Whitehawk Week 2023
July 28, 2023
by Eileen O’Neill
Peter and Marijane Thornton, members of Chicago Yacht Club and long-time Chicago Foundation supporters, generously shared their ketch Whitehawk with the CYC Foundation, sailing her to Monroe Harbor to officially kick off Whitehawk Week on July 12-14, 2023.
Upon arrival, they hosted the first of four total cruises for campers from the Jackson Park Yacht Club Sailing School. The CYC Foundation is the platinum sponsor the School’s Open Horizons for Youth program, which puts more than 300 kids through sailing camp every year. This is an important initiative the Thorntons enjoy supporting because, “These kids are the future,” according to Peter. "It’s important to show them that anything is possible, if you want it bad enough.” Jackson Park is a special place for him, as Chicago’s South Shore neighborhood is where he grew up and learned to sail. The latter is something he and Greg Miarecki, Chicago Yacht Club Foundation president, have in common. But that’s not the only thing: Both Whitehawk and Providence (Greg’s boat) were designed by Bruce King
Core memories were made for the participating campers. Summer Overton, an 11-year-old intermediate Bug sailor, said, “My first impression of the boat was that it was bigger than a house and that the boat was, in a way, regal. The part that gave me a lasting memory was steering the boat. The wheel was bigger than me!” Isaac Silverman, a 13-year-old 420 sailor, was fascinated by the boat specs and features, saying, “When I first saw the boat, I was surprised by how big it was. I had known it was 106 feet, but it only really got put in perspective once I saw it. One of the things I found most interesting was the keel because it’s so long, but it isn’t fixed in place. They can move it so they can still sail most places.”
Aspiring captain and boat owner Timmy Carter, a 13-year-old who has spent the last five years sailing various types of boats, said, “The owner, Pete, and I had a conversation about boats and about how I would buy his boat. The Captain and I talked about getting a captain’s license. This was just an amazing, once-in-a-lifetime experience.” Open Horizons is close to Peter’s heart. “I fell in love with sailing when I was their age and the passion has never left me,” he explained. It’s clear this passion was felt by the campers as well. “I have never before encountered such a big sailing boat before. It was a great pleasure riding on the Whitehawk,” said 12-year-old Olivier Bagdonas. We all hope that Whitehawk will come again, but Calliope Richards, 9, said it best: “It was so fun. I learned so many cool things. It was a great experience and I want to go back someday.”
View the gallery of photos from the cruises.
Later that evening, the Foundation hosted a reception to unveil the new Whitehawk Trophy, to be awarded in 2023 onward for the fastest corrected time in the CYC Race to Mackinac’s Cruising Division. This stunning sterling silver trophy has three tiers, each of which features intricate details, such as cherubs, herons, and delicate florals. The trophy will be placed in a permanent location, along with Chicago Yacht Club’s collection in the Monroe station foyer. Refreshments were served on the patio thanks to the generosity of Chicago Yacht Club members Bill and Jude Bloom. Later, guests who donated to the Foundation that night could tour Whitehawk. The boat is pristine, with varnished wood trim and teak decks––all the classic details of an old vessel with modern touches such as toe-button roller furlers. Below deck the same classic details continue, including an elegant china cabinet with strategic pegs to keep everything in place while the boat is under sail. The piece de resistance is the wooden bathtub in the captain’s quarters.
The Foundation congratulates Fernando Assens, whose Solaris One 42 Albatross will be the first name on the new trophy. Whitehawk races the Mac every year, claiming line honors in the 114th race. One of the 14 crew members, Rock Roney, who has been sailing with Peter since 1988, said “It’s so fun to watch him chat with the kids from Jackson Park. Peter is super generous with the kids and seeing him interact with them is so inspiring.” The boat is truly an elegant vessel, with an equally elegant owner.
View the gallery of images from the reception, including closeups of the trophy.