Our Faculty
The Operations Team — Offshore Sailing School Managers and Instructors
From the day Steve Colgate opened his first school in Manhattan in 1964, he has insisted on sailing instructors with true teaching skills, keen sailing knowledge and extensive sailing experience in small and large cruising and racing boats. Offshore Sailing School instructors are men and women chosen for all of the above, plus humility, patience, dedication to you (our clients) and loyalty to Offshore Sailing School (the company). Here are some of the special people that deliver “exceeded my expectations” comments on almost every evaluation we receive back from our clients. If you would like to join our faculty, please see Employment Opportunities.
“Instructors I have encountered in the sailing world have been very good, but those with the Offshore Sailing School have been the best. The curriculum development with Offshore advances their instructors to the highest level. The Offshore instructors are following a well thought-out script.”
John Klebba – Lakewood, CO
Folkert “Dutch” Jongkind Diaz – Caribbean Regional Manager
Born and raised in the Netherlands, sailing was an obvious but casual hobby for Dutch. In 2006 he turned his hobby into a fulltime profession. He began teaching sailing on the Solent on England’s south coast, and seasonal work took him all over Europe and the Caribbean. He spent a year in the British Virgin Islands, then went back to the Solent to teach there for two more years; and in between did a lot of deliveries in the Bay of Biscay, English Channel and Atlantic Ocean. The BVI beckoned with sunshine, good wind, great people, and a great opportunity to work with Offshore Sailing School! Folkert holds Royal Yachting Association and US Sailing instructor certifications. Dutch began working for Offshore Sailing School as an instructor in 2014 and was promoted to Senior Instructor and Caribbean Regional Manager in the British Virgin Islands in May 2018. Dutch and family reside on Tortola, BVI.
Daniel Jackson – Branch Manager & Instructor, Fort Myers, Florida
Daniel is originally from England, but he found his love for sailing when he moved to the Pacific Northwest in 2011. He and his wife Klaudia have owned several cruising sailboats and have explored the expansive waters around Seattle and Puget Sound for the last decade. Daniel is also an avid racer. He sailed for his local club in Olympia, WA during the last 6 years while delivering yachts up and down the west coast in his spare time. Daniel has held a USCG OUPV (6 pack) license for the past 5 years and recently upgraded to a 25-ton Masters License. Daniel relocated to Florida full time where his passion for sailing and teaching continues. He looks forward to exploring the waters and assisting you in reaching your own sailing goals, whether that’s learning how to sail, owning, or chartering a sailboat or just having a great time out on the water.
Art Hansen – Branch Manager & Instructor, St. Petersburg, FL
Art Hansen has been sailing since he was two years old. In his youth, he cruised and raced with his family on Chesapeake Bay in Maryland. He also spent one summer working as an instructor at the Annapolis Sailing School. After serving 4 years as a US Army Infantry Officer, he moved to Florida. He currently cruises extensively along the West coast of Florida with his wife and First Mate (Yellow Lab named Barney). After spending 32 years working in manufacturing, he decided to leave corporate life and become a sailing instructor. He holds an OUPV Captain’s License and works out of the St Petersburg location.
Cheyenne Warner – Instructor
Cheyenne Warner grew up on the island of Antigua where he started sailing when he was 3 years old. He learned on small boats at the local yacht club, and in his teens became a sailing instructor there. At 17, he was introduced to ocean racing, took Royal Yachting Association classes, and became a charter and delivery captain, which led him to sailing all over the Caribbean, Europe, and the United States. Cheyenne is a U.S. citizen and holds all levels of US Sailing Instructor Certification, as well as a variety of Royal Yachting Association and Maritime Training Certificates.
George Samalot – Instructor
While working at Ulmer Sails on City island, NY in 1976, George taught part-time at Offshore Sailing School on City Island. That Fall he joined Offshore full time at South Seas Plantation on Captiva Island, Florida, a year later went back to Offshore on City Island NY and then to the British Virgin Islands to open an Offshore Sailing School branch there. After a long career delivering yachts, sailmaking, and running his own company Samalot Marine for 35 years, George and his wife, Barbara, moved to SW Florida where he joined Offshore Sailing School to teach sailing, again. An avid racer, he has sailed multiple times in the Newport-Bermuda Race, the Southern Ocean Racing Circuit, many distance races on Long Island Sound, was on the US Admirals Cup Team in the 1987 Fastnet Race and did the Miami-Montego Bay Race in ‘89. A racing association leader and volunteer, George received the Ned Anderson Trophy from YRALIS for “Outstanding Service to Yacht Racing” on Long Island Sound in 2012. He holds a US Coast Guard 200-ton Masters License with sailing endorsement and US Sailing instructor certifications.
Andrew Deen – Instructor
Andy’s love of naval history ultimately led him to try sailing lessons, and he was hooked! He and his wife Kathryn joined a sailing club and have cruised up and down the west coast of Florida, as well as throughout the Virgin Islands. Andy loves sailing so much that he decided to change careers and teach sailing full-time. He holds the USCG 25-Ton Masters license with sailing endorsement. Andy is excited to share his passion with you and hopes that you depart from the course with a newfound confidence to charter a sailboat, anywhere in the world! Welcome Aboard!
Briana Boele van Hensbroek – Instructor
Briana is originally from New Zealand. She grew up by the sea and spent many summers cruising around New Zealand on her family’s sailboat. Her love of sailing allowed her to travel and work around the world, on long distance passages including crewing on both Indian Ocean and Atlantic Ocean crossings. She has her RYA Yachtmaster Offshore qualification and has spent time working as a Captain in the Mediterranean. Briana is passionate about the ocean and loves sharing this with others. When she is not sailing, she can be found exploring the local marine life, freediving, or scuba diving.
Jaime Torres – Instructor
Jaime was born and raised in the warm tradewinds of Puerto Rico and has spent over 50 years sailing all over the World on everything from windsurfers to maxi yachts. His dad started him as crew on a C&C 41 in the early 70’s. When he was just 12 years old, Jaime did his first delivery from Annapolis to San Juan, PR. Since then, he says he has never stopped sailing in one form or another and has rarely been more than a few minutes from the water. “Sailing is my greatest passion,” says Jaime. “I spend every free second racing RC boats, wingfoiling, or organizing racing in my sweet Melges 24 in the local fleet or around the US.” Jaime gets immense satisfaction from improving people’s recreational and racing experiences in St. Petersburg, Florida. “I love my work as a sailing instructor, delivery, and charter captain, but one of my favorite jobs is serving as the Race Manager for Antigua Sailing Week. It brings me back to the Caribbean every year, where I reconnect with my sailing roots.”
Kelly Davis – Instructor
Kelly grew up in Texas and studied computer science in Colorado. He has taught live aboard courses extensively, sailed all over the Caribbean, Belize, Cozumel to San Pedro and the British Virgin Islands. For many years, Kelly raced Hobie Cats and ran a dive shop in the Florida Keys. He has a U.S. Coast Guard 50 ton license, US Sailing Basic Keelboat and Cruising instructor certifications, and is a PADI open water scuba instructor.
Patrick Najou – Instructor
Patrick holds all levels of US Sailing instructor Certification: Basic Keelboat, Basic, Cruising, Bareboat Cruising, Coastal Passage Making, Performance Sailing Catamarans, Power Boats and Coastal Navigation and has a US Coast Guard Master 50 Ton license. Born in France, Patrick spent several years teaching sailing in Brittany, then in Los Angeles and Seattle. He has over 30 years of sailing experience, from small crafts to offshore cruising. teaches for Offshore Sailing School in the British Virgin Islands.
Elin Sandberg – Instructor
Elin has lived and sailed all over the world, and is enjoying a change from the frigid North Atlantic and Irish Sea to the much warmer waters of the British Virgin Islands. She is an RYA Yachtmaster and loves sharing her passion for sailing on boats large and small. Coaching and mentoring female sailors and skippers is particularly important to her, as well as making a vacation, life or career on the water accessible to everyone. When she’s not teaching sailing, Elin can be found offshore racing or on long ocean passages while trying to perfect her celestial navigation.
Paul Grisko – Instructor
Born in Chicago and raised in Marco Island, Florida, Paul Grisko was drawn to the ocean early on. His sailing journey began in the Florida Keys and flourished at the University of South Florida, where he joined the sailing team and discovered his passion for teaching during summer stints at sailing camps across the U.S., including the San Juan Islands and Portland, Maine. Holding a 50GT captain’s license with a sailing endorsement, Paul now sails his J32 sailboat and has been an influential instructor at Offshore Sailing School for four years. His dedication not only enhances his personal explorations but also inspires a new generation of sailors through his expertise and enthusiasm.
Mark Walker – Instructor
Mark Walker is a seasoned US Sailing Instructor with over a decade of experience sailing across the Caribbean and Gulf Coast waters. He has done multiple deliveries through Caribbean waters, enhancing both his sailing expertise and appreciation for the region’s unique challenges. An advocate for marine conservation, Mark emphasizes the importance of preserving ocean ecosystems in his teaching, focusing on creating a supportive and empowering learning environment for sailors of all skill levels. Eager to share his passion for sailing, Mark looks forward to embarking on new adventures with students, aiming to create lasting memories while fostering responsible maritime practices. His versatility as an instructor makes him an invaluable asset to Offshore Sailing School and a trusted guide for both novice and seasoned sailors.
John Hines – Instructor
John is a Houston, TX, native who has had a lifelong love for the water, dedicating substantial time to boating. Introduced to sailing in his late 30s, he quickly developed an obsession, spending a decade racing on inland lakes in Oklahoma and Arkansas. During that period, he also chartered boats in the Florida Keys and the British Virgin Islands. Returning to the coast, he earned his 25-ton USCG Master Captain’s License and sailing instructor certifications. Since 2019, John has lived and traveled on his sailboat, exploring the waters of South Florida and the Bahamas. Eager to share his sailing passion, he aspires to guide others in achieving their sailing goals.
Trevor Burnett – Instructor
Trevor is a 7th generation Floridian who has been on boats since before he could walk. He began sailing with his father when he was five and has put in his fair share of time on the water – from sailing the tropical waters of the Caribbean to the cold, icy waters of the Greenland fjords. Trevor loves sharing his knowledge with everyone he encounters, especially as an instructor for Offshore Sailing School. He believes in putting extra emphasis on self-sufficiency on the water so you can be prepared for anything when you are out in the ocean away from the nearest boatyard. When not working professionally with Offshore Sailing School, Trevor spends his free time fixing up and cruising on his own sailboat in the Tampa Bay area and beyond, and invites those who want to learn sailing and cruising to join him for a relaxing and informative week on Florida’s beautiful coastline.
Joelle Petersen – Instructor
Joelle, originally from Minnesota, spent sixteen years of her adult life in Europe. As an avid world traveler, she raced and cruised the waters of the North Sea, Baltic, Mediterranean, Caribbean, Sydney Harbor, Whitsundays, Lake Superior and San Francisco Bay. When living in Brussels, she was the Commodore of the Brussels International Sailing Club and enjoyed leading weekend cruises. Several years ago she pursued another love – flying – and gained her commercial pilot license, flying seaplanes in remote areas of Alaska. Joelle holds a Masters degree from Leicester University, RYA Yachtmaster and Cruising Instructor Certificates, STCW95 certification and speaks German as a second language. In her free time, she enjoys playing the violin/fiddle, SCUBA diving and sailing her Laser.
David McCormick – Fleet Maintenance Manager
Dave brings over forty years of knowledge on marine and commercial equipment and systems as our Fleet Maintenance Manager. His background includes service in the USMC and the USCG, retiring with over twenty-three years of service from USCGR as Machinery Technician Chief Petty Officer. He utilizes his diverse background and experience to ensure our vessels are kept in tip top shape. Interesting trivia on Dave, he is our Square-Rigged Sailor, having sailed on the USCG Cutter Barque Eagle (America’s Tall Ship) in 2001 as a crew member and instructor on engineering and damage control to Officer Cadets from the USCG Academy in New London, CT. When not working he is an avid outdoorsman and can be found in the woods or on the water.
Andy Ryner – Fleet Maintenance Technician
Andy sailed for more than forty years on the great lakes, and has sailed in Florida since moving there in 2012. He has raced on various sailboats in a variety of races including several Port Huron to Mackinac Races and Chicago to Mackinac Races, as well as weekly sail club races. Andy has a degree in Mechanical Engineering and holds Marine Mechanic Certification.
