Things get tricky when the owner has two yachts in two states, but only one crew. Crewing a new build can be exciting, challenging and overwhelming all at the same time — but we knew we were really in for a challenge when we learned that the owners would be keeping the “old” yacht after the new yacht arrived. How would we manage to work on two yachts at the same time? How would we be able to keep up with double the maintenance, cleaning, etc.? Oh, and did I mention each yacht would be in a different state? While we were north for the season on the smaller old yacht, the bigger new yacht arrived in Fort Lauderdale. We would spend the rest of the summer flying back and forth between two states, tending two yachts. We kept identical weekly and monthly calendars for each yacht to make sure every task needed got done. I will admit that sacrifices were made: The most important tasks were done first and foremost, and the “extra” cleaning only if time permitted. For example, we always wiped main area surfaces and vacuumed each week, but may not have had time for polishing the silverware. We washed the boats and cleaned the strainers each week, but may not have had time to wipe inside the exterior cabinets. Crew took turns flying to Fort Lauderdale to take care of the new yacht, while the rest stayed back with the old yacht. The rotations enabled everyone to have the opportunity to go to the new yacht. When none of us could be in Fort Lauderdale because of an owner’s trip in Newport, we hired a freelance captain and crew to care for the new yacht. If the owner wanted to do a trip on the new yacht in Fort Lauderdale, all the crew would fly there, and we would hire freelance crew to be in Newport looking after the old yacht. Since neither boat was ever crewless throughout this experience, both boats were always provisioned. We struggled at times with less sleep and added stress. A tip I would give to other captains and crew who may find themselves in the same predicament is stick to a strict, highly organized plan to best utilize the time you have on each yacht for what really needs to be done. It’s vital for the crew to all be on the same page. Once we finally brought the old yacht back to Florida, it was much easier to manage and keep track of both yachts. When the crew were told that the owner was ready to sell the old yacht, we could not be more relieved! Our next challenge would involve moving all the items from one yacht to the other, which was quite an experience. When everything is put away and perfectly organized on a yacht, you easily forget how much stuff there really is. We were lucky because we were able to dock the two yachts next to each other for a day, during which we frantically moved every item we could manage. With all the stuff scattered all over the salon, it was overwhelming at first. But the process went quicker than expected, and the opportunity for a fresh start on a new yacht quickly became an exciting opportunity for all the crew on board.