Overview

‘Billionaires are the suns in their unique universe. Their solar system contains planets built of information and access. Like Copernicus’ physical sun, they don’t seek either: information and access are captured in a gravitational field that circles them.’ There are the wealthy listed and described in Forbes and Sunday Times rich lists, there are the wealthy names only briefly mentioned with limited details. And then there are the wealthy who would never appear in these lists at all. Until space travel becomes available, superyachts represent the most rarefied experience, reserved only for the ultra-wealthy. It is a world so far beyond the norm that it defies even the most active of imaginations. In Billionaire’s Captain, Brendan O’Shannassy, a professional at the zenith of this lavish industry, gives a rare insight into this world that makes for eyebrow-raising reading, as entertaining as it is instructive. If the yachts in this book are the greatest display of wealth that is available in the world today, then equal to the yachts are the owners, with all the demands and complexities you’d expect. Brendan’s time as the consummate ‘Billionaire’s Captain’ has given him unparalleled access to the greatest wealth group the world has ever known. This book is the tale of an ordinary boy whose career takes him on a most extraordinary journey. One that begins with messing about in boats in a sleepy coastal Australian town, and ends as one of the most successful and respected superyacht captains in the industry. Spanning two decades and circling the globe, his story draws readers into the real world of superyachts, their crew and their owners, in the most intimate of ways. Much of the book is comprised of fascinating and jaw-dropping insights and revelations about the real lives of the super wealthy – what is that sort of life really like? Does it make you happy? What’s it like to work with people for whom there can be no delays; no mistakes (would you fancy manoeuvring a two hundred million euro boat into a tiny spot in Monaco harbour, in front of your boss and Prince Albert?). Alongside this, Brendan weaves in the lessons he’s learned as he’s progressed from deck hand to captain, and these are useful for all. He is surprisingly humble and self aware: in a world of glitter and extravagance you can see why he’s trusted. His constant questioning and search for self-improvement mean that the techniques and advice he draws out are not only interesting, but provide valuable insights for anyone leading teams with demanding objectives, needing to bring out the best from those they manage as well as themselves, make the most of your time and the time of those you manage, establish a clear vision, make good decisions, and deal well with emergencies and the unexpected. As captain, Brendan was expected to achieve excellence every single time – there are no excuses in this world – and how he learns to deal with this is fascinating. And all of this is told against a backdrop of seemingly impossible glamour, with plenty of juicy (if well disguised) stories of the parties and the lifestyle. A brilliant read for all the many superyacht fans out there, 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.

Full Product Details

Author:   Brendan O’Shannassy
Publisher:   Bloomsbury Publishing PLC
Imprint:   Adlard Coles Nautical
Weight:   0.412kg
ISBN:  

9781472992666

ISBN 10:   1472992660
Pages:   272
Publication Date:   14 April 2022
Audience:   General/trade ,  General
Format:   Paperback
Publisher's Status:   Active
Availability:   In Print  
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Table of Contents

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

Reviews

Superyacht Captain is the Kitchen Confidential of yachting. -- Evan Osnos, Winner of the American Book Award, and author of Age of Ambition A realistic view that gets beyond both the glamour and horror stories...a rewarding read for any any Nautilus member considerign a shift into the superyacht industry. * Nautilus Telegraph * the writing is vivid, the experiences fascinating, and the insights of interest even to skippers of more modest vessels. * Yachting Monthly *

Superyacht Captain is the Kitchen Confidential of yachting. -- Evan Osnos, Winner of the American Book Award, and author of Age of Ambition

Author Information

Brendan O'Shannassay 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. Superyacht Captain is his first book.

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