Instructor, Race Coach
ASA Instructor | Race Coach | Delivery Captain
Captain Kira’s passion for sailing began after moving from Colorado to the Bay Area in 2013. Her first experience—a thrilling, high-adrenaline sail aboard a J/88 racing yacht—sparked a deep enthusiasm that quickly evolved into a lifelong pursuit. She immersed herself in the sport, sailing multiple times a week, quickly earning her ASA 101, 103, and 104 certifications, and embarking on sailing adventures along the California coast and in Italy.
Kira’s racing career took off in 2016 when she joined a competitive team for the Miami-to-Havana regatta, where they secured first place in the RORC Islands in the Stream Series. That same year, she crewed in the Rolex Big Boat Series, helping her team achieve third place. Committed to advancing her maritime skills, she earned her USCG OUPV License in 2018 and, in 2020, achieved her 100-Ton Master’s License. She is certified to instruct some of ASA’s highest-level courses, including ASA 106, 107, and 108. She left her job in the startup world and began crewing on USA 76, a retired America’s Cup yacht that races around San Francisco Bay. She also worked for two seasons aboard SF Whales Tours, an 80 ft power catamaran that scours the Pacific Coast from San Francisco Bay to the Farallones in search of humpbacks, grey whales, blue whales and great white sharks!
From 2020 to 2023, Kira was part of the management team at Modern Sailing School, assisting in program development for students and members. She played an integral role in reviving the long-dormant Wind & Women program, including leading the club’s first all-female racing team. While she enjoys teaching all sailors, she believes there is something uniquely powerful about an all-women crew, and she continues to instruct women’s-only ASA courses. Kira has also coached several all-women race teams and is dedicated to fostering their continued success.
Her offshore experience is extensive. In 2022, she completed her first Atlantic crossing as part of the ARC+ (Atlantic Rally for Cruises), sailing from Las Palmas to Cabo Verde (800 nm) before undertaking the 2,150 nm passage to Grenada. Since then, she has completed four Pacific crossings, including a San Francisco to Hawaii passage in 2023, followed by a 5,000 nm voyage to Alaska.
Kira was invited to race aboard City Lights, a Santa Cruz 52, for the 2023 Rolex Big Boat Series, where the team secured third place. Following that success, she joined City Lights for the 2024 offshore circuit, culminating in the Pacific Cup— 2,070 nm race from San Francisco to Hawaii. After the race, she was entrusted with delivering the yacht safely back to San Francisco.
As a professional delivery captain, Kira has been responsible for the safe passage of various yachts along the California coast and the Pacific side of Baja California Sur. She further expanded her expertise by instructing and sailing in Baja, Mexico (2023) and Grenada and the Caribbean (2024).
Though she enjoys warm, tropical waters, Kira remains deeply connected to the San Francisco Bay. With its consistent summer winds and breathtaking scenery, she believes it offers some of the most exhilarating sailing conditions in the world. She is passionate about mentoring the next generation of sailors, especially women, fostering confidence and skill development in an inclusive and supportive environment.
