Todd Thompson, male, 73
Ref 69000
| Nationality: | United States |
| Currently based in: | Middleton, Wisconsin, United States |
| Looking for: | Central & North America; |
| Experience: | 40000 ocean miles / 10000 coastal miles |
| Captain Todd Thompson Profile My love of wilderness places and sailing led me, my boat Elcano and my family to seek out rare and special anchorages. Over 20 years we sailed from the Chesapeake Bay to Newfoundland, Iceland and on to the fjords of Norway and the ice filled waters of Svalbard. From there we made our way gradually south to the Shetland Islands, Scotland and Puerto Sherry, Spain, a good place to leave a boat. We touched for some days at the Cape Verde Islands, an old coal stop in the days of steamships, on the way to transit the Panama Canal before heading offshore to Hawaii, where the boat wintered in Kona. From Hawaii it was off to the Aleutian Islands and two seasons in Kodiak, Alaska. In 2019 we sailed west through the Aleutians again before making landfall in Hokkaido, Japan and cruising south along the east coast of Japan before returning to the US Northwest just before Covid closed so many ports. Those years at sea—50,000 nm so far-- are described in our blog www.voyageofelcano.blogspot.com. My love of wild places began when I climbed Mt. St. Helens at age 12. I developed my skills and became an assistant climbing guide at 16 leading clients up peaks in the Tetons, Wind Rivers and Canadian Rockies. While at Dartmouth College I organized and led expeditions making first ascents; for example, the 6000 foot North Ridge of Mt. Kennedy in the Yukon in and the West Face of Huayna Potosi in the Bolivian Andes among others. I wrote a book “Mountain of Storms” about two climbing expeditions to 26,795’ Dhaulagiri in Nepal, one of which I helped organize. I retired from climbing to start a career in finance, get married and start a family. Sailing appealed to me as it shares many characteristics with climbing so I started learning by racing in San Francisco Bay in a Cal 20 and crewing on friend’s boats in Puget Sound, Maine, Labrador and the Bahamas. When I learned enough to captain charter boats, my children and I sailed in New Zealand, Maine, the Chesapeake and Lake Superior on week-long trips that whetted our appetites for longer sailing expeditions to remote high latitude places. To sail to remote places it is important to have the right tool so 20 years ago I bought a 30 ton custom 60’ Shannon cutter named Elcano that is designed and equipped for offshore passages and self -sufficiency in the wilderness. These days my children have work and family commitments that preclude long sailing trips so that is why I am searching for crew to join me on Elcano. | |
| Smoking: | non-smoker |
| Relationship status: | married |
| Dietary requirements: | none |
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| Number of years sailing: | 10+ |
| Sea miles sailed: | Ocean: 40000 / Coastal: 10000 |
| Nights at sea: | 50+ |
| I have experience as: | Captain (Offshore) |
| Sailing Skills | Experienced I have done this many times and am confident to help others less experienced. I am happy doing this day |
Competent I am competent doing this in daylight, or if there is someone more experienced with me |
Basic I have only done this a few times, but I am willing to learn |
None I have not done this before |
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| Steer a compass course |  | |||
| Keep lookout/watch-keeping | | |||
| Trimming sails – mainsail and foresail/jib | | |||
| Reefing | | |||
| Working the foredeck – setting sails including spinnakers and cruising chutes | | |||
| Navigating with GPS and paper charts at sea | | |||
| Anchoring and handling anchors | | |||
| Cooking at sea | | |||
| Using dinghies with outboard motors | | |||
| Heaving-to and other heavy weather tactics | |
Other nautical or cruising skills |
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|---|---|
| Using a sextant for astro-navigation | |
| Using VHF radio | |
| Diesel engine maintenance | |
| Outboard engine maintenance | |
| Repairing or making sails | |
| Using radar | |
Voyage History |
||||||
| Date | Boat | From/To | Miles | Role | # Crew | Rally |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January 0 | / | 0 | Captain | 0 | ||
