My background prior to yachting began with building new frigates for the Irish Navy as a marine electrician. I then moved to refit installations at STP Mallorca as a subcontractor for a small electrical company. I got a glimpse of crew life while working on many different-sized vessels and started to network and socialize with crew. A chief engineer I met, who is now a great friend, recognized my potential and eagerness to advance and brought me on board as an ETO/junior engineer. The rest is history.
Position: Electro-technical officer
Yacht: 238' Lurssen Coral Ocean
Time in industry: seven years
Time in current position: four years
Previous vessel: Leander
Nationality: British
lnstagram: @Matthew_97
The most challenging part of my job involves a mix of tasks that keep me on my toes. About 60 percent of my time is spent preventing deckhands from accidentally watering electrical equipment, which feels like a constant game of whack-a-mole. The other 40 percent is dedicated to managing the crew’s Wi-Fi demands, a never-ending quest to keep everyone connected.
My worst mechanical failure was when we lost the stabilizers mid-Atlantic in four-meter seas. A main engine shut down due to an oil pipe bursting, causing the loss of 400 liters of oil spread across half of the engine room. The hydraulic pump, which ran off the engine that shut down, caused the stabilizers to fail. It was definitely an eye-opener for a green engineer on their first Atlantic crossing!
The biggest issue we face is user experience and customization. Yacht owners expect user-friendly AV and IT systems that cater to their specific preferences. ETOs must balance technical feasibility with personalized experiences, often requiring custom solutions.
Don’t try too hard or overcompensate; opportunities will arise when you least expect them. I found that being genuinely enthusiastic and approachable made a bigger difference.
My most significant achievement was completing the two-year major refit on Coral Ocean as the build ETO. I joined Coral when it was 25 percent through its rebuild when I had plenty of opportunities to make my mark with upgrades and operational changes. It was a massive task, but incredibly rewarding.