About us
Commodore Yachting is proudly owned and managed by its two Directors, Jonathan Fern & Tomos Price.
Formed in 1999, Commodore Yachting was founded by Stuart Cooper who became famous for offering comprehensive training and a vast range of experience and knowledge to those seeking the best quality maritime training on the south coast. Stuart has now retired but has handed over the reins to Jonathan and Tom, who embrace those same core values in everything they do.
Both are very passionate and knowledgeable sailors. Their love for the Ocean and all things afloat becomes obvious when you meet them and how enthusiastic they are about offering the best training and yacht charters in the Solent. They are always around to offer advice and encouragement, and will help guide you through your sailing journey, ensuring you get nothing but the best service.
As a progressive and forward-thinking company we value all feedback, both good and bad. So don’t be afraid to tell us what we did well, what we did not so well (hopefully nothing!) and any ideas or suggestions you might have which could improve the quality and level of service we offer.
Jonathan Fern (More commonly known as “Jonno”) – Principal & Director
Jonno first started sailing back in 2000 when a friend took him out sailing for a day from Port Solent to Cowes on a rather leaky old Westerley Centaur (an amusing story well worth hearing!) Instantly hooked, Jonno went sailing with friends whenever he was able, in between work sometimes getting in the way!
Jonno acts as our centre Principal, working in close conjunction with Tom and our brilliant team of Instructors and Marine Technicians, making sure our customers have the best service possible. His passion for sailing is obvious and he loves getting people into the sport, making sure everyone has an unforgettable experience!
Jonno is our centre Principal and oversees the centre management. He can usually be found out in the Solent or further afield at weekends, and out and about in the countryside on his motorbike when it’s not raining.
Before sailing took over his life, Jonno was, and still is an avid scuba diver. In his spare time he also restores old motorbikes for fun. His latest motorbike “project” has been sat in the garage for the past ten years though and hasn’t moved! (Currently for sale – enquire within!) He puts that down to sailing having taken over his life, so not a bad thing. He also describes himself as an awful snowboarder who spends most of his time going down red runs mainly on his face, and with an intimate knowledge of various hospital emergency rooms around the Alps. Also the World record holder for spending most of the week in an ambulance when on a snowboarding holiday.
Previously a Consultant in the construction industry for over 20 years, Jonno has managed a host of large-scale construction projects including the Queen Alexandra Hospital in Portsmouth, T5 at Heathrow airport and a large involvement in the London 2012 Olympics (Watch carefully at the opening ceremony as the runner was running along the Olympic stadium tunnel – He’s there somewhere!). Having run his own Construction consultancy since 2002, Jonno is well-versed in business management and oversees this side of Commodore Yachting.
Tomos Price (More commonly known as “Tom” or “Tombo”) – Chief Instructor & Director
Tom is our Chief Instructor and oversees the training side of the business, making sure our customers have the best learning experience possible. His knowledge, attention to detail and passion for sailing is apparent when you start talking to him. Grab a coffee, he loves to talk about all things afloat! A highly motivated and passionate individual, Tom always has time to spend chatting with students and customers, helping them improve their sailing skills and giving his wealth of knowledge of the local area.
An avid chef, Tom takes great care making sure when you are on-course with us you won’t go hungry! He can usually be seen writing up recipe plans and getting our team to try out new ideas for meals and snacks. All hail the Chief, or should that be the Chef?!
Our Brilliant Team
Working closely with Jonno and Tom, are our enthusiastic, dedicated team of instructors and Marine Technicians. We hand-pick our Instructors from the cream of the crop in the UK, ensuring your sailing experience with us is the best available anywhere. Our Marine Technicians maintain our immaculate charter fleet to the highest of standards, ensuring that when you go sailing with us, the boat won’t let you down! We work to the highest marine industry standards, ensuring our teams knowledge is backed-up by manufacturers to ensure that the products and goods we offer are the best available. With Commodore Yachting, no expense is spared!
We also embrace that for our industry to thrive, we need to bring up young team members from schools and colleges and give them the training they need to forge their way forwards in the industry. We actively train our own Instructors and Marine Technicians to industry leading standards, ensuring they embrace the robust customer-care ethos and core values that Commodore Yachting hold dear.
Together our team will help give you the best sailing you’ll find on the Solent!
