S.O.S. for S.Y.S. (Sick Yacht Syndrome)

Norwalk Virus, bilge odours, flesh eating bacteria, mould, yeast, holding tank odours, VOC's, stale air, diesel bacteria - all are indoor air problems on a yacht. The question is: Why are indoor air problems magnified on a yacht and how can we control them? Indoor air problems or sick building syndrome is a widely recognized, universal health problem. What is new and gaining attention is Sick Yacht Syndrome. The indoor air problems of a home or office building are miniscule compared to the indoor air problems of a yacht. The problems with yachts or any vessel are numerous. By nature, just the fact there is a tightly sealed vessel in a dark, damp atmosphere with wide temperature differentials, and a wide array of mould, bacteria, odours and microbial food sources available leads to potential major indoor air health problems.

Stale Air

Yachts are notorious for stale air. You can notice it as soon as you step onboard. There is a trademark odour. Some try to mask odours with another odour or scent. Companies actually specialize in "scent engineering", tying certain scents with feelings or moods. The problem with this concept of olfactory persuasion is that we all process odours differently. Roses may smell good to you and make you smile, but may remind the next person of a funeral home! The best scent engineering is a non-scent or the absence of all odours. Routinely, hotels change drapes and bedspreads not due to wear, but rather the absorption of odours. This problem is amplified on a yacht due to the wide variety of odours. Yachts are tightly built. Space and weight are design prob-lems. Therefore heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) equipment is kept to a minimum. Make-up air or fresh outside air is limited or non-existent. Make-up air should represent 25% of a yacht's airflow.

Designers prefer to recycle air as it is usually warmer or cooler than outside air, so less energy is required to heat or cool the air. The problem is the same air is constantly being turned over. This is especially true in the lower staterooms. Assuming no one opens a port hole and each stateroom has its own air handler (heating/cooling unit) and two people are in a stateroom with the door closed, there is no fresh air circulating, just recycled air. This is true for the entire lower stateroom area. The only way to get fresh air down the stairway via Brownian motion or a very slow molecular air transfer. Trying to get fresh air down a stairway into closed staterooms is like trying to blow air into a bottle. The old air has no place to go so the area ends up with a static air situation. With all the airborne bacteria, moulds, yeasts and VOC's, this build up can cause very serious problems. Most bacteria are harmless, but when there is a build up of billions, it drastically increase your chances of exposure to a bad one.

Healthy Yacht Hints

• Good housekeeping. Keep it clean and clutter-free to promote air circulation.
• A filtered advanced oxidation fresh air makeup system. This will help prevent stale air and provide a positive pressure atmosphere in the yacht.
• A continuous duty advanced oxidation HVAC air purification system. This will kill airborne and surface bacteria, viruses, mould, yeast and odours.
• A positive ventilation, oxidation and circulation system. This will kill microbials as above, plus provide full vessel air circulation to prevent stale air pockets.
• An advanced oxidation holding tank ventilation system. Advanced oxidation gases are circulated through the holding tank to oxidize sewer gases, viruses, bacteria and odours.
• An advanced oxidation fuel filtration system. This will kill microbials in diesel fuel without the use of chemicals.
Engines will run cleaner and fuel microbials will be limited.
• A continuous duty advanced oxidation ice machine and drain and head system. This kills lysteria bacteria.

Advanced oxidation is a new technology that uses friendly oxidizers to oxidize (kill) mould, viruses, bacteria, yeast, VOC's and smoke into harmless CO2 and water. By friendly oxidizers, we mean oxidizers that turn into safe oxygen and hydrogen when the oxidation or kill occurs. Advanced oxidation or PHI cells create gases and ions such as hydro-peroxides, superoxide ions and ozonide ions.

These aggressive gases are developed by targeting a high intensity UV light on a precious metal target. Unlike ozone generators, advanced oxidation systems use redundant safe oxidizers and are widely used by all major food processors, the military, major cruise ships, homeland security, hospitals, assisted living facilities, hotel chains, etc. Envision is owned by RGF and is the world's first envirofriendly mega yacht. Envision is equipped with over 50 advanced oxidation PHI technologies and provides its guests with a safe chemical and microbial-free atmosphere.

Ronald G. Fink is President/CEO of the RGF Environmental Group, West Palm Beach, FL. He is a Mechanical Engineer and also has a U.S. Coast Guard captain's license. He has published over 50 technical papers and holds numerous patents. Mr. Fink has a 40-year background in nuclear testing, nuclear power and advanced oxidation technology. RGF Environmental Group is a technology company with over 500 environmental products. Visit www.rgf.com for more information.