TEAM SV INDIE SKY
At SV Indie Sky, our team is made up of seasoned captains, world-class athletes, and lifelong explorers — people who have not only crossed oceans but mastered them. Our leadership includes professional sailors, professional aviators, Olympians, expedition guides, and certified instructors, each bringing decades of real-world experience across sailing, aviation, action sports, and remote expedition planning.
We believe technical skill is just the foundation. True expertise is knowing how to adapt when conditions change, lead calmly when challenges arise, and create an environment where every crew member grows — not just as a sailor, but as a person.
Whether it’s bluewater passagemaking, foiling open-ocean downwinders, liveaboard seamanship training, or navigating complex weather systems, our team brings a rare combination of mastery, humility, and passion to every expedition.
When you sail with SV Indie Sky, you’re not just joining a trip — you’re joining a team that lives, breathes, and builds their lives around the spirit of true exploration.
Recurring Crew / Expedition Leaders
Gabriel Burgess
Robert Henderson
Gabriel Burgess
Founder/Captain:Gabe is a licensed U.S. Coast Guard 100-ton Master, a former airline captain, and a current FAA-certified flight instructor. He also serves as Director at Res Novae Group, where he helps design and implement flight operations departments, specializing in SOPs, checklists, and safety systems — experience that directly informs his approach to expedition sailing.
Raised in the Columbia River Gorge, Gabe grew up immersed in action sports. On the water, he’s chased wind and waves through windsurfing, kiteboarding, winging, foiling, freediving, and scuba. On land, he’s all about motocross, mountain biking, & BJJ. On snow, he still does his best to keep up with his two daughters on skis and snowboards. This action sports background sparked a lifelong passion for exploration.
Gabe and his family spent 3.5 years as full-time live-aboards, sailing thousands of miles throughout the Mediterranean, North Africa, The Caribbean, East and West Coasts of the U.S., and Hawaii.
He now leverages this experience to lead immersive, hands-on liveaboard expeditions through SV Indie Sky. By tapping into his global network and diverse skillset, Gabe helps deliver one-of-a-kind expeditions.
Esina Alic
Robert Henderson
Gabriel Burgess
Founder/Captain: Esina Alic is a seasoned executive with over 30 years of global leadership experience across aerospace, defense, tech, finance, consulting, and retail.
She currently serves as a Senior Managing Director at Cerberus Capital Management and has held CEO and senior executive roles at organizations such as Res Novae Group, Insitu (a Boeing company), Boeing Global Services, and Adidas. Esina has led multi-billion-dollar operations, supported IPOs, mergers, and acquisitions, and continues to advise several boards and executive teams.
A former member of the Yugoslavian National Figure Skating Team, Esina brings a lifelong dedication to performance, discipline, and growth.
Esina also spent 3.5 years as full-time liveaboard, sailing thousands of miles throughout the Mediterranean, Caribbean, East and West Coasts of the U.S., and Hawaii with her family.
At SV Indie Sky, she personally leads all executive reset expeditions and actively participates in every adventure sport SV Indie Sky supports, sharing in the challenge and transformation alongside her crew.
Robert Henderson
Robert Henderson
Robert Henderson
Captain/Instructor: Rob is an RYA Yaghtmaster mariner with 20+ years of offshore and coastal sailing experience, specializing in catamarans and liveaboard instruction. He holds a RYA Yachtmaster and is a certified sailing instructor with a passion for building confident, capable sailors.
Rob has logged thousands of nautical miles across the Caribbean, Mediterranean, and Atlantic, including multiple ocean crossings. Whether guiding guests through their first night watch or coaching advanced passage-making techniques, he brings a calm, encouraging, and safety-focused presence to every voyage.
As both a captain and educator, Rob blends hands-on training with real-world adventure. He specializes in:
-Liveaboard seamanship & boat systems
-Offshore route planning & weather strategy
-Sailing fundamentals & docking mastery
-System design, installation, & maintenance.
Rob & his wife Cathy's resources via their Twixter website and Facebook page are huge resources to cruisers worldwide.
Yes, that's him suplexing BJJ legend Clark Gracie...
Jan Boersma
Robert Henderson
Robert Henderson
Captain/Guide/Olympian: Jan is a former professional windsurfer and Olympic silver medalist who grew up as a full-time live-aboard, sailing throughout the Caribbean and Mediterranean. A lifelong waterman, he's proficient in kiting, surfing, SUP, and currently specializes in downwind SUP foiling — his true passion.
At SV Indie Sky, Jan leads our signature downwind foiling expeditions, covering serious mileage in search of world-class conditions.
After years on the World Cup windsurfing circuit, Jan brings a global perspective and insider knowledge of the best foil, surf, and wing spots across nearly every ocean.
He also serves as one of our gear concierges, always up to date on the latest equipment and innovations.
While still working as an airline pilot for Alaska Airlines, Jan makes time each season to guide our most adventurous surf, kite, and foil-focused expeditions — where his deep experience and playful energy make him an unforgettable presence on board.
Mark Fawcett
Mark Fawcett
Mark Fawcett
Guide/Olympian: Mark is a legend in the sport of snowboarding — an Olympian, World Cup athlete, and former head coach of the Canadian National Snowboard Team. With decades at the highest levels of competition, he’s one of the most accomplished alpine athletes in the world.
What many don’t know is that Mark’s talents extend far beyond snow. He's a former competitive windsurfer and all-around waterman. He’s been chasing conditions across water, snow, and dirt for most of his life. He’s a powerful and fluid surfer, a mountain biker who knows no off-season, and most recently, a passionate convert to all things foiling.
At SV Indie Sky, Mark brings his deep knowledge of international travel, competition, and terrain scouting to guide multi-sport expeditions — combining wind, surf, snow, or dirt depending on the destination and the season.
His calm, coach’s mindset and natural ability to connect make him a favorite among both first-timers and elite athletes alike.
He also serves as one of our top gear concierges, always ready to dial in equipment setups and offer smart, tested recommendations.
Leif Lucas
Mark Fawcett
Mark Fawcett
Captain/Guide: Leif was crew on SV Indie Sky’s very first Atlantic crossing in 2021, and he’s been part of the family ever since.
With sailing experience spanning the Mediterranean, Caribbean, Bahamas, and his home waters along the U.S. East Coast, he brings both skill and soul to every expedition.
Known for his calm under pressure and unshakable presence at sea, Leif is one of those rare people who makes everyone feel instantly at ease. Whether it’s helping someone trim their first sail or troubleshooting offshore in the dark, his quiet confidence and thoughtful guidance never waver.
He’s also, quite simply, one of the best humans on the planet. Don’t just take our word for it — nearly every crew that sails with him invites him back for future voyages.
When he’s not at the helm or teaching seamanship, Leif can usually be found kiteboarding, mountain biking, or bonding with his favorite kind of cats — the fuzzy, whiskered kind (though he’s fond of catamarans too).
Mike Jacoby
Mark Fawcett
Mike Jacoby
Captain/Guide/Olympian: Mike first made his mark as one of snowboarding’s true pioneers — an Olympian, World Champion, and multiple-time World Cup gold medalist. As one of the sport’s earliest global icons, he helped define competitive snowboarding during its most formative years.
Beyond the snow, Mike is an accomplished sailor who spent over four years living aboard and single-handed the Pacific Loop — a bold solo voyage across thousands of nautical miles that speaks to his skill, resilience, and deep connection to the sea.
He’s also a talented surfer, windsurfer, kiteboarder, mountain biker, and freediver, and at SV Indie Sky, he guides expeditions that blend liveaboard training with action sports exploration.
Mike’s rare combination of world-class athletic experience and self-reliant ocean voyaging gives him a global perspective that’s both seasoned and soulful.
Whether he’s reading swell patterns from the helm, coaching board setup on deck, or slipping beneath the surface on a silent freedive, Mike brings a calm, grounded presence to every trip.
Petey
Mark Fawcett
Mike Jacoby
Emotional Support/Security:
You may be lucky enough to share your expedition with Petey, our unofficial morale officer and full-time fluff ambassador. Petey is a Coton de Tulear — a rare breed affectionately known as the pirate dog of Madagascar, originally kept aboard ships to hunt rats and charm sailors.
Equal parts adventurous and affectionate, Petey thrives at sea. He’s been known to nap through squalls, inspect anchor sets with great seriousness, and always shows up on deck when snacks appear. Whether curled up in the cockpit or scouting beaches during shore excursions, Petey brings comfort, comic relief, and just the right amount of chaos to life aboard SV Indie Sky.
Petey’s Favorites:
🐬 Barking at dolphins (he will not rest until they’ve been properly notified)
🐦 Vigilant bird deterrence — we have not lost a single crew member to birds on Petey’s watch
🍿 Dropped snacks
🌊 Wind in his fur
🛶 Dinghy rides