VELA.

CAPTAIN Brandon Fourie & CHEF Arno Smit

Captain  Brandon

Brandon grew up in South Africa and when school holidays came around, his family would head to the coast where he spent his time on boats and in the ocean. At age 14, he completed his Open Water Diving, from there he followed his love for diving, which led him to not only get certified as a Divemaster in Sodwana Bay, Mozambique, but he ended up staying on as an Employee and Instructor.

He has a passion for fishing, spearfishing and freediving. With an interest in sailing, he joined the charter industry with his brother and he continued to work as a Chef on board in the British Virgin Islands for half a decade before being offered a Base Manager position in Saint Vincent & The Grenadines.
The timing was right for him to pursue his biggest dream of becoming a Captain and he gave up his management position to jump back on board and do what he loves most, exploring the oceans above and below sea level.
Not only is he also a masseuse, but he is also the secret keeper for ‘Brandon's secret spots’ in the BVI which he loves to take guests to.

Chef Arno

Born with a love for the sea and a passion for flavor, Arno began his career on the water as one of the youngest volunteers at South Africa’s National Sea Rescue Institute. After years working as a charter captain, he followed his heart into the galley—and hasn’t looked back since.
Now a formally trained chef from the South African Chefs Academy, Arno specializes in fresh, from-scratch dishes that fuse comfort, creativity, and a hint of South African flair. His guests love his warm hospitality just as much as his home-baked breads and vibrant, locally inspired menus.
Whether catering to dietary needs or surprising guests with traditional delicacies, Arno takes pride in making people feel at home through food.
Off the clock, you’ll find him road-tripping, fishing, or camping under the stars.

Stewardess Jana

Jana is dedicated stewardess from South Africa, with extensive experience across super yachts, luxury catamarans, and performance sailboats. Over the years, she’s fallen in love with the unique rhythm and freedom of life on the water, especially the easy flow of catamaran cruising. She brings a calm, positive energy to every charter, creating a warm and welcoming atmosphere for guests. When she’s not on duty, you’ll find her free diving, fishing, or catching some waves. For her, chartering is all about connection, adventure, and making guests feel truly at home on the ocean. With her knowledge on housekeeping, mixology & barista, get ready to be treated like royalty!

First Mate Henry

Henry is from the West Coast of South Africa, known for being the heart of sailing. His parents lived near the ocean and therefore he was introduced to the ocean at a very young age. Besides playing sports like tennis and rugby, he also has a liking for water sports like surfing, body boarding and fishing. Henry got introduced to yachting at the age 16 through his brother in law, a Yacht Captain from Canada. His passion for spending time on the water has been growing ever since. He completed his yachting certification on the South African West Coast at the age of 18 and after working on Superyachts, decided to join the Catamaran industry where he could combine his love for the ocean, watersports and work his way up to become a Captain. With his Day Skippers Licence & Mixology in hand, he will always have the sails up and the drinks to go down!