Captain, 204-foot Proteksan-Turquoise motoryacht Yogi

Date interviewed: May 2011

Congratulations on being at the helm of Yogi, one of the most talked-about new launches into the charter market for 2011. How did you get the job?

I was involved with the build of the 177-foot Proteksan-Turquoise motoryacht Leo Fun, which was delivered to her owner in early 2009. I spent one season onboard Leo Fun as captain. Soon after that, the owner of Leo Fun met another owner who was looking to build Yogi and wanted a young, French captain. That is where my story with Yogi begins.

Have you been involved with boating all your life?

I am originally from Brittany, France, but my family moved to the South of France because my father was a captain aboard a 140-foot motoryacht. By the time I was 2 years old, I was on the yachts. I was there after school every day, during all of my holidays, really all of the time.

In school I studied accounting, but then I realized that a career in accounting would force me to sit at a desk inside every day. So I quit school and spent two seasons working as a deckhand for my father. He gave me all the worst jobs. I was always cleaning the bilge.

That’s good parenting, in my book. I’m guessing it prepared you well for the career that you enjoy today.

That is correct. I worked on a few other boats as a steward so that I could learn interior service, and also as a deckhand to gain more seamanship skills. I was eventually hired as a deckhand aboard a 69-foot Leopard motoryacht, and I stayed with that owner for 15 years. He eventually bought a 121-foot custom motoryacht, and I became captain of that boat. The owner promoted me right up the ranks to first mate and then sent me to school to become a captain. It was a terrific job.

That owner sold his last boat in 2007, which is when I took the job on the build of Leo Fun and got into the much larger yachts, like Yogi.

What does the name Yogi mean? Does it have anything to do with the new movie in the United States about the cartoon character Yogi Bear?

No! A thousand times, no. Everybody thinks that and says “Yogi Bear,” and it drives the owner crazy. A yogi is a master of yoga, a calming presence—not a bear who steals people’s picnic baskets in the park.

The fact that you were part of Yogi’s build must mean that you know her inside and out.

I do. I was in the shipyard with her for two years, and I think she offers a lot of great features for charter. I am very eager to begin our first season of chartering. I can’t wait to see what all the families who come onboard think of her.

Yogi is part of the charter fleet at Burgess Yachts. She takes 12 guests with 15 crew at a lowest weekly base rate of €357,000. Any reputable charter broker can tell you more or help you book a week onboard.