Q&A
The Art of Commissioning
Q&A
In this issue, we meet another expert who helps bring Oysters to life. All our experts bring valuable experience and a deep understanding of our yachts (along with an equally deep love of the sea) to their roles. Commissioning Manager, George Newman, is no exception. Discover how his extensive experience and background as a skipper of classic and Oyster yachts, helps him in the vitally important and meticulously detailed business of commissioning our boats.
Tell us a little about life before Oyster I became a sailing professional right after I left school, heading to the Mediterranean to join the Classic racing circuit, sailing vintage boats. I spent ten years on Mariquita, a 125 foot gaff-rigged cutter, starting as a deckie, then working my way up through bosun to first mate to captain, which I did for five years. In the early years, the owner used to join us for one day a year, but the new
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owners came for every single race – eight regattas a year – and we worked hard to get the most out of her. It was great fun but a very long season. Starting in May in the south of France, moving on to Italy, the Balearics, mainland Spain, back to Italy and finishing up in France at the end of the summer. After I met my wife on the circuit and we had a family, I wanted to move to a more shore-based job.
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