Interview with the Captain

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Sherman Robertson
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1 Interview with the Captain THE EDMISTON EXPERIENCE Mariu Codecasa 49.90m / 164 Built Guests 12 Crew

2 An Interview with the Captain of Mariu, Andrew Andy Graham. Andrew was born and raised on the central coast of New South Wales, Australia.

Working in the family business during his school years and then for a time after finishing his education, Andrew became a dive Instructor at 18 as well as gaining his first captain s license.

well as 2 years spent on a small boutique cruise ship. From there he progressed to luxury yachting in Australia, then in the Mediterranean after following his now wife to the South of France.

2 2 An Interview with the Captain of Mariu, Andrew Andy Graham. Andrew was born and raised on the central coast of New South Wales, Australia. He grew up in his family diving business, started by his parents in At age 4, Andrew had already begun free diving and spearfishing and at age 6 he did his first SCUBA dive. Working in the family business during his school years and then for a time after finishing his education, Andrew became a dive Instructor at 18 as well as gaining his first captain s license. In his early 20 s, Andrew moved to Queensland where he worked as a captain on the Great Barrier Reef and in the South Pacific on a range of vessels, including dive charters, passenger ferries, as well as 2 years spent on a small boutique cruise ship. From there he progressed to luxury yachting in Australia, then in the Mediterranean after following his now wife to the South of France. Andrew holds a MCA Master 3000GT certificate of competency as well as an Unlimited Merchant Officers Certificate of competency. Andrew is still a passionate diver taking any possible opportunity to get under water. He also enjoys keeping fit by regular gym sessions, running and cycling. Destinations WHICH IS YOUR FAVOURITE DESTINATION AND WHY? This is actually a difficult question, as each destination has its own qualities that cannot be found anywhere else. Having worked for many years in Australia and the Pacific I am a little biased in that regard. My favourite destinations would be Northern Australia and the Pacific Islands such as Fiji. Why = THE DIVING!! In the Med, my favourite destinations would be split between Croatia, Montenegro and Sardinia. Croatia and Montenegro have amazing scenery, history, dining as well as some party hotspots. I like the fact that even with the amount of yachts around these days, you can still find a beautiful anchorage all to yourself. Sardinia for me has the best beaches in the Med and so if that s your thing, this is the place. That said, I still love the Amalfi coast, it is a favourite every year as a charter destination, and is one of the most scenic pieces of coastline anywhere. WHICH IS YOUR LEAST FAVOURITE DESTINATION AND WHY? Another difficult question! The Greek Islands during the middle of summer.

3 Although an amazing part of the world, it can be difficult to work, due to the constant wind. WHICH DESTINATION WOULD YOU RECOMMEND FOR A FUN CHARTER? YOUNG ADULTS Has to be the Cote D Azur.

3 3 Although an amazing part of the world, it can be difficult to work, due to the constant wind. WHICH DESTINATION WOULD YOU RECOMMEND FOR A FUN CHARTER? YOUNG ADULTS Has to be the Cote D Azur. From Monaco to St Tropez, if you re looking for sun, sea, glitz and glamour, with an all night party, this is the place to be seen. FOR THE ADVENTUROUS TYPE OF CLIENTS, WHICH ARE THE MOST EXCITING DESTINATIONS? Sardinia, Aeolian Islands and Sicily! These areas are a bit wilder compared to other parts of the Med. Trekking up to the crater of Mount Etna has to be up there with the most adventurous things to do. ARE YOU ABLE TO ORGANISE TREASURE HUNTS OR TOPIC RELATED ACTIVITIES FOR A CHARTER WITH OR WITHOUT HAVING INSTRUCTIONS TO DO SO? Of course!! Our Chief Stewardess and interior team are guided by the client s wishes and the vibe that they would be receptive towards impromptu activities. WHAT DO YOU THINK DIFFERENTIATES YOUR YACHT FROM THE COMPETITION? MARIU is just the right size. Not too big and not too small!! We have a fantastic selection of toys and the owner is always receptive to increasing our inventory. The crew is what really makes a charter and I am lucky to be able to work with some of the industry s most professional crew. Of course, the fact that the interior was designed by Giorgio Armani is a nice touch. Experience WHY AND HOW DID YOU BECOME CAPTAIN? As my family operated a diving centre in Australia with several dive charter vessels it was only natural to become a captain from an early age. This led me to work on various vessels, from passenger vessels and ferries, to a small boutique cruise ship, then on to luxury yachts. WHICH ARE THE BEST MEANS FOR YOU TO FIND QUALITY CREW? Having a good relationship with several crew agents is still the best way to find quality crew as the agent understands the needs of the captain and the yacht and only puts forward candidates that fit. Every yacht, owner and captain is different, so what suits one crew member may not suit another, even though both may be regarded as quality crew. Social media is also a good way of getting a large volume of CV s through in a short period of time; however, the hard task is then creating a short list. DO YOU FEEL THAT THERE ARE ENOUGH QUALITY CREW OUT THERE? I think there are a lot of quality crew out there! There are also a lot of over qualified inexperienced crew out there as well. Today there does seem to be an oversupply of crew compared to jobs. This is very noticeable with regard to deck officers and captains. WHAT ARE THE QUALITIES YOU LOOK FOR? Of course experience and qualifications play a major role in what I look for. Someone who has invested time and money into gaining extra qualifications is usually more dedicated and is in it for the long run. I like that the interior crew are now offered the chance to gain formal qualifications and have a career path. Equally important though is character, a crew member who does not gel with the rest of the crew, no matter how experienced and qualified, will never work out.

4 WHAT ARE YOUR IMPRESSIONS ON TODAY S CHARTER CLIENTS, THEIR NEEDS, BEHAVIOUR? I think that today s charter clients are much more informed and know exactly what they want and expect.

There is an increasing trend towards more remote locations as opposed to the usual hotspots as charter guests and owners become more adventurous. Regulations HOW ARE YOU COPING WITH MLC?

4 4 WHAT ARE YOUR IMPRESSIONS ON TODAY S CHARTER CLIENTS, THEIR NEEDS, BEHAVIOUR? I think that today s charter clients are much more informed and know exactly what they want and expect. This is actually a good thing as it takes guess work away from agents and crew. There is an increasing trend towards more remote locations as opposed to the usual hotspots as charter guests and owners become more adventurous. Regulations HOW ARE YOU COPING WITH MLC? MLC regulations are there for the protection of a seafarer s rights. I know a lot of people see more regulation as a burden; however, I look at them as a necessary part of our industry. For too long the yachting industry was in a grey area where regulations did not exist or were not enforced. Admittedly some regulations can be a challenge to comply with, such as hours of work and rest. A larger yacht that has the crew resources can apply these regulations easier than a small to midsized yacht that is already stretched for crew. Future of Charters GIVEN THE OBVIOUS CHALLENGES AND COSTS OF MAINTAINING A YACHT COMMERCIAL, WHAT DO YOU THINK WILL BE THE FUTURE OF CHARTER ACTIVITY? Yes, maintaining a commercial yacht is expensive for an owner and takes the yacht away from them when they would most likely use it, so it s obviously not for all owners. I do think that provided owners have an incentive to offer their yacht for charter, the charter industry has a good future. Many charter clients could quite easily afford their own yacht; however, prefer the idea and flexibility of charter.

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