My life in boats: meet the Sicilian yacht fleet owner mixing business and pleasure

Addicted to boats at a young age, this yacht fleet owner mixes business and pleasure, says Grace Trofa...

I am Sicilian, born in Catania, and it was my mother who gave me this passion for the sea. When I was 18 years old, she gave me her 12-metre boat because she was tired of boating alone, and said, “now you can take me around.” I joke that I got my boating license before my driver’s license.

I moved up — I got a Mira 38, an Alena 47 and an Alena 52. In 2005, after I divorced the mother of my only child, Michela, I focused on creating a luxury charter yacht business. The family business, Massimino, is in home construction; we built probably about 90 per cent of the houses in Catania, so when I was thinking of a name for my boat business, I decided on Mikasa (Luxury Management). It comes from my daughter’s name and the Italian word for home, casa.

At first I captained the boats myself. One of my most memorable experiences was a trip to Stromboli for a wealthy banker. We moored under the Sciara del Fuoco, the Stream of Fire, and I could not have planned it better. The water was flat, the moon was full and we were lucky enough to be right under Stromboli when it erupted. You have to see it; the balls of fire get bigger as they roll down the mountain, then when they hit the water the air is filled with mist. The guy’s wife claimed it was the most beautiful sight she’d ever seen.

I don’t really get to take a summer vacation, especially on board, plus I feel guilty taking off when all our employees are hard at work. The construction business is built on labourers, and my grandfather instilled in me a respect for the workers; I could never have made this business on my own.

We have 16 boats in our fleet, including three Ferrettis. In honour of my Sicilian heritage, they are named Ethna (30 metres), Eolia (26 metres) and South (33 metres). The small to medium range (10 to 20 metres) are for day charters. The bigger ones are for weekly charters and are handled by the central agency Silver Star Yachting. The size differs but the luxury remains the same.

We deal directly with the two Belmond Hotels in Taormina and the Four Seasons to provide boats at their guests’ request. Our main ports are Sicily, Sardinia and the Amalfi Coast, and I do jump on board for deliveries. It’s a 10-hour passage from Sicily to Naples. I like to give the captain a break and, let’s face it, I love the time on the water.

About five years ago I took a trip to Kenya, fell in love with the country and bought a villa not far from the island of Lamu, which is a UNESCO site. Kenya is for relaxation; I rent a dhow, sit back and enjoy the wind in the sails and the breeze on my face. In fact, when things get tough at work, I threaten to move to Kenya. The country will always have a place in my heart, but I would miss work — it’s my life.

For now, my goal is to have a 42-metre boat for my 60th birthday. I have a few years to go yet, but I’ m sure there  will be other boats in between — I just can’t help myself.

First published in the July 2024 issue of BOAT International US Edition. Get this magazine sent straight to your door, or subscribe and never miss an issue.