The Lake Michigan Sail Racing Federation was born in 1980 as a direct response by active racing sailors to a long-term frustration.

For many years, competitive sailing programs in the Lake Michigan area operated under the auspices of the Sail Yacht Squadron of the Lake Michigan Yachting Association. However, as the sport grew, the LMYA was not able to keep pace with that growth, service to the racing sailor on Lake Michigan was lacking and efforts on the part of Sail Yacht Squadron members working within the framework of LMYA to obtain budgetary consideration for increased services failed. Leaders of the Sail Yacht Squadron managed to pass a resolution in the combined LMYA Board meeting of 1979 calling for independent accounting for Sail and Power Squadrons, but it was a short-lived achievement. The objectives of the resolution were not carried out and the frustrations of the constituency of the Sail Squadron led to the formation of LMSRF.

An opinion from the LMYA Judge Advocate expressing doubt that LMYA could qualify for IRS status as a tax-exempt charitable organization added impetus to efforts to develop an organization which could raise and spend funds solely in the furtherance of yacht racing.

Roger Derusha, Terry Kohler, Dave Irish, Gene McCarthy, and Jack Batts — all leaders of the LMYA Sail Squadron — became the core of a movement that drew wide support from racing sailors throughout the area, and they formed a Founding Committee to organize a new, independent group.

By the end of 1980, LMSRF was an established organization — incorporated, granted IRS 501(c)(3) non-profit charitable organization status, and recognized by the United States Sailing Association as the official Regional Sailing Association (RSA) for the Lake Michigan area.

PURPOSES AND OBJECTIVES:

The Lake Michigan Sail Racing Federation is incorporated under the "General Not for Profit Corporation Act" of the State of Illinois. LMSRF’s purposes, as stated in its Articles of Incorporation, are:

• to foster national and international racing competition among wind-powered sail yachts;
• to prescribe, promulgate, and enforce rules and standards in yacht racing competition;
• to sponsor local, regional, and national yacht racing competition to select participants to national championship or international yacht racing competition including, but not limited to, the Richardson Cup, Congressional Cup, Pan American Games, Olympic Games, and the United States Sailing Association Championships;
• to disseminate information concerning new developments and new techniques in the construction of vessels, rigging, sails, and equipment;
• to conduct equipment research for the benefit of, and to provide financial assistance to, amateur athletes who participate or can reasonably be expected to participate, in national yacht racing championships or international yacht racing competitions;
• and to engage in any other lawful activities not otherwise prohibited by the General Not for Profit Corporation Act which may be necessary or incidental to effect the above-stated purposes.

The Articles further state: "The Corporation shall not conduct or carry on any activities not permitted to be conducted or carried on by an organization exempt from taxation under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code and the Regulations there under as they may not exist or as they may hereafter be amended, or by an organization, contributions to which are deductible under Section 170(c)(2) of the Internal Revenue Code and the Regulations there under as they may now exist or as they may hereafter be amended."
In the event of dissolution, the assets (of) the Corporation, after payment of any obligations, shall be distributed, transferred and conveyed to one or more domestic or foreign corporations, societies or organizations exempt from taxation under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code and the Regulations thereunder as they now exist or as they may hereafter be amended, under a plan of distribution to be adopted by the Corporation in accordance with Illinois law.

LMSRF COMMODORES

2021 -          J. Lawrence Taunt
2020 - 2021 Samuel Nedeau
2018 - 2019 Jordan Owen
2014 - 2017 Gordon Julius, III
2012 - 2014 Glenn McCarthy
2010 - 2011 James Gignac

New Logo 2009 -

2008 - 2009 Donald Thinschmidt
2006 - 2007 Joseph McGinnis
2004 - 2005 Donald Crandall, MD
2002 - 2004 John Strassman
2000 - 2001 Glenn McCarthy
1998 - 1999 Jerry Metzger
1996 - 1997 Joseph D'Italia
1994 - 1995 Joel Krissoff
1992 - 1993 Jerry Miarecki
1990 - 1991 Peter Reichelsdorfer
1988 - 1989 Ann Moorman
1986 - 1987 Terry J. Kohler
1984 - 1985 Clarence J. Wegert
1982 - 1983 Dean S. Cady
1980 - 1981 Gene T. McCarthy

Founding Logo 1980 - 2009

Commodores Reichesldorfer, Moorman, Kohler, Cady, Wegert & Gene McCarthy.