Quantum Sails Gulf Coast

Born in Bel Air, MD, not too far from the Chesapeake Bay, Alan Woodyard found his love for sailing later in life than most. At 23 years old, after developing a keen interest in traveling by sail, Alan enrolled in a Professional Mariner Training course at the Chapman School of Seamanship in Stuart, FL. From there he found his way into a six year adventure in long-distance cruising and yachting, completing several ocean passages and tens of thousands of miles at sea while acting as either the sole crew or as the primary member of a small crew aboard private sailing yachts ranging in size from 40 to 65 feet.

Upon returning to the U.S., Alan began his search for a career in canvas work and sail making, which he found at the Quantum Sails loft in Annapolis, MD. In 2016, after a few years back in Maryland honing and expanding his skill set in the service loft, Alan decided to embark on a new adventure as the loft service manager and marine canvas fabricator in the Quantum Sails Gulf Coast loft in Seabrook, TX.

Now with over a dozen years in the industry, Alan has accumulated a vast amount of varied experience in not only sail making and canvas work but also on the race course. He has raced both inshore and offshore with some highlights being multiple class wins in the annual Harvest Moon Regatta and participation in most of the Southwest J/22 Circuit Regattas for the past seven years.

As a Sailor, Sail Consultant, Loft Service Manager, and Award-Winning Canvas Fabricator, Alan enjoys interacting with the sailing community both at hom in Texas and abroad. He gets a lot of satisfaction out of finding the right solution for customers based on sailing plans, budget, and desired outcomes. To sum up his perspective on what's next, Woodyard said "Working to nurture and grow the long-standing Quantum Sails presence here in Seabrook has been a great adventure and I look forward to a long future as a part of such a special industry!"

Johnnie Ray Moore has lived on the coast of Texas his entire life, spending time in the local waters since he was a child. New to the sailing scene, Johnnie grew up surfing the waters of Galveston Island and in his adult years boating as much as possible. From 2000 to 2010, Johnnie participated in local charity surfing tournaments. "I have an amazing family and am a family man to the roots. I am excited to be a part of the Quantum team and can’t wait to see what adventures lie ahead!"

With more than 40 years of experience in the industry, Rese McLaughlin keeps things running smoothly at the Seabrook Loft. Her ability to manage projects and her deep knowledge of the industry means that the team can effectively meet the needs of local cruisers, racers, and daysailors. Texas born and raised, McLaughlin has done a little bit of everything, from making spinnakers to working on the repair floor. Her unmatched understanding of how a loft works makes her a valuable resource to our team as well as to our customers.

Nikola Georgiev and his family moved to the U.S. at age five from his birth city of Varna, Bulgaria. He learned to sail in California, starting in Optis at the age of 7, enrolled by his father, a sailor, at the Richmond Yacht Club California. He continued sailing in Newport, RI, before moving back abroad to Valencia, Spain and eventually back to Bulgaria. In Valencia, Nikola took up sailing laser for four years. He took part in Spanish Championships and Cups as a part of the Valencian regional team. Since then, he has sailed on various keel boats ranging from quarter tonners to custom 40 foot trimarans and keel boats under the ORC/IRC system. Now, he is mostly Keel Boat sailing under the ORC rule. Most recently on the new Odessos 28, Crazy Bee.

Nikola's career in sailmaking began with a visit to his local sail loft in Plymouth, MA, where he asked for a job having no technical experience in sailmaking. They took him on and he has been in the industry ever since. He has serviced both cruising and racing sails in addition to building sails that he has won the Bulgarian National Championships and other ORC regattas with. In his move to Seabrook, TX in Quantum's Gulf Coast Loft, Nikola hopes to showcase both his skills in sailmaking and understanding the needs of Quantum's clients.

Coco Cagle grew up sailing in Connecticut, starting in the junior program at Riverside Yacht Club. Fueled by a competitive spirit, she advanced from Optis to Blue Jays, Laser Radials, and C420s, racing through high school and at the University of Vermont under coach Justin Assad. There, she and her skipper qualified for nationals twice and earned two All-American honors.

After earning her Mechanical Engineering degree, Cagle stayed in Vermont before returning to Connecticut to work for LaserPerformance. She revived the charter program, supporting world and national events, while also racing again at Riverside.

Following five years at LaserPerformance, she moved to Houston to pursue engineering, but COVID-19 led her to start Coco on the Gogo, a business repurposing sails into bags and accessories. She also coached at Texas Corinthian Yacht Club, eventually serving as Sailing Director for five years while earning US Sailing Level 1 and 2 coaching certifications.

Now a sail service technician at Quantum's Seabrook Loft, Cagle is also pursuing a master's degree in Engineering Management. She's excited to work in a full loft environment and expand her expertise on the service side of the sailing industry.