Crew Profiles

KIRILL OSIPENKO
CAPTAIN

Languages: English, Hebrew, Russian, Portuguese

Kirill was born in Ukraine and later grew up in Israel. Being in the maritime high-school he got hooked on sailing and adventure and decided to follow the passion of sailing and make it his career. Sailing has brought Kirill to many beautiful and remote exotic corners of the world like the Seychelles in the Indian Ocean, Tahiti in the Pacific, all over the Caribbean and of course the beautiful Mediterranean. Apart from sailing Kirill is a free spirit and loves nature, travelling, meeting new people and exploring new cultures. He loves hiking, water sports, kiteboarding, scuba and free diving and the Brazilian martial art capoeira.


GIANCARLO BIFARETTI
CHEF

Languages: Spanish, English, Italian

Giancarlo is an energetic, positive and passionate young Chef, dedicated to delivering high quality gastronomic experiences. His passion for gastronomy has been a lifelong connection, fueling his unwavering commitment to his work. He loves how it can bring people together and create special moments. With three years of experience as a Chef on private yachts, he has cultivated invaluable skills across a spectrum of cuisines as well as learned the importance of details and adaptability. His goal has always been to create memorable gastronomic experiences that bring joy to his guests.


SHAHAR PAZ
STEWARDESS

Languages: English, Hebrew

Shahar was born and raised in Israel, Texas and Brazil . Grew up near the coast all her life. As a daughter of a professional windsurfer it was obvious that she will fall in love with the sea as well. From when she was very little she was passionate by the water doing water sports, surfing and scuba diving.She decided to take her sailing passion a step further and went to a sailing academy in the UK and did the RYA yachtmaster offshore course. The last few years she basically lived on the water working on luxury charter and private boats.She is committed to crafting the ultimate vacation experience, fostering connections, and creating lasting memories for everyone on board.


ANDREW DOCKENDORFF
DECKHAND

Languages: English

Andrew is a seasoned deckhand who has taken his passion for nature and the outdoors from land to sea. Andrew grew up in South Africa. He worked as a Field Guide at AndBeyond, Phinda and onboard a charter sailing vessel in Knysna, Western Cape, hosting international guests. His ever growing curiosity for adventure is what drew him to Viva la Vida. Andrew loves sailing and enjoys sharing his experiences with the people onboard. If Andrew is not in the gym, you will find him surfing, hiking or birding.