Balder

Learned to sail with Sea Explorer Ship #114, SES Discovery, Bellingham, WA at age 13 aboard a Penguin.

Taught my dad how to sail by renting dingy's at the park the next year. He got the bug and we started chartering stuff like a Cal 27 and up to 34' in the San Juans. Continued power boating and sailing in Puget sound and the inside passage for 5 years, got in a few keelboat races in Bellingham in the '80s.

Slacked off sailing and raised a family at a young age, Army & all that. Got out here and there with friends or renting small boats for a day or 3, 1x-3 a year for the next 10 years or so.

Went back to Sea Scouts about 1998 and taught sailing to boys and girls aged 13-21 for five years. Raced their Islander 24 in the cruising class as a way to teach the kids, but often wound up single/shorthanding with a buddy or two for about 5 years. Also cruising this boat with the kids.

I obtained a USCG 100T Masters license with sailing endorsement at this time. I was also operating the 36' Trawler style boat of the scout group, and we had use of a Herreshoff 50' Ketch for a bit too.

Got single and came back to sailing via racing hardcore about 2005. Raced on boats from 27'-47' since then. Sometimes 3 or more boats in a season so I could fill in as many events as possible. Working my way from club racing to deliveries up the coast, to even occasional paid crew positions offshore.

I have done Vic-Maui, and narrowly missed out on becoming the navigator for the eventual winner last year.

Tactician/sometime skipper on an '85 Bennetau First 38 for 2 years. Including Southern Straits 2010, that was the single most bonehead decision I have ever made. We were one of only 7 out of 60 starters to make Nanaimo, and stood by a 38' dismasted Dufour for 45 minutes awaiting CG response. We got off with only minor damage, no injuries, and only our innocence lost. BTW this was myself and 8 females. We made the front page of SA with a picture from our camera! my 15 seconds of fame so far.

Leased a Freedom 30 and lived aboard for a year. Won the no flying sails class for the season with a crew of myself and 2 complete NOOBS.

Currently racing Etchells and keelboats in Hong Kong.

Just landed my first gig as Watch Captain aboard a 40.7 for the upcoming Rolex South China Seas Race.

My lovely wife was the foredeck on the First 38' when we met. She has extensive sailing experience also.

We are buying our own boat and will live aboard and work somewhere for a year or so, then 3-9 months off to cruise to the next job location. Perhaps participate in the shorthanded/cruising class for something like a Vic-Maui or Transpac, or what have you wherever we are at the time.