Drug use, fist fights and insubordination will get a crew member quickly fired from a megayacht. But so can an accumulation of small infractions or an owner's whim.
At this month's From the Bridge luncheon, captains discussed how to handle instructions from the boss that are contrary to their training and instincts.
Heroes helped shape the yacht captains who attended this month's Triton luncheon, and in return, they aim to be role models. But overall, they agreed there are fewer heroes for the generation of captains who follow them.
Yacht captains often are fired after the yacht they run is involved in a crash, fire or sinking. At this month's Triton From the Bridge luncheon, we asked what kind of mark an accident leaves on a career in yachting.
Although longevity on yachts is desired and a goal, at some point in their careers, most captains join a new boat. We gathered captains this month to talk about how they do it -- and the lessons they learned the hard way about how not to do it.
The impression on megayachts is that shoes are to be removed at the dock. But captains at lunch said they prefer crew to wear shoes onboard. And they’ve got the support of owners.
The well-traveled group in attendance cited years of work in the United States, Caribbean, Marshall Islands, Tierra del Fuego, Tahiti, Mediterranean and Bering Sea as their most useful training for the upcoming storm season.
As the weather warmed in 2011, two of yachting’s best known vessels were put up for sale. It feels like the end of an era. So what’s next? What’s the future of yachting look like?
Captains are known for taking professional responsibility of their boat and crew, so we asked if they feel the same about drug and alcohol use in the yachting industry.
Because yacht crew work nights, weekends and holidays, the line between work and time off is not always clear-cut, agreed most captains at The Triton's monthly From the Bridge luncheon.
Captains shared how their wallets, safety, destinations and staff are affected by events the world over at this month’s From the Bridge luncheon in Ft. Lauderdale.
If yacht captains could choose their bosses, they would pick yacht owners who trust them, respect their skills, and are willing to listen and participate.
While the largest of megayachts require trained and certified watch keepers, yacht captains at this month’s From the Bridge luncheon said that on smaller vessels, the ticket isn’t as critical as the effort.
There is a boat show going on now, somewhere in the world. Big boats or small, in port or in a parking lot, we asked yacht captains what they have to say about the ubiquitous boat show.
Instead of disqualifying captains and crew from working on yachts because of their health issues, captains prefer to be prepared to handle any medical situations.
Being a captain on a megayacht is tough, but actually getting the license can prove even tougher. It takes instructional courses, paperwork, time at sea, time away from work and money.
As captains go about their jobs, the boss may forget why he writes that check every month. So this month, we ask megayacht captains, just what do you do all day?
With job-seeking crew on every dock, captains have options when hiring. They can choose their deckhand from a pile of two-page resumes documenting certifications and sea time or choose an industrious dayworker who has never felt waves underfoot.
In the waning days of January, Eng. Pawel "Pav" Kwiatowske of M/Y Charisma, the 153-foot (47m) Feadship, disappeared. He was last seen leaving Willy T's bar in the yacht's tender. His crew mates reported him missing the next morning.
We don't know what happened to Mr. Kwiatowske, whose body was found a few days later washed ashore at St. Johns. His captain and crew mates could not talk before deadline because of a police investigation. (Click here for the police statements.)
Over the Thanksgiving holiday in late November, an owner reportedly hit an outcropping of rocks in the Bahamas, ejecting three people from the tender and sending them all to the hospital.
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