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Matthijs Rhee aka MrSuperyachts

Matthijs, one of the superyachting world’s most recognised faces, shares his passion for inspiring others through social media, shedding light on the motivation behind his dedicated career.

“I grew up in the Netherlands, in a town called Zeist. Our family had a place by the water and we were typically Dutch in that we had a love of boats. My parents were sailors, my grandparents were sailors – and we spent all our weekends and vacations on the water. I was only eight when I got my first little Optimist boat and I was so obsessed with it, I would skip lunch. My father had to attach a flag to a surf mast and would wave it from the shore to tell me to come in, otherwise I’d be out there all day! I had my boat licence long before my driving licence. 

Being Dutch, superyachts are kind of in our DNA and they always inspired me from a very young age. But I didn’t start out with them straight away. First I worked in marketing in Aspen, then I moved back to Amsterdam and started working in luxury media. I loved it, but my heart kept saying that I should be working with boats as they are my passion. At some point I decided to make the switch.

MrSuperyachts

I was already on Instagram when hardly anyone else was and I was visiting all these beautiful places. I was noticing this shift from print to online and as I walked around the Côte d’Azur admiring superyachts, I thought, “I should share this view.” I thought maybe I could inspire people who didn’t live near the water or who didn’t grow up with boats.

I thought about the name for my socials for a long time – and eventually it came to me in the middle of the night. I suddenly thought… MrSuperyacht! M and R are my initials but nobody ever realises that! At 3am I went online, registered the .com, registered Instagram and everywhere else. My phone was filled with photos and videos I wanted to use and at some point my sister said, “look, you’ve been postponing for weeks, today is the day.” I posted something of the yacht designer Espen Oeino and it just took off like a spaceship. That was nine years ago and the rest is history! I now reach over 700,000 people between Instagram, TikTok and YouTube and there are people from all over the world messaging me. It has become a great resource for reaching new clients, some of whom have little experience with yachting and reach out to me for advice on how to enter the market.

I adore Monaco. It’s where I really started connecting with the industry. I first went with my best friend and stayed in his aunt’s apartment on the waterfront. He’d been visiting Monaco since he was a child so he gave me the local tour, not the glitzy stuff – more like the local bakeries and things, and it blew me away.

I still find it to be an inspiring place. I meet yacht owners who may have hundreds or maybe thousands of employees but, on a boat, you talk to each other in swim shorts – it removes all formality. You’re talking about their family or the snorkelling masks or the destination: it is such a privilege to connect with people that way. Also when speaking with Monegasque families you feel the deep love they have for the area – that gives me a different perspective of the country, too.

When I’m there I swim on Larvotto beach like everybody, but there’s also a tiny beach next to the port which not many people know of, even the locals – that’s my favourite. It’s under the rock where the palace is – you have to take the stairs down and it’s very hidden – there’s no ice cream – nothing. As far as dining is concerned, I like the down-to-earth stuff – I’m Dutch after all! One of the best known restaurants for locals is called Mozza – it’s an Italian in a fun little street. 

Last year I sailed my first regatta: the Richard Mille Cup in England. I was part of the team on board Tuiga – Monaco Yacht Club’s boat. Tuiga was built in 1909 and they have kept her in her original state – so with no winches on board all you have is your gloves – but that’s the most pure way of sailing. We were extremely lucky to have a two week window of sunshine  – we even had dolphins under the boat! It was a priceless experience. We sailed the yacht from England back to France as well which was very interesting. At nighttime in the Channel with all the big oil tankers – there was a very thick mist and we had to listen for the horns. It was very memorable! 

I often wonder what kind of yacht I would get myself and I’m still not sure. One thing is for sure though, I’d like to sail up the Hudson River in the States – New York has always fascinated me.” 

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MRSUPERYACHTS was founded by Matthijs Rhee who grew up  around boats in the Netherlands.

Since 2016, MRSUPERYACHTS has assisted a discreet international clientele with creating their personalised experiences.  Matthijs earned an MBA at the University of Amsterdam and graduated with a project about the Dutch superyacht industry. 

To enjoy a specialized consultation to create your next memorable yachting experience, contact   [email protected]

Mrsuperyachts was founded by Matthijs Rhee who grew up around boats in the Netherlands. With a loyal following on social media, Mrsuperyachts specializes in creating luxury yachting experiences. Matthijs earned an MBA at the University of Amsterdam with a graduation project about the Dutch superyacht industry.

[email protected]