Commodore, Scott Webb, Sailing Design First (Benetau First 285) – Hanna Creek Slip 73
I am an Architect in Oxford Ohio, who began sailing small boats with my daughter nearly 20 years ago, and have been an active member of BLSA for the past 15 years. I started sailing when I took an 18’ Interlake racing sloop in serious need of repair in trade for some design work. I immediately fell in love with sailing and moved on to other boats, owning a Compac 23 before spending a couple years sailing a Hobie 16. I then purchased a Catalina 25, named her LeHannah after my daughter, and spent a wonderful 10 years sailing Brookville Lake and becoming a part of BLSA.
About 10 years ago, I met Annie Martinez and invited her to go sailing with me. We started racing together and are past BLSA racing season Champions. We married on a sailing trip to the BVI, and have since upgraded to a Beneteau First 285 and look forward to a many more years of racing & social events in “Design First”.
Vice Commodore & Membership Director,
Maribeth Metzler, Sailing Ocean’s Daughter (Catalina 27) – Hanna Creek Slip 65
I’m a relatively new sailor. Last spring, I purchased my Catalina 27, which was a step up from the Precision 165 that I had owned for a few seasons. I loved the 165, but my family grew by a partner and two dogs. The 165 wouldn’t hold all of us, not comfortably anyway. So Shari and I, along with Tango and Jackson, now sail Ocean’s Daughter. You can find us at Hanna Creek, slip 65.
Prior to purchasing my first boat, I had been in love with the sea and sailing for decades. Sort of strange for a land-locked Hamiltonian, but it’s true. I first saw the ocean in the summer of 1976 on a trip to LA. I was instantly hooked. Not really sure why or how I got the sailing bug, but I loved it before I ever set foot on a sailboat. There’s something in me that loves tradition, and sailing is the most traditional, elegant way to be on the water. I guess that’s what drew me in. The first time I sailed was on the 12 meter America’s Cup boats in St. Marten, and I was completely hooked. While my racing record in BLSA events isn’t great, I’ve sailed Canada II and True North to victory over Stars and Stripes. So, my 12 meter record is 2-0.
To support my sailing habit, I’m a professor at UC. I’ve been a prof for 23 years, and probably will be for several more. My area is Communication, with specialties in Public Relations and Ethics. I also direct the Communication department’s Internship program.
My goals as Vice Commodore are to grow our membership so that more people get turned on to sailing, and to do whatever else is needed to help BLSA members. On the personal side, I want to become a very proficient sailor so that one day I can sail from our home in Venice, FL, to Key West, and then out to Bermuda, all by myself, because Shari says she will not leave the sight of land. She’ll fly out to meet me.
Treasurer, Nelson Mead, Sailing Yeti (J24) – Hanna Creek
Chelsea and I are all settled into our new home in Anderson, and are looking forward to spending a
lot more time on the lake this summer! When I can’t be out sailing, I work as a Commercial Lending
Underwriter for US Bank, so taking on the role of treasurer again this year to keep track of the BLSA’s Budgets, and make sure that our bills get paid on-time comes naturally.
I took advantage of the warmer weather this winter to assist my father with outfitting his new Beneteau 36.7 to race on Lake Erie this summer. I grew up sailing there, and enjoy getting back up to Catawba Island each season to race with old friends. I don’t have much additional maintenance planned for my J/24, YETI, before launching this May, so I hope to be able to document some of my work for a future Mainsheet Submission.
See you at the dock!
Secretary, Jay Schindler, Sailing Miss Behavin’ (Hunter 26.5) – Hanna Creek Slip 68
In October 2015, my son, Jon, and I became partners in a sailboat and joined BLSA in 2016. This was a father / son venture and we had a great time meeting the BLSA members and sharing our
enthusiasm for sailing. One year later…I’m on the BLSA board serving as Secretary. That wasn’t the plan necessarily, but there was an opening to serve. During the workweek, I function as Area Director and Sr. Consultant for Oliver Group, a management consulting firm based in Louisville, Kentucky. We help organizations acquire and develop top talent. I’m based in Dayton, Ohio, a quick 1 hour, 15-minute drive to Brookville Lake.
I’ve been sailing for nearly 45 years. I started teaching myself how to sail on small Super Snark and Sunfish Sailboats in the upper peninsula when I was about 12 years old. As Jon was growing up, he shared my passion for sailing, and I taught him how to master the Super Snark and Sunfish as well.
In 2014, Jon and I made our first trip to Brookville Lake to take a sailing lesson with Strictly Sailing. We both had a growing appetite for something larger than a Sunfish. In 2015, Jon and I became ASA 101 and 103 certified in Traverse City Michigan on a Hunter 31. Later that year we bought Miss Behavin’, a Hunter 26.5 sailboat that was on consignment with Strictly Sail. One of my big goals last season was to learn more about the regatta boat race competition. Jon and I jumped in and learned a ton. I have much more to learn, and will need to add some racing accessories in time, but I had lots of fun learning the process (and enjoyed some great teachers, I might add). In 2017, I’m looking to crew for anyone who has a spinnaker. I look forward to serving the BLSA membership as the Board Secretary this next year, and will keep you updated on Board related activities. I’m looking forward to a great 2017 season!
Harbor Master, David Forrester
Update coming soon…
Race Director, Skyp Harmon, Sailing Incognito (O’day 272) – Hanna Creek Slip 70
Jana and I both grew up in Hamilton, Ohio and graduated from Hamilton Taft High School in the early 70s. Jana and I met in 1973 and got married in 1976; this year will be our 41st anniversary. We have two children, both are engineers: Matt, 39 who resides in South Carolina and Robyn, 33, resides in Pennsylvania, just north of Baltimore. We live on Jana’s family’s farm on Morman Rd. in Hanover Township. We have farmed for over 40 years; we raise hay and are currently developing a grass-fed beef herd of Galloway cattle. We have 15 cows and calves, 4 ponies, 2 beehives, and a sweet old dog named Hazel.
Our other endeavors, I worked for Champion Papers as facility manager, built 2 houses, remodeled our rentals, and did combined carriage driving along with building cross country jumps for Pony Club. Also, I coached little league with Matt. Jana has been a floral designer, running her shop for 32 years. She was a boy scout leader with Matt and a Pony Club District Commissioner with Robyn. Currently, we own and operate Venice Pavilion Antiques in Ross, Ohio.
So, you might ask where the sailing fit in. I started sailing with a Snark and Sunfish as a kid at Acton Lake. When Matt was two, I bought an 18-foot Hobie Cat and we sailed on Acton Lake, Lake
Michigan and became members at St. Mary’s Boat Club. That pushed me on to a 25’ Catalina, and we started racing every weekend and enjoying everyone at the club. I became vice Commodore and commodore for several seasons. I also completed the Power Squadron’s Safety and Navigation Course at that time. While we were members, we traveled to the North Channel above Lake Huron several times, enjoying the beautiful islands of granite and the crystal clean water. We also sailed Lake Michigan after Robyn was born. She was 6 weeks and Matt was 6 when we sailed out from Saugatuck and up the coast to Charlevoix, then on to Beaver Island in fog so thick it was all by the compass. We sailed back to Leland the following day in 10’ waves on a beam reach with 25 knot winds. The next season, we sailed across Lake Huron, from Hammond Bay to Meldrum Bay on Manitoulin Island. It took about 9 hours for the trip, but we hit a squall in the Mississauga Straights, lost power to our motor and “got pooped on,” but made it to harbor and had a great trip. After that experience we found ourselves sailing our O’day 272 in the fall and installing an inboard in the spring. We sailed with our kids as they grew up until their sports got in the way, and then she sat and waited for us until two seasons ago. Our boat has been in and out of the water for the last 30 years, but now Incognito found a home at BLSA and so have we. I try to do all my own repairs and maintenance, so if you need help just ask.
Social Director, Nicole Holtkamp, Sailing Down Payment (Hunter 23) – Hanna Creek Slip 47
West Chester, Oh is where is I call home, but not where I am from. I grew up in a small town in southcentral Kentucky, and relocated to this area 10 years ago. As a child I remember sailing with my dad, but it wasn’t until he retired that we became a sailing family. My dad 
is the reason I started sailing, my husband is the reason I still sail. On one of our first trips home to “meet the dad,” my dad took us out sailing. From that point on, Andy was hooked. While saving for our first home and planning a wedding, Andy was given an opportunity to purchase our boat. To this day, he wouldn’t admit he actually took down payment money from our house fund to buy the boat…but he did. Hence, why our Hunter 23 is rightly named, Down Payment.
Two summers ago, I accepted the job as your Social Director. I love to throw a party, so I figured it would be the perfect part to start giving back to a great group of sailors that welcomed two newbies into their fold. It is a privilege to serve alongside of this board, as we continue to shape the future of the Brookville Lake Sailing Association. See at the lake.
Communications, Matthew Cunningham, Sailing
Compass Rose (Catalina 22) – Hanna Creek Slip 66
I’m happy to be returning for my second year as your communication coordinator,. My wife, Angela, and I live in Cincinnati, where I work for a small nonprofit and she works as an interior designer.
Brookville Lake and BLSA have become our summer home-away-from-home for the past 2 years, and I’ve been thrilled to get back on the water after a very long hiatus from sailing. I cut my nautical teeth sailing an AMF Puffer (think Flying Junior with too little sail) and a Hobie 14 on the Rappahannock River in Virginia. Work moved me to the Cincinnati region in 1999, and plans to tow a boat out here and find a lake to sail on didn’t come together until 2015, when Angela and I had a chance to charter a 30-footer for a day sail during an anniversary trip. With the fire rekindled and a willing partner in crime, it was only a matter of time before we found BLSA, found a boat, and found our summer weekends filled with sail-camping and racing.
I come into this role with a background in journalism and technical writing, and I hope to keep making the Mainsheet a vehicle for you to share your thoughts on sailing, glorious photos, and other
information that you’d like to share with your club. Don’t be a stranger!
Information on our founding members.