3.13 Sailing in Chicago
Description
This article is from the Boats FAQ, by John F. Hughes with numerous contributions by others.
3.13 Sailing in Chicago
This section courtesy of kakunz@amoco.com.
Chicago Area Yacht Clubs
This information on the various yacht clubs in the Chicago area has been
assembled from various sources. Thanks to all those who helped.
It is organized by geographical location, running north to south along the
Lake Michigan waterfront. I generally tried to get info about the name,
location, dues, active fleets (if any one-design), other racing activities, and
a contact person. For several of the clubs all I was able to obtain was a
name, location, and contact. If you contact that person and s/he gives
you additional info, please contact me via e-mail at kakunz@amoco.com
or at 708-420-3131 and I will put it into this document.
Thanks to all the people who provided the information contained
herein: Cedric Churnick, Steph Bailey, Steve Woodward, Dennis Bartley,
Owen McCall, and probably 2-3 others I've missed. (If you don't see
your name here and you gave me info, PLEASE write me, and accept my
appologies!)
-Kevin, aka Sailing Fool
NEWBIES: If you are a new-comer to racing in the Chicago area, it has
been highly recommended from many people that you contact the MORF
Crew List. MORF racers are inter-fleet racers that race cruiser/racers
more or less weekly. Contact Joe Des Jardins at 708-677-8604 for this
crew list. This is a good place to get started big-boat racing and cuising.
MORF stands for Midwest Open Racing Fleet.
GILSON PARK YACHT CLUB: Located in Wilmette, IL. Contact "Tim"
at twise@merle.acns.nwu.edu. They race Hobie 16's.
SHERIDAN SHORES YACHT CLUB: Located in Wilmette, North of
Chicago on the border with Wisconsin. This is a relatively new club and
no additional information is available. However, I've been there, 'tis very
nice, with reasonable dues, as I recall. Large fleets of Solings, J-24's,
Lightnings, Stars and Rainbows.
WAUKEGAN YACHT CLUB: North of Chicago in Waukegan, this YC
offers several one-design fleets including J-24's and others. Contact Dan
Darrow at 708-367-0913 or Gene Bach at 708-623-5680 for more
information. I've been here, too, and it has an excellent water-front bar in
its clubhouse, which includes a full-service restaraunt.
CHICAGO CORINTHIAN YACHT CLUB: Located in Montrose Harbor.
Contact them at 312-334-9100. They are located at 600 Montrose Ave
(Montrose and the lake front).
CHICAGO YACHT CLUB, BELMONT HARBOR: This is the one-design
branch of Chicago Yacht Club (see below). They have weekly racing and
occassional regattas for Etchells, Stars, Solings, J/24's, Shields, 110's; and
pre- /post-season frostbiting with Lasers and 420s. Contact them at
312-447-7575.
COLUMBIA YACHT CLUB: Located on a big blue freighter at the North
end of Monroe Harbor, this club is a full service clubs with dues in the
$1000 range (+ $75 monthly min. spending fee). They have an active
Penguin fleet that frostbites. They also own 420s. Contact Susan Bonner
at 312-938-3625.
CHICAGO YACHT CLUB: The main building is located at the end of
Monroe St. at Lake Shore Drive. This is the focal point of much of the
off-shore racing in Chicago; they host such prestigious events as the
NOOD, Chicago/Macinack Island Race, and Yachting's Verve Cup.
Contact the yacht club at 312-861-7777 for more info.
BURNHAM PARK YACHT CLUB: Located on the eastern peninsula of
Burnham Harbor across the street from Miegs Field. A full-service club
with slips, cans and star-docks, their dues are in line with Columbia's.
For information contact BPYC at 312-427-4664.
JACKSON PARK YACHT CLUB: Located at outer Jackson Park
Harbor, this club is a "volunteer" club with a resident manager
year-round. They frostbite club-owned Flying Juniors (which are used for
the Junior Race Program during the summer). Dues are $250/year, with
a $25/month minimum spending fee. Contact Cedric Churnick at
312-372-8321 for more info.
HAMMOND YACHT CLUB: No further information available.
EAST CHICAGO YACHT CLUB: No further information available.
MICHGAN CITY YACHT CLUB: No further information available.
NORTH SHORE YACHT CLUB: Located in Highland Park, this club
races Buccaneer and Sunfish one-designs. Dues are $160/year. For more
info, contact Owen McCall at 708-937-7957 or
mccall.owen@igate.pprod.abbott.com.
DES PLAINES YACHT CLUB: Sailing on the Des Plaines river in Des
Plaines Illinois.
LAKE PISTAKEE YACHT CLUB: Racing scows on Lake Pistakee.
ILLIANA YACHT CLUB: Racing several one-design fleets on Wolf Lake
in Hammond, IN. Contact Bill Thompson at 708-257-8052.
AREA III RACING: Five clubs in Chicago organize races called "Area
III": Chicago Yacht Club (CYC), Chicago Corintian Yacht Club (CCYC),
Columbia Yacht Club (Col), Burnham Park Yacht Club (BPYC), and
Jackson Park Yacht Club (JPYC). Each club has a single vote on
how/when/where the races are held. Entry fees for the races are generally
around $25, and include bouy racing around one of 4 permanent courses
4 miles off-shore, and several port-to-port races.
CHI-MAC RACE: Every year during either the 3rd or 4th week of July
(alternates annually) CYC hosts the Chicago-to-Mackinac Island race.
Roughly 300 boats race in several PHRF and IMS divisions. Average race
time is 50-60 hours for the 333 mile race, and the record is just over 24
hours, set by Pied Piper (SC-70) in (I think) 1989.
LMSRF: The Lake Michigan Sail Racing Federation is the governing body
arm of USSAILING on Lake Michigan. They coordinate lake-wide
championships (ie Queen's Cup, I think). They are also responsible for
PHRF ratings for the Lake Michigan area, and divide the lake into 5
areas. All of the above yacht clubs register with LMSRF. Contact Joan
Miracki at 312-674-7223 for more info for LMSRF or any of the
above-mentioned clubs.
CHARTERING: There are several outfits that offer chartering in the
Chicago area. Three are listed here: Sailboats Inc., ask for Trey Ritter at
312-943-220; Fair Wind Sailing Charters, ask for Denis McNamera at
312-890-4656; and Sailboat Sales, ask for Bruce Rosenzweig at
312-225-2046.
OTHER INFO: Finally, you can try contacting the Marine Department at
the Chicago Park District at 294-2270. They also run a physically
impaired sailing program called the Rainbow Fleet. Contact them at
312-294-2270 for additional info.
This information was last updated June 13, 1994.
Continue to:
My Books
