With SDYC Since 2019

Erik has been the Junior Sailing Program Director at SDYC since September of 2021 after having spent three years coaching at SDYC in the Sea Urchins, Adventure Sailing, Sabot racing, and CFJ racing programs. He is responsible for overseeing all Junior Sailing Department operations, managing the coaching staff, running program registration, and is available to answer any of your questions. You can find him in the Waterfront Office on the second floor of the Malin Burnham Sailing Center.

Erik grew up in Rancho Cucamonga, California and had his first sailing experience in Oceanside, California with family members who enjoyed cruising on their Catalina 36. When he was 14 years old he had his first formal sailing instruction through the Boy Scouts at Camp Cherry Valley on Catalina Island. He credits his instructors for igniting his passion and curiosity for sailing. He then returned to Catalina as a sailing instructor for several summers, eventually running the sailing and waterfront operations at the camp for two summers as a young college student. He started working at SDYC in 2019 while studying at San Diego State University where he began competing on the university’s sailing team and served as the team President for two years, later graduating with a degree in Political Science with minors in Sustainability and Public Law.

He is an active racer in the San Diego Snipe fleet and is excited for any opportunity to go racing, continue learning about sailing, and enjoying time on the water.

With SDYC Since 2021

Coach Jon’s first boat racing was in the gutters of Silver Strand Housing in Coronado, with shaped popsicle sticks. He never got certified at the Fiddlers Cove Navy YC but had unlimited access to Lido’s and Rebels from about, age 10. He bought his first Sabot with money made mowing lawns He drove his Dad crazy, reaching back and forth (for hours) in Glorietta Bay. His first two Sabot races were at SDYC and he got stuck in irons in both the first two races of his life and did not finish. He cried. His life was changed when he started racing Laser II’s at SDYC with Charlie Jenkins in 1980. Many SDYC families including the Lake’s and Peter’s and many friends like the Leadbetter’s and Ryan’s were instrumental in supporting and inspiring his passion. He went on to become a 2-time San Diego Yachtsman of the Year (’95 and ’03), has received the Alonzo de Jessop and John R. Rumsey Service Awards, has won the Lipton Cup twice (’98, ’01) and has won World and National titles in the J-24 (’97 &’98), Snipe (’03) and J-22 Class (’94). Jon lived in a Van for some winters in Miami while campaigning 470’s and has vast experience in a variety of sailing classes including Etchells, Thistles, and Lasers with additional time spent in keelboats including J-105’s, Farr 40’s, One Design 35’s and various PHRF boats. He became a JWorld Sailing School Instructor in 1989 and worked at the San Diego, Newport, Rhode Island and Key West, Florida locations. He was the Jr Program Director and then the Head Coach at Coronado Yacht Club for 24 years and has also coached for US Sailing, North U and CISA.

He has 3 daughters and his wife Jenny is an Elementary School Principal.

With SDYC Since 2018

Dustin is the SDYC Junior Sailing Program’s Boatwright and Fleet Manager. He has been refitting boats and servicing engines for 4 years and sailing for 5. Dustin started working for the Yacht Club in 2018 as a bartender for the catering department while also working the day shifts in the boatyards of Shelter Island.

He grew up on the East Coast in Northern Virginia and spent a large part of his life hanging out on the inter-coastal waterway and barrier islands of North Carolina. He has a degree in Environmental Studies from the University of North Carolina at Wilmington and worked with the North Carolina Coastal Federation before moving to California.

Dustin has always loved all bodies of water, especially the ocean. He worked at a resort that had a sailing program for its guests and he started going out on their J/22s after his shifts. He fell in love and now lives here in San Diego on a Catalina 34 with his girlfriend and their kitten.

With SDYC Since 2022

This is Audrey’s first summer at SDYC. She is working as our Assistant Junior Sailing Director, where she splits her time between coaching, supporting the coaching staff, and working behind the scenes to ensure that the Junior Program runs smoothly. She has several years of coaching experience, working at Camp Seafarer in North Carolina, coaching at Carolina Yacht Club, and spending several years at Southwestern Yacht Club. Audrey is an avid offshore racer and will be competing in the Trans Pac race this summer!