Don Tondro Resume - Sea Spirit Services

Captain Donald C. Tondro

Overview: 1966 to the Present:

Self- Employed in the Marine field as a surveyor and a Ship’s Master or Chief engineer on various vessels, including Oceanographic research vessels, deep submersibles, oil supply boats and private yachts. Restored and resold 13 personally owned boats. Currently, a Marine Surveyor (SAMS, A.M.S. #879); and a specialist in vessel restoration, maintenance, and repairs. The company name is Sea Spirit Services. Sea Spirit Services has owned many different vessels over the years. See Boat List for details.

Licenses: U.S. Coast Guard License: Masters of Oceans for motor vessel up to 1600 gross tons and sail vessels up to100 gross tons; Master of Oceans for Freight and Towing for vessels up to 1600 gross tons. Radar Observer Endorsement, FCC 3^rd Class License; CPR and First Aid Certificate; SCUBA Certificate, Able-bodied Seaman Unlimited, any ocean. Society of Accredited Marine Surveyors, A.M.S. # 879 (SAMS)

Captain or Chief Engineer Work:

Captain or Chief Engineer (as needed)
Research Vessel M/V McGaw, 247 gross ton, 106-foot vessel. Research work with U.S. Navy off California coast and U.S. Fish and Wildlife off Hawaiian Archipelago, French Frigate Shoals. Research work with Delta Oceanographics, (Submersible Operations). Area of operations: Entire West Coast of the United States to Alaska and throughout the Arctic Circle. Marshall Islands seismic mapping. Served as Captain or Chief Engineer as required. In charge of survey and ABS certification. Company: Ocean Enterprises LTD, Santa Barbara, CA.

Chief Engineer
U.S. Navy Barge, Experiment Support Platform, (ESP), 80-foot length, 40 foot beam, gross tonnage 360, twin diesel engines with 100kw generators. Area of operations: Lake Pend Oriello, Idaho, 100 sea days. Company: Saic/Maripo, Goleta, CA.

Chief Engineer
Research Vessel R/V Powell, Owned by the U.S. Geological Survey, (U.S. Dept. Of The Interior), 165 foot converted supply vessel. Research work with Delta Oceanographics, Submersible Operations. Area of operations: Bahamas, East Coast of the United States- Florida to Maine. Company: Perry Oceanographics, Riviera Beach, FL.

Captain
Various 110’ Oil field crew-boats of the Clipper Fleet. Area of operations: California Coast. Company: Jackson Marine Offshore Clipper Fleet, Ventura, CA.

Captain
165’ research vessels M/V Isabelle and M/V Sampson, oilfield and underwater operations and ROV work. Area of operations: California Coast. Company: Oceaneering International, Santa Barbara, CA.

Captain
500 passenger stern paddlewheel, (no Screws). The Tahoe Queen, Sightseeing, dinner/dance, tour vessel, Seasonal work. Area of operations: Lake Tahoe, CA. Company: Lake Tahoe Cruises Inc., Lake Tahoe, CA.

Captain
New 180’ towing/supply vessel stationed in Singapore. In charge of survey and completion of Coast Guard certification and preparation for work in the South China Sea. Company: Occidental Oil Inc.

Captain
Various crew boats and oil supply boats up to 110'. Area of operations: California Coast. Company: Tidewater Marine Inc., Santa Barbara, CA.

Captain-Relief
Various 65-85' dive boats, Area of operations: California Coast. Companies: Truth Aquatics, Santa Barbara, CA. and Peace Dive Charters, Ventura, CA.

Captain
Moorings charter sailboats. Area of operations: Bahamas. Company: The Moorings, Marsh Harbor, Abacos, Bahamas.

Deliveries:

Captain
Delivered 180’ oil supply vessel via great circle route from Singapore to Seattle, Washington. Company: American General Investment, San Francisco, CA.

Captain
Delivered two oil supply vessels from San Francisco, CA to Singapore, (180’ vessel towing, 150’ vessel). Company: American General Investment, San Francisco, CA.

Captain
Delivered 150 foot research vessel,"Mr. Clean", from New Orleans through the Panama Canal to Santa Barbara, CA and was the full time Captain of the oil spill recovery vessel "Mr. Clean" stationed off Santa Barbara, CA. Company, Off Shore Tanker Service, Santa Barbara, CA.

Captain
Delivered 41’ Morgan sailboat "los Cayos", from Tortola, B.V.I. to Georgetown, Exumas, Bahamas with passengers aboard. The following year delivered "Los Cayos" from West Palm Beach to Georgetown Exumas, Bahamas with passengers aboard.

Captain
200 foot, 500 ton freighter cruised through Central America, South America and the Caribbean. Handled ships’ business in Spanish with port authorities.

Submersible Pilot Work:

Deep Submersible Pilot and Maintenance of submersible Nekton Gamma, at Caribbean Marine Research Center, Lee Stocking Island, Exuma, Bahamas. Depth of operations, down to 1000 feet. Company: Seacoast Resources, New Orleans, LA.

Deep Submersible Pilot and Maintenance of submersible Nekton Delta. Depth of operations, down to 1200 feet. Area of operations: the entire West and East Coast of the United States and Alaska and through out the Arctic Circle. Company: Delta Oceanographics, Oxnard, CA.

The Key West Aquatic Center (originally the "Diver’s Den")
Key West, Florida

Founded the first SCUBA diving retail store and charter dive boat service, in Key West, Florida. Instructed in the use of SCUBA equipment. Took tourist and SCUBA diving clubs to coral reefs for daily and over night trips. Sold business to employees in 1974.

Military Service

U.S. Navy Lieutenant, line officer- 4 years, Officer Candidate School, Communications School, Registered Publications School, Instructors School.

Sonar Watch Officer, Registered Publications Officer, (Top Secret Clearance), Communications Officer, and Officer-in-charge of specialized training Sonar School.

Tours of Duty: 18 months Grand Turk, Turks and Caicos Islands, Bahamas, 2 years Key West, Florida. Honorable discharge.

College Education

University of California -Santa Barbara, CA.

BA Degree in Business Economics

Minor study in Spanish,

University of Mexico

Mexico City, Mexico

Below is a partial list of boats that were; bought, surveyed, refurbished and restored by Captain Don Tondro:

1.	30 Foot, wooden hull, Chris Craft with twin gas engines; Vessel was used in Captain Don Tondro’s fishing and diving charter service “The Divers Den” in Key West, Florida.
2.	26 Foot, lapstrike, wood hull, re-powered, with twin gas engines. Vessel was used in Captain Don Tondro’s charter service “Key West Aquatic Center”, Key West, Florida.
3.	36-Foot Colonial Sport Fish, wood hull, twin gas engines. Vessel was used in Captain Don Tondro's charter service “Key West Aquatic Center”, Key West, Florida.
4.	45 Foot, (ex Navy ASR), double planked wood hull, twin 671 diesels, Captain Don Tondro brought the vessel up to United States Coast Guard requirements for inspected charter vessels-Certified for 34 passengers. Vessel was used in Captain Tondro’s charter service, “Key West Aquatic Center” Key West, Florida.
5.	63 Foot, (ex Navy ASR), Double planked, wood hull, 671 diesels. Captain Tondro brought the vessel up to United States Coast Guard requirements for Inspected charter vessels-Certified for 49 passengers. Vessel was used in Captain Tondro’s charter service “Key West Aquatic Center”, Key West, Florida.
6.	63 Foot, (Ex navy ASR) Twin Diesel 671a, Vessel was put into commercial fishing fleet.
7.	50-Foot Fiberglass over plywood, single diesel 671, USCG certified for 49 passengers, Captain Tondro brought the vessel up to Coast Guard requirements for charter and sold her to a charter company in Ventura, California.
8.	54 Foot Ferro-Cement Sampson Design, ketch, with 80 HP Ford Lehman Diesel. Captain Don Tondro and his wife, Sally completely rebuilt this ketch in Ventura, California then they sailed her to San Diego and sold the ketch to a couple that sailed the ketch around the world.
9.	61 Foot Ferro-Cement Custom Built Ketch, “Sea Comber” with an 80 HP Ford Lehman Diesel. Captain Don Tondro and his wife, Sally finished the boat interior, re-rigged it with all roller furling and sailed the boat from San Diego to Key West, Florida via the Panama Canal. They then cruised and chartered the vessel in the Bahamas and the Florida Keys (clients included National Geographic, 5 week cruise on “The Mating Of The Nurse Sharks”). The vessel was sold to a couple that sailed her from Florida, back through the Panama Canal, and all through the South Pacific. The owner than sold her to a couple that sailed her back to San Diego, California, and without knowing it, docked her one slip from where she first started her journey.
10.	46 Foot Chris Craft, Aluminum Hull, Roamer Riveria. 1968 classic that required a total refit from thru hulls to the decks. Captains Don and Sally Tondro spent two years restoring the vessel to Bristol Condition. Vessel was used in the Tondro’s charter service, Sea Spirit Services, in Florida and the Bahamas, clients included “Lost City of Atlantis Search.”
11.	54 Foot, Striker, Aluminum Hull, Defever Design, Motor Yacht, Twin diesels, 871 turbos. Vessel was totally refitted by Captains Don and Sally Tondro and sold.
12.	Sea Spirit, a 37 foot custom, Down Easter style work boat. Vessel was completely rebuilt and a new generator was installed by captain Don Tondro. The Sea Spirit was used in charter service for Sea Spirit Services. Past charters: Discovery channel-Science of the Deep, Side scan sonar-Bahamas with Thales Geosoultions. Side scan sonar-New York and New Jersey with Geolabs.

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