Whether it is by nature or nurture, Ben shares his father’s passion for yachting. Growing up in Maine, Ben spent every summer cruising with his family and racing dinghies at the Portland Yacht Club. As a youngster, two of his favorite Knowles family sailing adventures include the six months they spent cruising on a Mason 43 through the Caribbean islands and the two months during which they sailed from Yarmouth, ME to the northern most tip of Newfoundland on a J44.

When he wasn’t cruising with his family, Ben enjoyed dinghy sailing. As a dinghy sailor, Ben got his first taste of racing and honed his boat-handling skills, winning various state and regional awards. Ben has enjoyed campaigning a J100 throughout Maine with his father outside the dinghy boat arena and racing J Boats in the Monhegan Island, Marblehead to Halifax, and Bermuda races.

Ben attended St. Lawrence University and graduated with an economics degree. Ben was eager to return to the water after spending his college years landlocked in upstate New York. Since graduation, Ben has worked, lived, and raced on various boats. Ben delivered several ships to the Caribbean, where he later worked on boats of all shapes and sizes and raced as a bowman on Kialoa V, an 80’ maxi race boat. Before joining the ECYS team, Ben was one of three captains running a twelve-boat program. When he wasn’t traveling to Europe as shore team manager on an RC44, Ben was running a J122 and a Grand Banks 49 Eastbay, serving as mate on a Lyman Morse 90’ and maintaining several center consoles. Given his background, Ben’s wide range of skills and unique experiences bring a different perspective to his customers.

Ben is passionate about what he does, and as a yacht broker, he hopes to help others make as many great memories on the ocean as he has.