Beautiful, resolute, sweet and passionate. This is Maria Grazia Franco, Captain of the 50 meter Codecasa MY Mariu. She is an exemplary mentor and role model. With an ever present smile, never ending enthusiasm and with the utmost professionalism, Maria Grazia has been sailing since 1998. Her passion has taken her all over the world, but very close to her heart is the Gulf of Naples and Italy overall.
-Why did you decide to become a superyacht captain?
I have always loved the sea, so I simply tried to combine my passion with my work and it was the best decision I ever made. This is a life of sacrifice, but also one of tremendous satisfaction visiting dream places. During my career I have had the privilege and opportunity to travel the world, crossing the seven seas and every continent, including Antartica. I worked very hard and my skills were honed until I was ready to take over my first yacht as captain.
– When did you first step onboard?
Sailing boats aside, my first time was in July 1998 on “Reef Endeavour” part of Captain Cook Cruises, an Australian company and Australian flagged.
-Did you benefit or gain any advantage as a woman?
Unfortunately, being a woman is still a limitation in yachting world and there are still limited opportunities for women in the maritime field. I haven’t experienced any overt discrimination onboard. I am pleased there are women climbing the ranks to leadership roles in more recent times.
-How do clients and suppliers react to you as a female captain?
People are usually pleasantly surprised when they realise that the captain is a woman. I have had many different clients, including Russians and Arabs, and all have been extremely kind and supportive and I think appreciate my professionalism and service. In fact many have congratulated me on my ship’s rigging. The same principle applies to working with service providers, show them respect and you will receive it in return. In this case there is no difference on whether or not you are a man or a woman.
Can you tell us about who has inspired you in your career ?
When I started my career in the sailing world, the most inspirational person for me was my sailing instructor, Simone Tonini. I learned a lot from him and he is one of the most capable men I ever met. Also important to me was my diving instructor, Mauro Manca, who died tragically at 21 years old. He passed down to me his strong passion for the sea and he is always close to my heart.
-Do you have another passions besides sailing?
I have a great passion for diving, I started working as a dive instructor at 21, but I love skydiving too. I started doing it when I was young. And it is thanks to skydiving that I met my husband. I also love dogs, especially my dachshund Ugo.
-What is the name of the yacht you are on board now?
MARIU, 50m Codecasa, designed by Giorgio Armani.
-What kind of clients did you welcome on board in there summer of 2015?
Most are industrialists from Russia, the USA, Germany, Canada, Brazil and the U.K.
-Tell us about your favorite crushing itineraries?
In 2015 we sailed the entire Med…Turkey, Greece, Albania, Montenegro, Croatia, Italy, Monaco and France, but my absolute favourite itineraries are Italian. We had wonderful charters last year along the Gulf of Naples, Capri, Amalfi Coast, Pontine Islands, Egadi Islands, Sardinia and around Venice.
-Where do you stay during the wintertime? What factors influence you decisions regarding a winter layup destination?
Last winter we went to Caribbean close to the West Indies, while this year we sailed along European seas to Athens in order to take care of some maintenance projects. When we decide to stop for any significant amount of time we always go to Athens, because it is the best place for the owner.
-Do you have charters booked yet for 2016 and in what areas?
We have six charters booked at the moment for this summer. All for now will keep us along the western Italian coast and South of France. I expect this is going to be a very busy summer, just as last year.
