Fleet Captain Reports

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Fleet Captain Report: October 2020

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

Fleet Captain Report: September 2020

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

Fleet Captain Report: August 2020

So far this season, three of four scheduled sails have been completed successfully. Many thanks to Larry Makowski and George & Sally Andersson for volunteering as cruise captains for these sails. In advance, I'd like to thank Tom Steider (a new member of the club) and Larry Makowski for volunteering for the August 29 and Sept. 12 sails respectively.

Considering the Year of Covid, the turnout for our sails has been very positive and the response of both skippers and crew to both the sails and after-sail socializing, has likewise been very favorable. We still need two cruise captain volunteers for the Sept. 19 and Sept. 26 sails. Please sign up online if interested.

Please offer your suggestions for the location of the Sept. 26 sail, which is currently TBD. Although the Sept. 26 sail is our official final outing of the year, October is a beautiful time of the year for sailing. Most frequently Mr. Weather has the upper hand and these scheduled sails are generally cancelled. We'll keep our options open for perhaps one October sail.

In closing, due to Covid, we have quite a reduced fleet this year and so I cannot even begin to adequately thank our skippers who generously and repeatedly provide their yachts, time and energy for our members.

Fair skies and following seas,

-Lorraine Klabunde, 2020 Fleet Captain

Fleet Captain Report: July 2020

With two sails already under our hulls, twelve more sails are ambitiously planned for the remainder of the summer (see posted schedule on the website Sailing Schedule Preview). Weather has always been the common denominator that interferes with our best laid plans, so we’re hoping this year will be the aberration that allows us more of those “fair winds and following seas.”

In addition to weather, the success of the sails is dependent on our club members volunteering as cruise captains, because without cruise captains, we have no sails. So please consider volunteering. If you haven’t been a cruise captain before, any member of the Board can help walk you through the easy process. Thanks to the captains who accommodated our members and to our crew for participating in the club!

Please review the 2020 Sailing Schedule Preview and then link to the Events page to sign up as either a future captain or future crew member.

-Lorraine Klabunde, 2020 Fleet Captain