Captain, 75-foot sailing yacht Matau

Date interviewed: December 2008

How did you become a captain?
I grew up in southwest Queensland, Australia, where there is no water. My wife Andrea, who is Matau’s chef, has a brother who was the captain of a boat in the Caribbean. He called us constantly for the better part of three years, telling us how great it was and that we should come over.
    To learn about boats, I started delivering sailing yachts from Europe to the Caribbean. Andrea and I did it together with her brother. All the other crew were allowed to use autopilot at the helm, but he made us steer by hand, to learn. He was tough on us in a loving way.
    In 2004, we got onboard the 76-foot sailing yacht Wild Horses. I was the mate, and Andrea was a cook/mate. Later that year, we moved to the 87-foot sailing yacht Aria and worked for Capt. Virginia Wagner, who now is onboard Matau’s sister catamaran, the 65-foot True North. She left Aria in 2005 after earning a strong reputation in the charter industry, and I took over as captain. Andrea and I stayed until 2007, and we came aboard Matau in May 2008.
   

What did training with Capt. Wagner teach you that other charter captains might not know?
Andrea and I know how to sail—and sail well. All of our crew on Matau have raced, as well. So even though we’re on a catamaran, we really do want to sail, which some other charter captains do not. The wind is fun for us. We want to see what Matau can do.


What do you think makes Matau special?
To our knowledge, she is it the only 75-foot Privilege catamaran available for charter. There are several other Privilege 75s out there, but they are with private owners.
    Matau is also special because she has the same owner as True North, which gives us the opportunity to perform tandem charters with Capt. Wagner. We are two boats with the same high standard of excellence, which means that a total of 16 guests can enjoy a lovely vacation.

You say Matau is a great boat for kids. Do you do anything special for them?
Every year I grow my hair long, and during the first charter of the season, I let the kids cut it however they want. That’s why I look so shaggy in the photograph you just took. We haven’t had our first charter of the season yet.
    Last year, the first kids who came aboard for charter gave me a Mohawk. I kept it for three days. I got some interesting looks when we cleared in and out of customs offices!


How do you determine the charter itinerary?
We listen to what the broker has discussed with the clients, and if it’s okay, that’s great. If we find that the brokers have offered something uncomfortable, like going south to north against the weather, then we’ll talk to them and ask to make a change.
    Once the guests are on the boat, I take the chart out every day and show the guests where the wind is coming from, as well as three options for places that we could sail to during the day. Basically, I’m controlling the itinerary in terms of weather and safety, but the guests feel as though they are in charge, which is great.


Winter 2008-09 is Matau’s first season in the Caribbean, following some time cruising in the Mediterranean. Where will you base?
It is our plan to offer charters all over the Caribbean, from the Virgin Islands in the north all the way down to the Grenadines in the south.
    In August, we expect to be up in New England and will be available for charters out of Newport, Rhode Island.


What features onboard Matau do you enjoy sharing with guests?
We have a projector screen for outdoor movies, plus Apple TV in all the cabins, iPod docks, Xbox, DirecTv, and a Sony Wii.
    We do have a rule about the Wii, though. We don’t want kids getting addicted to it when they could be outside enjoying water sports. We like to say, “No ski, no Wii.”


What kind of charter guests are your favorites?
We really do like kids. My sister, Gina, is our stewardess onboard—she worked with us aboard Aria as well—and she and I started water skiing when we were 3 or 4 years old. We really can get kids of any age out there to enjoy water sports.
    I once had a 7-year-old girl onboard who was scared of going skiing by herself, so I let her stand on the front of my skis until she felt comfortable. It was great.
    We even have junior-size skis and wakeboards. We’ll ski with the kids all day long if that’s what they want.


What awards have you won?
I haven’t won any, but my wife Andrea just took second place in Matau’s category at the 2008 Antigua charter show chefs’ competition. We’re so proud!


What else should CharterWave readers know about you and Matau?
I feel as though we really are the right crew on the right boat in the right place, here in the Caribbean. This boat is great for the Caribbean, and we really do love the lifestyle down here. For families that want to enjoy fun in the sun with a good bit of activity, Matau, I think, is an excellent choice among charter boats.

Matau is part of the Nicholson Yachts fleet. She takes eight guests with four crew at an inclusive weekly rate of $44,500 (lower rates apply for fewer guests). Any reputable charter broker can tell you more.