Nicolas Van der Elst

I was the deckhand on M/Y Survivor II, a 35m Sun Seeker with a crew of five, for her 2024 Med season. We spent the majority of our time cruising around the Greek coastline which brought with it anchoring and mooring setups that I had never experienced before however am confident in executing now. We had a 7m Williams jet-tender, various water toys and a large deep-sea fishing setup, all of which were utilised by guests on a daily basis. Additionally, I worked closely with the Engineer regarding general repairs & replacements of parts, re-sealing of hatches etc, resolving contaminated fuel issues and the basic operations of various components housed in the engine room.

I was the deckhand on M/Y Sosa, a 38m San Lorenzo with a very busy charter schedule for the 2023 Med season. The season was filled with back-to-back charters and I believe I gained a great amount of additional experience from it. We had a 6m Williams jet-tender as well as various additional water toys all used on a daily basis. After the charter season was complete, the yacht needed to get ready for sale which encompassed various sea trials, interacting with surveyors & compliance officers and making sure all aspects of safety etc. conformed with the standards for sale. Thereafter, being involved in potential new-owner viewings and then completing an eventual handover once sold.

I was the sole deckhand on M/Y AIX, a 2022 new build San Lorenzo with first time owners, as we took her on her maiden voyage cruising the entirety of the Mediterranean. On top of general deck maintenance, I was responsible for driving the 7m and 5m tenders and was involved in all water-sport and toy-related activities (Jet-ski’s, SUPs, Seabobs etc). As the yacht was new I was left to sort out and all deck-related supplies and products, configure the bosuns lockers and so am quite confident in my product knowledge and use of deck-related machinery.