Category: Pocket Superyacht Blog

Knowledge is Value.

Knowledge is power. It is power to choose better value. Many owners of Pocket Superyachts between 50 and 100ft step into their yachting adventure without the help of experts. Some do it because they haven’t found a company like Invisible Crew yet. But others are adverse to the extra monthly expense, despite it being marginal on the scale of the yacht’s running cost. Of course, as in any line of work, hiring an expert saves more money than it costs. This was proven again last week when one of our clients, who are still building their yacht, presented us with a hefty quote they received for TV, satcom and data hardware and installation. To start off, the provider hadn’t really listened to what the client wants to achieve and the proposed system was complete overkill. Consequently, the appropriate solution was far more economical. And the difference in price… Well, It would buy 1,5 years of our services! It is hard for owners, especially new owners, to find people they can trust in the industry. Many yachting related services and products are ridiculously expensive compared to traditional domestic equivalents. Sometimes it’s easy to understand why. Sometimes it is related to the […]

Invisible Crew, Intensive Care

To start the New Year we got some new gear. Our jumpers have a large circular IC logo on the front. One of our captains jokingly asked if that stood for Invisible Crew. I replied that it might as well. I was 9 years old. My father had organised a music festival in the center of Antwerp, Belgium and the new Hilton Hotel that was opening offered the use of their conference rooms and 3 suites in exchange for marketing exposure. It was the first time I ever experienced such a level of luxury and hospitality. That same summer we rented a little sailboat for the first time. The Frisian lakes in the North of Holland, which we were exploring, are connected by rivers and canals. These, especially for a 9 year old kid, are the boring bits. Somehow I decided to make the beds, something I would never ever do at home! In the evenings I would serve the barbecued food around to my parents and siblings. I said I was playing “Hilton Hotel”. I also enjoyed coiling up all the lines and tyding the deck to perfection. I loved caring for the boat and its crew. Funny to think back at that and […]

Happy 2021 from Invisible Crew

You know that feeling when you get caught in bad weather… The crew and the yacht are suffering. The boat slams in the waves. She is moving sideways more than forward. Every time your body warms up again, another wave with icy cold water comes over and soaks you to the bones. If you could step off, you would. But you can’t. So you just have to grit your teeth and roll with the punches. I first experienced this when I was 12 years old, crossing the North Sea from the UK. The feeling of gratitude once we sailed in between the piers of Nieuwpoort Belgium, with the waves subsiding; this was what made it all worthwhile. I wish everyone that feeling in 2021!!! No need to mention that it has been a crazy year. But I am very hopeful for the future. Those working in the yachting industry are incredibly lucky and if they played their cards right, just a little bit, they will have kept their heads above the water. I want to thank all Invisible Crew’s clients for their loyalty and the crews for their great work. I am also very proud to have signed up two […]

Invisible Crew and Save The Med.

Late August I had lunch with Brad Robertson. I have known Brad for as long as I have been on Mallorca, about 7 years now. Invisible Crew has supported his marine conservation NGO for many years when it was still called Ondine. At some point we lost track of each other and it was time to catch up. There was a lot of catching up to do. Ondine has now become Save The Med, an organization that employs more than a dozen people full time, all dedicated to marine conservation. They run several projects raising awareness around plastic pollution and for the biodiversity of the Balearic waters. They have established new Marine Protected Areas and help the government manage these with the data they gather. This is a very simplified summary of what Save The Med does, because their work is extensive and in-depth. Brad introduced me to the Research Vessel Toftevaag. A 110 year old wooden (ex-) fishing boat built in Norway. A magical and unique ship that looks majestic with her wardrobe of 5 dark red sails raised from her bowsprit over her main and mizzen mast. Early September, I joined a 5 day expedition with her owner […]