By Georgia Tindale  At the time of writing in May 2022, it is certainly a thought-provoking time to be part of the yachting industry. With attention-grabbing headlines hitting the media about yacht seizures, Ukrainian crew attempting to sink Russian-owned vessels and more, the industry is currently having its moment in the spotlight as it comes under scrutiny from the outside world.  That said, however, this need to confront yachting's public perception is not a new one, and the current moment can be seen as offering a valuable opportunity to do precisely this, and to offer a more nuanced perspective back. All we need is the people to offer this well-informed point of view.  Step in our next interview subject, Jenny Matthews. Currently working as a chief ...

By Georgia TindaleWhen it comes to sectors that have been drastically impacted by the pressures of the COVID-19 pandemic, it is safe to say that the hospitality and other service industries have shouldered their fair share of the burden. The mass closure of restaurants and bars around the world, combined with the restrictions on both domestic and international travel, has led to countless individuals within these sectors losing their positions and facing uncertainty about the continuation of their entire sector going forwards. Speaking now from the second quarter of 2022, with something closer to 'normality' having been restored across the hospitality and service industries, it is the ideal opportunity to reflect on the realities of these roles, and the opportunities wh...

By Georgia Tindale If you know anything about the yachting industry, chances are, there will be some onboard roles that are familiar to you: deckhand, chief stew, captain, chef, and so on. One role which may not immediately spring to mind, however, is that of a superyacht purser. Here, we chat to Andrew Roch, Founder of The Crew Academy, which launched the industry's first-ever purser training course back in 2010 – that has since received full IAMI & GUEST accreditation – to discover all you need to know about the realities of working in this challenging and fulfilling position, as well as getting the lowdown on how to break into it as an outsider. In a nutshell, what does a yacht purser do? There is not a simple answer to this: there are six differen...

Great minds think alike! We have great news; www.lifeafteryachting.com  and www.yotspot.com will now be partnering as part of the movement in yachting to support crew throughout their careers. We share the same experience within the industry, the same aims to develop professional and skilled candidates and same values in wanting to give back to others. Life After Yachting was the brainchild of Titta Uoti-Vaisanen who started her consultancy TUVYC in 2014 and more recently launched Superyacht Foodie in 2021. Life after Yachting is a not-for-profit movement and her way of giving back to the yachting community by providing advice for crew looking to change their career and transition ashore. Having worked on some of the world's largest yachts herself Titta knew that heading a...

Welcome to the annual Superyacht Survey (2022) brought to you by Yotspot - The leading jobs board in the yachting industry.. and Faststream Recruitment Group . A total of 556 Superyacht Crew took part in this survey. It hasn't been business as usual…   Welcome to the annual Superyacht Survey (2022) brought to you by Yotspot - The leading jobs board in the yachting industry..and Faststream Recruitment Group.A total of 556 Superyacht Crew took part in this survey. It hasn't been business as usual in the superyacht industry. In 2020 and the first half of 2021 yachts and crew were heavily impacted by the global COVID-19 pandemic. Many yacht itineraries were put on hold and some Captains and their crew found themselves facing periods of unemployment. Some...

By Maxine Rodrigues   Valued at a hefty $600 million, mega yacht Solaris is the size of 1.3 football pitches measuring 140 meters. As if that's not impressive enough, Solaris carries 60 crew members and can accommodate up to 36 guests in 48 cabins.    Want to know more? Let's take a closer look.   Solaris is believed to be the newest and number eighth superyacht owned by billionaire Abramovich over the years. However, this could also be expected as he is ranked one of the wealthiest people globally with a net worth of $14.5 billion.    Equipped for a world tour Marc Newson designed mega yacht Solaris as a large explorer yacht, and in 2021, it was launched by German shipyard Lloyd Werft. So, what is the difference between a traditional y...

By Maxine Rodrigues   Behind the glamorous champagne-popping lives of superyacht crew, chasing the sun around the globe is not all that they do! Unfortunately, there is a lot of misconception up in the air- thanks to Instagram, but we're about to give you the reality.     Let's dive right in...   Privacy is scarce  They never take their eyes off guests Pristine is not clean enough High standards of guests will rub off on the crew   Privacy is scarce. Finding a quiet spot all to yourself is a rare phenomenon while working and living with others in confined spaces (or on a yacht), and yes, it can also ignite tension and incinerate your patience. But if you watched Bravo's popular drama-filled TV series Below Deck, you ma...

By Maxine Rodrigues   Ukraine is currently facing the devastating war crisis inflicted by Russia, and it is no secret of the sanctions imposed upon Russian oligarchs and their assets. However, by nationality, Russians make up the second-largest ownership of superyachts (9%) behind the USA. So, what does this mean for superyacht crew members?   Let's find out...   Switching locations As some Russian oligarchs who are somewhat involved in the invasion of Ukraine have been identified and named, the authorities have begun their intense hunt for their assets, including luxury apartments, private jets, and yachts. Several yachts have already been seized, such as the well-known superyacht Dilbar, owned by Russian oligarch Alisher Usmanov, allegedly taken on March 2...

By Georgia Tindale  As the industry's leading jobs board, at Yotspot we try to ensure that we present a balanced and realistic perspective of the superyacht industry and accurately portray the day-to-day reality of what it is like to work in this often idiosyncratic world.  As even the greenest of crew members will tell you, the lived experience of working on board a superyacht can be pretty gruelling, often requiring you to put in very long hours, spend prolonged periods of time at sea, and, vitally, expecting you to deliver exceptionally high service at all times. In other words, despite the external perceptions of yachting, it's certainly not all champagne and ocean views.  With all of that in mind, however, a career in yachting can offer opportunit...

By Georgia Tindale Few people are more qualified to give their two pennies' worth on the current state of crew training than Joey Meen. Having established, managed and run numerous successful RYA/MCA approved training schools in the UK and France for more than a decade, Joey set up her own yacht crew training consultancy business in 2004, before launching the GUEST Program in 2013 (Guidelines for Unified Excellence in Superyacht Training), of which she is now CEO, and which has since been adopted as the go-to bespoke training and certification platform within yachting.  Now holding down multiple high-profile industry roles, including Program Director for GUEST at IAMI (International Association of Maritime Institutions), Joey takes some time out of her ludicrously hecti...