I was born in Kalamazoo, Michigan and was in a canoe at two months of age with my folks and have been on or around the water ever since.  I attended school in Michigan until I joined the Navy in June, 1965.  While in the Navy, I enlisted in Electricians Mate and Diving School, which is now known as the “Seals”.  While in the Navy, I was on both the east and west coast, Hawaii, the Far East, Hong Kong, Okinawa, Vietnam, Philippines and transited the Panama Canal.  My time in the military gave me the desire to sail and fish the coastlines of the world.

While I worked in Michigan for a few years, I sailed and raced in the Great Lakes and enjoyed sailing very much.  Then, the sea started calling me, so I moved to Surf Side, Texas just south of Houston on the Gulf coast.  Due to the fact that there was not enough work, I moved to Houston, where I worked many jobs from a pipe fitter to an electrician.  Then, I was promoted to Superintendent and started building gas purification plants.  Life was great until the early ‘80’s, when the oil industry plummeted, along with all the work.

At that time, I started selling real estate, which was also slow at the time.  Through the real estate business I got involved with a transmission shop.  I then started my own business and for 23 years, I was self-employed with All American Transmission in Houston, Texas. 

I also raced Corvettes while in business and was involved with the NCCC and SCCA.

I then purchased a Stamas 44 and named it "Lone Star Love", partly after my home state of Texas and a former race car.

Almost every working system on Lone Star Love has been reworked or replaced, which helped to make me very familiar with all the working systems of the boat.  After seven years of working and upgrading systems, it was time to leave Houston. 

I sold my business, All American Transmission in June of 2003, and started finalizing all the preparations on Lone Star Love.

I have sailed from Texas to Mexico, Belize, Guatemala, Honduras, and Bocas del Toro, Panama. 

I enjoy fishing, snorkeling and sailing, in that order.