Dave Rearick has been sailing and racing the Great Lakes and coastal waters since his childhood. He has won many events, and held records including the single-handed Mackinac race from Chicago to Mackinac Island, as well as the Solo Super Mac – a single-handed race from Pt. Huron, Michigan, to Chicago (600 miles!).

Dave began sailing at age 12 on the family Sunfish along the southern shores of Lake Michigan. He grew up racing Hobie Cats, Lasers and the Sunfish until relocating to Maine at age 20, and taking a job with the Hurricane Island Outward Bound School in Rockland.

Sailing in Maine took Dave aboard more traditional craft like open pulling boats and large schooners with lots of variations in between. Since returning to Indiana in 1980, Dave has sailed and raced many boats, from J 24’s to Open 50’s on the Great Lakes and both coasts.

On the Great Lakes, Dave is most often associated with the well-known boat Geronimo. On Geronimo, along with all the various crewed races, Dave was able to pursue his passion for single-handed-sailing. Since then, he has competed in many races including seven single-handed Chicago-Mackinac races and two single-handed Super-Mac races between Chicago and Port Huron, Mich.

He is a lifetime member of both the Lake Michigan Single-handed Society and the Great Lakes Single-handed Society. Along with his many placings in various races, the most meaningful award presented to him came in 2004, when fellow members of the Great Lakes Single-handed Society awarded him the Mike “Laughing Gull” Silverthorne Award for the “sailor most exemplifying the spirit of single-handed sailing.” Likely the highest achievement a sailor can receive is the respect of his fellow competitors.

In 2002, Dave helped fellow single-handed competitor, Tim Kent, to prepare his boat Everest Horizontal to compete in the Around Alone Race-A race which pitted the best international sailors in a 27,000-mile single-handed race around the world.

Dave has also worked with and helped a number of other Solo Ocean Racers prepare for their races. All that will serve as valuable preparation for Dave’s plan to compete himself in the next international single-handed race around the world.

Sailing accomplishments: • 27+ Chicago Mac Races • 30+ Tri-State Races • 30+ Columbia Races • 7 Solo Chicago Mac Races (Set Record in 1998 • 2 Solo Chicago-Port Huron Races (Set Record in 1999)  • 4 LMSS solo Trans-Michigan Races • Newport to Bermuda Race • Montego Bay Race • Trans Pac • The Atlantic Cup Race (2012/U.S.) • Transat Quebec-St. Malo Race (2012/Canada) • Normandy Channel Race (2012/ France) • Mondial Class 40 World Championships (2012/ France) and many other races and sailing events.