Locations/Staff

Mark Chandler
West Coast

Years of Sailing / Boating: 40

Type of Sailing: Cruising & Racing

Rigging Experience: 14 years

Professional Experience/Specialty: Many offshore miles racing and cruising.  Mooring system fabrication and installation.  Inshore racing Melges 20/24/32s, J-105, most ULDBs, multihulls.

Personal Activities and Interests: Hobie farming, racing sailboats, robotics, kids.

Brandon Ritt
Newport, Rhode Island

Years of Sailing/ Boating: Over 12 years in the Industry

Type of Sailing: Club Cruising and Racing as well as a Professional Charter Crew Member.

Rigging Experience: Been with West Marine Rigging for 3 years and has many non-professional rigging experiences

Professional Experience/Specialty: USCG 100- ton Master Near Coastal License with Aux Sail and Tow. First-mate on private vessel for four years sailing the Caribbean and New England.

Personal Activities and Interests: Sailing, surfing, golf and snowboarding. Anything outside and or near the water.

Julian Richards
Annapolis, Maryland

Years of Sailing / Boating: 35

Type of Sailing: Cruising & Racing

Rigging Experience: 10 years

Professional Experience/Specialty: Hotel and catering management, boat building, captain and skippering, charter business, built two boats with family. Two transatlantic crossings, live aboard for 5 years

Personal Activities and Interests: Sailboat Racing, Golf, Reading, Travel.

Ryan Fernandez
Fort Lauderdale, Florida

Years of Sailing / Boating: Sailing for about 4 years / been on boats my whole life

Type of Sailing: Club racing / Cruise sailing

Rigging Experience: I've been rigging for West Marine for the last 4 years

Professional Experience / Specialty: I have been working on boats doing Capt, mate, deckhand, and maintenance for the last 7 years

Personal Activities and Interests: Love being on the water sailing, surfing, and fishing

Ken McManus
Seattle, WA

Years of Sailing / Boating: On and Off for 30 years

Type of Sailing: Cruising and club sailing

Rigging Experience: 4 years with West Marine plus Navy and other experience

Professional Experience/Specialty: Architectural, marine and float plane rigging.

Personal Activities and Interests: Skiing, sailing, diving, cooking/baking, and traveling.

Wayne Cough
Alameda, California

Years of Sailing / Boating: 62, had my first boat at 8 years old but was active with my father for as long as I can remember

Type of Sailing: Both power and sail but mostly sail. One design racing, Blue Jay, Lightning, Thistle, Finn, J24, Etchells-currently have a Thistle and an Etchells

Rigging Experience: 5 years with WM, lots of non-professional experience

Professional Experience/Specialty: Operations Management

Personal Activities and Interests: Sailing, golf, skiing, boat restoration.

Kirk Bernard
Newport Beach, California

Years of Sailing / Boating: 26 years

Type of Sailing: Cruising and Racing PHRF and One Design (Cal 25, J 105, Shock 35, Farr 40), and Delivery Crew

Rigging Experience: Less than a year with West Marine but have been rigging boats non-professionally for several years.

Professional Experience/Specialty: 5 years Submarine Service, Marlinspike seamanship, yacht deliveries, rescue diver, and restaurant management

Personal Activities and Interests: Sailing, Scuba diving, Woodworking, Cycling, Hiking/Backpacking and Cooking

Franklin Viola
Kemah, Texas

Years of Sailing / Boating: 40+ years

Type of Sailing: Buoy racing ARC Beachcat Catamarans, International crew for sailing and power boats, cruising.

Rigging Experience: 5+ years

Professional Experience/Specialty: B.S. in Marine Science and Marine transportation, Unlimited tonnage 2nd and 3rd mate, NAUI Scuba Instructor, Wildlife photographer

Personal Activities and Interests: Sailing, Scuba Diving, Underwater Photography, traveling, enjoying the great outdoors.

Victor McKnight
San Diego, CA

Years of Sailing / Boating: 40

Type of Sailing: Cruising, sail & power, racing One Design and PHRF (J120, 9 Meter, J22, Snipe)

Rigging Experience: 1.5 years with West Marine. Many years non-professional

Professional Experience/Specialty: Biotech manufacturing, boat repair and maintenance professional and non-professional

Personal Activities and Interests: Boating, racing, cooking, fishing, gardening, and DIY home and auto projects

Jason - Rope Lead

With West Marine since: 1999

Specialties: Specialty Splicing & Double Covers

Other Interests: Cooking, Pool, Darts

From: Ohio

Aaron - Wire Lead

With West Marine since: 1999

Specialties: Wire Swaging, Regatta Support, Hydraulics, New Shop Construction

Other Interests: Hockey, NFL, Fishing & Hunting

From: Florida

Paul - Rigging Specialist

Years of Sailing/Boating: 30

Type of Sailing: Racing/Deliveries

Professional Experience/Specialties: Lots of one design racing, rig tuning, offshore deliveries. Inshore racing in classes including: Laser, E-Scow, Melges 20/24, J24/70/120, Lightning, 1D35, Farr30/40, GP26.

Personal Activities and Interests: Inshore & Offshore Fishing, linux servers, wildlife photography.

Rob - Rope Production

With West Marine since: 2008

Specialties: Race Car Tethers, Wire/Rope splicing

Other Interests: Rock&Metal Music

From: South Carolina

Donnie - Rigging Specialist

With West Marine since: 2005

Specialties: Workboats, is a Licensed Captain - 100T Aux/Sail Radar

Other Interests: Fishing and his grandchildren

From: South Carolina