Instructors
Professional training and charter captains.
Swain Sailing has a staff of terrific instructors with years of teaching experience and in depth knowledge of our cruising grounds. We're confident that the quality of sailing education we provide is the best out there.
Evan Swain
Director of operations and senior instructor
Evan was raised in the BVI. He spent his formative years sailing, surfing and wind surfing - and wearing shoes as little as possible. He was on the tiller by age three and won his first dinghy regatta at age 10. Evan relocated to Rhode Island to complete his high school years and attend college. After completing his Associates degree at High Point University, Evan decided to change tacks and pursue his passion for sailing and his gift for teaching.
Evan holds a degree in Marine Systems from the internationally recognized International Yacht Restoration School (IYRS) and is an ABYC certified marine technician. He is ASA instructor certified through Catamaran Cruising and a US Sailing instructor. Evan runs the Jamestown, RI school in the summer and heads Swain’s BVI base in the winter months.
Ted slorick
operations manager and instructor
Ted grew up sailing in the beautiful Lake District in the UK, developing a love for the water that has taken him well beyond his home shores. While studying Physics at the University of Birmingham, he was an active member of the university sailing team before deciding to pursue a career on the water.
His sailing career has taken him from the busy waters of Cowes, one of Britain's most renowned sailing centres, to the turquoise waters of the Caribbean. Along the way, he has developed a passion for sharing his knowledge and helping sailors of all abilities build their skills and confidence.
As Operations Manager at Swain Sailing School, Ted plays a central role in keeping the school running smoothly, while remaining actively involved in teaching a wide range of sailing courses, from introductory keelboat sailing to cruising courses. He brings a calm, patient, and practical approach to instruction, adapting his teaching style to suit each student's experience and goals.
Belen Castro Martin
ASA instructor
Belen is a professional skipper and sailing instructor with international experience sailing and teaching throughout the Mediterranean. Her passion for sailing is rooted in her family heritage, which is closely connected to both seafaring and the construction of traditional tall ships. She has sailed extensively in Greece, Italy, Spain, and Croatia, working as a skipper and instructor on both monohulls and catamarans. Her experience includes flotillas, yacht deliveries, offshore passages, and sailing instruction for students of different backgrounds and experience levels.
Belen is an American Sailing Association (ASA) certified instructor and holds the RYA Yachtmaster Offshore qualification. She combines her practical experience at sea with a passion for navigation, seamanship, and helping sailors develop the confidence and skills to become independent, capable sailors.
With a background in archaeology and a keen interest in astronomy, Belen has a particular fascination with the relationship between sailing, navigation, and the history of exploration. She enjoys sharing not only the practical skills of sailing but also the knowledge and curiosity that make every voyage an opportunity to learn something new.
Austin Jones
ASA instructor
Austin's journey began in Santa Monica, California, where growing up near the water instilled a lifelong love for the ocean and a passion for adventure. At eleven, his family moved to the rugged mountains of Colorado, where he continued to pursue adventure and education while discovering the entrepreneurial spirit that would guide much of his career.
After college, Austin launched a video marketing business, blending creativity and storytelling to help brands grow. He also earned his master's degree from Purdue University and worked as a college professor. After building and eventually selling his business, he transitioned into corporate leadership, serving as Head of Marketing and Communications in the healthcare and legal sectors.
Despite his professional success, Austin always felt the pull of the ocean and the freedom it represents. He eventually decided to leave corporate life behind and follow his passion for sailing. His adventures have taken him from the sunny waters of Florida and California to the picturesque coastlines of Croatia and the challenging seas of the United Kingdom. Along the way, he earned his RYA Yachtmaster Offshore Certificate, and instructor qualifications.
As a sailing instructor at Swain Sailing School in the British Virgin Islands, Austin combines his years of leadership, collaboration, and dedication with his love for the sea. He enjoys sharing his passion for sailing, helping students build confidence on the water, and creating memorable adventures in one of the world's most beautiful sailing destinations.
Eric Bechtel
ASA master instructor
Eric is a licensed master captain with 20 years of maritime experience on sailboats and charter cruises. He has dedicated much of his sailing career to both racing and instructing. Internationally ranked in competitive sailing for over 5 years, Eric has competed in various onshore and offshore regattas. As an instructor, he has led several sailing programs and camps for juniors and adults. Eric has been serving on the board at Grapevine Sailing Club in Texas as the commodore for the last 8 years.
In addition to his maritime expertise, Eric has a background in business management. He has worked as a marketing representative for several years, focusing on educational companies that develop hands-on teaching aids and innovative educational software for K-5 students.
Beyond his professional pursuits, Eric enjoys scuba diving, spearfishing, surfing, traveling, and practicing his skills as a hibachi chef.
Alex Rocca
ASA instructor
While Alex Rocca learned to sail in 1980 as a teenager, he also enjoyed a diverse career before dedicating his time to teaching sailing. Alex owned two pizzerias for over 25 years and also enjoyed a long career as a Real Estate executive for a railroad.
In his 20s, Alex also had a boxing career during which time he attempted to qualify for the 1988 Seoul Olympics. Over the past three decades he has also coached Men’s and Women’s Rugby teams and Referees.
Alex has sailed over 15,000 NM with destinations from Martha’s Vineyard to Bermuda, to the Bahamas and to the Virgin Islands. He has made long deliveries to and from the Virgin Islands. His love for the sailing and teaching is apparent to all his students. He currently holds ASA instructor certifications through Catamaran Cruising and a USCG OUPV Captains license. He lives aboard his own sailboat and make trips south in the winter and north in the summer.
Michael Merritt
ASA and AB instructor
Mike is a career mariner with extensive sailing experience and over 30 years in the offshore industry. He’s worked in over 40 countries in all corners of the globe. Mike holds degrees from Massachusetts Maritime Academy and Cornell University with extensive training, managerial experience and certifications in all aspects of marine operations including navigation, offshore survival, radio operations, mooring analysis, anchor handling, stability and trim, bridge resource management, maritime security and QHSE (Quality, Health, Safety and Environment).
Mike is a USCG Master Mariner and an ASA Instructor through Offshore Passage Making.
Scott Litster
ASA instructor
Scott is an avid sailor who has a passion for teaching others how to sail with confidence. He creates a fun and relaxing on-board experience while keeping safety his first priority. Scott is an ASA certified instructor for Basic Keelboat through Advanced Cruising and Catamaran Cruising levels with 30 years of experience on the water inshore, near coastal and offshore with both monohulls and catamarans. He has also achieved his USCG Master Captains license with Sailing and Towing endorsements. From 2003 to 2013 Captain Scott owned and operated “Island Bound Adventures Sailing Academy” in Grapevine Texas where he earned many Outstanding Instructor awards and a few Outstanding School awards. His sailing includes local lakes, The Channel Islands, Eastern US, Tahiti, most of The Bahamas, Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico along with most islands between Puerto Rico and Grenada. His most rewarding sailing experience has been instructing collage students on a 35 day Sailing and Leadership program from St. Maarten to Grenada and back. For several years Scott lived and cruised on his 43’ Jeanneau “Believe in the Sea”.
In addition to Scott’s passion for sailing and training sailors, he is also an Aircraft Maintenance Technician and a licensed pilot. He has raced motorcycles off road, crewed for the worlds fastest piston engine/propeller driven aircraft, rebuilt a 1968 Beechcraft single engine airplane.
Burton Robson
ASA instructor
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. His qualifications and certifications include: ASA Sailing Instructor through Offshore Passage Making; PADI advanced dive instructor; a pilot and pilot trainer; marine mechanic; ABYC certified marine surveyor.
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 sailing and diving but also to the local people, 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. Burton teaches in both Swain's BVI and Jamestown, Rhode Island locations.
Norman Martin
ASA instructor
Norm is a lifelong sailor. When he was 10, his parents bought a cruising boat, sold the house and voyaged the US East Coast and Bahamas for two years. A few years later, his first job was as a sailing counselor on Cape Cod. Norm has been teaching sailing almost ever since. He has worked in NY, Annapolis, Boston, and all through the Caribbean as a cruising instructor. He understands living aboard. More importantly, he loves the work. Norm is very familiar with the US Atlantic Coast and Caribbean. In the early 1970s, Norm started crewing on the big yachts of the day. He was first mate on many New England and Caribbean passages qualifying him to skipper on ocean deliveries; and has served as delivery skipper on numerous North-South and return deliveries over the past decade.
Norm has worked for Swain since 2007. He is an ASA instructor through Offshore Passage Making as well an ASA instructor evaluator. Norm is also a US Sailing certified Cruising Instructor and a NauticEd instructor/evaluator. He holds a USCG OUPV license including authorization to teach OUPV courses.
Don Doggett
ASA Master instructor
Don grew up sailing inland lakes in northern Wisconsin. Over 20 years ago, he purchased his first sailboat on Lake Michigan – which was a 22 foot Southcoast. Since then he has owned and operated a variety of boat sizes and models. Don is an active and longtime member of Milwaukee Yacht Club and spends his time cruising the Great Lakes, racing regional sailboat regattas, and teaching adults how to sail.
Don is known for his dedication to teaching adult sailing and liveaboard cruising courses throughout Lake Michigan, Lake Superior, Southern Florida, and the Caribbean. Through years of teaching, Don has developed an acute understanding of why each student wants to learn how to sail and how to patiently work with students at their own pace.
He currently holds a USCG 100-ton Master Captains License and is authorized to teach USCG Merchant Mariner courses, including Operator of Uninspected Passenger Vessel (OUPV or 6-Pack) and Master Captains courses. He is trained as a first responder and maintains first aid and CPR certifications.
Ruby
Ruby is the newest member of our team. She is a rescue from the BVI where she was found abandoned under a trailer on Long Bay beach. After an unsuccessful search for her owner, Gina and Evan adopted her. Ruby is now a North-South dog. She is often found in the office playing with her favorite toys, and happily greeting anyone who walks through the door.
Rob Swain - on Seabbatical
Rob has taught sailing in the BVI for over 30 years. He directed the Tortola branch of Offshore Sailing School for 8 years before starting Swain Sailing School with his wife, Gina. Swain Sailing is now in its 26th year training sailors in the BVI.
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 Catamaran 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 over 20 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.
Rob is a recipient of the ASA Instructor of the Year award 2017.