Captain: Roland Schaeffer

Your Captain and Chef Roland and Vanessa, both vibrant, energetic and charming hosts, with an unfailing sense of humor hail from Cape Town South Africa, where they met through mutual friends while still in their 20’s. Married in 2010, they are both well-travelled and have chartered together since about 2012.

Roland has been boating since a very young age, hanging around the Royal Cape Yacht Club and offering his services as a boat cleaner, (literally starting from the bottom up) and being invited onboard on race days as rail bait! While remaining a keen boater, he went on to working as a industrial technician before becoming an entrepreneur. Owning his own business afforded him the flexibility to keep sailing, and Roland assisted or captained on a variety of long-distance sailing yacht deliveries, accumulating in excess of 100 000Nm. It was during one of these yacht deliveries to the Caribbean, Roland discovered the world of charter yachts.

While in her 20’s, Vanessa embarked on a live-aboard dive vacation in the Red Sea. Her first live-aboard boating experience inspired her to abandon her life in the South African hospitality/culinary industry and set a course for new horizons. Vanessa was for many years in the restaurant industry, from South Africa, to Europe, to South and Central America to finally owning her own eatery in the prestigious London-Marylebone area. Vanessa’s mom was her first inspiration, teaching Vanessa to create dishes that please, and accommodating various dietary requirements.

Shortly after marrying, Roland and Vanessa combined their respective skill sets and moved from South Africa to Antigua to manage a live-aboard term charter sail boat. Between 2012-present, Roland and Vanessa have run charters from the Virgin Islands to Grenada, gaining an intimate knowledge of the leeward and windward islands on sailboats of different shapes and sizes.

Roland and Vanessa are both avid scuba diver/free diver, Roland also happens to be a PADI Instructor, Vanessa is a PADI Divemaster.

When not in the galley, Vanessa is swimming in the ocean or hiking on land, and she loves white water rafting. Roland’s love of sailing keeps him busy but he also enjoys kite surfing and heraldry.

Engineer Jacob hails from the coast of New Jersey in the northeastern United States. Surrounded by a family of sailors, divers, and fisherman, Jacob's love and appreciation for the ocean developed from an early age. In 2010 Jacob's family traded their life in New Jersey for the warm waters off the pacific coast of Costa Rica. Jacob was first introduced to the yachting industry in 2016 and Immediately he knew he belonged. He excelled for the next five years fulfilling the role of steward/deckhand aboard sailing yachts executing luxury term charters throughout the Caribbean. In 2021, Jacob began pursuing his ultimate dream of becoming a ship's engineer; in early 2023 he got his chance. After accepting a lead role on Abide’s extensive refit project, Jacob’s mechanical skills and knowledge were honed and put to the test during a twenty-month yard period. Over the past eight years Jacob has cemented himself as a well rounded and competent crew member. So whether you need your oil changed, your sails trimmed, or your cocktail mixed to perfection Jacob is truly a jack of all trades.

Seth Jansen Van Vuuren– Engineer & Crew Member - Born in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, Seth has always had a passion for mechanics—whether it was aviation or restoring classic cars and motorcycles. But the journey into the world of sailing began when a high school friend introduced him to his first job on a yacht. That experience changed everything.

At 17, he moved to the coast of Port Elizabeth, where his love for the ocean grew. What started as a job quickly became a lifelong pursuit, leading him to the Caribbean, where he raced high-performance gunboats. It was there that he truly discovered his passion for large monohulls—their elegance, power, and the engineering behind them fascinated him.

Now, as an engineer and crew member, he brings both technical expertise and an unmatched enthusiasm for sailing. Whether maintaining the yacht at peak performance or ensuring guests have a seamless experience, he is always ready to share his love for the sea.

First Mate Keith Allen left the corporate world behind at 22 years old after some years working as a commercial ship broker and later, construction manager in Queensland, Australia. His travels took him to sailing the Caribbean on a 40ft sloop where he discovered an untapped passion for the ocean and that within it.

Since 2018 Keith has worked on a variety of vessels including modern superyachts, classic sailing yachts as well as smaller racing keelboats in the Mediterranean, Caribbean and eastern seaboard of the United States. Keith has also sailed as a charter captain on catamarans up to 62ft in Greece and the Virgin Islands and is eager to step into the role as first mate on S/Y Abide.
A passionate waterman, Keith is a well traveled and enthusiastic dive instructor, photographer and water sports aficionado who is keen to show you the beautiful waters of the Caribbean at whatever pace you desire.

Deckhand

Stewardess Coral was born in Nevis and raised on boats in the Caribbean, her love for sailing has been constant throughout her life. From a young age, she has explored the islands and sailed offshore, developing a deep connection to the sea and the yachting lifestyle. In 2020, she moved to England to further her education, earning GCSEs and A-levels in Travel and Tourism and Psychology. These studies, combined with extensive experience on the water, have equipped Coral with a unique blend of practical and academic knowledge. She is now eager to channel her passion, skills, and dedication into a fulfilling career in the yachting industry, and she is looking forward to contributing as part of your crew.


Not available for Sale or Charter in the USA.