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During the summer of 1933, Mr. William McDillon started
a camp on the west side of the channel just south of what was then the
old #3 Ice House. Mr. McDillon's brother-in-law, Charles Thamm, lived
in a tent on those grounds. They rented rowboats, sold bait, and later
sold pop. In the meantime, people who had boats started to keep them
there. Eventually, sailboats were brought in and mooring cans were put
in the channel. The sailors started racing and the idea of starting a
club was brought up.
In
the meantime McDillon, Thamm, and Al Brayshaw (McDillon's son-in-law)
started to build a two room tarpaper shack with a porch where candy,
pop and beer could be sold. After that was finished a shed was made to
store tools supplies and a few rowboats were made.
In
1934 McDillon formed the Illiana Pleasure Club and the dues were 50
cents a month or $1.50 a season. From this Club the Illiana Yacht Club
was formed. Officers were elected and our first Commodore was Norm
Jouse. No dues were collected as all dues went to the Illiana Pleasure
Club which paid for trophies and other operating expenses. In 1935,
with many sailboats coming in, the smaller boats were put in the A
class and the 18' or longer boats were put in the B class.
During
the winter of 1935 and 1936 a cinder base was put down for a new
Clubhouse which is our present Clubhouse. It was originally screened in
on all four walls. Canvas was put up in rainy weather. 1936 and 1937
were good racing seasons and fleets increased in size. In 1938 the
first National One Design came to Illiana Yacht Club sailed by Herman
Landon. In 1939 the NOD sailed as a separate class and the A and B
classes were split to form the C class.
In
1940, Landon brought home the NOD World Championship. Membership
continued to grow which allowed us to add windows, a fireplace and a
maple floor to the Clubhouse. In April of the same year, we had a large
fire and the boat shed and about 30 sailboats, 2 or 3 motor boats and
about 10 rowboats were destroyed. In 1941, on Good Friday, Walter Benko
was the first member to be drafted into the service for World War II.
At
the time of the Pearl Harbor bombing there were about 15 members of
draft age. During 1942-1945, about 50 percent of the male Club members
served in World War II, and growth for the club slowed. All told, about
45 members went into the service, only one did not return, Louis
Faygas.
The
Club threw a big party for the returning veterans in 1946, and from
'47-'52, the club prospered enough to buy out McDillon in 1953.
The
steel needed to supply the forces during the Korean War required the
dumping of slag. Wolf Lake was the location for this deposit, and until
about 1958 the South end of the lake was filled, cutting the race
course area about 50 percent. In 1954 the toll road was run through the
middle of the lake which further reduced the race course area about 15
percent. Sailors started to move their boats to Roby Joes near the S
turn on Burnham Ave. and kept their boats on trailers in 1959 and 1960.
Talk
began about relocating the Club across the tollway and after much
effort the Club was moved to its current location at a cost of about
$2000. Shortly thereafter members added a galley and washroom
facilities, and an addition known as the M&M room for Leroy Madsen
and Albert Muller.
Today
the Club is home to about 50 Regular members racing in 3 fleets. The
NOD fleet still has a strong presence, and other fleets have come on
gone, including the Penguin, Jet 14, and Flying Junior. More recently,
in the mid-to-late '80s, Windmills became a popular fleet at IYC and
continue to grow. Lasers became popular at IYC at about the same time
as they became popular throughout the country, and they continue to be
an influential fleet. You will still find Jet 14's and FJ's at IYC, and
we host at least one annual Penguin regatta for Chicago area Penguins.
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