SYCARA V

SYCARA V
Crew Profile
Total crew complement: 16 (up to 18 / Mediterranean) | Non-smoking crew
Languages aboard: English, French, Spanish, German, Italian, Dutch, Ukrainian, Russian, Afrikaans
Rendezvous diving only
Sycara V is not offered for charter to US residents while in US waters.

CAPTAIN | STEWART FONTAINE | AMERICAN
PREVIOUS YACHTS: Martha Ann, Bacarella, Mia Elise, Lazy Z, Maupiti, Sensation
WATERS CRUISED: New England, Bahamas/Cayman Islands/Caribbean, East/West Mediterranean, Central America, Panama to the Pacific NW / Alaska, Australia to Tahiti, Galapagos Islands, Micronesia
WORK EXPERIENCE: A native of Cincinnati, Ohio, Stewart attended Indiana University and worked in the business world for the next decade in Indianapolis and New Orleans. He got his first taste of chartering on a BVI sailing charter and never looked back. Upon returning home, Stewart enrolled in the required seamanship courses and launched into his newly found avocation full time, first as a dive instructor, then engineer, and soon moved up the ranks to his first captain’s job. He has captained charter and private yachts worldwide over the course of his 25+ year career (for many years as a team with his wife, Sonya). Stewart's seagoing adventures fill a virtual pirate’s treasure chest of entertaining stories. His unparalleled, worldwide experience will impress even the most well-traveled clientele.
JOB DESCRIPTION: As master of the vessel, Stewart’s primary focus is the safety of the guests and crew. His myriad duties range from navigation to accounting, planning and managing charters, to the overall management of the yacht and crew. Delegation of responsibilities is essential. The heads of the various departments – Galley, Interior, Deck and Engineering, work in concert with Stewart to ensure each and every cruise is a relaxing and rewarding experience. He encourages a service-oriented daily work ethic among the crew while maintaining just the right tone of formal or casual ambiance aboard as desired by the guests.
LICENSES/CERTIFICATES: United States Coast Guard: Master-Ocean Steam or Motor Vessels of not more than 3000 Gross Tons, Cayman Islands Shipping Registry, Endorsement/Management of Cayman Islands Ships, Ship's Security Officer, Professional Assoc. of Dive Instructors: Open Water Scuba Instructor
EDUCATION: Indiana University
LANGUAGES: Basic French
HOBBIES: When not on the water, you will find Stewart and Sonya (retired from her life at sea) enjoying their home in the Turks & Caicos Islands busy with scuba diving, underwater photography and quiet strolls on the beach, or at their mountain hide-away in Breckenridge, Colorado, enjoying snow skiing, bicycling and wildlife photography.

FIRST OFFICER | MATTHEW “MATT” LITTLEJOHN | NEW ZEALAND
PREVIOUS YACHTS: Aspen Alternative, Tsumat, Imagine II
WATERS CRUISED: Galapagos, Central America, Mexico, East/West Coast USA, Caribbean, Bahamas
WORK EXPERIENCE: Matt was born in Christchurch, New Zealand. From the early age of 10, Matt started international racing for various classes of yachts and at 17 he was selected to be part of Team New Zealand for the America’s Cup in the 2003-4 campaign. When starting his professional career, Matt undertook an apprenticeship in boat building and marine cabinetry and then embarked on an 8-year venture working at Trinity Yachts. In 2012, Matt made the decision to join yachting and fulﬁll his dream of working at sea.
JOB DESCRIPTION: In addition to overall management of the Deck Department, Matt also serves as the Ship’s Safety, Security and Medical Officer.
LICENSES/CERTIFICATES: Chief Mate 3000, Ship Security Officer, Marine Cabinetry Apprenticeship/Robinson Marine Interiors
HOBBIES: Sailing, photography, sky diving, custom carpentry, exploring new places

HEAD CHEF | DAMIAN "DAMO" HIGGINS | AUSTRALIAN
PREVIOUS YACHTS: True Blue, Jo, Reverie, Martha Ann, Ice, Sycara V, Alfa Nero
WATERS CRUISED: Mediterranean, Caribbean, South Pacific
WORK EXPERIENCE: Rejoining SYCARA V as of June 2018 is the excellent, well-known Head Chef, Damian Higgins. Damo has been cooking since he was 15 years old. After completing his culinary apprenticeship, he successfully cheffed in top-tier restaurants throughout the U.K and Australia. Since 2000, he has been working on luxury yachts.

Guests are welcome in the galley for a tour, cooking lesson, recipes, or to share any comments or questions. A guest favorite is accompanying Damo to the local markets, be it in Europe or the Caribbean, where they can sample the local specialties and watch him banter with the local vendors. Damo’s passion and flair have established him as one of the finest head chefs in the luxury yacht industry. Experienced in all cuisine, he can easily accommodate any and all dietary requirements or preferences.

JOB DESCRIPTION: In overall command of your gastronomic adventure afloat, Damo is in charge of the menu planning, provisioning, preparation and presentation of all meals.
LICENSES/CERTIFICATES: Trade Certificate - Chef
HOBBIES: His wife, daughter and son, and surfing

"As a Captain in the super yacht industry for over 20 years I have worked with dozens of the most qualified and skilled chefs in the world. I have known Damian for over 10 years and worked with him on large motor yachts all over the world, several times personally requesting him as chef for charters to the rich and famous. Damian's culinary skills are unparalleled in my experience and proven by his success. His outgoing, exuberant nature makes him a jewel for any catering function." Captain Richard

"Phenomenal Chef! The highest standards, finest cuisine and rave reviews from all those lucky enough to be at Chef Damo’s table. On top of that he’s a great guy to work with, a true professional.” Captain Stewart Fontaine, Master, Yacht SYCARA V

SOUS CHEF | AMY BRADLEY | BRITISH
PREVIOUS YACHTS: Exuma, Icon
WATERS CRUISED: North/South Paciﬁc, Atlantic, Caribbean, Mediterranean
WORK EXPERIENCE: Amy was born in the heart of England in a town called Worcestershire. She has spent many years traveling and working overseas. Amy has always had a keen interest in food and started her yachting adventure working as chef onboard a sailing catamaran in the British Virgin Islands cooking for up to 12 guests and crew. To gain more restaurant experience Amy ventured to Perth, Australia, to work in Neil Perry’s Rockpool Restaurant. Working with chefs over the years of various nationalities shaped and inﬂuenced her culinary style. Her love for the ocean, traveling and experiencing other cultures and foods brought her back to the yachting industry. Amy has a particular interest in plant-based diets and special dietary requirements.
JOB DESCRIPTION: Cooking for the crew and assisting the Head Chef with guest meals. LICENSES/CERTIFICATES: Day Skipper’s License, Rescue Diver Certiﬁcate
EDUCATION: Australian College of Applied Education, Ashburton Culinary School
LANGUAGES: Spanish
HOBBIES: Traveling, Bodycombat, Muay Thai boxing, diving, hiking, snorkeling, snowboarding, wakeboarding and kite surﬁng

CHIEF STEWARDESS | MARINE BEAUCAMPS | FRENCH
PREVIOUS YACHTS: Jaycee III, Axioma
WATERS CRUISED: Mediterranean, Caribbean, Bahamas, USA, Canada
WORK EXPERIENCE: Marine is from the city of Lille in the north of France. At the age of 15, she embarked on an epic 2.5-year voyage with her family on a 38 ft sailing yacht and created her fondest memories. While studying languages in Antibes, she decided to embark on a career traveling at sea by joining the yachting industry. Marine is SYCARA V's wine aﬁcionado and takes a serious interest in expanding her knowledge base. In conjunction with the Chef, Marine ensures that the pairings of wine with food enhance your gastronomic experience. Marine is dedicated to making your time aboard SYCARA V the best holiday of your life.
JOB DESCRIPTION: In charge of the Interior Department, guest service and event planning.
LICENSES/CERTIFICATES: Powerboat Level II, STCW 95
EDUCATION: FAC LEA
LANGUAGES: English, Italian, Spanish
HOBBIES: Reading, water sports, running, biking, ﬁne wines, traveling, spending time with family

SECOND STEWARDESS | EMMA BURTON | BRITISH
PREVIOUS YACHTS: Arkley, Addiction, S/Y Panthalassa, Drizzle
WATERS CRUISED: Mediterranean, Adriatic, Atlantic, Caribbean
WORK EXPERIENCE: Born and raised in London, Emma spent her youth playing and competing in a range of sports from springboard diving to horse riding. Her love for the water led her to work as a lifeguard for almost 6 years; she is also a qualiﬁed water aerobics instructor and swim teacher. Emma completed university with her ﬁnal paper published in an educational journal. She has traveled across the globe enjoying and discovering new places and cultures. In 2011 she embarked on her career in yachting.
JOB DESCRIPTION: Supports the Chief Stewardess with guest service and housekeeping duties.
LICENSES/CERTIFICATES: Water Aerobics Level 2, ASA Level 1, STCW 95
EDUCATION: BSc / Sports and Exercise, BSc / Sports Conditioning and Coaching
HOBBIES: Water sports, horse riding, ﬁtness, massage, reading, food and wine

STEWARDESS | JESSICA “JESSY” MACKAY | BRITISH
WORK EXPERIENCE: Jessy was raised just outside of London. An interest in travel took her around the world at the age of 20. Having visited and lived in Canada, South America, Asia and Europe, she ﬁnally settled in Australia where she has resided since 2013. Jess has worked in various restaurants and vineyards learning about food and wine, but with 13 years of experience in hospitality, that is where her heart is. Having spent most of her life living by the ocean, Jessy decided to combine her love of travel and the hospitality industry by joining the world of yachting.
JOB DESCRIPTION: Supports the Chief Stewardess with guest service and housekeeping duties.
EDUCATION: studied Nutrition / University of Surrey, UK
HOBBIES: Yoga and meditation, surﬁng, reading, cooking, hiking

STEWARDESS | SARAH CLAUDE-VOLLELV | NORWEGIAN
PREVIOUS YACHTS: Bliss, Magic Moments
WATERS CRUISED: US East Coast, Bahamas, Caribbean
WORK EXPERIENCE: Originally from France, Sarah grew up in Montreal, Canada, where she developed a love for the great outdoors. Coming from a multi-cultural Martiniquan and Norwegian family, she always had a passion for traveling. Sarah explored on her own around South America after graduating from law school in 2016. Sarah’s work experience includes various prestigious events in Montreal and working as a brand ambassador for several companies. Her entry into yachting combines Sarah’s interest in hospitality and traveling.
JOB DESCRIPTION: Supports the Chief Stewardess with guest service and housekeeping duties.
LICENSES/CERTIFICATES: STCW
EDUCATION: Bachelor of Law / Sherbrooke University
LANGUAGES: English, French, Spanish
HOBBIES: Hiking, camping, reading, exercising, traveling and food tasting

SECOND MATE | GRAHAM HOGG | BRITISH
PREVIOUS YACHTS: QM Of London, Pegasus V
WATERS CRUISED: Mediterranean, Atlantic Ocean, Caribbean, Bahamas
WORK EXPERIENCE: Graham was brought up in a small town called Nairn on the north coast of Scotland. After a sailing trip around the west coast of Scotland, Graham decided to pursue a career in yachting. When not working on yachts, Graham is actively involved in a variety of sporting activities. At the tender age of 10, Graham became the youngest karate black-belt champion in Britain!
JOB DESCRIPTION: Assisting with water sport activities and exterior maintenance.
LICENSES/CERTIFICATES: Powerboat Level II, PWC Instructor, AEC, STCW 95
HOBBIES: Running, rugby, hill-walking, karate

DECKHAND | CALVIN MICHAEL FERREIRA | SOUTH AFRICAN
PREVIOUS YACHTS: Amevi, Aviva (98’), D2, Libra III, Domani
WATERS CRUISED: Caribbean, Bahamas, East Coast USA, Mediterranean, Atlantic, Indian Ocean
WORK EXPERIENCE: Calvin was born and raised in Cape Town. From an early age he participated in various sports including ocean body boarding, surfing and football. Calvin moved to London after finishing school and worked several years for Rolex
and Harrods but decided that the corporate world was not his calling. Calvin's goal was to find a job working on the ocean. He entered the yachting industry at the end of 2013. Calvin has cruised extensively and hopes to cruise worldwide as he continues his career at sea.
JOB DESCRIPTION: Exterior maintenance and upkeep of vessel, watersports.
LICENCES/CERTIFICATES: Power Boat Level 2, STCW 95 with PDSD
LANGUAGES: Afrikaans, basic Italian
HOBBIES: Watersports, football, running, traveling and experiencing various cultures

DECKHAND | HARRY BRAND | BRITISH
PREVIOUS YACHTS: Areti, Yalla
WATERS CRUISED: Caribbean, Mediterranean, Atlantic, US East Coast, Bahamas
WORK EXPERIENCE: Harry comes from Bath in South West England. He has performed on stage at the Bath Theater Royal. Acting is Harry’s passion, however, after seeing many friends take the plunge into yachting, he decided to venture out for himself. Having spent 2 years in the industry, Harry has decided to pursue yachting as a career after falling in love with living and working on the water.
JOB DESCRIPTION: Maintenance of the exterior of the yacht.
LICENSES/CERTIFICATES: PWC competency, Power Boat Level II, STCW, Crowd Control, Helicopter Operations
HOBBIES: Acting, track car racing, rugby, tennis, skiing, language

CHIEF ENGINEER | DALE KIDNEY | BRITISH
PREVIOUS YACHTS: Ulysses, Arctic P/Seahorse P, Anna Eva, Flying Eagle, A, Kogo, Air
WATERS CRUISED: Baltic, Mediterranean, Caribbean, East / West Coast USA, South America, Red Sea, North and South Pacific, Indian Ocean
WORK EXPERIENCE: Dale was born in an English coastal town in Cumbria. He joined the Merchant Navy as an Engineer Officer Cadet at age 16. Over the last 20 years Dale has amassed a broad skill set from working on a wide range of vessel types before settling on a career in yachting.
JOB DESCRIPTION: In charge of the overall management of the Engineering Department
LICENSES/CERTIFICATES: MCA Chief Engineer Y1, Second Engineer Reg. III/2 Unlimited
in the operation and maintenance of all safety and critical equipment.
HOBBIES: Car and tractor enthusiast / collector, mountain biking

CHIEF ENGINEER (Relief) | JAN POLS | DUTCH
PREVIOUS YACHTS: Resilience, Invictus, The Mercy Boys, Titania, Capri, Caneli
WATERS CRUISED: East/West Coast Atlantic, Mediterranean, Red Sea, Indian Ocean, North and Baltic Seas
WORK EXPERIENCE: Jan was born in the Netherlands and grew up with an interest in everything technical. After completing nautical college, he joined the Dutch Merchant Navy where he came across “white boats” and found that being an engineer on yacht was an excellent career move. After 16 years on yachts Jan still enjoys his job and being part of the team on SYCARA V.
JOB DESCRIPTION: In charge of the overall management of the Engineering Department in the operation of all safety and critical equipment.
LICENSES/CERTIFICATES: MCA Chief Engineer Y1, Commercial Engineer Class II, YM Offshore
HOBBIES: Riding and restoring classic motorbikes, carpentry, reading

SECOND ENGINEER (Rotation) | CHARLES BOUTOILLE | FRENCH
PREVIOUS YACHTS: Ti Voglio Tanto Bene, S/Y Le Ponant, Azimut 120
WATERS CRUISED: Mediterranean, Caribbean, Indian Ocean, South Pacific
WORK EXPERIENCE: Charles was born in Saint Malo, the famous privateering port in Brittany. He began his seafaring career at 18 and worked on various kinds of commercial vessels-small cruise ships, ferries and merchant ships. Prior to joining SYCARA V, Charles cruised around New Caledonia and the Vanuatu islands.
JOB DESCRIPTION: Assists the Chief Engineer with the safe and efficient operation and maintenance of the vessel's equipment.
LICENSES/CERTIFICATES: Chief engineer Reg III/3
LANGUAGES: English
HOBBIES: Traveling, diving, hiking, spending time with friends

SECOND ENGINEER (Rotation) | ANDREW "ANDY" MORLEY | BRITISH
PREVIOUS YACHTS: Chopi Chopi, Step One
WATERS CRUISED: Mediterranean, Caribbean, Atlantic, Arabian Gulf, Falkland Islands, North Sea
WORK EXPERIENCE: Having grown up listening to his grandfather's military stories, Andy decided to join the Royal British Navy at age 18 where he served as an Engineer for over 10 years on three different vessels: HMS Cardiff, HMS Manchester and HMS St Albans. Military experience provided Andy with a wide-ranging engineering apprenticeship (with an emphasis on ﬁreﬁghting and damage control) to expand his future. Andy began his yachting career in 2014.
JOB DESCRIPTION: Assisting the Chief Engineer with daily operations and maintenance.
LICENSES/CERTIFICATES: MCA Chief Engineer Y3
HOBBIES: Running, diving, traveling, exploring new cultures and cuisines

ENGINE ROOM ASSISTANT | ILLIA NEPEIKO | UKRAINIAN
PREVIOUS YACHTS: Perseus 3, Entourage
WATERS CRUISED: Mediterranean, Black Sea
WORK EXPERIENCE: Growing up in the Crimea between two seas, the Azov and the Black Sea, Illia always knew he would have a career on the water. After completing an engineering degree in 2014, Illia first worked on commercial boats and then moved on to the yachting industry.
JOB DESCRIPTION: Assisting in the engine room with daily operations and maintenance.
LICENSES/CERTIFICATES: AEC Qualiﬁcation, Motor Man License (working towards Chief Engineer Y4)
LANGUAGES: English, Russian
HOBBIES: Basketball, power lifting, reading