APRIL 2017 FOR MORE CHARTER INSPIRATION boatinernational.com/charter0123456789online. And in any case it would be
reckless to use pictures, however alluring,
as the basis of an investment that can end
up well north of half a million dollars
(once the APA, or advanced provisioning
allowance, of 25 to 30 per cent of the
charter fee to cover fuel, food, drinks, port
fees, laundry, satellite and comms
charges, other incidentals and crew tip –
usually a further five to 15 per cent – is
factored in).
It is better, then, to take first-hand
advice from a broker who, as Thomas
explains, should be registered with the
worldwide association of yacht brokers,
MYBA, which ensures they adhere to acode of conduct and represents the
charterer in negotiating with the yacht
manager or “central agent”, who is there
to look after the owner’s best interests.
Just as any doyen of grand hotels will
tell you, service counts for far more than
décor. “It’s the crew who make or break a
charter, not the boat,” says Clark. “A good
crew can ascertain what level of service
the client is looking for within five
minutes of them coming aboard.”
A charterer may want a crew who can
instruct the available water sports (they
will ideally be certified by the Royal
Yachting Association), or who is a
qualified yoga instructor or massage
therapist. “Demand for ‘wellness’ is
growing,” says Nye, “and quite a few boats
have yoga teachers on board now.”
For those that don’t, Y.CO has launched
a scheme, Pure, that staffs and equips anonboard spa, offering tailored treatment
programs with luxury natural products
brand Ila, the facialist Anastasia
Achilleos, the Elixir Clinic or health
retreat Yeotown. For something more
hardcore, the gym option supplies
trainers, detox and dietary programs and
a timetable of compound circuits, pilates,
yoga, boxing, kickboxing, ballet, salsa and
street dance, along with meditation.
That said, chances are the regular crew
will be pros in a variety of sports, too. Take
Marc Logan, the bosun on Lioness V
(Camper & Nicholsons) who is a jiu jitsu
instructor. As is Patrick O’Donnell, the
engineer on Touch (Fraser), who is also aPADI divemaster, a qualification that
Callisto’s first officer, Tyron Falkenstein,
has, also. Six of the crew on Remember
When (Churchill Yacht Partners) have
diving qualifications; one, deckhand
Johan Malan, is a PADI instructor.
Of course, it may be that all you actually
need is someone who is good with
children and happy to set up a game of
beach volleyball or supervise snorkeling.
For those who seek a more formal type of
supervision, Y.CO has partnered with
children’s entertainers Sharky & George
and can, says Charlotte Bailey, from
Y.CO’s Monaco office, arrange for “a team
of energetic and imaginative ‘partners in
crime’ to take care of children on board,
organizing original and creative activities,
from movie making to pirate games and
treasure hunts”, as well as providing tutors
to coach children preparing for exams.As Clark stresses, it’s important that
guests feel able to communicate easily
with their crew. Nationality is important.
“We try to tailor every charter to the right
boat with the right crew for the client,” he
says. “If you have a formal English family,
for instance, it’s usually best to put them
with an English or at least Anglophone
crew, whether they’re South African,
Australian or from New Zealand. They’re
not being racist, but [British charterers]
get less excited at the prospect of Russian,
Filipino or Croatian crew. US crews tend
to be more laid-back, more fun.”
The chef, too, plays a critical role. “Every
day you’re confronted with three to four
hours of dining,” Clark says, noting the
number of yacht chefs with Michelin-
starred experience. Ricardo de Zwaan, on
Double Down (TWW Yachts), is an alumnus
of two Dutch restaurants with Michelin
stars (Vermeer in Amsterdam and De
Hoefslag in Bosch en Duin). Oliver Clarke,
on Hanikon (Y.CO), began at The Square
in London; Benedicte Cochard, on Elena
(Y.CO again), worked at Joël Robuchon’s
double-starred eatery in Monaco.
All this comes with a serious price tag,
so you should nail down a ballpark figure.
“It’s absolutely OK to have a budget and
[this] will help us narrow the list of
possible yachts,” says Boggio. “I will
always send one or two yachts slightly
over budget so [a client is] not missing
‘great’ yachts, but it will eliminate wasting
the charterer’s time reviewing yachts way
outside budget.”
In essence, the way to a great yacht is
through a great broker, to which end,
counsels Maggie Vale, of Churchill Yacht
Partners, “interview [him or her] as you
would a physician”. The best brokers,
she says, “have access to every charter
yacht, all sizes, shapes and builds”. Figure
out a brief, she advises, “let them do
the leg work”, and your reward will be
“a vacation like no other”. B“It’s the crew who make or break a
charter, not the boat. A good crew
can ascertain what level of service the
client is looking for within five minutes”
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