Following the old Horace Greeley axiom, “Go west, young man,” Edgecomb native Mike Finnegan has taken it further by going north, south, and east across the high seas of the world. Finnegan, 31, is the captain of the Zoom, Zoom, Zoom, a 161-foot super yacht currently anchored in Newport, Rhode Island. The boat falls under the category of luxury class charter and rents for a cool $185,000 a week. Finnegan has been partnered with the Zoom, Zoom Zoom owner for almost nine years and spends the majority of the year — save a month — piloting a crew of 10 and any number of well-heeled passengers anywhere from the Caribbean to Alaska. His love of the water was informed while working as a sternman for Southport’s Mike Thibault and charter fishing with Boothbay Harbor-based Charger as a youth.

“My dream stemmed from growing up around the water in Boothbay Harbor,” he said. “That’s kind of where it all began.”

After graduating from Wiscasset High School in 2003, Finnegan enrolled in the Maine Maritime Academy before embarking on a variety of commercial job assignments. 

“I then found the yachting industry and the rest is kind of history,” said Finnegan via a satellite phone.

At the tender age of 23, he was the pilot of a 122-foot vessel and earned himself a reputation in an exclusive world where word of mouth is paramount. Through an agent, Finnegan was introduced to his current employer and the two have developed a close working relationship.

“These are toys so to speak,” he said. “It’s like any piece of recreational equipment and the relationship between captain and owner has to be the right match. It’s being able to accomplish the owner’s expectations and jumping into another season without much notice.”

The owner (Finnegan declined to provide the name citing confidentiality agreements) will use the boat sparingly throughout the year and make the yacht available for charter cruises when not in use. Built in 2005 by Louisiana-based Trinity Yachts, Zoom, Zoom, Zoom is one of the fastest of its kind, capable of 23 knots with a cruising speed of 14 knots. The interior layout sleeps up to 10 guests in five rooms and includes a master suite, two staterooms, one double cabin and one twin cabin. In addition, Zoom, Zoom, Zoom has a gym, air conditioning, on board WiFi, deck jacuzzi, two Waverunner jet skis, many wet bars, water skis and a 40' Seahunter towable tender fully outfitted for fishing. The ship was docked at Hodgdon Marina in Boothbay in July and drew a steady stream of onlookers awed by its size and scope. 

Over the years, Finnegan has had his share of wealthy and famous passengers, but wouldn’t divulge any names, a variation on the saying loose lips, sink ships that could be detrimental to further business. 

“I kind of know who’s aboard by the amount of security involved,” he said. “It’s a lot of high-end individuals; our utmost concern is the safety and privacy of our guests.”

Currently Finnegan has a full-time, international crew of 10 including the first mate, deck hand, chief engineer, second engineer, and three stewardesses. With so much time at sea, how does one maintain a personal life? For Finnegan the answer was simple: Marry someone who is literally on board with the lifestyle. His wife, Patricia, was a fellow crew member when they first met six years ago. Though getting back to Maine to see parents Judy and Mike Finnegan Sr. is hard, he maintains local roots with a home in East Boothbay.

“I can count on all fingers and toes the number of times I’ve slept there on an annual basis,” he said. “I get back there whenever possible.”

Though the sacrifices are many, he wouldn’t trade his experience for anything else as the chance to see the world is an opportunity he understands is rare. He loves his job and doesn’t anticipate stopping anytime soon. 

“It becomes your life and at the end of the day is work,” he said. “It’s definitely not for everybody but if it works for you, you can cover a lot of ground and see places you never would. A great gig.”