Meet Rob Andrews
A lifetime of learning
Small boats, big boats, racing, cruising - coastal waters, offshore....Rob has spent his life sailing and working in all aspects of the sport. He advocates that any day on the water should always be safe, educational and above all fun!
Big boat offshore
With a lifetime of offshore sailing, some of Rob's highlights include:
- At age 20, skippered his families 35' sloop on his 1st offshore voyage from Vancouver to Hawaii and back. Spent 3 months cruising the islands with just his 16 year old brother.
- In his early 20's skippered a Swan 65 across the Pacific for 2 years.
- In 1985 double-handed a 32' sailboat from New Zealand to Maine across the Southern Ocean and around Cape Horn.
- Built 2 sailboats from "bare hull" to offshore ready, a 35' Sloop and a 41' Cutter.
- Co skippering a circumnavigation with his father west to east from 1987 - 1992 on their 41' Cutter.
- 2011- 2014 completed a Pacific circumnavigation of some 30,000 miles aboard his current Swan sailboat, "Maui Joy".
small boat inshore
Rob has also spent much of his land based sailing life involved with smaller inshore sailboats. Some notable aspects include:
- Learning to sail at age 6 on his family Sabot.
- Dinghy racing in Vancouver on a range of one-design dinghies from the age of 12.
- Keel boat racing as a teenager in local Vancouver short and long course races.
- Introducing his two sons to sail and race Optimist dinghies. Both went on to represent NZ in the Laser Class at the International level.
- While living in New Zealand (26 years) raced aboard some of the top NZ race boats.
- Involved in many aspects of dinghy Race Management
- Owns a Viper 640 one design keel boat, that is excellent for introducing students of all ages to sailing on beautiful Sproat Lake.