Moving Back to B Dock

Things are getting busy at Chicago Sailing. We're hoping the weather improves for opening weekend, 43 and rain requires a lot of serious equipment on Lake Michigan.

Today's sunny weather was beneficial for our crew hard at work getting the boats ready. Check out what they've been up to.

How did you choose a sailing school?

One of the projects we're currently working on is updating our website. We're adding a page that gives tips on choosing a sailing school.

Which brings us to our question... How did you choose a sailing school? What factors did you look at and which were most important to you?

52 days to go!

Dreaming of the Sailing Season

On this frigid day, I've been dreaming of a return to sailing.

Starting up the motor at the dock and feeling the boat jump forward against the dock lines...

Standing at the tiller as we head down the channel with a hand on the boom, scouting ahead and eager for the open water of the Lake...

The rush of raising first the main and then, later, the jib...

Feeling the wind catch the sails as we leave the confines of the harbor and the boat tip in response...

Finally, the calm of killing the motor and working with the wind to sail where ever the boat and I decide to go...

Sun making me squint and wind pushing hair in my face, the gurgle of the water at the back of the boat. We... Just... Can't... Wait.

I've got 3 more months to hang onto this memory, until we can get back out there.

Sometimes things just get in the way.

This past Saturday, online registration for our lessons was supposed to launch. Some people may have noticed over the weekend that we hadn't updated our website. We are sorry for the delay. In short, we've had to change our provider.

The company we had been using to provide a secure internet registration process changed their fee structure right after the New Year. We discovered last week that our costs for using the system had been increased by 600%.

At Chicago Sailing, we strive to keep our administrative costs as low as possible allowing us to focus on delivering the best sailing experience for all of our sailors. So, we're making a switch!

After a slight delay, registration will be available for all of our lessons. We anticipate being fully functional before the end of this week.

In the meantime, we would love your feedback on our Frequent Sailors Program. Please take this survey and tell us what you think!

Frequent Sailor Program

Help us design our Frequent Sailor Program!

In the off season, we adjust our existing offerings and come up with new ways to serve our customers. We'd like to offer those who sail with us frequently an opportunity to save money over the course of the season.

But, what would you truly be interested in?

Please take our survey and tell us!

A Year of Photos

Wishing everyone a happy holiday and festive New Year. Before we close the books entirely on 2010, here's our year in review:

For the Sailing (Apple) Geek

Our minds have been on the holiday season recently, and we started thinking about what we would like to get in our stocking this year.

For those iPhone and iPad owners, how about an iTunes gift card? There's an incredible range of applications that are available to assist in your sailing adventures.

Some of our favorites:
Knot Guide: For $1.99, get access to step-to-step guides for 88 knots. Make the most of your time out on calm seas with this app and practice your knots! This will also make you a fascinating party guest.




Sailing Log: The great sailing log app hasn't been created yet, but in the meantime this app does a pretty good job. And removes the paper and pencil! For $4.99 we think it's worth it to never worry about leaving your log book at home.




Gone Boating: This app simplifies communicating your sailing plans to friends and loved ones. Create a float plan, add your crew member's contact info, and send all of that information off to those you are leaving onshore. In addition, you can automatically update them along the way as things change. Now your wives will know when you'll be getting home from sailing! For $1.99, it's a pretty cheap safety plan.


Ship Finder: We nerd out over this app! Pick a harbor and this app will use Google maps and ships AIS feeds to tell you what boats are around that area. You can even pull up specific ship's specs, destination and sometimes photos. Then, track those ships as they go around the world. There's a free version and a paid version for $4.99.


iNavx Marine Navigation: At $49.99, this is one expensive app. However, you get a lot and it's a must have for the cruising sailor. This app brings the official US waterways charts and CHS Canadian charts straight to your phone. Using your phone's GPS, you can plot your location in real-time. The app also supports waypoints and routes, track your log, and provide weather forecasts.


Weather Alert: This is the app our staff uses. It uses NOAA's weather data to create daily predictions, radar, and satellite information. You can also create weather alerts based on parameters you set, keeping you updated with severe weather ahead. For $2.99, it's a must-have.



Windfinder: Bonus, this app is free! We use windfinder.com in the office for wind predictions and real time information. Now you can access it on your phone directly through the app. And get wind alerts.





Droid Users
One of our staff members is making the switch shortly. What apps should she get?