Blinker Fall 2019 by Chicago Yacht Club

EDITORIAL ADVISORY BOARD

Communications Chair, Amy Schwartz Rose Mills Nancy Snyder Jane Vartan

MANAGING EDITORS Sara Proctor Nicole Richardson

COMMODORE Lou Sandoval

ARTICLE CONTRIBUTORS Amy Baxter Tom Falck Fred Joosten Greg Miarecki Mike Platzke Tim Shields Robbie Stone Tatia Torrey Dot Vartan Jane Vartan Felicia Wilhelm

PHOTO/IMAGE CONTRIBUTORS Youssef Akrout Dr. Chris Albanis Jacek Basak Barry Butler Dave Gerber Sara Proctor Nicole Richardson Sarah Sullivan

ON THE COVER

Blinker | Fall 2019

T A B L E

4 6 7 10 11 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 20 21 24 24 25 27 30 31

O F

C O N T E N T S

From the Helm A Letter From Membership Director, Elizabeth Haley The New Belmont 2019 Race to Mackinac Winners A Look Back at the ‘19 Mac Another Successful Year for the Chicago Regatta A Sensational Summer at CYC’s Sailing School Party with the Associates this Winter Fantastic Season for CYC Junior Racers CSF Prepares for a Fabulous Holiday Season J/111 Class Finds a New World Champ in Chicago Power Fleet 2019 Hightlights A Note from the WOW Chair A Look Back at the 2019 Shields Nationals Eagle Wins the 2019 CYC Offshore Championship Series 2019 Commodore’s Cup Winners The 40 Year Anniversary of the Fastnet Race As One Club, We Are Stronger CYC Foundation Empowering Young Women CY–Scene

2019 CHICAGO YACHT CLUB VOLUNTEER LEADERSHIP FLAG OFFICERS

From the Helm

Lou Sandoval, Commodore Nick Berberian, Vice Commodore Dwain Lutzow, Rear Commodore Rick Lillie, Secretary Louis Rosenthal, Treasurer

PAST COMMODORES Leif Sigmond Greg Miarecki

BOARD OF DIRECTORS Nancy Arnold William Bloom Bruce Danly Michael Frerker Ray Groble Elizabeth Garr Newman Kenneth Nordine Sarah Renz Martin Sandoval Scott Sims Christopher Thomas

CHICAGO YACHT CLUB STAFF General Manager – Dwight Jenson, CCM

MONROE STATION STAFF

Controller – Kelly McGuire Membership Director – Elizabeth Haley Clubhouse Manager – Kristin Aleshire Catering & Events Manager – Carly Kirschner Communications Director – Sara Proctor Monroe Executive Chef – Larry Asher Design & Communications Specialist – Nicole Richardson Beverage Manager – Kaitlin DeFilippo Human Resources Supervisor – Daisy Aponte Assistant Controller – Daniel Post Member Billing – Aracely Bonilla Sous Chef – Silvestro Salgado Member Services Manager – Betsy Myers Dockmaster – John Porter

BELMONT STATION STAFF

On the Water Director – Jay Kehoe Regatta Manager – Sydney Symons Belmont Chef – Michael Ramos Belmont Dining Room Manager – Candace Towery Sailing Director – Dave Gerber Sailing Programs Coordinator – Sarah Sullivan Head Coach – Matt Peter Single Handed Coach – Youssef Akrout Phylicia McLeod – Belmont Administrator

Blinker | Fall 2019

REGULAR Peter Casady

CEO, Champion Healthcare Technologies, Inc.

Vincent Buscareno

Boat: Perfect Timing Harbor: Burnham

Regional VP at ePlus Spouse: Fran Boat: Buona Sera Fleet: Power Harbor: Burnham

Brian Griffith

Christopher Kenney

Executive Chairman, Griffith Foods Spouse: Sue

Managing Director, L.E.K. Consulting LLC Spouse: Maureen

Aimee Smith

Greg Wing

Teacher at CPS

President, Wing LP Spouse: Birdie Boat: Dream On Fleet: Power Harbor: Burnham

Greg Ericksen Managing Director, Ericksen Holdings Spouse: Gina Boat: Kontiki Fleet: Power

Director of Communications, University of IL at Chicago Spouse: Sebastian Gregg Boat: Buona Sera

Beata Kozakiewicz Finance Manager, Baker McKenzie Spouse: Rajinder Bedi

Nancy Woodard

Duncan Lamphere

BioProcess Engineer, Avexis, Inc.

Associate, Gould and Ratner LLP Boat: Laser Fleet: Dinghy Harbor: Lake Geneva

Peter Smith

Luke Goldman

As a new employee, I already see how Chicago Yacht Club is so iconic but I would like to hear from you. Your passion and dedication for this Club are what will help drive membership growth. Why did you join Chicago Yacht Club? Why do you stay?

*Scott Rickey

Professor and IMS Coordinator at Moraine Valley CC Spouse: Scott

Director, Auditing at CME Group Boat: More Stuff Harbor: Belmont

*Correction from Fall 2018 Blinker Issue

Gordon Lamphere

Alex Laverty

Is it racing, powerboating, the Race to Mac, WOW events, the wedding you hosted in the Main Dining Room, the people you meet on a Thursday night at the Mac Bar or Belmont, summer dinners on the Monroe Station patio, the unprecedented views of the city and the lake, the Sailing School, the friends you have made? Help me tell your story. Prospective members love to hear “success stories” and memories. Please contact me at membership@chicagoyachtclub.org. For helping the membership cause, you will receive a complimentary appetizer from our new menu.

Associate, Van Vlissingen and Company Boat: Wagon Wheel Fleet: Race Harbor: Lake Geneva

Rem Johannknecht

Chicago Yacht Club is a strong community rich with history. I have been fortunate to meet many of you and I love your enthusiasm for your Club and the water. It is very exciting. I know that if we work together as a team, we can continue to grow and strengthen membership for many years to come.

Retired Boat: Blue Fleet: Power Harbor: DuSable Harbor

J U N I O RS India Glennon

Thank you again for the warm welcome! I am happy to be your new Membership Director and am excited to get to know all of you. My goal is to ensure that your Chicago Yacht Club experience is the best possible, so please reach out to me with questions or concerns.

Rebecca Simmons

A SS O C I AT E S Taylor Dunphy

A Letter From The Membership Director

Nicole Gesualdo

Domenic Sacchetti

Finally, did you know that any Regular or Associate Member can sponsor or endorse a new member? This is a great way to extend your network at Chicago Yacht Club, plus there is an incentive for you, too. You can earn up to $150 in credits when you sponsor a new member. Incentive levels will vary based on the membership type. If you know someone interested in joining, please encourage them to contact me at membership@chicagoyachtclub.org. Thank you again! If you ever need anything, please reach out to me.

V E T E R A N T R A N S F E RS Regular to Vet I

Vet I – II

Vet II – III

Peter Bauer Robie Briggs Mark Gannon Joseph Haas Richard Lillie John Roesner William Simpson G. Michael Sollitt

Michael Bucklo Robert Christie Paul Colianni, III Lawrence Rosenzweig Leonard Siegal

Sam Ekstein Leonard Franks John Manley Stanley Mehaffey

Elizabeth Haley Elizabeth Haley, Membership Director Chicago Yacht Club

THE NEW BELMONT The replacement of Belmont Station is Phase I of the overall 2025 Plan for the Chicago Yacht Club as it nears it’s 150th anniversary. Phase II also includes enhancements to the Monroe Station facility as we look towards the future. Built on the same footprint as the current facility, the new Belmont will honor the past with a design inspired by Belmont’s original 1923 façade. Inside, however, the new Belmont will feature state-of-the-art facilities that will benefit members, visitors, and guests, and support the future of sailing.

7 Blinker | Fall 2019

Blinker | Fall 2019

A LOOK BACK AT THE ‘19 MAC

PHOTOS MAKE A GREAT HOLIDAY GIFT! VISIT OUR MEMBER SMUGMUG GALLERY SMUGMUG.COM/CHICAGOYACHTCLUB.COM FOR THE CLUB’S NEWEST PICTURES.

Blinker | Fall 2019

A Perfect Day for the Chicago Regatta Saturday, September 14th was perfect for the Chicago Regatta, presented by Wintrust. The Chicago Regatta consisted of three different on-the-water events: a windward-leeward race for one-design boats; a distance race for PHRF boats; and a casual race for laid-back racers. At the end of the racing day, all of the boats returned to Monroe Station to enjoy a fun poker run across DuSable and Monroe Harbors, a Dragon Force 65 regatta, and a GREAT party on the patio, featuring Chef Larry Asher’s Sweet Home Chicago buffet and the fabulous Sons of Chicago band, with more than 350 people in attendance.

By Chicago Regatta Chair & Past Commodore Greg Miarecki

Most importantly, the Chicago Regatta raised funds for the University of Chicago Medicine Comer Children’s Hospital, SOS Children’s Villages Illinois, and the Chicago Yacht Club Foundation – all focused on improving the lives of Chicago’s kids. More than 200 members and friends made a donation, including many at Platinum, Gold, Silver, and Bronze levels. Many more purchased fabulous silent auction items. Notably, fellow CYC member Peter Thornton brought his fabulous 104-foot “Whitehawk” to the east wall of the Club for display post-race, offered tours to guests who donated to our charities, and generously matched those donations with additional contributions. Other major sponsors include the Pinnacle Foundation, our Power Fleet, and Gosling’s Rum. Special thanks to Wintrust, our Presenting Sponsor, and all who made the Chicago Regatta a success, raising approximately $150,000 for our charities. Plan to join us in 2020, and help us break this record!

Blinker | Fall 2019

Blinker | Fall 2019 14

by Tatia Torrey By Robbie Stone

The Chicago Yacht Club Sailing School wrapped up another highly successful season with record-setting attendance this year. With hundreds of young sailors spending time on the water over the summer, the season was capped off with a sold-out final session. The program offered classes in one and two-week sessions, full or half days, depending on the focus of the class and the age of the child. The curriculum was taught by U.S. Sailing Level 1 & 2 instructors and many sailors signed up for multiple sessions or even the whole summer. Summer sailors were able to gain experience at every level, in Sail Cubes, Optis, Lasers, 420 sailboats, and Sonars. From the first day of the program, every student was on the water learning new skills and by the end of each session, each sailor left confident in their ability to go sailing.

Blinker | Fall 2019

In addition to time on the water, the sailors played competitive relay games to teach safety and skills, knot tying, identifying parts of the boat, rigging and de-rigging. Every second Friday of the summer, the Sailing School hosted a “Mini Mac” race with team members from different classes sailing with an instructor in Sonars to the old water filtration crib and back.

The Associate Members of CYC would like to remind you that although your weather-beaten hulls (with all apologies to Belmont) and rigs are in the shed now, your fresh-faced counterparts are still moored at the bar. Please let us float two dates your way to give you an excuse to skip condo meetings and dance recitals: we will be hosting the Fall Club Crawl on November 8th and the Tacky Sweater / Zoo Lights Party on December 7th. You need not be under 40 to attend either of these. You just need to act under 40 to attend. The Fall Club Crawl will include stops at our neighboring clubs, an excellent chance to witness inferior bartending skills. The Associates’ holiday event combines multi-colored lights, animals, and plenty of mixed drinks…so really not much different than the finish at Mackinac. Festive attire is appreciated. Festive attitude is required. We look forward to seeing you this winter!

The Chicago Yacht Club Sailing School also offered an Adventure Boating session this past season, designed to reinforce boating skills while exploring the natural world around Lake Michigan. This program offered in one-week sessions to sailors ages 10 to 14, taking advantage of water activities in addition to sailing, such as swimming and paddle boarding, incorporating science, technology, engineering, and math to bolster the experience. Summer 2020 can’t come soon enough!

Blinker | Fall 2019

Fantastic Season for CYC Junior Racers by Tatia Torrey While the summer season ends for many sailors, it is just picking up for our competitive junior sailors, as our scholastic program kicks off the fall. This year, Chicago Yacht Club hosts six schools in the junior varsity and varsity programs - The Latin School of Chicago, St. Ignatius College Prep, New Trier High School, Walter Payton College Prep, Lycée Francais of Chicago, and Rickover Naval Academy.

By Tom Falck, Cruising Sail Fleet Chair With our boats tucked away for the winter, the Cruising Sail Fleet is looking forward to two very special events this winter - a holiday theater excursion, and a winter getaway to Lake Geneva. Our events are open to all CYC members, and we hope you will join us At the MISSA Singlehanded Championship, Jack Baldwin won first place in Standard Lasers and Peter Barnard came in second in Radial Lasers, both for St. Ignatius High School, and Emmett Nevel placed fourth. All are going on to compete in California at the ISSA Cressy Nationals. As the season continues, CYC will host the Central Great Lakes Qualifier at Belmont and the MISSA Great Lakes Championship at Monroe.

The teams kicked off the season in Pewaukee, WI at the Fall Scramble. CYC had 30 sailors from 4 schools represented in over 10 races in 2 days. Ultimately, New Trier finished first and St. Ignatius second. With the season heating up, CYC competed at the MISSA Girls Championship in mid-September, with Casey Bertocchi and Anna McBride from New Trier finishing second and Alessandra Torres and Asha Buddi, from Walter Payton finishing third in their respective divisions.

In addition to the scholastic program, this fall CYC is introducing the 420 Middle School Main & Jib program to continue to offer sailing opportunities to wider audiences. The program runs on Saturday using the same scholastic assets. The CYC Opti program also continues through the fall. The fall season is now under way, kicking off with the USODA Midwest Championship, hosted by the Pewaukee Yacht Club, with CYC taking the top three girls of the regatta, Nissa Berman, Caroline McClain and Madeline Torrey respectively. The RWB team is competing in the Opti Southeast Championship in October. Back at home, the beginner Opti Green team enjoys practice every Saturday, honing their skills preparing for the Halloween Spookytacular regatta in Lake Forest at the end of October.

It’s a Wonderful Life

Lake Geneva Winter Getaway

Join us for our holiday theater event on December 7th with appetizers and cocktails at Monroe Station and transportation to Stage 773 Theatre for a live, old-fashioned radio show performance of “It’s a Wonderful Life.” Last year’s theater event was an early sell out.

Back by popular demand, our CSF Winter Getaway is planned for February 21-23 at the Geneva Inn in Lake Geneva, where we have 15 rooms reserved. Sailing legends Buddy Melges and Dick Stearns will join us for a conversation and dinner Saturday evening at the Lake Geneva Yacht Club. Sunday brunch will be at the historic Baker House.

December 7th

February 21-23

Details and registration for both events can be found on the CYC online calendar.

While the weather may not have always been spectacular, the Cruising Sail Fleet summer events proved very popular. The highlights of the CSF events the summer included: • CSF Shakedown Cruise to Michigan City in June • Lady Skipper Race, open to all CYC boats skippered by a woman. Congratulations to Sonia Sandoval (Karma) First Place, Mary Falck (Intangible) Second Place, and Marian Liautaud (Ob La Di!) Third Place. • Community Service Cruises: - Camp PALS for teenagers with Down Syndrome: 138 campers, counselors, and staff/volunteers enjoyed a dinner at Monroe and an evening sail on 19 CYC sailboats and the club’s race signal boat Carrier. - SOS Children’s Villages of Illinois: 50 foster children and their foster parents dined at Monroe and sailed on eight participating CYC sailboats. The Chicago Yacht Club Foundation graciously funded the dinners for both cruises. • CSF Cruise to Kenosha in August.

Our young sailors also compete outside of the CYC regattas. Christian Prendergast, age 14, won the Chicago Grand Slam regatta, a grade 2 match racing event. We can all be inspired by the competitiveness and passion of our junior sailors. 17

Blinker | Fall 2019

We look forward to a wonderful holiday season and another exciting sailing season in 2020!

Blinker | Fall 2019 18

by Amy Baxter Chicago Yacht Club hosted the J/111 World Championship in August, attracting 23 competitors to the Windy City for the fourday event. Including racers from the United States, Switzerland, and Australia, the regatta was able to qualify as a World Championship by meeting the three-country and two-continent representation requirement. The Championship closed with 8 completed races after up-and-down wind patterns slowed progress during the week. Rob Ruhlman’s Spaceman Spiff, from Cleveland’s Lakeside Yacht Club, was declared the 2019 J/111 World Champion after winning half the completed races and finishing the event with 25 net points. Not too far behind with 30 points was Martin Roesch’s Velocity from Annapolis Yacht Club, and Peter Wagner’s Skeleton Key - St. Francis Yacht Club, with 34 points. While Skeleton Key has been a familiar face around Chicago yacht racing over the past few summers, Wagner’s name might be more recognizable as the 2017 J/111 World Champion and 2018 J/111 North American Champion.

Competitors experienced the highs and lows of Chicago summer sailing during the Championship, with large shifts impacting course settings, rolling Lake Michigan waves reaching five feet through the course of the week, and times of minimal breeze. Day one of the regatta yielded no racing after the wind failed to gear up enough for sailing, while competitors saw a strong shift on day two when the breeze finally did ramp up. CYC boats also held their own in the regatta, with Michael Mayer and Steven Henderson of Kashmir taking 4th place and Richard Witzel’s Rowdy finishing fifth. John Kalanik’s Pura Vida - of Chicago Corinthian Yacht Club - was the top Corinthian team in the event, placing 8th overall. The event solidified the J/111 class as one holding onto its International Class status––an increasingly tough feat for larger yachts. The 2020 J/111 World Championship will be held at the Royal Ocean Racing Club in the United Kingdom next September.

Thank you Women of Chicago Yacht Club for a great season on and off the water. Join us in the fun and come out and play. Next year we plan on adding events that engage our creative side so keep an eye out for the 2020 calendar. In the interim, please enjoy some pictures from WOW’s 2019 season on the water. Sincerely, Sonia Sandoval, Chair of Women’s Committee

19 Blinker | Fall 2019

Blinker | Fall 2019

By Tim Dawson, crew on Aeolus Owner Tom Hirsch crewed in a past Shields Nationals in Chicago for Dr. Shoemaker. From the time I’ve been sailing with him he’s always said he’d like to go back when the Nationals returned. This year we finally had the opportunity! The Chicago Yacht Club did an outstanding job of putting on the event in what turned out to be difficult conditions for running races at both ends of the windspeed spectrum. When we arrived in Chicago, the wind was in a light phase for the practice day and the first race day, with strong winds forecast for the last two days. Friday’s racing looked to be challenging due to the light airs. With a potentially stormy forecast for the weekend, the Race Committee was eager to try to get three races in on the first day. I had only sailed in Chicago once before and our local knowledge research all seemed to say that there would unlikely be a dominantly favored side, but rather it was key to keep heads out of the boat for the best breeze, generally favoring getting offshore when possible. Our goals for the day were to start clean and try not to sail a throwout race on the day. We live by the mantra of, “you can’t win the regatta on the first day, but you can lose it”. Tricky light air days at Nationals brought back bad memories of day two in Larchmont at the 2014 event. That particular day we posted an 18, 22 which ultimately cost us the regatta after an otherwise strong performance. We were able to survive the first day with a 1, 2 to start and were fortunate that the 3rd race was abandoned when the wind died as we were well back in the pack. We were feeling confident after surviving the light airs and heading into the weekend with the lead.

Blinker | Fall 2019

By Michael Schwartz, owner of Sapphire South–westerlies from the city replaced the light easterlies we’d had for the previous two days. We have good speed in heavy air and it was our plan to sail conservatively and not let other boats affect us sailing our own mode. Our conservative starting strategy (not a great strategy in hindsight) put us behind a couple of times. We sometimes forget the target that a gold Shield on your mainsail creates! It became apparent in the heavy air that BitO-Honey would be the boat we would have to beat. They had similar speed to us upwind and they would be difficult to pass we got behind them. The weekend provided some of the most difficult downwind sailing I have encountered on a Shields. Big shifting puffs in the flat water caused some spectacular wipe-outs in the fleet. We had two very close calls where we nearly crash jibed, but we were generally able to keep it together downwind, which proved to be very important. We traded firsts and seconds with Bit-OHoney over the weekend, which was enough to secure the win in what turned out to be a very tight series.

It was more than the predicted 27mph gust that threw me off the rail semi upside down in the cockpit, but it wasn’t a strong enough lesson. After regaining the helm, rounding the weather mark, popping the chute, and screaming downwind at well over hull speed, I called for a jibe, but failed to look astern. Sure enough, that first gust’s big cousin hit us, tearing the pole out of the bowman’s hands and ripping open the shackle on the new pole end. Only adrenaline-fueled strength saved us from the dreaded boom-end in the water pirouette and spinnaker scoop, allowing us to finish the race under jib and main. That was the last race of the 15-boat September Shields Nationals, but similar conditions dominated all but the Friday racing. To wit, skipper Tom McManus of Indian Harbor YC, Greenwich CT, went overboard in the same race, Judge Alfredo Ricci saw the knock-down and pulled Tom from the water. Kudos, Alfredo!

Kudos also go to the two former Shields skippers, now with power boats, who as hosts to extemporaneous barfing contests, took out spectators on Friday and Saturday. Four Shields skippers from Buzzards Bay gained a new respect for our fine lake, as did all 10 out-of town competitors from as far away as Newport, and Edgartown, and to Monterey Bay. Saturday came with 20 to 24mph winds gusting to 26. Sunday was similar, with gusts to 29. Olin Stephens would have been proud of the way his classic design handled the challenge. For all the efforts of the Chicago guys, the regatta was won by sailmaker Tim Dawson and Tom Hirsch of Newport. Former sailing coach Ken Dyett from Beverly YC was a closeone-point close finish in second. CYC/Shields Fleet 3 is looking forward to once again hosting the Great Lakes Ocean Challenge in 2021.

Thank you to all from the CYC involved in putting on a great event. We hope to see you next year in Oxford!

Blinker | Fall 2019

By Mike Platzke Congratulations to Shawn and Jerry O’Neill and the crew of Eagle for their win in the CYC Offshore Championship Series in both the buoy and distance divisions. They bested 34 other boats that qualified in the buoy division and 10 other boats that qualified in the distance division. Jim Murray and Callisto captured second place in the buoy division and Mark Croll and the crew of Retention took third. In the distance division, Dale Smirl and Defiance were second and Jerry and Greg Miarecki were third on Providence. The Offshore Championship Series recognizes excellence in offshore sailboat racing. In 2019, the Offshore Committee changed the rules to make it possible for

boats to compete in both the buoy and distance divisions and also added the Chicago-Michigan City-Chicago and Tri-Bistate Chicago-St Joe races in order to allow more boats to qualify for the distance division. The O’Neills will be awarded blue blazers and the Offshore Champions patches at the Offshore and RYF Annual Awards Party on November 16th at Belmont Station. At the awards ceremony we will also be handing out flags for the Offshore Championship Series buoy and distance divisions, the Monroe and Belmont Skyline Series and the Racing Yacht Fleet Series.

In the Commodore’s Cup Junior Navigation race on August 16, Jacques Dugas was the winning driver and Duke Diep was the winning navigator aboard Amateur II, with Jens Dugas aboard as crew. Jacques and Duke will have their names engraved upon the Commodore’s Cup, one of CYC’s oldest trophies. John Baxter was driving and Keefer Baxter was navigating with Kinsey Baxter providing strategy for 2nd place Split Decision. On 3rd place Painkiller 5, Rem Goettsch was the driver and Hugo Goettsch was the navigator. Over 20 junior racers and 10 boats signed up for this year’s race and the Offshore Committee would love to see more juniors racing next year. 23

Blinker | Fall 2019

Blinker | Fall 2019 24

by Dot Vartan This summer marked the 40th anniversary of the Fastnet Race tragedy, which claimed the lives of 19 people (15 yachtsmen and four rescuers). Held every two years since 1925, the 605-mile Fastnet race is one of amateur yachting’s greatest challenges. Competing boats set sail from Cowes, travel along the south coast of England, up across the Irish Sea to the Fastnet Rock, then sail back to Plymouth. On the third day of the race, a tremendous storm created violent, force 10 winds and 50-foot waves in the Irish Sea. At least 75 boats were knocked upside down, 5 sank, and 24 crews abandoned ship. Out of 303 boats that started the race, only 85 reached the finish line. About 4,000 people, including the entire Irish Naval Service’s fleet, lifeboats, commercial boats, and helicopters, were summoned to aid what became the largest ever peace-time rescue operation. Following the disaster, new qualifications for competing were introduced, and tri-sails and VHF radios became mandatory. The Fastnet Race–now known as the Rolex Fastnet Race – is still one of the most famous and popular races in yachting. Forty years later, technology has advanced so that GPS receivers can pinpoint a boat’s position within a few feet and DSC radios and AIS receivers can relay a boat’s position to a rescue-service command center at the press of a button. Most races today use live tracking which monitors yacht positioning throughout a race

as another safety measure. Sophisticated computerized weather forecasting also enables sailors to receive up-to-date weather information during a race. First-hand Recollections of the 1979 Fastnet Race CYC member - Fred Joosten - arrived in England for the 1979 Fastnet Race and immediately started looking for a boat to crew on. He was lucky enough to join Steve Colgate’s crew on the 54foot Frers - designed yacht, Sleuth. Steve was a very experienced yachtsman with several transatlantic races under his belt. When the storm hit, they were in the middle of the Irish Sea close to rounding Fastnet Rock. For more than 15 hours they were battered by 80-knot winds (recorded on their anemometer) and 50-foot waves. The boat would broach over the top of a wave and surf down sideways into the trough, over and over again. With howling winds, driving rain, and waves crashing across the deck, it took two people at the helm to steer and keep the boat from being broadsided by the waves. Reducing sail was challenging in the heavy winds, until finally they took off all sails until the storm subsided.

They lost sight of other boats nearby and occasionally saw lights and red SOS flares in the darkness as they battled the storm. Perhaps due to their youth and the fact that they were on one of the larger yachts in the race, the crew remained fairly calm throughout their ordeal. Despite being blown off course, they were the seventh boat to finish the race. They had seen a few empty life rafts and helicopters but, until they reached shore, they were not aware of the gravity of the situation that befell their fellow racers. Since then, Fred has done a lot of ocean racing, as well as 30 Mac races, but he never experienced a storm as treacherous as this one. This summer, he attended an anniversary dinner of the 1979 Fastnet Race with more than 150 race participants from the race at the New York Yacht Club.

The best thing to do is avoid bad weather to begin with. Weather service apps like NOAA Weather, WGN radar app, predict wind, RADAR USA, and various local apps, like Weather Bug, help you track storms moving into the area. Always keep your VHF radio on Channel 16 and periodically (hourly) check VHF weather radio for your area. Apps on your phone are great, but they’re secondary to (a) keeping your eyes open and trained on the sky, and (b) listening to VHF weather radio. If you get caught in bad weather, here are the best steps to take: a. Make sure all persons on board are wearing proper life jackets. b. Know where you are and what the best course towards safety is. What compass direction do you need to head to take you towards safety? Remember safety means staying away from boats, breakwaters, and lee shores that you can

Blinker | Fall 2019

run into. By the time bad weather arrives, it’s too late to try to dock. c. Keep sufficient speed on the boat to maintain steerage, but otherwise slow down. It’s a rare boat (even a fast powerboat) that can outrun a squall. d. Keep your VHF radio on and nearby, set to channel 16. e. Make sure all passengers and crew not needed for operating the boat are in a safe place (often that is below decks). Be sure to keep enough crew on deck to maintain a safe watch for boat traffic in all directions. The biggest danger in bad weather is running into something or someone. 3. Practice your man overboard drills, before the season, middle of the season and in the fall. Blinker | Fall 2019

As members of the Chicago Yacht Club we have the unique benefit of having two stations as part of our club, ranked a top five yacht club as a Platinum Club of America. Between both stations, our members have the flexibility to enjoy a variety of on- the-water activities, dining options, and more than 200 events per year for sailors, cruisers, power boaters, and members who simply enjoy being on or near the water.

Our Monroe Station sits at the center of the city’s lakefront, with free member parking and easy access to Grant, Millennium, and Maggie Daley parks, providing breathtaking views of the lakefront and the Chicago skyline. The Monroe Station offers a variety of dining options including the formal dining room, seasonal outdoor patio and the informal Mac Bar with delicious options from Chef Larry Asher.

The miles of Chicago shoreline offer very few opportunities for lakefront dining and events, which highlights how fortunate we are to have access to two lakefront stations. Throughout the year, both stations offer a variety of options - on and off the water for our members and their guests to enjoy; yet each has its own characteristics and charm.

Members and guests can dock at Monroe for short visits or overnight. CYC hosts many sailing events from our Monroe Station, from signature events like the NOOD Regatta, Race to Mackinac, and Verve Cup Offshore, to weekly beer can racing. The station is typically buzzing with activity, as it hosts committee meetings for the more than 30 committees the club supports.

Blinker | Fall 2019

The Monroe Station has robust social programming throughout the year, including fleet events, specialty dinners, speaker events and holiday parties. Monroe is also the host of the Bears Brunch with the Bears bus transport to home games. Floating off the shoreline of Belmont Harbor, the CYC Belmont station offers a causal atmosphere for cruisers and racers. Belmont Station offers a la carte and buffet dining and hosts a variety of club and private events through the year. Belmont Station is very active as the home to our sailing activities center. As our one-design sailing headquarters, Belmont hosts a competitive racing class with Etchells, Shields, Lugers, and Vanguards. The club hosts weekly Chicago Match Racing and Wednesday night beer can races in partnership with Monroe throughout the season. In the spring and fall, Belmont hosts Frostbite racing.

Belmont is home to the CYC Sailing School, resulting in a flurry of activity through much of the year, hosting hundreds of young sailors each season. In addition to a robust junior sailing program, Belmont also hosts Sea Scouts and the Scholastic Sailing program. It isn’t only about racing at Belmont. The club owns eleven ’23 Sonars, kayaks, and paddle boards for club members to rent and enjoy time on the water. With so much to offer, we encourage our members to take advantage of both Monroe and Belmont and appreciate the incredible opportunity to enjoy the Chicago lakefront as a member of One Club with two stations.

Blinker | Fall 2019

by Cyd Archer The Chicago Yacht Club Foundation sponsored ten very deserving young women for a challenging on-the-water experience. Ranging in age from 14-18, none of the women knew each other. They received sail and STEM training aboard the 70’ Tallship Inland Seas for five days in August. The girls, who were from the Boys and Girls Club and Rickover Junior ROTC Academy, learned to swim, navigate, set the sails, tie knots, steer the boat, and sit bow watch. They learned to talk to each other, and most importantly, learned how to work as a team to protect each other. Through science experiments, they learned to identify many of the Great Lakes indigenous plants, fish, and microorganisms. They explored Power Island. The young women developed an appreciation for the Great Lakes ecosystem. They slept on deck under the stars and experienced overnight dew for the first time. They also saw, for the first time, where the sky touches the water on the horizon.

Blinker | Fall 2019

One night the Coast Guard put out a man overboard warning. The young women reflected on how it could have been one of them. They all got very quiet. They said it brought them together to see how fortunate they were.

Each young woman came away with something different. “My favorite thing was pulling up the anchor. The weight and trying to bring it up. It really gets your muscles going. Trying to make sure it doesn’t get stuck, we worked together.” “I loved looking for rocks and fossils. I learned the design goes away when the rocks get dry, I could show my friends at home.” “I was amazed at how many species of Plankton there are. They all had unique features.” “I liked how Captain Lillie explained to me how the boat itself moved and how to steer the wheel. How not to oversteer and why the Captain always had to stand in the back of the boat.” “The trip brought me out of my bubble. I got to know other girls. The trip ended with s’mores on deck, prepared by the cook. All of the women had something positive to say about each other – a perfect ending to their personal growth voyage.

Blinker | Fall 2019

NORTH AMERICAN INVITATIONAL

ADVANCED OPTI CLINIC

THE VERVE CUP OLD GUARD LUNCH & CRUISE

CASRAâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S 100 BOATS ON A BEER CAN

Blinker | Fall 2019

J/111 WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP

INTER-COMMITTEE CHALLENGE

Blinker | Fall 2019