Catalina Fleet 21 - Chicago Region
FleetSheet Newsletter

April 2009

April 2009
 

COAST GUARD TOUR

Our General Meeting this month is on Saturday, April 18th and features a tour of Coast Guard Station Calumet. Station Calumet Harbor is the largest and busiest station in the Ninth Coast Guard District. It runs over 200 search and rescue (SAR) Cases and 1000 law enforcement boardings each year. They also conduct about 10 Presidential Security Zones, and over 75 major marine events including the Chicago Air and Water Show, which is the largest of its kind in the world with over 3,000,000 spectators. You’ll get a chance to see just how they run coordinate and run such a huge operation.

Were you one of their 1000 law enforcement boardings last year? If not, you’ll learn what to expect and do if you ever are boarded—you don’t have to breaking any law to be stopped! After the tour we’ll have a short General Meeting followed by dinner at Up for Grabs. It is located at 1923 Calumet Ave. in Whiting Indiana, it’s only 3 ½ miles from the Calumet station. A flyer and directions to the restaurant is included with this newsletter.

A MESSAGE FROM THE COMMODORE


Well we successfully made it to April! This has been the longest winter I can remember. I hope you also got through it OK. As luck would have it the weather broke nicely for our annual trip to Crowley’s Yacht Yard for their Yachtaplooza and 32 of our members attended the general meeting held after the festivities. There were seminars on engine maintenance, teak repair and fiberglass work and our members took advantage to gain a little knowledge. There was also food and entertainment if you just wanted to lounge around in the sunshine with your fellow sailors. We also had 17 members attend the dinner at Pucci’s restaurant following the meeting.

Our April program is planned for the 18th and I know it’s one we are all looking forward to. It will be a tour of the Coast Guard station at Calumet Park and a talk about the required safety equipment for our boats. This will be an informative afternoon and an opportunity that does not come around very often. After the tour and talk the Coast Guard will provide us with a meeting room to hold our general meeting. Following that we plan on adjourning to Up for Grabs for dinner and a cocktail. Up for Grabs is located at 1923 Calumet Ave. in Whiting Indiana, it’s only 3 ½ miles from the Calumet station. Directions will be enclosed with the fleetsheet. We will need to have a count of those attending and going on to dinner so please be sure to give the Grove’s a call at 708-995-5557 and R.S.V.P. by 4/15/09.

It’s also not too early to start planning for a cold Margarita on Memorial Day weekend. As is our custom we will be kicking off the sailing season with the Margarita Party on Saturday May 23rd at the usual location just south of the Burnham Park Yacht Club. This is always a fun time to kick back and renew friendships with your fellow sailors you haven’t seen all winter and talk about all of the upcoming outings for the year. We are also placing an order for new battle flags and will have them for sale at the party. They will be $45. If you have been to on outing and seen all the Catalina’s with their flags flying then you know it is truly an awesome sight! This is your chance to replace that old tattered flag with a new one. Also on the Sunday morning of Memorial Day weekend is the annual Bike the Drive. The City of Chicago closes down Lake Shore Drive to traffic and opens it up to the bike riders. This is a fun outing for you hearty early risers.

Please also take a minute to look over the outings and programs schedule published this month. We have a number of fun things planned for the summer and it’s a good time to get them on the calendar so you don’t miss out. I hope everything is going well with your spring commissioning and look forward to seeing everyone on the water soon.

Bill Thompson
Commodore




MEMBERSHIP
Welcome aboard to the following new member:

Skipper: Myer Blank
Address: Chicago, IL
Boat Name: Brisket
Size: 22
Mooring: Monroe



BUY/TRADE/SELL
Fleet members may list items they want to sell, trade or buy in this column without any charge. Send listings to Fleet Sheet Editor, 306 Linden Street, Glen Ellyn, IL 60137 or fax to 630- 668-8950 or email to deare30@sbcglobal.net. Listings will run for 2 issues unless you notify me otherwise.

CYA
Fleet 21 is a member of this boating organization. Lori Lauraitis is our representative to the group. Lori filed this report from the March meeting.

*WesTrec again did not show, so Officer Erbacci, of the Chicago Marine Police, was in front answering questions from the floor regarding the size of weapons on board, Homeland Security, bomb training and that they are on duty 24/7 and man Channel 16 from the boats. Some of the reason for calling for their help range from: out-of-fuel, boating accidents, Playpen accidents, wake violations, fuel, maintenance, and safety problems caused by drinking among the boaters. Fines are issued across-the-board as well. Lt. Kennedy, of the Chicago Marine Police has moved on and replaced by Lt. Pete Piazza, who is boater amiable and said to be "fantastic" by the Officer-At-Large.

*Juliette DiCarlo represented The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society and spoke about the upcoming Leukemia Cup Event scheduled for 8/21 and 8/22 for both sailboats and powerboats. They have been raising funds for cancer since 1973 and have raised totally, about $24 million. In 1995, they raised $54,000 and in 2008, raised $284,000 in the same Event. So, they are looking to better that figure this year. Columbia Y/C will again sponsor and support this Event with a dinner on Friday night and the Race beginning on Saturday.




RACING
An Invitation to a Sailing Race/Party
At our last meeting I brought up the Double Handed Race from Northpoint marina to Port Washington.
This is an annual race sponsored by the Lake Michigan Single Handed Society to foster a casual and a good spirited race environment with the opportunity to compete with like minded individuals. All without the pressure of high level competition (although winning is nice).

The race is set up in sections of 5-9 boats on a fairly even PHRF rating. There are two divisions, spinnaker and jib and main. This is a straight line race from Northpoint to Port Washington. The race starts on Thursday June 18th at 9:30 in the morning. Nancy and I are the starting hosts from our Yacht Club. I have arranged with the marina to offer free slips for the night before the race. Included in your entry fee is 2 nights dockage at Port Washington and an awards party with as light dinner hosted by the Port Washington Yacht Club. Nancy and I also provide a Thursday morning breakfast at the club.

Many sailors use this race as a start to a longer cruise. It’s a good way to get a jump on a north end of the lake cruise. Some continue on north to Door County and beyond , cross to Michigan a take a leisurely cruise south or work their way back with stops in Milwaukee and Racine. Whatever your choice the race, with 40 to 50 boats out of Northpoint and 30 or so starting at the same time from Muskeegon, ends with one heck of a party raft up. This is an experience not to be missed.

For more information contact me at jvilimek@msn.com or go to the Singlehanded web site at www.lmssonline.com.

Joe Vilimek



2009 OUTINGS FLEET 21


May 23 Margarita Party (Shereyk, DeAre)

May 24 Bike the Drive

June 13? Sunflower Raft-up (location TBA)
(Thompson’s)
June 19-21 Summer Sailstice in New Buffalo (DeAre’s)

June 26-July 5 Taste of Chicago

July 11-13 Mac Bay Get-Away at Holland, MI

July 18 Chicago to Mackinaw Race

July 18? Tour of Boats-Burnham Harbor-(Thompson’s)

July 25 Venetian Night

August 1 Shrimp Boil at Northpoint Harbor (Vilimek; Meekma)

August 15-16 Air & Water Show

August 21-22 Leukemia Cup Race (Dave Green)

September 5-7 Michigan City (Luther’s)

September 19 Hammondfest (Bretall)