Captain Francisco J. Labarta was born January 25, 1929 in Havana, Cuba.  Island life gave him an early exposure to the sea where he learned to sail and race in his early teens. 

 

His desire to understand how things work and to solve problems, lead him to attend Pennsylvania Military College where he graduated with a degree in Industrial Engineering. 

 

After a successful career in engineering sales, Captain Labarta's affinity for the sea returned and he pursued a second life teaching, chartering, and managing yachts. 

 

One of his greatest talents was communicating complex technical topics to less experienced seafarers and instilling in his students a sense of respect and duty to enjoy and share our waterways in a manner that would preserve their use for future generations. 

 

He would be pleased that his writings and ideas are shared here and may help mariners today and in the future.