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 new clients in the last quarter of the year and having a few more prospects in the pipeline already.
For those who suffered during this global pandemic, know that you are not alone. Know that this forces you to re-focus on the value you can offer. And know that what doesn’t kill you, makes you stronger. I wish you the strength to reinvent yourself!
2020 didn’t just bring challenges. Our involvement with Save The Med, which started early September, has been inspiring. We are now managing their research vessel Toftevaag. Although the wooden workboat is a very different beast from the yachts of our clients, there are a lot of parallels when setting it up to be run safely and efficiently. It has also planted a seed in my mind to create an instructions booklet on how to turn every yacht into a (part-time) research vessel. An obvious first step would be to direct all crews to register with www.ghostfads.org and join the network of ships that report lost, abandoned and otherwise discarded fishing gear.
Historically, Invisible Crew has directed their service offer to the owners of 15-30m yachts.
In the New Year, Invisible Crew will increase its appeal, not just to owners, but to the captains and crew of Pocket Superyachts as well.
I wish you all lots of love, good health and prosperity.
Jens.