Lauren Beck is the former editor of Dockwalk and was with the publication from 2006 to 2023. At 13, she left South Africa aboard a 34-foot sailing boat with her family and ended up in St. Maarten for six years. Before college, she worked as crew for a year, and then cut her journalistic teeth at Better Homes and Gardens and Ladies’ Home Journal online. She loves traveling, reading, tennis, and rooting for the Boston Red Sox.
The BOAT International Captains’ Club welcomes more than 100 superyacht captains in its ranks. The idea behind the club is to help facilitate contact and the exchange of information and experiences for superyacht captains. This issue’s Q&A features Capt. Franck Catsuris on 49-meter Anastassiades & Tsortanides M/Y Asteria as he shares his yachting history, bucket list destination, and his top crew issue and tip for captains.
How did you end up becoming a captain?
I have been very lucky to be raised in the South of France (Beaulieu/Cap Ferrat). My father was a yacht captain, too, so from a very young age, I have been sailing and yachting. My first paid job was as deckhand [at] 16 years old, and I have [not] stopped since. I have been traveling the world on yachts for 30 years now, and I still love it and hope I will keep doing this for the rest of my life.
What would you be doing if you weren’t a captain?
I would love to be an explorer like Mike Horn or Christopher Columbus — discovering new places.
Favorite cruising destination?
I do not have a favorite place. All the world is full of fantastic places, you just have to go and find it.
What destination is still on your bucket list?
Antarctica
Where is your top spot for snorkeling/diving?
I have two of them. One is a place called Aldabra, which is part of the Seychelles on the way to Madagascar. The second is to snorkel with the Orcas in the Arctic Circle in Norway in November.
If you were marooned on a desert island, which crewmember would you want with you?
My wife and chief stewardess. She has been my second half for 25 years.
What is your best trick for keeping guests entertained when the weather is poor?
Go diving — the sea is always calm under. And if you’re on the sailboat, let’s go at sea and have fun with some wind.
What has been your most memorable moment on board?
For me, this is the smile of the guest coming back from any activity or trip, something they never did [before], or just a beautiful sunset.
Biggest crew challenge you deal with as captain?
Crew who are working on the boat just for the money. We are in the service industry and we need to give 100 percent to the guest or the owner. If you are working just for the money, you are not able to achieve this goal.
What is your one top tip for other captains?
Share your knowledge with younger crew. Some of them will be captains, too, and they do need guidance.
The BOAT International Captains’ Club membership is currently open to active captains of sailing yachts longer than 30 meters LOA and motor yachts longer than 40 meters LOA. For more information about the Club and how to apply, email captainsclub@boatinternationalmedia.com.
This article originally ran in the December 2021 issue of Dockwalk.