Stephen & Estelle’s Profiles

Stephen Cockcroft's Profile

Stephen Cockcroft has been sailing catamarans since 1975 and has been actively involved in the marine industry for twenty five years. He is formerly from South Africa and built his first ocean going yacht in his backyard on which he sailed 30,000NM and ended up in the USA where he now resides and is a citizen.

Stephen has been involved in every facet of the marine industry, ranging from owning a factory which manufactured the very successful and popular Island Spirit Catamaran, to co-owning the third largest charter company in the Caribbean and North America. He has represented many brands in the USA and has been involved in product development and customization of large catamarans for buyers. Stephen has operated his own brokerage house in the USA and is a licensed and bonded yacht and ship broker in the State of Florida.

He is an accomplished offshore catamaran sailor and has done multiple ocean voyages including the delivery of his own Island Spirit from Cape Town to Miami, a voyage of 7,000 NM. He has participated in offshore races on catamarans and most recently he won the Bahamas leg of the Caribbean 1500 on a Prout 50 which was diverted to Charleston because of bad weather. Stephen is an Instructor Examiner with the ASA and over the years has taught hundreds of people to sail catamarans as well as monohulls on live aboard courses in the Caribbean and the Bahamas.

Stephen and his wife Estelle have cruised about 50,000 NM aboard their ocean going yachts (Bruce Roberts 45, Island Spirit 401, Prout 45) and have visited more than 40 countries. They can be considered experts in the cruising lifestyle and understand the needs and specifications for a sucessful cruising yacht. Through their website www.catamaranguru.com and directly they are a continuing resource for all sailors as well as the customers and students that they have worked with.

Stephen has represented hundreds of buyers and sellers in transactions and with his vast experience of the international marine business, technical, financial, tax issues and contractual aspects, he is without a doubt the person you would want in your corner representing your interests when buying or selling a yacht.

 TESTIMONIALS 

Stephen Cockcroft

Licensed & Bonded Yacht & Ship Broker

Tel: 804 815 5054

Skype: stephencockcroft

Fax: 443 782 0208

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Stephen teaching a seaschool   Stephen winning a Mount Gay race!    Stephen involved in new construction

Stephen in the weather!            Stephen reeling in the big one!       Stephen's paradise

Estelle Cockcroft's Profile

Estelle Cockcroft is known to her friends as the yacht gypsy...the girl with the crazy hair and even crazier personality, who is always on the move. A South African native, she has for almost 19 years been traveling the globe as a contemporary "yachty" combining her love for the freedom of boating and travel with adventure trips, travel writing, cooking, fashion designing and catamaran sales.

She has been intimately involved in the boating business for many years with her husband, from the building process of catamarans to selling and managing them in the Caribbean and the USA and teaching sailing. Before her life as the entrepid sailor, she worked as a fashion designer for the houses of Hang Ten and Gossard, designing swimwear and luxury lingerie...a preparation of sorts for the life as a sailor / diver...? 

She has sailed close to 50 000 nautical miles with Stephen in remote and exotic locations around the world...and her latest "love interest" is riding their Victory motorcycle in some of the most spectacular places in the USA. She's thrilled to share her experiences and knowledge with a growing community of women in sailing. As a qualified ASA captain and sailing instructor, she has helped many tentative sailors take the plunge into the exciting world of sailing and adventure. She loves helping people prepare to venture out into the world and live their travel dreams!

Estelle is passionate about cultural preservation and sustainable travel, movements that she feels are crucial for our time. She's always looking out for her next challenge, and has tested her nerves and muscles in a variety of ways. The freedom and independence of the sailing lifestyle suits her personality as a free spirit. She has no "home" in the traditional sense because according to her '...life is a journey and the journey is her home..." 

Estelle at the office                      Estelle in Thailand                        Estelle's Land transport

Estelle doing sail training                 Estelle test sailing Zuri                   Estelle with Siyaya in the snow!

Stephen & Estelle's Bios