A BOSS BOSUN
Rafael De Abreu talks to Frances and Michael Howorth about his job as Bosun onboard Axioma
Why did you join the superyacht industry? A friend of mine and I had left uni in South Africa and had drifted into jobs in renewable energy. It wasn’t a good fit for either of us, we wanted adventure and were too young to settle down. I have family who live in Madeira and the sea is very important to them and I think that’s where the impetus came from. We got our qualifications in Cape Town and went to Europe. I spent 2 weeks walking the docks in San Remo before I got day work but that became a permanent posting and I stayed as a deckie for nine months
Have you ever worked on a sailing superyacht?
No but I do like sailing and one day I might. I love wind surfing and dinghy sailing and once was part of a delivery crew on a catamaran sailing from Brazil to Uruguay and then onto Cape Town calling at Tristan da Cunha on the way. The crayfish there are fantastic.
Does your yacht employ couples? Yes and in fact I am one of them. My partner is from New Zealand and is a stew on board and we have been together here on board for 18 months.
What do you most like about your present yacht?
The people! My 20 or so crew mates are a great bunch and we work very well together. We are a busy charter yacht doing plenty of back to back turnarounds. We are a close-knit group and the crew bond very quickly with newcomers. Our rotational Captains are great guys and are very keen to promote from within. There is a lot of cross department cooperation which makes for a happy ship.
What do you like least about the yacht? It’s a bitter sweet pill really. We go to some great places but sometimes we are so busy we don’t get to see them much. Often, I am left with a feeling that I have to go back and spend time there. Maybe someday I will.
What is your favourite bar in the Mediterranean and why do you like it? I love sushi and so sushi bars tend to be my first choice. I do not have an all time favourite but Maturi in Barcelona would
46 | WINTER 2020 | ONBOARD
come close. It’s on Carrer del Regomir in the gothic region. It’s a little like a tapas bar in its approach to food and the standout dish is the bare roll which is chopped salmon with lime juice on a bed of rice but we also like the California. Especial.
Have you ever had any unusual requests made of you?
Here on Axioma we had to cover the surface of our swimming pool with green apples as part of our display at the MYBA Charter Yacht show. That was tricky enough but then the Captain wanted to add a Capital A in the very centre of that display using red apples. ‘Tricky’ rather than ‘unusual’ might be the word I would use!
What might set you apart from other Bosuns on superyachts?
I believe the job should be fun but I never forget it’s a job and I and the rest of the crew I work with take a responsible attitude. It can be a hard job at times so I try and lead from the front. I don’t just take the easy jobs, I do help with the cleaning but I try and leave the deck crew to make their own minds up as to how to do it. I want people to learn from their mistakes. I teach the new guys how to drive the tenders and that’s a part of my job I really enjoy. I’d like to think that this is not a strict yacht and I think that is partly because as a deck crew we have learned to trust and have faith in each other.
Where do you see yourself in say 10 years from now?
I am not sure I will make it to Captain and if I did I would worry such a position might end up as being a pair of golden handcuffs from which I might not be able to break free. I believe my future lies in farming. My partner has a passion for horses and wants to work with them. She is from New Zealand and I think that is where we will both end up working our land together.
What is the worst cock up you have seen another crewman make?
We were coming stern first onto the dock and the boss had just arrived and parked his Range Rover just astern of the yacht. As the bosun extended the passerelle so the mate up on the foredeck slacked away on the
headlines and the passerelle came into close contact with the windscreen of the car. It was a shattering experience for that crewman!
And yours?
I am a cautious guy and I am happy to report that the very worst thing I have ever done was to have lost the anchor off a tender. I had not checked it had been shackled to the chain and as I let it go it went plop into 100 metres of water. I stood and watch as €500 worth of anchor sink rather quickly and whilst it was not directly my fault I still feel bad about it.
QUICK FIRE QUESTIONS
Morning or night time person? Morning
How do you like your steak? Medium
What was the last film you saw in a cinema? Creed II
What did you eat for breakfast? Toast & coffee
What foods do you dislike most? Dried cod fish
What would your last supper be? Spaghetti Bolognaise
Name 3 dream dinner party guests? Will Smith, Jim Carey and Ryan Reynolds
What are your favourite clothes? Boardies and a T
Where in the world would you visit if you had the chance? Madagascar
What sport do you most like to watch? Football
What is your nickname? Raff
What superpower would you like? Be like Wolverine
Do you have any pet peeves? Washing dishes and making beds
What’s your most treasured possession? Hard drive of travel photos
What is your worst habit? Nail biting
What makes you angry? No coffee
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