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 in the summers for 10 years and in 2021 cruised to the Bahamas. In 2022 we cruised to South America and Trinidad where Shangri-La spent the next few years, with us flying south during long cruising season and enjoying the Eastern Caribbean. 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 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 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 occurred.
After 15 years of owning Shangri-La and having her completely refitted to be our “forever” boat, Jack succumbed 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 1.2M, 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 working for private owners on occasion as a delivery and training Captain.
Jack is also 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 adventure continues!