THE BOAT:
DESIGNER:
BUILDER/ YEAR:
OWNER(S):
MANAGER:
HOME PORT:
YACHT CLUB(S):
ENTOURAGE
Judel Vrolijk
Neville/Hutton, 2006
Steve & Michael Dannecker
Team Dannecker
Chicago, IL
Chicago YC, Bayview YC,
Storm Trysail Club
“It has always been a bucket list item for my father and I to experience the highest level of racing with our closest friends as crew while offshore. We cannot wait to be a part of what has become the gold-standard of racing here in the Great Lakes on our home waters with the GL52 fleet.”~ Michael Dannecker
New to the GL52 Fleet in 2024, the Dannecker family will continue their 75 year-old Great Lakes racing tradition with ENTOURAGE.
In the 1950’s family patriarch, Art Dannecker started racing Star boats at the Detroit Yacht Club. Today, the fourth generation of Dannecker family sailors will join a veteran ENTOURAGE crew— whose members include fathers and sons, family and friends that have raced together for nearly 50 years!
“Those experiences that were rooted around competitive sailing have forged relationships that last lifetimes and have been handed down from father to son and then again and again…“ ~ Steve Dannecker
Steve Dannecker’s (son to Art, father to Michael) racing adventures began in the 1970’s on Lake St. Clair, where he sailed from the Bayview Yacht Club. As a crew/support team member for Jim Blain’s “infamous” Midtown, he formed life-long friendships– in fact Jim and his son will likely be part of the ENTOURAGE team.
Following his father’s lead, Michael formed the first “Entourage” racing team campaigning a J/24 throughout the U.S. before graduating to an 1D35, also named “Entourage.” Many of the original J/24 and 1D35 crew are looking to advance their skill sets with the GL52 fleet, initially on distance events in the Corinthian Series.
This team is proud to bring an older boat with a “tremendous history” back to the starting line; they hope to achieve similar results to those boats of similar age still actively racing around the globe.
GL52 Racing 