Each month, Coast Monthly visits with some of the most stylish people on the Texas Coast to see some of their favorite things.

Photo by Chris Kuhlman

As the owner of The Yacht Sales Company in Kemah’s Watergate Marina, Jonathon Davis didn’t get his sea legs until he had explored other careers, including running a kite shop, an electronics business and insurance agency. After he got his captain’s license, he began crewing on boats and took up competitive racing. Davis has more than 100,000 sea miles and has earned more than eight competitive titles. But marriage and babies have him settling down. Today, Davis and wife, Kim, along with son, Cole, and daughter, Camille, are happily ensconced in League City. Still, Davis concedes he’s not happy unless he’s burning the midnight oil. The best thing he likes about the upper Texas coast is sailboat racing, he said.

“It’s as high-caliber as anywhere in the world,” he said.

As for his fashion style, he is barefoot more often than not.

“Apparently, you’re not supposed to wear pressed linens from the cleaners with flip-flops,” he said. “But I do it every day.”

Here are a few of his favorite things:

1. “The World’s Best Sailboats” book and “Fearless” cap: My wife, Kim, and I ran this boat for four years; I was the captain and she was the chef. It’s an Alden 72, known for their elegant interiors. When I ran it, it was named Fearless.

2. Alcoholics Anonymous chip: This is my 15-year chip from AA. While doing community service, I got interested in sailing. So, it basically saved my life.

3. Sailboat replica: This is a replica of a whaling vessel, hand carved on the island of Bequia, which is south of Saint Vincent. It was carved by Timothy Sargeant, and given to me and my wife as a wedding present from Timothy’s brother, Winfield Sargeant.

4. Ballpoint pen. I ordered this online a while back and have never been able to find another one like it. It has a ship’s wheel, anchor, knots and compass. It’s my favorite pen.

5. Breitling watch: This watch has an EPIRB — Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacon — that serves both to issue alerts and to guide search and rescue missions. It’s similar to a black box on an airplane.

6. Turtle: Handmade in Saint Lucia, I carved “Marry Me” on the bottom, attached an engagement ring to it, buried it about 15 feet under water in the sand at Tobago Cays with 200-pound heavy fishing line and took Kim snorkeling. She went down, saw it, but thought it was a real turtle and wouldn’t pick it up, so I did. She said yes.

7. “Grateful Dad” T-shirt: I wore this when my son, Cole, was born four years ago, and also when my daughter, Camille, was born a year ago. These are their actual infant footprints stamped on the shirt.

8. H.S. Trask & Co. shoes: I like to support small and eco-friendly businesses. These are handmade in Montana, are boat-friendly and slip-proof.