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Megayacht News
Advice
Interviewing techniques which will help you land your dream job!
One of the most important things that you can do to make sure that your interview gets off to the right start is to arrive on time and thank the interviewer for his or her time. Regardless, of whether you are being interviewed by a Crew Agent, a Captain, a Crew member, Manager or Owner, it is imperative that you present yourself professionally. Have a pristine copy of your resume, references, menus and any certificates, licenses, passport and visas you hold arranged in a folder for quick reference or for presentation to your interviewer. Be prepared to answer questions about your experience and prior work experiences. Practice answering questions prior to the interview regarding your suitability for the position, salary expectations, and your team work capabilities. Be honest; don’t say you are a "wine expert" if you are not able to document this asset. Drinking copious amounts of fermented grape juice does not qualify you to be a Sommelier.
Surf’s up with VSAT
With maritime broadband, the main concern is bandwidth speed and how to deliver fast access across the vessel’s local network, as well as to and from shore. While Email requires very little bandwidth, and Web surfing barely 8kbps, a dedicated connection of at least 128kbps is desirable to allow page downloads in less than 4 seconds. The more users on the local network, the slower the performance. Currently, if the boss or guests are on board, the internet is off-limits for crew.
So You Want To Work On A Yacht
‘Greenhorn’: an untrained or un-experienced person.
For those of you to whom the above definition applies, working on a yacht is not about lounging on the sun-deck, sipping a sun-downer, while awaiting your three course gourmet meal. If this is your idea of a dream job, be careful - it will soon turn into a nightmare.
Marine Reverse Osmosis Systems
Commercially, the reverse osmosis system has been in use since the early 70’s and although technological advancements have made systems smaller and more reliable since then, it is still the number one cause for headache onboard charter yachts. Problems arise particularly due to the continuous loads of heavy water demands and mostly because of inadequate service and maintenance. The theory of ’don’t fix it if it isn’t broken’ is usually the cause of your water maker breaking down.
Common problems can be avoided with a simple knowledge of how your reverse osmosis system works and what you can do to extend the life of all its components.
Upgrade Your Yacht Resume
I have worked my way up the proverbial ladder on the same charter yacht for the past five years and earned the trust of my employer, the captain and owner, in the position of first mate. I found myself running many aspects of the business which gave me a unique insight into the industry from the view of both crew and employer.
Tender Feelings
Not only was I to get a new tender, but also depart within 14 days for Mexico for the first dive cruise off the Yucatan peninsula. Finding a suitable tender that could be delivered and then set up in the time frame proved to be a challenge—but we managed to find a 28’ open sportfish with centre console, with a 300 hp Yanmar diesel and conventional drive, delivered from the factory within a week.
Now I was confronted with the task of finding the suitable towing gear for the beast. I turned to the “experts in towing matters” and they called out a 200’ Spectra towline with a 36,000 lbs breaking strain and a shock absorber on the tender end. With a displacement of 7000 lbs for the tender, this seemed adequate for the task.
All well, we set off south for Mexico and once the lights went out we were confronted with the first problem.
Ports of Call
Megayacht Marinas Multiply in the Caribbean
A total of 777 yachts 80-feet and larger were under contract in 2007, up 15.3 percent from 2006, according to ShowBoats International Global Order Book. It’s no wonder that this impressive fleet of new megayachts is looking for somewhere to go and the Caribbean is prime on the radar screen. Island governments and private companies have seen this rainbow of an opportunity on the horizon and embarked on marina facilities that target these big boats. Witness the opening of Ocean World Marina in the Dominican Republic; Yacht Haven Grande on St. Thomas, and Port Louis on Grenada over the last year. Here’s a sampling of what’s to come:
Discover Dominica
Located 15 degrees North latitude and 61 degrees West longitude, Dominica (pronounced Dom-in-eek-a) sits halfway along the Eastern Caribbean island chain, just a few miles from Martinique to the south and Guadeloupe to the north.
Dominica surges from the sea with towering mountains. The filtrate of the sweltering forces that created the island many moons ago, as part of the Caribbean “Ring of Fire”, roars in hundreds of rushing rivers, gushing waterfalls, steaming hot springs, volcanic vents, boiling sulfur pools, valleys of steaming earth, and a boiling lake which is the second largest in the world.
Anguilla
In July, Island Global Yachting announced plans to build a luxury marina complex at the Altamer resort on Shoal Bay West in Anguilla. The development, due to be finished in late 2009, will become the official entry port to the quiet British Overseas Territory, and will have around 30 megayacht slips out of 101 in total, with a 164-unit resort, duty free shopping and restaurants. Incredibly, this will be Anguilla’s first marina. What can the megayacht crowd expect?
Best Bets for Food, Wine & … Luck
The Holidays – Christmas and New Year’s – are a peak travel time to the Caribbean. Megayacht owners, their families and friends, flock to savor the sun, sand and sea and crews find this is among their busiest times of the year. The buzz of festivity that fills the air, both over land and sea, comes as much from fine food and beverages as it does the tropical atmosphere. Here’s a sampling of holiday provisioning recommendations from experts throughout the islands.
Megayacht Cuisine Trends 2008
The challenge for chefs today, whether based on land or sea, says Sharon Olson, president of Olson Communications, Inc., the Chicago, IL-based marketing and research company that publishes the annual ‘Culinary Visions’ report, “is creating menu items that balance the diner’s desire for the adventurous, while also being familiar enough to be accessible and, of course, full of flavor and something unique.”
To meet this challenge, megayacht chefs need to source specific ingredients, assure these items are of the highest quality and have these foods at their fingertips. That’s where provisioning companies come into play.
Ports of Call: Gorgeous Grenada
When itineraries are considered for cruising yachts, some islands—like Grenada—stand out by delivering a complete package. On the “Spice Island,” yacht guests discover the Caribbean of their dreams—lush volcanic hills, clean beaches, and friendly local people. Meanwhile, the captain and crew enjoy a strong support system—marinas, boatyards, provisioning, skilled technicians, and plentiful marine supplies—to keep the boat running smoothly.
It’s Limin’ Time: Check Out a Caribbean Spa
The guests have gone, the yacht has been cleaned, the captain is catching some shuteye and you have a day off. You’re tired and irritable and the next charter is coming sooner rather than later. What to do? Find the closest Spa. The best way to feel in really top shape is to spend a day pampering yourself. A good massage or facial in a beautiful location is just the thing for a new lease on life. Here are three excellent spas in the Caribbean—to find others closer to your yacht’s current position, check online tourism resources.
MYBA St. Maarten Charter Show & Antigua Charter Yacht Show Set for December
Overlapping yacht shows in St. Maarten and Antigua make for a busy kick-off to the 2007-2008 charter yacht season. The MYBA St. Maarten Charter Show will take place December 3 to 7 at Yacht Club Port de Plaisance, while the 46th Annual Antigua Charter Yacht Show will be held December 5 to10 at Nelson’s Dockyard Marina located in English Harbour, and at the Falmouth Harbour Marina and the Antigua Yacht Club Marina, both located in Falmouth Harbour.
Crew Community
Tangled Anchors
So, there I was holding my breath to beat the band, eyes wide open staring at Patty through my flooded snorkel mask, wondering where the underwater stuff was in my job description of catamaran chef/crew. Sheesh!
I had applied for the job as crew/chef after a "girl’s" vacation to the Virgin Islands where we visited Captains Scott and Cara, friends from Miami. Although I had quite limited boating skills, I had hoped the motivation of a new life in the sparkling Caribbean Sea would carry me through my inexperience.
A Little Bit of This and a Whole Lot of That
As a stewardess on a charter yacht there are certain facets of the job that I loathe performing. Some of these tasks are just so routine that I feel like the Energizer Bunny stuck in one place; sweeping, dusting, blah blah blah. Other jobs just outrightly violated my human rights; no one likes unblocking toilets, especially after holding the hand of a charter guest while giving them explicit instructions on potty training only to wind up with a dangerous environmental hazard and an embarrassed client. But more than anything, I despised using the blender. I’d rather pluck hair out of the shower drain with tweezers.
My First Week as a Charter Chef
So there I was, standing in the galley of the 42’catamaran, looking up to the deserted cockpit. Although it was vacant at the time, I could clearly envision 6 famished charter guests poised with knife in one hand, fork in the other, rhythmically pounding on the table, chanting: "We want food!" What had I gotten myself into?
No Matter What You Take From Meme
After a charter on Yacht Alcatraz the female crew would commiserate with one another over smokes and beers. This Circle of Empathy would usually consist of a game of “Compare and Contrast the Injuries Caused by Captain Bligh’s Boat” and “How Many Times Did You Cry This Week?” Although charter #3 was not the charter that my legs were so badly swollen that I could not bend my knees and had to march from one place to another like the Gestapo, I did wind up in tears twice that week that transpired into severe hyperventilation from child-like sobbing. These tears of anguish and pain occurred not over a death in the family or a relationship break-up but rather over a bowl of chocolate M & M’s and a cappuccino machine.
Finding Crew in the Caribbean
Never before had I been in such a fix for crew as when the owner of the boat told me he wanted it in Italy in six weeks time. “Yyyyyyes,” I said, “it’s possible!”
After losing a crewmember, I was wondering how I was going to get to the end of the season just hiring temporary crew. I wasn’t expecting for a second that I would be packing up my home and heading for Italy to do an entire summer of charters as well.
Hat Overboard!
So there I was, racing toward the little red dot bobbing in the waves between Hans Lollick Island and St. Thomas, USVI. The captain sent me off in the dinghy while he idled the 42’ catamaran with our charter guests all diligently pointing at the treasured object, so as not to lose sight of it.
Licking the Wounds - Episode I
The most important lesson that I have learned from sailing is humility; therefore, I will be the first to admit that I am quite possibly the daftest sailor to be found on the high seas. My complete inability that hinders me to progress in the sailing aspect of the charter industry stems from the fact that I was raised in the high deserts of the Rocky Mountains, where water is a rare and valued commodity, but also from psychological scarring by my first captain.
San Diego’s Demolition Derby
“What is all of this junk doing in the boatyard?” a greasy-haired fisherman yelled out to the crew. Several of us would look over and decide if there was enough time to tell the tale. Driscoll’s boatyard was a mess of old cars and everyone wanted to know what was going on. Rocket Research had invited the crew from M/Y First Home and former engineer from M/Y Orion, to compete in the annual Demolition Derby at the local fair. San Diego would never be the same.
Crew & Industry Profiles
Spotlight on Cynthia Demers, M/Y Constance
How did you become a stewardess?
I grew up in Montreal, Canada and studied Early Childhood Education at McGill University. After 4 years of university and 2 years of teaching, I decided it was time for me to go and explore the world. I took a year off and traveled to Australia on a working holiday visa. I met my boyfriend there who was a yacht Captain and introduced me to yachting. 5 years later, we are still together and loving working on yachts. I have worked on both private and charter yachts mostly in the US, Caribbean and Mediterranean. I am currently the Chief Stewardess onboard M.Y. Constance.
What is the most “unforgettable” thing a guest has ever said to you?
Emily Williams- A Winning Chef
This 2007 BVI Charter Show Cooking Contest winning chef began her life on the Island of Jersey situated in the Channel Islands between England and France. As a young child, her family moved to North Wales where her love for horses began. Her passion for riding extended to dressage, show jumping, and cross-country events. It was a precursor for another passion that began during her summer holidays when she shifted her interest from riding horses on the beach to "riding" boats on the sea--sailing around Jersey with her father who was a sailor and rear commodore in the Royal C.I. Bay Races. Neither passion subsided, but Emily eventually studied at the University of Northampton and was awarded a Bachelor of Arts degree with honors in Education and English.
Kristen Fritz - From nanny to marina manager
When Kristen Fritz left Missoula, Montana she headed to St. Thomas to work as a nanny. Now seventeen years later with a few stops in between, she has returned to St. Thomas as the marina manager of the new Yacht Haven Grande Marina. The marina is owned by Island Global Yachting; one of the world’s premier owners, developers, and managers of luxury marinas and yachting lifestyle destinations.
Stewardess of the Month: Allison Riley
About three years ago, my boyfriend told me he had heard of this yachting industry and thought we should try it. I immediately said no way would I ever move away from my friends and family and live on a boat with a bunch of strangers. After a while he talked me into trying it and reluctantly I came down to Fort Lauderdale, where I joined my first boat M/Y Inspiration. Somehow months turned into years and I’m still in the yachting industry and still loving it!
Chef Katherine Hinrichs Wins Cooking Light Contest
Kate recently entered the Cooking Light magazine’s Ultimate Reader Recipe Contest with her Caribbean Shrimp Salad with Lime Vinaigrette. One of some 7,000 entries, which were to be narrowed down to twelve contestants, she was told that she would be notified of her status. The phone call never came, so she called Cooking Light which did not have her correct phone number and couldn’t contact her.
This Outstanding Chef Cannot Stay Away From the Water!
Chef J. Blevins began his extensive career in the restaurant industry in a beautiful tourist filled town located on the water in Annapolis, Maryland. His training there included work at various hotels including the Hyatt and Loews, plus a stint at Sycamore Mineral Springs, and much earlier, running a successful family-owned catering business. Now, Chef Blevins is winning accolades from his admiring guests aboard the charter yacht Gale Winds.
Patrick Barrett, New Director of Operations at YCPDP
He’s got a new title, but a familiar face. Veteran St. Maarten businessman, Patrick Barrett, is now director of operations and whom you’ll meet when docking at the Yacht Club Port de Plaisance (YCPDP) for a visit or to attend the MYBA St. Maarten Charter Show, December 3 to 7.
Profile of a Charter Chef: Captain/Chef Rich Cassarino
Dining under the stars while anchored in a picturesque cove … move over land-based chefs, the hottest dishes and coolest drinks are being whipped up by chefs on charter yachts.
For most people, three “inspired” catered meals a day sounds like heaven, but for guests aboard a charter yacht that is what they can expect…all while casually dressed and tucked happily aboard a sumptuous yacht. In fact “Around the World in Seven Days” is what Captain/Chef Richard Cassarino promises you from the galley aboard his 57’ catamaran Priorities cruising the Caribbean and offering international cuisine coupled with great wines.
Stewardess of the month: Mia Lindqvist
In a new feature, Crew Life asks a stewardess each month to tell us about memorable weather, charter guest questions, and any of the other unforgettable challenges involved in getting the job of a stewardess done each day.