Heiko Franken
Returning crew Heiko and Rebecca (3 Sisters, Felix, Tedavi, Big Nauti, Sail Away) are back for their sixth charter season in the Virgin Islands after five successful seasons running 75+charters. This dynamic couple is excited to be on Encore and look forward to welcoming you aboard, showing you the wonders of the Virgin Islands and creating memories to last a lifetime!
They are passionate about providing a highly professional level of service in a relaxed and friendly atmosphere while creating the most memorable experiences for their guests. They love getting to know you and tailoring each charter to your preferences and desires, allowing you to kick back, relax and enjoy. With a deep love and respect for the natural world, they maintain a strong focus on environmentally aware hospitality and best practices to ensure minimal impact on the environment.
Heiko, born and raised in Germany, holds a RYA Yachtmaster Ocean qualification. He has been working as a professional yacht captain for five years and has crossed the Atlantic Ocean. He left his job in IT management in 2014 to begin his dream to travel. Initially intending to be away for about a year, he soon realized that going back to an office-based job did not feel right for him anymore. Since then he has travelled throughout South and Central America, Europe, Southeast Asia, Africa and Australia. During this time he visited 30+ countries, speed-hiked the Camino de Santiago, hiked up 5000m high mountains, learned to speak Spanish, learned to scuba dive and freedive and had many more beautiful experiences above and below the water. His love for freediving and yoga led him to obtain his instructor qualifications. Afterwards, he worked as a freediving instructor, spearfishing guide and yoga instructor in Indonesia, Australia, Thailand and Tanzania for four years before venturing into yachting. Heiko loves to be out in the blue of the ocean and enjoys sharing his passions as a guide by creating safe and unique experiences.
