Columbia

Name: Seth Salzmann
Position: Rotational Captain
Nationality: US
Description:
Captain Seth Salzmann took command of Columbia in 2018, after 15 years’ captaincy behind him on some of the most unique classic boats afloat. Over the course of tens of thousands of miles the Fife schooner Adventuress, Alden schooner When and If and Alden racing schooner Malabar X rank among his most recent commands, along with a slew of well-known East Coast schooners in the USA.

A deep and abiding passion for sailing and the ocean, coupled with 20 years in Guest Experience at sea have given Seth an unparalleled talent for sculpting a fun, safe, successful charter in all weathers according to the requirements of his guests. And if the weather really is that bad, two decades at sea have equipped him with stories well worth hearing over a cozy dinner down below!

Well-known for his calm demeanour under pressure, his advocacy for independent thinking and professional advancement in his crew, and his talent for doing what “can’t be done” under sail, Seth is acknowledged among the Old Salts as one of the last true schooner captains; a perfect match for the classic sailing behemoth that is the schooner Columbia.

Name: Dylan Salzmann
Position: Rotational Captain
Nationality: US
Description:
Dylan is the brother and co-captain with Seth Salzmann and has been with Columbia for the last two years, always with superb reviews from happy guests.

Gray Meyer- First Mate

Hailing from Key West Florida, Gray started sailing schooners at the young age of fourteen. After spending his teenage years learning the ropes on traditional boats such as Appledore and When and If, he got his first taste of big schooners on the Pride of Baltimore, after that he was hooked. He continued his career cruising between New England and the Caribbean for a number of years as a deckhand on Columbia. When he got a chance to hop across the pond to join the mighty schooner Adix, he didn’t hesitate. After two years of sailing the Mediterranean, Western Europe, and the Caribbean, along with four Atlantic crossings, he returns to Columbia as the first mate. He leads the team with his deep knowledge of schooner sailing, and strong foundation of seamanship.

Andrea Kelly- Relief Captain

Annie grew up on sandy Cape Cod and learned to sail in the waters of Buzzards Bay as a small child. She grew up racing dinghies and her love for schooners was born on the tall ship Shenandoah out of Vineyard Haven, where she spent time every summer. She continued competitive dinghy sailing through university, as well as teaching youth sailing in the summers. After completing her masters degree at the Rhode Island School of Design, her sailing hobby became a more serious career. She found her passion in classic sailboat racing and cruising out of Newport, RI. After a couple seasons cruising New England and the Caribbean aboard various vessels, her love of big classics was cemented aboard L. Francis Herreshoff’s famous Ticonderoga, where she spent two summers and a winter season in St. Barts. Since then she’s had her hands on various schooners and classics, most recently skippering 75ft schooner Rebecca, cruising and racing in her home waters of New England. She joins Columbia as a captain and brings her enthusiasm and years of sailing experience to the helm. Her passion lies in keeping the spirit of schooner sailing alive.

Hayley Reed

Hayley grew up in Kentucky and found her love for sailing through seasonal work while completing her bachelor’s degree at the University of Kentucky. After school she moved to Boothbay Harbor, Maine to begin her journey of learning to sail. The following summer she joined a fleet of Alden schooners as a deckhand sailing in Portland Harbor and was captured by the beauty and lifestyle aboard these traditional schooners. After spending some time traveling further afield in the Bahamas and Australia as a deckhand, snorkel guide, and eco host, she has returned to New England to imbibe in the life of traditional sail once again aboard the schooner Columbia.

AJ Frazier-

New to the crew and the adventures of yachting, this season we welcome AJ Frazier. Formerly the Education Manager for Call of the Sea, a non-profit organization in Sausalito, CA. AJ has years of experience teaching ocean conservation through on-the-water sciences aboard the brigantine Matthew Turner and schooner Seaward. When she is not sailing, AJ can be found producing nightlife events in Mexico where she performs fire dancing and aerial arts. AJ brings her performative creativity, love for the ocean and passion for sailing to the Columbia crew this season.