Biography
We are Jack and Terry Burgess, former owners of Selene Classic 5388, Shangri-La, and owners of Selene Ocean Explorer 6047, being completed summer 2026 and also named Shangri-La. Jack has been boating for 68 years and Terry for about 30, succumbing to Jack’s love of all things water. We retired from busy and wonderful careers for Jack as a trial lawyer, law firm founder, legal education instructor, legislative author and progressive activist, and Terry as a Mom and law office manager, in 2021. This gave us more time to enjoy 5388, which we had built and delivered in 2010. We cruised the Chesapeake Bay and traveled north to New England for the summers for 10 years and in 2021 cruised to the Bahamas. In 2022 we cruised through the Virgins, the Leewards and the windwards to South America and Trinidad where Shangri-La spent the next few years. We, our family and guests flew south during long cruising season and enjoyed the Eastern Caribbean for a few years. In 2025, after a three year refit when seasonally on the hard in Trinidad, we brought the vessel to our home on the Chesapeake Bay, selling her in winter 2025 in anticipation of completing the build of Selene 6047. 5388 was not our first large vessel; we owned a Fountaine Pajot 44’ power catamaran from 2001 - 2009 which we kept in the USVI where our three daughters, friends and family could join us for spring breaks and summer vacations. Much fishing, snorkeling, diving, exploring and fun in the Virgins, Puerto Rico and Leeward Islands south to Saint Kitts and Nevis were enjoyed.
After 15 years of owning Shangri-La and having her completely refitted to be our “forever” boat, Jack surrendered to the one thing he can’t resist - temptation. Selene Ocean Explorer 6047 is to be delivered in Q3 2026. Shangri-La 5388 sold in November 2025 for seven figures, more than any Selene 53 or 54 has ever sold for, a tribute to the brand, proper maintenance and refitting. These boats are awesome!
Since retiring from law practice, Jack has had an opportunity to spend his energy elsewhere and further pursue his boating education. After a lifetime on the water, owning numerous boats and with 1,500 plus days at sea and 1,000 plus days underway outside the demarcation line, Jack acquired his USCG Master 100 Tons Captain License, USCG Advanced First Aid and CPR Certification, Transportation Worker Identification Credential, and is now available to private owners on occasion as a delivery and training Captain.
Jack is the founder of SMOG (Selene Motorcycle Owners Gang) and rides with the gang at every opportunity. The new Shangri-La will not only carry her tender on the boat deck, but a Triumph Scrambler 1200X will be on board, ready to be craned off the vessel and onto the tarmac to explore the next landfall.
The next chapter for us involves being the first US owners to take delivery of a new vessel directly from the shipyard in Zhuhai, China. After watching shipping costs climb like a rocket, we decided to accept the challenge and spend our boat dollars cruising and exploring rather than shipping. In September 2026 we will take delivery of 6047 Shangri-La at the shipyard, move to Lantau yacht Club in Hong Kong for a couple months of owner commissioning, sea trials and fun. Then we are off to the Philippines for the cruising season to join Brian Calvert at the Subic Bay yacht Club and beyond. After that, the “No Plan Plan” resumes.
The adventure continues!