In this episode we’ll hear from top sailors Mike Beasley of Beasley Marine and Jason Currie of Quantum Sails about regatta preparation, managing the slot, the dockside ‘intimidation’ factor and the perils of poor nutrition while racing! Both Mike and Jason grew up in New Zealanders but transplanted to the USA a few years ago.  

Mike’s a round-the-world racer with a long list of sailing accolades.  A boat-builder by trade, he’s assisted with building and/or project managed yachts such as Mai Cha 3, Americas Cup yachts (Aloha, Le Defi and Alinghi), Volvo 50’s (Kvaerner, Merit Cup and SEB) and many more high performance racing vessels over the years.  He’s the owner of Beasley Marine, and known in J/105 circles as the ‘bottom guru’ for his team’s skills in performance finishes for top racing boats.

Jason moved to the USA from New Zealand in 1997 to pursue a career in sailmaking with the newly founded Quantum Sail Design Group. He was appointed Quantum’s regional manager in 2008.  Some of the many projects Jason has been involved with include extensive sail inventory modifications to America’s Cup syndicates America3, Il Moro & KZ7 and maxis Sayonara and the RP85 My Song.  Jason has competed successfully on all levels of Grand Prix one design & IRC circuits over the years and is actively involved with the Farr 40 class development for Quantum Sails.  Jason has an incredibly long list of accolades and experiences including winning the 2013 Farr 40 North Americans, along with a strong performance at the 2014 Worlds in San Francisco.  In 2017 Jason narrowly missed out on a World Championship win in the J/111 class by 1 point.  Other notable achievements include most recently wins at Charleston Race Week, J/35 North Americans, San Francisco Big Boat Series ORR Division, C&C30 East Coast Championships, NYYC Race Week, and many others!