June Montagne
Charter broker, Northrop & Johnson

Date interviewed: March 2008

How did you get started as a charter broker?
I was born in South Africa, where I sailed and raced on weekends. I eventually met boaters from all over the world, and in 1983, I decided to sail from Cape Town to the Grenadines as unpaid crew on a yacht. From there, I went to the British Virgin Islands and sailed during Antigua Race Week—but I had to go back to South Africa when I ran out of money. I just knew I had to get back to the Caribbean.
     I returned in 1986, working in and around St. Thomas on charter yachts as a stewardess and mate. In 1988, I did a yacht delivery to New England and worked up there on boats for a summer. In 1990, I got married and opened a boat chandlery in Antigua with my husband. That got me used to working on land.
     In 1994, I found my way to Fort Lauderdale, to work for a crew placement agency. I eventually booked my first charter and opened June Montagne Yacht Charters in February 2001. It was the year of September 11, and I earned only $19,000. But I figured, if I can get through this, I can get through anything.
     I merged my company with Northrop & Johnson in June 2006, and I’ve been happily part of that team ever since.

What kinds of charter yachts do you typically book?
I do all sizes of crewed yachts, power and sail, worldwide. We don’t book bareboat vacations.
     Personally, I love sailboats, but I book a lot of powerboats, too. My expertise areas are the Caribbean, the East Coast of the United States, and the Mediterranean. I’ve also booked charters in Tahiti, Fiji, Australia, and New Zealand.

What are some of the best charter destinations you’ve personally visited?
I love the Caribbean and its versatility. It can accommodate any kind of charter client.
     I think the British Virgin Islands, in particular, are the world’s perfect cruising ground. The islands are close together so you never have to sail very far, it’s a traditional culture and lifestyle, the water is calm and beautiful, you can get to know the people, it’s a nature-conscious society—it’s just fantastic.

What is the first thing you ask a new charter client?
I try to find out what experience they already have. I think that’s important so that I don’t tell them things they already know. If they’re new to charter, I have to ask different questions.

Describe your ideal charter client.
I like people who know where they want to go, whether they want a sailing yacht or motoryacht, how many people are coming, and have some kind of a budget. Those are the four things that can help me do my job well.
     I love clients who can give me information beyond that, too, such as whether they like boats that go fast, or that look new—anything that can help me narrow the list of potential boats to send them.

Describe your nightmare charter client.
I don’t think there is one. Everybody is different, and I try to work differently with different clients. There’s a boat out there for everybody.

Describe a previous booking where you worked “above and beyond” for a client.
About two weeks before the Cannes Film Festival, I got a call from a client who wanted to have the biggest, best charter yacht there. Now, you normally have to book a slip at Cannes months to a year in advance, so this was a challenging inquiry.
     I found a boat, a 172-foot Feadship motoryacht, that was willing to move from Genoa, Italy, over to France, and I managed to get them a slip. I figured I’d done great.
     Then they wanted red carpet tickets and live music on the boat, and they wanted to attend all the movie premieres. I happen to have a client who is an actor, so I called him, and he knew a stunt double over in Paris, and they met me in Cannes three days before the film festival. They helped me get everything the client wanted, including pink Cristal, because they wanted the champagne at their parties on the boat do be different from all the other parties.
     It was just two people, and it ended up being a million-dollar charter. They had such a good time while they were there, they decided they wanted the same treatment for the Monaco Grand Prix, so I found them a Feadship motoryacht for that event, too.
     They’ve booked with me every year since, for vacations of three to four weeks per year.

What are a few of your favorite charter yachts, and why?
Feadships are my favorites. They’re stately, well-built, comfortable motoryachts. They are quality.
     But I also love catamarans because of their spaciousness and stability. Ultimately, with sailboats, though, I’m a large monohull fan. I love to sail.

Who are a few of your favorite yacht crew, and why?
Colin Boyle, captain of the 139-foot Feadship Masquerade, is my epitome of a captain. He is knowledgeable with a can-do attitude, he empathizes with the client, he knows what the client wants, and there is nothing he can’t make happen.
     Any captain like Colin, I am happy to work with, anytime.

What makes you different from other charter brokers?
I treat each client individually, and I'm honest. I would rather sell the client the best boat than the most expensive boat. I really try to find the best boat and crew for each client.

What else should CharterWave readers know about you?
Because I worked on boats in the past, I’m a well-rounded charter broker. I understand the crew and what is expected of them. I travel a lot, I explore new destinations, and I’m always learning.
     I’ve lived in the United States for 20 years, but South Africa is my home, and I’m one of the few brokers who markets to and works regularly with South Africans.

How can CharterWave readers contact you?
My e-mail address is jmontagne@njyachts.com, and our website at Northrop & Johnson is www.njyachts.com.