The 61st annual Windjammer Days will take place Sunday, June 25 through Saturday, July 1, 2023. This year the Friends of Windjammer Days is celebrating our rich population of Maritime Explorers. Those featured have traveled extensively on different bodies of waters either for work, pleasure or both.

Although born in outside of Maine while his father was stationed in Germany as a career U.S. Army officer, Captain Brad Collins has lived in Maine for most of his life. He has resided in.the Boothbay region since the mid-1990s, first on Hodgdon Island and now Barters Island. He also attended college in Maine, graduating from Maine Maritime Academy with a BS in nautical science and a minor in oceanography.

Brad operated ships for 45 years and retired in 2021. For the first 23 years after graduation, he operated oil tankers. He first started as an unlicensed Able Bodied (AB) Seaman, progressing to Third Mate, then to Second Mate and Chief Mate, to ultimately as the vessel’s Master. Brad first sailed as Captain in 1990 when he was Master onboard the tanker Sealift Indian Ocean for five years and traveled worldwide. He was also the Captain of a Ro-Ro container ship, a Crane Auxiliary ship and of a special mission ship which worked predominately in the Middle East.

During the last 22 years of Brad’s career, he operated United States Naval ships as a U.S. Merchant Mariner and a civilian. His civilian duties included working for private companies contracted by the Department of Defense to operate the USNS vessels. Brad says that he was exceedingly proud to serve the U.S. military and the Department of Defense. During his career Brad also has operated side businesses including owning rental properties and leasing computers to colleges. He also created and owned Winterport Marina on the Penobscot River, which dry stored approximately 135 boats, sold gas, diesel and supplies. The marina had Chris Craft and Seaway boat dealerships along with Cox trailers and Evinrude engines.

After traveling extensively to an estimated 55 countries, Brad’s favorite place is in the United States at home. He is an accomplished boater, yachtsman and sailboat racer and currently owns vessels from 8 to 65 feet.