Fort Lauderdale, FL
Brian Riggs
Captain / Engineer
- USCG Master 100 GRT, Inland
- Sea time complete for 200 GRT Near Coastal
- Insured as named captain · zero claims
Captain and engineer of a 65′ Outer Reef motor yacht, running her year-round private program from the Exuma Cays to Down East Maine with a crew of three and the owners living aboard.
Full CV on request
- 4,290nmunder way in a year
- 89days under way
- 454nmnon-stop offshore
- 81destinations
- 3crew led
- 0insurance claims
Profile
The short version
I came up as mate on a hands-on 98′ program, learning engineering from a captain/engineer, and I handle the boat's routine maintenance and troubleshooting myself — and I know where to call the pros. Owners and guests get careful passage planning, confident close-quarters handling, and first-hand knowledge of the harbors and anchorages worth the trip.
Experience
Recent experience
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Captain / Engineer
65′ Outer Reef motor yacht (private)
2025 – Present
Insured with zero claims- Lead a crew of three — full-time mate/steward and half-time deckhand — with the owners and crew living aboard together since April 2026.
- Run her full seasonal program: winters in Fort Lauderdale, spring in the Bahamas, summers in New England and Maine, fall on Long Island Sound and the Hudson.
- 4,290 nm over 89 days under way from Nov 2025 to Oct 2026, calling at 81 harbors, anchorages and destinations.
- Planned and ran a 454 nm non-stop offshore passage from Walker's Cay, Abaco, to Cape Fear, NC, plus two New York–Fort Lauderdale deliveries mixing offshore legs with the ICW.
- Handle the budget and invoices, customs and clearing (Bahamas cruising permit and Click2Clear, CBP ROAM), yard periods and hurricane plans.
- Handle all routine maintenance myself, and troubleshoot and fix a wide range of problems on board before a vendor is needed.
- Keep a full electronic log, routes and hazard notes in TimeZero.
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Mate
M/Y Hard Times · 98′ West Bay · Westport
June 2024 – Sept 2025
- Mate in a program that called for "many hats," from deck maintenance to direct support of the captain and owners with trip planning and running the vessels.
- Daily care of paint, teak, stainless and the engine room; daily checks and maintenance of the air-conditioning systems.
- Managed contractors and coordinated with the owners; prepared snorkel, fishing, beach and safety gear for every trip.
- Planned Bahamas day trips with the captain, arranged dockage, and stood overnight watches under the Rules of the Road.
- Ran the 41′ Regulator tender around Fort Lauderdale and the Bahamas, including towing and solo runs from Nassau through the Exumas.
- Studied under a hands-on captain/engineer, significantly expanding my engineering skills, with focused work on docking and close-quarters handling.
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Delivery Mate
M/Y MyGirl · 50′ Viking
June 2024
- Delivery from Pompano Beach, FL (ICW mile 1056.2) to Atlantic Yacht Basin, Chesapeake, VA (mile 12.2): 1,044 statute miles of the ICW.
- Navigation, lookout, piloting, weather watch, pre-departure checks, docking and wash-downs.
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Temporary Deckhand
M/Y Silver Lining · 50 m
April – June 2024
- Deck work across the board: polishing stainless, wash-downs, painting anchor chain shots, sanding, and prep for painting the anchor locker.
- Departure and docking procedures on three delivery trips between West Palm Beach and Fort Lauderdale.
Credentials
Licenses and certificates
- USCG Master 100 GRT, Inland
- Sea time complete for 200 GRT Near Coastal
- FCC Marine Radio Operator Permit
- IYT Small Power Boat & RIB Master
- STCWValid through 02.26.2029
- AOW Scuba80+ dives
Management
Running the boat
What I handle
- Budgets and invoices
- Customs and clearing: Bahamas cruising permit, Click2Clear, CBP ROAM
- Planning and overseeing yard periods
- Hurricane and named-storm plans
Vendor network
- Fort Lauderdale / South Florida
- Norwalk, Connecticut
Cruising grounds
Exuma Cays to Down East Maine
About
From Atlanta to the helm
I grew up in Atlanta and have been a boater since childhood, with family places on Lake Lanier and on St. Catherines Sound on the Georgia coast, and I've always loved the sea. I take pride in my work and ownership of every job I do: from my very first job at McDonald's at 13 to captain of your vessel, you'll get my all.
Read my story
I studied design, and later went back to the same school to teach. From there I moved into business and consulting, and eventually came back to my family's shoe store, where I did the buying and ran the business. After Covid I joined my husband in the printing business we own in north Atlanta. Owning and managing businesses gives me a real understanding of budgets, planning and running an operation.
In 2023 my husband and I decided to turn our passion into a profession. We hit the ground running, put all of our knowledge and experience to work, and moved up quickly in the industry. With the help of amazing mentors in yachting, I took my first command in 2025 and logged 4,290 nautical miles in my first year. Today he's part of my crew, and we work as a team.
I also have a passion for weather, which fits naturally with traveling the seas and keeping guests comfortable.
Interests
Boats I've owned
- 1998 Carver 355 Aft Cabin MY
- 2020 Regal LS6
- 1999 Bayliner 3055
- 1996 Cobalt 220
- 2021 Yamaha GP1800R
Personal
- US citizen
- No smoking / no vaping
- Driver's license with motorcycle endorsement
References
Brad Topovski
Stephen Coetzer
Chris Hoffecker
Contact details for references on request.