The City of Chicago announced yesterday that the Chicago Lakefront and parks would open on Monday, June 22.  The Chicago Harbors have confirmed that they will also open along with the rest of the lakefront on June 22, which means that after a long and difficulty wait...WE ARE BACK!!  SAILING STARTS MONDAY, JUNE 22!   Our booking calendar is open and ready to accept booking.  Please do not hesitate to reach out to us if you have questions or would like assistance.

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

First, I would like to say THANK YOU to all of our loyal customers for their support throughout the years.  I certainly look forward to sailing with all of you again as soon as possible.  In the meantime, I want to welcome everyone to continue scheduling charters and purchasing gift certificates as you would normally.  Obviously, this is going to be a very challenging year for us.  While the COVID-19 pandemic is bad for everyone and we wish there was no pandemic at all, the timing of it could be particularly devastating to our business.  We rely very heavily on the months of June, July, and August for the majority of our revenue.

Secondly, whether you are new to our business or a customer that has sailed with us previously, please consider supporting our business through any of the following actions:

• Purchase a Gift Certificates - All gift certificates will be valid for at least two years from purchase.
• Purchase a T-Shirt or other Merchandise -  We will be posting new merchandise to our website on a regular basis.  Be sure to check our website frequently for new arrivals.
• Book Charters - The entire 2020 season is now open and available for bookings.  We sail through Columbus Day in October.

One last bit of fun and intrigue in a word...Klabautermann.  Who or what is a Klabautermann?  Is there a Klabautermann aboard our sailboats?  Why does it matter?  Stay tuned and watch for updates about Klabautermenn on our website.

​SAILING STARTS

FRIDAY, MAY 22, 2020
This date is subject to change dependent on situations arising from the COVID-19 pandemic.

Ok, maybe that's not the question we should be asking our charter guests.  But, we ARE asking our guests if they would like us to provide a bag of ice for their charter instead of just assuming that they do and automatically providing one for them.  The new default will be to NOT provide a bag of ice unless a guest says "Yes" to this question.  Why?  Because we are making an effort to reduce our impact on the environment.  It's a bit of a buzz kill for us if, at the end of the day, we have a bunch of bags of ice that will simply melt away unused and wasted.

Just think about the amount of energy and resources that go into providing a single bag of ice.

• Fresh water
• Energy to convert the water to ice
• A plastic bag to store the ice
• A metal or plastic closure for the bag
• Energy to transport the bag of ice
• Energy to store the bag of ice until its use
• Energy to recycling/dispose, as appropriate, of the plastic bag and closure.

Listen, we're not saying that people shouldn't enjoy the luxury of an iced beverage while sailing on a beautiful summer day.  Quite the contrary.  Chartering a sailboat for a private and relaxing sail on Lake Michigan in Chicago is a luxurious activity that should, by all means, include iced beverages.  That said, if we can avoid providing a bag of ice to a guest that has no intention of using it, then we can avoid wasting all of that energy and all of those resources that would have gone into providing that one bag of ice.  One bag may not make that big of a difference, but every little bit helps.  Added together over time, it will make a difference regardless how small.  And as someone who relies on natural resources, like our beautiful ​Lake Michigan, for their livelihood, I think that's a good thing.

- Capt. Mike

Less than a week to go in our sailing season. Our last regularly scheduled charter for the season will be the Sunset Sail on Monday, Oct. 8th. But such is sailing in Chicago. We get just a short amount of time each year to sail as furiously as possible before pulling the boats out for winter storage.  The end of the season is always bittersweet for me.  While I look forward to catching my breath and kicking off my winter projects, I am going to miss the gorgeous sunsets, the spectacular views of Chicago that can only be seen from Lake Michigan, my fun loving customers that sail with me, and of course the sailing.  I will particularly miss that moment of anticipation as the wind catches the sails, the boat begins its roll on to a heel, and you know you are about to take off sailing.  The thought alone has me already looking forward to next year.  In the meantime, there are still a few opportunities for sailing this year. So click on our Book Now page to schedule your private sailing charter before it's too late!  See you on the water!  Capt. Mike

​Captains wanted for Sailing Charter - We are looking for experienced, professional captains. Must be confident sailing and docking a 36-foot sailboat single-handed in all weather conditions. Customer service is a very important part of our mission to provide safe, enjoyable, customized sailing adventures for our customers. Personable captains with a passion for sailing and fun should send their resumes to Capt. Mike Blanchard [email protected] or call 708-824-SAIL (708-824-7245).

In Chicago, winter is the season for boat work and projects.  And we've been busy!  A lot of the projects on our list this year include exciting, behind the scenes work like "re-pitching the prop to match the new gear ratios on the transmission."  Yeah, I know!  Exciting stuff! ;-)

Then there are projects that are a little more obvious and attention grabbing.  One of those projects is the complete overhaul and migration of our website.  Redesigned for a more professional look, the new site features a vastly improved mobile presence.  We are excited about the updates and hope you enjoy the new look and feel.

Check it out and let us know what you think.  Feedback is welcome at [email protected].  We are always looking to improve.

Capt. Mike