Michigan Avenue - Niche Media - Michigan Avenue magazine is a luxury lifestyle magazine centered around Chicago’s finest people, events, fashion, health & beauty, fine dining & more!
Issue link: http://www.ifoldsflip.com/i/138854
removing a secondary generator. The most forward part of the boat, the bowsprit, nearly doubled in size to make it faster. A larger mainsail, with approximately 18 inches at the top, was added so it can capture faster-moving air that is higher up. "This boat is not the same boat it was last year," Thornton says. "We've done some things to speed it up and make it more user-friendly." Down below, the cabin, which had previously looked like a coal mine, was repainted white. The inventory of sails was enhanced. The hull and keel were cleaned, sanded, and repainted, partly to reduce drag, since any imperfection can make a small difference. "We fight for tenths of knots," Thornton says. "You've got to be very, very picky and look for every little opportunity to reduce drag. That's what it's all about." How much those changes will improve il Mostro's chances for breaking the Race to Mackinac's monohull course record remains to be seen. "There's a lot of speculation," says Greg Fordon, who raced on il Mostro in 2012 and supervised the offseason changes in Michigan, "but I think il Mostro has better potential than any other boat to break the record, if we have the right weather." FRESH AIR As passionate as Thornton is about improving il Mostro and chasing sailing records, he also hopes to inspire others, especially Chicago youth, to love his sport. "It's kind of selfish if you just keep this to yourself," Thornton says. "I think you should, if you can, expose young people to the sport, to the lake, and to the yacht club.... It might [spark the thought], 'This might be something I want to do someday.'" Last summer Thornton invited Paola Morales, a senior at Rickover Naval Academy, and a dozen or so students to sail on il Mostro. "It was really cool," Morales says. "It was so exciting to feel that adrenaline when you reach so far down by the water and come back up." Unlike his classmate, Heft hasn't been on il Mostro, but he is fascinated by Thornton's quest and hopes to pursue his love of the sport. "If it weren't for sailing," he says, "I'm not sure exactly what I'd be doing right now." After graduating from Rickover Naval Academy this summer, Heft will spend his time working for the Chicago Yacht Club. And like Thornton once did, he also hopes to someday own his own boat and compete alongside sailors in that great freshwater race. "I hope," says Heft, "to meet someone this summer so I can be on a crew that sails the Race to Mackinac." MA The Chicago Yacht Club is one of many places in the city to learn to sail. THE GREAT RACE Essential information about the 105th Race to Mackinac, and other ways to experience the sport in Chicago. The first Race to Mackinac—the oldest annual freshwater distance race in the world—informally started with five boats in 1898, but the second Mac didn't happen until 1904. After its absence through WWI, it has run every year since 1921. An amateur event, the race awards no prize money—just bragging rights. The race starts just off the Chicago Lighthouse near Navy Pier and goes 333 miles to Mackinac Island, Michigan. Sailors who compete in 25 or more Macs are invited to join the Island Goats Sailing Society. The reason for the name? Sailors' appearance, smell, and behavior upon finishing the hectic race. This year's Race to Mackinac will launch July 13. One of the prime spots to watch is at Michigan Avenue's own Ashore Thing, the official Parade of Boats viewing party, sponsored by BMO Harris Bank and held from 10 AM to 2 PM at the east end of Navy Pier. LEARNING TO SAIL There are several places to learn how to sail in Chicago. Chicago Yacht Club and Columbia Yacht Club both offer learn-to-sail programs for adults, a keelboat certification program, junior programs, and private lessons. Adult and junior classes are also offered by the Burnham Park Yacht Club. Or go to the Judd Goldman Adaptive Sailing Foundation, which partners with the Chicago Park District for adaptive and junior sailing programs. For other alternatives, check out U.S. Sailing's comprehensive list of Places to Sail in Illinois (home.ussailing.org). CHICAGO MATCH CUP Want more sailing? Twelve of the world's best sailing teams will race against each other in head-to-head combat in the Chicago Match Cup, a $100,000 competition being held August 6–11 in conjunction with the Tall Ships Chicago Festival at Navy Pier. This is the only US stop on the Alpari World Match Racing Tour, where sailors earn purse money and points toward the overall world championship that offers the largest sailing prize money in the world, worth a total of $1.75 million. MICHIGANAVEMAG.COM 122-127_MA_FEAT_Yacht_SUMMER13.indd 127 127 6/18/13 12:48 PM