An Interview With Yacht Officer Tom Blencowe

Where are you from and what attracted you to a career in yachting? 

I’m from Oxfordshire, UK. The beautiful Cotswolds. My career in the yachting industry began because a friend of mine from school kept returning with a better tan, more money, and cool stories. I wanted all of the above.

How did you secure your first position in the yachting industry? 

It took around 6-8 weeks. I landed in Antibes without an idea about anything and excitedly headed to ‘The Blue Lady’ only to be greeted with yachtie beer prices. “This is gonna be tough.” I thought!

I dockwalked relentlessly. I was clocking miles I never imagined I would do, at times in the morning reserved for milkmen only. I got a few jobs here and there and kept the funds topped up, but my first job came from calling a number that specifically said: “text/email only”. Four weeks later I got a call back and off I went! 

What did you learn about yourself during your first yacht job? 

That I actually knew a fair bit, but I also knew so little; that the world is in fact tiny, and travelling whilst working was the best decision I’d ever made.

Who or what inspired you to further your qualifications and progress in this professional yachting industry? 

My first bosun/CO team Cameron Stanton and Stuart Tucker were a driving force to get my Yachtmaster Offshore. I owe them both a lot.

A recent CO, Martin Bond, to whom I owe endless thanks for pushing me on from bosun to officer. The difficulties I’ve put that man through and still he believes in me and is always there for me. What a chap!

What current certificate do you hold & what’s your goal? 

I am Chief Mate 3000 and HLO (Helicopter Landing Officer). I want to focus on being the best officer I can be before looking too far ahead.

How difficult was it to achieve your OOW certificate? 

It was tough. I don’t think it gets discussed enough how tough it is, especially for those who might not learn in the same way as they’re being taught. I failed my first oral exam and it was a terrible experience, but I feel I learnt more by doing it twice. Failure is a great thing when handled well. I’m currently supporting a friend through it, so I’m experiencing the mental side of things all over again!

How many superyachts have you worked on and what size do you prefer? 

A fair few, ranging in size from 40m to 75m. I personally prefer the 70m yacht range. There’s a better social side when there are more crew on board, which is important when you’re working for months on end. This size usually travels further and more often, and they have a lot more legislation to abide by which impacts everything in a positive way.

How important is a keen eye for detail in this industry? 

Is this a trick question?! In so many instances! It’s the most important part. From polishing to quick thinking with guests, and in more serious situations where spotting a dangerous situation before it happens can be lifesaving.

Tell us about the feeling you get when training new crew and passing on your knowledge. 

It’s my favourite part. Watching someone do something well is rewarding, and when you’ve taught them how to do it, it’s ten times more satisfying giving them a pat on the back than getting the ’well done’ yourself. It also helps me to maintain my knowledge and skill base. 

Is a team ethic a necessary attribute for a good crew member?  

Not necessarily. You must be able to work with others to an extent, but that isn’t everything. Everyone is different and yachting needs to open its arms to all types of personalities. Not everyone is a macho extrovert who thrives on laddish group culture, and encouraging personalities in my teams has led to fine-tuning abilities I may not have realised were there just because this person “didn’t fit in”. It’s also important to be able to work without being surrounded by people in lonely situations. Night shifts are dark places if you’re not used to it!

What are the main challenges when it comes to management?

As I said above, everyone is different. The job that we do is not difficult (ok, astronavigation is difficult, but nobody wants to talk about that!) in itself, but managing personalities and understanding how people interact in different situations is the hardest part. Empathy is absolutely necessary. Handling and giving criticism are both important. Consistency with instruction and attitude. Admitting failures and learning from them as a leader in front of your team. You quite often have to put yourself in a deckhand’s shoes and try to look at yourself through their eyes, but also try not to be destructively self-critical. We are all always learning.

You worked on an explorer yacht – what amazing destinations have you been to and what is your favourite destination? 

I was lucky and unlucky with this one! The yacht visited Antarctica before I joined and the photos and videos were once-in-a-lifetime kind of stuff! We did the Gulf of Aden through to the Maldives and then on to the Seychelles. The Seychelles is stunning: sea life, fauna, topography, wildlife. Setting up the beach for the day with a giant tortoise plodding past; or shark spotting for the boss to go swimming without being eaten (they were tiny)... Amazing!

How does an explorer yacht differ from a typical superyacht?  

It’s sort of like a supercharged version of a normal yacht. Usually a lot more toys and a lot more adventurous/advanced toys, too. For instance ATVs, motorbikes, some have submarines, twice as many tenders (the ones we had were very cool custom RIBs that were pretty indestructible), and more of the usual as there is often a lot more space because the objective of the boat is different. Who needs a huge bridge deck when you can store helicopters under it and make a basketball court?

What have you learnt about yourself over your career? 

That you can’t please everyone. Don’t be overcritical, but do always strive to improve. I learnt to acknowledge my good points and not to punish myself for my bad points, everyone has both.

Can you still be hands-on as a second officer on a 70+ meter yacht and do you still want to be? 

You can definitely, and yes. It’s actually a great role because you can pick and choose your own jobs just as much as the team’s. I function well with two or three things on the go and that allows me to split a day into segments devoting a third to my tasks, a third to keeping track of how the day’s worklist is going on across the team, and a third assisting wherever needed outside, and also for the inevitable curveball that will be thrown at you.

Have you used your PADI Advanced open water skills very often in your career?

Sadly not, only recreationally. I’d love to do more but I’ve not really been on particularly diving active boats.

How important is networking to further your career in yachting? 

It’s important but not the be-all and end-all. Be the best ’you’ on offer. You’ll be noticed and the networking will do itself. When you visit a crew agent or a boat, or even a chandlery, remember their name. For the love of god remember their name.

Do you have any bits of advice for someone about to start their first season on a yacht? 

My professional advice to this question: maintain your own safety and raise questions if in doubt at any time; do your best, ask questions about everything, and don’t worry if you break something, just don’t hide it or lie about it! Pay attention and be a sponge.