Events on B Dock!

Tuesday Night BBQs Return to B Dock

This Tuesday, join Chicago Sailing for the kick-off of our 2010 Season BBQs. It will be just like old times - good friends, good food and sailing.

May 4th is close enough to Cinco de Mayo for us. Our theme this week is Mexican, so we're challenging our staff to come up with as many grilling recipes as possible. Empanadas anyone? Empanadas anyone?

Boats will leave B Dock at 5 pm for a 3-hour Club Sail. When you return to the dock, the grills will already have been hard at work getting food ready for you. Whether you were a Club Sail all-star last season or it's your first time out, you don't want to miss this Tuesday's Club Sail.

Call 773-871-7245 or fill out a reservation request to secure your slot today.

Mother's Day at Chicago Sailing

Join us Sunday, May 9th for a Mother's Day Sail. From 12 - 2 pm some of our male instructors will be treating all of the Mothers on the dock to manicures. We can't promise that they will want to keep their new polish job, but it will be a manicure to remember.

So gentlemen, your task is clear: Reserve a boat and go out sailing! Just make sure that you end your sail or are set to depart around the manicure window. Then make sure that the female passengers aboard don't have to lift a finger and damage their nails.

We're ready to help you go the extra mile. How about a surprise waiting on the boat? From a small bouquet of flowers to a catered meal with champagne, we can help you arrange a sail that your mother, wife, sister, aunt or special lady will never forget.

Call to reserve your boat and plan a Mother's Day to remember. 773-871-7245

We're Open!

Phew! What a run up to the season.

Every year, as soon as April hits, we orchestrate a semi-choreographed maneuver into the harbor.

At the end of a Chicago Sailing season, our phone lines get transferred to our warehouse and year-round office on Campbell. The computers, printers, office supplies and everything else needed to operate an office all go there as well. Our boats get scattered. The J/22's and 24's get shoved in, jigsaw puzzle like, into the warehouse. Bumblebee, the T-10 and 2 of our Hunters head up to Racine. Our other Hunters and J/30 make their way to Great Lakes naval base. The final piece of this giant puzzle is our houseboat/office which goes to Canal Street.

April hits and we un-do all of this work to become operational. The first step is getting the houseboat to B Dock. That occurred earlier this year than others, right after St. Patrick's Day.

Our J/22's started going back in the water, the Hunter's arrived from Racine and in the week prior to opening we switched our phone lines back. A quick load-in (sometimes not so quick) of the computers and office equipment was all that was needed to get us there.

And then we waited, to see what the weather would bring opening weekend. The short answer, many smiling faces!

In a dramatic turn from last year's season opener, we had sunny skies and many smiling faces on the dock. This Sunday, our first 11 students will complete their transformation from landlubber to skipper. We've also welcomed back a number of renters to B Dock.

That all means that this week has been a busy one for our fleet management staff. We have more J/22's in the water right now than we have ever had at the start of the season. They're getting ready for Club Sail tonight and another sunny weekend of activity on B Dock.

Here are some of the shots from last weekend. We hope to see you soon!