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Our Instructors |
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Justine O'ConnorMy name is Justine O’Connor. I am originally from Alexandria, Virginia but have spent my summers in the Boothbay Harbor, Maine area. Spending summers in Maine has allowed me to pursue my love for sailing. I started sailing at Southport Yacht Club in Maine when I was 8 years old and continued until I was 18 after which I became an instructor at SYC for the next four years. While sailing competitively at Southport, I participated in many Junior Olympics and won The Sears Cup NSA Championship in 2003. I also sailed both J35s and a Class A Farr 39 on the GMORA racing circuit. I have traveled to many regattas around the country as both a junior sailor and more recently as a coach with Optimist and 420 racers. Growing up as a young sailor I looked up to my coaches and learned many life lessons, a role I hope to play for the young sailors I now coach. Over the past 6 summers, I have successfully instructed both beginners who are fearful of taking the helm as well as champion sailors eager to learn advanced racing techniques. I am a recent graduate of Boston College, where I was on the varsity sailing team, including the 2008 National Championship Team! I have sailed both coed and women's events, placing 3rd at Women's ACC's in the fall of 2006 and winning the Rose Bowl Regatta in 2006. I have also sailed extensively in team racing events, placing 2nd at Pacific Coast Championship in 2006 teamed with Zach Brown, Adam Roberts and Tyler Pruett .I coached Optimist racers at Fisher’s Island Yacht Club in 2007, and was the Junior Sailing Director at Boothbay Harbor Yacht Club this past summer. There I helped foster an exciting sailing atmosphere and revamped a competitive racing program. I am excited to return to PBSC – I was pleased to coach our RWB Optimist travel team at large travel regattas last year including Opti Nationals – and bring my experiences and enthusiasm to PBSC to cultivate a state of the art racing program that will foster life long lessons and experiences for our young sailors. |
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Brandon CairnesBrandon is the Assistant Sailing Master. He was born and raised in Palm Beach Gardens, FL area He discovered at an early age that he had a natural talent for sailing. He grew up sailing on J/24s and Optimist until he was 15 yrs old, then he moved in to the Laser Radial.Some of the regattas he has sailed since he’s been in the laser are; 2004 Orange Bowl, 2004, 2005 and 2007 placed 25 in the silver fleet division Laser Midwinter's East, 2005 US Laser Nationals, and all the regattas here at PBSC. He earned his US Sailing level 1 Instructor and level 2 coaching Certification , and has coached at the Palm Beach Sailing Club & the US Sailing Center of Martin Co. He has been involved with the Palm Beach Sailing Club Summer Camp since it was put together 13 years ago. He loves the sport of sailing more than anything and he feels The Palm Beach Sailing Club is the best place to learn how to sail and having fun doing it! |
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Caroline WrightCaroline Wright is an eighteen year old laser radial sailor from Fort Lauderdale, FL, who has been sailing for ten years. She started her sailing career in Optimists. Caroline started racing laser radials at the age of 12 and has now been sailing lasers for six years. Over the last few years, she has been competing in major women's laser events. Last year she qualified for the 2008 Beijing Olympic Trials by placing fourteenth in Women's North Americans. The Olympic Trials took place October 2007 in Newport, RI. It was extremely difficult with ten days of 40 degree weather and winds between 18 and 32 knots. Caroline sailed this years Women's North Americans with Colleen. Caroline placed 5th woman overall. She often competes in regattas like this one against other women in the Laser radial.On top of laser sailing, Caroline often sails 420s. She is a varsity skipper on her high school sailing team. The high school sailing team tied for first out of all the teams in the South Atlantic District. Caroline began sailing 420s her freshman year of high school. She crewed for Sarah Lihan for a year, which she found very entertaining. They competed together in Ida Lewis (the junior women's double handed championship) and placed fourth. Since then Caroline has skippered various events in 420s with crew, Megan Place. They have won multiple titles together, including top 420 girls in the state. Caroline coaches an intermediate 420 class after school every week, which she finds very enjoyable. She likes having the opportunity to teach people something that she loves so much. Caroline is a senior in high school this year and recently decided to attend University of Florida next year (Go Gators). She will be majoring in Health Science and with the goal of becoming a dietitian. Caroline am extremely concerned with health and general fitness and, something that she applies a lot in my coaching. Until college begins, she is focusing on sailing. Caroline is looking forward to sharing my knowledge with all of the sailors at Palm Beach Sailing Club. |
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