“If all I had to do was captain the yacht. Ha. Just imagine that!”

Superyacht captain David laughs when we ask him if people understand what his job entails. They picture him at the helm, of course. In reality, it’s more like being a sea-based CEO–responsible for everything from navigation to personnel management to the safety and wellbeing of everyone on board. 

A key part of the remit is sourcing a suitable chase boat for his owner. With years of experience under his belt, he knows what he is looking for. 

When your boss owns a superyacht, there’s a lot to consider. “We customize everything we buy for it,” he explains. “It has to be practical and versatile on board.” But the deal breakers are reliability and solidity. “I need to know it won’t let me down.” 

Some owners are less concerned with finish when it comes to a chase. Not David’s. 

“He wants the best. I did my research.” he says thoughtfully, with the quiet confidence of a man who leaves no stone unturned.  prerequisites? Impeccable quality of finish–to complement the mothership. Power, manoeuvrability, advanced technology for navigation and operations. A versatile, practical layout with concealed storage. Everything you need to wow the guests, to give them the best possible experience.    

He appreciated the class-leading customization abilities. Being all aluminum, the VQ58 also allowed David to go beyond simply choosing colors and materials, into tailoring the precise layout and crew specifications he needed. He specified diesel waterjet engines, since his owner prefers remote places where gasoline isn’t always available. “I like that the US coastguard uses these engines,” he explains. 

Part of the process saw him visit the Vanquish shipyard. Not once, but twice. “It was very impressive. You can see they take a pride in their work.” 

It takes one to know one, David. Thanks for sharing your Vanquish journey with us.