This is a captain’s story, my story, where I look back on the physical, emotional and professional challenges that I have faced working in support of the most exclusive client group in the world and their relentless demands. It also charts a journey into the ‘heart of brightness’ which is the superyacht environment. It took me 15 years to earn the title of Captain and I walk through the narrow lanes, the dead ends and the bumpy distractions to that place.
The world of superyachts is far removed from most of the planet’s normal. It is a world where boundaries blur and the normal rules of life seem to disappear. A world where lessons and insights are not read about and studied, but lived in an environment of constant pressure, where the consequences of actions result in immediate success or failure. This high speed, no safety net, workplace provided me with rolling insights that transfer directly for anyone looking for that edge to be their best version of themselves. My lessons are not hypothetical studies from post graduate studies and spoken in a TED talk; I lived through the glory (but mostly the pain) of constant scrutiny and expectations of billionaire superyacht owners.
A superyacht is also a study in globalization. Yacht captains do not speak of diversity as a slogan or a company goal: we live it. The crews are multi-national, multi-lingual and disperse around the globe when not onboard. The same is true of the owners. It is common for a conversation to cross multiple languages or all parties to be speaking in their second or third languages. Many businesses operate globally; this is nothing unique. But not many businesses move their office every few weeks to a new country, a different language, a new
