CREW PROFILE

Captain Peter Pexton

Widely considered one of the most experienced and respected charter captains, Peter Pexton has logged more than 160,000 sea miles since embarking on his sailing career in the late 1970s. He holds an MCA Class 4 (unlimited) Certificate of Competence, Master’s Qualification, signifying his ability to captain any yacht of up to 3,000 tons. 

When he was a boy, Peter and his family built their own 45-foot sloop from bare hull and sailed it from South Africa to the Caribbean and on to the Mediterranean. In more recent years, he has circumnavigated the world, made more than a dozen Atlantic crossings, and has overseen major refits on large vessels. He has spent considerable time sailing the waters of Britain, the Mediterranean, Northern Europe, the entire Caribbean, and New England, and has raced in Europe the US.

Peter has a BS in geology and previously worked as an exploration geologist for Shell Oil Company and an environmental earth scientist for Dames and Moore. His heritage is British, but he grew up in South Africa where his father was a wildlife photographer. Peter has many wonderful memories of traveling all over southern Africa with him on photo safaris, and he continues to be dedicated to wildlife conservation. When time allows, he enjoys golf and all water sports, including windsurfing and scuba diving (he is open-water PADI certified). He takes special pleasure in sharing the fun of dinghy sailing with his wife and three children when he is able to spend time at home in Newport, Rhode Island. Peter’s solid seamanship and expert boat-handling skills, coupled with well-founded confidence and a naturally gracious manner, make him a thoroughly professional skipper. As your personable host as well as the captain, he will see that your interlude aboard Titan XIV is exceptional in every way.

1st Mate: Ross Palmer

Ross was born in Scotland but grew up in England. While traveling in Australia, he strated working on yachts in the Witsunday, Great Barrier Reef area of Queensland. He was 20 years old at the time. On returning to the UK, Ross decided to pursue sailing as a career. he obtained his "Yacht Master Certificate" then joined the large sailing vessel "Islander" as a Deckhand. He spent two years working on the "Islander" in the Mediterranean, Caribbean and East Coast of the USA.  Ross went back to Martitime College in the UK after his time aboard "Islander". Here he completed the necessary courses and obtained his officer of the watch certification. Ross joined "Titan XIV" as the 1st Mate in June 2007 in the Mediterranean. "Titan XIV" has a very busy program and Ross is an excellent team player who enjoys chartering, meeting new people and visiting new exciting destinations. He intends to continue his career in Yachting and become a CAPTAIN IN THE FUTURE.    

Brian Donahoe Chef American

Brian has come to the Titan XIV after 6 years of working as a chef in restaurants and Hotels. The majority of his work has been in New York and Chicago areas.

He is a graduate of the well known “Culinary Institute of America”.Companies he has worked for include; the historic Mohonk Mountain House in upstate New York and the acclaimed “Japonais Restaurant “ in Chicago. He has worked extensively in Asian Restaurants, several Hotels and catering companies.His interest in sail boat racing and cruising has drawn him to this industry, where he wants to combine his passion for cooking and working on the water

Engineer: John Stier

John hails from Baton Rouge, Louisiana where he started sail boat  racing aschild and cruised the Gulf Coast with his parents.After University he moved to New York where he raced extensively in the Eastchester Bay Series. After doing his first delivery from Greece to the Caribbean he decided to join the yachting industry full time. On completing various engineering and deck courses he entered the industry. John has been aboard "Titan XIV" for two Caribbean seasons, a Mediterranean season and two Atlantic crossings. His interests outside sailing are diving, surfing, fishing and playing the banjo.

Stewardess: Holly Gauthier American

 Holly specializes in high quality guest service with a warm and gracious demeanor. It is her pleasure to ensure that your vacation be an amazing and carefree experience. Raised in Jamestown, Rhode Island, Holly grew up racing small sailboats in Newport. She then attended Stetson University in Florida and studied abroad on a schooner, sailing and scuba diving throughout the Caribbean. After graduating in ‘04, Holly served as a schoolteacher for two years, but her love of the ocean, travel, and meeting people brought her back to the yachting industry. Her hospitality experience includes work in high-end restaurants, florists, and many yachts up to 127’, including Areti I. She blends this diverse knowledge with her pleasant and accommodating nature to provide ultimately thoughtful and detail-oriented guest service. Holly is very excited to join the Titan XIV crew and looks forward to creating a memorable and enjoyable vacation experience for her guests!

Stewardess: Danielle Mendelson

Danielle joined "Titan XIV" in October 2007. She has completed two Atlantic crossings; one aboard a 62 Foot Catamaran and the other aboard "Titan XIV". She has worked aboard a charter catamaran in the Mediterranean prior to joining "Titan" in Palma.  Danielle grew up in Southern California and graduated from the University of California, Santa Barbra. After running a thriving restaurant on the coats of Bodega Bay, California she moved to St. Maarten to pursue her love of the sea. Here she worked for a year at a Scuba diving center. She is currently working on her dive Master Certificate. Her goals are to one day own and operate her own dive business and to work in marine conservation.