Peter Cullum
Pete is a former professional yacht captain and corporate CEO in the medical device field who has sailed more than 150,000 miles around the globe over the past 50 years, including a year-long sailing 'sabbatical' with his wife and children. Recently, he became a member of the prestigious International Association of Cape Horners in recognition of his double-handed 9,000-mile passage around Cape Horn. Pete holds RYA Yachtmaster Offshore CoC and STCW 2010 certification and has been a racing navigator and sailing coach throughout his adult life.
Our Mission
We help aspiring sailors safely transition into the cruising lifestyle by sharing our extensive yachting experience. Our goal is to guide you through acquiring an offshore cruising sailboat and embarking on the adventure of a lifetime. Effective planning means doing things right the first time—avoiding costly mistakes. We provide the expert advice needed to ensure your journey is safe, enjoyable, and financially smart.
Our Services
Our services focus on helping people avoid capital intensive mistakes ensuring maximum personal safety, and enjoyment on the water. We provide advisory services in four main areas:
Vessel Selection and Evaluation
Contract & Price Negotiation
Offshore Outfitting Management
Safety and Systems Training
Vessel Selection & Evaluation
Selecting the right vessel or builder is a critical first step. A poor choice can result in significant long term financial loss and frustration. We leverage deep insights into international market resale values and favorable foreign exchange rates in order to guide you towards ideal vessels or global builders where necessary. Our strategic planning ensures you make an informed decision that perfectly aligns with your specific cruising goals.
Contract & Price Negotiation
As a former corporate CEO I bring extensive experience in both domestic and international contract negotiations. I am deeply familiar with beneficial offshore legal structures and the specialized law firms that handle them. Often, simply introducing a third-party industry expert into the process dramatically improves negotiations, safeguards your interests, and ensures a seamless transaction.
Offshore Outfitting
We provide expert guidance when outfitting new vessels and perform thorough lifecycle assessments on existing gear for pre-owned boats. Our expertise ensures your equipment is perfectly suited for the specific weather and sea conditions of your intended cruising grounds. Crucially, our advice will keep you compliant with international laws; many countries will deny exit clearance to private vessels that fail to meet their specific safety and equipment mandates.
Safety & Systems Training
A seaworthy boat is only half the equation; the operator must be equally prepared for offshore sailing. We help you honestly assess your current skills, qualifications, and gaps in experience. While we offer strategic advice on crew readiness, we are not a training school. Instead, we connect clients with world-class maritime academies and instructors to bridge any training gaps safely.
How We Work
No matter where you are on your sailing journey, we meet you there with customized guidance built around your exact concerns. If you're ready to take the next step, reach out today for our introductory questionnaire. After reviewing your details, we'll hop on a Zoom call to chart a course to cruising the world with confidence.
We offer both flat-rate and hourly options to suit your preferred way of working with us.
Pete celebrating a lovely Cape Horn rounding after Storm Force 10 conditions the night before.
Gary's First Offshore Passage & Caribbean Racing
Gary's First Offshore Passage & Caribbean Racing
Gary's First Offshore Passage & Caribbean Racing
I had the pleasure of sailing with Pete during the 2023 Heineken Race Week in St
Maarten. During the races and throughout the week he was an excellent mentor and coach. He is very knowledgeable and has tons of sailing experience. His has the rare ability to share his knowledge in a straightforward, matter of fact manner that made learning
I had the pleasure of sailing with Pete during the 2023 Heineken Race Week in St
Maarten. During the races and throughout the week he was an excellent mentor and coach. He is very knowledgeable and has tons of sailing experience. His has the rare ability to share his knowledge in a straightforward, matter of fact manner that made learning from him easy and very enjoyable while racing. He is always positive and his demeanor lends itself to being a natural coach and mentor. He will certainly be an asset to any crew or boat he is sailing on. I subsequently jumped at the opportunity to sail with again on my first offshore passage which was between Grenada and Chesapeake Bay on Pete's Bavaria 50, Aqualibra.
Gary MacMillan
Deja Vu
CS Yachts 40
Alja's First Caribbean Racing Experience
Gary's First Offshore Passage & Caribbean Racing
Gary's First Offshore Passage & Caribbean Racing
As the only woman in an all male crew Pete found assignments that would challenge me to unlock my potential fully aware of the need to make sure I would be safe and not overwhelmed in situations where physical strength required that someone else take over at times. He always made me and others feel capable of pulling our weight and be a f
As the only woman in an all male crew Pete found assignments that would challenge me to unlock my potential fully aware of the need to make sure I would be safe and not overwhelmed in situations where physical strength required that someone else take over at times. He always made me and others feel capable of pulling our weight and be a fully integrated member of the team. It was such a fun trip! My husband and I learned so much and because of this great experience we got more interested in getting into racing this season.
Alja Daum
Swan 48 - Avocation
Sasha's & Anne's First Offshore Passage/Race
Gary's First Offshore Passage & Caribbean Racing
Sasha's & Anne's First Offshore Passage/Race
Dear Pete,
I hope this letter finds you well. I wanted to take a moment to express my heartfelt appreciation for the delightful experience that Anne, myself, and the rest of the group had during our time together. Your mentorship, kindness, and genuine character have made a lasting impression on all of us.
You truly are an amazing mentor an
Dear Pete,
I hope this letter finds you well. I wanted to take a moment to express my heartfelt appreciation for the delightful experience that Anne, myself, and the rest of the group had during our time together. Your mentorship, kindness, and genuine character have made a lasting impression on all of us.
You truly are an amazing mentor and an exceptionally nice and kind person. The term "mensch" in German perfectly encapsulates the depth of our admiration for you. Your guidance and support throughout our sailing and racing adventures have been invaluable, and we are immensely grateful for the opportunity to learn from you.
Anne and I are eagerly looking forward to seeing you again soon. We cherish the memories we've created together and eagerly anticipate many more years of shared sailing and racing adventures. The camaraderie and joy we experience when we're out on the water with you are truly irreplaceable.
Once again, Pete, thank you for being an incredible mentor and a true friend. We are grateful for your presence in our lives and for the countless memories we've created together. We look very much forward to seeing you soon.
Warmest regards,
Sasha
Dr. Alexander Tarakofsky
Mara, Apogee 50
When I hired Peter to skipper our 48-foot ketch, Robinhood, he was a young English lad who had sailed more offshore miles than I had, but beyond that, I didn't know very much about him. By the end of our first summer cruising the New England coast, he had demonstrated maturity well beyond his years, proving exceptionally capable and responsible. He earned my wife’s and my complete trust. Because of this, we didn't hesitate to hand over our treasured sailboat for him to take to Bermuda and the Caribbean for the winter. We were completely confident in his offshore skills and leadership qualities to safely manage both the vessel and the crew. He successfully handled every facet of operating Robinhood—from initial commissioning, refits, and maintenance to coastal and celestial navigation—until we sold the boat several years later."— Steven Wald, Owner of S/V Robinhood
