US$12 million and Sailing
Reduced hurricane threat, lower insurance premiums and strong technical support make Trinidad the choice of a booming yachting industry.

by Joannah Bharose, Port of Spain- Trinidad

Living on a yacht, sailing from place to place is as normal to some people as living in a house or taking the bus to work everyday.The only difference for yachties is that they take their homes with them wherever they go.

In spite of the views many West Indians may have of this way of life, it is obviously seen an opportunity for big business, particularly in Trinidad. And, the amazing industrial growth of the Western Peninsula of the island over the past five years can attest to this. The peninsula, with Chaguaramas as its hub, services the needs of the yachting community.

It is more than apparent that the yachting industry has become big business in Trinidad and Tobago and everybody wants to get in on the action.

The rush is on.. and many businesses have been set up to supply from basic grocery items, to ship repair and other vital services for this relatively new industry. The yachting industry is now estimated to be worth at least $50 million per year. This includes the figure earned last year by the boat yards, maxi- taxi drivers, green grocers, general transport, communication, food and general supplies.

As the small village of Chaguaramas continues to grow into a full fledged town with new marinas, hotels and additional facilities all aimed at accommodating the yachties, so too are the benefits to the area and the residents. It is estimated almost 500 people are employed at the marinas and boat yards, and because of the nature of the work, most of the employees live nearby. When the first handful of yachts came to Trinidad in 1988, little did the people of Chaguaramas and marinas like Power Boats Mutual Facilities (Power Boats) realise that their initiative would propel the growth of the entire Western Peninsula.

This year (1996), it is expected that more than 3,000 yachts will visit the shores of the twin isle. The misfortune of the other Caribbean islands with two devastating hurricane last year is to the benefit of Trinidad. Hundreds of yachts sank last year and more and more yachties are flocking further South to safer waters at Chaguaramas.

What is it that draws the yachties to these shores in ever increasing numbers? The first deciding factor deals with insurance costs to the yachties. Insurance companies have drawn a line between Grenada and Trinidad defining the safer waters. And, because of this country's perceived location outside the hurricane belt, yacht owners come south to avoid the storms while still enjoying the warm climate.

Donald Stollmeyer, President of Yacht Services Association of Trinidad and Tobago (YSATT) and Managing Director of Power Boats sums it up: "The hurricane belt is the major factor. We are supposed to be south of this and the insurance companies have apparently drawn a line which lies between Trinidad and Grenada and which marks the southern extent for which coverage will be given for hurricane insurance between certain months. So if you have hurricane coverage you have to bring your boat south of the belt. If you don't have coverage, you better bring your boat south of the belt, just to be sure.

Any way you look at it, Trinidad is fortunate to be where it is." Secondly, the quality and price of teak are other major reasons why the yachties come to Trinidad. The exchange rate makes it even more desirable. Teak is one of the most seaworthy materials used on boats, especially for deck floors, galleys, furniture and roofing. This, coupled with the high quality of workmanship by Trinidadians is the combination that yachties want.

It is also rumoured that because of the price, there is a thriving smuggling trade of teak within the yachting fraternity. According to Stollmeyer, "Relative to the other islands, Trinidad is cheap in almost every respect, but particularly for work on yachts. Labour is competent and we have far better equipment for this than in the islands further North. Yachtsmen can have almost any job carried out on their boat in Trinidad.

"Partly because of our industrial base, there are loads of machine shops, aluminium welding, as well as stainless steel, upholstery shops and fiberglass shops." The marinas at Chaguaramas offer storage space on land and sea, on shore repair work, woodworking, haul out services, sail repairs, welding, osmosis treatment, upholstering, painting, rigging, mechanical engineering and sand blasting. Although Trinidad cannot easily compete with the traditional Caribbean sun, sand and sea, the yachties actually find the culture and landscape refreshing especially around Carnival time.

"Our international links are also unique and this is important to yachties," says one marina owner. "Easy, safe and fast access to Europe and North America by sea and air is an important consideration for those who want to visit their homeland or have items for their boat shipped to Trinidad." So far, Europeans make up the largest number of visitors by sea with Americans a close second. The Customs and Immigration of Trinidad is also viewed as favourable by the yachties. There are suitably located check points for the yachts that arrive on a daily basis. The easy access to equipment for yachts through the duty free concession of customs is a big plus. It is also common knowledge that the earnings for the area will increase as word about Trinidad and Tobago as a yachting destination continues to spread. Power Boats alone sells $15,000 to $20,000 worth of phone cards per month. The Postal Services earns an annual income of about $22,500 from stamp sales at Power Boats. These figures leave no doubt that Chaguaramas is now big business!

Despite this, however, the new industry is not without its problems. Some protest groups and organisations have voiced their concerns to the authorities about the impact of the yachties on the environment.

In an effort to deal with the concerns, the marina owners formed the Yachting Services Association of Trinidad and Tobago (YSATT). Some members of the group include the larger yacht service and supply firms like Crews Inn Marina, IMS Yacht Services, Peake Yacht Service, Power Boats, Yacht Club and Yachting Associates. It was formed to provide the various interest groups with a forum to promote ideas, air grievances and find solutions to the problems affecting the industry.

Recently, complaints about the yachts' sewerage and the absence of a hospital quarantine have been aired. Officials of YSATT and the Chaguaramas Development Authority (CDA) agreed that the problem needed attention. But, they also felt that education was the key to dealing with the issue, as many of the problems arising out of the growing yacht industry in Chaguaramas stemmed mainly from ignorance of the yachties lifestyle.

Ann Farfan, secretary of YSATT and Stollmeyer agrees that the problem lies more in people's perception of the yachts. Also, because of the relatively small number of yachts, there is little danger from sewerage being flushed into the waters at Chaguaramas. She said they had been in consultation with the CDA, the Environmental Management Authority, and the Institute of Marine Affairs (IMA) in an effort to address the concerns.

"We have been doing what we can to address the concerns. This sewerage situation is more of a perception than a problem. We are fortunate that all our bays are open and naturally get flushed out with the tides. Surveys have been conducted in conjunction with the environmental groups such as the Environmental Management Authority, Ministry of Trade and Industry, Tourism Industrial Development Corporation (TIDCO) and the Tobago House of Assembly to determine the extent of the problem," Farfan said.

"The perception is that yachts are causing pollution in the area with their raw sewerage being dumped in the water, but the research shows that there is also outflow from all the rivers, including the Caroni river and the sewerage treatment plant at Point Gourde that empties into the bays used by the yachties. What we saw was that a lot more sewerage and waste is being fed into the area from land."

She sees the problem as being the perception of those concerned and maybe their unfamiliarity with the yachting world. YSATT and TIDCO are working together to educate the public about the yachting community which has been prejudged and misunderstood because of the inavailability of information about their lifestyle.

According to Ian Gianetti, General Manager of the CDA, the IMA has done water testing in the area at the request of the CDA and the water quality has always been up to World Health Organisation standards. "Based on the testing, there was no indication of pollution and if you spoke with people involved in yachting they will tell that the pollution factor caused by yachts are minimal." He also provided the assurance that the CDA would be the first to warn sea bathers and fishermen if the water becomes unsafe.

The private sector has also risen to the challenge, Power Boats is currently constructing a pump out barge for sewerage which will keep the sewerage in holding tanks to be emptied far out at sea. The IMA is also scheduled to start a bacteriological survey which would include studies on the tides and current flows. There has also been a call for an animal and hospital quarantine as there are no facilities for the quarantine of animals and pets brought to local shores on yachts, or for the screening of human passengers who may be carrying communicable diseases.

Existing regulations require that all animals entering the territorial waters of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago must be declared at customs. All animals, irrespective of their vaccination history, are required to remain on board their vessels, and are forbidden to leave. If veterinary attention is needed, local veterinarians will assist by attending to the animal on board the vessel.

"Very often the yachties will take it upon themselves to have their pets checked by a vet on arrival, even though there are no facilities. We also find in many cases they would adopt local stray animals and take them to their boat and, they may even return in later years with the same animal on board," says Stollmeyer of Power Boats.

Health issues are also getting the attention of the CDA and plans are being made for a hospital quarantine. Several sites are currently being considered for the construction of a hospital quarantine to serve the yachting industry. The major problem now for the yachties, and later for the Chaguarmas community is theft. Often locals would steal outboard engines and dinghies from the visitors. Measures to improve the security in the area have also been taken by individual marinas like Peake Yacht Services. And, they have been working closely with the local police and Coast Guard to deal with the problem.

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