David Dawes, Captain

At the age of 3, David "helped" his father build a small wooden sailing boat and has not stopped sailing since. Having raced dinghies and windsurfers during university, he realized that the sport of yacht racing combined the two things he loved (sailing and traveling). His first commercial captain's license involved driving the river ferry that he used to travel to school upon as a child. His experience since has included captaining dive charter vessels on Australia's Great Barrier Reef, yachting in the 90's, a stint on merchant ships as a deck officer on trans Atlantic containerships, and captaining the record breaking sloop Mirabella V. David anticipates his next landfall with as much enthusiasm as his first, and thoroughly enjoys the challenges and traditions of his profession. David lives in the mountains of Mallorca with his wife and various rescued cats.

Louise Chasemore, Chief Officer

I was born and grew up in Tasmania, in Hobart, on the shores of one of the most beautiful deep water harbours in the world, and here I learnt to sail as a child. After leaving school, I travelled overseas for eighteen months, and on my return settled in Cairns, in North Queensland, where I became a qualified scuba instructor, working on various dive boats on the Great Barrier Reef.

I made my way into the  White Boat industry initially on motor vessels, but always new that my heart lay with sail. I obtained a job on the Perini Navi Perseus, as bosun.  Perseus was in Cairns halfway through her circumnavigation, and was making her way back to Viareggio where this voyage had begun.

I completed various tickets whilst employed and continued on to another Perini Navi, 'Independence' where I held the position of First Mate.

Prior to joining Felicita West, I worked for three years on the Royal Huisman Schooner Meteor, as Second Officer.  We claimed three first places at the St Barths Bucket in 2010, and I loved my time aboard this wonderful yacht. It is lovely, however, to be back on the Perini team again, and I look forward to the enjoyment, as well as the challenges, that this new job will bring.

Raul Oja, Second Officer

Raul grew up in Estonia and started sailing Optimist at ten years old.  He is a competitive and disciplined sailor, and was several times the Estonian 470 dinghy champion. He has served on passenger ships and tugs, as well as delivery skipper for several seasons on various yachts up to 20m in the Baltic.  He graduated from the Estonian Maritime Academy's navigational faculty in 2010, becoming a fully certificated navigational officer. In his time off Raul enjoys snowboarding, water sports, skydiving and squash.

Seamus O’Donnel, Boson

Séamus is from Dublin, and discovered a passion for sailing and water sports at a young age. He progressed to compete and instruct in many dinghy and yacht regattas around Europe, and served in the Irish Navy for three years. He has competed in many prestigious international regattas, crossed the Atlantic three times, one in command of a 50’ racing yacht. He is an avid dive master, and has dived in Fiji, Thailand, Australia and India. Seamus is also a keen mountaineer who has trekked in the Himalayas and New Zealand’s south Island.

Anna Eriksson, Deck/Stewardess

Anna was born in a small town in Sweden, and started sailing dinghies at the age of ten.  She has been sailing ever since, and has spent the last five summers on the family’s 45’ sloop on waters from Sweden to Turkey.  Now, she has decided to make a career out of her biggest interest in life, taking her first step with Felicita West. Apart from sailing Anna loves alpine skiing, and travelling, and has worked as a ski instructor and marina attendant.

Gareth Maclure, Chief Engineer

Gareths early years were spent in Newcastle Upon Tyne “the toon”.  After leaving home spent seven years playing professional rugby, he managed to play for his country, and along the way sneak a degree in business & marketing. At the grand old age of 24 and four operations later Gareth decided it was time for a career change. After completing  a yacht master course Gareth headed to the South of France to find employment. Gareths first job in yachting was a deckhand onboard a Perini Navi.   After many boats in between he again finds himself aboard a Perini Navi but this time as the Chief Engineer.

Mark Taylor, Second Engineer

Mark was born in the Isle of Skye but the vast proportion of his sea time has been spent on the larger cruise ships going around the Mediterranean and Caribbean.  He enjoys sailing, walking, photography, tennis and the outdoors. When at home he teaches sailing to children during the weekends.  He is a keen motorcyclist and enjoys undertaking most maintenance tasks himself.

Marieke Tollenaere, Chef

Ricky was born in Antwerp in the beautiful country of Belgium.  Ricky speaks four languages Flemish, English, French & Spanish.  After extensive travelling Ricky has based herself in Mallorca where she hides away from the rest of the world indulging in her artwork.   Her culinary skills are also mirrored with her passion for art, not only does Ricky’s food taste great it looks fantastic.  She particularly enjoys cooking healthy foods as she herself is fit and healthy.

Kirsty Gray, Chief Stewardess

Kirsty grew up in Bonnie Scotland, in a small town just outside Glasgow.    Tennis and rock n’ roll dancing occupied most of her younger years and then the weather finally took it’s toll on Kirsty and she decided to leave it all behind and get away from the rain.  She landed her first job as a Stewardess in 06’ and has continued to climb the ladder to Chief Stewardess.  She has been on both motor and sail boats, enjoyed several Atlantic and Pacific crossings.    Travelling and meeting new people are two of many attractions to yachting, the never knowing where you will end up next will never cease to amaze her.

Kelly Stockdale, Second Stewardess

Kelly was born and raised in a small town in Yorkshire, England.  She has been working on Yachts in the Med, both Private and Charter since 2007. Before this, Kelly spent a number of years travelling and working in restaurants and day-charter boats in the UK and Australia. Kelly has a passion for cooking and has worked in an award-winning Greek restaurant in her home town. She has also recently taken up snow-boarding which has taken her to some beautiful resorts in Italy and the Swiss Alps.

Lia Nicholson, Third Stewardess

Born to a family of adventurous seafarers, Lia Nicholson’s grandparents met on a chartered yacht in 1954 and sailed to English Harbour in Antigua, where they established their family and charter business. Having experienced the seasonal nature of the industry through day work, deliveries and sailing weeks, Lia is excited to join Felicita West as a crew member. Her favourite past times are predictable for an island girl, and include free diving, scuba, and surfing, while her mother’s trade as a ceramicist influenced her artistic flare for batik, weaving, and jewellery making.

Elisa Linton, Chef/Deckhand/Stewardess

Originally from Honduras, Elisa is fluent in three languages, English, Spanish & Italian.  Her eagerness to break into the Super Yacht industry comes from her father who has his own small sailing boat, she has sailed the high seas with her family and has now decided to build a career in the yachting industry.  She is an active crew member, she enjoys yoga and generally keeping fit and healthy.