About Me
Born in Switzerland in 1970, I discovered sailing in my early 30s and very quickly found a passion that has lost none of its appeal to this day.
I have been working as a freelance architect in Berlin since 1998.
Traveling—including at sea—has always fascinated me. Over time, I’ve earned not only the SBF See and Binnen certifications but also the SKS and SSS, all radio licenses, and the FKN (pyrotechnics certificate). In the coming years, I’d like to earn the SHS and/or the English Yachtmaster certification.
Today—in late summer 2026—I look back on roughly 30,000 nautical miles—and many more are yet to come. I made the decision to bring the Princess Sophie into my life as a new home and a new opportunity out of a deep need for freedom and responsibility.
The Princess Sophie is an expression of a connection—to the sea, to the craft, and to the freedom of sailing.
What Drives Me
There are moments in life when something shifts. Not loudly, not spectacularly—but rather quietly, almost imperceptibly. And yet afterward, you sense that you see things differently. For me, it has always been those moments at sea.
Out there, far from familiar routines, so much becomes clearer. Decisions can’t be put off, and responsibility can’t be delegated. What’s essential comes to the fore—and at the same time, much of what often seems unnecessarily complex in everyday life fades away. You’re confronted with the elements, but also with yourself. This experience has shaped me over many years.
With the Princess Sophie, this has given rise to a place that makes precisely this space accessible. A space that isn’t staged, but rather develops out of the situation itself—from the wind, the weather, the movement—and from the interaction of the people on board. This isn’t about a traditional travel experience. It’s not about comfort in the usual sense, nor is it about simply covering distances. It’s about presence. About clarity. And about encounter—with oneself and with others.
At the same time, a question has grown within me over time that I could no longer ignore: What does this space mean for people who cannot reach it as a matter of course? For young people who grow up without stable guidance, who have little confidence in their own abilities, or who have never experienced that their actions truly make a difference. For them in particular, a place like this can be crucial.
The Koradi Foundation was born out of this conviction. It is an effort to open up this space—to make it accessible to young people who would otherwise have no access to it. Not as guests, but as part of a crew. With responsibility. With real tasks. And with the experience of being needed.
I don’t believe that lasting change comes from concepts or explanations. It arises in situations where you experience yourself in a new light. In moments when you succeed at something you wouldn’t have thought yourself capable of before. Or when you realize that you can cope with uncertainty—and keep going anyway.
When a young person, after such an experience, begins to see themselves differently, develops confidence, and gains a new perspective on their own life, then that is more than just a beautiful moment. Then it is a beginning.
And if the Princess Sophie can help make such beginnings possible, then she fulfills a purpose that goes far beyond sailing. And that, to me, is where her true significance lies.