Letter of Recommendation S/V "Blue Dog Cat" - JAN CLUISTRA

Michael Kinghorn
4201 N. Ocean Blvd. C-607
Boca Raton, Florida, 33431
561-367-0570
February 11,2006
To Whom It May Concern:
In my career as a high school principal I have been privileged to work with a lot of good and capable people. John Cluistra is as conscientious and knowledgeable as anyone I have known.
He was the delivery captain in my passage from Cape Town, South Africa to Boca Raton, Florida. This was an ocean journey of approximately 8,000 nautical miles through the South Atlantic, the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic. Throughout those 43 days (and nights) John was altogether confident and competent in all the tasks of a captain.
Whatever was amiss on the boat, John had a solution from a broken main halyard to loose plumbing fixtures. He was so conscientious; in fact, he seemed to take responsibility for the wind. If it wasn't blowing from the direction or speed needed, John seemed to even take responsibility for that. He searched weather patterns and currents to put us in the right position throughout the trip. As a result we passed through storms, doldrums and winds on our bow without missing our projected E.T.A. for any of our projected landfalls.
In addition to his own competence he is an excellent mentor. He had previously provided the instruction and leadership to make our first mate, Grant Gerard, an excellent delivery captain in his own right. Throughout the journey he eased me and my wife, Jane, into our own high level of confidence and sailing competence. This was done with gentle understanding of our concerns and inexperience.
Finally he is an interesting and affable person who provided good company. I have the highest regard for John Cluistra as a delivery captain and a person and give him my unqualified recommendation in every regard.
Sincerely,
Michael Kinghorn
Scanned from signed original, Cape Town, November 2008