Yacht Guest Booklet

SAILING YACHT MALU - KAI

Welcome aboard our sailing yacht. For your convenience and proper operation of the vessel you should be aware of a number of services and rules governing your permanence aboard our vessels. Information about this yacht may be found in a brochure describing Malu - Kai in detail. This text is intended for your convenience and to make your stay aboard as pleasant as possible. We aim to make this experience not only unforgettable, but also repetitive.

Malu - Kai, the flagship of the MIAMI SAILING CLUB, is one of the most sophisticated and luxurious yachts in Miami. It is lovingly maintained and is generally destined for private club activities. Only authorized MIAMI SAILING CLUB staff may operate this yacht.

For old salts, we do not need to waste your time with explanations. This booklet is intended for the first-time or at least relatively new sailors, who wish to enjoy time afloat in the most protected and agreeable atmosphere. Regardless of you destination, we know you will have a great time. Allow us first to give you some helpful tips about life aboard one of these yachts.

THE MASTER

Aboard any vessel, the Master is the ultimate authority. S/he may take and enforce any action relative to the safety of both passengers and the yacht considered necessary under the circumstances. Should any kind of emergency arise, s/he is the only qualified person aboard to decide future action. As such, please observe any instructions s/he may have. You may be interested to learn more about the customs and etiquette aboard, and the Captain will be glad to answer your questions, but for the moment it is enough to know s/he deserves your total respect. S/he will solve your every problem aboard, hopefully to your satisfaction.

STEPPING FIRST TIME ABOARD

It is a tradition to request a permission to step aboard. You may wish to use shoes, sneakers or go barefooted on the decks. That will be your choice, however, no shoes with hard sole, or even black soft sole should be worn. Remember you are aboard an exquisite vessel and we all take great pains to keep her in that shape. Please help us.

The Master may not be present, so direct yourself to the person in charge. State your name and follow the instructions where to place your personal gear. Should there be a balance to pay or any other arrangement pending to make prior to the departure, settle it first.

You will be temporarily assigned a berth, which could be changed later, as sometimes certain berth have special advantages for people who really need them. Stow your gear wherever indicated. If you have some perishable food or drinks that need refrigeration, ask for permission to stow it in one of the refrigerators.

It may be a good idea at this point, to advise how much nautical experience you have and if so, if you would like to crew during the trip. Your help will certainly be appreciated and you may learn a great deal on a single trip.

Even though you have already so indicated in the registration form, please advise the Master you know how to swim, specifying if average, good or excellent swimmer. In case you do not know how to swim, you must wear your life vest every time you come on deck.

PERSONAL GEAR

The selection of required gear depends on each person and the time you will spend aboard. We strongly recommend, once you determine what you wish to bring aboard, cut it in half. Surprisingly, you will need very little and the less you have, the easier your life will be aboard. Determine from the following list how much you really need :

REQUIRED GEAR :

a)	Long pants / jeans	e)	Personal hygiene pack	i)	Sun lotion
b)	Light-color shirt with long sleeves	f)	Swim suit (2)	j)	Towel
c)	Deck shoes	g)	Wide brimmed hat	k)	Remedies (if any)
d)	Underwear	h)	Sun glasses	l)	Rain gear

OPTIONAL GEAR :

m)	Shorts	q)	Evening dress/suit (if shore visits are anticipated)	u)	Video equipment
n)	2 T-Shirts	r)	Appropriate shore shoes	v)	Book
o)	Shore shoes	s)	Camera	w)	Notebook & pencils
p)	Jacket	t)	Film, flash & batteries	x)	Your favorite vacation occupation

All gear, except the dress/suit, should fit in one large gear bag and one small hand bag. If you plan for some unusual equipment, please contact our office for approval. Take cash money enough for occasional expenses.

PROHIBITIONS

No chemical substances or drugs are allowed aboard. You will be held fully responsible for bringing anything illegal aboard and it is the Master's duty to report you instantly to the authorities.

All kinds of weapons must be deposited with the Master upon boarding and placed under lock during this trip. Any indication of a concealed weapon will instantly cause a report to the U.S. Coast Guard which will act immediately.

INSTRUCTIONS & OBSERVATIONS

Please try and observe every indication pointed out to you, as generally everything onboard a yacht is done for a reason. You are welcome to ask why, after you comply. You will very quickly feel as part of the crew, and life aboard is a real pleasure with considerate and educated people around.

LIFE ABOARD

You are welcome to enjoy yourself in any which way, as long as it does not bother the rest of the guests. For an occasional snack or drink, feel free to get it, but please always ask your Captain . Should you intend night trips to the refrigerator, take great care not to wake up everybody else and make sure the door is properly locked afterwards. The level of your contribution for this to be a memorable trip depends only on your inventive and your tact. Generally people are very open minded, as everybody comes with the purpose of having a good time.

Always make sure (and double-check) you turn off the lights, electrical appliances, close well refrigerator and freezer doors, try not to spill things. Clean up after yourself, particularly in the head, and in one word, cooperate with everybody aboard in everything.

Do not use equipment unnecessarily, nor waste water. Use the water you need and shut it off. During the periods the vessel runs on batteries, do not use unnecessarily light or electrical appliances.

Should you be qualified to use the dinghy, oars or motor, as long as the Master allows it, there is no inconvenience with that. Make sure you report to the Captain you not only wish to take a ride, but indicate your destination and expected time of return. The Master may give you a radio for constant link with your mother ship. When two dinghies are available, one shall stay with the yacht.

Certain rules and laws govern your removing memorabilia from the sea or seashore. In every case consult this with the Master before you intend to do so. Same goes for fishing. Fish only as much as can be consumed on board, as there are no facilities for storage.

During the night you may take a dip in the ocean, if the Master believes it is safe. However, you may not do this alone. Another person must be present on the deck, watching over you.

Familiarize yourself with machinery and gadgets aboard as much as possible. The Captain will be only too happy to explain you some of their functions. Apart of others, the following is aboard the Malu - Kai :

1. Washing machine	6. Expresso machine	11. 2 TV sets
2. Dryer	7. Microwave	12. VCR
3. Blender	8. Toaster	13. Assorted video tapes
4. Hair dryer	9. Ice maker	14. Computer
5. Coffee machine	10. CD Stereo equipment	15. Video and still cameras (for use of the Master only)

You may inquire about the electronic instruments on the navigation station, and under normal circumstances the Captain will gladly take the time to explain to you their respective operation, but you are not allowed to manipulate anything by yourself without express permission.

FOOD AND DRINK SELECTION

According to your initial selection, your daily meals will consist of whatever you have chosen. If your group purchased the provisions, you know exactly what your choices are. Should you have ordered normal or special catering service, your wishes have been strictly followed, unless some special circumstance did not allow your choice, and in that case you have been already duly notified.

Sailors are traditionally excellent cooks, as a matter of personal pride. If you enjoy cooking, tell everybody and offer to make whichever meal you wish to improvise for a certain occasion. If not, allow others to cook for you. It's a real nice touch to offer to wash dishes, if you have not cooperated with the preparation of a meal. However, the crew will do it for you, if you wish to abstain. We haven't known a charter yet, where some outstanding improvised dinner wasn't a memorable success.

While the Master decides the times for meals to be served, you may prepare your own any time you feel like it, asking the Captain first.

MARINE HEAD

Head is the general term for the marine toilette. Malu - Kai has an electrically operated head foreward to port, used for everybody except the Master or guests in Master's cabin, which has the second, both manually and electrically operated head, in suit. This one would be used in case of some electrical problem. To use the heads, please follow these simple rules :

MARINE HEAD OPERATION

Marine head is an important and necessary part of the equipment aboard a vessel that is used for a prolonged period of time. The larger the crew the more important is the observance of exact instructions for its operation. We have observed in the past people feel uncomfortable with the subject. Problem is, when misused, marine heads are not only a source of significant additional expenses but unfortunately also of very bad but justified humor of the Captain. Kindly read the following points and if there is one single detail you do not understand, please consult with your Master. Remember and treat the marine toilette, regardless of your personal discomfort, as a delicate machine and make sure utmost cleanliness is always employed before leaving the head. The first and fundamental rule of all marine heads is,

DO NOT PUT IN THE TOILETTE ANYTHING THAT HAS NOT BEEN EATEN BEFORE !

ELECTRICALLY OPERATED HEAD :

1. Electric pump consists of two units : One brings water in and the other expels the waste out. There is no need for a manual valve in this system. Use the switch dial ONLY in the direction of the red arrow, that is turning the knob to the RIGHT ! (Clockwise) This way both pumps are activated together . Should you turn it left, no fresh water comes in and only the suction pump is operating. After running dry for more than about 20 seconds, there is a potential danger of burning the pump. This mode is only used under special circumstances.

2. Use the perfectly clean toilette to your convenience. Remember the pump can be activated as often and as long as you wish. The utilization of the pump during long use of the toilette is recommended, to allow small quantities of waste to be processed at a time.

3. When you have finished you may use toilette paper in required quantity as long as you put small batches in the bowl and after each use FLUSH IT DOWN EACH TIME.

4. Before leaving the head, make sure the toilette is perfectly clean. This is a special reminder for the gentlemen, who should use a piece of toilette tissue to clean the bowl rim.

5. When the bowl is spotlessly clean, pour in a little Clorox, from the bottle standing next to the bowl. Be careful not to spill the liquid anywhere else nor to drop the cap in the bowl, otherwise a problem will occur. A brief touch on the air freshener and everything is shipshape.

6. Final word of advice. Should a problem occur, show respect for others by cleaning whatever you have caused. If necessary, speak to the Captain and remember trying to hide it will only make matters worse. Whether you like it or not, you must clean after yourself and it is a standard practice, should a problem occur, the person who caused it will solve it, eventually under the Captain's supervision.

7. Should the head be clogged, in spite of these instructions, there is a standard charge to solve this problem of $250.00 payable in cash and immediately. If discovered after the guests leave, full payment is expected and due against the notice to the charterer. Should the charterer feel this charge is excessive a welcomed solution is to take the head apart and unclog it, putting it back in working order.

MANUALLY OPERATED HEAD :

Is basically the same system, except that you provide the function of both pumps by operating the handle. However, there is one important difference.

The standard manual head comes equipped with a water valve. It is important to OPEN this valve before flushing and it is CRUCIAL TO CLOSE IT after the use, otherwise vessels equipped with toilettes under the waterline may "siphon" sea water back into the bowl and a vessel may actually sink if this should continue for an extended period of time, due to the carelessness of one person.

Use the pump handle a LOT ! The pump needs to be primed with at least 10 or 15 strokes and only then it starts to operate. Make sure all waste has been expelled and stop only when the remaining water in the bowl is clean. It is not uncommon 30 or 40 strokes are required. After that, CLOSE the valve and pour in a little Clorox, same as with the electric version.

Please remember, nobody likes to clean other people's waste and much less take apart a head that has been clogged by a careless person. A charge of $ 250.00 to the charter party applies for each clogged unit, plus the cost of repair or replacement, should the mechanism be damaged. Should the waste overflow on the floor and into the bilges, additional $ 200.00 will be due for spraying, cleaning and disinfecting the entire vessel. If anyone considers this a steep price, you are welcome to apply for the job with the M.S.C.

SMOKING ABOARD

Apart of the fact it may bother some guests, remember smoking is now illegal in many public places in the USA, Malu - Kai has a number of flammable materials aboard. Extreme care is required. To prevent any possibility of a fire or explosion, we kindly request our guests to refrain from smoking inside the vessel. The Master will indicate you an appropriate place to smoke on deck (according to the wind direction, always to "leeward"). And of course you may smoke ashore or aboard the dinghy downwind (watch out for the gas tank again !)

DRINKING ABOARD

As a rule, we prefer not to offer hard liquor aboard. However, should you insist on a well-equipped bar, there is no inconvenience as long as you drink responsibly, with reasonable moderation, for your own safety. How you feel afterwards is none of our concern.

ENTERTAINMENT ABOARD

Numerous activities are possible onboard of our yachts. A partial list follows, but you are welcome to bring or invent different ones :

1. TV & VCR, with assorted video tapes

2. Games

3. Cards

4. Parachute flying

ENTERTAINMENT ASHORE

All kinds of activities are possible, particularly if you are cruising the Florida Keys. Please consult our office prior to your charter date, or with your Captain who, we are sure, will provide you with a never ending list of possibilities.

5. Night life ashore	8. Photography & video, also under water	11. Diving (Special rules apply)	14 .Chase boat rides
6. Beach combing	9. Swimming	12. Sailing/Sailing instruction	15. Water-skiing (Optional)
7. Shore excursions	10. Snorkeling	13. Windsurfing	16. Fishing

SEASICKNESS

There is nothing wrong with being seasick. Although it is very unlikely you might be sick on coastal waters, the Captain will try to help you, if you tell her/him the moment you feel the first symptoms. Adhesive patches or Dramamine (taken in advance) may be your preferred choice. Pills tend to produce dizziness.

OTHER ILLNESSES

Should you feel bad or have hurt yourself in some unfortunate encounter with some part of the boat, do not hesitate to confide to your Captain. It will go no further if you so desire. While our captains are not physicians, they have experience with all kinds of illnesses and accidents. Should something really serious occur, your Master may call ashore for instructions.

Should you be in need of some medication or special attention, please communicate this to our office prior to the charter, as we may make special arrangements for you. Notify the Master at once.

SLEEPLESSNESS

Is not so unusual, when people are not used to the motion of the vessel, strange sounds and life in close quarters in general. You may prefer to drag a mat on deck and sleep outside instead of recurring to sleeping pills. However, this usually does not last more than two days.

EMERGENCY PROCEDURES

As required by the Law and the United States Coast Guard, certain emergency procedures must be established. The crew of Malu - Kai will follow in an emergency the express instructions of her Master. In this regard you should know the following :

1. The location of individual life vests is in the forepeak, under the V-berths, and astern in the lazarette.

2. The location of numerous fire extinguishers, distributed throughout the vessel.

3. The location of medicine cabinet, emergency signals, flashlights, tools and other gear required in an emergency.

4. Should unexpected problem arise, each person is expected to cooperate to the fullest extent, but ONLY under express instructions of the Master.

5. Upon boarding the yacht, you will be given information and precise instructions as to the behavior in an emergency.

6. NOBODY, under any circumstances will attempt to abandon ship. Only the Master could order such unlikely procedure, as your safety lies with the ship.

7. Uncommon noises or strange activity should be reported to the Captain.

8. All crew should know how to start or stop the main engine as well as the generator.

9. All aboard will stay below in rough weather, unless expressly authorized by the Captain. People working the deck under adverse conditions must wear harnesses and life lines in addition to life vests.

10 .The drill of "man overboard" maneuver will be practiced on the first day aboard.

11. Brief explanation shall be given to the crew of procedures employed should a hull damage occur while underway.

12 .Radio calls may only be executed by the Master or appointed person ONLY.

This file was last updated 12/27/04