Des Plaines Yacht Club

ABOUT US

The Des Plaines Park District Yacht Club, Inc. is a not-for-profit community sailing organization based at Lake Opeka bounded by Touhy Avenue, Lee Street and Howard Street in Des Plaines, IL. Since 1962, the club, in conjunction with the Des Plaines Park District has been successful in promoting the sport of sailing in the northwest suburbs of Chicago. Through our comprehensive schedule, sailing instruction, excellent facilities and social activities our club is strong and active in the sport. Our focus is to promote sailing for beginners and veterans and youth, increase participation in our fleets and maintain the friendly family atmosphere surrounding our club.

Lake Opeka came into being in the late fifties with the construction of the Northwest Tollway (I-90). Farmland was purchased near the Lee Street interchange and a lake was dug to provide dirt for the overpasses in the area. Upon completion, the foresighted Des Plaines Park District, with the assistance of their attorney Frank Opeka, purchased the 60 acre tract for $1.00 and created Lake Park. Besides the 39 acre lake with launching ramps, docks and wet and dry moorings, the facility includes an 18 hole par 3 golf course, band shell, picnic area, children’s playground, sand volleyball courts, exercise and jogging course and clubhouse/marina with snack bar accessed from Howard Street.

We offer the most easily accessible sailing lake in the Chicago area. With fifteen minutes of preparation or less, you can be on the calm and quiet water. No powerboats are allowed except for the park’s rescue boat, which is always on duty and our pontoon race committee boat. Being a small lake, the water warms up quickly, allowing a long season from the first weekend in April to the last weekend in October. Lake Opeka is an ideal place to learn to sail. The Park District offers sailing lessons and has boats available for rental making it possible for you and your family to participate in our programs without owning a boat. Club dues and Park District mooring fees are quite reasonable. Club meetings are held on the 4^th Tuesday of each month at 7:30 PM. We are a member of the U. S. Sailing Association. Trophies are awarded at the annual Awards Banquet in November. Numerous parties are held throughout the year and there is a monthly newsletter.

In early June, we hold our annual SAIL-A-SAILBOAT DAY, which is our club’s open house. It is an opportunity to meet with our members, see the facilities, view the various boats we sail, learn more about our programs and get a free sailboat ride.

OUR RACING PROGRAM

We pack in a lot of racing during the season, with races scheduled for almost every Sunday afternoon from late April to early October. We also race on Wednesday evenings from mid-May to mid-August and hold holiday regattas as well as host invitational regattas with guests from other lakes. The typical race lasts about 20 minutes with four being held on Sunday afternoons and two on Wednesday evenings. You can attend church on Sunday morning, sail all afternoon and still be home for dinner.

Any sailboat 20 feet and under is welcome. We have active Rebel Class and 470 Class one design fleets and numerous other boats, including several Lasers that make up our Miscellaneous Fleet. The Miscellaneous Fleet races as a group, but corrected times are computed based on the Portsmouth Handicap System to determine the finishing positions. As a result, anybody can race. On Wednesday evening, all boats race in the Miscellaneous Fleet.

Members of Rebel Fleet 23 and 470 Fleet 45 are not only active locally, but also on a national level. We have produced many top sailors including National and Junior National Champions and numerous top sailors have visited and raced at Lake Opeka.

Current Yeomansupport files/yeoman2010/Yeoman_2010-08 web.pdf

Previous Yeoman:

June 2009 support files/yeoman2009/Yeoman_2009-06 web.pdf

May 2008support files/yeoman2008/Yeoman_2008-05 web.pdf

August 2007support files/yeoman2007/Yeoman_2007-08 web.pdf

June 2007support files/yeoman2007/Yeoman_2007-06 web.pdf

September 2006support files/yeoman2006/Yeoman_2006-09.pdf

July 2006support files/yeoman2006/Yeoman_2006-07.pdf

May 2006support files/yeoman2006/Yeoman_2006-05.pdf

Des Plaines Yacht Club
ABOUT US The Des Plaines Park District Yacht Club, Inc. is a not-for-profit community sailing organization based at Lake Opeka bounded by Touhy Avenue, Lee Street and Howard Street in Des Plaines, IL. Since 1962, the club, in conjunction with the Des Plaines Park District has been successful in promoting the sport of sailing in the northwest suburbs of Chicago. Through our comprehensive schedule, sailing instruction, excellent facilities and social activities our club is strong and active in the sport. Our focus is to promote sailing for beginners and veterans and youth, increase participation in our fleets and maintain the friendly family atmosphere surrounding our club. Lake Opeka came into being in the late fifties with the construction of the Northwest Tollway (I-90). Farmland was purchased near the Lee Street interchange and a lake was dug to provide dirt for the overpasses in the area. Upon completion, the foresighted Des Plaines Park District, with the assistance of their attorney Frank Opeka, purchased the 60 acre tract for $1.00 and created Lake Park. Besides the 39 acre lake with launching ramps, docks and wet and dry moorings, the facility includes an 18 hole par 3 golf course, band shell, picnic area, children’s playground, sand volleyball courts, exercise and jogging course and clubhouse/marina with snack bar accessed from Howard Street. We offer the most easily accessible sailing lake in the Chicago area. With fifteen minutes of preparation or less, you can be on the calm and quiet water. No powerboats are allowed except for the park’s rescue boat, which is always on duty and our pontoon race committee boat. Being a small lake, the water warms up quickly, allowing a long season from the first weekend in April to the last weekend in October. Lake Opeka is an ideal place to learn to sail. The Park District offers sailing lessons and has boats available for rental making it possible for you and your family to participate in our programs without owning a boat. Club dues and Park District mooring fees are quite reasonable. Club meetings are held on the 4^th Tuesday of each month at 7:30 PM. We are a member of the U. S. Sailing Association. Trophies are awarded at the annual Awards Banquet in November. Numerous parties are held throughout the year and there is a monthly newsletter. In early June, we hold our annual SAIL-A-SAILBOAT DAY, which is our club’s open house. It is an opportunity to meet with our members, see the facilities, view the various boats we sail, learn more about our programs and get a free sailboat ride. OUR RACING PROGRAM We pack in a lot of racing during the season, with races scheduled for almost every Sunday afternoon from late April to early October. We also race on Wednesday evenings from mid-May to mid-August and hold holiday regattas as well as host invitational regattas with guests from other lakes. The typical race lasts about 20 minutes with four being held on Sunday afternoons and two on Wednesday evenings. You can attend church on Sunday morning, sail all afternoon and still be home for dinner. Any sailboat 20 feet and under is welcome. We have active Rebel Class and 470 Class one design fleets and numerous other boats, including several Lasers that make up our Miscellaneous Fleet. The Miscellaneous Fleet races as a group, but corrected times are computed based on the Portsmouth Handicap System to determine the finishing positions. As a result, anybody can race. On Wednesday evening, all boats race in the Miscellaneous Fleet. Members of Rebel Fleet 23 and 470 Fleet 45 are not only active locally, but also on a national level. We have produced many top sailors including National and Junior National Champions and numerous top sailors have visited and raced at Lake Opeka. Current Yeomansupport files/yeoman2010/Yeoman_2010-08 web.pdf Previous Yeoman: June 2009 support files/yeoman2009/Yeoman_2009-06 web.pdf May 2008support files/yeoman2008/Yeoman_2008-05 web.pdf August 2007support files/yeoman2007/Yeoman_2007-08 web.pdf June 2007support files/yeoman2007/Yeoman_2007-06 web.pdf September 2006support files/yeoman2006/Yeoman_2006-09.pdf July 2006support files/yeoman2006/Yeoman_2006-07.pdf May 2006support files/yeoman2006/Yeoman_2006-05.pdf
We Offer Sailboat Lessons! Get a preview of sailing lessons and a free ride with our annual Sail a Sailboat Day the first weekend in June To find out more: Call: Lake Opeka at 847-391-5730 www.desplainesparks.org Or e-mail desplainesyachtclub@yahoo.com	Click on a category to see a picture and description of our fleet.
	470
	Rebel
	Laser
	Misc



Come join the fun and see what sailing is all about! Visitors are always Welcome!