Directions—A Quarterly Newsletter For Our New York And Florida Shipyards | Volume 2013 – Issue #3 |
Derecktor – Florida: The Big Blue is delivered
![]() The Big Blue on sea trials |
![]() The Big Blue – a flawless landing! |
The 142′ Troy-built explorer yacht The Big Blue that has been at the yard for the last fifteen months, finally departed on September 12th for sea trials. This ambitious project was a collaboration between the yard, the vessel’s owners and a host of sub-contractors. The scope of work included the completion of various systems within the vessel, a major interior refit that included substantial changes to the lay-out, and the addition of a new helicopter deck and crane that required major structural additions to the vessel. The stern of the vessel was also extended and an Opacmare Transformer swim step was installed in the aft platform.
Sea trials were uneventful and the vessel performed just as she was expected to. The high point of the process was the first use of the new helicopter deck. The vessel’s owner is an accomplished helicopter pilot and he set his 2006 Enstrom 480B down on the deck for his first boat landing as though it was habit. The crew members were able to practice their retrieval, securing and safety processes and the event was flawless.
“The Big Blue project has been a long and rewarding process. The interface between yard personnel and the vessel’s crew was at all times collaborative and the outcome of the project fulfills the owner’s vision of a self sufficient explorer yacht capable of circumnavigation. We look forward to following her progress.” said Galloway Selby, the yard’s project manager.
Why Derecktor? Passion, Dedication, Quality and Integrity. |
Derecktor – New York/Florida:
Monaco Yacht Show 2013 / New Orleans Workboat Show 2013
Derecktor Shipyards’ Doug Morrison and James Brewer attended the Monaco Yacht Show in September to visit existing customers, solicit new ones and foster relationships with captains and European yacht managers. It was also an opportunity to assist the contingent from the United States Superyacht Association in their first visit to Monaco to support the Come Sea US campaign.
Doug and James will also attend the International Work Boat Show in New Orleans (October 9th through 11th) for the first time in several years. They will be joined by Micah Tucker and Jeff Grey from the New York Yard. The Derecktor team can be found at Booth #2547 in the main hall of the Morial Conference Center.
Derecktor – New York:
Employee of the Quarter – Jose Santos

Jose Dos Santos
Derecktor – New York is pleased to announce, as part of a new tradition, their first employee of the quarter. “Jose Dos Santos is one of our most accomplished joiner craftsmen. He also runs the crane and has shown that he is capable of doing any type of work in the yard. Jose works fast and is always thinking about quality and durability with every job. We are lucky to have him and I wish I had 5 more of him,” said General Manager Micah Tucker. Jose has been with Derecktor for more than 11 years and we look forward to a long association with him. Congratulations, Jose!!
Derecktor – Florida:
Employee of the Quarter – Scott Sabety

Scott Sabety
Derecktor – Florida is proud to announce their first employee of the quarter – Scott Sabety. Scott is an outstanding employee and an accomplished craftsman. He runs the machine shop and supervises all the outside machinists. “Always thinking and never idle, Scott is seemingly everywhere, but he is never too busy to help someone in need of a hand. He is an integral part of our workforce,” said Ken Imondi, General Manager. Congratulations, Scott!!
Winners receive a $100 gift certificate
Derecktor – Florida: Florida: Re-power Central!

A new main engine loading into SOC
Many people say that repair work goes in cycles – that certainly seems to be case for re-power projects this year. After a two year lull Derecktor – Florida was the place to be this summer to witness a number of re-powerings. The 130′ Westship Northern Lights is blocked ashore for the replacement of her two main engines, removed through a hole cut in the fiberglass hull. The 122′ Delta SOC has just completed a similar change-out, with the engines being lifted vertically through holes cut in the main and upper fiberglass decks.
The 106′ Burger Ingot is in the midst of a complete re-power to different engines – in this case a special lifting beam was fabricated to permit the engines to be lifted vertically through a hole cut in the aluminum aft deck, and then transferred aft beneath the boat deck overhang to minimize impact to the vessel. The 135′ Hakvoort Hilarium has just arrived in the yard to begin preparations for the replacement of her main engines, this time effected through a hole cut in the aluminum hull. Derecktor is the “go-to” center for innovative solutions to challenging problems…our engineering and technical staff excels at finding ways to simplify complex tasks, developing methodology to minimize down-time in the best interests of the vessel.
Derecktor – Florida: Red Bull FlugTag 2013
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Derecktor – Florida was happy to support our Scott Sabety with his entry into the 2013 running of Red Bull’s Flug Tag. Billed as an amateur gliding competition, FlugTag pits teams of five pushing home-built, human-powered flying machines with a 28′ wingspan and a maximum weight of 400 lbs (including the pilot). Teams compete simultaneously in five cities: Chicago, Washington DC, Miami, Dallas and Long Beach; launching their craft from a 30′ high tower into the water below. They are judged on distance flown, creativity and audience response.
Scott’s Snoopy & the Red Baron Team built an outstanding craft that would have flown very competitively but for a small problem with excessive headwind. “Without practice, aeronautics is a lot harder than it looks and we’ll probably stick to boats from now on,” said Scott.
Congratulations Scott on a great effort.
Derecktor – New York: Management News
![]() Micah Tucker |
![]() Peter Manion |
Derecktor – New York is pleased to announce the promotion of Micah Tucker to the role of General Manager. Micah was an integral member of the engineering team on the Cakewalkproject before a stint with Persak & Wurmfeld, naval architects, in Brooklyn, NY. He returned to Derecktor full-time in late 2012. Congratulations Micah!
Derecktor – New York is pleased to announce the appointment of Peter Manion to the role of Service Manager. “Peter has a wide range of boat-yard experience in addition to his impressive sailing resume. He has worked in various management roles in well known boatyards in the Northeast, and he brings a diverse skill-set and a strong project management background to the Derecktor team. We are very excited to have him on board” said Micah Tucker.
Derecktor – Florida: The Highlander

Installation of The Highlander’s “Transformer” swim step
Derecktor Florida’s refit of the classic 150′ Feadship The Highlander is proceeding on time and on budget, and is scheduled for launching in late November. The hull extension is completed and is now in the capable hands of the painters. Re-furbishment of the engine room, including the addition of Quantum zero-speed stabilizers, is proceeding well and systems are starting to come on-line. The new interior, designed in its entirety by the owners while honoring some of the original concepts, will be striking and is well under way.
The galley has been re-located to the upper deck as part of the interior refit and this has provided the yard with the opportunity to interact with old friends – the dumb waiter assembly was constructed in Meppel, Holland by Lift-Emotion B.V. and installed by their technicians in the yard. This was our first opportunity to work with Lift-Emotion since the completion of our construction of Cakewalk V in 2010.
The success of this project is proof positive of the value of close collaboration between all the stakeholders: the yard, the owners and their design team, the yard’s subcontractors and those contracted directly by the owners. The large number of different players creates a potential for scheduling conflicts but the Derecktor’s project management team, together with the vessel’s chief engineer, have developed a high degree of cooperation to ensure that each task is efficiently performed while carefully considering those going on around it.
Derecktor – New York: Summer Update

A rendering of The Maritime Aquarium vessel
The construction of the catamaran Research and Classroom vessel for the The Maritime Aquarium in Norwalk, Connecticut is well underway. Engineering is complete, keels laid and frames erected. This exciting project marks the first stand-alone new construction project started in the New York yard for several years. The complex technical nature of the propulsion system, developed by Amtech in collaboration with Northern Lights, makes the project a very interesting build. We look forward to further developing this hybrid technology which has potential in many different classes of vessel.
The yard has been busy with service and refit work throughout the summer and looks to be set for an equally busy fall/winter season. The winter storage buildings are already booked to capacity, much earlier than usual.
A variety of on-going projects include Buddha Boat, a 78′ Viking Princess, that is undergoing a complete interior and mechanical refit including full paint; a 55′ NYPD patrol boat whose scope includes steel work and full paint; Temptation, a Ker 50 race-boat that is receiving a new carbon fiber bowsprit and full paint; and a Richie Howell 54′ cold-molded sportfisher that is undergoing a hull extension and full paint. Derecktors staff is comfortable in any medium and routinely undertakes a wide variety of challenging projects.