Offshore Sailing School, based in Fort Myers, Fla., is preparing to deliver 12 Colgate 26 sailboats this month to the U.S. Naval Academy.
Designed by Offshore Sailing School founder Steve Colgate and naval architect Jim Taylor, the Colgate 26 has been used to train Naval Academy sailors since 1999.
Colgate designed the boat for training, with an area for the instructor behind the main cockpit where students learn to sail. Colgate designed the boat in 1996 after using Solings in the company’s schools since was it founded in 1964.
The Naval Academy reviewed several designs before selecting the Colgate 26, which it brands the Navy 26. The academy has ordered 42 boats over the years, Colgate said.
“We are so pleased that these 12 new boats will be used specifically for the academy’s collegiate racing program,” Colgate said in a statement. “We are very proud of this fun and fast boat.”
The Colgate 26 is used for the school’s sailing lessons, Learn to Sail, Performance Sailing, and Fast Track to Cruising certification courses, and corporate team building and group regattas. The Colgate 26 is built by Precision Boat Works in Palmetto, Fla.
