May/June 2010 - Yacht Essentials

YACHT 

Superyacht 

INSURANCE 101 

Global Shipyard 

GROWTH 

Roche Harbor 

RENDEZVOUS 

Be A GOOD 

Samaritan 

Middle East 

RISING 

2010 • MAY / JUNE

www.yachtessentials.com 

MAY / JUNE 2010 

Publisher Chris Kennan 

publisher@yachtessentials.com 

Editor Brad Kovach 

editor@yachtessentials.com 

Art Director Amy Klinedinst 

amyk@allatsea.net 

Contributing Editors Capt. Jan Robinson 

Louay Habib 

Chris Goodier 

Nick Marshall 

Suzanna Chambers 

Capt. Warren East 

Capt. Jeremy Smith 

Jan Hein 

Erica Lay 

Sandra Chance 

Anita Valium 

Steve Rosenberg 

Andy Schell 

Jennifer Goff 

Doug Mitchell 

Andrea Bailey 

Advertising INTERNATIONAL: 

Richard Barker 

richard@yachtessentials.com 

FLORIDA: 

Laura Parent 

laura@yachtessentials.com 

Accounting, 

Subscriptions info@yachtessentials.com 

Yacht Essentials 

Owned and 

Published by Kennan Holdings LLC 

PO Box 7277 

St. Thomas, VI 00801 

Phone: (443) 321-3797 

Fax: (340) 715-2827 

This page: 

Preparing for the 

Superyacht Cup Antigua 

on SY Visione. 

Photograph by Chris Kennan

YEMay 

/ June 2010 

Cover: Crew Jim of SY Visione getting ready 

for victory at the Superyacht Cup Antigua. 

Photograph by Chris Kennan 

4 YACHT ESSENTIALS 

OWNERS 

Shipyards Gear Up 

For Growth 

SPOTLIGHT 

page 16 

Jennifer Saia 

WHERE ARE THEY NOW? 

page 22 

CAPTAINS 

Turkish Delights 

page 40 

Yacht-Centric Apps 

page 46 

The Golden Rule 

page 48 

CREW 

The Vicious Yachtie Cycle 

WORKING LIFE 

page 58 

Meet Victoria Allman 

PROFILE OF A CHARTER CHEF 

page 60 

Lessons From an Old Yachtie 

page 64 

Roche Harbor Rendezvous 

PORTS OF CALL 

page 24 

Castle Kingdom 

PORTS OF CALL 

page 28 

Middle East Rising 

INDUSTRY BUZZ 

page 32 

Superyacht Insurance 101 

page 36 

Effective Leading, 

And Following 

page 52 

Antigua Superyacht Cup 

page 54 

Meet Claire Meaney 

STEWARDESS OF THE MONTH 

page 66 

Keeping It Surreal 

page 68 

Finding a Job as a 

Junior Couple 

ANITA VALIUM 

page 72 

Need a Valium? 

ANITA VALIUM 

page 80

© 2009 Island Global Yachting 

A MEMBER OF THE 

YACHT HAVEN GRANDE COLLECTION 

OF SPECTACULAR MEGAYACHT MARINAS 

For information or reservations 

WWW.IGYMARINAS.COM 1.888.IGY.MARINAS 

YACHT HAVEN GRANDE 

FLAGSHIP EXPERIENCE. IGY HOSPITALITY. 

The prototype for IGY’s Yacht Haven Grande 

collection of unique megayacht destinations, 

Yacht Haven Grande in spectacular Charlotte 

Amalie Harbor offers guests an unsurpassed marina 

experience, featuring a world-class promenade, 

bustling with shopping, dining, residences & more! 

For the finest megayacht base, come home 

and relax at Yacht Haven Grande! ande! 

■ Extra-wide concrete docks k ffor 

for yac yachts 450’+ 

■ On-site customs & border 

protection office 

■ Up to 600 amps ps of 3 

phase power 

■ Hi-speed in-slip slip fue fueling, , waste oil re removal and 

black water r pum pump-out 

■ Hi-speed internet, nterne WiFi, i, telephone & cable 

■ 24-hour video deo surveillance ance and on-site security 

■ World-class ss provisioning pro ng 

■ Signature gourmet gourm & casual asual restaurants 

■ Shops, bank, nk, ba bars, live e mu music & more 

■ Swimming pool, tennis, te s, access to 18-hole ggolf 

course 

64°55’13.00”N 

18°20’07.00”W 

T +1 340 774 9500 

F +1 340 774 5045 

Become a fan of IGY Marinas on 

and follow us on 

5304 Yacht Haven Grande, 

St. Thomas, USVI 00802 

marina@yachthavengrande.com m 

www.yachthavengrande.com 

www.yachthavengrande.co 

ISLAND GLOBAL YACHTING 

AMERICAS | CARIBBEAN | EUROPE | MIDDLE EAST 

S

Dear Editor: 

My name is Jennifer Downes, and I am a chef. This picture 

was taken on M/Y Maxou in the Bahamas. It was taken by 

my husband, Jason, who was the captain of the yacht at 

the time. Please let us know who wins the photo contest. 


LETTERS TO 

THE EDITOR 

Sincerely, 

Jennifer Downes 

Editors Note: Go visit Jennifer at a new Crew Residence 

in Antibes, named The Crew Grapevine. They are located 

right smack in the center of the yachting community. 

+33 616 662 843. www.crewgrapevine.com 

Dear Editor: 

This is my last boat, Ronin. We spend nine months in the yard in 

San Diego, and this is a great shot I took one evening with a little 

Nikon point-and-shoot! I call it, “Ronin on the hard.” 

Greg Collins, Deckhand 

“Happy dinghy.” 

YACHT ESSENTIALS WANTS TO HEAR FROM YOU! SEND YOUR CORRESPONDENCE BY EMAIL TO 

EDITOR@YACHTESSENTIALS.COM, OR MAIL LETTERS TO: YACHT ESSENTIALS, P.O. BOX 7277, ST. THOMAS, VI 00801 

YACHT ESSENTIALS 

INVITES 

YOUR COMMENTS. 

Please email 

editor@ 

yachtessentials.com 

with any thoughts 

or images. 

Vin Elliott, First Mate 

M/Y Dauntless

Tim and Jillian Silva, Captain 

and First Mate, m/y Tenacity 

“Shipping with DYT gives us peace of mind that 

the boat will arrive on time at our destination, 

mechanically intact, and with a fresh crew, so 

that the owners can start enjoying their boat 

without delays or disruption of their busy 

schedule. 

Dockwise has held a special meaning for us 

since we met crossing the Atlantic on the Super 

Servant 4. We hope to continue exploring 

new places like the South Pacific, and Alaska, 

and DYT will be our first and only choice for 

transport.” 

Yacht at Rest, Mind at Ease 

ST. THOMAS � FREEPORT � NEWPORT, MAY 

ST. THOMAS � FREEPORT � NEWPORT � SOUTHAMPTON (UK), MAY 

NEWPORT � PORT EVERGLADES � PALMA DE MALLORCA � MARMARIS, JUNE 

PORT EVERGLADES � MARTINIQUE � TOULON � TARANTO (GATEWAY TO CROATIA), JUNE 

DYT USA: Tel. +1 954 525 8707 • E-mail: dyt.usa@dockwise-yt.com 

DYT Newport, RI: Tel. +1 401 439 6377 • E-mail: ann@dockwise-yt.com 

DYT Martinique: Tel. +596 596 741 507 • E-mail: nadine@dockwise-yt.com 

WWW.YACHT-TRANSPORT.COM • 1-888-SHIP-DYT


YACHT 

NEWS 

△ GHOST YACHTS STARTS COOPERATION 

WITH JONGERT SHIPYARD 

Ghost Yachts and Jongert Shipyard have entered into 

an agreement to cooperate in the building of the 55meter 

G180 motoryacht, introduced by Ghost Yachts 

in November 2009. The unique “fast displacement hull 

form” was developed by the renowned naval architects 

Van Oossanen & Associates. 

Björn Moonen, managing director of Ghost Yachts said, 

“Jongert Shipyard is by far the most modern and best

equipped shipyard in the world for building superyachts, 

and they dispose of an extremely skilled workforce.” 

“It’s a great challenge to build this innovative yacht in 

cooperation with Ghost Yachts, the Italian designer 

Gloss Design, and the naval architects Van Oossanen 

& Associates,” said Folkert Brongers, general manager 

of Jongert Shipyard. “A yacht like the G180 has never 

been built before. The shape of the hull is unique. This 

means that in the preparation for and during the building 

a strong appeal will be made to the craftsmanship of our 

workforce. We don’t just follow a design. From start to 

finish, we think along with the designer in each and every 

detail to achieve the optimal final result.” 

The G180 has a unique hull design with a much lower 

resistance than a traditional displacement hull, allowing 

faster speeds at lower engine revolution, and thus lower 

fuel consumption. 

FIND A CREW CELEBRATES FIVE YEARS 

Find a Crew (www.findacrew.net) recently celebrated its 

fifth birthday with the launch of a fresh new look. With 

free registration and initial contacting, more than 42,000 

members have signed up to the website since its launch 

in 2004, and many original members are still regularly using 

the network to find or fill crew positions. Find a Crew 

caters for professional, commercial, and recreational 

boating, and all associated crew positions. 

GRENADA LIFTS YACHT ENTRY RESTRICTIONS 

With the passing of the H1N1 swine flu threat, the restrictions 

regarding ports of entry for yachts into Grenada 

have now been lifted. The Ministry of Health has 

announced that entry requirements are now as they 

were pre-H1N1. A medical officer will be retained at 

The Grenada Yacht Club, but yachts can clear in at any 

of the ports of entry. For more information, contact 

mayagadmin2@gmail.com. 

RECORD SUPERYACHT PARTICIPANTS FOR ONDECK 

Ondeck, the sailing and maritime training specialist 

based in Antigua’s Falmouth Harbour, has received high 

acclaim for its most recent Yachtmaster training course. 

Ondeck’s chief instructor spent 40 hours in the classroom 

and 40 hours on the water with eight superyacht crew, 

teaching them the Yachtmaster/Captains course. 

The students were all taught in Ondeck’s new classroom 

facility in the Compton Building; this office complements 

the existing shop on the top level of Antigua 

Yacht Club Marina and will serve the needs of the 

yachting community, overseas visitors, and the local 

community in running career building courses focused 

around sailing. 

www.YachtEssentials.com 9

Yacht News 

△ MARINA AT MARIGOT BAY 

OFFERS DUTY-FREE DIESEL FUEL 

The Marina at Marigot Bay is pleased to announce that 

it can now supply diesel fuel on a duty-free basis to eligible 

yachts. Larger yachts can fuel on the side-to berth 

directly in front of the five-star Marigot Bay Hotel & Spa; 

for smaller yachts there are two further fueling berths at 

the seaward end of the marina. All fuel berths are ultimately 

capable of taking yachts up to 250 feet (75 meter) 

LOA and 16 feet (5 meter) draft. The smaller berths have 

a beam restriction of 32 feet (10 meters). Fuel is supplied 

through open trigger nozzles or sealed camlock fittings 

at speeds adjustable up to 3,500 GPH. 

To be eligible, yachts must be cleared for departure from 

Saint Lucia within 24 hours of the completion of fueling. 

Duty-free status is not restricted to “commercial” registered 

yachts but applies equally to “private” registry. 

Minimum eligible delivery is 500 US Gallons / 400 Imperial 

Gallons / 2,000 Litres. 

HEESEN YACHTS, VISTAJET LAUNCH JOINT 

MARKETING COLLABORATION 

Heesen Yachts, a leading manufacturer of high-performance 

motoryachts, has launched a joint marketing collaboration 

with VistaJet, the world’s premier luxury private 

aviation provider. 

The announcement, made at the Abu Dhabi Yacht Show 

2010, reflects the growing trend in the high-end luxury sec- 


tor for companies from different sectors but with a shared 

customer demographic to work together on joint marketing 

initiatives to cost-effectively deliver business growth. 

Heesen has also announced the opening of a Mediterranean 

office in Viareggio, on the coast of Tuscany, Italy, 

20 km from Pisa airport. The office, managed by Marketing 

Director Fabio Ermetto, will be dedicated to public 

relations and media activities. 

KNIGHT & CARVER AND HF INTERIOR 

OFFER “REFRESH, NOT REFIT” PROGRAM 

Knight & Carver Yacht, an award-winning megayacht 

repair and refit firm, has teamed with HF Interior, a renowned 

Swedish interior renovation firm, to encourage 

yacht owners to consider a short-term “refresh” program 

rather than a more extensive and expensive refit. 

In 2008, Knight & Carver worked with HF Interior on 

a complex and elaborate refit of the 194-foot megayacht 

Helios. The six-month project, described by Helios’ 

captain as “floating beach house, totally chic, edgy 

and contemporary,” was awarded “Best Refit 2009” by 

Showboats International magazine. Since its completion, 

Helios, has experienced a 30-percent increase in its 

worldwide charter bookings. 

“Charter availability is absolutely vital to our large-yacht 

clients,” said Kate Pearson, Knight & Carver’s director of 

busines development. “Now we can offer a compressed

NAUTICAL LANDING MARINA 

www.Nautical-Landing.com 

Seattle Washington 

Premier Super Yacht Moorage 

Located one mile from downtown Seattle on the 

western shore of Lake Union, Nautical Landing 

meets the needs of both owners and crew. 

• Freshwater moorage for yachts to 350’ with no 

beam restrictions 

• Deep draft births (average 34’) 

• Concrete docks allow service and provisioning 

vehicles along side your vessel 

• On dock limousine pick-up area 

• Walking distance to restaurants and nightlife 

• Corporate jet facilities 8 miles away at Boeing 

Field (BFI) 

• Security, recycling, wireless internet access 

• Dockside refueling and lubricant delivery 

visit us at: 

www.Nautical-Landing.com 

2500 Westlake Ave. North, Seattle, WA 98109 

206-464-4614 fax 206-464-1154 kw@woldenterprises.com 

GATEWAY TO: Pacific Northwest • British Columbia • Alaska


‘refresh’ schedule of three months or less. During that time, 

we’ll add luxury refinements, upgrades and enhancements 

as well as necessary repairs without the vessel having to 

spend up to six months or more out of charter.” 

The concept of “Refresh, Not Refit” drew praise from 

San Diego-based yacht charter broker Liz Howard of Fraser 

Yachts Worldwide, who pointed out, “If a yacht has 

any hint of worn-out fabrics, a dull paint job, tarnished 

fixtures, or an unpleasant or lived-in odor, my clients will 

be disappointed. They expect the highest standards of 

excellence and luxury at all times, for every charter.” 

“Investing in a refresh of interior general areas, such as 

the main salon, or cabins, gives the charter superyacht 

an opportunity to stand apart from the rest” says Curt 

Biller, managing director of HF Interior, an interior refurbishment 

specialist. 

The program has the added value of allowing the yacht’s 

owner, captain, and crew the opportunity to spend time 

relaxing in San Diego, which offers a year-round mild 

climate and the world-class amenities of the Southern 

California lifestyle. 

MTN INTRODUCES COST-EFFECTIVE SATELLITE 

COMMUNICATION FOR MEGAYACHTS 

MTN Satellite Communications (MTN), the chosen provider 

for more than 40 of the world’s 100 largest yachts, 

has announced the introduction of a new flexible, costeffective 

satellite communication service for megayachts 

with varying bandwidth requirements. 

The new FlexNet service provides unlimited “Always- 

On” Internet for browsing and e-mail, plus up to two 

independent phone lines. The data and phone circuits 

can be used simultaneously without interference. It 

takes advantage of MTN’s multi-regional Ku-Band satellite 

network, with advanced Automatic Beam Switching 

(ABS) technology to provide seamless connectivity 

around the world. 

“FlexNet is designed to meet flexible requirements for 

megayachts, whether it’s a short-term contract for the 

Caribbean or Mediterranean cruising season only, or a 

temporary upgrade to a higher-bandwidth plan for an 

owner or charter,” said Derik Wagner, managing director 

of MTN’s yacht services business. 


MTN’s ABS technology automatically selects the optimum 

satellite signal in areas of multi-beam coverage 

and redirects the antenna as the yacht moves from one 

satellite’s footprint to another. It also minimizes disruptions 

caused by signal blockage from the vessel’s superstructure 

or other nearby buildings when in port. 

“FlexNet offers a unique value proposition that cannot 

be matched by other VSAT suppliers, combining the 

lower-cost hardware, flexible monthly service plans, and 

MTN’s seamless multi-beam coverage over the Mediterranean, 

Atlantic, Caribbean, Pacific islands and other 

popular cruising waters,” said Wagner. 

△ KEVIN LUSSIER APPOINTED GENERAL MANAGER 

FOR YACHT HAVEN GRANDE 

Kevin Lussier, CMM, has been appointed general manager 

for Yacht Haven Grande St. Thomas, as announced 

by parent company Island Global Yachting (IGY). In this 

position, Lussier will oversee operations at the 48-slip 

megayacht marina and facility, which includes more than 

40 retail boutiques, restaurants and lounges, recreational 

offerings, offices, and luxury condominiums. 

“We are excited to welcome Kevin Lussier to Yacht Haven 

Grande,” said Charles Garner, president of IGY. “He 

is a truly dedicated facility management professional 

with outstanding experience overseeing active nautical 

lifestyle destinations.”


Lussier comes to Yacht Haven Grande St. Thomas with 

nearly two decades of facilities management experience 

in marina and upland properties throughout Florida. 

Most recently, he served as general manager at the Amelia 

Island Yacht Basin in Fernandina Beach, Florida — a 

135 wet/209 dry berth marina with an array of upland 

services and facilities. Other previous tenures include 

marina management positions with Alligator Point Yacht 

Basin in Alligator Point, Florida, and the Conch House 

Marina in St. Augustine, Florida. 

OCEANLED USA APPOINTS 

REGIONAL SALES MANAGER 

Following a successful Miami Boat Show, leading manufacturer 

of LED lighting products, OceanLED USA LLC, is 

continuing its ongoing expansion with the appointment of 

a highly skilled Regional Sales Manager, Bill Eastwood. 

Eastwood joins the OceanLED team after seven years at 

electronic chart maker Navionics Inc., where he served 

as sales manager for the Americas and later as global 

product manager. Prior to this, Eastwood worked as a regional 

manager for Ocean marketing and general manager 

for West Marine. 

WHAT’S HAPPENING? 

Boat Show 

CANNES, FRANCE 

9/8/2010 9/13/2010 

The 33rd Cannes 

International Boat 

& Yacht Show 

www.salonnautiquecannes.com 

+33 (0)1 47 56 64 79 

HWASEONG-SI, 

GYEONGGI-DO, 

SOUTH KOREA 


Korea International 

Boat Show 2010 

www.koreaboatshow.org 

info@koreaboatshow.org 

+82 2 3460 7867 

MONTE CARLO, MONACO 


Monaco Yacht Show 

www.monacoyachtshow.com 

info@monacoyachtshow.mc 


SANCTUARY COVE, 

AUSTRALIA 


22nd Sanctuary Cove 

International Boat Show 

www.sanctuarycove 

boatshow.com.au 

markj@sanctuarycove.com 

+61 7 55 77 6011 

Cruising Rally 

PLYMOUTH, DEVON, UK 

5/30/2010 

Raly Portugal 2010 

www.worldcruising.com 

mail@worldcruising.com 

+ 44 (0)1983 296060 

TORTOLA, BVI 


Atlantic Cup 

from Tortola to Bermuda 

www.carib1500.com 

757-788-8872 

In his new role at OceanLED, Eastwood will be responsible 

for the sale of all OceanLED products across the 

East Coast and Midwest regions of the United States, 

encompassing both the marine aftermarket and OEM. 

ARUBA IMPLEMENTS ESEACLEAR SYSTEM 

As of March 2010, Aruba Customs has started to implement 

the Eseaclear system (www.eseaclear.com) for yachts 

visiting Aruba. As the vessel will have to be cleared both 

by Customs and by Immigration, the captain will still need 

to do the paperwork for immigration separately. Arriving 

yachts will have to tie up at Barcadera Harbor to clear before 

they can go to an anchorage or to the marina. 

For those yachts not using the Esaeclear system, 

customs and immigration forms can be found on the 

website of the Renaissance Marina at www.renaissance 

marina.com/clearance-procedures. 

SP-HIGH MODULUS SECURES IANZ ACCREDITATION 

The New Zealand-based Technical Services laboratory 

of SP-High Modulus, the marine business of Gurit, has 


ARC Europe 2010 

(Atlantic Rally for Cruisers) 

www.worldcruising.com/arc 

mail@worldcruising.com 

+ 44 (0)1983 296060 

Industry Conference 

PALMA DE 

MALLORCA, SPAIN 


5th Annual Future 

of Superyachts Conference 

www.quaynote.com 

alison@quaynote.com 

+44 (0) 20 8348 3704 

Music Festival 

ST. THOMAS, USVI 


Yacht Haven Grande 

Memorial Day Music Festival 

www.yachthavengrande.com 

340-774-9500 

Superyacht Regatta 

NEWPORT, RI 


Newport Bucket Regatta 

www.bucketregattas.com 

hank@bucketregattas.com 

401-965-3256 

PALMA DE 

MALLORCA, SPAIN 


The Horus 

Superyacht Cup Palma 

www.thesuperyachtcup.com 

info@thesuperyachtcup.com 

+34 971 402 553

achieved laboratory accreditation by International Accreditation 

New Zealand (IANZ) following a recent assessment, 

and is now the first and only laboratory of its 

kind in the country to be accredited for mechanical testing 

of composite materials. 

The SP-High Modulus laboratory was assessed to 

the ISO standard 17025:2005 and was found to be 

competent in the field of mechanical testing for applications 

including strength and stiffness testing of 

hull sandwich laminates, ultimate bearing strength 

for wind blades and sailing yacht masts, and stiffness 

of filament wound industrial pipes. As part of the 

assessment, it was successfully demonstrated that the 

laboratory’s technical equipment met the required 

international testing standards and that all measurements 

are traceable to recognized New Zealand 

National Standards. 

TUNNICLIFFE AND GULARI HONORED AS ROLEX 

YACHTSMAN AND YACHTSWOMAN OF THE YEAR 

Anna Tunnicliffe of Plantation, Florida, and Bora Gulari 

of Detroit, Michigan, were winners in US SAILING’s 

Rolex Yachtsman and Yachtswoman of the Year Awards 

ceremony. Tunnicliffe, who also won the award in 2008, 

was cited for her win in Laser Radials at French Sailing 

Week, an ISAF Sailing World Cup event, among other 

notable events. Gulari, a first-time winner, was cited for 

winning the CST Composites International Moth World 

Championship. A shortlist of 10 male and five female 

sailors — determined from nominations submitted by 

members of US SAILING — was evaluated by a panel 

of sailing journalists who then selected the sailors for 

the Rolex Yachtsman and Yachtswoman distinction, the 

country’s highest sailing honor. 

ATOLLVIC SUPPORTS SUPERYACHT CUP 

Atollvic Shipyard is sponsoring the Superyacht Cup 2010. 

For the shipyard, based in Vigo on the northwest coast 

of Spain, it is the fourth year of sponsoring the event 

— one of the industry’s major regattas. 

The first stage of the cup took place in Antigua in January. 

In June, the action moves to Palma, Majorca. Eighteen 

superyachts took part in the 2009 regatta, with 

more than 500 participants sailing over three days. 

2900 Main Street, #2100 • Alameda, CA 94501 

www.bay-ship.com 

On Historic 

San Francisco Bay 

Your Complete 

Superyacht Facility 

1200 Ton Syncrolift ® 

2800 Ton Drydock 

CONTACT: ERIC HABERLI 

Phone: 912-313-6010 

E-mail: ehaberli@bay-ship.com 



SHIPYARDS GEAR UP 

FOR GROWTH 

Spotlight 

BY CHRIS GOODIER

Undeterred by economic shivers, shipyards are 

putting cash on the line this year to get ahead 

of the curve as megayachts increase in size 

and quantity. Here’s a look at the new, bigger, 

better facilities set to come on line this summer. 

MAINE’S WAYFARER MARINE 

UPGRADES WITH CAPTAINS IN MIND 

From high tech to high touch, Wayfarer is focusing on 

comforts for captains and crews including a courtesy 

car and offices for captains, “specifically set aside to 

Wayfarer offers use 

of a courtesy car. 

OWNERS 

use as they do a yard refit, including Internet connection, 

telephone, and other office amenities,” reported 

Ben Cashen. 

The yard can haul and service boats up to 100 feet with 

their 110-ton Ascom lift for refit and repair. Recent upgrades 

include all-new floating docks and ramps, new 

fuel pumps, a new inside heated storage building, and 

an additional seven acres of storage. Icing on the cake 

is the charm of scenic Camden, a short walk away. www. 

wayfarermarine.com 


Spotlight: Shipyards Gear Up For Growth 

WORLD’S LARGEST MOBILE BOAT HOIST DEBUTS AT COLONNA’S NEW YARD 

“This is a very exciting time for Colonna and the industry,” said Vance Hull, director of yacht services for Colonna 

Yachts in Norfolk, Virginia, this spring when the company opened its West Yard Vessel Repair Facility, new home to 

a 1,000-metric-ton Marine Travelift. The massive lift, built in Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin, will live on a 10-acre parcel 

adjacent to the current yard. 

With two slipway piers, 216 and 298 feet, the yard is equipped with nine keel tracks, two wash-down basins, and six portable 

shelter sections. A full-service refit yard, Colonna specializes in hull and machinery repairs. www.colonnaship.com 


Colonna Yachts in Norfolk 

now operates the world’s 

largest Marine Travelift. 

Drystack storage buildings 

went up ahead of schedule 

at Marine Group Boat Works’ 

new facility in Mexico. 

A NEW YARD FOR BAJA CALIFORNIA SUR 

Marine Group Boat Works rolled out its Marina Puerto 

Los Cabos location ahead of schedule with a March soft 

opening under the direction of General Manager Michelle 

Farias-Kieley. The company trucked materials and 

equipment down from San Diego to build a workshop 

and two three-level drystack storage units. A 150-ton 

Travelift is ready to haul boats up to 125 feet with beam 

capacity up to 28 feet. 

Owners can cozy up to the Spanish colonial atmosphere 

of San Jose del Cabo, more laid back than Cabo San Lucas 

18 miles to the west. www.marinegroupcabo.com

DERECKTOR’S 4,000-TON DRY DOCK 

OPENS IN CONNECTICUT 

Also on the US East Coast, Derecktor’s just-completed floating 

dry dock is up and running for yachts up to 400 feet long, 82 

feet wide, and 20 feet deep. It joins a 650-ton travel lift and a 

100-ton crane with 120-foot boom in this full-service yard known 

for new builds and repairs. The location is a plus for globetrotting 

clients, just an hour from New York City and international 

airports. www.derecktor.com 

Newport Shipyard’s 

new 100 BFM II lift 

will be operational in 

mid-May. 

BAY SHIP LEASES LARGE PIER 

IN SAN FRANCISCO BAY AREA 

“BSY has leased a large pier on Treasure 

Island that will be used to do dockside repairs 

and berthing of large vessels,” Eric 

A. Haberli, director of superyacht business 

development for Bay Ship & Yacht 

Company said in March. The now-operational 

pier has approximately 2,000 lineal 

feet of berthing space with deep draft for 

megayacht refits and repairs. 

“BSY’s sister yard, Bay Marine Boatworks, 

located in Richmond, California, also has 

gone through renovations,” Haberli said. 

“Part of the facility located just off site is a 

50,000-square-foot building for numerous 

projects from painting to metal fabrication, 

joiner work and ship construction.” 

www.bay-ship.com 

Derecktor’s yard in Connecticut. 

NEWPORT SHIPYARD ADDS A 100-TON LIFT 

The busy guys at Marine Travelift also shipped a 100 

BFM II mobile boat hoist to Newport the last week of 

April, which should be operational mid-May. Newport’s 

new lift has all the bells and whistles: four-wheel electronic 

steering and remote control for safer and better 

maneuvering. It offers capability for a maximum beam of 

30 feet and draft of 20 feet. 

“We will also keep the 70-ton lift as a utility lift for going 

in the building,” reported Yard Manager/Dockmaster Eli 

Dana, so that if boats need to be held in slings, it won’t 

slow down other vessels’ schedules. “The reconfiguring 

of slips will create five slips ideal for larger power and sail 

yachts performing work.” www.newportshipyard.com 

Bay Ship & Yacht in San Francisco Bay. 


Spotlight: Shipyards Gear Up For Growth 

MB’92 YARD COULD DOUBLE IN SIZE 

In Spain, Marina Barcelona 92 has big plans, though company officials said they are “not totally ready” to talk about 

it. For refit, repair, and maintenance of superyachts, this place is already one of the largest shipyards in the Mediterranean. 

MB’92 CEO Pepe García Aubert invited a group of captains to a January brainstorming session at a ski resort 

in Andorra, to solicit their feedback on future services needed and present a 50 million Euro expansion plan. 

The anticipated project, which would double the current shipyard capacity, is scheduled to start by this summer and 

finish within five years. New facilities will have a repair basin with the capacity for yachts up to 200 meters long, a new 

4,000-ton Syncrolift for yachts up to 110 meters and a new 220-meter covered dry dock area. Stay tuned for details. 

www.mb92.com 

MELITA MARINE GROUP OPENS ANTIBES OFFICE 

With multiple locations in the Mediterranean’s major yachting 

zones, Melita Marine Services now has opened an office 

in the south of France to coordinate mobile chandlery 

and provisions services for the region. Established in 1993, 

this group of 17 subsidiary companies, with head offices in 

Malta, offers everything from paint supplies to yacht refits. 

The company operates Malta’s Manoel Island Marina and 

distributes luxury yachts like Ferretti and Sessa. 

In 2008, the company reorganized operations to prepare 

for long-term growth in the yachting industry. “Over 

the past 10 years, superyachts increased by 80 percent 

worldwide,” said Chairman Pierre Balzan, who believes 

ongoing training will be needed to keep abreast of continuous 

technology developments in the industry. “This 

will require capital injection of hundreds of thousands 

of Euros and possibly millions over a number of years.” 

www.melitamarinegroup.net 


MB’92 in Barcelona plans to double 

capacity in the next five years. 

Melita Marine 

Group, based 

in Malta, has 

17 subsidiaries 

under 

one banner.

NCP GROUP BRINGS SUPERYACHT BERTHS AND SERVICES TO CROATIA 

At Mandalina peninsula in Sibenik, Nautical Center Prgin Group has developed 

the first superyacht destination in Croatia. Besides a mellifluous name, 

Mandalina Marina has 15 berths for megayachts and plans for 65 more by 

year’s end. A modernization scheme calls for a new dry dock for yachts up to 

120 meters and a new closed shed. 

The production plant of the NCP Repair shipyard currently covers an area of 

110,000 square meters, including 45,000 square meters in shed and workshops, 

48 cranes with up to 20-tons lifting capacity, a 900-ton syncro-elevator 

and a 1,500-ton floating dock. The Mandalina project calls for a five-star resort 

to be completed by 2013. www.ncp.hr 

NCP Group is developing 

a superyacht destination 

in Croatia. 

BOBBY’S MARINA, ST. MAARTEN, OPENS NEW BOAT YARD 

In Caribbean news, Sir Bobby Velasquez will open a new yard in Cole Bay near Island Water World this summer, with 

two new Travelifts entering service. “One is 75 metric tons and 22 feet clear inside, and the second is 150 metric tons, 

36 foot clear inside,” advised Jeff Howell. “To begin with, we are only offering storage for hurricane season with bottom 

job, but by January we should be open for business offering all the trades as we do now.” The new megayard is 

enclosed by a three-meter security wall and fencing, and will have 24-hour security. 

Bobby’s Philipsburg yard will close when the new workshops are completed early next year, but his long-time marina 

remains in place and will expand once the Cole Bay yard opens. www.bobbysmarina.com 


JENNIFER SAIA 


Where Are They Now? 

BY CAPTAIN JAN ROBINSON 

Have you met Jennifer Saia? When this dynamic, 

petite brunette with flashing brown eyes and a 

brilliant smile enters, she fills the room. When 

she speaks, we listen. 

Saia has always been a pioneer. She is a graduate of Embry-Riddle 

Aeronautical University where she earned a 

Bachelor’s Degree in Aviation Business Administration at 

a school where females were a decided minority. After 

graduation, Saia began her career in the yachting industry 

with The Sacks Group and went to work on Starlight 

as a temporary stewardess. She joined the 167’ Feadship 

M/Y Edgewater as second stewardess in 1988 and 

moved to chief stew 1989. Over the next three years, she 

received the best training from the toughest in the industry. 

Her reputation soared — she was known as a hard 

worker with great self-discipline. This reputation coupled 

with her youth opened many doors and allowed her to 

travel extensively throughout the world. 

About this time her dad told her what she already knew, 

“Jenn, it’s time you got a real job.” She listened and applied 

at American Flyers Airline Tariff Reporting Company 

in Virginia. Ed Sacks caught wind of this plan and 

called her. He said, “Jennifer, do not take that job.” Soon 

after, she started with Sacks as a receptionist and in less 

than a year was working in charter marketing management 

and handling luxury yacht vacations. 

Sacks relied on Saia a great deal. He fired a lot of challenges 

at her, and she thrived under his guidance. In 1993, Sacks 

moved to California and wanted Saia to open a satellite office 

in Marina del Ray, but then they decided against it. This 

move prompted another change for Saia; to her surprise, 

Ed offered her the business. Now, since it is a long jump 

from a stewardess on a yacht to a receptionist to charter 

sales/management, she had to pause. Sacks encouraged 

her, however, and said “Jennifer, just go for it.” And she 

did. He split the company “group” into divisions. Saia 

said, “On Friday, Ed owned the company and on Monday 

I owned it.” 

The company has evolved and is now named The Sacks 

Group Yachting Professionals, Inc. Saia has made a reputation 

for herself with the perfection of her crews and 

her boat show etiquette. “When there is a problem, it 

is important to keep your cool, keep level attention and 

integrity in solving the problem in an amicable way.” 

I interviewed one broker, Joyce MacMullen, who traveled 

with Saia on a “fam” trip in Greece a few years ago. 

“Saia had a charter coming up on the yacht on which 

we were sailing, and she was not happy with the cleanliness 

of the vessel,” Joyce said. “With great aplomb and 

diplomacy, as we were guests of the owner, Saia proceeded 

to train the stewardess in the art of detailing the 

interior…sometimes with simple tools such as a spray 

bottle, vinegar, baking soda, and plain old elbow grease. 

It became hilarious, as there were many charades due 

to the language barrier, but in the short time we were 

aboard the yacht we had a glistening interior and the 

crew were bonded friends with Jennifer.” 

Despite an incredible workload and tremendous responsibility, 

Saia manages to have it all. She lives in Florida

with her partner Lance. They are very happy together 

and share his three children: Emily 13, Lauren almost 15, 

and Lance Talbott 17. Saia enjoys the teens and says, “I 

have a new appreciation of working moms and dads. It’s 

not easy to balance it all. It’s interesting to see the perspective 

of life from their view.” 

When asked who influenced her life the most without 

hesitation she said, “My dad. He is the ninth child of 

16 from Italian (Sicilian) immigrants in Cambridge, Massachusetts. 

He went on to graduate from Harvard and 

MIT. He still is passionate each day about working…this 

is where I get my work ethic. The other person was Ed 

Sacks, a marketing genius from whom I learned a lot.” 

I asked Saia, “Did you always aspire to be a business 

woman?” “Actually, yes,” she said. “I wanted to be president 

of an airline. OK, I’m not in the aviation business, 

but the yachting industry…Thankfully! I like yachting 

better, but appreciate the private aviation aspects of my 

business as my clients get to their charter yachts by their 

planes and/or charter planes. Lots of synergy.” 

When I asked, “What are your other passions?” “I work 

with several charities, especially the Boys and Girls Clubs 

of Broward County and belong to a few organizations,” 

she replied. “I like to run on the beach. I wish I had time 

to work out more. I’ve recently discovered Hot Yoga too, 

trying to balance it all out. And, yes, I love to go out on 

the water, just rafting up with friends on Lake Sylvia, over 

to Harbor Island or the Exumas on Lance’s 50’ Viking 

Sportfish, or even fishing with the guys in Bimini. I also 

like to be around people. We have lots of fun as members 

of the Ft. Lauderdale Yacht Club, and I seem to be 

the one that ends up being the party planner.” 

“Making charter dreams come true…really taking my 

knowledge, contacts, relationships, and personal experiences 

to create others’ happiness. It’s a high to get a 

great report back from a client, whether it was their first 

charter or their 22nd. And, yes, I’ve had clients charter 

that many times.“ 

Saia is extremely intelligent, enormously energetic, and 

fantastically innovative, with the life experience of someone 

twice her age. With this combination and her primary 

goal of seeing that others are as happy as she is, 

the yachting industry and those of us who enjoy it are 

most fortunate to have her among us. 


No trip to the Pacific Northwest is complete 

without a visit to legendary Roche Harbor. In 

fact, this is the perfect place to get started. 

The spacious, moderately deep body of water 

can accommodate a flotilla of vessels, and the docks at 

the marina hold even more—377 to be exact, with room 

for megayachts up to 160 feet. If you’re on your way to 

or from foreign waters, there’s a US Customs Agent Office 

conveniently located next to the Harbormaster, making 

clearance procedures a non-event. 

San Juan Island’s Roche Harbor is more than just a place 

to moor a vessel. It’s a well crafted village complete 


ROCHE HARBOR 

RENDEZVOUS 

Ports of Call 

BY JAN HEIN 

PHOTOGRAPHY BY MARK GARDNER 

with hotels, restaurants, shops, stores, hiking trails, a 

spa, pool, tennis courts and parks. “One of the greatest 

parts of Roche Harbor,” according to Lodging Director 

Sam Jacobson, “is that you don’t need a vehicle.” 

Everything is right there spilling up from the docks, 

perched on the northwest corner of the pristine island. 

If you have a need, their indulgent staff will make every 

attempt to meet it. 

This utopian compound began in 1886 when the 22room 

Hotel de Haro, now on the National Historic Registry, 

was built along with the Tacoma and Roche Harbor 

Lime Company. By 1890, an entire town had sprouted,

“One of the greatest parts of 

Roche Harbor is that you don’t 

need a vehicle,” according to 

Lodging Director Sam Jacobson. 

complete with a church, shipping piers and a peak population 

of 800 residents. 

In 1956, the entire area, town and all, was sold to Seattle 

businessman Reuben Tarte. Sagaciously, Tarte ordered 

the renovation of the hotel using key historic remnants 

and created what is now a world-class marina. To this 

day, Tarte is honored each day during the Colors Ceremony, 

when flags are lowered, an occasional cannon is 

fired and staff sometimes take a chilly plunge. 

Sold and sold again, Roche Harbor finally settled into 

the current hands of Rich Komen and Saltchuck Resources, 

who, in 1997, began a major facelift with the 

addition of docks and slips that artistically weave into 

the Victorian roots of the compound. According to Jacobson, 

“We’ve been developing in earnest for the last 

six to seven years. We’re building a neighborhood in 

the uplands, which is an extension of the town.” 


Ports of Call: Roche Harbor Rendezvous 

“We do a lot of good work for our high-end guests at the dock,” 

said Jacobson. “Our team can prepare anything from appetizers to 

full catered dinners. We find ways to say ‘yes!’” 

Condos and porched homes nestle on Captain’s Row, 

painted all the brilliant colors of their northwest surroundings. 

Carriage houses featuring neighborly porches link 

together via cobbled walkways. “This is an extension of 

our most important neighborhood, the marina,” Jacobson 

said, speaking of the ambience generated by a community 

on the water. “That’s the model for how we get people to 


interact on shore.” A handful of the livable, lovable homes 

are owned by yachtsmen who first came by boat. 

One of the more unusual amenities offered, and one 

every yachtsmen should check out, is the privatelyowned 

Catholic Chapel propitiously named Our Lady 

of Good Voyage.

Located at latitude 48, summer in Roche Harbor is, of 

course, the buoyant season. The winter team of 60 swells 

to 230 to accommodate a host of activities that include 

business meetings, wine tastings, retreats, reunions and 

spectacular weddings. Off-season activities include several 

well attended fishing tournaments and the internationally 

acclaimed Irish Music Festival. 

Jacobson explained, “No matter what group is here, 

there’s always a boat involved.” The marina hosts more 

than 35 boating events each year, with one or two each 

week between April and October. “That’s one of the 

things we do really well.” Yacht clubs and boat rendezvous 

are well attended, and when room on the docks 

gets tight, guests can sprawl onto one of two canopied 

party barges. 

Yachtsmen can take advantage of all shore services, including 

a team of talented chefs. “We do a lot of good 

work for our high-end guests at the dock,” said Jacobson. 

“Our team can prepare anything from appetizers to 

full catered dinners. We find ways to say ‘yes!’” 

Speaking philosophically, he explained, “It’s not good 

enough to be blessed with a good location. We have 

to provide over-the-top guest service, and we strive to 

do that with each and every guest.” From the moment 

line-handlers tie up your yacht, you’ll know you’ve arrived 

in a place you’ll come back to. Repeat customers 

make up a huge piece of Roche Harbor’s success. “We 

don’t do advertising,” he said. “Not even for weddings.” 

Word of mouth and a stellar reputation have 

propelled Roche Harbor ahead, even during these difficult 

economic times. 

Getting to the island can involve more than just yachts. 

The iconic Washington State Ferry system delivers many 

guests, and Kenmore Air, based out of Seattle, has a 

regular schedule touching down at Roche Harbor’s own 

airfield, just a stroll away from the village. 

Roche Harbor is a place with a rich and storied past. 

With more than 200 years of success behind it and a 

stellar design team leading the way, the future is sure 

to be even better. 

To learn more or to schedule a visit, go to www.roche 

harbor.com/ 

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Shelter Island Marina: 619 223 0301 

Island Palms Hotel: 619 222 0561 

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Perhaps the most stunning aspect of Malta is the 

megalithic, sandstone battlements that encircle its 

main harbours. Built in the 16th century, the fortresses 

of the Knights of St. John still watch over 

the coastline of Valletta, the island’s capital city. These 

strongholds, along with Malta’s many Baroque palaces 

and churches, are the legacy of the various dominations 

that have ruled here throughout the ages — a living testimony 

of 6,000 years of civilisation — and they are wonders 

to be seen and felt. 

Blessed with year-round sunshine and set in crystal 

clear waters, Malta and its sister islands of Gozo and 

Comino are nestled in the Mediterranean Sea just 

south of Sicily. They make a fascinating setting for 

a truly memorable trip with much to offer: action or 

relaxation, tranquility or excitement, and numerous 

cultural, artistic, and natural treasures within easy access 

from wherever one chooses to stay. For lovers of 


CASTLE KINGDOM 

Ports of Call 

BY LOUAY HABIB 

Malta has nearly 400 churches 

and temples, some dating back to 

before the Pyramids. 

music, theatre, and the arts, Malta boasts an abundant 

calendar of events. For the sporting visitor, the islands 

offer golf, tennis, horse riding, and unlimited water 

sports — from sailing to windsurfing to arguably the 

best scuba diving in the Mediterranean. 

The population of Malta is 400,000 but swells to double 

that amount in summer due to tourism, with more than 

half of the visitors coming from the United Kingdom. The 

Maltese are an interesting blend of cultures from days 

gone by, plus a growing number of immigrants from Australia, 

the United States, Brazil, and Canada. The main 

language is English, but the Maltese also have their own

language that is a mixture of Latin and Arabic, apt as the 

islands lie close to both Italy and North Africa. 

Malta has nearly 400 churches and temples, some dating 

back to before the Pyramids. Of them all, Hagar 

Qim on the southern coast is among the most worth 

visiting because, unlike other temples of it kind, it is 

possible to enter the structure. The complex construction 

of standing stones dates back to 3200 B.C. and is 

now covered with a high-tech awning to protect it from 

the elements. Perhaps the most stunning of all of the 

island’s cathedrals is that of St. John’s in the old town of 

Valletta. Completed in 1578, it contains eight chapels 

and some of the finest examples of Baroque architecture 

and murals anywhere. St. John’s is also home to an 

impressive collection of art and artifacts gathered by 

the knights on their travels, including Caravaggio’s The 

Beheading of Saint John the Baptist, considered one of 

the finest paintings in the world. 

Valletta itself is an enchanted place; the cobbled streets 

and monumental edifices are almost overpowering in their 

magnitude. A stunning fountain depicting Triton marks the 

City Gate Square. The waterfront, in nearby Floriana, is 

composed of more than a dozen 250-year-old warehouses 

built by Manuel Pinto de Fonseca, a Grand Master of the 

Order of St. John. Also stretching along the water’s edge 

are the Forni Stores, built in 1626 at the command of Grand 

Master Antonio Manoel de Vilhena. These restored buildings 

now provide retail, dining, and leisure outlets. 

One of the most imposing buildings in Valletta is the former 

Sacra Infermeria of the Order of St. John, now known as the 

Mediterranean Conference Centre. It is located adjacent to 

Fort St. Elmo overlooking the Grand Harbour. Work on this 

vast edifice started during 1574, and the Great Ward built 

by 1666 measures 155 metres in length and has been described 

as one of the grandest interiors in the world. The 

Sacra Infermeria was considered for centuries to be one of 


Ports of Call: Castle Kingdom 

the best hospitals in Europe and could accommodate 914 

patients. It is worth noting that although the Knights of St. 

John were a fearsome fighting force, they were originally 

established in Jerusalem to tend to the sick and wounded 

and did so for all people — whatever race or creed. 

Malta has several first-class hotels, including the Hotel 

Phoenicia located on an impressive seven-acre site of 

mature gardens next to Valletta’s City Gate Square. Constructed 

just after the Second World War, the hotel has an 

elegant ambiance, with many classical portrait paintings 

by artists such as Edward Caruana Dingli. Its Phoenix Restaurant 

serves breakfast each morning and is a pleasant 

place to start the day. In the afternoon, the Palm Court 

Lounge in the heart of the hotel offers coffee and pastries, 

tea, and early evening cocktails and refreshments. 

A stone’s throw away, the Grand Hotel Excelsior provides 

stunning views of Marsamxett Harbour and Manoel Island. 

The hotel opened just recently and has a stunning modern 

pool and deck area adjacent to its own marina. The Excelsior 

is a vast hotel with 439 rooms spread over 10 floors, 

and whilst the façade is sandstone, it has a grand contemporary 

design. The rooms are well appointed, but there is a 

definite bias towards the business traveler — comfortable 

workstation, wireless Internet, data ports, and telephones 


with speaker and voicemail. Its Admiral’s Landing serves 

British and Continental-style meals, and its Spice Island 

Restaurant serves exotic cuisine with influences from Southeast 

Asia, the Middle East and the Caribbean. 

The Westin Dragonara Resort, situated on a private peninsula 

in St. Julians, is ideal for a more reclusive stay in Malta. 

It is a family-friendly resort with large sea-view rooms, six 

distinct restaurants and bars, a small private beach, and 

large indoor and outdoor swimming pools. St. Julians itself 

is vibrant, a place to be seen. One of the most picturesque 

parts is Spinola Bay, which takes its name from the Spinola 

Palace built by Paolo Raffaele Spinola in 1688. Peppino’s is 

a gem of a restaurant serving reasonably-priced, authentic 

Maltese cuisine. Right on Spinola Bay, La Dolce Vita is an 

up-market restaurant with stunning water views. Malta has 

been a common location for filming historical epics, such as 

the motion picture “Troy,” and star Brad Pitt was a regular 

at both of these restaurants when on location. 

Malta is a fascinating place, steeped in history, but to get 

an overall prospective, there is no better vista than from 

the sea. Captain Morgan Cruises have been operating in 

Malta for more than 35 years and offer short trips around 

the stunning Marsamxetto Harbour and Grand Harbour, 

as well as daily cruises around Malta, Gozo, and Comino.

Compared to its southeastern neighbor, Gozo is more 

rural and known for its scenic hills. This island’s most remarkable 

feature is its Inland Sea, a lagoon linked to the 

Mediterranean through an opening formed by a natural 

arch. The bottom of the lagoon is fairly shallow, but as 

you exit through the tunnel, the floor drops away in a 

series of shelves to a depth of 35 metres. Noted marine 

explorer Jacques Cousteau said the Inland Sea was 

among his top 10 dives. Weather permitting, boats can 

pass through the tunnel for a tour of the nearby cliffs and 

other sites, mainly to the Fungus Rock and another large 

natural arch called the Azure Window. 

The main island of Malta also has many spectacular 

scuba diving locations — none better than the Blue 

Grotto, a natural system of caverns mirroring the brilliant 

phosphorescent colours of the underwater flora. 

The Blue Grotto can be reached by boat from Wied iz- 

Zurrieq in the south of the island. The scenery around 

this area is breathtaking: Cliffs rise out of the blue 

Mediterranean, and the froth of the waves as they hit 

the rock face is truly spectacular. 

Malta has much to offer the visitor, but perhaps this little 

island’s best treasure is one that is often overlooked: 

the Maltese people themselves. Passionate about their 

home and energetic and eager to show it, the people are 

incredibly enthusiastic and take great pleasure in making 

sure that visitors leave with a good reason to return. 

YACHT RACING, MALTESE STYLE 

The highlight of the Maltese sporting calendar is the 

Rolex Middle Sea Race, a yacht race that has taken 

place for more than 40 years. The 600-mile circumnavigation 

of Sicily attracts some of the most prestigious 

yachts in the world in the month of October, and it is 

a real challenge. Conditions can vary from flat calm to 

gale-force winds in a matter of minutes. Waterspouts 

and lightening storms are a regular occurrence. There 

are few yacht races in the world that can boast and 

active volcano (Stromboli) on the course! 

While the Rolex Middle Sea Race is rightly proclaimed 

one of the world’s blue ribbon yacht events, 

there are other reasons why owners of prestigious 

yachts from all over the world come to be part of the 

spectacle. There is the stunning scenery and the superb 

climate, and the warm welcome offered by the 

Royal Malta Yacht Club, which is truly savoured by all 

of the participants. Whilst it is a private club, visitors 

are welcome to the clubhouse by written invitation. 


For those who have tried the Med, the Bahamas, 

and the Caribbean and are looking for a distinct 

and diverse entry in their logbooks, there’s a new 

luxury charter destination on the rise: the Middle 

East. The clear blue waters around Dubai and Abu Dhabi 

are being touted as the next best place to go for unrivalled 

sailing, luxurious marinas, and a breath of fresh air. 

Authorities in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) are pumping 

billions of dollars into dozens of high-end yachting developments 

in a bid to allure sailing enthusiasts. And with its 

year-round sunshine and sea breezes, not to mention mile 

upon mile of white sandy beaches, this region is certainly 

whipping up a storm of interest in superyacht circles. 

“Traditionally, areas such as the Caribbean and the Bahamas, 

the Mediterranean, as well as the Indian Ocean, 


MIDDLE EAST RISING 

Industry Buzz 

BY SUZANNA CHAMBERS 

Nareel Marina. 

remain favorites for many clients,” said Amanda Armstrong, 

charter broker at Burgess Yachts. “But clients 

are always on the lookout for new destinations, and if 

the superyachts become available there—and they will 

given the kind of infrastructure development taking 

place—then the Middle East will be very popular in the 

years to come.” 

Armstrong’s comments on the region, which already enjoys 

a reputation as a luxury travel destination for landbased 

tourism, are mirrored in charter brokerages across 

the world. “Any time a new cruising destination starts to 

become popular, especially when there is a strong investment 

in the infrastructure for yachts, it means opportunity,” 

said Matt Emerson, a charter manager at Camper 

& Nicholsons International (CNI). “This opportunity has a 

trickle-down effect that starts with the yachts beginning

to cruise the area available for charter. Yachting companies 

that represent these yachts for charter and sale are 

then opened up to greater business potential, and the 

shore-side support businesses welcome a whole new 

revenue stream. Abu Dhabi has laid the groundwork for 

this to happen, and CNI plans to be a part of it.” 

Indeed, some of the world’s leading yacht charter companies 

already offer limited services in the region. “We 

are planning on expanding our operations in the Gulf,” 

said Charlie Birkett, CEO of YCO Group. “We already 

have one representative permanently based there, and 

we hope to expand this over the coming years. It is certainly 

an important and growing region for us.” 

Luxury charter company Windward Islands also offers a 

number of cruising possibilities in both Abu Dhabi and 

neighboring Dubai. The area “provides fascinating contrasts, 

a distinctive blend of traditional and modern,” a 

company spokesman said. “Abu Dhabi is increasingly 

asserting itself as a luxury travel and business destination, 

as well as a cultural centre in the region. Its outlying 

islands make it a popular sailing destination.” 

Another company to move into the area is Belevari Marine, 

set up by Berend Lens van Rijn. The Dutchman 

saw the area’s potential whilst working in Europe and 

believes that in five years, activity in the region will 

be unprecedented. “They’re catching up really fast. 

They’re taking the expertise from around the world and 

pumping it into Abu Dhabi,” he told local newspaper 

The National. 

The Mediterranean is currently the leading destination 

for superyachts, with 35 marinas in France alone to cater 

to large yachts, according to a recent survey by The 

Yacht Report. But authorities in and around Abu Dhabi 

have done much in recent years to provide state-of- 

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Industry Buzz: Middle East Rising 

Yas Hotel and Marina. 

the-art facilities so the region can compete with the 

likes of Europe. Billions of dollars have been spent on 

turning the area, which boasts more than 200 natural 

islands and 700 kilometers of coastline, into the perfect 

sailing territory. 

Upwards of a dozen marinas are currently under construction 

in and around Abu Dhabi, the capital of the 

UAE, with plans for up to 45 by the year 2030. The largest 

and most impressive is undeniably Yas Island, a $40 

billion development that lies between Abu Dhabi and 

Dubai. The island will boast no less than five marinas on 

its 10,000-square-metre surface on completion, with up 

to 1,400 berths available. 

Yas Marina, the island’s pinnacle yacht development, has 

already attracted superyachts from as far away as Australia 

for the Abu Dhabi Formula One, the track for which 

snakes around the marina and the futuristic Yas Hotel. 

The marina was in the nautical news again in February 

when it hosted the Abu Dhabi Yacht Show. Organized by 

Informa Yacht Group (IYG) and the Abu Dhabi Tourism 

Authority (ADTA), the event was a success welcoming 

more than 6,000 visitors. 

“The feedback we have received from the exhibitors, 

the positive interest shown by various clients, and the 

number of serious buyers that attended has been extremely 

encouraging,” said Franck Dailles, IYG’s group 

director. “The yachting industry, and the number of 

yachting and marine related businesses in Abu Dhabi, 

has been growing, and the show is playing a significant 

role in further strengthening its claim to be a global 

superyacht destination.” 


On the back of the yacht show’s success, Trinity Yachts has 

announced that it plans to open a Middle East regional 

office on Yas Island. This is the company’s first overseas 

operation outside its head office In Gulfport, Mississippi. 

Trinity’s Vice President William S. Smith III said, “We are 

very encouraged by Abu Dhabi, as it is building the infrastructure 

to turn this city into a real yachting destination. 

Our move here is an indication of just how bullish we are 

with this market.” 

Unsurprisingly, the endorsements have been greatly received 

by the ADTA. Deputy Director General Ahmed 

Hussein said, “To be ranked alongside other destinations 

and shows that have an established and long-held industry 

pedigree is a huge leap forward. We still, however, 

have a long way to go, but the industry in Abu Dhabi is 

progressing with numerous marina facilities.” 

Marinas aside, the charter industry in the Middle East 

does face some fairly large hurdles if it hopes to compete 

with the Med, the Caribbean, and the Bahamas. 

Foreign yachts are currently restricted to a two-week 

stay, and a boat permit is required to leave a marina in 

the UAE. Piracy is also a deterrent. Just a few months 

ago the 60-metre, German-built yacht Linda Lou was 

attacked by what were thought to be Somali pirates as 

it passed through the Gulf of Aden on its way to the 

Abu Dhabi Yacht Show. 

These not insignificant growing pains will certainly be 

addressed, in one way or another, as the region continues 

to develop. For now, expansion has clearly put the 

area on the radar of yachtsmen, chaterers, and leading 

brokers and manufacturers around the world.

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Il Sovereign (formerly Tiketitan) was up on the dry 

dock, standing in the middle of a line of other 

yachts undergoing contract/refit work in Palma de 

Mallorca, Spain, when a fire started in the engine 

room on Tuesday, February 2. At 3 p.m. local time, several 

witnesses said they heard an explosion and then the 

Wally sailing yacht was engulfed in flames. 

The on-site team of firefighters arrived on the scene almost 

immediately, but emergency services were quickly 

called due to the scale and ferocity of the fire. Palma 

firefighters spent the afternoon getting the fire under 

control, and carried out various measures to prevent the 

rest of the dry dock going up — including isolating Il 

Sovereign’s fuel tank. Three people suffered burns and 


SUPERYACHT 

INSURANCE 101 

BY ERICA LAY OF YCO YACHT 

The burnedout 

shell of 

Il Sovereign 

(center). 

four others were hospitalized due to smoke inhalation 

from the toxic fumes whilst putting out the fire. Several 

others received treatment at the scene. Fortunately, 

there were no serious injuries. 

Il Sovereign was left looking like a write-off, and the adjacent 

racing yacht, Open Season, was also damaged in 

the event. Pantaenius, Il Sovereign’s insurer, later issued 

a press release confirming that the yacht was a total loss 

and that repair bills to Open Season could run into millions 

of Euros. 

This fire emphasizes the need for yacht owners to always 

ensure a solid insurance policy is in place, because 

without it, the costs of an incident like this could

e devastating. But, where do you start and what do 

you look for in a policy? A number of companies offer 

insurance for yachts, and every policy is slightly different. 

It can be confusing. 

In order to avoid potential pitfalls, the first thing a prudent 

yacht owner should do is appoint a broker who understands 

his needs. The broker should be able to advise 

the owner on which policies are totally necessary and 

which optional add-ons are worth considering. The broker 

will be able to acquire quotes from various underwriters 

and present them to the owner with guidance and 

suggestions, in order to help him select the right policies 

for him and his yacht. 

To begin your yacht insurance education, here are the basic 

insurance policies every owner should be familiar with: 

1. HULL & MACHINERY INSURANCE 

This policy protects the yacht against physical damage 

from maritime perils, such as bad weather, shipwreck 

or collision, and also fire, explosion, and theft. 

Like car insurance, H&M insurance is usually taken out 

for a period of time such as 12 months. The start and 

end dates of the coverage are clearly stated within 

the policy. 

This is a valued policy, as defined in the UK Marine Insurance 

Act Section 27(2): “a policy which specifies the 

agreed value of the subject matter insured.” Basically, 

this means the complete value of the yacht, including all 

interior fittings and furnishings, provisions, stores, etc., 

including engine parts. H&M policies can be written to 

cover an individual yacht or a whole fleet 

The first clause of the H&M policy confirms the yacht will 

be covered at all times, subject to certain exclusions. So, 

for example, the yacht would not be permitted to be 

towed or tow itself unless it’s absolutely necessary (i.e. in 

a dangerous situation). If these rules are broken, then the 

insurer will not have to pay out. The policy wording will 

clearly set out all exclusions and will be tailored to suit 

each yacht at the owner’s request. 

H&M can be extended to include War Clauses, which 

should be considered if the yacht is to sail to at-risk 

areas. This would cover any damage due to acts of war, 

including acts of piracy, vessel capture or detainment, 

hostilities, bombs, and civil wars or revolutions, but 

would also have exclusions. For example, if the vessel 

enters areas deemed unacceptably dangerous due to 

civil unrest or piracy in the policy, the insurance becomes 

null and void. 

H&M can also be extended to include Machinery Damage, 

Additional Perils, and can be altered to change the 

policy excess. Insurance companies offer different packages, 

and as such, H&M policy content will vary. It’s important 

the owner is aware of what is and is not covered, 

which is where the broker will be able to advise. 

2. INCREASED VALUE INSURANCE 

This insurance covers the owner for any difference in 

the insured value to the market value of the yacht. Under 

the Marine Insurance Act, H&M insurance covers 

the market value of the yacht and any insurable interest, 

but no excess of market value. It was proven that 

there were additional costs involved if an owner had 

to totally replace a vessel (such as fuel, onboard supplies, 

office expenses, and various other small things 

that, when added up, can reach a serious amount), and 

so Increased Value Insurance was born. The limit of this 

policy was capped at 25% of the amount insured under 

the H&M insurance. 

Nowadays, H&M insurance usually accounts for 80% of 

the yacht’s value, with Increased Value insurance covering 

the remaining 20%. Buying Increased Value insurance 

is beneficial to the owner, as the rates charged 

are lower than for H&M. Some insurance policies don’t 

mention this as an actual policy; instead it’s already incorporated 

into the main H&M policy. Ask your broker 

if it’s included, and if not, have him negotiate percentages 

on your behalf. 

3. PROTECTION & INDEMNITY INSURANCE 

This insurance covers third-party liabilities. In essence, 

it protects the yacht and the owner against legal liabilities. 

Although the American Form R12 and the Institute 

Yacht Clauses provide basic liability coverage, it’s in the 

owner’s interest to make sure he and the yacht are fully 

protected by acquiring this insurance from either an 

underwriter or a Protection and Indemnity Association 

(P&I Club). 


Superyacht Insurance 101 

Liability insurance is not a legal requirement, but in 

some jurisdictions such as Italy, Spain, and Portugal, it’s 

necessary to produce evidence of this insurance during 

arrival procedures. 

The policy may include the following: 

• Employer’s liability 

• Pollution (environmental and water) 

• Scuba diving for certified divers 

• Racing 

• Usage of watersports equipment 

• Usage of tenders 

• Coverage for US crew (many modern policies 

exclude this group from their policies due to the 

suing culture) 

As mentioned above, the exact coverage of the policies 

will vary from company to company; some will offer the 

basics with additional extras that can be added subject 

to a fee, whereas others may include everything. Smaller 

yacht owners may find a full P&I policy is unnecessary for 

them, in which case they can simply buy a Third-Party Liability 

Insurance Policy to cover them for what they need. 

Aside from these main policies, other items the owner 

may need to consider include: 


• MORTGAGEE’S INSURANCE 

This protects the lender, so he will still be paid his 

proportion of the loss in case the owner’s insurance 

claim has been rejected (i.e. if the owner did some- 

thing to cause damage in breach of his own insur- 

ance agreement). 

• SHIP REPAIRER’S LIABILITY INSURANCE 

Covers risks not covered by the shipyard’s insurance. 

• LOSS OF HIRE OR CHARTER INSURANCE 

In the event the yacht could not carry out booked 

charters due to a loss or incident insured against, 

this insurance will cover a set amount per day, with 

the number of days being capped. 

• CREW MEDICAL INSURANCE 

Although the Employer’s Liability Insurance covers 

the minimum required (and only if the employer 

can be held liable), most yachts nowadays offer 

additional crew medical insurance. There are many 

levels to choose from. Some of these policies can 

be extended to cover costs of finding a replace- 

ment crewmember (e.g. a crew agency fee), or 

death or permanent disability. 

• CREW PERSONAL ACCIDENT 

This insurance covers the owner for the wages 

payable to an injured crewmember for a determined 

period of time, thus covering them financially for 

a replacement, and also covers the crew member for 

physical loss/death. 

• FINE ART INSURANCE 

If the vessel is carrying expensive pieces of art 

or antiques, it would be wise to extend the H&M 

policy to cover these items, including during loading 

or unloading. 

• MOTOR VEHICLE INSURANCE 

If the yacht is carrying cars or motorcycles, the 

insurance may cover them whilst onboard, but when 

on land, they will require their own policies as per 

a normal vehicle (this could vary from country to 

country, so an international policy could be best; a 

broker can help determine this). 

• HELICOPTERS/AIRCRAFT INSURANCE 

As above for vehicles, but the owners must also 

express to the underwriters that the yacht is to be 

used with any aircraft. 

• GEAR/EQUIPMENT IN STORAGE 

This covers any storage points the yacht has (e.g. a 

container of equipment in a boat yard). 

Many firms operating in today’s yachting industry provide 

a single policy to encompass Hull & Machinery, 

Liability, and Increased Value Insurance. Although this 

simplifies the process, an insurance broker will be able 

to get the best deal on each area and advise the owner 

on the best policies, be they with separate underwriters 

or with one. 

Additional reporting by Radana Bernatova of YCO Yacht


TURKISH 

DELIGHTS 

ARTICLE AND PHOTOS BY CAPTAIN WARREN J. EAST 

Our arrival back in Turkey from the Red Sea 

was much needed, as was the Absolute 

and tonic whose taste had become a faint 

memory for me and the crew. The desert 

is really dry, very dry! Our first stop was Antalya, where 

we were heading to pick up a charter that would take us 

west to Bodrum over a two week period. Our guests had 

been onboard several times before in the Caribbean and 

Europe, but I had promised them this was going to be 

the best trip of all. 

Turkey’s southern coastline has very strong resemblance 

to the northwestern coast of the United States and British 

Columbia, with tree-clad mountains dropping into 

the sea. Imagine islands everywhere and quaint little villages 

tucked away in remote areas, where the pace of life

is slow but with still enough going on to lure you off the 

boat for an evening. 

The Lycian Coast, as it’s known, is a great place to sail 

in late spring and summer. Winds are cool and are typically 

from the west to northwest, so we never really 

had to worry about rough seas. We hugged the coast 

and discovered dozens of anchorages that were invis- 

CAPTAINS 



ible from out at sea due to the staggered entrances 

in the rocks that gave protection from all directions in 

adverse weather. 

I remember one such place made me feel like I had taken 

Wonderful into a giant grotto for yachts. Inside, the place 

had a very Caribbean feel with a couple of bars perched 

on the rocks with long skinny docks to back your boat up 

to. I was really starting to fall in love with the place. 

Each day, we sailed for two or three hours and slowly 

made our way up to Fethiya (pronounced fet-ee-ay). This 

was a gem of a spot with as much charm as the French 

or Italian Riviera but with a cultural history that has left 

its remains scattered all over the hillsides—from Roman 

amphitheaters, to tombs that have stood like time capsules 

for hundreds of years, to the sunken city of Kekova, 

which was a highlight for everyone. To think that you can 

actually drive a boat over a sunken city and peer down 


into the clear water and see buildings made of rocks, 

imagining life as it was several hundred years ago— 

that’s pretty amazing stuff! 

Turkish history has been influenced by central Europe, 

Asia, and the Middle East. Wars on the land have come 

from every direction, including from the Romans, who 

advanced and retreated through tireless efforts from the 

Turks formidable army. Despite this history, the people 

are very peaceful. They love their country and they loved 

showing it to us. I have never been met with such warmth 

and sincerity as from the Turks. 

English is very widely spoken throughout but more so in 

the more densely populated areas like Antalia, Marmaris, 

Bodrum, and Kusadasi, where the yachting industry 

seems to thrive through boat yards, marinas, and coastal 

attractions that bring tourists from all over the world. Infrastructure 

and way of life is very much what you would

consider as normal and resembles a more simplistic, 

Greek style due to the climate. Its close proximity to Europe 

has created a very Euro feel, and with the issue of 

joining the EU constantly conflicting their traditions, they 

seem to have found a place that does not put them in, 

nor out. I, for one, hope they stay just the way they are. 

Leaving Fetiya, we moved onto Marmaris, another great 

little city that feeds the local yachting industry. We spent 

some time here and enjoyed the surrounding countryside. 

Marmaris offers access to some of Turkey’s best 

tourist attractions. The old town reminded me of St. Tropez, 

with dozens of 130-foot, wooden Gullets instead of 

megayachts. Very picturesque! The bay of Marmaris also 

offers 360-degree protection from the weather and has 

a couple of really nice marinas. I spoke to a lot of sailors 

that leave their boats there for the winter in one of the 

full-service boatyards, getting lots of work done at extremely 

economical rates. 



Our final destination was Bodrum, the true glitz of the Turkish 

Riviera, with bars, clubs, restaurants, fancy hotels, marinas, 

boatyards and so much more all skirting a beautiful bay 

that overlooks the Greek Island of Kos. Bodrum is a town 

that never sleeps but never seems too much, a fantastic 

place to use as a base for the summer as you’re so close 

to several Greek Islands as well as everything I have mentioned 

above. It’s a fantastic place to do a refit or even a 

quick bottom job but one thing is for sure: You’ll love it! 

The things I will remember most about Turkey are the 

people and their hospitality, the history lessons, the mystery, 

the food, the crystal clear waters, the climate, and 

the sunsets. I would strongly recommend a visit by boat 

if you’re in the Med. We never made it to the capital— 


Ankara—but we did get to see Istanbul a couple of times. 

That’s another story... 

All in all, Turkey is one of my favorite countries. For cruisers, 

it’s a place you could spend a year and never be bored 

or broke. For yacht owners whose yacht is spending the 

summer in the Med, I would recommend at least a two to 

three-week trip along the southern coast. Nowhere is too 

small for even the biggest yacht. For the charterer, go and 

experience life onboard a traditional Turkish Gullet. You 

can’t beat its crew’s hospitality and local knowledge. And 

for yacht crew, just pray your boss falls in love with the 

place so you can spend as much time here as possible. 

There is so much to do with your time off, and if you’re a 

photographer like me, you will be in paradise.

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DON’T FORGET TO ASK FOR THE YACHT ESSENTIALS SPECIAL

YACHT- 

CENTRIC APPS 

With more than 100,000 applications available 

for the iPhone, it is clearly the smartest 

of all smartphones…at least for the 

time being. Other phone app developers 

have started to get in on the act, but the best options 

still reside on iTunes. And there has been an explosion in 

apps that benefit boaters in one way or another. In some 

cases, a simple iPhone app can do the job of an expensive 

piece of electronics, but more often, it just makes it 

a little easier to get the same information quickly. Here 

are some of the best apps out there, and with more than 

a billion (that’s billion with a “b”) iTunes downloads, you 

can bet there are even more charting a course toward a 

smartphone near you. 


BY STEVE ROSENBERG 

FREE APPS: 

THAT ARE WORTH THE MONEY 

WeatherBug 

There are quite a few weather 

apps out there, including a 

straight-forward one from the 

Weather Channel, but Weather- 

Bug does a few neat tricks that 

set it apart. For one thing, it 

loads remarkably fast and collects 

an amazing amount of data 

from the closest weather station 

based on your current location. 

Just shake your phone to refresh 

the screen. 

DON’T RELY ON EMERGENCY BEACON APPS! 

Yacht Pages 

How did we ever survive without this digital directory in 

our pocket? Yacht Pages is a list of yacht-specific products 

and services that can help you find caviar in the Caribbean, 

mops in Monaco, or galley help in Greece. Its 

intuitive search engine can even help when you don’t 

know exactly what you’re looking for. Integration with 

Google Maps is a plus. 

WindGuru 

It never hurts to know which way the wind’s blowin’ (just 

ask Bob Dylan), and this app gives not only current readings, 

but can project wind speed, direction, temperature, 

cloud cover, and precipitation for up to a week. The little 

direction arrows help you spot the pattern, rather than 

just give you a look at one gust at a time. 

InBetween 

Now, this is a cool idea. Basically, this app finds your location 

and your buddy’s location using the built-in GPS 

on both of your iPhones and plots a convenient meeting 

place roughly halfway between. Whether you both need 

a tank of tender fuel or a tasty grouper sandwich, you 

have a simple way to connect. 

$1 APPS: WHAT THE HECK, IT’S ONLY A BUCK 

Yachts (50 of the Largest) 

It’s like having a field guide to spotting the biggest and 

most expensive yachts in the world, complete with permission 

to come aboard. Ranked by sortable stats such 

as price, size, and speed, each yacht includes a secret 

“special feature” as described by its owner. Photos are 

full screen and are fairly high resolution. 

Brightest Flashlight Pro 

There are quite a few flashlight apps for iPhone, including 

free versions that work pretty well. However, there 

are a couple of compelling reasons to pony up the .99 

cents for this hard-working utility. It’s noticeably brighter 

than its competitors, you can easily switch from white to 

red, it’s got a built-in SOS mode, and you can continue 

listening to music. 

While they are functional in most non-emergency situations, don’t rely on any of the apps called emergency signal 

beacons or even social networking apps like Here I Am. They aren’t accurate enough without a strong wi-fi or 3G phone 

signal. Your best option is to dial 911 or send a distress call on VHF channel 16 if you find yourself in a real situation.

Moon Phase 

Need to know when your Gibbous is waning? That information, 

along with a surprisingly detailed guide to 

all things moon-related, is at your fingertips in this elegant 

app. It comes with a precise monthly calendar 

view of what you can expect every day. And, if you have 

a 3GS iPhone, it even includes moon compass. 

AnchorAlert 

Unlike the more expensive version, AnchorAlert shows 

you an actual Google Earth map of your position should 

your anchor start dragging or break loose. It actually 

lets you set parameters for the alarm, such as the number 

of feet you can drift. A good option as a backup to 

your onboard GPS position warning. 

$1+ APPS: A LITTLE MORE DOUGH, A GREAT VALUE 

Tide Graph ($1.99) 

As with a few other categories, there are several tide apps 

to choose from. Leave those alone and put up the extra 

buck for the most comprehensive, user-friendly, and accurate 

version out there. Using harmonic predictions from 

thousands of coastal stations, you get tides, along with 

sunrise/sunset, all customized to your exact location. 

Nav Clock ($1.99) 

This at-a-glance, full-function weather station clock gives 

your precise longitude/latitude, temperature, visibility, 

humidity, dew point, and barometric pressure. It instantly 

updates no matter where you are, and the background 

image matches what’s outside in case you’re sleeping in. 

Can be set to six different languages. 

DON’T HAVE AN IPHONE? 

While iTunes is the repository for iPhones, you’ll 

have to look a little harder to find apps built for 

other smartphones. The best one is www.getjar. 

com, which hosts apps for every other brand and is 

second only to “you know who” in terms of downloads. 

Great user interface and easy to use. 

Knot Time ($2.99) 

You can probably tie a bowline in your sleep, but when 

it comes to a timber, clove, or trucker’s hitch it wouldn’t 

hurt to have a little cheat sheet handy. That’s exactly what 

this app will do for you. Just chose the closest category 

(in addition to boating, it includes common camping and 

mountaineering knots) and you’re all set. 

Sailing Log ($4.99) 

This interactive logbook makes it easy to keep up with 

the official documentation of your voyage, and it doubles 

as convenient way to file a float plan. One of the great 

features is that the “Quick Log” is pre-loaded with all 

the weather/sea conditions, so you just fill in the normal 

entry fields. You can even send an arrival e-mail when 

you reach your destination. 


There are all kinds of mariners out on the water: 

some are sailors, and some prefer motor 

yachts. Some are billionaires with multiple superyachts, 

and some can barely afford a small 

skiff. Many are experienced with hundreds of thousands 

of sea miles logged, and others are beginners still mustering 

up the courage to take their boat out of the slip. 

While it is easy to point out all of our differences, we all 

share a common passion to spend time on the water. We 

all hope for a great experience without any failures or 

mishaps. But what about when things go wrong? Mother 


THE GOLDEN RULE 

BY CAPTAIN JEREMY SMITH 

On the water, professional assistance 

is not right around the corner as in 

most areas on land. 

Nature and Murphy’s Law don’t care what kind of boat 

you enjoy, how much money is in your wallet, or your current 

level of experience. In these terms, suddenly, we’re 

all pretty similar. 

Anybody who has ever set foot on a boat knows that 

problems occur frequently. Vessels often lose power,

For Crew. By Crew. 

PHOTO CONTEST 

Send in your favorite images 

from your working lives! 

Email your images to 

contest@yachtessentials.com 

Please include your name, position, 

yacht name and photo captions. 

Names and information can be 

withheld upon request. 

WIN A DIGITAL SLR CANON CAMERA! 


The Golden Rule 

foul props, run aground, drag anchor, and more! The list 

goes on and on…. 

On the water, professional assistance is not right around the 

corner as in most areas on land. Additionally, the marine 

environment is naturally quite unforgiving, and sometimes 

downright hazardous. Therefore, when mariners encounter 

trouble, they often rely on each other for help. 

A few years ago while in a crowded anchorage in the 

British Virgin Islands, I suddenly heard some commotion 

from a nearby boat. An entering sailboat had crossed 

too close to the bow of another moored sailboat, and 

its rudder had tangled in the mooring line. As it was essentially 

moored in reverse, the boat then lost control 

and blew into the moored vessel. 

I jumped into the dinghy along with several other crewmembers 

and went over to assist. Neither crew on either 

of the two involved boats knew what to do, so they happily 

accepted our help. We were able to easily resolve 

the situation by releasing the moored boat from its pennant, 

and then the mooring line easily untangled from 

the other boat’s rudder. The crews aboard both boats 

were extremely grateful. 

The involved boats were both from bareboat charter 

companies. Was the mishap caused by a mistake? Absolutely. 

Was either captain qualified to run a sailboat? 

Probably not. However, once the event happened, 

things like that didn’t matter; that was “water under 

the bridge,” or perhaps “under the keel” in this case. 

We could have all sat back in the cockpit and watched 

some great entertainment as the two captains struggled 

to resolve their problem, but we chose to help instead. 

As professional crew, we certainly did not have 

much in common with these individuals, but we put 

our differences aside and made their day significantly 

less stressful. 

In a situation like this, it is great to help others, but 

it is even more important to keep yourself safe. Before 

running out to try and be a hero, make sure you 

are adequately prepared. Useful items often include 

a good knife, VHF radio, and some line. Try to predict 

what other items may be necessary. If the incident occurs 

at night, do you have enough lighting? Do you 

have enough lifejackets for everybody in the rescue 

party? Is your vessel or tender seaworthy enough to 

handle the current sea conditions? Are you experi- 


enced and capable of helping resolve the situation, 

or will your presence just cause additional panic and 

make things worse? 

When the adrenaline starts pumping, it is easy to overlook 

these details. If you feel that you will put yourself 

or your vessel in danger for any reason, it is no longer 

a good idea to render assistance. There are plenty 

of stories of individuals getting into trouble while attempting 

to help others. If the rescuers need to be rescued, 

then they were obviously not helping to remedy 

the situation. 

Once at the scene, communication becomes of paramount 

importance. Before beginning any assistance, 

speak with the captain of the troubled vessel to make 

sure they would like support. Although I have never 

heard of anyone turning down help, it is still prudent to 

check — and you actually have a legal obligation to do 

so. Speak with the victims to plan a safe and efficient 

solution. Make sure everybody understands exactly 

what is going to be done, so there are no surprises. 

Remember all the resources you have available. What 

equipment could be used? Who else could you call 

for assistance? This is a great time to get creative, 

while keeping things safe, simple, and reasonable. As 

a general rule, the least complex solution is usually 

the best. 

Finally, during the entire process, remember to take 

your time. Rushing will cause mistakes, which can lead 

to disastrous results. In most minor marine incidents, 

time is not very critical. A drifting boat, for example, 

can often drift for another few minutes without causing 

any additional harm. 

Although user error is often the cause of these incidents, 

it is important to keep things in perspective. Mistakes 

happen, things break, and problems occur. That’s just 

the nature of boating. Although you may see other mariners’ 

mistakes as “not your problem,” remember that 

someday you will be stuck in a bad situation and need 

assistance. If it happened to them, it could happen to 

you too. Remember the Golden Rule, “Always treat others 

the way you would like to be treated.” What goes 

around comes around. 

Won’t you be happy when someone offers you help 

when you need it most?

ST. VINCENT & THE GRENADINES 

Direct USA #: (703) 738-6461 

St. Vincent: (784) 456-4338 

Bequia: (784) 458-3686 

Union Island: (784) 456-4338 

Canouan: (784) 456-4338 

Mustique: (784) 456-4338 

�� 

sam-taxi-tours@vincysurf.com 

GRENADA 

Direct USA #: 347 721 9271 

Phone: (473) 444-5313 

Mobile: (473) 407-0522 

Fax: (473) 444-4460 

VHF channel 68 

Email: safari@spiceisle.com 

Get It Done 

&Have Some H 

Fun! 

ON 7 ISLANDS 

SOUFRIERE, ST. LUCIA 

Direct USA #: (347) 634 3037 

Tel: (758) 459 5457 

Cell: (758) 484 0708 

Office Cell: (758) 714 8217 

Magic Jack: 951 582 6147 

Magic Jack: 321 220 8961 

VHF channel 16 

Email: saltibusb@slucia.com 

SERVICES INCLUDE: �� 

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Mike steering with 

the emergency tiller 

off Union Island. 

Bernard Moitessier once said something to the 

effect that the captain of a sailing boat has the 

privilege of sleeping for days when the trades 

are blowing and the sun is shining…but with that 

comes the responsibility of standing a 48-hour watch in 

a winter gale. You do what’s necessary. 

We were on an overnight passage from Dominica to St. 

Lucia on a 50-foot sloop. The students on board had 

learned enough about navigation to ignore the GPS, 

which was easy because at that point they didn’t know 

it existed. They were steering a course due south, using 

the Southern Cross as their natural compass. 


EFFECTIVE LEADING, 

AND FOLLOWING 

I was keeping track of their progress on the GPS, without 

their knowledge, while they dead-reckoned. I started 

to notice that our track was well east of where they 

thought we were. And we were getting awfully close to 

Martinique. I bided my time, and waited to see if anybody 

would get the picture. 

Finally, Mike, one of the younger students, spoke up: 

“Hey guys, how do we know we are actually on the path 

we think we are on? It feels like we’re too close to that 

island over there.” 

Great question, I thought to myself. 

BY ANDY SCHELL

It was only Day 10 of a 32-day program, taking us from St. 

Martin south to Trinidad and everywhere in between. My 

students, 10 in total, were all high-schoolers, between 16 

and 19 years old. Many of them had never set foot on a 

sailboat before, and none had any real experience in a 

leadership position. 

A debate ensued, and we continued sailing parallel along 

Martinique’s western coast, close enough to see car headlights 

on shore. Mike scrambled for the hand-bearing compass 

and managed to take two LOPs from two lighthouses. 

When he plotted them, it was comically apparent how far 

off course the boat was. With the help of a few others, Mike 

plotted a new course to steer, ordered the change, and we 

eventually made St. Lucia early the next morning. 

Once Mike took control of the situation, and realized that 

I was affording him control by taking a passive stance 

on the incident, he blossomed. Mike handled the situation 

perfectly, going through the steps of identifying the 

problem, brainstorming a solution, and executing the 

course change. It was picture-perfect leadership, utilizing 

his skills and the skills of the others around him to get 

out of what could have been a sticky situation. 

The program, organized by Broadreach / Academic Treks 

(who run adventure programs the world over; see www. 

gobroadreach.com), was designed specifically to extract 

this kind of leadership from our students. Each person 

was assigned specific roles each day, with one person 

designated “Leader of the Day” to facilitate those roles. 

The objective of the program was to have the kids 100% 

in charge of running the boat during the last 10 days, 

from the actual sailing right on down to budgeting for 

provisions, clearing customs, and managing activities. 

My objective was to empower the students enough so 

that I could relax during those last 10 days. 

“Leadership” is an ephemeral quality. What makes a 

good leader is often difficult to pinpoint. Good leaders 

seem natural, seem born for it. I believe leadership can 

be taught, and it starts with good followership. 

Admittedly, it’s difficult to be a good follower when 

you’re “following” a lousy leader. But it’s often worthwhile 

to take a step back and evaluate just why you think 

you’re captain is a bad leader. Is it because you don’t 

like scrubbing stainless all day? Or is he/she legitimately 

endangering the crew or the boat? And are you, as crew, 

living up to your expectations as a follower? 

The most successful leaders empower their followers into 

action, whether it’s the captain asking the mate to make the 

next passage plan, or the chef asking the stew to design 

tomorrow night’s meal. During that night sail to St. Lucia, I 

purposefully stayed out of the way to see what would happen. 

When Mike realized that I knew what was going on 

all along and was testing them, he took charge. He wasn’t 

afraid to lead because he wasn’t afraid to fail, and he knew 

I wasn’t looking over his shoulder the entire time. 

The best leaders on our trip emerged during the final 10 

days of the program. The kids were 100% on their own. 

And they faced their share of adversity. 

In the Grenadines, our steering cable sheered. This time, 

DJ took charge, remembered where the emergency tiller 

was and managed to sail three miles without the wheel 

and safely anchor the boat in the lee of Mayreau. That 

evening, two of the girls, Kathy and Cornelia, dug out the 

autopilot manual and realized we could make it all the 

way to Grenada using the autopilot to steer, where we’d 

find better repair facilities. Tanner, DJ, and Mike found the 

bus route that would take us to Budget Marine, where 

they asked the manager for help, described the problem, 

bought the part (a new master link) and fixed the steering, 

all independent of a single word of input on my part. 

By setting up expectations between captain and crew 

and empowering everyone involved in the running of a 

boat, whether it’s a 30-foot daysailor or a J-Class yacht, 

both the captain and crew will be more successful—and 

happier—in their everyday duties. 

Mike practicing a 

sunsight en route 

to St. Lucia the 

next morning. 


S/Y Visione, Winner of the 2010 Superyacht 

Cup Antigua. Thank you for having 

me aboard! 


ANTIGUA 

SUPERYACHT CUP 

1 

BY CHRIS KENNAN 

6 

5

2 

1: Pre-Race Strategy Session. 2: Travis. 3: Hasso Plattner, the Winning 

Owner AND one of the owners that drives during the regattas. 

Congratulations! 4: Tony Rae and Rooster. 5: Justin and his aerial 

acrobatics. 6: Jim, Robbie Naismith, Richard Mason and Capt. Garth 

hard at it... 

3 

4 


Antigua Superyacht Cup 

Thank you Owner, Captain and Crew of S/Y P2. Had a blast 

racing with you. Best of luck with the future regattas! 

7 


1 

2

3 4 

6 

1: Capt. Jonathan Kline, Sam McCarthy and Paul Scoffin. 2: P2 Spinnaker Flying. 

3: Riding the Rail. 4: David White. 5: Peter Holmberg and Capt. Jonathan Kline. 

6: Doyle Sails Peter Grimm Jr. hard at it. 7: Thanks for a great day of racing! 

3 

5 



Copyright Sue Blundell 2009 

THE VICIOUS 

YACHTIE CYCLE 

Working Life 

BY SANDRA CHANCE

I 

was 18 years old the first time I left the country. I 

bounced around the world with my Jansport backpack, 

from Central America to South America to 

Europe to Australia to Europe again to Africa and 

back to Europe in between quite a few times. Each 

time I returned home to New Mexico, I found myself 

in the same position: broke. And when I finally conquered 

Africa and returned home at the age of 24, 

or rather, embarrassingly returned to a friend’s couch 

in my mid 20s, I asked myself, “What now?” At that 

point, I hung my boots up for four years to attend college, 

and after I graduated I headed down to the Caribbean 

with that same backpack. Although my boots 

had temporarily retired, the travel bug was still biting. 

I was off again. 

We make loads of cash, push off, 

spend all of our money, manage to 

survive while hunting for work, 

get a job, and repeat. 

Not much has changed since that first foreign adventure 

to Mexico at the age of 18. Long story short, I 

started working on boats after college and each time I 

left a boat I found myself in the same position: broke. 

In all fairness, I wasn’t broke as soon as I stepped off 

the boat. Instead, my pockets were usually stuffed 

with cash from months salaries, and I would live like a 

king for X amount of time before I spent all of my cash 

on god knows what and would thus be forced to live 

like a pauper. 

The last time I was in dire destitution was two years 

ago in Palma (sadly, I had to dispose of the Jansport 

backpack in Spain because a friend’s cat had used it as 

a kitty litter box and I could not get the smell of urine 

out). Dean and I had been unemployed for much longer 

than I would like to admit, and most of our days in Palma 

were spent reminiscing about when we had money 

while pulling the couch apart in a desperate rummage 

for Euro coins. I’m sure you are familiar with this routine 

to some extent. We make loads of cash, push off, spend 

all of our money, manage to survive while hunting for 

work, get a job, and repeat. 

I don’t know why the rest of you yachties keep screwing 

up and continue to master this cycle, but speaking 

for myself, I think I never got burned as a child. Psy- 

chologically speaking, a young child will touch a hot 

pan; their nervous system will react, synapses will fire 

and they pull their hand away. From then on, they will 

have it engrained that “hot pan = pain” and will more 

than likely avoid intentionally touching a hot pain 

again. Somehow, I clearly managed to bypass this very 

important learning curve; it’s similar to waking up with 

a brutal hangover and saying, “Never again.” 

I can’t blame it on my friends back home, but their 

positive reinforcement kept me on the international 

go. “Wow, Sandra,” as they marveled over my photos 

from safari in Kenya. “What an amazing life you lead.” 

I’d be languidly lounging on their couch, wearing their 

socks, and respond, “Yeah. Can you pass me the potato 

chips? I’ve been eating African rice cake and goat 

meat for three months.” My friends kept me going, 

kept me living, kept supporting me while I somehow 

finagled my way into buying another plane ticket 

somewhere, anywhere, and avoiding any responsibility, 

like jury duty and babysitting. Because they had 

a vicarious relationship with me, they never allowed 

me to play with fire and permitted me to stay on their 

couch for as long as need be. I’d like to think of myself 

as not being a freeloader and was always a very considerate 

guest but I could tell that couch surf visit #43 

was riding Maria’s nerves. 

Thus, I was prime for yachting. I knew how to survive 

on next to nothing and still have fun. I’d board a yacht, 

work my ass off, leave the boat, spend my money on 

fine wine and caviar, and begin the freak out that I was 

never going to find work again. At that point, expensive 

French cuisine goes out the window and you’re grateful 

that baguettes and Nutella are so incredibly ubiquitous 

and cheap. What’s that saying in the industry? “Zero to 

Hero”? I suppose we can all testify to that flip-flop of a 

rollercoaster ride. 

I always look back at those memories of deprivation 

with fondness because somehow, I came up with 

my head above water. Since Spain, it’s been a pretty 

smooth ride. In fact, I’m not even working now because 

my boyfriend’s engineering salary is putting me through 

a seven-month school program AND giving me a disposable 

income. 

A big thanks to Dean and my friends for never ever allowing 

me to play with fire. Because of them, I have truly 

mastered the vicious yachtie cycle. 

CREW 



MEET VICTORIA ALLMAN 

Shining stars are many times spun from faraway 

galaxies. Victoria Allman is a star of the 

brightest magnitude. She stands on the aft 

deck of the 142-foot Cocoa Bean with the 

tropical sun of South Florida bouncing off her hair and 

with a mischievous smile tells me of the adventures that 

led her to the successful position she enjoys today. 

She was born 37 years ago in a small town in the 

mountains north of Toronto, Canada, far from the 

ocean. Raised by her working single mother, Alana, 

along with her younger sister, Nancy, the cooking fell 

to her. From a small garden she picked vegetables to 

be ready for a five-o’clock dinner. She thought this 

was the only way to prepare a meal; fresh, simple, 

and seasonal. 

Her first job at age 16 was as a dishwasher at the Next 

Wave restaurant in Ontario. The chef/owner and his 

wife inspired Allman with the recipes from around 

France. She was hooked, eager to learn more about 

food and wine and travel. In six months, she learned 

basic cooking methods, and her boss helped her get 

into the Stratford Cooking School. The head instructor 

at the school looked her up and down and said 

she wouldn’t last a week. Obviously, he didn’t know 

her “stubborn Aries streak,” and two years later she 

graduated with honors. 

After graduation, Allman headed to Ft. Lauderdale, 

the Mecca of US yachting, to interview with Bob 

Saxon Associates. She was thrilled to get a job. The 

very next day, she started aboard the 130-foot charter 

yacht Pari. It was scheduled to show in the Ft. Lauderdale 

Boat Show the following day! Allman was thrilled, 

then dismayed — there was no food aboard. Not only 

would they need hors d’oeuvres for about 100 people, 

but lunch and dinner for the six crew. She dove into 

the deep end, provisioned the yacht, and cooked dinner 

for the crew the first night as well. 

Profile of a Charter Chef 

BY CAPTAIN JAN ROBINSON 

Allman loved her job on Pari — the yacht, the crew, 

the owners, and especially the places she traveled 

— first the Bahamas and the Caribbean and then Sardinia 

and the Italian Coast. In 2000, when the boat 

sold, she traveled through Europe. Maybe her former 

boss had whet her appetite for France with his own 

musings of a real French bouillabaisse. “When you 

travel alone and are flexible, many adventures can 

come your way” Allman told me. 

She lets nothing hinder her quest 

for inventive, fresh cuisine — 

even hiking into the wilderness, 

camping, and fly-fishing 

with a guide. 

She was right. While in France, her hosts explained 

how they shopped daily for fresh ingredients, unlike 

Americans. “’The proximity to the sea allows for 

abundance of seafood, while the hillside and steep 

mountains provide the perfect conditions for growing 

olives and raising sheep…and warm-weather 

aromatic herbs and vegetables such as tomatoes 

zucchini, peppers, basil and oregano, garlic. Here, 

children eat what adults eat and drink what the 

adults drink.’ Their children were dining on goose 

liver foie gras, and the 2-year-old was busy ‘gummin’ 

on strong Roquefort cheese!” 

The time to “pay the piper” came, and Allman 

returned to Ft. Lauderdale. Having established a 

reputation as a top-notch chef, her next billet was 

on the 165-foot Feadship Blue Moon. She met 

Captain Emile and his girlfriend, Marisa, and immediately 

found a fellowship with them and the crew. 

Blue Moon had a crew of 10 and guest accommodations 

for the same number. The real challenge was 

providing enough variety so the crew wasn’t food-

PHOTOGRAPH BY SUKI FINNERTY 


Profile of a Charter Chef 

bored. Her goal: 35 weeks of lunches and dinners 

without repetition. 

Thankfully, Allman possesses an adventurous spirit and 

a passion for cooking with local food that dates back 

to her childhood. She lets nothing hinder her quest 

for inventive, fresh cuisine — even hiking into the wilderness, 

camping, and fly-fishing with a guide — and 

furthering her education at the Culinary Institute of 

America in New York. 

Seeking to expand her horizons, Allman next joined 

Pangea, a 184-foot expedition-type yacht that was 

very different from the “wedding cake” type vessels 

most people are accustomed to seeing. “People 

charter Pangea not to be seen, but to dive, fish, 

and for the adventure of cruising the South Pacific,” 

she said. 

The real challenge was providing 

enough variety so the crew 

wasn’t food-bored. Her goal: 

35 weeks of lunches and dinners 

without repetition. 

After an on-again-off-again romance of a few years, 

Patrick, whom she first met when she went to Ft. Lauderdale, 

also joined Pangea and they were together. 

While it was a wonderful journey, Pangea sold, and 

they enventually landed on Cocoa Bean, based out 

of France in the summer and Barcelona in the winter. 

Cocoa Bean is now also for sale, and both Allman and 

Patrick will transfer with their owner to a 243-foot Trinity 

currently under construction. 

The couple was married in November 2007 on the 

beach in Anguilla at the Cuisinart Resort and Spa. 

Allman chose her wedding destination because of 

the tasty tomato salad they serve. “I just love those 

tomatoes they grow on the property.” During her 

“spare time,” Allman wrote an innovative cookbook: 

Sea Fare: A Chef’s Journey Across the Ocean. It includes 

30 mouth-watering recipes as well as more adventures 

of this vibrant and unique young woman. 

Follow her continuing journey on www.victoriaallman.com. 


SALMON TARTAR 

INGREDIENTS: 

2 lbs Atlantic salmon 

2 tablespoons finely chopped shallots 

3 tablespoons chopped chives 

1 tablespoon chopped capers 

1 lemon, zested 

3 tablespoons lemon juice 

1 tablespoon olive oil 

1 teaspoon sea salt 

12 grinds fresh black pepper 

GARNISH: 

Thin sliced cucumbers 

Lemon Zest 

Microgreens 

Cut salmon into small dice with a sharp knife without 

mincing it. Refrigerate until ready to serve. 

In a medium bowl, mix together the shallot, chives, 

capers, lemon zest and juice and olive oil. 

Just before serving, mix the salmon with the lemon 

juice mixture and season. Taste for acidity and 

seasoning. 

Pack into a ring mold and plate on a ring of cucumbers. 

Top with microgreens and lemon zest. 

Serve immediately. 

Serves 6-8

LESSONS 

FROM AN 

OLD YACHTIE 


BY JENNIFER GOFF 

Goldilocks had it good. She got to plop down 

on the furniture, sample the food, and snuggle 

into the beds before picking her favorite. 

To find my new job/home/family, I had only 

short interviews and gut feelings to go on — no chance 

to test the narrow bunks or chill on the crew mess settee, 

although I did get offered kabobs during one post-interview 

walkthrough. 

As a woman in my early 30s with about 20,000 nautical 

miles of sailing under my SOSpenders and an A+ on my 

captain’s exam, it’s been a very different experience finding 

a job than when I first joined the industry as a brighteyed 

22-year-old eager to cruise the seas. I’ve been 

around long enough to know that working on a yacht is 

not all piña coladas and moped adventures on distant 

islands, that a crazy crewmember can sabotage an otherwise 

good bunch, and that burnout is not a pretty thing. 

Luckily, I also know that it can be a hell of a lot of fun and 

a great way to save money if you don’t spend it all on 

booze and fancy clothes. 

Still, rejoining the race at my “mature” age came with 

some challenges, and I learned a few important lessons 

along the way. 

LESSON #1: 

Flying solo with experience makes it a lot easier 

to find a job. Duh. 

I was eager to give the yachtie life another go after a 

couple of years on land; the captain’s class wasn’t cheap, 

and the crew house was filling up with drunk young 

stews/decks crowing about Waxys and dockwalking in 

halter tops. 

I did my obligatory rounds at the crew agencies. It felt 

more like catching up with old friends compared to my 

first interview alongside my boyfriend a decade before, 

when we smiled profusely, answered mundane questions, 

and tried to look as cute and bubbly as possible. 

We scored a job eventually, but the opportunities for 

couples were far more limited. 

My experience and purported longevity doesn’t hurt 

me these days. My last job lasted three years, basically 

a lifetime in this transient industry. “Longevity” is one of 

those buzz words that is almost as important as I would 

learn “fit” is to certain yachts (see Lesson #4). Within a 

couple of days of setting out on the job search, the interviews 

started rolling in. 

LESSON #2: 

Don’t jump the gun. Trust your gut and be patient. 

And, when the red flags pop up, run! 

During my first interview, the chief stew told me I’d 

be the stew/cook on a yacht with a fabulous schedule. 

Excellent! Break up the monotony between Q-tipping 

corners and hot ovens, see new places, rack up sea 

miles…but the more she talked about the long hours, 

the very strict budget, that the captain was a yeller, 

and that they were churning through girls, the red 

flags blinded me. 

With much hesitation, because of the killer itinerary and 

her pleasantness, I turned the job down and reminded 

myself that a better situation would come along. 

LESSON #3: 

Being multifaceted doesn’t necessarily make it 

easier to land a job. Choose a position instead of 

suggesting that you can do a bit of everything. 

I wasn’t quite sure where I fit in. Deckhand? Mate? Stew? 

Cook? On my last boat, I was all of the above. But crewing 

on a 64’ ketch with a crew of two is different from 

manning the megayachts that initially drew me into the 

industry a decade before.

My first freelance gig was chief stew for a dinner party. 

By the end of the night of caviar and copious amounts of 

red wine, I was reminded how much fun it was to facilitate 

a good time for the owners and their guests. Maybe 

I could enjoy this stew thing? 

Another week had me in the galley as crew chef for 12, 

and I loved the fact that I didn’t smell of cleaning solution 

and got to play with vegetables all day. Maybe I’d 

go the crew chef route…. 

So, I was getting stew and cook work, but what about 

the deckie-bosun-mate-captain route? The deck jobs 

weren’t coming up, or I was too old (or too female) for an 

entry-level position, or they were paying too little for a 

sailing deck/stew. “Stay open to anything,” I told myself. 

“But don’t expect to be everything on board.” 

Don’t try to be a Jack of 

All Trades. Focus in order 

to find a job. 

LESSON #4: 

Trying to compete with 20 year olds is not 

attractive in any sense. If a boat is looking 

for a hot young thing, age and experience 

don’t matter. 

“You’ll meet with the first officer,” the agent said. “Then, 

if you make the cut, I mean, if you’re the right fit for the 

boat, you’ll meet the captain, then the owner, and he 

will make the final decision. They want a fit, bubbly stew. 

Just make sure to look nice.” 

I started to tell her that, although I can easily run five 

miles and am holding up well for my three decades out 

in the sun, I am no leggy, 19-year-old model. “No, they 

are looking for someone a little more mature. Did I mention 

that you should look really nice for the interview?” 

I wondered how many girls they had gone through that 

they were digging into the “over 30” demographic for 

this notorious party boat. No amount of experience on 

boats would get me a job on this floating frat party unless 

the measurements were right. When I met the (young, 

pretty, busty) girls onboard, I was sure the “interview” 

would be ending shortly. 

I’m OK with not being hot stew material. Some younger girls 

might see mandatory partying and clubbing with the owner 

as a job perk. I see it as an interruption to my sleep schedule. 

In the end, I wasn’t the right look, um, I mean “fit.” 

LESSON #5: 

Choosing your friends/coworkers/family-to-be 

for months or years at a time can be difficult 

when all you have to base your decision on is an 

hour-long meeting. If you get a good vibe from 

the crew you meet and they like the other crew, 

you’re probably set, at least for a while. 

It was nearing the post-captain’s class two-week mark 

when I stepped on M/Y Fit. “It’s more like a home than 

a yacht, you know?” the chief stew said, as she led me 

down into the spacious crew area covered with pictures 

and funny notes on whiteboards. 

“We just shove all the dishes into the machine. 

We don’t scrape,” she said. “The dishwasher 

can take it.” I’m in the do-not-prewashbefore-dishwashing 

camp, so this was yet another 

affirmation that I’d found my boat. That, the cozy 

crew mess, and the fact that every crewmember I met 

acted like an old friend welcoming me home. 

I went with the happy butterflies in my gut and accepted. 

These days, I feel as content as Goldilocks did when she 

settled into Baby Bear’s bed after stuffing her mouth with 

porridge and busting a chair. I know the honeymoon 

can’t last forever in this ever-shifting subculture of yachts, 

crew, and varied ambitions, but I’m hoping to stave off 

the arrival of the three bears (a.k.a. burnout) for as long 

as possible…and save up some dough, which, unless she 

went through their drawers, is something that Goldilocks 

chick never got a chance to do. Take that landlubber! 



MEET CLAIRE MEANY 

Claire Meany may only be 20 years old, but 

this young Irish lady has done her fair share 

of traveling. She joined the yachting industry 

at 18 after graduating high school, and she 

hasn’t looked back yet. She currently works aboard a 

newly built 40-meter Westport, “for a lovely American 

family,” and when she isn’t working, she’s exploring 

new destinations or diving to new depths, always looking 

for the next unknown. Though she may be young, 

her upbeat attitude and the quick manner in which she’s 

learned to adapt to difficult situations and demanding 

requests make her our Stew of the Month. 

HOW DID YOU GET STARTED IN THE 

YACHTING INDUSTRY? HOW LONG HAVE YOU 

BEEN WORKING ON BOATS? 

Actually, my dad introduced me to the idea of working 

on yachts. When I graduated from high school, I didn’t 

know what I wanted to study, so I decided to take a year 

off. After traveling through West Africa, my dad put me 

in touch with a friend of his who is the captain of a yacht 

based in Antibes. He told me about the industry and what 

I needed to do to get on a boat. A few weeks later, I was 

flown to Italy to start my first stew position on Paradigm, 

a 115-foot Benetti. That was about two years ago. 

ANY EXCITING STORIES/HILARIOUS MISTAKES 

YOU’VE MADE THAT YOU CAN SHARE WITH US? 

Lets just say I didn’t have the ideal start to my first day 

on the job. I was feeling a little seasick, so I wasn’t thinking 

straight, and I mistakenly put the owner’s passport 

through the washing machine! At least I made a good 

impression after that, because for the next 18 months 

they were my yacht family. 

WHAT’S YOUR FAVORITE THING ABOUT YOUR JOB? 

The pleasure of waking up to somewhere new every day. 

I love traveling. Luckily, that’s a major perk of my job! I 

also love how the crew on a boat can make you feel like 

you have a family away from home. 

WHAT MAKES YOUR LIFE A LIVING HELL? 

I wouldn’t go so far to say there’s really anything that 

Stewardess of the Month 

BY ANDREA BAILEY 

makes my life a “living hell,” but crew drama, tension, 

and general unprofessionalism definitely make life a little 

harder. That’s especially true when you’re dealing with 

confined work and living spaces. 

WHAT IS THE MOST IMPORTANT/ 

MOST INTERESTING THING YOU’VE LEARNED 

FROM YOUR JOB? 

Probably the most important thing I’ve picked up is the 

ability to approach people and situations in an easygoing 

manner and to stay happy no matter what happens. 

All aspects of problem solving come in handy on this job, 

and I’ve gotten good at them. The most interesting thing 

I have learned from my job, though, is about myself: I 

love decorating, interacting with the guests, and making 

sure that everyone’s have fun on their perfect getaway.

FAVORITE PLACE IN THE WHOLE WORLD? WHY? 

By far Cocos Island, 300 miles off Costa Rica. It’s the 

most amazing place I have been to so far. The undisturbed 

waters and rocky pinnacles that surround the 

island attract scores of hammerheads, which made 

diving there a little scary but definitely very memorable. 

I also enjoyed the hiking there — I have never 

seen so many waterfalls!!! 

IS THERE SUCH THING AS A TYPICAL DAY 

ON A BOAT? WHY OR WHY NOT? 

No, I don’t think there is a typical day on a boat. That 

is the best thing about this industry. Every day brings a 

new challenge. Whether it be a different country, crewmember, 

or request, expecting the unexpected brings 

diversity to my job. 

GOALS/DREAMS FOR THE FUTURE? 

I’m not sure where life is going to bring me in the future, 

but I hope to be in the yachting industry for quite a 

while. I’m determined to learn as much as I can and gain 

enough experience to become a chief stew on a large 

yacht. I’m also planning to get a degree. I wasn’t too 

sure what I wanted to study in college, so my initial plan 

was to take a year off to travel. Then, I got introduced to 

the yachting industry, so I have yet to go to college, but 

some day I will. 

ADVICE FOR NEWBIES? 

My advice is a simple catch phrase, “Loose lips sink 

ships!” Enjoy your job and all the positive aspects, 

and you will reap all the benefits whilst in this fantastic 

industry! 



KEEPING IT SURREAL 

what exactly is your job?” Wait. Let me re-phrase 

that into the way it actually gets asked. “Soooo,” 

pause with a deeply furrowed brow rooted above 

“So, 

two eyes glazed over with a bit of intrigue, a touch 

of confusion, and a smidgen of jealousy, “what exactly 

isss your job?” 

Yeah, that’s more like it. That’s the question I get asked 

a lot when I tell someone I work as a deckhand aboard a 

130-foot private yacht. A year ago, I didn’t get asked that 

question, because a year ago the industry was at its lowest 

point in the economic free fall and I didn’t have a job. 

I badly wanted a job and had been looking for one 

for 3 ½ months, but alas, I was getting squashed under 

a pile of other guys like me at the bottom of the 

slide and the elusive deckhand position continued 

to escape my grasp. No, the questions I got asked 

back then were much different. The questions I got 

asked back then were more like, “Why did you move 

down to Florida?” “Do you even know anything about 

boats?” “Are you crazy?” 

BY DOUG MITCHELL 

Yet, here I am floating through the first few months of 

2010 with a great deckhand job and a year’s worth of 

yachting experience under my belt. With a bit of luck, 

a bunch of help, and a lot of persistence, this Canadian 

boy from the middle of the prairies has somehow gotten 

past the bouncers at the yachting club and is revelling in 

the pleasures of the VIP party. 

Recently, however, I discovered a giant mistake I’d 

been making. During the course of 2009, I’d slowly 

been letting the magic of this amazing lifestyle fade, 

if only a tiny bit. It was a trip back to Canada for the 

holidays that alerted me to my erroneous ways, and 

not taking things for granted is on the top of my New 

Year’s resolutions list. 

It had been over a year since I’d been home when I touched 

down on icy Canadian soil in Calgary this past December, 

and I felt different. I felt relaxed and excited the way people 

do when they begin a three-week holiday, but I also felt at 

ease in a way that could only be the product of working a 

job for the past year that I’d really enjoyed.

I left Canada in September of 2008 for a few reasons, and 

as my plane taxied up to one of those accordion hallways 

that get you from the plane to the terminal, I reflected on 

who I was then and now. Packing up my life and heading 

down to Florida to get into yachting was a big decision, 

but it wasn’t a hard one. I’d been working a restaurant job 

that stressed me out and paid inconsistently, riding my 

bike through a foot of snow at 6 a.m. to get there, and 

coughing up all of my earnings towards rent, bills, and 

student loans. Whhhaaatttt??!! Yeah, that’s what I said. 

I’d also done a lot of international traveling in previous 

years, including backpacking Europe, Australia, and 

Southeast Asia, interning as a writer/photographer in the 

UK, and teaching English in Taiwan, so sitting in Calgary 

feeling stagnant didn’t seem right. Not by a long shot. 

Wanderlust tormented me every waking moment, and 

the idea of working hard and unhappily so I could maybe 

enjoy some small holiday in the distant future just wasn’t 

jiving with me. So, the yachting idea passed the germination 

stage and burst into full bloom. 

The timeline from first stepping into the South Florida 

humidity to writing this article has had its ups and downs, 

At least for the time being, I’m living 

my dream. And like a juicy Florida 

orange, I’m going to squeeze every 

drop out of it. 


Keeping It Surreal 

but arriving back in Calgary on this brief interlude, I could 

more than confidently say that I’d made the right decision. 

I thought about the question regarding my job description 

again, and I knew the inquisitive and discerning 

firing squad of family and friends would shoot it at me 

many times during my holiday. They live a 12-hour drive 

from the nearest ocean, and so I was prepared to deliver 

the “day in the life of a yachtie” speech a few dozen 

times, as monotonous as it might get. But it wasn’t until I 

heard the words coming out of my mouth that I realized 

just how lucky I was, and how foolish I’d been for taking 

it for granted...even for a second. 

I described the world of yachting to an always captive and 

astonished audience, and at moments, I couldn’t believe 

what I was hearing either. Telling someone that my job is to 

keep a big boat clean and to be ready for when the owners 

need me to do something else would sound OK. But 

describing how I get paid to keep the exterior of a multimillion 

dollar vessel looking pretty while wearing shorts, a 

T-shirt, and sunglasses and listening to some good reggae 

beats out on deck sounds even better. Much better yet is 

that I live aboard this vessel, incurring no rent or food expenses. 

I have my underwear clean and folded on my bed 

each day. And I get paid to travel the world while working. 

It was starting to sound pretty magical again. 

The more I talked about my incredible lifestyle, the more 

uncomfortable and guilty I began to feel. When you’re sur- 


rounded by others in the yachting industry, it’s easy to forget 

how wonderfully ridiculous it all is. But when you find 

yourself talking to those outside the bubble, you can’t help 

but feel a bit spoiled. However, they all chomped at the bit 

to hear more stories and marvelled at the notion that such 

a world exists. For some of them, living vicariously through 

me was more than an expression. Being a lot more firmly 

rooted in situations involving careers, mortgages, kids, etc., 

the possibility of throwing a few things into a backpack and 

disappearing into a new life somewhere else for a while just 

isn’t feasible. Being able to do that is a luxury. 

Of the many things I took away from my brief holiday home, 

the most important was the ability to truly appreciate yachting 

again. I get to work outside all day on a beautiful boat 

with great fellow crewmembers. I get paid to spend much 

of the year in sunny Florida and otherwise travel to amazingly 

beautiful locales around the world that many people 

will never get to see. I’m constantly surrounded by endless 

inspiration for my writing and photography, with many avenues 

to showcase it. I have an opportunity to make money, 

pay off debt, gain education, and advance an exciting career. 

And I can do it all while being very happy. 

I won’t say that I’m living the dream, because that implies 

there is only one, and I think everyone should have 

their own. But I will say that, at least for the time being, 

I’m living my dream. And like a juicy Florida orange, I’m 

going to squeeze every drop out of it.



FINDING A JOB 

AS A JUNIOR COUPLE 

Picture it: You’re a stewardess on a busy charter, 

and you’re on your hands and knees in the bathroom 

desperately trying to clean up after one of 

the boss’ special nighttime visitors who backed 

up the toilet in the guest accommodation with heavens 

knows what. Again. 

The A/C is broken, it’s 100 degrees and you’re mentally 

writing your letter of resignation whilst grinding your 

teeth and trying not to get crap under your fingernails. 

Then, you suddenly feel a whoosh of cool air as the A/C 

cranks up. There’s a gentle tap on your shoulder, and a 

young man says, “I’m the new guy. I just fixed the A/C for 

you. Hey, you shouldn’t be doing this…let me help.” 

Cue the angelic choral voices as you turn around and look 

up to see a beatific face with just a smidgen of engine 

oil. He truly has been sent from above. Sigh. Despite the 

rancid stench emanating from the floor, you overlook his 

tombstone teeth and yellowed, chain-smoking fingers 

because, suddenly, you’re in love. 

Before you know it, it’s the end of the season and you’re 

gaily skipping off the boat, hand in hand, ready for a 

quick romantic holiday before searching for work. But, 

this time, you’re going to the agencies as “Team ONLY. 

We’re a couple” (smug grin). You can’t be separated. 

You’ve been through too much. You’re joined at the hip. 

So, you glide into my office on your cloud of loveydoveyness 

and sit down at my desk for an interview, 

hands on each other’s legs, dreamy gleams in your eyes. 

And before you can say “soul mates” I’ve not so much 

burst your bubble as hacked it beyond recognition with 

my samurai sword of a tongue. 

Yeah, I’m harsh and mean, but you know that already. 

Let’s talk about team jobs. Realistically. 

Anita Valium 

BY ANITA VALIUM 

When you’re working, living and socializing with the same 

people 24/7, these relationships tend to develop despite 

the fact you wouldn’t find that person in the least attractive 

if you’d met elsewhere. Fact is, if you ate chocolate cake 

every day for breakfast, lunch and dinner, after a while a 

plate of boiled tripe would start to look like steak. 

If you, mister engineer, had come across that pretty but 

intellectually challenged girl in any other situation, would 

you have embarked on a relationship with her? Or would 

you have laughed at her inability to differentiate her left 

shoe from her right and walked away to find someone 

with a more engaging personality? Like an old sock? 

And you, gorgeous stew, would you have found that 

dude with the face like a bag of spanners remotely attractive? 

Would you have been enthralled by his convoluted 

diatribe about why girls shouldn’t drive tenders 

had you not been slightly stir crazy from back to back 

charters? There’s a sobering thought for you. 

Fine, you’re ignoring me. You’re young and in love, and 

you’re going to find that couple’s job if it kills you. Let me 

give you some advice on that. Dockwalk until your feet 

bleed because you’re unlikely to find a junior team job 

through an agency. Sad but true. Most team jobs that 

come in to the agencies are senior, like captain and chief 

stew, or captain and chef. 

So, network with fellow yacht crew, don’t lock yourselves in 

your hostel room every night. Don’t slobber all over each 

other in public either. The last thing people want to see 

in their crew mess after a long, hard day is a four-legged, 

four-armed, salivating lump of flesh in crew uniform. 

You want to demonstrate to fellow crew (and prospective 

employers) that you’re a couple, yes, but you’re also two 

individual people. This means that when you’re out and

Do you really want to work and live 

with this person 24/7? 

about, you don’t have to always hold hands and gaze at 

each other. It can be pretty nauseating for even the saltiest 

of seadogs. And when you’re in an interview, don’t 

finish each other’s sentences and giggle. This is not and 

never will be “cute.” Seriously. 

Before doing anything as a team, think honestly about 

your situation. Do you really want to work and live with 

this person 24/7? Warts and all? Smelly socks and late 

night farting? Have you ever been on a yacht working 

with a team that’s broken up? It’s not pleasant. If you’re 

on charter, you’re all stuck until you can get rid of one or 

both of the sad puppies (unless you really can do without 

that extra pair of hands and accidentally tangle one up 

in the anchor chain on its way down). Then, you have 

the great bunfight of who leaves and who stays. Lucky 

captain: He gets to help that decision along. 

If you’re part of that broken couple, even if you 

try to maintain a dignified approach, the crew 

will never forget you. Watch out when your 

references are checked in the future. You’d be 

surprised how often it comes up: “Would you 

hire Steve again?” “Well, he was great at first, 

but then he got involved with one of our stewardesses. 

They wanted their own room, then 

they wanted a double bunk, then they wanted 

shore leave the same time, then she slept with 

the guy’s best friend, who was our engineer, 

so then she wanted to share a cabin with him, 

but Steve wanted to share with the engineer 

too, which was weird, and after that it got really 

messy…So, uh, no I wouldn’t.” 

Why don’t captains hire teams? It sounds ideal: 

He needs a deck and a stew, and there you are, 

ready to go! But what happens if stewy doesn’t 

like the chief stew and wants to leave? Decky 

has to go with her, leaving the captain having 

to replace two crew instead of one. Similarly, 

what if stewy sucks and decky rocks? Does the 

captain tell the rest of the crew, “Tough, her 

boyfriend is a godsend. You have to cover her 

slack,” resulting in everyone hating him? If a 

captain has been burnt by a team before, he 

won’t likely hire one again. 

And don’t get me started on the senior team dynamic. 

OK, get me started, but I’ll save that for our next issue. 

Often, the best way to get a team job is to get half of the 

couple working and firmly established in a role. When 

a suitable vacancy pops up later, they can strongly suggest 

their partner. The captain then has a choice: give 

the partner a shot and see how it goes, or say “no” and 

be forever paranoid that his crew member will jump ship 

at the first team opportunity that comes along. With this 

option, you’ve placed the ball firmly in his hands. It’s a 

tricky one isn’t it? Quite a conundrum for the captain. 

Not wanting to be all doom and gloom, though I do enjoy 

it, if you can stick at it and find a great team role, once 

you’ve worked together for a few seasons with a good 

track record and have developed the ability to keep your 

coupleyness confined to your crew quarters, you’ll have 

a much better chance of success in the future. Hopefully, 

by that time you’ll be looking at running a yacht. So, if 

you’re a junior couple, clear off and call me in five years. 


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NEED SOME 

VALIUM? 

Dear Anita, 

When I started in the yacht industry a couple of years ago, 

I couldn’t get a job, so I lied on my CV. My friend was working 

as a stew on another yacht and she said I could put her 

down as a reference, which I did, and then I started working, 

so I took it off my CV. Unfortunately, a couple agencies 

have started asking questions about why that job is no longer 

on my CV. What do I do? Do I come clean or lie more? 

Concerned, Ft. Lauderdale 

You idiot. Didn’t your mum always tell you that lying is for 

fools? Your mum is always right, and I bet if you tell her what 

you’ve done she won’t be very impressed. You ought to be 

ashamed of yourself. Well, now you have two choices. If you 

come clean, you’ll be black listed as the untrustworthy person 

you obviously are. If you lie more, you have to make sure 

you don’t screw up and drop yourself in it further. My suggestion 

is this; tell the agencies you took it off because you 

can’t get a reference for it anymore, as the crew you knew 

on there have since moved on. And hope and pray that they 

don’t say, “No, I know the captain. He’s been on there seven 

years. I’ll call him for you.” Either way, you’re screwed with 

that agent, so you better just hope you haven’t pissed off 

one of the random few agents who send out emails to all 

crew agencies telling them why they’ve just black listed a 

candidate. Yes kids, that happens. I hope you all take heed 

of this and are honest on your CVs. Can you smell burning? 

I believe that would be your pants, Concerned. 

Dear Anita, 

Where are all your jobs this year? 

Uh, on yachts…? 

ASK ANITA 

Please email 

valium@ 

yachtessentials.com 

with any thoughts 

or questions. 

Curious, St Maarten 

Dear Anita, 

I don’t have my STCW 95 yet but would do it if I had a 

serious job offer. I have the cash but don’t want to spend 

it in case I can get a boat to pay for it instead. What are 

my chances? 

Frugal, Antibes 

My word, you’re tighter than a duck’s bottom are you not? 

OK, try that approach and see what happens. I foresee 

this: You’ll get to a job interview, and the captain will suddenly 

say, “Do you have a copy of your STCW 95?” And 

you’ll say, “No, I haven’t got it, but if you offer me the job 

I could do it.” Then, he’ll say, “Shame, we need you to 

start on Wednesday and the course is a week long. And 

they only run it once a month anyway. Now, get off my 

boat and stop wasting my time.” Or you might even get 

further and be able to say, “Would you like to help me 

pay for it?” Then, the captain will laugh in your face and 

beat you over the head with his “Captain’s Guide to Safe 

Manning Requirements” for wasting his time and taking 

the piss out of him. 

NEED SOME VALIUM? SEND YOUR QUESTIONS TO VALIUM@YACHTESSENTIALS.COM AND WE’LL ANSWER YOU IN 

A FUTURE ISSUE. NAMES WILL BE WITHHELD UPON REQUEST.

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May/June 2010 - Yacht Essentials

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