17/12/2016
A recent article..
Meet the Captain
Simon V. Johnson
Passion motivated, charming, generous and leads by example….
Previous yachts: St. David, MY Lady Lau, MY Mirage (ex) Elizabeth F, MY Amevi, MY Samar just to name a few…..
by Barbara Feltovic
Q: Who is Captain Simon V. Johnson? Tell us a little about yourself, years of service as a Captain and experiences getting there?
A: I started sailing because of the passion that was innate for things seafaring. I learnt the hard way when boats leaked and creaked, and when GPS hadn't been invented. I sailed using a sextant in anger, using a trusty lead'n'line, and knowing how not to tangle a Walkers Trailing log. I learnt from tremendously skilled and experienced Captains who told stories at the evening tables with an oil lantern bathing their tales in a mystical air. I learnt from 'feeling' the boats progress at sea, and trimming accordingly. I learnt from worrying about the jagged rocks in a tideway as the fog descended. I learnt from listening to the shipping forecast and becoming one’s own forecaster, with cloud wisps and those scudding as our only clues. I learnt patience, priorities and people. I learnt before all these skills were forgotten and first-time boaters bought boats far too big for them and sailed distances without the experience to back it up, with the rather worrying heavy reliance on electronic aids - a trend that shows no signs of abating today.
Q: I believe we have just witnessed the beginning of a “Best Seller”. I will have some difficulty articulating the following questions of our questionnaire; what can you share about this awesome mentor of yours that has inspired you most?
A: The most experienced yacht skipper one could ever wish to meet taught me. His skills as a safe seaman in deteriorating conditions were absolutely inspirational. He had the sequencing of landfall to a skill-set that was literally the making of folklore. For example, he taught me never to steer directly for your port of arrival. Instead steer to the left or to the right of it, and to a contour line. In that way, when you arrived at 12 fathoms say, and if the fog was to have descended, you knew whether to turn left or right and crab your way to the port entry without missing it. There are many gems of his besides, which no book can fully capture, just those wonderful stories that I so happily spent many hours every evening listening to, whilst the yacht tugged restlessly at her anchor, and the wind teased it mockingly under a moonlit night. He also taught me those necessary skills to crew-select. Nowadays it is a decision made too lightly with too a heavy reliance on the commercial aspect. When in a little wooden boat without an engine, that leaked whilst sailing upwind as the planks opened up on each wave, or was caught moodily in the doldrums for weeks on end, you needed a crew who you could get along with. That skill is now mine to keep.
Q: In today’s modern world how do you go about putting a solid crew together?
A: Crew selection is about finding out those who have the passion for what they do. They must all want to do their trade to a level that sets them apart. Passion is like a flame burning in ones heart for something. Anything. It could be an excellence in silver service unsurpassed, or in the accurate navigation of the vessel. Either way, this is the flame I am looking for. You know what - the guests feel it too. They love to see crew who love what they do and do it thoroughly well. My guests seek out those deckhands who are buzzed up about fishing for example, and then many a night they will come to the stern-platform to be a part. The guests love to see the crew in a concerted effort of effortlessness, bring the yacht stern-to with each line going ashore at the right time and seamlessly. No shouting, no fuss, just pure coordinated talent. How proud of the ship they feel. These are the crew who appeal to them. These are the crew who appeal to me. We all work together to make something very special. Guests and Owners alike, every single one will take away something special in their hearts, something special of us as individuals and as a crew. They take with them a feeling of the passion that we crew do things to the best of our abilities. The crews who have this flame, I find spills over into many other things outside work. Suddenly you find these very guys are team-players, great entertainers ashore, and are skiers, bikers and skydivers. Their interests are varied and often. Their crewmanship is inclusive. Their passion is alive and infectious. These are the people I want to be around.
Q: Favorite cruising destinations? What does it take to plan an itinerary, your recommendations?
A: I was fortunate enough to have my own yacht so I cruised where I like to go and stayed longer where I enjoyed. So there is cruising, at the whim and fancies of the guests, and there is real cruising! My favourite place is always going to be the Channel Islands and Brittany. It’s challenging, and varied. It is beautiful with many anchorages. It is off the beaten track for most. When planning a passage I take great care to do the beginning and the end first, and fill in the bits in between with iterations of weather and mood. Most like to have a daily cruise that lasts no more than a few hours, and wish to travel at night only if it is super calm. So that is how a passage has to be built up from. I rely on so much of my 350,000 nm experience as Person-in-Charge, to make the right calls on the best options, taking into account all the likely weather variables. It takes a lengthy time to work out an itinerary, and of course each is tailor-made for each of the group of guests. Their previous experiences and wishes are always to be considered. I generally find that so many cruising areas are rushed through, when it could be all right there on your doorstep without having to venture too far. Not many places can beat the cruising grounds of Sardinia and Corsica. On those rare days of calmer westerlies, those stunning remote beaches of these islands might even be better than those of the Caribbean.
Q: You’ve worked with some of our C2C Agents over the years. Why do you find it necessary to have an Agent?
A: Captains are not there for anything other than making it a safe, smooth and memorable experience for his guests. Due to the complexity of the yacht program these days (sitting at anchor for a few days doesn't cut it anymore), we need the help from good agents ashore to make the shore-experience work, and dovetail with everything that is going on onboard. Jets need to arrive with new guests, and met at the airport, and limousines with friendly drivers to bring them to the tender purring alongside waiting promptly at the dock. Restaurants are to have particular round tables set with choice wines chilled beforehand, and Vianos on standby service throughout the night as the party splits to the casinos and clubs after. We need this shore-help with those we trust, and who take care. Every single day is a new day and is like a west-end show. The curtain is drawn back, and the show begins, and it has to be nothing short of excellent. I rely on a good agent ashore, and it is one of the most important tasks I have to perform.
Q: Last but not least, future…. how do you see your future?
A: I always see my future in being with people I care about, working with people I care for, and looking after people who appreciate that it is this very care that makes it all work so well together.
Thank you Captain Johnson for sharing such an intimate part of your seafarer life experience and your steadfast example to the all.
