Jim grew up sailing on Muskegon Lake out of the Muskegon Yacht Club as a young boy. While in school, he was introduced to sailmaking by working for the former Northwind Sails in Muskegon. He graduated from Mona Shores High School, and he received a degree in economics and business from Central Michigan University. An internship with Shore Sails in Traverse City while in college sold Jim on sailmaking as a profession.

 

After graduating from college, Jim went to work for the Chicago loft of North Sails. He became the service manager, overseeing a multistate sales territory with a customer base of 8,000. Jim returned home to open Bluffton Bay Sails in March of 2003.