Rob Swain Sailing School - Certified Sailing Instructors - BVI Campus
RSSS Instructors
Rob Swain
RSSS is an owner operated school with Rob Swain leading our team of instructors. Rob has taught sailing in the BVI for 20 years. He directed the Tortola branch of Offshore Sailing School for 8 years. Rob holds a US Coast Guard Master One Hundred Ton license; US Sailing instructor certified through Passage Making; American Sailing Association instructor certified through Advanced Coastal Cruising and Catarmaran Cruising. Rob has delivered up to 54' sailing yachts East Coast to BVI and BVI to St. Martin and Antigua. He has taught Coastal Passage Making from the BVI to St. Martin and St. Barths for 17 years. He has also lead our Passage Making/delivery course BVI- Bermuda- Newport in the Spring and Newport- Bermuda- BVI in the Fall for the past five years. Rob raced professionally 89-91. In addition to Rob, RSSS has a staff of terrific instructors; people with years of teaching experience, who have worked for the competition and have lived in the BVI for many years. We're confident that the quality of sailing education we provide is the best out there.
 Paul Todd (Toddy) An Englishman, Paul Todd (Toddy) began sailing at the age of 12. He completed his schooling aboard HMS Conway, on the Menai Straits of North Wales, before joining the UK Merchant Fleet as an apprentice Deck Officer, later joining the Royal Air Force Search and Rescue helicopter fleet as a Navigator/Winch operator. Throughout his career, both in UK and the Mediterranean, Paul maintained a keen interest in sailing of all sorts, qualifying as a Royal Yachting Association Senior Instructor with experience in dinghies, keelboats, powerboats and yachts. In 2000 as a Senior Flying Instructor at the Search and Rescue Training School, Paul returned to the West coast where he continued to cruise and race whilst becoming enthusiastically involved in coaching the Welsh National Youth Squad in both 29ers and keelboats. He now enjoys the warmer waters of the BVI! 
Steve Barber Sailing has always been that other career for Steve. Growing up in the wilds of NE Oregon reinforced his nature and desire to get to water and sail the Seven Seas. His earlier years were a mixture of cruising and racing his Islander 28 sloop, along with years of chartering larger boats all over the world. During these sail-growing-up years he expanded his knowledge of the sport and began delivering vessels up and down east and west seaboards of the US, onto the beautiful southern islands in the West Indies and across the Caribbean Sea. In 2008, Steve circumnavigated the Atlantic from La Rochelle, France to Annapolis, MD with his 44’ Fountaine Pajot Catamaran. Steve has a USCG Near Coastal Masters licese, along with the 200+ ton STCW certification. He is ASA instructor certificated through Advanced Coastal Cruising and Catamaran Cruising. Steve has trained sailors in Annapolis, the Abacos, on the West coast in Olympia and Portland, and both ASA and US Sailing in the BVI.  Burton Robson
As a resident of the British Virgin Islands, Burton has enjoyed thousands of nights in beautiful BVI anchorages and logged thousands of dives on the islands' outstanding reefs and wrecks. Burton is an ASA Sailing Instructor and PADI SCUBA Instructor as well as a licensed aviator.
Burton voyaged thousands of miles as a singlehander, sailing from Toronto to South America while exploring anchorages and dive sites in over 35 Caribbean island nations. He's worked for BVI dive operators, charter companies and as a delivery skipper between Caribbean Islands. His work with the BVI Tourist Board included leading dives with journalists from International SCUBA magazines. Burton's passion for the BVI extends beyond the exceptional sailing and diving but also to the local people and their history and culture.
His experience as a sailor and diver, intimate knowledge of BVI anchorages and dive sites, coupled with his love of instruction and progressive skill development, provide a unique opportunity to safely gain your sailing and diving certifications while chartering with Swain Sailing. To reach Burton directly with questions related to incorporating diving and dive certification into your Swain Sailing charter or sailing course you can email him at
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.  Tom Farbanish
Tom first started sailing as a young boy on the lakes of New York State, and has raced and cruised a broad variety of classes over the past 35 years. He's a licensed pilot and studio artist who has taught art at many schools and universities in the US and Japan. In addition to making sculpture, boat building and repair work have always occupied a portion of his time. A passion for sailing and teaching led him to accept a position as head coach of The Pennsylvania State University's sailing team. Tom has delivered boats up to 47' along the East Coast and the BVI. He is an ASA certified instructor and a USCG OUPV licensed captain.  Rory Greenan
Rory comes to us from Dublin Ireland where he had been teaching sailing for the past 10 years. Rory has strived to build a career doing what he loves most, being on the water. He is a qualified Dinghy and Keelboat sailing instructor as well as a Windsurfing and Powerboating Instructor. He also holds a Higher Diploma in Outdoor Adventure Management. Rory is an avid racer, campaigning both nationally and internationally from the age of 13 while also coaching racing at a national level since becoming an instructor. Rory’s passion for sailing is evident in the enthusiasm with which he passes on the love of his sport to his students. |
