Michael Foster, Captain, American
Captain Michael grew up in Seattle and Arizona and boated all along the way. After studying business at the University of Arizona, he moved to Grand Cayman and the Turks & Caicos Islands to work as a PADI Dive Instructor running dive trips from the islands and aboard the Aggressor Fleet. He began his yachting career in 2001 and has travelled extensively throughout the Bahamas, Caribbean, Mediterranean, New England and Canadian Maritimes. Captain Michael currently holds a USCG 1600 ton Oceans license and continues to pursue additional credentials.
He is at home doing anything around the water or working on the family house. Michael and his Australian wife live in Florida with their teenage son and daughter.
Previous Yachts: TC, ALL IN, JUST ENOUGH, W, DAYS LIKE THIS
Niel Moolman, Chief Officer, South Africa
Niel was born in Pretoria, South Africa and he grew up in Botswana and Bahrain. He went to boarding school in Paarl, South Africa for the last 3 years of high school after which he earned a degree in logistics management at Stellenbosch University.
Niel joined the yachting industry in 2021. He has holds his Yachmaster Ocean and is studying for his OOW 3000 while aiming towards becoming a Captain. Niel loves taking guests on excursions and showing the hidden gems of unique locations. He has a creative side aimed at painting and loves fitness, specifically HIIT, tennis and skateboarding.
Previous Yachts: STEALTH, ALL IN, QUINTESSENTIAL, ANDIAMO, LOON
Eric Reynolds, Chief Engineer, United Kingdom
Eric was born in South Africa where he grew up and served in the armed forces with 3 deployments in the Angola war as a paratrooper. From there, he started his engineering career and has been Chief Engineer on superyachts for over 20 years. He is passionate about travelling and experiencing different cultures.
His happy place is close to the ocean and he loves hiking, swimming and scuba diving.
Previous Yachts: HIGHLANDER, NURI, CORINTHIAN, ARION, CONSTANCE, LEGEND
Gert Pretorius, Deckhand, South Africa
Gerhard grew up in Stellenbosch. It is known as the Wine Capital of Africa and South Africa's oldest town. He grew up always around the mountains and nature. After leaving school, he studied hospitality and found a great passion for the service industry.
He then made the decision to join yachting in 2022 and hasn’t looked back since. Gerhard holds his Yacht Rating and is an advanced scuba diver. When
he isn’t working onboard, he loves to spend time at the gym, in nature or playing chess.
Previous Yachts: STEALTH, C-STAR, NANA 1, ANDIAMO
Piymas (PJ) Phakdee, Chief Stewardess, Thailand
PJ grew up in a very small town in Thailand. She has had a big dream of becoming a backpacker since she was 15 and only saw the ocean for the first time when she was 17. PJ worked on two different cruise ships for 8 years before she transitioned onto superyachts in 2012. She joined her first yacht called Pangaea (59 meters) then followed by Incentive (43 meters) and Odessa (49 meters). PJ loves her career as a “yachtie” and always has a big smile on her face. She does come from the “Land of Smiles” after all. She is at a point
in her career that she wants to help guide the junior stewardesses to
become confident leaders. PJ is very active and loves to experiment with food, making drinks, cooking, reading and scuba diving.
Previous Yachts: MILAGROS, NQEA, STARSHIP, ODESSA, INCENTIVE, PANGAEA
Michelle Richardson, 2nd Stewardess, South Africa
My goal is to contribute my dynamic skill set and passion for excellence aboard a superyacht. I am excited about the opportunity to blend my love for water sports, scuba diving, and nature with my dedication to providing top-notch service. I am committed to creating a welcoming and enjoyable environment for guests, ensuring their every need is met with enthusiasm and efficiency. With my adventurous spirit and loyalty to delivering the best possible experience, I am ready to embrace thechallenges and responsibilities of the superyacht industry, making each voyage an extraordinary and unforgettable journey for both guests and crew.
Previous Yachts: DOROTHY ANN, AQUA PRINCESS
Tracy Ireland, Chef, Canada
Hailing from the west coast of Canada, Tracy has always had a passion for cooking. With many years of experience as chef on yachts, in restaurants and private estates, she’s also run the kitchen in a remote fly-in fishing lodge in the Canadian Arctic for many summers. With a ProChef certification from the Culinary Institute of America, Tracy has also studied regional cooking in the south of France,
Tuscany, Italy, and Thailand. Tracy’s inspiration comes from using local ingredients and products for her cooking. She enjoys sourcing the best seasonal produce, seafood, and locally-made products. She especially loves baking and creating plated desserts. In her free time, she loves to ski, run, hike, and kayak and finds the energy from the outdoors helps fuel her creativity in the kitchen.
Previous Yachts: SILVER LINING, NICOLE EVELYN, ENDEAVOUR, RELENTLESS, THREE FORKS
