Close
Every yacht career has its golden moments. This magic often happens on boats where the crew really gel - that weird alchemy that happens sometimes in a group of people. Some captains excel at picking crew that fit into their existing group, but often, this chemistry is accidental - a galaxy of characters swirling into just the right constellation.
Despite working hard on these yachts, you’ll look back on those years with nostalgia for those extraordinary people you were lucky enough to spend time with long ago. But while you’re in it, you don’t always appreciate it like you should. It’s often only once it’s gone that you recognise the brilliance of the moment you are in.
Here are five reminders that you are in a really great crew.
There’s nothing as good as the sound of a crew mess in fits of laughter, getting set off by the latest silliness or story about a night out. Laughter releases feel-good chemicals and bonds a crew in a shared happiness. This only works when it’s a communal, caring kind of humour, though, as a crew who laugh at each other in an unkind way will never stay together and will certainly never have that magic.
Crews can get stale when everyone just hits the closest marina bar after docking. The happiest crews are the ones that hire mopeds or quad bikes and go white water rafting or hiking. Those who squeeze the most out of life and the extraordinary opportunity of having time off in places that billionaires like to holiday. There’s often an ‘organiser’ of these days off, the one that corrals everyone into doing something fun. If you don’t have one, step up. Shared memories of good times and new experiences keep crew happy.
Certain ‘linchpin’ personalities on a yacht often set the mood of the crew mess. Often, there’s a joker, usually a young deckie. And there’s a supporter, maybe that kind, calm stew that always helps others or is a shoulder to cry on. The level-headed engineer who keeps their cool in a crisis, or the captain or first officer who motivates everyone when they are on their last legs in a hard season. Or the chef who shows love through food, making treats to pick the crew up when they need a boost. With personalities like these in place, a crew will go far together.
Good crews have a language all their own, whether it’s nicknames, in-jokes or just a relentless series of TV and movie quotes. You know you’re onto a good crew when a visitor or dayworker comes into the crew mess for lunch, only to look around a bit baffled because you’re all apparently slightly mad and communicating in a way they can’t make sense of.
Except for the poor person on watch, that is. And when the crew are out, there’s lots of dancing and laughter, not cliques and bitchy gossiping about the latest thing the captain or chief stew has done. Mornings after nights out are filled with silly stories and, yes, more laughter. By lunch, there are new stories to add to the collection, your yacht’s shared ‘legend’.
One day, one or two of the linchpin people will move on, and almost before you realise what is happening, the culture of the yacht will change. It’s not to say it will be worse, just different.
That joker that lifted everyone when they were exhausted might move on, the crew chef who nailed the food will get a job as a head chef, and the captain who always had your back got a bigger drive. Or maybe it will be you who moves on, leaving a hole in the crew mess that can’t entirely be replaced in the same way.
The one thing that is constant in yachting is change. So, if you’re in a great crew, count yourself lucky, and enjoy the now!
