Growing up near Gig Harbor, Washington, I was lucky to spend most of my childhood in and around the water — sailing, waterskiing, fishing, and spending family vacations exploring the San Juan and Gulf islands aboard my family’s 30 foot sailboat. My first sailing experience was sitting on my Dad’s lap in a Millimeter sailboat at the age of two and it didn’t take long before I was hooked. I have sailed everything from dinghies to big boat sleds, but will always enjoy the fast paced action of small boat sailing most. It would be hard to forget winning my first regatta in the El Toro at the age of 10. I went on to campaign Byte and Laser dinghies on the Northwest junior circuit. Sailing as regular crew on keelboats of all sizes, I snap up any chance I get to go sailing – whether it’s a casual Monday night or offshore distance racing. In the 2006 and 2012 Vic-Maui races I sailed on the Santa Cruz 52 Voodoo Child and J/145 Double Take, in both races we won line honors and took first overall trophies. I have also had the good fortune to do some fantastic sailing with Swiftsure friends and clients over the years, including San Francisco to Seattle aboard Jamie and Behan Gifford’s Stevens 47 Totem, crossing the Atlantic on John Freeman’s Outremer 45 Pelican, Seattle to San Francisco aboard Brian Trautman’s Amel 53 Delos, Newfoundland to Annapolis aboard Jimmy Cornell’s Garcia Exploration 45 Aventura and many others. Years of cruising Pacific Northwest waters on both power and sailing vessels add to my ability to help customers step into a yacht that fits their needs.
With my background in boating, it has always been an easy choice for me to search for a way to make a living in the marine industry. My high school and college summers were spent teaching junior sailing and winters were spent working at a local marina and on the floor of the North Sails loft in Seattle. After graduating from the University of Washington Business School with a concentration in Finance, I furthered my experience in the industry working for the Seattle Boat Show. I enjoy merging my experience in the industry and my passion for boating here at Swiftsure Yachts. Since joining Swiftsure Yachts in 2007, I have been involved in transactions from Sweden to Malaysia and everywhere in between. I hold credentials as a Certified Professional Yacht Broker and licensed California Yacht Broker. I am a member of Seattle Yacht Club and Cruising Club of America and also volunteer my time on the board of directors of The Sailing Foundation with a focus on safety at sea. I am a past board member of the Northwest Marine Trade Association where I chaired the Grow Boating committee.
I savor getting out on the water any chance I get, whether it be cruising with my wife and son aboard our New Zealand built Farr 44 sailboat or fly fishing for searun cutthroat on Puget Sound. The bottom line is that I have never spent a bad day on the water. The ocean has the ability to make every day completely different from the last — and they’re all equally fun, exciting and beautiful. Whether it is the camaraderie of a racing crew, the solitary beauty of an empty anchorage, or the challenge of a heavy weather sail change at midnight, boating offers a great variety of experiences. No matter what activity interests you, I am excited to help you transition to your next endeavor.
