Gary JobsonAs a sailor, Gary Jobson has enjoyed a long and successful career in boats small and large. He was twice named College Sailor of the Year. He has won many of the world’s offshore races, and he was tactician on the winning America’s Cup yacht, Courageous, in 1977, with skipper Ted Turner. He started his career as a sailing coach at the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy, and later at the U.S. Naval Academy. Since then, Jobson has authored 21 books on sailing, narrated or produced 1,200 television programs and films, has given over 2,800 lectures, and has competed in 5,800 races. His articles appear regularly in Sailing World magazine, Cruising World magazine, and What’s Up Annapolis.

Jobson is a Past Chair of the Chesapeake Bay Trust

Jobson spent 31 years with ESPN covering nine America’s Cup events and producing many documentaries. He has covered seven Olympics and an America’s Cup for NBC. For his work in television, Jobson has been presented with two Emmys, six Tellys and an ACE Award.
Gary Jobson in the infamous Fastnet Race

For many years, Jobson has been actively involved with education, environmental issues and healthcare. From 1993-2017 he served as Chair of the Leukemia Cup Regatta Series, which has raised over $60 million. Jobson spent 15 years on the Board of Blue Cross Blue Shield of Virginia and served on the Board of the Anne Arundel Medical Center/Luminus Health from 2009-2021. In 2012 the Gary Jobson Professorship of Medical Oncology was established at the University of Maryland Medical School for Dr. Aaron Rapoport. (Jobson survived a two-year battle with lymphoma in 2003-04). 

National Sailing Hall of FameJobson is a Trustee Emeritus at St. Mary’s College of Maryland and a committee member of the Friends of St. John’s College. He is also a past President of US Sailing, America’s governing body of sailing, and Past Vice President of World Sailing. 

Jobson was inducted into the National Sailing Hall of Fame (2011) and the America's Cup Hall of Fame (2003) by the Herreshoff Marine Museum. In 1999 he won the Nathanael G. Herreshoff Trophy, US SAILING’s most prestigious award.

Jobson is a Graduate of the State University of New York Maritime College. He attended Graduate School at CW Post College (Political Science) and was awarded a Doctor of Letters from the State University of New York in 2005, and a Doctor of Humane Letters by Lakeland College in 2013.

Gary and his wife, Janice, have three grown daughters and five grandchildren. The Jobsons have lived in Annapolis, Maryland since 1977. Jobson’s hobbies include daysailing Whirlwind, his open cockpit sloop, skiing, flyfishing, reading and taking long walks.

Gary Jobson sailing with his grandson, Declan.

 

Gary Jobson Awards

2023    Telly Award: "Sailing Starts Here"

2023    New York Yacht Club Commodore Henry H. Anderson, Jr. Award

2022    Telly Award: "Captain Nathanael Herreshoff's Enduring Legacy"

2022    World Sailing - Gold Medal Service Award

2020    Maritime College Alumni Association Lifetime Achievement Award

2018    Sailing Industry Distinguished Service Award

2017    Telly Award: "The Magic and Mystery of Sable Island"

2017    Telly Award: "Pleione: A Star on the New England Coast"

2017    Trustee Emeritus St. Mary's College of Maryland

2016    State of Maryland Athletic Hall of Fame

2015    Helmsman Award (Lauderdale Yacht Club Foundation)

2014    Cruising Club of America, Chesapeake Station E. Newbold Smith – Reindeer Trophy

2013    Mystic Seaport Museum's America and the Sea Award

Telly Award2013    Telly Award:  "Unfurling the World: The Voyages of Irving and Electa Johnson"

2013    US Sailing Councilor of Honor

2013    Lakeland College  Doctor of Humane Letters

2013    Hope Funds Award of Excellence for Advocacy

2012    The Gary Jobson Professorship in Medical Oncology (University of Maryland)

2012    Baltimore Sun Top 175 Maryland Athletes

2012    ICSA Hall of Fame Lifetime Service Award

2012    Richard S. Nye Trophy (Cruising Club of America)

2011    Miles River Yacht Club Foundation Distinguished Service Award

2011    National Sailing Hall of Fame Inductee

2011    Robert Tiedemann Award for Courage - Hope Funds for Cancer Research

2011    George Hinman Award - Manhasset Bay Yacht Club

2011    Charles M. Leighton Award for Outstanding Service - U.S. Olympic Sailing

2010    Storm Trysail Foundation Award  - 1979 Fastnet Race

2010    The Hugh Kilmer Trophy - Storm Trysail Club

2009    New York Yacht Club Medal

2009    State University of New York Maritime College - Alumni Service Award

2008    Telly Award (Recognizes distinction in creative work in broadcast/non-broadcast video productions) Go Beyond: The Outward Bound Wilderness Experience

2007    John Southam Award (2006 Broadcast Category) Awarded by Sail America

2007    John Southam Award (2006 Lecture Series) Awarded by Sail America

2006    National Capital Chesapeake Bay Emmy Awards

Cine Golden Eagle2006    CINE Golden Eagle Award - MPT - Volvo Ocean Race Up the Chesapeake

2006    National Maritime Historical Society - Distinguished Service Award

2006    Anne Arundel County Sports Hall of Fame

2006    Steward of the 12-Metre Yacht Club - Newport Station

2005    Admiral of the Chesapeake Bay - State of Maryland

2005    Arnold C. Gay Award  - Annapolis Yacht Club

2005    SUNY Maritime College Degree of Doctorate of Letters

2005    Annapolis and Anne Arundel County Chamber of Commerce Business Hall of Fame

2005    Burgee of Merit -  Newport Harbor Yacht Club

2005    James M. Webster Perpetual Trophy  - Southern California Yachting Association

2004    John Southam Award (2004 Yachting Olympics) - NBC Coverage - Awarded by Sail America

2004    State University of New York Maritime College "Outstanding Graduate" inducted into Heritage Hall

2004    The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society's Spiral of Life Award

2004    Barnegat Bay Sailing Hall of Fame

2004    Lifetime Achievement Award by Annapolis/Anne Arundel County Chamber of Commerce

2004    Named a Paul Harris Fellow by the Rotary Foundation of Rotary International

2003    Herreshoff Museum America's Cup Hall of Fame                                             

2003    Best Sports Book of 2002 (Fighting Finish) Awarded by Independent Publisher Book Awards in America

2002    Clarion Award for Best Book 2002 (Fighting Finish)

2002    Jersey Shore Sports Hall of Fame

2002    John Southam Award (Expedition to the Arctic) Awarded by Sail America

2000    City of Annapolis Maritime Heritage Hall of Fame                                                        

1999    Nathaniel G. Herreshoff Award -  US SAILING                                              

1997    Joe Prosser Award for Excellence in Sailing Instruction - US SAILING                        

1996    State University of New York:  Honor Roll

1996    Milwaukee Sailor of the Year

1995    Charles R. Smith Jr. Trophy - Annapolis Yacht Club

Emmy Award1990    Toms River Regional School's Hall of Fame

1988    Emmy Award - 1988 Olympic Games - Yachting

1988    National Marine Manufacturers Director's Award         

1987    Cable Ace Awards - 1987 America's Cup

1983    S.U.N.Y. Maritime College  -  Athletic Hall of Fame

1982    Sailing World Hall of Fame

1977    America's Cup Winning Tactician

1973    SUNY Maritime Parent's Association for the Cadet who contributed the most to the College

1973    SUNY Maritime College's Athletic Association to the Outstanding Athlete

1972, 1973      Intercollegiate Sailor of the Year          

1971, 1972, 1973      All America Intercollegiate Sailing Team

1966    Powell Trophy  - Outstanding Junior Sailor - Barnegat Bay

 

Books by Gary Jobson

2019     Legends of American Sailing

2019     New York Yacht Club Historical Book Series

2014    Chasing Roosters: A Century of Sailing on Barnegat Bay

2012    Nantucket: A Sailing Community

2011    Gary Jobson: An American Sailing Story with Cynthia Goss

2008    Classic Yachts

2005    A Cats: A Century of Tradition with Roy Wilkins    

2004    Championship Sailing                        

2002    Fighting Finish: Volvo Ocean Race 2001-02

1999    An America’s Cup Treasury: The Lost Levick Photographs, 1893 - 1937    

1997    The Winner's Guide to Optimist Sailing with Jay Kehoe      

1990    Championship Tactics with Tom Whidden and Adam Loory

1987    World Class Sailing with Martin Luray   

1987    Sailing Fundamentals                   

1985    Revised Yachtsman's Pocket Almanac     

1985    Speed Sailing with Mike Toppa     

1983    Storm Sailing             

1981    The Yachtsman's Pocket Almanac      

1980    Gary Jobson's How to Sail            

1979    The Racing Edge with Ted Turner       

1978    U.S.Y.R.U. Sailing Instructor's Manual

 


Gary Jobson
Jobson Sailing, Inc. (est. 1978) promotes the sport of sailing at all levels—through lecture tours, personal appearances, events, advertising, as well as broadcast, print, and electronic media.
 

Gary Jobson is a former All-American collegiate sailor. He won the America's Cup in 1977 as tactician for Ted Turner. As a broadcaster/producer (he is ESPN's Sailing Analyst), lecturer, and writer (he is an Editor at Large for Sailing World and Cruising World magazines), Jobson is the pre-eminent ambassador for sailing in the U.S.

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