Erica Lay, owner of EL CREW CO in Palma, released “Superyacht Life: How to Start, Succeed & Stay Sane,” a book designed for yacht crew, on Oct. 1. Lay has been in recruitment for nearly 20 years and understands the yachting industry’s unique needs. “Everyone in the industry knows there’s a lot of misinformation floating around online, and with so many new crew being sold a fantasy version of yacht life, I wanted to write something honest: the good, the bad, and the downright chaotic — but also practical,” she said. However, this is not a guide for green crew. “I wanted to put together a definitive guide for every step of a yacht crew’s career — from starting out, to completing your first season, to several years in, and even thinking about future plans and exit strategies,” she said. “‘Superyacht Life’ is a resource for every stage of the journey, written by someone who’s seen the industry from every angle.” Why should this book be required reading for all crew? “Because it tells the truth,” Lay said. “It’s not another glossy guide promising you’ll be rich and tanned within a week — it’s a real-world survival manual for crew, packed with advice, reality checks, and stories from the people actually living it.” Whether you’re a newbie or have a decade of experience, Lay said there’s plenty to gain from the book. One reader shared, “It’s the first book that really gets what life on board is actually like.” The response has been overwhelmingly positive, Lay said — from the green crew to senior crew and captains, many of whom are using it to update their approach to managing and recruiting the next generation of crew. The book is available on Amazon: https://a.co/d/9fOhqoP