Inspiring Conversations with John Wolfe of The Wilmington Sailing Company

Today we’d like to introduce you to John Wolfe.

Hi John, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today. 
Our company grew out of our love for the sea and sailing, but also for each other. I have been a professional mariner for a little over a decade now and have worked on all kinds of boats – fishing boats, tour boats, and as yacht delivery crew up and down the East Coast and Caribbean – but my heart was always in sailing. There’s something so romantic and fulfilling about using the forces of nature to get where you want to go. It teaches you to listen to the world in a different way. So, when I bought our boat, S/V Maia, almost six years ago, I knew I wanted to share that with other people, but it took time for me to get the boat into a condition where she would be charter-ready and for me to learn her inside and out. When Claudia, my now-fiancée and business partner, came into my life, I was living aboard Maia, and we spent a lot of time on board, doing some daysails with friends and anchoring out for a few days to get away from urban life. Gradually as our relationship developed, Maia became something we found joy in working on together, and it shifted from being a sort of floating bachelor pad into the elegant and cultivated space Maia has now become. Together as a team, we are capable of so much more than when it was just me and the boat. We have very compatible skillsets that encompass the wide range of skills necessary to run a charter operation. We’re entering our second year, and we’ve found such fun in it and have done a variety of things I couldn’t have conceived of before we started, like engagement and elopement photoshoots, and we’re looking forward to seeing what this summer season holds and sharing our beautiful Cape Fear River with more folks from around the state and the world. 

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way? Looking back, would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
A smooth sea never made a skilled sailor, and for us, at least, that maxim has held true. The challenges are sometimes with the physical environment we operate in – the weather is always a factor, and our guests seldom enjoy sailing in the rain or when it’s blowing thirty knots, so it’s up to me to outguess what Mother Nature is going to do any particular day to ensure our guests have a comfortable and enjoyable experience. Then there are challenges with maintenance- salt water, even brackish water, is corrosive, and sunlight degrades sailcloth quickly. Our boat just turned sixty years old last year, which we think gives her a unique character and style you can’t find anywhere else, but that means keeping her going as time works against her and giving her the best we can so she can keep sailing when she turns one hundred. But throughout it all, Claudia and I have worked as an excellent team and met every squall that has darkened the horizon. 

As you know, we’re big fans of The Wilmington Sailing Company. For our readers who might not be as familiar, what can you tell them about the brand?
We offer custom charters and daysails aboard our classic sailing yacht, S/V MAIA, on the wild waters of the Cape Fear River. Where and when we sail depends on tide and wind, but guests can expect scenic views of the historic Port City of Wilmington as well as the nature which surrounds it – it’s not uncommon to see alligators, ospreys, dolphins, herons and egrets, and sturgeon as we sail along. Most folks book us for a two- or three-hour daysail or sunset cruise, which can accommodate private groups of up to six people, but we also offer custom itineraries and specialty cruises. One of our most popular options is for people to hire us as the setting for a photoshoot, whether for an engagement or an elopement. MAIA is a mid-century-era sailing yacht designed by one of the best names in the business, Thomas Gillmer, and is very photogenic. We are the sailing company on the river with the most experience – before we started this business, I worked as a captain for the company which had been doing it longest before us (which no longer exists). This experience has given us a local knowledge of the area which is invaluable, both for the safety and the entertainment of our guests. 

Is there any advice you’d like to share with our readers who might just be starting out?
Just know it’s a long road, but it’s worth it. It took me ten years working as a captain on my own and other people’s boats in many different situations and circumstances to learn both seamanship and the ins and outs of the business aspect of it, and five years of owning my own boat to feel that she was worthy of charter and that I could handle her in any conditions that Nature could throw at us. It takes patience and careful study to be able to sail safely, which is what you have to do when people hire you and put their trust into you. I never forget that people’s lives are in my hands every time I go out, and so I treat the craft with the respect it deserves. But the freedom and the confidence that comes with that knowledge and ability are worth the time and lessons you had to learn the hard way. There’s no substitute for time spent out on the water and study of the craft. 

Pricing:

• Private Charter Daysail (Up to Six Passengers) – $300/2hrs, $100 per additional hour.
• Please inquire for custom itineraries.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.sailwilmington.com
• Instagram: www.instagram.com/sailwilmington/

Image Credits
The Chase Collective
Claudia Crook