SERVICE AREA
Captain Services in Wyandotte, Michigan
USCG-licensed vessel deliveries, captain's coaching, and First Mate training for Wyandotte boat owners — based just downriver on Grosse Ile.
SERVICE AREA
Captain Services in Wyandotte, Michigan
USCG-licensed vessel deliveries, captain's coaching, and First Mate training for Wyandotte boat owners — based just downriver on Grosse Ile.
SERVICE AREA
Captain Services in Wyandotte, Michigan
USCG-licensed vessel deliveries, captain's coaching, and First Mate training for Wyandotte boat owners — based just downriver on Grosse Ile.
USCG Master 100 GRT
GREAT LAKES & INLAND WATERS
USCG Master 50 GRT
NEAR COASTAL
Commercial Towing Assistance
Endorsement
B.S. Mechanical Eng.
U of M Dearborn
Past Commodore
Ford Yacht Club · 2004–2006
USCG Master 100 GRT
GREAT LAKES & INLAND WATERS
USCG Master 50 GRT
NEAR COASTAL
Commercial Towing Assistance
Endorsement
B.S. Mechanical Eng.
U of M Dearborn
Past Commodore
Ford Yacht Club · 2004–2006
WHERE WE OPERATE
Home Waters
Wyandotte sits on the Detroit River, about eight miles north of my office on Grosse Ile. It's the largest of the downriver communities and one of the strongest boating cultures in SE Michigan — the historic downtown is walkable from the water, the marina infrastructure is mature, and the community on the docks is genuinely friendly to transient cruisers. If you keep your boat in Wyandotte — at the Wyandotte Marina, Motor City Marina, or any of the smaller facilities along the waterfront — you're in regular territory for me. Most weeks during the season, I'm running past Wyandotte one direction or another. The Wyandotte stretch of the Detroit River is its own piece of water, even though it shares the river with the rest of the corridor. The current behavior here, the freighter timing past the downtown, and the dock approach quirks are specific to this section. Local knowledge matters.
WHERE WE OPERATE
Home Waters
Wyandotte sits on the Detroit River, about eight miles north of my office on Grosse Ile. It's the largest of the downriver communities and one of the strongest boating cultures in SE Michigan — the historic downtown is walkable from the water, the marina infrastructure is mature, and the community on the docks is genuinely friendly to transient cruisers. If you keep your boat in Wyandotte — at the Wyandotte Marina, Motor City Marina, or any of the smaller facilities along the waterfront — you're in regular territory for me. Most weeks during the season, I'm running past Wyandotte one direction or another. The Wyandotte stretch of the Detroit River is its own piece of water, even though it shares the river with the rest of the corridor. The current behavior here, the freighter timing past the downtown, and the dock approach quirks are specific to this section. Local knowledge matters.
WHERE WE OPERATE
Home Waters
Wyandotte sits on the Detroit River, about eight miles north of my office on Grosse Ile. It's the largest of the downriver communities and one of the strongest boating cultures in SE Michigan — the historic downtown is walkable from the water, the marina infrastructure is mature, and the community on the docks is genuinely friendly to transient cruisers. If you keep your boat in Wyandotte — at the Wyandotte Marina, Motor City Marina, or any of the smaller facilities along the waterfront — you're in regular territory for me. Most weeks during the season, I'm running past Wyandotte one direction or another. The Wyandotte stretch of the Detroit River is its own piece of water, even though it shares the river with the rest of the corridor. The current behavior here, the freighter timing past the downtown, and the dock approach quirks are specific to this section. Local knowledge matters.
WHAT I DO
What I do for Wyandotte boat owners.
The full menu of services applies. The most common engagements:
WHAT I DO
What I do for Wyandotte boat owners.
The full menu of services applies. The most common engagements:
WHAT TO KNOW
What you should know about boating from Wyandotte.
A few things I'd tell any new owner keeping a boat here.
01
You're on the river, with everything that implies.
The same Detroit River rules apply at Wyandotte that apply at Grosse Ile or Detroit: heavy commercial traffic, current running 1-3 knots, international border in the middle, freighter wakes that arrive without much warning. Your dock approach math, your trip planning, and your seamanship all need to account for the river's character.
02
The downtown is walkable from the marinas.
03
Approach the dock with the current.
04
Freighter wake timing matters.
05
Bridge constraints downriver.
WHAT TO KNOW
What you should know about boating from Wyandotte.
A few things I'd tell any new owner keeping a boat here.
01
The Trenton Channel runs fast.
It's the narrow western channel between Grosse Ile and the Michigan shore, and the current can be deceptive — especially when Detroit Edison's Trenton Channel power plant water flow shifts. New owners regularly underestimate how much the current is doing for them on the way out and against them on the way back. It's the single most common thing we work on in coaching sessions.
02
Lower Detroit River freighter traffic is constant.
03
Lake Erie weather changes fast.
04
The bridges have schedules.
WHAT TO KNOW
What you should know about boating from Wyandotte.
A few things I'd tell any new owner keeping a boat here.
01
The Trenton Channel runs fast.
It's the narrow western channel between Grosse Ile and the Michigan shore, and the current can be deceptive — especially when Detroit Edison's Trenton Channel power plant water flow shifts. New owners regularly underestimate how much the current is doing for them on the way out and against them on the way back. It's the single most common thing we work on in coaching sessions.
02
Lower Detroit River freighter traffic is constant.
03
Lake Erie weather changes fast.
04
The bridges have schedules.
Local marinas and yacht clubs.
I work with owners based at:
MARINAS (NOT LIMITED TO)
If your boat lives at any of these — or you're considering moving to one — I can speak to the specifics from direct experience.
Local marinas and yacht clubs.
I work with owners based at:
MARINAS (NOT LIMITED TO)
If your boat lives at any of these — or you're considering moving to one — I can speak to the specifics from direct experience.
Local marinas and yacht clubs.
I've delivered boats to and from most of the marinas on and around Grosse Ile, including:
MARINAS (NOT LIMITED TO)
If your boat lives at any of these — or you're considering moving to one — I can speak to the specifics from direct experience.
WHAT TO KNOW
Why Wyandotte owners hire a professional captain.
A few reasons that come up most often:
01
The river intimidates new owners.
For Wyandotte owners specifically, the combination of freighter traffic, current, and the international setting can be a lot to absorb in a first season. Coaching compresses that learning curve.
02
The boat just got bigger.
03
You bought the boat somewhere else.
04
Insurance asked for a captain.
EXCLUSIVE PROGRAM
The First Mate Coaching Package
Deck leadership, dock lines, VHF radio, trip planning, and what to do in the terrifying event that your own captain has been injured or suffers a medical emergency. Your decisions and actions as the First Mate matter.
Let OCS bolster your knowledge and confidence. The only program of its kind on the Great Lakes.
WHAT TO KNOW
Why Wyandotte owners hire a professional captain.
A few reasons that come up most often:
01
The river intimidates new owners.
For Wyandotte owners specifically, the combination of freighter traffic, current, and the international setting can be a lot to absorb in a first season. Coaching compresses that learning curve.
02
The boat just got bigger.
03
You bought the boat somewhere else.
04
Insurance asked for a captain.
EXCLUSIVE PROGRAM
The First Mate Coaching Package
Deck leadership, dock lines, VHF radio, trip planning, and what to do in the terrifying event that your own captain has been injured or suffers a medical emergency. Your decisions and actions as the First Mate matter.
Let OCS bolster your knowledge and confidence. The only program of its kind on the Great Lakes.
WHAT TO KNOW
Why Wyandotte owners hire a professional captain.
A few reasons that come up most often:
01
The river intimidates new owners.
For Wyandotte owners specifically, the combination of freighter traffic, current, and the international setting can be a lot to absorb in a first season. Coaching compresses that learning curve.
02
The boat just got bigger.
03
You bought the boat somewhere else.
04
Insurance asked for a captain.
EXCLUSIVE PROGRAM
The First Mate Coaching Package
Deck leadership, dock lines, VHF radio, trip planning, and what to do in the terrifying event that your own captain has been injured or suffers a medical emergency. Your decisions and actions as the First Mate matter.
Let OCS bolster your knowledge and confidence. The only program of its kind on the Great Lakes.
ABOUT CAPTAIN TOM
Professionally licensed, with 36 years of context you can put to work.
I run the Detroit River corridor every week of the season — Wyandotte is on that route. Three years on the Ford Yacht Club Board of Directors, Commodore from 2004 to 2006. Currently President of the Ford Yacht Club Past Commodores. My office is on Grosse Ile, eight miles south of Wyandotte by water. I hold a USCG Master 100 GRT license for the Great Lakes and Inland Waters, plus a 50 GRT Near Coastal Master, both with Commercial Towing endorsement. USCG Mariner Reference Number 2913289. If you're keeping a boat in Wyandotte, we're neighbors. Let's talk.
Tom Ketelhut
Owner, Offshore Captain Services
ABOUT CAPTAIN TOM
Professionally licensed, with 36 years of context you can put to work.
I run the Detroit River corridor every week of the season — Wyandotte is on that route. Three years on the Ford Yacht Club Board of Directors, Commodore from 2004 to 2006. Currently President of the Ford Yacht Club Past Commodores. My office is on Grosse Ile, eight miles south of Wyandotte by water. I hold a USCG Master 100 GRT license for the Great Lakes and Inland Waters, plus a 50 GRT Near Coastal Master, both with Commercial Towing endorsement. USCG Mariner Reference Number 2913289. If you're keeping a boat in Wyandotte, we're neighbors. Let's talk.
Tom Ketelhut
Owner, Offshore Captain Services
ABOUT CAPTAIN TOM
Professionally licensed, with 36 years of context you can put to work.
I run the Detroit River corridor every week of the season — Wyandotte is on that route. Three years on the Ford Yacht Club Board of Directors, Commodore from 2004 to 2006. Currently President of the Ford Yacht Club Past Commodores. My office is on Grosse Ile, eight miles south of Wyandotte by water. I hold a USCG Master 100 GRT license for the Great Lakes and Inland Waters, plus a 50 GRT Near Coastal Master, both with Commercial Towing endorsement. USCG Mariner Reference Number 2913289. If you're keeping a boat in Wyandotte, we're neighbors. Let's talk.
Tom Ketelhut
Owner, Offshore Captain Services
LEARN MORE
Frequently Asked Questions
Do you only work with Wyandotte boats?
No. Wyandotte is regular territory but I work with owners across SE Michigan and the Great Lakes — Grosse Ile, Trenton, Riverview, Ecorse, Detroit, Lake St. Clair, the St. Clair River, Lake Huron, and Lake Erie.
Will you come to my marina for coaching?
Yes. All coaching is conducted on your boat, in your home waters. For Wyandotte slips, I come to you.
What size vessel do you handle?
My USCG license covers vessels up to 100 Gross Register Tons. Most coaching work in Wyandotte is on 30- to 60-foot cruisers.
Can you help me run the river to Lake Erie or to Lake St. Clair?
Yes — both directions are common deliveries for Wyandotte owners. I run the corridor regularly.
How does insurance coverage work?
I provide my USCG credentials and Mariner Reference Number 2913289 to your carrier, and the carrier issues a rider or written confirmation. Most carriers process it in a day or two.
LEARN MORE
Frequently Asked Questions
Do you only work with Wyandotte boats?
No. Wyandotte is regular territory but I work with owners across SE Michigan and the Great Lakes — Grosse Ile, Trenton, Riverview, Ecorse, Detroit, Lake St. Clair, the St. Clair River, Lake Huron, and Lake Erie.
Will you come to my marina for coaching?
Yes. All coaching is conducted on your boat, in your home waters. For Wyandotte slips, I come to you.
What size vessel do you handle?
My USCG license covers vessels up to 100 Gross Register Tons. Most coaching work in Wyandotte is on 30- to 60-foot cruisers.
Can you help me run the river to Lake Erie or to Lake St. Clair?
Yes — both directions are common deliveries for Wyandotte owners. I run the corridor regularly.
How does insurance coverage work?
I provide my USCG credentials and Mariner Reference Number 2913289 to your carrier, and the carrier issues a rider or written confirmation. Most carriers process it in a day or two.
LEARN MORE
Frequently Asked Questions
Do you only work with Wyandotte boats?
No. Wyandotte is regular territory but I work with owners across SE Michigan and the Great Lakes — Grosse Ile, Trenton, Riverview, Ecorse, Detroit, Lake St. Clair, the St. Clair River, Lake Huron, and Lake Erie.
Will you come to my marina for coaching?
Yes. All coaching is conducted on your boat, in your home waters. For Wyandotte slips, I come to you.
What size vessel do you handle?
My USCG license covers vessels up to 100 Gross Register Tons. Most coaching work in Wyandotte is on 30- to 60-foot cruisers.
Can you help me run the river to Lake Erie or to Lake St. Clair?
Yes — both directions are common deliveries for Wyandotte owners. I run the corridor regularly.
How does insurance coverage work?
I provide my USCG credentials and Mariner Reference Number 2913289 to your carrier, and the carrier issues a rider or written confirmation. Most carriers process it in a day or two.
READY TO GET STARTED?
Let's talk about your boat.
Every engagement starts with a conversation. Tell me about your vessel, your waters, and what you're working toward.
Or give me a call at (248)-497-5791. If I'm on the water, I'll call you back same day.
READY TO GET STARTED?
Let's talk about your boat.
Every engagement starts with a conversation. Tell me about your vessel, your waters, and what you're working toward.
Or give me a call at (248)-497-5791. If I'm on the water, I'll call you back same day.
READY TO GET STARTED?
Let's talk about your boat.
Every engagement starts with a conversation. Tell me about your vessel, your waters, and what you're working toward.
Or give me a call at (248)-497-5791. If I'm on the water, I'll call you back same day.
Explore
©️ 2026 Offshore Captain Services LLC · All rights reserved
USCG Mariner Reference #2913289
Explore
©️ 2026 Offshore Captain Services LLC · All rights reserved
USCG Mariner Reference #2913289
Explore
©️ 2026 Offshore Captain Services LLC · All rights reserved
USCG Mariner Reference #2913289