The acclaimed GLCCSchool wrapped up its 13th season on April 10th. In all 45 webinars were presented and the good news is that they are all still available in the GLCCSchool’s Recording Library. The season featured an outstanding mix of cruising destinations, cruising skills, mechanical skills, weather plus Great Lakes’ lore and legend.
GLCC News
Have you had a fun / exceptional / learning cruising experience on the Great Lakes that you would like to share with other GLCC members? The Founders Award is a great way to take other cruisers along with you during that memorable time on the water
Start planning now to attend the 2025 Annual Rendezvous in Little Current, Ont. Debby and Jib Turner are pleased to chair this year’s Rendezvous. It is a homecoming of sorts, marking the 60th anniversary of GLCC’s first modern Rendezvous also held in Little Current.
For many Great Lakes Cruising Club members, the Toronto International Boat Show is a welcome winter tradition. It’s a chance to escape the cold, see the latest in boating, and maybe pick up some new gear. But beyond the boats and gadgets, the show is also an important opportunity for the GLCC to connect with prospective members who are looking to expand their Great Lakes cruising experiences.
Director/Port Captain Dee McClure: Each month Lifeline interviews a GLCC member to gain insight into their favorite cruising grounds and perspectives. We caught up with Steve Reinecke, liveaboard, active cruiser and Port Captain of Bad River, Ont. (GB-46). Steve, his wife, Brenda, and their two children, Trevor (now in the Canadian Navy) and Emily have cruised Georgian Bay extensively. Steve shares with us some insights into boat requirements for liveaboards, some unique “must haves” and a side gig connecting boaters in an anchorage.
Roy Eaton literally is the voice of the North Channel through his internationally known Cruiser’s Net. He will attend the 2025 GLCC Annual Rendezvous in Little Current. We visited with Roy recently to understand his background, a little history of Manitoulin Island and the genesis for the world-famous Cruiser’s Net.
It is a privilege for us and the Little Current, Ont., boating community to host this year’s GLCC Diamond Rendezvous, marking the 60th event since the first gathering in 1965.
Lifeline is connecting with a few of GLCC’s active cruisers to gain insight into their favorite cruising grounds and perspectives. Here, we talk to Bill and Sandi Matley, active cruisers and Port Captains of Harbor Island (NC-2) and learn a bit about their boating background.
The Great Lakes Foundation received a grant request from PBS Wisconsin to help fund the development of a documentary program entitled Wisconsin Lighthouses. We granted this request in early 2024
If you haven’t tuned into a Great Lakes Cruising Podcast on YouTube lately, podcast hosts Rob and Kelly Hillman invite you to take a fresh look.
Introduction of Electrical Safety article by Mark Lifter
Most of us boaters are aware of the dangers of boating electrical systems. Sometimes we learn things the "hard way". Those occasional shocks can hurt, and at times be dangerous.
PORT OF LITTLE CURRENT—The esteemed Great Lakes Cruising Club is hosting its 60th anniversary Rendezvous in the Port of Little Current (Ont.) from July 13-17, 2025. The prestigious event is being organized by chairs Jib and Debby Turner of Little Current.
With winter fast approaching in the Great Lakes, we’ve all probably had “wild” thoughts of selling the house and moving to a full-time exploration on our boats - oh the adventures we’ll have and the people we’ll meet! But what type of cruising are you really thinking about and are suited for? GLCC member Dick Stevenson walks us through the realities of cruising “as a lifestyle”.
Charlie and Esther Graves are the new Port Captains at Toledo Beach, Mich. (E.21.8). Esther and I live in the Toledo, Ohio area. We have both boated since we were young, on the lakes and rivers of upstate New York. We have had several different boats over the years – both power and sail. We dock our Bayliner 4388 at Safe Harbor Toledo Beach in La Salle, Mich.
John P. Siwicki is the new Port Captain for Lexington, Mich. (H-54), and Deputy Port Captain for Port Sanilac, Mich. (H-55). His hometown and berth site is Port Sanilac. He joined the GLCC in 2023. He owns a 1988 Catalina 30 MK II that he doesn’t use nearly as often as he’d like. As a Certified Professional Yacht Broker, his busy season is the boating season.
Port Clinton, Ohio (E-20): Denny Schurdell has been a life-long teacher. He is retired as a visual arts teacher, K-12 and college. He coached for many years in wrestling, cross country and soccer. Denny has degrees from Kent State University, La Verne College, and Cleveland State University. He belongs to the Sandusky Yacht Club, and is a former member of Bay Point Yacht Club and Harbor Bay Yacht Club. He is a founder of the former Catalina sailboat association-LECOA (Lake Erie Catalina Owners Association).
I bet you didn’t know the GLCC has a YouTube channel. We’ve had one for several years but it hasn’t been very active. Until now. Kelly Hillman and Rear Commodore Rob Hillman have reinvigorated our channel with fresh new videos mainly aimed at providing a sneak peek into upcoming classes in the GLCC School. They intend to keep making and posting new videos throughout the season to keep members and non-members up to date on items of interest to our club and upcoming GLCC School classes and activities.
We have big news in this winter Lifeline! From FREE webinars for members, summer activities well into the planning stages and all the boat show info. It’s a very exciting time to be a GLCC member. Rochester, N.Y. (O-6), is our featured harbor, and it has lots of interesting attributes.
Fall is coming but GLCC's Summer was a summary of adventures around the Great Lakes as GLCC’s numerous events were quite lively and entertaining. Inside the covers of this fall’s Lifeline, are full reports of all that happened, what’s happening and what’s coming up!
Summer is finally here, and so is this June issue of Lifeline! First we say goodbye to our long-time member, Past Commodore, Jim Acheson. He will fondly be missed. But carrying on his vision, we have a boatload to report!
Let's welcome newly appointed Port Captains Brian Jacobs & Sharon Hing Jacobs for Bay City, Mich. (H-61)! They have been boating since about 1976, starting with a Pierson Renegade 27-foot sailboat.
Past Commodore James C. Acheson, 86, of Port Huron passed away on April 2, 2023. He had been a member for 56 years. Commodore Acheson joined in 1968 and became a member-at-large of the board of directors in 1981. He was elected Vice Commodore in 1986 serving under David Landry until becoming Commodore in 1988. Subsequent to his watch he was elected fleet captain, an office he held for 25 years.
As the flowers come up from being nestled underground, it seems the boats begin to emerge from underneath their wrappers!
Our newly appointed Port Captain, Dan Kerpelman, for Rochester, N.Y.
Let's send a warm welcome and learn a little about Craig and Jeanne Schantz, our Northport, Mich. (M-13) newly appointed Port Captains!
We hope you are having a cozy holiday season. It won’t be long before the earth tilts us back into spring mode!
Let's give a warm welcome to newly appointed Port Captains for St.
Mike already sits as Port Captain for Florida Keys, Fla. & Mackinaw City, Mich.
We’ve had an exceptional boating season after bouncing back from the pandemic. We were able to hold our annual summer Rendezvous again! This time in beautiful Mackinaw City, Mich. (H-76.5).
One of the highlights of this past summer's Great Lakes Cruising Club Rendezvous was a Coast Guard Helicopter rescue demonstration. Impressive seamanship and piloting by the USCG! This great video taken, edited and narrated by GLCC Treasurer and Past Commodore Niels Jensen captures it well.
Lou Bruska, our newly appointed Port Captain for Holland Harbor & Lake Macatawa, Mich.
ALL Great Lakes Cruising Club members, This email to the Foundation, which we've forwarded, is from one of our recently approved Grant applications. The original request was for funds to purchase a couple of 'header,' docks to launch the creation of a marina at the Silver Islet Harbour (S-128) on Lake Superior. Fortunately, our "seed," money helped spark an abundance of interest and financial support, to this worthy project. Their success so far has even exceeded their expectations, and they are now well ahead of schedule with their development of this harbour.
Newly appointed Port Captains Rob Hillman and his wife Kelly took up sailing as a retirement adventure.
Effective April 20, 2022, the USCG has updated its requirements for marine fire extinguishers to required that they be replaced 12 years after manufacture. The number of fire extinguishers needed is determined by the size of your boat.
The GLCC is happy to report that effective May 20
Bob Allenick has quite the range of boating experience. Let's read a little about our newly appointed Port Captain for Cleveland, Ohio (East, E-10) and wish him a hearty welcome...
Have you ever been chatting with a fellow boater about the GLCC who is potentially interested in joining? Many of us do so while we’re cruising or strolling the docks. So why should this potential member have to wait until a boat show to get a discount?
Spring is just around the corner! Be sure to read the spring issue of Lifeline so you can make your cruising plans for this year’s summer events! Center stage is our annual Rendezvous, to be held in Mackinaw City, Mich.
The Great Lakes Foundation received the following thank you for the grant approved for Nature Conservancy of Canad
Let's welcome newly appointed Port Captain Stephen T. Freitas for Grosse Pointe, Mich. (D-50)! Steve has been a competitive sailor for over 35 years, and a cruising power boater for 24 years.
Please welcome newly appointed Port Captain Steven L. Arbaugh for Harbor Springs, Mich. (M-4)!
The 2022 Membership Renewal forms were mailed from our printer on 10/1/2021 to all 2021 Great Lakes Cruising Club members.
Hello All GLCC Members,
Many times We are asked about the benefits to join the Great Lakes Cruising Club & our Port Captain program is just one of the many reasons to become or even to be a GLCC member. This is a recent excellent example of the Port Captain program that demonstrates why GLCC membership is so valuable...