SAILING, CHARTER SKIPPER
Hire me for yacht deliveries, private or group instruction, holiday charters or longer, more adventurous voyages! I work on a freelance basis and through various charter companies (eg Isle of Skye Yachts).
Certificates:
RYA Cruising Instructor, RYA Yachtmaster Ocean with commercial endorsement,
Personal Survival (STCW 95 A-VI/1), Short Range Certificate (GMDSS),
RYA Diesel Engine Course, Basic First Aid, Medical ENG1
Sea / Sailing Experience:
Total miles logged: over 20,000
Solo miles: 4,500
Longest single voyage: 4,800 mls / 36 days
2010-Present: Charter skippering and instruction.
2009: Completed Yachtmaster Ocean certificate. September voyage from Sisimiut, W Greenland to Plymouth, 2,326 mls, much of it under trysail!
2008: Skippered charters in West Scotland, including The Classic Malts and a St Kilda trip.
2006, 2007: Sailed solo to the Faroe Islands, Shetland & Orkney (1068 mls). Became a RYA Cruising Instructor. Worked as a charter skipper / instructor. Fourth Island Peaks Race.
2004, 2005: Cruised West Scotland. 470 mls. Sat Yachtmaster Offshore exam at Cumbrae.
2003: Solo voyage round Ireland in Nicholson 26 1700 mls.
2002: Edinburgh to Skye via Orkney. 600 mls. Ft William to Iceland with Willie Ker in Contessa 32 'Assent'. 1370 mls.
2001: Day Skipper course on a Victoria 34, Conwy Sailing School. Yacht delivery (Gib Sea 43) from La Rochelle to St Lucia; 4800 mls. First Mate under Hugh Clay on delivery (Aratapu, 38' one design) from Fleetwood to Santander; 700 mls. Skippered 19 ft Hanseatic (mostly solo) around Skye & The Small Isles. Puchased Nicholson 26, 'Ceana of Clyde'.
1993-99: Various Scottish voyages on 'Hornpipe', a 60 ft ketch; 'Myfanwy', a 36 ft sloop; 'Alpha', a classic wooden cutter. 800 miles.
1992: Crewed 'Wild Goose', a 35 ft yawl on her first leg of an historic voyage through Russia (the first non-Russian boat to sail the route). Stornoway to Hammerfest. 1350 mls.
1991: 'Lord of the Isles Voyage' (rowing-sailing a replica 16th cent birlinn from W Ireland to Lewis). 500 miles.
1985/6: Crewed 'Lorne Leader', a Brixham Trawler, around the Western Isles. 770 miles.
1979: One week mackerel fishing off the Faroe Islands. Two months prawn fishing off Greenland. Four months working on a coastal freighter in Western Greenland (C Farewell to Thule), three weeks on the Alborg-Angmassalik route (Force 10).
Spinnakers up, Sound of Jura