Mark Tucker
Mark owns his own yacht and having sailed and raced locally and abroad has a wealth of experience worth tapping into!
Sailing experience: Began dinghy sailing at school in Mirrors, Enterprises and GP14s. As a teenager I raced my Merlin Rocket at St. Catherines. In my late teens, having in the previous years gained the RYA’s Elementary, Intermediate, Advanced and Instructor certificates, I spent a summer instructing children in sailing Wayfarers on Llangors lake in Wales. Back in Jersey I began crewing on "big boats" out of St. Helier and participated in Cowes week for three consecutive years crewing on a Westerly GK34 and a Sigma 33. I lived in the United States for 12 years firstly in New York and later in Chicago. During my years in New York I raced as crew and skipper aboard a C&C 34 including competing in a Round The Island Race (Long Island, New York). While in Chicago my wife and I chartered yachts on several occasions and cruised lake Michigan. On returning to Jersey in 2002 we purchased a Westerly Merlin in which I cruise with my wife and children and in which we have enjoyed some success in club racing.
Been boating since: 1972 when my father purchased a GP14 in which to terrify my sister and I!
RYA qualifications: Yachtmaster Offshore with Commercial and Cruising Instructor endorsements.
Best days sailing: Dielette to St. Helier west about Jersey. My children were only five and seven yet between them they helmed the boat from the Dielette pierheads all the way into Elizabeth Marina on a perfect summers sailing day.
Favourite place to sail: East coast of Maine (but only in July and/or August!)
Best boating tip: If you don’t have the space in your baggage to take a large feather pillow then take a pillow case and stuff it with a fleece and woolly sweater.
Luxury item on a long trip?: My large feather pillow.