A Life Tied To The Water: Rich Tighe – Sailor, Boatman, Yacht Broker and Maritime Volunteer
His life-long passion for the water began at age seven in the Finger
Lakes of Upstate New York. That’s when Rich Tighe learned to sail at
his family’s summer cottage on one of the lakes. Boats, sailing and
the water have been in his blood ever since.
From Dream To Reality
After high school, Rich joined the Navy as an electronics
technician, assigned to a destroyer stationed in Mayport, Florida.
Following a stint in the Navy and attending Elmira College, Rich and
his wife moved to San Diego where he took an electronics job in the
aeronautics industry—postponing his cherished dream of becoming a
yacht broker for a steadier job to support his family. When Rich’s
marriage ended, it was not surprising that a 33-foot sailboat became
his home on the water at Shelter Island in San Diego. “I’ve always
loved being around the water. I love the independence and peacefulness
of living on and sailing boats—and the fun of it,” he said.
Rich lived on a series of sailboats in San Diego and it was
during that time that he met Debbie at a printing industry tradeshow.
They married in 1980. Debbie shared Rich’s love of the water, so they
spent much of their free time sailing to West Coast destinations like
Catalina Island, Ensenada, Mexico and the Coronado Islands.
While Rich was selling printing equipment for a living, he
dabbled in brokering yachts on the side. So when he won work-related
sales trips to Florida, instead of spending time golfing or
socializing, Rich would look at boats for sale in the area. His
formula was to buy a yacht in Florida and sail it to Houston, where he
arranged to ship it to California. Since the boats in Florida were
less expensive, he could resell them in California for a profit. Thus
began Rich’s yacht-brokering career while he was still working his
regular job.
During their migration from the West Coast to the East Coast, in
1991 Rich and Debbie made a job-related stopover in Atlanta for 10
years. Another job transfer and the lure of the water beckoned the
couple to Fort Lauderdale in 2001. Shortly afterward though, the
economic downturn following September 11th forced Rich to look for new
work opportunities, so he renewed his skills as a yacht broker. He
began brokering luxury powerboats made by companies like Grand Bank,
Ocean Alexander, West Bay Sonship, and Offshore Yachts.
“The business of selling yachts is fun. I love the sense of
adventure I get when I think of where these boats will travel. I’ve
sold boats to people who have sailed them to the Bahamas, the
Caribbean, Chesapeake Bay and New England. As a yacht broker, a few
years ago I had the opportunity to realize one of my top Bucket List
experiences. I sold a 62-foot Offshore Pilothouse powerboat docked in
Rockland, Maine and the sales contract specified that I deliver the
boat to the buyer in Jupiter, Florida. As mate on the voyage from
Maine to Florida, I piloted the yacht through New York City—passing
the United Nations, Wall Street, the Empire State Building, Ellis
Island and the Statue of Liberty. I will never forget the thrill of
that experience,” Rich recalled.
Following the Tides to Beaufort
After more than a decade in Fort Lauderdale, Rich and Debbie
wanted to simplify life and find a more peaceful place to live, so in
2012 they embarked on a series of road trips to towns along the South
Carolina and Georgia coasts in search of a new home. When the couple
visited Beaufort, they knew they’d found what they were seeking. “We
love everything about Beaufort—its picturesque coastal beauty,
small-town quaintness, and friendly people. We feel welcome and
comfortable here in Beaufort—this is the perfect place for us!” Rich
explains.
During the past year Rich has sold five yachts, including three
54-foot Offshore powerboats, a 56-foot Neptunus Fly Bridge, and a
56-foot Farr Pilothouse sailboat, complete with three bedrooms, 2
baths and a custom Tommy Bahama interior. He said most of his sales
come from repeat clients and client referrals. But Rich’s connection
to the water in Beaufort goes beyond his vocation of yacht broker. He
and Debbie enjoy many water-related activities here.
Kayaking
One of the couple’s favorite pastimes is kayaking with the Tide
Riders Kayak Club. Rich and Debbie own twin Wilderness Systems
14-foot, sit-in kayaks and they enjoy paddling with the club to
explore fascinating destinations in the Lowcountry and beyond. Among
their recent excursions are trips paddling:
• In Ebenezer Creek in Georgia—an eerie, prehistoric-looking Cypress
forest immersed in water;
• Through the scenic ACE basin’s pristine waterways; and
• Along the Beaufort River at high tide, to view historic antebellum
mansions on Bay Street and in the Old Point from the water.
Rich says, “We enjoy experiencing the natural beauty of the area
by kayak because it brings you close to the wildlife that live here,
like dolphins, osprey and eagles.”
Rowing
Rowing is another water sport that Rich enjoys now that he lives
in Beaufort. He’s become an active member of the nonprofit Beaufort
Rowing Club, and rows three mornings a week from the landing on Parris
Island. The club has more than 50 members and owns several four-man
and eight-man shells. It’s open to rowers of all skill levels, even
those who have never rowed. “Rowing is a great way to get exercise and
meet people,” said Rich.
Model Ship Building
His love for boats and the ocean drew him to begin building
models of historic sailing ships from kits about 20 years ago and Rich
has assembled several since then. His model ships range in size from
large vessels to relatively small ones, but he says all of the models
involve intricate detail work and require hundreds of hours to
complete. One of Rich’s model ships is a replica of the H.M.S. Beagle,
a ship made famous by Charles Darwin’s historic travels and surveys in
South America, which led him to develop his theory of evolution.
Volunteering
In addition to his work as a yacht broker and his other
water-related pastimes, Rich has found ways to volunteer in the
community that reflect his love of the water. Every Friday morning he
volunteers at the Port Royal Sound Foundation Maritime Center on Lemon
Island, which opened in late 2014. The center features a 3,000-gallon
aquarium and two touch tanks, displaying several species native to
Port Royal Sound including red drum, cobia, sea trout, crabs,
flounder, and conches. That’s where Rich comes in—each week he
volunteers to fill three huge outdoor supply tanks that feed the
indoor aquarium and touch tanks with water from the sound. In
addition, he assists with cleaning the aquarium and touch tanks when
that’s needed.
Rich also volunteers for the Beaufort County YMCA Spirit of
America program in the summer, teaching rising 7th to 10th grade
students to sail 15-foot Hunter sailboats on our local waters during
the week-long sessions. In addition to teaching sailing, the YMCA
summer youth programs also include instruction in motor boating,
kayaking, canoeing and stand-up paddle boarding.
At Home On The Water In Beaufort
Since their arrival in 2012, Beaufort has become home to Rich and
Debbie Tighe. They’ve embraced their new coastal community and love
their life on the water here. It all started years ago when Rich was a
young man living in New York and dreamed of becoming a yacht broker.
Decades later and after moving across the country and back again,
Rich’s dream has come true. And he’s found the reality of living in
Beaufort better than he could have dreamed.
story by carol lauvray photography by john wollwerth
