Jimmy Kekic
Stuart
Summary
I am a qualified First Mate with years of charter and tournament fishing experience. Skilled in managing crew, coordinating vessel replenishment, including fuel, bait, tackle, and all other supplies. Highly personable, and capable of communicating with the captain and crew members to maintain good relations, and keep the program running efficiently. I have previously traveled, and I am more than willing to travel anywhere a job opportunity will take me.
Overview
6
6
years of professional experience
Work History
First Mate
One More Sportfishing
Palm City
07.2024 - Current
- Fish in tuna tournaments in the Tristate area each year.
- Maintained ceramic all vessels, including 52' Viking, 35' Sportsman, 33' Valhalla, 26' Sportsman, Wave Runner Jet Ski, 32' Regulator (sold), 27' Regulator (sold), and 23' Steiger Craft (sold).
- Assisted the captain with biannual boat transits from NY to FL.
- Resided full-time on a boat, alongside temporary housing in New York.
- Coordinated subcontracted projects, updating the captain and owners regularly on progress.
- Fishing included, but is not limited to: tuna bigeye, marlin, sailfish, wahoo, deep drop, swordfish, and tuna giant bluefin.
- Maintained and operated lifesaving devices
- Maintenance on hulls, superstructures, and performed painting, repairs, and general cleaning tasks.
Boat Project Coordinator
Private family
Stuart
06.2024 - Current
- Maintain two small boats, including a 27' Blackfin and an 18' Hewes.
- Oil changes and waxing.
- Coordinate subcontractors to completely redo the 2004 64' Viking enclosed bridge, including AC units, a paint job, a teak deck, combing boards, a headliner, new lights, and electronics, and maintain 2 Cummins Onan generators and twin MTU M91s.
- Take family fishing upon request, including high-speed wahoo, marlin, sailfish, and dolphin.
- Kept track of all contractors and invoices.
First Mate
Lucky For Us II
Southampton
04.2024 - 08.2024
- Helped transit from FL to NY.
- Took the family fishing (bottom/tuna canyon).
- Maintained and applied ceramic on a 72' Viking, a 32 Regulator, two small Boston Whalers, and four jet skis.
- Coordinated with the captain, second mate, and butlers to ensure that the owners' trips were always pleasant for him and his family.
Freelanse First Mate
Chelsea
Jupiter
02.2024 - 04.2024
- Helped captain and stew on multiple kite fishing trips in the Bahamas on a new 72' enclosed bridge skybridge.
- Fished for sailfish, marlin, and deep dropping for snappers and groupers.
- Maintained the boat to the highest standards, and always provided a fun cockpit for owners.
First Mate
Code Blu
Stuart
05.2023 - 11.2023
- Fished in Northeast white marlin tournaments, including the White Marlin Open, White Marlin Invitational, and Mid-Atlantic.
- Giant tuna, white marlin, bigeye/yellowfin tunas, and blue marlin.
- Cleaned, maintained, organized, oil changed, and general maintenance projects for a 76' Viking with an intense fishing and tournament schedule.
- Boat was to be kept pristine inside and out as owner would use the boat just about daily
Marine Diesel Mechanic
Hinckley Yachts Services
Stuart
08.2022 - 05.2023
- Became proficient in servicing, installing parts, and cleaning all types of vessels.
- MTU, Cummins, MAN, Volvo, Pods, straight shaft, I/O, Jets.
- Bottom painted parts and jet housings.
- Sea trialed all vessels worked on.
- Worked at Hinckley to get a better understanding of vessel maintenance and interworkings; I wanted to be proficient in all fields.
First Mate
The Bounty Sportfishing Charters
Stuart
04.2021 - 08.2022
- Maintained a 41' Viking, including but not limited to oil changes, bait rigging, interior cleaning, washdown after every trip, waxing, and preparation for the next day, as it was a busy charter schedule.
- Helped the captain run daily operations on a high-end charter.
- It was a pod boat, so I always helped with any mechanics or pod swaps.
- Always provided a fun and high-energy cockpit, no matter the fishing; always made something happen, and always kept clients happy, which had returning customers.
Second Mate
Unbeliveable Sportfishing
Stuart
02.2020 - 04.2021
- While in high school, I was the second mate on one of the nicest charter boats in Stuart, FL.
- Trained how to sailfish and marlin fish by John Stukel as first mate, and VJ Bell as captain.
- Learned the basics in rigging ballyhoo, J/circle hooks, mullet, mackerel, swordfish baits, dredges, and teasers.
- I fished with them until they would go to the Dominican Republic, and then I would help Captain Wink "Ty Me Up" 67' Hatteras GT while they were gone.
- I would clean and maintain a 61' Ritchie Howell while learning the basic fundamentals of running a cockpit for an intense tournament and charter schedule.
- I was a part of a real fire on board and helped with safety and putting out the fire.
Education
High School Diploma -
South Fork High School
Stuart, FL05-2022
Skills
- Engine maintenance
- Boat navigation
- Fishing all live bait, dead bait
- Attention to detail
- Docking control
- Multitasking
- Safety
- Vessel upkeep
- Project coordination
- Tuna all, marlin all, sailfish wahoo , dredges , lure spreads, ballyhoo spreads, live bait spreads, kite fishing done up to 3 at once,
References
References available upon request.
Timeline
First Mate
One More Sportfishing
07.2024 - Current
Boat Project Coordinator
Private family
06.2024 - Current
First Mate
Lucky For Us II
04.2024 - 08.2024
Freelanse First Mate
Chelsea
02.2024 - 04.2024
First Mate
Code Blu
05.2023 - 11.2023
Marine Diesel Mechanic
Hinckley Yachts Services
08.2022 - 05.2023
First Mate
The Bounty Sportfishing Charters
04.2021 - 08.2022
Second Mate
Unbeliveable Sportfishing
02.2020 - 04.2021
High School Diploma -
South Fork High School