COMMENT
Get crew involved
Captain Michael Howorth discusses whether keeping and grooming the next generation of superyacht crew is just a matter of involvement
I
f anything has changed since I trod the decks as a first tripper, it is crew welfare. Back in the day, I was just a cheap pair of hands, employed to chip rust and apply red lead primer paint. After my day job was done, I was left to rot on my own, fend for myself and report for duty next day. No one really gave a toss for my welfare, state of mind or even social interaction. Job satisfaction was of no real importance to my task masters. Their view was, if that deckie failed to make the grade, then they could easily find a replacement. Today however, such things matter, and now everyone is taking note and making the crewing job a great deal easier.
It follows then that crew are happier to do the job. They feel more valued and as such, see the credibility of sticking with it, and making a career out of superyachting. But this did not just happen overnight. Several interest groups and factors have enabled the industry to flourish, and they need to be acknowledged and congratulated.
Chief among the protagonists in the early days of the crew revolution was the PYA and Nautilus, the union. Both suddenly woke up to that fact that yachties were in fact professional seafarers. Even the MCA had to take note and deserve a little credit. We should not forget the advent of crew magazines the likes of All at Sea, Triton, Dockwalk, The Yacht Report, and my personal favourite, ONBOARD Magazine. The internet has greatly helped, with Facebook groups and dedicated superyacht radio stations. But one organisation, it seems to me stands head and shoulders above the rest. And here I want to congratulate without hesitation or indeed favour, ACrew. A network of over 15.000 captains and crew, ACrew values both as individuals as well as in teams. As a facilitator, ACrew has, to date, organised over 100 events worldwide delivering professional development opportunities to our industry. Captains and crew have been encouraged to attend free workshops, discussion groups, networking and social activities at yacht shows, shipyards, and marinas.
These events further develop and progress the career of yacht crew in every department as they progress upwards inside the superyacht industry. It seems to me that, ACrew sets out to support crew from their first step into yachting, throughout their yachting career and even as they move ashore. Along the way they have gathered an impressive cast of industry supporting partners from shipyards to insurance companies all keen to ally their own brands with that of ACrew.
There is a lot of talk about morale and mindfulness, but not a lot of action when it comes to crew welfare
Chief among these is Porto Montenegro, the superyacht marina in Tivat on the Adriatic. Home port to Black Pearl and other large yachts, this is one of the largest and most important marinas outside the EU. This yachting village, complete with shops, hotels, bars, restaurants, and leisure facilities has hosted major events while working in partnership with ACrew. It was Porto Montenegro that hosted the successful Superyacht Crew Winter Games in Kolasin, the heart of Montenegrin skiing. More recently, the marina hosted the ACrew Superyacht Crew Awards developed to reward crew that have proven themselves to be the very best at their job.
Of course, there is an altruistic motive behind such generosity offered by the
likes of Porto Montenegro and why not. They are seeking the opportunity to show yacht captains and other key decision makers how good their facilities are, and why they should persuade owners to berth there for a season. No one blames them for promoting their business and I am not seeking them out or suggesting that they are unique in their endeavours. I am merely pointing out that the more companies do what ACrew and Porto Montenegro do, the better it is for yacht crew and our industry as a whole and hopefully crew will stay in the industry for longer, which let’s face it benefits everyone. There is a lot of talk about morale and mindfulness, but not a lot of action when it comes to crew welfare, and I just want to give a little praise to those who actually do something about it.
ONBOARD | WINTER 2023 | 7
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