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Alan and Joyce launched their first sailboat in 1974 on Lake Champlain NY. Twenty eight years and six boats later they opened their business, Beachcomber Charters LLC, during the summer of 2002. They have sailed on Lake Ontario, through the entire New York State canal system, the Hudson River, Long Island Sound, the New England Coast, the West Coast of Florida and the Caribbean. In 1998 they purchased the 'Mystic Jitney,' a 40 foot motorsailer. They spent the next two years overhauling the boat and restoring the interior. During the summers they lived on the boat accompanied by ship's dog, Sparky, in their home port of Mystic CT and ran private day sail charters on Fisher's Island Sound . They spent the fall of 2004 traveling the ICW to Florida.

In addition to 'Mystic Jitney ' they now own 'Island Girl' a Leopard 40 catamaran in Marsh Harbor, Abaco, Bahamas. 'Island Girl' is available for weekly crewed charters out of Marsh Harbor. During the winter Alan and Joyce sail the east coast of Florida and the Keys aboard 'Mystic Jitney' when they are not entertaining charter customers aboard 'Island Girl' in the Bahamas.

During the summer and fall, Alan and Joyce reside in a 18th century farmhouse , recently designated a historic landmark in the town of Malta NY. It has been an on-going restoration project since they purchased it in 1971. Their daughter, Emma, and two chidren, William and Sydney, live nearby.

In April 2007 Alan graduated from the Chapman School of Surveying in Stuart FL and was accepted into Alpha Beta Kappa Honor Society. He recently completed the Standards Accreditation course offered by the American Boat & Yacht Council (ABYC). ABYC has been developing and updating the voluntary safety standards for boat building and repair in the US for nearly 50 years. He holds a USCG 100 ton masters license and has delivered new boats for yacht brokers to the Newport RI and Norwalk CT boat shows.

In 2003 Alan retired from teaching Science to eighth graders at Shaker Junior High School in Latham NY. He coached the high school swim team for over twenty years. He is an alum of the University of Colorado Boulder and Union College in Schenectady NY. Alan is a skilled carpenter, furniture maker, boat builder and mechanic.

Joyce loves sailing and being on the water. She holds a USCG 100 ton masters license. She has delivered new boats for yacht brokers to the Newport RI and Norwalk CT boat shows. Her favorite place on the boat is at the helm.

Joyce has worked in the Information Technology field in 2003 retired from her position as Associate Director of Admissions at Skidmore College in Saratoga Springs NY. She earned a BA in Anthropology and Art from Skidmore College . She is an accomplished fiber artist and seamtress, who has also taken up beadweaving and jewelry making. She recently designed a line of handbags and totes using a batik fabric produced in the Bahamas which she calls "Bahama Mama Bags". Fifty percent of the sales of her products is donated to the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation in honor of her granddaughter, Sydney, who has CF.