Skipper’s Tips: Plan B
Tricky Trials of a Yacht Captain
Over the last few decades, the BVI has developed a charter industry based on a ‘never say no’ philosophy, where the discerning guest can have anything they desire at any time they choose.
We offer a five-star service afloat on some incredible yachts with sumptuous interiors, glistening bright works with a range of unimaginable toys. But what happens when the requests become outlandish or we have to face equipment failure? The captain and crew must have an arsenal of solutions up their starched sleeves.
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There are fabulous stories of what the well-heeled expect to be possible afloat, and usually there is the belief that to throw money at a problem is to have it solved. The reality TV show Below Deck is cracking open polished doors for the world to learn of what charter guests and owners expect as service, but it doesn’t change the fact that boats can break down at inappropriate times and when they do, it is quick and fast.
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Imagine that yacht owner who spends a fortune on the running of his yacht – it is said that at least 10% the value of the yacht is sufficient to run a proper show. For the yacht owner, the impending vacation has been a well anticipated visit – the yacht is in perfect condition, but just before he/she flies in, the hydraulics fail on the garage door, toilets back up, the chef walks off the boat, and then the water maker fails.
No matter what happens, you can’t let on. “It’s a great day for a boat ride” you convince the guests, and as the mate whisks the party away on the tender to go snorkeling at The Indians, the stew is stewing and the captain sweating on board over putting the setbacks right.
The comedy arrives when trying to solve these errors while still entertaining your guests in tight quarters. You have to fix the problem, but you must appear as if you’re not working and at the same time pulling the boat apart. Imagine that captain, awash in the bilge, hissing at crew, “go up and entertain them”, whilst just a few feet upstairs the guests sip on yet more expensive bubbly, hopefully oblivious of the work below.
It is the stuff of nightmares for captains and crew of smart yachts, but if you offer an expensive charter, the boat must provide.
What you’ll get from a Yacht Charter BVI experience
Even if we speak of a less expensive crewed charter yacht, this culture of five-star service is endemic of the BVI industry. These teams must be equally quick to switch to an itinerary with gear breakdown – 4 perhaps the chef takes the guests on an island tour while the captain finds the spare parts or a jury rig to see the charter through.
Never in any of these cases are you expected to look startled or unprepared and when establishing your game plan, charisma serves you very well. The need to be organised and flexible still remains the case if you are the skipper on the considerably less complicated bareboat – if you have engine failure, can you sail to the mooring?
The windlass fails, so can you rally the crew to flake out the chain on deck the old-school way? Innovative solutions are discovered all the time and among your best defences is the ‘be prepared for any eventuality’ ethos. As Pirates of the Caribbean’s Captain Jack Sparrow said, “The problem is not the problem. The problem is your attitude about the problem. Do you understand?”
Contact us for more information about our BVI yacht charter service now.
Louise Reardon, Captain and RYA Yachtmaster Instructor
Latest posts by Louise Reardon, Captain and RYA Yachtmaster Instructor (see all)
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