Captain Jesse Clinton, a distinguished maritime professional from Savannah, GA, brings a wealth of expertise to the yachting industry and is passionately invested in its future. Raised aboard his family’s sailboat, he became captivated by the grandeur of superyachts early on, recalling the first time he witnessed a newly launched Feadship on the Savannah River at age 12. His career has spanned a diverse array of maritime experiences, including teaching traditional sailing and Marlinspike Seamanship on the tall-ship circuit, crewing on elite private and chartered vessels, and competing in numerous coastal and offshore regattas.
After relocating to Fort Lauderdale at 18, he moved quickly up the ranks, and at age 21, took the helm of a 141-foot Broward Marine yacht. By 25, he became the Captain of M/Y AVALON, the 151-foot Delta Marine, expertly navigating the Caribbean, Central America, the Bahamas, and the Eastern seaboard. Consistently demonstrating exemplary leadership, operational excellence, exceptional service delivery, extensive port knowledge, and an unwavering commitment to safety, his professional acumen is further evidenced by his impeccable safety record.
Now in his tenth year with the same owner, he recalls how they met just in the nick of time. “He was so unhappy with his ‘owner experience’,” Clinton recalls, “that he was thinking about selling and leaving yachting completely.” He convinced him that he could create a positive culture within budget and incentivize the crew through Clinton’s innovative crew retention program. Now, he’s added Fleet Captain to his resume, overseeing six vessels and a major refit of the fleet’s newest addition, an F&S Sportfish.
In addition to his professional achievements, Captain Clinton is dedicated to advancing the maritime industry, assisting the launch of the non-profit Sea Corps, which aims to educate American seamen and women about opportunities in the commercial and yachting sectors.
When the Fort Lauderdale-based Captain isn’t sailing, he’s building a mini real estate empire through his private equity group, Leeward Capital, a boutique private equity group offering investment opportunities in commercial real estate. “Being a Captain has given me a place to meet, learn from, and build upon relationships with titans of every industry,” he says. “That wouldn’t have happened if it weren’t for yachting.”
