Quantum Sails Detroit

Wally started building sails in 1973 to pay for college, and over the years has had the opportunity to work with seven different sail making companies before joining Quantum.

During his years in the sailing business, Wally has raced many types of small boats, as well as sailing the Flying Dutchman in the 1980 Olympic Trials. He was involved with the winning boats in many national championships before shifting his focus to offshore one design boats. He's participated in six Canada Cups, 25 Key West racing events, over 40 Mackinac races, and hundreds of traveling regattas. Today, Wally spends his time racing a variety of boats, including large offshore boats, the Melges 20, Melges 24, and Melges 32 classes, and local offshore one designs, like the J/111 and Beneteau 36.7.

Wally enjoys mixing his sail making knowledge with all the other pieces of sailing, such as rig, trim, and sail settings, to not only make the boats sail faster, but to help people get the most enjoyment from their boats.

Ben Peters began sailing competitively at the age of 14, racing 420s and FJs. When he was in high school, Ben was the captain of the Grosse Pointe South Varsity Sailing Team in Grosse Pointe, Michigan, honing his skills and leadership on the water and setting the stage for a career in the industry.

Following graduation from high school, Ben transitioned to coaching at Crescent Sail Yacht Club, later becoming head coach and, subsequently, overseeing high school sailing programs at Brother Rice and Marian high schools. Ben pursued higher education at Western Michigan University, earning a degree in sales and business marketing.

In 2020, Ben's entrepreneurial spirit and love for sailing converged when he established the Detroit Sailing Company, which specializes in rigging, apparel, and hardware.

Ben competed in three national high school sailing events and J/111 NOODs. He is a five-time competitor in Atlantic 30 nationals, won the Bel Arora trophy, has raced in two Chicago-to-Mackinac races, seven Bay View Mackinac races, and the usual Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Saturday local events.

Growing up around the Great Lakes was a truly special experience for me. Every weekend, from early May to the end of October, you could find me either on the water or right by the shoreline, creating lasting memories on my family's cruising boat or sailing with my dad on his Sunfish. One of the most defining moments from my childhood was when I was only nine years old, and my dad took me racing on a "big boat" for the very first time. I remember being in awe of the high-tech features like Kevlar sails, hydraulics, and check stays. The sense of having an important role, like pumping the hydraulics when asked and, of course, fetching drinks from the bottom of the cooler, made an everlasting impression on me and marked the beginning of my love for racing.

By the age of 14, I was already deeply immersed in the world of sailing, racing multiple times a week and even biking 5 miles to work at the local sail loft when I had time. Looking back, I can see how much support and amazing opportunities the people around me gave me. Before even graduating from high school, I was fortunate enough to convince my parents, teachers, and boat owners to let me take part in major sailing events, like Key West Race Week, SORC, Annapolis NOOD, and all the distance races in the Great Lakes.

After completing college and trade school, my family was among the first to embrace the new 36.7 class, forming a successful team with our friends. This marked the beginning of what many would call a rewarding sailing career, which has taken me to various corners of the globe. From racing across oceans on boats of all sizes to living in different countries, I have had the privilege of working on boats of all sizes and forming incredible connections with individuals from unbelievable backgrounds. Despite all the incredible experiences, I still hold onto that same childlike excitement and insatiable drive to make the boats I work with win. Now, as a parent, I strive to pass on the lessons of hard work, luck, and the importance of cherished friendships to my own children.

George Peet grew up sailing on the Great Lakes. In college he was a three-time All-American ski racer. After college, Peet left ski racing to pursue sailboat racing full-time. Peet has dedicated the past 20 years of his life to racing sailboats professionally and working on the design of cutting-edge technologies. He sailed around the world in the Volvo Ocean Race, is a two-time World Champion, and holds multiple world distance sailing records and national and regional titles in competitive one-design fleets and individually in the Moth Class.

When not racing professionally or on the hunt for a new speed record on his Moth or ice boat, you can find Peet tackling the humbling challenge of racing 100-year-old wooden sailboats (NMs) every summer in his hometown of Harbor Springs, Michigan, or coaching youth ski racers at the local ski hills.

Bora Gulari started windsurfing when he was only four years old because his parents both surfed and he wanted to join them. While Bora was working on his degree in Aerospace Engineering at the University of Michigan, he would often make jabs at the bartender of the hotel he worked at that windsufing was better than sailing. Eventually, Bora was invited to go boat racing.

"I loved it," said Bora. "I became obsessed."

Bora followed that obsession to two Moth World Championships and a 2009 US Sailing Rolex Yachtsman of the Year award. In 2016 he was invited to join Quantum Racing for the 2017 season. Bora is currently very active in many one design classes including the Moth and Melges 24. He brings incredible sailing and design experience to the Quantum team. In collaboration with lofts in Traverse City and Muskegon, MI, Bora is uniquely positioned to assist the Great Lakes sailor.