77 th ANNUAL FLEET REVIEW
SUNDAY, JUNE 25 AT MONROE STATION
77 th ANNUAL FLEET REVIEW
At the beginning of each yachting season, it is the custom for the Commodore and the Flag Officers to inspect the Chicago Yacht Club fleet.
In days gone by, the Commodore made the inspection from the deck of his Flagship, visiting each yacht in turn at its regular mooring. As the Club grew, so grew the number of yachts and anchorages until it became impractical for the Commodore to perform the annual inspection in this manner. As a result, it has become more expedient to reverse the procedure. Today, the yachts pass in review before the Commodore...hence, the Fleet Review.
The Commodore’s Annual Fleet Review is one of the Club’s premier yachting events of the season. Participants enjoy the pageantry of passing in review and having the CYC Flag Officers salute the ensign.
Spectators seated on the patio have a wonderful view of the procession of vessels in dress ship. They watch as crews at attention lower their ensign to “half-mast” before the Flag Officers as they wait for their salute. The Fleet Review is an event all members can enjoy both on and off the water.
Commodore flag
77 th ANNUAL FLEET REVIEW
Sunday, June 25, 2023
Monroe Station
SCHEDULE OF EVENTS
0800 hrs: Morning Colors and Fleet Review participants commence dressing of their vessels
1000 hrs: Sunday brunch starts
1100 hrs: Fleet Review participants board their vessels and proceed to the staging area north of the Monroe Street Harbor entrance
1115 hrs: Sailboat Skippers report to their Group
Commanders at the Monroe Outer Harbor
1130 hrs: Powerboat Skippers report to their Group Commanders at the Monroe Outer Harbor
1145 hrs: Chicago Yacht Club vessel sounds First Gun
- Displays red flag: 15 minute warning before procession commences
1200 hrs: Chicago Yacht Club vessel sounds Second Gun
- Displays blue flag: PROCESSION OF FLEET COMMENCES
- Boat introductions by Graham Sauser
1330 hrs: Welcome aboard with Commodore Curcio Gaston and the Flag Officers and a champagne toast to the Fleet
1630 hrs: Sunday BBQ
FLAG OFFICERS
Commodore Lisa Curcio Gaston
Vice Commodore Charles Anderson
Rear Commodore Laura Sigmond
Secretary Nancy Snyder
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Elizabeth Barrett
Steve Dorfman
Steven Knoop
John Leahey
Eric Oesterle
A. David Radomski
Winn Soldani
Whitney Towey
Sam Veilleux
OFFICER APPOINTED BY THE COMMODORE
Fleet Captain Samuel Wm. Sax
OFFICERS ELECTED BY THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Fleet Surgeon Dr. Chris Albanis
Historian Bruce Danly
Judge Advocate John Regan
Librarian Elizabeth Barrett
Measurer Tom Falck
CASRA Eric Oesterle & Dave Dickerson
MWPHRF Delegates Eric Oesterle, Steve Dorfman & Michael Danneker
SPECIAL THANKS TO THE FLEET REVIEW COMMITTEE
Chair, Abigail McFadyen
Co-Chair Amy Schwartz
Jeff Mills
Jeff Pierce
Randall Schmidt
Graham Sauser
ABOUT OUR FLEET
The Chicago Yacht Club has more than 1,200 Regular, Associate, Junior and Veteran members. Of these, roughly half own boats. While boat ownership is not required, our members belong to the Club because they have a love for boating and the nautical arts.
Our members own powerboats and sailboats. We are racers and cruisers. Many powerboats have creature comforts on par with a fine home. And engines, of course, are the heart of a power boat. Sailboats at Chicago Yacht Club are divided into three fleets: Offshore, Cruising, and Racing Yacht. You will see representatives of all our fleets today.
Offshore boats are generally used for long-distance racing. Our Cruising Sail Fleet boats tend to have more creature comforts and a touch less speed. But cruisers can be racers, too. The Race to Mackinac has a large Cruising Sail division.
Our Racing Yacht Fleet includes boats that tend to be smaller and are primarily used for in-shore racing. While the Offshore and Cruising boats usually have engines, the boats of the Racing Yacht Fleet generally do not. The skilled sailors of the Racing Yacht Fleet sail into the docks!
Perhaps the largest fleet in the Club is the DragonForce 65 remotecontrolled boats that race off both clubhouses. The DragonForce 65 boats are a competitive one-design remote-controlled yacht that is recognized by the American Model Yachting Association. Take some time to admire the DragonForce 65 boats on display in the lobby.
Chicago Yacht Club itself owns more than 150 boats. Our 25’ Sea Ray is available for member rental and is a popular way to get out with friends and family on a summer day. We have a large group of powerboats to support our Race Committee from the old and proud Carrier to small, quick RIBs. We also have a large fleet of sailboats from the Bugs, in which our youngest sailors learn, to the Sonars and Tom 28s that are available for education and for member rental.
Chicago Yacht Club has a large and diverse fleet with many opportunities for people to be on the water. We hope you enjoy the parade of boats and your entire day of tradition and fun at the Chicago Yacht Club.
PAST COMMODORES
John Prindiville, 1875
T. M. Bradley, 1876-77, 1879
Albert A. Munger, 1878
H. F. Griswold, 1880-83
A. J. Fisher, 1884-94
P. F. Pettibone, 1895
W. A. Paulsen, 1896
Fred W. Morgan, 1897-99
George Warrington, 1900
Charles H. Thorne, 1901-03, 1918-19
Marshall D. Wilber, 1904-05
William L. Baum, 1906-07, 1910, 1924
John B. Berryman, 1908-09
William Hale Thompson, 1911-12
James O. Heyworth, 1913
William A. Lydon, 1914-15
H. M. Higginbotham, 1916-17
Fred A. Price, 1920
Sheldon Clark, 1920-23
Charles E. Fox, 1925
Hollis E. Potter, 1926, 1935-36
George Woodruff, 1927-31
Clark C. Wright, 1932
Otto C. Schoenwerk, 1933-34
Christen J. Peterson, 1934
Arthur R. Metz, 1937
Wells A. Lippincott, 1938
Karl Nibecker, 1939-40
Victor C. Milliken, 1941
E. E. Sheridan, 1942
Philo H. Danly, 1943-45
George Sollitt, 1946-47
Sumner S. Sollitt, 1948-49
Chester H. Warrington, 1950-51
Edward M. Railton, 1952
Henry W. Angsten, 1953-54
Theodore M. Dunlap, 1955-56
Mark A. Brown, 1957-58
Lewis W. Gilbert, 1959-60
Herman T. Van Mell, 1961-62
Donald F. Buckingham, 1963-64
George B. Wendt, 1965-66
Richard S. Latham, 1967-68
Charles A. Geib, 1969-70
Eugene M. Kinney, 1971-72
Bruce H. Danly, 1973-74
Joseph S. Wright, Sr., 1975-76
V. Wilbert Haag, 1977-78
Philip A. Watson, 1979-80
Roy W. Spanjer, 1981-82
William L. Robinson, Sr., 1983-84
Jack B. Gable, 1985-86
William W. Parks, 1987-88
Theodore Lake, Jr., 1989-90
Joseph S. Wright, Jr., 1991-92
Leon M. Delano, Jr., 1993-94
Robin M. Demouth, 1995-96
Homer J. Livingston, Jr., 1997
Kurt P. Stocker, 1998-99
Walter G. Vartan, 2000-01
Raymond J. Green, 2002-03
Albert G. D’Ottavio, 2004-05
David J. Daul, 2006-07, 2010
John E. Regan, 2008-09
Joseph S. Haas, 2011-12
Gerald F. Bober PhD, 2013-14
Greg J. Miarecki, 2015-16
Leif R. Sigmond, 2017-18
Louis Sandoval, 2019-20
Nick Berberian, 2021-22
UPCOMING EVENTS
INDEPENDENCE DAY CELEBRATIONS
Monday, July 3 & Tuesday, July 4
114 TH CHICAGO YACHT CLUB RACE TO MACKINAC
PRESENTED BY WINTRUST
Friday, July 21 & Saturday, July 22
VERVE REGATTA
OFFSHORE: Friday, August 11 – Sunday, August 13
INSHORE: Friday, August 25 – Sunday, August 27
CHICAGO REGATTA
PRESENTED BY WINTRUST
Saturday, September 9
J/70 NORTH AMERICANS
Wednesday, September 20 - Sunday, September 24
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