Emile Kotze

Born and raised in South Africa, Emile Kotze grew weary of the small-town life and left his country at 20-years-old with little to his name except a new skipper’s license and big dreams. He was always surrounded by the water—sailing trips on the weekend, cray fishing, and surfing—but never realized he could make a career of it. He was a family man, raised by young parents and very close with his sister and grandparents. He came to America with the expectation of doing sales research for his father’s business, but met a Captain who revealed the alternative lifestyle yachting could provide. From that moment on Emile has been a mate and deckhand on various ships, voyaging around the world, experiencing different cultures, and making the clientele as happy as possible.