board bios

Jonathan Kabak

Captain Jonathan Kabak has literally grown up in the sail training industry.  Since his start as a young volunteer at South Street Seaport Museum he has sailed on over a dozen Tall Ships America member vessels and now holds a 500ton Ocean Masters License for Steam, Motor and Auxiliary Sail. A graduate of Franklin Pierce College with a Bachelor of Arts in History and a focus on education, Jonathan has spent his career developing and implementing programs under sail.

He recently took command of the United States Merchant Marine Academy flagship, T/V Summerwind, a 1929 Alden schooner. When not busy taking Midshipmen to sea, he is an instructor for the Global Maritime and Transportation School (GMATS) at Kings Point, which provides STCW training and professional development courses to mariners. 

He is a member of Tall Ships America’s Ship Operations and Safety Committee where he works on issues pertaining to rigging safety and licensing.  He and his wife Jennifer are family members of Tall Ships America and split their time between New York and Providence, RI