Jon Fitzgerald
Jon, 47 is the principal skipper of Thunderbird of Rhu. He began his sailing career teaching dingy sailing and windsurfing on the Forth before moving West to the Clyde and into bigger boats. He has been racing and running sail boats ever since, from the early days on E boats and Oyster 41's, 3/4 tonners and one tonners to more recently a thirteen year career at the front of the Sigma 33 fleet, and, competing in the national championships on six occassions, finishing with 4, 4, 2, 1, 1, 2. Jon has also dabbled in the Soling Class with podium finishes at the national championships on three occassions and winning the Scottish championships twice. He has also ventured further offshore having competed in the Arc race six times since 1987 finishing in the top ten in class on each occasion and actually winning overall in 2002. Jon was also invited in 1995 and again in 1996 to skipper one of the Scottish entries in the Teachers Round Britain Race, the team finished 2nd on both occassions.
Professionally, since the early days as a sailing instructor Jon has also worked as a rigger and project manager at Silvers Marine, a Sales Area Manager for International Paint and a ten year stint running Oban Yachts and Marine Services on the Island of Kerrera. On leaving Kerrera in 2004 Jon took on the job of skippering Drum, a 77' Whitbread Maxi yacht from 1984, currently owned by Sir Arnold Clark and previously owned by Simon le Bon of Duran Duran. After a major refit in the winter of 2004 she completed in the 2005 Fastnet Race with Simon le Bon and his original crew of 20years ago, aboard. Leaving Drum in January 2006 Jon flew out to San Diago to collect a Javelin 75' which he then sailed to Antigua, back to Scotland for a refit, back to Antigua again and then left her in the Med in the summer of 2007. Since then most of Jon's sailing has been concentrated on Thunderbird.
Over the years Jon has collected qualifications in the teaching of dingy sailing, windsurfing, power boating and yachting. He is currently a qualified Yachtmaster Offshore (since 1984) with both instructors and commercial endorsements.
