Our Instructors
Cdr James Mello, AP
Jim Mello has been boating for 51 years. He currently owns a power boat, a 37 foot Silverton Convertible. His boating trips includes the waters of Boston, Gloucester, Nantucket, Martha's Vineyard, MA, Shelter Island, NY, Mystic Seaport, and voyages from Branford, CT to Newport, RI and Barrington, RI Annapolis, MD, Miami to Key Largo, FL and Mobile, AL to Clearwater, FL.
Jim is a Coast Guard Auxiliary Coxswain and had served in different capacities as Vessel Examiner (VE), instructor for VE and treasurer of CG Aux Division 6 for 5 years..
He is commander of Nobscot Sail & Power (aka America’s Boating Club of Metrowest Boston) for the past 4 years. He holds the rank of Advanced Pilot.
Lt/C David Denehy, P
Dave has been boating since he was 10 years old with his Dad learning boat handling, rules of navigation and other skills pertinent to boating. Dave joined the Squadron in 1996 and has been boating for over 56 years. He has owned a trailerable 24-foot Bayliner sun cruiser and his most recent boat was a 28 foot Cierra Classic Bayliner.
Over the years Dave has spent time fishing, clamming, oystering, deep sea claiming, muscling and lobstering. Dave has done some boating on the Cape but has spent most of is boating life on the North Shore, including Ipswich Bay, Gloucester , Rockport, Plum Island and the Merrimack River. He has assisted friends in navigating their new boats from as far away as Portland, ME and Clinton , CT to Cape Ann Marina in Gloucester.
He has taken many courses offered by the squadron, does his own basic marine engine maintenance, is familiar with taking very good care of his boat and has years of trailering experience starting when he was 16 years old, helping his Dad tow and launch the family's trailer boats.
Dave has been active in the squadron, first as the Chair and instructor for the America's Boating Course and held many offices in the squadron including a total of 5 years as Commander of Nobscot Sail & Power Squadron. Dave is currently an instructor and Public Relations and Executive Officer for Nobscot Sail & Power Squadron/Metro West Boating Club.
P/C Frank Marobella, AP
Frank’s boating career began when he was 14 years old and built a 12’ runabout to cruise the Charles and Ipswich rivers. Later, he bought an antique 32’ Chris Craft cruiser with the hopes of restoring it. But when it rained outside the boat, it also rained inside the boat, so the family edict was to sell it and buy a new 25’ Sea Ray, and eventually a twin-engine 34’ cruiser and a mooring on Martha’s Vineyard.
Frank joined the Nobscot Power Squadron in 1971. After passing the boating course, he became a chart instructor and eventually led the Basic Boating Course. He joined the Squadron’s command bridge as Squadron Secretary, then became Administrative Officer, Executive Officer, and finally Commander. Currently Frank is a “Past” Commander, but still runs the ABC Boating Course. Frank has earned 38 Merit Marks and received the Bruning Award for significant contributions to the Squadron. He has earned the Life Membership award as well as the 50-Year Membership award.
Frank’s latest boat is a 1957 Thunderbird, a classic two-seat “baby bird” automobile.
P/C Steve Mullen, JN
Steve grew up on the West Coast, learning to sail dinghies on San Diego’s Mission Bay and beach catamarans in and out of the surf in the Pacific Ocean just north of San Diego. His Dad was an avid deep-sea fisherman and Steve frequent crew on his dad’s boats.
During Steve’s eastward migration, except during trips back home, boating took a back seat to other endeavors. About twenty years ago, Steve relapsed and finally bought his own boat: an elderly Catalina 27 fixer-upper, sailing it on Narragansett Bay. For the past ten years, Steve has been sailing a Com Pac 35, primarily on the Narragansett; and crewing on OPB (Other People’s Boats) on Buzzards Bay and along the coast of Maine.
Steve loves being out on the open ocean with the night sky on full display; and cruising with Boating Club friends. Maine has been a favorite destination. Other memorable trips include crossing the Gulf of Mexico from St. Petersburg to Corpus Christi on his brother’s sailboat.
In addition to sailing and boat repair and rehabilitation, Steve loves marlinspike. He has been a member of America’s Boating Club for twenty years, taking many classes, and holding a number of positions. He is a certified instructor and is currently treasurer and squadron education officer for America’s Boating Club of MetroWest Boston, a.k.a. Nobscot Sail and Power Squadron.