Michael Tews

I am very interested in a Captain position. I am an experienced Charter Yacht Captain with a strong background operating busy, high-end charter programs and delivering exceptional owner and guest experiences. ⚓ CHARTER CAPTAIN HIGHLIGHTS 🥂 Extensive Charter Captain Experience – Successfully operated high-tempo luxury charter programs 📅 12+ Charters Per Season – Experienced managing demanding back-to-back charter schedules while maintaining high standards throughout the vessel ⭐ Guest Experience Focused – Strong understanding of charter expectations, itinerary planning, personalized service and creating memorable guest experiences 🌎 Worldwide Charter & Cruising Experience – Mediterranean, Caribbean, Bahamas, Alaska, Mexico, Central America and U.S. East & West Coasts 🎣 Sport Fishing Experience – Experienced creating fishing adventures for owners and charter guests 🤿 PADI Divemaster – Experienced coordinating and participating in guest diving and water-sports activities 🛥️ Private & Charter Yachts – Command experience aboard yachts up to 43 meters ⚙️ Engineering & Mechanical Background – Hands-on technical knowledge with a strong preventative-maintenance philosophy 🏗️ New Build & Major Refit Experience – Including shipyard and new-build projects in Italy 👥 Crew Leadership & Training – Building professional, motivated crews capable of consistently delivering a high level of charter service 📊 Budgeting & Accounting – Experienced managing yacht operating budgets, purchasing and cost-conscious operations 🛡️ Safety & ISM – Strong focus on safe operations, compliance, crew training and professional vessel management ✈️ Available & Ready to Travel My approach to charter is simple: maintain the yacht to the highest standard, build and train the right crew, understand the guests' expectations, and deliver an outstanding experience every charter. I would welcome the opportunity to discuss this position and how my charter experience, leadership and operational background could add value to the yacht program. Strengths My greatest strengths are leadership, organization, communication, and my ability to manage the complete operation of a yacht program. With both a Captain and engineering background, I am very hands-on and proactive when it comes to vessel maintenance, safety, budgeting, crew management, and operational planning. I believe strongly in preventative maintenance, hiring the right people, properly training the crew, and establishing clear expectations. I work to create a professional environment where everyone understands their responsibilities and works together toward the same goal: providing the owner and guests with a safe, seamless, and exceptional experience. I am also very adaptable. My worldwide cruising, charter, new-build, refit, fishing, diving, and water-sports experience has taught me how to anticipate problems, remain calm under pressure, and find practical solutions when circumstances change. Area of Development One area I continue to work on is delegation. Because I have a strong engineering and hands-on operational background, my natural tendency is to become personally involved when something needs to be completed or when there is a technical problem. Over the years, I have learned that effective leadership is not about doing everything yourself. It is about developing capable crew members, giving them responsibility, establishing accountability, and trusting them to perform their roles. I still maintain high standards and remain involved in the overall operation, but I have become much more conscious of stepping back when appropriate and allowing department heads and crew members to take ownership of their responsibilities. I believe this creates a stronger crew and ultimately a more efficient and successful yacht program.