Cleaning Yachts

[Bob Foster]

Here's a short video of one I did yesterday. Not the biggest or the fanciest but very enjoyable work.

I found out after I completed this job that the owner of the vessel Venture was none other than Tony Fleming the founder and owner of Fleming Yachts. That was really nice to hear and I felt extremely privileged to be working on one of his personal vessels. He is a internationally respected yacht builder who also previously worked with Grand Banks and was responsible for many of their vessel designs. Also in his own right he is well known producer of cruising adventure travel videos.

The second video is of the very same vessel transiting the Panama Canal. This boat has been all over the world with Tony at the helm. I hope to meet him someday and talk to him about his adventures at the Galapagos Islands.

http://www.flemingyachts.com

6]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TQCGnUcBJPM6]

6]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ue4xt10tF8k6]

6]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uaZehSBlC8E6]

 

[Goomer]

Great videos.

 

[topnotchman]

very cool. How many feet of hose from the truck to the boat is that??

 

[Dmreed4311]

Nice how did you land that job?

 

[Fred Homan]

Did you get a premium price for that job? How much?

 

[bob vawter]

very nice ....
thanks Bob!

 

[Bob Foster]

The hose run was 250 feet. You can see that the last 50 feet entered the transom of the boat and it barely reached the end of the work in the interior that I did in the master state room.

The job was a referral from previous work I have done on a larger Fleming 75. I was paid appropriately for the work.

Here is a picture of other yacht work. Many have highly finished woodwork and often you are working on wool carpets and finer upholstery

 

[Goomer]

The last place I would think to see so much white carpet.

 

[Bob Foster]

Actually Frank its very common to see light carpet and fine fabrics on these vessels. When you enter a yacht you do so only with non-marking (generally white soled shoes). Also most people will remove their shoes before entering the interior of a boat. This isn't practical for us for obvious reasons. Generally on these vessels dirty clothes are an absolute no-no. Generally any person working on these vessels are spotlessly clean and well groomed.

Most vessels like this are as clean as a surgical suite from stem to stern.

To give you an idea, here is a picture of the machine room (engine room) on a Fleming 75. This engine room could be well be 10 years old with thousands of hours on it and you would never know it by its looks. By the way that is a million dollars worth of engines and gear you are looking at in just that room.

Several of the vessels I have worked on have full time crew and your conduct doesn't go unnoticed. When working on yachts there are a few procedures that will be greatly appreciated by yacht owners and vessel masters. These protocols are taken very seriously by professional mariners.

Always ask permission to come aboard and clear any work with the master if he is aboard.

Know the fire plan on the vessel you are working on.

Never encumber a ships line with hoses and keep all companionways as clear as possible. Generally when a vessel is being readied when we are often called there could be many people working on it. Usually you are the only one on the inside and those passageways are your domain. Most of these vessels have alternative passageways for personnel to reach other areas of the shop such as machine rooms, crew quarters or other areas.

NEVER touch the bright work or varnished surfaces with you bare hands so you don't leave any marks on anything. In other words keep your mitts off the handrails and gunnels.

Treat virtually all surfaces like its the top of a piano.

Never interrupt a marine radio conversation from any party when the master on the bridge even when at anchor or tied up

 

[Goomer]

Interesting insight.
I guess the safety issues involved with crossing that much open water warrant that level of discipline and order, not to mention wanting to preserve such beautiful expensive ships.