Superyacht Captain: Life and leadership in the world's most incredible industry Paperback – June 14, 2022

WAS VERY INTERESTING

I spent weekends for more than 30 years, exploring the backwaters and gunkholes of the Chesapeake Bay on my beat-up but dependable trawler. So I came to the book with questions. How is a superyacht captain different than a seagoing amateur? What ship handling and seamanship techniques might I learn from someone at the top of his nautical game?Here are some of the things I learned we both did as we honed our seamanship skills: we bet our ego and training against mother nature...and lost; we thought we knew how to handle our vessels under all circumstances...and failed; we let others do important planning...and paid the price for their lack of thoroughness.My boat, of course, was not worth the 200 million euros his vessels were worth. I worked for myself while he worked for many of the world's richest billionaires. I supervised family members, he supervised crews of hundreds of people afloat and ashore.My absolute enjoyment of this book came from surprising directions. He speaks with candor about his mistakes as he rose the ladder of success. He speaks with real insight of the lessons he learned along the way, the people he came to depend upon and the challenges of leading diverse people from different backgrounds in a common goal: provide the best possible experience for the yacht owner and his or her family.I found myself marveling at his management skills and insight into how people behave and react to challenging -- and sometimes very dangerous -- situations. Indeed, the book gave me more insight into effective management strategies than any I can recall ever having read. (Too bad it came a couple of years after I retired as a senior manager.)If there's a young sailor, young manager or young budding billionaire in your life, do them a favor and gift them a copy of this book. Tell them the author is a man they just might like to work for some day.

The world of super yachts is not something ordinary folks like me will know. The book offers a rare insight into this universe along with the author’s charming narrative on how he relates to this world. Highly recommended read!

I had hoped for more hands on situational at sea experiences to be shared. Over two decades in command should have more to add. I found the book interesting , but a bit overly philosophical. I enjoyed it regardless.

Great stories about the world of billionaire superyacht owners. An autobiography of a most engaging captain, whose voice resonates with honesty about himself, yachting, and the kind of world where, for example, one person in the year 2000 could control 4% of Italy’s GDP.But this is not a paean to the superwealthy. Nor is it a diatribe against them. It is simply a walk and a cruise thru their world. But before that it is one man’s story of how he came to be in the top rank of service to that world, and what skills and character that role requires.It goes on to tell many sea stories, all of which are entertaining. Because, the author would like his readership to include those poor souls who want another book of lessons on how to become a master of the universe, there are several chapters ending in a moral or a bit of advice. But you can tell that these are not the point of the stories. They are just comments in highlighted text to draw in those readers.These comments do not detract from the narration. They are brief and, true to form for an Aussie, delivered in an unassuming, non-authoritative manner.Without writing a tell-all, the author takes you deep into the mindset of the billionaires. It will be a revelation to you. No matter what you may imagine such wealth is like, he will make it obvious that you are light-years short of a true understanding.I am a fan of superyachts. I would never want one, although I certainly would not turn down an invitation to stay a week on one. Here is my over-the-top jibe about superyacht ownership:If I had a super-yacht in this super hot weather, I could get up, go out on my front deck, and get my helicopter to fly me to my back deck so I could take a dip in my pool.{end of jibe}Instead, I would give the half-billion dollars one costs to Oxfam and try to cage that week aboard from a fellow billionaire.Get the book, you will enjoy it. And your enjoyment will not contribute one bit to the hideous inequity in the world.

Most of us who have followed the sea as a profession have had limited, if any, experience with superyachts or those who own them. Brendan pulled back the curtain on this unique segment of our profession in a manner that brings the reader along as a participant in his experiences. For any family with teenagers, this book will be an aid to navigation in their pursuit of what makes life a worthwhile adventure.

I have always been captivated by super yachts and wanted to read what a super yacht captain wrote about, but it was about life and life lessons. I learned a great deal about strategies and accomplishments and failures as a human being not just a super yacht captain.