Submarines, snakeskin and lobsters 365 days a year: an insider spoke about working on superyachts

The Times of London published an article entitled "Confessions of an insider from a superyacht" — a monologue by an anonymous source (even his gender is not disclosed), who, in his or her words, has worked for "20 years in the superyacht business."

According to the interlocutor of the publication, yacht owners constantly participate in an unspoken competition — who has a longer, faster and better equipped vessel with "chips" like glass stairs, pools with a transparent bottom or "snow rooms" where guests can refresh themselves on a hot day.

Among the most amazing gadgets seen on private yachts, the insider calls a submarine for 10 people, as well as a system for exploring the seabed. According to the source, yachts are often equipped with weapons and defensive devices to protect themselves from pirates. However, the source of the publication denied rumors about the anti-missile defense system on Roman Abramovich's Eclipse.

The hero of the publication does not name the names of most of his employers. He says:

Many believe that all the wealth of the owners of superyachts has been acquired dishonestly, especially the Russian oligarchs, whose vessels are being arrested. However, there is a growing number of superyacht owners who have earned their money through honest work and spend significant amounts to finance humanitarian missions.

The source mentioned how he traveled on the yacht of scientist Jonathan Rothberg, from which he made a "floating laboratory", where he developed a home testing system for coronavirus, and is now studying global warming issues. But not all owners of superyachts also care about environmental problems:

One day I go to the toilet on the yacht and see that it is trimmed from floor to ceiling with emerald green snake skin. And on the yacht Christina O of the late Aristotle Onassis, the chairs in the bar are covered with whale foreskin. But even that doesn't compare to the requests of one owner I met in Australia. On board, he likes to dine on fresh lobsters, but he never warns the crew about his arrival. That's why they cook fresh lobsters every day throughout the year — just in case.

The insider also told about the "tea room" on one of the yachts, where the interior of the famous Parisian cafe Ladurée is recreated exactly — it's just that the wife of the owner of the ship really likes this institution.

Working on a superyacht, according to the source, is "not for everyone", but has many advantages:

The crew is working hard, and it's not unusual for you to be picked up at three in the morning because the owner wanted a bacon sandwich or a massage. Or that you are being reprimanded because you forgot to change the dresses of the yacht owner's wife in the main cabin for the outfits of his mistress. But do not think that the crew of the superyacht are modern slaves. If you perform your duties well, the payment will be appropriate, tips can amount to thousands.

The source refers to the advantages of such work and the fact that it allows you to visit many countries: according to him, there is "little to compare with such freedom of movement."