APEX VOYAGER
ELITE GLOBAL VOYAGES FOR VISIONARY EXPLORERS BY
01 · THE EXPERIENCE
YOU ONLY ENJOY.
Everything else is solved. Javier handles it all — the route, the boat, the logistics and making it pay.
YOUR PART
- FLY INthe boat waits, ready
- DIVE & SNORKELreefs, walls, turtles
- KITE, WING & FOILcoached at every spot
- EAT, REST, EXPLOREchef, cabins, islands
- TAKE THE FILM HOMEyour weeks, filmed
No route to plan, no boat to fix, no crew to hire, no marina to call.
JAVIER & THE CREW HANDLE EVERYTHING
01ROUTE & WEATHER
Seasons, passages, weather windows and the next anchorage — planned.
02BOAT & REPAIRS
Maintenance, servicing, spares, haul-outs and every fix along the way.
03LOGISTICS
Marinas, customs, permits, provisioning, fuel, water and your transfers.
04GALLEY & SERVICE
Flavia's menus, drinks, cabins and full guest service.
05TOYS & COACHING
Gear rigged and ready; instruction and safety in every sport.
06MAKING IT PAY
Unused weeks chartered, budgets and costs kept under control.
07ADMIN & INSURANCE
Company, crew, licences, insurance and owner reporting.
08MEMORIES
Photos and films of your weeks, delivered before you leave.
02 · THE VISION
THE VISION
A five-year westward circumnavigation aboard a brand-new Knysna 550 — starting and ending in Knysna, South Africa, where she is built — following the trade winds to the world's best wind, wave and reef destinations.
FAIRNESS
Equal shares, equal rights, clear rules.
SIMPLICITY
One company, one agreement, one manager.
POWER
Pooled capital buys a boat none of us would buy alone.
HASSLE-FREE
The crew runs the boat; you only enjoy it.
FREEDOM
Your weeks, anywhere on the route.
APEX LIFE
Wind, waves and reefs at their best.
WHAT WE DO
- Explore the most remote nature
- Dive vibrant reefs
- Wing foil around paradise
- Kitesurf uncrowded spots
- Join the ecosystem
03 · WHO IT'S FOR
WHO IT'S FOR
FOR YOU & YOUR PARTNER
Romantic anchorages, private chef, sunsets and adventures for two.
FOR FAMILIES
A floating school: oceans, cultures, marine life and water sports for kids, safely run by the crew.
FOR FRIENDS
Share the boat, the waves and the stories with your crew of friends.
FOR BUSINESS
Host clients and partners in places no hotel can offer.
FOR THE SHIPYARD
A Knysna 550 sailing the world's best destinations: boat shows, sea trials, press and continuous content.
04 · THE BOAT
KNYSNA 550
Photo gallery · Photos: Knysna Yacht Company
A sleek, modern 55-ft bluewater sailing catamaran — style, luxury and performance in one package, hand-built in Knysna, South Africa.
- Length overall
- 16.55 m · 54.3 ft
- Waterline length
- 16.15 m · 53.0 ft
- Beam
- 8.88 m · 29.1 ft
- Draft
- 1.44 m · 4.7 ft
- Mast height above waterline
- 21.0 m · 68.9 ft
- Mainsail / genoa
- 110.3 m² / 62.5 m²
- Engines
- 2 × 57 hp Yanmar · SD60 saildrives
- Fuel / water
- 1,000 L / 1,000 L
- Watermaker
- 100 L per hour
- Energy
- 4 × 24 V lithium · 4.8 kW generator · solar
TAKE THE VIRTUAL TOUR →
Knysna 550 · 360° walk-through · knysnayachtco.com · Scan to open it on your phone.
05 · THE BOAT
LAYOUT & TOYS
Tap the numbers on the plan.
CABINS 1–3 · GUESTS
3 double en-suite cabins → max 6 guests
CABIN 4 · CREW
Javier & Flavia live aboard full-time
SALOON · OCCASIONAL
2 more can sleep in the saloon → 8 (not ideal)
TOYS ON BOARD
budget $87,000- Kite & wing quiver
- E-foil
- Surf & surf foil
- Paddle boards
- Dive & snorkel kit
- Tender + outboard
- Fishing gear
Equipment · Garmin navigation & autopilot · 3 electric winches · Rocna 55 kg + electric windlass · 100 L/h watermaker · air conditioning · ice maker & BBQ
06 · ACTIVITIES
EVERY CONDITION, AN ACTIVITY
KITESURF
SNORKEL
E-FOIL
SCUBA DIVE
ISLAND HOPPINGKitesurfing and wing foiling when the wind is on. Surf, surf foil and paddle boards when the waves are good. Diving, snorkelling and e-foiling when the sea is calm.
Coaching on board by Javier — PADI scuba instructor, IKO kitesurf instructor and e-foil instructor.
07 · THE ROUTE
WESTWARD WITH THE TRADE WINDS
Indicative route, approx. 5 years, Knysna → Knysna. Seasons, stops and timing are set each year at the owners' meeting (weather windows, cyclone seasons, owners' wishes). Optional Mediterranean season.
Tap a stop on the map or a region below.
08 · THE ROUTE
DESTINATIONS
Order and duration per region are indicative. Showcase stops can follow Knysna Yacht Company's boat-show calendar.
09 · THE APEX CREW
JAVIER
CAPTAIN · FILMMAKER · WATERSPORTS INSTRUCTOR
The energy behind the vessel: eight years living more on the water than on land, from small catamarans to a 60 m Perini Navi — leading the voyage and filming it for the guests.
CAREER
2025–26 · CAPTAIN, GREECE
S/Y Aranel, 51 ft Lagoon — crewed luxury charters, Ionian Sea; 20+ charters on 39–50 ft catamarans & monohulls
2020 & 2024 · KITE BOAT CRUISES
First officer, 58 ft catamaran · filmmaker · kite/wing/dive/e-foil instructor · delivery Spain → Bahamas
2022 · S/Y PERSEUS³, 60 M PERINI NAVI
Deckhand, instructor, filmmaker · Atlantic crossing West Palm Beach → Bodrum · Med season, owner aboard
2021–22 · BAKER'S BAY / BARBUDA OCEAN CLUB
Outdoor pursuits & 40+ ft powerboat captain · watersports · media for Discovery Land Co.
LICENCES & INSTRUCTOR TICKETS
- Yachtmaster Offshore 200 GT · sail & motor
- Powerboat Level 2 · STCW · ENG1
- PADI Scuba Diving Instructor
- IKO Kitesurf Instructor
- Lift / Flite e-foil instructor
- DJI / FPV drone pilot
- Freediving, apnea & spearfishing guide
LANGUAGES · PASSPORT
English · Spanish · Portuguese · Spanish passport
10 · THE APEX CREW
FLAVIA
CHEF · STEWARDESS · DECKHAND · PERSONAL TRAINER
Calm energy and an ever-present smile. Fresh juices, premium drinks and nourishing, slow-cooked food — a healthy lifestyle shared with everyone on board, so you feel at home after every ocean adventure.
CAREER
2025–26 · CREW, GREECE
Cook / stew / deckhand, S/Y Aranel (51 ft Lagoon): health-focused Mediterranean menus, guest service, provisioning, interior, deck ops & tender
2025 · FREELANCE CHARTER YACHT CHEF
Delivery crew Hurghada (Egypt) → Syros (Greece), 1,300 NM on a Lagoon 50
2024 · CHARTER YACHT CHEF
41 ft charter yacht (Blue Memories)
2023–24 · AMBROGIO RESTAURANT
Kitchen assistant: menu design, gourmet prep, inventory
LICENCES & TRAINING
- RYA Competent Crew · RYA Day Skipper
- STCW · ENG1
- Food Hygiene Level 2
- Personal Trainer degree (Argentina)
- Culinary Arts Program, South Africa (Dec 2025)
LANGUAGES · PASSPORT
English · Spanish · Italian · Argentinean passport, Spanish residence
11 · MANAGEMENT
ONE ACCOUNTABLE MANAGER
Owners only enjoy. Javier runs everything else — from the build contract to the last mile of the circumnavigation — and reports to the owners.
ALAUNCH PHASE
- Negotiation with Knysna Yacht Company
- Finding and onboarding co-owners
- Company set-up and contracts
- Investment and cash management
- Build specification and supervision
- Toys selection and boat set-up
BDURING THE VOYAGE
- Route, weather and owners' calendar
- Boat, maintenance, repairs and crew
- Logistics: marinas, customs, provisioning
- Licences, insurance and budget reporting
- Charter of unused weeks — making it pay
- Photos, films and content for owners and partners
Compensation: captain salary ($70,000/yr, estimate, included in annual costs) plus one sweat-equity share (1/7) for founding and managing the project — see the vesting page.
12 · CO-OWNERSHIP
GET MORE FOR A FRACTION
Most yacht owners use their boat only a few weeks a year, yet carry 100% of the cost. Co-ownership turns one exceptional boat, crew and route into a shared asset: a fraction of the price and the hassle, with the same experience.
Hover or tap a share.
CAPITAL & ANNUAL COSTS
split ÷ 6 between the paying shares
USAGE & RESIDUAL VALUE
split ÷ 7 — every share, including the sweat-equity share
OWNING COMPANY
one company owns the boat; a shareholders' agreement sets the rules
KNYSNA YACHT COMPANY
holds 1 of the 6 paying shares for years 1–2, then sells it
MANAGER
Javier runs the boat on the owners' behalf
Estimates in USD; see investment and annual-cost pages. Maximum 6 paying shares; 5 private co-owners needed to start.
13 · YOUR TIME
YOUR TIME ON BOARD
52 weeks · gold = owner weeks · teal = ocean passages, maintenance and showcase
- Annual owners' meeting sets the route and the calendar for the year ahead.
- Book your weeks where you want them on the route; swaps between owners are welcome.
- Unused weeks are chartered; the net income goes to the owner of that week.
- The crew takes care of everything: the boat is clean, provisioned and ready when you arrive.
14 · PARTNERSHIP
KNYSNA YACHT COMPANY
Knysna Yacht Company becomes a co-owner only for the first 2 years, uses the boat as its floating showroom, then sells its share — so the boat goes out into the world, and Knysna sends its clients to the boat for charter.
BUILD & DELIVERY
Owners + Knysna sign the build; delivery in Knysna.
YEARS 1–2 · SHOWCASE
5 private co-owners + Knysna Yacht Company (1 share). Boat shows, sea trials, press.
END OF YEAR 2
Knysna sells its share at a pre-agreed price; owners have right of first refusal.
YEARS 3–5 · INTO THE WORLD
6 private co-owners. Knysna keeps sending charter clients to the boat.
PROPOSED TERMS (TO BE NEGOTIATED)
- Knysna takes 1 of the 6 paying shares, at cost or at a discount.
- Uses its 6 weeks / year for showcase; pays 1/6 of annual costs in years 1–2.
- Exit price formula, right of first refusal and fallback if no buyer: to be agreed.
- Javier delivers a content package licensed to Knysna (e.g. 1 video / month + photos).
FOR KNYSNA
A 550 showcased at boat shows for 2 years, then sailing the world's best cruising grounds as a live reference — with professional content and a boat to send charter clients to.
FOR THE OWNERS
Only 5 private co-owners needed to start; a pre-agreed exit for the yard's share; charter referrals from the builder.
15 · SWEAT EQUITY
SWEAT EQUITY & VESTING
Javier receives one share (1/7) for founding and managing the project. He does not contribute capital nor pay a share of the annual costs; his captain salary is a crew cost. The share vests over time — options for the shareholders' agreement:
V1 · LINEAR
Vests linearly over 5 years, with a 12-month cliff.
V2 · DELIVERY + LINEAR
30% vests at delivery of the boat, 70% linearly over the following 4 years.
V3 · HYBRID
50% linear over time + 50% linked to agreed performance targets.
COMMON CLAUSES (ALL OPTIONS)
- Early exit: Javier keeps only the vested part; the company may buy it back at appraisal.
- Removal without cause: vesting accelerates.
- Unvested shares are redistributed to the paying owners.
To be agreed between the parties and drafted by counsel.
16 · COMMITMENT
INVESTMENT
ESTIMATES · SUBJECT TO VALIDATIONALL FIGURES IN US DOLLARS
| Knysna 550 — list price (build slot #004) | $1,855,000 |
| Extras & options (estimate) | $96,000 |
| Toys (estimate) | $87,000 |
| Total investment | $2,038,000 |
Indicative price, pending Knysna Yacht Company's official quote. Other published slot prices: USD 1.75 M (Dec 2025 slot) and USD 1.32 M (Oct 2026 launch, model-550 page). Excludes delivery, VAT / registration, legal and company fees, and any shipyard discount or partnership terms.
Each $100,000 of discount on the boat lowers the entry ticket by about $16,667 per paying share.
WHO FUNDS THE 6 PAYING SHARES
At the start: 5 private co-owners + Knysna Yacht Company (1 share, at cost or discount — to be negotiated). From year 3: Knysna's share sold to a new co-owner.
Payment schedule: next page — to be confirmed by Knysna Yacht Company.
17 · COMMITMENT
PAYMENT SCHEDULE & BUILD MILESTONES
TO BE CONFIRMED BY KNYSNA YACHT COMPANY
| # | MILESTONE | TRIGGER / BUILD STAGE | % OF PRICE | AMOUNT (USD) | TARGET DATE |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | SIGNING | Pending Knysna's official schedule | — | — | TBC |
| 2 | — | Pending Knysna's official schedule | — | — | TBC |
| 3 | — | Pending Knysna's official schedule | — | — | TBC |
| 4 | — | Pending Knysna's official schedule | — | — | TBC |
| 5 | — | Pending Knysna's official schedule | — | — | TBC |
| 6 | — | Pending Knysna's official schedule | — | — | TBC |
| 7 | DELIVERY IN KNYSNA | Pending Knysna's official schedule | — | — | TBC |
| Total | 100% | $1,855,000 |
SIGNING
Date: TBC
BUILD
Date: TBC
LAUNCH
Date: TBC
SEA TRIALS
Date: TBC
DELIVERY IN KNYSNA
Date: TBC
FIRST OWNERS' MEETING
Date: TBC
Build time approx. 12 months from signing. Milestones, percentages and dates will follow Knysna's official schedule; owners' capital calls will mirror it pro rata.
18 · COMMITMENT
ANNUAL RUNNING COSTS
ESTIMATES · SUBJECT TO VALIDATIONOPERATIONS
| Maintenance | $23,000 |
| Insurance | $17,000 |
| Marinas | $17,000 |
| Crew food | $4,500 |
| Diesel | $2,500 |
| Dinghy | $2,500 |
| Outboard | $2,500 |
| Kite gear | $3,500 |
| Dive gear | $6,000 |
| Subtotal | $78,500 |
CREW SALARIES — CREW OF 2
| Captain & Manager — Javier Darder | $70,000 |
| Chef & Hospitality — Flavia | $60,000 |
| Relief crew, day help & instructors | $52,000 |
| Subtotal | $182,000 |
| Total per year | $260,500 |
Estimates. Salary lines are estimates (no amounts stated in the reference deck). Insurance and maintenance are placeholders pending a bluewater insurance quote and a maintenance plan for a Knysna 550.
$217,083 over 5 years
Years 1–2: Knysna pays 1/6.
Add-ons, toys, running costs, salaries and charter figures are USD estimates converted from the original EUR budget at 1 EUR = 1.16 USD and rounded (≥10k → nearest 1,000; 1k–10k → nearest 500; <1k → nearest 100).
19 · COMMITMENT
CHARTER RECOVERY
ESTIMATES · SUBJECT TO VALIDATIONAny week an owner does not use can be chartered to guests through brokers. The crew is already paid, so each charter week generates a high net contribution for the owner of that week.
| Charter price per week | $34,000 |
| Broker commission (20%) | −$6,800 |
| Guest food | −$2,000 |
| Fuel | −$700 |
| Cleaning | −$600 |
| Net income per charter week | $23,900 |
Charter rate to be validated for a Knysna 550 with crew and toys in each region.
cover the $43,417 annual cost of one share.
- Each share has 6 weeks a year: use them, charter them, or mix.
- 1 charter week ≈ $23,900 net to the owner — about 55% of a year's running costs.
- Charter bookings are managed by Javier together with brokers — and Knysna Yacht Company refers its clients to the boat (terms to be agreed).
20 · COMMITMENT
FIVE-YEAR SUMMARY
ESTIMATES · SUBJECT TO VALIDATIONINVESTMENT CALCULATOR
Pick how many of your 6 weeks a year you charter out. Results per paying share, over 5 years, in USD — the exact v4 model.
CHARTER WEEKS / YEAR
| Investment per paying share | |
| Running costs, 5 years | |
| Residual value (60% of $2,038,000, ÷ 7) | |
| Charter income, 5 years | |
| Net result, 5 years |
NET RESULT BY CHARTER WEEKS PER YEAR
WITH CHARTER OF OWN WEEKS
| CHARTER WEEKS / YR | NET OVER 5 YEARS | OWN WEEKS LEFT / YR |
|---|---|---|
| 0 | −$382,064 | 6 |
| 1 | −$262,564 | 5 |
| 2 | −$143,064 | 4 |
| 3 | −$23,564 | 3 |
| 4 | +$95,936 | 2 |
| 5 | +$215,436 | 1 |
| 6 | +$334,936 | 0 |
Tap a row to load it in the calculator.
PER PAYING SHARE, 5 YEARS (USD)
| Investment per paying share | −$339,667 |
| Running costs, 5 years | −$217,083 |
| Residual value (60% of $2,038,000, ÷ 7) | +$174,686 |
| Net result, no charter | −$382,064 |
Without charter: ≈ $12,735 per week of use (30 weeks over 5 years), for a crewed 55 ft catamaran in the world's best destinations.
MODEL ASSUMPTIONS (V4)
All shown figures are derived live from these inputs. Every share is the same: Knysna's share (years 1–2) follows the same per-share figures.
Estimates for discussion only: indicative boat price, assumed residual value of 60% after 5 years, unvalidated cost and charter assumptions. Excludes taxes, financing and FX. Not an offer of securities or a guarantee of returns. Knysna's share is held for years 1–2 and then sold; per-share figures are the same for every paying share.
21 · NEXT STEPS
NEXT STEPS
AGREE TERMS WITH KNYSNA YACHT COMPANY
Build slot and official quote, configuration, 1 share for years 1–2, exit price formula and charter referrals.
VALIDATE THE NUMBERS
Bluewater insurance quote, charter rates per region, crew costs and maintenance plan.
CO-OWNER CONVERSATIONS
Secure 5 founding co-owners (non-binding expressions of interest first), with Soul Drifter Adventures' network; line up a buyer for Knysna's share from year 3.
COMPANY & AGREEMENT
Set up the owning company and shareholders' agreement: vesting, Knysna exit, right of first refusal.
SIGN THE BUILD · SET SAIL
Sign the build contract → approx. 12 months build → delivery in Knysna → first owners' meeting → set sail.
THANKS FOR YOUR TIME
YOU ONLY ENJOY · WE HANDLE THE REST
JAVIER SÁNCHEZ DARDER
FOUNDER · CAPTAIN & MANAGER
ALOHA@BEAMFILMS.COM+34 675 57 27 25
beamfilms.com · @BeamFilms