CREW PROFILE

Captain Geoff Parsons - British

Geoff spent the first ten years of his life in Brazil, before being educated at Bedford School in England. On leaving school, he trained as a marine engineer and then worked in Europe, several African countries as well as South, Central and North America. His interest and amateur involvement in motor-cycle and motor racing at the time led him into the motor race industry and he became involved in the building of Formula 1, 2 and 3 racing engines whilst working for the well-known engine manufacturer Cosworth, before starting his own engine building company, GP Engines. It was whilst re-building Formula 1 engines in 1972 in South Africa, Brazil and Argentina that he became interested in sailing and on returning to the UK, sold his business and built his first yacht, a 34ft sloop to a Roberts design.

Since 1974, Geoff has built and chartered 4 yachts, of which the last two were to his own design. The last, the 71ft “Ocean Kestrel”, he chartered for 12 years in the Mediterranean and the Caribbean and this yacht became well-known with charter agents worldwide as a very well-found vessel providing excellent sailing holidays combined with top-class cuisine. Geoff’s charter areas have included most of the Mediterranean, Northern Europe and the Atlantic islands of the Azores, Madeira and Canaries as well as most of the Caribbean.

Geoff is a very experienced and well-respected skipper with over 150,000 sea miles under his belt and his love of sailing and an intimate knowledge of the various visited cruising grounds will ensure that guests enjoy a memorable holiday. Geoff is also a fully qualified British DOT and RYA Commercial Yachtmaster. 

Having sold “Ocean Kestrel” in Trinidad in 2001, he then became involved in the restoration of the Rolf Vrolijk designed “Panta Rhei of Fowey”, a very special alloy/carbon vessel which he re-built as a fast charter yacht, now available for charter in the Mediterranean.

Geoff is a non-smoker and speaks fluent Portuguese as well as some Spanish and French.

Cook/Hostess - Carmen Winch - British

Carmen was brought up in Brighton, Sussex and was educated at Varndean Grammar in Brighton before studying with the Open University later on for a degree in Psychology.

She has worked in the past in various roles including Police Officer and Holmes Indexer for Sussex Police plus Editorial & later PA work for Marvel Comics.

Carmen has sailed yachts now for 6 years having first to learnt to sail Wayfarer dinghies learnt as a police cadet 28 years ago.   Last year she obtained her Yachtmaster Offshore Commercial and Cruising Instructor Certificates in Gibraltar and also holds a PADI Rescue Diver and Canoeing certificate. She also trained in Marine Cookery at UKSA and loves to cook and sail. Her other main interests include photography, snorkelling,
nutrition, health and reflexology.

Carmen speaks basic French and is keen to learn other European languages. She also holds the TESOL Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages Certificate.  She is a non-smoker.