What was the inspiration for The Sail Spin?
Alexander Linnerth: The main inspiration for The Sail Spin comes from our friends in Singapore. They all wanted to experience the fun and freedom of sailing we raved so much about in Europe, but the preparation and experience required to organize a sailing trip was usually a deterrent. Additionally, the appeal of meeting new people on shore in the evening and partying with several other sun-and-sea hedonists is not feasible in Asia where marinas and ports are not as developed as in the Mediterranean. So we thought it’s about time we make sailing getaways more accessible to young professionals in South East Asia.
Why did you choose Phuket Thailand as the destination?
Bernhard Schwarz: Phuket is a great first destination for The Sail Spin for many reasons. First, the Andaman Sea around Phuket, with its many stunning islands and secluded bays, offers a lot of variety. You can kayak into hidden caves and explore secret lagoons accessible only at specific hours of the day. We also wander picturesque long stretches of sand hidden from the masses. Another reason which makes Phuket the right choice is the accessibility of its international airport with direct connections to all the main hubs in Asia and around the world. Last but not least Thailand is, today, the only sailing destination in Southeast Asia with a developed enough yachting industry to offering the high standards we require and our customers expect.
Do you plan to expand to other destinations?
BS: Already our classic The Sail Spin Phuket Route is blessed with enough variety of anchorage options that allows us to vary the itinerary throughout the year. For special occasions such as Chinese New Year we will even make the trip one day longer and include Krabi. However, we are looking to create two more routes in Thailand for 2014: one going South to the stunning island of Koh Lipe and one going East to the area around Koh Samui.
Who is your target market?
AL: Our customers are looking to take a break from their busy schedule, share unforgettable experiences with new friends and be part of a unique travel experience. And they are usually time starved to organize a sailing trip which requires a lot of preparation. Every cruise so far has been a melting pot of nationalities, mainly from Singapore, Hong Kong and Bangkok, but also from Australia and Europe. It’s an international well-travelled crowd between the ages of 25-40.
What did you do before you started Sail Spin?
BS: I was working in the telecommunication industry but already after a couple of months I realized that I wanted something else than the corporate life. I was part of the team behind a music festival in Austria called Palaverama which gathered 3,500 people per day. For six years I took care of artist line-up and bookings and this gave me insights into the event business and made me realize it was my passion.
AL: During my studies, I worked for a beach getaway event company for graduates in Austria and this gave me first-hand experience in the industry. We would take thousands of students to beach destinations in the Mediterranean coast for a week to celebrate their entry into the labor force. I enjoyed the organization as well as the interaction with guests. Aside from that, I have always taken care of organizing private parties and events for me and my friends and I always dreamed about making this my day job.
What advice do you have for young people looking to start event planning service?
Mar Pages: Before you start your own event business, clearly define your target group. Take your time to define a proper vision and where you would like to see your business in a couple of years. Then, make sure you have enough funding. Equally important: get a winning team together. The diversity and strengths of the team will be the most important element during the many ups and downs you will experience in the starting phase. Make sure you get along, you complement each other and share a common goal.
What are the biggest mistakes people make when planning parties or vacations?
MP: Forgetting to enjoy them! We get disappointed when we see people constantly on their smartphones and constantly taking pictures of everything instead of living and enjoying the moment. Thankfully, we usually succeed in “curing” people’s social media addictions and, after a couple of hours out at sea, they disconnect and start updating their happiness state rather than their status. And to ensure that all moments are captured without the need for a camera or smartphone, we have professional photographers on board.
How did you come up with the itinerary?
BS: Before our first The Sail Spin test cruise last July Alex and I based ourselves for more than one month on Phuket to explore all the surrounding islands with a small dinghy. I think there is almost no beach or cave we haven’t been to. And this is important for us because we want to take our guest to the best spots and not just to the most popular ones. However, our experienced skippers always surprise us with new unforgettable locations to add to the list.
What are some examples of the drinks and food available on board the yachts?
AL: Every yacht will be waiting for our guests fully provisioned with fresh and assorted groceries: non-alcoholic beverages like fruit juices (orange, apple, multivitamin, cranberry) and soft drinks (Tonic, Coca Cola, Fanta, Sprite, Redbull), cleaning supplies, as well as vegetables and fresh fruits (watermelons, papayas, mangoes, apples, bananas), meat and pasta for lunch, bread and other breakfast items (cereals, peanut butter, chocolate bars, jams, buns, coffee, milk) and fresh baked goods delivered every morning. We also take care of the liquor shopping for our guests and let them choose from a wide selection of international spirits. Fresh ice is delivered every day.
Yacht vacations in Phuket are available at The Sail Spin.
