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Meet the Crew

You can either scroll through these pages or click on a face to jump directly to that crew member. Mouse over our new crew members' portraits to see them receive their official (and exclusive) Half Moon crew shirts.

CassieColtonCourtneyEllieJacobJerry AngeloKevinLillyMylaNtandoPeterTahjha
Captain William ReynoldsCheryl BackmanDan BrudosMarco BurmesterBob HansenRalf HenselJohn W. MangrumSteve McLaughlinCarolyn NiehausGrant PrimeAnita WaiboerWoody Woodworth

Student Crew | Senior Crew

William Reynolds, Ship's Captain

William Reynolds: Ship's Captain

Captain William "Chip" Reynolds has been captain of the Half Moon and Director of the New Netherland Museum since 1998. Before coming to the Half Moon, he captained numerous seagoing vessels, both historical and industrial. His background also includes training and work in the environmental sciences. He currently lives with his family in Selkirk, NY, and is looking forward to seeing the new student crew meet the challenges this Voyage of Discovery places before them.

Cheryl Backman

Cheryl Backman

Cheryl Backman is a 7th grade science teacher at Stephen and Harriet Myers Middle School in Albany. This is her first Half Moon trip and she is very excited about the experience.

Dan Brudos

Dan Brudos

Dan Brudos is a 3rd grade teacher at Central Park International Magnet School in Schenectady. He is looking forward to seeing bald eagles during the day and stargazing at night.

Marco Burmester

Marco Burmester

Marco Burmester first joined the Half Moon in summer 2009 for a day-long visit — the first crew member ever to join the ship by way of jet-ski (and the assistance of many unknown helpers). Mr. Burmester is a banker from Germany who has been in New York City for the last five years. He very much takes advantage of New York's theaters and music scene, being a musician himself.

Bob Hansen

Bob Hansen

Ship's mate Bob Hansen started sailing on the Hudson on the Hudson River Sloop Clearwater; later, on two engineless sloops. Since the 1990s, he has served as a volunteer and mate on the schooners Spirit of Massachuesetts and Ernestina, as well as other vessels.

Having recently retired from a career as a self-styled "bureaucrat" with the New York State government, Mr. Hansen has now turned his attention to serving as second-in-command on board the Half Moon.

Ralf Hensel

Ralf Hensel

Ralf Hensel is a cabinetmaker and Cultural Scientist M.A. He hails from Frisia, Germany, on the North Sea coast. He met the ship’s former boatswain, Janine Oosterloo, and so heard about the possibility to volunteer on the Half Moon. He had sailed before on the North Sea, the Baltic Sea, and the Mediterranean, but never before on such a beautiful ship — so he took his chance! Ralf is joining us this fall for his second Voyage of Discovery.

John W. Mangrum

John W. Mangrum

Originally hailing from the suburbs of Philadelphia, PA, John W. Mangrum holds one of the most anachronistic positions the crew of a 17th-century wooden sailing ship could imagine: the Half Moon's webmaster. Seldom seen in front of the camera, the self-titled "Ship's Chronicler" oversees the daily updates to this website during our voyages. A roleplaying game designer in a past life, Mr. Mangrum is has been sailing on board the Half Moon since the summer of 2004. What started as a simple, impromptu dockside tour of the ship has since turned into a life of adventure.

Steve McLaughlin

Steve McLaughlin

Steve McLaughlin loves to cook and has wanted to crew on the Half Moon since his daughter sailed on a Voyage of Discovery six years ago. Recently retired from the N.Y.S. Department of Health, Mr. McLaughlin has eagerly returned for yet another voyage.

 

Carolyn Niehaus

Carolyn Niehaus
2000 Fall Voyage of Discovery Alumna

Carolyn Niehaus has been an active member of the Half Moon since 1999 when she started giving tours as a docent through her social studies class. Ms. Niehaus is an alumna of the Fall 2000 Voyage of Discovery, as well as other voyages, and is happy to be back with the New Netherland Museum.

 

 

Grant Prime

Grant Prime

Grant Prime teaches 5th grade at Taconic Hills Middle School. Mr. Prime has been involved with historical re-enactments for more than thirty years, and has been bringing his enthusiasm to the Half Moon each summer since 1998. He has completed his Master's in Elementary Education, and was a contributor to the New Netherland Museum's 4th- and 7th-grade curriculum materials.

Anita Waiboer

Anita Waiboer

Hallo, mijn naam is Anita Waiboer. Ik kom uit Nederland. Back home, Anita Waiboer is a P.S. teacher. She arrived in Albany on August 9th to work on the Half Moon, and thinks the first weeks on this beautiful ship have been wonderful. She is looking forward to sailing with the students. It's a very unique experince and one of the best choices she's made in her life. Hope to see you soon on the Half Moon!

Woody Woodworth

Woody Woodworth

Woody Woodworth has a home in Schenectady, NY. He has worked as a professional photographer for 27 years. He joined the Half Moon in 1998 and is best known for keeping the ship's head working.

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