In the world of yachting, excellence is the ultimate goal. Yacht’s showcase impeccable craftsmanship and advanced technology; however, beneath the surface lies a complex web of tasks that demand specialised and consistent attention. As the yachting industry becomes increasingly demanding, these tasks can overwhelm the onboard crew, making it challenging to maintain the desired standards.
With over 30 years of industry expertise, Greg Voice, Founder of SALT, has extensive landscape knowledge to deliver structured land-based management support that navigates compliance and prioritises yacht safety. This brings efficiencies in lower operation costs, less downtime, better safety management, and improved reliability.
He sits down with Andrew Roach, Founder of The Crew Academy and The Crew Hunter, and explores the advantages of land-based support for owners, captains, and crew within the yachting industry.
QUESTION: Why is land-based support crucial for seamless yacht operations?
Greg: “The yachting industry has evolved significantly since we entered it in the mid-’80s. When I started in the industry, working as a 2nd Engineer, the Captain also served as the Manager and worked directly with the owner – there were no intermediaries. Thirty-five years later, everything has changed. Today’s captains have a much larger workload, especially those working on smaller vessels with limited resources who often struggle to manage the various aspects efficiently. Outsourcing to an external management company allows us to handle many of these tasks, freeing the captains to focus on their primary roles.
For instance, our Planned Maintenance Solutions (PMS) offers tailored vessel management services to enhance reliability and safety while remaining flexible to individual needs and budgets.”
Andrew: “From seasoned Captains to complete newbies, we celebrate yachties every day because they are unique, and they do an incredible job in a very, very demanding environment. However, yacht teams often have limited capacity to prioritise crew wellbeing and professional development.
At the Crew Hunter and Crew Training Academy, we facilitate positive onboard working environments, from finding the right candidates to supporting crew members in their personal and professional growth. Outsourcing these tasks enables leaders and crew members to focus on their core responsibilities, feeling empowered and supported within their roles.”
QUESTION: What are some of the current challenges for yacht owners and operators?
Greg: “The complexity of the industry has grown significantly. People, machinery, and compliance have all become more intricate. This is where we find a lot of synergy with the various yacht support agencies, such as you guys working on crew placement and training. Effective people management is crucial, and proper training can help us manage the expectations for captains, their crews and owners.”
Andrew: “With regards to the designs of the boats, it is natural that designers want to maximise guest spaces; this often leaves a lack of provision within crew spaces. We often see cramped living conditions for crew, which ultimately can impact their working potential, well-being and motivation, and so just after one season, they decide to leave. This adds incremental costs for the owner, which the management company has to justify. If people think about this differently and start with the crew and then work back towards the owner, then the owner will get a far better experience in the long term.
We aim to address this with our Yacht Owner Representative Program, which draws on 15 years of training experience to empower individuals through education and mentorship. Over an 11-week program, we will foster relationships with captains, build managers, and owner’s representatives. We can make serious changes in 11 weeks and forge long-lasting relationships with individuals who want to change how we build.”
QUESTION: How does outsourcing help reduce crew turnover?
Andrew: “From the perspective of The Crew Hunter and Crew Training Agency, the role of a management company is to provide a safe, designated space for the crew to come to. For instance, if there’s behaviour on board, toxic language, or harassment within any of the ranks, Greg or any of the SALT team are there to support the crew. A yacht management company is an additional level that brings better working practices to the yacht and highlights any problematic behaviour to the owner, regardless of where it comes from.
Retaining crew means getting to know your staff and your boat. It takes time and effort to ask the right questions. So, if a crew member decides to leave the boat, finding out the reasons why is important.
If proper processes are duly followed and efficient notice periods given with exit interviews conducted, there will be a better understanding of why people leave a boat. This would leave the captain enough time to replace and recruit the right people to build a solid team that has longevity. Unfortunately, this so often never happens. Many captains don’t know why their boat keeps haemorrhaging crew and continue to make the same mistakes in the next recruitment round. Take an hour and you can find out pretty quickly.”
QUESTION: What are the benefits of working with smaller companies?
Greg: “Smaller yacht management companies are often more agile and flexible. For instance, we received a late-night email from a client in the US wanting to buy a yacht, requesting a meeting in Palm Beach the next day. Within hours, I was on a flight to meet them. While I was heading west, my team efficiently organised the entire trip, including all the logistics of multiple yacht viewings on the US mainland and the Bahamas. This resulted in securing an offer on a yacht in 3 days. Our agility and dedication to clients set us apart from larger firms.
We also know of cases where management companies spend an owner’s money without getting the spend sanctioned first. Our reputation is based on trust and transparency to align with the owner’s objectives and avoid unwarranted spending without consent.”
Andrew: “It’s encouraging to see smaller, family-run management companies like SALT challenging traditional norms and striving to improve industry practices. We appreciate their personalised attention, which results in better crew, better management and ultimately, better experiences for owners.”
QUESTION: How can yachts maximise their collaboration with external companies?
Andrew: “Transparency is key. When working with clients on recruitment, we gather detailed information about the yacht, including its interior, engineering, galley space, crew facilities, working hours, and past itineraries. Understanding the owner’s expectations and the vessel’s unique characteristics helps us make informed decisions. The first question we train our recruiters to ask is, ‘What is the owner like on their worst day?’. I’m not interested in glossing over things. We need to know the worst day. If we get the worst day, we can then manage average, poor and great days.”
Greg: “Absolutely. Honesty and transparency are vital in collaborations between management companies, agencies, and clients. Rushed hiring processes often lead to mismatched crew, so it’s crucial to take the time to find the right fit.”
Andrew: “Ultimately, the yachting industry must work towards standardising certain principles and behaviours. Current maritime contracts and practices would not pass muster in other industries. HR is practically nonexistent. We need to work harder and smarter at improving the crew’s working lives, which is the core mission of The Crew Hunter and The Crew Academy.”
SALT specialises in luxury yacht sales, yacht charter and superyacht management services built on 30+ years of yachting experience. To find out more about the services we offer – visit saltsuperyachts.com.
The Crew Academy creates happier, professionally-trained yacht crew through a range of training courses for superyacht crew, including leadership training, role-specific training, mental health courses and YORP, the brand new program that’s changing the standard for owner’s reps. To find out more – visit thecrewacademy.com.
The Crew Hunter offers a fresh approach to yacht recruitment based on kindness and understanding. All our recruiters have onboard experience in their recruiting departments, giving them unrivalled insight into what’s required for each position. To register jobs with us or view the latest vacancies – visit thecrewhunter.com