Topics covered at the seminar included an insightful presentation on VAT matters in the Mediterranean from Thierry Voisin, founder of SOS Yachting. Focus was put on regulatory and practical considerations for cruising in Cuba, a destination that is fast increasing in popularity with superyachts, with insurance related insight from Rick Salway, Vice President Recreational Marine at XLCatlin. A destination presentation on the country from Leann Pliske, IYC Charter Consultant, alongside maritime attorney Michael Moore, was ample demonstration for just why this destination is growing to be a must-do for yachts. Many attending captains also offered invaluable information from their own experiences in the country.

The seminar provided an ideal opportunity to present an overview on IYC’s new management software, IYC BLUE, which was formally launched to market in November 2016. Designed by captains for captains, BLUE offers an easy to use and functional solution for the onboard crew, safety, and document management. Sean Cassidy, Yacht Management Manager at IYC, who spearheaded the development of the software, was delighted with the seminar as a platform to launch IYC BLUE. “FLIBS always brings together a good selection of the industry's top professionals and we were lucky to have so many in attendance at our inaugural seminar and have an opportunity to show them what we've been developing with BLUE,” he says. “Having developed this management platform with the captain's point of view in mind, the seminar was an ideal launching event and was a great success.”

Terry Hines, Charter Management Director, gave a brief summary of the current IYC charter fleet, which numbers 50 yachts handled out of four offices, and outlined how much the charter industry and the average charter yacht have changed over the last thirty years. With this change has come huge advances in technology, communication and the ability to produce top quality marketing material for client yachts and Terry shared her experience and advice on future charters including the presentation of several invaluable charter case studies.

Following such a successful launch event of the seminar series there are several more planned for 2017, covering a wide range of practical topics that will support and assist industry captains. “We believe that it is important that we stand beside our captains on all the complexities involved in successfully managing a yacht and its use,” says Diana Pachon. “IYC strongly believes in the values of what the team is able to bring and share with others and has planned for much more to come.”

For more information on upcoming events or any of IYC’s services please contact the IYC office most convenient to you. IYC has offices in Fort Lauderdale, the Bahamas, Newport, Nantucket, St. Barth, St. Maarten, Monaco, Greece, Croatia, Montenegro, Malta and Turkey. To contact an IYC team member click here.