Superyacht Captain

In Superyacht Captain, a professional at the zenith of the world's most lavish and exclusive industry gives a rare insight into a career that is entertaining, instructive and at times daunting in its scale. The tale of an ordinary boy whose career takes him on a most extraordinary journey, this book begins with Brendan messing about in boats in a sleepy coastal Australian town, and ends with him becoming one of the most successful and respected superyacht captains in the World - the consummate 'Billionaire's Captain'. Spanning two decades and circling the globe, his story intimately draws readers into the real world of superyachts, their crew and their owners. It is Brendan's love letter to an industry he respects and holds so dear to his heart. It's the story of stepping out and embracing uncertainty - failing, learning and repeating - weaving in in the lessons he's learned as he's progressed from deck hand to captain, Brendan's insights are valuable for anyone leading teams with demanding objectives. Surprisingly humble and self aware, in a world of glitter and extravagance you can see why he's trusted. All of this is told against a backdrop of seemingly impossible glamour at the most extravagant edge of the global wealth spectrum, with plenty of entertaining stories of the superyacht lifestyle. A brilliant read for all, for the superyacht fans, as well as anyone interested in leadership and management techniques from someone at the top of their game, working for those who define the rules of the game.

Brendan O'Shannassy grew up in Fremantle, Australia, and gained his degree and officer education with the Royal Australian Navy. In 2001 he joined his first superyacht as a deck hand, and worked his way up through the ranks to gain his first captaincy in 2006. His yacht racing career has also seen him participate in multiple Sydney Hobarts and the Fastnet Race, amongst others. Brendan is a Board Member of the International Superyacht Society, Chairman of the Captain's Committee, and has helped to establish superyachtcrewhelp.org - a charity working to support the mental health of yacht crews.

Prologue PART 1: My journey: before the captain was the boy You can have the shoes What's 'porn' in Russian? There is no second place To lead to excel The tuck and tape How much for the flag? Greed is good PART 2: Best of the best Learning the 'why' It's not about the boat Wind of change Master under God Run, Forrest, run Advancing my journey Will it be rough tonight? Making better decisions A defining moment A personal board of directors Is that the Prince? I thought he was taller Parties and paparazzi Everything has a purpose Fantasy staff game Waitlessness The illusion of normalcy Saint-Tropez sunset Bubbles and troubles Driving Miss Daisy Ego is the enemy Is that Santa? The helicopter view When perfect is not good enough Time to say goodbye Endnote