B INNACLE THE Columbia Calendar. A Review of a Year Filled with Fun on Water and Land

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1 WINTER 2016 THE B INNACLE 2016 Columbia Calendar A Review of a Year Filled with Fun on Water and Land Race Schedule, Sailing Classes and Marine Education Classes Announced

2 YOU MADE THEIR YEAR! Our 2015 Scholarship Program was a huge success thanks to you! Bruce Thomas, Advisor, Freeborn & Peters, LLP Etta McChristian, Counselor, South Shore Fine Arts Academy Kurt Thomsen, Sail Master, Columbia s Junior Sailing Program Jen McDermott, Grace Williams, Matt Arntzen, Sailing Coaches A testimonial from a grateful Mom I wanted to take the time to tell you all about the kids summer experience at The Columbia Yacht Club Sailing Camp and to thank you immensely for all of your efforts in helping to provide them with this once in a lifetime opportunity The kids had lots of stories to tell every day from their boats capsizing on numerous occasions and having to learn to recover, to the "boom" hitting one of them in the head, to swimming with dead fish and dragonflies attacking them, the list goes on... They were able to befriend other children from various walks of life They learned to become stronger swimmers and sailing vocabulary, but most importantly, they learned something they have never learned before and had a lot of fun doing it Sincerely, thank you everyone! It's because of you that my children will be able to tell the tales of when they went to sailing camp. You helped to provide them with an opportunity that not many inner city children get to experience. The Parker Family :) Building confidence, strength, resilience and childhood memories. Columbia s Chester Kuttner Foundation is as an Illinois not-for-profit Corporation 501 (3) (c). For more information on the Foundation or to make a donation that could help to change a child s life, you can visit us a T H E B I N N A CLOLUMBIASC E W I N T E R 2 0HESTERK 1 6 UTTNERF OUNDATION. ORG OR C ALL

3 Winter ON THE WATER FROM OUR COMMODORE Reflecting on a new role YACHT CLUB CHALLENGE Columbia racers take third place finish 2016 RACING SCHEDULE Start planning your summer COLUMBIA RACING A season full of new water adventures 2015 BOATER S BASH 2015 season champions SAILING SCHOOL 2016 registration is open LEGACY FOUNDATION Supporting our youth s sailing dreams POWER FLEET Putting the fun in fundraising IN THIS ISSUE SEA SCOUTS Off-season activities and continued service SKIPJACKS Adult sailing school registration is open CRUISING FLEET Thinking green and meeting our neighbors 2016 COLUMBIA CALENDAR A year of fun for everyone FROM THE GENERAL MANAGER Ready to re-open in February AMERICA S CUP WORLD SERIES International racing comes to Chicago ON THE ABBY LEUKEMIA CUP REGATTA & RED SKY NIGHT Making a global impact locally CHICAGO MARITIME MUSEUM Chicago s rich history HOLIDAY PARTIES Sharing good cheer! ACTIVITIES Something for everyone BAR & GRILL Comfort classics HOUSE Keeping up appearances MEMBERSHIP Why we joined and what it means to us FLOTSAM & JETSAM COLUMBIA YACHT CLUB 111 NORTH LAKE SHORE DRIVE CHICAGO, ILLINOIS COLUMBIAYACHTCLUB.ORG ON THE COVER MARY ALYCE AND ALAN BLUM ENTERTAINING GUESTS ON LAKE MICHIGAN ABOARD AESTAS The Binnacle is published by and for members of Columbia Yacht Club. Submissions related to the sport of yachting, Corinthian spirit and related activities are welcome. Articles, announcements and photos (with captions) should be sent for consideration to binnacle@colyc.org. For advertising specs and rate card, binnacle@colyc.org. Editor: Jill Lambert / Design: Shannon Jones / Design: Amy Jeppsen Stern, Jepdesign / Publicity Committee/Editors: Samantha Arnold, Cathy Bredlau, Denise Hockley-Cann, Marybeth Johnson, Shannon Jones, Mike Korbel, Jill Lambert, Jenni Langland, Kim Williamson / Photographers: Mary Ellen Johnston, Kim Williamson. Thank you to all our contributors and advertisers. V O L U M E 1 6 I S S U E 1 T H E B I N N A C L E 3

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5 From our Commodore Greetings to all the Members, It is both an honor and privilege to have been given your faith and trust to serve as the newest Commodore of Columbia Yacht Club. I would be remiss if I didn t express my personal note of thanks and gratitude to our newest past Commodore, Joe McGinnis, for his personal counsel and guidance over the last two years. I have some figuratively large shoes to fill in his wake. Joe s stewardship as the Commodore of our Club is evidenced by the excellent condition from both a fiscal and physical perspective he has passed on to me. Additionally, the Board of Directors has provided outstanding guidance to the dedicated and hard-working staff, all working in concert with all our volunteer committee chairs to ensure an incredibly, high quality experience for our membership each and every time they are at the Club, whether for one of our many events, or on a more informal basis. CRAIG L. HORTON During transition, Commodore McGinnis has tasked me to undertake is a thorough evaluation of our overall boating operations within the Club. The focus of this effort was anticipated to evaluate how Columbia fits into the entire boating community. We have been asked to define the importance of racing in context to our other missions and in context to what other clubs in Chicago are doing. As such, I formed a task force to take a closer look at our racing program and operations. This task force has done an excellent job of identifying areas that we had become lax. We are also looking at other areas of opportunity to improve the overall quality of racing experience Columbia provides, whether it is through the Wednesday evening Beer Can series, the Race Committee or our Area III participation. We will continue this process under my watch to look at the other areas of our boating operations to include the Cruising Fleet, Power Fleet, the adult and junior programs and Skipjacks. This process should ultimately provide Columbia with a blueprint of where we want to be and how we will be able to achieve these goals. As with any 50+ year old ship, there are challenges that must be addressed to keep her in top operational form. Commodore McGinnis has put in place policies and programs to address any concerns that may arise in a timely, logical and prudent manner. The most significant and immediate concern that the Club is addressing is the replacement of our aging boiler, which has served the Club since approximately 1984, and has now reached the end of its serviceable life. We will be addressing this issue over the next few months to ensure a smooth and warm Club is available to the membership at all times. The vast and varied resources available to the Club through our membership new and old, Associate and Regular t hat our membership volunteer with tremendous enthusiasm and ownership always amazes me. Columbia has always, and will continue to be, a volunteer-based Club. As such, I strongly encourage both new and old members to become involved with, and be active in a Committee. I have always found that one s appreciation of the Club is directly proportionate to the level of participation. Do you have an area of interest or expertise? Let us know your background, interest or experience may lend itself to some aspect of the Club. There is a Committee, most likely, that will welcome you. Again, thank you for your faith and confidence to allow me to serve Columbia. Rest assured, I will do my best to uphold the high standards that have been set by our past Commodores. See you at our Club! Very truly yours, Craig L. Horton Commodore V O L U M E 1 6 I S S U E 1 T H E B I N N A C L E 5

6 ON THE WATER 2015 Race to Mackinac Yacht Club Challenge Columbia Members Achieve Podium Finish Like all yacht clubs, Columbia is steeped in many traditions. Looking around the Club at the contents of the trophy cases and the pictures on the walls of current and past racing competitors, one of the most fundamental, foundational if you will, traditions within Columbia, like all yacht clubs around the world, is members racing to compete against other members and other clubs. The annual Race to Mackinac The Mac is also steeped in tradition, with the 107th running of the race held this past summer. A recent addition to the many traditions of The Mac is the Yacht Club Challenge. To win a podium finish (1st, 2nd or 3rd) in the Yacht Club Challenge, a club must have five or more entrants (members boats racing under the club burgee) in The Mac whose combined score in their respective divisions exceeds that of all other clubs. At this summer s inaugural Challenge, there were 22 Club members who entered The 2015 Mac race under the COLYC burgee, as required to qualify to participate in the Yacht Club Challenge. COLYC placed well in their respective divisions with six of 3RD PLACE WINNERS Celestial Tartan 4300 Jeff Linstrom Chaya Doin Jeanneau 409 Joshua & Marc Rubenstein Full Tilt J/109 Peter Priede Kutty s Ark Pearson 36 George Morrissey & Joe McGinnis Mirage Beneteau 42 John Boyle Renegade J/133 Thomas Papoutsis Shoe String Olson 34 Jay Grizzell Slot Machine J/88 Boyd Jarrell Striking J/105 Vanessa Gates Touch of Grey J/35 Larry Schell Turning Point Beneteau 40.7 David Hardy them achieving a podium finish two 1st place finishes and four 2nd place finishes. All 22 finishers contributed to Columbia achieving 3rd place, the first time a Chicago area club placed in the YC Challenge. Well done to our members and crew! Let s keep the tradition going in 2016! Chaika Beneteau 37 Gene Kovalsky First Light Owen Clark Class 40 FK Day Gonzo J/105 Kenneth Ganch Measure for Measure Morgan 36 Nelson-Marek Brian Tobin Momentus J/109 Kevin Saedi Rhumb Runner Beneteau 40.7 Katie Goldman Skye Nelson Marek 46 Jeff Hoswell Spanker Beneteau 40.7 Dennis J. McDonnell Tequila Mockingbird Beneteau 36.7 Chris Duhon Truant S2 9.1 Walter Kawula Whisper Express 34 Thomas E. Barnes 6 T H E B I N N A C L E W I N T E R

7 RACE COMMITTEE ON THE WATER 2016 Race Schedule 2016 PRELIMINARY AREA III SCHEDULE Plans are underway for summer 2016, when all boat owners start to think about how they want their season to shape up. The Race Committee is excited to announce dates to help sailors plan and look forward to sunnier days. It s a time for crew to enjoy time on the water the thrill of racing on the weekend or taking a leisurely cruise on an off-week. Our milder winter makes us even more anxious to get on the water, so here s a head s up on the 2016 season, both within and outside Area III racing. If you are new to racing, you might not be familiar with Area III. As the regional division of the Lake Michigan Sail Racing Federation, Area III does not host any races, but brings together yacht clubs from Winthrop Harbor, IL, to St. Joseph, MI, to increases participation by: Providing the racer with a standard means to sign up and participate in races from the various yacht clubs Providing a forum for the yacht clubs to coordinate their schedules and spread the events throughout the season Making it easier for the yacht clubs to sponsor races by handling signup, fee collection, scoring, protest oversight, and publication of results Visit for updates on the racing season and descriptions of races. If you d like more information or want to be a part of racing at Columbia, please contact us at race@colyc.org. Sunday Mon Tue Wed Thu Friday Saturday MAY Dash to the Dock Performance Series R Spring Opener & Long Distance Performance Series R Olympic Cup Lady Skipper R1 Memorial Day JUN COLORs Regatta & Long Distance Performance Series R3, R4 Lady Skipper R COLORs Regatta America s Cup World Series America s Cup World Series America s Cup World Series NOOD Regatta NOOD Regatta & Rally Distance Zimmer Long Distance Series R NOOD Regatta Chicago to Waukegan Long Distance Series R Waukegan to Chicago Long Distance Series R4 JUL Queen s Cup Performance Series R5, R St. Joe to Chicago Independence Chicago to Michigan City B.O.D.Y. Regatta (Prior J Day) Lady Skipper R3, R4 Day to Chicago Performance Series R Kaczmarek Cup Lutz Regatta & Long Distance Port Huron Mac Competition Series R1 Lady Skipper R Chicago Mac Cruising Race to Mackinac Fleet Long Distance Series R Hobelman OD Regatta Hobelman OD Regatta AUG Fran Byrne Regatta Lady Skipper R Chester Kuttner Regatta Verve Cup Offshore PHRFection to Michigan City Competition Series R3, R4, R5 Verve Cup Offshore & Distance Long Distance R PHRFection from Michigan City Commodore s Cup 3 Crib Fiasco Verve Cup Offshore Lady Skipper R7 Long Distance Series R Mayor Daley Leukemia Cup Regatta Competition Series R5, R6, R7 Double & Single Handed Challenge Verve Cup Inshore Verve Cup Inshore Hobelman Regatta Tri State: Chicago to St. Joe Verve Cup Inshore SEP Competition Series R8 Lady Skipper R Tri State: Tri State: BPYC Distance Race St. Joe to Mi. City Mi. City to Chicago Long Distance Series R8 Bi State: Labor Day St. Joe to Chicago Zukasky Memorial Sheldon Clark Regatta Competition Series R9 Commodore s Cup R1, R2, R Goose Island MORF Open R1, R2 GLIOR T10 Intercollegiate 25 BLUE = Columbia Yacht Club sponsored Race Goose Island MORF Open R3 GREEN = MORF Race GLIOR T10 Intercollegiate V O L U M E 1 6 I S S U E 1 T H E B I N N A C L E

8 ON THE WATER Columbia Racing A Season of Adventure GREAT LAKES INTERCOLLEGIATE OFFSHORE REGATTA TRI-STATE RACE COLORS REGATTA 8 T H E B I N N A C L E W I N T E R

9 ON THE WATER 2015 Boater s Bash LMSRF AREA III BUOY RACE SERIES BOAT OF THE YEAR CHAMPIONSHIP Tartan Ten 3 Winnebago Tim Rathbun J Striking Vanessa Gates Beneteau Turning Point David Hardy Beneteau Tequila Mockingbird Chris Duhon LMSRF AREA III PORT-TO-PORT SERIES BOAT OF THE YEAR CHAMPIONSHIP PHRF Spinnaker Section 1 2 Skye Jeff & Janet Hoswell PHRF Spinnaker Section 2 3 Renegade Thomas Papoutsis PHRF Spinnaker Section 5 2 Kutty s Ark Joe McGinnis & George Morrisey 3 Truant Walter Kawula Beneteau Turning Point David Hardy 2015 BEER CAN RACE SERIES CELEBRATION V O L U M E 1 6 I S S U E 1 T H E B I N N A C L E

10 ON THE WATER Columbia Sailing School 2016 Registration is Now Open! COLUMBIA OPTI TEAM COLUMBIA SAILING SCHOOL CAMP Last year, the Columbia Sailing School saw record numbers with over 300 participants. Enrollment for our 2016 programs are now open. Shark Bait (5-8 years old) and Pram (6-8 years old) classes welcome students beginning their sailing careers and learning to become comfortable being on the water. They generally sail close to the dock and have a multitude of land drills and games to keep them interested and stimulated all day. Beginning/Intermediate 420 classes are for our slightly older sailors who want to venture into a new bigger, faster boat. The class sails with two to three students per boat requiring them to work on communication and team work in order to get through the drill of the day. Advanced 420 group is for those sailors who are eager to get out on the race course and start competing. In this class, the sailors begin to learn basic racing strategy as well as learn how to use the spinnaker and trapeze. This group usually will compete in 2-3 local regattas during the summer to slowly introduce them to the racing world. This past summer marked the biggest number of Opti sailors Columbia has ever had. Prior to 2010, the Opti team was nonexistent at Columbia, when a group of sailors became interested and purchased Optis. Ever since, the team has been growing each year and continuing to become more competitive not only in the Midwest but nationally as well. This summer, our race and Green team had eight and nine sailors, respectively. The Green team is for very young sailors, as young as six, who want to start racing. Throughout the summer, they learn how to properly start and sail a race course, and basic sailing rules such as Starboard vs. Port and Windward vs. Leeward. This summer, our Green team competed in three events in Lake Forest, Wilmette and the Skyline regatta hosted by Columbia Yacht Club. The Green team also sailed this fall and had one member attend their first travel event in Macatawa Bay, Michigan and two members compete in the Halloween Regatta in Lake Forest. Even more impressive, four of our Green fleet sailors travelled with the Columbia team to Miami this winter to compete in the Orange Bowl Regatta. This is one of the largest junior regattas in the world with s, 300 Lasers and 400 Optis competing from all over the world. Columbia Yacht Club is extremely proud to have such a large group of Opti sailors traveling to Miami to represent the Club. It will surely be a memorable experience for the sailors and their families. Don t forget these important dates: JUNE 6 EARLY WEEK JUNE 10 PARENT ORIENTATION JUNE 13 SUMMER CAMP STARTS AUG 3-4 SKYLINE REGATTA AUG 12 JUNIOR BANQUET AUG 29 LATE WEEK 10 T H E B I N N A C L E W I N T E R

11 ON THE WATER 1 KURT THOMSEN SAILING DIRECTOR kurt@colyc.org 2 THOUGHTS ON QUALIFYING FOR THE OPTI TEAM TRIALS... BY SAM CHILDERS I ve been sailing Opti s with the Columbia Sailing School for five years now, starting in the Shark Bait program and moving up into the Opti Race Team. I am now competing in the White fleet, at local, regional, and national regattas, along with other members of Columbia s sailing team. This year our team coach, Dustin Domer, challenged us to set a personal goal of qualification at a United States Optimist Dingy Association (USODA) event. In case you are not familiar with the kid s dinghy racing circuit, most events are open meets, but you have to qualify in the top 25% of the field in order to be invited to participate at U.S. Team Trials, held once each year. Over Labor Day, our team travelled up to Minnesota to participate in the Midwest Championship Regatta, hosted by the Minnetonka Yacht Club. Fortunately, the racing conditions were favorable, with especially good wind on the second day. The most memorable regatta race for me was when I was trying to get a good start, jockeying for position with at least 45 other boats. As I was checking the line, it struck me that pin end was strongly favored, and the fleet starting at the committee boat end would have a tough first beat. Fortunately, no other kids really noticed, so I started in clear air, and soon was ahead of the fleet. The next leg was a reach but I found my bow pointed directly at the gybe mark. I came screaming back in on a tight reach, to round the mark for the downwind leg at a very close second; which I maintained throughout most of the race, crossing the line in 3rd overall. At the end of the regatta, I was very thankful to my coach who took the time to review my races, summarizing the highs and lows, and actively worked with me to improve my game. I was surprised to find out that my regatta result was 10th overall (top 15 qualified for team trials), and good enough for 2nd place in my fleet assignment. The other bonus was that my dad promised me customized Oakley s if I qualified...and you can bet I ll be seen sporting around in a sweet pair of new shades! 1 LILY WOJCIK, CASEY GIGNAC, SAM WOJCIK, CHRIS HUMMEL, SAILORS FROM LYONS TOWNSHIP, ONE OF OUR NEW PARTICIPATING SCHOOLS, GETTING READY TO HIT THE WATER 2 ELIJAH GOLDMAN AND SAM CHILDERS ENJOYING SUMMER CAMP V OV Lo Ul um me e 1 6 I S S U E 1 T H E B I N N A C L E 11

12 ON THE WATER Legacy Foundation Columbia s rich history has always included encouraging young people to join our community and in 2015, that tradition continued through the Legacy Foundation. The Legacy Foundation is a non-profit charitable entity dedicated to promoting the sport of sailing, marine education, sportsmanship and competition. It is supported by donations from our membership, intended to benefit those who may not otherwise be able to experience maritime activities. We received this letter from one of our students Dear Legacy Foundation, First and foremost, I would like to thank you for all your help in making this summer possible. Without your financial help, none of what I achieved could have been possible. I participated in many events this summer that included three major ones and I practiced every single day that I was not racing (I m not exaggerating here - I was on the water every day this summer!). The major events included The Neill Clinic at Chicago Yacht Club, The Ida Lewis in South Carolina and Bemis Trophy in Massachusetts. Through the Neill Clinic, I have to say; I learned more about heavy air boat control and how to set up my boat than anywhere else. This clinic brought in some of the best college coaches including John Pierce, the coach from George Washington University. That is one of several colleges that I am interested in attending so it was an incredible experience to be able to talk with him about sailing, his school and to be coached by him. The coaches were each dynamic and offered new tips on how to wire to wire tack in a c420, where the crew can go from fully extended on the trap on one side of the boat to the other side in under five seconds. Through the coaches I learned that as the skipper, it is my job to turn the boat at the proper speed. My crew, Emily, and I can now handle our boat in over 20 knots of wind (which for a c420 is a lot!). In addition, our wire to wire tacking has improved tremendously. Ida Lewis was on Columbia Lake in South Carolina. This was a completely different type of lake, with little wind or waves. I improved over previous years and was able to finish mid-fleet in this highly competitive event. At this clinic they taught me how to keep my spinnaker full in light wind: normally in light wind you want to take hot angles for maximum speed, however once it gets to the 0-5 knot range, it is better to soak low and keep your spinnaker full than it is to head on hot angles. These two clinics couldn t have been more different from each other in terms of wind; however, they both taught me so many valuable tools and techniques that I used later on in the summer. Bemis is the largest regatta in the Midwest over the summer. There, all of the top sailors in the Midwest come together and compete. I have done this regatta in past years but I had never done very well (normally placing bottom half of the fleet). This summer however, I was much more prepared. The first day of the event it was a lot like it was at Neill Clinic super windy!!!! We went out and got top half of the fleet by the end of the first day, which was light years better than years past but it didn t sit right with Emily and me we knew we could do better! That night we talked to our coach Kurt for over four hours and just picked his brain for any information that could help us perform better the next day. He explained to us shifts and oscillations and what that meant for us in terms of racing. After that we felt a lot more confident going into the next two days. We ended up finishing sixth in the Midwest that we were ecstatic about! With your help, we hope that next year we can be number one. This is a very obtainable goal since I just finished my first high school event of the year and placed second out of twenty teams. I have improved tremendously since I started sailing and everyday I go to practice I learn something new and use that knowledge to continue to improve. My incredible experiences through Summer Race Team were only possible thanks to the generous support of the Legacy Foundation. My mom is a single mom raising me while paying for my sister to attend college and I would not have been able to attend without assistance. I am incredibly grateful to you and hope that my racing shows how committed I am to Columbia Yacht Club. If you are able to continue to financially support my sailing next summer, I plan to continue to improve until I am able to win Bemis. With sincerest thanks, Colleen Baumann 12 T H E B I N N A C L E W I N T E R

13 5th Year is The Charm! The 5th Annual Leukemia Cup Poker Run, held August 8, 2015, raised $102,500. Since Columbia Yacht Club has partnered with the Chicago Corinthian Yacht Club to co-host this event as a part of the Summer of FUN(d), the Poker Run has raised $382,000 to support the IL Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. Back then, Past Commodore of the CCYC, Dave Brezina was diagnosed with Non-Hodgkins Lymphoma and quickly stepped up to be on the Poker Run Committee where he has been a part of our Committee ever since. Dave was named our Honored Hero this year where his story of courage and survival was highlighted and he spoke at our Poker Run and the Regatta. Commodore Brezina has been an inspiration to our Committee, our friends at LLS and everyone involved. Join us this summer: Join Captains and their Crews traveling to four different harbors to select random Poker Cards then returning to the Corinthian to get their last card to form their Poker Hand. Post-event, the Corinthian spirit continues with an evening of rocking the night away with live music, passed appetizers, gourmet buffet, silent auction, raffles, and a crowdfavorite Heads/Tails game. The Poker Run s Success benefits LLS, enabling them to continue their efforts to find cures for blood cancers. Thank you to the Corinthian & Columbia Yacht Clubs for their support and partnership with our Event & Cause. We are already looking forward to improving our efforts next year, continuing our momentum and making a big difference in the fight against Blood-Related Cancers. Thank You to all who attended, donated, and/or sponsored a Captain/Team for making this possible! It is a truly special event, and without YOU, we can not have achieved this success!! ON THE WATER BILL GRANT & POKER RUN COMMITTEE 1 MIKE SIWICKI, SCOTT FORINGER AND TEMPLE DALY PARTICIPATING IN THE DAY S EVENTS 2 SUSAN NILSSON, DAVE BREZINA AND DOMINIC IRPINO ENJOYING THE VIEW FROM THE ABBY RESTAURANT DECK 3 ANDY GERAKARIS, SUSAN NILSSON, DOMINIC IRPINO, MIRANDA WASSEF AND TONY KOLASA AT THE POST-RACE PARTY 4 MIRANDA WASSEF AND TEMPLE DALY RELAXING DURING THE COMPETITION 5 DAVE BREZINA, CCYC PAST COMMODORE, POKER RUN COMMITTEE MEMBER AND HONORED HERO OF THIS YEAR S EVENT, SHARE S HIS SURVIVAL STORY 6 MARK AND KARI UETZ, WITH SISTER CASSIDY AND BROTHER SAWYER, SHARE HOW MEANINGFUL FUNDRAISING HAS BEEN IN THEIR DAUGHTER DANICA S FIGHT AGAINST LEUKEMIA (IN DAD S ARMS) V OV Lo Ul um me e 1 6 I S S U E 1 T H E B I N N A C L E 13

14 ON THE WATER Sea Scout Challenge #5111 ADJUSTING OUR SAILS The winds of change at the local Boy Scout Council have had a significant effect on the robust program we ve enjoyed over the past ten years. Gone, at least for now, is our big boat, SSTV Nautilus. So gone is our long cruise program, which has seen us on deliveries back from Mackinac Island, and week-long sailing adventures and service projects in distant harbors. The goodwill engendered by these activities has been significant and is sorely missed. We may be smaller now, due to relocation and going off to college of some of our Scouts and leaders, but we are just as committed to service, advancement, recruiting, and most of all, fun. Though sailing activities were diminished this past season, and racing as well as race committee work are no longer an option, we still found time for exciting activities. CELEBRATION Venetian Night returned to Navy Pier for its second year at that new venue, and the Sea Scouts were again a winning team. Last summer, our sister Ship 5886 from the Montrose Harbor area created a dazzling light, scenic and musical entry of The Wiz for the Broadway in Chicago theme. Using the J35 Bretwalda, the Sea Scouts earned 1st Place as well the People s Choice Award. Not to be outdone, last summer s spectacular entry, Captain Hook s The Jolly Roger from Peter Pan, took 2nd place thanks to the combined efforts of our own Ship 5111, Ship 5886 and Ship 2015 from Skokie. SERVICE TO COMMUNITY An adjunct to the annual Christmas Ship Service Project at Navy Pier, the Sea Scouts enter their second decade playing host to hundreds of scouts and scouters from all over the Midwest at our annual fundraiser, the Christmas Ship Sleepover aboard The Abegweit. Beginning at 6PM on Friday, a potluck and sweets buffet is set up, a DJ spins tunes and the dance party begins. Late in the evening, sleeping areas are assigned all over the club ship s upper decks and our guests bed down in a variety of air mattresses, sleeping bags and pads, or even sitting up in a chair! Bright and early at sunrise, we start with breakfast to prepare for the work ahead. After the flag ceremony, we headed over to Navy Pier and the USCG Cutter Mackinaw to unload a few thousand Christmas trees that are donated to local faith-based organizations, and along with warm clothing, ornaments, lights and gifts, given to needy families who would otherwise not have much of a holiday. While the Sea Scouts labor, so do we, preparing a hotdog and chili lunch for their return followed with the evening s Jingle Bell Rock Party. Our heartfelt thanks to the yacht club staff, and this year s great adult volunteers, Robin Scrofani, Wally & Katie Gorzen, Teresa Fleischman, Francis Baumgart, Jim and Alex Zoiopoulos and Bruno Lago; and our youth contingent, Christine Vo, Liam and Milo Gorzen, Nina Fleischman, Greg Levinson and Tiana Sherwood. 14 T H E B I N N A C L E W I N T E R

15 MARTY BERNSTEIN SKIPPER SKIPJACK 2016 REGISTRATION IS OPEN! ON THE HORIZON The New Year will see us providing service again, giving back to our sponsor, Columbia Yacht Club, who gives us so much. The annual winter work party beckons and we are prepared to get down and dirty with whatever House projects the committee deems appropriate. Last year, a dozen of our youth and adult volunteers turned out over a two-day weekend, mixing and pouring, sanding and scraping, sweeping and cleaning. Let s do it again! We also participated in the annual Boat Show, where we took our turn manning the Sea Scout booth, climbing all over boats and perhaps picking up a few items for next sailing season. That will bring us into March, and the new sailing season looms just over that horizon. Behind the scenes, we are working on the acquisition of a vessel to return to Monroe Harbor, and perhaps to share with other groups at our yacht club. Stay tuned. We could not do what we do without the support of our club members, staff, flag officers and board, as well as the greater boating community. We thank you again and again. Bravo Zulu job well done. PHOTO CREDIT: Bradford Smith, 2015 Skipjack Photo Winner Want to get out on the water but don t know how? Want to be a part of the crew but not sure what to do? Want to meet other new and experienced sailors and more Club members? Skipjacks is the perfect sailing program for you! The course provides a perfect introduction to the sport for adults who want to get a basic understanding of sailing. The 8 week series starts with 2 classroom sessions, where new sailors learn everything from port to starboard, bow to stern, how to deal with the wind and elements and sailing techniques, etiquette, and safety. The next 5 weeks is when the fun really begins! The class ventures forth safely onto Lake Michigan under the guidance of club skippers and their crew who provide an invaluable hands-on experience! Celebrate your experience and new friendships the final week at the graduation ceremony. May 10 June 28, Tuesdays, 6:30 P.M. $300 Members/$350 Non-Members ColumbiaYachtClub.org/Sailing School VVO LLU M E E I SI SSU E E 11 T H E B I IN N A C L E 15

16 ON THE WATER Cruising Fleet 2 The Cruising Fleet wrapped up another year of fantastic cruising and camaraderie with a full calendar featuring ten events scheduled some even on land! At our Spring Seminar, Mark Gillingham presented best practices for being Clean and Green using non-toxic products when caring for our boats. Kim Kreiling, Coordinator of the Illinois DNR s Clean Marina Program, shared her program which encourages voluntary adoption of measures to reduce pollution from marinas, boatyards and recreational boats. Both Monroe Street and DuSable are among the Chicago area certified marinas. The Jackson Park Yacht Club graciously hosted our group of land and water cruisers for our annual Memorial Day Cruise with an American Barbeque potluck dinner on their patio. Event Chairs Mike and Michelle Lane grilled delicious brats and burgers with plenty of appetizers, salads and desserts to share. It was a sunny and unusually warm day to shake the cobwebs out of the engines and sails. Several boats stayed the night and headed back ahead of some storms that were brewing on Sunday morning. We celebrated the longest day of the summer with our Summer Sailstice Cruise to 31st Street Harbor. An enjoyable day of sailing and a wonderful potluck lunch was shared by all! Thank you, Paul Uhl, for organizing this cruise. Our 4th of July cruise took us to our favorite destination - South Haven, Michigan, where they really know how to make an Independence Day celebration special! Several boats sailed through the night on Thursday arriving in time on Friday for a fabulous potluck dinner. Grillmaster and event chair Steve Hopkins spoiled us with his fabulous marinated beef tenderloin, complimented with a spread of appetizers, salads, veggies and Michigan fruit pies. It was a feast! The night was capped off by spectacular fireworks at the mouth of the channel. Saturday was filled with shopping, biking, the art fair 1 and more eating. The South Haven Yacht Club hosted our group with a special dinner under their new tentenclosed patio on Sunday. Boats took off Sunday morning for home or destinations further north. It was a perfect weekend! Labor Day weekend saw the Cruising fleet set sail to New Buffalo, Michigan. The Municipal Marina was a great location for walking into town and to the beach. The New Buffalo Yacht Club was a pleasant respite to the heat when they hosted us for dinner, in spite of their kitchen being out of order. Event chairs Doug and Wendy Sibery regaled us with homesmoked pork and chicken on Sunday that was out of this world! Another fabulous potluck dinner was shared by the Cruising Fleet members! Mid-September, we hopped aboard our land vessel, a 40 passenger bus, to cruise Chicago Craft Breweries. The first waypoint 16 T H E B I N N A C L E W I N T E R

17 ON THE WATER CINDY HOPKINS CRUISING FLEET CHAIR on our voyage was Lagunitas Brewing Company where they rolled out the red carpet for our group, thanks to Club member Susan Coursey! We were treated to their VIP room where brewmaster Jake enthusiastically shared the stories and tastes of a number of their special brews. He led us on a fun-filled tour of the brewery and to their Tap Room where we sampled more delicious brew. Event co-chair Jonathan Bordoli challenged us all to a trivia quiz on Craft Beers, Boating and Chicago. Lagunitas won our hearts again, by donating the prizes of cases of beer and sweet T-shirts! We wrapped up the year with our End of the Year party. We celebrated all the fun we had this year and thanked the hard working event chairs! The coveted Boat of the Year Brag Flags were presented to the members with the most participation points for the year! New Cruising Fleet members this year, Jonathan and Teresa Bordoli, Mike and Michelle Lane and Barb and Paul Uhl won 1st, 2nd and 3rd place, respectively. Congratulations to our winners! We look forward to another fun-filled season in We hope that you will join us for some of our events! 1 MEMBERS PARADE THEIR BOATS IN THE ANNUAL FLEET REVIEW 2 TERESA BORDOLI PICKS WHICH FILET SHE WOULD LIKE FROM GRILLMASTER STEVE HOPKINS AT THE 4TH OF JULY POTLUCK IN SOUTH HAVEN, MI 3 DOUG SIBERY, EVENT CHAIR, SHARES THE SECRETS TO HIS SMOKED PORK AND CHICKEN IN NEW BUFFALO AT THE LABOR DAY POTLUCK 4 THE CRUISING FLEET CELEBRATES MEMORIAL DAY AT JACKSON PARK YACHT CLUB 5 MIKE LANE, ANDREA AND DAVID RAPAPORT AND CINDY AND STEVE HOPKINS GATHER FOR THE FLEET DINNER AT THE SOUTH HAVEN YACHT CLUB 6 MARK GILLINGHAM AND KIM KREILING PRESENT AT THE CLEAN AND GREEN BOATING SEMINAR V O L U M E 1 6 I S S U E 1 T H E B I N N A C L E 17

18 IN THIS ISSUE 2016 Columbia Yacht Club Calendar January 30 CHILI COOK OFF February COLUMBIA RE-OPENS WINE CLUB WINTER LUAU OPENING CELEBRATION SUPERBOWL 50 PARTY TRIVIA NIGHT BOOK CLUB MARINE EDUCATION: CPR & FIRST AID CERTIFICATION SECTION I VALENTINE S DAY SWING PARTY MARINE EDUCATION: CPR & FIRST AID CERTIFICATION SECTION II POKER NIGHT MARINE EDUCATION: SPLICING 101 GENERAL MEMBERSHIP MEETING MARINE EDUCATION: MOCK TRIALS March MARINE EDUCATION: CPR & FIRST AID CERTIFICATION SECTION III MARINE EDUCATION: GREAT LAKES BASIC MARINE WEATHER PROSPECT MEMBER S BRUNCH SEA SCOUT CHOWDAH FEST TRIVIA NIGHT BOOK CLUB NEW HOLLAND BEER AND SPIRITS DINNER WINE CLUB ST. PATRICK S DAY PARTY MARINE EDUCATION: CPR & FIRST AID CERTIFICATION SECTION IV IRISH WAKE UP BRUNCH POKER NIGHT ITALIAN WINES EVENT SPRING SAILING BEGINS CRUISING FLEET SPRING KICK-OFF PARTY MARINE EDUCATION: SAFETY AT SEA 23 GENERAL MEMBERSHIP MEETING EASTER EGG DYEING 25 EASTER BRUNCH 27 April WINE CLUB MARINE EDUCATION: US SAILING CLUB JUDGE SEMINAR TRIVIA NIGHT BOOK CLUB POKER NIGHT PASSOVER SEDER GENERAL MEMBERSHIP MEETING THIS CALENDAR IS CURRENT AS OF PUBLICATION. PLEASE CHECK THE CLUB WEBSITE OR WEEKLY UPDATE FOR ANY UPDATES TO THE SCHEDULED EVENTS. 18 T H E B I N N A C L E W I N T E R

19 IN THIS ISSUE May June WINE CLUB MOTHER S DAY BRUNCH SKIPJACKS BEGINS BOOK CLUB MARINE EDUCATION: ADVANCE WEATHER FOR BUOY RACING DASH TO THE DOCK RACE ADVANCED SKIPJACKS SESSION I BEGINS BEER CAN COLLEGE & CREW MIXER TRIVIA NIGHT COMMODORE S RECEPTION KEELBOAT CERTIFICATION SESSION I BEGINS BEER CAN TUNE-UP RACE ADULT LEARN TO SAIL SESSION I BEGINS GENERAL MEMBERSHIP MTG ADULT LEARN TO SAIL SESSION I BEGINS BEER CAN RACING BEGINS WINE CLUB ADULT SPINNAKER HANDLING AND RACING CLASS BEGINS COLORS REGATTA KEELBOAT CERTIFICATION SESSION II BEGINS BOOK CLUB AMERICA S CUP WORLD SERIES IN CHICAGO July SAILING SCHOOL SUMMER CAMP BEGINS TRIVIA NIGHT KEELBOAT CERTIFICATION SESSION III BEGINS TASTE OF THE LAKES DOCK IN MOVIE NIGHT SUP CHI-STAND UP TO BLOOD CANCERS REGATTA SKIPJACKS GRADUATION & PARTY ADVANCED SKIPJACKS SESSION II BEGINS DOCK IN MOVIE NIGHT DOG DAYS ON THE DOCK ALL AMERICAN 4TH OF JULY ADULT LEARN TO SAIL SESSION II BEGINS MICHIGAN CITY NIGHT RACE ADULT LEARN TO SAIL SESSION II BEGINS KEELBOAT CERTIFICATION SESSION IV BEGINS B.O.D.Y. REGATTA (FORMERLY J DAY) BOOK CLUB FLEET REVIEW TRIVIA NIGHT August POKER RUN POT LUCK DOCK PARTY DOCK IN MOVIE NIGHT KEELBOAT CERTIFICATION SESSION V BEGINS FRAN BYRNE REGATTA CHESTER KUTTNER REGATTA BOOK CLUB JUNIOR SAILING BANQUET TRIVIA NIGHT DOCK-IN MOVIE NIGHT 3 CRIB FIASCO MAYOR DALEY REGATTA LLS RED SKY NIGHT GALA LEUKEMIA CUP REGATTA V O L U M E 1 6 I S S U E 1 T H E B I N N A C L E 19

20 IN THIS ISSUE 2016 Columbia Yacht Club Calendar September WINE CLUB CHICAGO-TO-ST. JOE REGATTA TRI STATE REGATTA BOOK CLUB TRIVIA NIGHT 17 OKTOBERFEST GREAT LAKES INTERCOLLEGIATE OFFSHORE REGATTA GENERAL MEMBERSHIP MEETING October WINE CLUB TRIVIA NIGHT BOOK CLUB LOBSTER BOIL OPEN HOUSE CHICAGO GENERAL MEMBERSHIP MEETING KID S HALLOWEEN PARTY November BOATER S BASH WINE CLUB CRUISING FLEET END OF YEAR PARTY TRIVIA NIGHT BOOK CLUB Please join us for our regularly scheduled Committee meetings your help is always welcome and appreciated! 1st Tuesday BAR & GRILL COMMITTEE RACE COMMITTEE ACTIVITIES COMMITTEE 2nd Thursday MEMBERSHIP COMMITTEE 2nd Saturday BOATS COMMITTEE 3rd Thursday PUBLICITY COMMITTEE DOCK COMMITTEE SHEPHERD CHAMPIONSHIP REGATTA DECORATE THE ABBY ALUMNI REGATTA WINE CLUB December JINGLE BELL ROCK ANNUAL GENERAL MEMBERSHIP MTG BOOK CLUB 11 CHILDREN S HOLIDAY PARTY TRIVIA NIGHT EMPLOYEE HOLIDAY PARTY CHANUKAH CELEBRATION NEW YEAR S EVE CELEBRATION 20 T H E B I N N A C L E W I N T E R

21 BY NICK PHILP GENERAL MANAGER ON IN THIS THE ISSUE ABBY From our General Manager For most yacht clubs, a typical winter consists of the occasional gathering of members and storing away all the summer fun for the season. But as most of you know, Columbia Yacht Club does not stop at typical! Instead, we celebrate with many events, gathering on our lovely Club Ship, Abegweit, and continue to educate ourselves on all things boating for the upcoming season. Holiday parties are also a long-standing tradition of Columbia Yacht Club. In December, we enjoyed several including Jingle NICK PHILP Bell Rock, Celebration of Lights for Chanukah, Children s Christmas, New Year s Eve and the year-long awaited Employee Christmas. As we reopen in February, the fun times keep rolling with events like the Winter Luau, Bingo Brunch and Valentine s Weekend with Paris Swing Band. Ask any member or their guests, and you ll hear about how the Club remains the friendliest gathering spot in Chicago, even when sitting in a frozen Monroe Harbor. Let s face it, our Abby looks pretty sweet in packed ice! Once you re aboard, the galley crew and service staff will keep you warm with the winter fare and tasty libations. This is a great time to get a group together and enjoy the Club for a private party. Let us help you with cabin fever this winter. One of the most important off season activities is continued education of marine knowledge. The Columbia Race Committee and Sailing School have put together an incredible winter and spring schedule. The classes vary from simple weather to in-depth on water safety. You can find descriptions of all of these seminars and sign up at Columbia Yacht Club is one of the most active and vibrant clubs in the country. With so much going on, we use many avenues to keep you connected. Keep an eye for the Weekly Update s, The Bridge s, Facebook posts, Instagram pictures and, of course, The Binnacle. STAFF CONTACT INFORMATION ANY COLUMBIA STAFF MEMBER CAN BE REACHED BY CALLING THE CLUB AT (312-WET-DOCK) OR VIA AT THE ADDRESSES BELOW: NICK PHILP GENERAL MANAGER NICK@COLYC.ORG TIM MULLEN OPERATIONS MANAGER TIM@COLYC.ORG ALBERTO GARCIA CHEF DE CUISINE ALBERTO@COLYC.ORG RYAN CONLIN FOOD & BEVERAGE MANAGER RYAN@COLYC.ORG KURT THOMSEN ON THE WATER DIRECTOR KURT@COLYC.ORG DUSTIN DOMER SAILING PROGRAM MANAGER DUSTIN@COLYC.ORG CLAY VANCE FACILITIES MANAGER CLAY@COLYC.ORG JANET MARTINEZ OFFICE MANAGER JANET@COLYC.ORG TOM TRULIS CONTROLLER TOM@COLYC.ORG V OV LO UL MU E M E I S IS US E U E 1 1 T HT E H E B IB NI N AN CA LC EL E PHOTOS BY BILL HANYZEWSKI

22 IN THIS ISSUE America s Cup World Series Comes to Chicago! On June 10-12, Lake Michigan will be electrified with the excitement of hosting the America s Cup World Series in Chicago. Never before have Chicagoans, sailors and spectators alike, had the opportunity to experience the art and high drama of these amazing teams in our own lake. Columbia Yacht Club members will have the amazing advantage of viewing events from The Abby. This event weekend promises to be one no sailor or sports enthusiast will want to miss! The Louis Vuitton America s Cup World Series is a racing circuit featuring the best sailors in the world, competing on foiling, wing-sailed 45ft catamarans. The Series, which began in Bermuda in 2015, is the first stage of competition in the 35th America s Cup. Overall ranking position in the Louis Vuitton America s Cup World Series determines the starting points score of the teams in the America s Cup Qualifiers in T H E BII N N A C L E WI I N T E R

23 Race Location The AC45 catamarans will moor north of Navy Pier, and the race course will take place west of Monroe Harbor. The finish line is on the south side of Navy Pier and north of COLYC! Race Village tickets now on sale at GET INVOLVED! Look to the COLYC Activities Committee for events throughout the weekend to support and celebrate this historic event or become a race Ambassador! BOATERS BASH + PARADE OF BOATS Sunday morning before racing boats on the lakefront VOLUNTEER your time On-water & On-shore Community Boating with CPS & CPD volunteer@chicagomatchrace.com V O L U M E 1 6 I S S U E 1 T H E B I N N A C L E 23

24 ON THE ABBY Setting our sites on $500,000 Chicago s Leukemia Cup Regatta fundraising season is on the horizon The 2016 Summer of FUN(d) is an exciting series of events that together raise money for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. As Columbia s signature charitable event, the Club takes great pride in uniting yachtsmen from across the city in the fight against blood cancers. The series includes events for every on-the-water interest. Here s a look at what s on the Calendar this summer: STAND UP AGAINST BLOOD CANCERS SUP REGATTA Saturday, June 25 11:00 am Gather your friends for a day filled with outrageous costumes, commentary and competition! Teams of four compete for SUP glory by paddling around Columbia s dock in a series of heats. Single-elimination, all equipment provided, prizes for top fundraisers, finishers and best costume, PLUS an after-party with food and a Bloody Mary bar! $200 per team of four. Individual entry, $75. Visit supchi.com for complete info and to register. LEUKEMIA CUP POKER RUN Saturday, August 6 1:00 pm Start your engines for the Power Boat Poker Run, hosted by Chicago Corinthian Yacht Club. Travel to five destinations on the lake to pick up your poker hand, then return to CCYC for the After Party. Entry fee is $125 and includes one poker hand and one party ticket. The After Party is one of the hottest parties of the summer and features amazing gourmet food, open pour bar, silent auction and a fabulous live band. Visit pokerrunchicago.com to learn more. RED SKY NIGHT Friday, August 26 6:00 pm This festive evening of food and drink is the elegant kick-off to Regatta Weekend. Plentiful food stations, open pour cocktails, live music and unique silent and live auctions bursting with hand-to-find-anywhere experiences make Red Sky Night the don t miss party of the summer. Tickets and complete details at redskynight.org. LEUKEMIA CUP REGATTA Saturday, August 27 1:00 pm Raise a sail in the fight against blood cancers at the event that started it all, the Leukemia Cup. Pick your level of competition with a choice of courses and sections. The race is followed by a rockin tent party featuring the wildly popular Raingutter Regatta, a Caribbean buffet, Gosling s and Goose Island open pour, awards and live music. Register for the race today at leukemiacup.org/il. 24 T H E B I N N A C L E W I N T E R

25 ON THE ABBY TRACY HOWARD LEUKEMIA CUP REGATTA CHAIR Volunteer opportunities abound Looking to get involved with planning and organizing Summer of FUN(d) events? We ve got jobs for everyone and no contribution is too small. Find out how you can help by attending the second annual New Blood event in the Upper Salon on March 25. Sip a cocktail or two while learning about the wide variety of committee opportunities. One lucky attendee will win official Leukemia Cup gear! New website makes registration and fundraising a LOT easier! We ve heard your frustration regarding our website and are proud to announce that a new, improved and fully functioning site is now up and running. Visit leukemiacup.org/il for complete information on all events in the Summer of FUN(d) and to register RECAP The numbers are tallied, and here s the statistics on how we did last year. Thanks to everyone who helped support this pretty impressive report! Chicago final total: a record $439,753 Placed second in the nation behind San Francisco; Savannah came in 3rd Poker Run raised nearly $100,000 SUP more than doubled 2014 revenue by raising more than $8,000 REGISTER TODAY! Registration is open for the 2016 Leukemia Cup Regatta, and early-bird pricing is in effect. It s not too early to start fundraising!! Visit today to register: leukemiacup.org/il V O L U M E 1 6 I S S U E 1 T H E B I N N A C L E 25

26 ON THE ABBY Chicago s Maritime Museum has roots in Columbia Yacht Club July 24, 1915 was a drizzly yet warm Chicago summer day which brought 2,500 happy excursionists aboard the steamer S.S. Eastland, docked on the Chicago River and heading out to Michigan City, Indiana for a day of leisure. The sounds of excitement and jubilation as the ship rocked backed back and forth quickly turned to agonizing cries of help as the vessel, which was improperly ballasted, pitched to its side while preparing to leave its river berth. The loss of life was more than 800, although many on board were never found. This incident is considered one of the greatest Great Lakes shipping accidents. 1 The dramatic story of the Eastland disaster is an example of many events that comprise Chicago s maritime history and a replica of the capsized ship as well as a dive suit from the rescue effort are just a sampling of the extensive collection of artifacts, models, art, images, documents and books a visitor can see at the Chicago Maritime Museum which is set for a public launching in early Ideally located in the Bridgeport Art Center on the shores of Bubbly Creek and minutes from downtown Chicago, the museum showcases Chicago s rich maritime roots. Dr. Gerald Jerry Thomas is President and Director of the museum and is a longtime member of the COLYC community, serving two years as Commodore in the 1990 s. Thomas remains an avid sailor having completed 40 Mac races and currently serves as the head of the Chester Kuttner Foundation a Columbia organization that promotes competitive sailing for inner- city children from Chicago Public Schools by providing scholarships for children to attend the Junior Sailing Program at COLYC. The museum has been a long work in progress starting in the 1980s. Over the years many COLYC members have contributed significantly to the foundation of the museum, Thomas reflects. My interest in the museum comes from my love of sailing and my involvement with COLYC was a motivator for me to do something more and give back, explains Thomas. The Abby is a great example of how Daniel Burnham s vision of reclaiming the lakefront for recreational activity is realized. The museum is more than this because it captures Chicago s unique history as a main transportation hub. The museum s refurbished space includes almost 10,000 square feet 26 T H E B I N N A C L E W I N T E R PHOTO CREDIT: CHICAGO MARITIME MUSEUM

27 ON THE ABBY on the river level of the building. While retaining an earthy warehouse look, the space showcases neutral tones and wooded surfaces. It includes a lecture area, a conference room, offices, and a functioning kitchen. Thomas lights up as he explains that Chicago s maritime history began with Native Americans and their canoes and continued with other sailing craft after the arrival of Europeans to the present day. The museum will display many canoes from the Great Lakes as well as worldwide. The collection includes a replica of a fourteen foot long Tetede-Boule birchbark built by the late Ralph Frese for the television miniseries Centennial starring Richard Chamberlain. Visitors will also be delighted to see a replica of the USS Wolverine an aircraft carrier which was converted from the Seeandbee, a Great Lakes paddlewheel steamer. The story of this carrier takes the visitor back to 1942 when the nation was engaged in war against Japan. Docked at Chicago s Navy Pier, this carrier was used as training ground for pilots to practice takeoff and landing on aircraft carriers. The museum is 100% volunteer and is located at 1200 West 35th Street (river level), Chicago. For more information contact www. chicagomaritimemuseum.org (773) THE MAIN STEM OF THE CHICAGO RIVER AT RUSH STREET, DEPICTING A FLOATING BRIDGE DESTROYED BY AN ICE STORM IN SS EASTLAND DISASTER ON JULY 24, 1915, ON THE CHICAGO RIVER 3 USS WOLVERINE AIRCRAFT CARRIER (1942) 4 BIRCHBARK CANOES V O L U M E 1 6 I S S U E 1 T H E B I N N A C L E 27

28 ON THE ABBY Happy Holidays! T H E B I N N A C L E W I N T E R

29 ON THE ABBY V O L U M E 1 6 I S S U E 1 T H E B I N N A C L E 29

30 ON THE ABBY A Year-In! Fun 2015 Columbia Activities Committee Report An integral part of any social club is of course its activities, its parties, its events the occasions that not only bring people together, but also celebrate the Club s members and traditions. The 2015 Columbia Activities Committee did just that. We brought our community members together, toasted old and new members alike, and made memories that will last a lifetime or at least until February when we re-open from winter break! The Columbia Activities Committee meets the first Tuesday of the month at 6:30 p.m. The Committee is always looking for new members and event ideas to join in on the FUN! Contact us at activities@colyc.com. THIS YEAR, TOGETHER WITH OUR 800+ MEMBERS, WE SHARED IN FUN TIMES BOTH ON AND OFF THE WATER WE INVITED OUR FOUR- LEGGED FRIENDS TO JOIN US ON THE ABBY FOR THE 4TH OF JULY CELEBRATION (THANKS TO THE DOCK COMMITTEE) WE WATCHED MEMBERS DANCED AWAY WITH FIRST PLACE AT OUR OKTOBERFEST POLKA CONTEST WE TRICK AND TREATED AT OUR ALWAYS PACKED AND LIVELY KIDS HALLOWEEN PARTY! WE DOUBLED DOWN ON FUN AT COLYC S FIRST POKER NIGHT AND TOURNAMENT 30 T H E B I N N A C L E W I N T E R

31 WE ATE SO. MUCH. LOBSTER. NEVER, EVER UNDERESTIMATE THE IMPORTANCE OF FUN. -RANDY PAUSCH V O L U M E 1 6 I S S U E 1 T H E B I N N A C L E

32 ON THE ABBY Columbia Classics: Comfort s Always on the Menu Chicago is a culinary city and Chicagoans love food, from Alinea to Weiner Circle, Columbia members are a reflection of that, with evolved palates and high expectations. Columbia Yacht Club s restaurant is a hidden treasure, known by our membership and guest as an excellent proving ground to enjoy our fancy, seasonal fare. Our evolving menu features new and original menu items but we new selections are a welcome addition, not replacement, for the original menu we ve grown to love. The Columbia Yacht Club menu falls into two categories: Columbia Classics and everything else. So how does a dish become a Columbia Classic? Classics include recipes that have been around for years, they are popular across all demographics of the club, and are typically the best sellers on the menu. Some dishes, like the Bookbinder Soup, have a historical aspect, and all measure the feelings of the club towards the menu. Columbia Classics bridge the old and the new. And Chef Alberto and the kitchen staff constantly strive to improve the quality of ingredients. 1 Bookbinder Soup is an oldie and the recipe predates all the current kitchen staff making it the first thing a new hire learns. This soup was first made in 1893 when Samuel Bookbinder started serving it in his Old Original Bookbinder s restaurant in Philadelphia. It is only served at a small number of other places, including, famously, The Drake Hotel here in Chicago. The Columbia version is unique in that it uses a roux base rather than the traditional tomato broth but does of course serve the traditional tot of sherry alongside! While it s gone through some evolutions, our Beef Stroganoff has stayed true to its origins. At one point a few years ago, a fancier version was tried, but the old-school classic was preferred. This doesn t stop the kitchen from making small improvements with the best ingredients, and that includes MSG-free veal stock and short ribs to make it rich and delicious. Nick calls it a hug in a bowl the perfect comfort food. Other popular American dinertype dishes include the Mozzarella sticks, procured from a local patisserie, Spaghetti with garlic bread and Chicken Pot Pie. Fajitas are a Tex-Mex favorite. No one remembers why or when we started serving fajitas out of Columbia s galley. What we do know is that they have found a permanent home on the bar and grill menu and are wildly popular. Columbia s culinary program takes advantage of Chicago s status as a transportation hub and procures the freshest seafood. Nowhere is this more apparent than the Oysters on a Half Shell. Surprisingly, Columbia sells more oysters than many Chicago seafood restaurants. Oysters are ordered each day to assure freshness, and Chef Alberto chooses the varietals weekly based on seasonality and what looks and tastes the best. Delaware Bay oysters are the everyday basic, and Chef typically tries to add a west coast Asian varietal to mix it up. One dish that you can only get here is Oysters Rockefeller. Columbia s recipe is like no one else s, and includes spinach, hollandaise sauce, and horseradish. When the traditional Southern recipe was tried, members told the staff loud and clear that they preferred Oysters CHICKEN POT PIE 2 OYSTERS ON THE HALF SHELL 3 OYSTERS ROCKERFELLER 4 SHRIMP FAJITAS 5 FISH N CHIPS T H E B I N N A C L E W I N T E R T H E B I N N A C L E W I N T E R

33 ON THE ABBY SARAH TROMANS BAR AND GRILL CHAIR Rockefeller the Columbia Way. So what s the number one selling dish on our menu? Would it surprise you to know it s something as simple as Fish and Chips? When Nick came to club, the fish was frozen, prebreaded haddock. It was improved to fresh, house-made IPA battered black cod, and sales skyrocketed. And while English pub-style was tried with peas and carrots, the members preferred American style, with fries and cole slaw. And don t forget in the Bar. If you ve had a Bloody Mary at Columbia then you know what a classic they are, especially with the garnish of an olive, pickle, pepper jack cheese, salami, and the jalapeno bacon swizzle. Another bar classic is that sailor s favorite, the Dark & Stormy, dating back to 1863 when the Gosling brothers started selling their rum out of the barrel. They then switched to champagne bottles and sealed the corks with black sealing wax so people started asking for black seal rum. Many years later the barreljuggling baby black seal was born. That mix of ginger beer, topped off with Gosling s Rum and a squeeze of lime will help keep those summer memories going through the cold winter until boat work starts in the spring! Chef Alberto and his staff are always looking to improve the taste and quality of every dish, but never want to move away from what our members love. A big thank you to Nick, Ryan, Chef Alberto and the team for the great work they did at keeping our energy up over the busy summer months! They do a fantastic job, juggling high-end events, crowded bar, busy deck and dining room plus late night food for hungry racers. If you have an idea for an improvement or a new dish (or an old one that you miss), let the Bar and Grill Committee know: barandgrill@colyc.org. Have a great photo of your food and dining experience? Share it with us by using the hashtag #colycfood on Facebook and Instagram. Don t forget to like our Facebook page to keep up-to-date with the latest prix fixe menu offering or drinks specials. The website calendar and the Weekly Updates also include announcements of any special events or changes in hours of operation in the Bar or Dining Room. We pride ourselves on our flexibility so please make sure the Chef or Wait Staff is aware of any food allergies, dietary restrictions or special requests and they will be accommodated wherever possible. Also, as always, if there is anything you don t see on the menu, please ask. 5 4 DINING OPTIONS - WINTER HOURS Dining Room Brunch / Lunch Tue Fri Sat Sun Dinner Wed, Thu & Sun Fri & Sat am 5.00 pm 9.00 am 5.00 pm 5.00 pm pm 5.00 pm pm Bar Brunch / Lunch Tue Fri Sat Sun Dinner Tue Thu Fri Sat Sun am 5.00 pm 9.00 am 5.00 pm 5.00 pm pm 5.00 pm pm 5.00 pm 9.00 pm V O L U M E 1 6 I S S U E 1 T H E B I N N A C L E

34 ON THE ABBY Keeping Up Appearances 1 This past year has been one of tremendous change on the House Committee, and one we hope is making us more effective, efficient, and accountable. A huge thank you to Dave Sturdy for all he accomplished as the former House Committee Chair prior to passing the baton over to Joe Marciniak and myself. We have had the luxury of building on his solid foundation and continued involvement. 2 Under the leadership of our flag officer, Rear Commodore Scott Johnson, we have established a House Steering Council consisting of former commodores and House chairmen: Bill Bartz Woody Hansmann Bob Horenkamp Mark Rempa Dave Sturdy 3 34 T H E B I N N A C L E W I N T E R

35 ON THE ABBY MARTIN COONEY HOUSE CO-CHAIR These Five Fathers provide the experience and continuity, coupled with an incredible amount of love and knowledge of The Abby, to properly assess technical proposals and any project of any significant financial and intensive needs. Under this arrangement, we hope to avoid any delays and revisions that have cropped up on occasion in the past. We have also been very fortunate to have the support of a growing number of members as well, and we regularly have a dozen volunteer members at our meetings. That said, we are always looking for new ideas and an extra hand so we encourage everyone who is interested to join us! While our beloved Abby is a beauty, she is showing her age, and we are hard at work keeping her in good, safe condition. We have been burning through a number of maintenance items behind-thescenes that will keep The Abby in shape for years to come. RAIL DECK A significant addition to membership enjoyment of The Abby was the completion of the rail deck. As a result, we now have a beautiful (and high-heel friendly!) surface and were able to provide additional outdoor seating along the rail deck with food service provided by the bar. During the Summer months, Members and their guests were able to enjoy dinner and/or a cocktail under the Southern sky. BOILER REPLACEMENT Among the projects in flight is the replacement of the Club Ship s boiler. While the current boiler is operational, the House Committee recommended replacement of the boiler to pro-actively address a potential interruption of club usage, as well as costly repairs should an emergency arise as often seen with older equipment. IMPROVED WIRELESS NETWORK Knowing how important the ability to stay connected while at The Abby, the Stewards Committee requested the House Committee to conduct a thorough evaluation of The Abby s WiFi network. A subcommittee looked at all aspects, including signal strength, speed/throughput, VoIP call quality and intermittent connectivity. They assessed the entire WiFi setup, including hardware and ISP, and determined the root of the problem is our network bandwidth limitations. After review of several ISP bids, the subcommittee has made a recommendation and a fix is on the way! Many thanks to the following for their support on this project: Dave Baker Tom Besore Mike Blanchard Jeff Vander Meade Perry Weinberg Additional projects to be complete by year s end include: New aft doors New heat trace and flow valve for winter New A/C unit for the bridge Repair pier electrical box destroyed in last storm New manlift for staff and volunteer safety Installation of safer, codecompliant lighting on the rail deck Finally, we have an electrical project underway, being ably led by our own Mary Egan, to map each and every outlet on The Abby back to its own circuit breaker. This will provide a comprehensive mapping of all the Club Ship s circuitry that will be leveraged for years to come to expedite additional improvements and repairs. Mary is looking for more volunteers to help with this undertaking, so if you re interested in seeing parts of the ship that are otherwise off-limits to members, contact us at house@colyc.org and we ll put you in touch. Big shout-out to Mary Egan and Bill Bartz for this huge undertaking! 1 SEA SCOUT MEMBERS VOLUNTEER TO HELP WITH THE ABBY S UPKEEP 2 WOODY HANSMANN, PERRY WEINBERG AND ED HERAGHTY TAKE A BREAK 3 DEDICATED VOLUNTEERS CREATING OUR BEAUTIFUL NEW DECK V O L U M E 1 6 I S S U E 1 T H E B I N N A C L E 35

36 ON THE ABBY Why We Joined Columbia Yacht Club... We wanted to get back into sailing and experience Chicago s waterfront. The Club appealed to us because of the Ship s uniqueness. The Membership Committee was very friendly and welcoming. There s a great community of friends and activities. We have enjoyed the Wine Club, social parties and Race Committee. The staff is excellent. It s a fun and friendly atmosphere with the best view of the city. Sue & Doug Hoffman Through the Skipjacks and Advanced Skipjacks courses, I met so many members who were willing to help me learn to become a sailor. It was a natural choice to continue my involvement with these wonderful people and the club as a member. Jenni Langland Joining is a fantastic way to connect with the Chicago sailing community and meet a great group of people. From Skipjacks, Advanced Skipjacks to leasing my own boat, Columbia has changed my world. Steve Call I joined the Club because it is a great way to continue to learn more about sailing and to meet new people. I've gotten to do a lot of really cool things I wouldn't have experienced otherwise Brandi Hovizi We joined Columbia for the dock but, everything is so convenient - you can freshen up at the Club after a sail. The restaurant is always good and the people are friendly. There are people from all around at Columbia who have one thing in common - they like boating. Marilyn Olson 36 T H E B I N N A C L E W I N T E R

37 ON THE ABBY...And What Columbia Yacht Club Means to Us I joined Columbia after several years as a guest of my father. I thought it was about time that I ponied up and started paying dues! I joined for more than simply access to the docks. Membership at Columbia means access to wicked brunch specials, the best trivia night in town, bartenders who know I prefer my gimlets with fresh lime juice and simple syrup and a great group of people who never get tired of my sailing yarns. Karl A. Olson I took Skipjacks in 2009 and later got involved with Beer Can racing, the Leukemia Cup events and Race Committee at a few clubs. The sailing community, in general, was very welcoming. Columbia, in particular, felt like home. To me, being a member means I always have a home and a community on the water. I'm so grateful for all the wonderful people I've been fortunate to meet at COLYC. Come for the sailing, stay for the friendships! Kirstin Hartman Want to enjoy our lakefront aboard The Abegweit and meet other lake lovers? Join us at our annual Prospective Members brunch and learn why our Members love being a part of the Columbia Yacht Club community and what Club membership has to offer. Join by May 31 and save 50% off initiation fee March 6, 11:00 a.m. 2:00 p.m. For questions membership@colyc.org V O L U M E 1 6 I S S U E 1 T H E B I N N A C L E 37

38 ON THE ABBY Flotsam & Jetsam EXPERIENCING THE CORINTHIAN SPIRIT There are unsung heroes in our Club who unselfishly come to the aid of other boaters. Many times their deeds go unrecognized. This time I want to personally thank one of our avid, relatively new boaters and the crew that was mustered who came to my aide. This past Fall, I sent an a few weeks ago to the members of a committee I am on stating that I was incapacitated for a while and could not make the meeting. I had a few well wishes and one person asked if there was anything they could do. The season was ending and there was no way I could get on the boat for the end of season river trip. I needed a Captain and crew for a scheduled bridge opening date. Without hesitation, the reply was, Don t worry, I ll take care of it. Some typical boat problems came up and the river trip had to be postponed until the last day the harbor was officially open. October 31st was a cold and wet day, not fit for man or boater, but when there is a schedule, it must be kept. Needless to say, the boat was delivered, unscathed to the marina where I met the tired, cold wet crew for a ride back to the Club ship. Hot toddy s were served to get the chill off the bones followed by lunch with a few stronger libations. A mere thank you does not begin to express the gratitude for the rescue. Captain Ron, SV Bequia COMING THIS SUMMER Running late? Stuck in traffic? No time for shopping? Problem solved. Pre-order your food at The Abegweit bar through our new app (or website) and it ll be ready when you arrive! More information to come, just in time to kick off your boating season! 38 T H E B I N N A C L E W I N T E R

39 Enhance Your Experiences on The Water Marine Education Seminars Splicing 101 February 20; $65 includes splicing kit and keg beer Mock Trials February 27; Speaker: Local Judges, $10 juniors/$20 adult sailors including lunch Great Lakes Basic Marine Weather March 5; Speaker: Mark Thornton, $50 before February 16, $65 after, including lunch and keg beer to follow US Safety at Sea Seminar March19; Speaker: Multiple, $100 member, $120 nonmember, including lunch and keg beer to follow Advanced Weather for Buoy Racing May 14; Speaker: Chris Bedford, $65 for members, $75 for non-member before May 11; $80 after, including lunch and keg beer to follow Adult CPR/First Aid/ AED American Red Cross Certification Columbia Yacht Club is a certified training facility for the American Red Cross. All class materials are included. Four Class times offered. $60 for Columbia Yacht Club Members; $70 for nonmembers CLASS 1: February 13-12:00 P.M. to 5:00 P.M. CLASS 2: February 16 & 18, - 6:00 P.M. to 8:30 P.M. CLASS 3: March 1 & 3-6:00 P.M. to 8:30 P.M. CLASS 4: March 12-12:00 P.M. TO 5:00 P.M. Contact for details V O L U M E 1 6 I S S U E 1 T H E B I N N A C L E

40 111 NORTH LAKE SHORE DRIVE CHICAGO, ILLINOIS Wednesday, February 10 7:30 p.m. Book Club Thursday, February 11 5:30 p.m. Super Bowl Party February 7 5:30 P.M. POKER NIGHT Chowdah Fest 2016 Monday, March 7 T H E B I N N A C L E W I N T E R :00 p.m. Wednesday, February 17 7:00 p.m.