CLOUD 9 Crew Profile
Colin Boyle
Captain
Scottish Age 43
Scottish-born Captain, Colin Boyle, studied at the Royal Academy of Music in London and the Rotterdam Conservatoire, before embarking on a career in contemporary music, touring Europe, the USA and Japan. Sailing and yachts had a long held fascination, however, and when an opportunity came along to work with a professional ocean racing team, a new adventure began.
Throughout the last fifteen years, Colin has built up a broad experience of the superyacht industry from new construction, to sailing a beautiful classic 58m (190ft) sailing schooner, to recently completing a seven year period as Captain of a 43 meter (140ft) Feadship with a busy world-wide itinerary of private use and charter.
Colin has an extensive network of local contacts, and his knowledge of cruising waters around Northern Europe, the Mediterranean, Far East, Cuba, South America and the Caribbean will ensure the smooth operation of the yacht through imaginative and immaculate planning. Having worked in all departments on board yachts from engineer to chef, to interior and deck, he is well placed to quickly grasp the style and speed of your charter, and guide his experienced crew efficiently and effectively to producing exemplary service in a calm and friendly atmosphere.
The newly commissioned yacht ‘Cloud 9’ is a stunning charter yacht, with great light and spacious interiors offering the height of comfort and luxury. Colin has been fully involved with the last year of this construction, ensuring that every detail has been addressed to ensure the success of every minute of your charter.
Stuart Laidlaw
Chief Engineer
British Age 37
Stuart left school at the age of 17 in Yorkshire, England, and joined the Royal Navy where he was accepted onto the Marine Engineering Artificer Apprenticeship. He completed a 4 year practical and theoretical engineering course before joining his first operational warship as a Leading Marine Engineering Artificer. He remained in active service for a further 4 years on various military vessels before leaving the Royal Navy as a Petty Officer MEA.
A brief 10 month period working for a large food Production Company as a Services Engineer, Stuart had had enough of life on land and started to look for another way to get back on the water.
Through an ex Royal Navy crewing agency Stuart was offered a position working onboard his first large motor yacht – the 63 meter Feadship, Virginian. With 2 busy Charter/Private seasons under his belt, the vessel sailed to Germany for a major refit. Stuart’s now wife, Natalie, came out to Germany to visit and never returned to the UK, press ganged to work alongside Stuart onboard MY Virginian!
A brief spell on MY Paragon, he joined the 64 meter Feadship Lady Marina, starting as Second Engineer and promoting to Chief Engineer holding the position for a further 4 years. The team then moved to the 53 meter OceanCo Lady Christine, joining her in Thailand as Chief Engineer and Chief Stewardess.
The commissioning and operation of Cloud 9 has been an exciting opportunity to bring a fantastic new vessel into the charter market. Stuart has considerable knowledge and experience of all of the systems fitted on board Cloud 9, and his attention to detail in the last construction stage of the yacht has ensured that Cloud 9 is a reliable and well maintained Superyacht.
Natalie Laidlaw
Chief Stewardess
British Age 33
Natalie began her career in a position with a leading UK security firm, entrusted with hundreds of thousands of pounds and security codes to bank vaults and ATMs! Pursuing this fast track position for 3 years, she then moved ‘temporarily’ to Germany to work on her first large Motor Yacht, the very grand and classic MY Virginian.
After only 4 months on Virginian she realized this was a positive career move, and made a full time commitment to the yachting industry.
The next stage in Natalie’s career was to accept an appointment onboard another prestigious Motor Yacht, Lady Marina, quickly promoting to Second Stewardess. Natalie continued to work as the Second Stewardess under the Captain’s wife, for a further 4 years, building good relationship with the owner and his family, supporting their entertaining, both on board and ashore.
Her first Chief Stewardess position followed on board MY Lady Christine. There, Natalie ran the interior/service department with 4 staff, again building a strong department capable of providing the English Owner and his guests with a 6 star service.
Natalie has been onboard whilst in build bringing her considerable experience and style to Cloud 9, along with her husband Stuart – our Chief Engineer. She aims to continue developing the industry’s service standards guided by her impeccable taste and great energy and imagination onboard MY Cloud 9.
Daniel Poole
Head Chef
Australian Age 35
Daniel was born in Melbourne, Australia. From a young age he always enjoyed cooking at home with his mother. This eventually led to his love and passion for food today. After a 4 year apprenticeship in high end restaurants and 5 star hotels, Daniel was ready to travel and taste the world’s different cuisines. As an experienced yacht chef, he continues to exceed the expectations of some of the most demanding guests in the yachting industry. His world cooking knowledge, coupled with extensive training makes Daniel an extremely versatile chef.
In his spare time he enjoys kite surfing, motorbike riding and keeping fit.
Simon Blackwell
1st Officer
British Age 34
Simon has been involved with yachts since the tender age of five when his father dragged him out of bed on a frosty Sunday morning to help him crew his small dingy! Since then it has been in the blood.
Simon started in his Super Yacht career early in 2004 after graduating from the UKSA in Cowes with a Yacht Master Qualification. His first position was on Lady Marina – 64 M Feadship he joined as a deckhand and stayed there for 4 years progressing up to the position of 2nd officer. He left in 2008 to face new exiting challengers and joined Slowjo a 48M new build in Seattle as the 1ST Officer. He had to unfortunately leave late 2008 in order to study and take his OOW qualification. He passed his courses and took his next 1st Officer position on M/Y Cyan based in both the Med and the Caribbean. Simon stayed onboard Cyan for a year before taking up the position on Cloud 9 as 2nd Officer. Simon has recently just completed and successfully passed his Chief Mate ticket and has now moved up and taken on the role as 1st Officer.
Dusty
Crew Chef
South African Age 30
Dusty grew up in South Africa and played field hockey at the highest level until he was 21 years of age. At 21 he realized that he wanted to pursue a career in chefing as he had always had a longing and a passion for cooking. He trained in South Africa where he worked there a further 3 years before moving overseas to join and work within the yachting industry. He now has set up home in Sweden and thoroughly enjoys the European life style.
Katarina Urukalo
Head Housekeeper
Swedish Age 34
Katarina was born in Stockholm, Sweden, however her parents’ origin is Serbia, so she is fortunate to have roots in two countries. She speaks 3 languages – Serbian, Swedish and English all fluently.
Back home in Sweden she used to work for many years as a beauty therapist. She has a passion for travel and she knew she was destined for an exciting career change.
She joined her first motor yacht in Barcelona and really enjoyed working onboard and realized that she had found the beginning of that new career.
She has been on 4 yachts in the last 7 years and has gained a lot of valuable experience along the way.
John Craven
Steward
British Age 26
John joined M/Y Cloud 9 in November 2009 after a number of years in the service and hospitality industry, before entering the Yachting industry he was the senior function manager of a 16th century stately home in the heart of Guildford, Surrey, his home town. His introduction to yachting was onboard M/Y Esmeralda before joining us on Cloud 9, his hobbies and interests range from all types of motor sport, water sports, extensive travel, to fine dining and pursuing the once in a lifetime experiences
Emma Windever
Stewardess
British Age 24
Emma is from Liverpool and has been in the yachting industry for just over 2 years after graduating from University with a BA tourism and leisure degree. She recently finished onboard M/Y Perfect Persausion after 18 months to join Cloud 9, and is very much looking forward to a busy season ahead. Emma’s hobbies include going to the gym, socializing and has a “great Passion” for shopping, in which she has visited New York five times due to this…
Nick Downs
Deckhand
South African Age 23
Nick grew up and still currently resides in Johannesburg, South Africa. He has a passion for sailing as he was lucky enough to experience the seas on his family’s sailing yacht from a young age. After completing school he knew that he wanted to make a career on the high seas. He completed his yacht master certification in Durban and then decided it was time to head to Palma in order to meet up with his brother who was already experiencing life working onboard yachts and hopefully find his first position. Not long after arriving in Palma Nick found work on a 40 meter sail boat. He stayed with the boat for 9 months gaining valuable experiencing while having great fun sailing and racing with the owner throughout the Med. He realized that he wanted to try and work on motor yachts in order to further his knowledge and career. He found his first motor yacht in France a 44 meter and happily worked for the Dutch family for over a year. He later received a telephone call from Thailand –Cloud 9 offering him a position onboard; he was ecstatic and quickly accepted. He is very happy onboard and is really looking forward in starting the Med 2011 season.
Dean Turner
2nd Officer
British Age 29
Dean is 29 years old and is originally from the U.K.
Dean has been heavily involved in watersports from windsurfing, surfing, water-skiing and jetsking, from the early age of 10. Through several years of activity he gained extensive experience and skills to a level where he and his brother have competed and been British and European jetski champions in both sit-down and stand-up jetskskis. He is now a jetski, powerboat, waterski and wakeboard instructor.
Deans yachting career started in 2004 as a deckhand onboard a 60m yacht M/Y Calixe. He left and later progressed to a 126m yacht
“Octopus”. From leaving Octopus he joined the Prestigious 113m “Le Grande Bleu”. After several years as working as a deckhand and gaining extensive experience, Dean decided it was time to further his career in yachting and left to join the very busy charter yacht “Alfa Nero” a 82m. He left Alfa Nero so he could complete his exams in order for him to become a Bosun, however no higher available position arose, so he left and found his 1st position with the Bosun Title on M/Y Cloud 9. During his time on Cloud 9, he has proven to be very energetic, passionate and very dedicated to both the Yacht and its guests. He has taken further exams and now holds the title as 2nd Office.
Mark Lamb
2nd Engineer
Scottish Age 30
Mark is 30 years old and hails from Fife in Scotland. He joined the Royal Navy when he was 18 and finally left in February 2011 after spending 12 years as a marine artificer. He achieved the rank of chief petty officer and served in various places around the world, though predominantly in the Middle East. He completed a 4 year marine engineering apprenticeship whilst in the navy and spent all of his time at sea onboard frigates in multiple roles. During the time serving his notice he was made aware of the super yacht industry through friends and also benefitted from firsthand knowledge from an ex royal navy engineer who is currently employed in the industry.
Mark was extremely keen and excited at the new opportunities that could await him. He pursued his eagerness and contacted the crew agencies within South France. With his fantastic naval background and extensive experience he was highly successful and accepted his first yachting role as the Second engineer on Cloud 9. Mark is thrilled and is looking forward to the exciting and challenging future ahead!
During his time in the RN he was able to participate in various sports and outdoor activities and has a passion for both playing and following football, and has represented his naval base. He is also a big fan of snowboarding and rock climbing, though not of the pain that accompanies them, with varying degrees of skill in both of these sports.
Kate Hayes
Stewardess
Australian Age 29
Kate grew up in a small town in rural Australia (Gulgong, NSW,) where both her parents were teachers. After finishing school, she moved to Newcastle on Australia’s East Coast to complete a Bachelor of Arts Degree majoring in English.
After finishing university, Kate began a career in retail with jewellery chain Diva. After working in stores for 4 years, she moved to Sydney and worked as a Buyer for the last 4 years, designing jewellery and putting together ranges each season for the brand.
Always more of an active person, she got tired of sitting in an office each day and decided to join the Super Yacht industry. She got her necessary qualifications in Sydney before heading to France to start working as a Stewardess and was lucky enough to score her first job on Cloud 9 in May 2011. Kate loves the ocean and likes to keep busy, which is perfect for her new role.
Luke Saunders
Deck Hand
New Zealand Age 22
Luke is from Auckland’s North Shore, New Zealand. He started sailing at Torbay Sailing Club at the early age of 13. He has worked for Doyles Sail makers in Auckland and Yachting Developments. He then went to work on a 80ft charter boat out of the Auckland Viaduct. After doing that he decided to head to France to pursue his ever growing passion of the Ocean to hopefully find work on a “Super Yacht”. His determination landed him the position as deckhand on Cloud 9. In Lukes spare time he rides Moto X and likes to go out on his friends boats for fishing trips.
Nathan Sanderson
Deck Hand
Australian Age 22
Nathan grew up on the northern beaches of Sydney, Australia. He has always had a love and passion for the ocean since a young age, which drew him to the yachting industry.
Starting his yachting career just over 2 years ago, he cruised throughout the Mediterranean and Caribbean. Nathan has completed numerous yachting certifications, which has lead him to complete his yacht master offshore qualification earlier this year.
Nathan is a keen water sports enthusiast, with good experience in surfing, wakeboarding, stand up paddling and kite boarding.
