# Racing in Chicago



## Frenzy (Jun 27, 2001)

We are looking for crew for our J/24 "Frenzy"
We race out of Montrose Harbor in Chicago.
Races are on Sunday Morning and Wednesday Evening. 
There are several away races we would also like to attend.
No experience is necessary you just need to be a little committed to learning and sailing. There are also several openings on other boats (about 10-12). We start practicing next month! 

Please respond ASAP as we need to have every one assigned to boats be the end of next
month


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## Denr (Feb 7, 2001)

How much does this position pay?


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## Frenzy (Jun 27, 2001)

The crew positions don''t get paid!

30 races a year plus practice time, no cost except travel and personal gear. Not a bad deal for 200 hours on the water.


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## Denr (Feb 7, 2001)

How do you attract skilled people without paying them? Do you guys ever win?


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## paulk (Jun 2, 2000)

There must never be any beer on Denr''s boats...bummer! 
I''ve had really good luck crewing out of Chicago. My wife took me to a (fantastically boring) convention at McCormack Place, so the next day I went down to the harbor instead. The T-10''s I asked were all full, so I ended up walking the dock at CYC, and found a nice cruising boat (they have bigger iceboxes and maybe even refrigeration!) owned by a liquor distributor who that was happy to have me aboard. Besides that race, I''ve since done two Chicago-Mac races with them. Great bunch of guys, and exciting sailing. They get a kick out of telling me when high tide is on Lake Michigan, so I tell them I''m bringing a sextant so we''ll be sure of where we are. 
If it''s not fun, why bother?


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## TSOJOURNER (Dec 16, 1999)

Frenzy & Paulk

You have it right. That is called, Sailing OPB''s (other peoples boats). They pay for your sailing fun. And; they buy the beer. Not a bad way to go.
I am on the other end of the lake. I am in Boyne City, 14 miles down the lake and through Chalevoix and into the big lake. I have sailed the big race also.
For the coastal guys----- the Chicago to Mackiaw race is 330 miles. 
Ted Turner came and sailed the Chicago--Mackinaw a bunch of years ago. It was a real butt kicker that year. Ted said he would never come back.

Walt


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## paulk (Jun 2, 2000)

Can see why a guy who won the Fastnet with boats sinking & dismasting all around him would be bored on the Chi-Mac. One of the times I went we had a 60 knot squall blow the hail horizontally for a while before we ended up with a half inch of it on deck. Right near Charlevoix, as I recall. Doing 8 knots under bare poles was interesting. At least it was pushing us in the right direction until it died. That was after we''d blown out two chutes and had sat for about a day off Milwaukee in glassy calm. Not much happens on Lake Michigan, I guess.


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## Frenzy (Jun 27, 2001)

Lets no loose focus, this forum is about crew or the lack of it.


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