|
For the Media: Colgate 26 News
Steve Colgate
Chairman
Colgate 26 - Offshore Sailing School
866-842-4355 toll free
239-985-7505
steve@Colgate26.com
Award-Winning Colgate 26 Sailboat Nears Another Milestone
Hull # 350 Buyer Takes Home Special Gift and Bonus Savings
FORT MYERS, FL (September 1, 2009) — Steve Colgate, founder of Offshore Sailing School, announced today that the Colgate 26 he designed with Jim Taylor back in 1996, is approaching the sale of hull #350. Steve Colgate created this easy-to-sail, yet sophisticated, family sport boat to fill the demand for recreational boating and sailing instruction. Built at Precision Boat Works in Palmetto, Florida, the Colgate 26 has become one of the most popular sailboats for one-design racing and family daysailing and is the boat of choice for more and more schools and institutions each year.
The lucky buyer who ends up with hull #350 will be presented with a Colgate 26 half-model, engraved with the owner’s name and hull number. The ½” to 1 foot scale model is 13” long, mounted on a beautiful 7” x 16” rectangular mahogany plaque.
To further celebrate the hull #350 milestone, Colgate is also offering a choice of year-end rewards for Colgate 26s purchased between now and November 15, and delivered prior to December 31, 2009. These include up to $4375 savings on free delivery for up to 2500 miles; or a free trailer worth $4750 (twin axle, four wheel, galvanized); or 10% off ($4350) the base boat price of $43,500.
The Colgate 26 was conceived and designed with the future of sailing in mind. Over 45 years of teaching experience and sailing school management went into the concept of the Colgate 26. “For years, I suggested to the major boat builders a need for a low cost, durable, safe instructional boat,” said Colgate. “They did not believe there was a market. My feeling was, and has been proven true, that if a boat has all the features desired for teaching beginners and racing, the same boat will appeal to the broad market of the public.”
Offshore Sailing School uses the Colgate 26 exclusively at its seven locations nearly every day of the week, 12 months a year at five year-round locations and seven months at two seasonal locations. “They have held up beautifully despite abnormal wear that comes with so much use,” claims Colgate.
The Colgate 26 was awarded Cruising World magazine’s “Boat of the Year” Award, Pocket Cruiser Division in 1997. Considered the definitive training boat, fleets of Colgate 26 sailboats are owned by the U.S. Naval Academy, U.S. Coast Guard Academy, Maine Maritime Academy, United Kingdom Sailing Academy and Eckerd College.
Today, Offshore Sailing School has fleets of Colgate 26s, along with Hunter cruising boats for big boat courses, at its various locations. In the Caribbean it partners with The Moorings for big boat courses preceded by Learn to Sail on Colgate 26s. Offshore is the only sailing instructional program with courses approved for continuing education by the American Council on Education and offers Colgate Sailing Certification at most levels. US SAILING certification is also available. Many new Colgate 26 owners have opted for a short refresher or three-day Learn to Sail or Performance Sailing course to bring them up to speed on making this sleek, high performance, quick reacting, comfortable day sailer perform to its peak.
The Colgate 26 Class association web site can be viewed at www.colgate26.com. Contact Steve Colgate at Steve@colgate26.com or call 866-842-4355 toll free in United States and Canada (239-985-7505 international) for more information.
Editor’s Note: For high resolution images to accompany this article contact doris@offshoresailing.com.
######
|