What & Why…
The idea for Sail2Ski was born out of a desire for adventure and a belief that our home waters of the greater Salish Sea - and more recently Alaska - have more to offer than we’ll ever know. The sailboat as floating ski lodge, and a means for accessing remote skiing, has been popularized elsewhere in the world. We thought it was high time North America got a taste.
The Founding Crew
CAPTAIN: BEN DOERR
Ben first fell in love with sailing as a boy, visiting the Atlantic Coast of Florida, where his grandfather had 19ft daysailer. Years later, following a summer spent as crew on a competitive and successful racing yacht on Lake Michigan, the deal was sealed. He was hooked and has spent a good part of his adult life trying to find his way onto boats. As owner, caretaker and captain of the beautiful classic sailing yacht, TRUE, there is little he loves more than being on the water and sharing the experience with others.
Locally, Ben has been running Sail Bainbridge, a private charter operation, since 2016 - plying the waters of Puget Sound and the San Juan Islands. Ben’s offshore experience includes passages from San Diego to Bainbridge Island, the North Sea from Marstrand, Sweden to Orkney, UK and Key West to Bermuda.
He carries a USCG 50ton Near-Coastal Master license, has First Aid/CPR certification & Wilderness First Aid training.
He is also a husband, father of two, and professional musician with the indie-folk band, St. Paul de Vence.
EXPEDITION LEAD: ANDY COCHRANE
Andy grew up in Northern Minnesota and Alaska as the son of two park rangers. Thrown in a boat at the same time he was learning to walk, Andy was subjugated to adventuring from a young age. After college he went on to guide whitewater expeditions to the Canadian Arctic and in the last decade has expanded his repertoire into ultra running, backcountry skiing, and technical mountaineering.
After a stint earning a MBA and working in tech in the Bay Area and returned to the outdoor world and now works as a freelance writer, photographer, and producer. He's spent the last four years living out of his Tacoma, traveling nomadically in search of good trails and powder turns, with his dog Bea.