Hailing from New Zealand, Zoe began her yachting career in mid-2024. With a diligence-driven mindset, she is committed to ensuring every detail is flawlessly executed and takes great pride in creating exceptional, memorable experiences for guests on board.
Raised with a strong connection to both water and snow sports, Zoe has an enduring love for skiing and a wide range of water-based activities, reflecting her natural passion for adventure and the outdoors.
Her positive demeanor and work ethic fuel her excitement for this new chapter, as she enthusiastically embraces the challenges and adventures that Illusion V has to offer.

Zoe Wilson
Stewardess
Michael’s story begins amidst the picturesque backdrop of Cape Town, where the sea meets the mountains in a timeless dance. Unsure of his next move after school, he embarked on a journey through Southeast Asia, channelling his inner Scuba Steve to become a certified PADI Diving Instructor, diving headfirst into his passion for the ocean.
After a brief stint in the world of copywriting and desk jobs, Michael traded in his big boy pants for a life on the open seas. Since then, he has honed his skills and abilities, turning raw talent into true perfection, upgrading from a chamois technician to a tender driver, and now finally to his Chief Mate 3000 ticket.
With his new qualifications and a shiny set of 3 stripes on his shoulders, he can do no wrong. With his playful spirit and outgoing nature, Michael ensures every guest has a memorable time onboard. But amidst the laughter, his professionalism shines through, ensuring smooth sailing and unforgettable experiences for all.

Mike Whelan
First Officer
Channe comes from Somerset West, Cape Town. Before joining the yachting industry, she owned and operated her own beauty salon and pursued studies to become a broker.
Yachting quickly captured her interest, and after completing her first season onboard Silver Dream, she knew she had found her path and never looked back. Channe takes great pride in her work and brings a strong passion for fashion, beauty, and presentation to everything she does.
When she's not onboard, she enjoys spending quality time with friends and family, staying active, and playing padel.

Channé Truter
Stewardess
Just was born in the Netherlands and, after a brief stint in India when he was still in nappies, was raised on a houseboat on the lakes of his home country. This is where his passion for boating began. From a young age Just was a very competitive dinghy racer, even competing in a World Cup race in the 5.5m class.
He left home at the age of 18 to live on the Isle of White, United Kingdom where he obtained his Yachtmaster and Yachtmaster Ocean certifications. After this “gap year” he went on to study engineering, design, and innovation back in the Netherlands where he completed his Bachelor of Engineering degree at university in Amsterdam.
In 2009 Just began his professional career in yachting and knew that this was to be his vocation. Just joined Illusion V over a decade ago in 2012. Four years later he achieved his Master 3000 certification and has been sharing the helm with Captain Toby ever since.

Just Vriesendorp
Captain
Clément was born in the north of France where chefs use a lot of butter and cream to make the winter more bearable. For his 5th birthday he baked his own birthday cake to bring to school and little did he know that this was his initiation into his future career! Since then Clément has had one passion: making people happy with food.
At the age of 17 this passion became a vocation, and he signed up for “Le Touquet” catering school. After a few years working in Michelin starred Restaurants - Michel Kayser in Garons and Bruno Cirino in La Turbie in the South of France, as well as Alain Roux’s The Waterside Inn in Bray. UK, Clément began his yachting career, travelling all around the word and discovering new products and techniques everywhere he went.
In 2011, the yacht on which he was working touched land in Costa Rica and he met his future wife. After a few years living in Spain and France, and after the birth of their two daughters, Clément’s family returned to Costa Rica which is where he now calls home. When he is not delighting guests onboard Illusion V, Clément splits his time between his family and his very own bakery: Madame Baguette.

Clément Brasseur
Chef
Leigh-Ann hails from the stunning coastal city of Cape Town and has always been captivated by the ocean and the thrill of adventure. She began her journey working in a surf shop, which eventually led her into the yachting industry. Fast forward eight years, and for the past four, she’s had the honour of serving as a chief stewardess, ensuring every voyage is a luxurious and unforgettable experience for all onboard.
Passionate about health and wellness, Leigh-Ann pursued studies in personal training and sports massage. Her adventurous spirit doesn’t stop there—she inherited a love for motorsport from her dad, sharing countless exhilarating moments on the racetrack. An adrenaline junkie at heart, Leigh-Ann is always seeking her next thrill. Whether soaring through the skies on a daring skydiving escapade, harnessing the wind while kite surfing, or tearing up dirt tracks on her motocross bike, she thrives on pushing the limits of what’s possible.
Despite her love for high-octane excitement, Leigh-Ann has a soft spot for animals. One day, she hopes to fulfill her dream of opening an animal shelter to provide a safe haven for furry friends in need.

Leigh-Ann Smith
Chief steward/ess
Shaun has recently completed his OOW, having 10years in the industry chartering on various vessels and locations -without a doubt it has been an amazing and fun journey for him so far.
Shaun is well travelled, from his farm roots in South Africa to travelling around the world on yachts. He has had the privilege of working on and gaining valuable experience on amazing super yachts and still to this date holds the record of the furthest super yacht to have ever travelled North. He has a love for the ocean and all animals like no other. It was his passion for fishing that led him to his choice of a career on the high seas.
Shaun also enjoys most sports including swinging a golf club as well as hunting. With his friendly personality, Shaun will have you feeling right at home in no time.

Shaun Phillips
Second Officer
Leon was born and raised in Palma, Mallorca. His passion for yachting, and more specifically engineering, was sparked when a close friend introduced him to the industry. He went on to complete a 3-year cadet program in Glasgow, where he developed the knowledge and skills essential to becoming a capable and confident engineer.
What Leon enjoys most about working as a Marine Engineer is the opportunity to apply his problem-solving skills on a daily basis. Combined with the chance to meet amazing people, enjoy great food, and travel the world, it’s a career he loves.
In his spare time, Leon enjoys running as a way to explore new places and stay active. He’s also an avid scuba diver and takes every opportunity to dive whenever he can.

Leon Perry
Engineer
Born and raised in Johannesburg, Brandon eagerly took the opportunity to escape the concrete jungle to complete two degrees in finance through Stellenbosch and UCT in the Western Cape, South Africa.
What started as an escape from the books soon developed into a career on the seas. With 8 years of experience behind him, Brandon prioritizes professionalism with a balanced blend of entertainment through his calm demeanor and approachable outgoing personality.
When not on board, you can find him in the sea on a surfboard in his hometown Tofo, Mozambique where he has started two businesses with his fiancé that preoccupies his time between surfs.

Brandon Lunenburg
Second Officer
Anya was brought up in Plettenberg Bay, a coastal town in South Africa. She enjoys living by the ocean and would spend holidays working as a lifeguard or waitressing in upmarket restaurants.
In 2013 she completed her first Atlantic crossing on a catamaran and decided to make a career of working on the vast seas. Anya enjoys recreational diving, yoga, surfing, playing padel and traveling.
She has worked on vessels from 40m-80m and is passionate about her job and has been described as an enthusiastic, determined and adventurous individual.
She takes joy in working with people and continuously gaining life experience through the places she goes and people she meets.
When she’s not on board, she lives in Mozambique with her fiancé where she runs their restaurant and teaches yoga.

Anya Van Den Heever
Chief steward/ess