Captain Paul Foer – A Seasoned Professional Mariner With A Lifetime of Boating and Teaching Experience

As a homeowner, father, businessperson and boatowner, I appreciate the value and pride you have in the achievement of becoming a boat owner. I believe that nothing beats plain old fashioned seamanship and “sea sense” and that is what guides my training and teaching. This is not a hobby, weekend job or a retirement pursuit but is my livelihood. I serve you better because I am a boatowner and am continually investing in training, re-certification and developing my skills.

It takes a lot more than fancy gadgets and electronics to enjoy your boat safely and confidently. In fact, an over-reliance on technology may create a false sense of security. The “just turn the key and go” or “push a button” mentality of many boaters today is dangerous and often results in frustration and incompetence, or worse. I was brought up in a boating family and was taught the “old school” way on wooden boats on the Chesapeake. My father was a US Navy “SeaBee” non-commissioned officer who served in World War II. From an early age, I used paper charts, a compass, depth sounder and binocular to confidently operate single-screw powerboats and then eventually small sailboats. My father and I both served as volunteer Coast Guard Auxiliarists, standing watches at Station Annapolis and volunteering on safety patrols. After working and living aboard a 72′ wooden sailboat, I obtained my original US Coast Guard Master’s License while still in college.

After graduating from Hampshire College, I taught with the Annapolis Sailing School, purchased a small sailboat and then sailed a 33′ boat (Morgan Out Island) from Annapolis to North Carolina and then offshore to Puerto Rico, navigating only with a plastic sextant and radio direction finder. That’s old school! No EPIRB and no liferaft! That was foolish back then and I’d never do it today, but it can be done without a lot of fancy technology. For many seasons I managed and then opened my own yacht charter company, operating and booking sail and power boat trips that served thousands of guests. I received advanced training with the Coast Guard Auxiliary, National Outdoor Leadership School,  Maritime Professional Training of Fort Lauderdale, FL and the skippered training cruises with Hurricane Island Outward Bound School out of Baltimore.

After receiving a Masters Degree in journalism/communication from The University of Maryland, I was married, raised a family, took on professional jobs ashore in government and small business including that of part-owner of a chain of jewelry stores. 

I have been a committed environmentalist since before the first Earth Day in 1970 am devoted to protecting the Chesapeake Bay. I served as the assistant to the director of the USEPA Chesapeake Bay Program Office. I was a writer with the Maryland Sea Grant College Program, wrote a weekly column for The Capital newspaper in Annapolis and hosted a daily radio program on 1430WNAV. For eight years I served the City of Annapolis’ transportation marketing specialist  where I developed maps, web-pages, publications, promoted our bus system, walking and bicycling  and helped plan special events. Hundreds of my articles and columns have appeared in a wide variety of national and local publications. My experience as a guest speaker and trainer in 20 states and Washington, DC. adds up to teaching and presentation skills to serve you. I also speak Spanish and have visited 43 states, ten Latin American countries, many Caribbean islands as well as France, England and Israel.