You are running from Corsica to Sardinia and the forecast has gone from a metre to two and a half. There are six arrangements in the interior and a glass compote on the owner console. In fifteen minutes the first roll will decide whether your mechanics were good enough — or whether you spend the passage mopping vase water off a silk rug.
Choosing the Mechanic
| Mechanic | How it works | Strengths | Weaknesses |
|---|---|---|---|
| Floral foam | Soaked block holds stems and water | Total control of angle; holds in motion; good for low domes | Single-use, non-biodegradable, plastic waste; dries out fast in AC; stems cannot be re-cut |
| Chicken wire | Crumpled mesh ball inside the vase | Reusable, sustainable, holds a lot of water, stems drink freely | Slower to build; visible in clear glass |
| Kenzan / pin frog | Heavy metal pin holder in the base | Reusable, very heavy, excellent for low bowls and minimal designs | Only for a few stems; needs a flat-bottomed container |
| Hand-tied spiral | The stems support each other | No mechanic needed, fast, sustainable | Can spin in a wide vase; needs a snug neck |
| Tape grid | Clear tape grid across the vase mouth | Cheap, quick | Tape lifts in humidity; only for light pieces |
Soaking foam correctly matters: float the block on water and let it sink under its own weight. Never push it under — that traps air pockets, and the stems in them die.
Building for Motion
- Low centre of gravity. The heaviest element is water. A wide, heavy, low container with water in the bottom third is far more stable than a tall vase filled to the neck.
- Weight the base: pebbles, glass nuggets, a kenzan, or a hidden ballast of clean stones.
- Fill less. A vase two-thirds full does not slop. A vase filled to the brim will.
- Secure the fixing: non-slip matting under every container, museum putty (Quake Hold or similar) under the base of heavy pieces, and a tacky mat under trays.
- Nothing tall and top-heavy on a passage. Tall lobby pieces are harbour and anchorage flowers.
When It Gets Rough
- Stow before it is needed, not after. The moment the passage plan calls for anything above a moderate sea, the interior stows arrangements.
- Move pieces to the sole (deck) inside a lined crate, into a bath, into a deep sink, or into a padded stowage bin.
- Empty most of the water before you move anything, and carry it in a tray.
- Glass, ceramic and any owner-supplied container gets padded and boxed. Replacements are rarely available and often were not bought, but commissioned.
- Note what you stowed and where. Arrangements found in the crew heads on day three do not impress anyone.
Onboard Notes
- Floral foam is increasingly refused on environmentally conscious yachts and cannot go over the side. If you use it, it is dry waste and it goes ashore. Chicken wire and kenzan are the professional default now.
- Never put a candle where a roll can bring a flower head into the flame.
- Test every arrangement before the guests see it: put a hand on it and rock the table. If it moves, fix it now.