Meet the Crew!

21 Apr Meet the Crew!

Patrick Connor

When I reached high school age, I made the decision to move to Alaska and live with close family friends. My parents weren’t staying in one place long enough for a consistent school experience, and I wanted the chance to attend high school in a more stable environment. I spent the winters in Valdez studying and shoveling snow, then flew out to meet my family wherever their latest project had them—usually in some tropical corner of the world. That rhythm taught me adaptability, independence, and an unwavering love for the water.

Patrick (right) showing Rob (left) through the engine room

After graduating, I chose trade school over college and enrolled at the Northwest School of Wooden Boatbuilding. It was a perfect fit. I earned my degree, honed my craftsmanship, and discovered that when I’m passionate about something, learning becomes second nature.

Since then, I’ve built a career around the water. I’ve worked as a shipwright, a marine mechanic, a sailing and powerboating instructor, and have led waterfront education programs. My experience spans wooden and composite construction, engine maintenance, welding, vessel operation, and project management. I’ve also overseen shop operations, maintained entire fleets, and worked on high-end refits and new builds—everything from 70-foot performance cruisers to 100-foot expedition catamarans.

Alongside that, I’ve taught kids and adults how to sail, led youth boatbuilding programs, and found a real passion for working with students who don’t thrive in traditional settings. Sharing hands-on skills and seeing someone light up with confidence is a major reason I do what I do.

I’ve captained yacht deliveries, charted offshore passages, and currently hold a 100-ton USCG Master’s license with sail and tow endorsements. I’m also certified in US Sailing Levels 1 through 3, as well as US Powerboating instruction.

With all that history, people often ask me what really keeps me coming back to this life. And what I can tell you is this: there’s something about being out on the water—away from the noise and pace of everything—in your own floating fortress and home, that just feels right. Late-night watches, when it’s quiet and you’re the only one awake with the stars—that’s a feeling that sticks with you. You get a lot of time to think, to observe, and to appreciate the small things. There’s always a sense of purpose, of movement, and of figuring things out as you go. It’s not always easy, but it’s rewarding in a way few other things are.

More recently, I’ve been working with Don as his co-captain and engineer aboard Starr. It’s been an incredible opportunity—not just to learn from Don’s deep experience, but also to revisit some of the places I’ve cruised before. I’m sure I’ll be sharing more soon as we continue exploring the South Pacific, but for now, I hope this gives you a good idea of what keeps me drawn to life on the water and my ongoing journey in the maritime world.

Margaret Pommert

Hi! My name’s Margaret Pommert.

Margaret standing watch in air-conditioned comfort!

I’m based in Seattle. Like the rest of the crew, I’m a sailor who’s now a power cruiser too. Learning to sail as a teenager, I became an avid racer, cruiser, 100-ton master and logged more than 45,000 sea miles. A long-time sailing and powerboating instructor and instructor trainer, I’m honored to teach Ensigns at the US Naval Academy in Annapolis to be Basic Sail Training Instructors. They, in turn, teach the entire class of freshmen (Plebes) how to sail small keelboats.

I’m The Sailing Foundation’s V.P. for Safety at Sea, teaching ‘man overboard’ rescue and organizing the US Sailing International Offshore Hands-on training in the Pacific NW.  I chair the US Sailing Arthur B. Hanson Rescue Medal Committee; an award given to someone who has saved, or tried to save, a life at sea. As an advocate for getting more women active in boating, I was honored with the National Women’s Sailing Association/BoatUS National Leadership in Women’s Sailing award.

My offshore cruising experience on sailboats includes a Pacific Crossing, and my power cruising experience includes many years as co-leader of the Waggoneer Cruising Guide’s flotilla up the Inside Passage to Alaska. But this is my first offshore passage on a power cruiser. I love it!

Rob Hurlow

I came to sailing as a 4 -year-old, watching fearfully from the cabin while my parents learned to sail their 23 -foot wooden Cub class, the Panda.  I got to see all the drama and fire drills in the early phase of sailing life. Our family moved through several boats over the years, a Pearson Triton, Cal 34 and a Bombay 44.  My father became enchanted with the idea of sailing the Victoria Maui race and somehow got both of us on Pearson 43 for the 1970 race.  I was fifteen and became hooked on ocean sailing. I later sailed the 1972 and 1980 Vic Maui races and skippered the boat home in 1980.  We later sailed our 44- footer, named Jester, to Baha and I saw what the cruising life was like, and that was the end of offshore racing for me.

Rob hard at work in Starr’s galley

My wife, Kathleen, also a physician, and I sailed off from Seattle in 1988, 3 weeks after getting married, in Jester. Our first stop was Hilo, Hawaii. It was a good trial by fire for us both.  Jester was a pretty bare bones boat at the time. We did celestial navigation, had no fridge or roller furling, and only a HAM/SSB for communication. We sailed to New Zealand and back to Fiji when we learned number one son was on the way. That trip ended quickly at that point

Moving forward to 2001 we took our 3 boys, ages 6,8 and 10, and sailed from the US to NZ by way of the Galapagos Islands.  I was able to work as a physician in a hospital in NZ, and we were able to extend our trip to 2 ½ years. We had bought a new boat by then, a Perry custom 48 ft ketch, called Capaz.  We sold her on returning to Seattle, and she has been to the South Pacific 3 times since.

In 2018 we started a new journey on our second Capaz, a custom 50-foot steel cutter made in New Zealand. We began the North Pacific Loop with legs to Hawaii, Marshall Islands, Micronesia and Japan by way of Guam.  We had to leave Capaz in Japan during Covid, and, after cruising Japan for 2 years we sailed from Northern Japan across the Aleutian Island to Kodiak, Alaska, where she is on the hard waiting for our next adventure this coming summer. We have been “commuter” cruising, leaving our boat for 4-6 months to return home and work and see our family.

I love offshore sailing. At the age of 70, I am not sure how many big passages I will make. When Don asked me to help move Starr from Honolulu to Fiji, I couldn’t resist seeing what life on a large power yacht was like. So far, our trip has been amazing, with good seas and weather, a great crew and an incredibly well-maintained boat.

I am not sure what it will be like to pull into port in Fiji with an anchorage full of sailors, all wondering just a little bit what life is like on the dark side. I can tell them:  it is not bad!

Related posts:

Rowing Starr (Just Kidding) Mainland Coast of Mexico: Puerto Vallerta to Barra de Navidad – December 17, 2000-January 18, 2001 Seattle to Mexico – November, 2000 Seattle, Washington – September, 2000