CRUISING SAIL FLEET

NEW YEAR, NEW FOCUS AND A RENEWED CRUISING SAILING FLEET

BY RICK REED

The Cruising Sailing Fleet has a new focus for the new year. We will be offering a robust calendar of events with the goal of attracting participation from those in the CSF who have a boat and for other CYC members without boats who want to socialize and cruise with us.

As an example, this year we will introduce the Wednesday night Fireworks Dinner & Cruise. Once a month at 6:30 p.m., we’ll meet in Monroe Station for dinner and sit together. There we will decide who wants to go for a cruise to watch the fireworks from the water and who wants to watch dockside. No boat? No problem. You’re invited to jump on board with someone who does!

Besides CSF-sponsored events, like the Fireworks Dinner & Cruise, we also will host CSF Table Events, where we piggy-back onto a CYC event and reserve a table or two to sit together and socialize. This could be at a variety of club events such as: a WOW event, a Nautical Education seminar, Winter Curling, Thanksgiving Dinner, Sunday Brunch or the NYE Party. We will just be sitting together at the CSF Table (members, friends and family, with or without a boat), promoting camaraderie and participation. Watch for CSF Table Events on the Club calendar soon.

To get started for 2023, we will have our monthly CSF committee meeting on the second Tuesday of the month followed by a monthly dinner for all to join in the following Friday. We then start the sail season off with a Meet the Cruising Sailing Fleet in April and end the season with our Awards Banquet in November.

In between, we have three threeday cruises planned and four oneday cruises, the last one being the end of season day cruise to Belmont Station for the Club’s lobster dinner. In addition, we will have two charity lunch & cruise events, an employee and family appreciation cruise, and the Ladies Skipper Race. We plan for an active, social and sailing fleet in 2023. Officially, to be a member of the Cruising Sailing Fleet or to be on its committee, you need to own a boat. However, to join us for any CSF Event, to cruise or socialize with us, you only need to be gregarious! Please join us, with or without a boat. Welcome aboard!✶

WOMEN ON THE WATER COMMITTEE

BY NANCY BERBERIAN

The Women’s Committee of the Chicago Yacht Club continued its active schedule, both on the water and on land. Once again, the Friday night WOW Sonar Series was sold out this year. Whether the ladies wanted to improve their sailing skills or simply gaze at beautiful sunsets, there was something for everyone to enjoy in the Sonars on Lake Michigan. Thank you to Ivan and the Adult Education staff for another fantastic season.

We were equally active on land. For the Leadership Series, we were thrilled to welcome Vice Admiral Sandy Stosz, who shared her many experiences as the first woman in a male-dominated field. Through her challenges and triumphs, she revealed how she developed her own leadership philosophy. Thank you to Admiral Stosz for inspiring us and for your many years of service. We were also able to squeeze in one more pastry class with CYC’s amazing Pastry Chef Faith, who showed us how to make ganache. Once we learned the secrets of whipping up a batch of ganache, Chef Faith shared decorating and baking tips just in time for the holidays. Traditional fall events, including the Harvest Wine Dinner, WOW Night of Networking Club Crawl, and An Evening with Wintrust were all tremendous successes. This year’s Day of Service was held at The Chicago Lighthouse, where volunteers worked with visually impaired adults. The volunteers were amazed at the many services The Chicago Lighthouse provides and felt grateful for the opportunity to help those in need. The year concluded with the WOW holiday party. The ladies shopped the Kendra Scott jewelry collection and decorated delicious treats under the guidance of Pastry Chef Faith. The Leadership Series also concluded that night with Dee Robinson who shared her thoughts on courage and signed copies of her new book. A special thank you to all who served on the Women’s Committee and CYC staff for all their hard work and great ideas these past two years. Happy holidays and best wishes for a healthy, happy new year!✶

WOW Friday Night Sailing