Open Sea Instructors
The Elite of World Yachting
At Open Sea, the instructors are people for whom the sea is both a profession and years of hands-on experience. The team brings together Masters of Sports, Master Mariners, prize-winners of major regattas and skippers with ocean-passage experience. Their teaching goes beyond preparing students for the IYT test: students learn practical techniques from instructors who use them in races, yacht deliveries and challenging passages.
Every instructor has at least ten years of experience working with crews and more than 20,000 nautical miles behind them. Their sailing grounds include the Aegean, Mediterranean and Caribbean seas, challenging waters and transatlantic passages. That is why navigation, safety and boat handling are taught through real examples, not retellings from a textbook.
Team Experience in Numbers
Open Sea Instructors
Dmitry Ryabchikov
Yacht Designer, Mentor, IYT Yachtmaster Ocean Instructor
Dmitry began sailing in 1998. From 2012 to 2022, he trained young sailors in the sailing section of the Moscow Institute of Thermal Engineering; his students won prizes in the Carter‑30, Taurus and Olympic Dragon classes. This experience created a rare combination of coaching expertise, engineering thinking and a deep understanding of yacht behaviour.
Dmitry has more than 30,000 miles in his personal log. As captain, he has sailed the Azov, Black, Marmara, Aegean and Mediterranean seas, made passages in the Caribbean and taken part in demanding yacht deliveries from Slovenia, Croatia and Greece.
Dmitry understands a yacht from more than a skipper's perspective: he has designed and built three sailing vessels from 7 to 12 metres long. This allows him to explain hull construction, boat behaviour and repair methods from an engineering perspective. He has shared this knowledge with students since 2020.
Key Qualifications
- IYT Yachtmaster Ocean Instructor
- IYT Bareboat Skipper Instructor
- STCW Basic Safety Training
- VHF Marine Radio Operator Certificate (SRC)
- Certified Judge of Sailing
Significant Achievements and Experience
- Coach of prize‑winners in classes "Carter‑30", "Taurus", "Dragon" (2010s)
- Multiple participant and prize‑winner of races on cruising yachts and in the Windsurfing class
- Experience in organising complex yacht deliveries in the Mediterranean
- Successful design and construction of 3 sailing yachts (2014‑2024)
Aleksey Filinovich
Senior Instructor, Mediterranean Expert, IYT Instructor Examiner
Aleksey Filinovich has sailed more than 40,000 nautical miles—the largest verified log in the Open Sea team. He took up sailing in 1993 and began as a mentor at the Zaporozhets yacht club's children's sailing school. From the mid‑2000s, cruising sailing—primarily in the Mediterranean—became his main focus.
His experience includes intensive charter passages, demanding offshore crossings and an Atlantic crossing. Aleksey has taught for more than 20 years and holds IYT's highest qualification—Instructor Examiner—which authorises him to train and certify other instructors.
Students value Aleksey for his calm, methodical teaching and strong background in meteorology and navigation. Racing with international sailing associations allows him to continually test his technique in practice and pass current methods on to crews.
Key Qualifications
- IYT Instructor Examiner
- IYT Yachtmaster Ocean (Theory and Practical)
- IYT Powerboat Instructor
- STCW Advanced Safety Training
- VHF Marine Radio Operator Certificate (SRC)
Significant Achievements and Experience
- Participant in a transatlantic crossing (ARC Rally, 2018)
- Prize‑winner of international regattas (Marmaris International Race Week, 2022)
- Participant in the Rolex Middle Sea Race (challenging offshore race, 2021)
- 20+ years of teaching experience and skipper training
Bori Kuznetsov
Master of Sailing, Professional Racer, IYT Yachtmaster Offshore Instructor
Bori Kuznetsov has been sailing since the age of seven and holds the title of Master of Sports. His strengths are race tactics, precise sail trim and handling a boat at speed. He continues to compete at world-level events, including in France and Portugal.
Bori has competed and won prizes in Russian and international events in the highly competitive J80 and SB20 classes. More than 20,000 miles of sailing complement his sporting discipline with the practical knowledge of an IYT instructor.
Bori knows how to break down complex sail mechanics and modern racing techniques into clear actions. His lessons are especially useful for anyone who wants not only to earn a licence but also to handle a yacht quickly and efficiently. He is also a PADI Divemaster.
Key Qualifications
- Master of Sports (Sailing)
- IYT Yachtmaster Offshore Instructor
- IYT Racing Skipper Certification
- STCW Basic Safety Training
- PADI Divemaster
Significant Achievements and Experience
- Participant in J80 World Championship (France, 2023)
- Prize‑winner of SB20 European Championship (Portugal, 2022)
- Multiple winner and prize‑winner of Russian competitions in J80 and SB20 classes
- Participant in Spi Ouest‑France regatta
Nikita Chizhov
Master Mariner, Navigation Engineer, Master of Sailing, IYT Instructor
Nikita Chizhov combines commercial fleet experience with competitive sailing. His navigation engineering degree and Master Mariner qualification shape his systematic approach to navigation, COLREGs, safety and vessel handling under strict industry standards.
Nikita has 18 years of sailing experience and more than 14,000 miles under sail. He is a Master of Sports and has competed and won prizes in Russian and international events. His professional navigation background allows him to explain the academic foundations of navigation in exceptional depth.
At Open Sea, Nikita teaches IYT programmes and organises demanding corporate outings and team events on the water.
Key Qualifications
- Master Mariner License
- Higher Education: Navigation Engineer
- Master of Sports (Sailing)
- IYT Yachtmaster Offshore Instructor
- GMDSS General Operator Certificate
Significant Achievements and Experience
- Many years of experience in commercial shipping in senior positions
- Prize‑winner of the Russian Sailing Championship (Cruising yachts, 2019)
- Participant and prize‑winner of Gocek Race Week (Turkey)
- Expert in international maritime navigation and COLREGs