Pink Shell Beach Resort & Marina to Host Offshore Sailing School’s 50th
Pink Shell Beach Resort & Marina to Host Offshore Sailing School’s 50th anniversary Celebrity Pro-Am Regatta Benefitting the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society
June 25, 2014 – Offshore Sailing School Chairman Steve Colgate has announced additional activities to commemorate the company’s 50th Anniversary year.Headquartered in Fort Myers with seven sailing vacation and commuter locations, the school has taught more than 130,000 adults and their families to sail or sail better since Olympian and America’s Cup sailor, Colgate, founded it in 1964.
“It has been 50 years since I started Offshore Sailing School from a conversation at a cocktail party in New York City with a guy who owned a cruising boat,” states Colgate. “It has been an incredibly rewarding journey and we are thankful we are able to continue our efforts to give-back.” Offshore Sailing School will host a 50th Anniversary Celebrity Pro-Am Regatta with 10 of the world’s most accomplished sailors taking part in this “fantasy sailing” event January 8-10, 2015 at the Pink Shell Beach Resort & Marina on Fort Myers Beach. Space is limited to the first 40 participants with any level of sailing experience. Costs range from $2,500 per person double occupancy to $2,880 single occupancy with a minimum of $1,500 of each participant’s package rate donated to the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.
A sailor since he was 9, Colgate’s racing career includes America’s Cup Trials, the Olympics, TransAtlantic and Fastnet Races. He has completed numerous class championships and international distance races on maxi-ocean racers. Together, with his wife Doris, they have campaigned their 54-foot ocean-racer Sleuth and have enjoyed cruising all over the world.
Steve and Doris Colgate have been recognized with numerous industry and tourism awards, including the prestigious Sail Magazine Industry Award for Leadership in 1996, and in 2003 the US Sailing Timothea Larr Trophy in recognition of their outstanding leadership and excellence in sailing education. Doris was awarded the Betty Cook Memorial Lifetime Achievement Award from Boating magazine and the coveted Leadership in Women’s Sailing Award from Boat U.S. and the National Women’s Sailing Association. In 2013 the Colgates received the Junonia Award from The Beaches of Fort Myers and Sanibel, for “their tremendous commitment and dedication to the Lee County tourism industry.” Lee County is home to two Colgate Offshore Sailing Schools. Most recently the Colgates were presented with the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society’s National Chairman’s Citation for their ongoing support of the annual Leukemia Cup Regatta series and having donated more than $100,000 to the organization through a portion of sailing course tuitions.
Offshore Sailing School is also soliciting entries for its 50th Anniversary contest which is open to everyone who has had an on-water experience with Offshore Sailing School. Prizes include Caribbean charters, exclusive dinner with the Colgates at the New York Yacht Club, chartered cruise in the Gulf of Mexico, resort stays and Gill gear. “We invite anyone who has taken an Offshore Sailing lesson, course or team building activity in the past 50 years to share their experiences and win fantastic prizes,” said Doris Colgate, president and CEO. Contest details www.OffshoreSailing.com.
Offshore Sailing School packages its courses with accommodations at South Seas Island Resort on Captiva Island, the Pink Shell Beach Resort & Marina on Fort Myers Beach and the Hampton Inn & Suites in downtown St. Petersburg. Offshore Sailing School teaches sailing and power cruising courses in the British Virgin Islands at The Moorings base on Tortola and its newest sailing school is at Scrub Island Resort, Spa & Marina on Scrub Island, BVI. Commuter courses and a sailing club are also available at Liberty Landing Marina in Jersey City, N.J., as well as Pier 25 in Tribeca in New York City.
For additional information on Offshore Sailing School, call 800-221-4326, or visit www.offshoresailing.com.
Contact Beth Oliver, Offshore Sailing School, 239-985-7516, or email to boliver@offshoresailing.com