Fleetsheet Archive
May 2018
SEASON OPENER
Battens in. Sails up. Hit a home run this month by attending Fleet 21’s traditional start of the sailing season—our Launch Party on Saturday, May 26, at Burnham Harbor. The tables will be loaded with our usual bounty of appetizers and you’re sure to score with the traditional beverage fresh from the blender. While we may not be as old as baseball, for 25 years we’ve led off with this event!
Enough of the baseball talk! We’ll be in our usual spot just south of the Burnham Park Yacht Club beginning at 3:30 pm. We hope to have parking passes (thanks to the efforts of Lori Lauraitis), that will allow you to park in the lot just north of the Yacht Club. Otherwise there is usually pay parking available in the old airport parking lot. If you don’t see a Fleet member at the entrance to the Yacht Club lot, drive past the Yacht Club and stop at the party. We’ll let you know where to park. While most people drive to this outing, you can sail to Burnham. Call the Burnham Harbor Master to arrange for a slip.
Please bring an appetizer to share. We will not be going to the Club for dinner, so make your appetizer a substantial one. Also bring chairs. Membership directories will be distributed at this event.
The Summer Outings Schedule is enclosed with this newsletter. Mark your calendar now and plan to attend. Rainy weather? Too far to sail? Drive there! Most events go on rain or shine and it’s always a good time when Fleet members get together. There is also still time to add an event to the schedule. Would you like to see us visit your harbor? Contact Outings Chairman Dave DeAre and we’ll see what can be arranged.
Fleet 21 is now on Facebook! Thanks to the efforts of Laura Pohl, you can share photos and news with other Catalina owners on Facebook. Just search Facebook for Catalina Fleet 21 Chicago Region and ask to join our group.
A MESSAGE FROM THE
COMMODORE
Fleet 21’s start to the 2018 season has been fantastic. Coming back here to Chicago, Catalina Fleet 21 provided a presentation on Sail Trim at Crowley’s Yachtapoolza event in March. This was our first invitation to be part of their Yachtapoolza program. The Fleet was well received and the attendees gave a positive review on the PowerPoint presentation Sandy Stone presented.The Fleet headed to Corinthian Yacht Club in April for our annual Brown Bag Auction (Mariner’s Service Fund Fundraiser) at Corinthian Yacht Club. This event was well attended by members and friends of the Fleet. For those who were unable to attend this event and would like to contribute, contact any Catalina Fleet 21-Chicago Region board members for your donation to the “Catalina Fleet 21 Mariner’s Service Fund.”
As of this writing, it is the first weekend in May. I am doing what many of us are at this time of year: accompanying fellow members and friends with bringing their boats into the harbors for the season. My first sail was Saturday from Crowley’s Yacht Yard to Dusable Harbor on Moondance. It was a nice day for sailing on the water. I wish to see you all out there under similar conditions.
Commodore
James Caldwell
Catalina Fleet 21 Chicago
The Commodore & Fred Swastek taking Quiet Island to Montrose Harbor on May 7th
BUY/SELL/TRADE
Fleet members may list items they want to buy, sale or trade in this column. Listings are free and run for 3 issues of the newsletter. Send submissions to the Fleet Sheet editor at deare30@sbcglobal.net
FOR SALE: 1998 Catalina C250 Water ballast, swing keel boat. She shows like a boat half her age. Very clean & in great condition inside and out. New Yamaha 99 motor 2017. New sails 2016. New galvanized trailer 2012. Mast stepping system for on the hard or in water. Summers in Michigan City, winter stored in heated building. The list of new items & upgrades is way to extensive to list here. Please contact me for pictures and more info. $17,900. Leo Beer 708-204-6771 or LPBeer@yahoo.com
HARBOR NEWS
From Ted Kuenzli at Michigan City:
Good news from Michigan City Marina is the addition of two boat rides that will be new this year. The first is the cruise ship which will do two cruises each day. Both cruises on this boat will be about two hours long and will include a box lunch for purchase along with refreshment. The evening cruise will have entertainment also.
The second boat will be a go-fast which will hold 35 people and the cruise will last about 40 minutes at a speed of 50 miles a hour. The Marina continues to hold their slip prices and offer a lot for the money. Come over and take a look.
MEMBERSHIP
Welcome aboard to the following new members:
Skipper James W Graham
1st Mate: Linda K. Kingman
Boat Name: Ma Maison d’Ete Size: 320
Sail # 910
Harbor: Wilmette Mooring: N/A
We also welcome these new members who joined in
October:
Skipper: Daniel Bella
First Mate: Helen Bella
Boat Name: Creola II Size: 370
Harbor: Michigan City, Mooring #872
We are saddened to hear of the death of Linda Kleitz, a long standing member of Fleet 21, wife of Del Kleitz who passed away in 2018. Linda was a two-term Secretary for the club and co-fundraising chairman with Mary Beth Cybul for two years. Their boat, Lone Wolf, sailed out of Great Lakes Harbor. She was a kind and generous person and she will be sorely missed. Linda died from complications of thyroid cancer treatment on February 22. She leaves behind two children and five grandchildren. A complete obituary may be found on the Geils Funeral Home homepage.
CYA
Reported by Lori Lauraitis
Meeting of April 26, 2018
Held at Diversey Yacht Club
Scott Stevenson began at 6:00pm, by introducing his Assistant, Ben Alden. He stated the seiche of April 13, created some wild weather, broke chains, & a
caused setbacks for Westrec from doing Spring repairs. Racine suffered more damage because they were hit harder. Lake levels are challenging our crews this year.
– Westrec offices will open in July at Northerly Island, south of the airport
– the fishing pier will be extended & a new dock will be available to accommodate transient visitors.
– MONTROSE – Harbor Manager Tyron will remain. Refurbishing “E” Dock, electric, water repairs are done.
– BELMONT – Harbor Manager Rick Grassano, Bill Blair, Terence Gavin & a Coast Guard retiree will staff the harbor. Fuel dock passed inspection & all chains in place.
– DU SABLE – Sean Connelly & Keith will remain
– the seiche broke chains. Crew cleaning-up. Pile driving rig installing fingers on the north end.
– MONROE – Luke will remain. New mooring cans & fairway will look different & hope all boaters will like the new look! East & West rows this year! Changed the main channel. Urban Kayaks, Paddle Boards, tours, food truck all anxious to be setup on the south side of the Harbor.
– BURNHAM PARK – Cathy Ramirez & her team will all remain at Burnham. Significant fuel dock improvement. Seiche damaged the fishing pier & moved “E & H” docks. But it will be enlarged & extended. Seiche again caused delays.
– 31st STREET – Gina Rodriquez & crew will remain – “L” Dock
– took off some footage & will have fingers. Docks wider to allow bigger boats to tie-up. Garage is open & business will begin as usual.
– JACKSON PARK- OUTER – John Bolton, will remain & Joe Williams is feeling better & will help on weekends -Outer looked better a couple of weeks ago. Because seiche caused 3 fingers to move to the beach. Hope to have repairs made by 5/1. Water issues on “A” Dock to be addressed.
– Columbia Y/C will host the Yachting Celebration on 11/10/18 from 6 to 11:00 pm
RACING
The 2018 North American Championship for the Catalina 30/309 Class returns to Chicago again this year. The regatta will be hosted by Columbia Yacht Club on August 17-19. There will be no cost docking on the Columbia Yacht Club dock to boats entered starting Thursday August 17 to Monday, August 20. For more information contact Hike Hettel at 309-256-3735 or Michael.e.hettel@gmail.com. Fleet 21’s Bob Garrett in Intention consistently placed in the top three positions of this race last year.
OUTINGS
Let the outings begin! First up is the Launch Party on Memorial Day Weekend quickly followed by the Summer Sailstice at 31st Street.. While more details on this outing will be in the June Fleet Sheet, if you know now that you be attending, please email your boat name and size to the sponsor John Jackiw at
jnjackiw@gmail.com. This will be a great help to John as he arranges for slips for our group.
Illinois Boating Registration Renewal
As you may know, the Illinois Department of Conservation no longer sends out boat registration renewal notices. Instead the boat owner is required renew on line. I looked at my registration and found that it would expire on June 30, 2018. So I went on line and here is what I found:
All Illinois boat registrations expire on June 30. Registration is for 3 years and must be renewed on line at: WWW.DNR.Illinois.gov/boating
You enter your current registration number, provide additional information regarding the boat and ownership and provide a credit card to pay for the 3 year renewal. About 2 weeks after renewing on line, you should receive the new registration and decal for your boat.
Check your registration to determine if you need to renew this year. If not, don’t forget to renew, when your boat is due. Do it on line per the instructions above. Apparently there is a significant fine for not renewing, so unless you want to contribute extra $ to the Department of Conservation, Check your registration and renew to avoid a fine!