What do you love about being a superyacht captain?
Honestly, I still really enjoy driving the boat—manoeuvring, parking, all of that. It’s the highlight for me. Funny thing is, I’m training my chief officer right now. He’s had his Master’s for a while, so he’s doing a lot of the manoeuvring these days. I get jealous when he’s at the helm! But yeah, that’s still one of the best parts for me. And every now and then, when you get into a stunning anchorage with perfect water—shallow, crystal-clear—you just sit there thinking, Wow, this is really special. I can imagine. Those moments must feel pretty rewarding. Totally. There aren’t many things that take your breath away these days, but a perfect anchorage in the Bahamas or somewhere like that? It’s amazing. And getting paid for it doesn’t hurt!
How has the superyacht industry changed over the last five years?
It’s been a huge shift. First, the growth—it’s exploded. The size of the boats being built now is insane. Every yard seems to be making 80-metre-plus yachts. You’ve got 100-metre and even 150-metre boats coming out every year. It’s just crazy how much money is pouring into the industry. I think COVID played a big role. Before the pandemic, it was growing steadily, but COVID seemed to launch this “I’m-going-to-buy-a-yacht” mentality. The other big change is the weather. Extreme weather events are more frequent.
You’ve got storms in Spain, Corsica, Italy, Sardinia—it’s becoming a major factor in planning trips. This summer in the Med, for example, July was full of bad weather. Normally, July and August are perfect, with maybe the occasional mistral, but this year? A handful of good days, and that’s it.
Wow. So, you’re really seeing this firsthand?
Absolutely. I’ll be curious to see how September and October shape up. Sometimes, when the summer’s been bad, autumn turns out to be surprisingly nice. But yeah, the weather’s definitely one of the big changes.
What are the biggest challenges the industry needs to solve in the next 10 years?
For me, the crowding. There are just too many boats. Every anchorage is packed. And with that comes more regulations, which are frustrating to deal with. The marinas can’t keep up with the demand. There aren’t enough shipyards or facilities, and the boats being built are massive. Take the popular Med spots—Saint-Tropez, Cannes, Antibes, Monaco, Portofino, Porto Cervo—you’ve probably only got 10 slips for 100-metre-plus yachts. And the number of these boats is skyrocketing. Yeah, and the facilities just aren’t designed for them. Exactly. So, you’ve got these huge yachts anchored out all summer. Then in winter, the shipyards are overwhelmed. It’s a major challenge—too many boats, too much regulation, and not enough infrastructure to support it all.
What trends in yacht design and tech have impacted day-to-day operations?
The biggest game-changer since stabilisers has to be Starlink. It’s completely revolutionised life onboard—for crew and guests. You can stream TV, work online without issues, and costs have dropped significantly. Aesthetically, the big changes are the use of glass and the disappearance of domes. Take a look at yachts like Luminosityby Benetti—it’s almost more glass than steel. Underwater viewing lounges, huge windows—it’s really cool. But yeah, Starlink and glass are the two biggest trends.
What’s the most challenging part of your job?
Crew. Always the crew. If you’ve got a good crew, your job’s easy. If you don’t, everything becomes a headache. It’s all about managing people—motivating them, keeping them happy, finding the right fit when someone leaves. On the bigger boats, I can’t even imagine how much time and effort goes into crew familiarisation. And then half of them probably leave before they’ve even learned the boat! It’s a waste of time and money. But yeah, crew is always the biggest challenge.
How do you handle the pressure-cooker environment of crew relationships and morale?
It starts with getting the right people and setting expectations early. I always undersell the job—tell them it’s not the best pay, that they’ll work hard, and that the owners stay onboard for long stretches. Then, when they get here and it’s better than expected, they’re happy. We also keep things casual, which helps with longevity. And when it comes to hiring, I rely on verbal references—recommendations from people I trust. It’s all about building the right team.
How do you approach burnout and mental health onboard?
I encourage people to take their leave. There’s this weird mentality where crew try to save their vacation days for a paycheck when they leave, but the reality is, they need rest and rejuvenation. For example, my chief officer was burning out earlier this summer. I told him to take two weeks off, go surfing, do whatever he needed to recharge. He came back refreshed and ready to go. Leave is there for a reason—you need to take it. Jim McGrath (JM): Yeah, yeah. Captain Lady Kathryn V. (CK): So that’s the main part, I think. Ultimately, though, you’ve got to be happy.
You’ve got to enjoy what you’re doing—nothing’s worth it if you’re not happy. I tell the crew this all the time: the moment you stop enjoying it, if a vacation or a break isn’t going to fix it, then it’s time to move on. And there’s nothing wrong with that. If you try to push through, you’ll end up leaving on bad terms, and that’s not worth it. Stay while you’re happy, while you’re having fun—whatever your reason for being there is. But as soon as that spark’s gone, it’s time to go. Your work will decline, your attitude will change, and it’s just not worth it.
So yeah, take your vacation, rest, rejuvenate, and come back ready to go. It sounds so simple when you say it—like, “obviously, yeah.” Exactly! But I don’t know what it is with people. For example, our home port is in Palm Beach, and we spend most of the winter there. The boss lives nearby, so we tell the crew, “You can be an hour away on weekends, but if the boss needs the boat, you’ve got to be able to get back.” And they just stay in this one-hour bubble—they won’t go further because they don’t want to lose the day. I’m like, “Why?
We’re here for six months—hire a car, drive to New York, go to Orlando, the Keys, anywhere! Do something amazing!” Every now and then, someone will go for it, and when they come back, they’re like, “Wow, that was great.” Now, people are starting to see that it’s worth taking a day or two to get away. They come back feeling like they’ve had a week’s vacation. But if you’re just sitting there waiting, it’s exhausting—it’s a killer. Owner and Guest Requests So, onto owner and guest requests.
Have you ever had to deal with unexpected special requests and manage them without compromising safety or compliance? Have you ever had to say, “No, that can’t be done”? Honestly, we’ve been really lucky with our guests—both charter and owners. They’re very respectful. Safety is always first, though, and if something isn’t safe, we just say no. Ideally, you offer alternatives. Redirect them: “We can’t do this, but we can do that.” Or, “If we make these adjustments, we can make it safer.” But ultimately, safety is non-negotiable. Everything we do is guided by that.
New Generations of Yacht Owners
Have you noticed any changes in how the new generation of high-net-worth individuals approach superyachting?
Not too much, only because I’ve been on the same program for so long. But what I have noticed is the obsession with media and social media. Starlink has been a game-changer for that. Before Starlink, we had a charter with some younger guests, and they complained non-stop about the V-SAT internet—it was the fastest available at the time, and they still weren’t satisfied. Now, with Starlink, they’re happy. But it’s funny—these kids will have all the toys set up at the back of the boat, and they’ll just sit in the salon scrolling on their phones. Yeah, I’ve seen that.
You’ve got one week in the Bahamas with all this amazing stuff in front of you, and you spend it on Instagram? It’s crazy. And I think it’s only going to get worse. Yeah, I’m a schoolteacher, so I see it all the time. It’s like it’s rewiring their brains, right? And we’ll see the full effects in 10 years. Exactly. I took my three kids on a seven-week camping trip through the States, and we didn’t take any devices.
We were at a campsite in Utah, and this lady at the check-in desk said, “Oh, you’re the one with the kids!” I was like, “Well, I’ve got three, not all the kids.” She said, “No, it’s just nice to see kids running around playing. You don’t see that anymore—they’re all inside on devices.” Meanwhile, my kids were outside all day, riding bikes, getting into trouble—it was great. It’s just funny how rare that’s become. Regulations and Sustainability
What are your thoughts on the growing regulatory load, and how are you managing it?
It’s a lot, for sure. The changes keep coming, and it’s a constant effort to stay on top of it. But technology helps—WhatsApp groups and captain forums are great for sharing firsthand information. You can ask, “Has anyone dealt with port state here?” and get quick, practical advice. Good agents are key too. At the start of the summer, we’ll sit down with them and go over what’s changed—anchoring rules, environmental guidelines, all of it. The Med is super regulated, whereas the Caribbean still feels like the Wild West. Yeah, I’ve heard that.
On the environmental side, I think the focus is too narrow. Authorities go hard on big yachts, but they ignore smaller boats. There are thousands of 40-60 footers sailing around the Med with no sewage treatment, no garbage management—they can do whatever they want. Meanwhile, bigger yachts are expected to meet all these regulations. And don’t get me wrong, we should, but if you’re serious about protecting the environment, you have to look at the whole sector. We upgraded our sewage plant to discharge clean water—it’s so clean we could use it to wash the boat.
That kind of tech is amazing, but it’s not widely adopted because it’s expensive and doesn’t have the same backing as other systems. Technology and Security
You’ve mentioned Starlink and solar—any other tech that’s changed your role as a captain?
Starlink is the big one. Hybrid propulsion is interesting, but it’s still in its infancy. Solar, though, has been great—solar panels on tenders are a game-changer. They keep batteries charged, run bilge pumps, and even power nav lights when towing. I think we’ll see more solar panels and battery banks on bigger yachts soon—it’s perfect for a boat since you’re in the sun all day.
makes sense. What about cybersecurity?
Cybersecurity on a yacht is no different than on land. You’ve got a network onboard connected via Starlink or local internet, so you need firewalls, password protection, and regular maintenance. It’s the same principles.
Do you think AI or autonomous systems will change captaining in the future?
Not really. We were joking the other day—AI can automate a lot, but it’s not going to wash a boat or polish stainless steel! There’s just too much variability in yachting. Sure, AI can help with marketing, itineraries, and menus, but you’ll always need the human element for the hands-on stuff. Public Perception
What’s your take on the public perception of superyachting? Is it fair?
I think unhappy people are usually the ones with negative opinions. But if you look at the industry objectively, the amount of money it moves and the jobs it creates is staggering. People who understand that tend to have a more positive view. Yeah, agreed. I don’t pay attention to the negativity. It’s not our job to educate everyone—people will believe what they want, and you’re not going to change their minds. Final Thoughts
If you could change one thing about the industry, what would it be?
I wish we could anchor closer to the beach without damaging the environment. Guests want to jump off the deck and swim ashore, but now we’re stuck 300 metres out. Even with dynamic positioning, the same restrictions apply. It’s frustrating because DP doesn’t touch the seabed, so it should be allowed closer in shallow water. Yeah, that makes sense. But it is what it is. We just have to work around it.
Thanks so much for your time—this has been fantastic. I’ll send the transcript back to you for approval. Do you have a recent headshot we can use?
My last headshot is from 13 years ago! But I’ll see if I can dig one up. Perfect. Thanks again!