Raised in the small mining towns of northern Ontario, Derek found his interest in all things ocean watching Mike Nelson on Sea Hunt, the 1950s television series. While backpacking in Europe in 1972, Derek was offered his first position as crew on a pre-war wooden cutter bound for Brazil. It was during this voyage that his passion came to life. Derek learned navigation and seamanship during his time at sea, and his talents have grown exponentially ever since.

By 1986, Derek had owned two sailing vessels of his own and spent 12 years cruising the Caribbean and Pacific Islands. Derek then captained sailing yachts up to 80 feet, both privately owned and by charter, and has delivered vessels to all corners of the globe.

He has logged over 175,000 nautical miles and completed seven trans-Atlantic and three trans-Pacific crossings. In 2002 Derek began a new chapter as a yacht broker, working for a local brokerage in Fort Lauderdale. It wasn't long before Derek's knowledge and expertise brought him to the forefront as the "go-to guy" for sailing vessels within the firm. Honest, easygoing, and knowledgeable are a few of the adjectives previous clients have used to describe Derek. He now hopes to help you achieve the dream he has lived.