We had a great time last month at the ChaseN’ Tailz KDW Fishing Tournament, which MIAPBC has been a longtime sponsor of. Congrats to our Boater Member, Jason Miller, for winning an extra $1,000 for the heaviest fish on the leaderboard out of all our other boater members fishing.
CBS Channel 12 had me in studio for an interview to talk about the Palm Beach International Boat Show Gives Back Grant Program because applications are now open through October 18. If you are, or know of, a non-profit that could use up to $25,000 for a marine-related project or program in Palm Beach County you can find the application here: https://www.marinepbc.org/grant-program/. If you are interested in donating to the fund let me know!
Palm Beach Holiday Boat Parade planning is still ongoing, so please support by sponsoring or donating a prize! Our members also have the opportunity to supply items for all the captain’s buckets, which we usually have about 80 of. We are so thankful for all the sponsors that have already signed up to partner with us this year! Below, you will find more information on how to get involved.
Coming up this month is the International Coastal Cleanup on Saturday, September 21, which we love to sponsor through Keep Palm Beach County Beautiful each year. Instead of doing a cleanup at Peanut Island this year, we will be partnering with Pura Vida Divers to do a cleanup at Phil Foster Park just over the Blue Heron Bridge heading towards Singer Island. Please join us (families welcome)! More details can be found below.
If you are a business that is looking to engage with more high school juniors and seniors, Junior Achievement has many career exploration opportunities coming up at different Palm Beach State College campuses. MIAPBC will be at most of them representing our industry. More details below.
Happy September!
Alyssa
E.J. Schrader Mattress Company, Inc., 21 years
Atlantic Underwater Diving, 16 years
Riviera Beach Community Redevelopment Agency, 16 years
Town of Palm Beach Marina, 16 years
Castaways Sailing, Inc., 14 years
Palm Beach Marriott Singer Island Beach Resort & Spa, 13 years
Lewis, Longman & Walker, P.A., 13 years
Cummins Cederberg – Coastal & Marine Engineering, 11 years
Aqua Adventure Tours, Inc., 7 years
Freedom Boat Club of the Palm Beaches and the Treasure Coast, 4 years
Congratulations to our Boater Member Jason Miller on catching the heaviest fish out of all of our Boater Members at the Chase'NTailz KDW Fishing Tournament.
We are gearing up for another incredible year attending career fairs. The more opportunities we have for young people in our community the higher success we will have for our workforce needs in the future!
If you would like to drop off brochures or some marketing material that we can share with the students you can do so by bringing them to our office. Please let Stephanie know when you will coming by to ensure someone is here to receive it. Also please send us info if you do (or would) offer internships or job shadowing opportunities. Please email assistant@marinepbc.org. Feel free to elaborate if there is a certain timeframe, age requirement, or any other requirements.
Want to help with our silent auction? We are accepting donations of NEW items/services, valued at $100+ for our silent auction. For more information contact Sue Slater at Email.
Have questions? Contact Sue Slater at Emailor phone 561.398.1905
WE ARE DEDICATED TO REMOVING BARRIERS SO ALL YOUTH CAN EXPERIENCE THE JOYS OF SAILING
Announcing this Season's Grand Exhibition!
We are excited to invite you to explore our grand exhibition, Wish You Were Here: Tourism in the Palm Beaches, at the Richard and Pat Johnson Palm Beach County History Museum.
From November 15, 2024, to June 28, 2025, this exhibit will delve into 150 years of tourism evolution in Palm Beach County.
Tap on the video below to watch a preview of Wish You Were Here: Tourism in the Palm Beaches!
Gillen Yacht Service Expands to Seminole Marine Boat Yard in West Palm Beach
Gillen Yacht Services, Inc., of Ft Lauderdale, Florida, Gillen Yacht Services, a leading name in yacht maintenance with a 30-year legacy, is thrilled to announce the opening of its newest office at the Seminole Marine Boat Yard in West Palm Beach. This expansion marks the company's fourth location.
Strategically positioned on the Intracoastal Waterway, this new office offers yacht owners quick access to the open ocean. It can accommodate vessels up to 100 feet and handle hauls up to 100 tons, ensuring top-tier care for even the largest yachts.
"We are excited to expand our footprint to West Palm Beach, a vibrant hub for the yachting community," said Dave Gillen Sr., CEO at Gillen Yacht Services. "Our new office at Seminole Marine Boat Yard allows us to offer a wider range of services and better accessibility for our clients, all while maintaining the high standards that have been our hallmark for the past 30 years."
The new facility offers dockage and haul-out capabilities, making it a one-stop solution for yacht maintenance and repairs. Gillen Yacht Service's team of experienced technicians, equipped with a fleet of vans, is licensed and insured to work in all boatyards and marinas across South Florida. This ensures that clients receive the highest level of service, whether they need routine maintenance or extensive repairs and refits.
With four locations, two aircraft, and a fleet of company vehicles gathered to offer specialized assistance to its customers, we aim to make your experience as stress-free as possible. Our technicians can work remotely or at one of our marina locations, enabling us to deliver parts and mechanical solutions on your terms. Gillen Yacht Services is available in Florida, the East Coast of the United States, Central America, the Bahamas, and other Caribbean Islands.
About Gillen Yacht Services: Established in 1993, Gillen Yacht Services today provides a one-stop shop for yacht repair, yacht refit, and marine diesel repair solutions for a range of boats from sport fishing vessels to megayachts, guaranteeing a personalized service to its customer base in South Florida and beyond. With our new full-service location, multiple teams, and dedicated individuals actively growing in their skills, Gillen Yacht Services is excited to grow with our customers.
Palm Beach Zoo is helping save Florida's coral reef with a small team of divers and hope
An early August dive to a reef named Playpen was the first of the year for the team from the Palm Beach Zoo, and whether they would sink into a white nightmare of bleached coral or find a happy colony of invertebrates was unknown.
For the past five years, the zoo, known mostly for its furry and feathered terrestrial life, has taken on the aquatic caretaking of imperiled rock-like animals in the salty confines of nearby Atlantic waters.
While Palm Beach County's coral may be more subdued than the sexy reefs of the Florida Keys, where flashy colors pop like fireworks, it's no less important.
The American Boat & Yacht Council (ABYC) announced the launch of its new Marine Engines and Fuel Systems Certification course, a comprehensive program that combines the previously separate Gasoline Engines and Diesel Engines certifications into a single, streamlined certification. The first interactive online course will be held Oct. 8-24, running three days a week for three weeks from 3 to 4:30 p.m. ET.
Recognizing the evolving needs of marine technicians who often work on both gasoline and diesel engines, ABYC has developed this course to provide a more efficient pathway to certification.
USACE South Atlantic Division Commander Signs Lake Okeechobee System Operating Manual Record of Decision
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Brig. Gen. Daniel Hibner, Commander, South Atlantic Division, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, signed the Lake Okeechobee System Operating Manual (LOSOM) Record of Decision (ROD) on Monday, completing the final step in the approval process to allow Jacksonville District to implement LOSOM in place of Lake Okeechobee Regulation Schedule 2008 (LORS08) for the management of Lake Okeechobee.
“We appreciate all the hard work and dedication the Jacksonville District put into making this happen,” said Brig. Gen. Daniel Hibner. “This district set a high bar for others to follow navigating this process remarkably well and being led by an extremely talented team.”
The LOSOM represents a significant shift in operational philosophy to a system-wide benefits approach. Lake level management will be focused on making beneficial releases at times and in quantities that improve water supply availability and enhance fish and wildlife in the region. LOSOM also improves the ability of water managers to use system-wide analysis to adapt to real-time conditions to make informed decisions on lake releases. The plan also facilitates more robust, structured communication and collaboration between USACE and stakeholders, as operational decisions are made.
“Our Nation made a $1.8 Billion investment in the rehabilitation of Herbert Hoover Dike (HHD) to allow development of a new operating manual that balances the needs of the entire system, said Col. Brandon Bowman, Jacksonville District commander. “LOSOM was developed over five years in collaboration with more than 50 stakeholder groups, and the value of that time investment, the cooperation it took to develop the plan, and the trust that was built with stakeholders matches that significant monetary investment.”
“Historic. Collaborative. Important. We have worked for five years to get to the record of decision, and we are finally here,” said South Florida Water Management District Board Chairman Chauncey Goss. “I’m proud of the South Florida Water Management District staff who worked with the team at the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to ensure the Lake Okeechobee System Operating Manual (LOSOM) was implemented in a manner that reduces harmful discharges into our estuaries, sends more water south to benefit the environment and meets the needs of our communities. I want to thank everyone who engaged in this process over the years, especially all of our stakeholders and members of the public who contributed to its development every step of the way.”
USACE first started the process of developing LOSOM to replace LORS08 in early 2019 with a series of 10 public scoping meetings around the state of Florida. Jacksonville District made extensive stakeholder coordination the backbone of LOSOM development, from National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) scoping in 2019, through the alternative development and evaluation phases in 2020 and 2021, and during the development of operating criteria, and review of the Draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) in 2022. This engagement ensured a variety of perspectives on balancing the project purposes were represented and informed the selection of the LOSOM plan.
“LOSOM is a testament to what we can accomplish when we work together and remain dedicated to open and transparent communication. This was a hallmark of the LOSOM planning process and will continue as we move into implementation of the operating plan”, said Tim Gysan, LOSOM Project Manager. “Our team appreciates the time each of our stakeholders spent with us expressing their goals and asking tough questions as we kicked off the planning back in 2019, bearing with us as we were forced into virtual meetings by COVID, and wading through more than 500,000 model runs of data through 4 iterations to finalize the LOSOM operating plan.”
In total, the five-year process included 10 scoping meetings that generated more than 22,000 comments, 23 full project delivery team meetings with dozens more sub-team and technical meetings, six educational webinars, two water management workshops, and multiple roadshows to meet with stakeholders in their communities.
The final EIS and Water Control Plan were released for public review on May 24, 2024, and the plan was sent to South Atlantic Division for approval on July 19, 2024. LOSOM takes effect as of August 12, 2024, and the Jacksonville District will continue to transparently communicate and collaborate with its partners and stakeholders as it works on implementation of the plan.
ABBRA's Step up to Supervisor Course will run virtually on Wednesdays & Thursdays from 1pm-4pm ET in September/October 2024. Click HERE for details!
About the course: This course is designed for boatyard and service professionals who started in service and now have or aspire to have management responsibilities.
Upon conclusion of the course, participants will have the tools and knowledge to manage service teams and be an active and impactful member of the facility’s management team.
Specifically, students will learn to:
Manage individuals and teams that you once worked with.
Lead and facilitate individuals and teams to produce high quality work, as efficiently and safely as possible.
Resolve human resource issues that managers typically encounter.
Impact the finances of the company by taking financial responsibility for their operating unit.
Mentor and train their team to increase cohesion and performance.
Brief Position Description: The Project Manager position is responsible for developing initial project plans and managing the service projects for Willis Custom Yachts (“WCY”). Job activities will include working with WCY business development department, WCY trade shops, WCY authorized outside contractors and WCY billing department. This position is also responsible for regular project status communication with WCY customers.
Essential Functions:
1. Develop initial project plans including:
a. Project schedules
b. Parts procurement plan
c. Risk assessment
d. Contingency planning
2. Conduct initial project kick off meetings
3. Conduct initial customer on-boarding
4. Manage projects to budget and schedule
5. Develop change orders as needed
6. Conduct weekly project update meetings with WCY team
7. Achieve customer satisfaction level of at least 85%
Work Environment: This job primarily operates in the yacht repair environment which is mainly outdoors. However, there will be many office tasks which will be performed in an office environment. The role routinely uses standard office equipment such as computers, phones, and photocopiers.
Job Requirements:
Minimum of 3 years marine industry experience, with a minimum of 5 years customer service experience.
Project Management Professional (PMP) certification a plus
Benefits:
401(k).
401(k) matching.
Dental insurance.
Employee assistance program.
Health insurance.
Life insurance.
Paid time off.
Vision insurance.
FIRST CLASS WATERCRAFT
Marine Service Technician
This position requires mechanical and electrical boat repair experience. Marine technicians inspect, maintain, and repair boats of all kinds. Using diagnostic equipment, they test and repair boat engines, hulls, propellers, rigging, and navigational equipment. They may also install and test sanitation and refrigeration systems, cabinetry, electrical systems, steering gear, and accessories. This position requires mechanical knowledge or background from marine, automotive, motorsports or heavy equipment repair. Pay is based on experience. Technical experience is preferred. To be successful as a marine service technician, you should have excellent attention to detail and strong self-discipline. An outstanding marine service technician demonstrates great hand-eye coordination and should be able to follow written and verbal instructions.
Duties and Responsibilities:
Inspection of boats and motors as they are received.
Troubleshoot and repair boats & engines for customers and dealer stock.
Outboard engine installation and rigging of new boats and repowers.
On water testing of new and repaired boats to verify proper operation.
Installation of accessories and electronics.
Complete Warranty repairs in a timely matter.
Scraping away old paint, barnacles, and debris from vessels.
Keep a clean and safe working area.
Follow procedures with attention to detail.
Prioritize and meet deadlines.
Good verbal and written communication skills.
Communicate with customers in a professional manner.
Good customer service skills.
Reading through repair and installation orders to determine the material, time, and equipment required.
A willingness to learn and accept constructive feedback.
The ability to carry heavy loads and to stand, sit, and stoop for prolonged periods.
Data entry of time and parts used.
All other responsibilities as assigned by management.
Marine Service Technician Requirements:
A minimum of a high school diploma or GED.
Relevant certificates may be required.
Certified Yamaha and Mercury outboard Technician preferred.
Practical experience with tools and equipment used in marine maintenance.
Ability to read and understand technical manuals.
Michael Rybovich & Sons is hiring
EXPERIENCED:
Boat Builder/Carpenters
Marine Electricians
Mechanics
Painters/Varnishers
Parts Department Associate
Competitive salary and recently updated comprehensive benefits package.
Come join our family-owned and operated custom sportfishing operation in Palm Beach Gardens. Work with some of the best craftsmen in the business!
Call Monday-Friday for additional information:
(561) 627-9168, and/or send your resume to:
info@michaelrybovichandsons.com
CrossCurrents Newsletter is published by the Marine Industries Association of Palm Beach County, Inc. in an effort to provide its members with information that will educate, while enabling members to increase networking with other marine industry businesses.
