Charter Broker, YCO

How did you get into the yacht charter business?

I’m from England, and I grew up sailing. I raced yachts for most of my childhood and adolescent life. I went into the British Army and did eight years there, and weirdly enough, in Britain, the Forces do a lot of sailing. When I left, yachting seemed a good idea. I started skippering some Oysters, and they were all private sailing boats, but I made some charter industry connections. In 1996, I joined Camper and Nicholsons International as a charter broker. I was there until December 2010, when the whole of Camper’s London charter team moved to YCO. We’d been together a long time, and we wanted to move into a dynamic company full of seasoned individuals. YCO is a small, boutique company with a different atmosphere. It was time to make that change.

Have you developed any specialties during your 14 years in the charter business?

I have no specialty whatsoever. I know boats 80 feet and up, motor or sail, and I love them all. I’m happy to book an 80-foot sailboat or a 500-foot motoryacht.

I absolutely have a huge interest in boats, so for me, the importance is arranging a fantastic holiday. All clients want the same end goal: a happy holiday. I’m very lucky to be in an industry where that’s what I get to do for people.

What types of clients do you enjoy working with most?

I’m happy to deal with any type of client. It’s a lot easier to deal directly with the client and his family than with a personal assistant, but I’m also able to deal with the millions of requirements from VIPs, no matter who my contact is for the client. If someone wants the latest food fad or gallons of a specific wine, I enjoy making it happen.

What are your favorite types of clients?

It’s astonishing how some clients have never experienced this wonderful way of vacationing before. I’m happy to work with clients who need a bit of guidance. I try to get to know them as much as I can and introduce them to all the wonderful options that are available.

Describe the most memorable charters you’ve ever booked.

I’ve arranged two highly successful honeymoon charters, which I think are even more special than a normal holiday. They’re exciting. One was a complete surprise to the wife, so it was nice to be included in that.

Another was for a longstanding client who unfortunately had a very serious road accident and was injured. We had already arranged the charter, and it turned out that his doctors suggested a charter would be good, so he could swim in warm water. We arranged a boat that could use a crane and specially made chair to lift him out of the wheelchair, so he could get into the water and relax. It was wonderful to be able to do that for him.

What do you think sets you apart from other charter brokers?

The one thing I try to do, before I send a selection of yachts, is completely assess whether the selection includes the most suitable yachts for the client. I take real personal pride in ensuring that the crew are suitable for each client. There are so many boats available for charter in the world, and the standards vary so much in terms of quality from year to year and how the crews change, so one of my added strengths is ensuring that the boat and crew are right for the client.

How may CharterWave readers contact you?

My cell phone is +44 7920 238 464, my e-mail is This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it , and I am always available through the YCO website.