Recommended captains / Jakub Machalický
Jakub Machalický
RYA Yachtmaster Offshore (commercial endorsement) | instructor
Jakub went on a sailing holiday with friends in 2017. Since then, he has been hitting the waves whenever he can - he has found his second home at the helm and bought his own sailboat. His favourite place to sail is the Ionian Sea, but he also knows his way around other sailing destinations - Croatia, the Balearic Islands, the Baltics, Thailand and the Caribbean, to name a few. Jakub says that sailing with him is the ideal yachting holiday - combining relaxation and exploring new places with trips to the countryside and gastronomy. He is keen to pass on his passion for sailing to newcomers on his practical courses.
A couple of questions for Jakub:
What do you think makes a good captain?
Being a good captain is a very broad concept and can be achieved in many ways. Apart from the necessary knowledge and experience, it is mainly about managing the social situations that can arise on a boat. In short, making sure that everyone enjoys the cruise. I like to set expectations in advance of the cruise so that we are not surprised by each other. There is nothing worse than unmet expectations.
My friend also likes to remind me that my safety briefing earlier sounded like we couldn't possibly survive. But I've gotten a lot better and less scared. :-), I mention this though because equally important is preparing for anything that might happen. It's just important to always think several moves ahead.
What do you never forget to take with you on the boat?
I've changed a lot in that regard in the last 2 years. I used to take a lot of things myself and distribute a lot of other things to crew members to take. But lately, I've gotten to the point where I don't really need anything on the boat that the charter boat doesn't already provide. So I'm really only left with one thing I take on charter - a piece of paracord (or any versatile but strong rope).
Your favourite rule on a boat?
Most rules don't make any skipper popular, but maybe it could be "one hand belongs to the boat" and "we'll use vests/harnesses whenever it helps you feel safer or when the skipper says so".