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. This extensive experience has shaped his commitment to yachting advocacy, and he frequently shares his insights through yachting consultants' advice on safe practices and efficient yachting planning. 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 aim to safely guide people into the yacht cruising lifestyle by sharing the benefits of our extensive experience as yachting consultants. Our goal is to assist anyone looking to acquire an offshore cruising sailboat and embark on the adventure of their lifetimes. Just as with all complex ventures, effective yachting planning involves knowing the right way to do things versus the expensive way. We provide expert yachting advocacy to ensure that people follow the safest and most enjoyable path, which is also the least costly.
Our Services
Our services focus on yachting advocacy by helping people avoid costly mistakes, ensuring maximum safety and enjoyment on the water. We provide yachting consultants advice in four main areas: Vessel Selection and Evaluation, Contract & Price Negotiation, Offshore Outfitting Management, and Safety and Systems Training, all essential components of effective yachting planning.
Vessel Selection & Evaluation
We offer thoughtful yachting advocacy to help with vessel selection, as making a poor choice can lead to significant costs. Our yachting consultants provide expert advice, leveraging insight into major market resale values to guide clients toward international markets where they can find vessels tailored to their preferences or benefit from favorable foreign exchange rates. This strategic yachting planning ensures that clients make informed decisions that align with their goals.
Contract & Price Negotiation
As a former corporate chief executive, I have extensive experience in both domestic and international contract negotiations. I am familiar with beneficial offshore legal structures and law firms that possess expertise in this area, should yachting advocacy be necessary. Often, the simple involvement and presence of a third party industry expert can greatly improve the process, especially when seeking yachting consultants advice or navigating yachting planning.
Offshore Outfitting
We provide yachting consultants advice when outfitting new vessels and assess the life-cycles of existing gear and equipment inventories for used vessels. Our expertise includes advising on the type, suitability, and requirements of specific equipment based on the yachting planning needs tied to the conditions anticipated across various voyaging regions. It's important to note that some countries will not issue clearance documents for private vessels that do not comply with their minimum requirements.
Safety & Systems Training
An honest evaluation of a vessel's seaworthiness for offshore sailing must include an assessment of the operator's requisite skills, qualifications, and experience. As yachting consultants, we provide valuable advice in this regard, but we do not replace the training that should be provided by qualified professionals. If needed, we can refer interested parties to excellent schools and programs worldwide, further supporting yachting advocacy and effective yachting planning.
How We Work
People come to offshore cruising with varying levels of experience, so we strive to fill individual knowledge gaps and provide yachting consultants advice tailored to your specific concerns. Please contact us to receive a questionnaire that will help determine how we might best assist you with your yachting planning needs. After reviewing your responses, we will schedule a Zoom conference to discuss your requirements further. We offer both flat rate and hourly plans based on your preferences.
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 Alden 48 ketch, Robinhood, he was a young English lad who'd sailed offshore more miles than I had, but beyond that I didn't know very much about him. By the end of the first summer we spent cruising the coast of New England he had demonstrated maturity beyond his years and proved very capable and responsible, thereby earning both my wife's and my complete trust in him. Therefore, we didn't hesitate to let him take our treasured sailboat to Bermuda and the Caribbean for the winter. We were confident he had the skills and leadership qualities to safely manage the vessel and the crew, even though was only 21 years old. He successfully handled all aspects of operating Robinhood, from commissioning, refits, maintenance and navigation until we sold the boat several years later.
Steven Wald, Robinhood.
