Our Instructors
“Master the Waters with Mariners Who’ve Sailed Them”
Led by veteran captains and mariners with collective decades of real-world experience, the Great Lakes Small Vessel Academy delivers premier, hands-on maritime training designed for North America's most challenging inland waters.
Whether you’re launching a professional career or sharpening your command at the helm, our industry-leading instructors turn their practical expertise into your total confidence on the water.
Lead Instructor
Derek Niles
A veteran mariner with a distinguished 27-year background spanning the Royal Canadian Navy and Canadian Coast Guard (CCG) Search and Rescue (SAR) realms, Derek Niles brings unparalleled real-world experience to the helm. His search and rescue career includes coordinating high-stakes maritime incidents at Joint Rescue Coordination Center (JRCC) Trenton, serving on the front lines of CCG Primary SAR, and dedicated leadership through seven years with the Canadian Coast Guard Auxiliary (CCGA).
In addition to his sea command background, he holds senior credentials across key industry organizations, including serving as a certified instructor with Canadian Power & Sail Squadrons (CPS-ECP) / CanBoat and instructing commercial mariners as a recognized instructor within the Passenger & Commercial Vessel Association (PCVA).
Having executed high-stakes missions across demanding domestic and international waters, his instruction goes far beyond basic seamanship—delivering critical insights into heavy-weather tactics, advanced vessel handling, and emergency incident response that prepare every mariner to command with complete confidence.
Assistant Instructor
Colin Thomson
Combining naval discipline with a lifetime of emergency response, Colin Thomson brings a deep well of tactical seamanship and operational leadership to GLSVA.
An ex–Royal Canadian Navy (RCN) Bridge Watchkeeper and former small‑fleet tender commander, Colin integrates large‑ship principles with more than 15 years of active Search and Rescue (SAR) experience. He is also an avid Great Lakes sailor, holding multiple Canadian and international recreational sailing certifications, making him a trusted authority on small‑vessel operations across the region.
Beyond his sea‑going background, Colin has spent over a decade as Unit Leader and SAR instructor with the Canadian Coast Guard Auxiliary (CCGA), training hundreds of mariners in boat handling, navigation, SAR incident management, and volunteer leadership.
His unique blend of naval precision, SAR expertise, and inland‑waterway experience ensures students develop the fine‑control skills, situational awareness, and split‑second decision‑making required to operate safely and confidently in demanding Great Lakes conditions.
Assistant Instructor
Josh Niles
With years of high-stakes maritime experience, Josh Niles brings a modern edge to the GLSVA team.
With 50+ operational SAR missions alongside commercial small vessel operational experience, his background is built on real-world response, precision boat operations, and adaptiveness under pressure.
Beyond technical seamanship, Josh specializes in human-element operational safety—translating his expertise in crew dynamics, effective communication, and team leadership directly to the classroom.
His approach delivers fresh, highly engaging instructional techniques that bridge traditional mariner wisdom with contemporary training methods, ensuring students master both the vessel and the team required to run it safely.
Assistant Instructor
Scott St. Jacques
With over three decades of combined maritime service, Scott St. Jacques delivers master-level instruction forged in military experience and high-intensity rescue operations.
His background includes 22 years in the Royal Canadian Navy (RCN) operating small craft as a seasoned Boatswain, paired with four years in the Canadian Coast Guard (CCG) Inshore Rescue Boat service and seven years of active Search and Rescue (SAR) missions with the Canadian Coast Guard Auxiliary (CCGA).
A master of small vessel handling and tactical leadership, Scott brings deep expertise in instructional techniques, seamanship, and mission execution on the Great Lakes.
His training approach blends strict operational discipline with hands-on coaching, ensuring mariners build unwavering situational awareness, seamanship skills, and the decisive leadership needed to command small craft under any conditions.
Assistant Instructor
Robyn St. Jacques
Backed by 12 years of operational experience across the Canadian Coast Guard (CCG) Inshore Rescue Boat (IRB) program and the Canadian Coast Guard Auxiliary (CCGA), Robyn St. Jacques brings high-intensity emergency response expertise to the GLSVA. Specializing in high-stakes Search and Rescue (SAR) missions, Robyn has logged extensive time in command of Fast Rescue Craft (FRC), operating in extreme weather and demanding conditions where precision boat handling is critical.
Robyn also brings seven years of frontline nursing experience in orthopaedic trauma at London Health Sciences Centre’s Victoria Hospital, specializing in the care of patients within a Level 2 trauma centre. Her clinical experience has given her extensive exposure to critical injuries, emergency situations, rapid assessment, and the complex realities of caring for patients and families during some of the most challenging moments of their lives.
Robyn also works as a Surgical Inpatient Manager at London Health Sciences Centre, where she leads clinical teams in a complex hospital environment. Her combination of frontline clinical experience and healthcare leadership provides a unique perspective on communication, teamwork, risk management, human factors, and decision-making under pressure.
Beyond seamanship, Robyn is a dedicated specialist in emergency medical response, critical incident management, and high-stress crew dynamics. Her training focuses heavily on the human element of mariner safety—equipping students with the tactical medical skills, situational awareness, communication, and psychological resilience needed to make decisive, life-saving choices when every second counts.
Assistant Instructor
Nico Grové
With over two decades of blue-water and coastal experience, Nico Grové brings an exceptional breadth of practical maritime expertise to the GLSVA.
His 20-plus years in the industry span every facet of small craft, yachting, and commercial marine operations—including blue-water deliveries, charter captaincy, commercial scuba operations, and marine surveying.
A true hands-on professional, Nico spent over a decade on the frontlines of marine salvage and towing, leading high-stakes vessel recoveries, post-hurricane cleanups, and complex marine project support.
Beyond his emergency response background, his deep knowledge of maintenance management, refits, inspections, and asset management gives students a comprehensive, end-to-end understanding of small vessel operations. From mechanical self-reliance and vessel prep to advanced handling under pressure, Nico delivers the real-world operational intelligence every captain needs to keep their vessel seaworthy and their crew safe.