When oil pressure levels on one of the luxury motor yacht PASSION’s two recently rebuilt Cat® C9 generator sets began dipping into risky territory, Neil Emmott knew exactly what number to call.
“Our safe haven is Cat Concierge,” says Emmott, the owner’s representative for PASSION, a highly successful charter vessel that operates primarily in the Mediterranean and Caribbean. “They’ve been excellent in responding to our requests in the past.”
This time was no different. The team at Cat Concierge, a global customer support center available 24/7 to the owners of yachts powered by Cat engines, immediately sprang into action. (PASSION is powered by two Cat 3512 engines in addition to the C9 gen sets.) Roy Slaughter arranged for technicians from Caraibes Diesel Services, an authorized marine dealer located on the island of St. Martin, to board the vessel.
As the technicians began removing parts from the gen set, they discovered that a damaged camshaft bearing was distributing metallic debris and causing the oil pressure issues. Working with Slaughter, the team decided that rebuilding the engine—replacing the crankshaft, camshaft, connecting rods, pistons and turbocharger—was the right solution to get PASSION back to sea quickly and safely.
While the crew was forced to cancel one trip planned by the yacht’s owner to accommodate the rebuild, PASSION was up and sailing in time for its next charter—and for that, Emmott and chief engineer Steve Long give thanks to Cat Concierge.
“If it weren’t for them, that engine wouldn’t have been completed in time for our next trip,” Long says, also giving Slaughter credit for ensuring the yacht’s owner understood the need to take the vessel out of service to rebuild the engine despite the inconvenience. “The best course of action was to tear it down. That helped prevent what could have been a catastrophic failure.”
Emmott and Long also appreciated Cat Concierge’s role in coordinating the dealer service efforts and serving as an unbiased, expert resource during the diagnosis and repair process.
“With Cat Concierge, you have the option to talk to someone like Roy who can tap into a broader base of knowledge and resources about what might be going on with your engine,” Emmott says. “It’s a one-stop shop for advice and support. Roy was a calming voice of reason who kept us informed and up-to-date on the progress of the rebuild.”
For his part, Slaughter hopes the crew of PASSION—and those aboard other yachts powered by Cat engines—will keep Cat Concierge in mind whenever they need support or advice, no matter how big or small the issue.
“We’re here for more than just major repairs or complete overhauls,” he says. “We’re here anytime you need technical expertise or just have a question.”
