Meet Captain Andy of Fresh Coast Sailing

Today we’d like to introduce you to Captain Andy.

Hi Captain Andy, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
My passion for sailing and a career in it came later than some would expect. Many people are surprised to hear that my first time on a boat in Lake Michigan was at the age of 19 even though I was born and raised in South Haven. As the oldest of four to a blue collar family, boating was not a luxury I had the privilege of experiencing until I was an adult working seasonally in South Haven and sought out a fun, enjoyable, summer gig. I started working on a charter boat and was instantly hooked. I immediately hit the books to learn as much as I could, worked on boats as often as possible, and eventually developed the skills, knowledge and experience to get my captains license. For nearly a decade I worked as a hired Captain with another company before venturing off on my own and starting Fresh Coast Sailing. It’s never too late to jump ship for a new dream!

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
“A smooth sea never made a skilled sailor”. Of course, there have been struggles along the way: torn sails in gusty gales, unexpected mechanical issues, personal disturbances to crew availability. No business comes without difficult decision-making, problem-solving and obstacles. A sailing charter certainly has a unique spectrum of challenges but the skills learned to keep things moving forward can be very rewarding.

Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
We offer memorable, personalized, and intimate two hour sailing charters for all special occasions or “just for fun,” on Lake Michigan from the port of South Haven with a licensed Captain and professional Crew. Our sailboat the Mary Grace is a stunning Catalina 36 Mk 11. We sail several times throughout the day, seven days a week giving the guest several options to accommodate their schedule. Being customer service driven and safety conscious ensures an excellent experience regardless if it is your first time sailing or 100th.

How do you think about happiness?
Sailing and sharing the sailing experience makes me happy! Happiness for me is seeing
smiles grow as stress fades while inspiring, educating, and enlightening people of all ages and personalities. For me, happiness is having a sense of purpose and I receive that sense of purpose by accomplishing these three goals on every charter.

1. EDUCATE my guests and teach them at least one thing that they will remember after the trip. Examples of knowledge shared include history about our beautiful, quaint town of South Haven. Environmental and ecological facts of the Great Lakes and state of Michigan. The physics of sailing and terms that come with the ancient art of being pulled by the wind through the water.

2. ENTERTAIN our guests with elaborate, exaggerated stories and jokes that bring curiosity into their mind or smiles to their face.

3. ENCOURAGE them to capture a memory with a photo. Whether that’s of a stunning South Haven sunset or a prized portrait of the family, couple, or friend group. I want them to have a visual reminder of the moment they shared with us. I hope they reflect on their sailing experience during the cold, gloomy months of winter.

Pricing:

• Individual tickets ranging from $75.00-$99.00
• Private charters for up to six people ranging from $350.00-$400.00

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.freshcoastsailing.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/freshcoastsailingcharters?igsh=Z3ppZDM3MG80dHg5&utm_source=qr
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/1Y587zjyvN/?mibextid=wwXIfr
• Other: https://share.google/aNyGpfauuXBXWOk4N