Cap’n Jacq, or Jacqueline Randen started sailing as a toddler in the Netherlands on her father’s boat. At the age of twenty, she started instructing basic to advanced cruising courses for the CYA (Canadian Yachting Association), and later also for the ISPA (International Sail and Power Association) on the west coast of British Columbia. Since 1989 she has skippered and taught on many different types of sail and power boats with different rigs, deck layouts, and sail configurations, including various traditionally rigged sail training and charter vessels.

Jacqueline completed a three-month sailmaking course with Carol Hasse at Port Townsend Sails and the nine-month wooden boat building program at the North West School of Wooden Boatbuilding in 2000/2001. She can also be found judging boats at the Victoria Classic Boat Festival on Labour Day weekend of each year.

Jacqueline has been employed in the Commercial Marine Industry and obtained the Master Mariner Certificate through Transport Canada in 2010. This STCW International Unlimited Masters Certificate allows her to sail as Captain on any type and tonnage/size of the vessel, in any waters. She obtained her commercial sea time over eighteen years by sailing as Officer and Master on various vessels including cruise ships, BC Ferries, Canadian Coast Guard Offshore Science Research and SAR Vessels, Eco-tourism Charter vessels, Traditional Sail Training vessels, as well as through owning and operating her company Mystic Oceans Adventure Cruising School and Young Mariner Programs since 1998.

Cap’n Jacq also sailed as skipper/instructor on Atlantic and Pacific Ocean crossings in various pleasure and charter vessels, and many more times as Bridge Officer on various Cruise ships. She sailed the west coast of Canada to Alaska extensively as Master of eco-charter vessels, yachts, cruise ships, and on her own sailboats. She also has extensive experience in many other parts of the world. She is currently an instructor for nautical courses at Camosun College in Victoria and is readying her vessel to sail to New Zealand.