A former junior deckhand who spent four years aboard a £100 million, 100‑metre superyacht has described volatile behaviour by owners and glimpsed excesses behind the scenes, including an incident in which a billionaire owner abandoned guests and crew in the Mediterranean.
Tim Schulz, who was 28 in 2008 when the episode occurred and is now 45, told reporters he was driving a tender between Corsica and Sardinia when the yacht’s 60‑something tech‑boss owner abruptly sped off, leaving a group of celebrity guests and three crew members stranded. Schulz said the outburst was triggered when water leaked into the owner’s snorkel mask because of a loose strap.
"We dived in and spent about 20 minutes swimming around, having a great time," Schulz recalled. "Until we heard an engine whirring and the tender suddenly whizzing off." He said he and the others sought refuge on a rock while waiting for the yacht’s crew to retrieve the tender and the guests. Schulz said it took about an hour for on‑board staff to calm the owner and effect the rescue.
Schulz described the yacht’s passenger list on that trip as including a "rent‑a‑crowd of Hollywood celebrities" and said he spent four years as one of eight deckhands on the vessel, which sailed across the Mediterranean most frequently and also visited Australia, the Pacific and the Caribbean. He recounted other workplace details to reporters, saying crew encountered extravagant provisions, including very expensive coffee beans, and occasional illegal drugs found in bathrooms.
The account offers a rare inside look at life aboard an ultra‑luxury yacht, where a small professional crew maintains large vessels for wealthy owners and their guests. Crew members on such yachts are responsible for safety, navigation and guest services, often working long hours in close quarters. Schulz’s description of abrupt management of small boats, and of guests being put at risk by outbursts, underscores one episode in a career spent aboard high‑end private vessels.
Schulz’s memories emphasize the tension between the seafaring duties of crew and the demands of affluent passengers. He recalled passing the time while stranded by talking with an actor guest about the latter’s upcoming film, and later returning to regular duties once the situation was resolved. His reflections highlight the episodic but intense pressures faced by yacht crews charged with ensuring safety and discretion for wealthy clients.
There was no independent confirmation in this report of the specific claims beyond Schulz’s own account. His comments join broader, long‑standing reporting and industry discussion about the working conditions and occasional excesses associated with superyacht ownership and operation. Schulz’s tenure on the vessel and the 2008 incident illustrate both the global reach of private yachting and the personal risks crew can face when guests or owners become agitated.