Fortrus
Imagine experiencing a 12-foot (3.7-meter) tidal change at a dock. That's what the megayacht Fortrus encountered in Greenland about two weeks ago. The 112-foot (34-meter) megayacht is circumnavigating North America, through the notorious Northwest Passage.
Fortrus departed from Fort Lauderdale on July 5 for a 15,000-nautical-mile journey. As you can imagine, planning such an adventure requires intensive prior research. It also requires patience, as Fortrus, built by Inace in 2008, cruises at just shy of 10 knots. That's why the crew tapped the expertise of yacht captains who had done the trip before, and obtained more than 700 paper charts of the various regions she'll be exploring, among other things.
Fortrus'**** crew further tapped the assistance of a new company, Amanzi Marine. Amanzi Marine grew out of Kardinal Marine, which offers yacht-management services. Kardinal and Amanzi co-founder Chris Collins, himself a yacht captain, says Amazi Marine developed directly from crew requesting continued services. "We are continuing to build our brand with a primary focus on customer service, support, cost savings, and logistics," he explains.
To that end, Amanzi Marine obtained most of the spare parts that Fortrus needed as well as other equipment. This included the proper phase and voltage for underwater lights. All items were purveyed with the guidance of ABS to ensure compliance with its standards. Amanzi Marine is continuing to provide fuel along the way, too.
Of course, a circumnavigation doesn't just require technical equipment. It allows room for pleasurable experiences, which is why Amanzi Marine even sourced caviar for Fortrus.
Amanzi Marine and Fortrus' crew are keeing in touch with each other as needs arise throughout the trip. You can follow the adventures at the Tracking Fortrus blog. The megayacht's crew is updating it regularly with information, photos, and more. As Collins says, "The vessel's owner and friends are going to be doing some out-of-the-ordinary activities, like wake-boarding through glaciers, and you can only imagine what they will bring to the blog."
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This story originally appeared on Megayacht News – Megayacht Fortrus Embarks on North American Circumnavigation. Used with permission._
