SKIPPER/NAVIGATION
Hale Is the founder and head instructor at Sailcraft. He is an Advanced CYA & Offshore ISPA instructor and has been teaching sailing for 9 years.
Hale has sailed the B.C. waters for 30 years including several trips to Alaska in logging over 50,000+nm in local sailing and 36,000+nm offshore. Prior to being a full time sailing instructor, Hale taught High School in Vancouver as well as founding and operating Windward Marine Ltd. building more that 150 sailboats from 24ft. to 45ft.
Hale came back to racing in 1992 after being away form the scene for a dozen or more years, with Crew's Control, an updated version of one of his Windward 32's. With Andrew and some other friends, Crew's Control won virtually every long distance race in the Vancouver area including Southern Straits and Swiftsure.
Hale doesn't care whether he is cruising, racing or working as long as it involves a boat he's happy.
HELM / WATCH CAPTAIN
Gunnar is a recently-retired Telecomm executive who has been racing sailboats for about fifteen years. He has sailed in every Swiftsure and Southern Straits race since the mid-90s and has sailed in every edition of the VanIsle 360. He started sailing boards and beach cats about 25 years ago and now does about 50 races each year on his own boat. Retirement has allowed him greater indulgence of his passion for sailing and to join Turicum for his first Vic-Maui experience.
Gunnar has offshore delivery experience from Sitka to San Francisco and from San Francisco to Cabo.
He keeps fit hiking and rock climbing and has a budding interest in RC yacht racing.
BOWMAN
Carl Dobler lives with his wife Naomi (who is expecting!!) in North Vancouver, BC. He is the owner of Coast Mountain Properties Ltd., a real estate investment company.
The adventure of being Bowman on Vic-Maui is an allure for him somewhat in it's relation to his mountain climbing experience in the Canadian Rockies. His latest mission is to unite the 'Frontierland' (foredeck) and 'Fantasyland' (helm & cockpit), there however appears to be a language barrier. It seems that his incoherent grunts from foredeck are not recognized as communication, rather an evolutionary level.
Carl's experience in sailing stems from learning ISPA (through Sailcraft) and racing for over half a decade now, and still admires the way he can still hammer Hale & Lew with questions and not have them string him up on the halyards.
For the crew contributions, Carl recently became a graduate in Directing at the Vancouver Film School and will document the photo and film adventures of Turicum during the race.
For the record Carl holds his Advanced ISPA and will have virtually completed the Yachtmaster Ocean upon his completion of this incredible race.
Mid Bow
MAIN TRIMMER
Jib Trim
Mark has raced for a long time, but the Maui race will be the fulfillment of his goal to do a major ocean race. He also enjoys cruising the local waters with his family on Gadget, their Sun Odyssey 37. When he’s not on the water sailing, you can find Mark under the water, diving … or maybe on his bike or skis.
Driver/trimmer
Pit / Medical
50 years (80,000+ nautical miles) boating experience (commercial & recreational); several deliveries from Pacific Northwest to San Francisco, San Diego and Mexico; 15 years as instructor to yacht master offshore level; 60 ton masters license (with passengers); marine engineer & rigger experience; veteran of 14 Swiftsure races, 15 Southern Straits races and 2 VanIsle 360 races.
