On behalf of Come Sailing, Inc., owner Capt. Michael Blanchard has signed and is committed to the Boater Pledge Advocating for the Safe and Responsible Opening of the Chicago Harbors.  The pledge reads as follows:

​I hereby affirm that I am a boater who is advocating for the safe and responsible opening of the Chicago Harbors. I recognize that due to the current public health crisis, recreation must be done in a conscionable manner incorporating the best current public health practices and policies. As a boater, I acknowledge that I have an enhanced social responsibility to enjoy the lakefront in a way that keeps my friends, family, and general public safe

I understand that my actions affect others, and I pledge to recreate responsibly under the following guidelines once the harbors are allowed to open:

1. I will adhere to maximum capacity limits per vessel that are assigned based on boat size and current social distancing best practices.
2. I will practice strict hygiene procedures on the dock and on my vessel that include cleaning all touch points on my vessel with disinfectant before and after use, and otherwise adhere to current IDPH guidelines.
3. I agree to not raft my boat to other boats on the water and understand it will not be permitted until deemed safe to do so.
4. I will follow strict social distancing requirements while on docks, maintaining a safe separation with other persons, wearing a face mask when I cannot maintain that safe distance.
5. I will not engage in social gatherings while on the docks that are inconsistent with current maximum gathering policies set by the city and state.
6. I will recreate in a safe and responsible manner at all times and observe current local, state, and federal public health policies while doing so.

I further recognize that failure to observe municipal policies once the Chicago Harbors open may result in forfeiture of vessel mooring permits and other consequences.

Boating is a safe recreational activity and I look forward to contributing to a responsible 2020 Chicago boating season.

Additional information about the pledge and the Chicago Harbors' COVID-19 response can be found on the Chicago Harbors website.

Our new T-shirt will feature a single color version of our logo on the back.  This logo, as with any logo, has a lot of symbolism and meaning behind it.  We thought it would be fun to let you in on some of it.

So let's start with the oldest part of our logo: the seven flags along the bottom of the outer band.  Many people over the years have just taken these to be decorative random flags, but these flags are actually a part of the International Code of Signals.  From left to right their names are: CHARLIE  HOTEL  INDIA  CHARLIE  ALPHA  GOLF  OSCAR which, if you haven't already caught on by now, spells CHICAGO.  Chicago is, of course, our home port and I thought it would be nice to honor our city in a decorative but meaningful maritime way.

So, next time you see a bunch of "decorative" flags in a line, take some time to look-up the International Code of Signals flags and see if they spell something special.  Fair warning: sailors being sailors, you might be surprised by what you find! ;-)

Watch for additional posts about our logo's meaning.

Check out our T-Shirt Pre-Order page if you would like pre-order one or would like to know more about the story behind our new hemp based t-shirts.

See you on the water,

Capt. Mike

We are very excited to start pre-order sales of our new T-shirts.  We did a lot of research to make sure that our new t-shirts would be as sustainable and friendly to the environment as possible!  We are very proud of the results.  AND they are sooo comfortable!  Check out the details and the story.

To our sailing friends and family,

I hope this message finds you healthy and as happy as possible.  The cabin fever is starting to get to us and we are anxious to get out on the water and begin our sailing season!

Unfortunately, we will have to wait just a little longer.  Today we are forced to announce the postponement of our sailing season to an undetermined future date.

On Thursday April 23, Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker announced an extension of the current stay-at-home order until May 30.  In addition, the Chicago Park District announced yesterday that the Chicago Harbors will remain closed until further notice.

While the actual start date of our season remains fluid, we know it will be no earlier than Sunday, May 31, 2020.  So until we have more clarity around our start date, customers will be allowed to book charters for Sunday, May 31 and beyond.

In the meantime, please consider supporting our small, family owned business with the purchase of a t-shirt, sticker, gift certificate, etc.  Watch for updates on how to purchase these items coming soon!

​Capt. Mike