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Please check your email and/or event listing for any cancellation notification, and check the weather before driving to the lake. Check local wind here.
This learn to sail course includes 2 days of classroom and 4 days of on-the-water practice. The on-the-water training will be on Lasers and Sunfish which are single-person boats. Tuition for the classroom portion is FREE. Tuition is $195 for those who sign up for all 6 classroom and on-the-water sessions. Successful completion of this course will result in CLSA Small Boat Certification, which allows members to sail the club small boats. Our course sessions will be held from 5:30-8:00 pm on Monday & Tuesday evenings over 3 weeks.
Class Schedule
Monday, Aug 11 (Classroom)
Tuesday, Aug 12 (Classroom)
Monday, Aug 18 Tuesday, Aug 19 Monday, Aug 25
Tuesday, Aug 26
In partnership with the Illinois Department of Natural Resources, CLSA will be hosting the Small Boat Introduction to Sailing classes at the Parnell Boat Access Area on Clinton Lake.
To: Education Classes Volunteers
If you would like to receive Education Classes event invites and reminders (or opt out), update your group participation within your member profile in Wild Apricot.
RSVP yes or no from announcement emails to stop receiving further announcements emails for this event.
Distance Racers, we're looking forward to another fun day of distance racing. We hope you can join us!
A few changes are required to our racing program this year.
1) Registration in advance is necessary if you plan to race. All CLSA members in good standing are allowed to skipper in CLSA club races.
2) The CLSA Race Notices will be the official notice board for the event. Signals made ashore will leverage electronic notifications to registered participants.
3) Because of limitations with boats launching from multiple locations, there is no planned competitor's briefing prior to the race.
4) Anticipated race course information regarding direction and course length(full or half) will be announced in the reminder email sent, typically the evening before the event. Changes will be announced on the water via VHF 68.
Racing starts at 1pm.
Distance Racing Sailing Instructions
4:00pm - Cabin boats depart and begin to assemble at the docks at Mascoutin Boat Launch nearest to the old Boondocks.
5:00pm - Dock walk begins. Cabin boat owners welcome guests on their boats to show off their rides. A great opportunity to see different boats and meet new people.
6:30pm - Dinner is served at the nearby Mascoutin Pavillion. Entree options include Chicken or Italian Vegan Lentils. + Please bring a side dish or a dessert item to share, if you can.
You may opt out of dinner (but if you do so, please register for the event so we know you're attending).
+ Alcohol will not be provided. Water, lemonade, and some other soft drinks will be provided
7:41 pm - Sunset. Cabin boaters decorate their boats with festive lights and invite friends for an evening sail off the dock and a parade of lights in the darkness (no moonlight). Many cities around the world celebrate their own version of Venetian Night, modeled off the the popular boat parades in Venice, Italy.
To: Laser/Sunfish Sailing group If you would like to receive Laser/Sunfish Sailing event invites and reminders (or opt out), update your group participation within your member profile in Wild Apricot.
Volunteers: Please register as a volunteer.
Notice of Race and Sailing Instructions not yet available.
Calling all Laser/Sunfish sailors! Join us at CLSA for a fun afternoon where we award our annual Laser/Sunfish perpetual trophy to the winner. Meeting location is the Parnell Boat Access Area. We'll meet at 12noon and start racing around 1pm. Our club Lasers are available on a first-come-first-served basis. Owners of Sunfish/Lasers are encouraged to bring your own boat.
1) Registration in advance is necessary if you plan to race. All CLSA members in good standing are allowed to skipper in CLSA club races. Members, please log in to select the 'Need a Boat' or 'Bringing my Own Boat' option. Guest Skipper Registration is available for prospective, new members. Please email the membership chair (clsamembership@gmail.com) to receive a guest entry code.
4) Sailing Instructions will be posted in this event and the Notice Board when finalized. Any additional information to be conveyed by the Race Committee Chair or PRO will also be posted on the Notice Board and broadcast in a reminder email, typically the evening before the event. Changes will be announced on the water via VHF 68.
Course
We will race a leeward start course.
Schedule
1:00pm - First Warning Signal
More races to follow
3:00pm - Latest Warning Signal
Volunteers, please register for this event as a volunteer by clicking the 'register' button.
Members of the Laser/Sunfish Sailing group will receive an event announcement email. Those who do not RSVP yes or no (see announcement email) may receive multiple announcement emails.
Come join the Thistle Thursday tradition!
New sailor orientation is held at 5pm. We will rig and launch boats and have informal, practice races starting around 6pm. Following sailing, we will enjoy our traditional brat cookout.
To RSVP, look for the Thistle Thursday event in our Fleet 66 GroupMe or email clsa.ThistleFleet66@gmail.com.
CLSA is excited to continue hosting Family Fridays. These events in 2025 will be slightly based on the location for each event. This event is perfect for parents with youth sailors to enjoy quality time together at the lake. This is a great time to to come out and experience the joy of sailing one last time before we prepare the boats for the off-season.
We will have our club boats available when feasible, but other events will include cabin boat rides by fellow members.
Hot dogs and snacks provided. BYOBeverages.
Please register if you plan to attend. Always check our cancellations page at CLSASailing.org before driving out to the lake.
Volunteers: please register as a volunteer.
RSVP yes/no from the announcement email and you will not receive further announcement emails specific to this event.
Mixed Fleet Buoy Race is open to all boats and racers of all experience levels. This is a shorter sailboat race run around a purpose set course.
2025 Buoy Race Sailing Instructions
1) Registration in advance is necessary if you plan to race. All CLSA members in good standing are allowed to skipper in CLSA club races. Members, please log in to select the 'Skipper' option. Guest Skipper Registration is available for prospective, new members. Please email the membership chair (clsamembership@gmail.com) to receive a guest entry code.
CLSA and Thistle Fleet #66 are proud to sponsor the Painkiller Regatta. We hope you'll join us for weekend of fun racing and friendship.
Notice of Race
Please register if you plan to race.
This registration form is only for Non-Regatta participants to join the Thistle Painkiller Regatta Dinner. All CLSA is welcome! $20 per meal (Steak, Chicken or Portabella options) will be collected at the event. RSVP requested by Tuesday, September 2nd.
Google Maps link to Mascoutin Pavillion
The Clinton Lake Sailing Association is planning a mooring ball/dinghy driving/Navigation class. This will be especially useful for those planning a bareboat rental sailing trip in 2026. The class will have three sections, dinghy driving, mooring ball pickup, and navigation using a chart plotter. The class will be held Saturday 9/27/2025 starting at 1:00 pm.
Everyone will meet near the Mascoutin Boat Launch (Lat 40.1495 N, Long -88.8039 W) at the Clinton Lake State Recreation Area (in Google Maps, search for "Mascoutin Boat Ramp Weldon IL".
Race committee volunteers: please register for the event to sign up to volunteer for race committee.
The Vicki Cup Distance Race is a 1-day distance racing format. Trophies are awarded to winning cabin boat and the winning dinghy based on corrected time (handicap). Racers will meet at 12noon.
Members of the Distance Racing group will receive an event announcement email. Those who do not RSVP yes or no (see announcement email) may receive multiple announcement emails.
The Vicki Cup Buoy Race is a 1-day around-the-buoys racing format. Trophies are awarded to winning cabin boat and the winning dinghy based on corrected time (handicap). Racers will meet at 12noon.
Members of the Buoy Racing group will receive an event announcement email. Those who do not RSVP yes or no (see announcement email) may receive multiple announcement emails.
Rain Date for October 18 Vicki Cup Triangle Race.
The University of Illinois Sailing Team and CLSA are hosts to the annual Kingfisher Regatta for college sailors. Several schools will be guests for the weekend.
CLSA members are needed for race committee.
For more details contact: illinoissailing@gmail.com.
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