Growing up on Lake Konstanz in southern Germany, Jan started racing dinghies and small keel yachts at a very young age.
Following his graduation from high school, he then successfully completed an apprenticeship as a boat builder, learning the fundamentals of yacht construction using a wide variety of materials and techniques. His career as a professional seafarer started off in the German Navy where he was responsible for communication and navigation on a fast patrol boat based in the North and Baltic Seas.
Subsequently, Jan worked on tall ships and soon moved on to yachts where he achieved his first Captain’s role at the young age of 24. In the following 12 years, Jan gained extensive experience being in command on yachts up to 45m cruising from the South Pacific to the Mediterranean. In 2016, he joined the team at Ocean Independence where he is now using his comprehensive and practical knowledge to manage yacht operations.
