Sailing with Capt. John Sheffield

Captain Shef can (on vessels 25-60 feet in length)
– deliver your vessel for you to enjoy at your next vacation spot, or
– help you set up a sail or power vessel charter vacation in an exotic port and captain the yacht to your desired ports of call, or
– teach you and/or your new crew member(s) the basics of sailing (including how to talk like a sailor), boat handling (power or sail), navigation (with GPS and chart), docking, anchoring, etc. on your boat at your convenience.

Where shall we sail your boat next month?

  • My Experience and Background

    Starting in 1954 as a child, I’ve been on the water or around boats a good portion of my life. From skiffs with oars or outboard motors to 61-foot diesel-powered yachts, and from Sunfish to 57-foot yawls, I’ve learned how to handle vessels of all sizes, both power and sail. I’ve sailed the coastal

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  • My Skills and Credentials

    I have captained the following vessels:

    • Sailing prams, Sunfish, Star class sloop, Melgers racing dinghies (Lake Murray, South Carolina)
    • 19-foot open sailing skiff (Virgin Islands)

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  • Sailing and Boating Skills

    These are the skills that I possess that adds to my qualifications as a ships’ captain:

    • Chart reading
    • Navigation
    • Dead reckoning
    • Course plotting

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  • Educational and Entertainment Options

    You will have the opportunity to learn:

    • basic sailing
    • on-the-water safety procedures
    • navigation (visual and chart reading),
    • rules of the road

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  • A Few Facts About Your Amazing Captain

    • Former teacher (science and math)
    • Certified tennis teaching professional
    • Basketball and swimming coach
    • Retired USTA state executive director

    Shef is now looking forward to consulting, sailboat delivery, part-time teaching, volunteer work, and ticking items off his “bucket list.

  • Enjoy Capt. Shef as you discover that he is a:

    • Guitarist
    • Philosopher
    • Listener
    • Story-teller
    • “Bucket List” Accomplisher
    • Southern Gentleman
    • Hablo Español (un poco)
    • Je parle Francais (un peu)
    • Speaker of English, too (mainly)