John Colburn

John Colburn

As a child of Vermont, John Colburn needed summer escapes to the coast of Maine in order to satisfy his love of the water. From a young age he regularly visited his grandparents for the chance to race Sunfish with his cousins. When choosing a path after high school, Colburn opted for a school that would accommodate his love for getting on the water.

Colburn enrolled at Maine Maritime Academy to study small vessel operations and small craft design. While there he also found time to race keel boats as a part of the sailing team and explore offshore sailing. When the temptation became too great, he took on role of Watch Leader on the Clipper Round the World Race. While onboard he helped lead the crew of CV2 New York third place on two of the legs.

The Clipper adventure helped reinforce John’s belief that his forte is versatility over specialization. At the same time he is looking forward to adding the specialty of match racing to his skill set.

2013 Sapling