My story.
At the age of sixteen, a friend and I impulsively pooled our money and bought a beat up Hobie Beach Catamaran. It ignited a life-long journey for all things sailing and maritime. That beat up cat was only the first of many boats; from racing dinghies to power boats to blue water cruisers. I’m so grateful to have boating in my life, it led me to my closest friends and greatest adventures.
I’ve sailed hundreds of races, crossed oceans, and cruised many of the world’s most beautiful destinations and waters. After a career in corporate leadership, I turned my professional focus to the passion that began so long ago. I’m a working professional merchant mariner and a boating educator. Sharing my passion and knowledge is one of my greatest joys in life.
Maritime License and Qualifications
United States Merchant Marine Officer - MMC 2748284 - First Issue September 2006.
USCG / STCW International License — Vessel Master to 500 Gross Tons.
Qualified under International Convention on Standards of Training Certification for Watchkeeping (STCW) provisions: II/3; II/4: II/5; V/2; VI/1; VI/2; VI/3; VI/4; VI/6.
Valid upon Near Coastal Waters to 200 nm.
International License Endorsements:
Officer in Charge of a Navigation Watch up to 500 Gross Tons
Rating Forming Part of any Navigation Watch
Able Seafarer - Deck Department
Radar Observer Unlimited
Advanced Radar Plotting Aids
Electronic Charting Display and Information Systems
Proficient in Survival Craft and Rescue Boats
Proficient in Fast Rescue Boats
Person in Charge of Medical Care
Medical Care Provider
Advanced Marine Firefighting
Crowd Management
Vessel Personnel Designated with Security Duties
Security Awareness
Basic STCW Training (Marine Firefighting, Personal Survival at Sea, Safety and Social Responsibilities)
Global Marine Distress and Safety Systems (GMDSS) FCC License
USCG Qualified Instructor and On-Board Assessor (NVICs 03-14; 19-14)
USCG Domestic License
Master of Steam, Motor, Sail, or Auxiliary Sail up to 100 Gross Registered Tons (GRT) upon Near Coastal waters to 200nm. Authorized to Engage in Commercial Assistance Towing. Lifeboatman. Able Seaman Special. Radar Observer Unlimited.
United States Merchant Mariner Credential
Sea Time and Vessel Experience
Sea Time
Forty years of experience on sailing and power driven vessels.
Currently average 160 sea-days annually, including numerous multi-day offshore passages.
Vessels Operated
Sail with Auxiliary to 77’ (performance racers, cruisers, sloops, catamarans, and ketches).
Power Vessels with Props to 60’ (single and twin screw).
Power Vessels with Jet Drive to 171’ (San Juan Clipper and Victoria Clipper V).
Outboard Vessels to 27’.
Current Vessel Owned
IRIS — Jeanneau Yacht 51 - 8 Years.
My wife and I are currently cruising Mexico for next 18-24 months with future plans to sail Central America, transit the Panama Canal, and cruise the Caribbean Sea for several years.
Waters Sailed
Pacific Ocean
20,000+ nm seaward of 46CFR-Part 7 boundary line.
Ocean Waters between West Coast, USA and Hawaiian Island destinations.
Washington, Oregon, California, Canada and Mexico coasts to 200nm.
Atlantic Ocean
5,000+ nm seaward of 46CFR-Part 7 boundary line.
Waters between East Coast, USA and various Caribbean Sea destinations.
Georgia and Florida coasts.
Straits of Florida.
Inter-coastal Waterway (ICW) - Georgia and Florida.
Caribbean Sea
Great Bahamas Bank - Bahamas Islands.
Leeward Islands - St. Martin and Anguilla
British and US Virgin Islands
Gulf of Mexico
Florida coastal waters.
Mediterranean Sea
Golfo di Genova.
Italian coastal waters.
Baja, Mexico and Sea of Cortez
Baja Peninsula Pacific Coast Passage.
Sea of Cortex crossing and cruising between Cabo San Lucas and Bahia de Los Angles.
Mainland Mexico
Passages between Mazatlán and Zihuatanejo.
Ecuador
Galapogos Islands.
British Columbia, Canada
Strait of Juan de Fuca.
Strait of Georgia.
Gulf Islands
Johnstone Strait.
Queen Charlotte Strait.
Queen Charlotte Sound.
Pacific Northwest,USA
Puget Sound.
San Juan Islands and Channels.
Strait of Juan de Fuca.
Columbia River.
California, USA
San Diego Bay.
San Francisco Bay.
Medical Care Provider
USCG/STCW Medical Person-in-Charge (MPIC)
Trained and certified emergency medical care provider, including prolonged advanced care in marine environments. Training through N.O.A.A Corps.
Emergency Medical Technician - Intermediate
Georgia #21803, expired.
Two years service in Metro-Atlanta EMS.
Basic Trauma Life Support (BTLS-GA).
AHA Life Support for Healthcare Providers.
AHA Advanced Cardiac Life Support.
Wilderness First Responder
National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS), expired.
Instruction and Risk Management
Private Instruction
Private instruction for boat owners to improve confidence and skills or to meet insurance requirements.
U.S. Sailing
Certified Sailing Instructor.
ISAF / US Sailing - Safety at Sea Instructor.
American Sailing Association (ASA)
Certified Sailing Instructor.
National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS)
Curriculum Design and Risk Management.
National Wilderness Risk Managers Committee
Wilderness Risk Management Conference.
REI Outdoor School and REI Adventures
As a Vice President of REI (retired), founded and led REI’s global adventure programs, teaching outdoor skills to over 500,000 students a year across the country and operating travel programs on all seven continents.
Yacht Racing
Decades of Yacht Racing Experience
Crewed on many winning Pacific Northwest programs.
Hundreds of buoy and medium distance racing starts.
20+ years of ocean and near coastal racing.
PIYA Category I and II Regattas (ocean and coastal)
Pacific Cup Race.
15+ Swiftsure Regattas, including 3 winning boats.
15+ Southern Strait Regattas, including 4 winning boats.
7 Oregon Offshore Regattas, including 4 winning boats.
15+ Round the County Regattas, including many 2nd and 3rd place boats.
5 Van-Isle 360 Races.
ISAF Safety at Sea Certified
Maritime Employment
FRS Clipper Navigation, Inc.
1st Officer and Officer in Charge of a Navigation Watch - San Juan Clipper
Passenger Vessel; Inland Routes; 88 GRT; 103’ LOA; 3,000 HP; Twin Jet Drive.
Serve as an officer in charge of the navigation navigation watch; ship handling for docking/undocking; responsible for safety inspections and crew drills; supervise passenger and cargo loading/unloading; oversee bunkering; maintain required publications, charts, logs, and reporting; scene leader for emergencies and marine casualties.
Able Seafarer Forming Part of the Navigation Watch - Victoria Clipper V
SOLAS Passenger Vessel; International Near Coastal Routes; 910 GT; 171’ LOA; 10,000 HP; Quad Jet Drive.
Serve as a member of the navigation watch; conduct vessel inspections and drills; serve on primary response team for emergencies and marine casualties; assist engineering department as needed.
Seattle Sailing Club
Sailing Instructor and Charter Captain.
Seattle Seafaring
Contract captain providing a wide variety of services, including deliveries, captained charters, and private instruction.
Contract Captain
Contract captain providing a wide variety of services, including deliveries, captained charters, and private instruction.
Non-Maritime Education
University of Washington - Foster School of Business
Master of Business Administration (MBA)
University of Washington
Bachelor of Arts (BA) - Business Administration
Non-Maritime Professional Experience
2017 - 2022 — John Sheppard, LLC., Principal (fully retired in 2022 to play on boats full time)
Strategy and business consultant specializing in marketplace strategy, business model development, brand strategy, brand experiences, retail experience, customer loyalty, and early stage strategy.
1990 - 2017 — REI — Divisional Vice President, Experiences and New Ventures (last position)
Led REI’s national outdoor education programs and global adventure travel company. Serving over 500,000 people annually, with 500+ employees and 80+ global partner companies across all seven continents. In addition, launched REI’s New Ventures Group, managing early stage investments and incubating new marketplace concepts and businesses.
Resume Download
“Believe me, my young friend, there is nothing — absolutely nothing — half so much worth doing as simply messing about in boats.”
— Kenneth Grahame, The Wind in the Willows.