When I was 11 years old my father built a small wooden sailboat, a Mirror Dinghy. I sailed and raced this boat for many years which eventually lead me into racing the Laser Class until I was about 23 years old.
Sailing our Mirror Dinghy during the Ontario Mirror Dinghy Junior Championships in 1980 (which we won)
Racing a Laser Class Dinghy at the Burlington Sailing and Boating Club evening race in 1985
When I was around 24 I started to move from dinghy to keel boat sailing. I taught many course on the Great Lakes in Ontario and eventually ended up spending 5 winter seasons in the British Virgin Islands.
Teaching a Canadian Yachting Association Advanced Cruising Course for Hamilton Harbour Commissioners Sailing School. This course involved a non-stop 5 day trip from Hamilton, Ontario to Midland, Georgian Bay via the Welland Canal.
Teaching an Advanced Cruising Course off the shores of St. Marten in the Caribbean for the Humber College Sailing School
Delivering a Beneteau 500 from West End Tortola to Virgin Gorda
During my last two seasons in the British Virgin Islands I was employed by Sunsail Yacht Charters doing various jobs such as charter captain, performing chart and boat briefings and doing local deliveries.
Heading to Fort Lauderdale on a Little Harbour 54
I did a few yacht deliveries including one, as crew, from Newport Rhode Island to Fort Lauderdale Florida.