Crew Supply
Skippers
We are regularly asked to provide skippers to assist owners and their families, who may be inexperienced, in becoming accustomed to a new yacht or require help with an extended or arduous voyage. Clients may be considering buying a new or secondhand boat and need a skipper to carry out sea trials and give expert reports prior to buying. An impartial opinion on a vessel by a highly qualified skipper with many thousands of sea miles and direct knowledge of a vast number of boat designs, can save significant amounts of money in identifying problems that may not be evident to the less experienced eye.
Mates and Deckhands
Temporary crew can be just what's needed when illness or other commitments get in the way of boating plans. We offer thoroughly vetted mates, qualified to Yachtmaster standard, to assist skipper/owners, perhaps during the course of an extended cruise,where it is helpful to have an experienced and reliable individual on board. Our crew can be anywhere in the world within days to help move your boat or ensure her safety and security.
Instructors and Own Boat Tuition
Several of our regular Skippers are also qualified and experienced RYA Yachtmaster Instructors, who can provide tuition and support to owners and crews in the familiar environment of their own boat.
We can also organise formal training and certification up to Coastal Skipper level, including the ICC.
Technical Advice and Trials Support
Commercial
An area of expansion for pyd in 2009 was the provision of expertise to assist yacht builders with R&D and trials work to minimise subsequent warranty claims on new production boats. The unrivalled experience of our skippers in both sailing and managing all types of vessel (sail and power) is an invaluable resource in such work and has the potential to provide very significant savings to builders at a time when cash flow can be a major concern. Recent trials work carried out by pyd for premier builders and companies includes the new Wauquiez 55 and Jeanneau 44i models, with excellent outcomes.
Trials assistance will include the availability of a skipper at short notice to provide on-site expert opinion to builders and end-users, such as commercial fleet charter companies, to ensure that new vessels are totally optimised for reliable use at sea in all conditions.
Private
Each year we work with hundreds of differently equipped yachts. Our professional team is very well qualified to offer advice on purchasing, specifying and setting up a boat according to the individual owner's cruising plans.
A number of our skippers have wide experience in boat building, engineering and other related trades, which enables us to offer supervision, specification and organisation of maintenance, repair and refit activities.
We can also assist with insurance issues and related repairs etc. For example, after Hurricane Ivan hit Grenada in late 2004 we were contacted by an owner whose boat had been badly damaged and who was worried about looting etc. We were able to fly a team to the area as soon as the island's airport re-opened to liaise with insurers and begin repairs. The yacht was ready for the owner's use within 6 weeks, when similarly affected vessels were still awaiting inspection by assessors from their insurers. We subsequently handled negotiations with the yacht’s insurers and obtained a substantially enhanced settlement.
