Arriving at Lake Powell in the American Southwest is like landing on Mars — a breathtakingly rugged environment under the desert sun. Lizards bask, tumbleweeds roll, and you might never guess there’s a world-class watersports oasis tucked amongst the massive red sandstone formations. Straddling the border of Utah and Arizona is a remote, immersive destination known as the "Houseboat Capital of the World.” Visitors enjoy wake surfing, cliff jumping, canyon exploration, kayaking, and more. The cool, clean water is nature’s refreshing balance to the brutal dry heat and sudden sandstorms. Club 86, one of the largest houseboats on Lake Powell, is a 120-foot charter vessel owned by The Charter Club at Deer Creek. Weekly rates are on par with the yachting industry, but the onboard environment looks a bit different. Here, the lifestyle of the lake is unplugged and barefoot. This program is all about the toys — it has state of the art wake boats, a fishing boat, a full inflatable setup, Jet Skis, paddleboards and kayaks, electric surf boards, e-foils, a diving board, a helicopter, beach toys, and more. Luxury isn’t always about opulence — sometimes it’s about presence, and Club 86 has this down to a science. Triton spoke to Josh King, Club 86’s head chef and manager, to learn more about what makes the charter program unique and his role on board. Can you tell me about your career path through the yachting industry and what led you to Club 86? I trained in Michelin Star restaurants and found the yachting industry through friends. I spent nine years on up to 420-foot yachts chartering for $2 million a week. I decided to go land-based, so my agent found the unique opportunity of Club 86. After exploring 40+ countries I thought I’d seen it all, but I was blown away by how different Lake Powell is. What does your role as chef and manager encompass? I started out as head chef, but I slipped into the manager role kind of randomly. Because I was on board more than the rest of the crew and have yachting experience, they were asking me for advice. I ended up in a managerial role naturally and I really enjoy that. How do you curate menus for Club 86? Since we have up to 30 guests, I’ve developed a rotation of menus. Obviously, we ask what their preferences are. If they’ve got some dishes they like or special requests, we can accommodate them. How much is pre-planned vs on the fly? The menu has to be 100% planned. The nearest shops are five hours away, so we can’t get anything last minute, especially proteins since they’re flown in. Sometimes we get a feel for the guests and we’re able to adjust some elements. We’re always pushing the guest experience further, but things must be pre-planned. Which yacht standards do you intentionally maintain on board? Standards of hygiene and the level of service. Most of the crew don’t come from a yachting background but I’ve been teaching them, and they love it. We’re very intentional about working as a team, which is fantastic. Which yacht standards are intentionally more relaxed on board and why? We go surfing with the guests, take helicopter rides, and it’s a real personal side of yachting that I never had on formal boats. What do guests tend to be most surprised by on Club 86? The level of service we’re able to provide and all the special touches. They’re paying a lot of money, so they appreciate the little things, especially for the kids. Do you have a favorite activity on the lake? My favorite thing to do is wake surf and embrace Lake Powell. When I’m working 18 hours a day for three weeks straight, having a break on the water is awesome. What unique qualities does the program require for crew? It’s long days, but you just have to work as a team and be able to adapt. I'll make beds, do trash runs, clean tenders. There’s no room for selfishness. What are some of the benefits of the program for crew that you might not see in traditional yachting? The clients don't have superyacht expectations when they get here, so we have the freedom to wow them. It’s also amazing to relax in the downtime, play with the toys, and have friends and family visit. If you could summarize the Club 86 experience in a sentence or two, what would it be? It’s a high end, relaxed family holiday with a slice of yachting.