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Superyacht Crew Hierarchy: Understanding Roles and Responsibilities

Behind the scenes – or ‘below deck’ – on a Superyacht is a meticulously organised and skilled crew that ensures a seamless voyage for their guests. There is a distinct hierarchy onboard, where each crew member plays a crucial role in creating an unparalleled experience for the onboard guests. In this article, we delve into the Superyacht crew hierarchy, explaining everyone’s diverse roles and responsibilities – from top to bottom.

At the top of the Superyacht crew hierarchy, the Captain of a Superyacht works under the vessel’s owner or their representatives.

Ultimately, the Captain is responsible for the safe and smooth running of the ship – they are who each crew member answers to.

Their duties include (but aren’t restricted to):

• Managing admin
• Health and safety
• Compliance with maritime regulations
• Financial reporting

To reach this role, you will have to work your way up from most of the other onboard roles. Additionally, you must undertake a number of other qualifications and demonstrate a variety of knowledge and skills, including seafaring, admin, IT, health and safety, and even accounting.

Officer of the Watch (OOW)

Second in command to the Captain, the OOW is responsible for:

• Day-to-day running of the deck
• Navigation and running watches – when on passage
• Helping with the maintenance of the Superyacht
• Deck equipment inventory

Even though their duties usually go to the Captain on smaller vessels, the Purser’s role is still important.

Working under the Captain, the Purser:

• Takes care of financial matters (including accounting, purchasing food and drink, and cleaning supplies)
• Recruitment

In becoming a Purser, you need solid experience and knowledge of the Superyacht industry – as well as a STCW certificate and ENG1 Medical certificate. It’s crucial you also have numerous skills and qualifications (financial and IT related).

Chief Engineer

The Chief Engineer (as well as the 2nd Engineer working underneath) manages the Superyacht’s mechanical functioning.

Essentially, the Chief Engineer’s main responsibility is:

• Making sure the vessel’s mechanics run

For this role, sometimes starting off with Deckhand training is a good idea -it can provide a good introduction to Diesel Engine Maintenance as well as general maintenance and repairs.

Every Superyacht has a Head Chef to make sure guests relish their mealtimes throughout the course of the day! Sometimes, a Crew Chef is there to help too.

For this role, you need to complete the necessary culinary qualifications to become a chef. Experience of working as a Head or Sous Chef in a hotel or restaurant is also important, as well as the STCW Basic Safety Training certification!

The “Senior Deckhand”.

Their job is to:

• Take charge of daily cleaning and maintenance
• Drive the tenders
• Look after the Deckhands working under them

Chief Stewardess

The Chief Stewardess is in charge of:

• The Superyacht’s interior
• Service (guests must have a 5-star experience!)
• Looking after a team of Stewardesses

The Deckhand’s role is to help with deck operations.

These include:

• Maintaining and cleaning the yacht’s exterior
• Occasional security

Mostly, you answer to the Bosun.

It’s best to complete a Superyacht Deckhand course to pursue this role. Applying for a Bosun role could be your next step after a few seasons of experience with this job.

The Stewardess’ role is to:

• Help ensure guests have the best experience
• Working on the yacht’s interior
• Cabin preparation

Mostly, you answer to the Chief Stewardess.

Applying for the Chief Stewardess role could be your next step after a few seasons of experience with this job.

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A day in the life of a superyacht captain

It’s easy to think that a captain’s job is to drive a superyacht to glamorous locations and drop the anchor in idyllic anchorages, but as Kelly Gordon and other captains will tell you, that’s only a tiny part of the role. 

For Kelly Gordon, captaining a superyacht was something she never imagined until she had already started a career as a chemistry professor when a chance encounter at a party on a large motor yacht changed everything. Now, having uncovered her passion for the sea and having achieved the ultimate position as a superyacht captain, Gordon is not only a role model for female crew who want to pursue a career on the deck and engineering side of superyachts, but is also an active advocate of crew mental health. But what exactly does a superyacht captain do, and is it just about driving the yacht from A to B and making sure the crew keep it in top condition?

The simple answer, says Gordon, is no – and in fact the role of a modern yacht captain is highly complex and multifaceted. Take Gordon’s current command, for example – a 33-metre private yacht that cruises extensively with the owning family on board. “My responsibilities of course encompass safely operating and navigating the boat – that’s the technical side of it,” Gordon begins. “But actually the smallest element is navigation and operation, and the far bigger side is crew management. I spend a tremendous amount of time with the crew, making sure everyone’s got what they need.

“Along with that too,” she continues, “is making sure that the owners and their family have what they need, and understanding what their plans are. Where do they want to go? What are they wanting to do? It’s about making sure they are always well cared for.”

Changing landscapes

The early days of yachting were, in some ways, a much simpler time. Yachts on average were smaller, and captains and crews often came from a sailing or boating background. There were elements that a captain had to understand and undertake, such as holding a recognised commercial skipper’s ticket, keeping logs, managing the yacht’s accounts and so on. But as the fleet has grown and as yachts have grown, so too have the duties expected of captains.

“As a captain, especially the larger and larger you go in terms of yacht, you become the CEO of a company in a way,” Gordon offers. “But you’re doing what you’re trained to do. To operate and navigate the yacht actually ends up being the smaller percentage of what you do, and the day-to-day is emails, paperwork, schedules, plans, maintenance if you’re in the shipyard, and whether you charter or are private you still need to know where the boss or potential guest wants to go, and show them a good time.”

Paper tigers

One thing that has definitely changed over time is the increasing burden of paperwork related to regulatory elements such as the International Safety Management code (ISM) and in some cases the International Ship and Port Facility Security Code (ISPS). “The biggest change I’ve seen since I started is a regulatory change,” offers Captain Steve Osborne . “I find myself spending more and more time on more and more paperwork. There’s a lot of delegation you can do, but you have to really start to understand a lot of the legal frameworks of where you’re going [with the yacht] and be a bit more cautious and pay a bit more attention, because rules have changed over time and are a bit more stringent now.”

Gordon agrees that the burdens have increased, but also argues that there are benefits. “The paperwork has grown, but I think it’s a good thing,” she asserts. “I actually think there probably can stand to be a little more regulation in the industry. When I talk to my buddies who are working on commercial vessels and I see how things are done – granted, they have their own sets of issues as well – I think it’s good that we take a page or two out of their book.”

Mind over matter

One of the biggest elements of being a superyacht captain is being able to look after a superyacht crew, and that means not only nurturing and mentoring crew members but also, increasingly, being aware of other issues that can arise – particularly when crews are living in close quarters and working long hours.

“The driving-the-boat bit is easy, that’s our bread and butter,” says Captain Matthew Pownell-Jones. “It’s the other stuff that no one actually teaches you – how to care about the crew, how to listen to someone who has maybe just joined the crew and has a problem that no one knows about. The crew is a floating family, and if that’s the way you think of it then that’s how I feel a team works well.”

It’s something that Gordon has put front and centre not only of how she runs her own yacht and crew, but also of raising awareness in the industry of the importance of mental health considerations. “I’m pretty hard-charging in the mental health space for crew and the yachting industry,” she says. “I’m determined that we will see change, and will see a better and safer workplace for crew, both in terms of general safety on board and also in terms of mental safety.

“I’m not that old – I am only 42 – and just over the course of my life and in my 15 years in this industry I’ve seen it change in terms of being able to talk about it, and it being accepted as a conversation and as part of our overall health. It’s so important because on board we don’t work a nine-to-five then clock out and get to go home to our safe space.”

Guest appearance

For all the paperwork, planning and crew management, there is of course the part that makes superyachting what it is – yacht owners and yacht charterers enjoying what a superyacht offers and the places it can take them. It’s perhaps the final piece of the puzzle for an experienced superyacht captain.

“For private cruising or for yacht charter alike, first of all, you want to make sure the yacht is clean and ready to present to the boss or the guests and that each crew member knows who’s doing what,” Gordon enthuses. “If it’s a little booze cruise, the stews need make sure all the drinks are on board and that the yacht interior looks pretty nice and warm and fuzzy. My engineer has to make sure everything’s operating and working, and then the guys on deck make sure that everything’s taken care of on the exterior.

“Then with me, it’s communicating back and forth with the family or the charter guests as to where they want to go or what they want to do, and then communicating that to my crew. And when it gets busy and the days get long, with the crew potentially on call, I try to balance everything by making sure everyone is getting breaks, and offsetting the crews’ functions so that there’s always someone up with the guests and always someone getting some rest to be able to relieve whoever’s on duty.

“People ask me that the best part of my job as captain is outside being able to utilise my skill of navigation and operation of the yacht,” she concludes, “and my favourite part of the job is also the most difficult part – and that’s the crew. I love them to death. My current boat is a happy, fun, loving, playful, hard-working professional boat, but it’s taken a long time to put that together. If you work at it as a captain and you put the time in and invest in finding and mentoring, you can create that.”

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See inside 5 secret cabins on luxury yachts where crew members sleep and shower

• Luxury yachts have tiny, tucked-away cabins where crew members sleep.
• Insider went onboard five luxury yachts to see what these cabins were like.
• One crew cabin featured a bunk bed on top of a washing machine.

Sailing and motor yachts, especially those that go on charter, usually have crew to serve the owner or guests.

That means there needs to be space inside the yacht for crew to sleep, relax, wash, and store their belongings.

Insider visited five luxury yachts that feature tucked-away crew cabins. The Princess Y72, worth around $3 million, can accommodate eight people in four cabins. One is an optional crew cabin accessible from the lower deck.

There were two very narrow single beds in the cabin, as well as a private bathroom and storage space. The interior design was similar to the guest cabins.

The tiniest crew quarters I came across were on the Sunseeker 74 Predator yacht. There were three guest cabins on the main deck and a crew cabin on the lower deck.

Crew members access their cabin from the rear deck. The door is easy to miss.

Steep stairs lead down to the teeny crew cabin. The first bunk sits on top of the washing machine.

A second bunk sits under the first. There wasn't much space to move around.

It was pretty dark inside, with the only natural light coming from a small porthole.

Next to the stairs was a slim bathroom with toilet, basin, and shower.

The Princess F65, worth about $3 million, has many luxury features including a barbecue and wet bar, as well as four cabins.

Source: Insider

The optional crew cabin was accessible on the right-hand side of the lower deck, opposite the jet skis.

There were two single bunks, wardrobes, and an ensuite bathroom. It was slightly more spacious than the other cabins I saw, although the window was still very small.

The Oyster 595 sailing yacht, which costs nearly $3 million, has a champagne fridge and various gadgets.

It has four cabins, including one optional cabin for crew. This tiny cabin was located in the middle of the yacht next to the stairs up to the main deck.

The bed was very narrow and sat on top of storage cupboards. There was a small porthole next to the bed looking out onto the sea.

This $5 million sailing yacht, the Oyster 885, comes with a bathing platform and sunroof.

The crew cabin, next to the kitchen, was a long, narrow room with two single bunks. There was also storage space.

The captain's cabin was much more impressive, with its wide bed, roomy ensuite bathroom, and wall-mounted TV. Of all the crew quarters I saw, it was by far the most luxurious.

• Main content

PLANET NINE Motor yacht for charter

• Length: 73.2m (240.1ft)
• 12 guests in 9 cabins
• Built: 2018, Admiral, Italy

The ultimate expression of yachting capability and status, PLANET NINE was designed by the renowned Tim Heywood and is destined to be regarded as one of the world's foremost explorer yachts.

Modern exploration, enveloped in luxurious comfort. Unforgettable, life-affirming experience.

• Beach club including steam room at sea level
• Private owner's deck
• Exercise equipment
• Main deck cinema
• Helipad & Helicopter MD600 Explorer (daily rate & details available upon request)
• Three VIP cabins, including one convertible to two double guest cabins (one with double sofa bed)
• Masseuse, personal trainer, fantastic head chef and helicopter pilot part of the crew
• Elevator serving lower to sun decks
• Jacuzzi on the sun deck
• Zero speed stabilisers to reduce any rolling motion

About PLANET NINE

The ultimate expression of yachting capability and status, PLANET NINE was designed by the renowned Tim Heywood and is destined to be regarded as one of the world's foremost explorer yachts.

View all yachts for charter

With massive 2,100GT of volume, PLANET NINE can accommodate up to 12 guests in nine elegant cabins, including a separate owner’s deck and a main deck VIP suite. Her hull is ice classed and comes with a superb specification including her MD 600 Explorer helicopter, hangar and helipad.

Although designed for exploration, PLANET NINE’s interior includes every facet of modern superyacht luxury. A lift serves all five decks, with the owner enjoying an entire deck that creates a private 3,000 sqft apartment with a full suite, dressing rooms, lounge, study and terrace. A VIP suite occupies much of the bridge deck, creating another private area, and the suite has its own lounge, which can be converted into a cabin.

A forward observation lounge offers panoramic 180-degree views and floor to ceiling glass is a feature across the yacht. In the unlikely event that you require a distraction from the outside world, a cinema lives below the observation room.

The guest deck includes its own entrance and lobby at the stern of the yacht. As you walk to one of five double suites, you will pass the steam room and beach club with its spectacular sea terrace.

Tenders & toys

• 1 × Limousine tender
• 2 × Tenders
• 1 × Deck jacuzzi
• Anti-jellyfish pool
• Climbing wall
• Inflatable platform
• 3 × Waverunners
• 2 × SeaBobs
• 2 × eFoils
• 2 × Kayaks
• 4 × Stand up paddleboards
• Kite surfing equipment
• Inflatable tows
• Fishing gear
• Snorkelling gear

Please note that tenders and toys are subject to regular upgrades and changes. Contact a Burgess broker for the latest information.

Fitness equipment

• Basketball court
• Free weights
• Personal trainer
• Rowing machine
• Training bench
• Upright stationary bike
• On board masseuse

Please note that fitness equipment and wellness facilities are subject to regular upgrades and changes. Contact a Burgess broker for the latest information.

Check availability

Planet nine is available for those dates, planet nine is available for those dates subject to confirmation., sorry, planet nine isn't available for those dates, contact a broker to discuss your requirements, please change your dates or contact us for a personalised yacht selection..

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• Mediterranean

From EUR 650,000 per week

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Explore more in this destination.

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STARBURST IV

Rate from EUR 785,000*† per week

• Length: 74m (242.7ft)
• 12 guests in 8 cabins
• Built: 2017, CRN Ancona, Italy

Rate from EUR 555,000*† per week

• Length: 73m (239.4ft)
• 12 guests in 7 cabins
• Built: 2006 (refitted 2018), Lurssen-Werft, Germany

Rate from EUR 586,000* per week

• Length: 70m (229.7ft)
• Built: 2016, Feadship, Royal Van Lent, The Netherlands

Rate from EUR 586,000*† per week

• Length: 66m (216.5ft)
• Built: 2013 (refitted 2020), Delta Marine, United States Of America

Rate from EUR 575,000*† per week

• Length: 65.7m (215.5ft)
• 12 guests in 6 cabins
• Built: 2023, Rossinavi, Italy

Please enquire

From USD 650,000 per week

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Be a superyacht Captain

So you want to become a superyacht captain.

The Captain of any yacht has one primary duty; the safe manning and operation of the yacht. This includes taking full responsibility for the crew, tenders, toy and all the guests onboard.

Job Role of a Superyacht Captain

As a rule, the smaller the yacht, the more hands-on the Captain must be. The larger the yacht, the more administrative duties the Captain will hold. A superyacht Captain specialises in commanding and managing luxury yachts over 24 metres in length.

Every crew member falls under the ultimate command of the Captain and will answer to him/her.

What does a Superyacht Captain do?

As a superyacht Captain, you’ll be at the top of your game, responsible not only for the yacht itself, but also for its crew, itinerary and navigating safe passages across the oceans. You’ll be in control of budgeting, administration, refit projects, yard visits, personnel, health and safety, to name but a few.

Personality traits

What personal traits are beneficial for this role.

You will need great communication skills to deal with owners, contractors, crew and guests alike. You will be dedicated to a career at sea and will already have established yourself in the industry having worked your way up the deck officer ladder building a reputation as a first-class professional along the way.

As a Captain, you must be highly skilled at dealing with people, both crew and the owner/guests. Personnel management skills are critical within this role.

Skills required to be a Superyacht Captain

What skills or experience are required.

Captains must have considerable maritime experience and training.  A Captain of a superyacht has to have excellent seafaring knowledge, a good grasp of accounting, IT and administration and also deal with authorities on matters such as paperwork and health and safety.

Previous experience of yacht handling is essential and handling a yacht of the same or similar sizes a distinct advantage.

Benefits of being a Superyacht Captain

Your role really will be all-encompassing and you’ll answer to the yacht’s owner about all the decisions you make. A career as a superyacht Captain is demanding but rewarding. You’ll enjoy worldwide travel and earn a fantastic salary of anything from €4,000 per month with no cap on salary!

How to start your pathway to become captain?

More than just a love of the sea and a captain’s hat are needed to start a career as a superyacht captain. This is a career path that requires commitment, training, and practical experience. Enrolling in classes that offer the required maritime qualifications is the initial step. Take the  Superyacht Cadetship Course as your first step into this fascinating industry. This extensive programme gets you ready for the rigours of the open sea by fusing classroom instruction with real-world sea experience. It is essential to network within the industry, and UKSA offers a helpful community that helps you take advantage of opportunities and pick the brains of industry experts. And never forget that your love of the sea serves as your compass; follow it to become a captain.

Career prospects

Be inspired  graduates return to uksa to hire crew and further their training.

“We trust in UKSA because we did our training there and can vouch for its quality. Because the courses are all-inclusive they run back-to-back which really helps with fitting around our schedules. It is the best place from which to hire successful crew because the career courses are similar to a university degree. UKSA students devote time to their training and so are looking to stay with a boat for at least two seasons. This is valuable to us as we take time to invest in our crew and training – with UKSA we also know what to expect.” Officer Daniel Lambert 

• MY Icon – 6 generations of UKSA trained crew now all working together
• Dan Snook  – Planning to come back to UKSA for his Master 3000gt modules

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Captain's Corner: Life on board a charter superyacht

Captain paul harman.

While charter guests come and go, captains are on board for the long haul. We spoke to a handful of skippers to find out what they love most about life aboard their chosen superyacht.

1. Captain Paul Harman, Hanikon

My favourite thing to do on board is finding remote or secluded anchorages away from the crowds in perfect weather conditions.

We have a new outdoor cinema system that has been very well received by guests. It can be linked to Airplay and the internal Kaleidescape system showing the latest movies. Our expansive sun deck and seating area is perfect for this. We recently purchased a brand new 6m inflatable slide which is very popular with family charters.

As for meals on board, I was lucky enough to sample a range of our award-winning chefs meals during the 2017 Antigua Charter Yacht Show. He has many technical talents but my favourite is poached turbot with coconut lime foam, burnt onions and yoghurt. It was fantastic!

It’s a difficult choice for my fondest memory of being out on a charter. It's between perfectly timed sunset cruises on the Amalfi coast or working as a team to pull off challenging charters in remote locations such as Cuba.

Managed for charter by  Y.CO , Hanikon is available in the Mediterranean this summer with a weekly charter rate starting from €225,000 EUR per week.

Captain Mattia Dzaja

My favourite thing to do on board? Sailing of course! Sailing on a superyacht as large as Ohana is simply unique, it is incredible to think that something so big and heavy can sail so fast and easily. Whilst I am aware that sailing on a smaller boat it is indeed more pure and closer to the sea, sailing on a superyacht is just impressive.

I also enjoy swimming in early morning when everybody is still asleep and no one is around. My favourite place to jump off the boat while at anchor is Salina in the Aeolian islands. You are so close to the shore that you can smell the grass, yet the water is a deep blue shade due to more than 100 metres below the keel. The world is just waking up, no noise, no wind, no swell, it’s the perfect time to centre yourself and to realise how lucky we are, how wonderful life is and what truly matters.

I am a sailor born and raised. My father, a yacht captain, taught me to pack just the bare essentials because everything else doesn’t matter when you are at sea. I find it is indeed true, but I always have a small wooden silver box with me, owned by a captain of the RMS Briton on 1898, which sits on my desk in my cabin. It holds a collection of my personal items that I cannot wear while at work: my wedding ring, my old watch, a couple of notes made by my children, my grandfather’s compass, a gold medal made by my grandfather when I was born and my father’s sailor knife made of sperm whale bones.

I enjoy a simple Mediterranean meal such as vegetables with white rice or pasta with olive oil and cheese as I often do not have the time to sit at a table eating when there are so many things to do during the season. Even when I am not busy I prefer to eat quickly and then to take a rest on deck. Of course, my crew doesn’t always agree with this idea so most of the time I kindly ask the chef to prepare something basic and simple just for me.

Sailing on a charter yacht is something unique, it has given me the possibility to meet so many different people and indeed to face many different situations. After 20 years on a charter yacht I have so many fond memories linked to each charter that it is indeed simpler for me to recall an area that I have visited. The Marquesas Islands in French Polynesia are memorable not only for their pristine white beaches and emerald waters, but also the lush green vegetation complete with waterfalls. In this primitive scenario, nothing has changed for over 170 years when Herman Melville sailed over there facing cannibals… One can almost imagine him running out of the jungle of Nuku Hiva followed by Taipi people trying to catch him!

Ohana is available for charter through  Fraser , with a weekly rate starting from €150,000.

Captain Stephen Burke

I love helping create an amazing guest experience for the owners and charter guests in an exotic location, while supporting an enthusiastic crew motivated to make it happen!

We recently purchased a Go Pro 6 which has proven to be a gem for capturing guests enjoying water sports. Otherwise we have a really cool air chock system that enables us to move tenders and Jet Skis around the garage on the slightest cushion of air.

As for best meal on board, that's a tough one! Recently, I had probably the most succulent duck confit I’ve ever tasted on top of rich mashed potato and sautéed onions.

Last summer, I had the pleasure of taking some charter guests to a naturally beautiful restaurant nestled discreetly on the Bay of Kotor in Montenegro. We were lucky to have a tender that could just clear safely under a very low bridge. Pure tranquility in crystal clear water on the mildest of sunny days.

Sovereign is available for charter with Worth Avenue Yachts , with a weekly rate starting from $250,000.

Captain Alexander Aslou

My favourite thing to do on board would have to be exploring new destinations. Being a young captain, there are more than a few places that I have yet to explore. I find it extremely rewarding to compile an extensive itinerary and dropping anchor on a new section of sand. All of the time and effort pays off when not only is the location better than I could have imagined but that the entire trip itself turns out to be better than the last unforgettable trip.

I must say that the best feature on board our yacht has to be the newest addition to Bacchus , our swim step staircase which unfolds into the ocean. Shortly after joining the vessel, I was informed by ownership that we were going to increase the length of the vessel by 1.2 metres. The extension, along with a number of other great improvements, was an extremely well thought-out addition to making her a fantastic charter yacht. Initially, I thought this would benefit some of our less active charter guests but in fact it has proven to be a valuable asset for the variety of guests that we have entertained.

I have to say that the best meal that I’ve had on board was when I first joined my vessel and I was invited to sit with the owner, his wife and their kids for dinner. The chef had worked diligently to prepare a fantastic meal, which consisted of a seared octopus appetiser and the main course was a rack of lamb with a red wine and mint jus. For dessert, the chef coincidentally made my favourite, a perfectly prepared Tiramisu, which was the icing on the cake for the entire experience.

My fondest charter memory comes from a recent seven-day charter cruising from St. Maarten to Antigua. We were tucked away nicely in my favourite anchorage near St. Kitts. Here my zero speed stabilisers could be rested as no matter the weather, there was only the slightest ripple on the water. While at anchor, everything that  Bacchus had to offer was out and in use and our charter guests were taking full advantage. Everything was as it should be, the crew were at their best and nothing mechanically “had an issue”. Everything that could go right for us was, there is something to be said about a day on charter without any “surprises”.

Bacchus is managed for charter by Fraser and has a weekly rate starting from €160,000 in the summer season and $150,000 in the winter.

Captain Bob Nabal

I really enjoy joining the guests in the water. As a free diver, I enjoy spearfishing around the reef and allowing guests to join in on the fun. I also love sports fishing – we have a fleet of game boats that we offer as additions to our charter itineraries providing the ultimate combination for our guests desired activities. Casting for giant trevally and jigging for dogtooth tuna is a ton of fun.

We have two Seabobs on board Beluga which are great fun for scooting along the reef’s edge and diving down around bommies to check out the marine life.

Our chef prepares the most amazing meals on board Beluga and fresh seafood is her specialty. My personal favourite is freshly caught dogtooth tuna, served up as sashimi.

The Great Barrier Reef provides some of my favourite memories on board. It has spectacular sunsets which change colour as the sun sets – bright oranges to intense pinks and purples sparkle over the water at dusk.

Beluga is managed for charter by Ocean Alliance and has a weekly rate starting from $88,000.

Captain Pascal Pellat-Finet

Without a doubt my favourite thing is when the sails are up and Tiara is cruising along at full speed. Guests are completely awed by the magic of sailing such a big boat.

The best gadget on board is the sailing console, which allows you to do everything by yourself, to run all the sails. I think the crow’s nest is also a great feature to have on a sailing vessel.

My fondest memory was when we were chartering during the Rolex Transatlantic Race from New York to the UK with 12 guests on board. We sailed for 12 days non-stop in all kinds of weather.

Tiara is managed for charter by Y.CO and has a weekly rate starting from €180,000.

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Sanlorenzo SD122 AWOL tour: Inside the Superyacht Captain’s €8.9m seafaring office

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Most superyachts live a life of secrecy, but not AWOL. This Sanlorenzo SD122 is the star of the YouTube channel Superyacht Captain and the eponymous presenter Tristan Mortlock invited Nick Burnham on board at the most recent Cannes Yachting Festival.

Built in 2009 by Italian yard Sanlorenzo Yachts , AWOL is a semi-displacement superyacht with room for 12 guests.

She is run by a crew of eight, led by Tristan, and when this video was filmed she was being prepared for a huge party, which is why some carpets and artwork were missing.

Nick shows us all the key areas of AWOL , from the main-deck master cabin with its walk-in wardrobe and his and hers bathrooms, to the sprawling sundeck, complete with bar and hot tub.

Article continues below…

Superyacht Captain Tristan Mortlock reveals his £5m fantasy fleet

Sanlorenzo SX112 first look: New SX flagship takes crossover concept to the extreme

We also get a proper look at the bridge, which is Tristan’s seafaring office and boasts an impressive helm set-up and ECDIS paperless charts.

Nick arguably saves the best to last, in the form of AWOL ’s immaculate engine room, where we see her twin 1,600hp Caterpillar C32 engines in all their glory.

Enjoy the tour…

Sanlorenzo SD122 AWOL Specification

LOA: 122’10” (37.44m) Beam: 24’8″ (7.54m) Top speed: 18 knots Cruising speed: 12 knots Range: 3,000nm Built: 2009 Refit: 2019 Price: €8,900,000 Charter rate: From €110,000 per week (exc. expenses)

To see more of AWOL, head over to the Superyacht Captain YouTube channel.

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2023/2024 Superyacht Crew Salary Guide

Whether you’re continuing a long-standing career, climbing the career ladder, or getting your feet wet for the first time, Dockwalk ’s Salary Guide provides the full picture when it comes to crew compensation. 

Salary is generally one of the top motivators for those looking for jobs in yachting, but it remains a closely guarded secret. Each year, the Dockwalk Salary Survey goes out to thousands of crewmembers and crew agencies across the world, gathering real-time salary feedback with the aim of creating greater transparency and understanding across the industry.

The 2024 Salary Survey is now closed. Check out the results in the September 2024 issue.

The Results of the 2023 Salary Survey

Our annual salary survey provided some unprecedented insights to what captains and crew earned in 2023.

The yachting industry is slowly returning to normal in the wake of the pandemic. Yachts are back to work around the world and many new ones are in the pipeline thanks to the surge in popularity the "social distant" yachting lifestyle has enjoyed. But, while this return to normalcy has opened up new crew jobs this year, crew themselves have been returning to the workplace in large numbers and competition has been fierce.

Many of the crew agents reported that crew wages largely are flat this year compared to last. Salaries went up in 2021 and 2022 when crew were in short supply, but now more crew are available than previously. While crew are demanding higher pay this year, they’re not necessarily receiving it, but some agents have seen salaries continue to rise since Covid. There are many factors that can affect the salary crew can expect, including where a yacht is based and the season.

The tables below show the “agency range,” which gives the average lows and highs of all ranges provided by the agencies, the “poll range,” where results from individual working captains and crew are tallied to show the lowest and highest of all the responses, and the “poll average” calculated from all the responses. Note that our figures do not account for longevity and experience, crew benefit packages, tips, or similar extra remuneration.

Not all positions with corresponding boat sizes had enough poll responses to be considered significant; those categories are marked with an asterisk to indicate if fewer than five crew responded in that size range for that position. Several categories had no or only one response, which is also noted.

To view the full table:

Dockwalk Salary Survey 2023 in USD and Euros

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Captains Clients Superyacht Industry Insights

Superyacht Captain salary survey 2023 18 December 2023

captain salary survey crew salary survey superyacht captain superyacht salaries yacht captain

In our biggest salary survey yet, we have uncovered detailed insights into Superyacht Captain salary and leave packages.

Almost 300 Captains responded across a range of yacht sizes from sub-30m to 100m+. In addition to average pay and leave, pay rise and bonus activity, the 20+ page report also compares Captain and Chief Officer experience, ticket level, longevity onboard and comparisons to our 2020 and 2022 survey findings.

Some top-level statistics are:

• Every yacht bracket has seen a salary rise since 2020 and 2022.
• Full rotation is also increasing and becoming more prevalent on sub-50m yachts, with an 11% decline overall in Captains with less than 59 days leave.
• Two-fifths of Captains receive an annual pay rise, although this is not part of their contract.
• 38% receive a 13th-month bonus, but random and unpredictable bonuses are more commonplace.
• 70% of Captains have Master 3000.
• Exactly half of the Captains who responded have more than 10 years’ experience in the role and 32% were Chief Officers for 3 to 5 years prior.
• A third have been Captains on their current yacht for more than 3 years.
• Flight allowance improves with yacht size, with 49% of Captains receiving Business Class flights as part of their package.
• The average age at which respondents first became Captain is 32.5 years old.

The full report contains a comprehensive analysis of salaries and leave in each yacht size bracket and also compares full time with rotational roles, as well as explores any correlation between experience and type of ticket.

Simon Ladbrooke, Captain Consultant at Quay Crew, commented:

“In our most detailed salary report to date, we have gained an insight into the real-time compensation Captains receive, broken down by yacht size and with several other comparables too.

“A key takeaway this year is that, despite a slight decline in salaries between 2020 and 2022, the average monthly pay is now higher across all size brackets, representing a median 6.75% increase.

“Time for time rotation has also grown in popularity on all sized yachts, with the exception of <39m yachts which are all full-time at the moment.

“By gathering Chief Officer experience as well as longevity on their current yacht, we can surmise that onboard promotion is on the rise. The average age that someone becomes Captain is now older and the number of years of experience as Chief Officer is higher, suggesting the transition is also taking longer.

“This is undoubtedly down to there being more competition amongst candidates and it being more difficult to make that initial step up.

“Yet, almost three-quarters say it took them less than 6 months to get their first Captain role. This could be, along with the extensive CO experience demonstrated in this survey, largely down to onboard promotion.

Having said that, we were very surprised at this statistic as it doesn’t match at all with our experience. Often, Chief Officers are looking for several years before they finally get their opportunity. It’s something we definitely want to explore further in another survey.”

All HOD salary surveys are available on our client portal, which you can request access to here.

About the author

Simon Ladbrooke

Compassion at christmas: the yachting edition, interview questions to ask as a captain candidate.

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Watch CBS News

5th body recovered from Mike Lynch's family yacht off Sicily as questions mount over luxury vessel's sinking

By Anna Matranga

Updated on: August 22, 2024 / 10:48 AM EDT / CBS News

Rome — Divers recovered the body of a fifth victim of the Bayesian superyacht wreck Thursday morning, Sicily Civil Protection Chief Salvo Cocina confirmed to CBS News, and the Reuters news agency cited Italian Interior Ministry official Massimo Mariani as saying it was the body of Mike Lynch, the British tech magnate whose wife owned the vessel.

Italian Coast Guard spokesperson Vincenzo Zagarola told CBS News that teams were still working to recover the body of the sixth and final person left missing when the boat went down. The six bodies had remained stuck inside the 184-foot luxury yacht for days after it sank early Monday morning off the coast of Palermo, Sicily in a severe thunderstorm.

Four bodies were retrieved Wednesday from the Bayesian, which was resting on the seafloor at a 90 degree angle at a depth of over 160 feet. The vessel's position and items that moved around inside the ill-fated yacht made recovery efforts slow and hazardous.

Italian authorities have not officially identified the remains recovered from the Bayesian, which belonged to Lynch's wife Angela Bacares. She was among the 15 people who managed to escape from the boat as it sank quickly on Monday morning, but Lynch and his 18-year-old daughter Hannah were among those left missing.

Another victim, the Bayesian superyacht's chef, was found dead soon after the boat capsized. 

Along with Lynch and his daughter, the technology mogul's American lawyer Chris Morvillo and his wife Neda, and British banker Jonathan Bloomer and his wife, were believed to have been trapped in the yacht when it sank.

Questions as to how the state-of-the-art boat could have gone down so quickly have mounted steadily since the accident. 

Italian media were reporting Thursday that, after questioning survivors and witnesses, Italian prosecutors had opened an official investigation into a possible "culpable shipwreck." No individuals had been named as potential suspects.

On Thursday, Giovanni Costantino, head of the Italian Sea Group, which owns the company Perini Navi, which built the Bayesian in 2008, blamed human error.

"A Perini ship resisted Hurricane Katrina, a Category 5 [hurricane]. Does it seem to you that it can't resist a tornado from here?" he remarked to the newspaper Corriere della Sera. "It is good practice when the ship is at anchor to have a guard on the bridge, and if there was one he could not have failed to see the storm coming. Instead, it took on water with the guests still in the cabin. ... They ended up in a trap, those poor people ended up like mice."

One possible factor could have been that the ship's keel — a fin-like structure that sticks out from the bottom of the boat, designed to provide stability and counterweight to the huge mast — was not fully deployed. The yacht had a retractable keel that could be raised for entry into shallow harbors. But a raised keel at sea would have made the ship much more vulnerable to instability in the strong winds that struck early Monday morning.

When asked whether divers had seen the ship's keel in a raised position, a spokesman for the Italian Coast Guard told CBS News that only the prosecutor investigating the incident could confirm such information but that the Coast Guard "was not denying" it. 

The ship's captain, 51-year-old New Zealand national James Cutfileld, was questioned for two hours by prosecutors on Thursday, according to Italian media.

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• What Life Might Look Like on the World’s Biggest Yacht

On a Tuesday morning in September, a six-foot-long plastic model of a boat sat on the second floor of the Explorers Club, looking a little like a beached Orca, sleek and out of place in the tweedy boardroom. The tiny yacht had traveled to East 70th Street from Los Angeles and, before that, made stops in Monaco and Zurich, Cannes, and West Palm Beach — a prop to entice buyers who can spend $10 million on a cabin in the world’s biggest yacht. If it gets made. The boat will be called the Ulyssia and it’s the passion project of Frank Binder, a billionaire from the Merck clan with a thing for boats (he once owned a shipyard in Monaco). Lenny Kravitz, his friend, is onboard to help design interiors. (“He’s a genius.”)

Binder has been doing a world tour to find other buyers — who might be hard to meet. Maintenance hovers around 3 percent a year, or $300,000 for that $10 million one-bedroom. It’s a big ask, especially for a boat that, if he does get recruits, won’t launch until 2028. To help, Binder brought on two former executives from the World , the luxury liner that was the first — and only — to prove rich people want to live … at sea, all year. (It launched in 2002, is still sold out, and has yet to snag on an iceberg or go bankrupt.)

Renato Chizzola , a senior vice-president for the Ulyssia who worked as the general manager of the World for five years, spoke to Curbed about the terrors of elephant seals and why he once hired Israeli snipers to come onboard.

This interview has been condensed and edited for clarity. 

What did your job on the World look like?? 

I was in charge of lifestyle, expedition, everything — even the kitchen. You have a captain who’s the master of the vessel, and he ultimately will have the last word on safety, security, where we go, where we can’t go. But then you also need to have somebody who has grown up in a galley carrying luggage. I’m 60 in October. When I was 27, I said, “Okay, how can I see the world without having money?” So in 1993, I was hired on the Queen Elizabeth II , then went to hotels, cruises, and in 46 years I traveled to 186 countries. I was allowed to live onboard and basically extend any service, any dream that a resident had.

What’s the difference between this superyacht and the World ? 

The World is now 23 years old. She was created in the late ’80s. She looks like a cruise ship. And the  Ulyssia is a yacht — the designer says this is his masterpiece.

We never had many amenities on the World . Here, we have a deli. We have a library with a card and games room. We have a table-tennis room. We have two paddle-tennis courts all inside, a multipurpose sports deck up there where the helicopters are, two hangers, two submarines to go down to the ocean, seven restaurants.

Then, we have this inflatable marina off the back of the boat. Imagine we’re near Bermuda. It’s a beautiful day. The sea is calm. We stop and we inflate this — it takes an hour — and we have tenders. You can go diving right there off the ship. The sea is yours. This marina is something the World could never ever have done, because there’s no space in the boat to keep that. The World was more elderly, a bit elderly retired. This is way younger. Why? Because we have so many amenities and offer adventure. Here, we are offering fewer apartments with more space. The balconies are huge. Luxury, for them, means space, time and getting whatever they wish, whenever, wherever. Freedom.

Freedom , in a contained location — 

Yes, and in a safe environment, completely protected against any danger. If a resident says, “I want to bring my family there, I want to be safe, I want to have no worries,” safety needs to be core to us. They want the freedom to do what they do at home — to run around with suits, jewelry. And if they are smart enough to say, “I want to go and see real scenarios, not luxury hotels,” they can go places where there’s no luxury and see how the world really works. That’s what this community wants.

Sounds like a security nightmare. 

We will hire ex-Mossad physically, to be on the ship. On the World , we partnered with Marine Guard, one of the world’s best safety and security companies . It provides technical and physical support. And whenever we went to critical places — for example, when we went through the Gulf of Aden, I brought in Israeli snipers to come on the boat. Nobody, no pirate on earth can come in past them. Then on shore excursions, we have every form of security that you can imagine. Satellite images. Images underwater, over water. When we went to Antarctica, to the Northwest Passage — meeting with the Inuits, the Aborigines — you need people who know them. You need people who safeguard you. In the Antarctic, you are only allowed to go with Zodiacs to the beaches. You need people who know that, who know the sea lions, the penguins. We bring them onboard — 20 or 25 people who know everything about every area. And when we do expeditions, we bring on EYOS, one of the greatest expedition leaders in the world, which goes to places like the Titanic .

Is this, like the Titanic , experimental in any way?

No, there are similar yachts. But in four years, when she will hopefully leave port, she will be the greenest yacht of this size ever built. And at that time, we may build for whatever is available in terms of fuel, whether it’s methanol or nuclear. There are vessels already going nuclear, military vessels.

But isn’t this all risky? 

It’s the opposite. You will see more and more environments like this at sea. Why? Because you can escape anything! If there’s an outbreak in New York, a big virus, you just won’t go there. If there’s a war there, you just don’t go there. If there’s a storm, you don’t go there.

So this will be a way for the global elite, basically, to pay to avoid any problem.

Is it going to be a one percent community? Yes, obviously, but they need to do good around the world, otherwise they cannot come to the community.

Imagine the following. We will have a medical center onboard. We have MRI machines. We have a dentistry. Our doctors, when we go to the west coast of Africa, to Senegal, we can have our doctors go out and help. And as we go around the world, we will help to map the ocean floor. We’ll have tools available to measure and send these to oceanic institutions that then take this data. So we are helping to make the world a better place. And that’s the legacy.

How are you going to gauge whether the people who want to live here also want to do good? 

There’s a very tough background check before being allowed to buy. So can it be that a Colombian drug lord or a Russian weapons dealer comes and says, “Oh, I’m going to take ten?” No, that can’t happen. We’re not a community for people from mainland China who don’t speak English and want to spit around. Or aggressive Russians. We are not a community for sheikhs from any Arab countries. And I have nothing against the Chinese and Russians. I love everybody. I’ve been everywhere. But they just don’t fit here, and they won’t come. We want like-minded golf players, tennis players, joggers, bikers, F1 drivers.

We will have roughly 30 to 35 percent Europeans, 30 to 35 percent North Americans, including from Canada, possibly a few from Mexico City, a few from São Paulo. Then we have about 20 percent from Australia, South Africa, Singapore, Hong Kong, Japan. Then we expect to have about 10 percent of people from all over, we don’t know where. It could be anywhere.

They’ll need a certain amount of money to get into this boat and I assume, therefore, that you can’t be that picky. 

No, we can’t. But we try to be. It’s a balance. We meet them three, four, five, six times. We invite them, show them something, then they say, “Oh, I trust these people. I believe in them.” It’s a slow process.

Can a buyer get kicked off?

Oh, absolutely.

What’s the justice system?

There’s a board that’s voted in and we have our chairman on the board. Almost all of the members are people who have either been on yachts, have their own yacht, or have led organizations.

If people have their own yachts, why would they sign up for this? 

They might have a beautiful yacht of a hundred meters, but they can’t hire all these education guides, explorers all the time. We have 22 guest suites. Imagine we’re coming to Japan. Blossom season. We bring an ex Japanese prime minister onboard, maybe a three-star Michelin chef. We bring them on, let’s say, three weeks before. And they lecture. We can have experts speak about anything. Volcanoes, health and wellness, food and beverage, politics, archeology.

And they have you, who’s been to 186 countries. 

Exactly. So when I do speak to people who want to buy and invite them for lunch or a coffee, they listen because they know, Oh, this guy has been there. You don’t need to tell them something that you think can happen. You can actually tell them a story. When I went to Antarctica the last time, in 2009, on the way back to the Zodiac, I am walking and these big elephant seals — those are the big guys, like three tons and ten feet long — and all of a sudden, out of nowhere, there’s a big sound like MWUGHOWUGH and a big one came up, out of the sand. I stood there frozen. These are moments when you think, Is this really happening to me? How fortunate, how lucky am I to be able to experience moments like this? And all the wealthy people say the same.

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Divers probing how Bayesian superyacht sank make breakthrough discovery as they retrieve surveillance cameras

• Annabel Bate , Foreign News Reporter
• Published : 0:12, 15 Sep 2024
• Updated : 0:44, 15 Sep 2024

DIVERS have recovered video surveillance equipment from Mike Lynch's Basyesian superyacht that could reveal key details of its sinking.

The entrepreneur and dad-of-two, dubbed "Britain's Bill Gates", died alongside his teenage daughter when his superyacht sank off the coast of Sicily on August 19.

Prosecutors investigating the sinking deployed six elite divers from special forces unit "Comsubin" who have made repeated dives down to the sunken vessel.

Divers from the Italian Navy were able to retrieve the surveillance equipment including computers and hard drives.

Now they are to be analysed in specialised labs, according to a report.

The devices will be examined to see if any data can be revealed, or potentially a video showing how the yacht sank - including whether any doors were left open.

read more world news

4 Bayesian victims SURVIVED yacht sinking but died in air bubble, autopsy says

Yacht captain ‘says he did everything to save passengers & abandoned no one’

This is done by using a hyperbaric chamber.

The captain of the doomed Bayesian,  James Cutfield, 51, is being investigated for manslaughter .

Kiwi Cutfield, along with two other members of his crew, are being investigated by Italian authorities for culpable shipwreck and multiple manslaughter.

Prosecutors are also probing ship engineer  Tim Parker-Eaton, from Clophill, Beds, and sailor Matthew Griffith, 22  under the same charges.

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The investigation does not imply guilt or mean formal charges will be brought against any of the men.

At a press conference at the Termini Imerese Courthouse on Saturday, Chief Prosecutor Ambrogio Cartosio said there may have been “behaviours that were not perfectly in order with regard to the responsibility everybody had.” 

His team will probe if hatches were left open, allowing water to flood in.

They will also look into whether the crew raised the alarm before escaping. 

He vowed to “discover how much they knew and to what extent all the people (passengers) were warned.”

Mr Cartosio added: “There could be in fact the question of homicide. But this is the beginning of the inquiry, we cannot exclude anything at all…We will establish each element’s (crew) responsibility.

"For me, it is probable that offences were committed — that it could be a case of manslaughter.”

The body of Mike Lynch and his four guests, Chris, Neda, Jonathan and Judy were found in the first cabin on the left.

Divers recovered five of the six missing passengers - including Lynch - in one cabin on the left side of the yacht which settled on its right side on the sea floor.

A judicial investigation into the yacht tragedy is ongoing.

The luxury vessel was caught up in a horror storm which caused it to sink in the early hours of the morning.

Of the 22 onboard, 15 survived with 11 including Mike Lynch's wife rescued on an inflatable life raft.

Lynch’s  18-year-old daughter Hannah  was the last passenger to be discovered in the third cabin.

The survivors of the wreck, including Lynch’s wife Angela Bacares, 57, left Sicily in a private jet last Sunday.

Inside The Bayesian's final 16 minutes

By Ellie Doughty, Foreign News Reporter

Data recovered from the Bayesian's Automatic Identification System (AIS) breaks down exactly how it sank in a painful minute-by-minute timeline.

At 3.50am on Monday August 19 the Bayesian began to shake "dangerously" during a fierce storm, Italian outlet  Corriere  revealed.

Just minutes later at 3.59am the boat's anchor gave way, with a source saying the data showed there was "no anchor left to hold".

After the ferocious weather ripped away the boat's mooring it was dragged some 358 metres through the water.

By 4am it had began to take on water and was plunged into a blackout, indicating that the waves had reached its generator or even engine room.

At 4.05am the  Bayesian fully disappeared  underneath the waves.

An emergency GPS signal was finally emitted at 4.06am to the coastguard station in Bari, a city nearby, alerting them that the vessel had sunk.

Early reports suggested the disaster struck around 5am local time off the coast of Porticello Harbour in Palermo, Sicily.

The new data pulled from the boat's AIS appears to suggest it happened an hour earlier at around 4am.

Some 15 of the 22 onboard were rescued, 11 of them scrambling onto an inflatable life raft that sprung up on the deck.

A smaller nearby boat - named Sir Robert Baden Powell - then helped take those people to shore.

• Bayesian yacht sinks

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Breakthrough discovery in doomed superyacht

Divers have recovered video surveillance equipment from billionaire Mike Lynch’s Bayesian superyacht that could reveal key details of its sinking.

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Divers have recovered video surveillance equipment from billionaire Mike Lynch’s Bayesian superyacht that could reveal key details of its sinking.

The entrepreneur and dad-of-two, dubbed “Britain’s Bill Gates”, died alongside his teenage daughter when his superyacht sank off the coast of Sicily on August 19.

Prosecutors investigating the sinking deployed six elite divers from special forces unit “Comsubin” who have made repeated dives down to the sunken vessel.

Divers from the Italian Navy were able to retrieve the surveillance equipment including computers and hard drives.

Now they are to be analysed in specialised labs, according to a report.

The devices will be examined to see if any data can be revealed, or potentially a video showing how the yacht sank – including whether any doors were left open.

The captain of the doomed Bayesian, James Cutfield, 51, from New Zealand, is being investigated for manslaughter.

Mr Cutfield, along with two other members of his crew, are being investigated by Italian authorities for culpable shipwreck and multiple manslaughter.

Prosecutors are also probing UK ship engineer Tim Parker-Eaton, and sailor Matthew Griffith, 22, under the same charges.

The investigation does not imply guilt or mean formal charges will be brought against any of the men.

At a press conference at the Termini Imerese Courthouse on Saturday, Chief Prosecutor Ambrogio Cartosio said there may have been “behaviours that were not perfectly in order with regard to the responsibility everybody had”.

His team will probe if hatches were left open, allowing water to flood in.

They will also look into whether the crew raised the alarm before escaping.

He vowed to “discover how much they knew and to what extent all the people (passengers) were warned”.

“There could be in fact the question of homicide. But this is the beginning of the inquiry, we cannot exclude anything at all …We will establish each element’s (crew) responsibility,” Mr Cartosio added. “For me, it is probable that offences were committed — that it could be a case of manslaughter.”

The body of Mike Lynch and his four guests, Christopher, Neda, Jonathan and Judy were found in the first cabin on the left.

Divers recovered five of the six missing passengers – including Lynch – in one cabin on the left side of the yacht which settled on its right side on the sea floor.

A judicial investigation into the yacht tragedy is ongoing.

The luxury vessel was caught up in a horror storm which caused it to sink in the early hours of the morning.

Of the 22 onboard, 15 survived with 11 including Mike Lynch’s wife rescued on an inflatable life raft.

More Coverage

Lynch’s 18-year-old daughter Hannah was the last passenger to be discovered in the third cabin.

The survivors of the wreck, including Lynch’s wife Angela Bacares, 57, left Sicily in a private jet last Sunday.

This article originally appeared on The Sun and was reproduced with permission

A Qantas flight was forced to make a sudden landing at a regional airport following a major safety issue.

The first picture of the Titan submersible on the ocean floor has been released, along with the crew’s tragic last message.

The woman was forced to lock herself in her car in an Aussie outback town and is warning others to stay safe.

Finally, Bravo Drops Below Deck Sailing Yacht's Season 5 Trailer

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Bravo fans have been waiting a very long time for news about Below Deck Sailing Yacht Season 5, and the network has finally delivered.

Not only did Bravo just drop a brand-new trailer for the fifth season of the hotly-anticipated reality TV show, the network also confirmed precisely when Below Deck Sailing Yacht will return.

Until today, fans of Below Deck Sailing Yacht weren't quite sure the spin-off of Below Deck would return for a fifth season, as the last episode of Season 4 aired way back in July 2023.

Editor's note: This article contains brief mentions of sexual assault, abuse, or other related topics that could be triggering for some readers and survivors. If you or someone you know is in need of assistance, please visit RAINN.org. The National Sexual Assault Hotline (1-800-656-4673) is available 24/7.

In late June, one viewer asked Reddit users if Below Deck Sailing Yacht Season 5 was ever going to happen, and even as recently as this summer, fans weren't sure the show was returning.

In that thread, BDSY fans speculated that Season 5 was delayed due to allegations involving First Officer Gary King.

As we previously reported, Season 4 of Below Deck Sailing Yacht featured a wild "love triangle" between Gary, Chief Stewardess Daisy Kelliher , and Chief Engineer Colin MacRae:

"Many things influenced the relationship between Daisy and Colin, but one name was the most prominent: Gary King. "Daisy, Colin, and Gary's entanglement reached a boiling point that got the three in public arguments and name-calling, and at the end, estranged."

A month after Season 4 concluded with a two-part reunion in July 2023, Rolling Stone published an in-depth article , "'Below Deck' Accused of Covering Up Gary King’s Sexual Misconduct," rocking the show's audience.

It reported in part:

"Bravo’s Below Deck was recently lauded for its handling of sexual misconduct when a producer on Below Deck Down Under broke the 'fourth wall' and intervened when one cast member, Luke Jones, tried to get into bed naked with another cast member, Margot Sisson, without her consent while she was inebriated and passed out. Not only was Luke fired from the show, but their fellow cast member and stewardess, Laura Bileskalne, was also let go because of victim-blaming comments she made to Margot about the incident and her own line-crossing pursuit of deckhand Adam Kodra. [...] "Samantha Suarez, who first joined Below Deck in the makeup department on Season 10 of the show, tells Rolling Stone that cast member Gary King tried to force himself on her during production of Below Deck Sailing Yacht Season Four, which filmed in Sardinia, Italy, in the summer of 2022."

Fans speculated that Season 5 was delayed due to extensive retooling, but Bravo eventually confirmed the return of Below Deck Sailing Yacht, with a trailer that centers Daisy.

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Below Deck Sailing Yacht Season 5's Release Date And Trailer

On September 16, Bravo finally released the Below Deck Sailing Yacht trailer.

Bravo shared the clip on Instagram and Twitter/X, to the surprise of fans:

Posts teased the crew's visit to the notoriously riotous destination of Ibiza, and the trailer kicked off with some remarks from Daisy.

Daisy is the first crew member to speak in the trailer, and she addresses the unwieldy love triangle of Season 4:

"Going into this season, I got rid of some dead weight. The breakup did a number on me last year. I felt very broken. "But now, I'm coming back in more focused, full of energy, and I'm f*****g good at my job. And I'm taking back the reins."

Immediately thereafter, the clip cuts to a cabin, where Daisy tells an in-bed Gary that she refuses to "carry this season," before cutting back to newer footage of Daisy laughing and predicting:

This is gonna be a s*** show.

Then the video shifts to Ibiza, where a voiceover describes it as the world's "party capital," and scenes are interspersed with a lot of breaking glass.

Gary (who has not been let go from the franchise) makes an appearance, and the soundbite chosen for the trailer is bizarre given the allegations levied at him last year:

If the guests don't have a good time, we're clearly doing something very wrong.

As the trailer winds down, one of the crew members (likely Deckhand Keith Allen) muses that "Daisy would make a very good wife."

The trailer wraps with an apparent firing, as well as what appears to be a scene during which the crew veers uncomfortable close to another vessel at sea, at night.

Below Deck Sailing Yacht Season 5 debuts on Bravo on October 7 at 9PM Eastern, and streams on Peacock the following day.

Below Deck Sailing Yacht

Divers find 5 bodies during search of superyacht wreckage after it sank off Sicily, 1 still missing

The bayesian, a 56-meter (184-foot) british-flagged yacht, went down in a storm early monday, by nicole winfield, danica kirka and andrea rosa | the associated press • published august 21, 2024 • updated on august 21, 2024 at 4:18 pm.

Divers searching the wreck of a superyacht  that sank off Sicily found the bodies of five passengers Wednesday and searched for one more as questions intensified about why the vessel sank so quickly when a nearby sailboat remained largely unscathed.

Rescue crews brought four body bags ashore into port at Porticello. Salvatore Cocina, head of the Sicily civil protection agency, said a fifth body had been located. Divers at the scene said they would try to recover it on Thursday while continuing the search for the sixth.

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Video shows moments before superyacht went down in storm off Sicily

Missing revealed as divers search superyacht that sank in storm off Sicily

The discovery made clear the operation to search the hull on the seabed 50 meters (164 feet) underwater had quickly turned into a recovery one, not a rescue, given the amount of time that had passed and with no signs of life emerging over three days of searching.

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The Bayesian, a 56-meter (184-foot) British-flagged yacht, went down in a storm  early Monday  as it was moored about a kilometer (a half-mile) offshore. Civil protection officials said they believed the ship was struck by a tornado over the water, known as a waterspout, and sank quickly.

Fifteen people escaped in a lifeboat and were rescued by a nearby sailboat. One body was recovered Monday — that of the ship’s chef, Recaldo Thomas, of Antigua.

Thomas was born in Canada, according to his cousin David Isaac, but would visit his parents’ homeland of Antigua as a child, moving permanently to the tiny eastern Caribbean island in his early 20s. Italian officials previously listed Antigua and Canada as the nationality of people on board.

The fate of six missing passengers had driven the search effort, including British tech magnate Mike Lynch, his 18-year-old daughter and associates who had successfully defended him in a recent U.S. federal fraud trial.

Lynch’s spokesperson did not respond to a request for comment Wednesday.

Meanwhile, investigators from the Termini Imerese Public Prosecutor’s Office were acquiring evidence for their criminal investigation, which they opened immediately after the tragedy  even though no formal suspects have been publicly identified.

Questions have abounded about what caused the superyacht, built in 2008 by Italian shipyard Perini Navi, to sink so quickly, when the nearby Sir Robert Baden Powell sailboat was largely spared and managed to rescue the survivors.

Giovanni Costantino, head of The Italian Sea Group, which owns the shipmaker, blamed human error for the disaster, which he said took 16 minutes. “The ship sank because it took on water. From where, the investigators will say,” he told RAI state television after he met with prosecutors.

Costantino cited AIS ship tracking data which he said showed the Bayesian had taken on water for four minutes when a sudden gust of wind flipped it and it continued taking on water. The ship straightened up slightly and then went down, he said.

But was it merely the case of a freak waterspout that knocked the ship to its side and allowed water to pour in through open hatches? What was the position of the keel, which on a large sailboat like the Bayesian might have been retractable, to allow it to enter shallower ports?

“There’s a lot of uncertainty as to whether it had a lifting keel and whether it might have been up,” said Jean-Baptiste Souppez, a fellow of the Royal Institute of Naval Architects and the editor of the Journal of Sailing Technology. “But if it had, then that would reduce the amount of stability that the vessel had, and therefore made it easier for it to roll over on its side,” he said in an interview.

The captain of the sailboat that came to the Bayesian’s rescue said his craft had sustained minimal damage — the frame of a sun awning broke — even with winds that he estimated reached 12 on the Beaufort wind scale, which is the highest hurricane-strength force on the scale.

He said he had remained anchored with his engines running to try to maintain the ship’s position as the storm, which was forecast, rolled in.

“Another possibility is to heave anchor before the storm and to run downwind at open sea,” Karsten Bornersaid in a text message. But he said that might not have been a viable option for the Bayesian, given its trademark 75-meter (246-foot) tall mast.

“If there was a stability problem, caused by the extremely tall mast, it would not have been better at open sea,” he said.

Yachts like the Bayesian are required to have watertight, sub-compartments that are specifically designed to prevent a rapid, catastrophic sinking even when some parts fill with water.

“So for the vessel to sink, especially this fast, you are really looking at taking water on board very quickly, but also in a number of locations along the length of the vessel, which again indicates that it might have been rolled over on its side,” Souppez said.

Italian coast guard and fire rescue divers continued the underwater search in dangerous and time-consuming conditions. Because of the wreck’s depth, which requires special precautions, divers working in tag teams could only spend about 12 minutes at a time searching, though reinforcements outfitted with special equipment to enable longer dives were also on the wreck Wednesday.

In all, some 27 divers were taking rotations, including four who helped with the recovery of the 2012 Costa Concordia disaster off Tuscany. They called the Porticello wreck a “little Concordia,” fire crews said in a statement, which for the first time Wednesday referred to the operation as a “recovery.”

The limited dive time was designed in part to avoid decompression sickness, also known as the “bends,” which can occur when divers stay underwater for long periods and ascend too quickly, allowing nitrogen gas dissolved in the blood to form bubbles.

“The longer you stay, the slower your ascent has to be,” said Simon Rogerson, the editor of SCUBA magazine. He said the tight turnaround time suggested the operation's managers were trying to limit the risks and recovery time after each dive.

“It sounds like they’re operating essentially on no decompression or very tight decompression, or they’re being extremely conservative,” he said.

Additionally, the divers were working in extremely tight spaces, with debris floating around them, limited visibility and air tanks on their backs.

“We are trying to advance in tight spaces, but any single thing slows us down,” said Luca Cari, spokesman for the fire rescue service. “An electric panel could set us back for five hours. These aren’t normal conditions. We’re at the limit of possibility.”

“It’s not a question of entering the cabin to inspect it,” he added. “They’ve arrived at the level of the cabins, but it’s not like you can open the door.”

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British tech magnate Mike Lynch, 2 US citizens among missing after luxury yacht sinks off Sicily

15 people were rescued and one body believed to be the cook was found near the wreck, but six others were unaccounted for and believed inside the hull, by andrea rosa and nicole winfield | the associated press • published august 19, 2024 • updated on august 19, 2024 at 6:21 pm.

British tech magnate Mike Lynch and five other people were missing after their luxury sailing yacht sank during a freak storm off Sicily early Monday, Italy’s civil protection and authorities said. Lynch’s wife and 14 other people survived.

Lynch, who was  acquitted in June  in a big U.S. fraud trial, was among six people who remain unaccounted for after their chartered sailboat sank off Porticello, when a tornado over the water known as a waterspout struck the area overnight, said Salvo Cocina of Sicily’s civil protection agency.

One body was recovered, and police divers spent the day trying to reach the hull of the ship, which was resting at a depth of 50 meters (163 feet) off Porticello where it had been anchored, rescue authorities said. They returned to the site after 10 p.m. to see if it would be possible to search through the night, when weather conditions were expected to worsen, said Luca Cari, spokesman of the fire rescue service.

It had a crew of 10 people and 12 passengers, the Italian coast guard said. A sudden fierce storm had battered the area overnight, and struck the place precisely where the 56-meter (184-foot) British-flagged Bayesian had been moored.

“They were in the wrong place at the wrong time,” said Cocina, noting that another superyacht nearby wasn't as badly damaged and helped rescue some of the 15 survivors, who included Lynch's wife Angela Bacares.

The Bayesian was notable for its single 75-meter (246-feet) mast — one of the world’s tallest made of aluminum and which was lit up at night, just hours before it sank. Online charter sites listed it for rent for up to 195,000 euros (about $215,000) a week.

One of the survivors, identified as Charlotte Golunski, said she momentarily lost hold of her 1-year-old daughter Sofia in the water, but then managed to hold her up over the waves until a lifeboat inflated and they were both pulled to safety, Italian news agency ANSA reported, quoting the mother. The father, James Emsley, also survived, said Cocina.

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Karsten Borner, the captain of the Sir Robert Baden Powell, said he had noticed the Bayesian nearby during the storm but after it calmed he saw a red flare and realized the ship had simply disappeared, ANSA and the Giornale di Sicilia newspaper reported. Borner said he and a crew member boarded their tender and found a lifeboat with 15 people, some of them injured, who they then took aboard and alerted the coast guard.

Eight of those rescued were hospitalized while the others were taken to a hotel. One body believed to be the cook was found near the wreck, but six others were unaccounted for and believed inside the hull, said Cari, the fire rescue spokesperson. The rescue operations, which were visible from shore, involved helicopters and rescue boats from the coast guard, fire rescue and civil protection service.

#Palermo , naufragio imbarcazione a Porticello: recuperato dai #sommozzatori dei #vigilidelfuoco il corpo senza vita di un uomo, all’esterno del relitto. Proseguono le operazioni di ricerca con il coordinamento in mare della @guardiacostiera [ #19agosto 11:30] pic.twitter.com/Y2m9o5ohCe — Vigili del Fuoco (@vigilidelfuoco) August 19, 2024

Fisherman Francesco Cefalu’ said he had seen a flare from shore at around 4:30 a.m. and immediately set out to the site but by the time he got there, the Bayesian had already sunk, with only cushions, wood and other items from the superyacht floating in the water.

“But for the rest, we didn’t find anyone,” he said from the port hours later. He said that he immediately alerted the coast guard and stayed on site for three hours, but didn't find any survivors. “I think they are inside, all the missing people.”

He said he had been up early to check the weather to see if he could go fishing, and surmised that a sudden waterspout had struck the yacht.

“It could be that the mast broke, or the anchor at the prow pulled it, I don’t know,” he said.

Cocina said the crew and passengers hailed from a variety of countries: In addition to Britain and the United States, passengers and crew were from Antigua, France, Germany, Ireland, Myanmar, the Netherlands, New Zealand and Spain, he said.

Among the dead and missing, four were British, two were American, and one was a man with dual citizenship from Canada and Antigua, according to Luciano Pischedda, the Italian Coast Guard official overseeing the rescue operations.

The UK Marine Accident Investigation Branch is deploying a team of four inspectors to Italy to conduct a preliminary assessment. The Foreign Commonwealth and Development office said it was “providing consular support to a number of British nationals and their families.”

Dutch foreign ministry spokesperson Casper Soetekouw said the lone Dutch citizen on board, a man, had been rescued and was not in life-threatening condition.

Lynch, once hailed as Britain’s king of technology, was cleared in June of fraud and conspiracy charges related to Hewlett Packard’s $11 billion takeover of his company, Autonomy Corp.

The not-guilty verdicts followed an 11-week criminal trial in San Francisco that delved into the history of HP’s  2011 acquisition  of Autonomy, a business software firm founded by Lynch.

The  fraud accusations  represented a dramatic turn in the fortunes of an entrepreneur once described as the Bill Gates of Britain — a title he seemed to live up to when he netted an $800 million from the Autonomy sale.

The acquittal vindicated Lynch, who had vehemently denied wrong doing and portrayed HP as a technological train wreck.

“I’m looking forward to returning the UK and getting back to what I love most: my family and innovating in my field,” Lynch said in a statement released after the verdict.

The yacht, built in 2008 by the Italian firm Perini Navi, can accommodate 12 passengers in four double cabins, a triple and the master suite, plus crew accommodations, according to Charter World and Yacht Charters.

The vessel, which previously was named Salute when it flew under a Dutch flag, featured a sleek, minimalist interior of light wood with Japanese accents designed by the French designer Remi Tessier, according to descriptions and photos on the charter sites.

AP writers Danica Kirka and Sylvia Hui contributed from London.

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