At CCS we’re always looking for inspiring ways to share our work and give people a unique insight in the world of superyachts. This interview is a perfect way to do so. Today we talk to professional sailer and superyacht captain Ian Gardner. Want to tell your yacht story? Get in touch!
Where does your love for yachts come from?
At a young age inspired by my father, I began building boats. At the age of 12 I built my first sail boat and began racing against my mates and have never really stopped. I studied Ship Yacht & boat building as a teenager and became trade certified. At the age of 22 I got my first captains job.
What is your favorite yacht?
As a professional sailor I have raced in almost every regatta in the world including the Americas Cup, and as a superyacht captain I have cruised to almost every cruising location and port. After all that sailing and cruising I do not have a favorite port as many are all the same to me, but I love being at sea. Today, after helming and driving probably hundreds of different types of yachts, my favorite yacht that excites me the most, and one that I just love being in, is a Laser sailing dinghy.
What is the best part of your job?
Yachts are all about people. The people who design, build, sail and own them. I enjoy the excitement of a designer who is explaining his design and how it will perform. I have compassion for and relate to the builder as he explains his skills and abilities in how he managed the complex construction of a yacht. I watch the thrills from those that sail fast and almost out of control and I listen to the fascination of those arriving at a beautiful distant remote location. And I see and listen to the satisfaction and pride an owner has as he admires and talks about his yacht.
What have been the most important developments in the industry lately?
For the past two years I have been in Europe building a yacht and cruising the Eastern Mediterranean so my comment on development has certainly been influenced by local events, and perhaps more of a revelation than a development. Perhaps it is my age, but more people are talking to me about climate change and the sea and how have I seen it change while others have been asking me about the free unrestricted and addictive spirit that is waiting to be caught when sailing the seas. More awareness of both can only be good for the industry.
