SATURDAY, MAY 24 AT MONROE STATION
79 th ANNUAL FLEET REVIEW
At the beginning of each yachting season, it is the custom for the Commodore and the Flag Officers to inspect the Chicago Yacht Club fleet.
In days gone by, the Commodore made the inspection from the deck of his Flagship, visiting each yacht in turn at its regular mooring. As the Club grew, so grew the number of yachts and anchorages until it became impractical for the Commodore to perform the annual inspection in this manner. As a result, it has become more expedient to reverse the procedure. Today, the yachts pass in review before the Commodore...hence, the Fleet Review.
The Commodore’s Annual Fleet Review is one of the Club’s premier yachting events of the season. Participants enjoy the pageantry of passing in review and having the CYC Flag Officers salute the ensign.
Spectators seated on the patio have a wonderful view of the procession of vessels in dress ship. They watch as crews at attention lower their ensign to “half-mast” before the Flag Officers as they wait for their salute. The Fleet Review is an event all members can enjoy both on and off the water.
COMMISSIONING & 79 th ANNUAL FLEET REVIEW
SCHEDULE OF EVENTS
Morning Colors and Fleet Review participants commence dressing of their vessels
Fleet Review Brunch starts
COMMISSIONING CEREMONY
✶ Welcome & Opening by Commodore
✶ Blessing of the Fleet by Father Enright
✶ Remarks from Flag Officers
✶ Officers Flag Presentation
✶ Flag Raising Ceremony
Fleet Review participants board their vessels and proceed to the staging area north of the Monroe Street Harbor entrance
Sailboat Skippers report to their Group Commanders at the Monroe Outer Harbor
Powerboat Skippers report to their Group Commanders at the Monroe Outer Harbor
Chicago Yacht Club vessel sounds First Gun
✶ Displays red flag: 15 minute warning before procession commences
Chicago Yacht Club vessel sounds Second Gun
✶ Displays blue flag: PROCESSION OF FLEET COMMENCES
✶ Boat introductions by Past Commodore
Leif Sigmond
Welcome aboard with Commodore Charles Anderson and the Flag Officers and a champagne toast to the Fleet
Alex Abell
Diane Foote
Michael Gillian
FLAG OFFICERS
Commodore Charles Anderson
Vice Commodore Laura Sigmond
Rear Commodore Martin Sandoval
Secretary Randall Schmidt
Treasurer Christopher Thomas
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Ian Fisher
Jeffrey Mills
Erin Mitchell
Lisa Curcio Gaston
Eric Oesterle
A. David Radomski
Whitney Towey
OFFICERS APPOINTED BY THE COMMODORE
Fleet Captain Samuel Wm. Sax
Deputy Fleet Captain Robert Bied
OFFICERS ELECTED BY THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Fleet Surgeon Dr. Chris Albanis
Historian and Librarian Elizabeth (Betsy) Barrett
Judge Advocate Ray Groble
Measurer Tom Falck
CASRA Eric Oesterle, Earle Atwater, & Sara Oakes
MWPHRF Delegates Eric Oesterle, Steve Dorfman, & Michael Dannecker
SPECIAL THANKS TO THE FLEET REVIEW COMMITTEE
Chair, Amy Schwartz
Robert Bied
Leif Sigmond
Francesca Sigmond
Caroline Sandoval
ABOUT OUR FLEET
The Chicago Yacht Club has more than 1,200 Regular, Associate, Junior and Veteran members. Of these, roughly half own boats. While boat ownership is not required, our members belong to the Club because they have a love for boating and the nautical arts.
Our members own powerboats and sailboats. We are racers and cruisers. Many powerboats have creature comforts on par with a fine home. Sailboats at Chicago Yacht Club are divided into three fleets: Offshore, Cruising, and Racing Yacht. You will see representatives of all our fleets today.
Offshore boats are generally used for racing. Our Cruising Sail Fleet boats tend to have more creature comforts. But cruisers can be racers, too. The Race to Mackinac has a large Cruising Sail division.
Our Racing Yacht Fleet includes boats that tend to be smaller and are primarily used for in-shore racing. While the Offshore and Cruising boats usually have engines, the boats of the Racing Yacht Fleet generally do not. The skilled sailors of the Racing Yacht Fleet sail into the docks!
Perhaps the most unique fleet in the Club is the DragonForce 65 remotecontrolled boats that race off both clubhouses. The DragonForce 65 boats are a competitive one-design remote-controlled yacht that is recognized by the American Model Yachting Association.
Chicago Yacht Club itself owns more than 150 boats. Our 25’ Sea Ray is available for member rental and is a popular way to get out with friends and family on a summer day. We have a large group of powerboats to support our Race Committee from the old and proud Carrier to small, quick RIBs. We also have a large fleet of sailboats from the Bugs, in which our youngest sailors learn, to the Sonars and Tom 28s that are available for education and for member rental. Chicago Yacht Club has a large and diverse fleet with many opportunities for people to be on the water. We hope you enjoy the entire day of tradition and fun at the Chicago Yacht Club.
We extend a special thank you to our members and staff who have helped organize today’s program. Our volunteers continue to be the lifeblood of Chicago Yacht Club, and we are fortunate to have amazing staff that make this our home away from home.
PAST COMMODORES
John Prindiville, 1875
T. M. Bradley, 1876-77, 1879
Albert A. Munger, 1878
H. F. Griswold, 1880-83
A. J. Fisher, 1884-94
P. F. Pettibone, 1895
W. A. Paulsen, 1896
Fred W. Morgan, 1897-99
George Warrington, 1900
Charles H. Thorne, 1901-03, 1918-19
Marshall D. Wilber, 1904-05
William L. Baum, 1906-07, 1910, 1924
John B. Berryman, 1908-09
William Hale Thompson, 1911-12
James O. Heyworth, 1913
William A. Lydon, 1914-15
H. M. Higginbotham, 1916-17
Fred A. Price, 1920
Sheldon Clark, 1920-23
Charles E. Fox, 1925
Hollis E. Potter, 1926, 1935-36
George Woodruff, 1927-31
Clark C. Wright, 1932
Otto C. Schoenwerk, 1933-34
Christen J. Peterson, 1934
Arthur R. Metz, 1937
Wells A. Lippincott, 1938
Karl Nibecker, 1939-40
Victor C. Milliken, 1941
E. E. Sheridan, 1942
Philo H. Danly, 1943-45
George Sollitt, 1946-47
Sumner S. Sollitt, 1948-49
Chester H. Warrington, 1950-51
Edward M. Railton, 1952
Henry W. Angsten, 1953-54
Theodore M. Dunlap, 1955-56
Mark A. Brown, 1957-58
Lewis W. Gilbert, 1959-60
Herman T. Van Mell, 1961-62
Donald F. Buckingham, 1963-64
George B. Wendt, 1965-66
Richard S. Latham, 1967-68
Charles A. Geib, 1969-70
Eugene M. Kinney, 1971-72
Bruce H. Danly, 1973-74
Joseph S. Wright, Sr., 1975-76
V. Wilbert Haag, 1977-78
Philip A. Watson, 1979-80
Roy W. Spanjer, 1981-82
William L. Robinson, Sr., 1983-84
Jack B. Gable, 1985-86
William W. Parks, 1987-88
Theodore Lake, Jr., 1989-90
Joseph S. Wright, Jr., 1991-92
Leon M. Delano, Jr., 1993-94
Robin M. Demouth, 1995-96
Homer J. Livingston, Jr., 1997
Kurt P. Stocker, 1998-99
Walter G. Vartan, 2000-01
Raymond J. Green, 2002-03
Albert G. D’Ottavio, 2004-05
David J. Daul, 2006-07, 2010
John E. Regan, 2008-09
Joseph S. Haas, 2011-12
Gerald F. Bober PhD, 2013-14
Greg J. Miarecki, 2015-16
Leif R. Sigmond, 2017-18
Louis Sandoval, 2019-20
Nick Berberian, 2021-22
Lisa Curcio Gaston, 2023
IN-WATER BOAT & TECH SHOW
Friday, May 30 Saturday, May 31
FATHER’S DAY CELEBRATIONS
Sunday, June 15 LAKESIDE LEBLANC MEMBER MIXER
Thursday, June 26
116TH
CHICAGO YACHT CLUB RACE TO MACKINAC PRESENTED BY WINTRUST
Friday, July 18 & Saturday, July 19
NORTH AMERICAN CRUISER ASSOCIATION CHAMPIONSHIP
Wednesday, August 20 Saturday, August 23
VERVE REGATTA
Offshore: Friday, August 8 ― Sunday, August 10
Inshore: Friday, August 22 Sunday, August 24
J/109 NAC: Thursday, August 21 Sunday, August 24
CHICAGO REGATTA PRESENTED BY WINTRUST
Saturday, September 6
