CAPTAIN BOB

BIOGRAPHY

I started sailing on inland lakes in the Midwest at the age of 7. I built my first boat (sailfish) at the age of 11. Have been hooked on sailing ever since. While in the military stationed at Fort Hood TX, I worked 3 days on and 3 days off, 4 on 4 off and repeat. So, I had time for a part time job. Naturally it was with a boat shop and I was the one that would take people out for test sails on a prospective purchase. Upon being Honorably Discharged from the Army, I went back to Michigan and raced in the Midwest region for Hobie 16’s in the 70’s, qualified and raced in the Hobie 16 Worlds in 1978. I spent my winters in Florida with my grandparents and spent most of my time asking visitors (snow birds) if they wanted to go sailing. I took them out on my Hobie 16 or 18 that I trailered to FL in the winter months and sailed in Boca Ciega Bay and Tampa Bay. Once in a while sailing out to the Gulf of Mexico. In the late 1980’s I moved to Phoenix. I lived on a Catalina 470 in St Petersburg FL for 2 years and obtained my Captains license while there. I then sold that boat and came back to Phoenix in 2016.

I have been teaching sailing since 2018 and look forward to seeing the excitement on students faces as they get the “aha” moment and things start to make sense.