Tilly Mint is a handcrafted 67ft sailboat built in England by Discovery Yachts – a boatyard renowned for innovative and award winning sailboats. She was designed by the most prominent naval architect of this century, Ron Holland and launched in 2009.
Tilly Mint sleeps 7 in 3 cabins: The master cabin is aft with a queen walk-around bed, ensuite bath with glass shower enclosure and ‘power shower’ plus a large TV, DVD and IPOD connection.
Two guest cabins are located forward. The walk-around queen cabin has a large TV, DVD and IPOD connection. The door to this cabin can be moved to make the luxury bathroom either ensuite or shared with the portside cabin which has a large double bed and a single pullman bunk, plus a small TV and DVD player and an IPOD connection.
TILLY MINT Crew Profile
Captain Bill Haynie
Captain Bill Haynie and his partner Nathalie Miquel-Elcano are the Captain/Chef team aboard Tilly Mint. They have worked on many yachts both together and separately in the Caribbean and the Mediterranean, most recently on a 100ft charter sailboat in the British Virgin Islands. They are a young and energetic couple, with a passion for sailing and water sports to complement their top-notch hospitality service.
Bill is an American national who grew up on the tidal waters of Charleston, South Carolina. He comes from a family of sailors and took to the sport at a young age. Though he enjoyed racing and cruising on sailboats throughout his teenage years, he decided the sensible thing to do was pursue a college degree in business marketing. After studying for two years, he realized that he would never be happy in the business world.
He promptly left school to follow his dream of making sailing a full time career. He spent some time in the Caribbean gaining experience on racing and charter sailboats, then enrolled in captain’s school in Newport, Rhode Island. He now holds a USCG Masters license, an RYA Yachtmaster 200Ton license, as well as array of other qualifications. These include First Aid/CPR, maritime emergency, sailing instructor, and PADI advanced diver.
Bill has captained two 100ft charter sailboats in the New England area and in the Caribbean. He has extensive knowledge of both areas, though he considers the Islands his home away from home. When Bill is not driving a boat, he likes to stay active via an array of outdoor and water sports including: distance swimming, free-diving, sailboat racing, hiking, SCUBA diving, and running.
Chef Nathalie Miquel-Elcano is French and a fantastic chef as well as a very experienced sailor. She grew up in Paris cooking from a young age under the instruction of her mother and grandmother. Nathalie traveled extensively through high school and college, studying foreign languages and learning Mediterranean style cooking to incorporate into her menus. She attended classes and obtained several certificates from the prestigious Alain Ducasse Culinary School in Paris.
During the summer holidays every year, Nathalie attended a sailing school in Bretagne, France. She eventually outgrew studentship and became a sailing instructor and cook for the same school. After attending university and completing two master’s degrees in English Literature and in Translation & Interpretation, she went to work full time in international public relations. Although successful in her career, Nathalie realized that what she really wanted was to pursue sailing full time. She left her job and went to work in the Mediterranean on large classic sailboats, serving on several famous super-yachts as a hostess, stewardess, cook and race crew.
Since sailing across the Atlantic in 2010, Nathalie has worked on large charter yachts in the Islands as a hostess and cook and has added Caribbean cuisine to her arsenal of cooking skills. Nathalie specializes in French cuisine, makes all of her own breads and sauces, and is particularly talented at baking delicious desserts. Besides cooking and sailing, Nathalie, like Bill, lives an active lifestyle.
She enjoys swimming, diving, racing sailboats and exploring different islands. Nathalie also has a passion for foreign languages. She is fluent in French, English, Spanish, German, and semi-fluent in Russian.
TILLY MINT Testimonials
Christmas, 2012
Dear (Broker)
The Christmas charter aboard the Tilly Mint was a resounding success by all measures! She's a beautiful ship and sails to weather so smoothly! She is well appointed below and the crew keeps her looking very yar.
Thank you for recommending Tilly Mint. We would love to charter with her again sometime in the future.
Captain Bill is an experienced, intelligent, fun person and Chef Nathalie is the best French chef ever! All of our requests for food and beverage exceeded our expectations.
The crew holds themselves to the highest of standards. Bill knows water sports well and is always eager to jump into the dinghy and go in search of a snorkeling opportunity or boarding cove.
Watching the two of them scramble around the decks of Tilly Mint was like watching a symphony in motion. They know their ship and it is quite an art how they are able to sail a 67 foot yacht and make it look easy.
It was indeed a joyous week.
Thank you again for your guidance and help and our best wishes to you in the new year.
Kitty and Tom
Easter Charter, 2012
Dear Nathalie and Bill,
Thank you so much for all you did to make our time aboard the Tilly Mint in the French/Dutch West Indies a lovely, relaxing and memorable vacation. You made each member of our family feel at home and at ease. Your love for sailing, attention to detail, commitment to quality and expertise in your different capacities as captain and chef were exceptional. Highlights included the many and varied scuba adventures, whale and dolphin sightings and your expert play- by -play of the St. Bart's Regatta! We loved every minute and would love to return to the gracious and graceful Tilly Mint!
We wish you all the best,
- Paul, Rose, Paulina, Marisa, Caroline & Dafna
Grenadines Charter, March 2012
We hit the trifecta! Great boat, great captain and great food!!! Bill and Nathalie are true professionals.
- Eric and Dylan - March 2012
Thank you so much for a great trip with the Tilly Mint, Bill and Nat. This was a trip of my life, I had so much fun and was so well taken care of it was unbelievable.
Lots of love,
- Magnus - March 2012