Crew Profile
Captain: Martin Downs
Captain, chef
Martin Downs is Tyche’s captain and owner. He is thrilled to share his love of this exceptional yacht and takes pride in giving guests an excellent experience aboard. Since taking ownership in 2023, he has sailed her thousands of miles offshore and in coastal New England waters. He attends to maintaining the yacht in top condition with the same enthusiasm and care that he demonstrates on the water. His reputation for prudent seamanship is well attested, but eclipsed by reviews of his cooking. He’s used to being asked where he trained as a chef. The answer is, at home in rural New Hampshire; although the time he spent living in Rome with his wife and kids amounted to a masterclass, and he is a certified cook in the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary.
Capt. Downs is a lifelong sailor—starting out “at nine weeks old, in a wicker basket,” as his father liked to boast—whose early life revolved around racing sailboats on the Great Lakes out of Bayview Yacht Club, in Detroit, MI. He traded fresh for salt water 25 years ago, and fell in love with New England and the Atlantic. His passion for the region’s nautical heritage and marine environment hasn’t abated since.
Mate / Stewardess: Ella Withington
Ella grew up in Cape Cod Bay and began sailing and helping with her father’s oyster farm at age seven. Having sailed over 15,000 ocean miles, Ella brings a wealth cruising and charter experience to every voyage. From skippering expeditions in the Arctic to racing classic schooners across the Mediterranean, she has sailed a wide range of vessels in some of the world's most challenging and beautiful water.
Outside of sailing, she is a keen backcountry skier, climber, surfer and backpacker. She has spent many years exploring the coastline of New England and is an expert in hidden gems and fine dining from Maine to New York.
