About Us...

Commodore:  Tom Fraser 
Vice Commodore:  Ken Suddick                  Rear Commodore:  Peter D' Angelo
Past Commodore Glory Schappe
 

Grosse Pointe Sail Club • PO Box 36462

Grosse Pointe, MI  48236

 

The Grosse Pointe Sail Club was founded in 1948 when the City of Grosse Pointe Park invited a dozen sailing enthusiasts to establish a sailing club at the city’s Windmill Pointe Park. Located at the head of the Detroit River, Windmill Pointe Park and its marina provide an ideal venue for conducting sailboat races. The club’s Tuesday Evening Sundown Series, now in its 43^rd year, is the longest running open racing competition on the lake, drawing hundreds of sailors every Tuesday night throughout the summer. With its location at the junction of the Detroit River and Lake St. Clair, the Windmill Pointe Park main pier offers spectators an excellent view of both the starts and finishes of the Sundown Races and other club sponsored race events. 

As a member of the Detroit Regional Yacht-Racing Association (DRYA), in addition to the Sundown Series the club also sponsors an annual Regatta just prior to the Port Huron-Mackinaw Race and a Fall Series set of four races during September and October. There are also “member only” races during the year, which include the Ladies Race and the Frostbite Race series. GPSC members are also eligible to compete in other races supervised by the DRYA during the year. Club members include sailboat owners, powerboat owners, and members that do not own a boat. 

In addition to the numerous racing activities, the clubs calendar includes many social events during the year; theme parties, summer weekend rendezvous’, group cruises, and children’s activities. The GPSC leases office space in the Tompkins Community Center at Windmill Pointe Park and uses the community center for most of its social events.  

CREDO

To encourage and promote sailing, boating, racing, safe navigation and good seamanship; to foster good sportsmanship and competition in sail racing; and to encourage camaraderie and fraternity among persons interested in sailing and boating

COME SAIL WITH US! 

The Grosse Pointe Sail Club sponsors 19 races during the sailing season. Our Tuesday evening 12-race Spring and Summer Sundown Series have been attracting sailors to our start line for 43 years. These races begin at 7:00 PM and usually finish before dark. There are eight starts at five-minute increments with twelve classes starting overall. Participating boats are ranked according to their handicap ratings with a cruising class, three JAM classes (Jib and Main), and several spinnaker classes. Some of our racers are very experienced, some are club racers and some are beginning racers. We welcome all skill levels at our races. 

In addition to the Sundown Series GPSC co-sponsors the Detroit River Challenge in May. This is the initial race of the year and starts at the Windmill Pointe pier and races to one of the downriver clubs. Several clubs have boats entered in this fun event that starts the sailing year. We also hold a major regatta in July in which all DRYA member boats are invited to participate. Our Fall Series consists of four races (two each day) run on successive Sundays in September, again for all DRYA member boats. 

There are two race events that are run exclusively for GPSC members. The Ladies Race Sailing Instructions stipulate that a lady must steer the boat for the entire race. On occasion the entire crew has consisted of ladies. The second “club member only” race is the Frostbite, traditionally the last race of the year. 

Throughout the sailing season many of our Sailboat members compete in the various race events. Our Power Boat members support these races by setting marks (the inflated buoys that mark the courses) and by acting as course patrol boats as required by the Coast Guard. The non-sailing members support the program by working on the pier handling the many duties required to efficiently conduct the races; both start and finish recorders (six), displaying the various signal flags (two), gunner (one), timer (one), start and finish spotters (two). The Chief Judge is usually one of the clubs Commodores. 

Several of our sailing events also include social activities following the races. There are hors d’oeuvres and adult beverages following the first and last Tuesday night races. A similar menu is served following the Ladies Race. The Frostbite Race is followed by a Chili Party with many members competing for prizes for the best chili. At our annual Regatta we also have food and adult beverages preceding the awarding of the various class flags for winners that day. 

The last social event of the year is the Sundown Series Award Night, which is held in early November. Skippers and two crewmembers from each boat that won a flag during the season are invited to the ceremony to receive their flag. All the club members that worked on the dock or on the patrol boats during the racing season are also invited to this event. Hors d’oeuvres and adult beverages are served at this event as well.

HOW DO YOU RACE WITH US?

  First you must complete and submit both the Registration Form and the Registration Fee Form;

      The second thing your boat needs is a PHRF rating and if one has never been assigned to you, our club will determine your handicap.  Based upon this rating, you will then be assigned to a class and a starting time.  You will need the GPSC Sailing Instructions (S.I.'s) and chart, and they, too, are on this website.  If you need additional information please e-mail our 2004 Race Chair, Dave MacDonald or 313-886-1610.  We would like you to join us! 

Webmaster: Larry Socie