Captain: Jim Grant / Dan Shivone

Two Crews!

Jim & Amanda - October through February
Dan and Alli - March through July
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Jim & Amanda Grant - Your aboard COPPER PENNY

Jim and Amanda are ready to welcome you aboard the catamaran COPPER PENNY. They are an outgoing couple who love to entertain, and look forward to leading their guests on new and exciting adventures

Jim and Amanda's love for adventure drew them together, and they were married in 2000. When they met both were weekend whitewater raft guides and kayakers. Soon they discovered sailing and bought a boat. After 7 years of sailing on the Chesapeake Bay, they decided to leave corporate America for the turquoise waters of the Caribbean. They sailed for two years aboard their own boat exploring the Caribbean.

Jim, your captain, grew up sailing on Lake Ontario. His family has always owned boats and Jim began his sailing instruction while attending summer camp. As a young adult Jim moved to Virginia, were he became bareboat certified and began chartering. In his corporate life Jim was a stockbroker. He was televised on Charlottesville, Virginia's NBC 29 nightly news for seven years sharing his market commentary with viewers. While working as a stockbroker, Jim found time to become a delivery captain for a Lagoon catamaran dealership, and began transiting the East Coast of North America. There he found his love for the open ocean. He obtained his United States Coast Guard Masters License, and later obtained a MCA 200-ton Offshore Certificate. Jim is also a certified PADI Dive Master, and looks forward to taking you diving. In addition Jim enjoys windsurfing, kite surfing, and skiing.

Amanda, your chef, is from Virginia. She grew up as a competitive swimmer and spent time backpacking in the Blue Ridge Mountains. Later, she discovered triathlons, and spent many hours training and competing. Jim introduced her to sailing, and life was never the same. She began sailing the Chesapeake every weekend, and accompanying Jim on some of his deliveries. Amanda's career as an engineer was demanding and gratifying, but soon she began dreaming of warm waters. During her years sailing the Caribbean, she developed a love for cooking and exploring local cuisine. To prepare for life as a charter chef, Amanda attended a mega-yacht cooking school in Fort Lauderdale, where she honed her skills. She looks forward to serving you beautifully presented delicious meals. In addition, Amanda is a certified PADI Dive Master, and a kayak instructor. Amanda's other interests include windsurfing, kite surfing, and skiing.
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Dan and Alli Shivone
Captain Dan and Alli come to Copper Penny after 3 successful seasons onboard Kelea, a 65ft Catamaran. Over the past 3 seasons, they enjoyed showing their guests all the Virgin Islands had to offer. Dan and Alli are both PADI Divemasters, avid hikers and snorkelers, and enjoy sharing their love of the islands with those that join them on charter. Whether enjoying leisure time onboard or getting to know the friendly locals, their goal is to make their guests feel at home.
Captain Dan’s passion for the water started at an early age along the coast of Delaware. He truly developed his skills after moving to Wrightsville Beach, North Carolina, where he learned to read the wind and the water for both surfing and sailing. He obtained his Captain’s license in North Carolina, and quickly began guiding on the water and sharing his love of nature and the sea. Dan holds the US Sailing Association Certification and American Sailing Association Certification, as well.
Alli was born on the East Coast, where as a young girl she grew up with a passion for the ocean and adventure, passed on by her father. Alli has grown up with a passion for cooking food, that not only tastes good and looks good, but that is good for you. She began cooking at a young age, preparing meals for her family of five, and continues to create beautiful dishes with love and artistry. Alli was awarded 1st Place in the Culinary Competition during the Annual Yacht Show in 2016 and later studied at Ashburton Culinary School where she obtained her Certificate in Culinary Arts.
Dan and Alli met in the Summer of 2009 on Bald Head Island, North Carolina, where they worked running kayak trips and sailing excursions. After sailing their personal sailboat, Goose, over 2,500 miles from North Carolina to the Bahamas and back, Dan as Captain, Alli as crew and chef, they discovered their love for the islands. ... They soon married knowing if they could survive that, nothing could stop them.
The couple moved to the Virgin Islands in 2014 and have been sailing together and helping others enjoy the islands to the fullest, ever since! They love to make their guests feel like family, and always start every charter with the simple phrase “Welcome Home!” They now look forward to welcoming you to the Copper Penny Family!