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The most outrageous superyacht guest requests

If you’ve been watching the dramatic season nine of TV show Below Deck , then you’ll know that superyacht charter guests can be quite demanding clients. We hear from yacht captains and crew as they talk about the scandalous stories of their time on board and reveal the most outrageous requests they’ve ever received from millionaire and model superyacht charter guests. Names have been omitted to protect the innocent – and not so innocent…

Chicken carpaccio

"One guest once asked me to serve chicken carpaccio. I always adopt a 'yes, can do' attitude toward yachting, but I had to let him down with a big no."

Hokkaido melon

"On a previous yacht, I had to organise a melon in Italy for a guest onboard. Not a difficult task in August. However, the guest wanted one from Japan – a very rare strain of Hokkaido melon. It took more than six days, many emails, phone calls, tenders and a helicopter flight to bring the melon on board, but we did it. The guest did not touch it in the end!"

Volcanic black sand

"I remember once we had to travel hundreds of miles to go to some small volcanic island because the owner's wife had asked for 'some black sand'. Once we arrived, she didn't even go on the beach, but just sent a crew member with a jar to collect some, but then she left it on the boat when she left. It was really odd."

Live baby octopus

"A guest once requested live baby octopus; literally serving a squirming bowl of octopus. You eat it with chopsticks, put it in your mouth and swallow it whole. That was bizarre!"

Out of season papaya

"I was once woken at 3am and asked for an out-of-season papaya. The guest wanted both the seeds and fruit for their holistic skin regime."

Aesthetically-pleasing staff

"I heard our owner ask the captain: 'could you please get some better looking girls to work on this boat?” It happens a lot, of course, that owners have certain specs for crew, but the downside is you have more turnover this way so it’s really not an ideal way to run the boat. Of course, it’s also incredibly shallow."

Personalised gym

"I was doing a charter in St Barths and the primary charterer requested: 'Can we convert one of the suites into a gym with state-of-the-art equipment?' After a scramble, a lot of phone calls and about $60,000, the gym equipment was delivered and set up. But not once during the entire charter did a single guest use it. Instead, they got drunk and smoked cigars. When they left we were due to pick up another charter in 24 hours, so we put all the unused gym equipment on the dock with a “free” sign."

Flavourless Italian food

"The strangest request I received was Italian food with no garlic, onion, olive oil, salt or herbs (except basil, which could be put in whole and steeped but had to be removed before serving), Needless to say, that job did not last long."

Rigging request

"We got a very specific request from a client who wanted to know strange details about the in-mast rigging and roller furler. They very clearly had a fetish about being tied up and were hoping to act out this fantasy on a sailing yacht. It was too detailed for it to be a hoax. I don't think the yacht owner accepted the charter."

500 white roses

"One of the craziest requests I had was when I was working as a stewardess on a charter. The Mrs was the type who would ask for ridiculous stuff just to see if we could do it. We were anchored in the middle of nowhere in the Caribbean and it was already the middle of the afternoon. We had these huge vases in the main saloon and she said: ‘I want these full of 500 white roses and I want white roses everywhere by dinner.’

I had to first source that many roses, which I found in Miami, then had to hire a private plane to get them to the Caribbean, then a seaplane to land next to the yacht. Then, of course, I had to get them on board and have them ready by dinner. I did it and she loved it, but as soon as dinner was over, she said: ‘Get rid of them. You can throw them overboard if you want.’ I couldn’t bear to do it! So I took them down below and the crew mess and cabins were full of white roses for a week! I couldn’t believe how much it cost, probably close to $100,000 between flights and hundreds of white roses."

New York bagels

"We were in St. Barths and the guests had to have bagels from Zabar's in New York for the next day. We did it. We got a private jet and flew them in: the pilots taxied them to us."

"The strangest request I've ever received is probably to cook a sea slug that the young kids picked up off the ocean floor... It was a joke in the end, but I made them cookies with a worm coming out of one of them, while the others were filled with jam."

No topping pizza

"I love being able to use my creativity to concoct new dishes. Someone once asked me for a Margherita pizza without cheese or sauce."

Cucumber cubes

"I once had a guest who wanted cucumber cubes cut to exactly 10 millimetres for breakfast. I had to use a ruler to ensure they were accurate."

The party yacht

“One client had a fleet of yachts but would always  charter an extra yacht  as the after-party venue. As part of his crew, I had to go clubbing with him and give all the ‘hottest’ girls a stamp to go to the party on the yacht. (I was allowed to stamp some guys — about a 4:1 ratio.) By the end of the week everyone knew me as the gatekeeper to get on the party yacht. The parties were really intense. I was pretty much nocturnal working for him.”

Dom Pérignon delivery

“A common occurrence on a charter is getting Champagne flown in by seaplane when the guests are partying too much and we’ve run out of Dom Pérignon.”

Kosher kitchen

“I had a client who wanted to charter a certain yacht but he was kosher and the kitchen was not. So he brought in all new cutlery and plates and redid the galley to make it kosher. He even brought in his own chef, all because he wanted that specific yacht.”

X-rated yacht

“I worked for owners once who had sex toys and pornography books all over the boat, which we were instructed to keep out as part of the décor. Funnily enough, it was a really popular charter yacht, so every time we had a charter we had to make sure it was all put away. One time we thought we had removed everything but forgot to put a book away, and the charter clients found it. Thank God they weren’t offended and thought it was hilarious!”

To hear more stories from life on board, get the latest issue of BOAT International sent straight to your door.

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The 5 tragic minutes that sank a superyacht

PORTICELLO, Italy — Survivors of a storm that sank a superyacht off Sicily recounted their ordeal to one of the doctors who rushed to their aid, with some saying it took mere minutes for the 180-foot ship to go down. 

Dr. Fabio Genco, head of the Palermo Emergency Medical Services, told NBC News on the phone Thursday that he arrived in the seaside village of Porticello before dawn Monday, about an hour after the $40 million Bayesian sank in the violent and sudden storm.   

Of the 22 people onboard, 15 survived despite storm conditions and darkness, climbing onto a lifeboat before being rescued by a nearby sailboat. The crew members have made no public statements so far, though some have been interviewed by investigators.

“They told me that it was all dark, that the yacht hoisted itself up and then went down,” Genco said, recounting what the survivors told him. “All the objects were falling on them. That’s why I immediately made sure, by asking them questions, if they had any internal injuries,” he said. 

It appears they had just minutes to abandon the sinking ship, Genco said. 

“They told me that suddenly they found themselves catapulted into the water without even understanding how they had got there,” he said, “And that the whole thing seems to have lasted from 3 to 5 minutes.”

Giovanni Costantino, CEO of The Italian Sea Group, which owns Perini Navi, the Bayesian's shipbuilder, told Sky News that there were no flaws with the design or construction of the yacht. He said their structure and keel made boats like that “unsinkable bodies.”

In an interview with the Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera, he disavowed responsibility, blaming instead the actions of the crew. “Mistakes were made,” he said. 

Genco said one of his colleagues who arrived at the scene before him initially thought that only three people survived, but the coast guard reported there were other survivors and more emergency services were called in. 

When Genco arrived, he found scenes of panic and despair. 

“Unfortunately, we are used to such panic scenes because we are used to the shipwrecks that happen on Lampedusa ,” Genco said, referring to the island southwest of Sicily, where the wreckage of boats carrying migrants on the sea journey from North Africa to Italy are often found . 

Six of the passengers were declared missing Monday, and by Thursday, the bodies of five had been recovered from the wreck , some 160 feet underwater.

Among those who survived is Angela Bacares, wife of the British tech mogul Mike Lynch , whose body was recovered Thursday. 

Another survivor has been identified as Charlotte Emsley, 35. She told the Italian news agency ANSA that she had momentarily lost hold of her year-old daughter, Sofia, in the water but managed to retrieve her and hold her over the waves until a lifeboat inflated and they were pulled into safety.

Dr. Domenico Cipolla at the Di Cristina Children’s Hospital in Palermo is also part of a team of medical professionals treating the shipwreck survivors. He told the BBC on Wednesday that Emsley and her daughter, as well as the father of the child, who Cipolla said also survived, are continuing to receive psychological help. 

“Psychological support was constant and is constant even today, because basically it is the wounds of the soul that are the most in need of healing in these cases,” Cipolla said.

Genco also told NBC News that he was especially concerned about the child. “She did not understand anything. She was soaking wet and cold,” he said. 

Karsten Borner, the Dutch captain of the Sir Robert Baden Powell, a yacht that was anchored near the Bayesian, said by phone Wednesday that he saw a thunderstorm come in at around 4 a.m. local time (10 p.m. ET) Monday, followed by what looked like a waterspout, a type of tornado that forms over water. 

The International Centre for Waterspout Research noted on X that there was a “waterspout outbreak” off Italy on Monday, the day the Bayesian sank. 

“I turned on the engine and made maneuvers so that we wouldn’t collide with the Bayesian, which was anchored about 100 meters from us,” Borner said. “Then all of a sudden it disappeared. Then the wind calmed down, we looked around and saw a red flare.”

Borner said he got into his boat’s tender and saw a life raft with 15 people on it. Members of the crew were administering first aid. 

“I don’t know why it sank so quickly, but it may have something to do with the mast which was incredibly long,” he said. Questions have been raised about whether the mast was to blame for the accident as tall masts, even with the sails down, have more surface area exposed to the wind, which can contribute to tipping a vessel in a storm.

The CCTV footage that emerged Tuesday showed the yacht’s 250-foot mast, believed to be one of the tallest aluminum sailing masts in the world, lashed by the storm as it appears to tilt to one side before disappearing.

Claudia Rizzo is an Italy based journalist.

Claudio Lavanga is Rome-based foreign correspondent for NBC News.

Yuliya Talmazan is a reporter for NBC News Digital, based in London.

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These charter guests came straight from hell

For this year’s Halloween special, we thought we’d try and shock some of you into submission. This is an extract from the diary of a Superyacht Stewardess onboard a large Motor Yacht… Read on, if you dare!

Armed with radios and our biggest smiles, we waved off the Captain as he went to collect the guests for our New Year’s BVI charter. It was number five of ten-week-long, back-to-back charters. Exhausted but exhilarated from the high of an amazing Christmas trip, we were fueled by adrenaline, ready to embrace our new guests.

The week began with the wild children fighting with black Sharpies… on our white leather sofas. Without jumping to conclusions too much, it was clear that parenting skills were questionable in this case. “Seven more days…” I said in my head as I walked by, smiling sweetly.

Day two: The nanny was sunbathing on the bow, the parents were asleep, and the kids were roaming free. The two-year-old decided to start climbing the steps, clearly in the “danger zone” that had been laid out on day one. Smack! Luckily her fall came only from the third step, and she was uninjured, but somehow this still didn’t prompt the nanny to reconsider the role of actually doing her job.

Day three: We were all puzzled as to why this group had chosen a yachting holiday as none of them seemed to be remotely interested in the water. On day 3 there was a thunderous crash and as we ran around the boat to see what was going on we noticed two heads bobbing about down below. One seemed pleased with the surroundings while the other certainly did not. The man had decided to take the seven-year-old boy for a swim and this has been met with a very loud protest indeed. After much wailing and shrieking a towel was demanded and dutifully provided. Having removed the salt from his eyes the boy promptly dropped the towel in the sea and scrambled out of the water to safety. The man went swimming alone after that.

Day four: The parents went out to dinner, and the nanny to bed, leaving the kids unattended (what a surprise). Dealing with the shrieking children was painful enough but then the parents returned from the restaurant and proudly showed off the goodies they had picked up whilst off the boat. Stolen goodies. Wine glasses, pens, silverware, linen napkins… In the crew mess, we wondered what they were planning to remove from the boat if this enormous haul was the result of only one night in a restaurant.

Day five, New Year’s Eve: Anchored at the best spot at Foxy’s, Jost Van Dyke, we were awakened at 5am by screaming children. I lay in bed, thinking surely the parents or nanny would do something. After twenty minutes of the screeching, I gave in and went to see what was going on. The brats had managed to open the porthole and had thrown out the boat’s Apple TV remotes. I put them in “time out”, had a stern word, and shut the door behind me. By now, the crew needed sleep and screaming children were not our responsibility.

By midday, the parents rolled out of bed and the woman’s hair was the brightest shade of blue hair you’ve ever seen. Was this real? We all radioed each other to confirm it wasn’t our delirium… Our fears were confirmed upon entering the master bathroom. Blue. Dye. EVERYWHERE. The white marble counters, walls, and the pristine white sink were splattered with blue dye.

The final day: Drained but still smiling because FINALLY these people are getting the hell off our boat. It all becomes worth it at the end of the week knowing the captain will be handed an envelope & the guests will become a story that one day we will be able to laugh about. Of course, that’s not what happened on this trip. The ‘envelope’ was handed to me. Only the envelope was actually a plastic bag. I looked inside to find a dress belonging to the lady that I’d complimented earlier in the week. That was my tip. The captain got a pair of size 14 Havaianas, but the best was our deckhand, an XL shirt for a petite guy. The receipt in the bag meant he could exchange the size… in theory. Off he went to greet a horrified shop owner, mumbling “Sir, this wasn’t paid for, we’re going to have to take it back from you. Sorry.”

It didn’t end there. The next day, preparing for the next imminent charter, we were all mortified to find that the entire supply of Bvlgari toiletries had vanished and so had the $300 Ralph Lauren scatter pillows from the master cabin, conveniently the same shade of blue as the lady’s new hairdo.

Lauren Loudon

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The Love Boat: Yacht Crew Couples Share Their Experiences and Advice

Sara Ventiera is a contributing writer and former stewardess who covers food, travel, and other topics. Her work has appeared in a wide range of publications, including the New York Times, Food & Wine, NPR, Eating Well, and BBC Travel.

Brendan and Julie Emmons aren’t quite sure how they started dating. Both then 21 years old, they were home in New Jersey visiting family for the holidays. They hung out five times in the week they were there and kept in touch when Julie went back to finish her senior year in college at SUNY Cortland. Brendan flew back to Aventura, Florida, to rejoin the yacht he was working on.

After three years of phone calls and regular weekend visits, the couple decided it was time to get on a boat together. “In the beginning, it was okay because it was so new,” says Julie. “But it was like, okay, we can’t live like this forever.”

It’s a reality many crewmembers face: how to grow a relationship in one of the least conventional professions and lifestyles around. Whether it’s working and living together 24/7 aboard a vessel or dealing with hectic schedules and lots of distance, folks who work on yachts have to create uncommon systems to make their romantic partnerships work.

Finding a Balance

For Julie and Brendan, joining a boat together was fairly easy but it did require some adjustments. She had already helped out on his vessel for small events and weekend trips while it was up in New England in the summers. But the first week they worked together as full-time captain and stewardess was intensely busy and Brendan, as he’s wont to, said “yes” to every owner request. Julie, a self-proclaimed perfectionist, struggled with being able to get every task accomplished to her high standard of perfection.

Over time, however, they figured out how to find a balance. “Julie learned how I was, and we just dealt with it,” says Brendan. “She’s aligned with how I operate, and we’ve gotten much more efficient together.”

It’s a reality many crewmembers face: how to grow a relationship in one of the least conventional professions and lifestyles around.

What they have found harder than working together and learning how to balance each other’s ways of operating is working with other people. Brendan often feels the need to hold Julie to a higher standard and because the two of them are willing to do whatever it takes to get a job done, they feel like it can put extra pressure on their fellow crew. Julie and Brendan often find themselves working until 9 p.m. “We’re really just hanging out while we’re working,” says Julie. “When other crew are on board, we have to set more realistic hours so everyone on the boat isn’t stressed out.”

The issue of separating work from relationship time is common for couples who are business partners, whether on land or water, Dr. Yvonne Thomas, PhD, a Los Angeles-based psychologist whose specialties include couples and careers, told The Zoe Report . “Many have trouble separating the business relationship — putting away that professional side at the end of the day and focusing on the romantic side. The ideal balance can be reached, but it’s not necessarily going to be perfect.”

In an attempt to do so, the Emmons try to get off the boat and take time together as much as possible. Every day, they go for a five- to six-mile walk or run together — unless they’re on charter or an intense trip.

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At the same time, it’s important for the individuals that are in a couple to have “me” time separate from one another. “You can’t be tied to each other’s hips,” Dr. Thomas told the publication. “Everybody needs a break and a time to chill out so you don’t feel smothered or suffocated by your partner. Maybe that means you take half an hour to yourself before or after you come together after work.”

That was one of the issues Gabriella Halcovich, 23, and her boyfriend Tom faced while they worked aboard together. She loved going on walks and exploring restaurants together when they had time off, but as someone who really enjoys her quiet alone time, the complete lack of space was hard, especially when she was working inside with guests on board. “I told him I needed a couple hours to be in the cabin alone,” she says. “We’d be on breaks together at the same time, but it was the only time I had to be alone.”

Making Sacrifices

When the couple, both of whom were working in the industry when they first met, got on a boat together, it was very exciting to get to spend so much time with one another. But the sacrifices they both had to make in order to join the same program proved difficult.

Halcovich, who dreams of building a career on deck, was pushed to work inside in order to obtain a couples position. After several months, they had to have a hard conversation about how to move forward. Either she’d have to work directly under Tom outside or transition to a different department. She wasn’t thrilled about either prospect, another common experience for couples who work together. Studies have shown that women especially tend to earn and advance their careers less when they go into business with their significant others.

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“Many have trouble separating the business relationship — putting away that professional side at the end of the day and focusing on the romantic side…”

Tom, who is a passionate sailor, much preferred the idea of working on a sailing yacht anyway. He recently took a bosun position on a 56-meter private and heavy charter yacht, based in the Caribbean in winter, Mediterranean in summer.

The pair decided that the best way to move forward in their careers and relationship is to work separately, in the same part of the world. Halcovich is currently seeking a deck position with a similar itinerary to Tom’s, so it will be easier to see each other during time off. “It makes time go faster when we’re both working a normal day,” says Halcovich. “We look forward to our hour or 30 minutes on the phone or Facetime.”

Any couple in yachting is going to make some sort of sacrifice. Whether it’s long stints apart from one another, one or both parties taking a position that’s less than ideal, or giving up one’s career.

How to Avoid Being the Bad Couple on Board

• Be respectful about communicating with the crew: if someone seems upset, address the issue immediately. 
• Be patient and understanding of other crewmembers’ feelings.
• Leave your relationship in the cabin: keep PDA and bickering to a minimum in front of others. 
• When you start to get frustrated with your partner on the job, take a break from the argument and hash it out after calming down. 
• Make an effort to spend time alone, together as a couple, and as fellow crewmembers without one another.

Allison Edelstein, 34, a lifelong sailor, and her husband Grayson Miller III, thought they had to leave yachting to start a family. Both came from traditional families — her mother is a lawyer; his father owned a construction firm — who did not understand the itinerant lifestyle. So, the couple moved back to Edelstein’s hometown in Long Island, New York, to take teaching positions and coach sailing.

They had a son, Grayson Miller IV, and Miller eventually managed to find a mostly land-based yacht job where he managed two smaller boats for a family who moved between Palm Beach and New York. Edelstein and their baby chased the weather with Miller, relocating every six months with the boat. For many yachting couples, that may sound like a dream. But both Edelstein and Miller felt like they were sacrificing their passions for marriage and family. Edelstein wanted to be back on the water and Miller’s goal was to run 150- to 200-foot yachts that traveled the world.

After seven years together, they ended up filing for divorce in 2017. “I think that marriage broke up because we left the water,” says Edelstein. “A lot of crew use yachting in their early twenties to party and travel, but it’s not really what they love to do.”

Edelstein’s thinking is on par with a growing body of research. According to Harvard Business Review , sociological research has been increasingly finding evidence that when both partners dedicate themselves to work and home life, they gain benefits including increased economic freedom, a more satisfying relationship, and lower-than-average likelihood of divorce. “The biggest thing I learned is that you have to keep doing what you love,” says Edelstein.

The exes have both found their way back into the industry — and are much happier and friendlier as a result. While considered unconventional to many, they have figured out a way to balance careers they are both passionate about with raising their child.

After getting back onto a boat in 2020, Edelstein met her current partner Marc Tacher. The couple relocated to Jupiter, Florida, in late 2021, where Tacher is running a 72-foot Mangusta and Edelstein is working on shore for United Yacht Sales, learning another side of the industry she loves. She’s trying to apply the lessons she learned from her first marriage to their relationship now. “You have to follow whatever it is that’s going to make you the happiest, otherwise it’s not going to work anyway.”

Carving a Niche

Capt. Bryant Grant, 36, who married his wife Alexandra at 19 while he was in the Navy, had been used to spending time apart, as he often had to deploy for six-month stints during his time in the military. But a while after starting his yachting career, Alexandra, a dental assistant, joined him on board a 59-foot yacht.

The couple worked well together for several years, but Bryant, cognizant of the difficult dynamics of working with a larger crew as a couple, decided to stick to smaller yachts to alleviate any potential headaches that could arise from having a couple running the show. “We purposely worked on smaller boats,” he says. “We wanted boats just her and I could handle on our own.”

While they could have chosen to go down the charter path, the Grants prioritized a work-life balance. They purposely sought out laidback programs that allowed them to have a life for themselves on top of their careers.

Bryant, who is from Jensen Beach, Florida, grew up with a passion for being on the water and loves working on boats. But after a string of bad job situations with difficult owners, Alexandra tired of yachting and wanted to go back to shore. Finding a long-term job that allows him time to spend with his family has not been easy. “It’s been a battle ever since she left, trying to stay home,” says Bryant. “As experienced as I am when I get newer owners on smaller boats, they get confident in their program, they want to do more.”

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Three-and-a-half years ago, the couple had a baby girl, Claire, and that has made sticking close to home even more important for Bryant. He says he did not want to be an absentee father for his wife and daughter. After Claire was born, he did spend a couple of summers up in New England. The first summer, when Claire was a baby, Alexandra’s parents flew over from California to help her out. However, the next summer proved difficult when Alexandra was completely on her own in Boynton Beach with no family and just a small support system around. Something had to give.

To make life a bit easier, they relocated from Boynton Beach up to Jensen Beach to be close to his family. The first couple of months, he drove down to Miami multiple times per week for work, but he’s managed to stake a place for himself in the industry up north. The boats aren’t quite as big or nice and the owners aren’t quite as wealthy as they are in Fort Lauderdale, but Bryant and his family have been slowly figuring out how to balance family life with his yachting career. “I try to find the right program,” Bryant says. “They don’t always pay the best, but it allows me to do what I love and provide for my family better than another job — and it keeps me home.”

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Superyacht Crew Members Can Tell You Some Wild Stories

29 jul 2021 by jasmine stone in boats , lifestyle , money.

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[imagesource: here ]

Life aboard a yacht, superyacht, or as is the case with Jeff Bezos, a gigayacht , is glamorous.

Look at that lady above – not a care in the world.

Now look past her right shoulder, and you’ll see the crew awaiting the arrival of the guests, and it’s their stories that are often the most intriguing.

Yachties see it all during their employment ( stewardesses often more than others ), and despite public perception, it’s not endless tropical destinations and happily serving the rich and famous.

Brandon Presser, writing for Business Day , shared some of his experience:

A good yachtie isn’t seen or heard — but they see and hear everything. Earpieces, radios and cameras help keep a constant eye on guests, all feeding back to a control room… Of course, this also means staff see and hear things of a more risqué nature, such as one yachtie whose repeat client insisted on spending her entire seven-day foray in the nude, often passing out drunk in unbecoming positions. Semiclad sunbathing (most often by “paid friend” types), spouse swaps and drunken fisticuffs are also common.

Sports stars are said to be serial offenders, including one NBA player who had trashed a vessel within hours, including clogging the cabin toilets with his vomit.

Luke Hammond, who captains a charter vessel in the Caribbean, says that whilst drug use on certain boats has been clamped down on (“it’s definitely not the ’80s anymore”), the same cannot be said for prostitution:

“We see day-use girlfriends on other boats all the time,” says Christopher Sawyer, the Bella’s chef, “especially in the Med”. He’s even witnessed big spenders fill a secondary superyacht with women to trail the lead vessel, swapping them on and off — 10 at a time — throughout the course of several days.

Image: Columbus Yachts

Often a yacht will be rented for two weeks: the first for the family, the second for bachelor partyesque antics. I’ll tell you about the crazy land-bound shopping sprees in a bit, they’re often the wives’ revenge.

It’s a different story drugs wise in Florida, where so-called ‘Sunday Funday’ celebrations often involve copious cocaine usage.

Presser recounts stumbling onto a dedicated cocaine room while looking for the bathroom, which came with an ornate mirror table.

Picking up the literal and figurative scraps can be rewarding, with guests often leaving behind expensive clothing that they aren’t bothered about losing, as well as surplus food and booze for the crew to get stuck into.

Then there are the tips:

When a boat is being chartered, the unspoken rule is for the renter — called the “primary” — to tip each crew member 1% of the total weekly rental cost. For the Bella, which costs $220,000 for seven days (not including food, fuel and dockage), staff can plan on pocketing at least $2,200 each. The number can be far higher if a group leaves behind what’s left of their food and fuel deposit — 30% of the total trip cost — and it’s dispersed to staff.

Sometimes, yachties can strike it very lucky, scoring a $10 000 bonus from a megawealthy and generous guest.

Obviously, owning or renting a superyacht doesn’t come cheap , especially if the owner wants to add those extra luxury touches:

 “I once worked on a vessel that had a Picasso in the galley — the staff saw it way more than the owner,” Hammond says, adding that his ships have held everything including Fabergé eggs and concert pianos. Another, owned by an LVMH exec, was designed with as many Dior products as could fit inside, including custom wallpaper.

Yachts also depreciate rapidly, meaning they’re anything but a sound investment.

I guess that’s part of the appeal – if you own one, you’re clearly so wealthy that money isn’t a concern.

As for those who work aboard them – you take the rough with the smooth .

[source: busday ]

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Tracy Edwards: who is the sailing trailblazer?

• Sophie Dingwall
• March 18, 2022

Sophie Dingwall talks to Tracy Edwards about her sailing life, her campaign for girls’ education and what is next for Maiden

Tracy Edwards: feminist, sailor and visionary is still fighting for women to have the same opportunities as men through The Maiden Factor. Credit: Chris Openshaw

Tracy Edwards skippered the first all-female crew in the 1989 Whitbread Round the World Yacht Race and has been empowering women ever since.

We’ve all got a story to tell, yet those who flock to the seas manufacture the most electric of tales. This is the story of a girl who was heading down the wrong path, became the fighting underdog and is now conquering change for women all over the world.

It takes a standout character to create a global shockwave and that’s exactly what Tracy Edwards has achieved in empowering girls through education.

Tracy Edwards MBE has received more than enough backlash, derogatory and sexist comments, especially by the press, yet this has not fazed her.

In fact, this no-nonsense, straight-talking sailor thrived on the negativity to prove everyone wrong as she made history skippering the first all-female crew in the 1989 Whitbread Round the World Yacht Race, and becoming the first woman to receive the Yachtsman of the Year Trophy.

‘I often wondered if we would’ve carried on if everyone had said what I was doing was a good idea,’ she says.

Proving them all wrong, Tracy Edwards after arriving back in Southampton having led the first all-female crew around the world. Credit: Getty

She moved to the Gower Peninsula, Wales aged 10 after her father’s death, where she quickly learned to lose her traditional British boarding school accent to try and fit in, but was continually bullied throughout secondary school.

Tracy Edwards was a teenage reprobate, a wild child. At 15 she was expelled, leaving education with no qualifications. Like most omitted teens, Tracy was looking for more; an escape, a purpose… and with this, she moved to Greece, where, during her time working on yachts as a stewardess, her sailing career began.

One of the most inspirational and record-breaking women in the sailing industry fell into the sport by accident. ‘I’d like to say it was all planned, but that would be a total lie,’ she says.

For Tracy, sailing was the backdrop to her life, but what she fell in love with was the people. ‘The sort of people that flock to the sea and boats, the mad type’ gave her a sense of belonging: for the first time in her life, she had found her tribe.

Having met the crews entering the 1985 Whitbread Round the World, Tracy was set on being a part of it. This was no easy feat, especially at a time where women were thought to have no place at sea.

Her persistence and resilient attitude led to a position as a cook on board.

Part of the original Maiden crew reunited onboard ahead of the 58ft yacht’s 2017-18 refit. Credit: Rick Tomlinson

The thirst to navigate around the world was constantly at the forefront of her mind, but after completing the race she came to the shattering realisation that ‘no man will ever let me navigate their boat!’

Tracy turned to her mother for advice, an extraordinary woman in her own right who was a former ballet dancer turned go-kart driver; quite the unorthodox hobby for a woman in the 1960s and inevitably where Tracy inherited her indomitable defiance to achieve her ambitions. a desire to impact the world Tracy asked, ‘Mum, how do I change the world?’

Quite the quest for a 23-year-old runaway and school dropout. Her mother responded with: ‘You can’t change the world… yet. But you can change your world now.’

At this point Tracy Edwards had no idea she would be the matriarch for women, bulldozing a path towards equal opportunities and inspiring a generation of new thinking.

Tracy Edwards and Maiden

Edwards made history when she launched her campaign to skipper the first all-female crew in the 1989 Whitbread Round the World Yacht Race.

Backed by the support and belief of King Hussein of Jordan, whom she had previously met while working on a chartered yacht, Tracy and her crew proved that women were equal to men in the sailing world when Maiden won two of the six legs and finished second in class in the most notoriously challenging yacht race of its time.

It was not an easy path to forge. Faced with the hounding press and sexist remarks, Tracy said she felt ‘like a lamb sent to slaughter’ during interviews. The press revelled in publishing derogatory headlines.

One of yachting’s most renowned journalists, Bob Fisher , who passed away in 2021, described Maiden as ‘A Tin Full of Tarts’.

This charged relationship changed over time and in later years the two became good friends: when Maiden docked in Southampton ahead of the launch of The Maiden Factor to promote girls’ education around the world, Fisher was the first to meet the yacht dressed in his Sunday best.

The Bruce Farr-designed Maiden won two of the three Southern Ocean legs in Division D of the 1989-90 Whitbread Round the World Yacht Race. Credit: Getty

The two cried and rejoiced, and he asked for an interview, opening with the line, ‘Tell me about girls’ education…?’

Other journalists followed his lead, giving Tracy the recognition she deserved. Her unique, brash approach to stand for what she believed in gave her the ability to change the mind of even the harshest critics.

At first, instant fame came as a blessing. Tracy had the spotlight, which enabled her voice to be heard by the many. But this soon changed. The media quickly lost interest in the achievements of Maiden and pried into Tracy’s personal affairs, including the breakdown of her marriage.

Tracy Edwards’ life after the Whitbread

Mental health issues are something many of us will face, and the headstrong, outspoken Tracy Edwards was no exception. After the Whitbread finished, Tracy found herself burnt out and suffered a breakdown.

Tracy Edwards and her Royal & Sun Alliance crew broke five word records during the 1989 Jules Verne Trophy attempt. Credit: Getty

Her recovery saw her move back to the Gower in Wales, where she essentially became a recluse and focused on another passion: breeding horses. She suffered a serious back injury, which has left her unable to endure the physical aspects of sailing, even today.

Perhaps it was the fresh air and change in surroundings that enabled her to dig deep and relight the fire in her belly to continue the legacy she had started.

In 1990 Tracy Edwards was named Yachtsman of the Year and during these awards a match was ignited.

Inspired by Sir Robin Knox Johnston and Peter Blake , she set out to compete in the 1998 Jules Verne Trophy with the first all-female crew on their 92ft catamaran, Royal & SunAlliance .

The team smashed five world records but ended with a broken mast 2,000 miles off the coast of Chile.

Undeterred, a few years later in 2002 Tracy put together the first-ever mixed gender team onboard the 110ft maxi-catamaran Maiden II and again made headlines, when the boat broke numerous world records including longest distance sailed in 24 hours.

The 110ft maxi-catamaran, Maiden II , nurtured female sailing talent including Vendée Globe skippers Sam Davies (back row, second from right) and Miranda Merron (front row, first left). Credit: Getty

Her goal was to prove that women could sail as well as men and they should be included in the big boat race scene. Again she proved her case. proving the critics wrong But the bubble was about to burst.

In 2003 she signed a four-year sponsorship with Qatar to stage a round the world yacht race, starting and finishing in the Middle East. The event ended without payment from Qatar, forcing Tracy into bankruptcy.

The pioneering skipper was again the topic of conversation as outsiders welcomed fresh gossip and rumours, losing sight that she was a single parent and carer for her disabled mother, facing the overwhelming reality that she had lost everything she’d ever worked for including her home and job.

Her strong ability to bounce back from rock bottom is just one of the reasons she has achieved more than most. ‘I stood up, dusted myself off and started again,’ recalls Tracy.

Tracy Edwards with her daughter Mackenna, at the private BAFTA viewing of the film Maiden in London. Credit: Michael Chester

This life-altering event left Tracy in a position she had never been before. At the age of 43, and for the first time, she had to write a CV to get a ‘proper job’.

Tracy Edwards: the first woman to win the YJA Yachtsman of the Year Award. Credit: The Maiden Factor

Her impressive background landed her a position working with Child Exploitation and Online Protection (CEOP) as project manager for their International Youth Advisory Conference.

Together with the team, Tracy worked on the The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child.

This human rights treaty hadn’t been renewed since 1947, and her work has helped make children safer around the world.

In her lifetime of achievements, award-winning titles and records broken, it is this which is one of her proudest accomplishments.

In her typical unconventional manner, Tracy decided it was finally time to get an education and aged 47 studied forensic psychology at Roehampton University.

‘It reinvigorated me and gave me confidence. It was more than a degree, it was a way of reaffirming who I was,’ she notes. It was then that the seeds of her campaign to promote education for girls around the world began.

Reflecting on her past she realised ‘sailing saved me’. It had enabled her to find her tribe and fit in, but this was down to the people rather than the ocean or the boat.

She knew that her own experience with Maiden couldn’t be recreated and instead passed the baton on to Maiden itself.

The Maiden Factor was born, giving young women a platform to make a difference by raising awareness and funds themselves.

In 2017 Maiden was brought back to Southampton after years abandoned in the Seychelles to undergo an extensive refit. The boat and her all-female crew then began a tour around the world, with the foundation successfully working with six global charities to break down the barriers that prevent girls from accessing education.

This was brought to an abrupt halt due to the COVID-19 pandemic but Maiden is now back. The yacht and her crew have started a new three-year world tour to 60 places in over 40 countries, backed by DP World.

‘If I die without putting every ounce into getting girls into education and empowering women, then I haven’t done what I set out to do,’ says Tracy, who believes that every girl has the right and opportunity to at least 12 years of education.

‘If we don’t get girls in education, how will they come up through the ranks?’

Tracy Edwards is still championing equality for women through The Maiden Factor, which campaigns for girls to have access to education around the world. Credit: Michael Chester/The Maiden Factor

Tracy Edwards and Maiden are inextricably linked, both providing courage, inspiration and opportunities to others that may otherwise have been unattainable.

Tracy has not got to where she is today because she is the best sailor; in fact, she’s the first to admit she’s pretty average.

We can all take inspiration from this one girl’s story, as she wholeheartedly has gone after what she believes in, against all odds, and despite the controversy.

Given her track record, one can only assume that she will make waves with The Maiden Factor and change the lives of many women to come.

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Everything We Know About the Final Moments of the Passengers Who Died in the Sicily Yacht Tragedy

Five of the seven victims had been "searching for air pockets" as the luxury yacht sank on Aug. 19, authorities said

PERINI NAVI PRESS OFFICE/HANDOUT/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock

The luxury yacht Bayesian that sank off the coast of Sicily on Monday, Aug. 19, resulted in the deaths of six passengers and one crew member.

Less than a week later, on Saturday, Aug. 24, Ambrogio Cartosio, the Chief Prosecutor of Termini Imerese, announced that Italian authorities were launching a manslaughter investigation into the sinking , and he identified all of the victims.

The seven victims who died in the tragic sinking were yacht chef Recaldo Thomas; British tech entrepreneur Mike Lynch and his daughter, Hannah Lynch; Christopher Morvillo and his wife, Neda ; and Morgan Stanley International chairman Jonathan Bloomer and his wife, Judy .

As authorities attempt to answer questions about what exactly led to the sinking of the 183-foot British-flagged vessel — which went down during a "violent storm,” the Italian Coast Guard previously told PEOPLE in a statement — here is what we currently know about the victims’ final moments.

FAMILY HANDOUT/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock

During the Aug. 24 press conference, Girolamo Bentivoglio Fiandra, head of the Palermo Fire Brigade, revealed that as the Bayesian began going down early Monday morning, “It was quite clear that people were trying to hide in the cabins.”

“In the left-hand side, we found the first 5 bodies in the left-hand side cabins, and the final body on the right-hand side,” Fiandra said. “We found them on the highest part of the ship, which was closer to the surface. The vessel had three cabins on each side.”

The five victims, who "took refuge” on the luxury yacht’s left side, had been "searching for air pockets" in a final attempt at survival," he added.

HANDOUT/Vigili del Fuoco/AFP via Getty

As for why the victims were in the cabins in the first place, Giovanni Costantino — who leads The Italian Sea Group, the company that now owns Perini Navi, which built the Bayesian back in 2008 — told CNN it was due to a “very long sum of errors."

"Everything that has been done reveals a very long sum of errors,” he said in his interview, translated from Italian. “The people should not have been in the cabins, the boat should not have been at anchor. And then why didn't the crew know about the incoming disturbance?”

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Prior to the storm and subsequent sinking, some of the luxury yacht’s passengers were in celebration mode. They had been commemorating the recent acquittal of one of the victims, Lynch, 59, a source close to the survivors previously told PEOPLE.

Two months ago, Lynch was acquitted on all counts of a series of fraud and conspiracy charges he faced in the U.S. after a years-long legal battle dating back to 2018.

Patrick McMullan/Patrick McMullan via Getty 

He celebrated the acquittal on the Bayesian with his daughter and his wife, Angela Bacare, who was rescued along with 14 others on board.

Also celebrating were Morvillo, 59, who represented Lynch in the case, and Bloomer, 70, who was a close friend of the tech entrepreneur.

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Crew of Sunken Yacht Says They Were 'Thrown Into the Water' but 'Tried to Save Those We Could': Reports

The captain and a sailor and engineer have spoken with investigators, according to Italian news media

The captain and two crew members now under investigation in connection with the sinking of the yacht  Bayesian  off the coast of Sicily last month are reportedly sharing some of what they say happened as the tragedy unfolded, ultimately killing seven aboard .

According to multiple Italian news reports, sailor Matthew Griffiths, who was on watch duty at the time, and Tim Parker Eaton, the ship’s engineer, as well as captain James Cutfield have each spoken with investigators about what led up to the  Bayesian  going into the water.

The Italian coast guard previously said the vessel sank around 5 a.m. local time on Aug. 19 after a "violent storm" while near Porticello in northern Sicily.

Twelve passengers and 10 crew were aboard: Six of the passengers — including British tech businessman Mike Lynch and his daughter Hannah as well as two couples — were killed along with the yacht’s chef, Renaldo Thomas.

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Griffiths, speaking with investigators, said that “I woke up the captain when the wind was at 20 knots [23 mph]. He gave the order to wake everyone else up,” according to the  La Stampa  newspaper.

“Then I put away the cushions and plants,” Griffiths is quoted as saying. “I closed the glass windows of the lounge at the bow as well as the hatches.”

Prosecutor Raffaele Cammarano has previously referred in a press conference to a "sudden and unexpected event" of weather before the sinking and said the yacht had been "hit by a downburst."

Italian TV network RAI quoted Griffiths as telling investigators that the yacht’s crew all went into the sea because of the weather but “managed to climb back on board.”

"The ship tilted and we were thrown into the water. Then we … tried to save those we could,” he said, per  La Stampa .

“The boat was tilted and we were walking on the walls,” he said. Similar comments were also reported by Ansa , an Italian news agency.

Related: Survivor of Yacht That Sank Off Sicily's Coast Recalls How She Used 'All My Strength' to Save Her 1-Year-Old

Cutfield likewise said the  Bayesian  listed 45 degrees and then fell sharply to the right, according to what he told investigators as quoted by the  Corriere della Sera  newspaper.

According to RAI, citing what Griffiths told authorities, some of the crew created a kind of human chain to reach the passenger area from the  Bayesian ’s bridge in order to get some people off the yacht.

Eaton, the engineer, told investigators that the  Bayesian ’s hatches were closed when the weather hit, except for an entry to the engine, as quoted by  Corriere della Sera .

It remains unclear how and why the superyacht succumbed to the weather in what some witnesses have said was mere minutes. 

The  Bayesian ’s captain and Parker Eaton and Griffiths have reportedly all been placed under investigation for potential multiple manslaughter and negligent shipwreck charges — but that is not the same as being charged with a crime and none of the men have been formally accused of wrongdoing.

They have not commented publicly.

Related: Coast Guard Says They’re ‘Not Sure a Black Box Was Present’ in Sunken Sicily Yacht

Borner, captain of the  Sir Robert Baden Powell , whose boat was nearby at the time, previously told PEOPLE that he noticed the weather deteriorated very rapidly around 3 a.m. local time on Aug. 19. 

“The weather turned very quickly and reached us even more quickly,” he said. “And the  Bayesian  was there at the time. It was anchored like us. We kept an eye on it. We had turned the engine on to maintain our position in case the anchor didn’t hold and were carefully watching it to keep at a distance from it as well. We were the only two ships out in the bay.”

Borner and a passenger saw a red flare and then a white one. It prompted Borner and his first mate to board a tender, and they headed in the direction where the  Bayesian  had been. 

“We first found things floating in the water like cushions and chairs and stuff,” Borner said. “And then we saw a flickering light. This was a life raft with a light on the top. And they also waved at us with a torch.”

“So we went there,” he added, “and then we found the crew and part of the passengers — 15 people in a 12-person raft, including a little baby .”

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• 106.5m | Olympic Yacht Services | 1997 (2018)
• captain & crew
• specifications
• testimonials

When speaking with Captain Nikolaos Psallidas, his passion for his job is abundantly clear. Having spent more than 15 years at sea, Captain Psallidas is a loyal captain who sees both his guests’ and crew’s needs as his highest priority.

Heading up Dream – which he describes as a ‘floating palace’ - and its crew of 32, Captain Psallidas loves providing guests with one-of-a-kind experiences, be it a dance party on a private island or a romantic-dinner for two on a secluded beach under the stars.

“The beautiful thing is that we don’t really feel as if we have gone above and beyond,” he explains. “We are just thankful that all the stars aligned and both us and, most importantly our guests managed to experience these amazing moments.”

Here Captain Psallidas talks us through an incredible charter on board Dream, from its plethora of water toys to the myriad of different experiences that guests can enjoy during their trip.

Can you tell us a little about your background and how you got into yachting?

I was born in Athens. I have had a love of the sea from a young age, so I decided to follow in my father’s footsteps and initially joined merchant shipping. I graduated from the Merchant Marine Academy of Aspropyrgos in Athens and spent the following six years aboard ocean-going container ships, first as a second officer and then as a chief officer.

My thirst for gaining experience in other types of ships took me aboard high-speed ferries where I spent two years sailing Greek waters. On my time off, I also worked as a windsurfing and cat sailing instructor.

In 2007 I decided to make a major career change and joined the yachting industry. My obsession with sailing made it impossible to refuse an offer to command charter SY Callisto, an 80ft classic Nautor’s Swan. After that there was no looking back.

What are some of the yachts you’ve worked on?

The most memorable yacht I worked on was my first command, the SY Callisto I mentioned previously. Apart of being an amazing boat to sail, she was also my entry into the yachting industry which meant a change in my mindset - I suddenly had to become a Jack of all trades as every small yacht captain should be. My next command was MY Obsession, a 36m Baglietto on which I sailed the waters of Croatia and Italy. She made me appreciate the advantage of speed when the charter period is short and you want your guests to experience as many beautiful places as possible in the available time.

I also have great memories of my time on board SY Ellen, a 40m Perini Navi, but the most challenging experience was the transfer of SY Sunset (ex Stavros S Niarchos), a 60 m brig-rigged tall ship, from UK to Greece, during winter. Most of us had no prior experience of sailing a square-rigged vessel so the learning curve was really steep. The conditions were tough but the whole experience was like a time travel to the era of the Clipper ships. It was an eye opener for me and reminded us all to appreciate the safety and comfort that 150 years of technological advancement have brought to our lives at sea.

When did you join Dream?

In September 2018 after a six-month contract on a large sailing boat belonging to the same owner.

How would you describe the owner’s vision for the yacht?

To build the ultimate superyacht based on his vast experience in yachting. He wanted it to be large and comfortable, and to incorporate all the modern features and amenities possible. Her size means she can accommodate up to 36 guests comfortably.

How would you describe the style and personality of Dream?

She is a floating palace with an interior designed to be nautical in its essence, with a contemporary yet classic style. Guests can easily perceive the high quality and attention to detail, but at the same time it is extremely comfortable with an inviting and calm environment.

How would you describe the ambiance on board? 

The ambience is formal, as this is the standard approach to the gold service we provide. It’s not stuffy though, and the crew is able to adapt to the guests’ idea of what a good ambience means for them. Sometimes, for example, some of the guests need to unwind and enjoy their privacy in almost complete absence from the crew. They know that they may need to call for service, but they prefer that to having crew around them all the time. 

What’s your personal style as captain?

As I originally come from merchant shipping where you spend long periods of time away from your family, I quickly came to realise that the crew is actually my second family for the period I spend on board. They take care of me and our ‘home’, and I take care of them by trying to resolve any personal issues or team problems that may arise. We are very close and we all work hard so that our common project, running this megayacht and ensuring our guests have an amazing time, always leads to a success.

Yachting taught me more about psychology and I quickly learned that the most important thing is to try to understand what the guests need so you can better plan how to effectively provide all those things. The first couple of days of a charter feel like you are on a blind date. You have to listen to what the guests are saying and at the same time you have to prove to them that you are someone they can trust with their wellbeing and their safety. Service is all about caring - caring to provide the guests with the experience of a lifetime.

What’s the best thing about working on Dream?

I definitely appreciate the communication with the owner. Having an owner who is a true yachtsman and has sailed all types of yachts – sail, motor, small, big - for the last 50 years is a blessing. We talk the same language and we both respect the beauty and the force of the elements. His love of off-beat destinations matches mine and therefore the places we usually sail to are places I would visit on my own. With respect to the yacht itself, I can only say that she provides me with a lot of confidence.

What are some of her standout features?

For starters, the fact that we can accommodate 36 guests. Another special feature is our Japanese-style dining room complete with teppanyaki grill, as is the expansive atrium which spans four decks and has direct access from the tenders through the side balcony doors.

Then there’s the large diving centre at the stern with an expansive door that opens down creating a 40 square metre terrace on the sea, the huge spa and gym area, the top-quality cinema and large saloons and dining rooms. My personal favourite is the open-air cinema which can be set up in three different locations on the yacht’s exterior. On a calm Mediterranean summer night, if you want to watch a movie what better way to do it than under the stars with the breeze cooling you down and a cocktail in your hand?

Which areas of the yacht do guests most tend to gather on board?

During the day the hotspot is our diving center aft, which opens up to the sea and provides the perfect platform to enjoy watersports.

At night most guests head to the swimming pool deck with its fully equipped bar and observation deck – it’s the perfect place to hang out after dinner. Occasionally guests decide that they have had enough relaxing and throw amazing parties where they dance all night under the stars.

Which types of clients are most attracted to a charter on board?

Big groups of people who also appreciate elegant design and quality.

What types of experiences and facilities do you offer charter guests?

We do group diving in beautiful places, snorkeling using our two SeaBobs, spear gun fishing, sailing lessons for both adults and youngsters, waterskiing and wakeboarding – and so much more!

Our gym comes fully equipped with state-of-the-art Technogym equipment so our guests can easily follow their normal work out routines. Then there’s the spa area which is equipped with a sauna, a separate steam bath and a jacuzzi, while guests can also enjoy special treatments provided by our professional masseuse. The beauty parlour offers a variety of facial and nail treatments as well as haircuts and hair styling.

How would you describe the style and approach of the crew?

Our crew is characterized by their high level of professionalism but also their ability to care for every guest’s needs. The clients’ wellbeing is what drives us to perform our best during the charters. We also do our best to motivate guests to try out different activities and also to discover the hidden gems of the places we visit. We feel that yachting is all about discovering new places and enjoying the beautiful nature surrounding us.

Please share some examples where you and your crew have gone above and beyond to make the guest experience as special as possible.

Organising a full moon beach party with BD and the works, or an impromptu little ‘sirtaki’ dance party at the pier of Thira in Santorini at midnight are just a couple of the memories that come to mind. The beautiful thing is that we don’t really feel as if we have gone above and beyond, we are just thankful that all the stars aligned and both us and, most importantly, our guests managed to experience these amazing moments. These memories will always put a big smile on our faces and bring warmth to our hearts.

Are there any interesting personalities or talents among the crew?

Dancing is certainly an area where some of our stewardesses excel - it certainly helps them unwind! Our crew loves to throw the occasional karaoke party with some of them playing the guitar or the tambourine too.

How are the yacht and the crew prepared to accommodate children and teenagers on charter?

Our goal is to have the youngsters as close to the water for as much time as possible, keep them active and introduce them to all the water sports available on board. Most of them seem to love the towable water toys, but we have three sailing dinghies available as well as two surfboards and we love to give them sailing lessons. In the beginning, those with no prior experience find it intimidating but once they get the hang of it you can’t wipe the smile off their faces.

A number of popular board games are also available as younger kids, and for those who do not wish for a completely screen-free time on board, we have three game consoles with an extensive games library.

Tell us about the toys and tenders – which toys are the most popular with guests?

I would definitely say that the Fliteboard is the one that everybody wants to try. People love the speed and the feeling of flying over the water with their own ‘magic carpet’. The fact that, with a little guidance, they can get airborne in just a couple of hours gives them a sense of accomplishment as well.

Our jet skis are the second most popular, and since we are an RYA recognised training centre, a lot of our guests trust us with their training in order to get more out of the jet skis and do so in the safest way possible.

Scuba diving also draws a crowd as the Mediterranean and especially the Greek waters are full of beautiful diving sites and wrecks to visit. Our certified diving instructor is on hand to make sure that our guests enjoy well planned dives with safety.

What are your usual cruising grounds?

We usually cruise the East Med region, spending most of our time in Greek waters, but we have also extensively cruised the South of France, Italy and Malta.

Which destinations and your personal favourites and why?

I personally love all the offbeat destinations of the Aegean sea, where one can enjoy being away from all the fuss and noise that usually surrounds us in our everyday lives. The smaller the islands the purer they are, and therefore we can focus on enjoying the sea, the cooling breeze and night skies filled with stars.

Milos, Kimolos and Polyaigos is a cluster of islands that provide some amazing scenery and clear turquoise waters. The islands of Sporades are another favourite as they are really green in contrast to the Cyclades, not to mention they also see milder conditions during the peak of the summer season.

As to be expected, Mykonos and Santorini are by far the two most popular destinations and that almost all of our guests ask to visit them during a charter.

What have been some of the highlights or your favourite memories as captain of Dream?

My fondest memory is the summer of 2019 as a whole. It was the yacht’s second season and the owner wanted to enjoy the most of his time on board.

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Crew members on Mike Lynch yacht tell of moments it sank off Sicily

ROME (Reuters) -Crew members on Mike Lynch's yacht have spoken of the moments when a storm sank the vessel off Sicily and their efforts to help save passengers, after a disaster that killed the British tech tycoon and six other people.

Matthew Griffiths, who was on watch duty on the night of the disaster two weeks ago, told investigators that the crew members did everything they could to save those on board the Bayesian, according to comments reported by Italian news agency Ansa on Saturday.

Griffiths, the boat's captain James Cutfield, and ship engineer Tim Parker Eaton have been placed under investigation by the Italian authorities for potential manslaughter and shipwreck. Being investigated does not imply guilt and does not mean formal charges will follow.

"I woke up the captain when the wind was at 20 knots (23 mph/37 kph). He gave orders to wake everyone else," Ansa quoted Griffiths as saying.

"The ship tilted and we were thrown into the water. Then we managed to get back up and tried to rescue those we could," he added, describing the events of the early hours of Aug. 19, when the Bayesian had been anchored off the Sicilian port of Porticello.

"We were walking on the walls (of the boat). We saved who we could, Cutfield also saved the little girl and her mother," he said, referring to passenger Charlotte Golunski and her one-year-old daughter. In all there were 15 survivors of the wreck.

Cutfield exercised his right to remain silent when questioned by prosecutors on Tuesday, his lawyers said, saying he was "worn out" and that they needed more time to build a defence case.

Before this, Cutfield gave a similar description to Griffiths' to investigators, according to comments reported on Sunday by Italian daily Il Corriere della Sera.

Cutfield said the boat tilted by 45 degrees and stayed in that position for some time, then it suddenly fell completely to the right, the newspaper reported.

Parker Eaton had not previously commented on the investigation. On Sunday, Il Corriere quoted him as saying that all doors and hatches were closed when the storm hit the boat, except one giving access to the engine room.

That door was located on the side opposite to the tilting and so could not be a factor causing the sinking, he said.

Prosecutor Raffaele Cammarano said last week that the vessel was most likely hit by a "downburst", a very strong downward wind.

The sinking has puzzled naval marine experts, who said a vessel like the Bayesian, built by Italian high-end yacht manufacturer Perini, should have withstood the storm and, in any case, should not have sunk as quickly as it did.

Prosecutors in the town of Termini Imerese, near Palermo, have said their investigation will take time, with the wreck yet to be salvaged from the sea.

(Writing by Keith Weir, Giulio PiovaccariEditing by Frances Kerry)

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Calling all yacht crew: Tell us what life is really like working on board a yacht, from the good to the bad to the downright wild

• Yacht crew , what is life really like working on a yacht ?
• Business Insider wants to explore the world of yachting and the life of yacht crew.
• Tell us the best and worst part of your job, what your typical day is like, and your wildest guest requests — you can remain anonymous.
• Visit BusinessInsider.com for more stories.

Yacht crew: Business Insider wants to hear from you!

We're looking to take a deep dive into the world of yachting , and no one knows it better than the people who make it go 'round.

To outsiders, yachting sounds like the most glamorous job — cruising the seas in million- and billion-dollar behemoths and visiting parts of the world you wouldn't see otherwise. And to fans of Below Deck, yachting life looks like it's full of drama and partying.

But is there more to working on a yacht than meets the eye? From back-to-back charters and outlandish guest demands to daily cleaning and late nights, life on board seems a little more grueling and hard-working than some may think. What does society get wrong — and right — about life on board? 

We want to know the best and worst parts of your job as well as those in between. What does a typical day look like for you?

Share your thoughts with us in our brief survey here . Don't worry, you can stay anonymous — just check off the option at the end of the form. If we use your answers, we will be reaching out to confirm your identity/employment status.

So tell us — what is life really like working on a yacht ?

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• Main content

Sailing yachts like Mike Lynch's are 'unsinkable bodies', CEO of boat manufacturing firm says

Bayesian superyacht which sank off Italy is an "unsinkable" vessel, Giovanni Costantino, CEO of The Italian Sea Group, said.

By Ashna Hurynag, news correspondent and Eleonora Chiarella, producer

Sunday 25 August 2024 08:48, UK

Vessels like Mike Lynch's stricken superyacht are "unsinkable", according to the chief executive of the firm which makes and sells them.

Giovanni Costantino, CEO of The Italian Sea Group, told Sky News there are no flaws with the design and construction of the Bayesian superyacht which capsized in a storm off the coast of Porticello, Sicily, on Monday.

Five bodies were found by divers on Wednesday - taking the number of confirmed dead to six.

The Italian Sea Group also owns the firm that built British tech tycoon Mr Lynch's Bayesian, and Mr Costantino said the vessels "are the safest in the most absolute sense".

"Being the manufacturer of Perini [boats], I know very well how the boats have always been designed and built," he said.

"And as Perini is a sailing ship... sailing ships are renowned to be the safest ever."

He said their structure and keel made them "unsinkable bodies".

Read more on this story: Why search of superyacht wreck has been so difficult Hero mum 'slept with baby on deck when storm sank yacht'

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Mr Costantino said news of the sinking "put me in a state of sadness on one side and of disbelief on the other".

"This incident sounds like an unbelievable story, both technically and as a fact," he said.

It is understood Italian prosecutors investigating the incident are continuing to hold interviews with the survivors.

On Tuesday they questioned the captain for more than two hours to help reconstruct what happened and provide useful technical details.

Four British inspectors are also in Porticello and have begun a preliminary assessment of events.

It is understood they will look at all relevant aspects of the incident, including the design, stability, and operation of the vessel. They will also examine the effects of the weather conditions experienced.

Keep up with all the latest news from the UK and around the world by following Sky News

Twenty-two people were on board the vessel, 15 of whom were rescued - including Briton Charlotte Golunski and her one-year-old daughter Sofia.

Divers will resume efforts on Thursday morning to bring ashore a body they found earlier. One more person remains missing.

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NEWS... BUT NOT AS YOU KNOW IT

Passengers scream as superyacht worth £95m crashes into smaller boat

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This is the shocking moment a £95 million superyacht crashed into a smaller boat with at least six people on board.

Footage shows the 232 ft boat named Ice gliding through the water as it heads towards another boat off the coast of Yalıkavak, Turkey on Saturday.

Passengers on the smaller boat can be heard screaming as the superyacht sails towards them.

The vessel’s bow then crashed into the stern of a 101ft motor yacht carrying at least half a dozen people.

It is unclear why the collision occurred, but has been reported that at least half a dozen people were on the smaller boat at the time.

The boat suffered major damage at the stern but no onboard was injured.

The superyacht is part of the Lürssen shipbuilding company and can hold 14 guests and 27 crew members.

Features include a large helipad, beauty salon and bathtubs carved out of solid limestone.

There is also a state-of-the-art gym, jacuzzi and countless lounge and relaxation areas, both in- and outdoors.

The Coast Guard has launched an investigation into the incident.

In June two boats were involved in a devastating crash and a sailor was thrown overboard during a yacht race.

A man was flung from a boat as competitors battled rough seas during the Round the Island Race in the Isle of Wight today.

He then desperately clung onto his life jacket before being rescued.

The Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) rushed to his aid to pull him from the water despite the extreme conditions.

Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at [email protected] .

For more stories like this, check our news page .

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Polaris Dawn Astronauts Reach Record High Orbit Above Earth

After launching early on Tuesday, the billionaire Jared Isaacman and his crew traveled to altitudes not visited by any astronaut since the Apollo moon missions of the 1960s and ’70s.

By Kenneth Chang

Four private astronauts aboard an ambitious space mission led by a billionaire entrepreneur traveled farther from Earth on Tuesday than any other human being in more than half a century.

Two of them, Sarah Gillis and Anna Menon, have now gone farther from the planet than any other women ever.

The mission, named Polaris Dawn, lifted off through a break of favorable weather before sunrise on Tuesday. The flight had been grounded for nearly two weeks by unsettled weather in and around Florida.

The astronauts, flying an elliptical path around Earth in a SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule, looped outward as far out as 755 miles above the planet’s surface. The mission’s orbits were carefully planned to reduce the hit of radiation the crew would absorb, and to minimize the chances of being struck by tiny bits of rock crisscrossing the solar system.

The journey on Tuesday was only a small fraction of the nearly quarter million miles that NASA’s Apollo astronauts traveled to the moon. But after the last mission going there in 1972, humanity has stayed close to our planet, not venturing beyond orbits a few hundred miles up.

The Polaris Dawn mission, led by Jared Isaacman, founder of the payment services company Shift4, is a collaboration with SpaceX, the rocket company founded by Elon Musk. It is the first of three missions designed to spur technological advances needed for Mr. Musk’s ambition to send people to Mars eventually.

That includes the mission’s most daring moment, scheduled for Thursday: a spacewalk.

On Tuesday after 8 p.m. Eastern time, the spacecraft performed a maneuver to add some bragging rights.

The thrusters on the Crew Dragon spacecraft fired for about eight minutes to push the farthest point of the spacecraft orbit outward by another 125 miles or so. Polaris Dawn was now flying higher than the 853-mile-high altitude that the NASA astronauts Pete Conrad and Richard Gordon reached during the Gemini XI mission.

That had remained the record distance for astronauts on a mission that did not head to the moon.

In addition to Mr. Isaacman, the crew consists of Scott Poteet, a retired U.S. Air Force lieutenant colonel and pilot who is a longtime friend of Mr. Isaacman’s, and two SpaceX employees: Ms. Menon, a lead space operations engineer, and Ms. Gillis , an engineer who oversees astronaut training.

After completing six of the high orbits, the Crew Dragon performed another six thruster firings on Wednesday to drop the spacecraft to a lower orbit where there is less radiation and fewer micrometeoroids.

The spacewalk is scheduled for Thursday, the third day of the mission, at 2:23 a.m. Eastern time. SpaceX plans to broadcast live coverage of the spacewalk beginning one hour before the spacewalk. If needed, a backup opportunity is available on Friday at the same time.

Preparations for the spacewalk began almost as soon as the astronauts reached orbit, albeit imperceptibly. The atmospheric pressure within the Crew Dragon capsule — initially 14.5 pounds per square inch, the same as the surface of Earth — will gradually be lowered to 8.65 p.s.i. That helps to remove nitrogen from the bloodstream of the astronauts and lower the possibility of decompression sickness, or “the bends,” similar to what happens to divers who return too quickly to the surface.

The four crew members will put on their spacesuits, and all of the air will be let out of the capsule. The hatch will then be opened and the inside of the spacecraft will become part of the vacuum of outer space.

Only two people — Mr. Isaacman and Ms. Gillis — are to leave the capsule to do the walk. Mr. Poteet and Ms. Menon will remain in the spacecraft to manage the umbilical cords and monitor the readings to make sure everything is proceeding properly.

The main goal of the spacewalk is to test the spacesuits, which SpaceX developed for this flight. The spacesuits are an evolution of those worn on earlier SpaceX missions, adding capabilities like protection against micrometeroids and temperature controls for the astronauts.

Mr. Poteet and Ms. Menon will remain inside the capsule, keeping an eye on the displays and managing the umbilical cords that provide air, power and other life-support needs to the astronauts.

After Mr. Isaacman and Ms. Gillis return inside and close the hatch, the inside of the capsule will be repressurized.

The entire endeavor is expected to take about two hours.

Before and after the spacewalk, the crew will conduct about 40 experiments, including obtaining M.R.I.s of the astronauts’ brains and trying to take X-ray images without an X-ray machine by using the natural showers of radiation that stream through outer space.

The crew spent about three and a half hours on those research activities on Tuesday, according to an update posted to the mission’s account on the social platform X in the evening. That included testing of communications with the ground using SpaceX’s Starlink system.

The mission is also raising money for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in Memphis.

Kenneth Chang, a science reporter at The Times, covers NASA and the solar system, and research closer to Earth. More about Kenneth Chang

What’s Up in Space and Astronomy

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Four private astronauts aboard an ambitious space mission  led by a billionaire entrepreneur traveled farther from Earth than any other human being in more than half a century, reaching altitudes not visited by any astronaut since the Apollo moon missions .

A spacecraft operated by the European Space Agency and Japan made its closest approach yet to Mercury, sending back sharp, black-and-white images of the planet’s barren, speckled surface at sunrise .

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Captain of migrant boat tragedy in Senegal turns himself in as death toll rises to 26

Local authorities say the captain of a migrant boat that capsized off Senegal over the weekend has been arrested as the death toll rises to 26

DAKAR, Senegal -- The captain of a migrant boat that capsized off Senegal over the weekend was arrested, local authorities said Tuesday, as the death toll rose to 26.

Cheikh Sall, the owner and captain of the boat, turned himself in Monday, Amadou Diop, the district’s prefect, told The Associated Press.

The death toll of the capsizing rose to 26, Senegal's navy said on the social media platform X on Tuesday.

The artisanal fishing boat left the town of Mbour, nearly 80 kilometers (50 miles) south of the capital Dakar heading to Europe on Sunday afternoon before capsizing a few miles (kilometers) off the coast.

In recent years, the number of migrants leaving West Africa through Senegal has surged with many fleeing conflict, poverty and the lack of job opportunities. Most head to the Canary Islands, a Spanish archipelago off the coast of West Africa, which is used as a stepping stone to continental Europe.

Since the beginning of the year, more than 22,300 people have landed on the Canary Islands , 126% more than the same period last year, according to statistics released by Spain’s Interior Ministry.

Last month, the Senegalese army said it had arrested 453 migrants and “members of smuggling networks” as part of a 12-day operation patrolling the coastline. More than half of those arrested were Senegalese nationals, the army said.

In July, a boat carrying 300 migrants, mostly from Gambia and Senegal, capsized off Mauritania . More than a dozen died and at least 150 others went missing.

The Atlantic route from West Africa to the Canary Islands is one of the deadliest in the world . While there is no accurate death toll because of the lack of information on departures from West Africa, the Spanish migrant rights group Walking Borders estimates the victims are in the thousands this year alone.

Migrant vessels that get lost or run into problems often vanish in the Atlantic, with some drifting across the ocean for months until they are found in the Caribbean and Latin America carrying only human remains.

Follow AP’s global migration coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/migration

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Boat explodes, erupts in a blaze at Brown's Point Marina in Keyport: Eyewitness

KEYPORT— A boat exploded in flames Monday afternoon at Brown's Point Marina, drawing fireboats from Perth Amboy and the New York City Fire Department, an eyewitness said.

It was not immediately known if there were any injuries or whether any other boats were damaged.

Police and fire officials could not immediately be reached.

But Rebecca Satkin of Cliffwood Beach was eating lunch at Burlew's Seafood and Steaks on West Front Street about 3 p.m. when she heard an explosion at the marina, she said. She saw the boat, tied up at the dock, ablaze.

"There was a lot of flames, a lot of blue smoke and a lot of people concerned for the well-being of anyone on board," she said.

Borough firefighters were at the scene. Satkin, who remained there, said she did not see an ambulance.

Check back for more details on this developing story.

Ken Serrano   covers breaking news, crime and investigations. Reach him at 732-643-4029 or [email protected] .