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Sailing Club of Washington
SCOW is a 501(c)(7) organization that was originally chartered on July 12, 1966 "to provide the membership thereof with the opportunity and instrumentalities to become expert in the art of sailing for their individual and mutual education, benefit and enjoyment." Over 50 years later, SCOW continues to adhere to its purpose, providing its 400+ members with an environment for fellowship and a never-ending education in the art of sailing. We offer classes, individual use of our boats, club sponsored activities and a place for our members to come together and enjoy the sport and recreation of sailing. Membership is open to anyone who has an interest in sailing and is willing to help out. Our club is staffed entirely with volunteers who manage the training, skipper certification, boat maintenance, and other activities that keep the club running. We rely on all members to contribute in some way to the club, from helping to keep the boats clean and in good repair to assisting with social events. Our fleet of keelboat "cruisers" and centerboard Flying Scots is maintained primarily by our members, our courses are taught by member volunteers, and all our business affairs are managed by the following volunteer Board of Directors.

OFFICERS


COMMODORE
Brian McPherson
commodore@scow.org

Brian joined SCOW about 10 years ago after discovering a nearby all-volunteer sailing club. He increased his involvement each year serving as Bosun, Skipper Director, Vice Commodore and currently Commodore. Brian is both a Flying Scot & Cruiser skipper and Flying Scot trainer.

When not at the marina - Brian resides in Alexandria with his wife Missy. Their children Rob & Heather are both SCOW Members. Brian is a CFP & Senior Vice President for past 30 years with Raymond James & Associates.



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 a 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 on the Potomac River and the Great South Bay.

When not sailing or thinking about sailing, Lynn runs her personal training businesses in McLean, gardens and spends time with her family, all of whom are SCOW members. 



SECRETARY
Andrew Price
secretary@scow.org

Originally from Silver Spring, MD and Columbia, MD, Andrew has been living in the DC area for the past 25 years and currently resides in Arlington, VA. He has been sailing since 2016 when he first started to sail Flying Scot class boats and some other types along the way (Lightning Class and recently Hobie catamaran). He has been focused on the racing circuit and has 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. Andrew enjoys sailing any type of boat in any conditions in any location. The more variations the better. When not sailing he is riding his bike, kayaking, or hiking (anything outdoors). His condo is a short 22 minute bike ride to the Washington Sailing Marina, so he often bikes to the sailing events..

Andrew has 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. He is a graduate of McDaniel College, 1993, and studied for his MS in Technology Management from George Mason University 2011-2012. Andrew has 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 2023.

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 two grandchildren, Wyatt and Ella. 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.

DIRECTORS


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 17, 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
Bailey Ham
river@scow.org

Bailey grew up learning to sail sunfish, Scots, and 420s at YMCA Camp Seafarer on the coast of North Carolina. She attended camp as a sailing camper for 10 years and was on sailing staff for 5 years. Bailey acquired her US Sailing Level 1 Instructor certification, as well as her Keelboat Certification. She has taught sailing on Sunfish, Scots, and Lightnings. During her time at Seafarer, she spent 3 summers in charge of boat maintenance for a fleet of about 100 boats. Bailey graduated from George Washington University in 2019 and has been working for Headfirst, an organization that operates summer day camps for children ages 3 to 12 across the DMV since.

Bailey found SCOW in 2021 and dove right in! She has become a Scot Skipper, Tutor, and Trainer as well as a Cruiser Skipper since joining. Bailey is excited to continue to get involved in SCOW in various capacities and can’t wait for another great season!


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
Joe Caminiti
cruisermaint@scow.org

Joe says it would be an honor to serve as Cruiser Maintenance Director and be nominated to the SCOW's Board of Directors.  He ran numerous successful businesses and is a retired Sergeant of Law Enforcement with a comprehensive background in investigations and leadership positions. His first Law Enforcement job was being the Pilot of a Marine Unit in MD.

Joe is a product of two parents born on an Island so water is his life. Motor Yachting was his first love while in High School on the Chesapeake Bay as 1st Mate chartering on a 62 foot Chris Craft that he helped stretch out from its original 50 feet design. It has since been replaced by Racing Sailboats, Coastal Cruising and Off-shore Sailing in the Atlantic Ocean and Mediterranean Sea.

Joe has successfully completed all ASA certifications on Monohulls and Catamarans and obtained his International Yachtsman Certification. He is actively seeking his Commercial US Coast Guard MASTERS License. Yacht Maintenance is a love of Joe's as he has learned from many great skilled craftsman and Captains. Engine repair & maintenance, Line/Sheet works, Sail fabrics, Canvas material repair, sewing, metal, wood & fiberglass work are just a few skills he has in his tool bag. 



RACING DIRECTOR
David Metcalf
racing@scow.org

David comes from a line of New England salts and began racing as a teen in San Diego. He kept up with sailing off and on, and until a few years ago spent his weekends chasing three children in travel soccer. In 2020 he rediscovered his love for sailboat racing and after participating in Wednesday Night Racing he bought FS 5240 Miss Mabel. He is enthusiastic about sailboat racing which he calls “The great undiscovered sport” and hopes you will join him for WNR and for SCOW regattas. David lives in Centreville; he is a Civil Engineer with a specialty in transportation and works for Volkert Inc.



MEMBERSHIP DIRECTOR
Josh Morin
membership@scow.org

Josh did not learn how to sail until 2018 but has been all in since then. He became a SCOT skipper in 2020 and a cruiser skipper in 2021. In addition to being a member of SCOW he has been a member of a keel boat club on the Bay. He and his family have been on charter vacations on the Chesapeake and most recently in the Florida Keys. In addition to sailing, he enjoys scuba diving, swimming, fishing—basically anything in/on the water. Professionally he is an IT Director at a national non-profit and he knows the responsibility of the Board in maintaining the livelihood of the club.



SKIPPER DIRECTOR
Tara Brannigan
skipper@scow.org

Tara grew up on Long Island and sailed before she could walk. Unfortunately, her parents sold the boat before she was old enough to hone her skills. She got the sailing bug none the less and returned to Oyster Bay, LI as an adult to get her US Sailing Basic Keelboat certification and has since also obtained her US Sailing Basic Cruising certification. Tara joined SCOW in 2021 and learned the Flying Scot through frequent participation in WNR. She became a FS Skipper in 2022 and has since enjoyed crewing in SCOW, DISC, and PRSA races. Tara lives in Arlington and works as a Senior Director of Global Marketing at Hilton.


BOARD APPOINTED ASSISTANT DIRECTORS

Dick Kerr
Assistant Racing Director
Racing Program Weather Advisor

Tim Bliss
Assistant Racing Director
.

BOARD APPOINTEd committees


Training and Skipper Certification
[2023]

Chair - Jay Weitzel

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
[2023]


Chair - John Kauffman

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
[2023]


Chair - Minh Voung

Audit Committee Members
Dave Jones, Tim Herzog, Ricardo Abella,
Cuong Nguyen and Susan Berman

Ex Officio Member
Vice Commodore Lynn Durbin

Nominations
[2023]


Chair - Lynette le Mat

Nominations Committee Members
Kris Paul & Wayne Jack Williams


Ex Officio Member
Vice Commodore Lynn Durbin

board APPOINTEES

Aamir (AK) Khwaja
Channels Editor
editor@scow.org

Chip Lubsen - Web Editor
Richard Kaiser - Assistant Web Editor
webmaster@scow.org

Jeff Teitel
Email Administrator
postmaster@scow.org

George Clark
SmugMug Pictures
pictures@scow.org

Marie Brennan
Facebook Coordinator
social@scow.org

Genevieve Lindsay
Meetup Coordinator
social@scow.org

SCOW-ALL E-mail List

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Sailing Club of Washington  [SCOW]
PO Box 25884  •  Alexandria  •  VA  •  22313

We keep our boats at Washington Sailing Marina on Daingerfield Island
1 Marina Drive  •  Alexandria  •  VA  •  22314

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