Jeff Thorpe was eight years old when he started the Leo Robbins sailing program. The instructor told his dad that Jeff wasn’t cut out for sailing, but Jeff went back the next season and hasn’t stopped sailing since. Throughout high school he raced Sabots, Lasers, and Laser 2s. When it was time for college, he didn’t have the money, so he took a job building and racing Morc boats at Pinnacle Yacht Design Group.

Jeff stayed involved in the marine industry in a variety of ways, from an Olympic campaign with friends to fixing and rebuilding J/24s at his own shop to working in a sail loft. While working at the loft, he had the opportunity to sail on a J/125 with Quantum sails. Jeff was impressed with what he saw. He contacted Quantum Sails and told them he needed to work for them.

Today Jeff works as a sail consultant at the Quantum Pacific loft, giving his clients the attention to detail they need to find the right sails. With his extensive sailing history, he’s more than qualified to help others figure out exactly what they need to meet their goals. "I spent years running offshore racing programs, so I have a fair bit of knowledge that helps me provide my clients with a great resource when they have questions," said Jeff. "I make sure they understand all the options available to them to help them enjoy their sailing."

Jeff's sailing experience includes J/70, J/111, J/105, J/125, Melges 24, Olson 30, E-22, PHRF, ORR, IRC, TP 52, Santa Cruz 70, and Santa Cruz 52 classes, as well as offshore catamarans, cruising boats, and racing boats.

Scott Nixon has been involved with racing his whole life. An All-American sailor at St. Mary’s College of Maryland, Scott later coached many students to the All-American ranks at the College of Charleston in South Carolina. He has a wide range of racing experiences, including dinghies, One Design keelboats, inshore big boats, and offshore distance racing.

Scott joined Quantum Sails in 2000, and his experiences bring a unique skill-set to Quantum’s programs. Focusing primarily on One Design classes, he is directly involved in testing, design, and development of Quantum’s One Design sail programs, working directly with the design team to make sure Quantum® sails are at the front of the fleet.

Scott has sailed with Quantum customers to win championships at the world, Gold Cup, European, North American, and national levels. His hands-on approach includes active campaigns and racing in the following classes for Quantum: J/22, J/24, J/70, J/80, J/109, J/111, C&C 30, Farr 30, Farr 40, NYYC 42, Swan 45, Melges 20, Melges 24, and Melges 32.

Alejandro Irigoyen started sailing when he was 12 years old. His father was a keen sailboat racer at the Yacht Club Argentino, and Alejandro spent his weekends racing and living aboard the family’s wooden S&S Finisterre. By the time he graduated high school, Alejandro knew he wanted to dedicate his life to sailing, so he started studying yacht design.

He started his sailmaking career in 1982 working for Hood, before starting his own Sobstad loft. In 2001, Alejandro joined the Quantum Sails family. “It was a natural decision,” he said. “I shared the same view and goals as the founding group.”

Though he’s sailed in various classes, Alejandro’s expertise includes Optimist, Cadet, 470, Snipe, J/24, J/70, J/105, Soto 33, and Soto 44 classes. Whether he’s sharing his class knowledge and experience, or helping customers organize their campaigns and training, Alejandro’s passion for excellence provides the best service, products, and support for his customers.

Kris Werner is a graduate of New York Maritime College at Fort Schuyler, where he earned an unlimited tonnage/oceans USCG license and a Bachelor of Science degree in marine transportation and business. For several years, Kris served as a collegiate sailing coach, bringing the team to a top 20 US ranking. He then served as a ship's officer on oceangoing tankers. Previous positions include a chief officer on the Rochester Fast Ferry, a broker with RCR Yachts, and designing with Steve Haarstick for Beneteau 40.7s, J/24s, and J/70s. For the past three years, Kris worked at Haarstick Sailmakers, becoming owner of the sail loft.

Kris has extensive experience on offshore and one design racing campaigns, as both a driver and crew. In addition to a busy life sailing and running his business, Kris is the proud father of three energetic boys: Steven, Chase, and Austin.

Carter White began sailing before he could walk, first on the family's Lightning and later on their J/24. He has experienced the beauty of the Gulf of Maine while cruising and racing its coast of Maine. And though Carter has sailed and raced on multiple continents and in hundreds of locations, he considers the Maine coast of one the best places in the world to sail.
 
An accomplished junior sailor, Carter competed in multiple National Championships, including the U.S. Sailing Bemis and Sears competitions. He then took a chance on an upstart college program at Hobart and William Smith Colleges where he majored in economics and joined an aggressive, young, and new sailing team. Carter helped build the program into a national contender almost immediately; by his senior year, the program was ranked number one in the country. Carter was named All American for outstanding performance in intercollegiate sailing competition. 
 
Following graduation, Carter worked for a local sailmaker in Maine. There he learned sail design, built and repaired sails, installed marine rigging, managed the small business, and helped it grow into the leading local source for sails, canvas, and rigging. Carter also sailed with many of his customers, helping them win major championships such as the PHRF New England Championships and Key West Race Week.
 
Carter took this broad experience and started a business running sailing regattas and providing custom apparel and marketing products to marine businesses and events. The company is still going strong today. He is excited to move to the next challenge with Quantum Sails and focus on his true passion of helping sailors get more out of their boats, whether on the race course, gunkholing down the coast, or making a long ocean passage.