Team Profile JACO BRAND Vesseltec Service Co-ordinator
With 15 years of commercial sailing experience and 8 years as a full-time skipper / engineer on Lagoon Catamarans in the Caribbean, Jaco brings in an abundance of relative experience with a calm and approachable demeanour. With strengths in planning and detail, Jaco is a valuable member of the Vesseltec Service Team.
Based at Vesseltec’s Church Point location in Sydney’s Northern Beaches, Jaco has been drawn to this area known for its beaches, sailing, kiteboarding and mountain biking.
“To live in an area where trails and beaches are just a walk or short drive from home is a dream come true. I enjoy the natural surroundings and sharing these experiences with my family.”
Originally from Stellenbosch, South Africa, Jaco grew up near the coastline and enjoyed surfing most days with friends in Cape Town and along the Garden Route.
The sometimes fierce weather conditions required planning and concentration, forging Jaco’s love and respect for the ocean.
Jaco began working as a deckhand on charter yachts based out of The Waterfront in Cape Town. This soon lead to a position delivering brand new catamarans from Cape Town to charter locations around the world such as Mallorca, Croatia, Mexico, Panama Canal, British Virgin Islands, Germany, Spain, Greece, Palma, Ibiza, Italy, USA, Bahamas, and down the Caribbean island chain to Grenada.
With 6 Atlantic Crossings and many other long sails under his belt by the age of 23, Jaco was now a commercially qualified skipper internationally and has had plenty of interesting experiences at sea.
“Working for Vesseltec has allowed me to put my knowledge and skills developed over the past 15 years to use in a land based position.”
Next, Jaco spent almost a decade running sailing catamarans, based in the Caribbean’s British Virgin Islands where he lived and worked onboard a Lagoon Catamaran for many years.
Through this time onboard, a deep understanding of how these fantastic sailing yachts sail and run was developed, everything became second nature.
“I am glad to be working for such a loyal and focused company, where the entire team is truly passionate about what they are doing.”
Now mostly into Mountain Biking, Jaco enjoys the focus, adrenaline and knowing where his personal limits lay… all while flying between the trees and over rocks on his bike with friends.
The planning and deep focus required to ride the trails is something he really enjoys – and being based in the bush, one of Jaco’s favourite aspects is the contrast to the tropical sailing life he has lived for so many years.
Jaco also enjoys snowboarding and visits Perisher on Australia’s Mount Kosciuszko annually with family. The cold and crisp fresh mountain air, combined with the motion of snowboarding down a mountain covered in snow is one of his favourite feelings, reminding him of that same connection with nature when surfing or mountain biking – being at one with the ocean or mountain.”
Jaco’s hobbies require focus, attention to planning and detail and timely responses – all while working in sometimes extreme weather conditions.
These are the qualities and attitudes that he brings to his work, combined with patience and care, always keeping his clients best interests in mind.
Jaco has proven to be a knowledgable, hardworking and reliable member of the Vesseltec Service Team, dedicated to providing TMG Eyachts and Eyachts clients with the best in after-sales service and support and enjoys being part of the team here in Sydney, Australia.
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