TOP DECK
Climbing the ladder to the top and eventually seeking to command a superyacht Noah Cumming now the first officer on a large sailing yacht talks to Frances & Michael Howorth in Monaco
What made you join the superyacht industry? I guess you could say I was born into it because I was sailing in Turkey when I was six and from that point on, I was forever involved in the sea. I even went to high school on a tall ship. I joined the Norwegian sailing ship Sørlandet at the age of 14 in Norway and cruised all around Europe, West Africa and crossed the Atlantic four times all the while attending classes and being taught by the on board teachers. So, I guess you can really say that sailing is my life.
Did you do all your schooling on board Sørlandet? No, my father is Turkish and my mother, Canadian. I went to high school in Canada then volunteered to work on a sheep farm in Australia and while I have never been to university, I did my Yacht Master course instead. So you could say I have had a very solid and well rounded education. In fact like many of my peers in this industry, and this is one of the things I love about this industry.
Which do you prefer sail or motor? Now you know my background, you will understand I have a great affinity towards sailing, but there are fewer jobs out there for the pure sail lovers, so here I am but loving it all the same. Even though I really love the concept of shadow yachts or support boats if you want to call them that, I have to say that I think I prefer to work on sailing yachts.
What is your position on board this yacht? I am one of several summer season deckhands employed on board this busy charter yacht and I guess that by the time this interview gets into print I will be looking for more work, but that is just the nature of the beast. I have been training all my life to be at sea and I have no intention of stopping just yet. I really do want to gain command and am already working towards that goal by taking modules for my OOW certificate and I am already working as a watchkeeper when we are at sea. So watch this space and maybe you’ll be talking to me as a skipper soon.
44 | WINTER 2022 | ONBOARD
Which is your favourite Mediterranean port and why do you like it? I grew up in Bodrum and so that port has a very special place in my heart. I really enjoy hanging out at Xuma Village it’s a really cool beach club where the food and people are both great.
How does being at sea affect your family life?
Relationships are hard at sea because often you are away from home for long periods of time, but it is also a fact that relationships on board the same yacht can be equally frustrating because of the closeness of the situation.
Do you have a pet hate and if so what is it? I really hate rude people! There is no good reason for anyone to be rude even if you do not like that person. I like a lot of people and I do not like a lot of people, but I try hard never to be rude to them. Life is just too short for that behaviour.
If you had a magic wand what would you change in job? I think that given what we do and the hours we work as deckhands, wages are rather low and if you look back ten years the starting salary has not changed much, but as well, we know the cost of living as escalated enormously. So I think I would wave my wand in that direction.
What is the most funny superyacht experience you can recall? Life is full of fun if you watch it carefully and I have seen many funny occurrences in my time onboard yachts and within this industry. They mostly involve crew falling into the water trying to hold their radios aloft so that they don’t get wet. There are a few stories about guests, but I really shouldn’t share those.
What advice would you give to someone new entering the industry? Be yourself. Do not try and hide any of your personalities or traits because they will surface sooner than later. It’s so much
better to face others as your true self. They will either like what they see or hate you for it but there are no surprises that way. The other thing I would like to say is do the job as well as you can even if you think the task is dumb. Someone thinks it’s important and if it’s important to them, it behoves you to do the task properly and make a good job of it.
What would you like to do after you command a superyacht? I have thought about that a great deal and every time I do it scares me that I do not know. What I do know is I love Canada, dogs and driving so they might all figure in life after yachting!
QUICK FIRE QUESTIONS
Are you a morning or night time person? I’m both
What series are you currently watching
on TV? I love suits
What did you eat for breakfast this morning? A bowl of cereal
What is your favourite style of cuisine? Mediterranean
What food do you dislike most? I detest mushrooms
What would your last supper be? Pizza, no mushrooms
What are your favourite clothes? Linen shirt, dressy trousers
Where in the world would you visit if you had the chance? New Zealand
Where would you want to retire? It has to be Canada
What sport do you most like to watch? Football
What’s your most treasured possession? Toyota Hilux 1989
What is the closest you’ve ever come to death? I almost fell off a mast of a yacht
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