Olen Howard is an ASA-certified instructor for Basic Keelboat, Coastal Cruising and Bareboat Chartering. He was hooked after a friend took him sailing on Galveston Bay in 1987. Since then, instructor Olen has sailed in various locations including San Diego Bay, Massachusetts Bay, Penobscot Bay, and The Gulf of America. Olen participated in overnight regattas and is currently involved in Wednesday night races on Clear Lake. He loves to share his passion for sailing by leading our Introduction to Sailing and teaching American Sailing courses

Captain Lucy Newman is a USCG-licensed captain and an ASA-certified instructor. She has been sailing and racing for over 30 years. Captain Lucy learned how to sail as a young girl on inland lakes and the Atlantic Ocean on the Southeastern seaboard. As an adult she has owned various sailboats and sailed on the Great Lakes, Puget Sound and the Pacific Ocean, The Gulf of Mexico, and the Caribbean. She lived aboard her own sloop for over ten years. She raced in the Charleston to Bermuda Race in 2003, Harvest Moon Regatta in 2006, Race to the Border in 2009, and several other offshore events. Her passion for sailing and years of experience have contributed to her earning the 2006 ASA "Outstanding Instructor" award. Captain Lucy is committed to her profession and will devote as much time as possible to help anyone who wants to learn how to harness the power of the wind. She is certified to teach Basic Keelboat, Basic Coastal Cruising, Bareboat Chartering, Coastal Navigation, Advanced Coastal Cruising, Catamaran / Multihull Cruising, Basic & Advanced Celestial Navigation, Marine Weather, and Docking Endorsement. Capt. Lucy is also available for private lessons. 

Captain Murat Gorgun has devoted his life to sailing.

To him, sailing offers challenges, lessons, and moments of solitude that cannot be found in any other pursuit. It demands resilience, sharp problem-solving, and deep respect for nature, while rewarding sailors with an unmatched sense of freedom and accomplishment.

Being a mariner runs deep in his family. His grandfather served as a captain in the Turkish Navy, and his father taught him to sail as a child on a wooden boat he designed and built himself. From those early days, the sea has felt like home.

Capt. Gorgun has had the privilege of sailing yachts across the Mediterranean, waters mariners have navigated for thousands of years. More recently, he has sailed and raced in Galveston Bay and the Gulf of Mexico, and undertaken Bluewater passages throughout the Caribbean, the Bahamas, Southern California, and South Florida. These experiences have sharpened his seamanship, honed his navigation skills, and strengthened his ability to adapt to changing conditions at sea.

Since 2015, Capt. Gorgun has been a USCG Certified Master Captain. He is also a certified American Sailing Association Instructor, qualified to teach courses ranging from Basic Keelboat to Cruising Catamaran. He takes pride in providing both professional instruction and captaining services with the highest standards of safety and seamanship.

Capt. Gorgun believes sailing teaches lessons that extend far beyond the water: discipline, adaptability, confidence, and respect for the world around us. He looks forward to helping others discover their own passion for sailing.

Captain Bob Buddingh began sailing at the age of eight and has remained actively involved in the sport ever since. He moved to the Galveston Bay area in 1978 and has enjoyed decades of continuous activity on the local waterways, building extensive experience and familiarity with the region’s sailing conditions.

He holds a U.S. Coast Guard Master’s License with a sailing endorsement and has completed numerous bareboat charters throughout the United States and the Caribbean. Over the years, Captain Bob has owned several performance sailboats and has been an active racer on Galveston Bay for more than 30 years.

His sailing accomplishments include participation in ten Harvest Moon Regatta races and two Houston to Veracruz Race races. He has also completed a boat delivery to Key West, further demonstrating his offshore sailing experience and seamanship.

Captain Michael Glass grew up sailing on Corpus Christi Bay in South Texas.  He is a USCG-licensed Captain, ASA-certified instructor and experienced delivery captain. Throughout a 25 year career in the US Navy, when not driving ships, Captain Michael sailed at every opportunity. After retiring from the Navy, and no longer content to be confined to the Deep East Texas woods, Captain Michael returned to his love of sailing. Captain Michael truly enjoys sharing his love of the water and of sailing.

Captain Gary Hodges channels his lifelong love for the water into his prized Beneteau 43, Knotwork, a vessel that serves as both a sanctuary for his spare time and cornerstone of his active family life. As a proud Annapolis graduate and U.S. Navy veteran, his deep-rooted expertise as a mariner shapes every voyage, making him full of practical and applicable information for his students.

Known for his exciting smile, he effortlessly brings his love for sailing into every new sailor he teaches, earning consistent praise and admiration from those he instructs. Whether navigating the competitive energy of local regattas, guiding the next generation of mariners, or sharing quieter moments with on deck with his daughters, Gary beautifully balances his nautical pursuits with his devotion to family and community, passing down a profound respect and love for the sea.

Josh Hull's infectious energy and unyielding passion for the practical sailing life is just a small portion of what sets Josh apart as an instructor. He does far more than just teach the necessary technical skills; he gets students genuinely hyped about the freedom and adventure waiting for them out on the water. By sharing real-world insights and breaking down maneuvers, he strips away the complexity factor and proves that the sailing lifestyle is both practical and achievable. He leads by example every day, showing his love for sailing and helping new sailors see that the dream of confidently commanding a vessel is not a far-off fantasy, but a reality well within reach. 

Captain Terry Grover started sailing with his family at 8 years old on Lake Grapevine near Dallas, Texas.  Captain Terry holds a USCG 50-ton Master Captain's License and is an ASA-certified instructor for Basic Keelboat, Basic and Advanced Coastal Cruising, Bareboat Chartering, Coastal Navigation and Multihull/Catamaran Cruising. He also holds a specialty Docking Instructor endorsement from the American Sailing Association. In 2016, Terry captained a 54' Jenneau Sun Odessy monohull as part of the annual South Coast Sailing BVI Flotilla. Just this past summer he helped deliver a catamaran from the BVIs to Kemah, Texas.

Captain C.D. Sharp is a USCG-licensed captain and has been an ASA-certified sailing instructor for 16 years. Captain C.D. has participated in numerous regattas and is serious about his love for sailing. Captain C.D. is certified to teach Basic Keelboat, Basic Coastal Cruising, Bareboat Chartering, Coastal Navigation and Advanced Coastal Cruising.  Captain C.D. won ASA's Outstanding Instructor Award in 2013.

Captain Craig Beimgraben is an ASA-certified sailing instructor. He is certified to teach Basic Keelboat (ASA 101), Basic Coastal Cruising (ASA 103), Bareboat Chartering (ASA 104), and Coastal Navigation (ASA 105).   He also holds a specialty Marine Weather Instructor endorsement to teach ASA 119. Craig is active in instruction, racing, club sails, and crewing offshore.  His motto is "Plan, Prepare, and Train --- Set a goal, and pursue it".  Craig is passionate about learning, and sharing knowledge with others.  Craig's YouTube channel is "CSB Sailing". Craig won the ASA's Outstanding Instructor Award in 2020.

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