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I refuse to accept that summer is winding down, but as the air starts to cool and the neighborhood kids head off to school, it seems inevitable. But the great news is that fall in Chicago is truly beautiful and one of the best ways to enjoy it is on the water. So don’t put that PFD in storage yet, get out there and sail! And if you need a sailing mate, post to #share-a-sail on Slack. Sailors at every skill level are eager to find someone looking to practice, relax, and enjoy a day on the water.
— Meighan Depke, Editor
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 Upcoming Social Events
September Happy Hour: Thursday, September 14, 5:30pm, Island Party Hut
Our September Happy Hour will be outdoors at Island Party Hut on the Chicago Riverwalk! Sail Chicago members are welcome to attend and bring one guest. Appetizers and one drink ticket will be provided for all attendees. This is a very fun venue with great views of the river, so don’t miss it! If there is a rainout, the happy hour will be rescheduled.
Please register so we can plan for appetizers. Also, if you register and your plans change, please cancel your reservation, thank you!
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New Skipper Social Hour: Thursday, October 5th, 6:00–8:00pm
Lizzie McNeill’s, 400 N McClurg Ct.
Please join us for a celebration of achieving this milestone, socializing and discussing your experiences. Cash bar only. Register on eventbrite and get an automated reminder!
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2023 End of Season Dinner: October 12, 2023 Columbia Yacht Club, 6:30pm-9:30pm
Our last event for the year will be the End of Season dinner at Columbia Yacht Club. Again this year, we will have a silent auction to benefit SC scholarships for DEI. Mark your calendar for this fun event. Registration available soon!
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Skipper Prep Class Saves Bird
This weekend Jiyoung Kang's Skipper Prep class collected garbage from the water while practicing COB. A wine bottle, fender, floatie, two life jackets, and an injured gull! When they spotted the bird floating on its back they assumed it was dead, but on approached they saw it move.
They performed a COB and scooped him up with the net and brought him to shore. Skipper Iwona Awlasewicz contacted Chicago Bird Collision Monitors and they picked up the bird. Today we received an update:
“Yes—thanks to you and all your help! It was picked up and taken to a wildlife center yesterday about 2 pm. I haven’t heard anything about its injuries, but it was alert and fairly active and a good eater— all very good signs. Thanks again for for your extraordinary efforts to help this beautiful gull.”
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Practice While You Clean!
For those who would like additional COB or picking up a mooring line practice, you will find an extendable net on board all of our Colgates. You can use it to pick up debris in the lake. So in addition to practicing important sailing techniques, you’ll help with keeping the lake clean.
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Volunteer Team Thoughts
As the sailing season winds down, we'd like to take a moment to thank everyone who has been working all summer long to keep our organization running smoothly. From scrubbing the boats and refueling the engines, to checking the electrical systems, to planning and pulling off fantastic social events, to teaching classes, leading Tiller Times and Member Cruise Outings, to heading up our racing, and to all the behind the scenes jobs completed to coordinate and lead our programs, THANK YOU ALL! Together, you've given thousands of hours of your time and Sail Chicago keeps running because of it!
If you haven't had a chance to volunteer yet, it's not too late! Our 2023 volunteer season runs until October 31. There are still opportunities available on the Volunteer Website, and there is plenty of work to be done as we take our boats back to the boatyard and prepare them for winter storage.
Sign up for positions by completing the Volunteer Signup Form. If you don't see an empty position that interests you, reach out to the volunteer team at volunteer@sailchicago.org.
Finally, a reminder that volunteering is a part remaining a member in good standing. The suggestion is to provide about 20 hours of service each season. If you don't complete your service time requirement for 2023 by October 31, you will be responsible for paying the $400 opt-out fee when you renew your membership in 2024. Any volunteering that you do after November 1 will count towards your service time requirement for next summer, not this one.
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Ideals Boat Team Manager Needed
The Ideals boat team anticipates a vacancy in the position of Boat Manager for Solstice, one of our two Ideal 18's, for next year. The position involves working in cooperation with one of our continuing managers, Tim Sheehan in the pre-season preparation, launch, seasonal maintenance, and post season haul-out of the boat. Someone who is also currently Ideal skipper qualified, and willing to conduct orientation of additional skippers would be especially welcome. If you are interested, but unfamiliar with the launching, haul out and rigging of these boats, we invite you to get a flavor of this activity by joining us us for fall haul out, which we are targeting for Saturday, Sept. 30. If interested, contact either Tim Sheehan at timothyfsheehan@gmail.com or acting Solstice manager, Kenn Sinko at ksinko605@aol.com for more information.
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Silent Auction Donations Needed
Sail Chicago will once again hold its annual Silent Auction at the End of Season Dinner on October 12, 2023. All proceeds from the Silent Auction are used to fund Sail Chicago’s Scholarship Program, which provides free sailing courses to diverse scholarship recipients. This 2023 season we have five scholarship recipients — four new sailors in Crew courses and one student returning from the 2022 cohort to complete their First Mate course.
In support of the Silent Auction and the Scholarship Program, we are requesting donations of new and unused boating or sailing-related items that can be auctioned off at the event. We are also looking for volunteers to help solicit local businesses for donation items. Please contact Linhda Nguyen at linhdanguyen87@gmail.com for items to donate and/or volunteer.
Sail Chicago Slack Channel #certprocess or email certificationadmin@sailchicago.org with any questions. Happy Sailing!
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Friends and Family Picnic
The 2023 Friends and Family Picnic and short sails at Belmont Harbor were a huge success. The weather was perfect and everyone enjoyed the food. Thanks again to all our skippers and first mates who volunteered to take our "family and friends" out for a short sail on Lake Michigan.
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