Meet Michael : Caribbean Sailing Coach

Michael first learned how to sail as a boy Sea Scout on the south coast of England. Growing-up he crewed for his father aboard their 1930’s vintage cruiser and then worked his way up through the ranks of weekend race crew.

After graduating University, Michael crewed on successively larger vessels in British and the Caribbean waters until,
in 1981, he gained a place in the British ‘Victory’ team preparing for the 1983 America’s Cup. For the following 18 months, he trained on Twelve Metre class sloops out of Nassau, Bahamas and Newport R.I.

The British team ended-up losing to ‘Australia II’ in the Louis Vuitton Cup final — effectively coming third in an event where they don’t give bronze medals! But during the regatta, Michael had seen firsthand the mutually beneficial effects of corporate sponsorship of sports and after the Cup was over (Australia II went on to win it), he joined a New York agency to learn the business of integrating sponsors with the major live events that attract their customers. Sailing became a recreational pass-time and for the next twelve years as his professional life involved arranging corporate sponsorship for live events ranging from 1985’s Live Aid concert to soccer’s World Cup ’94.

In 1995, Michael moved from event sponsorship to internet advertising until the ups and downs of the dot-com industry in 2000 — followed by 9/11 in 2001 — caused him to re-evaluate what he wanted to do for the rest of his professional life. In 2002, he decided to return to his first love: sailing.

He first joined Offshore Sailing School at their Manhattan location where, six months later, he was offered the opportunity to relocate to their British Virgin Islands branch as branch director and chief instructor. After nine years full-time with Offshore he left and started Caribbean Sailing Coach, offering discriminating sailors bespoke learning and charter experiences.  He lives and works year-round in the ‘charter boat capital of the world’ — the British Virgin Islands.

Michael Domican’s Sailing Certifications:

RYA Yachtmaster, ASA Sailing Instructor, US Sailing Instructor, NauticEd Instructor, US Coast Guard 100 ton Merchant Mariner Credential, BVI Boatmaster Class 1, STCW (first aid, fire fighting and sea survival).