From Ship’s Chandlery to Editor: A Maritime Career Forged in Annapolis

In 1990 I returned from a gap year after high school, drifting from one friend’s couch to another and searching for direction. That year I’d learned to sail with my father—the sailboat arrived with his new marriage—and the hobby quickly became an obsession. My friends grew tired of my freeloading, and I realized I needed steady work.

I found a help-wanted listing at the bottom of the local newspaper classifieds that would change the course of my life. Fawcett Boat Supplies, a well-known ship’s chandlery in Annapolis, Maryland, was hiring a salesperson. With little formal sales experience but plenty of eagerness, I called and spoke with Bill Griffin, the manager, who invited me in the next morning.

At the interview, Griffin had me complete an application and we discussed my background—especially my restaurant experience at Marriott, where I’d managed company dining locations. I emphasized Marriott’s customer-service culture, and while he was initially cautious about my recent introduction to sailing, he noted that my hands-on time on the water with my father crabbing and fishing was an asset.

A week later I interviewed with the wholesale manager, Tim Newell, who asked more pointed questions about my sailing knowledge. I told him I was a fast learner and a hard worker, and two days after that Griffin called to offer me the job at $9.75 an hour. They planned to pair me with a top salesperson so I could shadow and learn before taking on my own responsibilities.

During that internship I absorbed a huge amount of practical knowledge. I learned how marine systems are put together and repaired, from head joker valves and repair kits to shore-power components and battery chargers. I learned to listen to customers’ problems, diagnose likely causes, and recommend the right parts and procedures. The company’s service philosophy—delivering the right solutions through knowledgeable staff—became the foundation of how I approached work.

Over the next decade I moved up through several roles: rigger, sailboat hardware aisle lead, and merchandiser. Each position added new technical and managerial skills, and eventually I took a weekday desk job in the wholesale office. Managing relationships with roughly 200 marinas, boatyards, and boatbuilders taught me account management, supply logistics, and how to communicate clearly with professionals across the marine industry. I enjoyed the cadence of that work and the steady challenge of supporting an entire regional boating ecosystem.

In 2001 one of those wholesale contacts led me to a new opportunity at Waterway Guide, a cruising publication, where I started as a book salesperson and shipper. The role was a step down in title and pay, but it let me pivot into publishing, and that was my goal. I demonstrated reliability and attention to detail, then began updating marina listings across five guides and scanning NOAA charts for inclusion in the publications.

When a few staff departures created openings, I moved into editorial work and was promoted to associate editor. The transition from shipping and sales to editing felt natural: I was still serving mariners, but now through clear information and accurate listings. By the time the publication relocated to Deltaville, Virginia, in 2010, I had become managing editor.

A few years later I invested my own time and money to attend the Miami International Boat Show. My goal was simple—find story ideas and meet editors face-to-face. At a Scout Boats press conference I cold-called an elevator pitch to Bill Sisson, then editor of this magazine, offering to write about fishing, destinations, and boat reviews. That outreach led to freelance work for Soundings and other titles in the group.

Freelancing gradually turned into staff opportunity. I contributed regularly until 2017, when editor Mary South hired me as senior editor. I loved the team and the magazine’s mission, but I was also aiming to broaden my leadership experience. When Bill Sisson later invited me to become editor-in-chief of the sister title Soundings Trade Only, I accepted without hesitation to gain editorial leadership credentials.

Nearly five years into that role, another transition presented itself. When Jeanne Craig left Soundings to become editor of Yachting, I put my name forward. Soundings has always felt like a home—first as a freelancer and later as a staff editor—and I was eager to return and write about the boats and the sea that have shaped my life. From this issue onward, I look forward to sharing that passion and perspective in these pages.

Gary Reich [email protected]

This article was originally published in the September 2026 issue.