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

I appreciate the value and pride you have in being a boat owner and believe that nothing beats plain old fashioned seamanship and “sea sense”. This is what guides my training and teaching. I serve you better because I have been a boatowner and am continually investing in training, re-certification and developing my skills.

I was brought up in a boating family and was taught the “old school” way on wooden boats on the Chesapeake. I believe that over-reliance on technology creates a false sense of security. It cannot replace “sea sense” or good old-fashioned seamanship which can only be developed by sea experience. But why learn from your own experience when you can learn from my experience? Fancy gadgets and electronics or the “just turn the key and go” or “push a button” mentality that is prevalent throghout the boating world today is a recipe for disaster. It will likely result in frustration, down-time, mishaps…or worse.  

From an early age, I learned to read paper charts, use a compass, depth sounder and binocular to confidently operate single-screw powerboats under the watchful eye of my father. He was a US Navy “SeaBee” non-commissioned officer who served in World War II.  I eventually became a proficient sailor and took on larger power and sail boats. My father and I both served as volunteer Coast Guard Auxiliarists, standing watches at Station Annapolis and on safety patrols. As a young man and after working and living aboard a 72′ wooden sailboat, I obtained my original US Coast Guard Master’s License while still in college.

I received advanced training with the Coast Guard Auxiliary, National Outdoor Leadership School,  Outward Bound, Maritime Professional Training of Fort Lauderdale, FL and then skippered training cruises with Hurricane Island Outward Bound School out of Baltimore. I was one of the earliest sailors certified by the  American Sailing Association as well as one of its first certified instructors. And for your enjoyment, I am also a certified Chesapeake bay Storyteller.

After receiving both bachelor’s and master’s degrees I raised a family, took on professional shoreside jobs in government and small business including that of part-owner of a retail chain, a newspaper columnist, freelance writer and book and antique dealer. 

I have been a committed environmentalist since before the first Earth Day in 1970 and am devoted to protecting the Chesapeake Bay and our coean. I served as the assistant to the director of the USEPA Chesapeake Bay Program Office and was a writer with the Maryland Sea Grant College Program. I also wrote a weekly column for The Capital newspaper in Annapolis and hosted a daily radio program. For eight years I served the City of Annapolis as its transportation marketing specialist by developing maps, web-pages, publications, signage promoting our rapidly growing our bus system, walking and bicycling options, planning special events and managing parking and taxi operations. Hundreds of my articles and columns have appeared in a wide variety of national and local publications and even in a few books. My experience as a guest speaker and trainer in 23 states and Washington, DC. adds up to teaching and communication skills to better serve you. I also speak Spanish and have visited over 40 states, a dozen Latin American countries and Caribbean islands as well as Europe and the Middle East.