Tony Fergusson 

I was born in Whakatane, a small coastal town on the North Island of New Zealand, and started working in the commercial fishing industry as a teenager. Eventually, I owned and operated a 30-ft fishing vessel. My first yachting experience was helping to build and then captain a 72-ft sailing yacht. I sailed across the Pacific, up to Alaska, and through the Panama Canal, finally ending up in Fort Lauderdale. During this process, I learned the finer points of boat building, boat maintenance, engineering, seamanship, navigation, and international diplomacy, which has stood me in good stead ever since.

I’ve sailed diagonally across the Pacific Ocean twice, crossed the Atlantic in sailing and motor yachts on several occasions, and sailed throughout the Mediterranean Sea, the entire Caribbean chain of islands, both coasts of the United States, Central America, the Panama Canal (three times), Southeast Asia, and numerous South Pacific Islands.

I’ve captained Super Yachts ranging from 72 ft to 184 ft, both sail and motor, for over 40 years, and always taken an active role in the engineering and maintenance of these vessels. I’ve managed various refits in foreign countries and the United States, overseeing Lloyds of London annual, 5-year, 10-year, and 25-year surveys. Memorable events include emergency repairs to a propeller shaft on an 184-ft sailing yacht in the USVI, replacing a stabilizer on a 130-ft motor yacht in Antigua, and refits in Singapore, Thailand, and Spain.

My wife, Dawn, and I decided to make Savannah home. The mild winters and friendly, welcoming locals won us over!

I started working as a marine surveyor for a local company in 2017, which included 18 months in a formal National Association of Marine Surveyors (NAMS) apprenticeship program. My 40 years as a Yacht Captain/Engineer and formal marine surveyor training ensure that I have the knowledge and skills to be an accomplished Marine Surveyor.

I created Wainui Marine Surveying in 2019 and operate in the Savannah, Hilton Head, Brunswick, Charleston, and Jacksonville areas.

Licenses: 

New Zealand Master Yacht 3000t

USCG Master 1600t

2nd Class Diesel Trawler Engineer 

PADI Advanced Open Water Scuba