About this episode

This episode discusses the challenges faced by new yacht crew and the importance of proper training and support.

Green crew need more than a checklist. They need honest guidance, realistic expectations, and a clearer understanding of what they are walking into before they step onboard. In this episode of The Crew Car , Captain James Battey speaks with Jemma Cunningham , Founder of The Yacht Interior Academy , about preparing new yacht crew for the realities behind yachting’s polished exterior. Jemma’s own route began far from superyachts. After leaving school at 16, she started in hairdressing, then joined the cruise ship world at 18 before stepping into yachting in 2015. Her first yacht experience gave her a sharp understanding of how intimidating the industry can be when new crew arrive without context, support, or a clear sense of onboard culture. Through The Yacht Interior Academy, Jemma is focused on helping future crew understand far more than the certificates they need. Her work looks at expectations, hierarchy, crew dynamics, communication, emotional resilience, and the practical reality of joining a yacht as a new crew member. This conversation explores why personality and team fit matter as much as qualifications, how toxic leadership can damage confidence, why communication is…

People in this episode

Host: Captain James Battey

Guest: Jemma Cunningham

Topics covered

• yacht crew training
• new crew support
• yachting industry
• communication
• emotional resilience
• crew dynamics

Keywords

• yacht crew
• training
• support
• communication
• emotional resilience
• yachting culture
• industry standards

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: The Yacht Interior Academy

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