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Sailing Club of Washington
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COMMODORE
Brian McPherson
commodore@scow.org
Brian was away from sailing for a few years coaching his son’s baseball teams and following his children’s activities. Brian found the Sailing Club of Washington and was intrigued by an active all-volunteer organization with a fleet of Flying Scots & larger cruising boats. As a member for the past 8 years Brian has increased his involvement each year – became a certified FS Skipper, an active FS racer, Training, Caroline’s Bosun the past 5 years, Skipper Director, Vice Commodore and recently Commodore. When not at the marina - Brian resides in Alexandria with his wife Missy. Their children Rob & Heather – both SCOW Members - live in Boston & LA. When not sailing Brian is a CFP & Senior Vice President with Raymond James & Associates for the past 29 years.
VICE COMMODORE
Lynn Durbin
vice@scow.org
Lynn's love of sailing began in high school, where she sailed with friends on the Great South Bay in a small town on Long Island, NY. After a decades-long hiatus from sailing, she picked it up again, first through the Washington Sailing Marina, then by joining SCOW in 2013. Since then, Lynn has become both a Flying Scot and Cruiser Skipper. She shares her passion for sailing as an Trainer and Tutor for SCOW's Basic Sailing class and by actively participating in maintenance projects for the Flying Scot fleet, especially for Miss Elli, for which she is bosun. In 2020, Lynn became the owner of Flying Scot 5422, which she sails in the Potomac River and the Great South Bay.
When not sailing or thinking about sailing, Lynn runs her two personal training businesses in McLean, gardens and spends time with her family, all of whom are SCOW members. She is also a lifelong NY Mets fan who is delighted to see them in the playoffs this year.
SECRETARY
Andrew Price
secretary@scow.org
Originally from Silver Spring, MD and Columbia, MD I have been living in the DC area for the past 24 years and currently reside in Arlington, VA. I have been sailing since 2016 when I first started to sail Flying Scot class boats and some other types along the way (Lightning Class and recently Hobie catamaran). I have been focused on the racing circuit and have participated in many regattas most notably the Fishing Bay Regatta, President's Cup Regatta, and the Summer Solstice Regatta from Annapolis to Middle Neck Virginia. I enjoy sailing any type of boat in any conditions in any location. The more variations the better. When not sailing I am riding my bike, kayaking, or hiking (anything outdoors). My condo is a short 22 minute bike ride to the Washington Sailing Marina, so I am often biking to the sailing events. I have been working as a federal government information technology contractor for the last 18 years and prior to that 4 years in information technology in the biotech sector. I am a graduate of McDaniel College 1993 and I studied for my MS in Technology Management from George Mason University 2011-2012. I have been a member of SCOW for six years.
TREASURER
Mike Hooban
treasurer@scow.org
Mike began sailing with business associates in London, on the Thames River, in a type of dinghy called an Enterprise, in the mid 2000’s. On his first outing the boat capsized under Kew Bridge, so it could only get better from then on. He also had the opportunity to sail in the Solent (the channel between mainland England and the Isle of Wight) on a large keel-boat (probably 35 feet or so). He ultimately decided to take sailing lessons at Belle Haven Marina, and subsequently joined SCOW in 2011. After buying his own boat, an American 14.6, and sailing it from Washington Sailing Marina for a few years, Mike purchased a Flying Scot, the “Green Hornet” in 2014, and began racing it with SCOW at the urging of Julian Mallett, Dick Vida and Dave Beckett. Mike served as SCOW treasurer in 2015 through 2022. Mike is retired from 30+ years of business ownership, previously worked for 7 and a half years for Arthur Young & Company (now Ernst & Young) and is a 6.5 year Army veteran of the Vietnam conflict as well as service in Korea. He has an MBA degree, and has served as treasurer and general manager of other entities, including his son’s 1st division soccer team in the NCSL (National Capitol Soccer League), and Team River Runner, a 501c3 organization dedicated to helping injured veterans recover through paddle sports such as kayaking, canoeing and stand-up paddle boarding. In addition to sailing, both competitive and recreational, Mike enjoys kayaking, cycling, and building model boats. Mike has enjoyed enormously his association with SCOW and the many good people in the club. Mike is married to Ok Sop (since 1971), lives in Arlington, and has four grown children and one grandchild. Mike is an instructor in SCOW’s sailing training program, a tutor and a checkout skipper, has filled in as Training Director, and has supported the Special Olympics and the Leukemia Cup.
SOCIAL ACTIVITIES DIRECTOR
Genevieve Lindsay
social@scow.org
Genevieve started sailing at 18 months old on the Elizabeth River, Willoughby Spit, the Lower Bay, and then ICW to the Bahamas. My brother and I built a mahogany sailing pram in our family’s dining room and our picture was in Wooden Boat Magazine, I was the first girl sea scout on “Skipjack Norfolk”, and sailed Flying Juniors at NYCC. My family sailed the ICW to the Bahamas to take our 40’ ketch, Nike, back to her Man O’ War birthplace. I was a marina rat at Rebel Marine and a dockmaster for the city of Norfolk. I’ve crewed on bigger boats to include the Steel Rebel, Skipjack Norfolk, and a Hatteras yacht between 70-80’ and a Buddy Davis. I was away from sailing after a lapse in judgement and am so glad I found my people through SCOW. Professionally, I work for George Mason in Admissions but I taught elementary school for 15 years and I worked in Membership Marketing for BOAT/U.S. for 7 years (hello, boat shows and new retail openings). I foisted my sailing addiction onto my son, who is almost 16, owner of HayMaker FS 4354.
TRAINING DIRECTOR
Allen Flanigan
training@scow.org
Allen Flanigan grew up in Connecticut and got his first exposure to sailboats (Sunfish) on the Connecticut shoreline at a family picnic. While studying Physics at Worcester Polytechnic Institute from 1978-1982, he learned to sail lasers on Indian Lake in Worcester MA, and also spent 7 weeks doing a college project at Mystic Seaport Museum, surrounded by classic wooden sailboats, some of which he actually got to sail. A career at the US Patent and Trademark Office brought him to Alexandria, VA and the Potomac River. Occasional boat rentals at WSM and while on vacation at Cape Cod led to his first boat purchase. Shortly after joining Hobie fleet 196 and becoming active in the fleet, long time SCOW member Bennett Ackerman and his wife Jean enlisted Allen's help with their Montgomery County Special Olympic sailing program.. In 1999 Allen sailed with Virginia athlete Kirsten Stone in the Special Olympics World Games and went on to start a Virginia Special Olympic sailing program in Alexandria. His Patent Office career gave him the flexibility to pursue his sailing passion and other hobbies while raising a family. He joined SCOW in 2017 and lives a busy retired life. He can often be seen out on the Potomac on various sailboats, or at the marina working on his own boats or helping other people with theirs.
RIVER/BAY ACTIVITIES DIRECTOR
Marie Brennan
river@scow.org
Marie was first introduced to sailing on Martha’s Vineyard as a child and then had the opportunity to work on a 72’ schooner in Newport, RI while in college. She joined SCOW in 2013 and became a Scot Skipper in 2014 and is currently working on becoming a cruiser skipper. When she is not playing on the water, she works as a mental health therapist to low income families and veterans in DC. She enjoys life on a houseboat and gets to enjoy the water 24/7.
MAINTENANCE DIRECTOR FLYING SCOTS
Dana Howe
scotmaint@scow.org
Dana first started sailing Flying Scots at the Pensacola Navy Yacht Club while attending Navy Photo School in the 1980’s. He joined SCOW in 2017 and adopted Sunset Song as his favorite club boat until he bought his own boat “Double D” (named after himself and his sailing partner Dick Kerr) in the Fall of 2019. He participates in the Flying Scot Wednesday Night Racing program and goes on the road occasionally to enter local area regattas.
MAINTENANCE DIRECTOR CRUISERS
Barry Yatt
cruisermaint@scow.org
With a last name of Yatt (pronounced like “Yacht”), growing up in Baltimore (but without access to sailing), and a lifelong interest in sailboats (mostly reading and dreaming), it was just a matter of time (far too much) before Barry found SCOW in 2014. He gained his first experiences race crewing for John and Elisabeth Graham and Bill Davenport, then bought and restored "Anchovy", a 1967 O'Day Javelin 14, became a Scot and cruiser skipper, served SCOW as Membership Director and, in 2021 became bosun for "Rebecca" and began restoring "Sun Daze", a 1987 Seaward 22.
Barry is now retired after a 4½ decade career as an architect, educator, author, and property manager (which partially informs his work as a bosun) He lives in Arlington with his non-sailor wife, Sandy, and DC-resident adult son, Ben.
RACING DIRECTOR
Bonnie Sylwester
racing@scow.org
Bonnie started sailing and racing in 2009 when she moved to Honolulu, Hawaii for graduate school. She stayed in Hawaii for eight years and raced as much as possible – participating in Friday and Wednesday night races, and weekend in-shore, off-shore, and inter-island races. She started by crewing on big boats, a Beneteau First 40.7, J-44, Humboldt 30, and worked her way down to smaller boats like Solings and I-14s. For five years, she owned a Cal 20 and skippered it in Wednesday night races. Since moving to Virginia five years ago, she’s been active in SCOW’s Wednesday night racing program and participated in local and regional Flying Scot regattas. When not sailing, she works at George Mason University and lives in Alexandria, Virginia.
Interim MEMBERSHIP DIRECTOR
Josh Morin
membership@scow.org
SKIPPER DIRECTOR
Eric Schmidt
skipper@scow.org
Eric learned sailing as a teenager on Saranac Lake, NY with summer camp friends; next, a two-week Chesapeake Bay passage learning basic seamanship, navigation, mooring, and safety at sea. In recent years Eric has crewed 19-47' sailboats, raced 19-37.5' sailboats, and crewed passages in the Caribbean Sea, North Atlantic, Pacific Ocean, Gulf of Mexico and Chesapeake Bay. Eric joined SCOW in early 2019 after approaching SCOW Trainer Neil Shepherd at the WSM Cranes and requesting a sailing lesson; it was time to commit to the process of 'Becoming a Skipper.' Having the good fortune of many SCOW Skipper lessons at events such as WNR, Thursday Social Sail, & River and Bay Activities - Eric passed his Flying Scot Checkout in 2020 and received access to "Sail according to SCOW Standards" and continue learning boat handling, boat management and self-reliance on the tidal waters and gusty winds of the Potomac River. This process continues as a life-long challenge of continual learning, self-assessment, and improvement. In 2022, Eric became Skipper Director, as well as an active SCOW Cruiser Tutor, supporting members in their Cruiser Skipper certification process.
Dick Kerr | Tim Bliss |
Training and Skipper Certification
TSCC Members Becky Cole, Bill Gillespie, Mike Hooban, Chip Lubsen, John Rogers, Dan Sandhaus and Trueman Sharp
Ex Officio Members
Skipper Director Eric Schmidt, Training Director Allen Flanigan and Vice Commodore Lynn Durbin | Boat Assets
BAC Members Jay Weitzel, David Wilburn and Joe Leoncio
Ex Officio Members
Cruiser Maintenance Director Barry Yatt, Flying Scot Maintenance Director Dana Howe and Vice Commodore Lynn Durbin | Audit
Audit Committee Members TBD
Ex Officio Member
Vice Commodore Lynn Durbin | Nominations Nominations Committee Members
Ex Officio Member
Vice Commodore Dave Beckett |
Aamir (AK) Khwaja | Chip Lubsen - Web Editor | Jeff Teitel |
George Clark | Marie Brennan | Genevieve Lindsay |
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