Simon Jinks
Director of SeaRegs Training and Plymouth Sailing School

Simon has a background in technical maritime journalism and writing in the marine press, including Yachting Monthly, Motorboat and Yachting and Motorboats Monthly. He was then a Chief Cruising Instructor for the RYA, managing the Yachtmaster programme for sail and motor vessels and RYA navigation and safety courses. This led him and his wife Vicky to launch SeaRegs Training over 10 years ago where Simon leads the development, design and delivery of marine training courses, the provision of safety, training and technical documentation and technical advice and consultation for vessels and organisations.

Vicky Jinks
Director of SeaRegs Training and Plymouth Sailing School

With a wealth of maritime experience both on and off the water, Vicky is a very competent dinghy and yacht skipper, and her career prior to SeaRegs included working for the International Sailing Federation (ISAF) and Olympic Solidarity, part of the International Olympic Committee.  Along with her husband, Simon, Vicky started SeaRegs training over 10 years ago and has navigated the company forward to now include over 10 employees and 4 boats.

Marion Anderson
Office Manager

Marion has lived in Plymouth since she was 11 months old but was born in Tortola, British Virgin Islands, as her parents were working there at the time. Her father built an 18-foot Sharpie sailing yacht when she was three, and Marion still sails her now. 

Marion has had a variety of different jobs mainly in admin/office roles. She has been with SeaRegs Training since February 2017 and has enjoyed seeing the company grow quite rapidly in that time.

Jen Roles
Maritime Training Coordinator

I have previously been working in various roles in the events/hospitality industry, so maritime is rather different! I have always loved being near or on the water. As a child, my Dad taught me to row on a family holiday in the lake district, and I’ve since enjoyed anything that involves a paddle – Kayaks are good, but paddle boards are better! My two children are starting to get used to the boards too.

At SeaRegs, I work part-time in the office (Monday to Thursday and every other Friday) to support the admin staff.

Rob Read
Maintenance Manager

Rob was born and bred in the scenic city of Plymouth, a true Janner at heart. With over two decades of experience at Babcock International as a Fitter/Turner, he transitioned to education, focusing on Marine Engineering and Welding/Fabrication. Most recently, he’s been imparting knowledge in Motor Vehicle and Design Technology at All Saints Academy.

Responsible for maintaining SeaRegs’ fleet of boats and facilities, Rob brings his engineering expertise and educational background to the team. When it comes to rugby and motorsports, particularly BTCC, Rob is your go-to. Less enthusiastic about football, he balances his interests with spending quality time with his wife, their two cockapoos, Charlie Bear and Ollie Bear, and his close-knit group of friends.

If you’re planning to take a course at SeaRegs, you’ll be greeted by Rob’s welcoming smile and unmistakable dulcet tones, ensuring your experience is as smooth as possible.

Peter Crudgington
Resource and Maintenance Assistant

Graham Walker
Chief Instructor

After a short Army career, Graham continued to pursue his passion for teaching and love of the water as a powerboat instructor in Salcombe. After a few years, and having graduated from Plymouth University with a degree in Building Surveying, Graham arrived at SeaRegs Training. 

When not on the water, Graham is a keen skier and outdoor sports enthusiast, who spends his time off the water up in the mountains or anywhere else an adventure may take him. 

Simon Chapman
Instructor and Curriculum Manager

Simon’s introduction to sailing started 40 odd years ago where he learned his craft on the idyllic Helford River near his home in Cornwall. A great believer in combining traditional techniques with modern technology, Simon is equally at home with technical subjects like RADAR and Electronic Chart Systems as he is practical boat handling, navigation & sailing skills at all levels. 

Classic sailing boats and stand-up paddleboards find their way into Simon’s life when he has some downtime along with continual development of his technology-based skills to find new ways to make life more rewarding. If you want someone who’s equally happy talking about the virtues of the gaff rig or the latest in cyber-security developments, Simon’s your man.

Daniel Cowler
Instructor & Compliance Manager

Danny’s career began in a small boat yard on the East Coast focusing on vessel repair, maintenance and rigging, which led to teaching sailing and powerboating for the Marine Society and Sea Cadets (MSSC). After acting as a freelance skipper on small workboats, Daniel moved into the offshore workboat sector where he quickly became a Master of international windfarm service vessels. This was followed by a move into the coastal and offshore towing industry.  Alongside this busy career, Daniel volunteered for the RNLI as a crew member based out of Walton on the Naze and Holyhead lifeboat stations.

Daniel is now a qualified marine surveyor and is approved by the MCA, so spends his time inspecting vessels for MCA code of practice compliance and teaching for SeaRegs.

Craig Young
Full Time Instructor

The majority of Craig’s time at sea has been in the sail training sector, both in the UK and further afield. He has skippered several traditional and modern rigged vessels of different sizes and sailed in the deck team on larger square-rigged vessels. Making a move to spend more time ashore, Craig spent some time working in the office for a sail training organisation, focussing on staff training and wellbeing, vessel compliance and the development of a safety management system before joining the SeaRegs team to develop his instructing skills and expand his knowledge of the industry in August 2022.

Craig is enthusiastic about all things in the maritime sector and just as engaged talking about changes to electronic charts or the effect of the human element on decision-making onboard as he is about high-speed RIB manoeuvres or sailing a topsail schooner off a quay. Away from work, he enjoys spending time walking in the mountains and finding excuses not to go running. One of Craig’s dreams is to spend more time ashore to get his own boat finally up and running and enjoy sailing for fun too.

Paul Cunningham
Freelance Instructor, teaching our MCA HELM (O), PSSR, Survival, Stability and Master 200 prep courses. Paul also teaches and assesses our AEC course and instructs navigation to ocean level

Paul started his career as a commercial fisherman (chief engineer). After 9 years at sea, he joined a firm of Marine Engineers as a Sales and Engineering Director.

Paul has gained numerous qualifications through the years and spends his time instructing, vessel surveying and compass adjusting. Relief Captain and/or deliveries of yachts and Superyachts to 3,000 tons. Marine Consultancy to a diverse selection of navigation and technical engineering companies within the marine market.

Bryan Mermagen
Freelance instructor; Powerboat and Motorboat, RYA Shore based Courses

Originally a climber and mountaineer, Bryan changed his career path in his mid-30’s when he started his adventure at Plymouth Sailing School.

After gaining his Dinghy certificate, his first excursion was to demonstrate to his wife his new skills by sailing up the river Tamar. Not having taken much notice of the tide lectures, he found himself trying to return home against a strong tide and dying wind, returning home 2 hours late.

Bryan built his confidence and experience by racing GP14’s, Laser’s and Sigma 33’s, as well as delivering vessels of all shapes and sizes.

Even as an instructor, he is still learning and the advances in technology and the unconquerable weather makes this industry a very rewarding sport and career. You’re never too old to start!

Thomas White
Freelance Instructor

James White
Freelance Instructor

Will Davies
Freelance Instructor

Will has been messing about in boats since he was around 10 years old, the Sea Cadets gave him a sound foundation in sailing, kayaking and diving. He studied marine sciences at university and gained his dinghy instructor and powerboat safety boat qualifications in order to work afloat during the summer breaks. 

After University in the late 90’s, Will joined the Royal Navy Reserve which provided lots of sea going opportunities and plenty of yachting through adventurous training. He met his wife through sailing and together bought a 37’ yacht in 2005 and spent 18 months journeying aboard from Plymouth to New Zealand. Upon return in 2007 he gained his Yachtmaster offshore sail and a while later his Cruising Instructor qualification. Since this time he has continued to gain experience and instruct the RYA cruising scheme under sail and power in a part time capacity while working full time in different maritime roles. 

From 2008 – 2011 he was the assistant harbour master at Falmouth and since 2011 has been a Technical Specialist and Skipper for the University of Plymouth where he skippered a range of work, research and dive vessels. 

Will still finds time to enjoy sailing with his wife and three children, and they spend their free time afloat along the South coast of Devon and Cornwall, the Isles of Scilly and the North coast of Brittany, and even managed to spoil the kids by taking a year out from school and work together in 2017 during which time they sailed together to the Caribbean and back, now they spend lots of time talking about when they can repeat such an experience together…

Philip Hammond
RYA Shore based instructor, London

Phil has spent his entire life in and around the River Thames. In 2017 he decided to leave his long-term management role in the City to follow his passion to work as well as play on the water. As a commercially endorsed Yachtmaster, holding the LKE for the River Thames, when not teaching in the classroom Phil can be found working on London’s busy stretch of water. As with many members of the SeaRegs’ team, Phil is a Sigma 33 enthusiast, co-owning and racing Woozle Hunter on the East Coast.

Rupert Goolden
RYA Powerboat Level 2 and First Aid Instructor

Rupert was introduced to sailing whilst on a family holiday in Cornwall. On leaving school he started a youth apprenticeship in sailing where he met Simon Jinks who was one of the Senior Instructors there at the time. Rupert has continued to work and study in the Outdoor Industry, studying to degree level and also working as Duty Manager of a water sports centre as well as leading overseas expeditions. Whilst taking groups overseas he undertook extra training in expedition medicine. Several years later he found himself back meeting Simon at SeaRegs working on a freelance basis.

Currently Rupert enjoys time on the water with his family, taking to the water in various craft be it sailing or power. 

Joe Lovelady
Freelance Instructor, MCA HELM (O), Stability and Master 200 prep courses

Joe was the Chief Admiralty Pilot for Plymouth, overseeing the safe passage of thousands of military, auxiliary and commercial craft, including the vast nuclear deterrent Vanguard Class submarines, in and out of city waters during his 41 years service.

Having previously served for five years with the Merchant Navy, Joe spent the latter 14 years working for the Queen’s Harbour Master as chief pilot at the Long Room port control station at Stonehouse.

Joe has worked his way up from working as a tug master on the much smaller tugs to shepherd to overseeing as the Chief Pilot the entire operation of assisting the largest vessels in the Royal Navy such as aircraft carriers and US Navy warships.

Jerry Webster
Freelance Instructor, teaching our ECDIS, SQA Radar, Crowd and Crisis Management, Security, PSSR, and VHF/SRC courses

Jerry first went to sea as a Cadet with the Cunard Steamship Company in 1977 he served on a variety of ships during his 4-year cadetship before taking his 2^nd Mates ticket in 1981. He moved to Rowbotham Tankships in 1982. The Company owned the largest fleet of coastal product & chemical tankers trading around the NW European continent, whilst there Jerry worked up from 3/O to Chief Officer, gaining his Masters Certificate in 1988.

After a couple of years ashore as Assistant Marine Operations Manager, he moved to P & O Ferries, running from Portsmouth to Le Havre & Cherbourg for 15 years, serving on conventional, cruise & HSC ferries, working up from 2/O to Master, gaining the first command in 1997.

Jerry had a short spell as a “Fleet Safety Specialist” with Northern Marine, undertaking ISM Auditing and Fleet Training on ro-ro vessels & VLCCs.

In 2008 Jerry joined Meridian Marine Management as Master serving on many of their ro-pax & ro-ro vessels in the Baltic, North Sea & English Channel and laterly Travemunde in Northern Germany to Ventspils in Latvia.

Brian Deacon
Powerboat Level 2 and Sailing Instructor

Brian caught the boating bug at age 13 when he was trusted with an Avon Inflatable and a 10hp mercury outboard. After spending his teens hooked on speedboats, he worked as a trainee instructor for the first dedicated ‘Motor Cruiser School’ until he was 18! Feeling the need to have a proper, job he trained as a teacher and then was drawn into a career in sales and marketing but was converted from “The Dark Side” to sailing in his mid-20s.

He finally navigated himself back to his passion when he left the corporate world to take up Sailing and Powerboating Instructing. From his Devon home, he seizes every opportunity to get on the water and loves to pass on his knowledge.

Chris Greatorex
Instructor

Peter French
Freelance Instructor Sail 

Ben Weedon
Freelance Instructor

Ben Weedon is a watch leader and instructor with the Fire Service he teaches our MCA First Aid courses. Ben is also an RYA SRC Assessor and Powerboat Instructor.

Antonia Joyce
Marketing Manager

Antonia has a great love of the sea. Having grown up dinghy sailing in Chichester harbour and working for the family marine electronics company, she enjoyed sailing and racing extensively around northern Europe and qualifying as a Coastal Skipper whilst at university. This was followed by a few years working as a chief stewardess on superyachts in the Mediterranean and Caribbean enabling her to get a couple of transatlantic crossings under her belt.

After working at global advertising agencies in London for far too many years, Antonia relocated to Devon in 2019, where she enjoys gig rowing, yacht racing and boating with her family and has now found her perfect job, marketing at SeaRegs training. You can contact her at antonia@searegs.co.uk.

Kerri Cuthbert
Media Manager

Kerri grew up in a small village called Stilton, in Cambridgeshire, where she spent much of her free time kayaking the many canals and exploring the Norfolk broads on canal boats with family and friends.

Whilst working for a global publisher as a graphic designer and photographer, the company decided to merge with their Exeter branch, and Kerri agreed to relocate to Devon in 2011, where she enjoys sea kayaking and spending time with her partner at his family boatyard, Blackness Marine in Dartmouth.

You can contact her at media@searegs.co.uk.