John Kinlein has experience on a wide variety of vessels ranging from wooden schooners to deep draft tankers.  He is a graduate of Maine Maritime Academy and currently holds USCG licenses as Master of Steam and Motor Vessels up to 1600 tons, Chief Mate of Steam and Motor Vessels of any gross tons, and Master of Auxiliary Sail Vessels up to 50 tons.  His ocean passages include full crossings of the Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian Oceans. An experienced sailor, John has owned and lived aboard two sloops, including a South Coast 25 and a Columbia 8.7 meter.  His cruising waters have included the Chesapeake Bay, Mid-Atlantic coast, Long Island Sound, Block Island Sound, and Maine’s Penobscot Bay. John currently works as a deep sea Merchant Mariner, most recently sailing as Chief Mate of the survey ship USNS Sumner. He has also served in both the US Coast Guard and US Army. John resides with his wife, Tina, in Mystic, Connecticut, and teaches in our advanced cruises program

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