Charles “Chas” Francoviglia is a partner of Gold Hound Treasure Divers and one of its key salvors. Chas has been active in treasure salvage operations for more than a dozen years and brings extensive underwater archaeological experience to such efforts. He has studied everything from shipwreck archaeological site plans, charting, underwater drawing and surveying, to detection, excavation, artifact conservation and more. Chas, who’s been a scuba diver for nearly three decades, has worked the 1715 Fleet for 12 years including many years under the stewardship of John Brandon, one of the leaders in Florida’s shipwreck salvage community. Chas brings all of that combined expertise to Gold Hound Treasure Divers in its search of the mother lode from the 1715 Fleet.

Chas teamed with Captain Greg Bounds in 2002 to build the M/V Goldhound for use in the continued excavation and artifact recovery of the 1715 Fleet. Since then, he has consistently uncovered treasures from the fleet using advanced technologies that tie together clues from magnetometers, GPS and sonar scanners together with trails of shipwreck scatter, surveys, metal detectors and more. Chas says. “I will “do this till the day I drop, as long as I can dive”.

Before teaming with Captain Bounds, Chas worked for five years on the 1715 Fleet with John Brandon, himself a protégée of the legendary salver, Mel Fisher. Prior to that, he worked with the Oro Del Mar Treasure Salvage Team, also combing the 1715 Fleet.

Before becoming a treasure salver, Chas worked in operations at Florida Power and Light for over a decade. While there, he oversaw operations of all auxiliary equipment including intakes and discharges of plant cooling water. He also received specialized training in areas such as environmental evaluations in conjunction with the U.S. Coast Guard, environmental oil spill management, and hurricane planning for plant and personnel among other areas of expertise. Previously, he worked with Bema Marine Construction installing docks and seawalls, and dredging.

Chas Francoviglia attended the Underwater Dive Technology (UDT) Commercial Diving Program at the Florida Institute of Technology where he received certification as a commercial diver qualified for offshore and inland search, salvage, Non-Destructive Testing & Inspections, and more.