Below is a list of ideas for the club!
EVENTS
Annual Schedule
Name a new Programs Director and work as a team to fill the entire calendar for the year. Market events well in advance. Monthly large parties anchoring our weekly events.
Reoccurring Events
Develop a regular schedule with more reoccurring events that people can plan ahead for to encourage turnout. Auxiliary does a great job with this with events like Bingo.
Events with other clubs
Encourage healthy competition with other yacht clubs in the city, and host events welcoming others. Travel to visit other clubs in both the city and around the lake.
Offseason Events
Strong focus on offseason events schedule to get people into the club . Create league nights, and a regular schedule of events in the offseason to keep the club active year-round!
Off-Season Venue
Push renting out the club in the off-season. Partner with an events manager who is compensated based on performance. It's an amazing venue to sit empty when it could be generating revenue.
Dock Walks
Organize an annual Burnham Dock Walk around the harbor. Similar to Sheffield Garden Walk, complete with drinks and decorations at members' boats
Charitable Events
Offer the facilities to charitable organizations to host events during down times of year. Building relationships with these organizations, and expose the club to new prospective members.
More Leagues
Encourage friendly competition by expanding on Shuffleboard with other leagues such as Poker, Euchre or Trivia Nights.
Movie Nights
Put our projectors and popcorn machine to use with regular movie nights. Or get projector outside and have a floating movie night in front of the club!
Lawn Games
Bags or other outdoor lawn games available for members
Sporting Events
Host more viewing parties for major sporting events
DF65
Continue to expand our DragonForce 65 Remote Control sail fleet. Create a regular race schedule to eventually challenge other clubs.
MEMBERSHIP
Listen to Membership
With 200+ members, we have lots of good ideas, and many people with specific skills and knowledge that they can bring to the table.
Online Community
Build the BPYC Facebook Group. Keep an active, positive Facebook group to encourage member interaction outside the club, even in the offseason.
Buddy System
Partner new members with an existing member or two on day one. Welcome and introduce them to others from the beginning. The club is a place to make friends!
Partnership Programs
Partner with local organizations to offer incentives to their members in exchange for discounts and opportunities for our membership.
Boat timeshare / rentals
Host open houses for SailTime, Pinnacle + Freedom Boat Club members to introduce them to the club to offer timeshare memberships.
Dock Map
Keep an updated Dock Map of Members. Help new and existing members meet fellow club members located around them.
Reciprocity Trips
Partner with other yacht clubs in the area who typically wouldn't offer reciprocity. Arrange specific nights our members we can visit their clubs, and their members can can come to BPYC.
Member Highlights
Bring back member highlights. Especially for new members. Even those who have been at the club for years only know fraction of the members. Share more about yourself than your name and dock.
FINANCES
Financial Transparency
Clear monthly club financial statements should be available to membership online. The money belongs to the members, they should see how it's spent.
Realistic Budget
Budgets have been made with the assumption we'll have membership spikes. Develop a realistic budget with current membership numbers.
Payment Options
Implement payment options for Monthly, Quarterly or Annual dues. Have a discount for paying in full. The cost of entry at the beginning of the season creates a hurdle for many interested in the club.
Eliminate Club Charge
The Club Charge doesn't save the club a single dollar, and only saves members roughly $1 a month. It's been legally challenged around the country and lost. Use transparent pricing and not a surcharge.
Profitable Kitchen
A loss leader for the club has always been the kitchen. Work to make the kitchen profitable. We need to keep tight accounting and work closely to identify the causes.
Ship Store
Work as a wholesaler to use our collective buying power with vendors for discounts for our members.
Event Space Revenue
Operate as an event space as a key revenue source. Whether the whole club in the offseason, or smaller areas during the season, one of the most underutilized revenue source is the space itself.
Ice Profits
Look into self-serve ice machines as a revenue source. Open to harbor, but heavily discounted to members.
LEADERSHIP
Encourage Participation
We need less focus on positions and more on participation. We have committee directors with no committee members. Encourage members to volunteer their range of skills.
More Transparency
Share meeting minutes and financials online. Board decisions should be decided in board meetings rather than by flag in private, and all decisions should be shared with membership.
Adhere to Bylaws
The club has been built on 80+ years of bylaws. Leadership is beholden to follow these. Update those which are dated, and add those needed to maintain the future success of the club.
Utilize Technology
Update bylaws to allow voting and meetings online. With the world working remotely, it's time the club catches up. Use technology wherever possible to improve participation.
HARBOR
Lead in the Harbor
Focus more on being part of the harbor. Have events like classes or meetings at the club that are open to the harbor to expose people to the club, and encourage new membership.
Be more inclusive
The yacht club now has serious competition with Boat Drinks. They're closer to 2/3rds of the boats in the harbor. We need to give people a reason to come across the harbor and be exposed to the club.
Be a good neighbor
Work on a stronger relationship with both WestRec and the Music Venue.
SWAG FOR ALL
Sell "Burnham Harbor" swag online. Focus on the 80% of the harbor not currently affiliated with the club as a revenue source.
Dinghy Venetian Night
Bring back Dinghy Venetian Night to the whole harbor. Make it "sponsored by BPYC" and have an after party at the club. Use these events as an opportunity to introduce the rest of the harbor to the club.
Paddle Boards / Kayaks
Keep a small collection of Paddle Boards and Kayaks next to the shed for members to check out for the harbor.
Harbor outreach
Build the outreach relationships by partnering with harbor charities, allowing use of the facilities for events.
Harbor Cleanup
Partner with the Park District to host regular harbor cleanup days over the summer. Partner with Friends of The Chicago River for their annual Chicago River Cleanup Day
FACILITIES
Plan for Events
Section off areas for private events that won't close down the rest of the club. Encourage more members to host events.
Expand Patio
Convert the side drive to a rentable space for private events. Connect to the Chart Room and allow for revenue from outside groups. The view from the south of the building to Soldiers Field is amazing,
Redesign interior
The interior is dated. Not only update finishes, but use the long-term plan to create more flexible spaces. Less formal restaurant, more social club / lounge space,
Entrance off Circle Drive
With a focus on events, we have a majority of guests entering from the back. Improve the presence off the circle drive, possibly creating a more pronounced covered entrance off the circle drive.
Research a Roof Deck
For years people have talked about replacing the roof deck from many years ago. It's time to put together an actual plan with budget and funding options to see if it's something membership wants.
Beautify front lawn
Continue to improve landscaping with native plants and reseeding of the lawn.
Systems Maintenance
Implement tighter rules for our capital improvements account so we can stay ahead of maintenance issues and avoid the budget shortfalls like we currently have with HVAC.
Consistent Hours
Keep the club hours consistent throughout the season, or keep the hours updated. Too many members encountered locked doors this season.
BAR & GALLEY
Be Nice
This should be our main rule. The club should be our boating family. By family, you may not always agree with your crazy Uncle Larry's ideas, but in the end we should work to be friends.
Service Focused
Provide servers with the tools they need, and give recognition to those who succeed.
Staff Training
Standard training for all staff for a consistent member experience. Friendly, attentive, and quick service.
Rework Menu
Work with our chefs and membership to develop a more focused, high quality, seasonal / local menu. Focusing on consistent preparation.
Use Technology better
Better train staff on iPad ordering, fewer errors mean happier members and less comped meals.
Staff Retention
A key to positive private club service, is staff familiarity. Place a focus on keeping staff for more than the season.
Cooking competitions
Have staff compete Food Network style for the best Burger, Salad, Chicken Sandwich, Appetizer. Encourage creativity and give everyone a chance to shine. Winner makes it on the menu.
Rotating Beers on Tap
Have a member choice taps where we vote on what breweries and beers we have on tap. Bring in more local breweries for regular tastings.
Drink Specials
Have the bar staff develop a nautical themed drink list with 10 cocktails and shots that are posted on the wall behind the bar.
Seasonal Pairing menus
Team up with local breweries and our current chefs to create seasonal pairing menus
Chef Pop Up Nights
Bring in guest chefs from around the city to make a sample dinner from their restaurants. Exposure for them, inspiration for our chefs, great food for us.
Beer Tastings
Tap of the month club. Partner with local breweries to showcase their leading brew. Each month rotate taps to a new brewery and ask a spokesman to come teach the club about their offerings
BOATING
Help New Boaters
The boating community is often pretty harsh on new boaters. The club needs to be a positive source of information and a place to feel comfortable getting started.
Celebrate Competition
Celebrate sailing competition. Post and celebrate the results to the rest of the club / harbor. BPYC Sailor of the Year should be a prize revered by every sailor in the harbor.
Weekend Rendezvous
Bring back the annual rendezvous, With a weekend trip to a harbor somewhere across the lake.
Local Rendezvous
In addition to the annual Rendezvous, plan day closer trips nearby, ranging from Indiana or Jackson Park, to Wilmette or beyond.
Encourage do-it-yourselfers
Connect the handy people ready to help other boaters, Publish a weekly "Ask a Mechanic" question.
Trusted Vendors
Develop a list of trusted vendors. Mechanics, canvas repair, electronics, divers. Connections we've found over the years that we can share with new boaters.
River Trips
Schedule regular River Trips. Art on the Mart, Brew Cruise to Metropolitan
Dinghy Raft-Ups
Time to make plans for the little boats out there. We need to schedule events for those looking to cruise the harbor.
EDUCATION
Expand Junior Sailing
Improve Marketing for Junior Sailing Program. This is great offering for families, and exposure while generating revenue.
Adult Sailing Classes
Offer classes to introduce new crew to basics, and experienced sailors. Offer them to the harbor for club exposure.
new boat owners
Offer basic classes taught by a captain on things such as basic right-of-way, anchoring, navigation, etc.
Charting & Navigation
Perfect for the offseason, offer classes on basic and advanced Charting & Navigation
Docking
Remember that first time you pulled into the dock? Maybe you improved, maybe you haven't... Have a captain work with new boat owners to teach them the basics of not running into things.
Intro to Beer Can Races
A program that sailboat owners and crew can learn about the races and encourage participation.
Captains Class
Partner with a program to come into the club for Captain’s License courses.
SCUBA lessons
Bring in a certified instructor to teach basic PADI certification, up through more advanced classes.
Coast Guard safety
Host annual Coast Guard safety classes and inspections for members at the beginning of the season.
Cooking Classes
Have our chef's prepare off-season menu kits you can pick up at the club. Then cook meals together from home over Zoom.
Cocktail Classes
Have our bartenders offer cocktail course teaching all the basics.
Offshore Fishing
Partner with local fishing guide to organize a teaching excursion on the lake.