Melanie earned her US Coast Guard 100 Ton Master Captains’ License before she got her drivers’ license. She grew up living aboard her family’s 47’ GulfStar Sailmaster, cruising up and down the East Coast and through the Bahamas for nearly twenty years. Melanie captained and crewed on various boats while working her way through college, then bought and lived aboard her first sailboat, Short Story, a 1969 Columbia 28, while attending graduate school in North Miami. She’s owned many boats since then. She is also an author (her books include memoirs Boat Girl and Boat Kid), contributor to Cruising World (her Short Story column ran in the magazine from 2006 to 2009) and BoatUS magazines, a freelance editor, and has worked over the years as everything from boat detailer to college professor to educational administrator. Her father, maritime author Tom Neale, instilled in her a love of sailing, writing, perusing boat listings, hard work, and repairing marine diesel engines. Melanie currently cruises the local waters of St. Augustine, FL, on various boats with her daughter, Maryann. She is a solo sailor and full-time single parent. As Employing Broker for Sunshine Cruising Yachts LLC, Melanie is dedicated to building a strong team that embodies integrity and passion for matching people with the right boats.
Marcy was born in upstate New York, then moved to Jacksonville, FL, where she fell in love with the beach and beach life…until Jaws came out and she saw it at the drive-in with her parents. Her childhood took her back the upstate New York, where she grew up a “Lake Girl” boating aboard a 1977 family-owned Bayliner Liberty on Seneca Lake. Summers were spent on Devil’s Lake, in the Frontenac Provincial Park in Ontario, Canada. Her experience then revolved around power boats and canoes, and she was always on the water enjoying the fresh air, exploring, fishing, swimming and basking in the camaraderie that comes with making friends on the water. While gathering drinking water and provisions in Westport, Ontario, on these summer trips, she was always fascinated with the cruisers that were docked on Upper Rideau Lake. Seeing the names and ports of call was always the highlight of these visits to town. Marcy has the sea in her veins, and naturally evolved to enjoy sailing on bluewater cruising boats as an adult.
Marcy holds a BA in Environmental Studies from the University of New York and an MS in Business Management from Northern Illinois University. She worked for 15 years as a Business Engineering Manager for UPS, and 11 years in Finance & Operations in public administration, while raising her two daughters just outside of Chicago. In 2020, Marcy answered the call of the sea and travelled to Florida to be one of the three founders of Sunshine Cruising Yachts—an adventure that has reconnected her with the outdoors and given her a new love and appreciation for the sea and the people who travel it.
She earned the title of “Top Salesperson” for SCY for four years in a row, and continues to be a team leader and integral part of the crew.
She covers all parts of the globe, specializing in Florida, Puerto Rico, & the Caribbean.
Both of her girls have now graduated college, and are excited to visit their mom in Florida and beyond.
Carolyn grew up living aboard her family’s 47’ GulfStar Sailmaster, cruising up and down the East Coast and through the Bahamas for nearly twenty years. Shew crewed on various boats, detailed boats, and worked at a prominent marina in St. Augustine, FL, while working her way through college. She worked her way up to management at the marina and was a loyal employee for over 15 years. Talking to the boaters of all types as they transited the ICW and stopped at the marina, was one of the highlights of her job, but they got to take off and head to places more tropical while she was stuck in St. Augustine.
Carolyn is a fine arts graduate from Flagler College, an artist, yogi, and an avid surfer and guitar player. She travels the world to various surfing destinations whenever she can and enjoys traveling solo.
After the marina, Carolyn worked for a local recruiting firm and then Solar Stik as an administrative assistant. She has also taught yoga at various venues around St. Augustine. She brings her organizational and logistical skills with her to Sunshine Cruising Yachts, and is very excited to be working on the water again. She lives with her husband and two boys as well as various animals (mainly cats and guinea pigs) in St. Augustine.
Be careful! Her enthusiasm is contagious!
, `testimonial` ="Carolyn is the boat broker to work with!
My wife and I used her to sell our 38ft sailboat and she was awesome to work with. We had the boat in Georgia while we lived in Idaho and she was located in Florida and she went out of her way to help when things needed to get done on the boat.
I would recommend her to absolutely anyone that is looking to sell or buy a boat. An absolute pleasure to work with 
"- Josh
Growing up around boats, Jade developed a deep-seated passion for the marine world from an early age. Her childhood was marked by the thrill of the open sea, the smell of salt in the air, and the hum of engines as she spent countless hours on the water, exploring coastlines, and venturing on numerous charters. She had the unique opportunity to shadow her father, a seasoned yacht broker and builder, learning the ins and outs of the industry through hands-on experience. Her childhood in South Africa and her father’s work had her spending time in the factories of Leopard and other well-known South African catamaran builders. From an early age, she was immersed in the dynamics of the boat world, from understanding the intricacies of boat mechanics to mastering the art of negotiation and client relations. This rich background instilled in her a profound appreciation for the craftsmanship of boats and the vibrant community that surrounds them. Her lifelong journey in the boating industry has been fueled by a genuine love for the sea, an unwavering enthusiasm for helping others find their perfect vessel, and a commitment to upholding the highest standards of service and expertise.
Based out of Marathon in the Heart of the Florida Keys, Daryl has been sailing all types of boats since he was 6. Yes, that was 51 years ago. He has seen a lot and done a lot. He enjoys sailing, fishing and snorkeling. A pure for love for boats and all things boating, Daryl will bring tremendous amounts of energy and dedication to providing you with the top-notch boat buying or selling that you deserve. He has 4 beautiful granddaughters that he loves with all his might and simply cannot wait for them to get a little bigger so they can all go sailing together. Fun fact - Daryl’s dad, although an excellent captain, was not the best navigator and taught Daryl very early on how to navigate. Right before Daryl took over the duties completely, they were motoring down a narrow canal in south Louisiana with nice houses on both sides. All was going great until all of a sudden, the bow began to rise and rise until it came back down with a mighty splash. Dad had not read his 20-year-old chart (eons before electronic ones) and BAMM they had knocked out the power to dozens or more of expensive homes with families out having their Sunday BBQ’s. Well, they never blinked—they just turned and ran as fast as the little two cylinder would run.
Stephen is a father of 6, grandfather of 14, and great grandfather of 5. He has been around boats all his life, having grown up near the Great South Bay of Long Island, NY. He has been a certified ASA sailing Instructor since 2004. Stephen has owned several sailboats since 1993 and currently lives aboard a beautiful Gulfstar 44.
He’s been living aboard sailboats since 2005, and held a USCG Master, 200 Ton 200 Miles Offshore Captain’s License. He was also a member of the US Coast Guard Auxiliary from 1996 to 2003 and was dockmaster of the sailing school where he taught while living in Tom's River, NJ. From 2004 until 2006, he did sailboat chartering in Barnegat Bay, NJ and Biscayne Bay, FL.
Tom grew up sailing and surfing on the NJ shore. His father was a boat builder and his mother a championship racing sailor. Sailing was in his blood and he continues their multi-generational legacy on the water. Tom’s father built his first boat, a 12’ wooden sloop. He still remembers the wonderful sense of freedom at age 5 when his father pushed him off the dock and said “Sail!” Since then, as a licensed Master, Tom has captained a myriad of sail and motor boats, yachts, research and passenger vessels, even a 3-masted sailing mega-yacht. Working on the water has taken Tom up both the East and West coasts of the United States, Canada and the Caribbean. He worked with his father re-building a 1947 Bill Luders 6-Metre before buying a wonderful old Allied Seabreeze yawl. He currently cruises the US East Coast, often single-handing, on a Passport 456.
Tom also spent time ashore in the maritime industry as Executive Director of the U S Marine Safety Association. He served as a delegate to the International Maritime Organization in London for over 20 years, developing requirements for maritime safety, pollution and lifesaving systems aboard ships. He chaired the International Standards Organization Subcommittee on Lifesaving and Fire Protection, is a trained Marine Accident Investigator and credentialled Marine Safety Instructor. Tom’s diverse educational background includes Engineering, Psychology and Music. He holds an MBA and still occasionally lectures on Maritime Policy at Universities in the US and UK
Tom loves helping people find the right boat to match their dream.
Dave is a naval architect and marine engineer with years of experience in ship design, construction, and operation. He has about 200k nm of offshore delivery experience and many more miles in inshore waters. His shakedown cruise on his own boat was a transatlantic. Dave greatly enjoys sharing his knowledge to help you sell your boat or find the boat of your dreams. His experience on a very wide range of boats is at your disposal, and delivering boats that have just sold has prepared him to help you sell your boat, and to help you buy one with a minimum of surprises.
Logan was born and raised on the beaches of Saint Augustine, FL. Exploring the forests and waterways has been a lifelong passion. Ever since first captaining a small dinghy at age 14 he's dreamed of breaking into the sailing world. Years later, after attending college for history and marketing, Logan has decided to pursue his dream fulltime.
Logan is an avid swimmer, hiker, scuba diver, history buff, and beach bum traveling across the East Coast to visit natural and historic sights whenever he can. He is currently reacquiring the the skill of sailing to fulfill his aspiration to live on the water.
While not working with Sunshine Cruising Yachts he works as a historic and “supernatural” sightseeing guide in Saint Augustine.
