Year: 2020

Last month we posted a video, shot by Reliance Yacht Management crew member Andy Barnes, of the launch of the new Lagoon catamaran, the ‘Lagoon Sixty 5’. Reliance delivered the new yacht straight from the Lagoon factories in Bordeaux to its official debut in Barcelona. From there, Reliance delivered the boat to its final destination in Split, Croatia. Check out the video below, also created by the talented Andy Barnes, documenting that journey.

The 65 foot catamaran is now available for charter with Nautika Centar NAVA in Croatia. Check out our interview with the NAVA team to get an insight into their work and longstanding relationship with Reliance Yacht Management.

While many of us will be enjoying Christmas this year (hopefully) spending time with our families and loved ones at home, there are many people who keep the world turning in our absence. Doctors, nurses, retail workers, delivery drivers – and delivery skippers!

Spending the Holidays working at sea is a unique experience, away from family, without gifts and no guarantee of an extravagant meal. But that does not mean its not one worth having!

We spoke to delivery skipper Captain Hanna Golebiewska about her experiences sailing on delivery during Christmas, and how much she loves it.

Have you ever sailed at Christmas before? If so, when and where?

I have sailed at Christmas at least 5 times:

• • 2013 crossing the Atlantic with Zvi Dor-Ner
  • 2014 preparing the boat for charter just after ARC (St.Marteen)
  • 2015 crossing for Reliance from La Rochelle to Fort Lauderdale on the Lagoon 450 s.v. Freedom
  • 2016 crossing for Reliance – L450 s.v.Solicitude from LSdO to Tortola
  • 2018 crossing for Halcyon from Tenerife to Trinidad Lagoon 40

How do you prepare for Christmas at sea?

I would take some traditional Polish ingredients to cook that day like dried mushrooms with sauerkraut, a poppyseed cake, beetroot borsch with little pierogi.

How do you make the day different from the rest of your time spent at sea?

Weather depending… Except for a meal the day is not much different – everyday is Sunday in the middle of the ocean. Some decided to make laundry, the main halyard decided to chafe on Xmas day, etc.

How does your family feel about you working during this time?

They think I am crazy anyway so my absence for this occasion is only one of the symptoms. I think they preferred I would stay at home.

Are you looking forward to it, how do you feel about it? [Hanna was supposed to be on delivery this Christmas but the delivery has been delayed]

I am very unhappy NOT being on the sea this year. I thing all of contemporary Xmas is far too commercialized and I’d like to keep far from it.

Last week Captain Nic Boutteloup and his crew safely delivered the Privilege 64 catamaran “Allure” from Les Sables d’Olonne, Frnace to St. Thomas, USVI.

The yacht is now available for charter in the Caribbean, complete with a onboard captain, steward and a luxurious menu! Check out Allure’s website here. For charter enquiries and the charter captain, check out his website here.

The owner commended our services and says that she will use them again next year when the boat will hopefully be available for charter in the Mediterranean.

Check out photos taken by the captain and crew while on delivery.

It’s that time of year again where the Great Wrapping Debates dominate discussion. Are you a traditionalist, wrapping indiscriminately regardless of edge or lack thereof? Do you prefer a sleek gift bag option? Or maybe like a shopping centre Santa’s grotto, you wrap perfect square boxes with gifts nestled inside.

For a delivery skipper, these are not just seasonal questions but daily questions. Our skippers work day in day out to deliver boats to clients in such immaculate condition you would never know they had just sailed 5000nm. Now ’tis the season, they can show off their skills to their loved ones.

Check out some of the brilliant wrapping and the extreme lengths our captains go to to make sure your boat is delivered safe and sound.

An Eventful Year at Reliance

2020 has been an interesting year, not least for Reliance Yacht Management. But despite all the travel restrictions, despite the hairpin changes to policy, despite working through a global pandemic, Reliance has continued to deliver.

While owners have been unable to travel to their boats due to travel restrictions, Reliance has delivered their boats to them, creating innovative solutions to new challenges. Also, global yacht sales have continued to thrive this year, as we continue to deliver new boats from factories all over the world.

In arts and culture news, one of our skippers published a book this year! Captain Robin Kenny tells tales from his life on the high seas and all the people he met along the way. Check out our review here and purchase the book here.

Continuing Success

We have delivered an unprecedented amount of vessels this year in the Mediterranean, but we’ve also seen an increase in the number of deliveries around the North Sea and the British Isles. Some have been rather more exciting than others, check out our article on Captain Clive Lonsdale‘s daring rescue in the Solent, also covered by the Yacht Brokers here.

Speaking of the Mediterranean, Reliance skippers were involved in a very exciting news story about the increased presence of orcas in the Med. Journalist Susan Smillie spoke to marine activists and scientists, who speculated that the increased presence of fishing and marine traffic triggered the abnormal orca behavior. Read more about the story here and here.

We also saw an increase in demand for owner assisted passages and training this year, with assisted passages from France to Ireland, Portugal and across the South French Coast. One of our clients made a video of his experience on an owner assisted passage, which you can check out here. If you would like to find out more about assisted passages, check out our articles here and here.

One of our specialisms is transatlantic crossings, and we have continued to deliver this year. We have relocated yachts from Europe to Florida, Texas, California, Maine, USVI and BVI, amongst others. Check out our article on the launching of a new Privilege 64, which safely arrived in St. Martin last month, thanks to Captain Nic Boutteloup. One of the most exciting transatlantic crossings this year was with Captain Dylan La Roux, who delivered a Balance 526, straight from the factory in St. Francis, South Africa, to Grenada. Check out our article on the delivery here, and Dylan’s achievements in speed and efficiency. We also delivered one of the first models of the new Lagoon 65, check out the video below made by one of our brilliant crew members.

Happy Christmas from Reliance Yacht Management

Overall, Reliance has had another great year, relocating and managing yachts all over the world. Reliance has always valued safety above all else, and this year has been no exception. We have ensured that every one of our crew has had a Covid-19 test before delivery. Our captains are renowned for their level of professionalism, cleaning yachts from head to hull, port to starboard, aft to foredeck, and this year has been no exception. We have made sure to go above and beyond with exceptionally thorough cleaning, safety protocol and checks. Check out our clients’ testimonials here on our new About Us page.

From all of us here at Reliance Yacht Management, captains, crew and us here in the office, we wish you a Happy Holidays and a Happy New Year! We look forward to working with our valued clients and meeting new ones in the year to come.

Not your usual wake up call! Reliance Captain, Cive Lonsdale received a call from the Coast Guard in the Solent in the small hours of the morning. They asked him to help rescue a yacht drifting into the shipping lanes. The yacht’s motor had failed and it was was unable to get itself back on course.

The Captain reported:

0240 this morning requested by Solent coast guard to alter course and assists a 35ft yacht Caprice with engine trouble drifting into the separation zone SW of Dungeness.  Have Caprice in tow eta Eastbourne 0700. All ok sea state good. Might be able to leave him at anchor off Eastbourne as marina mot open till 0900. If not I have offered to tow him to Brighton. Will update shortly.

The recuse went smoothly with a calm sea and an easy tow to Eastbourne.

Captain Clive Lonsdale was in the middle of delivering a Nauticat 35 from Chatham, Kent to Noss-on-Dart before he was called to act by the Coast Guard at 3am this morning. He updated us again as the morning progressed:

Just been updated. Eastbourne closed to Covid. We’ve been asked to tow her to Newhaven 11nm approx 2.5 hrs around Beachy Head

Due to Covid-19, and the new impending lockdown in England, the situation proved uncertain as Captain Clive and all in tow (if you pardon the pun) have had to continue onto Newhaven. The final update from the Captain came in the later half of the morning as Clive confirmed,

Have handed over the tow to Newhaven lifeboat.  All very grateful and were back on course.

Eta pm tomorrow

With the adrift boat safely in good hands at Newhaven, Clive and his crew have continued on their journey across the UK South Coast. With an estimated arrival time of tomorrow, they acted professionally, heroically, and took everything in their stride.

Just a normal day in the life of Reliance Yacht Management and its crew. We wish Clive, his crew, and the unfortunate boat, a safe onward journey.

Reliance Yacht Management had the privilege of sailing the brand new Lagoon catamaran, the ‘Lagoon Sixty 5’. Transferring the yacht straight from the factories in Bordeaux, Reliance crew brought the boat to its public debut in Barcelona this month.

Check out this beautiful video made by one of our very own crew members, Andrew Barnes, showcasing the new boat in all its glory.