Milwaukee Community Sailing Center

Hope you are having a great Labor Day Weekend! Don't forget to make time to go sailing! We are open on Labor Day! Open sailing starts at 10 a.m. and the office is open from 9 a.m. - 3 p.m.

Phones and Internet are down at MCSC this morning. We will answer calls and email when it is restored!

We are thrilled to see so many people using the water ways—the lakefront now truly reflects the city. We are always happy to answer questions about how to safely interact with other boaters on our glorious shared space.

Local Groups Promote Equitable Water Access and Recreation An ever-growing variety of groups and activities enjoy Milwaukee's waters.

In yesterday's Jib Sheet, we asked members and friends to weigh in on topics and formats for winter programming. We've a great response so far. As of now, the top 5 topics are Heavy Weather Sailing, Safety at Sea, Digital Navigation and Routing, Local and Regional Weather, and Sailing with Spinnakers. There is still time to select your favorites and add your own ideas: Start here:

What would you like to learn or do over the winter? We're assembling a list of topics and instructors to feature during off-season programming at MCSC. Please tell us what interests you and what does not. This short survey will help us create a calendar that works for most people and pack it with the most popular subjects and formats. It will only ta...

Our cat Spinnaker wants to remind you we still have a fantastic raffle happening. A $1000 donation to MCSC will help support our endowment funds and enter you in a chance to win tickets in the Founders Suite at the September 6th game (MKE vs Colorado). More info and enter here: https://buff.ly/3WoENn2

Edmund and Leo, both Milwaukee Community Sailing Center Youth Staff, have joined other Advanced Ambassadors on World Ocean School's the S/V Denis Sullivan sailing out of Boston. Here are the first few images of their journey.

Fair winds and following seas LITTLE TOOT! Looking forward to hearing where you land!

LITTLE TOOT GETS LAUNCHED AGAIN
By James Heinz
For the third time, WMHS has launched our good friend LITTLE TOOT into the waters of Lake Michigan. LITTLE TOOT was ready for launching after a year spent in the Joe Grygny tiny wooden boat rehabilitation center.
WMHS members Carl Eisenberg, Todd Gordon, and myself went to the Milwaukee Community Sailing Center on August 8th to take the tiny wooden ship out onto the Lake.
One problem with writing all my stories about shipwrecks is that I have shipwrecks on the brain. It was all I could do to stop the most famous shipwreck song in history from running through my head:
“…a three hour cruise, a three hour cruise…”

We met with Sailing Center Outreach Director Teresa Coronado, who graciously donated the use of their boat to facilitate this third in a series of little tiny wooden boat launchings. Teresa was accompanied by her deck hand Kristen Pratt, who got shanghaied onto the boat because when asked she unwisely told her boss Teresa that she had nothing to do at the moment.

My anxiety was only increased by Todd singing the second most popular shipwreck song in history:

“…the wind in the wires made a tattletale sound, as the waves broke over the railing…”

Actually, there was no wind, and no waves, and no wires. Lake Michigan was in a rare good mood, flat and calm and emerald green. Still, it was the thought that counted. Thanks, Todd.

WMHS executive director Suzette Lopez, whose pandemic period inspired idea this was, was nowhere in sight. No doubt she was typing up a data sheet and preparing a file about us in case we did not return.

Teresa and Kristen took us on a 26 minute cruise about 1.5 miles out from the McKinley Marina. After a brief dispute about which patch of identical lake water was preferable to every other patch of identical lake water for the launching, Todd prepared to launch LITTLE TOOT over the side.

I lamented the absence of a bottle of champagne with which to christen LITTLE TOOT, but Todd said it would not have mattered anyway, since he would have drunk it all on the way out.

And so, with due ceremony LITTLE TOOT was again committed to the deep. Wait, that doesn’t sound right. Let’s just say that LITTLE TOOT was successfully launched over the side, to resume her voyage to who knows where.

The first time she was launched, she was found two years later on the beach at Warnimont Park in Cudahy, and the second time she was found two days later on the beach at Whitefish Bay, only to be held hostage for a period of time by the little boy who found it and did not want to give it up.

The return trip was uneventful except for Todd singing “…the captain wired in that he had water coming in, and the good ship and crew was in peril…” even though we had no water coming in and we were not in peril from anything except having to listen to Todd sing.

Stay tuned for further developments in the life of LITTLE TOOT.
____________________________________
James Heinz is the Wisconsin Marine Historical Society’s acquisitions director. He became interested in maritime history as a kid watching Jacques Cousteau’s adventures on TV. He was a Great Lakes wreck diver until three episodes of the bends forced him to retire from diving. He was a University of Wisconsin – Milwaukee police officer for thirty years. He regularly flies either a Cessna 152 or 172.

PHOTOS by Jim Heinz and Carl Eisenberg
The LITTLE TOOT team: Jim Heinz, Carl Eisenberg, Todd Gordon with Kristen Pratt
Todd Gordon launching LITTLE TOOT
LITTLE TOOT’s voyage begins

ALL photos are emailed to Wisconsin Marine Historical Society members with the story. Help keep history alive. Join the Wisconsin Marine Historical Society. As a member you will receive these stories and much more. For information email us at [email protected] or call 414-286-3074 or visit our webpage at https://wmhs.org/

We had so much fun!!!

For the past 40 years, we've offered free boat rides for people with disabilities on Fridays, weather permitting. For the past 20 years, we 've scheduled these rides in conjunction with the Milwaukee County Office for Persons with Disabilities (which includes Milwaukee County Aging and Disability Services). As a thank you for all of the work we have done over the years, the ADS office has gotten us a mobile Hoyer lift!

A huge thank you to everyone who got this project off of the ground, and helped get it ready...including testing it. We are excited to be able to bring better access to more people for the rest of this summer and upcoming years.

If you, or someone you know, would prefer to access our boats using the lift, just let us know in the front office and we will get you sailing!

Don't miss out on this fantastic raffle supporting MCSC! Enter now for a chance to win exclusive seats in a Founders Suite at a Milwaukee baseball game! For more information and to participate visit: https://buff.ly/3WoENn2

Just got word that JD and his team finished 3rd in the Lightning NAs this weekend! The cats are high-fiving.

Phyllis McDonald named Notable Woman in Sports by BizTimes! Thank you Phyllis for all the work you've done to support women in sailing!! Read the full article here:

Notable Women in Sports: Phyllis McDonald Phyllis McDonald has been part of the boating industry for more than 40 years and served as president of the Milwaukee-based Midwest Women’s Sailing

UPDATE: Due to weather, the Quarter Barrel Race & Pot Luck is POSTPONED to Sunday, September 1st (not August 25th as previously posted). More info here: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/2024QuarterBarrel #/

Quarter Barrel Race is Sunday, August 18th! Weather permitting, we'll race to the bell buoy and back. Then enjoy a potluck after with your fellow sailors. Open to MCSC members and private boats. Notice of Race and registration info available here: https://buff.ly/4chkFYq

There's still time to learn to sail this summer! We have a few spots left for our Weekend Intensive Fundamental of Sailing class. For details and to sign up visit: https://buff.ly/4f95L9i

Lake Michigan's resident sea monster? Unlikely. It appears to be a River Otter instead! Youth level students and staff noticed a newcomer near the MCSC docks and have seen this new friend at least twice. The kids have named him Winch(ester) Increase Hayes (Linus Dorcas for short.)

Many thanks to organizations like Milwaukee Riverkeeper for their efforts in improving the cleanliness of our waterways, benefiting not only us but also our small, furry friends!

We've added another Intro to Centerboards session!

Sailboats equipped with centerboards rely on the movement of the sailor's body to maintain balance, leading to a more exhilarating sailing experience with increased speed and closeness to the water.

Learn rigging‚ launching (including the use of yard dollies and cranes) and basic centerboard sailing techniques including hiking‚ coordinating crew weight to balance the boat‚ roll-tacking and steering with a tiller extension. Capsize recovery is introduced and practiced.

For more information and to register visit, https://buff.ly/3WJJaJg

Many of you know Kurt K., who kindly tackles projects in the yard, on the docks and boats, and usually works behind the scenes. This week, Kurt improved the ILCA (Laser) trailer with shelves and boxes to help with organization and speed the time to water for students in our August Intro to ILCAs (Laser) class and upcoming ILCA racing. Kurt did this work with ALL recycled lumber and hardware. Kurt is one among legions of volunteers who make this place work. Thank you Kurt! And thank you to ALL our volunteers!

It's going to be a BUSY weekend at the Lakefront. Harleyfest, Brewfest, Air & Water Show, AND Germanfest are all happing this weekend! There is NO ENRICHMENT this weekend (no Spinnaker Club AND no Sunday Racing). Instead, Open Sail begins at 10 a.m. on both days.

The parking lot should be open to members, dry sailors, and those with parking passes. To access, remember your membership card or dry sail parking pass, and drive with caution and patience.

Genny and Spinny want to remind you to get your raffle tickets! Our first raffle drawing is coming up - entry deadline is Noon on August 1. You can win 5 seats behind Home Plate, plus a parking pass! For details and to enter visit https://buff.ly/3WoENn2

Congratulations to all the sailors for a great Mid-Season Regatta! For race results and more pictures see this week's Jib Sheet Newsletter!

FYI - MCSC power is out right now. Appears that many along the lakefront don't have power. Will update when we have more info. Open Sail still starting at 10am.

The most recent additions to our team have been named! Say hello to Genoa, also known as "Genny" (the tuxedo cat with black and white fur) and Spinnaker, also known as "Spinny" (the all-black cat). We are thrilled to welcome these small furry companions to the Meow-aukee Community Sailing Center.

Want to learn to sail this summer? We still have 2 available slots for our upcoming Fundamental of Sailing Weekend Intensive program. The course will take place from July 19-21, starting at 5:30pm on Friday until sunset, then continuing from 9am to 6pm on both Saturday and Sunday. For more information and to enroll, visit: https://buff.ly/4f95L9i

We have two great raffles happing right now! Win seats to Brewers games either behind home plate or in a Founders Suite. For details and how to enter visit:

MCSC Raffle Support MCSC and Win Big!

We enjoyed a delightful day yesterday sailing and having a picnic lunch with fellow members! A big thank you to all those who put it together and took part in the activities!

Due to the upcoming RNC, Summerfest Grounds will be a special closed area at times, which will likely impact traffic on LMD. See map below for restrictions on Sunday, July 14. We plan on having Sunday Morning racing on July 14th. Check the GroupMe app and Jib Sheet Newsletter for more information and updates.

Entry is now open for MCSC's Mid-Season Regatta held on Sunday, July 21st. The regatta is open to MCSC members, students and staff, and visiting sailors sailing their own boats. For details and to sign up visit: https://buff.ly/3zB9vQK

Introducing our new ILCA sailing class! The ILCA (formerly called the Laser) is a high-performance centerboard boat sailed by one person. Learn rig selection, rigging, launching, and basic sailing techniques like hiking, tacking, gybing, and capsize recovery, plus fun drills and games! This class will meet once a week for four weeks in August. After the class is complete we will begin ILCA Racing! Learn more and sign up here: https://buff.ly/3Y5Xg8O

We had a blast this week with kids enrolled in partner All Hands Boatworks Maritime Camp. The kids sailed Ensigns with VIs for three days, learning to drive, tack and gybe. They also practiced crew-over-boards and played trust games, like blindfolded driving (with help from crewmates and tiller-feel to hold a course.)