Rob Parrish sailed and windsurfed all of his youth in Florida. He often wondered why the sailmakers included decorative reef points on the middle of the mainsail (in FL, 8-10 kts is a *really* good day) and why the centerboard on the family Dolphin 24′ was permanently locked in the up position (in FL, the average coastal water depth is ~3′).
Rob spent almost four years in the best windfield in the world in the Bay Area without sailing, until one day he realized that his house was closer to Spinnaker Sailing than to work. Since then, he has taken almost every course Spinnaker offers as refresher training, and has severely tested the limits of the Skipper Membership by chartering Merits 2-3 times a week. At his friend and Spinnaker Instructor Nick Halkowski’s urging, Rob spent almost a year researching and exploring potential boat purchases. Rob and his wife Monika now own the lovely Catalina 34′ “Quicksilver” and sail her out of Redwood City.
Sailing is a great source of peace and happiness in Rob’s life. His goal in instructing is to help students get through the technical steps of sailing so that they can focus on enjoying life on the water.
ASA Certified Instructor in Basic Keelboat Sailing, Basic Coastal Cruising, Bareboat Charter, and Coastal Navigation.