Riding a Yacht in Transit

Ever wondered what it would be like to cross the Atlantic on a superyacht? And what about crossing the Atlantic on a yacht that’s on an even bigger ship?

Floating yacht transport ships carrying superyachts around the world has become a norm in the superyacht industry and it's just another example of how industry innovation is connecting people and places from all over the world.

After six Atlantic crossings, countless journeys through the canals and adventures to distant islands like Socorro in Mexico, you'd think that my sea miles would bring satisfaction enough. But it's never been just about sea miles for me; it’s the adventure with your fellow crew comrades to distant lands that excites me and continues to draw me to the open ocean.

I have always wanted to experience a crossing on a yacht transport ship, such as those operated by DYT Yacht Transport (DYT). Why not? I had always been fascinated by the logistics and calculations needed to safety load, cross and unload these vessels. Beyond that, I wanted to know how the crews interacted and spent their time on board.

I caught up with a friend of mine, Warren Beckworth, a deckhand from South Africa, who shared his story with me about his journey across the Atlantic with DYT.

“My journey across the Atlantic on DYT was a good one. Our 150ft motor yacht, was loaded in Palma in Spain bound for Fort Lauderdale in Florida. At first I didn’t feel that excited, as my fellow crew members were going on holiday and I was stuck on the boat but we decided to make the most of our situation. 

The ship we were on was one of the older ones called Super Servant 4. Even so, she still went like a dream.

Having a galley on board our own vessel meant we would cook our own meals instead of going onto the ship to eat. But as time went by, the lazier we became, and one day we decided to eat on the ship. Once we did that there was no turning back. The food was great as well as the company, of both the ship crew and the riders (crew from the yachts). They also had a gym onboard if you wanted to work out or just work off the food.” 

What surprised me was the workload while ‘hitching’ a ride across the Atlantic. Warren explained that during the day they were usually busy working, keeping the yacht in the best possible condition, but responsibilities during a transit can include inspections, light maintenance and regular wash downs (although I’ve heard that some yacht transport ships wrap vessels completely in plastic which would make the cleaning process a whole lot easier!).

There's also peparation for the season, after all, if the yacht is moving from one location to another, there’s a good chance it’s moving for the owner or for charters. 

I also wanted to understand what life was like for a crew member outside of work hours. Warren told me,

"In the evening a lot of poker games were played between the riders, and there was a lot of rugby watching as it was the World Cup at the time. The best thing about the whole experience was the people you meet, people from all over the world and from all walks of life.

"It took us just under three weeks to get across the pond, but when we arrived it was very strange having an influx of people onboard as we’d got used to just the small number of people we’d lived with for those three weeks. Our trip was a great experience and I met many interesting people who I call my friends today. I would, and probably will, do it again.”

We all know that yachting is more than a career, it's a lifestyle that we choose and it's about experiences and life journeys. Hearing Warren’s experience has also given me the ambition to try out a crossing in a new way, an innovative way. Perhaps it will do the same for you.

About the Author:

Matt Hyde and his partner Sam Wheaton are ex-superyacht engineers and the founders of Seahub Software. Their vision is to drive innovation in the superyacht industry and make life easier for everyone involved in the operation of large yachts, whether that means improving safety onboard or reducing break-downs. The result is Seahub, an intuitive cloud-based yacht maintenance software, built by engineers for engineers. You can read an interview with Matt and Sam via the link below.

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