CaptainJean-François LeBlanc
Gatineau · Ottawa · Thousand Islands

Take the helm with confidence

Private boat handling lessons, deliveries, underwater inspection and personalized marine services - from a captain who has been running, teaching and maintaining boats for over 25 years.

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Bilingual EN / FR Former squadron commander (CPS-ECP) Calm, patient teaching style
Captain Jean-François LeBlanc at the helm of his boat
Captain's photo
(photo-capitaine.jpg)
25+years on the water
76 ftlargest yacht delivered
100+boaters trained (CPS-ECP)
2008Sea Ray owner since
Services

Personalized marine services, from the dock to open water

Every job starts with a conversation: your boat, your experience, your goals. Pricing on request - every situation is different.

Flagship service

Private boat handling lessons

Learn on your own boat, in the conditions you actually navigate. Personalized hands-on training that makes you independent, safe and confident - whether you have just bought your first boat or want to sharpen your manoeuvres.

  • Marina manoeuvres: docking, leaving the dock, crosswinds, tight spaces
  • Anchoring, mooring and locking through
  • Electronic navigation: GPS, radar, marine charts, VHF radio
  • Safety, weather, trip planning and managing passengers

Who it is for: new owners, spouses and families who want to share the helm, boaters moving up in size.

Book a lesson on my boat

Boat and yacht delivery

Planning and running your boat between Quebec, Ontario, the Thousand Islands, Boston, New York or Florida - Rideau, Erie and Oswego canals, St. Lawrence River, Ottawa River.

Who it is for: out-of-province buyers, snowbird owners running north and south, brokers and marinas.

Request a delivery

Underwater inspection and diving services

Visual inspection of hull, propellers, shafts, rudders, anodes, keels, water intakes, chains, anchors and mooring blocks - without hauling the boat out. Clearing rope wrapped around the propeller.

Who it is for: owners, marinas and buyers before a transaction (founder of SeaBIOSe, underwater inspection).

Schedule an underwater inspection

Drone and marine photography

Aerial photos and video of boats, marinas, docks and waterfront properties. Showcasing boats for sale and promotional content for brokers and marine businesses.

Who it is for: boat sellers, brokers, marinas and waterfront owners.

Get drone photos

Technical assistance and light maintenance

Basic diagnostics, seasonal preparation, checks of batteries, chargers, solar panels, filters, pumps, anodes, antifouling, 12V systems and marine diesels - the experience of an owner who has maintained his own Caterpillar 3126 engines since 2008.

Who it is for: owners who want to understand their boat and prevent breakdowns.

Request a dockside visit
Captain LeBlanc's Sea Ray 380 Sundancer at anchor in the Thousand Islands
Boat photo
(sea-ray-380.jpg)
About

A captain who treats your boat like his own

I am Jean-François LeBlanc, a boater for more than 25 years, based in Gatineau and on the water in the Thousand Islands every summer - a cruising ground I know by heart. I am the second generation of Captain LeBlanc: my father held that rank in the Canadian Armed Forces, and I grew up with the sense of duty and discipline that comes with it. I carry it today on the water. As former commander of the Ottawa Valley squadron of the Canadian Power and Sail Squadrons, I trained hundreds of boaters in safety, VHF radio, chart reading and electronic navigation.

A Sea Ray owner since 2008 - including a 380 Sundancer with twin Caterpillar 3126 diesels that I maintain myself - I know what owners actually live with: the manoeuvres that raise your pulse, the noises you cannot identify, the mechanical systems you wish you understood. An entrepreneur since 2001, I bring to every job the same rigour I demand in business.

Boating is not just turning a wheel. It is understanding your vessel, anticipating conditions, reading your surroundings, protecting your passengers and making the right decisions at the right time.

ReliabilityYour boat in good hands
TransparencyClear estimate before any work
TeachingMaking you independent, not dependent
Experience and qualifications

More than 25 years on the water, from the Rideau Canal to Florida

  • Owner and captain - Sea Ray 270 and 380 Sundancer 2008 to today

    Full maintenance (gasoline and Caterpillar 3126 diesel), offshore passages and transits of the Richelieu, Erie, Oswego, Hudson and Trent-Severn canal systems - including the Big Chute marine railway and the hydraulic lift locks, through to Georgian Bay and Toronto. Boston-Gatineau and Florida-Thousand Islands passages.

  • Long-distance deliveries Several seasons

    Deliveries between Florida, New York, Boston and Quebec on yachts up to 76 feet - passage planning, watchkeeping, lock transits and logistics.

  • Commander - Ottawa Valley Squadron, CPS-ECP 2011 - 2016

    Teaching navigation (VHF, GPS, charts, knots, weather), training instructors and representing the region within Canada's largest recreational boating association.

  • Founder - SeaBIOSe and Station nautique Rivière des Outaouais

    Underwater inspection and intervention; founder of the first regional boating hub recognized by the Association Maritime du Québec.

Service area

Home port: Gatineau, Quebec

Regular work throughout the Ottawa Valley and the Ottawa region, with a summer presence in the Thousand Islands. Travel costs depend on distance and are set out in every estimate.

GatineauOttawaOttawa Valley MontrealThousand IslandsKingston
Deliveries

Major waterways

Boat deliveries on the main waterways of northeastern North America, in both directions.

Florida ⇄ QuebecBoston ⇄ Ottawa Valley New York ⇄ Thousand IslandsRideau Canal Erie and Oswego canalsSt. Lawrence River Trent-Severn ⇄ Georgian BayLake Ontario · Toronto
Contact

Let's talk about your boat

Tell me what you need - I reply quickly with a clear estimate, no obligation. Every job is confirmed in writing before we start.

Direct contact

Bilingual service - English and French.
Service en français également offert.

Request an estimate

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