Navigation Expert Witnesses
Navigation expert witnesses and consultants listed here may be able to form expert opinions, draft expert witness reports, provide expert witness testimony at deposition and/or trial as or serve as consulting (non-testifying) experts on navigation. The navigation expert witness listings on this page are typically from fields/areas of expertise such as: Accident Reconstruction, Management, Maritime, and Safety.
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Michael C. Monastra, Captain
Offshore Nautical LLC. Seamanship/Maritime Consultation
San Diego , California
Maritime, Maritime
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Seamanship, Sailing Yachts, Motor Yachts, USCG Navigation Rules, Bareboat Charter contracts and disputes, Racing Rules of Sailing, Jones Act, Injuries, Accidents, Dismastings, Sinkings, Collisions, Allisions, Navigation, Engineering, Boatyard and Insurance Company repairs and disputes
Professional Sailor since 1989.
USCG Licensed Captain since 1990.
World Sailing Group 3 (professional) Competitor since 2004. (retired)
US Sailing Offshore Safety at Sea certification 2004-Present
ASA certified Advanced Sailing Instructor 1992-Present
ASA certified Coastal Navigation Instructor 1991-Present
ASA certified Bareboat Chartering Instructor 1991-Present
US Powerboating certified Advanced Powerboating Instructor since 2010. (retired)
RBPA certified Twin Inboard Powerboating Instructor 2009-Present
RPBA certified Single Inboard Powerboating Instructor 2009-Present
RPBA certified Directed Thrust Powerboating Instructor 2009-Present
Owner Offshore Nautical LLC. Seamanship/Maritime Consultation. Established 2008
Owner Privateer Maritime Inc, San Diego Sailing Academy and San Diego Powerboating Academy established 1989.
I retired from on the water instruction in December 2021. I am an expert in seamanship, navigation, boathandling, docking, anchoring, mooring, and man overb...
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Captain Eric Watson
Passenger vessel/yacht Expert Witness - Power/Sail
Watson Maritime Consulting
Venice, Florida
Maritime
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Offshore, Coastal, Oil & Gas, Ship repair, Offshore supply vessel, Vessel maintenance, Yachts, Uscg inspections, Sailing, Uscg regulations, Navigation, Voyage planning, Accident and fraud, Cruise ships, Passenger vessels, Charter boats
Eric Watson
Master Mariner | Maritime Operations & Safety Expert
Eric Watson is a U.S. Coast Guard–licensed Master Mariner with more than 24 years of command experience aboard small cruise ships, offshore supply vessels (DP1/DP2), charter vessels, and both sailing and motor yachts up to 280 feet.
He has served as Captain on U.S.-flag passenger vessels operating under Subchapter K and Subchapter T, with direct responsibility for vessel safety, regulatory compliance, crew management, emergency response, navigation, and shoreside coordination.
Captain Watson provides expert analysis and testimony in matters involving:
Passenger vessel operations
Maritime safety and seamanship
Regulatory compliance (USCG Subchapter K & T)
Safety Management Systems (SMS)
Bridge resource management
Emergency medical access and decision-making at sea
Crew training and supervision
Vessel policies, procedures, and industry standards
He has extensive operational experience in high-visibility guest...
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Captain John G. Jacobsen
Miami, Florida
Maritime, Accident Reconstruction
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Admiralty Law, Marine & Maritime Incident Analysis & Accident Reconstruction, AZIPOD Ships, Podded Ships, Commercial Vessel, Passenger, Cruise Ship, Tug, Barge, Towing, Pilot, Piloting, Navigation, Seamanship, Rules of the Road, Boating Safety, Boating Accident, Yacht, Pleasure Craft, Container Ship
After attending the United States Merchant Marine Academy, Captain Jacobsen served as an officer in the U.S. Merchant Marine for nine years. He sailed in many positions, attained his master’s license, and has been a Port of Miami harbor pilot since 1994, including serving as Chairman. He has piloted yachts, tugs & barges, and ships of all types and sizes including Azipod ships, podded ships, freighters, tankers, container ships, ferries, cruise ships, passenger vessels, naval vessels, research vessels, and tall ships. Active in boating and yachting all of his life, Captain Jacobsen is a member of a yacht club in Miami where he serves on various committees. Captain Jacobsen remains an active pilot and avid boater to this day.
Harbor Pilot: actively providing State & Federal licensed pilotage services to all types of ships, including Azipod ships, cruise ships, NeoPanamax container ships, tugs & barges, yachts, and other vessels of unlimited size and tonnage in Port of Miami. Have co...
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Capt. Gregory C Daley
International Maritime Consultancy
Lafayette, Louisiana
Maritime, Safety
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boat, ship, personnel basket, collision, dredging, personal injury, crewboat, offshore supply vessel, Platform supply vessel, crew management, navigation, Navigation Rules, CFR's, fishing boats, recreational boats, hurricane, ports, shipping, dynamic positioning, swing rope
Assisted both plaintiff and defense attorneys in understanding the industry standards and regulations of maritime operations, maritime safety, and maritime navigation. My export reports combine my years of hands-on captain experience with my MIT education producing meaningful reports that have expedited settlements. My trial testimony focusses on instructing judge and jury on the nature of the sea and how the involved parties were affected by it. My testimony has included demonstratives of my drone photography of the accident site and accident recreation.
Additionally, qualified to opine on maritime forecasts and observations regarding significant wave height, maximum wave and rogue waves. Axcess to archived maritime forecasts and archived wind/wave analyses by the National Weather Service.
- USCG Master Unlimited, Oceans
- AFNI, Associate Fellow of Nautical Institute, U.K.
- Dynamic Position Operator
- Member, U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary
- Certified Safety Professional with AS...
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Reginald E. McKamie, MBA, CPA, JD
Maritime Safety Licensed Unlimited Captain Master
Houston, Texas
Maritime, Safety
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Captain, Seaman, Gangway, Master Mariner, Seamanship, Boat, Ship, Collision, Deck, Shipboard Safety, Allision, Cruise, Safety, navigation, shiphandling, rules of the road
Captain McKamie has 48 years of experience in the maritime industry both at sea and ashore. Captain McKamie is a licensed Unlimited Master Mariner for over 33 years and is a retired U. S. Navy Captain. At sea Captain McKamie was Captain of a very large crude carrier that traded on U. S. domestic and international voyages. While in the Navy Captain McKamie taught shiphandling to Prospective Commanding Officers and Prospective Executive Officers at the Navy School for Shiphandling. Ashore Captain McKamie has management experience in vessel manning, crew training and marine insurance. McKamie, a graduate of the U. S. Merchant Marine Academy, Kings Point, New York might assist you in matters involving marine cargo, marine insurance, marine casualties, marine collisions, marine navigation, marine seamanship, deck seamanship, marine allisions, marine rules of the road, seamanship, seaman claims, marine radar, International Safety Management Code (ISM) application, SOLAS, marine safet...
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Captain Peter McGuiness
American Maritime Information Service LLC
Vancouver, Washington
Maritime, Management
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newbuilding sea trials, bridge resource management, watchkeeping, watchstanding, navigation, shiphandling, tanker operations, cruise ship operations, quality and safety management systems, ISM Code, ISPS Code, regulations for preventing collisions at sea (“Rules of the Road”), teaching and training
Highly accomplished shipmaster and manager of over thirty years’ commercial maritime industry experience.
EXPERIENCE
-- Newbuilding sea trials shipmaster (over 100 sea trials in over 50 new ships)
-- Operations, health, environment and safety superintendent
-- Quality and safety management system lead auditor
-- Shipmaster and officer in commercial merchant ships on international and US coastwise voyages
-- Appointed shipmaster of a new refined products tanker in US coastwise service, at age thirty
-- Served as second mate and chief mate on four maiden voyages, two on new trade routes for the respective shipowners
EXPERTISE
-- Command in newbuilding sea trials
-- Bridge resource management, watchstanding, watchkeeping, navigation, shiphandling
-- Petroleum tankship operations
-- Tanker Management Self-Assessment 3 (TMSA3)
-- Cruise ship operations including operation of their tender boats and rescue boats
-- Design, administration and audit of quality management syste...