Our principle operating officer, Captain Coates, is a retired senior military officer who has been boating since his dad pushed him from shore in an 8’ Sabot in Alamitos Bay, California at the tender age of seven. Today he holds a 100 Ton U.S. Coast Guard Masters Ticket.

His boating experience as a younger man was principally in competitive sailing in and around Southern California. This included Sabots, Snipes, Cal 20’s, and larger vessels such as Cal 36’s.

At 16 he participated as crew aboard a Snipe in the Snipe National Championships, Lake Washington, Seattle, WA.

As a 19 year old he served as watch captain aboard a Cal 36 participating in the TransPacific Yacht Race from Los Angeles to Honolulu, Hawaii and is a member of the TransPacific Yacht Club.

At 21 he qualified for and competed in the Cal 20 National championship Regatta, Marina Del Rey, California.

His 25 year active duty military in the Army put a bit of a crimp in his competitive sailing, but he continued his love for boating by owning/operating/enjoying various smaller power and sailboats near-shore and on lakes and rivers all over the United States and in Europe.

After retiring in 1992, he moved aboard a 42’ trawler (pictured on this page) which he purchased in Southern California and skippered up the coast to Seattle, Washington in 1994.

The Pacific Northwest continues as home today. He loves its snow capped peaks, verdunt forests coming right down to the waters edge, intricate shore lines, clear running streams, and abundant wildlife, not to mention the amazing vistas which open up to the yachtsman around every bend in the Inside Passage to Alaska.

The Man We Follow

Port Captain/Skipper