Helicopters and Motor Yachts

[socaldmax]

I have a friend of mine who is a multimillionaire, he made his money as a partner in an online dating site for millionaires and models. I've always envied his money, contacts and the beautiful women with great personalities that he brings around.

But I have to admit, I'm beginning to envy your job even more than his. The interesting challenges that people bring to you, and you find really innovative solutions for them!

[Dockhead]

Originally Posted by darylat8750

Well said. I would add that I have a friend who is a retired Marine rotary wing pilot. I went to him a couple of years ago on a similar question. He said that the danger of off shore ship board ops can not be over stated. If it is only used for airport runs from protected anchorages in good wx it might be reasonable.

Helicopters on pleasure yachts are used as air tenders, and as toys, so no reason to launch or recover offshore, particularly in any kind of weather. Protected anchorages and good weather -- yes.

[Dockhead]

Originally Posted by Pelagic

What I loved about my profession was having the resources and access to find the best consultants to study and identify great solutions for what many thought were impossible ideas.

The fun part of the conceptual stage, is that there are no stupid requests and you dream about then study various options to inform the client where the practical limits and trade-offs are.

For Example: the big yachts carry large heavy multifunctional tenders, so that the Owners don’t look like they have been whitewater rafting on shore trips.

In the design brief we study Roll-on-roll-off.../flooded docking…/or heavy lift solutions in concert with the traffic flow and multifunctional uses.

We then develop a hull for preferred solution and tank test hull performance and dynamic stability during feasibility studies.

Same with helicopters.
If the desire is for an exploration type yacht to remote atolls it pretty much requires that you allow for an environmentally protected service hanger.

This area can also serve as an air-conditioned Theatre/Gym or whatever…. when heli is not in storage/service hanger.

These are some examples of early concept ideas of hiding the hanger’s profile in between Engine room Ducting with a 3 helicopter position, or a sliding gantry to lower straight down if they accepted a folding kit.

Pushing the envelope is what these business world leaders like to do and I get to be part of it in finding concepts and then research what I can live with as the Captain.

To be honest… I would do this for free…

Very cool. What size of vessel is required to accommodate something like that?

[Pelagic]

The final design came out to 77m but that included a special large tender garage in the stern section

Sent from my GT-N7000 using Cruisers Sailing Forum mobile app

[sealubber]

I've run a few yachts with helipads including the current one I'm running. I'd say even at 145ft she is on the small side for what we allow to land on her. We've done offshore landings and it's not for the faint of heart in a swell. We also carry an 8 man sub, a small fiat and a 30ft RIB in the garage. In the past 2 years we have never deployed the car to land. An important note to tell your friend is the yearly operating budget on the vessel I run now is around 1.5 to 2 million per year (and we do not charter). I have 6 full-time crew aboard usually add two contractors when a big trip comes a long. The engineer, pilot and I are the highest paid crew on the vessel (I'm not going to disclose my salary) but to put the crewing cost into perspective our lowest paid crewmember (Deckhand) is making 47k per year USD. And yes you do need a crew. The helipilot is technically the same rank as me (we make the same salary)

For size once you pass 185ft your ports of call become very limited. Every 200+ footer I've run (3) total the owner has scaled down in size within a few years of ownership.

Typically there is never a need to exceed 155ft in any case. If the owner is in the proverbial dick measuring contest typically they build the yacht and sell it after to get a more reasonable vessel.

After nearly 30 years in the business it still baffles me to this day even owning a yacht the size I'm on now. My current client has spent less the 1.5 months using this girl in the two years I've been running her. We have only cruised 4 weeks total. And I'd say he is one of the more active owners I have had.

[Pelagic]

Originally Posted by sealubber

....... My current client has spent less the 1.5 months using this girl in the two years I've been running her. We have only cruised 4 weeks total. And I'd say he is one of the more active owners I have had.

I think that is the key to enjoying the job.
(Teaming up with an active and organized owner)

On a 55m yacht I commanded for 10 years the owners spent about 4 months per year enjoying their yacht worldwide. (3 circumnavigations). Lots of sea miles repositioning and doing a dry run with crew before their arrival.

I think the Med/Carribe cruising gets old quickly for them and the crew..

[dannc]

Originally Posted by socaldmax

This reminds me...

A former shipmate on my sub was a former DSRV pilot, and a really heavy drinker. He was out at the bars every night we were in port, he even had a $20 bill and directions where to tell the cabby to dump him if found on the curb. One night he ended up sitting in a bar next to a couple of helicopter pilots who were trying to impress the waitress with their daring exploits.

After witnessing all he could stand of their foolishness, he announced that he was a DSRV pilot, and these 2 clowns didn't look like any helicopter pilots he had ever seen. When one of them asked, "What does a helicopter pilot look like?"

He slumped forward in his chair, feigning death.

According to him, they quietly paid their tab and left.

I had to reread that three times to get it.

I bet the copter pilots left.

And it might explain his drinking issues.

Later,
Dan

[daysgoneby]

Since you asked one of these would do quite nicely.
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