Holly is the editor of Dockwalk. She grew up racing sailboats in England before switching to the world of superyachts and moving across the pond to Fort Lauderdale.
So it begins, my favorite time of year. The days are getting longer, the flowers are in bloom and the first of the fleet have begun their migration back to the Mediterranean — the true harbinger of spring. And in this season of transformation, Dockwalk has been going through a few changes of its own.
The April edition – out now – is the inaugural edition of a new chapter for the magazine. You may notice we are slightly smaller in size — but don’t be fooled, these pages remain jam-packed with essential reading for captains and crew.
This isn’t the first time Dockwalk has undergone a makeover — a spring clean if you will — and I am sure it won’t be the last. Over my shoulder, as I write, is a bookcase harboring every issue since 1998, back when the magazine was a broadsheet newspaper with an odd peachy hue. Ask any seasoned captain (probably the ones with gray hair) and they’ll likely recall snagging a copy.
The yachting world has changed a lot since then, especially with the advent of social media connecting crew around the world and offering a glimpse of life beyond the passerelle — something we explore in this issue as the crew of Loon shares how they harness its viral power to sell charters.
Also in this issue, we catch up with the crew of V6 as they spend the off-season exploring the rainforests of Belize with the help of a new heli, and spotlight some of the best crew accounts to follow on social media.
Just as the industry evolves, so must we. As we bid adieu to winter’s chill, we invite you to dive into the pages of the new Dockwalk with how-tos to sharpen your skills and elevate your career, and sink your teeth into tales of the adventures, challenges and triumphs of yacht crew across the globe.