This week I chat with Merrill Charette a long timer listener to the podcast (and a podcaster himself!) about his upbringing, experiences and how he ended up in the maritime industry. I really enjoyed chatting with Merrill who is a fascinating character and a great raconteur. In this interview we cover; How he grew up the '6th child' with his other siblings being 5 Old English Sheepdogs! His very sports orientated childhood and his (and his fathers) obsession with Lacrosse The benefits of focus and determination to achieve his potential in lacrosse How he attended 4 high schools in 5 years experiencing bullying at every turn Tough love from his father Why he gave up lacrosse and rebuilt his identity Dealing with authority (when you know they are wrong) The 1000 Origami Crane Challenge and how it changed him Completing a challenging 2,200-mile trek along the Appalachian Trail Quitting law school The difference between moving on and giving up How a random comment from a stranger "You could always live on a boat" led him to the maritime industry. How he negotiated for and bought his first boat How he taught himself to sail his first voyage from New York to Boston Finding a new community of boat owners Becoming a boating entrepreneur as an outsider to the industry Artificial intelligence and the maritime industry