Chapter IVIV. The Captain

Captain Jason Decker

Marine. Husband. Father. Waterman since the age of eight.

Captain Jason on the water — 30.3935° N86.4958° WDestin, FLPortrait — Captain Jason

Growing up, Jason was your typical kid with one exception, his love of anything water related, most kids love the water, he took it to another level! Whether you’re talking about water skiing, scuba diving, tinkering with his boats and jet skis, and his love to always push the envelope. His heroes was Howard Hughes, Amelia Earhart, Smokey & the Bandit.

I. From his Dad

The boy with no fear of the water.

I’ll never forget one day when he was about 10 years old he was going across Sebastian Lake on a jet ski full throttle, and I waved him over and said what in the world are you doing, and he said well I’m trying to get it to 70 miles an hour the fastest I can get it to 67! He never had a fear of the water, only love and passion for it! 30 years later and he’s still trying to set speed records, I guess somethings never change!He was eight years old when we bought him his very first boat, it was an old wore out V-bottom Jon boat that we bought at a pawn shop for $100 and stuck a trolling motor and battery on it, he probably put 1000 miles on it the first week. That boat also gave him learning lesson with that he never forgot, and that was to put the plug in, he forgot one day and almost sank it!

— Roger Decker

II. On the water

A Marine, a husband, a father — and always a waterman.

Over the years Jason spent time on countless boats fishing, skiing, scuba diving, and so much more. In 2004 after graduating high school, he went to college in Fort Smith for what he says was about 3 weeks. From there he joined the United States Marine Corps. In 2010 he married his wife Maria who had never been on a boat when they met, but quickly found a love of the water herself. They have two kids together Tony & Kaleb.

Running the Great Loop was always his dream, but when Robert Youens set the record, it inspired him to get up and going! In August 2026 Jason will leave Destin, FL to complete his own journey of the great loop!

Jason with his wife Maria and their two sons, Tony and Kaleb, on the beach in Destin — Jason, Maria, Tony & Kaleb · Destin, FL30.3935° N · 86.4958° W

III. Timeline

A life on the water — by the years.

2004Graduates high school; briefly attends Fort Smith.
2004Enlists in the United States Marine Corps.
2010Marries Maria.
—Welcomes sons Tony & Kaleb.
2026Departs Destin, FL to run the Great Loop.

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