2020 has been a challenging year for us but we adjusted our sails, as sailors do.  We did the best we could under unusual circumstances. Well done!

Thank you for the opportunity to serve you this year and I look forward to a better 2021.

Wishing everyone best wishes for happy and safe Holidays.

-Lorraine Klabunde, 2020 Fleet Captain

As our sailing season comes to an end, we tallied up eight sails, two short of our goal. It was a challenging year with both Covid and end of the season weather, but we maximized what was available with the cooperation of skippers, cruise captains, and crew. I would like to thank our skippers: Casey Bezec, George and Sally Andersson, John and Joyce Bardin, Debbie Garrity, David and Syma Hutchings, Larry Makowski, Peter Schleck, Hal and Almut Shanafield, Wayne Smith & Gwen Brodeur, and Robbie Leighton for volunteering their boats, time, and expertise.

Special thanks go out to Pete Schleck, Casey Bezec, Larry Makowski, and Debbie Garrity who stepped up for multiple events throughout the summer. Many thanks to our cruise captains: George Andersson, Larry Makowski, Wayne Smith, Lorraine Klabunde, and our two first timers, Tom Steider and Donna Prestel. Yea!

And lastly, thanks to our crew for their cooperation and enthusiasm. Our crew members who accrued the most sails were Jeff and Kelly Wilcoxson, Nancy Tikalsky, Tom Steider, David Jacobson, and Deb Mikasser. Although the emphasis frequently lies on the number of sails we were able to complete, the shared knowledge and skills provided and learned by everyone involved and the camaraderie experienced both while on board and at dinner afterwards is truly the main focus of the club.

Weather cooperated to a significant degree this summer until the arrival of September, when mother nature chose to shut down most of our sails. Due to Covid, many of our skippers took their boats out earlier than usual and our exceptionally warm Fall weekends served little purpose for our club which usually has sails going into October.

As for the future, thanks to a suggestion from Debbie Garrity, we will attempt to initiate a system called "Plan B" for the 2021 season, providing the option for a Sunday sail, if the Saturday sail falls through due to weather. We will also try to develop a better system matching captains and crew who are available for impromptu weekday sails-a "blackboard", so to speak, where crew/captains can "sign up" to let each other know that they are available for a last minute sail.

So, as we set our thoughts ahead to Spring of 2021, treasure our sails from 2020, but look forward to those "pink skies at night" and the year ahead. Personally, thanks to everyone for your cooperation and enthusiasm.

-Lorraine Klabunde, 2020 Fleet Captain

Our sailing season is flying by. Although we have a limited number of boats and skippers this year, those who have stepped up have been overwhelmingly generous in supporting the club by volunteering their time and energy. Our sails have been out of Chicago (Monroe and Montrose harbors), Waukegan, and Kenosha. So far, only one cancellation due to weather, which is an achievement unto itself. The sails have overall provided learning experiences, both on the tiller and with other aspects of sailing, camaraderie (hence social sailing), and favorable weather. I truly appreciate our members who have volunteered as cruise captains, especially our new members and first timers.

The three scheduled sails in September, and possibly a sail in October, depend on Ma Nature and boat availability. Our one sail listed on Sept. 26 may possibly be a matchup for crew to sail on boats of their choice based, again, on skipper availability, out of any of the northern harbors. Again, thanks to skippers and crew for their interest and patience in this Year of Covid. Reports on the various sails are in our September Communique.

-Lorraine Klabunde, 2020 Fleet Captain