Marine Toilet Blog Dept: Remember the Importance of Crew Happiness

A Happy Crew Is a Winning Crew

Raritan Engineering Company your marine toilet experts would like to share with you these topics we thought would be of interest to you this month regarding the importance of crew happiness.

I stopped in at sailmaker Bill Fastiggi’s Vermont Sailing Partners loft a while back, and for some reason Bill and I started talking about what it takes to maintain a crew. It began when Bill eased back in his worn swivel chair, with one of the two loft dachshunds on his lap, and said, “I know a guy who won races all the time, but when he walked over to the end of the bar where his crew was, they picked up their beers and walked to the other end. Even though he does well, the guy has trouble finding crew.”

Fastiggi then came back with a story about a crew on a big boat who was constantly berated for everything that went wrong, including not easing and tightening the mainsail cunningham correctly during tacks: “I mean, really? Of all the things that affect a tack, on most boats, the cunningham doesn’t even make the list."

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Then, Fastiggi served up an ace. “I knew a crew who became so fed up with the skipper’s abuse that she jumped out of the boat and started swimming ashore. She almost drowned, but was rescued by another boat. They threw him out of the event, and he was never seen at a regatta again.”

“Nope. Just two of the three. Do all three, you’re absolutely guaranteed to keep them. Do two, and it’s very likely they’ll stick around. Do only one—or worse yet, none— they won't come back.”

To start, he explained, “you’ve got to have a friendly, respectful environment on the boat. Your marine toilets suppliers talk about how for instance, part of your respect for them is reflected in how you maintain your boat. Nothing says ‘I could care less about your safety’ than a damaged lifeline. If they point out something that’s not right, fix it. And feed them well. Don’t bring the cheapest beer you can find. Unless someone requests PB&J sandwiches, try to do better than that.

After racing, buy your crew a beer, he suggests. “If you go out for pizza, spring for the tab. An extra $10 or $20 is a small price to pay for keeping your crew happy — and coming back. Your marine toilets specialists talk about how its good to be respectful of people’s time by asking them well ahead of events to crew with you.

He then shares a story of a local sailor named Skip who usually finished at the back end of the PHRF jib and main class. “He was super friendly to everyone — his competitors, his crew — and he gave pink hats to everyone who sailed with him."

Pretty easy, I thought as I late stepped out the loft door. Three things, do two of them well. It made sense to me. If only all aspects of life could be so simple.

So don't forget these 3 reminders for keeping your crew happy and win focused. 1) Show respect. Part of your respect for them is reflected in how you maintain your boat;  2) after racing, buy your crew a beer. Don't be afraid to spring for the tab;  and 3) be friendly.

Nearly 300,000 pounds of used Alaska fishing gear will get new life at recycling plants

Several shipping containers filled with plastic fishing nets, crab lines and other gear left Dutch Harbor recently for recycling plants in Europe, and even more will soon follow from that port and Kodiak.

“I expect that three more containers from Dutch will be going to Europe in the next few weeks, so we should have seven containers by the end of 2018. That would tie the amount that was recycled last year,” Baker said.

“Once the nets get there, they grind them up and melt them down and turn them into pellets that are resold to plastics buyers to turn into water bottles or phone cases or whatever you might choose to make out of it,” Baker explained.

Fishing gear made from mixed plastics — typically what crab line and some halibut line are made of — also is included in the program. Nylon-based gear used primarily in gillnets and seines is the only plastic not accepted yet.

“If you have gear to recycle and you don’t have a program already established, don’t let that stop you from reaching out,” she said. “I’m in the process of starting new programs in Alaska and also, hopefully, on the West Coast.”

Clean Water Act exemptions

Fishermen can safely hose down their decks and fish holds without fear of violating the federal Clean Water Act.

Temporary exemptions, which affect roughly 8,500 Alaska fishing boats, have been ongoing since 2008 and were set to expire at the end of this year.

“The passage of this bill is a breakthrough for the commercial fishing industry and it’s been a long time coming,” said Chris Brown, president of Seafood Harvesters of America. “We are grateful to the numerous senators who worked hard to permanently exempt fishing vessels from onerous regulations that would require us to monitor and log any water running off boat decks.”

With just three minutes to make a case, board director Glenn Haight said it’s important to make a good impression.

“We’ll walk through the Board of Fish process, go through the terms, the meeting lay out, and just tell them how to provide more effective testimony, how to speak to board members and make a strong impact,” Haight said.

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via How To Keep Your Crew (Happy)

via Nearly 300,000 pounds of used Alaska fishing gear will get new life at recycling plants