Amsterdam Boat Captains St. Nick

*Boat Club Admiral*
R od Ben Zeev (2001-)		Boat captain. Actor. Admiral since 2006. Rod learned to perform at the school of hard knocks. Rod likes going under low bridges because he can. And he almost got lucky on the Nairobi-Mombasa night train. There is only one picture in existence where Rod isn't smiling. He follows in the great tradition of Admiral Nelson and Admiral de Ruiterweg.
		Previous Dear Leaders: Peter Moskos (1996-1999), Bob Tollefson (1999- 2003), Nicole Mischler (2003-2006)

*Active Captains of the St. Nicolaas Boat Stichting*
Peter Moskos (1996-)		Stichting founder. The original boat captain. He's been piloting boats in Amsterdam since 1994, but currently lives in New York City. He dreams of being back on the water in Amsterdam, but also loves New York City where you can find his wife, his job, and vegetables stands open 24 hours. While land-lubbing, he offers moral support and keeps up this website. He loves being on the Ij during storms.
Steven Svymbersky (1997-1998, 2008-)		Steven began driving boats when he was straight off the boat from Chicago. After a ten-year hiatus, he's back manning the tiller. His wondeful children are already slated to be boat captains.
N icole Mischler (2000-)		Boat captain. Actor. Nicole "Crash" Mischler has run the stichting and supports the motley crew with a healthy drop of rum and liberal use of the lash. She has successfully kept the boats from sinking since 2003.
Magnus Monfeldt (2000-)		Boat captain. Sculptor. Swedish. Deceivingly soft-spoken: he somehow managed to sell a glass of water with a rock in it for 400 euros. Now he's our treasurer.
Mike Phelps (2001-)		If you're on our boat, Mike has fixed it. He doesn't much take our boats out, because he's got his own. When something big goes down, Mike gets shit done. We'd be lost and broken without him. You may have seen him piloting the Queen Mary or demonstrating the proper fit of life jackets to cruise passengers. He's being wearing the Crown of Meneer Van Der Gracht (aka: the Wet Tiara) for far too long.
Ken Gaile (2002-)		Ken has probably spent more hours piloting a tuindersvlet than any other living person. He's the only captain who's a member of the 1,000+ boat club. Ken will gladly point out the cheapest and best places to buy beer. A budget traveller's delight... especially if you're on a big-tipping budget. Ken is also a poet: Oh, I sail the open seas/ Where the canals they smell like pee,/ The water ain't so blue/ 'Cause they're surely filled with poo.../ en zo voort. In his spare time he runs promotions for some theater company.
Paul Ras (2003-)		He’s our good-will ambassador to black-tie affairs. If you saw him and were afraid, you wouldn't be the first. He hates Rotterdam.
Diego Julio (2004-)		Our self-described “nomad” from Buenos Aires... those Argentineans are so exotic. He's been stopped by police as a terrorist suspect for carrying gerry cans to the boats. But he's a lover, not a fighter. He claims the boat balances better when pretty women sit next to him.
Ingrid Notten (2007-)		I'm still waiting for a bio...
Josh Baumgarten (2007-)		I'm still waiting for a bio... and oh yeah, a picture too.
Lambros Fisfis (2008-)		He's a veteran of the Greek Navy. Really. But as the newest captain, he's re-learning how to swab decks.

*Inactive Captains of the St. Nicolaas Boat Stichting* (Captains, please send me updates)
Toine Rikken (1996-1999)		Friend and stichting co-founder. Exemplified the spirit of the canals and was the spirit of the St. Nicolaas Boat Club. He still is. Vaar je wel. (b.1963-d.1999)
Jan Van Omman (1996-2000)		From when he bought Athena till the late 1990s, Jan fixed, welded, cut, screwed, painted, bent, sanded, grinded, tinkered, and drank. Right now he is drinking at Sugar Factory, where he never seems to pay for his beer.
Michael Diederich (1996-1998)		Michael told many tall-tales to unsuspected tourists. He sings and dances in the finest theaters in Holland, right now at Boom Chicago.
Sarah Tillitson (1997)		Our first woman captain, good looking, young, blond, petite... Sarah got big tips. But controlling 3-ton boats was too easy for her. She's now racing bicycles. Ask to see her scars.
Ralph Lee (1996-1998)		The stichting purchased St. Nick, the boat, from Ralph. He missed her so much he kept on being captain. Ralph knows the difference between unleaded and diesel. Where are you now, Mr. Lee? We miss you!
Drew Wackerling (1997-1999)		Not really good at multitasking, Drew always found the pace on the water just right. He works at the Boom Bar. He is currently running late.
Bob Tollefson (1998-2005)		Currently on long-term sabbatical, Bob is researching the cultural influence of tuindersvletten on coastal Georgia. Bob ran the stichting from 1999-2003. In his spare time, he collects receipts.
Glenn (1998-2001)		A man with a brogue and a heart willing to help. (d.2001)
Jethro Nolan (1998)		Boat captain and cast member. Went through a crash course and passed the navigation test with flying colors. His unique sense of humor always kept the passengers entertained.
Bill Piccolo (1998-2005)		Bill piloted, fixed, and kept things working. He gave the boats and the stichting much love. He is currently trying to find extra closet space to store the set of Sesamestraat
Sherri Gionet (1999-2006)		Sherri drew and painted our signs. Beautifully. She is mother of the two best kids in the world.
Peter Jordan (Sweetie Petie) (1999)		He was a lifesaver when both boats were broken down. He had served in the Navy as an electrician / mechanic, so his skills were put to good use. He left Amsterdam and started a successful Italian restaurant called Cafe Sociale in San Francisco with his girlfriend Jen.
Joshua Carman (1999)		Quiet, reserved, dedicated, and Iowa corn-fed. Amsterdam was Josh's first experience out of the US. He left Amsterdam with a 3-week plan to tour Thailand and Viet Nam. Then he was seen on a little Chinese scooter going from one end of Viet Nam to the other. He lived in Costa Rica, too. Now he's back in Iowa, where he works at a mortgage company and, we assume, being fed on corn.
Brendan Hunt (2000-2001)		Brendan gave up his boat career to return to acting and master the German card game of Skat.
Pieter Bakker (Sweetie Pietie) (2000)		Pieter sold a lot of ticket for Boom. He worked in their box office. But now, alas, lives in Rotterdam.
Pascale Delevance (2000)
Sarah Craig (2001-2004)		Our smallest boat captain, Sarah impressed the salts from the union hall with her expert boat handling and liberal social activism. She lives in Australia.
Gideon Hoed (2001-2003)
Alan Simpson (2002-2004)		Alan is the only captain to propose to his wife on the boats (on the Ome Jan, under a bridge on the Groenburgwal. She said, “yes.”). He is also the only captain to be pushed off a boat by a tourist and then have to dodge a rondvaart boat by swimming under it. He is a big man from Down Under, but gets into far fewer fights than Russell Crowe. He tends bar at Boom.
Simon Hollows (2002-2004)		Took the boats out with or without tourists and on overnight camping expeditions. A damn good pilot. Currently a trolly dollie (flight attendant) in Vancouver.
Bruce Berkhardt		A master with the wrench, Bruce has fingers of gold
Gladys Kravitz		Accounting. She's very strict from her windowless office on the 4th floor of World Stichting Headquarters. If there is a mistake with your bill or if your company hasn't received proper payment, check with Gladys in Accounting at KLondike 5-0001. You won't get a recording ... she's always there.

Before there was a St. Nicolaas Boat Stichting, there were the Boom Boats (1994-1996). Captains, deckhands, welders, and sweepers: Jan van Ommen, Ken Schaefle, Peter Moskos, Chris Plant, Heidi Liebes, Jim Greer, Zora O'Neill, Scott Jones, Todd Maxman, Toine Rikken, Ralph Lee, Michael Diederich.
**Members of the exclusive "Van Der Gracht" club:** Jan van Ommen, Peter Moskos, Alan Simpson, and the current wearer of the wet tiara, Mike Phelps. Pictured on right: Peter Moskos and honorary member Frank Plant.
Last updated September 2007