26 January 2012 - With a quick thank you to Mansueto Group in Sanremo Italy, we now have an italian tax imposed on yachts that enter Italian waters.  As an example if we stay in italy for 4 months over summer it will cost us approx 40,000 Euro's just for the pleasure of being there.

If yachts didn't already pay enough each year a new tax is just what we need, however what will be the outcome of this?  Will other countries adopt a similar tax.... meaning we all could be paying 130,000 euro's a year extra just for having a Yacht?

Luke

The Cruising Kitty charts the cost to get cruising at www.thecruisingkitty.com

So with the cruise ship costa concordia running aground and array of stories and reports, I happend to hear one of the reasons why it all happen.

"Prosecutors believe the captain may have deliberately ordered the 1,500-cabin liner to sail close to the island of Giglio to sound a three-horn salute in what locals call an “inchino,” or reverent bow, to the inhabitants.
Its decks illuminated, the Costa Concordia has previously sailed close to the picturesque island and sounded its foghorn in tribute.
The “showboating” was meant to be a treat for the passengers on the first night of their cruise, and a treat for the islanders too.
This time the apparently harmless greeting ended in disaster, as the liner foundered on a reef just 1,000ft offshore.
Mr Foschi said that the course that the captain had decided to take was “his own initiative, contrary to the written rules” of the company.
He said that Costa ships have their routes programmed, and alarms go off when they deviate.
“This route was put in correctly. The fact that it left from this course is due solely to a manoeuvre by the commander that was unapproved, unauthorised and unknown to Costa,” he said.
Sergio Ortelli, the mayor of Giglio, told The Times that, based on briefings he had attended, he believed Captain Schettino had been planning a three-horn salute to Giglio when he crashed."

I guess only now we just wait to find out the true reason's behind it all.  Just a shame that poor preparation from one company & their crew will eventually make our working lives sooo much harder!

Whether you are just starting out or you've been in the yachting game for a few years, obtaining that ticket or licence so you can move up or even enter the game can be a daunting thought.

For most it's, find the school ( not to mention is it going to be the right one ), save up for your courses, but also you have, accomodation, food, classes, airfares and not to mention most people won't be able to hold onto their job to do the courses.

After doing this for nearly 8 years, i have now accrued enough sea time to sit for my 3000 tonnes Masters ticket.  2 months off work to sit in Fort Lauderdale during the craziest time of the year,..... boat show parties and the Fort Lauderdale Boat Show looming in the distance.  It's week one for my <500t Masters Nav & Radar, and to be honest I think it's easier than what the OOW's have when they do their course.  It still means knowing your stuff but i'm glad it's starting this way.  The team at IYT in Fort Lauderdale organised me 6 weeks of courses, so all i have to do is fly out and sit my oral in the UK.

Right now we are covering the sylabus but mostly we're looking at Radar Plotting, Blobology, Passage Planning and should be dipping into weather soon.  Soon as I know more I will write about it,... but don't forget.... COLREGS!!!!!!!!!!