Some Nautical Terms and other Tips

Some nautical terms need to be mentioned, this blog is for everybody, not only for specialists.

LOA means Length Over All, and is the longest length of the yacht.

LWL is the Length of the Water Line.

Hull is the shell and framework of the floating part of the boat.

As a tip, you can know what could be the approximate speed of a boat, just knowing the LWL. This is called Hull Speed, sometimes displacement speed, and is the square root of LWL in feet, multiplied with a constant, calculated to be 1,34.

“v” is measured in Knots (kn), which defines another important nautical term. So, 1 kn is a speed unit representing 1 nautical mile per hour (mph)
1 nautical mile is 1.852 km/h or 0.514 m/s and approximately 1.151 mph
In the modern naval architecture, the hull speed is too "yesterday", more important is considered the Froude Number, or the speed/length ratio, given by this formula:

where “v” is the velocity (speed) in kn, and “LWL” is the length at the waterline. Actually, the Froude Number is

where  “g” is the gravitational acceleration (this is also a constant, 9.8 m/s² ) and “L” is actually the waterline length.

courtesy of Wikipedia

 I considered this a tip because when you ask for the maximum speed of the boat, you can check the answer by calculating quickly and discretely the hull speed. If the difference is less than a knot, than the owner is a good guy. This may be especially available when you buy in Turkey, I've seen people lying about the speed and about a lot of other things, another one being the qualifications they have.
Originally speed was measured by paying out a line from the stern of a moving boat. The line had a knot every 47 feet 3 inches (14.40 m), and the number of knots passed out in 30 seconds gave the speed through the water in nautical miles per hour. This method gives a value for the knot of 20.25 in/s, or 1.85166 km/h. The difference from the modern definition is less than 0.02%.

 Of course, when you buy such a yacht (this is a Ferretti 800), you don't need the discreet check I was telling you about, :)

Motor Yachts - Part 5

We continue with another famous company, The Italian Ferretti, who consider themselves the best flying bridge motoryachts builders.
They offer models of the highest luxury, combining the classic with the modern, the price range showing exactly that.

The Ferretti 500 with a twin Cummins 600 can reach up to 30 kn, giving value to her 15,11 m and 3 cabins.

The 530 can be delivered with two types of M/E, twin MAN 730 or twin MAN 800 CR, 16 m, 3 cabins more space than the 500. It is hard to evaluate the difference in money, but it seems obvious that this model is an evolution in design, power and scope. I found two made in 2002 with 510,000 Euros and one in 2006 with over 600,000 Euros.

Ferretti 700, a piece of art at 21,20 m, space, comfort and a contemporary design. The prices for this model seems to be only on request, because all are new.

The Ferretti 800 and Ferretti 881 RPH, both the Company's Jewels regarding flybridges.
The interior is also king size, because the LOA of the 800 model is 24,71 m and the LOA of the other is 27,07 m.

The next posts will show some nautical things, before continuing with the motor yachts or sailing yacht types.

The Rules

After today, I'm going to take every point in the previous two posts, Purchasing a Yacht, Part one and Two, and extend a little what is all about, seriously, meaning the art of purchasing boats and the beauty of it. All, stuffed with some of my experience, too.

I remember having a beer and a sandwich on a small terrace cafeteria in Piraeus, exactly on the steep street in front of one of the numerous entrances to Aya Yorgo's dwarfs. At my table came a man in his sixties, asking somehow permission to sit. I usually don't socialize with strangers, but there were some problems at my ship and thinking of a future plan of action, nodded to the old man indifferently. There were only two tables, it was a very small buffet which served fried anchovies with onion, toasted sandwiches, Amstel beer and some sodas. Nothing else to eat. And yes, coffee. The fake Turkish one, named "Greek Coffee" there, and the universal soluble Ness. It was perfect just for a quick snack before entering the port.
 "You have a golden watch, you must be very rich, then" said the guy.
I thought he wanted something to eat, and asked him if he fancied some fried fish.
"Oh no, young man, thank you. I'll pay for my beer and fish. I was just curious of your business, nothing more, that's the reason I desired to sit at your table."
I told him about my problems, that I was Second Engineer on a small vegetable oil tanker at the time, but I was thinking to start on my own with the first opportunity showing.
He, with the plastic watch, was a shipowner now, after ten years of ship broking. He told me the story of his life. How and with what he started. He was still very modest, even if as every Greek with some money in the banks had home his luxurious Mercedes Benz. Not being quite a tax offender, he had his ships under rented flags, oversea in Panama. It was usual practice.
I've learned something then. If you don't risk to leave your well comfortable "job", you'll never gonna be in a judging position.

courtesy of tripadvisor.in

                                    
I'm not judging still, even not being employed anymore. Society needs working people in key positions. Greeks were buying junks, they painted and repaired the engines with third world personnel , "worked" the ships another year with third world crews and sold them four - fives times more. Money for starters? From banks or VC's.

So, if you find yourself in the old guy's position, you may allow a Mercedes at home and a Ferretti in the nearest marina. Don't be shy, nobody will know unless you wanted them to know!