Skippers and Mates

Bruce Jacobs

Founder & CEO

Born and raised in London, went to boarding school in Scotland, gained an English and Philosophy degree from Manchester University, and set off across the Alps solo from Geneva to the Mediterranean. Once travelled overkand across Russia, Kazakhstan and Mongolia. Sailed from when I was 10 and set up Rubicon 3 in 2013. Married with two children, previously lived in the USA, Caribbean and France, but currently based in Portsmouth, UK

 

Ollie Bowden

Head of Operations & Skipper

Email: Ollie.Bowden@Rubicon3.co.uk

 

Patrick van der Zijden

Skipper

Patrick van der Zijden was born in Holland but escaped the wet and flat for a sunnier place in Europe and now lives in the Algarve. What reflects his laid back but yet serious attitude.With a history in merchant navy and carpentry he is not afraid to tackle an issue when it would arise.

As a freelance skipper he has been sailing and driving different boats in and to various places on the globe. He skippered one of the twelve Clipper 70´s on the 13/14 Clipper round the world yacht race, the longest yacht race in the world. Racing and managing an amateur team of 54 people. He stepped in as skipper for the ‘19 – 20’ race in 2022 after the COVID period and helped racing the boats back to the UK. He also roamed around the Caribbean for a time, and worked on various private sailing yachts as instructor and skipper.

Being a water enthusiast his hobbies are Diving, Kite-surfing, kayaking and exploring the world.

 

 

Ineke van der weijden

Skipper

Ineke is an offshore sailor and skipper, with over 120.000nM of ocean sailing experience in racing and adventure sailing. Recently she completed the Clipper Round the World Race as skipper of team Perseverance, leading the team to an overall 2nd place. When not racing, Ineke loves sailing to interesting destinations off the beaten track.

Prior to her sailing career she has 15+ years of professional experience in project/ program management, working in Europe, the USA and Africa.

Throughout Ineke’s personal and professional life she has been privileged to see much of the world. Some of the most special trips have been on the oceans, both above and below the surface. This has instilled in Ineke a great sense of awe and inspiration. She loves sharing this passion with others, helping them to  come to love the ocean and sailing as much as she does.

 

Charlotte Hathaway

Skipper

I started sailing in my 30s when I pressed pause on my creative industries career in Scotland, went to teach in the Caribbean, and bought my first boat. I never went back. In the decade since I have dedicated myself to the art of seafaring; pursuing adventure, honing my sailing skills and discovering the pure joy of helping other people on their personal development journey at sea. Having sailed around the Caribbean, completed a few Atlantic crossings and found myself in the Med, Iceland and the coasts of Scotland and France, I ended up spending 4 and a half years aboard the 24m historic gaff-rigged ex-fishing trawler (now sail training vessel) Excelsior. We made some incredible voyages together, and I had the opportunity to work with some brilliant groups of young people. I can’t wait to take on new adventures with Rubicon3.

Thorben Reinhardt

Skipper

Thorben is a commercial sailor with a passion for various outdoor sports. Born and raised in Ludwigshafen, Germany, he worked abroad for most of his professional career. After uni, he decided to get skipper tickets and started working in the Mediterranean and Caribbean; he is also a very keen divemaster and river guide. So, it’s all about steering boats and being near or on the water. My favourite food would be a self-caught and collected seafood platter, and the ideal pastime is spent exploring a remote, unspoiled area. Nevertheless, dining in a stylish restaurant with a bit of comfort would not be turned down. Generally interested in history and Geography. Likes to take his banjo out on a campfire.

 

Mike Miller

Skipper

Mike is an experienced offshore sailor and racer, with over 160,000 sea miles in his logbook, including three full circumnavigations. He has just finished skippering his second team in the Clipper Round the World Yacht Race. He started sailing at a young age, while growing up in Singapore, and has skippered and managed sail racing teams in Hong Kong, the Middle East, the Med and the UK. He worked briefly on superyachts after university, crossing the Pacific, and racing in San Tropez, and then balanced his sailing passion with a 25-year career in global finance, whilst raising a family. Mike is passionate about building teams and developing people, and much of his sailing career has been focussed on helping others overcome challenges and achieve far more than they ever thought possible. He has a deep love of the ocean and its wildlife, and never travels anywhere without his well-thumbed book of ocean birds.

Manu Hulme-Parker

Skipper

I was born in Cornwall, but have since lived in various places across the UK and Europe. Spending most of my teenage years growing up in Switzerland, I developed enjoyment from outdoor activities and exercise. However, being far from the sea, I only got into sailing in more recent years. After completing my yacht master at the end of 2021, I developed a love for sailing and wanted to pursue it further and in May 2022 I joined Rubicon 3. Since then my career has progressed pretty quickly, having completed multiple ocean crossings, sailing in the Arctic and across the date line.

 

Konrad Champenois

Skipper

Hi there, I’m Konrad, I was born and raised in the middle of France. Having spent a good part of my summers in Brittany I decided after uni to move to the sea and worked on shipyards before realising I could sail boats instead of just building them.
You can also find me on top of some mountains singing sea shanties to keep the bears away. But soon enough I will be back on a boat, happily explaining why a line has to be coiled clockwise.

 

Alex Guerandel

1st Mate

I was raised in a Cornish shipyard hitting things with a hammer for a living and worked on and around the water and boats for most of my early years.

I also spent a lot of free time diving and climbing around the south coast, with a little sailing on the side.

Always looking for adventure (and suffering somewhat from escalating stupidity), I’ve climbed mountains, competed internationally in martial arts, motorcycled around Europe and run across deserts.

I’ve since spent the last ten years sharing my passion for sailing and adventure working as a freelance Skipper / Cruising Instructor.

 

Michelle van den Bergh

1st Mate

I have lived and sailed all over the world, mainly in the Middle East and the Netherlands. In 2015-2016 I participated in the Clipper Round the World Race crossing the North Pacific and Atlantic. After going on a Rubicon 3 trip with my father in the Caribbean in 2019 I decided to get my Yachtmaster – so I quit my job to pursue sailing. Once I got my Yachtmaster I started sailing with sail training groups along the south coast of the UK such as Ocean Youth Trust South and the Island Trust. I started freelancing in 2023 with Rubicon 3.

 

Lou Boorman

1st Mate

Lou started sailing at the age of 8 in a tiny dinghy back home in rural West Wales and went on to race internationally, becoming a dinghy British Champion. She decided to make sailing her career at 18 and worked at an oil refinery and hospital to save up for her qualifications. Then one long and cold winter maintenance day, she decided to enter the Round Britain and Ireland race double-handed; becoming the youngest skipper to complete the race as part of the youngest female duo. Since then, she has worked as a commercial skipper, mostly within sail training, providing opportunities for disadvantaged young people. Lou also sails a square-rigged tallship, trains the Clipper round the world crew and still competes in offshore racing, most recently, the Figaro double-handed European Championships. Her sailing also includes expeditions to the Arctic and Atlantic yacht deliveries, although she usually turns a lobster-like colour under the Caribbean sun.

Imogen Royce

1st Mate

I first fell in love with sailing as a child when I read Swallows and Amazons. Growing up sailing in the Lake District, I always thought of sailing as an adventure, and after leaving university have jumped onboard every boat I could! I spent 18 months sailing around the British Isles, Greek and Croatian islands, and chasing winter sun to do yacht deliveries in Australia. I then became a Yachtmaster, and looked for the next adventure which brought me to Rubicon 3.

Jonny Ho

1st Mate

Living near London, I didn’t see the sea much growing up, but I did dabble in dinghies. My first yacht trip was a Biscay crossing on the 72′ ketch Faramir, we got caught in a gale 8 and I was hooked! Next year I signed up with the Rona Sailing Project and have volunteered with them for 18 years alongside my day job as a structural engineer, starting as a Watch Leader and progressing through the ranks. Aside from sailing I’ve run ultramarathons in the Alps, done a couple of ski seasons and lived the vanlife in Canada.

I’ve sailed on several Tall Ships Races, including a North Atlantic crossing in 2009, and recently began skippering the 62′ sail training yacht Merrilyn with the RSP. I love how sailing brings people together, turning a boat full of strangers into a team of close friends with a strong bond and shared experience. I qualified as an RYA Yachtmaster Instructor, and have a passion for teaching people – especially when it comes to the art of astronavigation. In 2025 I decided to leave my job and set up as a freelance engineer/sailor, to strike a better balance between life on land and at sea. I’m excited to be part of the Rubicon 3 team and looking forward to many more adventures on the water.

Nick Weir

1st Mate

Hi I am Nick, always seeking a new adventure whether it be on land or sea. Growing up I was passionate about the outdoors, adventure pursuits, travel and was a keen kayaker working seasonally for PGL Adventure Camps in France. Whilst at University I windsurfed and SCUBA dived and following my studies I worked in the sport & recreation industry in Scotland, NZ and Australia. I enjoy hill walking and mountain biking but have always been drawn to and fascinated by the sea and cannot restrain myself from swimming, boogie boarding or paddle boarding to unwind after a day’s work.

As a sharp change in career I joined the police, and ironically within 2 years found myself operating as a police diver and marine helm. Albeit it was not all sun tans and fancy watches, it was where I was meant to be in the outdoors working in an environment which I loved with like-minded people and operating as a close-knit team. To develop the Unit I established an in-house RYA training school for power boat training.

20 years ago it seemed a natural choice for me to learn to sail yachts as it offered me a new challenge and the freedom of the outdoors. Alongside my police career I progressed to Yachtmaster Instructor and worked freelance instructing mainly on the west coast of Scotland. Having recently retired from the police, Rubicon 3 is the next chapter in my life, and one that offers the opportunity to travel, explore new destinations with like-minded people from various walks of life with a common passion for adventure. I look forward to sharing my knowledge and experiences with you.

Charlie Cullen

1st Mate

Growing up in a sailing family on the South Coast I spent a lot of my childhood on the water. My love for being at sea never died, and in 2017 I followed in my family’s footsteps and joined the RNLI as a crew member. After college I worked in engineering, modifying and repairing marine diesel engines while also volunteering for the Tall Ships Youth Trust as a Watch Leader in my spare time.

 

In 2024 I got my Yachtmaster and decided to start doing what I loved as a career, starting as a First Mate with TSYT and later with Clipper Ventures training crew for the race. In the summer of 2025 I was offered the opportunity to fill in for one the Mates on the race, and completed leg 1 as First Mate onboard ‘Washington, DC’ from Portsmouth to Puerto Sherry and onwards to Punta Del Este in Uruguay.

 

I’ve always been drawn to the sense of achievement and adventure in sailing, finding myself in unique and interesting places having travelled there by harnessing the weather will never get old!