S. Fredric Horwitz, M.D.

Few individuals have had as much of an impact on bringing the youth into the sport of sailing and sail racing as has Fred Horwitz.

Fred, almost singlehandedly, was responsible for the creation of the Denis Sullivan, a three masted schooner developed by the Wisconsin Lake Schooner Education Association to be used to teach and train the young to master sailing, navigation and maintenance of sailing vessels.  The vessel carries 50 people for day sailing and 21 youth for training cruises.  Fred was responsible for raising $750,000 to build and launch the Denis Sullivan in 2000.  It has taken many young people on these training cruises every year since.

Fred began his sailing career in the early 1960’s while in medical training, beginning in a Penguin dinghy.  As financial success occurred for him, he began sail racing in the seventies and continues at this writing participating in the Wednesday night Milwaukee Yacht Club races on his boat, Halley Rose.

Few have given so freely of their time as Fred has to train and serve the sport. He is a US Sailing certified Senior Race Officer. Fred is a certified National Judge having served as a club, regional, national and international judge at many clubs and events, including at Milwaukee Yacht Club, South Shore Yacht Club, Ephraim Yacht Club, Punta Gorda Yacht Club, and Charlotte Harbor Yacht Club. He has served and chaired protest committees for Chicago to Mackinac races, Queen’s Cup races and on many National and World Championship juries.

Fred has received the Merritt R. Hayes Memorial Trophy-Yachtsman of the Year Award at Milwaukee Yacht Club, is Past Commodore of the Midget Ocean Racing Club fleet, served on the US Sailing Board of Directors, Safety at Sea Committee, and the Lake Michigan Sail Racing Federation Appeals Committee.

Fred is a member of the Milwaukee Community Sailing Center. At the center he teaches navigation and seamanship.  The Milwaukee Journal named Fred’s Pinocchio as the “Boat of the Year” twelve years in a row.

A creditably kind and gentle person, Fred Horwitz is herewith inducted into the Lake Michigan Sailing Hall of Fame.

March 30, 2023

S. Fredrick Horwitz was nominated by the Board of Directors of Milwaukee Yacht Club.