SANTO DOMINGO -- He's the unsung hero of Bermuda's Pan-Am sailing success - and Dino Weber would prefer to keep it that way.

The unassuming Argentine coach lent his expertise to both Sunfish skipper Malcolm Smith and Laser sailor Zander Kirkland during the recently concluded regatta.

And both benefited from his advice, Smith recovering from a mid-week lull to grab silver, the Island's sole medal, and Kirkland having a fine outing to finish seventh overall.

“I would like to thank Dino for doing a great job with us,” Smith said immediately after sealing his second place. “I never met him before, he shows up here and he was so keen to get us on the water and see what the boat was about.

“He has never worked with a Sunfish sailor or a Sunfish sailboat before and the work he did with me really helped improve my upwind and downwind performance and I've really got to thank him.”

Weber was reluctant to talk about the part he played at first, but after being coaxed by Smith he did open up somewhat.

“Both of them are very nice guys,” he said. “I had never met either of them before. But from the first moment it was very nice.”

As for his input he said: “I only read the way they sail and try to help.”

Smith, Weber said, was experienced and not a veteran, as some people tend to label the 44-year-old, and as such he did not need a lot of coaching.

“He is experienced, not a veteran. For me, his fitness is much better than most of the younger people,” he said.

“He had a very good championship. Even in the worst moments he knows how to keep control and relaxed and that makes him able to finish the championship in the way he did.

“I only tried to read the way he sailed and help him. I didn't teach him anything. He knows a lot. But perhaps from the coach boat you can see something that is a little more difficult from (Smith's) boat.”

As for Kirkland, Weber said he believed he had a very bright future ahead of him. After some good results on the European circuit, the 20-year-old has gone from 163rd in the world to 140th, according to the latest ISAF world rankings.

“Zander has learned a lot,” Weber said. “He has especially learned how to learn. That will make him a very good sailor in the next few years.”