BOAT Briefing

What does it take to run and sell a superyacht charter in one of the most remote regions on Earth? In this episode of BOAT Briefing, we go on board the 48-metre Oceanfast yacht Big Sky in French Polynesia, where BOAT’s head of digital content Holly Margerrison speaks directly to the people behind the experience. From charter manager Cam Bray to Captain Brett Woodford and broker Halle Scott, we exp...

Join BOAT Group Editorial Director Ed Slack as he sits down with Henry Hawkins, EVP of Baltic Yachts, to uncover the magic of the St Barths Bucket Regatta. This invitation-only superyacht event blends thrilling pursuit racing with a gentlemanly atmosphere, prioritizing camaraderie and social connections over competition. Ed and Henry share their firsthand experiences of this extraordinary gatherin...

Chartering a yacht is often framed as a way to offset costs. For John Caudwell, it’s a business. With years of experience running his 73m yacht Titania  for charter, he tells Caroline White what owners should understand before entering the market. Read more about the charter experience from every angle in BOAT International’s April charter issue. This episode of BOAT Briefing is sponsored by Amico...

It's Show time in Palm Beach! In this week’s BOAT Briefing podcast, US Editor Cecile Gauert and Business Editor Gabrielle Lazaridis discuss the upcoming Palm Beach International Boat show, revealing insider tips and the some of the must-sees at the show, as well as BOAT International’s first Introduction to Superyacht Ownership event. They go over some of the history and the market trends in the U...

In this business-focused episode of BOAT Briefing, online editor Holly Margerrison is joined by BOAT’s business editor Gabrielle Lazaridis to unpack a week of unusually intense industry news. The pair discuss the operational and insurance implications of escalating tensions in the Middle East and what they mean for yacht movements. They also examine the latest ownership changes at Sunseeker, leade...

In this episode of BOAT Briefing, online editor Holly Margerrison is joined by travel and charter editor Georgia Boscawen to explore two very different sides of the superyacht world. After cruising the Society Islands on board 48-metre Oceanfast yacht Big Sky , Holly shares a first-hand account of navigating French Polynesia by yacht – from the dramatic peaks of Moorea and encounters with humpback...

This week on BOAT Briefing, travel and charter editor Georgia Boscawen sits down with Anna Nash, president of Explora Journeys, to discuss how the brand is reshaping perceptions of ocean travel. Ahead of the delivery of Explora III, Nash reveals how Explora Journeys is redefining modern cruising and carving out its place in the ultra-luxury market. A relative newcomer that launched its first vesse...

In this special edition of BOAT Briefing Caroline White and Cecile Gauert project themselves to a cool evening in Kitzbühel, Austria, when the winners collected their beautiful Minervas at the 2026 BOAT Design & Innovation Awards ceremony. The two go through all the winners and categories, and reveal some of the thought process involved in the judges' choices to select winners among a strong f...

In conversation with BOAT International’s online editor Holly Margerrison, Fraser's CEO Anders Kurtén reflects on nearly three years at the helm of one of the superyacht industry’s most established brokerages. The discussion spans brokerage and charter performance, shifting client demographics, the rise of far-flung destinations, sustainability and transparency – and what the data is revealing abo...

In the first BOAT Briefing podcast of the year, online editor Holly Margerrison and business editor Gabrielle Lazaridis kick off 2026 by taking stock of the market’s early signals. From counting the superyachts spotted in St Barths and what that activity reveals about the charter landscape, to looking ahead at the most anticipated yacht deliveries due to hit the water in 2026, the duo unpack what’...

This week on The Big BOAT Interview, online editor Holly Margerrison is joined by Leo Walker, Founder and CEO of Who Dares Group and a former member of the UK’s Special Boat Service. Drawing on his experience in elite military teams, Leo discusses leadership, resilience and decision-making under pressure, and how those principles translate to life on board today’s superyachts. From crew retention...

In this episode of The Big BOAT Interview , BOAT ’s Content Director Lucy Dunn sits down with trailblazing captain and ice pilot Maiwenn Beadle - the first woman ever to take a superyacht through the legendary Northwest Passage. From navigating ice-choked waters to balancing razor-sharp safety decisions with the pull of exploration, Beadle shares her insights into what it takes to operate in some...

This week on BOAT Briefing, we’re welcoming a new voice to the show - Dockwalk magazine’s editor, Erik Petersen. A Fort Lauderdale native, Erik joins our BOAT International US editor, Cecile Gauert, to dive into one of the biggest events in the yachting calendar - and in all of Florida - the Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show, which kicks off on October 29. They chat about the scale and impac...

This week on BOAT Briefing , we’re diving into the high-stakes world of superyacht ownership with a special episode recorded from the Monaco and London offices of international law firm HFW. Whether you’re buying, building or chartering, every step of the yachting journey comes with complex contracts, regulations and potential pitfalls - making expert advice essential. Joining us are HFW specialis...

In this bumper post-Monaco Yacht Show debrief, online editor Holly Margerrison and business editor Gabrielle Lazaridis unpack a whirlwind week on the docks, packed with premieres, parties and press scoops. From Benetti’s 107-metre Mar stepping in as the show’s largest yacht to standout debuts and insight into Feadship's Breakthrough , the pair relive a week of design innovation. They share insight...

After a six-year absence from the Monaco Yacht Show, Princess Yachts returned in style with the unveiling of its new Odyssey superyacht series. Online editor Holly Margerrison steps on board the Princess Y95 during the show for an exclusive chat with CEO Will Green, exploring the British builder's turnaround to profitability, its foray into the outboard dayboat sector with the C48, and the decisio...

In this week’s BOAT Briefing, online editor Holly Margerrison is joined by news editor Dea Jusufi to unpack the latest from the Cannes Yachting Festival – from the numbers behind the show to the standout yachts that captured attention – before looking ahead to the Monaco Yacht Show 2025. They preview some of the biggest debuts set to hit Port Hercule, from Amels’ Energy to Heesen’s reimagined Sole...

What happens when a superyacht owner opens his vessel to marine researchers on the wild coast of Iceland? In this Big BOAT Interview, online editor Holly Margerrison sits down with Scintilla Maris owner Erik Vonk, who transformed a 1989 fishing trawler into a go-anywhere expedition yacht – and then welcomed scientists on board through the Yachts for Science initiative. Speaking shortly the voyage,...

In this week’s BOAT Briefing, Online Editor Holly Margerrison and Travel & Charter Editor Georgia Boscawen preview the standout yachts expected to make an appearance at the Cannes Yachting Festival, where the 50-metre-plus segment makes its long-awaited return. They unpack the latest boat show data, before Holly quizzes Georgia on her top travel tips for Cannes. The conversation then turns to the...

As autumn and the boat show season approach, we examine some of the big superyacht stories that have been making headlines this summer, from Oceanco's sale to Gabe Newell and the new America's Cup protocol to Phi's continuing incarceration in London and the US Coast Guard report into the Titan submersible disaster. Georgia also looks ahead to winter season, after interrogating the charter communit...

What happens when a seasoned sailor with Parkinson’s, his daughter and a plucky 24-metre yacht set off across the Atlantic? In this Big BOAT Interview, we follow Joe and Amy Leitch aboard On Liberty - the first Outer Reef to cross the Atlantic on its own bottom - as they journey from the U.S. to Sweden via ice fields, open seas and long stretches of remote coastline. But this isn’t just a story of...

Laurens Last bought Heesen Yachts with his eyes wide open to the challenges ahead. As the owner of a superyacht built by another Dutch brand, he understands the ins and outs of an industry that can leave many outsiders scratching their heads – for instance, how most shipyards can survive only making a sliver of profit on each build. Last wants to change that and secure Heesen's future by introduci...

Two hours from LA, down the legendary Highway 1, there's a place where the mountains kiss the turquoise sea where property developer Owen Perry says “Palm Springs meets the Pacific.” A Rhode Island native turned real estate maven, Perry stumbled onto a piece of huge tract of uninhabited land on the Sea of Cortez during a cruise on his yacht around 16 years ago and saw something no one else did. An...

Heesen Yachts CEO Niels Vaasen and US sales director Thom Conboy share candid stories and behind-the-scenes insights — from the legendary founder Frans Heesen to the company’s exciting new Dutch shareholder. Thom vividly recalls the electric moment 30 years ago when the 35-meter Tropic Sea (now Sea Axis) stole the spotlight at Bahia Mar — a defining memory for Frans, who felt “like King Kong.” Tha...

After four decades, Henk de Vries has stepped down from his day-to-day duties as a director of Feadship and CEO of De Vries. In this interview, he charts his rise to the top of the world of superyachting, and how and why he has decided now to take on a more supporting role at the company. Henk has seen some extreme highs and lows in his 40-year boatbuilding career, many of which he discusses in th...