yacht girl stories

What Is a Yacht Girl? The Dark TikTok Secret Explained

W hen you think of the phrase “ perfect summer ,” what comes to mind? For some, it’s being on a boat big enough to hold all of their friends. Sun-kissed skin, a gentle breeze, h’ordeuvres and libations. Music is pumping and love is flowing as we swag surf like ocean waves. Something about the water and being on a huge boat makes this new core memory all the more special. That’s a yacht fantasy, shared by a girl’s girl.

However, “yacht girls” do yachting a lot more often and have a different take on the aquatic activity. So, what happens in the cases when billionaires join the party, when money is no object and time is even more abundant? Here’s where we drop the anchor and get to the bottom of the question, “What is a yacht girl?”

Yachting vs. Being a Yacht Girl

According to TikTok , yachting is an experience afforded to folks who are accustomed to sailing on big boats. Yacht girls, however, take on those appearances and some extra duties too. They serve as the entertainment for well-off men that request their company. They must look the part and have time to spare, as traveling is a part of the deal. A background in service work may come in handy as drinks and appetizers are often on the menu. The girls may find that they’re on the menu too, but it’s been said that the money makes it worth it. A few celebrities may have had a past in yachting before evolving in their careers, from Nina Dobrev and Miranda Kerr to Nicole Scherzinger and Chantel Jeffries.

The Life of a Yacht Girl

As we know, with money comes a certain amount of power and with that comes influence. Yacht girls who have agency-backing might feel a bit more protected than those booking gigs on their own or through a friend. The yacht environments are high-pressure for girl’s who aren’t willing to accommodate guests requests. And captains have been known to minimize yacht girls’ concerns. A TikToker shared one of her follower’s stories about their “yacht girl” experience: what the expectations were, what she was willing and not willing to do. 

When sex is apart of the expectations , payment comes in the form of money and sometimes jewels (i.e. $80,000 and a diamond bracelet). Seeing as escort services remain illegal and taboo, yachting is still a rather secret way of living, leading to a lot of mistreatment going under the radar. The alleged celebrities and Instagram models who participate in this industry have successfully kept it all under wraps, even as personal accounts and documentaries surface. As the digging deepens though, we can expect to hear more horrifying stories about this style of travel that has developed sinister undertones. 

Safety and Rules

For those who are only embracing the aesthetic and a good time with friends, by all means, live your life. Don the striped bathing suits and two-pieces. These are memories to be made and reflected upon in years to come. However, if you find yourself on the other side of yachting, be sure to put safety first and write your own rules when you can.

The post What Is a Yacht Girl? The Dark TikTok Secret Explained appeared first on 21Ninety .

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Celebrities Accused Of 'Yachting' In Hollywood — And What Being A 'Yacht Girl' Really Means

Rumors suggest some women are paid to play..

• Micki Spollen

Written on Jan 11, 2022

It’s easy to be envious when seeing the Instagram photos of young, carefree celebrity women seemingly having the time of their lives on yachts floating in exotic waters and in the VIP sections of the most exclusive clubs.

However, rumor has it there is much more than meets the eye when it comes to these ‘yacht girls’ and their extravagant lifestyles.

What is a yacht girl?

According to Urban Dictionary , a yacht girl is “an attractive young woman who finds ways to get access to luxurious surroundings by being available to wealthy men.”

For example, you may follow a woman or two on Instagram who always seems to be partying or vacationing somewhere expensive (notably without ever showing who she’s actually with). This is a person you could potentially describe as being a yacht girl.

And it’s not just those Instagram models and wannabe stars that are considered yacht girls. As you work up the wealth chain, you may be surprised to recognize some celebrity names synonymous with yachting.

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What is 'yachting' in Hollywood?

In Hollywood, the term yacht girl essentially means a woman who works as an escort for high-end clientele , not just on yachts but for any social event.

While the practice has only somewhat recently gained mainstream notoriety, if you think back on the many tabloid photos of models and actresses on yachts from years past, it appears to be something that's gone on in Hollywood “for 60 years,” according to Elie Nahas, who ran a Beirut-based modeling agency before being arrested on charges of running a prostitution ring in 2007.

In 2013, "The Hollywood Reporter" ran a feature describing this so-called yachting during the Cannes Film Festival.

“Every year during the festival there are 30 or 40 luxury yachts in the bay at Cannes, and every boat belongs to a very rich person. Every boat has about 10 girls on it; they are usually models, and they are usually nude or half nude,” Nahas told THR.

At the end of the night, each woman would receive a “gift,” a generous amount of money that the client would put in an envelope for her.

And while many of these women were self-proclaimed local prostitutes and escorts, the Cannes Film Festival is, of course, known for its celebrity attendees — and it’s rumored that celebrity women trying to fast-track a name for themselves in Hollywood become yacht girls, too.

“Women installed on yachts in Cannes during the film festival are called ‘yacht girls,’ and the line between professional prostitutes and B- or C-list Hollywood actresses and models who accept payment for sex with rich older men is sometimes very blurred, explains one film industry veteran,” Dana Kennedy wrote for THR.

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Some women in Hollywood have accused their celebrity peers of being yacht girls.

A 2017 blind item (celebrity gossip that doesn’t outwardly name the celebrity) allegedly written by a struggling actress describes being lured by another actress into the world of yachting :

“The actress I was talking to made it sound super easy and that she only had [sex] a few times with guys while yachting and that it was mostly partying and being arm candy,” she writes, explaining that eventually she agreed to try it for $25,000 upfront, but admitting that the experience was less than glamorous.

Blind item readers guessed that Canadian actress Vanessa Lengies wrote the blind item and further surmised that it may be one of the Glee actresses Naya Rivera or Heather Morris that introduced her to yachting. None of these claims have ever been substantiated.

If you believe the rumors, it would seem that yachting is a rite of passage for women hoping to “make it” in Hollywood, and even some celebrities we now consider A-List are thought to be former yacht girls.

In an excerpt from her 2021 memoir , “My Body,” Emily Ratajkowski details being paid $25,000 at the start of her career to go to the Superbowl with now-disgraced Malaysian financier Jho Low, who "‘just liked to have famous men and women around,’” she explains her manager told her at the time.

She writes about attending the star-studded Coachella on someone else’s dime, having drinks paid for at clubs, and attending afterparties with Oscar-winning actors before actually becoming a celebrity herself.

One could infer from this recollection that, in order to be able to tell these stories, Ratajkowski was herself a yacht girl. “My Body” suggests as much, and in it, she subtly gives away the identity of another celebrity woman who yachted alongside her.

Ratajkowski describes watching as Low gave shots to a Victoria’s Secret model. While she doesn’t name drop, Ratajkowski gives just enough information for readers to figure who that model likely was.

“Now she kept her eyes locked on him as he took his shot, throwing her head back dramatically as he did, only to quickly toss the alcohol over her shoulder,” Ratajkowski writes. “When he faced her again, her eyes sparkled and the famous dimples appeared on her cheeks.”

Low has since become a fugitive wanted for allegedly running an international money laundering scheme, and in 2017, Reuters reported that model Miranda Kerr — known for her dimples — was being ordered to return “diamond pendants, earrings and other jewelry worth about $8 million” that Low allegedly gifted her to government agents.

In 2017, Ratajkowski also posted a video on Instagram potentially outing Bella Hadid and Hailey Bieber as yacht girls as they danced aboard a yacht during that year’s Cannes Film Festival.

          View this post on Instagram                       A post shared by Emily Ratajkowski (@emrata)

Many people have also accused Meghan Markle of yachting (but then again, what haven't people accused Markle of at this point).

People have pointed to an old photo of Markle on a yacht as proof that she’s a former yacht girl.

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Another old blind item also suggested the former actress was available to “rent.”

"If you see B actress post scantily clad photos of themselves on Social Media, this is often a Comm to [them] that this person is available to ‘rent’ for a weekend of ‘yachting,’” the tweet says, including a photo of Markle in a swimsuit.

"If you see B actress post scantily clad photos of themselves on Social Media, this is often a Comm to [them] that this person is available to “rent” for a weekend of “yachting”. Typically worth $30K for the “party” - Meghan Markle @3Days3Nights https://t.co/E3WfMjnVL9 pic.twitter.com/QFv476GL0b — yacht girl (@yachtgirlmm) November 27, 2019

Markle’s close friendship pre-Harry with actress Priyanka Chopra has naturally led some to guess that Chopra once yachted as well.

Another actress that faces endless rumors of yachting is Russian actress Irina Shayk , which according to THR, is par for the course as the outlet writes that yachting your way to stardom happens with “disturbing frequency,” particularly when it comes to foreign-born actresses.

According to THR, who claims to know “of at least one now-prominent actress who made her first connections on a Cannes yacht and quickly landed her debut role in a U.S.-shot movie,” such as with Shayk’s 2014 film “Hercules,” it’s “a red flag any time you see a foreign-born actress with no credits suddenly make her way into a U.S.-shot movie.”

Of course, when it comes to yachting in Hollywood, all of these claims appear to be unfounded.

These rumors make for good gossip, whether you’re talking about low-level social media influencers or high-profile celebrity actresses.

However, nothing is proven, leaving us to wonder any time we see a photo of women on a yacht.

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Micki Spollen is an editor, writer, and traveler focused on relationships, news, and pop culture. Follow her on Instagram .

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$40,000-a-night escorts: secrets of the cannes call girls.

A businessman -- and Gadhafi associate -- who was convicted in a 2007 prostitution ring bust reveals all the dirty secrets of how models (and even some Hollywood actresses) swarm the hotels and yacht parties during the fest: says one escort, it's "the biggest payday of the year."

By Dana Kennedy

Dana Kennedy

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Cannes Hookers Illustration - P 2013

This story first appeared in the May 17 issue of The Hollywood Reporter magazine.

Like Brad Pitt , Angelina Jolie and Sharon Stone , Lebanese businessman Elie Nahas was once a regular at the Cannes Film Festival .

But since his bust in 2007 for his part in the most explosive prostitution scandal in the history of the festival, Nahas, 48, can’t leave his native Lebanon. He hopes that his eight-year prison sentence, slapped on him in absentia by a French judge after a trial in Marseilles in October, will be overturned on appeal this year, but he’s not overly optimistic. In fact, he also is fearful that if he leaves Lebanon, he’ll be picked up by Interpol.

Nahas, who owns a Beirut-based modeling agency, used to work as a right-hand man for Moatessem Gadhafi , the playboy son of Libyan strongman Muammar Gadhafi, Nahas’ longtime pal. It was during this time that Nahas was arrested on charges of running a prostitution ring that supplied more than 50 women “of various nationalities” to the younger Gadhafi and other rich Middle Eastern clients during the festival. Moatessem was killed with his father in Libya in 2011.

PHOTOS: ‘Cleopatra’ at Cannes (Exclusive)

The women ran the gamut, from full-time escorts to models to beauty queens, and they serviced men in hotels, on yachts and in the palatial villas in the hills above Cannes, police said. Philippe Camps , a lawyer for a Paris-based anti-prostitution organization that was a civil plaintiff in the trial, tells THR that some of the women were brought to Cannes under false pretenses and coerced into prostitution.

Police broke into Nahas’ room at the city’s famed Carlton hotel in August 2007 and arrested him after a lengthy investigation involving wiretaps, which helped them identify Nahas and seven others as key members of the vice ring. (Prostitution is legal in France, but soliciting, whether with advertising or on a street corner, is not.)

Nahas remains bitter about his arrest and subsequent conviction and denies he was running a prostitution ring. He says he was unfairly singled out in a sea of rich players who move in and around the Cannes Film Festival’s second-biggest business after movies: sex.

“Why me?” asks Nahas during a phone interview with THR from Beirut. “The police know what goes on during the film festival, and they turn a blind eye. But they went after me. Why? Because I worked for Gadhafi.”

STORY: Cannes: Justin Timberlake Boarding Neil Bogart Biopic ‘Spinning Gold’

‘They Can Make up to  $40,000 a Night’

Every year, women ranging from what the French call putes de luxes (high-priced call girls), who charge an average of $4,000 a night, to local streetwalkers, who normally get little more than $50 or $75 an hour turning tricks in nearby Nice, converge on Cannes for what one Parisian hooker calls “the biggest payday of the year.” The influx is hard not to notice. “Hookers stand out in Cannes. They’re the ones who are well-dressed and not smoking,” tweeted Roger Ebert in 2010.

“We all look forward to it,” says a local prostitute in Cannes who goes by the name of Daisy on her website but declined to give her surname. Daisy is one of many independent escorts who have their own websites and usually avoid going to hotels and bars — except during the festival. “There’s a lot of competition because there are so many girls, but the local ones have an advantage. We know the hotel concierges.”

The local prostitutes, says Daisy, routinely drop cash off with concierges at the town’s top hotels. In return, if they are lucky, concierges sometimes steer clients their way. During the 10-day festival, an estimated 100 to 200 hookers stroll in and out of the big hotels every day, according to hotel sources.

Nahas says the money can be bigger than most people realize. The most beautiful call girls, he says, know to target the high-end hotels “where all the Arabs stay.”

“They can make up to $40,000 a night,” says Nahas. “Arabs are the most generous people in the world. If they like you, they will give you a lot of money. At Cannes, they carry money around in wads of 10,000 euros. To them, it’s just like paper. They don’t even like to count it. They’ll just hand it to the girls without thinking. I know the system.”

The serious action starts after 10 p.m., he says. Call girls sit in the lobby, and prospective clients check them out.

“It’s all done with hand signals,” he says. “The guys signal their room numbers with their hands and the girls follow them.”

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The Organized Rings

Some of the “luxury prostitutes” come as part of an organized ring, the type of operation that police said Nahas ran, and others fly in small groups on their own, mainly from Paris, London, Venezuela, Brazil, Morocco and Russia. Still others take advantage of the other big event taking place on the Cote d’Azur, the Monaco Grand Prix, and rent hotel rooms in the town of Beausoleil, just behind Monaco, and commute between there and Cannes, a 40-minute drive.

Nahas denies he was running a prostitution ring but admits he arranged for women to come to Cannes during the festival. His job, he says, was to pick them up at Nice International Airport, bring them to the port at Cannes and place them on small boats that took them out to Gadhafi’s yacht, the Che Guevara, and other luxury vessels.

“I was not party to anything else,” insists Nahas. “I don’t know what took place between any of them. I had no part of it. They may have just been there to talk and have fun.”

Until his 2007 arrest, Nahas was best known for throwing a $1 million birthday party for Moatessem Gadhafi in Marrakesh in 2004. He paid Enrique Iglesias $500,000 to attend and flew in Carmen Electra for $50,000, he says. Kevin Costner also attended.

“Gadhafi never touched Carmen,” says Nahas. “In fact, she was a little angry because she felt he didn’t pay enough attention to her. But Gadhafi was shy, believe it or not. Women had to make the first move.” (A spokesperson for Electra could not be reached for comment.)

Nahas — who was jailed for 11 months after his arrest in France then released for lack of proof — says the younger Gadhafi sent him $25,000 a month to live on after his reputation was ruined in Lebanon and he no longer could work. Since Gadhafi’s death, the money has dried up. “I cry blood for him every day,” says Nahas.

When Nahas was arrested, police confiscated an address book that contained dozens of names and contact information for some of the richest princes and potentates in the Middle East. Nahas admits that he knew them all but denies that he procured hookers for them.

But even if he did, says Nahas, there are plenty more like him all over Cannes during the festival.

“Please,” says Nahas. “Every year during the festival there are 30 or 40 luxury yachts in the bay at Cannes, and every boat belongs to a very rich person. Every boat has about 10 girls on it; they are usually models, and they are usually nude or half nude. It’s drugs and drink and beautiful women. Go out on one and you’ll see. The girls are all waiting for their envelopes at the end of the night. It’s been going on there for 60 years.”

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The Envelope, Please

A “gift” contained in an envelope, according to Nahas and a number of veteran Cannes escort women interviewed by THR , is how prostitutes get paid at the festival.

“It’s always a gift,” says a Russian woman who oversees a Paris-based escort agency with branches in London and Dubai. “Clients are told to put the money in an envelope and write ‘gift’ on the outside of it.”

Women installed on yachts in Cannes during the film festival are called “yacht girls,” and the line between professional prostitutes and B- or C-list Hollywood actresses and models who accept payment for sex with rich older men is sometimes very blurred, explains one film industry veteran.

“You’d definitely recognize more than a few names from Hollywood,” he says. “These are actresses who made bad career choices and fell off the radar. They tell themselves what they’re doing at Cannes is OK, that they’re just on dates with rich men, when the reality is they’re doing what prostitutes do. But they like the money.”

Carole Raphaelle Davis — a longtime French-American film and TV actress ( 2 Broke Girls , Angel ) who grew up in international circles in Paris, London and Thailand — says few people realize that some prominent and moneyed society women spent many years as high-priced prostitutes.

STORY: ‘The Great Gatsby’ to Open Cannes Film Festival

Davis, who is married to TV comedy writer Kevin Rooney and divides her time between France and Beverly Hills, says she has two acquaintances who used to work the Cannes Film Festival as well as other exotic locales around the world. “I could never understand how they could do what they did,” says Davis.

Davis says she has been propositioned by some of the richest men in the world but could never imagine sleeping with them for money.

She says the women she knew “traveled the world like jet-setters,” and one of them eventually ended up marrying one of the richest men in France.

“This woman didn’t even enjoy sex, she told me,” says Davis. “But she didn’t mind it, either. She didn’t mind sleeping with men who were repulsive. She said it never lasted more than five minutes, so it wasn’t that bad.”

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Bait and Catch: For Dozens of Young Women Recruited Online, Dreams of Sailing Adventures Turned to Nightmares at Sea.

New York, NY

* This article is the first in a series. Some Accounts Have Been Translated From French .*

They found the opportunities via Facebook groups and websites like CrewBay.com and Findacrew.net. They were all looking for the same thing: an unforgettable adventure as a volunteer crew member on a cruising sailboat, sailing from island to island or crossing an ocean, hoisting sails, catching fish, and living a dream.

     The terms of the gigs varied, but generally the berths were unpaid. The crew members were expected to help the Captain sail and maintain the boat, and to share food expenses in exchange for a place to sleep on a sailboat traveling the world.

     But for dozens of young women from around the globe who were recruited by captains of cruising sailboats via these online platforms, their dreams of adventure turned into horrific nightmares when they found themselves trapped at sea with sexually predatory captains whose criminal objectives seemed premeditated.

     Some of the women MLAA has spoken with were raped aboard the sailboats. Some were raped multiple times. Others found themselves trapped aboard a boat, in a living hell with a man who they later found out was a convicted rapist and serial sexual predator.

     After being lured halfway across the world by a sailboat Captain she met online, Ella Zahav was sexually assaulted by the Captain on her first night aboard the boat. After escaping, she decided to start a Facebook group to warn other women about the man who assaulted her, and about the potential dangers they faced when seeking to volunteer aboard sailboats.

Ella Zahav's Facebook group now has thousands of members, and has collected dozens of written accounts of sexual abuse from women who were sexually harassed, assaulted, and abused after being lured aboard sailboats as crew members. While all of the testimonials so far collected by her group are from women, it is a danger that young men also likely face.

     Ella Zahav and the authors of some of those collected testimonials have agreed to allow MLAA to publish their stories in order to help spread awareness of the dangers facing women and men seeking to become volunteer crew members aboard cruising sailboats.

In the future we will publish more of these testimonies, and we will also publish stories on the role played by online platforms in facilitating this maritime sexual abuse.

1) Never Sail Alone. I Learned the Hard Way.

     “A,” 21 years old: I am a 21-year-old young woman, very jovial and sometimes a little naive. Via the Facebook group “Entraide equipiers Polynésie,” which is a group where people can find opportunities to crew on cruising sailboats, I found a boat that was going to be sailing to the Leeward Islands for 3 weeks.

     The Captain was almost 70 years old, and had been recommended by two of my relatives as well as by a crew member who had sailed with him a few months earlier. Before boarding the sailboat as a crew member, I felt that I had taken the necessary precautions and that I knew the risks.

     This first week aboard the sailboat was extraordinary. The crew member who had recommended the Captain to me was still aboard, and the three of us got along very well. But once that crew member left, things started to get complicated.

     The Captain always remained nice and was never verbally aggressive. But on the contrary, he was too nice. Too many compliments, too many innuendos on my “perfection,” which he said would have made him fall in love with me if he had been younger. He also began to talk to me about his sexual conquests and adventures. So far it was nothing too mean, although it began to make me more than uncomfortable.

      And then one morning he arrived at my cabin with a sex toy. It was a gift for me, he said. “I offer one to all of my friends,” the Captain told me.  But to me, it was deeply weird.

     But I said to myself, “hey, despite everything, in a few days another crew member will come aboard, so everything will be fine.”

     Indeed another crew member did arrive and she stayed 5 days with us. During that time everything returned to normal. Then one morning she left the boat, and from the moment I was again alone with the Captain, his inappropriate behavior started again.

     During the afternoon, while we were on the dinghy, he said to me, “I love you, I want you, I want to caress you, to do you good, to make you happy, at least let me give you a massage, or else give you a toy again, knowing that you're having fun gives me pleasure too. Don't worry, your boyfriend won't know. And please stop hiding your buttocks all day. Stay in your swimsuit, I like to see your ass.” He then began to caress my buttocks while I was driving the dinghy back to the boat.

     I was so shocked and scared, but back on the sailboat I managed to have a calm discussion with him about his behavior. But even after an apology from him, I had a lump in my stomach, a tight heart, and the urge to cry in his presence. I managed to ask him to disembark me as soon as possible, and I spent the rest of my time aboard the boat locked in my cabin while staying in touch with other girls in Ella Zahav's Facebook group. That Facebook group is dedicated to women who wish to sail safely in French Polynesia.

     Eventually I was able to leave the sailboat. I know that much worse could have happened to me on that boat, and that many other women have been through much worse while crewing on sailboats. My message to women who want to crew on a sailboat is this: NEVER think that you are safe onboard a sailboat.

     Even if the Captain has been recommended, do not sail alone, please. Before my experience, I had been advised to avoid it myself. I only half listened and did not heed the advice. I hope my testimony will convince you not to make the same mistake I made. And above all, if something like this happens to you, or has happened to you, remember that it is NOT your fault.

       Thanks for reading.

2) Going Alone Was A Big Mistake

“V,” 35 years old : I had an experience in June 2020 with a French captain, L, skipper from mainland France who was spending a year in the West Indies and then returning to the South of France by crossing the Atlantic.

I found the opportunity to sail on his boat through a Facebook group that matches volunteer crew members with Captains who have sailboats and are looking for crew. He was looking for crew members to cross the Atlantic with him.

I left alone with him on the crossing, and things went very badly. He had an extremely problematic personality that clearly resulted in dangerousness.

Before I joined his sailboat, I had some sailing experience, possessed skills, and I wanted to learn more and to share the experience of crossing the Atlantic Ocean.

L gave me sailing lessons, but he had a very extreme way of expressing things. He acted all the time in a very authoritarian, rigid, maniacal, and nearly paranoid manner. He was constantly yelling at me for ridiculous things, like not putting a spoon in the right place, or about the toilet seat. Every day I had a little less freedom regarding my life on the boat.

After a while, I was no longer allowed to listen to music or allowed to charge my computer. He yelled at me every day at the same time. After a while, I could no longer take his abuse, and I withdrew completely. I spent four days not talking and I stopped eating. In response, he threw things on the ground, yelled at himself, yelled at me. After a while I had to yell back at him, which required me to leave my comfort zone. Luckily, I had an Iridium satellite phone that allowed me to contact my family.

He began exposing himself to me, walking around naked, even though he had explicitly agreed he would not do that before I boarded the boat. One day it suddenly occurred to me that we were in the middle of the ocean, and that at any moment he could knock me down and rape me. So I began walking around with a knife in my pocket at all times.

It was a horrible experience. But fortunately, I was neither sexually assaulted nor raped. But I had to endure his violence, hide my personality, give up having an opinion, give up sharing, talking, and eating too. I was forced to constantly dodge the moments of yelling, rejecting his abusive judgments, and trying to laugh at his despotic reactions.

Afterwards, I thought about suing him for what he put me through. But alone, I didn't have the strength.

It is very important for us girls to have some kind of « safety code of conduct » for these arrangements, because it happens too quickly.

Going alone with him was a big mistake.]

3) I Spent 3 Weeks Aboard a Catamaran and I Never Felt Safe.

“T,” 24 years old: I spent several weeks in French Polynesia aboard P.'s sailing catamaran when I was 24, and I never felt safe. I found the opportunity via a local sailing Facebook group, “Équipiers et Entraide voiles de Polynésie,” which matches crew members with Captains who have sailboats.

    There are several different factors that help to explain the discomfort and unease that I felt, but they all have to do with the behavior of the Captain.

     First, I never met the Captain before boarding the boat and did not have a chance to get to know him, because he wanted a very quick departure after I arrived. We only talked on the phone. And I would later learn that on the phone he lied to me about his age. On the phone he told me that he was 48 years old (“twice my age”). But he was really 65.

     His behavior towards me would eventually leave me in tears and panicking, and begging him to let me off the boat early.

     He began to talk about sex a lot, and made it clear to me that he had a lot of sexual experience and that it was a shame that I did not take advantage his experience. He told me that he sometimes got naked “just to swim,” which he did. But by the end, he was often naked on the boat as well.

     Once, he crept up behind me and kissed me on my neck. I hadn't seen him approaching. After he kissed me, I told him never to do that again. His only response was “you're the only girl who doesn't like my kisses.”

     I was afraid he would attack me in my sleep, and he seemed to sense this fear. So he decided to reassure me that he didn't intend to attack me by telling me, “come and take a nap next to me naked. You'll see I won't do anything to you. Well, unless you jump on me!”

     His behavior was outrageous, and made me very uncomfortable and afraid. Because of this, I told him that I wanted us to finish the trip earlier than planned. In response he told me that was not possible, because that was not what was planned and because it doesn't happen like that on a sailboat. This was despite the fact that I was in tears and obviously panicking when I asked him to let me off the boat early.

     It was a very scary situation. After I got off the boat I did not file a complaint with the police, because I really just wanted to leave the experience behind me. But if there are people who have had similar experiences with the same Captain, then I am ready to file a complaint against him to support them.

4) I am a Victim of a Narcissistic, Perverted Sailboat Captain

     “E,” 22 years old: I recently spent over a month on a boat in Tahiti with a man in his 60s. This man owns a trimaran and recruits girls to come sail and live with him via the Workaway site, which thankfully banned him after I reported him.

     This man calls himself seductive and he plays on his charm. He talks about sexuality very easily–too easily. One thing he doesn’t tell you before you get to the boat is that he is a nudist, and lives naked on his boat, and sometimes wearing only a small sarong.

     He knows how to highlight you, how to make you feel good about yourself, and he compliments you every day. This way of being speaks to girls, it makes you dream, he’s very talkative, leaving no room for the other person's words. He’s sure of himself, very imbued with his own person. You don't know why, but you somehow become attached to him and enjoy his company. It is the typical profile of a narcissistic pervert.

     His approach technique: One evening on his boat, he put on an act for me. He served me dinner and then an aperitif. Before this night, he had not even moved the shadow of a finger towards me, but after several drinks he offered me a massage, which I foolishly accepted.

     As a result, I fell asleep in my chair. And a question that remains in my mind is, “did he put something in my drink?

     In a little bit of a daze, I got up and decided to go to sleep on the trampoline. He accompanied me and stayed with me. I sank fast into Morpheus' arms. And again, I can't rule out that something was put into my drink. When I woke up in the middle of the night I felt a hand caressing my private parts. I changed position and pretended not to have seen or felt anything.

     Foolishly, we accept these kinds of things, and we tell ourselves that it does not matter.

     There would be two more attempts after that one. You say to yourself now, “Why didn’t she just leave?”

     Because girls, when you're with this kind of person you don't even have the time or the energy to think for yourself. He does everything to make you depend on him, and while I was with him, I didn't even realize that I was under his control, or that I was a victim of him.

     There was no rape, other than this sexual touching. We generally lived in his house with his family and he was very busy and had little time to give. But now that he lives on his boat, he is a dangerous man. And that is why I took the personal risk of denouncing him on Ella Zahav's Facebook Group as a precaution and to ensure that he doesn't do worse to other women.

     Now that I'm no longer with him and have taken the necessary step back, I realize that I had literally been manipulated by him. So I decided to tell him how I felt, and what did he say to me?

     First, he pretended not to UNDERSTAND what I wanted to talk about, which is typical. But then the jackpot: “You told me you liked it,” he said.

     False! I did not like it. Narcissistic perverts never take responsibility and will always try to turn the situation around on you. They are very good at it, so don't let yourself get carried away!

     And above all, do not doubt yourself. If you think you are in this kind of situation, first FLEE . And second DENOUNCE them.

     If you don’t, they will start again with someone else.

5) It almost happened to me, too.

“ M,” 33 years old: I was working on a small sailing yacht in the south Pacific that did charters. The customers had just left the day before, and we were waiting on our next group.

There were only three of us onboard, and I was the only woman.

One of the men was the new skipper, who had only arrived that morning. He spent the day drinking, and I could tell he was trouble. That night I trusted my intuition and double-locked myself inside of the guests’ cabin, because I did not trust him.

Drunk, he spent the whole night knocking on doors and trying to find me. I didn’t sleep the entire night. I was supposed to sail with them to Fiji, New Zealand, Asia and then Europe. At that time in my life it was the dream trip. But after that night of terror I cancelled everything, left the boat in the morning, and flew back to Papeete, Tahiti, in French Polynesia.

That was in 2011. 10 years ago, now. And I haven’t chartered since.

Some people I see online don’t believe that these things happen. But before saying that it's rare, or that it “doesn't happen here”, open your eyes and ears wide.

Look around you. Ask questions.

Silences often carry messages.

Other messages end in deafening howls.

6) Flabbergasted at the extent of sexual assault harassment in the world of co-cruising

“L,” 28 years old:

( Context: The other crew member is 24 years old. The captain (X), 62 years old. )

I contacted X following his post on a crewing website where he published his ad looking for a crew to charter a Catamaran from France to Belgium.

We exchanged a few messages and then proceeded to a phone call before confirming our respective wish to navigate together. My main concern was to make sure that other crew would be present, to ensure my safety as a young woman traveling alone. He confirmed that another crew member (a young Frenchman like me) would be boarding at the same time: I was reassured. I also had a good feeling with the captain.

We agreed to meet on the boat the following Tuesday, for a departure on Wednesday. I was very excited about this experience. On D-Day, the meeting goes well. The captain seems relaxed and the other crew is very nice.

The captain tells us that our neighbours from the boat next door, whom he met a little earlier, are coming for a drink. He tells us that we are free to drink alcohol as long as we are moored. A good evening ahead!

However, very quickly, I noticed that our captain drinks one glass of wine after the other at a steady pace. His bottle of rosé is quickly finished, he then starts the wine bag-in-box. He quickly gets tipsy. He talks and laughs loudly, monopolizes the discussion, enters into long monologues about the care he takes of the safety of his crew members (speech which clashes a little with his blood alcohol level at that time).

As the evening progresses, he is also very emboldened with the other captain (a female). He is getting closer physically. He grabs her face and kisses her heavily on the cheek multiple times. As she prepares to sit down, he spanks her. He runs his hands behind her back.

On her side, she does not make such gestures towards him, but does not reject any of his. She is a priori ok with what is happening. All well and good.

The vibe on the boat makes me feel uneasy. My captain has installed a ribald atmosphere there that makes me uncomfortable. We, the crew of the 2 boats, are also embarrassed by the explicit physical rapprochement that takes place in front of us. Finally, the game I am watching tells me about the fact that his marital status (he had told us that he was married) does not prevent him from seeking rapprochement with other women. I take note of that.

The next day, we cast off. Our captain has recovered his sobriety. His normal attitude back, on the whole pleasant. I regain my enthusiasm.

At the end of the afternoon, as soon as we are moored in the port and the stewardship has been taken care of, our captain takes out his wine Bag-in-Box.

Quickly, his attitude changes again. He is now getting heated when he hears of certain subjects, such as when I mention the fact that my father asks me about the non-updating of our GPS location (normally consultable in real time via a system provided by the company of the captain) since 11 am. I then undergo a 20-minute sermon on the fact that he is not accountable to our parents, and that he does not want them to interfere with our life on board. I am shocked by this sudden and disproportionate vehemence.

As the aperitif progresses, the saucy remarks and jokes are back. He makes more and more comments of a sexual nature.

He tells us, for example, that his wife no longer wants to have sex with him. That he has a mistress in a nearby port, and that she keeps sending him messages so that they can see each other, because she wants to be "fucked tonight". He laughs as he tells us this, ignoring our barely hidden embarrassment.

He also returns to his rapprochement the day before with the female captain. He wants to share his analysis with us: according to him, given her attitude, this woman is “thirsty for sex”. He will repeat it to us several times in the evening.

His words make me more and more uncomfortable. I let him know, several times.

This makes him angry. He tells me that he has already had problems with other young women (here you go), and that he must clear up any doubts about the problems that I could create for him.

He wants to make it clear that there is no "sexual tension" between us. He has 2 main arguments: if his words make me uncomfortable, it's because I don't have a sense of humor. Besides, I am "the age of his daughters", which makes it quite obvious that he has no sexual thoughts against me.

His justifications do not reassure me at all. And this monologue, which will last for a good 20 minutes, and during which the expression "sexual tension" will be used every 3 sentences or so, by a stranger of my father's age, only increases my anxiety.

During this evening, he also begins to impose a certain physical closeness on me. When we are standing, and he is talking to me, he stands much closer to me than normal. When hilariously phrasing his "saucy jokes", he puts his hand on my shoulders. When he wants to pass behind me, he does not hesitate to put his hands on my hips as if to shift me. At some point in the evening when a song he particularly likes is playing, he takes my hand and leads me into a forced dance.

As he talks about his sex life again, it is my teammate who this time asks him to stop. It is his turn to find himself castigated: he is referred to as a "pussy".

The atmosphere is more than heavy. The attitude of our captain is increasingly hostile and intimidating. My teammate and I are deploying considerable energy to take it upon ourselves and prevent the situation from degenerating.

I am in such a state of nervousness, that I find it difficult to look at him now, for fear of letting my thoughts show through and provoking his anger. I have my nose in my plate. He notices this and aggressively demands that I look him in the eyes. I find myself forced, for the rest of the evening, to stare into his, otherwise I will be violently reprimanded.

I have to look him in the eye even when he wants to come back for the umpteenth time on the misunderstanding that there could be about a potential "sexual tension" between us. He tells me that given the problems he has had in the past, he will have me sign a document in which I agree not to take legal action against him.

At 9 p.m., we pretended to be very tired from our first day of sailing, to express the wish to go to bed. Unexpectedly, he is not holding us back. We each disappear into our respective cabins. 5 minutes later, he informs us, in a playful and amused voice, that his mistress will pick him up.

He descends into our hull and approaches my cabin: he offers to leave me his hot water bottle, as I was cold last night. I thank him, and wish him a good evening. Unfortunately, he does not go upstairs. But approaches and stops in the frame of my cabin. He launches a small-talk conversation, which clashes with his outbursts of the evening. With his imposing stature, his hands resting on the top of the door, I can no longer see the hallway. Nor my teammate's cabin, which faces mine. My heart is beating fast. I feel oppressed. I am scared.

After 5 minutes of what he probably experienced, blinded by alcohol, as a "cheerful chat", he decides to go back upstairs.

I meet my teammate's gaze across the hall. I burst into tears. But of course in silence, so as not to be overheard by the captain.

Once the captain has left, I tell my teammate that I want to leave. Just as disgusted by the course of the evening, he tells me that he is leaving with me.

The first train from this town is at 5.45am. The captain must return in the early morning. Our cabins are locked. So we decide to stay on the boat, but set an alarm clock at 4:30 a.m. to head for the station.

Our captain finally returns at midnight. I'll spare you the details, but I'll let you imagine the almost sleepless night, then the escape from the boat at 4:30 a.m., fear in your stomach at the idea of waking up the captain.

It's been 5 days since I came back from this experience.

A police officer with whom I have spoken since confirmed to me that these facts “constitute harassment and sexual assault”. That these facts "are punishable" and that I am "legitimate to file a complaint".

I am still partly flabbergasted.

Stunned by the behaviour of this captain, and the fact that he sincerely seems not to understand how his words and his attitude are abnormal and serious.

Finally, flabbergasted to discover the extent of the phenomenon in the world of co-cruising, and the little means to fight and prevent it put in place by most crewing sites until today to deal with it.

Based on my experience, I would advise young women the following:

-Do not embark alone with a captain.

-Whatever the configuration of the crew (my experience shows that captains can get tough even in the presence of third parties), seek opinions/feedback from former teammates on the captain with whom you plan to embark.

-Ask to plan a few days ashore or a few stopovers before leaving for the open sea.

-Do not hesitate to disembark the ship at the first signs of discomfort.

7) The risk of onboard abuse is far more threatening than the risks associated with sailing

“ R,” 52 years old: I find the risks of crewing and the potential abuse far more threatening than the risks associated with actually sailing on the ocean! (…) To be honest, so many men/captains in the sailing community are so sexually inappropriate.. . I don’t think I’ve ever been offered so much sex. I have even been told by one captain that if I didn’t have sex with him within so many weeks onboard, I would have to get off the boat...

8) Distraught by the number of men who will try anything to get you on a sailboat for reasons other than sailing

“ C,” 21 years old : Last summer when looking for sailing opportunities on a facebook group called "Voileux du Québec", I was a bit distraught by the amount of men that will try anything to get you on a sailboat for reasons other than sailing, so I’m really happy this female crew supporting facebook group exists to help us look out for each other.

9) The only thing on his mind was convincing me to sleep with him

“ V,” 45 years old : Found via the website workaway (which banned him immediately after another female crew member of the collective sent them a report about him), this captain came to pick me up at the airport in French Polynesia.

We then went to his sailboat, a very nice one. The boat is docked far away from the pier and the marina, and the only way to get in or out of it, is to use a kayak or a canoe that is located on the boat, precisely, on a net, very high from the water level. So in order to use it to leave the boat, you have to be a strong and fit person!

The first thing he told when we were on the catamaran, was that he normally stays naked onboard, but because I was here he would put on a mini pareo-skirt with lots of holes in it: you could basically see everything through!! Not exactly what I wanted to see from my host of 65 years of age!!!

So from day 1, the whole situation, being on the boat with him, far away from the shore, was already unpleasant for me, not what I had hoped for, and I soon had the feeling of being trapped on a boat with someone potentially "dangerous", expecting or wanting something from me!

So from day 1, I started to think about my way out of there! We went for a swim, and he asked me if I wanted to go naked, obviously I said no, but I had the impression he was really watching me, like analyzing my body figure and mentally judging my physical appearance! In fact that day, over a conversation, he told that my breasts were small and that he did not like me with my hair tied up in a ponytail!

He also told me a lot about all the different women he had had in his life, sometimes even personal sexual details: his various relationship with women from all over the world, all younger than him, some of them could have been his daughters! He told me that he liked to dance Latin music, and that he often met women at dance clubs also, younger than him, he would show me photos of his girlfriends, and tell me how he approached them.

Every now and then he would approach me and give me a kiss on the cheek, or give me a hug, and one day he danced Latin music with me on the deck, which was ok, except that he was always wearing almost nothing, it was unpleasant for me!

He hugged me once, while we were watching something on his phone, in his cabin, but nothing more than this, probably because I gave no signs of any interest towards him. I'm telling all this because I had the impression, since my arrival, that he was trying to show me how charming he was with women, how knowledgeable he was while talking about different subjects, trying to show how interesting a man he was, so that I would get more appreciative and in the end, closer to him. One evening, he made cocktails with rum, maybe that his idea was to get me drunk, but it didn’t work out.

There is no wifi on his boat, therefore there was no way for me to contact anybody, or to check things online. When I asked for it, he gave me the password, but only for a very short time because it was too expensive he said.

After 3 days, when he realized I was not going to surrender, that I was mentally strong, not easy to convince, and that it was impossible to impress me, and that probably he didn't like me much anyway, since I'm not young and pretty like the others, he stopped talking to me, being nice or smiling, but instead he just told me what I had to do on the boat: cleaning etc…

I was looking forward to leaving his boat, I did not feel comfortable being with him since my arrival, and when I told him that I wanted to leave and go to another island, after only 3 days, he was not happy but he said ok, that he would take me ashore.

Once we came ashore, with the canoe, he said goodbye and left me there, 4km away from the nearest Port, with my backpack and a strong sun, telling me to walk or to hitchhike! The truth is that I felt trapped on his boat. As I said, it is not easy at all to go ashore alone, so in the end I found myself confined in a small space, with a man almost naked, that I did not like at all, of 65 years of age, whose only thing in mind was to convince me to sleep with him. Maybe I was also "lucky", in a way, because I was not his type or not young enough for him.

10) After a Bad Experience I wanted to Report the Captain, but I Decided it was Pointless.

(* Names have been changed )

“V”, 35 years old : In October 2019, I find myself on a small island looking to crew on a new sailboat for the rest of my adventures.

I log on to “ findacrew.net ” and come across an interesting ad. The captain and his girlfriend are on the island, after a few messages exchanged we agree to meet. And so I meet this couple, Tania* and Gary*. They are enthusiastic and pleasant. Their boat is finally ready after months in the shipyard. I also meet their teammate who has just arrived. The energy is good, so I embark for a small crossing of 3-4 days for the next islands.

The crossing is going pretty well (despite the terrible seasickness that overwhelms Tania and our teammate). Once arrived, I spend a few days on board, and then I leave the boat. Gary and Tania already have a complete crew for the rest of their adventures. I continue mine on my side. However, some time later, Gary calls me. He tells me that the agreement went south with their new partner and suggests that I join them for the rest of the journey. There will be two team members until the next archipelago, then one of the two will leave. We will be 4 for “the big crossing”, I will have a single cabin for the whole journey. I take time to reflect upon this proposal. I got along very well with Tania, she's a good travel companion with whom I really like to "chat", laugh, talk (when she's not seasick). Gary is sometimes rigid like a “control freak”, but most captains are (it seems to me at the time).

I accept and embark on this next step, which is going well overall. Tania is not in great shape, she suffers again from seasickness during the almost 5 days of navigation. She is also sad because she left the island where she is from and her family, for the floating adventure. She confesses to me that she does not like the boat. But she loves Gary and she decided to follow him in his dream (beginning to understand the man, she really had no choice).

Christmas passes, we eventually have a last minute team change (which turns out to be a lucky one, because we get along very quickly). After a “collision” with the captain (because I refuse to let him dictate my life when we are at the dock, “control freak” I told you!) we are ready for the big departure! The first few days are going pretty well. Tania is not “too” sick, a steady wind is blowing in our sails, and after a few days we have picked up the pace of long sailings. Gary “relaxes”, begins to trust Pascal* the new teammate.

Then we face a few days of heavy weather. Tania is struck down again. She does not get up anymore, feeds with difficulty and we have to insist that she gets enough hydration. We are all 3 concerned about her. Night shifts are modified. I am now replaced by Gary in the middle of the night. One night, Gary comes on deck complaining of a stiff neck. I inform him that I have oils that could relieve him. He replaces me at the helm and I go get them. I suggest that he take the helm again, while he takes care of his neck. We don't have an autopilot. He asks me if I would agree to apply the mixture to him, it will be faster. No worries, no ambiguities on my part, I comply without a second thought. He thanks me and I go to bed.

A few days later, Tania is a little better. She resumes her night shifts. She replaces Gary. I am in a deep sleep when I am awakened by a hand which caresses my forearm, the head, the nape of the neck. I quickly open my eyes and push away the stranger. Gary is sitting on the edge of my bunk. I do not understand. I ask him if there is a change of wind, if he needs us for a maneuver. He answers me in the negative. He claims to still have a sore neck, and wants me to massage him. I tell him to take the bottle in my toiletry bag, and to manage by himself. I don't understand his request, I'm still in a sleepy limbo. He caresses my face and whispers in my ear that he would like a massage without oil, so that Tania doesn't feel it. I understand. I physically push him away and tell him it's out of the question. I firmly ask him to leave my cabin. He runs. Some time later, here he is again. I sit down and ask him what he's still doing there. He tells me that he does not understand what is happening to him. He tells me he likes me. That he wants me. That I remind him of his ex. That he needs sex because Tania is so sick. That he feels a sexual energy that emanates from me. And plunges his head in my neck, clings to me, tries to kiss me. I push him away again and try to reason with him. He is wrong. He loves Tania and shouldn't project his desires and frustrations onto me. I firmly ask him to leave my cabin and to never come back. He apologizes and leaves. I am disgusted, challenged! I didn't expect this kind of behavior from him. I'm mad. How dare he jeopardize this harmony that we have achieved? Why does he break the bond of trust in the middle of the ocean? I feel trapped. I want to yell at him but I dare not. I'm afraid of Tania's reaction if she found out. She is already in so much pain that I dare not imagine her reaction if she knew of his actions. I don't want Pascal to know either. I'm afraid of creating a crisis that could put all four of us in danger. I only fall asleep at the next shift change. Pascal is awake, at the helm, Tania joins Gary, he can't try anything more.

The following night, when he comes to replace me, I am very cold towards him. He wants to talk. I tell him that I don't want to. He apologizes for his actions and thanks me for my “wise words”. I'm going to bed. I imagine this story is behind us. I avoid Gary as much as possible without it being too obvious. I want nothing to show through until we reach land. Tania again experiences a period of intense seasickness. She lies down day and night. Our shifts are getting longer. I regained some confidence. Gary tries to spend more time with me. He joins me shortly before his shift, sits down beside me and confides in me. I keep a very neutral tone and try to make him aware of “his stupidity”.

He extends my presence at the helm, claiming he has “tasks” as captain. He comes back, asks me if I'm still in good enough shape to stay at the helm, while he recovers a little before replacing me. I accept. I'm doing my part so that the 3-people shift isn't too heavy for Gary or Pascal. He sits next to me, we exchange a few words about the sea conditions and the wind. And like nothing, he runs his hand behind my back, sneaks under my clothes. I ask him to remove his hand. He does. He apologizes. I am very upset! I ask him if he is joking, I thought he understood that his actions were inappropriate. He makes excuses. Puts the blame on me. I am too “sexy” in certain situations. He cites a lot of mundane occasions when I felt safe to act without feeling like my body was being watched, sexualized. I'm disgusted. I leave him at the helm and I go to bed.

The rest of the crossing goes smoothly. The euphoria of the arrival is spoiled by a violent dispute between the couple. Gary was despicable with Tania, we tried anchoring 4 times because he was dissatisfied (anchor dropped too quickly, not enough, not quickly enough…).

In the following days, I leave the boat. I can't wait to discover this beautiful island and I'm relieved to be away from Gary. I wanted to report him to “ findacrew.net ”, but when I discovered their policy of comments and report of bad experiences, I abandoned the idea. Indeed, the site announces that it does not want to take sides in conflicts between users and that they will not judge the actions problematic on the basis of the testimony of a single person. “What good is it if my word is questioned? ” I say to myself. I give up on the idea and learn to live with what happened.

11) The Crewing Platforms are Dangerous. They Should be Investigated by the Authorities.

“ C”, 38 years old : I was assaulted by a captain and afterwards I reported him to Crewbay.com , the site where he found me. The reaction I received from Crewbay.com was very problematic, and they refused to do any prevention to curb those assaults despite me and other victims asking repeatedly for a year. By their behavior I believe they became de facto enablers of these crimes. Then, a few months after I reported the man who assaulted me to Crewbay, a female crew friend told me that the Captain was still recruiting women on Findacrew.net , a competing crewing platform.

I tried to alert Findacrew.net, but they kept on being very aggressive towards me, forcing me without any empathy to disclose intimate details of my ordeal, while being obsessed with Crewbay, somehow.

I spoke to a woman who was very poorly trained on how to handle traumatized survivors, insisting constantly on the need to be suspicious of any reports because of the rights of the captains. At the end, it was such a horrible experience for me that I decided to give up, and I put an end to the exchange.

I know the collective of victims also tried to contact them to kindly know what was their Sexual assault/Sexual harassment (SASH) prevention policy. They sent, I believe, 4 emails in total. Findacrew.net never cared to answer. So the collective tried to reach their CEO on Facebook, as they do a lot of outreach on social networks, and what was his reaction? He blocked them without even a word.

To learn about this reaction was very traumatizing for me, because there are many young women on this website, and they are put at risk. Also, I can’t understand how someone can react in such a mean, sadistic manner, to a collective of victims. Women and girls whose sailing dreams were shattered, bodies were violated, and who live with ptsd. It’s horrible. And Crewbay.com is not better, not doing any prevention either, while it would be so easy to avoid more victims. To understand the dangerosity of Crewbay.com : they hosted the profile of a Swiss convicted rapist who assaulted at least 3 young women he recruited via Crewbay in one year (2021). Shame on them. The authorities should look into those platforms and force them to stop endangering and traumatizing the women and girls. Or simply close them until they learn that female crew safety from SASH is a priority.

12) "I had no Idea I was Embarking with a Convicted Rapist. I was Trusting Crewbay.com to be a Safe Platform: It is Not. This Man Assaulted Me."

“A”, 24 years old: In January 2021, on the advice of a friend, I registered on Crewbay.com and Bourse aux Équipiers to familiarise myself with the sailing world as I was considering hitchhiking across the Atlantic, mostly because I care about the environment and I want to avoid flying. I indicated that I was Novice Crew, wanted to learn to sail and was offering voluntary work. Hans Klaar (note from the facebook group admins: we name him because he was already convicted for rape in South Africa. See the Mail and Guardian article: “ Who is Hans Klaar? ”) contacted me the same day via Crewbay.com and said: Hey I'm at Port Louis now, come visit my boat and we can see if we can help each other out (something like that). Very enthusiastically I was happy to be able to visit a sailboat, especially one made of wood with such a cool story! We got in touch via whats app in German, I told him I would drop by for a day, and then see if I could imagine a longer time on his boat. On 29.01. I left in the morning, my flatmate M. spontaneously joined me because he was also thinking of sailing across the Atlantic. I informed Klaar about it, there was a short okay. On the boat was B., who stayed with Klaar for a few weeks via airbnb, Klaar's sister with her two children and later a female backpacker who wanted to look at his boat joined too. M. and I were both very excited about the boat, which was made of recycled materials, all the artefacts and bizarre items he collected in the boat, his stories fascinated us. The atmosphere was very relaxed, there was a lot of laughter, I think I was a bit enchanted to be on an authentic wooden sailing boat in the Caribbean and Klaar came across as very likeable. His socially critical nature, the values he seemed to have, his philosophies of life resonated with mine. We agreed that I would come to the boat in a few days for 4 nights and help him with tourists who would stay at the boat for one night. He listed some more work that we should do together sometime in the next few months. But as I said, I wanted to stay with him for a few days first. When I asked him what I should pay him, he said it would be fine. I insisted that I would at least like to pay for the food. He then said that I would also be working, and that would be fine. On 3 February, I set off for Klaar's boat, already feeling a bit queasy, "I'm going alone on an older man's boat, I hope he's not a creep or something.” But I quickly shooed those thoughts away because I don't always want to think like that, I don't want to suspect the worst and I believe in the good in people and don't want to accuse him of something he's not. Besides, I was already so looking forward to the experience, so I didn't want to hold myself back from it. After I asked what I could bring, he said apples and red wine. I arrived at his boat, B. was also present. The atmosphere between the two was a bit charged at times, but always in an amused way, both got on each other's nerves sometimes but knew how to deal with it and also found it entertaining, or so it seemed to me. Klaar showed me my bunk, it was on the same side of the catamaran as his, B. had her bunk on the other side. For a moment I was puzzled but convinced myself that she wanted her privacy since she was on the boat for a month and that the tourists would be coming the next day and they would be sleeping on the other side in the double bed, so I had no worries. I was full of energy and driven to learn as much as I could about sailing and life on the boat. I talked a lot with Klaar, read the book "sailing for dummies" and practiced knots, I helped B. with the cooking, did the dishes and wanted to be as helpful as possible, asked Klaar many things and was in general very curious. In the course of the day I noticed that Klaar was watching me more often, occasionally stroking my back or touching me on the arm, but I took that as a friendly gesture, attributed it to his seaman-like manner, that he is simply open and talks and does a lot with his hands. Besides, I wanted to please him in a way that he would see that I was serious about sailing, that I was striving to be hard working and that he would find me interesting as crew, so that he might actually take me across the Atlantic. Klaar tells me about his 23-year-old girlfriend, which surprised me at first because he said he's 47 and there's already a big age difference, but I'm an open-minded person and thought that it must be right for the two of them and that I shouldn't interfere if they're happy. Besides, it put to rest my doubts that he would find me interesting in a sexual way, because I thought he was in a monogamous closed relationship. I later read in an article about him that he was actually 57, so he lied about his age. (Facebook group admins: Many captains do, alas, and since Crewbay doesn't verify their identities, they are free to do so. Some also lie on their real names, which is even more serious). After dinner with Klaar's sister and her family he and I talked by his bunk, I leaned on the opposite side, then he asked me to lie down with him. I firmly but kindly declined, finding it strange and inappropriate, but figuring it was even more awkward for him to have been turned down, so I quickly filled the brief silence with another question about sailing or something. We gossiped on for a while longer, he asked me again, I declined again and soon said that I was tired and would go to sleep. The next day (04.02.2021) I devoted myself again to my reading and the tasks on the boat. Around noon, a young couple that had booked themselves a night on the boat arrived. Then we sailed off, it's my first time on the sailboat and I execute out all his commands, he's a good captain and we sailed for a few hours before anchoring again off a small island. At one point during the sail I'm standing around enjoying the ride when he comes and hugs me from behind, I was totally taken aback and didn't know how to react. I was embarrassed, especially in front of the couple and in front of B.. In my overwhelm I just smiled and didn't know how to get out of this situation. Later he sat down behind me as if we were really already good friends or a couple, but in any case we were not at all ready for such physical closeness. In principle, I am a very warm and cuddly person, but I hardly knew him and found it strange to cuddle with a strange man who was almost 30 years older than me. On the other hand, I also try to think outside the box, not always believing that older men want something sexual from younger women, but that maybe they just want an unconventional friendship that has nothing to do with romance or sexual needs. But the moment was still very uncomfortable and I somehow managed to free myself from it. I found Klaar very unsympathetic towards the guy, they were going to fish but it didn't work out very well and he blamed the guy's lack of fishing skills. So we anchored, all the boats around were watching us, there is something unique about sailing on Ontong Java, I was so happy and proud to be there. We went snorkelling, I swam around different places, he often sought my proximity, that's when I became more aware that it's not just a gut feeling that he's interested in me, but that it's really a fact. But that doesn't necessarily mean that he's going to throw himself at me. The day passed quickly with cooking and washing up and talking, I tried to avoid him a bit, specially when I was in my swimsuit. Sitting around the campfire, he and I talk and drink wine, then I address his privacy-intrusive behavior and explained that I'm an open and outgoing person, and if he needs a bit of physical closeness, I understand because that's a human need, but I can only offer him hugs and if he's hoping for more there, I find that uncool and inappropriate. I thought that would avert the danger and awkwardness right away. Then he said dryly: "What did you think? You're a pretty young woman and I'm a man, of course I want a sexual exchange with you, that's only natural". I wasn't prepared for that, I thought he would feel caught and pretend he wasn't interested at all and that he was sorry if he conveyed that feeling. But on the contrary. He was more self-fulfilled than ever and said that sex is fun and that these traditional thought patterns of monogamy and the age difference are just a social construct. We discussed it at length, and I agreed with the saying that his view of sexual exchange was not reprehensible, but that I was just not interested in it. With this disagreement, I thought the subject was settled. He showed me a few more constellations and then we went down to the bunks. He was still looking for something to show me, so I stand in front of his bunk as I did the night before and we still talk while he lies on his bed. Then he asked me if I would please lie down with him. I said no and that I'd rather stay where I was for reasons we discussed before. Then he became more insistent, asking me in various ways and urging me to just lie down in bed with him. Very embarrassed, I tried to find excuses; to this day, I don't understand why I didn't just leave. I was not under the influence of alcohol and he gave very little indication that he was about to get violent. But he made me feel so guilty and that I had to get into his bed with him. He said things like: do you think you can just profit from my boat and my experience here without giving me anything in return? This life doesn't come for free. We don't have to make out either, just a little cuddling, don't be like that. No one will know. What? You have a boyfriend? He doesn't have to know, nothing's happening. Come on, don't make me beg you. You get everything you want from me, so I'm allowed to have a little fun" and so on, but my "no's" didn't help, he wouldn't let go. "Come on, just 15 minutes and then you can sleep" he said, I made excuses a few more times and said I’m not the kind of person who’s into that, but he manipulated me and talked at me until I figured it would be over quicker if I just lay with him for a bit. So, I lie there like a stick and he starts groping me, first my breasts, my stomach, then my hips, my butt. I try to make it as uncomfortable as possible for him, turning away. I’m so glad to be wearing sturdy skater pants that make it virtually impossible for him to touch my intimate area from the outside. He takes off my light grey woollen jumper, I'm wearing a grey top and bra underneath, he gropes my breasts very hard. I said "okay that's enough of that, I'm tired and want to go to sleep". He starts kissing me, I turn away, trying to get away from him. I think that if I make it so difficult for him, he will soon lose his desire. He has very strong hands as he lived on a boat since he was a child, he is about 2m tall and I am beginning to respect his strength. He makes a comment about my pants, that it’s so hard to “get there” with the robust fabric and that it would be better if I took them off. I tried to laugh it off and said “no thanks, it’s okay if they stay on”. There's so much going on in my head, I'm totally overwhelmed by the situation, I'm so disgusted by him, I just want to get away, I ask myself how I could ever get into something like this, how do I get out of it, what do I say to my boyfriend, who is really not my boyfriend yet, our romantic relationship, for which we have put so much on the line, has only just begun and may it be doomed to end right away because of this event. My living situation is so tense right now because of this relationship with M. that I'm not welcome in the house. I thought I could spend the first four nights with Klaar on the boat to give myself time to find something new. Where am I supposed to go now? I can't get off the boat at the moment and even if I demand to get off the boat tomorrow morning, I don't know where to go, where I'll find a place to sleep. Besides, I'm so embarrassed, what if the tourists or Claudia find out that I was in his bunk? I didn't want that at all! And now he wants to kiss me again, he holds my face with his hand and says "don't be so uptight, I don't want to fuck yet anyway, just a little grabbing and smooching, have a little fun". I'm so confused and overwhelmed and return the kiss, maybe I can resolve the situation faster that way if I give him what he wants. It also occurs to me that it's so unfair that I'm being taken advantage of for my body right now. Where is the feminist I usually thought I was who would not accept such behavior and stand up for herself? This can’t be true that I’m being sexually harassed right now, I have to do something! What can I do? All the sisters who fought for justice should be really disappointed in me now, I am definitely disappointed by myself. How could I not have seen the signs earlier and prevented this? It is so unfair how women are always and everywhere exploited. But I can also turn the tables, if he is allowed to have his pleasure here, then I can too. With this approach, I wanted to try not to be the victim of the situation, but to be able to profit a little from the circumstances that I dislike but am unable to end. I try to have fun and let him grope me, but after a few minutes I realize that I find it totally unpleasant and that I'm just not into old men, even if I've try to set my mind to it. So, I lay there like a stone again and let him paw me until he said: "Well, if you don't feel like it, then it's no fun for me, it has to be mutual and if you don't want it, then I won't force you". And that was the end of the action. He falls asleep quite quickly, I lie awake for a long time wondering what just happened and why I can't move. Eventually I fall asleep too. The next morning (5.02.2021) I notice that Klaar gets up, I think he kisses me, I am still sleepy and only half awake. He goes into the kitchen but comes back again. He stands in front of me with a cloth wrapped around his hips and takes my hand to guide it under his cloth to his penis: "I've got a boner, give me a hand job, I can't get up like this". I am totally perplexed, I don't understand what is happening, he holds my hand on his penis and rubs it around. I think he let go after half a minute or so and I felt like I had to keep going, but then I also let go after 30 seconds or so and realized what was happening. I turned away and felt ashamed. The day passed much like the previous day, I didn't want to show any signs, didn't want to tell B., stayed out of Klaar's way and thought about what to do. The tourists got off the boat around noon. Klaar said he knew a spot in the forest where magic mushrooms grow that we could eat and have fun. As I am still so lost as to what to do anyway, I agree and we go in search of the shrooms, luckily we don't find any and it was just a nice walk. We are back at the boat, a friend of B's comes for dinner, afterwards they both go ashore. I am alone with Klaar, he wants to cuddle and make out again, I say I don't want that and that the action the night before was not okay. We discuss the way he manipulates women and lures them onto his boat, he is so confident and thinks that he is the best thing that can happen to a woman, to learn so much from him and have such non-committal sex. That I'm so much better off with him than with my lousy boyfriend who is a child and has only aroused my mother instincts but has nothing to offer me. Anyway, he can show me the Caribbean with his boat, I'll work under the sun every day, I'll get strong and lose weight and be tanned. We would make a good team, sail in the Caribbean, sell various products from one island to another, collect salt, fish, hunt goats, watch the stars, etc. He tried to tell me the fantastic life I would have with him, with no money to spend, just my sexual quid pro quo, living like a princess for months, I could wear his pearl necklace and I would have everything I needed. Sounded nice in itself, except I found the idea of having any sexual exchange with him repulsive and definitely didn't want to be involved with a sexual predator. I said "no thanks, I want to get off the boat in the morning". I didn't know where to go yet, but M. said he'd come and we'd sleep on the beach for the next 2 nights until he had to go back to his internship and I would hopefully find a place to stay. Klaar couldn't understand that, I'm making a mistake to think that another life will make me happier, that I'm intelligent enough after all not to need the studies and conventional life because I already know everything worth knowing and would fit in well with a life with him on the sailboat. After saying no several times, he still wanted to show me something special. We got into the dinghy, I wasn't afraid of him doing anything to me. And so for the first time I saw the fish swimming around in the glow of the fluorescent algae, a breathtaking picture. Back on the boat I want to go to sleep, he says I should lie down with him, this time I manage to say very firmly that I don't want that and will spend the night alone in my bunk. After a few attempts to persuade me, he understood and let me go. The next day B. came back to the boat. I packed my things and quickly tell her that Klaar expected a sexual payment from me. She wasn't surprised, said that's what happens in the sailing world. She told me she made it clear right from the start that she was going to live on his boat by means of financial payment and did not want any sexual exchange. She already had the feeling that Klaar wanted something from me, but didn't think it had really come to an assault. We said goodbye and Klaar took me ashore. I think I thanked him anyway for the time, because there were really beautiful moments and I found out I want to get into sailing. He said that I could come back any time if I changed my mind, he would be very happy. In March I noticed that I had left some personally valuable socks on Klaars boat. Since we were still in touch from time to time (he sent me photos of sunsets and such) I wrote to him so I could drop by to get them sometime. He was happy about the message, said he would be sailing off in a few days and that I could spend a few days with him before that. I only came for one afternoon. A young lady, N., was at the boat, flown in from Europe to sail with Klaar for 2 months. She was very sweet and the two got on well, I wasn't sure if there was anything going on between them and was unsure if I should warn her. In the event that she was consensually involved with him, I would be totally uncomfortable accusing her that he only hired her for her looks. We went surfing and had dinner. Klaar hugged me and tried to convince me again that I should sail with him, that I can learn so much from him and that he will take care of me. As nice as it was on the boat again and as exciting as I find his lifestyle and thoughts, his side as a creep and abuser and manipulator is just repulsive. I get off the boat and we stay in Whats app contact again for a bit. Unfortunately I changed mobile phones and lost all conversations with him. On 20 April I write him the following message: "Hi Hans, hope the trip is going well Something crossed my mind the other day that I would like to share with you. The fact that you like to bring young ladies on board and want a sexual exchange isn’t reprehensible in principle, but only if this is discussed in advance. In my case, I think it was manipulation and exploitation, because even after saying no several times, I was still forced to give you "something". I didn't think it was cool, we talked about it again the following evening. But yes, I think it's unfair that on a website that's about sailing, women are once again sexualized and possibly exploited. I don't find it traumatizing for me personally, but I don't want other women to be surprised like that. That's why I would like to ask you to consider this next time. There's nothing wrong with wanting sex, but it's nicer when it's not creeping, isn't it? So that's it, happy to hear back on this and otherwise have a good trip! Greetings" A very kind text because I figured that way I'll get his understanding and he'll appreciate that I didn't report him to Crewbay right away, but want to warn him personally first and he'll take this as a joyful prompt and stop his creep games. He didn't reply at all to the text at first, just sent videos of sunsets. Until this message came: "Dear A, I find your write up totally interesting - I see a lot of material for an explosive and sensitive discussion. I am back in Port Louis until the beginning of May and hope you will please come and visit me and stay a few days. Best regards Hans" He didn't respond to the content of my message and wanted me to come back on his boat, so he really missed the point. I didn't answer, he wanted to phone, I didn't pick up and so our contact broke off. On 3 July, he writes to me that he saw a note from M. and me in a bar on the Azores looking for a crossing to mainland Europe and whether we still need a boat. We get into a conversation, he admits he really enjoys the attention I give him. I ask myself every time why I still answer him, he fascinates me and at the same time I loathe him. The last contact was then in August. In October, he tried to sexually harass two young women on board. They left the ship. A little later I found an article about Klaar's arrest on rape charges and sent it to Crewbay.com . They already received it and had banned Klaar from the website. I tried to find the old conversations with him, however I couldn't find them, as if he had blocked me on whats app, as if maybe he thought that I had reported him to Crewbay.com and that he now wants to block me so that I don't have anything against him. On 17 October he surprisingly texted me again, which allowed me to see messages from April.

13) “This Captain Lied to me About other Crew coming to Sail with Us. In fact he had Arranged for Me to be Alone with Him.” “J”, 32 years old: "I met this Russian captain on a facebook group and also saw him on Findacrew.net . He was living on an island in the Mediterranean region and was looking for crew members to sail during Summer 2020 (when Greece opened its borders). He told me that he will need a least 4 people plus him but that sometimes it may be less people.So I told him I was flying to an island nearby and that we will be in touch to plan where I can board. Once he knew I was there, he told me that he was on his way to Greece, first stopping on some island. At the same time, he started to text me a lot, telling me how much he was fishing and then insisting that I move to that island where he was, in order to sail with him. I told him that no, that as we discussed, I will wait where I am. I felt that it was not normal his behavior, but after leaving in Eastern Europe for 5 years, I got used to Eastern guys... they do not know how to interact with new people, especially women. Once I met him, he was quite shy and strange, but sounded like a nice Russian man. The boat was new but when I went inside, I saw it was dirty as hell. We agreed to leave during the next days as he had to fix something. When I asked about the rest of the crew he told me that he will join in the next few days. The day after I cleaned the boat a bit (I did not want to sail on the messy boat), I prepared something to eat and suddenly around 3pm he arrived and told me "we are leaving now". He started the engine. I told him that we have to prepare the boat first... but no time, he had already started to move! I would like to add that I have a skipper license, so even if I do not have built miles, I know how to prepare a boat, safety and so on. So he left the spot, and of course his anchor was stuck with another one and well... the boat ended up crashing (not too hard) with other boat. It was a show. Finally we left the Marina, he set up the sails automatically and sat there. As he did not know how to sail properly, the boat was rolling a lot and of course everything inside start to fall. He suddenly started yelling at me: "it is your fault, you did not close everything, go down and take care of everything". I was scared he will do something against me if I replied him, so I just went down and quickly I closed and made everything safe. I was calm after all, because it would be just 3 hours sailing to another island. Once we were close, he was insisting to stay on a bay but I was sure that I wont have signal there, so I convinced him that we should go closer to the village because of the wind (luckily he was not good at using Windy). Once anchoring near the village, I felt better, as from there I could jump into the water if needed and almost walk to the beach and nearest house.It was night, I took my lunch that I had not been able to eat during the day because he did not let me, and he started to eat as well... of course he took out a bottle of wine and filled both glasses but I did wait for him to drink all his, just be sure nothing was added. I tried a bit wine, and he insisted to fill my glass again, but I said no, and of course he continued drinking. That was the moment he told me he was divorced, he had a teenage child, and he just want to sail with one person. I asked him "when will the other crew join?" and he told me that "no other crew is joining for now, depending how we get along". He had another Spanish girl interested but he preferred just one. I was in shock, because he had completely lied. I went to sleep and closed my door, but I checked after that, and he left his door open where I could see him almost naked. Totally disgusting.The next day, I left with the dingy to the village in order to ask for the next ferries and it seemed that I had to wait for the next day. I was too scared to tell him that I will stay on land because I knew there was no ferry that day, so I just pretended that everything was fine. At night I packed everything and the next day in the morning, I told him I was leaving to get the ferry. I put all my stuff at the dingy and he did not have choice but to give me a ride.He was insisting on me staying until the evening when the ferry departed and I told him that I was moving to the main town to visit it. Once I got tho the small beach, I just ran to some Greek sailors and ask them to stay with me until the bus arrived. I managed to jump into the bus, moved to the main village and well, I started to cry... I felt finally free. Once I catched the ferry I realized something... a month before, I had received a request on instagram from SV/X that I did not follow back... X was the name of his boat and he had been stalking me for a long time. I blocked him. I continued my journey in Greece and a few weeks after, I was with another captain from South America, and other crew, one of them a girl from the Baltic States. We added each other on instagram. Using a second Instagram account (a travel one I have), I checked that deceiving man, checking again who he was following, I saw my crewmate. I quickly asked her and she told me: he contacted me on Findacrew.net and I may join him after this boat. I told her please do not do it. He is crazy, he wont sail with more people even if he told you that. She was in shock. I blocked him on whatsapp and instagram and well, a few months later, on a Facebook sailing group, he posted that he was looking for a crew on his way to the Canaries (my home region and where I am currently living). I got really scared and I blocked him and I tracked his boat on Marinetraffick to avoid meeting him anywhere there, especially in the town marina where I am going almost everyday. I wanted to report him to findacrew.net but I was too scared. I am so happy with this group and that we can share our experiences. Now I will report him to Findacrew.net and keep the collective in copy of my exchanges with them. I know they are not cooperative at all on this issue, quite the opposite.

14) “ After a Few Days at Sea, this Captain Turned into a Demonic Psychopath. So Much so that we Were Afraid for our Lives.”

Admin of the facebook group: this testimony doesn’t describe a sexual assault or harassment occurrence. But it does describe a phenomenon that we have encountered countless times with victims: the captain of the vessel becoming a dangerous tyrant on his sailboat after a few days at sea, displaying clear psychopathic tendencies. Indeed, alas, it is far from being rare. A female crew almost died recently in one such case.

“M”, 28 years old. So here are some facts about the Atlantic crossing we did with J. We were 3 with him (me, female crew and 2 male crew), one of them met him trough Crewbay.com , me and the other one met him trough the website labourseauxequipiers.

Our first days were very very good, the vibe was nice and everything was fine. But slowly things started to be weird. One day he got into a huuuge argument with one of the male crew M. in the middle of a manoeuver (it was in Portuguese so I don't know exactly what happened) but he shouted on him for a long time, and at dinner time he didn't want to allow him outside to eat, starting another fight. Because of that, M. was excluded from every single task on the boat, and was just waiting in his cabin for time to pass.

Because of that J. decided that him and I would do all the watches (the other male crew, L., was with me still) so I got very very tired, having to stay awake 8 hours a night. One or two days after that, J. called for a meeting, telling us that we would have to pay more for the crossing because things could break. I was so tired, that I would have said yes to everything, but the two other crew said, with reason, that it was not the initial deal. J. got so mad because of that, saying stupid stuff like " if you don't wanna do what I want, you can just leave the boat" which is hard considering we were in the middle of the Atlantic.

Then he was putting weird rules that were not necessary, making me feel like it was more about asserting dominance. Things like: we could eat pasta or rice only once every two days. Not that we were missing gas, just because "it is not reasonable to use it too much". Or we should ask him to charge our devices, and he would always say no. Again, not a problem of quantity of electricity on the boat. And when we would trespass this rule, he would angrily rip of the cables from the plug.

But well, I was exhausted because of the bad task repartition, he was angry because he couldn't assert enough dominance, M. was hidden in his cabin... but it was just a bad vibe we thought it was not so bad, you know, could be worse...

Until that night. He was in better relation with M., but now hating L., being mean to him. It was like he didn't want to see his face. Anyhow, we are on a boat so it's impossible. So, that night, J. was doing his watch outside when L. got out to see the sunrise. But J. didn't want him here and started to shout to him to go inside, insulting him and all.

At one point I got awaken by the noise, hearing some "boom" above my head, and screaming in Portuguese and L. just saying "Calma tee, calma te !". So I went to see, because at this point I was worried someone would fall off the boat or something.

There I see J. holding this metal stick we call a 'gaffe' in French, threatening L. with it, hitting around. So, afraid he would see me, and very scared in general actually, I hid downstairs, recording the moment on my phone and being ready to do something if necessary.

It was feeling like an horror pirate movie. Heart fast beating and all. L. told me then that he also put him a rope around the neck to threaten him that he could get hurt if he didn't go inside. And to show further his delusional way of being, in the morning, J. called over the radio a boat that was around, to tell them that he had "a very bad element on his boat, that he was afraid for safety and wanted to know if they could take him". In the middle of the ocean with 3m waves! And when I asked him if I could go with L., he didn't seem to understand that for me, he was the one who was dangerous.

From that moment on, we were all very afraid that this shit could happen again and, this time, really escalate badly. Like we were unsure of our own safety. Which is pretty shitty in the middle of the ocean when you have no control over nothing and no way to call for help.

M. was always with his knife in his pocket and we had a plan, in case needed, to tie J. up, and call help with the satellite phone. There was an awful hypocrite vibe on the boat where we would all try to play it smart to avoid awaking the demon again. And J. was always trying to make life harder for everyone, forbidding topless on the deck (for the boys!), forbidding us to sit in a lot of places, always having something to say about every tiny thing happening, always watching us closely.

Also nobody could do anything to help on the boat anymore so it was a shit show. And the last night, I just found J. deeply asleep on the deck, alarm beeping, to warn about a close boat: he wasn't reacting.

Also he was really bad at putting sails in the right way, constantly causing the autopilot to crash. Upon approaching land, he was like "I want you all out of my boat at 8 tomorrow!" and we were like "hell yes dude, we not gonna stay long" and as we were waiting for a place to stop the boat in Martinique, I was hungry, I ate a sardina box and it was enough for him to shout at me a good last time. Anyway, we reached the Coast, and ran like freed prisoners. To never see him again.

I hope it says enough, but if not, I can go on and on again about a lot of others incidents occurring in the crossing. I was writing everything down in a note book (a way to evacuate the pain during the crossing) and we also have, if necessary, the police complaint L. made when arriving in Martinique.

It should be added that this captain has a fancy Youtube channel and Instagram, and many followers.

15) “ It was my first job for a charter company. When the skipper started to assault me after I had rejected him several times, I feared for my position, and gave him what he wanted.”

“Y”, 32 years old. During my very first charter experience with a charter company in July 2021, I found myself alone with a skipper, without having first met the people from the office in order to be explained in detail what were the missions I was supposed to carry out.

So I met C., a 48-year-old French skipper, who explained everything to me, and offered to “train” me. I didn't know anything about this professional environment, and I had no trusted contacts or similar around. I immediately felt that he had a temperamental, even authoritarian side, but I didn’t pay more attention to it.

The first days of the charter, he started to proposition me for sex, which I did not respond to. One evening, the customers had left for the restaurant, I went to eat with him outside, and upon returning to the empty boat, he began to try to approach me, insisting, despite of the fact that I was pushing him away, saying that I wasn't interested. I ended up leaving the boat to get some fresh air. I feared he might come back.

After an altercation with him, the charter customers disembarked after 3 days. So we found ourselves alone to bring the boat back to port. Once the customers had left, he got naked immediately, telling me that if it bothered me, I just shouldn't look. He continued to make advances, saying for example “I will teach you if you are nicer”, among other things. I explained to him that I was very uncomfortable with this, and he got angry, shouting at me and turning the blame on me, saying he was offended by my words.

I want to point out that this type of personality is very manipulative. He constantly turned what I had said against me, to hit my sensitive spots. That same evening, he invited some friends if his (a very nice family) on the boat, as the customers had left. We drank alcohol, because I felt more confident with them being present. So I let myself go and I drank too.

That was my mistake. I found myself very drunk when his friends left. I don't know exactly how but I find myself with him smoking a cigarette on the deck of the boat, I was sitting next to him and he pulled me against him.

I started to panic in my head, knowing very well what he was going to do but I remained paralyzed, wondering what to do: if I got angry, he might have gotten even more angry, as had been the case earlier this afternoon, and/or become violent. Shouting to alert the neighboring boats, but I wasn’t sure I could trust them either. He might have said bad things about me in the office if I was not giving him what he wanted. I feared for my job, (as he had explained to me several times that it was the “chief on board, it was (him) who was in command”).

I remained being totally blocked, in addition to being drunk with fuzzy memories, and I did nothing. I just let him do it, trying to persuade myself that, maybe all things considered, I was okay , when I had explicitly told him earlier that I was almost disgusted by the fact that a man 20 years my senior was propositioning me.

So I let him do, when he started running his hand under my clothes, taking them off, touching me. The memories are hazy, but it got to sexual intercourse. During it, I spent all the time trying to convince myself that I was okay with it. It's kind of weird to explain. I felt like hazy completely after that, and I kind of got into this game of his until the end of the charter experience.

Then he managed to do another 14 days charter with me, imagining a romance, promising me wonders, telling me about a dream job he wanted to take me to in order to make a lot of money .

I tried to put stops to him, but I understood that, how can I say, his vision of reality was not very rational. During this second charter, I don't even know why I got into his game, I had surely felt the manipulation and I was afraid of him for fear that he would shoot me down with the charter agency.

The two weeks were hell, as he came to me, I let him at first, still not quite understanding what was going on, and how I had managed to convince myself that it was a good idea. I started to understand how he was functioning. He was giving me contradictory instructions in terms of cooking, absolutely controlling everything I was doing, criticizing everything, forbidding me to take naps, to move around at night in the boat, getting angry as soon as I made a remark, or else not answering me when I stood up to him.

I managed to put stops and push him away after a few days, and from then on he was even more obnoxious and constantly talking to me like a dog among, other things. Some examples: I slept in the forward cabin connected to the cabin where he was sleeping. While I was sleeping, around 2/3am, he entered my cabin in order to grab his bag brutally and closed the door by slamming it.

Once, I had gone to sleep on deck to be quiet, he came to wake me up and told me “you better be in good shape tomorrow”. He ordered me to be careful with what I said, telling me that "he too had things to say", telling me "shut up now". While I was in the living room in the evening making the menus, he passed by and turned off the light without saying anything to me. Asking him what was going on, he said to me: "I'm the captain, if you're not happy you can leave”.

Once, he yelled at me while I was preparing the desserts: "learn to do simple things first, instead of trying to do complicated things". When I broke down in tears, it was the client who came to comfort me. The list of anecdotes of this type is too long to tell.

After that, because I had contacted mechanic friends I had met in the meantime to ask them for advice, so the word about his behavior started to spread. The clients, I believe, mentioned it in the office, but it is impossible to get a clear version from anybody. He was blacklisted by the charter company, apparently for a badly managed accident (rudder broken due to hitting rocks).

He was recruiting on several crewing facebook groups in recent weeks.

16) “ This Captain Continuously Sexually Harassed and Assaulted me While we Were on his Boat. He later Confessed that he was Trying to “Convince” each Woman who was Crewing with Him to “Be with” Him.”

“V”, 30 years old. Me and my friend were on Captain S. boat, we found him via the website WorkAway in April 2022 in Fort de France, Martinique. He seemed nice, we had a tea with him and talked about everything.

Then after a few days on his boat, I noticed him watching me a lot, taking pictures, always sitting on my bed (it's a small boat, so at first I thought it was ok) or touching me inappropriately.

When my friend left the boat for the afternoon, after a week on his boat, he talked to me about his feelings, that he fell in love with me and cannot stop touching me. I said kindly, "hey thanks for talking about it, I noticed but I am sorry not interested,but glad we spoke about it, nothing wrong with that". So I thought that's that then.

In the following days He then continued to grab my butt more aggressively every time I was in front of him, or when I was trying to move from one place to another on the boat, also grabbing my breast and hip, every chance he got. Also, one evening he masturbated just 5 seconds after we said good night. There are no doors, and as I said it's a very small boat, so he intended to make me hear it.

I continuously had to say that I don't want him touching me. The last time I said it very fiercely, that he had "to fuck off or else", He got angry and said I was the one who provoked it, so after that, he ignored me for two days, but still kept watching me when I was taking a shower or change.

The second day before last, he got very drunk and I had to carry him back to the boat, while he was kissing my legs while I was driving the dinghy. We found another boat and left after 14 days total on S boat. My Romanian friends on whose boat he got so drunk that night told me just now that he came by their boat when me and my friend had left, to ask their female crew if they'd rather join his boat.

We saw him after a few days in the marina of Riviere sense, Guadeloupe. He then followed us to the next islands and anchorages (Guadeloupe-Dominica-Martinique). He was always around, when he heard from our friends what were the next plans he would appear at the same spot he knew we'd be the next day. We left Portsmouth for Roseau and he saw us leave and left also. In Martinique he had a flight booked to England beginning of June.

So I thought about telling you, first my thoughts were: well nothing really bad happened and he is also very nice, so I don't want to cause any trouble, but still he made us feel very uncomfortable and who knows what could have happened.

I asked him after he confessed that he's into me, if he feels lonely and is looking for a partner. He said yes, he always tries to get female crew and then “convince them to be with (him)” (exact words, not kidding).

I now realized it was very serious abuse and that I should stop feeling sorry for him. I have started the process to report him.

17) “While I was sleeping, the captain entered my cabin, stepped naked in my bed, and I woke up because a very hard penis was poking against my back. I could not go anywhere. I reported him, but Findacrew.net did nothing about it.”

“J”, 45 years old. I sailed with a lot of captains and was always treated with courtesy. A very unpleasant surprise when I stepped on board with him. I reported his behavior to findacrew.net , but they did not do anything about it.

While I was sleeping he entered my cabin, stepped naked in my bed and I woke up because a very hard penis was poking against my back, it will be over in a few minutes he whispered in my ear. I could not go anywhere.

The captain had my passport and quite a bit of cash that belonged to me, which he had hidden on the boat so that I did not have to walk around with it. I wanted that back, so I had to be nice to him. He acted as if sex was part of the deal. “Crew has to keep the skipper happy”, he said. I am a professional skipper: for me that’s not part of the deal. I finally left with my passport only.

It was a long time ago, 7 years, and I just want to forget everything about it.

My Boyfriend Attends SUNY Maritime College. He Has Been Shamed and Rejected From Friendships Because He Stood Up to Injustices and Inequality on Campus. He Feels Alone, & Something Must Change.

I’m a current marine engineering student at kings point. not every woman will be assaulted when she goes out to sea, but every woman will face some sort of unequal treatment.

To revisit this article, visit My Profile, then View saved stories .

• What Is Cinema?

The Cannes Film Festival’s Sex Industry Described in 10 Eye-Opening Passages, from The Hollywood Reporter

Apparently there is more to indulge in at the Cannes Film Festival than cinema, scenery, and spirits. A new in-depth Hollywood Reporter feature details the high-end sex trade that occurs annually on the French Riviera, thanks to information provided by several Cannes regulars—the most forthcoming of whom appears to be the Lebanese businessman Elie Nahas. According to the Reporter , in addition to owning a Beirut modeling agency, Nahas is a former “right-hand man for Moatessem Gadhafi,” Muammar’s son, and was sentenced to eight years in prison for operating a prostitution ring during Cannes after being busted in 2007.

The Hollywood Reporter and Nahas illustrate the festival’s illicit side so well that by the end of the feature, even first-time Cannes-goers will have an advanced understanding of Croisette escort-ery. Ahead, we highlight the most eye-opening revelations:

The women ran the gamut, from full-time escorts to models to beauty queens, and they serviced men in hotels, on yachts and in the palatial villas in the hills above Cannes, police said.

Philippe Camps, a lawyer for a Paris-based anti-prostitution organization that was a civil plaintiff in the trial, tells THR that some of the women were brought to Cannes under false pretenses and coerced into prostitution.

Every year, women ranging from what the French call putes de luxes (high-priced call girls), who charge an average of $4,000 a night, to local streetwalkers, who normally get little more than $50 or $75 an hour turning tricks in nearby Nice, converge on Cannes for what one Parisian hooker calls “the biggest payday of the year.”

The local prostitutes, says Daisy, routinely drop cash off with concierges at the town’s top hotels. In return, if they are lucky, concierges sometimes steer clients their way.

“They can make up to $40,000 a night,” says Nahas. “Arabs are the most generous people in the world. If they like you, they will give you a lot of money.

The serious action starts after 10 p.m., he says.

“It’s all done with hand signals,” he says. “The guys signal their room numbers with their hands and the girls follow them.”

“Every year during the festival there are 30 or 40 luxury yachts in the bay at Cannes, and every boat belongs to a very rich person. Every boat has about 10 girls on it; they are usually models, and they are usually nude or half nude.”

“Clients are told to put the money in an envelope and write ‘gift’ on the outside of it.”

Women installed on yachts in Cannes during the film festival are called “yacht girls,” and the line between professional prostitutes and B- or C-list Hollywood actresses and models who accept payment for sex with rich older men is sometimes very blurred, explains one film industry veteran.

Julie Miller

Hollywood correspondent, hollywood daily.

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Yachting Monthly

• Digital edition

Tracy Edwards: who is the sailing trailblazer?

• Sophie Dingwall
• March 18, 2022

Sophie Dingwall talks to Tracy Edwards about her sailing life, her campaign for girls’ education and what is next for Maiden

Tracy Edwards: feminist, sailor and visionary is still fighting for women to have the same opportunities as men through The Maiden Factor. Credit: Chris Openshaw

Tracy Edwards skippered the first all-female crew in the 1989 Whitbread Round the World Yacht Race and has been empowering women ever since.

We’ve all got a story to tell, yet those who flock to the seas manufacture the most electric of tales. This is the story of a girl who was heading down the wrong path, became the fighting underdog and is now conquering change for women all over the world.

It takes a standout character to create a global shockwave and that’s exactly what Tracy Edwards has achieved in empowering girls through education.

Tracy Edwards MBE has received more than enough backlash, derogatory and sexist comments, especially by the press, yet this has not fazed her.

In fact, this no-nonsense, straight-talking sailor thrived on the negativity to prove everyone wrong as she made history skippering the first all-female crew in the 1989 Whitbread Round the World Yacht Race, and becoming the first woman to receive the Yachtsman of the Year Trophy.

‘I often wondered if we would’ve carried on if everyone had said what I was doing was a good idea,’ she says.

Proving them all wrong, Tracy Edwards after arriving back in Southampton having led the first all-female crew around the world. Credit: Getty

She moved to the Gower Peninsula, Wales aged 10 after her father’s death, where she quickly learned to lose her traditional British boarding school accent to try and fit in, but was continually bullied throughout secondary school.

Tracy Edwards was a teenage reprobate, a wild child. At 15 she was expelled, leaving education with no qualifications. Like most omitted teens, Tracy was looking for more; an escape, a purpose… and with this, she moved to Greece, where, during her time working on yachts as a stewardess, her sailing career began.

One of the most inspirational and record-breaking women in the sailing industry fell into the sport by accident. ‘I’d like to say it was all planned, but that would be a total lie,’ she says.

For Tracy, sailing was the backdrop to her life, but what she fell in love with was the people. ‘The sort of people that flock to the sea and boats, the mad type’ gave her a sense of belonging: for the first time in her life, she had found her tribe.

Having met the crews entering the 1985 Whitbread Round the World, Tracy was set on being a part of it. This was no easy feat, especially at a time where women were thought to have no place at sea.

Her persistence and resilient attitude led to a position as a cook on board.

Part of the original Maiden crew reunited onboard ahead of the 58ft yacht’s 2017-18 refit. Credit: Rick Tomlinson

The thirst to navigate around the world was constantly at the forefront of her mind, but after completing the race she came to the shattering realisation that ‘no man will ever let me navigate their boat!’

Tracy turned to her mother for advice, an extraordinary woman in her own right who was a former ballet dancer turned go-kart driver; quite the unorthodox hobby for a woman in the 1960s and inevitably where Tracy inherited her indomitable defiance to achieve her ambitions. a desire to impact the world Tracy asked, ‘Mum, how do I change the world?’

Quite the quest for a 23-year-old runaway and school dropout. Her mother responded with: ‘You can’t change the world… yet. But you can change your world now.’

At this point Tracy Edwards had no idea she would be the matriarch for women, bulldozing a path towards equal opportunities and inspiring a generation of new thinking.

Tracy Edwards and Maiden

Edwards made history when she launched her campaign to skipper the first all-female crew in the 1989 Whitbread Round the World Yacht Race.

Backed by the support and belief of King Hussein of Jordan, whom she had previously met while working on a chartered yacht, Tracy and her crew proved that women were equal to men in the sailing world when Maiden won two of the six legs and finished second in class in the most notoriously challenging yacht race of its time.

It was not an easy path to forge. Faced with the hounding press and sexist remarks, Tracy said she felt ‘like a lamb sent to slaughter’ during interviews. The press revelled in publishing derogatory headlines.

One of yachting’s most renowned journalists, Bob Fisher , who passed away in 2021, described Maiden as ‘A Tin Full of Tarts’.

This charged relationship changed over time and in later years the two became good friends: when Maiden docked in Southampton ahead of the launch of The Maiden Factor to promote girls’ education around the world, Fisher was the first to meet the yacht dressed in his Sunday best.

The Bruce Farr-designed Maiden won two of the three Southern Ocean legs in Division D of the 1989-90 Whitbread Round the World Yacht Race. Credit: Getty

The two cried and rejoiced, and he asked for an interview, opening with the line, ‘Tell me about girls’ education…?’

Other journalists followed his lead, giving Tracy the recognition she deserved. Her unique, brash approach to stand for what she believed in gave her the ability to change the mind of even the harshest critics.

At first, instant fame came as a blessing. Tracy had the spotlight, which enabled her voice to be heard by the many. But this soon changed. The media quickly lost interest in the achievements of Maiden and pried into Tracy’s personal affairs, including the breakdown of her marriage.

Tracy Edwards’ life after the Whitbread

Mental health issues are something many of us will face, and the headstrong, outspoken Tracy Edwards was no exception. After the Whitbread finished, Tracy found herself burnt out and suffered a breakdown.

Tracy Edwards and her Royal & Sun Alliance crew broke five word records during the 1989 Jules Verne Trophy attempt. Credit: Getty

Her recovery saw her move back to the Gower in Wales, where she essentially became a recluse and focused on another passion: breeding horses. She suffered a serious back injury, which has left her unable to endure the physical aspects of sailing, even today.

Perhaps it was the fresh air and change in surroundings that enabled her to dig deep and relight the fire in her belly to continue the legacy she had started.

In 1990 Tracy Edwards was named Yachtsman of the Year and during these awards a match was ignited.

Inspired by Sir Robin Knox Johnston and Peter Blake , she set out to compete in the 1998 Jules Verne Trophy with the first all-female crew on their 92ft catamaran, Royal & SunAlliance .

The team smashed five world records but ended with a broken mast 2,000 miles off the coast of Chile.

Undeterred, a few years later in 2002 Tracy put together the first-ever mixed gender team onboard the 110ft maxi-catamaran Maiden II and again made headlines, when the boat broke numerous world records including longest distance sailed in 24 hours.

The 110ft maxi-catamaran, Maiden II , nurtured female sailing talent including Vendée Globe skippers Sam Davies (back row, second from right) and Miranda Merron (front row, first left). Credit: Getty

Her goal was to prove that women could sail as well as men and they should be included in the big boat race scene. Again she proved her case. proving the critics wrong But the bubble was about to burst.

In 2003 she signed a four-year sponsorship with Qatar to stage a round the world yacht race, starting and finishing in the Middle East. The event ended without payment from Qatar, forcing Tracy into bankruptcy.

The pioneering skipper was again the topic of conversation as outsiders welcomed fresh gossip and rumours, losing sight that she was a single parent and carer for her disabled mother, facing the overwhelming reality that she had lost everything she’d ever worked for including her home and job.

Her strong ability to bounce back from rock bottom is just one of the reasons she has achieved more than most. ‘I stood up, dusted myself off and started again,’ recalls Tracy.

Tracy Edwards with her daughter Mackenna, at the private BAFTA viewing of the film Maiden in London. Credit: Michael Chester

This life-altering event left Tracy in a position she had never been before. At the age of 43, and for the first time, she had to write a CV to get a ‘proper job’.

Tracy Edwards: the first woman to win the YJA Yachtsman of the Year Award. Credit: The Maiden Factor

Her impressive background landed her a position working with Child Exploitation and Online Protection (CEOP) as project manager for their International Youth Advisory Conference.

Together with the team, Tracy worked on the The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child.

This human rights treaty hadn’t been renewed since 1947, and her work has helped make children safer around the world.

In her lifetime of achievements, award-winning titles and records broken, it is this which is one of her proudest accomplishments.

In her typical unconventional manner, Tracy decided it was finally time to get an education and aged 47 studied forensic psychology at Roehampton University.

‘It reinvigorated me and gave me confidence. It was more than a degree, it was a way of reaffirming who I was,’ she notes. It was then that the seeds of her campaign to promote education for girls around the world began.

Reflecting on her past she realised ‘sailing saved me’. It had enabled her to find her tribe and fit in, but this was down to the people rather than the ocean or the boat.

She knew that her own experience with Maiden couldn’t be recreated and instead passed the baton on to Maiden itself.

The Maiden Factor was born, giving young women a platform to make a difference by raising awareness and funds themselves.

In 2017 Maiden was brought back to Southampton after years abandoned in the Seychelles to undergo an extensive refit. The boat and her all-female crew then began a tour around the world, with the foundation successfully working with six global charities to break down the barriers that prevent girls from accessing education.

This was brought to an abrupt halt due to the COVID-19 pandemic but Maiden is now back. The yacht and her crew have started a new three-year world tour to 60 places in over 40 countries, backed by DP World.

‘If I die without putting every ounce into getting girls into education and empowering women, then I haven’t done what I set out to do,’ says Tracy, who believes that every girl has the right and opportunity to at least 12 years of education.

‘If we don’t get girls in education, how will they come up through the ranks?’

Tracy Edwards is still championing equality for women through The Maiden Factor, which campaigns for girls to have access to education around the world. Credit: Michael Chester/The Maiden Factor

Tracy Edwards and Maiden are inextricably linked, both providing courage, inspiration and opportunities to others that may otherwise have been unattainable.

Tracy has not got to where she is today because she is the best sailor; in fact, she’s the first to admit she’s pretty average.

We can all take inspiration from this one girl’s story, as she wholeheartedly has gone after what she believes in, against all odds, and despite the controversy.

Given her track record, one can only assume that she will make waves with The Maiden Factor and change the lives of many women to come.

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“Yachting” is about more than being paid to party, it’s Hollywood’s murkiest open secret

29 Celebrities Having #YachtGirlSummers

Last week, Issa Rae threw her third annual yacht party, attended by stars including Gabrielle Union, Dwyane Wade, and Logan Browning. The tradition was born out of the desire to, as she put it during a recent Tonight Show appearance , "do yacht ish." Kylie Jenner also set sail this week; she is spending her 22nd birthday cruising the Mediterranean with friends and family on a yacht that costs $1M a week to rent. Rae is right about one thing: yachting is an art form. A culture. A genre of Instagram posts that we can't get enough of. Here, 29 celebs just doing #YachtShit.

Gabrielle Union and Dwayne Wade

Jennifer lopez, kylie jenner, kate hudson, sofia richie, the jonas brothers, priyanka chopra, noah centineo, kim kardashian, lindsay lohan, selena gomez, britney spears, kourtney kardashian, hailey baldwin, bella hadid and kendall jenner, john legend and chrissy teigen.

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Theyre twenty-something girls who travel first class, party like rock stars and showcase their five-star lifestyles on social media. But whos paying? JenniferSavininvestigates.

I know very little about these twentysomething women – not their full names, nor where they live, or indeed what they do. But I watch from afar as they dance on tabletops in Mykonos, sunbathe on the bows of glossy super-yachts in the South of France or pose in front of bathroom mirrors in seven-star Dubai hotels.

Who are they, I wonder, as I lick Dorito dust off my fingers and zoom in on their bicycle-tyre lips and cantilevered bottoms, staring at the designer hauls that lie scattered on hotel beds behind them. Who are these women who appear not to pause for work, but instead flit around the globe, partying in the world’s most rarefied clubs and restaurants and documenting their lavish lifestyles across social media?

And how does a twenty-something woman like me, whose last Instagram Story was about eating dinner sitting on her rented kitchen floor, due to lack of furniture and funds, get in on the action?

‘There is a circuit for these girls,’ confirms Mariana, an expert with waist-length jet-black hair and a Coca-Cola-bottle figure, who has the sort of indecipherable accent that one can only describe as ‘international. ‘It starts in May with the Cannes Film Festival, followed by the Grand Prix in Monaco, then Saint-Tropez for the last two weeks of July.’

This story is from the November 2018 edition of Cosmopolitan Australia.

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History Archive

Yacht Girl Meg: The Unveiling of Megan Markle’s Lavish Yachting Past

In a shocking revelation, Yacht Boy Jones has presented undeniable evidence that Meghan Markle, also known as Meg, was indeed a Yacht Girl and even participated in Croatia Yacht Week.

This revelation provides irrefutable proof of her association with millionaires and billionaires in the world of yachting.

The term “yachting” has often been associated with exclusive opportunities available only to the wealthy.

However, it seems that the definition has expanded to include 18 yachting jobs accessible to affluent men from all corners of the globe.

According to the National Enquirer, in 2017, after Prince Harry and Meghan Markle announced their engagement, efforts were made to erase any traces of Meghan’s extravagant past.

Her court medical records were sealed, and her friends and acquaintances were silenced through hush money and non-disclosure agreements.

The confirmation of Meghan’s involvement in yachting came from a witness named Christopher Jones, who had worked alongside her.

Christopher himself was a Yacht Boy, engaging in various activities on yachts in exchange for money, connections, or career advancement.

It was Christopher who first revealed Meghan’s past as a Yacht Girl, a revelation that has undoubtedly shaped her future.

The absence of any legal action from Meghan regarding these claims only adds weight to the credibility of the witness.

It appears that she can only hope that more of her former colleagues do not come forward, as the truth seems inevitable.

In the digital age, nothing truly disappears, and too many people are aware of the facts.

Photographs from Megan Markle’s yacht days have emerged, capturing her carefree moments during a cruise to Croatia.

In one post, she wrote about the opportunity for others to join her and her friends for Yacht Week, highlighting the allure of being associated with wealthy and influential individuals.

Additional accounts from Meghan’s former colleagues reveal that she was invited to Yacht Week in 2016, an event that has since been described as a modern-day Sodom and Gomorrah at sea.

These revelations have sparked further speculation, with the author Kirby Summers, known for her biography of Ghislaine Maxwell, suggesting that Meghan’s actions were influenced by the same forces that controlled Jeffrey Epstein.

It is worth noting that Meghan had previously claimed not to know Adam Hawking, who had asked her to join him for a week of yachting in Croatia.

However, their interaction on social media suggests otherwise, leaving room for intrigue and curiosity.

As more details emerge, it becomes evident that Meghan Markle shared too much information about her yachting experiences.

The implications of this revelation remain uncertain, but it is clear that her secrets are no longer confined to the shadows.

In conclusion, the unveiling of Meghan Markle’s lavish yachting past has sent shockwaves through the media.

The evidence provided by Yacht Boy Jones and the testimonies of her former colleagues paint a picture of a world filled with opulence and secrecy.

While Meghan may hope to leave her past behind, the truth has a way of finding its way into the light.

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What is the meaning behind the term "yacht girl" and why is it associated with Megan Markle?

The term "yacht girl" refers to a controversial concept in which young women, often models or aspiring actresses, are rumored to engage in relationships or companionship with wealthy individuals in exchange for financial benefits, luxurious experiences, or career opportunities. These relationships are said to occur within the context of luxury yachting trips, where the women accompany wealthy individuals on their yachts.

Association with Megan Markle: There have been rumors and speculation regarding Megan Markle's alleged involvement as a "yacht girl." However, it is important to note that these claims are unsubstantiated and lack concrete evidence. Megan Markle is a well-known actress and philanthropist who gained significant public attention when she married Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, in 2018. The association between Megan Markle and the term "yacht girl" seems to be based on speculation and gossip rather than factual information.

It is crucial to approach such rumors with skepticism and consider the lack of credible evidence supporting these claims. Megan Markle's personal and professional achievements should be evaluated based on verified information rather than unfounded rumors.

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• YouTuber SLOAN Says Meghan Markle Was a Yacht Girl and Implies She Was Involved With Epstein and Prince Andrew Before Harry | Lipstick Alley

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Powering the Rise of Female Captains

Gender imbalance has long been a hot potato in yachting. It might be disappointing but it’s no great surprise to see that among 30,000 yacht crew looking for jobs, just 28 per cent are female compared to 72  per cent male, according to She of the Sea’s 2021 annual report.

However, did anyone anticipate that female captains in yachting make up just 2 per cent? With the superyacht industry now paying closer attention to diversity and inclusion, focusing on equality and sustainability, the lack of female representation in yachting is further mirrored in the report by the low number of females in chief officer positions (5 per cent) and chief engineer roles (0.5 per cent).

We spoke to three female captains to find out more about what needs to be addressed to attract women to the role of captain and how best to tackle sexism and overcome the hurdles to make it as a female leader in superyachting.

Despite the many challenges, Captains Kelly Gordon, Maria Grazia Franco and Kathy Pennington have made it to the very top of their profession and could not be more inspiring role models to the increasing number of women following in their footsteps. So what exactly needs to be done to change the industry and make it a more welcoming place for women?  

"When it comes to younger women coming up the ranks, there is responsibility on many levels which lies on the shoulders of the mentoring, senior level female captains, the men in the industry, and the young woman that is looking to climb up the ranks herself," explains Captain Gordon, who is currently freelancing in South Florida and The Bahamas.

"I feel it’s my responsibility to reach out and offer assistance and be more aware of those that just might be a little unsure of how to go about it. As female captains, and captains in general, we should realise that by taking the position of command, we have also accepted the position of mentor/leader/coach/teacher/counsellor and friend and we must be able to wear all hats and know when it is appropriate to switch those hats out!"

Strong and persuasive counsel from superyacht management and recruiters could further improve the balance immeasurably. "The mentality needs to change from above," says Captain Franco (pictured below), who is in charge of the 55m Amels M/Y Halo and has spent 23 years in yachting.  ‘Management and recruiting companies should promote women in leadership positions to owners whenever possible.

"Instead, they are the first to make the selection without even trying to persuade owners, especially first time owners, that a female would fulfill the role as successfully as a male candidate. A captain should be judged based on skills, experience, charisma, knowledge, not sex!"

Captain Pennington leads SY Twilight - at 125ft the largest Oyster yacht ever built – and she is optimistic about higher female visibility and presence on the deck, adding: "I think we are already changing the industry by starting mentoring programs and having support groups with people who have been through it all and can help to guide new ladies coming into the industry.

"It's great to see all female race crew and solo ladies rowing the Atlantic. We are definitely out there and getting stronger and the world is opening its eyes and accepting that females can and are doing as well, if not better, than men."

Increased awareness of the pathways to becoming a captain is crucial to fostering the next generation in the eyes of Captain Gordon (pictured below). "Many women just don’t think becoming a captain is a possibility if they haven’t been exposed to it," she explains.

"As a young woman, it can be quite intimidating and overwhelming to approach a captain on a large yacht to ask questions. What if these senior, male captains created a group of sorts that made them 'feel' more approachable? 

"It’s important to offer as much support, guidance and approachability to allow a young woman, or man, to reach out about working on deck. I love to teach and share my knowledge and encourage or inspire those young adults that are chasing a dream. 

"I try to mentor as many individuals as I can and hope that sharing my story will inspire those that have a desire to join the deck department to do so. Even if I give the courage to just one individual then I have done my job!"

Captain Pennington says a positive, can-do attitude pays enormous dividends. "There will always be hurdles to overcome when a woman is put into a role that is generally considered a man’s role. We have to work harder to prove ourselves but it’s worth it in the end. There are definitely more women going into deck and engineering which is brilliant. I currently have a female deck stew who I would love to be my mate in the future."

Intuitively female skill sets such as multi-tasking and empathy mean that women naturally make great captains.

"Usually a female brings a high level of experience and skills to the captain position, having had to work harder to achieve those results," adds Captain Franco, who started her marine career as a diving instructor and worked on MY Octopus as an officer.

"Women have a particular attention to detail and we’re also very good at multi-tasking, both of which are everything in yachting. Having more empathy also helps in dealing with crew issues and improves the relationship with owners and guests."

Captain Gordon was a college chemistry teacher in the US when she attended a wedding party on a yacht and switched careers on a whim, with the captain she met that day becoming her mentor and teaching her every aspect of yachting. She agrees that female captains tend to be emotionally in tune with what their crew needs.

"Also we aren’t afraid to pitch in with any role on the boat," she adds. "You won’t see many male captains pulling stew duty, and women will in a heartbeat. We are more cautious and willing to admit to our limitations. We’re also more organised and pay attention to the finer details. Mostly, we have an innate mothering ability, which allows for a warmer and softer environment for crew."

Captain Pennington (pictured above) backs that view, adding: "The mothering instinct makes us better listeners, we are generally calmer and more understanding. Some women may not like that statement but it’s true."

While there is clearly still much work to be done in yachting to create a more level playing field with equality, diversity and inclusivity as core values, all three captains we spoke to believe that change is definitely afoot – and that good leadership training makes all the difference.

"Things have improved since I first started," asserts Captain Franco, "with more women in deck and engineering positions but there are still very few female captains on 50m+ superyachts, especially compared to the cruising industry where there are shining examples of female captains on large passenger vessels.

"Training has a large impact in creating a role model and leader. I’ve done several courses with Luxury Hospitality over the years and have shared that knowledge with my crew on different yachts."

Captain Gordon believes that "training is huge", adding that the Luxury Hospitality Talent Dynamics course she enrolled on gave her a better insight into her strengths and weaknesses, which in turn made her a better leader.

She fervently believes that the last remnants of sexism can be eliminated by surrounding yourself with supportive male colleagues who are also eager to stamp it out, adding: "There are men in this industry who are some of my biggest cheerleaders and supports!

"Women climbing the ranks need to make sure they are surrounding themselves with the right people," she adds. "Sometimes it take a bit to find and create your support group, but it's so important.

"We must also take responsibility for our own success and remember to be our first and biggest cheerleader. Push yourself when you don't want to. Show up when you don't want to. Do what makes you uncomfortable because that is when you grow and achieve your dreams." 

"There is a lot more support now with regards to groups like She of the Sea and mentorship programmes," agrees Captain Pennington. "It’s nice to know there are other women out there all willing to help and guide each other. Let’s hope that it only keeps on improving."

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Comment by: Brieuc Chauris - 22 May 2021, 08:44 (3 years ago)

Dear Karen, Many thanks for you brillant article. It’s really a shame that’s there is not equity about male and female crew members in the yacht industry. Your advise will move lines in mind of owners and yachts management. Thank you Brieuc Yachting innovation company CEO

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Five bodies found inside superyacht that sank off Sicily

PORTICELLO, Sicily — Divers recovered four bodies Wednesday from inside a superyacht that sank in a sudden storm off Sicily , Salvatore Cocina, director of the island's Civil Protection Agency, confirmed to NBC News.

Cocina later confirmed to Sky News that a fifth body had been found and was being brought to shore. One passenger remains missing.

The identities of the bodies were not immediately released. Their recovery follows a dayslong search in the deep waters off Italy where British tech tycoon Mike Lynch  and several others were believed to be trapped in the hull. Fifteen of the 22 people aboard survived.

The rest had been missing since early Monday, when the Bayesian was caught in the storm anchored off the coast of Porticello, a village near the Sicilian capital city, Palermo.

The body of the ship’s cook, identified as Recaldo Thomas, a Canadian Antiguan national, was recovered Monday. 

On Wednesday, NBC News witnessed what appeared to be at least three body bags being lifted from fire department boats after they pulled into port at Porticello. It was unclear whose bodies they were. Some were later transferred to ambulances and driven away from the dock.

Lynch’s 18-year-old daughter, Hannah; Morgan Stanley International Chairman Jonathan Bloomer and his wife, Judy; and Clifford Chance lawyer Chris Morvillo and his wife, Neda, are also missing. 

The Bayesian is owned by a firm linked to Lynch’s wife, Angela Bacares, who was among the survivors rescued by a nearby vessel after they got into a lifeboat.

Built by the Italian shipbuilder Perini Navi in 2008, the U.K.-registered yacht could carry 12 guests and a crew of up to 10, according to online specialist boating sites. Its nearly 250-foot mast is the tallest aluminum sailing mast in the world, according to CharterWorld Luxury Yacht Charters.  

Regularly described in U.K. media as “Britain’s Bill Gates,” Lynch was  acquitted of fraud by a San Francisco jury this year, stemming from the sale of his software company Autonomy to Hewlett-Packard for $11 billion in 2011.

The Mediterranean sailing vacation was designed to be a celebration for Lynch, who brought Bloomer, who testified in his defense, and Morvillo, one of his U.S. lawyers, on the trip.

Lynch's co-defendant Stephen Chamberlain was not aboard the Bayesian, but in what appears to be a tragic coincidence, a  car struck and killed  him Saturday as he was jogging in a village about 68 miles north of London, local police said.

Claudio Lavanga and Claudia Rizzo reported from Porticello. Henry Austin reported from London.

Claudio Lavanga is Rome-based foreign correspondent for NBC News.

Claudia Rizzo is an Italy based journalist.

Henry Austin is a senior editor for NBC News Digital based in London.

18-year-old from Wayne dies after being struck by boat propeller in Harvey Cedars

An 18-year-old woman from Wayne died Sunday after being struck by the propeller of a boat off Harvey Cedars, on Long Beach Island, authorities said.

On Sunday at about 4:30 p.m., state troopers responded to what Harvey Cedars police are calling a "tragic boating accident" in the waters off Sunset Park in Harvey Cedars, New Jersey State Police said.

Based on a preliminary investigation, Zeina Mahafzah was on a raft being pulled by a boat. While attempting to board the boat, she was struck by its propeller and sustained fatal injuries, state police said.

The incident is under investigation by the New Jersey State Police and the Harvey Cedars Police Department, which posted Sunday on Facebook : "As the investigation is in its preliminary stages, we ask that you keep the family and community in your thoughts and prayers."

Teen killed by boat propeller while rafting at Jersey Shore

• Updated: Aug. 26, 2024, 6:09 p.m.
• | Published: Aug. 26, 2024, 11:08 a.m.

A boat travels on Barnegat Bay off of Sunset Park in Harvey Cedars on Monday, August 26, 2024, a day after a fatal boating accident on the bay in the Long Beach Island town. Jim Lowney | For NJ Advance Media

• Brianna Kudisch | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com

An 18-year-old was fatally struck by a boat propeller’s blade in Ocean County over the weekend, officials said Monday.

Zeina Mahafzah, of Wayne, was on a raft being pulled by a boat in the waters off Sunset Park in Harvey Cedars around 4:30 p.m. Sunday, said New Jersey State Police Sgt. Jeffrey Lebron.

Sunset Park is on the bay side of Harvey Cedars, which is located on the northern section of Long Beach Island.

“While attempting to board the vessel, she was struck by the vessel’s propeller,” police said.

The incident remains under investigation, police said. No further information was immediately available.

On Sunday, Harvey Cedars police said they were investigating a “tragic boating accident” in the waters off Long Beach Island.

“As the investigation is in its preliminary stages, we ask that you keep the family and community in your thoughts and prayers,” police said in a Facebook post Sunday.

Mahafzah graduated from Wayne Hills High School, Wayne Township Superintendent Mark Toback said.

“We have been in contact with the family and are respecting their wishes, so we have no comment at this time,” he said.

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Brianna Kudisch may be reached at [email protected] .

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18-year-old fatally struck by boat propeller in New Jersey, police say

Authorities in New Jersey are investigating a "tragic boating accident" that left a teenage girl dead.

Zeina Mahafzah, an 18-year-old, from Wayne, New Jersey, was attempting to board a boat from a raft being pulled by the boat in the waters off Sunset Park in Harvey Cedars, about an hour from Atlantic City, around 4:30 p.m. Sunday when she was struck by the vessel's propeller and fatally injured, New Jersey State Police said Monday.

Police said the incident was under investigation and no further information on the incident was immediately available.

While authorities did not share further details, NBC10 Philadelphia reported the boat was being driven by her father and multiple others were traumatized in the accident and were later evaluated by EMS.

Thoughts and prayers for family

Harvey Cedars Police Department, in post on X Sunday evening, said the department was investigating a "tragic boat accident off of Harvey Cedars in Long Beach Island" on Jersey Shore with the New Jersey State Police.

"As the investigation is in its preliminary stages, we ask that you keep the family and community in your thoughts and prayers," department had said in its post.

Saman Shafiq is a trending news reporter for USA TODAY. Reach her at [email protected] and follow her on X and Instagram @saman_shafiq7.

18-year-old killed after being struck by boat propeller in Harvey Cedars NJ accident

HARVEY CEDARS - An 18-year-old was killed Sunday afternoon after being struck by a boat's propeller, according to authorities.

Police said that Zeina Mahafzah of Wayne was on a raft being pulled by a boat. While the 18-year-old was attempting to board the vessel, she was struck by the boat’s propeller and sustained fatal injuries, police said.

Harvey Cedars police have said the death was due to a “tragic boating accident.”

The accident occurred at 4:30 p.m. Sunday in the water off Sunset Park in Harvey Cedars Boro, according to State Police, who are heading the investigation.

Fatal accident: ‘Tragic boating accident’ off Long Beach Island claims teen girl

The incident remains under investigation, and no additional information is available at this time, according to state police.

Jenna Calderón covers breaking news and cold cases in Monmouth and Ocean counties. Before coming to the Press, she covered The Queen City for Cincinnati Magazine in Ohio. Contact her at 330-590-3903; [email protected]

Mother aboard sinking yacht saves toddler, holding child above water

“For two seconds, I lost my baby in the sea,” Charlotte Golunski told local media. She and her daughter, Sophie, were rescued and taken to a nearby hospital.

Charlotte Golunski had trouble staying upright as she and her 1-year-old daughter rushed to the deck of the Bayesian in the middle of the night, amid a storm that would ultimately claim the 183-foot yacht. The waves off the coast of northern Sicily, Golunski told local media, made the boat “dance.”

Then came a brush with tragedy. “For two seconds I lost my baby in the sea,” the mother told Giornale di Sicilia. “Then I immediately hugged her again amid the fury of the waves.”

Golunski and her partner, identified in local media as James Emslie, were invited on the ship as guests of the British tech entrepreneur Mike Lynch. The trip, a luxurious getaway aboard a superyacht, was interrupted by rough weather near Sicily. The ship dropped anchor roughly half a mile from Porticello, an Italian fishing village, as violent waves thrashed the vessel and lightning and thunder boomed overhead.

According to local reports, the boat began to tilt on its side around 4 a.m. Monday. A flare went up from the ship shortly after.

“I held her afloat with all my strength, my arms stretched upwards to keep her from drowning,” Golunski told la Repubblica. “It was all dark. In the water I couldn’t keep my eyes open. I screamed for help, but all I could hear around me was the screams of the others.”

Eventually, Golunski, Sophie, Emslie and eight others were able to get onto an inflatable lifeboat.

Twenty-two people were on board the Bayesian, and 15 were rescued. Lynch, his 18-year old daughter and several other passengers are still missing . A search-and-rescue operation is ongoing. The ship’s chef was the only confirmed fatality Monday.

Golunski and Sophie were taken to Di Cristina hospital in Palermo, where Emslie joined them after checking out of a different facility. The staff told local media that both the mother and daughter were in good condition. The head of the hospital, Domenico Cipolla, confided to the newspaper Corriere della Sera that the survivors’ stories had many of the doctors and nurses in tears.

British oceanographer Simon Boxall said conditions in the Mediterranean can change rapidly, going from calm to “horrendous” storms. “Some of the worst storms I have been in have been in the Mediterranean,” he said.

Specialist cave divers have been brought in to search the sunken yacht. “There are stories of people getting caught in air bubbles, so it’s worth looking in the vessel, but time will tell,” Boxall told Sky News.