Get to know us

About us

Established in 2007, GYD has quickly gained a reputation of being South Africa’s most dependable and respected Yacht Delivery Company. We employ several of South Africa’s most experienced skippers, all of whom are either family or long standing friends, and ex colleagues from TUI Marine SA. The strong relationship we have with our Skippers fosters accountability and urges them to uphold our great reputation and to deliver the high level of service expected of them.

As a rule, our skippers have a minimum 150 000nm under their belts, and possess very broad skill sets. They all have strong mechanical and electrical skills, and have a huge repertoire of experience from which to apply to the many scenarios that can present themselves at sea. Our Skippers are hard-core sea dogs that are employed not only for their competence, but for their conscientiousness, work ethic and integrity.
Learn a little more about them:

Our Team

JASON RUGER

Office Admiral and Director

Extremely knowledgeable and experienced in all aspects of yachting, Jason began his sailing career just after high school and bought his first boat on the day of his 21 st birthday. He sailed solo throughout the Caribbean for over 3 years and learnt some hard lessons along the way. 21 years and many deliveries later, his ability to manage and coordinate a smooth and efficient delivery is unparalleled.

MILEAGE

250 000 nm +

QUALIFICATIONS

  • RYA Yacht Master Ocean 200 ton with Commercial Endorsement

  • SA Sailing Yacht Master Offshore 100 ton (Motor & Sail)

  • PADI Dive Master – Pisces Dive Centre, Cape Town

  • AQN Adventure Guide

  • Bachelor of Arts – University of South Africa

  • STCW

  • Power Boat Level 2 (PB2)

  • ICASA Restricted Radio Licence

  • ENG1 Seaman’s Medical

DELIVERIES

  • Cape Town, South Africa to Tortola, BVI – CM 46 high performance racer/cruiser (NEW)
  • Knysna, South Africa to Auckland, NZ westward via Atlantic & Pacific – CM46 High Performance racer/cruiser (NEW)
  • Cape Town, South Africa to Hiero, Canary Islands – 42ft Leopard (NEW)
  • Cape Town, South Africa to Grenada, Windward Islands – 40ft Admiral (NEW)
  • Inhambane, Mozambique to Knysna, South Africa – 44ft Knysna
  • Cape Town to St Maarten, Leeward Islands – 39ft Leopard cat
  • Antigua, Caribbean to Cape Town, South Africa via Brazil – 80ft Maxi Power Vessel
  • Newcastle, Australia to Cairns, Australia – 58ft Camper & Nicholson
  • Nosy Be, Madagascar to Durban, South Africa – 42ft Maverick cat
  • Les Sables d’Olonne, France to Cape Town, South Africa via Brazil – Lagoon 42F (NEW)
  • Cape Town to Fort Lauderdale, USA – 44ft Leopard cat (NEW)
  • Cape Town to Gruissan, France – 39ft Leopard cat (NEW)
  • Cape Town to Fort Lauderdale, USA – 46ft Leopard cat (NEW)
  • Cape Town to Belize City, Belize – 38ft Leopard cat (NEW)
  • Cape Town to Annapolis, U.S.A – 39ft Leopard Catamaran (NEW)
  • Zhoushan, China to Mahe, Seychelles – 38ft Leopard Catamaran (NEW)
  • Cape Town to Ancona, Italy – 38ft Leopard Catamaran (NEW)
  • Cape Town to the British Virgin Islands – 46ft Leopard cat (NEW
  • Port Elizabeth, South Africa to Cape Town, South Africa – 34ft Holiday
  • Durban, South Africa to Vilanculos, Mozambique – 42ft Maverick
  • Hout Bay, South Africa to Port Owen, South Africa – 35ft Catamaran
  • Port Elizabeth, South Africa to Cape Town, South Africa – 32ft Sadler
  • Abu Dhabi, UAE to Port Elizabeth, South Africa – 40ft Maverick
  • Richards Bay, South Africa to Nosy Be, Madagascar – 50ft Knysna cat
  • La Reunion to Gordon’s Bay, South Africa – 44ft Nordic Saintonge
  • Cape Town, South Africa to Knysna, South Africa – 37ft Endurance
  • Tortola, B.V.I to Fiji Islands via Panama Canal – 37ft Endurance
  • Port Elizabeth, South Africa to Cape Town, South Africa – 38ft Dudley Dix
  • British Virgin Islands to Brisbane, Australia (via Panama Canal) – 40ft Beneteau
  • Cape Town, South Africa to Richard’s Bay South Africa – 26ft Dean cat
  • Maputo, Mozambique to Pemba, Mozambique – 40ft Dudley Dix
  • Cape Town to the Med – 30ft Miura
  • The Med to Cape Town – 30ft Miura
  • Durban, South Africa to Maputo, Mozambique – 42ft Maverick
  • Maputo, Mozambique to Cape Town, South Africa – 42ft Maverick
  • Mossel Bay, South Africa to Strand, South Africa – 26ft Sadler
  • Cape Town to Grenada, Windward Islands – 42ft Maverick

GARY RUGER

Skipper

You’d be hard pressed to find someone with more experience. In distance he has sailed further than the moon and back, over 500 000nm. After 200 000 nobody is keeping count anymore. There’s barely a country with a coastline that he hasn’t been to. Competent beyond measure, there’s little that can shake his cool calm at sea – it’s the only place he really feels sane.

 

MILEAGE

350 000 nm +

QUALIFICATIONS

  • Yacht Master Ocean – SA Sailing
  • Mechanical Fitter and Turner
  • Qualified Plumber

DELIVERIES

60+ We have lost count!

GARON

Skipper

A fantastic chap with an eye for safety, Garon is a previous boat owner and understands the ins and outs of boat maintenance and care. He has excellent carpentry and fibre glass skills and has spent many years refitting, maintaining and sailing his own yacht as well as a host of other mono-hulls and catamarans.

 

MILEAGE

160 000 nm +

QUALIFICATIONS

Yacht Master Offshore – South African Maritime Safety Authority

DELIVERIES

  • Cape Town to Grenada – 44ft Balance Cat
  • Grenada to Cape Town – 23m Kotter Motor Yacht
  • Cape Town to Grenada – 44ft Vision
  • Northern China along the coast to Hinnan and onto Korea – Leopard 39 Cat
  • Cape Town, South Africa to St. Martin – Leopard 39 Cat
  • Cape Town, South Africa to St. Vincent – Leopard 39 Cat
  • Cape Town, South Africa to St. Helena – Dean 40
  • Tortola, BVI via Panama Canal to Lima, Peru – Beneteau 40
  • Lima, Peru to Suva,Fiji Islands – Endurance 37
  • Richards Bay, South Africa to Cape Town, South Africa – Roberts 45
  • Port Elizabeth, South Africa to Cape Town, South Africa – Endurance 37
  • Cape Town: Tandem Charters 2012
  • Cape Town, South Africa to Port Elizabeth, South Africa – Roberts 45
  • Cape Town, South Africa to Durban, South Africa – Dean Cat 45
  • Saldanha Bay, South Africa to Richards Bay, South Africa – Lagoon 42
  • Cape Town, South Africa to Richards Bay, South Africa – Saddler 32
  • Mahe, Seychelles to Abu Dhabi, UAE – Beneteau 43
  • Cape Town to the Med – 30ft Miura
  • The Med to Cape Town – 30ft Miura

GAVIN

Skipper

Hardy as they come and resourceful as a Swiss army knife, Gavin is the epitome of the ultimate Skipper. He is conscientious, thorough and extremely knowledgeable. In his 220 000nm of sailing he has experienced more than his fair share of disagreeable weather in some of the world’s testiest waters including the Southern Ocean and Southern Indian Ocean.

 

MILEAGE

200 000 nm +

QUALIFICATIONS

Yacht Master Offshore – SA Sailing

DELIVERIES

  • Cape Town, South Africa to Salvador, Brazil – 38ft Sloop
  • St. Maarten to Cadiz, Spain – 78ft Sloop
  • Cape Town, South Africa to Tortola, BVI – 40ft Cat
  • Cape Town, South Africa to Abaco, Bahamas – 46ft Cat
  • Cape Town, South Africa to Nice, France – 46ft Cat
  • Cape Town, South Africa to Nice France – 40ft Cat
  • Cape Town, South Africa to St Vincent, Caribbean – 43ft Cat
  • Cape Town, South Africa to Kremik, Croatia – 46ft Cat
  • Cape Town, South Africa to Abaco, Bahamas – 46ft Cat
  • Cape Town, South Africa to Fort Lauderdale, USA – 46ft Cat
  • Cape Town to Tahiti via Panama Canal – 46ft Cat
  • Cape Town, South Africa to St. Vincent, Caribbean – 40ft Cat
  • Shanghai, China to Brisbane, Australia – 39ft Cat
  • Cape Town, South Africa to Tortola, BVI – 39ft Cat
  • Cape Town, South Africa to Ancona, Italy – 46ft Cat
  • Cape Town, South Africa to Nice, France – 40ft Cat
  • Cape Town, South Africa to Greece – 39ft Cat
  • Cape Town, South Africa to Lankawi, Malaysia – 39ft Cat
  • Cape Town, South Africa to Brisbane, Australia via Southern Ocean – 46ft Cat
  • Cape Town, South Africa to Annapolis, USA – 46ft Cat
  • Cape Town, South Africa to Fort Lauderdale, USA – 40ft Cat
  • Cape Town, South Africa to Darwin, Australia – 47ft Power cat
  • Cape Town, South Africa to St. Maarten, Caribbean – 39ft Cat
  • Cape Town, South Africa to Tortola, BVI – 39ft Cat
  • Fort Lauderdale, USA to St, Thomas USVI – 39ft Cat
  • Cape Town, South Africa to Tortola, BVI – 48ft Cat
  • Cape Town, South Africa to Tristan Da Cunha/Gough Island Back To CT – 45ft Bruce Roberts
  • Seychelles to Airlie Beach, Australia – 47ft Power Cat
  • Cape Town to Brisbane, Australia – 48ft Cat Cpt
  • Seychelles to Airlie Beach, Australia – 46ft Cpt
  • Cape to Rio Yacht Race 2017, 3rd Place
  • Thailand to Airlie Beach, Australia – 46ft Cat