Boats have been a part
of my life for as long as
I can remember.
A Lifetime of Sailing
Sailing was part of my childhood from the very beginning. I spent my early years sailing on our family’s Grampian 26 and was racing with my dad on Georgian Bay by the time I was six.
When I was 10, my mom and I moved aboard a Hunter 33, where we lived for the next two years. At 11, I decided I wanted a sailboat of my own… but mom said I had to buy it myself. Mom helped though, she made me my first business card, and I started offering to wash boats at the yacht club to save for my Laser.
When I’d finally saved enough, I found a damaged Laser from a sailing school for a fraction of the price. I bought it and learned how to do fiberglass and gelcoat repair so I could restore the hull myself.
That little Laser became my first boat, my first restoration project, and the beginning of John Michael’s Boating Service.
From the Great Lakes to International Waters
What started on Georgian Bay eventually took me much farther from home.
I’ve worked professionally as a deckhand, first mate and captain, and my sailing experience has taken me across the Great Lakes and into international waters.
In 2023 and 2024, I sailed along the coast of South Africa, including passages from Durban to East London and around the Cape of Good Hope. The experience included everything from days without wind to conditions reaching 40 knots with 7-metre seas and I loved every minute of it.
Racing & Performance Sailing
Racing has been part of my sailing life since I was a kid, starting on Georgian Bay and continuing today. Racing has strengthened my skills in sail trim, tactics, boat handling and teamwork, but mostly, I just love to race.
I’ve raced in Canada, the United States and South Africa, competing in major regattas in Cape Town as well as events in Detroit and Niagara. Today, I race with the Mischief Melges team in addition to regularly competing in Toronto at Royal Canadian Yacht Club and National Yacht Club.
Where I Am Today…
More than 20 years after I handed out those first business cards at the yacht club, boats are still at the centre of my life.
Today, I live aboard my own sailboat in Toronto and run John Michael’s Boating Service full time. My work has grown from washing and restoring boats to include professional sailing, charter work, instruction and vessel deliveries.
I’ve been lucky enough to build a life around something I’ve loved since I was a kid, and I’m always looking forward to where sailing takes me next.
