Charter broker, Burgess Yachts

Date interviewed: September 2011

How did you get into the yacht charter business?

I’m the son of an ex-military man, so I grew up in Naples, Italy. I spent about nine years there, and then we moved to Northern Virginia outside of Washington, D.C. I went to college in North Carolina, where I earned a degree in business administration and marketing. I was in sales in Washington, D.C., for a few years, and then I met stewardess from the yachting industry. It opened my eyes to the whole business.

I resigned from my job, sold my car, and went looking for work on a boat as a deckhand in Fort Lauderdale. I bought a one-way ticket to Florida with my backpack and my mountain bike. A month later, I got a job on a 114-foot Benetti motoryacht called Hallelujah. That boat chartered a little bit, so I was immediately introduced to chartering.

So you originally worked on yachts, as opposed to being a charter broker?

That’s right. I stayed with Hallelujah for 14 months, and in May 2000 I went to the 204-foot Feadship motoryacht Cakewalk. I was a deckhand and worked my way up to second officer. I was on that boat through 2004, and I stayed with that family when they bought the Trinity motoryacht also called Cakewalk. I was with the Cakewalk program for a little more than six years. Between then and now, I also did a year on the 188-foot Abeking and Rasmussen motoryacht Excellence III and then two years on the 190-foot Abeking and Rasmussen motoryacht Lady Sheridan.

Those are some of the most serious—and best-respected—motoryachts available for charter anywhere in the world. What made you want to leave those kinds of jobs that so many other crew members covet?

I got married in 2009 and needed a job ashore so I could start a family, which is why I became a charter broker. Burgess Yachts was the charter manager for Lady Sheridan, so they gave me a chance. They were looking to expand their New York operation in January 2011, and that’s where I wanted to live. My wife is from New York. So it could not have worked out any better.

You’ve spent about nine months now being a charter broker. Do you feel the job suits you?

I think my experience of working on the yachts, dealing with the clients and the captains, knowing everybody’s expectations—all of that makes me a good charter broker. I know the cruising areas. I know which bays and restaurants to hang out in. I know who to call if you need a car service. With some captains, I’m able to give them information they don’t have because I’ve been to some places that they have not. I also can give the clients firsthand information about what they can expect. It puts them at ease. They know they’re dealing with someone who knows the Western Mediterranean, the Eastern Mediterranean, the Caribbean, and the Bahamas like the back of their hand.

When I meet with clients here in New York, with my experience working on the yachts, they have confidence that I know what I’m talking about. I’m not just saying, “Oh, you can cruise here or there.” I can say, “When the wind is blowing from the southwest, here’s where you want to be at anchor so that you still have access to this beach and that restaurant.”

What types of yachts do you hope to specialize in booking?

Burgess specializes in yachts about 130 feet and larger, sail and power, worldwide. So that’s what I specialize in booking. I know a lot of those boats from being around them on the docks, and I’m attending all the major charter shows to get to know even more.

Is there anything else that CharterWave readers should know about you?

Based on my experience onboard charter yachts, I think clients need to be made more aware of everything that can happen. I think I can offer that service because of my background, because I know what happens when the client actually gets onboard the yacht.

If you have expensive taste, for instance, your advance provisioning allowance is going to be more than is customary. If you’re looking to see Turkey at a certain time of year, you might have to pay a delivery fee. I think it’s important to let a client know everything that’s involved. Usually, if people aren’t surprised, they are happy. And they can have a great holiday.

Craig Cohen may be reached in the New York office at Burgess Yachts. The telephone number is (212) 223-0410, and his direct e-mail is This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .