A unique yacht needs a unique crew

Motoryacht Enigma XK, currently undergoing a technical conversion as an explorer yacht, is set to be delivered in Summer 2013 and will be available for global charter, visiting the Arctic, Antarctic, the Amazon and Galapagos, to name a few. On such an adventurous and unique vessel, it is essential to have the right crew that can appreciate and overcome the challenges it will inevitably throw up. The Crew Report spoke to Enigma XK’s captain, Iltud Orio, to find out how he has undertaken such a recruitment process.


“Our owner is half dreamer, half adventurer,” Captain Orio explains. “He wants his ship to cruise around the world and not just stand by in a luxurious marina. With such a demand I cannot just have a classic crew with a specific duty for each role. When you reach remote places of the world where nothing is available to welcome a superyacht, you need a multipurpose crew that are able to find solutions to any problem.”

Enigma XK, formerly FPV Norna, was originally used as a fishery patrol vessel in the North Atlantic Ocean for the assistance and the safety of fishing operation in the area. Inherently a military vessel, the unique superyacht Enigma XK is built to withstand the roughest seas, and needs a unique crew that can do the same.


Captain Orio believes the choice of crew will be the key to the smooth running of a yacht with this kind of exploration. “Enigma XK is an expedition ship so first of all I have been looking for profiles that fit to such an operation,” says Captain Orio. “We need sailors that won't be troubled by heavy seas and that can fix anything without external help. The ship is pretty complex compared to other yachts, and that is why I chose merchant marine profiles. You need to be able to communicate wherever you are and I decided to have the IT officer design the entire ship system and to sail with us afterwards.”

Because Enigma XK is a challenging yacht, visiting a diverse range of destinations, Captain Iltud has made sure that the skillsets of his crew match this and can easily adapt to any eventuality. “The chief engineer can take my role if necessary. I am also an engineer myself,” says Captain Orio. “Our stewardess can drive a tender and the electrician is a former wave runner champion. Their experience and unusual professional experience is a great richness when you sail off the beaten track.”

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“Enigma XK is an expedition ship so first of all I have been looking for profiles that fit to such an operation. We need sailors that won't be troubled by heavy seas and that can fix anything without external help." - Captain Iltud Orio

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The unusual destinations that the yacht intends to visit will inevitably see an increase of hazardous environments and as such on board safety has also been a significant consideration in the crew recruitment process. “I have crewmembers who used to work as surf lifeguards and military divers. It's easy to get hurt on such an operation, on the crew side as well as on the guest side,” Captain Orio explains.

But with all this focus on the safe operation and adventurous nature of the crew, it does not mean that the level of service has been sacrificed; “I take young chefs from Michelin rosette graded restaurants with a cruise ship background if possible; chefs that are curious to try out new products all over the world to enhance their skills.” Captain Orio has carefully chosen an adaptable crew, with a rich variety of backgrounds and expertise in order to fit to this explorer yacht. “In a nutshell,” Captain Orio concludes, “I have ended up thinking heavy duty for everything; material and crew. My crew are a mixture of adventurers, high level technicians and merchant marine seafarers.”

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