A TRIBUTE TO MY OLD SAILING BUDDY

BY PETER F. THORNTON

In 1972, I joined the Chicago Yacht Club as a “stinkpotter”. At that time, I did not have any interest in the art of sailing and certainly did not see myself as part of the sailing community. That all changed in the spring of 1974 when I met Gene McCarthy. His yacht racing war stories immediately grabbed my attention, especially his account of the great Mac storm of 1970. Gene’s larger than life experiences racing on the Great Lakes made me realize that I was missing something special. As a young man, my perception of sailing was forever changed, and Gene became my new role model. In the summer of ’74 Gene and I rented a C&C 39 named the Kings Courier and we signed up for a series of races including the Chicago to Macatawa Race and most notably, the Chicago to Mackinac Race. I can still remember getting caught in my first thunderstorm, paralyzed with fear, both hands locked onto the shrouds, watching in awe as Gene single-handedly took down the massive tri-cut spinnaker. Over the years, I have campaigned numerous racing sailboats, having poured untold time and dollars into the sport. To this day, I still blame Gene for having gotten me into this mess! But in all honesty, I have loved every moment racing on the Great Lakes. I have accumulated my own war chest of stories, the most memorable involving great friendships and time well-spent with my family. With my sailing and racing career in its twilight, thoughts invariably creep in telling me that maybe its time to hang it up. Fortunately, all I must do is take a look at my old friend Gene and his relentless passion for the sport and that gives me added adrenaline to keep on sailing. I guess he still serves as my sailing role model, almost 50 years after our first summer on Lake Michigan. This year, God willing, we will both attempt another Chicago Mac race aboard the Whitehawk. After breaking John Nedeau’s record of racing 65 Macs last year, my old friend Gene is attempting to add one more for the record books for a total of 67 Macs. What an accomplishment for these two Great Lakes sailors. I’ll be surprised if anyone ever comes close to beating these two Old Goats! As one of the newest inductees into the CYC Old Guard (25 senior-most members of CYC), I hope that our membership will continue to support all our club’s many traditions, including the Chicago Yacht Club Foundation. Its mission of promoting awareness and appreciation of the nautical arts, especially with the young and disadvantaged is extremely important. Thank you, Gene, for inspiring me to take up the wonderful sport of sailing. Your mentorship back in the summer of 1974 serves as a great example of the power and importance of the mission of the Chicago Yacht Club Foundation. May their efforts continue to inspire others as you have inspired me. ✶

104 ft. Sailing Yacht, Whitehawk