Country Club Living - Palm Beach North - November 2026

N O V E M B E R 2 0 2 6 | C O U N T R Y C L U B L I V I N G - PA L M B E A C H N O R T H 9 live outside Florida and may only visit their boats periodically. “We partner with owners of exceptional vessels who believe in our vision and want to be part of what we’re building.” The strategy is also rooted in Smith’s belief that Boat Palm Beaches is offering something different from a traditional boat rental. “We are an experience company,” she said. “We provide white-glove service tailored to your preferred level of involvement.” Her background in events and hospitality plays directly into that philosophy. Provisioning, décor, chefs, catering, and other details can be incorporated into a charter, depending on what the guests want. That’s why, for Smith, a yacht charter is not simply time spent on a boat; it’s an event designed around the people aboard. “It's an event. It's not just a couple of hours on a boat,” she said. “We tailor every charter to the guest, creating an experience that feels uniquely their own.” That philosophy has helped Boat Palm Beaches find a broad customer base. While Smith admits that bachelorette parties account for a significant share of the company’s business right now, milestone birthdays, family outings, corporate groups, and visitors looking to spend time on the water also make up an important part of the clientele. While La Ondina’s layout is well suited for group-style outings of all kinds, it’s the staff and others behind the scenes that make the experience truly memorable. “Hiring the most incredible, talented, personable crew is really important to us,” Smith said. “We've worked hard to select crew that is interested in being a part of our program and is willing to dedicate their time and their talent to us and to our guests.” Having a reliable crew, one that fully buys into the mission at hand, is especially important to Laurie because she is not on board during charters. Instead, she leads the process before guests arrive and relies on her crew to carry the experience forward. “When the guests are on board, it is 100% up to our crew to lead the charter guests through their experience and their journey,” she said. “We carefully select strong leaders who can represent our program and uphold the experience we promise.” Technology and preparation help make that possible. Smith said the company collects information about guests before each trip, so the crew knows their preferences, expectations, and needs before they arrive. “That handoff is so important. Everything I learn from the guest needs to make its way to the crew so they understand exactly what will make the experience special,” she said. It’s a management philosophy shaped by the same discipline that defined Smith’s corporate career. She describes Boat Palm Beaches as highly process- oriented, with detailed attention paid to crew scheduling, maintenance, provisioning, and timing. “There is a level of project management that is mission critical. Everything from crew scheduling to maintenance schedules, to provisioning and timing, it's all really important, and that's what I've spent my career doing.” That experience, she added, has also reinforced a broader lesson about change. “After spending 22 years building my career within the same company, I never imagined my next chapter would be in the yachting industry,” she said. “For anyone considering a change—or unexpectedly facing one—it can feel frightening at first. But if you’re willing to embrace it, that change can lead to something incredibly rewarding.” That evolution is taking Smith from the single-vessel operation that began with La Ondina into a broader charter and yacht experience company, with the original boat remaining an important part of the story. As Boat Palm Beaches expands, Smith sees an opportunity to build something distinctive while maintaining the standards and personalized service that brought the company to this point. “This has been an incredible experience, and this is just the beginning for us.” www.boatpalmbeaches.com 720-843-4581