[Sonar] WYC Disabled Sailing Team May be For You

[Gordon Manning]

Hi Bert and sailors,
I think this news is wonderful.  This event promotes WYC and Chicago Yacht Club.  Any sailing experience with Betsy Alison is a great chance in a life time of fun, challenging sailing. Participating in the NACC seems like a "step up" for any sailor, and Chicago is so close compared to many other locations around the country.  I believe the decisions that have been made will increase the Sonar fleet participation, and I cannot wait to learn the results.
Fair winds with following seas,
Gordon Manning
New crew on "Sesame Street"

---------- Original Message ----------
From: Bert Foster <Bert at apexq.com>
To: "sonar" <sonar at lists.wyc.org>
Subject: [Sonar] WYC Disabled Sailing Team May be For You
Date: Thu, 20 May 2010 16:28:14 -0500

Hi Sonar Sailors,

I am sending this email to the entire Sonar fleet, as they have participated in disabled sailing events last year, and know the Sonar boat, which would be helpful to the 3 teams who are new to Sonars.
 
I have been communicating with Peter Goldman, son of the late Judd Goldman, who founded the Judd Goldman Foundation's disabled sailing program in Chicago many years ago.  They not only teach disabled people to sail in Chicago, but also hold a prestigious regatta in association with the Chicago Yacht Club.  The regatta is called the North American Challenge Cup (NACC) which has been sailed in Freedom 20's (a specially designed boat for disabled people), Sonars, and 2.4 meters.  Sonar attendance has been dropping in the last few years, because the requirements have been that every participating sailor must be a qualified disabled person.  Peter and I have been talking about opening up the Sonar class so that able-bodied people could sail on the boats with at least one disabled person, which is the way almost all of the disabled regattas that we attend operate.  A decision has been made, and beginning in 2010, the Sonar class will be required to have only one disabled person on board, but will still sail under the rules of Appendix B (no spinnaker).
 
I told Peter that we have 4 people with qualified disabilities sailing at the WYC, plus one or two of the Team Captain Hook crew with disabilities.  The question that I asked Peter was, did he want 4 teams of Sonar sailors from Minnesota (3 of which would have 1 disabled person on board), or did he want more disabled people on board, and fewer boats.  He indicated that they would rather have more boats.
 
They have 11 Sonars available for charter in Chicago (no charter fee for this regatta), and all the necessary bars and specialty benches to provide the adaptations for sailors with disabilities who need them.
 
American Airlines will provide free air transportation for participants, and there is a special rate of $175 per room at the Hilton Hotel.  Each room could hold up to 5 people with cots and sharing.  Daily bus transportation is provided to and from the Chicago Yacht Club's Belmont Harbor station.  The regatta begins with a clinic on Friday (coached by Betsy Alison), August 6th, and racing August 7th, 8th and 9th.  There is an elegant fund raising dinner to which the competitors are encouraged to attend on Friday night.  There is also a wonderful trophy banquet included at the Chicago Yacht Club on Monday night.  I must say the competitors are treated like royalty.
 
It would seem to me that if there is interest from the WYC sailors receiving this email, we have the possibility of supplying 4 WYC Sonars to the event.  We will tow Captain Hook, and 3 other boats could be chartered.  Therefore, the people with disabilities currently sailing at the WYC could sail in the NACC with 2 members of their regular crew, and enjoy a great regatta at reduced cost without the need to tow their own boat.
 
These 4 teams possibly could be made up of:
Team #1, Team Captain Hook with regular crew
Team #2, Angie Ostbye with Jack and another crew
Team #3, Leonard MacKinnon with Carmella & Ernie
Team #4, Beth Rosenberger, Susan Sundell and another crew
 

 
I have talked with Dallas about the possibility of the yacht club providing some clothing specifically labeled "WYC Disabled Sailing Team", so that the entire group could proudly prance around the Chicago Yacht Club in their WYC gear.
 
If this turns out to be fun and successful, there is the possibility that in future years, the WYC could host a disabled event.
 
Would appreciate you emailing me, or calling me, with your comments.


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