CAPTAIN HÅKAN SÖDERBOM

BIOGRAPHY

Håkan Söderbom (pronounced HAW-ken) grew up on the Baltic Sea coast of Sweden, where adventures on the water began early — fishing with nets, skating on frozen harbors, and scuba diving beneath the cold Nordic waters. Those early experiences sparked a lifelong love of the water and a respect for the sea.

Since taking up sailing in the Pacific Northwest in 2020, Håkan has skippered charter sailboats in the Bahamas, British Virgin Islands, Croatia, Mexico, Sweden, and Belize. His adventures have also taken him offshore, including sailboat deliveries between Seattle and San Francisco and San Diego, and a memorable passage from Colombia through the Panama Canal to Panama City. Along the way, he has sailed on more than 40 different sailboats, from small keelboats to large cruising catamarans.

Håkan is a U.S. Coast Guard licensed captain and an American Sailing Association instructor, certified to teach courses from basic keelboat sailing through advanced coastal cruising and catamaran sailing. He also brings five years of experience as a Washington State certified motorcycle safety instructor, where he developed his passion for helping adults master new skills through practical, hands-on coaching.

After a career in the technology industry, Håkan now enjoys sharing his passion for sailing with others. His teaching philosophy is simple: sailing should be fun, rewarding, and accessible. He strives to create a relaxed and encouraging learning environment where students develop confidence, sound judgment, and good seamanship while enjoying their time on the water.

For Håkan, sailing is about much more than learning to handle a boat. It's about the freedom to explore, the satisfaction of mastering new skills, and the friendships and adventures that develop along the way. Whether you're discovering sailing for the first time on Lake Pleasant or dreaming of skippering a charter in the Caribbean, Håkan enjoys helping sailors take that next step — and perhaps sharing an adventure or two along the way.