AGATA BLU

CAPTAIN: Luca Pignatelli

Between the years 2014 and 2016, Luca was employed as a tourist guide, excursion organizer, and skipper on board a number of private yachts in addition to his own yacht. After that, he began to get ready for and work aboard charter yachts along the Italian Coast. Soon after, Luca was promoted to the position of deckhand on the 74-foot sailing yacht BLUE DEER. In this role, he was responsible for a wide variety of tasks, such as driving the tender and performing important maintenance. He also had the opportunity to sail across the Atlantic Ocean while working on the yacht. His most recent job was as first mate on the 74-foot S/CAT LUCY Z, where he once again had plenty to keep his hands busy and even instructed some wakeboarding. He was captain of Gyrfalcon for three years. Now, he is serving as the enthusiastic captain of the sailing vessel AGATA BLU, where he brings a wealth of sailing and chartering experience with him. He is speaks Italian, English, and has a rudimentary grasp of Spanish.

Licenses & Certificates
• STCW ’95 basic training
• STCW ’10 advanced firefighting
• LIFEGUARD CERTIFICATE
• DECK CADET OFFICER DEGREE
• GMDSS GOC
• IYT MASTER OF YACHT 200GT OFF SHORE MCA APPROVED
• IYT MASTER OF YACHT 200GT OCEAN MCA APPROVED

CHEF: Nikolay Stoyanov Atanasov

Nikolay was born in Bulgaria. He received his chef diploma in 2012 and later on in 2022 his bachelor’s degree in hotel and restaurant management. In 2010, during his studies in England, he began his career as a team leader and senior sous-chef at Windsor Castle, where he was awarded Employee of the Year (2014) for creating a dish that made it on the Castle’s menu. After that, he remained in England as a Sous Chef in a fine-dining restaurant until 2017, when he returned to Bulgaria and worked successfully as Head Chef in several 4-star Spa Hotels. After being on land all these years he finally turned to the sea as a chef to find new life challenges on board a 55 ft Catamaran. Nikolay is a highly motivated and competent professional chef who has a genuine passion for preparing popular, healthy, and nourishing dishes. Along with the Captain and the rest of the crew, he will make every effort to provide an extraordinary sailing adventure for his guests!

CHIEF STEWARDESS: Mariana Spirkina

Mariana has an extensive expertise working with VIPs as an event supporter, office manager for luxury businesses, and guest manager for a top Warsaw restaurant and cocktail bar. She has excellent interpersonal skills, discretion, great manners, outstanding organization and logistics.
Her attention to detail, excellent communication skills, and ability to anticipate her clients’ requirements give her confidence that she can deliver excellent service as a stewardess. She speaks Polish and English.

DECKHAND: Jacopo Di Girolamo

Jacopo was born in 2003 in Italy. He is passionate about the sea, sailing and sports in general (by land and sea). He has his sailing license, is a sailing instructor, as well as a lifeguard and has been working for the past 4 years in different work establishments providing customer service, safety in the water as lifeguard and teaching sailing. He knows everything there is to sailing and racing in order to assist his captain and crew the best! He is polite, responsible, sociable, and determined to make his guests stay on board an unforgettable experience! He has all the safety trainings completed to be on board, is eager to work in a team, and is respectful to the people and environment around him. He speaks Italian and English.