Boissier, Paul

Paul Boissier has spent much of his professional career working on the sea, or in support of the people who go to sea, and in his leisure time he is an avid yachtsman. 

In the Navy he commanded and navigated warships and submarines in many parts of the world, ending his career as a senior Admiral. He then spent 10 years as Chief Executive of the Royal National Lifeboat Institution, the charity that saves lives at sea and operates over 340 lifeboats around the UK and Republic of Ireland. As a cruising yachtsman Paul has sailed his own boat around the UK, northern Europe and in the Mediterranean. He has also spent time afloat in other parts of the world as far apart as western Canada, South America and Australia. 

This lifetime’s experience has given him a unique perspective on navigation, from the bridge of a warship, to the cockpit of a cruising yacht and the control room of a submarine. And, of course, at the RNLI, his work often involved dealing with the consequences of navigational miscalculations by other water users.