FREEBIRD private yacht

CAPTAIN PETER DREFFIN

Captain Peter’s love of sailing is not surprising. Yachting is central to the posh resort town of Lake Geneva, Wisconsin, where he spent his youth. He describes himself as “the wayward son”, wedged in the middle of five siblings. Summers were spent sailing past storied beaches, bucolic parks and Gilded Age mansions, or racking up awards racing catamarans. After college and a short career in psychology, he bought a little monohull and set out for new horizons. Eventually, he was crewing on ocean going vessels and absorbing the fundamentals of passage making in the Mediterranean and Atlantic oceans.

Four decades and a million wonderful memories later, Peter hasn’t lost an ounce of zeal. He has raised and educated two sons, mostly at sea, spending winters in the Bahamas and summers on the U.S. East coast, or in Venezuela. When the boys were capable as helpful crew, the whole family set off on a remarkable circumnavigation. Today, both sons are highly accomplished and among their many talents, experienced captains.

To date, Peter has sailed across the Atlantic Ocean four times, and has been licensed by the US Coast Guard as a Captain since 1982. He has owned eight boats. He has cruised the Bahamas for 35 years, anchoring in every hidden nook and cranny amongst the 2,000 cays and islands. He very much enjoys showing folks the Bahamas, above and below the sea. He is an expert at free-diving and spearfishing, and knows the most amazing reefs and wrecks to snorkel. He says, “My favorite yachting destination is the next one. Truly every place has something that makes it unique and special.” 



Guests enjoy sharing time with little Bella (a Skipperke dog), especially with the dolphin swimming or walks or games on the beach. But equally for clients that are not doggy lovers, Peter will arrange to board Bella for the duration of the charter.