A page for former, current, and potential students of Crew U; as well as volunteers and others interested in the class.
Crew U has been introducing students to the sport of sailboat racing since 2001. During the seven week course, students learn what it is like to be part of a team on a racing sailboat. Previous classes have graduated competent and confident sailors, many of whom had never been on a boat before, and are now able members of the Chicago racing community. Rigging, sail theory, crew positions, knot tyi
Operating as usual
07/29/2020
Chicago Yacht Club Crew U class of 2020 has been postponed to 2021. Refunds have been processed for everyone that was registered. We look forward to a great class in 2021!! We have other learning opportunities available in 2020 https://www.chicagoyachtclub.org/welcometothewater
03/07/2020
People are getting excited for the sailing ⛵️ season at the Crew Meet and Greet
09/05/2019
This Saturday is the Big Kahuna party at Chicago Yacht Club's Belmont Station. Come celebrate the end of the sailing season with a Hawaiian themed Luau.
If you aren't planning to sail, but would like an excuse to get out on the water, Race Committee is looking for volunteers. Contact Alina K Dix for more information.
We hope to see everyone Saturday!
The boats are back from Mackinac Island and Wednesday Night Races resume this week at Monroe and Belmont harbors. Come out for a sail!
07/03/2019
Congratulations to the Crew U class of 2019 on a successful graduation! Our largest Crew U class to date!
06/10/2019
Crew U made the WGN news!
https://wgntv.com/2019/06/09/over-150-boats-race-on-lake-michigan-in-nood-regatta/
Over 150 boats race on Lake Michigan in NOOD Regatta CHICAGO —More than 150 sailboats launched from Monroe Harbor Sunday morning, racing for a chance to compete in a championship regatta in the Caribbean. John Schellenbach won the NOOD Regatta two years ago. "It’s challenging because the wind is always shifting," Schellenbach said. "We prefer heav...
2019 Crew U Week 3 Student Letter
2019 Week 3 Student Letter Now that you have learned the parts of the boat and basic theories of sailing, it is time to go out on the water! Don’t be intimidated if you didn’t understand everything presented in class. Everything will make more sense when you see it in action! Please come prepared with some warm layers sin...
2019 Crew U Student Week 2 Letter
docs.google.com We hope you enjoyed the class and have absorbed some of the terms and parts that were presented. For a review of key topics that were covered in Week 1 see the following chapters in the Competent Crew Skills (CCS) book:
05/15/2019
2019 C*C Crew U session #1!
The sailing season has arrived and Crew U 2019 starts tomorrow! We are excited to welcome a new group of sailors to our sport.
Crew U 2019 is almost here! Classes begin next Tuesday, May 14 at 6 pm at the C*C Monroe Station. Students should have received the welcome packet via email.
01/25/2019
Fight the cold in Chicago by planning for summer. Registration for Crew U 2019 is open and class starts May 14. Learn the skills needed to join a team aboard a racing sailboat and network with skippers looking for crew. Follow the link below for details, dates, and registration information.
www.chicagoyachtclub.org/crewu
Crew U - Chicago Yacht Club Chicago Yacht Club
01/25/2019
Are you looking to build on and use the skills you learned at Crew U? Are you ready to take your sailing to the next level? If so, then we have the event for you!
Sunday, March 3rd from 1-5 pm Chicago Yacht Club will be hosting a Crew Finder Meet, Greet & Learn event at the club's Monroe Street location. This event is specifically created to connect boat owners with crew looking for a boat to sail on. See the attached flyer for additional information.
Sign up for the event by clicking on the following link and Adding Your Name to the Crew Finder. Be sure to click on 'Attending Meet, Greet & Learn' when you add your name.
https://www.chicagoyachtclub.org/default.aspx?p=crewfinder
06/27/2018
The Crew U class of 2018 graduation ceremony
05/25/2018
Make sure to check out the newest photos from Day 3!
05/25/2018
05/16/2018
Check out the photos from Day 2!
05/14/2018
Tuesday, May 15 is Week 2 of 2018 C*C Crew U. Here's what our students have been up to and what is coming up this week! See everyone at 6 pm on Tuesday!
05/08/2018
2018 Chicago Yacht Club Crew U kicks off tonight at Monroe Station with a joint Crew U/Women On Water (WOW) session!
Looking forward to meeting all of our 2018 Crew U attendees and the WOW participants!
04/06/2018
Crew U would not exist without the skippers and volunteers that give their time to make the program a success:
Blane Boynton is the Crew Boss for JingBang, an LS10 based out of C*C Monroe Harbor and owned by Skipper Dave Finlay. Blane has been with JingBang for the past three seasons, after participating in Crew U in 2015. He has been instrumental in helping to build a successful program in a challenging and dynamic Chicago T-10 Fleet.
Hard work and a developing crew have taken JingBang into the top 10 finishers in the T-10 fleet for the 2017 season. In 2018 they will continue to develop their program and aim for a Top 5 finish. Blane started as a Bowman and tended to the pointy end of the boat for two years before moving back to trim the Main and assist with tactics & course management.
04/01/2018
Crew U is excited to announce that the 2018 class will be taught in foiling sailboats. By increasing the speed of the boat, we will be able to increase the speed at which we teach students the necessary skills to become contributing team members aboard a racing sailboat.
Crew U is an eight week program hosted by the Chicago Yacht Club that teaches students the basics of sailboat racing. The class also provides students with a network of skippers seeking crew so that students can become part of the racing community in Chicago. No experience is necessary, so sign up today to be part of the fun!
www.chicagoyachtclub.org/crewu
THE AMERICA'S CUP CLASS AC75 BOAT CONCEPT REVEALED An exciting new era in America’s Cup racing has been unveiled today as the concept for the AC75, the class of boat to be sailed in the 36th America’s Cup is released illustrating a bold and modern vision for high performance fully foiling monohull racing yachts.
03/30/2018
Crew U would not exist without the skippers that volunteer their time to make the program a success:
Rick Reed is a member of the Chicago Yacht Club. He is on the Verve Cup Committee, the Offshore Committee, and is chair of the Monroe Skyline Wednesday Night Racing Fleet.
Rick has over 50 years of sailing experience. He fosters a family-friendly atmosphere while sailing, is a certified US SAILING instructor, and races his two sailboats: the Tartan Ten Eleanor Rigby and the J/35 Ob La Di! Both boats are moored in DuSable Harbor and he enjoys sailing with his adult children and friends as often as possible.
Rick’s motto is “Learn to sail here and you can sail anywhere.”
03/27/2018
Crew U would not exist without the skippers that volunteer their time to make the program a success:
Arnie Hirsch has been a part of the racing community in Chicago for over 40 years. He competes in Wednesday Night races, the Tri-State race over Labor Day Weekend, regattas and more. Arnie has done 37 Chicago to Mackinac races, and is a member of the Old Goat Society. (The Old Goat Society is a sailor who has done 25 or more Mackinac Races.)
Arnie’s boat, Serenity, is a Beneteau First 42 and is docked in Du Sable harbor. Serenity offers a combination of performance and comfort for her crew.
03/23/2018
CREW-U GRADUATE STORIES: MARIAN LIAUTAUD.
Over the next few weeks, to get everyone ready and excited about Crew-U 2018, we'll be bringing you stories about past crew-u graduates and their sailing adventures. Here is 2017 Crew-U grad Marian Liautaud's sailing story, in photos.
03/20/2018
Crew U would not exist without the skippers that volunteer their time to make the program possible:
Mike Platzke is a Crew U success story. Born and raised in Alaska, Mike sailed a few times in his home state during the late 1990’s before moving to Chicago. In 2002, he enrolled as a student in Crew U. Mike raced part-time during the 2002 sailing season on the T10 Waterworks, and then joined Amateur II full-time in 2003. His first Mac race was in 2003 and he has done 10 Mac races since. Mike took 5 years off from sailing to race Ironman Triathlons. After returning to the sport, he became co-owner of Amateur II in 2015 and they won their Mac section the same year. Amateur II focuses on distance races, but competes in most of the races on the T-10 schedule.
Mike and his wife, Felicia, live in Downers Grove; and Mike has two step daughters. During the summer, Amateur II is Mike and Felicia’s condo on the lake and they are on the lakefront 3 to 4 times a week. Mike has been a C*C member since 2005 and serves on the Offshore Fleet, Racing Yacht Fleet, Old Guard, and Crew U committees. Felicia also races on Amateur II and is a Crew U graduate as well. Amateur II is stored in a slip in Belmont Harbor.
02/26/2018
02/23/2018
Registration for Crew U 2018 is open. Class begins on May 8 and sells out every year. Sign up early to reserve your space!
www.chicagoyachtclub.org/crewu
Crew U - Chicago Yacht Club Chicago Yacht Club
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