About our skippers

Welcome to learn more about our skippers and coaches

Birgitta Silfverhielm

Founder of Vind o Vatten

Skipper of Esmeralda II and sailing coach

“My name is Birgitta Silfverhielm. I am the founder of Vind o Vatten and the skipper of Esmeralda II.

I grew up sailing in the early 60’s and have had the east coast archipelago as my playground every summer. When I left home at 18, I immediately bought myself a boat, and started dreaming about sailing beyond the horizon. At the age of 25, I sailed from Stockholm as a crew member on a sailboat bound for the Caribbean. After eight months, I was home in Stockholm again, and just wanted to keep sailing… I got a job as a sailing instructor, and for many years I taught adults to sail. After 18 seasons and four boats, I realised it was time for me to start up something of my own. Dreams of creating a company for sailing activities based on my own experience took shape, and I started to run private sailing courses. I was the skipper on charter, single and multi- day tours and even holiday adventures for families and groups. I developed a personal approach with respect to the customer’s individual needs and saw how that was key to creating lasting relationships with my guests.

In 2008, I bought the Linjett 35. This is an extremely fine quality boat that meets the highest standards of comfort and sailing performance.”

Birgitta’s education and experience in brief:

Navigation certificate and Ship’s Officer class VIII
Machine Officer class VIII
STCW 95 Basic Safety
Long distance skipper’s degree
Ocean Skipper’s degree
VHF radio certificate

Birgitta brings solid experience cruising in the Swedish Archipelago, as well as racing and ocean sailing. Her motivation to continue sailing is life-long. She has sailed on many waters, upon numerous vessels, from dinghies to big ships and from competing in racecourses to crossing oceans. She has even been a part of the Search and Rescue crew on Dalarö, as a navigator and deck crew.

Ulrika Lewander

Skipper of Terezza and sailing coach

Ulrika Lewander is the skipper of Terezza. She teaches sailing in an easy and reassuring way according to the methods of Vind o Vatten.

“Everyone should have the opportunity to experience sailing in the archipelago. Gliding toward the horizon with full sails, the wind in your hair, and the sound of the waves around the boat in complete harmony with nature is the ultimate feeling of freedom!

I have been sailing since childhood back when dinghies and smaller keelboats were the norm. After a long break without a boat, I acquired a sailboat, which quickly became my family’s common interest. Since then, we have sailed every summer together in our Arcona 36 which has taken us up and down the coast of Sweden as well as to Åland and Bornholm. For years I have worked as a sea-scout leader and have been able to share my sailing skills with young people and children of all ages. I have been responsible for organizing and sailing in our boat club’s “family fleets”, when several boats with a crew of all ages, sail together with a common destination. In recent years I have brought along my dog Bacchus on our adventures, and he has become a permanent fixture on our boat and is a big fan of sailing.

I am passionate about coaching and sharing my knowledge of sailing as well as learning from those who come to sail with us at Vind o Vatten. Each season means learning something new and having new experiences.

I feel like I can never get enough when it comes to sailing and all that it has to offer. I am hooked for life.”

Ulrika’s education and experience in brief:

Navigation certificate and Ship’s Officer class VIII
VHF radio certificate
20 years of sailing experience
Background as a sea scout leader, and many years professional experience as leader and coach.

Karin Modigh

Skipper of Isola

Karin Modigh is the skipper of Isola. She is a tall ship sailor, a windsurfer and almost anything in between. She has crossed the Mediterranean and the South China Sea, but her favourite waters remain the Stockholm archipelago.

Karin is calm, driven by curiosity and has practised leadership in many different contexts. As a skipper on her own Beason 36 Isola, Karin teaches sailing and brings guests to discover the Stockholm archipelago. She is also our French-speaking skipper!

“I’m passionate about sailing, the archipelago, nature and adventure, and I love to share that passion with other people. Sailing has brought me self-confidence, humility, and a meditative calm, while giving space for my curiosity and zest for adventure. I want to open that door to other people and, while adapting to individual needs and expectations, allow room for growth and for each person to discover themselves in relation to sailing, to handling a boat and to connecting with nature.”

Karin’s education and experience in brief:

Navigation certificate and Ship’s Officer class VIII
Machine Officer class VIII
STCW 95 Basic Safety
VHF radio certificate
Professional experience as leader and coach from the performing arts
Fluent in French and English

Thomas Bindzau

Skipper of Shere Khan and sailing coach

Thomas Bindzau is sailing a Linjett 35, Shere Khan. Thomas is an adventurer, a sea-scout leader and a highly qualified coach. Taking his guests to new places, both physically and mentally when it comes to learning to sail and experiencing the archipelago is a passion that doesn’t tire easily.

Thomas is an avid competitor in various sail races. Most recently, he has started racing shorthanded – meaning that you are only 1-2 people on the boat, navigating and trimming the sails with a short number of hands.

As a sailcoach and skipper, Thomas is very calm and curious about what the participants wish to learn and accomplish. He is in fact very interested in coaching and loves to see how people grow on his tours as they discover new sides of themselves through the joys and challenges of sailing.

Thomas’s education and experience in brief:

Navigation certificate and Ship’s Officer class VIII
Life-long sailing experience
Sailracing experience

Kim Silfving

Sailing coach

Kim Silfving has been sailing for as long as he can remember. Growing up sailing a wooden sailboat in the Stockholm archipelago, he has recently got back from an Atlantic crossing with his family. Kim is also our Spanish-speaking sailing coach!

“I grew up sailing on a wooden sailboat in the archipelago of Stockholm and later started racing different boats and regattas. Lately, I have focused on cruising and just recently got back from a 20 000 NM sailing trip with my family on our Baltic 51. We sailed up and down along the European coast, down to Africa, across the Atlantic to the Caribbean and back to the Mediterranean.

Over the years, I have worked as a skipper and coach at sailing events. I have also taught courses for both beginners and more advanced sailors with focus on trimming and spinnaker sailing. The more I sail, the more I understand that there are so many more things to learn. I’m just in the beginning myself and sailing is such a huge universe. There will always be more to learn and that’s what is driving me most in this sport.”

Kim’s education and experience in brief:

Navigation certificate and Ship’s Officer class VIII
STCW 95 Basic Safety
VHF radio certificate
Fluent in Spanish and English

Anna Drougge

Sailing coach

Anna Drougge is our most passionate regatta sailor. She spends most of her time off duty sail racing and is a highly appreciated coach when it comes to sail trim.

Anna has participated twice in the Volvo Ocean Race as trimmer, sailmaker and watch leader.

Nowadays she concentrates on shorthanded sailing, i.e. smaller boats handled by two persons.

Anna loves sharing her knowledge about sail trim and efficient sailing. Time permitting, Anna coaches people on their own sailboats who want to learn more about advanced sail trim, as well as how to maximise the speed of their boat.

Anna’s education and experience in brief:

Two times participant in the Volvo Ocean Race, on board EF Education 1997-98 and Amer sports Too 2001-02
Several first places in the Gotland Runt regatta, of which two in the Double handed class
Former sailmaker at North Sails