Current Crew Members

There are currently nine different nationalities represented by the fourteen permanent crew members with ages ranging from 24 to 54. The overall operation of the vessel is led by Len & Jeff on a rotational basis. They are assisted by Gerald, Errol, Toby and Erjo. Travis takes care of the engineering duties. He is assisted by Dan in keeping all of the complex systems in healthy operation. Brennan, our Chef prepares all of the meals for the guests and Jenny looks after the crew meals. When the vessel is in service with guests aboard, they might easily be feeding twenty people three meals a day. The Interior Staff, Mish, Julia & Venita maintain the interior of the vessel, as well as look after every need of our guests and crew. Steve Bradshaw runs the diving program and is in charge of security onboard.


Captain

Len Beck

Len Beck

Len has been fortunate enough to be aboard the Battered Bull visiting many interesting countries and exploring new territory with the rest of the crew. After obtaining a Marine Technology Degree from Florida Institute of Technology, Len got his first Captain's License and has been boating ever since, having crewed and captained boats from 40' to 172' over the past 23 years Len continues to enjoy being back on board the BULL, and looks forward to the visits of his two favorite women, his wife, Chrissy, daughter, Siena and his favorite little man, his son, Hunter.


Captain

Jeff Ridgeway

Jeff is our rotational captain. This is his fourth season on board Battered Bull. He was with us in the Caribbean in 2006, captained the Bull across the Atlantic in August 2006 as well as being onboard for the Med season of 2007. Jeff has been involved in the yachting industry for 27 years, cruising the waters of the US East Coast, Bahamas, Caribbean, Great Lakes, Central America and the Mediterranean. Jeff is married to Lisa and they have a 13-year old daughter, Delaney. His interests include family, surfing, meeting new people and seeing new places.


First Officer

Gerald Steyn

Gerald comes from Bloemfontein, South Africa. After finishing his studies, Gerald wanted to travel and started working in the yachting industry. He holds a MCA Chief Mate’s License on yachts up to 3000 tons. Gerald joined Battered Bull in June 2008. He enjoys the outdoors and staying fit. Gerald is also a rugby and cricket enthusiast.


Second Officer

Errol Simon

Errol is from St. George, Grenada where he grew up before getting into the yachting industry at the age of 16. Errol enjoys sailing, free-diving, football and fishing. He has been on the Battered Bull since 2000 and enjoys the diving as long as its not too cold and there are no sharks around.

Deck

Toby Simcox

Toby is from Napier, New Zealand. After finishing his apprenticeship in powerboat servicing, he worked at Firmans Marine in Napier for four years. Toby joined the Battered Bull in October 2003 and stayed for two years before going back to New Zealand to run his own company. He did some temporary work on Battered Bull and Bullish in the past few years before deciding to return to the Bull permanently in May 2008. He enjoys fishing, boating, hunting and water sports.


Deck

Erjo Junatas

Erjo is from the Philippines and joined Battered Bull in April 2007. He calls himself the Michael Jordan of yachting. In his own words: “I can work inside or outside. I have been working in the industry for almost nine years now. I worked before on the famous and legendry Christina “O” and Bullish. I consider Battered Bull as my last boat in yachting.” Erjo enjoys playing basketball, cycling and listening to a variety of music from the 80’s and 90’s.


Chief Engineer

Travis Edney

Travis is from Brisbane, Australia.
He is a qualified electrician but his love for the water has driven him to work in the yachting industry for the last four and a half years. He loves traveling, experiencing new cultures and meeting new people. He joined Battered Bull in December 2007.Travis enjoys water sports and playing the stock market.


Second Engineer

Dan Valelly

 

Dan was born and raised in Cairns, Australia. He started his career as a heavy commercial diesel mechanic. Dan worked on a wide variety of both private and commercial vessels, ranging from small fishing charter boats to large capacity tugs and container ships. After completing his apprenticeship, Dan spent a year as a breakdown fitter in an underground copper mine in Central Queensland. Being greatly interested in all things mechanical and desiring a challenge, Dan decided to make the move into aviation where he worked as an aircraft maintenance engineer. After five years he decided it was time to leave his home town of 29 years and travel the world. Dan worked on Bullish while it was in Brisbane in 2007 before being transferred to Battered Bull in March 2008. He looks forward to seeing the world with The Bull.


Chief Stewardess

Maruschka (Mish) Marchio'

Mish is from Hermanus, South Africa. She left home when she was 18 years old to gain her qualifications as a riding instructor in the U.K. On returning after a year, she studied Graphic Design in Cape Town before leaving for the second time to work in an advertising agency in Italy. Her various travels took her to Portugal where she broke in and trained Lusitano stallions. After backpacking and working around Europe and the States for five years, Mish discovered the yachting industry. She started her career on yachts in October 1999 and joined Battered bull in March 2003. Maruschka speaks Italian and enjoys horse riding, photography, diving, mountain biking and traveling off the beaten track.

Stewardess

Julia Haines-LaPenta

Julia comes from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. After majoring in secondary education and receiving her bachelors degree she decided to travel internationally before settling down. She has been in the yachting industry for nearly two years and has joined Battered Bull in December 2007.  Julz enjoys meeting new people and experiencing new places. After 18 years of competitive gymnastics she now coaches and enjoys all active team sports such as volleyball, softball and water activities.


Stewardess
Venita Christensen

After growing up in New Plymouth, New Zealand, Venita moved to Wellington where she studied Information Technology at Massey University. Venita divided her next year living between Australia's Gold Coast and New Zealand before joining her sister in the yachting industry in June 2005. She joined The Bull in April 2006 and left again in Dec 2007 to work with her sister on a Pacific based yacht for six months. Vee is now back on board and she is excited by the many traveling experiences Battered Bull has to offer and hopes to gain her dive certificate in the near future. Venita enjoys a variety of activities including sewing, reading, graphic design, and photography.


Head Chef

Brennan Dates

Brennan is from Hartland, Vermont.
After receiving a scholarship in his junior year of high school, Brennan attended Johnson & Wales University in Providence, Rhode Island.  Upon graduation he worked in a number of different fine dining restaurants and resorts around the United States.  For the last seven years he has been working and traveling as a chef in the yachting industry. 

Before joining Battered Bull in May of 2008, Brennan rode his motorcycle from Miami to the tip of South America and back, to raise research money for Parkinson’s Disease through the National Parkinson Foundation in Miami. He visited 13 different countries, most of them more than once.  He rode 37,000 miles and raised $45,000 over twelve months.

Brennan enjoys scuba diving, motorcycles and pro-football.


Crew Chef
Jenny Dieudonne

Jen is from Tahiti, French Polynesia. She did some temporary work on Bullish before joining Battered Bull in June 2008. For the last 8 years she has been working in the yachting industry. She is excited to travel the world and see interesting places as well as experiencing different cultures. Jen loves to scuba dive, surf and play the ukulele at sunset time.


Steve Bradshaw

Dive Instructor / Security

Stephen Bradshaw

Steve is the security officer on the Battered Bull. He joined the boat in 1995 after having completed 22 years service in the British Military. As well as his security duties he also has the responsibility of planning and coordinating the diving program onboard. Steve has a huge appetite for the outdoors. He has recently returned from the Fjordlands of New Zealand where he was mountaineering. Steve has two children who live in his hometown of Poole, Dorset in England.