James M. Kenyon Jr., Captain (USA)

Jim began his boating career at the age of 12 on board Lake Michigan fishing boats.  When he was 17, he joined the USCG for five years before going into yachting full time. In his free time, he enjoys vintage autos and motorcycles, as well as current events.

Virginia L. Kenyon, Purser (USA)

Ginny joined Jim in 1988 on board his first command.  Over the last 20 years she has furthered her education by taking various classes in interior design, cooking and hospitality.  She enjoys all the domestic arts, but gardening and shopping top her list of fun things to do.

Steve Kelly, Chief Engineer (Australia)

Steve started his boating career as an engineer aboard high speed ferries in Queensland, Australia. After meeting a delivery skipper for Oceanfast, he decided to pursue yachting as a full-time career in the south of France.  In the past he has been part of the Jim & Ginny team.  He enjoys beating the captain at golf and is an avid reader of biographies and history.  Steve is our walking encyclopedia.

Mark Niemand, First Officer (South Africa)

Mark, born and raised in Cape Town, South Africa, first worked with Jim and Ginny in 2005.  When he was approached by them to once again join their team, he did not hesitate!  He enjoys nature, cycling, diving, fishing and running.

Mark Dubyna, Bosun (Australia)

Mark was born and raised in Melbourne, Australia.  He has a familiar background in Australian flora and fauna, and trekking the great outdoors.  After finishing high school, he was drafted to the Collingwood football club which is one of Australia’s most prestigious clubs.  He is a keen traveler who has traveled throughout all of Australia, Thailand, South Africa, Central America and England. His hobbies are football, extreme sports, keeping fit, fishing and board games.  Mark is a veteran crew member on Argyll and is looking forward to a long career in yachting.

Marnus Theron, Deck hand (South Africa)

Marnus is the latest addition to the Argyll team.  By trade he is a carpenter and his interest in the yachting industry was perked by friends.  In his spare time he enjoys golf, scuba diving, and fishing.  New to the industry he is very enthusiastic about all that lies ahead, including traveling the Caribbean and studying for his Yacht Master qualifications.

Paul Tessis, Chef (Canada)

Paul grew up in Toronto, Ontario Canada.  By his early 20’s he was smitten with a case of wanderlust and discovered cuisine while on the road.  He returned to Canada and graduated form George Brown Culinary Institute. Paul then proceeded to work in one of Canada’s best restaurants, Canoe, for 2 years. 

The urge to travel took Paul through China, South-East Asia and Korea for the next year and a half before he returned home to hone his craft further by working at Susurs, Missionhill Family Estate, one of Canada’s top wineries, and as sous chef at C restaurant, one of North America’s top fish  & seafood restaurants.

Following this, Paul travelled again spending 1 ½ years in India, Sri Lanka, Pakistan and the Maldives learning local and regional cuisine.  Paul has been yachting since October 2007 and looks forward to sharing his culinary prowess with you.

Rachel Paygayne, Chief Stewardess (Philippines)

Rachel hails from the beautiful island of the Philippines.  She started her hospitality career in hotels before making her debut in the yachting industry in 1994.  This has given her the opportunity to travel around the world.

Rachel has been freelancing as a stewardess since her wedding in 2003 and has worked with Jim and Ginny on and off. She is extremely happy to be part of their team again!

In her spare time she loves to read, decorate and tend to her garden. She is a very creative person and enjoys handicrafts.

Debby, Second Stewardess (Netherlands)

Debby, born in the West Indies to Dutch parents, was bitten by the travel-bug at a very young age.  She started her career in the hospitality and travel industry as a flight attendant.  When she saw a newly built yacht whilst on vacation in Italy, she knew what she wanted and a few weeks later she was onboard her first yacht. The yachts have taken her to destinations such as Burma, Papua New Guinea, Micronesia and Antarctica.

When she decided to take a break she ended up in Ghana, West Africa, working with mentally handicapped orphans and tutoring street kids.  Debby recently returned from a 6 month trip backpacking through India and Nepal. She is happiest getting lost in foreign markets and soaking up different cultures. Her hobbies include hiking, photography, and yoga.  Glad to be back in the industry, she is proud to be part of the Argyll crew.

Melissa Carroll, Stewardess (USA)

Melissa was born in Boston, Massachusetts and spent her latter childhood years in Orlando, Florida, where she was an avid soccer player and cross country runner.

After a 4 year degree in Economics at the University of Miami, she worked and lived in Miami, but she really wanted to travel. She became aware of the yachting industry whilst meeting some crew members during a business trip and became part of the Argyll crew shortly thereafter.

Melissa is not only a very social person and a bit of a chatterbox once you get to know her, she is also a great story teller! Ask her about the lima-bean…

When she is not working, she enjoys exploring new places and she loves to listen to music. She enjoys working on Argyll, which so far has taken her throughout the Caribbean and East Coast of USA.