Your Crew
Alan Owen Head Captain
Crew Profile
MEET THE CREWCaptain: Alan Owen
Chef/First Mate: Sarah Henderson
Al was born in South Africa, and by the age of 8 he was a regular at the local yacht club, racing in Optimist dinghies. This began his long association with boats and water sports. He moved to Ireland as a young adult, and spent the next eight years as an outdoor instructor. Disciplines covered included sailing, windsurfing, kayaking and paddle sports. Archery, indoor climbing, orienteering, mountain biking and swimming.
Al has competed at national and international level in both dinghy and keelboat racing , and represented Ireland in kayak surfing at World Championships.
Offshore racing in J 24’s had whetted his appetite to pursue a career in a maritime setting and he enrolled on a Professional Offshore Yachtmaster course . He then worked as Flotilla Lead and bareboat Skipper for Sunsail, Dubrovnik, Croatia, before setting his sights on the Caribbean and fulfilling a lifelong dream to captain a yacht in paradise.
When at home you’ll find him hunting surf along the West Coast of Ireland, either on a board, windsurf, or more recently on his wing foil.
Sarah studied a business marketing degree for 3 years and in these years was when she really found a passion for cooking. Not living at home she spent time curating exciting recipes for her lunches and dinners as a relief from studying. She loved it so much that she decided to pursue this passion more fervently and attended a culinary school in Cape Town after she completed her degree.
Combining her love for nature and her love for cooking, a chef on a yacht seemed like the perfect next adventure for her.
She lived in Italy for 6 months initially, and then worked for a flotilla company in the Mediterranean for 3 years where she excelled and was promoted to a lead position in her first year within the company.
In her free time, Sarah loves scuba diving, snorkelling, yoga and pilates and babysitting.
Sarah loves creating menus and meals with seasonal, sustainable and fresh produce taking pride in plating beautifully curated dishes and spreads, and will easily adapt to any preferences or specific needs of her guests to ensure they have a unique and special experience and holiday."
Al and Sarah can’t wait to welcome you aboard Sea Dog and give you the experience of a vacation of a lifetime!
