Fiji and Daman

[Amgine]

Does anyone have reports regarding tropical cyclone Daman and Fiji?

Malaysia Star says it struck a glancing blow, and is weakening and wandering off toward Tonga.

[Boracay]

The Fiji Times has much current information.

[Arabella]

Thank for the info. When we heard that Daman was heading for Fiji we were more than a little concerned as we put Arabella on the hard for the season in Vuda Point.

Vuda Point Marina Fiji - Yacht Haven

It's been quite a week. Hurricane force winds here on the Oregon coast then Daman is gunning for our boat! Good news on both fronts, we only lost a few trees and the one that hit the house didn't do too much damage.

[Captain Ron]

I hear Vuda marina has become a white mafia group running it and gouging evreryone for everything. You have to pay a 30% fee for your day workers to come help you with your boat unless you hire Baobab marine who will charge you a small furtune a day for a day worker. It 's deisscustting how they treat the cliennts there.

[Meridian]

I heard this, I heard that...Not very helpful, really.
How about some facts (I spent a month, aboard, in Vuda Point this past season):
Yes, Vuda is a "closed" marina, in that only certain workers/ vendors are allowed to work there. Similar to several other marinas I've visited, both in the States, and abroad. This is done not to peeve you, or get your conspiratorial juices running, but to control quality. Don't like it? Leave.
So, you really want to hire a certain day-worker? Fine. OOh, a 30% surcharge. Sounds like gouging. Or as you say, disgusting treatment of the client. Well, do the math. An average hourly rate, for non-skilled labor, is $4 to $6 U.S.. No typo. $4-$6.
The marina asks that, if you bring in your own worker, you pay hm an additional 5 bucks TOTAL so he can pay the surcharge. That's what we're takling about here...$5 a day. "White mafia"? Give me a break.
It was my experence, and many others who were there with us, that Vuda Point, and Baobob, offer a very valuable servce, and cruisers are very fortunate to have them there in that part of the world.
My advice...Know what you're talking about, clean your own damn stainless, and stop spreading rumors.
John

[fishwife]

Hi Meridian,

I agree with your sentiments but wonder about your maths At the lower rate of $4/hr for an eight hour day it's $9.60 and the higher rate of $6.00/hr it's $14.40

[Meridian]

As I stated, the marina asks only for a $5 daily surcharge. The 30% figure was carelessly thrown out by a previous poster.
Again, these rates applied just this last season, for unskilled, day-labor.
Sorry to be so testy about this, but Vuda Point is a very welcome sight in an area of the world where the next-nearest quality yard/ boat-repair service is 1,000 miles away. They offer and provide a needed and valuable service, at more than fair rates, and don't deserve to be impuned by rumor and allegation.
John

[Captain Ron]

John;
I guess It's been a while since you were there as 70 percent of the boats staying in Vuda for the season who are live aboards can't beleive that kind of attitude "if you don't like it just leave".They do have a right to be treated as customers and in bussiness the customer is always right. The disallowing of day workers that by the way don't get 5 dollars US a day more like 15-20 have to make a living too. And to add 30% to that just pushes the guy trying to save some money and having some one that he can direct and give him the money not the marina which since it is one of only 2 choises on the western side of the island and believes all things "Yachty" they should get a cunk of. 30% is a large chunk. They even make the contractors pay $495.00 a year for access to work there then hit them for another 7.5% of their total bill including the taxes they have to pay thetgovernment(12.5%) this all gets passed down to the unsuspecting sailor that using these companies.A extorting bunch if you ask me.I beleive that's what mafia do.
Capt. Ron

[NoTies]

Vuda marina charges contractors the $495 annual fee and 7.5% of all invoices (labour AND materials). The 7.5 % is pro rata against the $495 until such time as it is used up then they start paying extra (did I explain that well?). There is now a resident director and as often happens in these circumstances there are changes happening. How's the watermaker Meridian?

[Meridian]

I thought that was you, Pete. Its fine, thx.
Sounds like there has been a rapid decline there.
My apologies to Capt Ron, seems that his info is more current than mine.
Out.
John

[NoTies]

yYeah John, a bit unfortunate the way it has gone but we're pushing for some improvement. Interestingly, the company I'm working for will soon be operating in Vuda as well. Might mean less of a commute for me some days.

[Meridian]

Pete, I'm curious how the marina, and the boats/ people, handled cyclone Mick.
What were your conditions inside the breakwater, and did the marina do a good job of getting everything secured? Sounds like maybe not so much...

[NoTies]

About 4 hours before it officially became a cyclone I was in Denarau shifting/securing 5 client's boats then back to Vuda to get ours ready. Vuda, as you know, is a well sheltered basin with a raised berm around it so the lee side where we were was well sheltered at low tide but a bit jobbly at high.
The eye was forecast to pass right over us at 7pm but actually arrived 6 hours earlier about 15 miles to the north (over Lautoka).That meant we got the wall of the eye which was sustained 55-60 and gusting 75 for about an hour. Highest gust we recorded was 92 knots. Very little damage in the marina and most of it cosmetic. The boat upwind from us broke (its already rotten) bow line and crashed into us but only a split toe rail and a bit of paint damage. I'm not stressed because we are doing the topsides soon and the owner of the boat runs the local piggery so no shortage of pork for a while.
I'm pleased we were in the navigable semi circle and we got the southerly winds. It would have been a potentially different story if we had been in the dangerous section with the northerly. I was confident with our preparations but would have been nervous of the less well prepped boats upwind from us. The cyclone boom wasn't deployed (or even readied for deployment) but there wasn't a big surge. They only managed to get a couple of chains to the centre mooring before it became untenable for them in the dinghy.
I'll try to attach a photo from just by the fuel bowsers where we were over to the First landing entrance to give you an idea.

[Meridian]

Wow, thanks for that, Pete. I'm glad you came out of it OK. And free bacon for a month...what a deal!
Surprised (not really) to hear the boom gate wasn't employed...sounds so good on their brochure
John