Offshore Sailing School announced today that Robert (Rob) Brooks, formerly of Austin, Texas, has joined the Offshore Sailing School executive team as Director of Operations. “His background and successful career in sailing education and racing makes Rob the ideal leader in developing new programs, faculty, branch and resource management as we continue to grow our business,” states Offshore Chairman and Founder, Steve Colgate. Brooks will oversee all aspects of the Company’s systems and programs, working closely with the Colgates and the management team.

He has over 32 years of professional sailing instruction and coaching experience, and began sailing at Santa Barbara Yacht Club’s Youth Program at age seven where he later went on to direct that program. In the early 80’s he began offshore racing on various IOR boats with top finishes in the Newport to Ensenada Race (Presidents Cup winner), Transpac , Pac Cup, Coastal Cup, and San Diego to Puerto Vallarta regattas.

Brooks holds many racing honors including World Champion in the Mumm30 class; National Champion in the Melges24, Santana 20, Capri 30, and Holder 20 classes; and North American Champion in the Mumm30, Melges24, J24, J80, and J35 classes. He recently won the overall Mackinac Cup 2015.

Rob Brooks (middle) with Offshore Sailing School President/CEO Doris Colgate and Chairman/Founder Steve Colgate at 2016 North U/Performance Race Week

He has performed multiple International seminars in Canada and Mexico and coached the past six Offshore/NorthU Race Weeks, as well as corporate Team building seminars on various past America’s Cup yachts including 12 Metres and the IACC boats.

He has also been very active in women’s sailing, coaching top level Women’s Rolex and Woman’s Keelboat Championship teams. His onshore talents include sailmaking, rigging and new boat commissioning.

For the past eleven years Brooks has been a commercial real estate agent in Austin, Texas and recently relocated to Offshore Sailing School’s headquarters in Fort Myers, Fla with his wife and daughter.

Offshore Sailing School was founded in 1964 by Olympian, America’s Cup Sailor and National Sailing Hall of Fame Inductee, Steve Colgate. The school provides a full range of sailing instruction with US Sailing certification – from beginning sailing to advanced cruising and racing – at seven locations in Florida, the British Virgin Islands, New York and New Jersey. In addition, the Company conducts team building programs for corporations and groups, and leadership training for universities, including Emory’s Goizuetta Advanced Leadership Academy. More than 130,000 adults and their families have graduated from Offshore Sailing School programs over the past 52 years. For more information and hi-res images, contact Beth Oliver, Director of Sales and Marketing – Boliver@OffshoreSailing.com.