Tom Thompson
Tom grew up sailing and surfing on the NJ shore. His father was a boat builder and his mother a championship racing sailor. Sailing was in his blood and he continues their multi-generational legacy on the water. Tom’s father built his first boat, a 12’ wooden sloop. He still remembers the wonderful sense of freedom at age 5 when his father pushed him off the dock and said “Sail!” Since then, as a licensed Master, Tom has captained a myriad of sail and motor boats, yachts, research and passenger vessels, even a 3-masted sailing mega-yacht. Working on the water has taken Tom up both the East and West coasts of the United States, Canada and the Caribbean. He worked with his father re-building a 1947 Bill Luders 6-Metre before buying a wonderful old Allied Seabreeze yawl. He currently cruises the US East Coast, often single-handing, on a Passport 456.
Tom also spent time ashore in the maritime industry as Executive Director of the U S Marine Safety Association. He served as a delegate to the International Maritime Organization in London for over 20 years, developing requirements for maritime safety, pollution and lifesaving systems aboard ships. He chaired the International Standards Organization Subcommittee on Lifesaving and Fire Protection, is a trained Marine Accident Investigator and credentialled Marine Safety Instructor. Tom’s diverse educational background includes Engineering, Psychology and Music. He holds an MBA and still occasionally lectures on Maritime Policy at Universities in the US and UK
Tom loves helping people find the right boat to match their dream.