All work and no play
Captains call it yachting’s “dirty little secret”. Kate Lardy reveals how increasingly long working hours and high expectations from owners are leading to crew burnout
It was the middle of a busy Mediterranean season and a 197ft yacht had just finished three back-to-back charters. The crew were enjoying a little respite – a group dinner before their next guest pickup – when a stewardess abruptly announced she was resigning with immediate effect: “I’m leaving and going back to pack right now because I think you’re all crazy. This is too much work.” The captain chuckles recalling the moment: “It was funny; everybody just kept on with their dinner. We realized she wasn’t going to make it.” Working to the point of exhaustion is considered a rite of passage among yacht crew. Fatigue is worn like a badge of honor, as crew pride themselves in doing whatever it takes to make guests happy. Busy charter yachts, particularly during the grueling summer season, typically work their crew for up to four months straight without a day off. During these charters, crew rise before the guests and often stay up most of the night, ferrying them to clubs ashore, making drinks, even throwing steaks on the grill at two in the morning – not to mention the overnight relocations and anchor watches.
This has been the culture for decades as old-school yacht captains indoctrinate newcomers to “harden up, sleep later and deliver the guest experience” –.
