The owner is a licensed Master for Any Gross Tons, Oceans endorsed for Steam, Motor and Auxiliary Sailing vessels. He began his seagoing career in one of the least respected, most loathed, and lowest paid shipboard positions possible and slowly moved up the ladder over a period of many years. Starting as Deckhand with Windjammer his sea-going career ultimately led to Chief Mate in a MARAD ship in which he was responsible for lifting 2,285 tons with ships gear. His early love of sailing was his inspiration to go to sea. This combined with a firm grasp of seamanship led to spending a good deal of time in square-rigged vessels. The Danes and Norwegians maintained high standards, and operated interesting programs. Their school ships were the worlds best run civilian square-riggers so he spent a great deal of time in Norway and Denmark. Most importantly, unlike the United States, their navigation schools accepted students with years of seagoing experience. Extensive charter, luxury passenger, passenger, tanker, and heavy lift experience coupled with all that education qualified him to obtain several licenses, ultimately a Norwegian STCW Class I Masters and a USCG Master Any Gross Tons, Oceans endorsed for Steam, Motor and Auxiliary Sailing vessels. That’s not norm for a “Hawse-Piper” to achieve such a high level of certification.
SeaPark Crew House 954-205-9999 email: inquiry@seaparkfl.com
Copyright 2001-2023
All adventures and achievements aside, his greatest satisfaction has been from creating experiential educational programs. An integral part of his career included years of instructing, from basic seamanship and piloting, to celestial navigation. He always found something rewarding in guiding a person through the experience that allowed them to achieve an “Ah Ha” moment. The sight of someone’s face lighting up with understanding has always been a joy for him.
After years of seafaring, maintaining a maritime connection has been a natural and in January 2001 he created SeaPark Crew House, a short-term residence for international crew members while their vessels undergo refits in the yard, while searching for employment between vessels, or attending school to upgrade their certification. After years of operating SeaPark we’ve learned how to run a modestly priced tidy crew house for professionals looking to have a quiet place to study, cook at home and relax after a long day. If you are a professional and like a clean, well kept place, within bicycling distance to everything, we’re the place for you.