Francis McLawrence
With over 46 years of captaining experience, Francis found his love for the sea at a young age – at just six months old, he crossed from St. Lucia to Barbados with his father. Never looking back, Francis spent every school vacation thereafter at sea. He has captained a wide-range of ships, from catamarans, power-yachts, to even tug-boats. Captain Francis has done it all – yacht charters, sport & commercial fishing, shipping, & pleasure sails. He has obtained an array of boating qualifications, including but not limited to Boat Master License, Celestial Navigation Certification, and Basic Electronics.
First trained to sail using a sextant and star charts, Francis is one of the few mariners who upholds the tradition of celestial navigation. He has traversed the entire Caribbean this way (no GPS!), as well as having crossed the Atlantic by catamaran.
Well read, Francis brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise onboard. He is well versed in Caribbean history, local flora and fauna (by land and by sea), and the evolution and traditions of sailing. Young at heart, Francis is always excited to learn and brings both energy and experience to every charter – as well as more than a few great stories!
In his free time, Captain Francis designs and builds custom ships made of recycled plastic, old dinghies, & plywood. He plays bass guitar and enjoys reading about science fiction, history, and anything by Graham Hancock.
