I never chose this career for status or comfort. I chose it because the sea, the people and the adventure still genuinely inspire me
Quick Facts
- Position: Captain / Expedition Captain / Relief Captain
- Nationality: French
- Current Location: La Rochelle / Antibes
- Availability: Mid–Late June 2026
- Languages: French, Professional Maritime English
- Certifications: Master 3000 UMS, Engineer 750kW, Master Sailing Unlimited
- Experience: 25+ years offshore & yachting
- Yacht Interest: Sailing Yachts 40–60m / Expedition Yachts
- Navigation Areas: Mediterranean, Atlantic, Caribbean, Indian Ocean, West Africa, North Sea, South America, USA
- Strengths: Offshore sailing culture, leadership, owner trust, expedition mindset, crew management
What about Maxime ?
Some captains are built by certifications. Others are built by the sea itself.
Maxime belongs unmistakably to the second category.
With more than twenty-five years navigating offshore waters, racing circuits, transatlantic crossings and expedition programs, Maxime embodies a rare kind of maritime professional, one whose legitimacy comes as much from lived experience and seamanship as from formal command qualifications.
His career began early through the Glénans sailing school network before progressively evolving toward professional sailing instruction, offshore racing, yacht command and international expedition operations.
Over the years, he has commanded both sailing and motor yachts across the Mediterranean, Atlantic and Caribbean while managing crews, owners and operational programs with the calm confidence of someone deeply connected to life at sea.
For me, seamanship is not only technical knowledge — it is the ability to create trust, safety and cohesion in constantly changing environments.
What immediately distinguishes Maxime is the authenticity of his relationship with the profession.
He is not driven primarily by status, luxury or hierarchy.
Instead, he is motivated by meaningful navigation, human connection and projects built around genuine adventure and long-term trust between owner, captain and crew.
This philosophy naturally shapes his leadership style onboard.
Calm, approachable and deeply human in his management approach, Maxime combines strong operational standards with a crew-oriented mentality focused on cohesion, respect and accountability.
He values loyalty highly and naturally builds long-term relationships based on honesty, reliability and shared commitment.
At the same time, behind this relaxed energy lies a captain with extensive offshore experience, technical knowledge and strong safety awareness developed through years of real-world navigation.
His operational background spans an impressive diversity of programs: private and charter yachts, offshore crew boats in West Africa, transatlantic crossings, classic and modern regattas, refits, shipyard management and environmental expedition projects.
Whether commanding a CNB sailing yacht across the Caribbean or coordinating depollution missions onboard a three-masted expedition vessel, Maxime consistently brings the same combination of pragmatism, seamanship and human intelligence.
The projects that matter most to me are the ones where adventure, responsibility and human trust all exist together.
Today, Maxime is intentionally repositioning himself toward sailing and expedition-oriented programs where navigation remains central to the onboard experience.
His ideal environment is clear: a yacht with a real cruising vision, an owner driven by exploration or sailing culture and a crew dynamic built on authenticity rather than superficiality.
Professionally, he is particularly aligned with:
- large sailing yachts,
- expedition sailing programs,
- world cruising projects,
- dual-season exploration itineraries,
- or expedition motor yachts requiring both technical competence and strong human leadership.
The sea has always taught me that leadership begins with consistency, humility and responsibility toward others
Extra Talent
Expedition Leadership & Offshore Culture
Beyond traditional yacht command, Maxime brings a genuine expedition mindset shaped by decades of offshore sailing, ocean crossings, racing culture and exploration-oriented operations.
His experience extends far beyond standard yachting itineraries: transatlantic passages, Indian Ocean navigation, offshore crew boats in Africa, classic and modern regattas, environmental missions and polar expedition preparation all contribute to a profile deeply rooted in real seamanship and operational adaptability.
This rare combination allows him to create environments where safety, adventure, technical discipline and human cohesion coexist naturally onboard.
I believe the strongest crews are built through trust, transparency and shared commitment over time.
Alongside his command experience, Maxime also brings strong technical and engineering capabilities through his engineering background and extensive operational involvement in maintenance, refits, satellite systems and yacht infrastructure management.
His versatility across both sailing and motor yacht operations gives him a particularly valuable profile for owner-led projects requiring autonomy and adaptability.
Beyond experience itself, what defines Maxime most strongly is his integrity.
He operates through trust, commitment and long-term loyalty rather than transactional relationships. For the right owner and the right project, he is the kind of captain capable of becoming a true long-term pillar onboard.
What keeps me passionate after all these years is still the same thing: meaningful navigation, strong crews and the feeling of building something real together at sea
Maxime is not a standard yacht captain profile.
He is a seaman, an expedition-minded leader and a captain whose greatest strength lies in his ability to combine operational excellence with deeply human leadership.