The acclaimed GLCCSchool wrapped up its 13th season on April 10th. In all 45 webinars were presented and the good news is that they are all still available in the GLCCSchool’s Recording Library. The season featured an outstanding mix of cruising destinations, cruising skills, mechanical skills, weather plus Great Lakes’ lore and legend.
GLCC News
Have you had a fun / exceptional / learning cruising experience on the Great Lakes that you would like to share with other GLCC members? The Founders Award is a great way to take other cruisers along with you during that memorable time on the water
Start planning now to attend the 2025 Annual Rendezvous in Little Current, Ont. Debby and Jib Turner are pleased to chair this year’s Rendezvous. It is a homecoming of sorts, marking the 60th anniversary of GLCC’s first modern Rendezvous also held in Little Current.
For many Great Lakes Cruising Club members, the Toronto International Boat Show is a welcome winter tradition. It’s a chance to escape the cold, see the latest in boating, and maybe pick up some new gear. But beyond the boats and gadgets, the show is also an important opportunity for the GLCC to connect with prospective members who are looking to expand their Great Lakes cruising experiences.
Director/Port Captain Dee McClure: Each month Lifeline interviews a GLCC member to gain insight into their favorite cruising grounds and perspectives. We caught up with Steve Reinecke, liveaboard, active cruiser and Port Captain of Bad River, Ont. (GB-46). Steve, his wife, Brenda, and their two children, Trevor (now in the Canadian Navy) and Emily have cruised Georgian Bay extensively. Steve shares with us some insights into boat requirements for liveaboards, some unique “must haves” and a side gig connecting boaters in an anchorage.
Roy Eaton literally is the voice of the North Channel through his internationally known Cruiser’s Net. He will attend the 2025 GLCC Annual Rendezvous in Little Current. We visited with Roy recently to understand his background, a little history of Manitoulin Island and the genesis for the world-famous Cruiser’s Net.
It is a privilege for us and the Little Current, Ont., boating community to host this year’s GLCC Diamond Rendezvous, marking the 60th event since the first gathering in 1965.
Lifeline is connecting with a few of GLCC’s active cruisers to gain insight into their favorite cruising grounds and perspectives. Here, we talk to Bill and Sandi Matley, active cruisers and Port Captains of Harbor Island (NC-2) and learn a bit about their boating background.
The Great Lakes Foundation received a grant request from PBS Wisconsin to help fund the development of a documentary program entitled Wisconsin Lighthouses. We granted this request in early 2024
If you haven’t tuned into a Great Lakes Cruising Podcast on YouTube lately, podcast hosts Rob and Kelly Hillman invite you to take a fresh look.
Introduction of Electrical Safety article by Mark Lifter
Most of us boaters are aware of the dangers of boating electrical systems. Sometimes we learn things the "hard way". Those occasional shocks can hurt, and at times be dangerous.
PORT OF LITTLE CURRENT—The esteemed Great Lakes Cruising Club is hosting its 60th anniversary Rendezvous in the Port of Little Current (Ont.) from July 13-17, 2025. The prestigious event is being organized by chairs Jib and Debby Turner of Little Current.
With winter fast approaching in the Great Lakes, we’ve all probably had “wild” thoughts of selling the house and moving to a full-time exploration on our boats - oh the adventures we’ll have and the people we’ll meet! But what type of cruising are you really thinking about and are suited for? GLCC member Dick Stevenson walks us through the realities of cruising “as a lifestyle”.
Charlie and Esther Graves are the new Port Captains at Toledo Beach, Mich. (E.21.8). Esther and I live in the Toledo, Ohio area. We have both boated since we were young, on the lakes and rivers of upstate New York. We have had several different boats over the years – both power and sail. We dock our Bayliner 4388 at Safe Harbor Toledo Beach in La Salle, Mich.
John P. Siwicki is the new Port Captain for Lexington, Mich. (H-54), and Deputy Port Captain for Port Sanilac, Mich. (H-55). His hometown and berth site is Port Sanilac. He joined the GLCC in 2023. He owns a 1988 Catalina 30 MK II that he doesn’t use nearly as often as he’d like. As a Certified Professional Yacht Broker, his busy season is the boating season.
Port Clinton, Ohio (E-20): Denny Schurdell has been a life-long teacher. He is retired as a visual arts teacher, K-12 and college. He coached for many years in wrestling, cross country and soccer. Denny has degrees from Kent State University, La Verne College, and Cleveland State University. He belongs to the Sandusky Yacht Club, and is a former member of Bay Point Yacht Club and Harbor Bay Yacht Club. He is a founder of the former Catalina sailboat association-LECOA (Lake Erie Catalina Owners Association).
I bet you didn’t know the GLCC has a YouTube channel. We’ve had one for several years but it hasn’t been very active. Until now. Kelly Hillman and Rear Commodore Rob Hillman have reinvigorated our channel with fresh new videos mainly aimed at providing a sneak peek into upcoming classes in the GLCC School. They intend to keep making and posting new videos throughout the season to keep members and non-members up to date on items of interest to our club and upcoming GLCC School classes and activities.
We have big news in this winter Lifeline! From FREE webinars for members, summer activities well into the planning stages and all the boat show info. It’s a very exciting time to be a GLCC member. Rochester, N.Y. (O-6), is our featured harbor, and it has lots of interesting attributes.
Fall is coming but GLCC's Summer was a summary of adventures around the Great Lakes as GLCC’s numerous events were quite lively and entertaining. Inside the covers of this fall’s Lifeline, are full reports of all that happened, what’s happening and what’s coming up!
Summer is finally here, and so is this June issue of Lifeline! First we say goodbye to our long-time member, Past Commodore, Jim Acheson. He will fondly be missed. But carrying on his vision, we have a boatload to report!
Let's welcome newly appointed Port Captains Brian Jacobs & Sharon Hing Jacobs for Bay City, Mich. (H-61)! They have been boating since about 1976, starting with a Pierson Renegade 27-foot sailboat.
Past Commodore James C. Acheson, 86, of Port Huron passed away on April 2, 2023. He had been a member for 56 years. Commodore Acheson joined in 1968 and became a member-at-large of the board of directors in 1981. He was elected Vice Commodore in 1986 serving under David Landry until becoming Commodore in 1988. Subsequent to his watch he was elected fleet captain, an office he held for 25 years.
As the flowers come up from being nestled underground, it seems the boats begin to emerge from underneath their wrappers!
Our newly appointed Port Captain, Dan Kerpelman, for Rochester, N.Y.
Let's send a warm welcome and learn a little about Craig and Jeanne Schantz, our Northport, Mich. (M-13) newly appointed Port Captains!
We hope you are having a cozy holiday season. It won’t be long before the earth tilts us back into spring mode!
Let's give a warm welcome to newly appointed Port Captains for St.
Mike already sits as Port Captain for Florida Keys, Fla. & Mackinaw City, Mich.
We’ve had an exceptional boating season after bouncing back from the pandemic. We were able to hold our annual summer Rendezvous again! This time in beautiful Mackinaw City, Mich. (H-76.5).
One of the highlights of this past summer's Great Lakes Cruising Club Rendezvous was a Coast Guard Helicopter rescue demonstration. Impressive seamanship and piloting by the USCG! This great video taken, edited and narrated by GLCC Treasurer and Past Commodore Niels Jensen captures it well.
Lou Bruska, our newly appointed Port Captain for Holland Harbor & Lake Macatawa, Mich.
ALL Great Lakes Cruising Club members, This email to the Foundation, which we've forwarded, is from one of our recently approved Grant applications. The original request was for funds to purchase a couple of 'header,' docks to launch the creation of a marina at the Silver Islet Harbour (S-128) on Lake Superior. Fortunately, our "seed," money helped spark an abundance of interest and financial support, to this worthy project. Their success so far has even exceeded their expectations, and they are now well ahead of schedule with their development of this harbour.
Newly appointed Port Captains Rob Hillman and his wife Kelly took up sailing as a retirement adventure.
Effective April 20, 2022, the USCG has updated its requirements for marine fire extinguishers to required that they be replaced 12 years after manufacture. The number of fire extinguishers needed is determined by the size of your boat.
The GLCC is happy to report that effective May 20
Bob Allenick has quite the range of boating experience. Let's read a little about our newly appointed Port Captain for Cleveland, Ohio (East, E-10) and wish him a hearty welcome...
Have you ever been chatting with a fellow boater about the GLCC who is potentially interested in joining? Many of us do so while we’re cruising or strolling the docks. So why should this potential member have to wait until a boat show to get a discount?
Spring is just around the corner! Be sure to read the spring issue of Lifeline so you can make your cruising plans for this year’s summer events! Center stage is our annual Rendezvous, to be held in Mackinaw City, Mich.
The Great Lakes Foundation received the following thank you for the grant approved for Nature Conservancy of Canad
Let's welcome newly appointed Port Captain Stephen T. Freitas for Grosse Pointe, Mich. (D-50)! Steve has been a competitive sailor for over 35 years, and a cruising power boater for 24 years.
Please welcome newly appointed Port Captain Steven L. Arbaugh for Harbor Springs, Mich. (M-4)!
The 2022 Membership Renewal forms were mailed from our printer on 10/1/2021 to all 2021 Great Lakes Cruising Club members.
Hello All GLCC Members,
Many times We are asked about the benefits to join the Great Lakes Cruising Club & our Port Captain program is just one of the many reasons to become or even to be a GLCC member. This is a recent excellent example of the Port Captain program that demonstrates why GLCC membership is so valuable...
Great Lakes Cruising Club is excited to announce a NEW Boat Insurance partnership for our members. This means that our members now have access to the most comprehensive boat insurance coverage and competitive rates on the market today! Whether it’s a run about, sailing yacht, cabin cruiser, a trawler, a motor yacht, or something in-between – you can rest easy knowing you are covered by the marine industries most trusted insurance providers.
Prime Day is coming up on June 21 and will run through June 22. Get ready for Prime Day! Sign up for AmazonSmile and select Great Lakes Foundation as your preferred charity at smile.amazon.com/ch/36-3843113. Remember to shop for deals at smile.amazon.com, or with AmazonSmile ON in the Amazon app, and AmazonSmile will donate to us at no cost to you.
The June issue of the Lifeline includes the new Founders Award winning log by Vic and Sue Camaiore, which has us exploring ports like Alpena, Mackinac Island, Fayette and Sturgeon Bay. It is the first of two installments so be sure to start reading here and conclude in the next issue!
A year since the start of an epic pandemic and we are slowly (very slow) getting to a new normal. The Club has dedicated committees of individuals who are constantly working toward that goal. Good news for members who have been wanting to cruise to some new activities...
Today we welcome Jim & Heidi Egensperger as newly appointed Deputy Port Captains for Mentor Harbor, Ohio (E-8). They both grew up in NE Ohio near Lake Erie and have been boating, in many forms, all their lives. Please stop by when you are in the area!
The new GLCC Website has launched! We hope you find it easy to navigate, more modern and mobile friendly. There are several new features that should be highlighted. Click the Learn More button below to review them. Please note that your login credentials remain the same. Consider viewing the Webinar to learn about the site. If you have questions or comments please use the Contact Us menu item above.
Please join us in welcoming Rear Commodore Philip R. May as our newly appointed Port Captain for Belmont Harbor - Chicago, Ill. (M-39). Philip has sailed on a wide range of boats, from one-design racers to offshore cruising/racing boats, and currently has a Dyer-29 power boat. Next time you're in Belmont Harbor, drop a line and give Philip a holler!
Please welcome Tom and Janet Stone as our new Port Captains for Traverse City, Mich. (M-10)! This is what they told us about their boating experiences... They purchased their first cruising boat, a 1987 O’day 28, in 2002. Although they had spent many hours on the water, most of those were in a canoe, wilderness camping. When they were young, Janet and Tom would go on picnics to Holland State Park and spend hours watching sailboats going up and down the channel and dreaming of owning one someday. So, when some friends offered to sell their O’day, they jumped at the chance and named her "S"URPRISE!
Year 2020 has dished out quite a roller coaster of changes. One sure thing as a consortium; humans are getting better at adjusting! Within our Club, we have shifted to online meetings and member recruiting (instead of the traditional boat show platform). Members are taking more GLCCSchool webinars, with the time they now find at home on their computers. Many are thankful to have this resource. While not able to cross international borders, members are revisiting the Harbor Reports to explore local treasures. Please click here to read more.
Steve Reinecke is our newly appointed Port Captain for Bad River, Ont. (GB-46). He lives in Strathroy, Ont., and is married to a wonderful woman for the past 30 years. He has 2 great children, Trevor, 22 and Emily, 26. Steve is a Clinical Scientist and currently works for a company out of Houston, Tex., in the Disinfection and Healthcare IT Industry. He travels extensively for work. Steve has been a GLCC member for 12 years and has served as an Assistant Port Captain, Port Captain, Board Member and Rear Commodore. He has also previously chaired the Admissions/Membership Committee. Please click here to read more!
As a GLCC member, you can be sure that you and your family will be welcomed anywhere you cruise on the Great Lakes. Our membership is divided up between Rear Commodores that support Port Captains and help members within regions. If you look at the illustration, you will see, based on where your boat rests, which region you would belong to. The election of Rear Commodores at the Annual General Membership Meeting on Oct. 24, 2020 now supports the realignment of the Great Lakes Region that was approved by the Board of Directors at the July 18, 2020 meeting. As a member, if you knew which region you belonged to before, it may have changed. For more details, please click here.
NOAA will stop providing paper charts by 2025. That said, there's some exciting news on the horizon offering the option of custom printable charts which you'll be able to print yourself or potentially purchase through marine chart suppliers who will print them for you. For more information and a link to a highly informative webinar on this capability, click here.
Today we welcome our newly appointed Port Captain for the Trent Severn Waterway, Ont. (W-6), Charlie Ellins. Charlie has been Boating from the time of his first family boat in the 1950s including considerable time on the TSW. He skippered the family cruiser from Trenton to Orillia at age 15 with his mom and two sisters. He joined the Canadian Power Squadron in 1968 and now has 51 merit marks [Life Member]. Charlie has been Commodore of the Lake Simcoe Yacht Club in 1978-1979 when there were over 200 members. Please click here to read more!
04/27/2023 Corrected link to Harbor report. JM
While the world is still figuring things out, Lifeline remains a constant! Good thing, because it gives us something more for which to be thankful. GLCC’s fall Lifeline is a beacon for us boaters. As we close our season, we look forward to events that will happen in person (2020 Lake Erie Regional Dinner) and via Zoom platform (GLCC & GLF Annual General Membership Meetings — where we say farewell to our beloved Commodore, Rich Barzyk and welcome incoming Commodore, Dan Cline, as well as new and returning Board members). Read how the GLCCSchool webinar registrations were booming this summer, a detailed boaters log that utilizes the harbor reports for a seaworthy venture, and a narrative on joining the GLCC. Click here to read on.
04/27/2023 Corrected link to harbor report. JM
Let’s give a warm welcome to newly appointed Port Captain Thom Serafine for Monroe Harbor - Chicago, Ill. (M-37)! Thom grew up near the shore of Lake Ontario in Webster, N.Y., and later moved to Chicago, Ill., where he learned to sail as an adult. He has been sailing out of Belmont Harbor for over ten years and has done a bare boat charter in the British Virgin Islands with friends. In 2014, he bought SV Inspiration, a 1988 Pearson 31 MK2. After getting her seaworthy, he sailed her to Chicago (M-36) from Sturgeon Bay, Wis. (M-72.5). Please click here to read on!
Message from the Mackinac Island Yacht Club Regatta Committee: We are delighted to share with you that the 2020 Mackinac Island Sailboat Racing schedule will be rolled out in its entirety. We are looking forward to getting back on the water this coming summer for some friendly and fun sailing competition. Races will be administered under the Mackinac Island Yacht Club COVID 19 Guidelines. Guidelines will be explained in detail at the Skippers Meetings before each race. Mackinac Island Yacht Club, along with our generous sponsors... The Pink Pony, MIssion Point Resort and Horns Bar, will be administering four great sailing events in 2020. Mark your calendars for another fabulous season of Island sailboat racing. Please click here to read more!
The Great Lakes Cruising Club's Board of Directors, via a Teleconference call on June 20th, has unanimously agreed to resume the remaining social calendar for this year, effective August 1, 2020, that were not previously cancelled. Our events will strictly adhere to & follow all government restrictions & mandates regarding gatherings due to the COVID-19 virus pandemic. Additionally, A Covid-19 Waiver is required to be completed & returned to the office prior to attending an event by any & all persons attending a GLCC event until further notice.
It is further suggested you closely monitor the club's website for the latest updates on all remaining social events. This is the GLCC events page link, where any changes or guidelines regarding attendance at the remaining events will be posted. The event Chair persons information is also available there for any additional questions.
Rich Baryzk, Commodore
The Great Lakes Cruising Club is looking for someone who is willing to serve as our Delegate to the Cruising Club of America. This is due to the recent passing of Director (Ret.) Robert P. Knight, If you are a member of the Cruising Club of America and are interested in assisting our Club in this capacity, please contact Yvonne at 810-984-4500 or via email to glcclub@att.net. Thank You
Sincerely,
Vice Commodore Dan Cline
Introducing George and Mary Thor, as newly appointed Port Captains for Sodus Bay, N.Y. (O-5)! Here’s an inside look at their boating experience. Mary and George moved to the Rochester, N.Y. area in 1973 and started boating on Lake Ontario in 1984 with a Catalina 22. They kept the 22 for only one Summer as they found it a bit small for their two daughters and themselves. They moved up to a Newport 27, a C&C design. In 1985, their second year with SeaWeeter, their 27, they crossed Lake Ontario for Toronto accompanying friends in their Newport 33. In 1987 they cruised to the West entrance to the Murry Canal to enter and explore the Bay of Quinte. Please click here to read more!
Let's give our newly appointed Port Captain, Matt Perry for Bay Harbor, Mich. (M-5.5), a hearty welcome! Matt is a life-long sailor, who grew up on the East Coast with summers spent on Martha’s Vineyard. He started racing in Beach Boats, moving up to Rhodes 19, Shields and went to the nationals in an International 110. Family vacations included bare boat charters from Maine to NYC and the Caribbean before his parents purchased their Bristol 40. Please click here to read further.
GLCC’s summer Lifeline is a reflection of our current situation in today’s version of pandemic reality. This issue of the Lifeline magazine is not as big as what has become its norm; however, it still has the same GLCC character that our membership represents and expects. We hope you enjoy this quick read before venturing out on your boat, safely and in a happy spirit! Along with the event previews, the continuation of the Founders Award log and summer safety article will help you focus on the season at hand. We invite you to take a guess at where the featured lighthouse is and please watch for events opening up this fall… info inside! Please click here to access the 2020 summer Lifeline magazine, and here for updates and information on GLCC Events.
We’d like to welcome Christine Moore Skrocki as newly appointed Port Captain for Caseville, Mich. (H-59) in addition to her title of Port Captain for Linwood, Mich. (H-62). Christine is a second-generation GLCC member. She has been boating her entire life. Her parents, Norman and Gloria Moore, would say "she was born on a boat". They became members of GLCC around 1978 when Chris was a young girl. She has participated in GLCC functions ever since. Please click here to read more!
The National Weather Service is soliciting public comments regarding a proposal to revise their terminology around small craft advisories. The survey only takes a couple of minutes.
Looking for a way to contribute to your GLCC? Consider becoming a port captain. The harbor reports for each port in the Great Lakes are the mainstay of the Club, and Port Captains maintain the report for their port. Want to learn more? Contact Pam Jackson, Port Captain Coordinator, at pam@dougandpam.com. (Photo by Rear Commodore (Ret.) Brad Somers: Past Commodore Niels Jensen and Port Captain Chester and Ceann Kolascz, 25-year members)
Here's a link to the North Shore Visitor's webpage about the whale sightings on Lake Supeior. It's always fun to follow the reports as they come in during the summer, mainly from along Minnesota's North Shore... and my appologies for posting the link one day later than it should have been. Please see https://northshorevisitor.com/activities/whale-watching/
The spring edition of Lifeline is hot off the press! That is if you get it in the mail… If not, no worries because as a member, you have access to the online edition right here at your fingertips.
The spring Lifeline helps your fitting out with a ten-point checklist, live webinars are in full-swing, there’s a new Lake Erie event in Geneva Start Park Marina this year, and a new Founders Award log. Please click here to read on.
We're weloming our newly appointed Port Captains for Hamilton Harbour, Ont. (O-48) today! Fairly new-to-GLCC members Rick and Debbie McQuin started sailing about 35 years ago with a short hiatus while their two boys were young. They joined Royal Hamilton Yacht Club (RHYC) 22 years ago when their sons started to race competitively. Deb and Rick started the cruising program at RHYC about 15 years ago and continue to represent the Club as Cruise People who organize the reciprocal cruises with Clubs around Western Lake Ontario. Rick is the cruising representative on the Sailing Committee at RHYC. They look forward to welcoming you to Hamilton, Ont.
Today we welcome newly appointed Port Captain Mark Clymer. Here he shares a little about his boating experiences... I have been a year-round resident of Clark Twp. the unit of government covering the Les Cheneaux Islands, Mich. (H-81), and the communities of Cedarville & Hessel, Mich. since 1974. My wife and I now live in a log cabin on McKay Bay, where Kimow II is moored. Please click here to read further.
Looking for a way to contribute to your GLCC?
Whatever Great Lakes region you’re near, there’s a boat show that needs you… The 2020 Progressive Chicago Boat, RV, and Sail Show will be held on January 8–12 at McCormick Place. Arguably, one of the largest shows based on the number of square feet utilized. As with the other Midwest shows, the GLCC will once again have a booth that needs GLCC members to work it. It’s a lot of fun and a very rewarding experience. You will get to know other GLCC members, while explaining to non-members all the benefits of being a member. But the main purpose of the booth is to recruit new members. The boat shows are one of the major sources of new members for the GLCC. And to make the job of selling the GLCC any easier than it already is, there is special boat-show-only pricing. Please click here to read more!
Let's say "Ahoy" to Ken Vannorsdall, our newly appointed Port Captain for Cooley Creek, Ohio (E-20.5)! Here's what he shares about his boating experiences... I believe I owe my love of sailing to my Mom and Dad. It was the summer of ’78 and was at my parent’s campsite. I expected to spend the day fishing with dad. Rather than renting our usual rowboat, dad rented two sunfish. What a great day it was. Back at the campground, dad gave me a brochure for an AMF Sunbird. I bought my first boat on Monday. As they say, the rest is history. To read further, please click here.
Winter Lifeline is here. Instead of a late fall — as most have hoped — we had an early winter, so this issue is apropos to this season! Inside, check out the Harbor Report Update Package changes for the 2020 season, past and upcoming event highlights, boat shows (volunteers always welcome), and the GLCCSchool kicks off its 10th season! Special notes: Please update your online profile as we will be sending the 2020 GLCC Membership Card in the spring. The Commodore and Lifeline Editor encourage your photo submissions for events along with Harbor Report updates from the areas you visit. Please click here to read more.
Congratulations to Port Captain Jim Lee for Mentor, Ohio (E-8) on completing the Great Lakes Singlehanded Society 2019 Lake Erie Solo Challenge this past August. Jim sailed single-handed from Toledo Beach, Mich. to Buffalo, N.Y. and back to Erie, P.A., a distance of 271 nautical miles or 312 statute miles. One can follow his trip at http://woolamaloo.com/lake-erie-solo-challenge/. Click on the pictures to read the narrative.
Both Cristina (Crissie) and John (Jack) have a long history of sailing the Great Lakes, most notably Lake St. Clair, Lake Huron, Georgian Bay, and the North Channel, in various sailboats, spanning the last 40 years or so. They belong to Crescent Sail Yacht Club on Lake St. Clair, now as non-resident members. Crissie has sailed in numerous Port Huron to Mackinac single handed races. Crissie and Jack sailed, for several years, up and down the inter-coastal and over to the Bahamas. Please click here to read more!
Meet the new Co-Port Captains for St. Clair Shores, Mich. (D-48), Victor and Susan Camaiore. Vic and Sue have been sailing for over 30 years. They have been GLCC members since 2013, but the first social event they attended was the 2016 Rendezvous in Superior, Wis., after buying their boat in Barker’s Island Marina where the Rendezvous was held. Since then, they have attended the 2018 and 2019 Rendezvous, the 2017 Lake Superior Rally, 2018 Wilderness Rally, 2019 Lake Huron Rally and GLCC meetings in Toledo, Ont., Windsor, Ont., and London, Ont. Please click here to continue reading.
With the slow onset of summer, a lot of us have been hoping it will be made up with a late fall. That remains to be seen. In the meantime, Lifeline is a great way to keep the memories alive! This issue has all the staple ingredients needed for just that. There are event recaps on the fun we’ve had in the summer and reports on upcoming events that we won’t want to miss. The 2019 Rendezvous centerfold will have us reminiscing and looking forward to next year’s event in Little Current, Ont. (NC-17). Let’s be sure to read the final installment of Past Commodore Niels & Vicki Jensen’s Founders Award log (and also the previous two issues) before putting away our boats! Please click here to access the 2019 fall Lifeline magazine, and here for updates and information on GLCC Events.
Dee & Brian McClure are our newly appointed Port Captains for Suttons Bay, Mich. (M-11), so be sure to give them a holler when you're in their port, they'll be happy to see you. Welcome aboard, McClure's! As a middle-schooler Dee’s Dad infused his love of sailing to her on a 16-foot day sailor. Dee became a very active racer of one-designs (Laser, Star, Lightning) and PHRF (32 to 42-foot boats) on Long Island Sound and in the Atlantic. After Brian and Dee married, they raced and cruised in New England. Please click here to read more...
Let's congratulate Bill & Jan Stover as our newly appointed Port Captains for Honey Harbour, Ont. (GB-25)! Bill and Jan have boated on Georgian Bay since the mid-1980s, spending wonderful family times with their two sons. They are power boaters and most of their time is spent in the Honey Harbour to Parry Sound area. They know these waters very well and have also travelled to the North Channel and west to Mackinac Island via Lake Huron, as well as the Mackinac Straits to Lake Michigan. Please click here to read more...
Now's your chance to do some EARLY end-of-season shopping!
We have several clothing items that were sold at the 2019 Rendezvous available for purchase on the GLCC website’s Ship Store. Also, several of the welcome bag items are also available to be purchased. Check out the huge canvas tote bag that you may very well be able to fit the galley sink into! You might need a drink after working on that so grab a couple GLCC 'boat friendly' beer tumblers! There’s a nifty pocket knife that has some handy gadgets for toolin’ around, and some nice Rendezvous shirts in case you make a mess and need to change. These items may be found in the Clothing or GLCC Items & Jewelry sections. They would make great gifts, so hurry before they’re gone! GLCC Ship's Store
Today we are welcoming newly appointed Deputy Port Captains for Lexington, Mich. (H-54), Sam Webster and Charlene Blondy. Please say hello when you are in the area! Sam started boating on the St. Clair River at age nine in a 10-foot rowboat with a 1/2 hp motor. He was a naval aviation electronics operator for the U.S. Navy in the 1950s. He joined the Detroit Yacht Club (DYC) in 1977 and cruised in his next three Chris Craft boats while serving on various committees at DYC as well as Fleet Captain in 1993. Please click here to read more!
Let's give a hearty welcome to newly appointed Port Captains Leonard & Nancy Buchanan for Muskegon, Mich. (M-22)! The Buchanan’s reside in Grand Haven, Mich. They have been around boats and boating all their life. Nancy sailed a pram and a Sunfish as a child and teen, while Lenny was around runabouts and pontoon boats. They have been boating as a couple for almost 26 years. Please click here to read further.
Port Captain Dale Lashbrook, Port Huron (D-1), was recently interviewed on EBW.TV (Everything Blue Water) discussing the Great Lakes Cruising Club. Click here to see the interview.
02/08/2022 Updated link to Welland Canal schedule. JM The GLCC has received notice that St. Lawrence Seaway Management Corporation has announced changes to procedures for pleasure boats transiting the Welland Canal. The changes come into effect July 15th and are described on their website here https://greatlakes-seaway.com/en/recreational-boating/lockage-schedule/…
Anne Wech is our newly appointed Port Captain for Geneva State Park, Ohio (E-6.5). Let's give her a warm welcome when we see her! Here's a little background about her and her husband Barry... Ann and Barry have been boating together for the past 30 years. They have cruised the Florida waters and most of the Great Lakes. They did the Trent-Seven Waterway twice, and have done most of the Intercostal Waterway. They have been the marina manager at the Geneva State Park Marina (a 391-slip marina) for the past five years and were previously the marina manager at Everglades National Park in Florida, for seven years. Please click here to read more!
Most members would agree that it's official boating season... especially when we have our summer Lifeline magazine at hand! There are so many events—there's no getting bored! You can plan ahead by reading all about summer and the events coming up in the not-as-near future. You may want to "Avoid Sinking" while out on the water, so be sure to read the article on the lesson learned aboard the 56-foot sailboat Monterey! We're at the second of three installments of the Founders Award and encourage you to read past and future issues to follow the stories. Please click here to access the 2019 summer Lifeline magazine, and here for updates and information on GLCC Events.
Welcome Bill and Helen Ayre; newly-appointed Port Captains for Parry Sound, Ont. (GB-31)! Bill and Helen live in the Hamilton-Burlington area and started sailing many years ago on Lake Ontario in a C S-27. As their children grew, so did their boat! They are now on boat number three named Raven, a 38-foot Dufour Classic. Please click here to read more...
Jim Lee has been appointed as Port Captain for Mentor, Ohio (E-8). Let's welcome him by stopping by at some point this summer! Jim took an interest in boating in 2005; a friend took him along on a Wednesday night race in a Beneteau 36.7. After an exciting race, he thanked the owner profusely. He was invited back and became a member of the crew. He rarely missed a race. Please click here to read more!
On Saturday, April 22nd, fourteen Great Lakes Cruising Club members led by GLCC Lake Superior Rear Commodore Jim Passe met in Duluth, MN, with Representatives from the Rock of Ages Lighthouse Preservation Society and National Park Service to present a $10,000 Grant to the Society from the Great Lakes Foundation. For more information about this grant, the Rock of Ages Lighthouse Preservation Society, and how you might get involved as a volunteer or supporter, click HERE.