John C. Thomas
USCG Master Captain · Operations Manager · Founder
Maritime captain turned design-build founder. 100-ton USCG Master with 1,000+ sea days across Alaska and Hawaii waters, now running an active Honolulu remodel practice and building the software that runs the jobs. Operations, leadership, and code — with sawdust on the boots and salt in the rigging.
“From the bridge to the build site — and now the cloud.”
Three callings
On the water. On the ground. In the code.
USCG Master 100-Ton. 1,000+ sea days from Prince William Sound to Maui. Towing, salvage, charter, commercial dive, sail.
Honolulu design-build practice. Hardwood, full remodels, GC-B license track. $139K Puuikena renovation active.
Multi-tenant SaaS for contractors. AI scope generator, RoomPlan blueprints, client portals, Hawaii tax accounting.
Experience
Where I've been steering.
Founder & CEO
BlueWave Projects · Honolulu, HI
- Built and shipped a multi-tenant project management SaaS for design-build contractors — sole engineer, designer, and operator.
- Native stack: Next.js 16, FastAPI, Postgres, Swift/SwiftUI iOS, Cloudflare Pages, Vultr.
- AI scope generator, RoomPlan LiDAR blueprints, client share portals, change orders, Hawaii tax accounting, supplier ledgers.
- Tenant 1 (Ikena Design & Build) actively running real construction jobs through the system.
Founder · Principal
Ikena Design & Build · Honolulu, HI
- Active Honolulu design-build practice pursuing Hawaii GC-B contractor license.
- $139,165 Puuikena Drive renovation in flight — three-phase quote structure, mahogany veneer + termite remediation + interior refinish.
- Source-of-truth client for BlueWave Projects: every feature ships first on a real job site.
Project Manager
Hawaii Flooring Specialists · Oahu, HI
- Manage fleet remodel crews on high-end floor installations, hardwood refinish, and full home remodels.
- 50/50 partnership with Chris on Hawaii Flooring quotes — labor and project execution lead.
- Subs, materials, scheduling, tax accounting, and client communications across multiple concurrent jobs.
USCG Master Captain · Sales Manager
Ohana Boats Sales & Hawaii Boat Club · Honolulu, HI & Surrounding Islands
- Managed fleet of 12+ private and club vessels at 100% USCG and local regulatory compliance.
- Coordinated maintenance, repairs, and charter scheduling; cut downtime 15% via proactive inspection cadence.
- Trained and supervised deck crews; standardized safety procedures and emergency response drills.
Senior Tow & Salvage Master Captain
Sea Tow International · Seward, AK / San Diego, CA
- Navigated complex Alaskan coastal waters in every season; expert use of local charts, currents, and maritime regulations.
- Oversaw safe operation of Sea Tow vessels in Alaskan and Californian waters — vessel tows, salvage, marine emergency rescue.
- Prioritized passenger safety and swift resolution of incidents at sea.
Charter Operations · Sales Manager · Captain
Fjords Adventures, LLC · Seward, AK
- Maintained impeccable USCG and federal/national park maritime compliance; exemplary safety record across charters and inspections.
- Safely operated open-ocean vessels in diverse sea conditions; showcased seamanship to elevate passenger experience.
- Built and ran the LLC end-to-end — bookings, marketing, regulatory paperwork, captain ops.
Operations Manager · Captain · Lead Mechanic · Dive Supervisor
Storm Chasers Shipyard · Seward, AK
- Directed commercial dive operations in demanding environments — underwater construction, hydro-sync lifts, pipelines, offshore structures.
- Led crew of shipyard laborers through variety of vessel projects on time and safely.
- Vessel salvage and industrial dive — Prince William Sound and Cook Inlet.
Snowcat Operations Manager · Fuel Distribution Manager
Chugach Powder Guides · Girdwood, AK
- Led 10+ skilled operators and maintenance crew; built a culture of safety, efficiency, and teamwork.
- Implemented control measures that reduced helicopter charter cancellations caused by human and mechanical factors.
- Ensured strict compliance with local and Alaska State regulations governing heli-cat and snowcat operations and environmental protection.
Vessels captained
Ten boats, two oceans, one logbook.
Yacht Fleet
Apr 2025 – CurrentPursuit 365, Monterey 385SS, Hatteras 60, TwinVee, WorldCat
M/V Southern Explorer
Aug 2024 – Jan 202597 GT charter
F/V Mr. B
May 2024 – Oct 202441 GT commercial
M/V Acorn II
Jul 2021 – May 2024Commercial dive vessel
Seatow Central Alaska
May 2021 – Aug 2023Fleet of 30–42′ offshore tow vessels
Seatow San Diego
Aug 2022 – Jan 2023Fleet of 30–42′ offshore tow vessels
F/V Off The Leash
Apr 2019 – Apr 2024Volvo-powered 7 GT charter
S/V Reality Check
May 2021 – Aug 2023Auxiliary sail
M/V Nomad
Aug 2021 – Dec 202178′ chartered fishing
F/V Ptarmigan
Jul 2018 – Aug 201840′ commercial
Certifications & IDs
Papers stamped.
USCG licenses & ratings
STCW
Safety & rescue
Firefighting
Identification
Awaiting return on filed MMC
Education
Miami University
Oxford, OH
B.S. Business Marketing · Minor in Naval Science
May 2014
In college
- Delta Sigma Pi Business Fraternity
- Full-time Firefighter / EMT
- Airport Manager
- Rock Climbing Course Instructor
Need a captain, an operator, or a builder?
I take on a small number of off-platform engagements per year — advisory, ops consulting, expert witness, maritime surveying, and design-build in Hawaii.