Danny Davies’ Black Burger Buns

snacks, all predominantly healthy. “The guests and crew were all avid juicers,” she added. Her pulled pork nachos with salsa verde topped with cheese were also a hit. “I have a special procedure to keep them from becoming soggy,” she said.

When the permanent chef hired for the charter season couldn’t get out of South Africa, Hargrove was asked to stay on as cook.

“We were fully booked. We turned and burned — staying in Italy, France, Corsica and Sardinia. We’d bulk up where we could. For four heads of iceberg, sometimes we’d have to go to two stores, sometimes five to fill an order. Locals weren’t getting what they needed, and we can clean out a whole section easily, so we had to take that into consideration as well.”

After that charter season ended, she opted to stay put in Italy. And she also finished filming Season 9 of Below Deck.

Despite the struggles to run a galley amid pandemic restrictions and global supply shortages, each of the chefs reported a reason for gratitude.

Hargrove, an ayurvedic practitioner who specializes in ayurvedic nutrition, said she was in a good position to serve healthy food, and at one point, she found herself cooking 100-percent ayurvedic and vegan foods.

Davies, originally from England, had served five tours of duty as an army chef, and his military background served him well, he said. “I’m disciplined, good at time management, know how to deliver, and how to keep people’s morale up. Also I have training similar to that of a first responder, which makes people on board feel comfortable.”

Kovalsky noted that every chef (and every person) faces challenges all the time. “And the ones I’ve faced are far inferior to what I could have faced. I’ve been employed, I have my health, and my friends and family are healthy. Honestly, I’ve been very lucky.” ‹

DANNY’S BLACK BURGER BUNS

INFO Prep time: 25 minutes, plus 2 1/2 hours to rise and prove Cooking time: 30–40 minutes Oven temp: 230°C / 450°F / gas 8 Total calories: 2615 INGREDIENTS 15 g (1/2 oz) dried yeast 1 teaspoon caster sugar 300 ml (1/2 pint) warm water 150 ml (1/4 pint) warm milk 675 g (1 1/2 lbs) strong plain white flour 1 teaspoon of activated charcoal powder 2 teaspoons fine Himalayan pink salt 25 grams (1 oz) butter or plant-based butter 1 beaten egg to glaze Tuxedo sesame seeds to sprinkle

METHOD 1. Use spray grease and parchment paper to prepare a pair of baking sheet pans. 2. Place the yeast, sugar, water and milk in a jug, mixing well. Leave in a warm place until frothy, about 20 minutes. I use hot water and add cold milk to that to get the warmness you require for the yeast to grow. 3. Sift the flour, then add the charcoal powder and salt into a bowl. (Put on gloves, to protect your hands from getting covered in black powder!) Rub in the butter. 4. Add the yeast liquid and mix to a smooth dough. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic, about 10 minutes. (Or, 10 minutes in the KitchenAid with the hook attachment. Add a little oil to the bowl if things get too sticky.) 5. Place in an oiled bowl and cover with cling film. Leave to rise in a warm place until doubled in size, 1–1 1/2 hours. 6. Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface, knock it back to release all air bubbles, and knead again for 5 minutes. Shape the dough into balls (about the size of a golf ball).

Flatten them out a little with your fingers to give each one that burger bun shape. Arrange them on the baking sheet with enough space for each to double in size. 7. Glaze the buns with beaten egg and sprinkle with tuxedo seeds. Leave these to prove (the second rising) for about 1 hour. 8. Bake in a hot oven for 30–40 minutes. Cool on a wire rack. I like to cover them with baking parchment and a clean bar towel. This stops the crisping of the bun and gives it that classic soft burger bun feel.

SERVINGS Makes 10–12 rolls, depending on size (24 mini sliders, great for canapes)

CHEF’S TIP This dough makes a great base for a focaccia bread and will fit a ¼ sheet pan. Let the dough sit in the sheet pan for 3-4 hours or overnight in the fridge before baking. If you do leave it overnight, cover it with cling wrap and olive oil. Make sure you take the dough out of the fridge and give it 20–30 minutes to reach room temperature before cooking for the best results.

Chief Officer Wesley Walton

Where are you from?

Born and raised in Johannesburg, South Africa.

When you were in college, what did you think your future career would be?

I studied a Bachelor’s of Economics and Environmental Science Honours with the hopes of getting into renewable energy as a career. I did manage to work at Eskom, a big power generation company in South Africa, during my holidays from university.

How did you get into yachting?

I was trying to find something to do as a gap year after university. Nine years have passed and I haven’t turned back.

What is the most difficult part about your job?

The most challenging, but also rewarding, part of the job is trying to manage people from all walks of life — crew, charter guests and owners alike. You have to understand and acknowledge different cultures, languages and ages.

What is the best part?

Travel. This job has taken me around the globe to places I didn’t even know existed before.

Now that you have years of experience, what do you wish you could tell the newbie Wes just beginning his very first crew job?

This one is easy. Choose a yacht for quality of life. It’s not about which yacht is the biggest, or newest, or has the best salary. It’s about the people on board you are sharing the experience with.

What yachts have you worked on, and which was your favorite?

I have worked on a variety of yachts, but my absolute favorite have been the off-the-beaten-track yachts. From tracking polar bears in the Arctic to diving with manta rays in Raja Ampat, it was just amazing.

What was the singular worst moment of your entire yachting career?

Maybe not my worst moment, but definitely my scariest moment was when we had to respond to a mayday in the Arctic. Crew from a sailboat had to abandon ship into life rafts while the Norwegian coast guard airlifted them to safety.

How did working on Below Deck compare with your jobs on other yachts?

Below Deck was actually a lot more difficult than my other yacht jobs. Imagine your every move and mistake being recorded for the world to see, haha.

What is your favorite thing to do when not working?

I really enjoy doing adventure sports in my off time, diving, hiking, skydiving. And recently I have picked up kiteboarding.

TOP TIP FOR YOUR TOOL KIT

Deck crew know their tricks for fast, efficient problem-solving, and Triton has heard some talk on the dock about possibly the best rust remover around. Although its manufacturer, Gyeon, offers a line of dedicated marine products, this particular rust buster comes from their automotive line. Q²M Iron is a fast-reacting liquid that was specially developed to easily decontaminate car surfaces from harsh ferrous deposits, according to the company. It works fabulously on yachts as well, according to the deckhands who swear by it. Although highly reactive, it has a near neutral pH level of 6, which allows for safe application on even sensitive materials, and it won’t harm paint or coated surfaces.

Manufacturer’s tips: Always work on a cool panel and avoid direct sunlight. On hot days, work in sections and do not allow the product to dry. For more info, contact your yacht chandler or visit gyeonquartz.com/product/iron/.

What the Deck!

Contrary to what Interior may think, being a deckhand isn’t always easypeasy. Have a problem? Need some advice? Chief Officer Wesley Walton has the answer — and if he doesn’t, he’ll find someone who does. Send your questions and concerns to Editor@TritonNews.com.

Toy TEST Drive

Crew TAKE A SPIN ON the hottest new yacht toys in town — some not even on the market yet.

Story by Christine Davis Photos by Leonard Bryant

Aboard a superyacht, it’s the deckies who haul out, set up and oversee water toys — then stand by to watch yacht owners and guests zip around on them, having all the fun. But recently, for one magical Cinderella day, the South Florida water-sports superstore Nautical Ventures hosted nine crew and a captain assembled by Triton for an up-close-and-personal, high-octane, action-packed water toy extravaganza.

Tasked with a job they could get on top of, so to speak, the crew sampled an eclectic mix of high-end yacht toys. Their task was to evaluate the fun factor, ease of use, teachability, handling, and storage capabil-

ity of each product in order to help buyers assemble an enviable, expertly curated, deluxe, super-easy toy chest.

After gathering at the store’s North Palm Beach location, the crew took a water taxi to Peanut Island, where Nautical Ventures had an armada of yacht toys — some not even on the market yet — ready and waiting on the shoreline.

The crew jumped on and mastered the lean, mean, adrenalin-producing products, as well as the laid-back, slower-paced options. And their final assessment? Every toy delivered a fun and unique experience.

“In making our selections, we were mindful of how these yacht toys would appeal to charter guests, the ease in which crew have to teach their guests, and the yacht owners themselves, who take pride in their collection of toys on board,” summed up Frank Ferraro, Nautical Ventures’ marketing director. “Judging by the great reaction of the crew that day, I’d say we made the right choices.”

PARTICIPANTS (ABOVE): from left, Adrian Delgado, of Nautical Ventures; Capt. Grant Maughan; Frank Ferraro, Mark Schlichting, and Stephen Wigal, of Nautical Ventures; crew tester Luke Clarkson; Chad Knopp, of YuJet; crew testers Ireland Tucker, Steve Henderson, Chris Frederic, Avery Ross, James Harris and Luke Blackshaw; reporter Christine Davis; crew tester Halley Havlicek; and Schuyler Caffrey, of Nautical Ventures.

SEABOB F5-S

The SEABOB F5-S dive sled has a hydrodynamic shape that makes it agile in the water by just shifting your bodyweight. ($13,450)

James Harris, who previously worked in the automotive industry before jumping over to boating, was looking forward to trying out the SEABOB, because he’s into all things motor. He was not disappointed. “It’s pretty straight forward; its controls are easy, and it would be no problem to teach. It went faster than I thought it would, but you can slow it down and pick it up when you want.”

“The SEABOB is optimal for the beginner, but make sure you are wearing a well-secured bathing suit,” said Luke Blackshaw. FLITEBOARD

A surfer’s dream, the Fliteboard electric hydrofoil, with an intuitive Bluetooth control, reaches speeds exceeding 30 mph and gives up to a 90-minute ride time per charge. ($13,500)

“Nothing beats the Fliteboard, aside from the learning curve. It’s the funnest, the most advanced and most prestigious, aside from the YuJet, which was the most fun and my favorite for today,” says Steve Henderson.

“The Fliteboard feels exactly like surfing, like flying across the water,” says Luke Blackshaw. “Standing up is more difficult, unless you have a surfing background, but stay on your stomach or knees, and you will definitely still enjoy it.”

Photo courtesy Nautical Ventures

SUPMARINE CLEAR SUP

The Clear SUP is a transparent stand-up paddleboard, offering a window into the water. (board, bag and paddle, $1,750)

“The Eclipse, guests into exercising would love it, and the SUPMarine [Clear SUP] acts like goggles and you can see everything underwater. I liked that,” said Ireland Tucker.

CHECK OUT MORE PHOTOS IN OUR ONLINE GALLERY AT TRITONNEWS.COM

Photo courtesy Nautical Ventures

SIPABOARD

SipaBoards give an SUP experience, but with a built-in ‘Paddle Assist’ electric module, giving a faster, safer ride to beat the tides. It’s self-inflating and easy to store. (Tour model board, bag and paddle, $3,090)

“That little extra push keeps our momentum going, and that’s going to keep your balance way easier,” said Luke Clarkson. “It gives a nice mellow ride.”

“Out of the non-adrenalin toys, I liked the SipaBoard,” said Steve Henderson. “A lot of people enjoy paddleboards, but when the wind kicks up, a paddleboard can be gnarly and a bit of a struggle. The SipaBoard, though, with its little engine, makes life a little easier.” YUJET

The YuJet electric surfboard is fast, fun, and easy for almost anyone to ride, even without prior surfing experience. With a top speed of 24 miles per hour, it can deliver a 16-mile range or about 40 minutes of ride time. ($9,995)

“The YuJet is amazing,” said Chris Frederic. It’s really fast, even at medium speed and cracking along. I’ve never surfed before, and it was pretty comfortable. I think anyone can do it.”

“The best is the YuJet because it’s so easy,” said Mark Schlichting. “You can enjoy the YuJet on your knees from the get-go and have a good experience.”

“The YuJet wins the prize for me,” said Avery Ross. “It’s fast, turned well and is easy to pick up on. The hand-held remote was awesome.” “It was not hard at all as long as you can keep your balance,” said Halley Havlicek. “Operating it was very easy, and you don’t have to stand up on it to have a fun feeling.” HOBIE DURA ECLIPSE & HOBIE MIRAGE LYNX

The Hobie Dura Eclipse is an ultra-lightweight, durable, stand-up pedalboard. ($2,699, new for 2022, with inventory just coming in.)

The 45-pound Mirage Lynx, Hobie’s newest kayak, (see page 24), offers a comfy seat, pedal propulsion, a sleek hull, wide bow, and a flat-bottom design for stability and maneuverability. ($2,699, new for 2022, inventory expected in November.)

“Both Hobies were fun,” said Steve Henderson. “They were stable and comfortable and super easy to get the hang of. I could do the Eclipse for hours.”

“They are super easy, and something that everyone can enjoy,” says James Harris.

“You could ride the Lynx through the mangroves with a beer. That would be sick. Rad. On a large yacht charter boat, where storage isn’t at a premium, the guests would love it,” said Steve Henderson.