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meet the crew

navigating the horizon together

exploring

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competing

With thousands of miles of experience, the team on Perseus^3 are a safe and fun bet in any competition, expedition, or rough sea.

who’s who

team and positions

DARREN rennie,

CAPTAIN

Darren grew up in the small coastal town of Plettenberg Bay, South Africa, where living on the coast for most of his childhood allowed him to develop keen interests in being on the water. After spending his gap year sailing the Atlantic after school, Darren returned home to complete a degree in Quantity Surveying.


It wasn't long however, before the ocean called him back and he started his career in the yachting industry. 13 years in with 7 years on board Perseusˆ3 and still going strong. Ready to deliver a fun filled holiday for owner and his guests while enjoying the yacht.

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dan hornery,

chief officer

Australian born, and starting to show a few more grey hairs than most of the crew onboard. Dan had prior careers; Sports Physiologist, semi-professional marathon runner, and Project Manager in finance, where a sailing career break manifested into his current sailing career.


He is fluent in Spanglish, although tratando de aprender (trying to learn). He dances like John Travolta in Pulp Fiction when he has had a vino tipple. During his time off, his essential travel items include running shoes, tennis racquet, journal and a decent non-fiction book.

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Beginning his sailing career 28 years ago, there is no surprise that Burger has a wide array of experience on many different kinds of sailing yachts. Starting out in the classic yacht race circuit, he skippered the very successful 1896 Gaff Rig cutter Avel, taking first class honours in many regattas. He then moved into the ever-evolving modern composite yachts, chartering 8-10 weeks per season. Burger has sailed on the classic 65m Creole, Wally B, the 52m Perini Galaxia and 53m Perini Barracuda.


He also captained Perseus^3’ sister ship Seahawk for two ocean crossings. Burger was the first crewmember to join Perseus^3 during her build in 2013 and has remained an integral part of the crew since. Burger is a skilled navigator with a degree in Geography and Public Development. He has sailed the Mediterranean and Baltic seas as well as the Indian, North Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. Burger has a love for surfing and all sports that get him into the water. He is a proficient and patient teacher and after spending three winters working as an RYA Yacht Master Instructor in Cape Town, he is more than happy to pass on his knowledge.

BURGER van der walt,

CAPTAIN

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I am originally from St Andrews on the east coast of Scotland and grew up next to the ocean, albeit a very cold one that it took a few years to pluck up the courage to jump into. I studied Marine Engineering at Glasgow University and came out with a degree before first going to sea with British Petroleum at the tender age of 17. I spent 12 years working on oil tankers and offshore before starting on my first yacht, the 52m Perini Navi Ketch "Squall" in 2005.


Over the last 19 years I have completed quite a few circumnavigations on large sail yachts, with my favourite cruising areas being the Pacific and Greek Islands. In my spare time I like to be outdoors as much as I can be, spending time with my wife and two boys and also being from the home of golf it is no surprise I like to get 18 holes in when time permits, especially when it gives me a chance to take more money from the Captain’s.

Garry Rodden,

CHIEF ENGINEER


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Cyril Mahafahana,

BOSUN



Originally from Madagascar, Cyril was born into a family of sailors. At 8 years of age he sailed with his parents in a 42’ sailing boat and for the next 8 years sailed the Indian Ocean.


During these travels Cyril was introduced to the hospitality industry, then spent 10 years working in high-end hotels around the world including Morocco, Thailand, France and Mauritius. Cyril ended up working at Palm Island Resort in Grenadine where he found his passion for sailing and service. In his spare time Cyril is a passionate fisherman and an avid Kite Surfer.


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Bryn grew up on the south coast of the UK where he discovered his passion for surfing, something that has inspired his adventures across the globe. He studied graphic design, worked for a charity then discovered the world of yachting.


He has worked on Perseus^3 previously and has still never come across a boat quite like it which is why he is back and excited to be a part of the crew and embark on all of its exciting adventures.

BRYN CHRISTIAN,

CHIEF OFFICER


Stormy Seas
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Jim Murtagh,

CHEF




After graduating with a degree in English Literature at the University of Reading, Jim moved to London where he began his culinary training at the London Landmark Hotel in Marylebone, under Executive Chef Gary Klaner. Gaining his Advanced Professional Cookery Qualifications from the University of West London and after a three-year stint in The Winter Garden restaurant, Jim left the 5* hotel and took to the Alps working privately for a family in Courchevel, completing five winter seasons. During this time,


Jim was introduced to the yachting industry and has since completed tenures as Head Chef on vessels such as S/Y Nostromo, S/Y Andromeda La Dea and S/Y Erica Xii before joining S/Y Kokomo in 2018 and now Perseus^3. Jim has also enjoyed being Stagier in Michelin Star restaurants including Purnells in Birmingham and the 2* L’enclume restaurant in the Lake District. His philosophy on food focuses on the quality of ingredients and he would describe his executions as ‘ingredient led’. Jim has a passion for preparing and cooking seafood and highly values technique, simplicity and elegant presentation.

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Mark Colville,

SECOND ENGINEER





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Arno Pohl,

SECOND ENGINEER




Arno is from Port Shepstone, South Africa. He joined the Perseus^3 engineering team on March 3rd 2020, having worked in the industry since 2011. He previously focused on the motor yacht side of the industry, where he worked on charter vessels cruising the Mediterranean and Caribbean. He plans to be in the industry long term and has a goal to step up in to the Chief Engineering role. He loves to free dive and is a traveller at heart.

Mark is from a rural coastal town on the east coast of New Zealand where he spent much of his childhood on the family’s charter fishing boat trying to catch “the big one” with reasonable success depending on who you ask...

After working a few boring land-based jobs after leaving school he decided to look for a bit of adventure and started working on sailing vessels where he’s gained a broad knowledge of common faults on Italian designed yachts whilst cruising around the world to remote locations including the Antarctic and the Arctic and many other locations in between. Mark recently joined Perseus^3 (2022) after his previous boat of 8 years was sold and the adventure stopped. Being too poor to continue his lifestyle, another job was required. Perseus^3 was the obvious choice having watching her being built in the shipyard in Italy and racing alongside in various regattas since she was launched. Marks number one love is his Car, then his motorcycle, chainsaws, 4X4 and tractor. Generally anything with an engine and “keeping it Rural”.



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Guigas Garrido,

chase boat deckhand






Guigas grew up in the west coast of Portugal, Cascais.


Deciding to make a living out in the ocean, he started yachting in 2012 following the footsteps of his sailor father. Born on a sailing boat, Guigas is a natural over the water, certified with a Yachtmaster offshore and Padi Open Water, he's a proper waterman as he's been sailing and surfing since a very early stage.


Before yachting he got two degrees, in marketing/advertising and political science and international relations. His favourite hobbies are for sure anything related to the ocean, which makes him an asset on-board any yacht.




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Eugene Meyer,

CHASE BOAT CAPTAIN





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abby simms,

STEWARDESS MASSEUSE





Born and raised in Mpumalanga, South Africa, Abby has spent most of her life living on a game farm and has a true love for being outdoors. She has always had an interest in the human body which lead her to studying a Sports Science degree at Stellenbosch University, where she also completed her course in Sports Massage. From there she went on to do her honours degree in Biokinetics at the University of the Witwatersrand. After completing her Biokinetics internship, the desire to combine work with travel lead her to the yachting industry.


Abby enjoys being active with running as her favorite form of exercise, but is always willing to try her hand at something new. She thrives off working with people and will grasp any opportunity to go exploring new areas with friends.

Born and raised on the cold rugged shores of the west coast of South Africa, being based on the water was always going to be his primary pursuit. He has trained as a professional seafarer since the age of 10 and his life has evolved to carry his knowledge to the deeper waters and seek off-the-beaten-track adventures. He enjoys shared experiences surfing, diving, sailing and appreciating the small things in life. He is up and ready for any adventure.



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John Stier,

chief engineer





With an advanced degree in Philosophy and more certifications than you could shake a stick at, John embraces the many hats that a Marine Engineer must wear. He comes to Perseus^3 with a lifetime of sailing and engineering experience. John has been professionally engaged in Marine Engineering for the last 13 years and has spent two years teaching Marine Engineering at the International Yacht Restoration School.


An avid scuba diver with his Dive Master, and a keen fisherman, John likes all forms of water sports. In his time off, John enjoys cooking and repairing antique motorcycles in his New Orleans fire station. Having walked and biked across several continents, John is now saving money for a drive from London to Shanghai.




Julia Campbell,

CHIEF STEWARDESS






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Julia’s journey began growing up in a coastal town in Cornwall UK where she first discovered her passion for yachting, embarking on her first yacht at the young age of 18. Since then, she has travelled to locations such as Antarctic, The Maldives and even had the chance to participate in The America’s Cup in Bermuda.


Armed with a background in interior design and training at London’s most elite PA school, Julia brings creativity and organization to her role onboard. Her keen eye for detail ensures an unforgettable experience onboard. In her off time, you’ll find Julia cruising around Europe in her self-converted van, surfing in the tropics or snowboarding in the Alps.

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Clara Comenge

DECKHAND/DIVE INSTRUCTOR




Clara is a young and active individual who has lived by the sea all her life. Learning to dive from a very young age and spending the summers on a sailboat in the Mediterranean she feels at home when on a boat. She loves travelling, specially to warm countries where water sports are available.


She learnt to dive in the Mediterranean, but has travelled to the Maldives and spent 5 months in the Great Barrier reef learning about the tropical sea creatures, with an increasing love for underwater photography, with macro as a specialty. Clara now has over 700 dives under her belt and has recently learnt about video editing as a result of traveling with a camera and wanting to create life long memories

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Danielle SIMPSON,

STEWARDESS





Born and bred in Melbourne Australia Danielle has an inherent appreciation for all things design. She studied fashion technologies and started her career as an interior stylist. Before too long her curious adventure seeking nature coaxed her into the world of yachting. Danielle maintains a perpetual desire to explore every corner of the world it’s fullest.


You will often find her hiking, swimming, surfing, climbing, kayaking or just immersing herself among the niches of local cultures.


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Jessell Minchin-Stephens

stewardess and yoga instructor





Originally from the small coastal town Margaret River in Western Australia, known for its surf and wine scene, Jessell’s background includes a degree in Marine Biology and Sustainable Enterprise.


With an interest in marine conservation, her upbringing on this stunning coastline has instilled a passion for surfing, diving, fishing, and now, she’s eager to delve into sailing, enjoying an active, healthy lifestyle.


Yoga has been a big part of her routine for six years, and she has now been teaching for a year. Yachting seamlessly combines her love of adventure, travel, and connecting with like-minded people.

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