Columbia Yacht Charter

Captain: Seth Salzmann

Name: Seth Salzmann

Position: 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: Jenny Salzmann

Position: Stewardess
Nationality: British
Description:
As Steward on Columbia Jenny is proud to make the care of her guests and crew her first consideration. Her quest for The Perfect Drink For Every Occasion has started her down the path of craft cocktail making and she strives to serve any beverage at any angle of heel under sail. She loves a bit of sailing and if the deck crew have room for her she'll gladly take a sheet for a race and furl topsails at the end of the day if there is time. However, more often than not she'll be making bunks, polishing brass, arranging flowers, creating drinks, folding underwear, laying tables, stocking fridges, and cleaning something.

Name: Isaac Provo

Position: Chef
Nationality: US
Description:
Energetic culinary professional with a blend of creativity, passion for food and exceptional cooking skills. Isaac is a dynamic leader in high-pressure settings with 20 years experience in the culinary industry including front of house, fine dining service, bar tending, chef, management and marketing. He is passionate about sourcing great produce wherever he can find it and serving delicious dishes - no matter the sailing conditions - to exceed his guests expectations. Isaac grew up sailing inland waters on a home built 22’ Norwegian sail boat. Isaac also enjoys sailing in the San Juan Islands.

Name: Dylan Ferry

Position: Mate
Nationality: US
Description:
Dylan grew up in the Caribbean sailing with his family. Through high school and college he would continue to sail every summer aboard tall ships such as the HMS Bounty and Pride of Baltimore. In 2005 he did is first transatlantic crossing. After college he signed onboard the clipper ship "Stad Amsterdam" in Australia. While onboard he managed to transit the Indian ocean, South Atlantic, 4 Atlantic crossings, as well as travelling throughout the Mediterranean, Caribbean and North America. Over the last couple of years he has been living back in the Caribbean where he built and raced a Bequia work boat as well as competed in the the Caribbean race circuit on carbon high performance yachts. Dylan was one of the original riggers of "Columbia," has continued to race on her over the years and is happy to be sailing onboard once again.

Name: Cosima Franchini

Position: 2nd Mate
Nationality: US
Description:
Cosi hails from the Pacific North West in Washington State, and grew up sailing the beautiful waters of Pugit Sound with her family and friends. At 19 she entered the classic boat world with schooner Adventuress of Seattle, Washington. When she moved to Martha’s Vineyard, Cosi got a taste of yachting and offshore sailing with the all-girls team on Saphedra before undertaking her first Transats on the J Class Lionheart and schooner Elena of London. Cosi has a BSC in Science and Marine Biology and never misses an opportunity to swim and explore when her boat is still. When not working she can be found playing her guitar or banjo, working on leathercraft, baking bread, and singing like a nightingale.

Name: Nick Pillon

Position: Engineer
Nationality: US
Description:
Nicholas Vaughn Pillon is a 30 year old native of rural New Jersey. He grew up out in the woods on ATVs, off-roading in Jeeps, fishing, and hiking. He obtained his bachelor's in Mechanical Engineering from the Rochester Institute of Technology in 2012. After college he went on to work in the oil and gas industry for 6 years prior to his current career as an engineer aboard private and charter yachts. Nick hopes to one day circumnavigate the world on a sailboat, ideally one he designs and builds himself.

Name: Brendan DuBlois

Position: Engineer
Nationality: US
Description:
Brendan grew up on the shores of Narragansett, Rhode Island which fostered a love of the ocean, sailing and surfing. He attended the University of Denver on a lacrosse scholarship, majoring in real estate finance and construction management. Pursuing an alternative lifestyle after college he moved to Nicaragua to open the country's first brewpub and beer garden in San Juan del Sur. This proved to be a rewarding learning experience on many levels as the team were pioneers in a foreign landscape. It also provided a platform to develop his brewing skills, learn Spanish and spend more time in and on the water, exploring the world-class surf breaks of Nicaragua. In search of a Real Job, Brendan took on the position of Rotation Engineer on Columbia and enjoys the day-to-day challenges it presents along with the opportunity to explore and sail offshore. Outside work Brendan enjoys playing the guitar, dirt bike riding, surfboard shaping, skiing and yoga.

Name: Charlie Perry

Position: Deck Hand
Nationality: US
Description:
Charlie grew up in Newport, Rhode Island and his family’s love for the local beaches cultivated his affinity for the ocean at a young age, motivating him to work as a lifeguard and diver as soon as he was old enough to take a paycheck. After high school sailing, Charlie joined Roger Williams University’s competitive and nationally ranked team to continue honing his skills on the often-chilly Narragansett Bay. During his summers, Charlie worked as first mate on a schooner in Newport. Having had a taste of larger vessels, Charlie joined the community of seasonal sailors racing classic 12 meters during the New England summers and diving the Caribbean in the winters. Since then, Charlie has earned his PADI Dive Master certification, continued to foster his competitive streak in 12 meter North Americans and super yacht regattas, and learned to take yachting to a new level with Columbia in the charter boating world.

Name: Cameron Burgess

Position: Deck Hand
Nationality: US
Description:
Cammi hails from Newport, RI but she grew up a bit unconventionally and had 30,000 ocean miles under her sailing belt by the time she was 14. Raised on various different sailboats throughout the Eastern seaboard and Caribbean islands, Cammi’s fondest memories are from the two years she and her family spent crossing the Pacific Ocean. During high school Cammi made her best attempt at a “normal” land life and studied ballet, traveling across the world to dance both academically and professionally, however, her love for the sea eventually became too strong to deny. Since leaving land life, Cammi has spent summers working on schooners and yachts in New England and winters split between catamarans in the Caribbean and a writing degree in Boston. Columbia has provided an exciting new experience for Cammi, who challenges herself to become well-acquainted with as many aspects of big-boat sailing as possible including engineering, rig work, topmanship, stewarding and deck crewing. Eager to up her game further, Cammi has also opted to pursue culinary training and loves experimenting with local cuisines, creating delicious, healthy meals like her mother taught her to do as a “boat kid”.

Name: Cody Smith

Position: Deckhand
Nationality: US
Description:
Cody Smith is a born and bred Mainer, and grew up sailing the southern and mid-coast in the gorgeous Penobscot Bay and surrounds. His first taste of larger boats was on the legendary Maine Windjammers and he has worked seasons on both Ledona and Stephen Tabor – the most fun you can have on a grueling programme of sailing, racing and wholehearted hospitality. He has spent three years as a boat builder restoring the schooner Ernestina, and this experience opened his eyes to the world of the turn-of-the-century fishing schooners. As he says: “When I heard about Columbia I just had to sail aboard.” Cody’s favourite pass times include playing ice hockey, and exploring the Maine rivers for some good fishing, hiking and kayaking.