Background:

Since my late teens I worked as a creative writer in advertising mixed with extensive travel through a love of sailing. I currently work as an independent yacht broker while living aboard my own sailing catamaran while still writing.

I started sailing at age 14 on a laser then a 14ft surfcat and never not had a cat - Hobie 16, Great Barrier Express, Turismo and now a Lagoon.

I have approximately 50 000 offshore miles over 40 years of sailing cats and keelers all over the world. In November 2019 I decided to validate my experience with the RYA Yachtmaster Offshore certificate. I completed this in Cape Town. I offer sailing lessons to new owners and offshore deliveries, including tuition, co skippering, support and gaining confidence on your first ocean voyage. It is a wonderful benchmark to realise.

Offshore Sailing Experience;

I have sailed offshore on a range of yachts from keelers to catamarans and have lived aboard my catamaran Parallel Life, a Lagoon 380S2 which I bought in Tahiti on 2011. I have also since sailed her to Tonga for a season. We are currently berthed in Auckland, New Zealand and sailed frequently in our magnificent cruising grounds.

Approximate total sea miles: 50 000 + miles

I have logs for the sailing I have done as skipper on my own yacht – from Tahiti to Tonga to New Zealand in 2011 and Opua to Tonga and return in 2015. Other passages I can get the Captain’s letter.

Relevant Qualifications:

2019

• Completed RYA Yachtmaster’s Offshore certificate 2019 with commercial endorsements – Ocean Star Super Yacht Academy, Cape Town South Africa.
• VHF
• First Aid
• Firefighting
• PSSR
• PSD

Experience: Present day > 1984.

*denotes Captain. ** denotes Captain and training

October 2024 Lagoon 450 ‘Aria’ delivery Denerau to Opua 1000 m

*June 2024 Lagoon 50 (2019) Mackay Australia to Denerau 1700 m

**May 2024 Leopard 44 (2016) Opua to Vava’u Tonga 1200 m

*September 2023 Lagoon 450 (2011) ‘Magique’ Auckland to Denerau 1000 m

August 2023 Rapido 60 ‘Romanza’ Auckland to Savu Savu, Fiji. 1100 m

*June 2023 Privilege 39 ‘Festina Lenta’ New Plymouth to Opua 380 m

May 2023 Schionning Waterline 15m catamaran Opua to Tonga 1000 m

October 2022 Lagoon 52 delivery from Vanuatu, New Caledonia to New Zealand. Two up. 1200 m

2019 September Vanuatu to New Zealand 1200 m Jennuau 403 twin wheel, open transom. Hand steered, extreme conditions off north Cape of NZ 17 knots under bare poles. .

2018 April Schionning 17.5m Waterline catamaran, Whangarei to Nukualofa 1000 m

2017 *Lagoon 440 Skipper Opua to Vava’u -Noumea to Opua 2000 m

Camper Nicholson 60 Opua to Denerau 1200 m

2016 Camper Nicholson 60 Denerau to Auckland 1200 m

Gunboat 62 Cu Cu Belle Whangarei to Auckland 250 m

*2015 Cruising my Lagoon 380S2 with my girlfriend through Tonga 3000 m

2012 Bought Parallel life my Lagoon 380S2 In Tahiti after searching through the USA and Caribbean. Salied 2 up Raiatea to Vavau to Opua 2500 m

2011 Antigua to Fort Lauderdale Royal Cape Catamaran 1300 m

2010 Seychelles to Auckland on Catana 582 delivery Seychelles, 27000 m

Durban, Cape Town, St Helena, Trinidad Tobago, Panama, Galapagos,

Tonga, Auckland Position 1st Mate.

Prior to 2010 I did numerous deliveries from Opua to Vava’u on 6000 m Sunsail deliveries. It amounts to around 6000 or more miles.

In my youth I hitchhiked on yachts around the world instead of flying. 5000m This included passages from New Zealand through the South Pacific to Australia. In the Mediterranean I worked on yachts in Elba, Corsica Italy and Sardinia.

At age 29, in the Canaries I was planning to sail across the Atlantic 5000m to the Caribbean then chose instead to sail on a small 32 ‘ Sadler yacht from the Canaries to Cape Town via Cape Verdes and St Helena, for 3 months.

My First offshore sailing at age 19 was on a classic 1945 Bermuda 3000 m Cutter from New Zealand to New Caledonia, Loyalties, Vanuatu, and Australia. Also several weeks spent on a 75ft ketch NZ to New Caledonia.

Testimonials:

I have spent considerable time at sea with professional skippers during offshore deliveries.

Dave Sheenie Schionning Waterline – Tonga. dave@whalediscoveries.com

Gary Morse. Skipper of Catana 582 from Seychelles to New Zealand. +6421 1771376 gary@cps.nz

Please feel free to get in touch with any questions you may have on either of the email addresses provided. Thank you.

Stephen Prinselaar Parallel Life – sailing cat

+64 21 447 778 

stevep@truenorthmarine.co.nz

stevep@parallellife.co.nz

https://truenorthmarine.co.nz/about-true-north/

New Zealand passport valid October 2029

Born Auckland: 19th February, 1963

RYA Yacht Master Offshore 2019 Ocean Star Superyacht Academy Cape Town