| Jim Ouellette was born the son of a son of a sailor.
His grandfather, Peter Ouellette was involved with the very early America’s
Cup campaigns, working on the yacht The Resolute and later becoming
a popular skipper and owner of his own Friendship sloop. Many of the Friendship
sloops from that era are still seen sailing today.
Jim received his teaching credentials from Purdue University.
He holds a U.S.C.G. Masters License, is an A.S.A. Certified Sailing
Instructor, a U.S. Sailing Certified Race Committee Officer and a U.S.S.
A. Certified Skiing Instructor.
He's served as Delivery Captain aboard the 85' Russian
Whitbread boat Fazisi. In the winter months you will often find
him offshore, delivering boats to and from the Caribbean or teaching A.S.A.
Bareboat Chartering courses in Tortola, a small island in the British Virgin
Islands. He crewed as Bowman for two years on the yacht Jazz.
In 1988, Jim was voted The Most Valuable Sailor Of The Year by the crew.
Jim also sails in the Marblehead Racing Association one design fleets.
Seen here leading the fleet in the Rhodes 19, 1998 National Championships.
Jim has been competing in snow skiing and sailboat racing
for over 15 years. In 1989, he won the Wildcat Challenge Cup, a three day
head to head duel Slalom race. In 1987 and 1988 he also placed in the top
three.
In the mid eighties Jim founded Industrial
Piping of America, a company that specialized in research and development
of advanced piping systems and high tech pipe welding. Kodak was one of his
largest clients. Jim held a Masters Pipe Fitters license, A journeyman Sprinkler
Fitters license and over twenty American Welding Society and American Society of
Mechanical Engineering certifications as well as certifications from Kodak International.
He welded pipes right in the reactor at The Seabrook Nuclear Power Plant. At that time
he was considered one of the most talented high tech welders/fabricators in the world.
Concurrently with running his own company, he took over as director of welder training for
Union Local #138 (Plumbers and Pipe Fitters of U.S.A. and Canada). During his seven years running
this program he took a personal interest in both his students well being and the quality of Journeymen
being sent out into the field.
In 1993 Jim was involved in a car accident that resulted
in a spinal cord injury requiring two major surgerys followed by
a three year recovery. He sold his company at that time and left the union to focus more on recovering
and then returning to his passion, the sea, and sailing. That's where you will find him today.
When you meet Jim, you'll find him to be unassuming and
friendly. He will patiently encourage you and talk you through each and
every step, reassuring you along the way. He will have you sailing in no
time at all and "enjoying the learning experience" . If you're looking
for coastal or offshore cruising experience, you won't find a more competent
or amiable skipper anywhere in the world today.
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