Megayacht News Radio

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Currently in yachting, conversations frequently focus on sustainability and efforts towards lessening yachts’ environmental impact. It’s not a simple task, though. Despite an abundance of general information about emissions, power consumption, and related topics, the superyacht industry and superyacht owners have lacked an objective way to judge whether some yachts are actually “greener” than others. That’s where the Yacht Environmental Transparency Index comes in, and is making a difference.

The index is a tool from the Water Revolution Foundation, a non-profit focused on preserving the oceans and simultaneously diminishing yachting’s impact on them. In development for the past four years, the index has led to the establishment of a benchmark by which existing and in-development projects can evaluate themselves. Robert van Tol, the executive director of the Water Revolution Foundation, explains the details in this Megayacht News Radio podcast episode.

As you’ll learn, the Yacht Environmental Transparency Index relies on real data that owners, their crew, and/or their representatives provide. The Water Revolution Foundation team analyzes that information side by side against data from AIS, “to understand what is actually the average operational profile of the fleet,” van Tol explains.

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Since yachting is all about enjoying big, beautiful bays and the world's oceans, the health of those waters is of increasing importance to yacht owners and crewmembers.  Scientists and researchers, however, face a big obstacle in learning more about our oceans: access to vessels. Thankfully, owners and crew can welcome scientists onboard and see with their own eyes the difference and the discoveries. Better yet, you can do the same.
In this episode of Megayacht News Radio, we introduce you to the team at the International SeaKeepers Society, a non-profit that helps connect scientists in need with superyacht owners and crew wishing to lend a helping hand with scientist-led expeditions and citizen-science initiatives.

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You've likely seen more than a few headlines and stories from traditional news media chronicling sordid details about superyacht owners’ lives, giving the impression that people who buy these yachts are hoarding their wealth, have no empathy for the rest of society, and essentially live like Thurston Howell III from Gilligan’s Island did before he was shipwrecked.

While attention-grabbing headlines are effective tools to convey information, there's also way more to the story of superyacht owners than a hackneyed stereotype. The Superyacht Life Foundation wants to ensure the general public understands this. Its mission is to change the conversation around superyachting. Megayacht News Radio's host, Diane M. Byrne, speaks with Dilan Sarac, the marketing manager for the Foundation, and Charlotte Thomas, the editor-in-chief for all of their content, to find out how they're doing this. 

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As a senior charter manager and group director with Ocean Independence. Daphne D’Offay oversees the charter marketing operations for the company’s American-managed fleet.  She has keen insight into how first-time yacht-charter guests are discovering this extraordinary vacation option, and how yacht charter overall has skyrocketed in popularity over the past two years. 

In this episode of Megayacht News Radio, D'Offay shares:

• how her own upbringing--aboard a boat!--influenced her career
• what yacht charter is, and what makes it such an extraordinary vacation option
• which destinations are perfect for first-time yacht charter guests
• what destinations experienced charterers are beginning to discover, and what the allure is
• and more.

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As the executive director of the New Zealand Marine Industry Association, Peter Busfield helps promote his country's vast cruising and service offerings to superyacht owners, guests, and crew worldwide. During the pandemic, of course, that became tremendously difficult, since New Zealand kept its international borders shut. With the sea border about to re-open--in August--several superyachts are making plans to return. In this episode of Megayacht News Radio, Peter discusses how New Zealand superyacht marinas and service providers have made several significant improvements, to handle more business. He also shares some of his personal favorite places to enjoy superyacht cruising, which we all should put on our bucket lists. 

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It’s no secret that boating and yachting have been booming due to the pandemic, with people from all walks of life realizing that being out on the water, with just your family, is one of the safest and most relaxing ways to spend time. The upper end of the industry that we cover has certainly been no exception—but some recent news from Fraser Yachts along these lines is remarkable.

First, the average age of its customers today is 10 years younger compared to prior to the pandemic—with the youngest clients in their 20s and 30s. Secondly, Fraser saw a 175% increase in sales from 2020 to 2021. These in turn have brought newcomers to yachting, new buying and cruising attitudes, and some pretty interesting business opportunities. So, to talk about them, Mark Duncan, the director of marketing and business development for Fraser Yachts, joins us for a great discussion.

From the so-called COVID effect that drove--and continues driving--the boom in buying and chartering, to how clients are placing a far higher priority on the experience onboard, especially in charter, Mark reveals some fascinating and at times eye-opening details, all of which are changes for the better for the superyacht industry and customers alike.

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News media and social media around the world have covered the ongoing Russian yacht arrests and detentions related to the invasion of Ukraine. However, a number of media reports and social media posts since March have gotten the facts wrong, which has understandably led to confusion about what has actually occurred. Some of the reports seem to have stemmed from a rush to have an “exclusive,” but much of it stems from the use of one particular word, “seize,” and variations of it. In a nutshell, there’s an impression that all, or nearly all, of the Russian yachts that have been arrested or detained have been confiscated. But that’s not true.

In this episode of Megayacht News Radio, we help you better understand what has gone on so far, and what is likely to continue. We start with some background on the American task force that’s enforcing sanctions and taking possession of assets, such as yachts, then explain the difference between a yacht being detained and being under arrest, as well as why  “seize” is causing a lot of the confusion, and finally outline what the future fate may be for these yachts.

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Due to growing concerns about mental health among superyacht crew, we have a sobering conversation for this episode. Tim Clarke, the director of Quay Crew, and Charles Watkins, the managing director of and a clinical psychologist with Mental Health Support Solutions, explain how their companies joined forces to conduct a survey of more than 1,000 crewmembers. There are some alarming discoveries—such as nearly half of all crew have considered leaving yachting due to stress, burnout, poor leadership, and other issues. But, there’s also good news, with the overwhelming majority of crew believing it would be helpful to have some type of mental-health training, for themselves and to help their fellow crew. 

Furthermore, in this episode of Megayacht News Radio, Clarke and Watkins discuss:

·         why Quay Crew felt the survey was important in the first place

·         how most of the issues come down to poor leadership—with “leadership” being the responsibility of more people than captains

·         how female crew’s challenges are disparately high, and how most crew, regardless of gender, don’t know how to access available resources 

·         what steps captains, yacht department heads, owners’ representatives, and other advisors can start implementing now to turn the tide.

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Personal submarines have become more popular aboard megayachts--but they're also more than just toys. They open up a world of possibilities to owners, guests, and crew, letting them see life beneath the ocean's surface that otherwise they'd never discover, and in turn better appreciate this big blue marble we all call home. Patrick Lahey of Triton Submarines is well versed in how to make these possibilities a reality. In this episode of Megayacht News Radio, we discuss how Triton Submarines has designed and engineered dozens of manned submersibles for superyacht owners around the world, plus how he has taken part in historic and truly extraordinary expeditions to the deepest depths of the oceans. 

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Christine “Bugsy” Drake is a superyacht stew who thousands of television fans are familiar with thanks to the Bravo series Below Deck Mediterranean. More importantly, Bugsy is a seasoned yachtie and a newly published book author. She wowed television viewers with her extraordinary creativity the way that she’s been wowing yacht owners and guests since joining the yachting industry—and she shares her favorite decorative and theme tips, plus a lot more, in her book The Art of Tablescaping; Deck Out Your Table With the Queen of Theme. In this Megayacht News Radio podcast, Bugsy shares what it’s like to work onboard superyachts, what the so-called Below Deck effect is on the industry, and of course what inspired her book. In fact, she asserts that anyone, regardless of budget, can re-create the amazing tablescapes and theme parties she reveals.

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