Calling All Keyboard Captains: Think Twice Before Sounding Off
Before you fire the captain from your perch in the comment section, learn what can go wrong on a yacht.
A striking new Mangusta Oceano 39 sits atop a center-channel sandbar along the Fort Lauderdale Intracoastal in April 2025:
@Lady.barks: “Didn’t the skipper look at the tides before leaving the marina?”
@Neilb1976: “Good going captain your fired”
@Raybonita: “Fire the captain”
Why Does Everyone Think They’re An Expert?
Oh, how the weak love to express their superiority when the risk is null. I can’t stand people like this; those who pull the trigger before they know where to aim.
When news broke of the beached Mangusta last year, a mad rush ensued to find the truth behind how such a premium product could find itself in such a predicament. While the online message boards lit up with inquiries, those with maritime logic knew this likely occurred one of two ways:
An unexpected, unpredictable event
The captain erred
In either circumstance, the boat and its collective human capital—the owner, family, crew, broker, insurance agent and management company—are having a shit day. But the one thing they have, that no one else does, is the truth. With the complexities of yacht operation, especially a new delivery, the cause could be any number of failures. Those who jump to judge on social media are the most ignorant to the situation. These people—ladies and gentlemen—are the Keyboard Captains, and the concept doesn’t just exist in the boating metaverse. We all experience the daily arrogance and ignorance of Keyboard Captains in our online communities. When they’re not commenting on beached Mangustas, they’re telling you your parenting strategies are stupid, your hardships are manageable, and how they made $3,000,000 trading options just this morning.
When It’s Fair to Blame the Captain & When Its Not
I am not an expert in parenting, personal therapy or day trading, so today’s discussion will focus on educating Keyboard Captains to a variety of vessel & situational failures that can seem like captain error, but in reality, the captain has flawlessly mitigated risk. The reality is, captaining is not for the faint of heart. Those commenting on a vessel astray without knowing how it came to be astray don’t know the first thing of what these members of our industry endure. If they did, they’d be slow to suggest someone loses a job when a boat lands where it shouldn’t. Even though that area of Fort Lauderdale is know for being shallow, I still extend the benefit of the doubt to the Mangusta, considering everything that could happen. On the flip side, when an HCB lands on the rocks in the Caribbean and a crew member is air lifted to the nearest hospital (all due to a captain under the influence) the insiders are justified to scream for his job. IYKYK.
Here are just a few realistic scenarios that could have befallen the Mangusta that would not call for the captain’s job:
Unexpected steering failure; vessel drifts into sandbar
Unexpected engine failure, vessel drifts into sandbar
Shipyard forces vessel to depart when they are not comfortable, captain is aware of low tide but the day has an unusually low tide, captain is just getting used to the size/shape of the vessel, runs up on sandbar
Crew assisting captain in navigating the channel provides incorrect information causing the beaching
A Mangusta representative was operating the vessel during a delivery procedure
A separate boat was navigating the channel incorrectly and the Mangusta navigated to limit vessel damage, landing on the sandbar
When I saw Mirage beached on the sandbar, my first thought was not ‘bad captain.’ My first thought was, ‘What failed?’. The boat was still in its delivery phase, and ghost failures like to pop up at the worst time. Navigating a new vessel through a tight channel with low water markings all over the place is the perfect place for Murphy’s law to rear its ugly head. With that scenario having even the slightest of potentials, I would never assume captain error. Case in point. Leave your opinion until you know all the facts. And unless you’ve been in that situation, your opinion has no merit anyway. He without sin cast the first stone.
The Superiority Complex of a Keyboard Captain
Instagram is a smut bin for bow stuffings at Haulover Inlet, boat ramp mayhem, people throwing trash in the water, and everything in between. Even if your mind prefers the beautiful drone shot of m/y Moonrise arriving to St Tropez for the summer season, you’re going to see cars underwater at the local boat ramp. It’s science. These videos are feed to you because views, likes and comments are high. It’s an opportunity for those feeling down on themselves to get the rush of being an implied expert, even just for 2 seconds. They comment so you know this would never happen if they were at the helm. I beg to differ, and I’d like to produce a show where we insert Keyboard Captains into a trivial on-water situation and see how they fare.
Idea: A Keyboard Captain is operating a brand-new ~$20M Mangusta in its first cruise since coming off the transport ship. They just spent two weeks commissioning the vessel and the owners are waiting at their house. After the first turn of the wheel, the steering unexpectedly cuts out and the boat pushes forward towards the seawall in a tight channel. The owner sends a text: “ETA?”. Cameras rolling. Wouldn’t that be good TV.
Anyone who has operated a tight channel knows the feeling. One moment you’re managing depth, current, traffic, owner, crew, and machinery. The next, a video of you entering an inlet has 50 Keyboard Captains calling for your license and commenting on your speed, bow angle and how guests are seated in a dangerous place.
The Real Lesson
The fix here is not that difficult, and it applies to all aspects of life. These people need to learn the facts before they inject their opinion. The unjustified superiority is exhausting. Our society values the opinions and assistance of true experts, but experts are frequently not the ones with the loudest voice.
If you’re loud behind your keyboard and quiet in real life, reconsider the value you provide to the situation you’re commenting on. The world needs more collaboration, more consideration, and a tad more pause.
About the Author
Reed Nicol is a licensed yacht broker with experience in all corners of the marine industry. He’s worked as an executive and sales director in yacht manufacturing and distribution, has structured commercial charter operations, and designed and executed notable refits. Read more about Reed’s marine journey, his love of helping 1st time boaters and his entrepreneurial spirit here.
Reed Nicol [Licensed FL Yacht Broker #11926]
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