Yacht captain at the helm during capture of Barefoot Bandit
From left, Capt. Ronald Billiot of M/Y Picasso, the yacht owner's son Jordan Sackett, and Capt. Pat Young of M/Y Sea Hawk after assisting Bahamian police in the capture of Colton Harris-Moore in the Bahamas.
Trailing a fleeing fugitive, Capt. Ronald Billiot navigated a boat loaded with gun-wielding Bahamian police through the dark near Harbour Island on July 11 in pursuit of the elusive Barefoot Bandit.
“Five minutes later and he would have been gone,” Billiot said of the tracking and capture of Colton Harris-Moore, the 19-year-old man police have been searching for since 2008.
Harris-Moore is wanted in connection with some 70 robberies and thefts in at least seven states between Western Washington and Indiana that started after he escaped from a halfway house. He is accused of stealing at least two single-engine airplanes, one that he crash landed on Great Abaco Island on July 4, according to news reports.
Media reports dubbed him the barefoot bandit after videos surfaced of crimes committed by a barefoot male. In February, according to one news report, he allegedly drew chalk-outline feet all over the floor of a grocery store during a burglary in Washington's San Juan Islands.
Although Harris-Moore’s adventure began more than two years ago, Billiot’s began about a day before his capture.
“There were wanted posters of the Barefoot Bandit put up all over the island, and the dockhand at Romora Bay said he heard he [Harris-Moore] had landed, so we all went down to the docks to check on our boats,” said Billiot, skipper of M/Y Picasso, a 92-foot Broward docked this summer at Romora Bay in Harbour Island, Eleuthera.
“Everybody knew he was near,” he said. “We knew he had been spotted on the island and he’d stolen a boat, a 44-foot Sea Ray, and put it on the Backbone.”
The Devil’s Backbone is a reef that has damaged many vessels near the north end of Eleuthera.
With captains, crew and onlookers hanging around the docks, securing their boats, Billiot checked the surveillance equipment footage on M/Y Picasso.
“We had our camera pointing toward the dock office and you could see him in the video,” he said. “‘That’s the bandit,’ I yelled. He was barefoot with a backpack. You could see the gun in his hand.”
Police were everywhere on island because they figured the teen was casing boats for a get-away vehicle, Billiot said. Ben Johnson of M/Y LuCea, an 80-foot Lazarra, told the group assembled that he just saw an Intrepid go south with no lights. Johnson told the guards about the vessel and the local police switched into gear.
Because Harris-Moore couldn’t walk around undetected, he passed the people on the docks by swimming out about 150-200 yards to the end of the dock where he stole a boat and motored slowly to escape, Billiot said.
The police asked, “Who owns this?” pointing at Picasso’s tender, and asked Billiot if he could take them to follow the boat. Jordan Sackett, the son of Picasso’s owner, asked his parents if the cops could use the boat and he and Capt. Pat Young of M/Y Sea Hawk joined Billiot.
“We load up six officers with shotguns and Uzis into our 27-foot Boston Whaler,” Billiot said. “You’ll see that on the video that’s all over the news.”
Billiot’s was the only boat out in the pitch black and he ran her with no lights. He headed for the quickest way to the sea, the south cut between Eleuthera and Harbor Island.
And then they saw the boat, like a ghost boat through the haze, he said. Harris-Moore had gotten stuck on a sandbar, and Billiot began idling closer.
“We could see him standing up,” he said. “He wasn’t stuck, but he was moving slowly, like maybe he couldn’t figure how to lift the motor or something.”
Everyone was yelling and Billiot saw a flash, possibly a shot from Harris-Moore’s gun.
“At that point, there’s so much commotion, he puts the gun to his head and says, ‘I’m going to kill myself, don’t come any closer. I’m not going back to jail, don’t come any closer,’” Billiot said.
Harris-Moore started to move his boat in an attempt to elude the police and Billiot told the police, “If you don’t do something now you’ll lose him.”
“We would definitely lose a 32-foot Intrepid with the weight we had on board,” he said.
So, police shot the left engine with the shotgun and the right engine with the Uzi, Billiot said.
“There had to be 25 to 30 shots fired, I can’t figure how he wasn’t hit.”
As Billiot navigated closer, Harris-Moore dropped to the deck and started throwing things overboard, including a backpack, computer, papers and a gun. Billiot maneuvered the boat along side for five officers to board the Intrepid and handcuff him. Billiot used a bridle to tow the boat back.
“Scary? Yes, it was scary, but it was an adrenaline rush,” Billiot said by phone from Harbour Island.
The next morning, Billiot took the police back to retrieve the items Harris-Moore threw overboard.
“We found the Apple computer,” he said. “It was floating like a sea fan. Guess it was the neoprene cover. We found his iTouch or iPhone or whatever, then we found the gun. It was cocked, there was a spent shell, one in the chamber and two live ones.
“He had two or three hundred gallons of fuel and could have made it to Turks or Florida,” Billiot said. “He could have gone 200 miles and they wouldn’t have caught him. The Bahamian police don’t have boats, so if it hadn’t been for us and the sandbar, he would have been gone.”
Nav-Tracker helps recover stolen boat in the Bahamas
A 33-foot HydraSport equipped with a tracking device was recovered in Bimini eight hours after it was stolen from Treasure Cay in the Bahamas early on July 14.
The tracking device was the Nav-Tracker 1.0 wireless boat location and GPS tracking system from Paradox Marine.
“There is no question that without Nav-Tracker, my boat would have never been found,” said Jose Mas, the owner. “I had just installed the system two weeks before and I was amazed at being able to track the boat and follow the thieves."
Last year, Paradox Marine received a service medal from the U.S. Coast Guard in recognition of the role Nav-Tracker 2.0 played in the recovery of a Contender stolen in the Bahamas in September 2008. As many as 27,000 boats are stolen annually and the odds of recovery are about 1 in 10, according to the International Association of Marine Investigators.
When a Nav-Tracker 2.0 transmitter is mounted on a boat and armed, a wireless "fence" with a 500-meter range can be created. If a boat is moved outside of this fence, Nav-Tracker 2.0 uses Inmarsat-based GPS satellite technology to monitor a boat’s location and notify up to four people by e-mail and/or text message every 15 minutes with the latitude/longitude, speed, heading and distance to the closest city.
A megayacht shipyard on the Savannah River that has changed hands twice this decade has been sold to its neighbor, oil company Colonial Oil for $10 million, according to a story in the Savannah Morning News.
The yard, once owned by Palmer Johnson and recently run as Global Ship Systems, was operational again this year as Savannah Megayacht. It closed three months ago when Colonial Oil contracted to buy the property, the newspaper reported.
According to the newspaper, Colonial Oil plans to repair and upgrade the facility, using much of it for its own operations. The 535-foot dry dock and some surrounding facilities, however, may again be leased to a yachting business, possibly Savannah MegaYacht, according to the story.
To read the story in the Savannah Morning News, click here.
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(Diane M. Byrne) July 13, 2010
Just weeks after Force Blue was detained by Italian authorities, another charter yacht has been boarded, with guests required to disembark and be accompanied to police headquarters.
On Friday, Axioma, a 47-meter (154-foot) ISA, was forced to pull into Lipari, just north of Sicily. According to Italian news reports, the police had received a tip that two Russian fugitives were onboard, so they boarded the megayacht and then ordered the crew and guests to come ashore. While the guests reportedly were in possession of Russian passports—with two guests being diplomats—the police later discovered that the tip was incorrect. They released the guests and crew, after clarifying that documents were in order and after the intercession of Luise & Co., which represents the charter party.
A video apparently filmed by a private individual shows that the yacht was escorted by a helicopter and a few vessels, one clearly identified as being operated by the Guardia di Finanza, which is the Italian police force under the authority of the Minister of Economy and Finance. The Guardia is charged with investigating and preventing financial evasions and violations, surveillance at sea for financial police purposes, and generally helping to defend the Italian borders.
I contacted Luise & Co. for commentary, but I did not receive it by this posting. However, the Italian news reports printed a statement from the firm. In part, it reads: “What is most disconcerting...[is] that all persons subject to the establishment remained in the barracks for about five hours without being able to eat.” It further explains that even after the guests were released, “no one has bothered to apologize, even with regard to the fact that among the guests there were two senior Russian diplomats.”
Axioma, with her crew and guests back onboard, were permitted to depart Lipari on Friday afternoon.
Burger may lay off a third of its workforce this year
July 11, 2010
Wisconsin-based Burger Boat Co. notified state officials on July 8 that it may lay off about 70 employees -- about a third of its workforce -- by the end of the year, according to a story in the Herald Times Reporter.
Cut employees include carpenters, finishers, metal workers, mechanics, fluid power technicians, pipefitters, electricians and office administration, according to a letter the megayacht builder sent the state.
"These layoffs will be in addition to a series of small layoffs that have occurred over the last several months," according to the letter, signed by Burger President Jim Ruffolo and Pete Bilski, vice president of human resources. The company has "been working hard to avoid any further layoffs but business conditions are unsettled at this time."
In an interview with the newspaper on Friday, Ruffolo said the letter was sent only "should a worst-case scenario play out."
"The company is positive and continues to seek new projects, which could minimize layoffs and make the notice a moot point," he told the Herald Times Reporter.
State law requires any company of 50 employees or more to notify the state 60 days before any layoffs. Burger is completing two tri-deck motor yachts of 142 and 140 feet, the newspaper reported. On Monday, M/Y Sea Owl will be launched. Hull 508 is scheduled to leave the yard in October.
San Francisco to be only US contender to host next AC, but Europe remains an option
San Francisco has put forward a strong, venue proposal and is now the only city in the USA under consideration to host the 34th America's Cup match.
The city is home to the Golden Gate Yacht Club, whose team BMW ORACLE Racing, won the 33rd America's Cup in Valencia, Spain on 14 February. The next edition is scheduled for 2013 or 2014, the year to be determined by infrastructure development lead-times.
"Our team has said from the outset that San Francisco and the Bay Area have the potential to provide a superb stage on which to host a memorable America's Cup," commented Russell Coutts, CEO of BMW ORACLE Racing. "Our team owner, Larry Ellison, has called the Bay ‘a fantastic natural amphitheatre'."
In being granted status as the sole venue candidate in the USA, San Francisco can forge ahead with plans to provide the necessary facilities for the America's Cup along the City's waterfront, south of the Bay Bridge. It also now allows San Francisco to "nationalize" their efforts and to seek support from the State of California and the federal government in Washington, D.C. Under the Cup's governing rules, the Deed of Gift written in 1852, the winner and hence Defender for the next Match chooses the venue.
San Francisco's Mayor Gavin Newsom said, "We are very honored to lead a national effort to host the 34th America's Cup. Larry Ellison has a transformative vision for hosting the Cup on San Francisco Bay, and we are prepared to leverage the nation's support to make this a coast-to-coast campaign and to realize that vision." Other US cities have been excited by the prospect of hosting the America's Cup match, notably Newport, Rhode Island where Cup racing was held from 1930 through 1983, San Diego, California which hosted Cup defenses in 1988, 1992 and 1995, and Long Beach, California, site of the 1984 Olympic yachting regatta and the annual Congressional Cup.
Coutts said, "We are extremely grateful to the other American candidates. Their disappointment is understandable as each would have been a great host city in its own right. And we appreciate their offers of support to San Francisco going forward. Strong expressions of interest from four European countries are also being studied by the American Defender. GGYC/BOR will announce a final decision on the venue, along with the date and other details of the next America's Cup by the end of this year.
The America's Cup has been defended only twice outside of the holder's home waters in its 159 year history - at Valencia, Spain in 2007 and 2010. The City of San Francisco will be making its own announcement today.
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(Diane M. Byrne) on frontpage
As mentioned in the monthly Megayacht News e-newsletter recently, the Maritime Labour Convention 2006 (MLC 2006) could have an unintentional detrimental impact on the yachting business and yacht buying when it goes into effect in 2012. In brief, MLC 2006 sets out a “seafarers bill of rights,” to ensure crewmembers of all types of vessels have adequate working and living conditions, and that insurance and other benefits are made available. Several industry organizations are working with the International Labour Organization (ILO), the UN agency overseeing its implementation, to ensure that the voices of superyacht owners, crew, builders, designers, and others in the industry are heard.
To be clear, all of the industry groups support the spirit and goal of MLC 2006. Their concern lies with how some of the requirements would greatly reduce or even eliminate some guest staterooms and general gathering areas. As Rod Hatch, a Professional Yachtsmen’s Association (PYA) council member, explained to fellow members in April, “The outcome may even show in some cases that in order to accommodate the number of crew required to run a particular yacht, if they were all housed in MLC standard accommodation, the owner would have to move ashore.”
Because of its lobbying efforts, PYA was asked by the ILO Secretariat to conduct two studies to assess the potential impact of MLC 2006. The first study, already completed, solicited input from builders and designers, who submitted accommodations plans demonstrating pre- and post-MLC 2006 implementation. Now, PYA is conducting the second study. Written by the Seafarers International Research Centre, a global authority on issues affecting crewmembers, it intends to gather facts about crew employment and working conditions.
If you are the owner of a yacht, please make sure your captain and crew complete the survey. If you’re a broker, shipyard representative, or other industry representative with ties to crew, forward this on to them. There’s no need to be a PYA member. Those of you who are captains or crewmembers presently employed aboard a megayacht, the survey should take just 15 minutes. And even if you aren’t currently employed in either of those capacities but have been within the past year, please also fill it out. The PYA wants and needs as many voices as possible to present accurate findings.
PYA will release the results of both studies after presenting them to the ILO later this year.
34th America's Cup: new high-performance yachts
Mon, 5 Jul 2010
Press Report
Rating rule authorities in US and UK have been commissioned to draft the rules for the next generation of America's Cup yacht
BMW Oracle Racing and Golden Gate Yacht Club, winner of the 33rd America's Cup last February, have asked US SAILING and the Royal Ocean Racing Club's Seahorse Rating affiliate to write the rules.
"We've always said that the new design will be for the America's Cup community. The result with be a 'non-partisan yacht' rather than a 'defender's yacht'," said Ian Burns, Design Coordinator for BMW Oracle Racing. "A great deal of input was sought from the America's Cup community and the concept briefs given to the rule writers reflect that feedback." In a twin-track process, US SAILING will author a multihull rule and the RORC's Seahorse Rating a canting-keel monohull rule.
"It would be premature to rule either a monohull or multihull in and the other out at this stage," commented Russell Coutts, CEO of BMW Oracle Racing. "Which type of boat is best for racing and media impact is one of many evaluations we will be testing over the coming months."
The choice between monohull and multihull will be made after the conclusion of these trials, the first round of which is scheduled for Valencia in late July. "Either option will provide high performance, exciting viewing and challenges to design, build and sailing teams," commented Burns.
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(Diane M. Byrne) on frontpage
With yachts and megayachts of varying sizes successfully avoiding the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, you may wonder why the International SeaKeepers Society is getting involved. Simple: Its proprietary SeaKeeper 1000 data-acquisition system is helping government agencies, scientists, and others collect much-needed information on dilute hydrocarbons.
With the assistance of the University of South Florida and YSI, a company that develops and manufactures sensors and related data-collection items for environmental monitoring and testing, the International SeaKeepers Society has successfully adapted a proven hydrocarbon sensor. That sensor is now working with a SeaKeeper 1000 unit aboard the research vessel WeatherBird II in the Gulf of Mexico. The goal is to map both the oil plumes and the extent to which the oil continues to spread across the water and towards shore throughout the region.
Here’s how it works. The SeaKeeper unit allows seawater (and therefore the oil) to flow through a dedicated section. The sensors within that section collect data, which is then combined with GPS data to permit rapid mapping. This information is recorded by an onboard computer and transmitted via satellite to servers maintained by the nonprofit Society. Scientists and government officials have free access to this data.
The SeaKeepers Society is collaborating with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to install sensors on its National Marine Sanctuaries vessels. In addition, Carnival Cruise Lines will soon add the hydrocarbon sensors to the existing SeaKeeper 1000 units on its Triumph, Legend, and Miracle ships. Cruising out of New Orleans, Tampa and New York, respectively, the ships will help in two ways. First, they’ll be operating in some waters unaffected by the BP oil spill, so that will help establish a baseline reading. Second, they’ll map the extremely dilute hydrocarbon plumes at the shelf break, in the loop current, and eventually in the Gulf Stream.
Perhaps even more significant, a smaller, portable hydrocarbon sensor was recently installed on a 21-foot boat owned by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection. This new sensor is especially promising because it can be installed on the gunwale or transom of a variety of small craft—especially the “vessels of opportunity,” a.k.a. private boats donated to the research and cleanup cause—within hours. The SeaKeeper 1000 unit requires a through-hull fitting, so unless a vessel is already equipped with it, time is not on the side of the Society nor the interested parties.
The International SeaKeepers Society is actively seeking more donations so that it can continue installing sensors on other units and help fund the related research. The nonprofit organization and its partners are also working on refinements to the sensors so that they can operate more efficiently close to shore. Visit the website to learn how you can contribute.
America's Cup: Luna Rossa out
Wed: June 30, 2010
Press Release:
Italian team Luna Rossa will not be taking part in the 34th America's Cup
According to press reports, including the racing website Valencia Sailing, Patrizio Bertelli - the owner of Italian America's Cup boat Luna Rossa - will not be taking part in the 34th America's Cup.
The decision was first reported on various Italian sites on Monday (28 June), but was officially confirmed by the team's press officer this morning.
The Louis Vuitton finalist of the 32nd America's Cup will not take part in the next edition, but the rest of its sailing program will continue as scheduled - ie. the Audi Medcup circuit and the Louis Vuitton Trophy.
Due to the increasing need to protect its coastline from the BP oil spill, the state of Mississippi has ordered more than 20 new belt skimmer boats, some of which are being built by Trinity Yachts.
Specifically, Trinity Yachts’ Gulfport facility will build nine belt skimmers, all measuring 30 feet LOA. The rest of the vessels are being built at Overing Yachts, also in Mississippi. The Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality (MDEQ) will oversee the boats’ operation, with the state maintaining ownership. Some will be put into service as early as next week, with all completed and in operation by August 1.
Gov. Haley Barbour made the announcement Saturday, adding that BP would be responsible for paying for the cost of design and construction. “People should know we have considerable more oil outside the barrier islands, and the amount is increasing,” he explained.
According to the MDEQ, belt skimmer boats are the best vessel type to address the oil spill, able to gather oil of varying consistencies and types. Oil sheen, mousse (the consistency of sludge), and patties (clumps or blobs) have been found in various locations in Mississippi waters, as well as in Floridian waters, with more expected. Another advantage to the belt skimmers: They can operate in deep or shallow water.
The next generation of the De Vries family has taken over the directorship of the Feadship Koninklijke De Vries Scheepsbouw yard in Aalsmeer, the Netherlands. Rob and Roderick are joined on the five-strong new board at the world-famous shipyard by three highly experienced directors from outside the family.
Meanwhile, Henk and Tom de Vries, who have led the yard since the 1990s, now have time to devote their full attention as directors of the De Vries Group.
Rob de Vries (whose father Johan de Vries was a director from 1973 to 2001) becomes director of projects, while Roderick de Vries (whose father Gerard de Vries was a director from 1973 to 2002) has taken on the role of technical director. The other directors are Bas Nederpelt (sales director), John Veldman (controller) and Dennis van Haasteren (director of operations).
Koninlijke De Vries Scheepsbouw T: +31 297 388 900 E:
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W: www.feadship.nl
The winning team in Marseille, Quantum racing, was led by skipper Terry Hutchinson, who helms Artemis in the Louis Vuitton Trophy events. The talented American sailor led his Quantum team to its first victory on the tour in over a year.
Not far behind, Jochen Schuemann and Seb Col again turned in a strong performance for the All4One team, who finished in third place in Marseille. And the second place finisher, Matador, had Azzurra's Francesco Bruni calling tactics.
Emirates Team New Zealand was fourth - their lowest finish in a year - with Britain's TeamOrigin fifth and Synergy sixth. The Kiwis still lead on the overall leaderboard for the season.
"We have a fight on our hands for sure," acknowledged tactician Ray Davies. "But if you look at the voerall pciture it has not really changed that much. We just have to pick our game up. I think we just need to be doing the basics well and stick to that philosophy."
Luna Rossa and Artemis struggled in the Marseille event, finishing in ninth and tenth place.
The regatta marks the end of a long spell of racing for many of the sailors, who have been on the go for up to eight consecutive weeks. Many will be returning home to spend some well-deserved time with family before resuming racing in the summer.
Delta Marine and Caterpillar Financial Services are working together to complete Project Monarch. Construction of this 46m motor yacht began at Northern Marine in Anacortes and will be completed at Delta’s yard in Seattle, with financing provided by Caterpillar.
With exterior styling and interior design by Jonathan Quinn Barnett, this superyacht will have a full beam master suite on the main deck, along with three doubles and a twin stateroom below.
Powered by twin Caterpillar 3512 B series engines, she can reach speeds up to 21 knots, with a range of 3,000 nautical miles at 12 knots. ABS classed and MCA compliant, Project Monarch has extra wide doors and a centrally located elevator for easy wheelchair access.
Delta Marine T: +1 206 763 2383 E:
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W: www.deltamarine.com
Project Monarch
Heesen signs two new superyacht contracts By Malcolm MacLean on YCO
Heesen announces the signing of two new contracts: a 50 metre fully custom semi-displacement motor yacht and a 47 metre full displacement motor yacht.
These are the third and the fourth contracts to be signed at Heesen since the beginning of 2010. Heesen’s order book now consists of fourteen yachts currently in construction, which will be delivered to their owners by the end of 2013.
The 50m contract was signed in collaboration with the Monaco based brokerage house YCO. The YCO broker representing the Buyer commented: “Y/N 16250 is a unique project, for an owner who is an experienced sailor who desires to be deeply involved in the design and conception process of his new vessel.” Fabio Ermetto, Sales and Marketing Director at Heesen, says: “We feel greatly honoured that the client and YCO chose Heesen Yachts for building this unique semi-displacement vessel
The 47m superyacht, Yard Number 15147, belongs to the Heesen’s 47-metre long range displacement vessel family, which now has seven sister-ships. Two of these have been recognised at successive World Superyacht Awards in 2009 and 2010 as the Best Displacement Motor Yachts below 500GT. The level of customization possible on this series (including structural changes to the superstructure) allows owners to create their own unique yacht based on a proven hull design. The new yacht will be built to Lloyds class and be MCA compliant.
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(Diane M. Byrne) on frontpage June 16, 2010
When most megayacht builders want to expand their facilities, they build outward. In the case of Feadship’s Royal Van Lent, however, the yard is going underground -- literally.
The shipyard is situated on a small island, with few options to expand outward, given the proximity of other buildings and structures. Rather than permit this to restrict the LOAs it wants to build--specifically, yachts exceeding 60 meters (197 feet)--the yard’s personnel figured out that it could dig.
This coming August, phase one begins. It involves widening the build shed doors and moving the dry-dock door forward about five meters (16 feet). Next, also starting in August, the superyacht builder will renovate one of its two slipways. Currently it can only accommodate builds to 45 meters (148 feet), so Royal Van Lent will excavate and extend it.
Royal Van Lent will also eventually benefit from renovations going on in nearby towns. The locks in Gouda are being widened two meters (about 6'6"), to 14 meters (46 feet). The towns of Oude and Nieuwe Wetering are embarking on same-length expansions of their bridges. All of this will permit the larger superyachts to pass, once the work is completed in 2012.
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(Diane M. Byrne) on frontpage June 15, 2010
Alexandre Rodriguez, the chairman of Rodriguez Group, stepped down today from all management positions he has held within the company as well as its holdings.
The resignation comes following an ongoing police investigation into alleged illegal activities by Rodriguez. (The investigation does not involve the company or its holdings, such as Camper & Nicholsons or Mangusta yachts.) In a letter to the supervisory board of Rodriguez Group, he wrote, “given the current circumstances, the protection of the Group’s interests and of its shareholders must remain an absolute priority.”
Gerard Rodriguez, the founder of the company, takes over as chairman. In a statement, he says, “ I have personally dedicated my entire life to the Group and my energy remains the same, despite the circumstances, to hold the Chairmanship while waiting for a long-term solution.”
Rodriguez Group, which trades stock under the symbol ROD FP, requested a temporary suspension of trading on June 8, given the publicity over Alexandre Rodriguez's arrest. The company indicated that shares will resume trading on June 16.
French news reports state that Alexandre Rodriguez, chairman of Rodriguez Group, is in police custody on suspicion of participating in organized crime.
According to Les Echos and other media, Rodriguez and 20 other people were arrested over the weekend on charges that include money laundering. Four yachts were seized during the operation, along with large quantities of cash, false documentation, and handguns. It was not clear in the news reports whether the cash and other items were aboard the yachts or related to them. The newspaper further reported that Rodriguez could be held through this evening, as conspiracy charges permit a person to be held up to 96 hours.
Rodriguez Group is the parent company for the Mangusta and Leopard lines of yachts and superyachts. It also owns Camper & Nicholsons. Neither the shipyards nor the brokerage firm are under investigation. Rodriguez Group is also a publicly traded company and requested trading of its shares be suspended on Tuesday, pending a statement to be released. Thus far no word has come from the company, but we are continuing to follow developments and will update accordingly.
Jamie Edmiston at Edmiston & Company calls to say the the sale has been completed on the 85m motor yacht Alysia. Listed for sale at €85 million, Alysia was a joint central agency for sale with Peter Insull’s Yacht Marketing and Burgess and the buyer was represented by Edmiston’s Russell Crump. The superyacht is being renamed Moonlight II and will remain active on the charter market at a rate of €695,000 per week with Edmiston acting as charter central agent. Edmiston Yacht Management will be looking after the yacht’s management.
Through new funding and a restructuring of its debt, Sunseeker has new majority investors from the UK and Ireland.
FL Partners, which was founded in 2006 as an investment vehicle and which owns the horseracing paper Racing Post, has, along with other investors, injected £25 million (about $36.2 million) of new capital into Sunseeker. FL Partners also refinanced Sunseeker’s existing debt with a £40-million ($57.9-million) package of long-term loans. The new funds and the refinancing should permit Sunseeker, which employs more than 2,300 people, to continue its current production of speedboats and superyachts to 40 meters (131 feet). It should also allow Sunseeker to expand into the 50-meter (164-foot) market, a plan previously put in place.
Robert Braithwaite, cofounder of Sunseeker, remains the largest single shareholder outside of the new investors. He is now president and non-executive chairman of the yard’s parent company, Sunseeker International (Holdings) Limited. Stewart McIntyre, COO of Sunseeker, is now managing director. In a statement released by Sunseeker, McIntyre says, “Whilst we continue to operate in a recovering market place, Sunseeker is one of the few luxury yacht manufacturers which has maintained consistent sales revenue in recent years, itself a reflection of the global standing of the business, its products and the strength of its brand.” He adds that there are a few open build slots for yachts and megayachts for fiscal year 2011 and 2012.
On May 18, Italian officials in the Ministry of Transport announced new procedures designed to simplify the arrival and departure of commercial yachts and pleasure vessels, according to a statement by Francesco Luise of J. Luise & Sons Ltd. in Naples, Italy.
1. Arrival and departure requirements have to be performed in the Porto Base (the Italian home port), or the first Italian port reached by a yacht coming from foreign (EU or non-EU country). If the yacht arrives from a non-EU country, she will also have to apply for an entry declaration.
2. In all the ports subsequent to the Porto Base or first port of entry, the yacht must notify the local harbormaster about arrival and notify the Porto Base harbormaster of the movement.
3. At the final port, the yacht must notify the Porto Base about the end of the cruise in Italian waters.
These new procedures do not impact existing customs requirements.
A federal judge in New York has made the Virginia and Delaware assets of CNet Networks Inc. founder Halsey Minor fair game, in light of his failure to pay out a $6.6 million court award to Sotheby's Inc. for reneging on a deal to buy three paintings.
U.S. District Court Judge Barbara S. Jones of the Southern District of New York gave Sotheby's leave to register the $6.6 million judgment in the Western District of Virginia and the District of Delaware, where Minor has significant assets.
Minor was ordered at the end of March to pay Sotheby's a $4.4 million judgment for breach of contract, as well as prejudgment interest. He appealed that ruling to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit at the end of April.
Minor has also asked the district court to deny the additional $1.9 million Sotheby’s won in attorneys’ fees and expenses, and urged the court to reduce the request by 45 percent — 30 percent for excessive billing and 15 percent for vague time entries and block billing.
The founder of one of the Web's early startup successes, Minor is currently barred from bidding at Sotheby's and at Christie's auction house.
Sotheby’s filed suit in September 2008, claiming Minor had willfully defaulted on paying for the paintings he purchased at auction events.
Minor did not dispute that he owed what amounted to $82,500 for the Andy Warhol painting “Diamond Dust Shoes,” which he won with a $250,000 high bid at a May 2008 auction.
But he claimed that he never agreed to buy the higher-ticket paintings, “Paris, Winter Days,” by Impressionist painter Childe Hassam, and “Peaceable Kingdom with the Leopard of Serenity,” by folk artist Edward Hicks, despite his winning bids of $3.5 million and $8.6 million, respectively, at a later auction, according to the March 30 order.
Minor alleged that he did not say he would purchase them because Sotheby's failed to disclose that it had “significant economic interests” in the works.
In her ruling, Judge Jones found that Minor failed to prove fiduciary duty on the part of Sotheby's. Nor did he show exactly how he was injured by the supposed failure to disclose, she said.
Even giving Minor “the benefit of every rational inference derived from” evidence he submitted, Judge Jones still found his claim to be insufficient.
In addition to what Minor owes on the Warhol painting, he also owes $1.6 million for the second and nearly $2.7 million on the third — not including legal fees, interest and late charges, according to the judge. The damages awards were reduced by the amount Sotheby's recovered when it resold the paintings.
Minor is also facing a suit brought by U.K. auction house Christie Manson & Woods Ltd. in February 2009 over his alleged failure to fulfill agreements to buy more than $7 million worth of art after auctions in July 2008.
Those works were by Sir Anthony van Dyck, George Stubbs and Thomas Stringer, according to the Christie's complaint. That case, also in the Northern District of California, remains pending.
Minor has a $6.52 million mortgage for a farm near Charlottesville, Va., that he recently brought current after it was foreclosed upon, according to a news report from The Charlottesville Daily Progress.
Attorneys Minor and Sotheby's did not return calls seeking comment.
Sotheby's is represented by Weil Gotshal & Manges LLP and Lynn & Cahill LLP.
Minor is represented Browne Woods George LLP.
The case is Sotheby's Inc. v. Halsey Minor, case number 08-cv-7694, in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York.
Irish investors, led by private equity firm FL Partners, have taken a majority stake in Sunseeker for €30 million, according to a story in the Irish Times.
FL Partners, headed by Peter Crowley and Neill Hughes, confirmed the deal to the newspaper.
Iridium Communications has announced a $2.9 billion plan to build and deploy its next-generation satellite constellation, Iridium NEXT.
Iridium signed Thales Alenia Space for the design and construction of 72 operational satellites and in-orbit spares, plus nine ground spares, the company said in a news release. Coface, the French export credit agency, has issued a “promise of guarantee” that covers 95 percent of the $1.8 billion credit facility for the project. The financing is expected to be completed this summer.
The first satellites are expected to launch during the first quarter of 2015.
Yet another Ponzi scheme has led to yet another megayacht to be put up for auction – taking place this week.
On June 3 at the Broward County Convention Center in Fort Lauderdale, Rick Levin & Associates will auction off a Warren S87 christened Miss Kimberly, plus a handful of other watertoys and exotic cars. It’s at the order of the U.S. Treasury, which seized the assets of Scott Rothstein, a once-prominent attorney in Florida, last fall.
Rothstein pleaded guilty in January to running a $1.2-million Ponzi scheme from 2005 to 2009. According to prosecutors, he sold investors stakes in confidential settlement agreements. The agreements were reportedly pre-litigation negotiations in sexual harassment or whistle-blower cases; the cases were said to be ones that the individuals involved wanted to keep quiet. Prosecutors also state that in some situations, there were no settlements and even no clients, with false documentation created by Rothstein and others.
As for Miss Kimberly, Rothstein named her for his wife (who has not been charged). The 87-footer, similar to the sistership above, was built in 2007 and contains a master suite plus two guest staterooms, crew accommodations for three, a cockpit barbeque and refrigerator, and a tender garage fitted with a hydraulically lifting hatch and a hydraulic davit. The saloon is open to the helm, where three pedestal chairs face dramatically sloped windows. The twin MTU diesels have just over 450 hours apiece on them. Top speed is about 34 knots, with cruise speed around 28 knots.
Bidders wishing to acquire Miss Kimberly are required to bring a minimum deposit of $200,000 in the form of a cashier’s check on the day of the sale. Besides Miss Kimberly, the auction will feature a 55-foot Sea Ray Sundancer, a 50-foot Nor-Tech Supercat, a 33-foot Riva Aquariva Super, and Yamaha PWCs. The minimum bid deposits for these boats and watercraft range from $1,000 to $25,000.
Miss Kimberly, the rest of the boats, and the cars – including a Ferrari Spyder, a Bugatti Veyron, and a Rolls-Royce Phantom – are all being sold “as is, where is.”
In an exceptional synergy of Italian style and design, yacht maker Benetti and Fendi Casa—the home-furnishing brand of Rome-based fashion house Fendi—have collaborated to produce Lady Lara, the 194-foot custom megayacht.
In its first venture at sea, Fendi Casa—under the direction of interior design firm Studio Massari—has provided the furnishings for Lady Lara, which Benetti delivered last summer. Characteristic Fendi touches abound throughout the vessel’s six cabins, which accommodate up to 12 guests, from the handles on the cabinets and doors, which resemble the distinctive fasteners on Fendi’s Spy bags, to lamps modeled after the company’s Karl Lagerfeld–designed double-F logo. The main salon is draped in soothing cream and beige upholstery, while gold finishes and moldings give the space a warm quality.
Though the focus is naturally on Lady Lara’s sumptuously adorned interiors, its Stefano Natucci–designed outdoor spaces also invite attention. The yacht’s sundeck sports a Jacuzzi and gym toward the bow and a large sun bed, swathed in Fendi Casa fur linens, resides aft. Not sacrificing performance for style, this posh megayacht is propelled by two 12-cylinder MTU engines to a brisk cruising speed of 15 knots. While Lady Lara is the first and, thus far, the only yacht to be entirely furnished by the brand, the obvious success of the project may very well lead to future maritime collaborations. (www.benettiyachts.it, www.fendi.com)
—John Lyon
$18,000 sales tax cap becomes law in Florida
By Lucy Chabot Reed
May 30, 2010
Florida Gov. Charlie Christ signed the bill on Friday that puts a state sales and use tax cap of $18,000 on boats and yachts in Florida.
The new law means that instead of paying 6 percent sales tax on vessels bought in Florida, buyers will pay no more than $18,000. The move, proponents say, will keep more vessels in Florida waters after a sale.
The law also makes it possible for existing owners to pay the tax and remain in Florida waters.
The law goes into effect with the state's next budget, which begins July 1.
Having a Ball
Suzanne Nam, 05.28.10, 05:00 PM EDT Forbes Asia Magazine dated June 07, 2010
Malaysian billionaire Vincent Tan bought a stake in a British soccer club. (Co-owns a yacht called ASEAN Lady with Singapore businessman Brian Chang)
When business partner Chan Tien Ghee first approached billionaire Vincent Tan about buying Welsh football club Cardiff City, Tan thought it was a crazy idea, likely to lose him money: "I am not exactly a football fan, but [Chan] is a devoted one." His partner eventually convinced him to invest; they agreed to pay $10 million for a 36% stake (Tan owns slightly more) in the deeply indebted team. Tan, who spoke to FORBES from London, where he was getting ready to watch his new team play, insists he will not lose money. "We will instill financial discipline in the football club. For instance, we would not buy players we can't afford," says Tan. There may also be some synergies between the team and his sports betting business, Ascot, which he is selling to his Berjaya Sports.
But owning a team isn't always easy. Indian billionaire Lakshmi Mittal bought a 20% stake in the Queens Park Rangers in 2007. The club has since gone through six managers; it lost an aggregate of $25 million over the past five seasons. Mittal upped his stake in February just as its controversial chairman Flavio Briatore quit. His son-in-law Amit Bhatia is now overseeing the club on behalf of the family. Would-be buyers are not deterred. AirAsia Chief Tony Fernandes recently bid on West Ham United. Zhu Jun, chairman of The 9 Limited and onetime China rich lister, is reportedly in talks to buy the Liverpool Football Club.
CBP at three South Florida marinas this weekend
Triton
May 28, 2010
U.S. Customs and Border Protection will process vessel arrivals, including in-person immigration processing, at three South Florida marinas this weekend.
Captains must report their vessel and passengers' arrival to CBP, regardless of size and flag registry, after having visited any foreign port immediately upon entering the United States by calling 1-800-432-1216 or 1-800-451-0393.
On Sunday and Monday, however, captains can clear in with CBP at Miami Beach Marina (305-673-6000), Lauderdale Marina (954-523-8507) and Sailfish Marina at Singer Island (561-844-1724).
The News
