Hub - DECK FOCUS
Each week Erica Lay talks to a member of the yachting industry to learn a little more about our local yachting community. With Courtesy of Erica Lay & The Mallorca Daily Bulletin. #25/0005.
For more info on any of our stars featured here, you can contact Erica directly on erica@elcrewco.com
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Today I’m speaking with Deckhand/First Mate Fabian Baud. Hailing from Switzerland, he’s looking for his next challenge on a 30m+ sail yacht and keen to do an Atlantic Crossing. Fabian has come into the industry in a very unique way, instead of the usual method of doing courses, rocking up to Palma and dockwalking, he decided to get some experience sailing first, by buying his own sailboat and sailing it single handed around the Med for a couple of years!
Where are you now?
Since leaving Switzerland in January 2021, I lived on the east coast of Sicily. Then for two years, I lived on my sailing boat in the Med, underway. Now I’m back in sunny Sicily, where I am officially resident. ‘Home’ is always where I am currently living and working, which can be anywhere.
What’s your background before yachting?
I worked as a landscape architect and as project manager for large construction sites. I had my own small planning office. I was also co-owner of a bar, where I worked more in the administration. I was always privileged to have a job that I enjoyed and loved.
When/how did you join the yachting industry?
My first time on a sail yacht was in the summer of 2021, and I had an epiphany: this was it – I should be sailing! This wouldbe my second career. Since then, almost everything I’ve done revolves around sailing. I learned how to sail, bought my own sailboat, got the necessary certificates and licences and started gaining as much experience as possible at sea. And at the beginning of this year, I felt ready and found an entry level position in the yachting industry.
What training did you do?
First, I bought a book about sailing. Then I bought a sailing boat and sailed 4,000 nautical miles alone, which was very good basic training. I got the Italian offshore licence, then later the Yachtmaster Offshore. I have already had the opportunity to sail on several different sailing yachts and I have learned a great deal from the captains and other crew. And of course I have completed the usual basic STCW and RYA courses.
Any achievements or special things stick out in your life so far?
I think there have been some special achievements or events in my life so far. But I have to say that I was really very proud of my first thousand nautical miles of single-handed sailing. From zero to having my own boat and getting the Yachtmastercertificate in just a little bit more than two years was an intense, fascinating and interesting time.
What’s the best thing about being a deckhand?
In my last job as a deckhand, I liked being responsible for keeping the deck clean and tidy, making it shine like a diamond. I like it when it's tidy and organized. I am Swiss!
What do you enjoy most about your job?
Being on the water all the time, constantly exposed to nature, wind and waves, constantly on the move. Working together as a team and mastering the daily challenges on the yacht together.
What’s the most challenging part of your job?
To be honest: The biggest challenge so far has been the language. English is not my first language, but I speak and understand it quite well now. I know a lot of technical terms, most of them in English, of course, but some still in Italian or German. And I sometimes have to listen very carefully to English speakers with a strong accent. But I'm getting better every day.
What would you like to do next?
Finding a permanent job as a deckhand on a sailing yacht 30-45 metres, crossing the Atlantic and starting the Caribbean season. This way, I can learn more new things and develop myself further.
Think back to when you were completely green – what advice would you give yourself?
I'm still completely green, aren't I? It's always a question of perspective.
What’s your dream yacht to work on?
One of the J class yachts. Maybe Topaz, she's beautiful. I saw her sailing off Paxos this summer.
What’s your ideal destination to travel to on a yacht?
At the moment, I don't have a specific ideal destination in mind. Instead, I have a dream route: a world circumnavigation!
What do you like to do when you’re not working?
Running, workout, reading, walking, and hiking.
Where do you see yourself in 5 years? Still in Mallorca? Still working on yachts?
In five years, I want to have my OOW certificate and a great job as a first mate on a 40-metre sailing yacht.
Erica Lay
Since 2007, Erica has worked as an international superyacht crew agent, building a strong reputation for honesty, drive, and treating every client's needs with laser-focused precision. Known for her straight-talking approach, she treats every placement like a new project, leveraging her deep industry knowledge to deliver unmatched results. On the side of this successful business she moonlights as a freelance journalist, writing regular columns for the industry’s top publications. Erica uses her platforms to tackle important crew topics that others shy away from. A passionate ambassador for mental health awareness, she's always pushing to improve the industry for everyone. And she's conscious of her own skills - a big advocate for continuing professional development she's always up to something new to ensure her agency, EL CREW CO, continues to evolve with the times and changing industry environment. Erica also recently launched a new CV service, designed to help more experienced crew who want to elevate their professional profiles—because she understands that being the best requires attention to every detail.