The mental health of our seafarers is as important today as it's always been but with increased awareness and new research into this extremely broad but endemic subject, comes investment in the shape of expert support and a better understanding of what we can all do to help struggling crew mates. The International Seafarers Welfare & Assistance Network (ISWAN) recently conducted research into the welfare of superyacht crew and found that out of nearly 400 respondents, 82% said they had experienced low crew morale 'sometimes', 'often' or 'always'.  Whilst the work itself might not be stressful, the work environment can feel like a pressure-cooker!  Long hours, the expectation for high standards over long periods, working remotel...

By visiting remote locations crew can sometimes find themselves in a position where they can actually have a positive impact on local communities living there.  Crew from M/Y Legacy and support boat Pursuit have been doing just that for the last 18 months, during their visits to Papua New Guinea (PNG). When they first arrived in the remote bay, dugout canoes would appear at the stern, the chief (or someone related) would appear and once they'd identified themselves and requested permission to stay, the crew would generally receive a warm welcome, and food, fishing lines and hooks would be exchanged. Having seen the condition of the local's clothing, the crew decided they would return and do more.  On a following trip they handed over bags of c...

Kate's story … "I was a personal trainer back home when I decided I needed a change. I heard about a programme which would give me an introduction to the Cruise industry, which sounded great!" It wasn't quite what I imagined to start with though, and it was tough! The shock of living and working in such close proximity to my crew mates and discovering I was only earning commission on the products I sold wasn't something I was prepared for. Looking back, perhaps I hadn't asked enough questions, or rather I hadn't asked the right questions. Starting on cruise ships was a totally spontaneous decision for me. I was personal training at home, wanted something different, applied online for cruise ships at 21, but was definitely green around the gill...

There are lots more females working deckside these days, but for years there has been a stereotypical divide. With mainly guys on deck and girls working on the interior, women are starting to prove that their skillset is just as suited to working on the exterior, engine room or bridge. But it's a constant challenge.  With traditionalists believing that girl's attention to detail is better suited to working on the interior rather than the more physically demanding roles of deckside, women are having to prove that they can work smart too. We caught up with "Miss S" this month, who is so excited to have recently qualified as Bosun.   What is the bosun? It's like the link between Deck and Chief Officer. What's your role? I have to mon...

Following the mammoth success of the reality TV series 'Below Deck' the yachting industry has witnessed a huge influx of people wanting to get jobs as crew.  The perceived glamour and excitement of each episode, with drama amongst crew members on board charter yachts, those featured through 2017 measuring 150 feet and larger.   Although there has been a direct increase in charter bookings amongst those yachts featured, there has also been supposedly a 100% increase in guys and gals wanting some of that extravagant lifestyle.  A recently qualified bosun on board superyachts explained, "the reality is far less exciting, whereas you might see 20 different storylines in one episode, in reality you'd have to work an entire season before any of tha...

The LateSail team's top tips for Mediterranean yacht charters with a difference     Looking for somewhere a bit different to sail to and get away from the crowds? The team at LateSail have picked some of their favourite, off the beaten track places to visit on a yacht charter.   San Pietro Island, Italy   San Pietro is a small island off the south west coast of Sardinia, with a tight knit community, giving the whole place a family-like atmosphere. Transforming from beautiful beaches, to sheer cliff faces, to caves of soft clay; the coastline is ever changing.   There are a few places not commonly known to tourists on San Pietro Island, and if you choose to sail there you must make sure you get to them. First of all in Carloforte, if you'...

  "There is no such thing as a low-risk lap in Monaco. It doesn't exist. If you want to be fast you have to be on the limit …" Max Verstappen (F1 Red Bull Racing)   It's time for the exhilarating Monaco Grand Prix!  Whether you're watching from an apartment or from the deck of a luxury yacht, from Thursday 23rd May until Sunday 26th May (2019) you couldn't fail to be swept up by the glamour and thrill of the Monaco Grand Prix. One of the most challenging and exciting circuits on the Formula 1 calendar, this legendary race, now in its 90th year matches prestige with excitement.  Running since 1929, with originally only 16 competitors, Monaco will close its roads next week while resident...

The first thing an employer or Captain will look at is your photo. Do you look the part?  Does your face fit?  Like it or not, your photo will be the first impression your potential employer gets from your Yotspot profile and with lots of crew competing for superyacht jobs you want them to remember you in a positive way.  Not only that, your photo will appear on your CV and every time you make an online comment, so make sure it's a good one.  It's going to give potential employers an indication of what you will be like to work with. Captains have been known to eliminate candidates just because of their profile picture.  Rightly or wrongly, the industry does favour those with the right look, so take a bit of time to make sure your photo gives you the...

This is a story about two tales.   In 2017 I was given the opportunity to run the London Marathon 2018 for a charity called Mercy Ships (more on them later). I had never ran a marathon before but had always enjoyed running to keep fit, but nothing on this scale (26.2 miles or 42.16 km to be precise!). In my yachting days, a run to Shirley Heights (Antigua) was occasionally on the agenda but this usually involved a 6am start if you didn't want to burn alive and I'm certainly not a morning person. If I'm completely honest I had probably wanted to run a marathon for years but had never dedicated myself to the training, discipline or planning, plus getting a ballot entry was nigh-on-impossible it seemed. Alas, I had finally been given a place so set about researchin...

We caught up with Tim Fletcher, Founder & CEO of Workrest this month. Having worked on superyachts for 5 years, Tim's experienced first-hand the frustrations captains and crew face when logging hours of rest and monitoring compliance. Whilst I'm sure you're familiar with the process, it's worth highlighting the inefficiencies of a process that's a legal requirement for everyone working at sea (on a commercially registered vessel) and one which led Tim to create Workrest. Each month crew members are required to manually fill out a printed spreadsheet with the hours that they worked and rested throughout the month.  But as most crew members will tell you, working at sea is incredibly demanding and tasks like filling out your hours of rest spr...