a trip or at least an unpleasant interruption of the sailing season.

Ask some simple questions: Are spare parts available in my area? Are they going to be available all year round? How do these parts into the “risk curve”? The “risk curve” is a diagram in which you plot the likeliness of a part to break against the damage this would cause.

For example: The mast; if it breaks, the damage would be horrendous, however, it is not very likely that it will. The varnish on your deck; little damage occurs if it wears off, with no safety risk involved – however, it wears off quickly and needs to be replaced frequently. These two items will occupy opposite positions in the “risk curve”. It should help you to identify parts that have a particularly high significance for your safety.

5.) Especially if you go on cruises or if you do very competitive sailing, you might want to carry spare parts for those that have high risk-values. This might include parts of your radio and communication system; parts of the engine, oil, fuel or filters; electronics and energy supply (batteries); canvas, rope and rigging in general; hull repair kits, epoxy glue and assorted pieces of board from wood. Depending on your type of boat, your equipment, your location and the type of sailing that you do, the list of essential spare parts will have to be “custom made”.

6.) Manage your workshop: Most repairs are best done in a dry, warm place. Everything that involves solvents, such as handling paint, lacquers, varnish, as well as many detergents and epoxy resins should be used only in well-ventilated spaces. Some repairs will have to be done at sea, and if you are on a cruise, you might even have to do them seriously offshore.

Go back to your risk-curve and see if you could cope with that. Some cruisers have workshops on their yachts; others just try to match their toolkit with the requirements defined by their boats. Whether or not either way is sensible will once again depend on where and how you sail.

Electric Maintaince

Battery Care

When the weather gets messy and your yacht needs propeller assistance you want the engine to start. You can either crank start it (when did you last practice that?) or depend on your battery. So some battery care tips are not merely useful but essential for boating safety:

Checking

1. Visual inspection: Check electrolyte level at least once a month. If the battery is fully charged and still charging, water loss may increase. It is advisable that a new regulator be installed to normally prevent over-charging of the battery. Overcharging is indicated if the battery is bubbling vigorously.

2. Hydrometer test: Check the electrolyte level to see that it is above the plates in all cells. If it is below the plates, the test cannot be carried out until water is added and the battery charged to mix the water and residual acid in the battery. It is important to ensure that the plates do not remain exposed to air and allowed to dry and oxidize. The state of charge of each cell can be measured with a hydrometer to determine the specific gravity (S.G.) of the electrolyte (specific gravity is its weight compared to water).

Hydrometer Use

Draw the acid into the hydrometer so that the float is lifted free and not touching the top or bottom. The barrel must be held vertically and the eye must be level with the surface of the liquid. Disregard the curvature of the liquid against the glass (read from bottom of meniscus).

Generally the battery state of charge is as follows:
S.G. (@25°C) Volts State of Charge
1.260 6.32/12.65 100%
1.220 less than 6.22/12.45 75%
1.180 less than 6.10/12.20 50%
1.120 less than 6.00/12.00 Discharged
Cell temperature corrections should be applied if accurate readings are required. 0.004 points should be added or subtracted for each 5°C ± variation from 25°C.

3. Voltage Test: Voltage readings should be taken while the battery is neither charging nor discharging (nothing connected and turned on). Immediately after charging or discharging the battery voltage may not have stabilized. The voltage will settle down in about 30 minutes after charge or discharge is discontinued.

Electrolyte Level

Many batteries have markings on the cases to show the maximum and minimum advisable levels of the electrolyte. The lead plates in the battery must be submerged completely by the electrolyte, but there must also be a certain amount of headroom to allow the battery to gas without causing the electrolyte to spill out of the battery case.

Battery

1. Keep battery clean and dry - dampness lets electric current leak away.

2. Keep vent plugs in place to stop dirt falling into cells.

3. A thin coating of petroleum jelly helps prevent corrosion of terminals and connections.

4. For topping up cells, use either distilled water or clean rain water preferably collected in glass or plastic. Never top up the battery with anything other than distilled water or rainwater. Tip: A dehumidifier produces copious amounts of pure (distilled) water. Ask a friend with a dehumidifier for some of its water.

5. Make sure that the positive and negative plates inside the battery are covered with electrolyte at all times. Do not overfill.

6. Avoid adding water to a battery just prior to taking a S.G. reading as the reading will be misleading. If water is to be added, the battery should be charged for a while to mix it with the electrolyte thoroughly before the reading is taken.

Maintenance Schedule

Item to Check Frequency

1. Check S.G. of electrolyte 1 month
2. Check level of electrolyte. Top up if necessary 1 month
3. After boost charge check cell voltages. These should correspond to each other to within 0.05 volts 1-6 months
4. Check tightness of terminals and remove corrosion if necessary 6 months

Notes

DO NOT top up the battery cell with water when the battery is in a state of discharge. If the level of electrolyte is low, top up only to make sure that the plates are covered and no more. The fluid level rises with the level of charge, so if water is added when the battery is discharged, it may overflow on charging and lose electrolyte.

DO NOT use alligator clips or other sprung jaw methods as sparking often occurs when they are removed or attached, Hydrogen gas is generated by batteries under charge which is very explosive in the presence of air. Sparking can ignite it. The resulting explosion will not only destroy the battery but also injure the person holding the alligator clips with flying debris and battery acid.

DO NOT lift the battery by the lugs or terminals. Batteries need to be adequately supported from underneath.

DO NOT overcharge your battery to the point of heating the cells up. This will cause terminal damage. It is acceptable to charge to the point of the electrolyte bubbling. You may need to add water if the electrolyte level goes down.

Tuesday, March 19, 2013

The Sales Agreement


Selling your boat can be a relaxed, positive experience, but don’t rely upon a handshake and a “gentlemen’s agreement” when it comes to finalizing the deal.

First, write a sales agreement, outlining the terms of the sale and the obligations of the buyer and seller. Refer to “Sales Agreement” at for more details.

Ask for cashiers or certified checks for both the deposit and the final payment. Stick to an agreed-upon closing date.

Be prepared to renegotiate the sales price when it comes to items that need repair or when the boat has a less-than-satisfactory marine survey.

If you agree to make repairs prior to the sale, for your own protection, spell out your obligation in terms of exactly what is to be done and how much you will spend. Written estimates are helpful.

Do you have personal items on the boat — the ship’s clock that’s been in your family for generations, for example — that you don’t plan to include? Attach to the sales agreement a list of all the accessories that convey and have both parties sign it.

Unless you can afford the loss, don’t offer to finance the boat! The risk involved is not worth the often small amount of interest you stand to gain. And, if you have a boat loan outstanding or hypothec, the lender may not permit this arrangement.

A Yacht Broker can help close the sale of your yacht. Between the initial sales agreement and closing, problems may arise. For example, unexpected repairs are required or a query in the title is discovered. The paperwork can be overwhelming for some sellers. A yacht broker is the best person to help you resolve these issues and finally sell your yacht.

The Seller's Obligations


A serious buyer will want to have your Gulet inspected by a marine surveyor and possibly have the engine looked over by a marine mechanic. This will involve haul-outs and sea trials.

These expenses are normally borne by the buyer and any “destructive testing” — for example, scraping bottom paint to look for osmotic blisters — must be repaired by the buyer.

Ordinarily, there is no obligation on the seller’s part to volunteer information the buyer doesn’t ask for, but this doesn’t give the seller carte blanche to withhold information about a known defect or condition that renders the boat/yacht “Gulet” unsafe.

Remember, there is a fine line between passive failure to disclose information and active concealment. If an accident occurs later, previous repair records or complaints to the builder may come back to haunt  you.
This is also true for liens and other debt encumbrances that might cloud the transfer ownership.

Selling your boat/yacht  in “as is” condition may be protection against nitpicking later on, but it may not protect you if a serious problem arises.

What Can The Seller Do To Expedite The Sell


As noted above, the most important thing the seller can do is price the boat realistically. Beyond that, it's critical that the boat show well.

You can't underestimate the importance of a sparkling boat! Purchasing a yacht is largely an emotional decision (who actually NEEDS a boat?!) and first impressions are important. Anything you can do to bolster this first impression will result in a faster sale at a better price.

The most common reason boats are put up for sale is that they're not being used, and often it's been quite some time since anyone was even on board. Under these circumstances, the boat probably won't sell quickly or for anywhere near top Euros. What you need is a plan of action:

1. First, get all your stuff off the boat! Most boats collect an amazing assortment of foul weather gear, toys, dirty clothes, supplies and just plain junk over time. While empty homes look stark, boats have smaller spaces and built in furniture; they look best empty and uncluttered. So GET RID OF EVERYTHING! What you can't get rid of, hide! Then...

2. Give her a good cleaning inside and out! Most sellers wouldn't dream of showing their house to prospective buyers without tidying and cleaning, and the same holds true with boats. Second only to setting a realistic asking price, this is the single most important thing you can do to ensure a quick sale for top Euros. Take extra care to...

3. Make sure the head is clean and the toilet works. The holding tank should be empty and the toilet and lines filled with FRESH WATER with a bit of chlorine bleach added. You'd be surprised at how often this seemingly common-sense advice is overlooked and the dire consequences thereof! Also...

4. Clean the bilges. The bilge is too often "out of sight, out of mind" to owners, but rest assured the surveyor and buyer will take notice.

5. Have you deferred maintenance for a couple--three years? More? Sorry, this is when your sins come home to roost! Deferred maintenance must now be addressed with a vengeance:

* Varnish the exterior bright work, oil the interior teak, refinish the teak and holly sole. If you don't have the time or inclination to do this, have your broker coordinate the project for you.

* Keep the batteries charged so the engine(s) start for the sea trial. It's a good investment to replace starting battery(s) if they're more than a year or so old--dead batteries can kill the sale.

* Service the machinery (engines and generator) by changing the fluids (oil and water) and filters. Aside from the hull, machinery is the most expensive component of a boat; any problem here will seriously jeopardize a sale (so now's the time to replace that old starting battery!).

* Keep the bottom clean and zincs fresh. You should have a diver scrub the bottom and check zincs regularly while your boat is for sale. A significant beard on the bottom says the boat has been ignored, and this isn't the message you want to send.

* Remove all canvas, covers and accessible lines and wash in a commercial front-loading washing machine.

* Have all safety equipment up to date. This includes flares, fire extinguishers and life jackets, as well as bilge pumps and blowers.

While sellers are often reluctant to spend money on a boat they're selling, money spent preparing her for market is well spent; the investment is usually more than recouped in a higher selling price. Also, most of the cosmetic items above can be accomplished with nothing more than a few hours and some elbow grease!

Thursday, February 28, 2013

Advertising & Marketing Ideas

Getting your boat shipshape in terms of cosmetics and repairs is the first step towards getting her sold.

Getting the word out is the next step. To book ads in brokerage web-sites are an obvious choice, but don’t overlook international boating publications. Word of mouth, brochures and CDs are also effective.
Prepare a complete list of the accessories that will convey with the boat.
Be prepared to show prospects your original bill of sale, certificate of documentation as well as maintenance and repair records. Buyers may also be interested in your insurance costs, so they can estimate their own expenses.
Post “For Sale” signs on your boat but be aware that some brokers will eschew to list your boat if you have contact numbers on the sign.
Be there for buyers! GSM is handy, but a live person is better when it comes to selling. Return messages and e-mails promptly. Keep noting of who you talk to and follow up on inquiries.

A yacht broker will know when and where to advertise your yacht to the public. Over 75% of yacht transactions are cooperative sales through other yacht brokers. Through worldwide Multiple Listing Services and other marketing networks, a broker has the tools to maximize exposure to your yacht.

Pricing & Asking Price


Pegging the right asking price is probably the single most important factor in selling the Gulet: price the boat too high and she won't sell, too low and you leave money on the table. Getting the price right based on age, condition and desirability is more an art than a science, and the broker you choose should add valuable insight here.

He or she will usually begin by consulting Used Boat/Yacht Price Guide. Used Boat/Yacht “Gulet” Guide is an internet-based portal brokerage sites where broker-listed yachts are displayed, usually including full specifications and numerous color photos. As the vast majority of brokers have their listings posted on this site, it provides a quick, accurate overview on asking prices (actual "sold for" prices are also available but only to brokers, another benefit of working with a broker.

While portal brokerage sites are good places to start, brokers also offer insight based on their experience as to what your particular Gulet will command based on condition, model, recent selling price of sister ships, etc. This is especially critical with classics, custom one-offs there won't always be comparable vessels on “portal brokerage sites”.

It's very important to be realistic about the price you can expect for your Gulet. Sellers often "just want to get my money out of the boat/yacht". This may or may not be realistic; usually it's not. Most Gulets, more than about 10 years old don't depreciate if they are well-maintained; however, it is almost always unrealistic to expect them to INCREASE in value, especially in the current market. This generally holds true regardless of how much you spent on upgrades and is especially true if you weren't meticulous in maintenance!

Most investments in such items as stabilizers, bow thrusters, electronics, redecorating, new isinglass enclosures, etc, will only return at best about 15-20% of the original investment, and to get even that, the investment needs to have been made no longer than three to five years ago. An additional rule of thumb: the more you add to your boat, the less you'll get back for each new piece or system added.

While Gulets in South-West Turkey condition do command a premium, more than 20% above the average asking price for a similar Gulet is rare. What will happen is that a clean, well-equipped Gulet correctly priced will sell more quickly than the average comparable Gulet, but not usually at a huge price premium.

A corollary to this is that a boat priced above market will languish unsold, sometimes indefinitely, until the price is brought in line--it's our very clear experience that a Gulet priced unrealistically high will remain unsold literally for years. So, while it makes sense to initially list a desirable Gulet in South-West condition at a premium, if she's still on the market one year later, it's time for a price adjustment!

During the selling process, a Yacht Broker can advise you on what is happening in the marketplace including price, financing and terms. These are key factors in getting your yacht sold at the best price, quickly and with minimum hassle.

When Is The Best Time to Sell Your Gulet


Unlike the small Gulets or sales of larger Gulets remain fairly stable throughout the year; there is very little seasonality in buying of boat/yachts. This makes sense, given that the weather in South West Turkey is fairly stable year-round and that there are usually larger issues driving the buying and selling of these Gulets than the season.

Having said this, winter--specifically between late April and mid- October--is generally slower, in terms of numbers of people looking at boats, than other times of the year. Note that traffic might be lighter, but prices are not affected.

The best advice is to list the boat once you've decided to sell it and have decided whether to do so yourself or utilize the services of a broker. There's no need to "wait until the spring"--the market remains active year around here in the South-West.

For the private seller it is important to research every aspect of the selling process. The best time to sell a boat will be at the start of summer when the demand is high and equally the best time to buy will be off-season.

Centeral or Open Listing


If you elect to use a broker, the next choice you'll need to make is whether to sign a central or an open listing. A central listing means that the broker has right to advertise, market and show the Gulet and that all other brokers correspond with the central broker in terms of showing or making an offer. If another broker sells the boat, the commission is split with the central agent. This ensures that he will be compensated for advertising and marketing costs, as well as offering incentive for other brokers to sell the boat/yacht.
Note the central listing does not preclude other brokers from selling the boat, only from advertising it. If another broker sells the boat, he will receive half of the commission, with the listing agent receiving the balance. Thus, other brokers have incentive to bring in buyers, and the central listing agent has incentive to aggressively advertise the boat.

The other option is to sign an open listing, which means that other brokers can advertise the boat, and whoever sells the vessel receives full commission. If the owner sells the boat himself, no commission is paid the broker.

Obviously, brokers prefer a central listing. Unless the boat is very clean and very popular, brokers will be reluctant to invest as much in marketing a boat if other brokers are representing the same vessel. There are several sources that most prospective buyers look to (Yachts For Sale, Apollo Duck, Yacht World, etc.), and having numerous brokers advertising the same boat in the same location probably won't result in a faster sale.