Seafarer was founded in 1995 by managing director Chris Lorenzo, who is still at the helm.

He told PBO: “We started in London in 1995 with a team of five, including myself, my wife and three additional staff.

“Today we have 18 office staff, with a yacht, beach club and flotilla team that peaks at another 50 in summer.”

While Lorenzo has 30 years under his belt, Seafarer also has several long-serving team members with between 10 and 20 years of service.

‘Keep doing what you’re doing’ Chris gets told by guests. Credit: seafarersailing.co.uk

Lorenzo said: “Our first trip was a cabin charter out of Athens exploring the Cyclades, lead by myself and my wife.

“The sea was really rough and most of the guests were seasick for the first three days or so, but it was still a memorable trip.

“Our first office was near Tower Bridge at Butler’s Wharf when it was in receivership, so we had a super value three-year lease in a wonderful area. We’re based in the Bloomsbury area these days, though we now also have Greek office.”

How Seafarer has developed

Seafarer now offers flotilla holidays at eight destinations across Greece, Croatia, Italy, Turkey and Thailand, sailing schools in Greece, Croatia and the UK, plus two beach clubs, cabin charter and bareboat charter.

Keen sailor Chris launched his charter yacht business to escape the corporate world. Credit: seafarersailing.co.uk

Lorenzo added: “We currently take over 6,500 people sailing every year, some of whom are introduced to sailing for the first time.

“I started Seafarer though a desire to escape the ‘corporate world’ and work in a field that I was passionate about.

“I remember a client coming up to me at a boat show, who I had convinced to do an RYA sailing course with us a few years earlier.

“He told me that it had changed his and his family’s life!

“Many of our guests tell me we must keep doing what we do, which is the greatest reward.”

First-time charter holiday with family

Katy Stickland introduces her non-sailing family to life afloat on a charter holiday in Greece’s spectacular Ionian Sea

Yacht charter in Europe: where to sail

From bareboat to skippered or flotilla holidays, Laura Hodgetts looks at options for sunnier climes a few hours’ flight away

Novice Day Skipper sets sail

Newly-qualified RYA Day Skipper Laura Hodgetts charters a yacht around the Sporades islands and the Gulf of Volos

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