At the end of July, Reliance completed the delivery of a Lagoon 52F from Cape Town to Virginia, USA.

The delivery was conducted for a private client who actually accompanied the delivery as a crew member. Owner assisted passages are one of our most popular services. Clients benefit from working with highly experienced skippers, gaining skills, knowledge and confidence, all tailored to their own yacht.

Owner assisted passages are not just popular amongst clients but captain too, who often feel immense job satisfaction passing on knowledge and skills.

Sailing with the Owner onboard also allows the Skipper to gain insight and understanding of the plans and dreams for the boat and its future crew and so makes the job of a Delivery Captain more meaningful. Seeing the joy on the Owner’s face when you set the spinnaker for the first time or when you catch your first big Dorado is truly great fun!

Captain Kenneth Hoiem of the Lagoon 52F delivery told us about his experience sailing with the client on this big transatlantic trip:

“I love Cape Town. This time of year, it is a special challenge sailing across the Atlantic as you have to navigate the weather coming up from the South. Gradually changing from foul weather gear to board shorts and reefed main to spinnaker on your way up towards the Equator, it’s such a fun and satisfying progression. Then to carry on all the way up to the mouth of the Chesapeake and Norfolk makes for an epic journey. A quick stop in Brazil was a bonus.

Of course, it helps to be sailing a boat like the Lagoon 52F which, with its powerful rig and well-equipped sail plan, is an absolute delight to sail. Also, sharing both the pre-departure preparation and the crossing with the boat’s Owner onboard makes for a special experience as you immediately have a crew member on the boat who shares your absolute interest in making sure that the boat is prepared for the journey and that both boat and crew get to the destination as safely as possible and with minimal wear and tear. With the addition of a young, strong and hard-working First Mate, it made for the perfect setup for a Transatlantic crossing.

Sailing with the Owner onboard also allows the Skipper to gain insight and understanding of the plans and dreams for the boat and its future crew and so makes the job of a Delivery Captain more meaningful; seeing the joy on the Owner’s face when you set the spinnaker for the first time or when you catch your first big Dorado is truly great fun!