Beneteau First 36.7

Dave Gerber is an experienced sailing professional, coach, and instructor based in Traverse City, MI, where he offers technical sales support and consultation for Quantum Sails.

Dave began working with Quantum Sails President Ed Reynolds in Northern Michigan before the company existed. They began working together at Reynolds Sail Company in Traverse City and then with Sobstad Sails and Shore Sails before Reynolds co-founded Quantum Sails in 1996.

In 2007, Dave left the sailmaking world to sail professionally. He has won multiple National, North American, and World Championships in the J/22, J/24, J/111, Melges 24 and Farr 40 classes. In addition to sailing, Dave has directed sailing programs and coached youth, high school, and adult teams at Traverse Area Community Sailing, Chicago Yacht Club, and Little Traverse Sailors in Harbor Springs, MI.

In 2022, Dave returned to Quantum Sails. He uses his varied background and expertise to help clients get the most out of their sailing experiences. "Something I truly enjoy about sailing and working in the marine industry is our shared passion for the water," said Dave. "It's wonderful to see people I’ve helped enjoy sailing and their time on the lakes, seas, and oceans."

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, going on trips in the family's Lightning and then their J/24. He has experienced the beauty of the Gulf of Maine in a variety of cruising and racing boats. Having sailed and raced on multiple continents and at hundreds of locations, Carter considers the Maine coast of one the best places in the world to sail.

An accomplished junior sailor, Carter competed on the national level 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. He 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 inter-collegiate sailing competition.

After college, Carter worked for a local sailmaker in Maine where he learned to design, build, and repair sails; install marine rigging; and manage a small business. He enjoyed helping the company grow into the leading local source for sails, canvas, and rigging. During this time, Carter sailed with many customers, helping them win major championships such as the PHRF New England Championships and Key West Race Week.

Carter ultimately started his own business, managing sailing regattas and providing custom apparel and marketing products to marine businesses and events. Originally started in 2007 as Regatta Promotions, Carter set out to help yacht clubs and sailing organizations run better regattas. The business is still going strong today. Having successfully accomplished his mission, Carter and his wife, Molly, are now offering their years of product knowledge and expertise through You Regatta. You Regatta is located in the same facility as Quantum Sails Downeast in Portland, Maine.

One-design sailing is where Carter has showcased his sailing talents, winning three U.S. National Championships in three different one-designs. He won the prestigious U.S. Sailing Mallory Cup in 2017, skippering a J/70 at the St. Petersburg Yacht Club as a representative of the Portland Yacht Club and SailMaine. He has skippered his J/24 You Regatta to many top finishes including fifth at the 2017 J/24 Worlds and second at the 2019 J/24 Midwinter Championships. Carter has won events sailing a variety of boats, including Swan 42, J/24, Lightning, Hinckley 51 SW, Custom 27’, Frers 36 & 41, Farr 30, Beneteau 36.7, J/80, J/70, 420, J/105, Etchells, Laser, Vanguard 15, and S2 9.1

While Carter has been working with Quantum, he has enjoyed the opportunities and rewards to reconnect with past clients in new ways that continue 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.