Lightning

Fleet Captain: Mike Franceschini

The Lightning Fleet has been a part of the sailing scene at ISC since the club was founded in 1955. The popular 19-foot one-design was designed by Sparkman and Stevens in 1939, and the International Lightning Class Association has more than 15,500 Lightnings spread among fleets throughout the world.

The Lightning has hard chines and is stable in strong winds and carries a large spinnaker. With an ample cockpit and broad foredeck, the Lightning is inviting for family outings and leisurely evening sails in addition to racing with a skipper and one or two crew. The Lightning is an ideal boat to introduce young sailors to sailing. The International Lightning Class Association has carefully scrutinized proposed changes in sails, rigging and hull so that all boats in the class can remain competitive.

The Lightning Fleet at ISC has a very dedicated group of racers who are active all season long. Our Fleet begins racing season in mid-April and competes until late October. We host the Burl Harmon Indy Open Regatta the first weekend in May (see the Racing Calendar for exact dates and the Notice of Race and Sailing Instructions). Because the Great Lakes are still very cold, most of our visitors are from the Great Lake States. We also alternate with Wawasee Yacht Club in hosting the Indiana District Championship every other year.

To stimulate growth in our Fleet we offer a boat loan program for any qualified Club member making older boats owned by Fleet members available. Our intent is to become more proactive in recruiting new members. We also try to recruit younger members as crew to expose them to the Lightning class. We are a diverse group of people in both age and interests, but we all share the same passion for wind and water.