Zack Lanford
Captain Zack Lanford
Captain Zack grew up on the Lower Colorado River in Texas’ Hill Country, where skiing, wakeboarding, and wakesurfing were year-round pastimes. Early travels across the United States sparked his wanderlust and developed a lasting curiosity for the natural world, both on land and at sea.
After selling his business in his late twenties, Zack joined a seasoned Atlantic racer to build his blue-water sailing skills. He later co-founded a day-sail charter company in Texas, completed multiple Gulf of Mexico crossings, purchased his own sailboat, and captained voyages along the U.S. East Coast. His experience also includes time aboard Chesapeake Bay schooners and extensive travel through New Zealand and Australia before he made St. Thomas home.
When he is not captaining charters for Paradise Yacht Management, Zack leads a youth sailing program in St. Thomas, teaching Scouts of America how to sail, cook, maintain a vessel, and work together during multi-day island expeditions.
An avid fisherman, Zack enjoys incorporating fishing into the charter experience, especially aboard MAH NA MAH NA. Whether pursuing mahi-mahi or ahi tuna, he adds another layer of adventure and flavor to life onboard.
Zack often calls the ocean “the last frontier,” a place where explorers still roam. As a former business owner turned professional mariner, he combines careful attention to safety and service with infectious enthusiasm, warmth, and an ability to connect with guests of every age.