OUR BROKERS
Gerry JacoB (EUROPE) |
Tel: +33 6 72 58 56 47 |
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GERRY JACOB began his career in the boating industry as a boat commissionaire, working for four years on the Solent River in England. With boating firmly in his blood, he earned his certification as a licensed yacht salesman from the Association of Brokers and Yacht Agents (ABYA) in 2010. Though he was born in France, Gerry studied at Teesside University in England and graduated with a degree in international business. He also studied at the University Institute of Technology (IUT) in Reims. Returning to France in 2012, Gerry continued his career in the yacht charter and sales industry and joined Dream Yacht Charter and Sales in 2014. Being involved in the yachting world at a young age and working along the French Riviera, he gained extensive first-hand experience in the techniques of yachting and the practicalities of living aboard a yacht. |
Michel BenarrosH (USA) |
Tel: 1-917.331.7665 |
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MICHEL BENARROSH started what has become the world’s largest charter-yacht owners association in the United States and served as its commodore for 11 years. Michel’s financial and legal background combined with his first-hand experience as a charter yacht owner in the Caribbean makes him uniquely qualified to help prospective owners navigate the sometimes-bewildering choices and intricate transactions associated with purchasing a yacht. His broad knowledge of the charter industry also can be invaluable to owners who want to select the best management options to meet their individual needs. |
Buying a charter boat requires complex decision-making on several levels. Yet, owning a luxury vessel can be a wonderful process, made easier by getting the right information from a trusted source like Michel. Michel has...
- Has owned six boats over the years, including three charter yachts.
- Works as a consultant for the purchase and sale of charter yachts.
- Maintains membership in Boating Writers International and has published numerous cover articles in several major nautical magazines and publications.
- Has extensively cruised the eastern Caribbean and the Mediterranean.
- Holds a U.S. 50-ton license.
- Is a licensed yacht broker in the State of Florida.
- Is a European CPA and holds a doctoral degree in international business law.
Christophe Vanek (AUSTRALIA) |
Tel: +61 457 036 756 |
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Christophe Vanek’s enviable record and extensive résumé as a professional racing yachtsman spans the globe. Altogether, he has 32 years’ experience in the boating industry—including 20 years in yacht sales. As someone whose passion for sailing comes as second nature, Christophe knows boats. He’s equally enamored of multihulls as he is monohulls. If it has a sail, he relishes it. And his passion for boats is infectious. Clients admire his ability to find just the right boat for them, using the same tenacity, dedication, focus and energy he has brought to his professional racing career. |
Throughout his career, Christophe has cultivated unique, longstanding relationships with all of the high-end manufacturers: Lagoon, Beneteau, Jeanneau, Catana and Ferretti, just to name a few. While serving as managing director of Duboats, he won acclaim as the 2007 “Personality of the Year” for the boating industry in the Middle East. Today, with Dream Yacht Charter, he is managing director of Queensland Yacht Charters and Dream Yacht Sales in Australia.
Learning his trade from the ground up, Christophe began as a sailmaker and yacht rigger. In addition to his 1983 America’s Cup (where at 18 he was the youngest crew member), Christophe would go on to sail in two more America’s Cups and compete in a host of other professional yacht racing championships, including transoceanic races on Maxi multihulls in France (the Elf Aquitaine II, Commodore Explorer, and Roger & Gallet—all 80+ footer catamarans), 10 Sydney to Hobart Races (twice world champion), the Admiral’s Cup, Fastnet Race, 18ft Skiff NSW Championship on Sydney Harbour, the World Match Racing Tour championship circuit, the Brisbane to Osaka Race (winner), the Dubai to Muscat Race (four-time winner) and the 1999 Mini Transat Race (crossing the Atlantic solo). The list goes on and on with many more regattas and championships in Australia and overseas. Christophe’s invaluable expertise as a sailor and a yacht sales professional make him ideally suited to assist clients who wish to buy, sell or invest in a luxury yacht for private or in-fleet charter use.
Learning his trade from the ground up, Christophe began as a sailmaker and yacht rigger. In addition to his 1983 America’s Cup (where at 18 he was the youngest crew member), Christophe would go on to sail in two more America’s Cups and compete in a host of other professional yacht racing championships, including transoceanic races on Maxi multihulls in France (the Elf Aquitaine II, Commodore Explorer, and Roger & Gallet—all 80+ footer catamarans), 10 Sydney to Hobart Races (twice world champion), the Admiral’s Cup, Fastnet Race, 18ft Skiff NSW Championship on Sydney Harbour, the World Match Racing Tour championship circuit, the Brisbane to Osaka Race (winner), the Dubai to Muscat Race (four-time winner) and the 1999 Mini Transat Race (crossing the Atlantic solo). The list goes on and on with many more regattas and championships in Australia and overseas. Christophe’s invaluable expertise as a sailor and a yacht sales professional make him ideally suited to assist clients who wish to buy, sell or invest in a luxury yacht for private or in-fleet charter use.
Christine Buttigieg (USA) |
TEL: 1-866.819.0265 |
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Growing up in Brittany, on the west coast of France, Christine spent most of her spare time at the local sailing school and then sailing with friends on bigger boats like the Beneteau, Jeanneau. She got involved in the marine industry in 1986 working as first mate/cook (70' aluminum Ketch bound for a world cruise after extensive sea-trials all-round the North Sea: Holland, Norway, Scotland, Ireland, England). |
Since then, Christine has been intimately involved in many aspects of the marine industry; working ashore for a boat maintenance/refit company in Florida and working the boat show circuit for Perini Navi. After this it was back to sailing again, first with a deluxe charter operation in the Grenadines on a Dynamic 80 and Maxi 80 then on a day charter company operating a 100' 3-masted schooner in the Caribbean.
Seduced by sailing catamarans, Christine bought a Privilege 48 and after a complete refit in Trinidad, she operated her as a crewed yacht, in St Maarten area. At that time, she was hired by a charter company to run the charter office, operating eight Privilege catamarans in St Marten. Christine then moved back to Florida in the late 1990s, to sell these yachts, she has been a yacht broker ever since, specializing in catamarans sail and power, representing hundreds of buyers and sellers from all over the world. Speaking English and French she is able to help buyers and sellers from both sides of the Atlantic.
Seduced by sailing catamarans, Christine bought a Privilege 48 and after a complete refit in Trinidad, she operated her as a crewed yacht, in St Maarten area. At that time, she was hired by a charter company to run the charter office, operating eight Privilege catamarans in St Marten. Christine then moved back to Florida in the late 1990s, to sell these yachts, she has been a yacht broker ever since, specializing in catamarans sail and power, representing hundreds of buyers and sellers from all over the world. Speaking English and French she is able to help buyers and sellers from both sides of the Atlantic.
Florentin Le Noxaic (GREECE) |
Tel: +30 697 029 2444 |
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Florentin was born in Lorient, Brittany, the land of sailboat racing, and attended the INB (Brittany Boat Business School in Concarneau), where he gained his knowledge about boating and yacht sales. After that, he traveled all around Europe with his sailboat and his motorbike. Is based in Greece the last 5 years and he is performing in the yacht sales business the previous 7 years. |
Cathy Lorho (CARIBBEAN) |
Tel : +596 696 77 45 81 |
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Cathy is originally from Brittany in France, spending lots of time on the water sailing on the family boat or at the local sailing club. After her studies in International Management and Finance she moved to London and then spent 10 years in Asia. She then migrated to Australia and has lived there until recently. She has been working in the marine industry for about 6 years with the Australian importers for Beneteau, Lagoon and Dufour. She has a strong knowledge of Multihulls as well as Monohulls and will be able to find your perfect boat!
She is also a passionate sailor having completed a few races including the Sydney-Hobart race as well as taking part as a crew member of the Clipper Round The World Race aboard Lmax Exchange; current world winner of the Clipper Race. She also holds a Yachtmaster offshore and has sailed in many parts of the world. She recently joined Dream Yacht Charter Team in the Caribbean, based in Martinique and is covering the Caribbean Islands for Dream Yacht Charter in charge of new boat Sales, including Dufour as exclusive agent, Charter Investment and Management and brokerage boats. She is fluent in French and English and will be able to help for all your boating needs in the Caribbean and beyond! |
