J's Prevail In Stormy Race To Mackinac Island
(Port Huron, MI)- A total of 206 sailboats in 22 classes raced in the 2010 Pure Michigan Bayview Mackinac Race that started under blue skies and a light 12 knot breeze and ended with a rainstorm and 20-knot gusts on Saturday in Lake Huron. A storm swept in with rain and 20-knot winds for the last two starts of the largest boats around 1:40 p.m. and managed to hit most of the fleet. The Mackinac racing boats, ranging in size from 28 to 86-feet in length with approximately 2,500 sailors, set sail on two separate courses from Port Huron to Mackinac Island.
Amongst the bigger J's sailing the race were a J/145, a J/122 and a J/44. In IRC B class, Chris Saxton's J/145 VORTICES, fresh from sailing the Bermuda Race (3rd in class), managed to get a fifth in class in this freshwater classic. In IRC C class were David Askew's J/122 FLYING JENNY IV (from Chesapeake Bay) and Commodores Larry Oswald and Jon Somes sailing the J/44 SAGITTA (these guys have won their division five times in the Mac!). After a fast start, both boats sailed solid races to get 1st and 5th in IRC C class, respectively.The J/120s sailed as a class and David Hudak's CAPERS won, with Bill Bresser's FLYIN IRISH second and Bob Kirman's HOT TICKET in third. For most of the race, the J/120s were always racing within sight of one another as if strung out on a string together!
Sailing an impressive race were two very experienced "Mac Racers", the J/35s FALCON and MR. BILL'S WILD RIDE. In fact, the J/35s nearly eclipsed the entire IRC fleet in overall handicap honors, attaining 6th, 7th and 9th overall! In their J/35-T35 Class, Bayers and Barne's FALCON was first, but only by beating Bill Wildner's MR BILL'S WILD RIDE by just seven minutes! FALCON is owned by Ed (42 Macs) and John
Bayer (36 Macs) and brother-in-law Jim Barnes. All 4 Bayer children are involved. Mary Allen, the main trimmer, is Ed and John's sister and their other sister, Linda Barnes, is the wife of Jim Barnes, a co-owner and active participant. They dedicate this and all future races to their father Edwin A. Bayer Jr. who passed away three years ago at the age of 85. Ed was a proud "Old Goat" who taught his entire family to race and has been an inspiration to all! Interestingly, both FALCON and MBWR have won five J/35 North American Championships combined! No wonder they know how to get to Mackinac Island fast.....with a few old goats to lead the way. :)Rounding out other J's sailing the race were the father-son team of Dick and Dan Synowiec sailing their J/33 SHENANIGAN, getting a 3rd in IRC E class. Gary Gonzalez's J/42 DOS MAS got a 3rd in Cruising A. Dean Balcirak and Tom Burleson's venerable light-air flyer, the J/34 IOR SEA FEVER was second in the large PHRF A class-- this was Dean's 47th Mackinac and Tom's 34th. It is sailed by a crew of family and close friends.
Finally, David and Lyndon Lattie sailed Doublehanded Division and got 3rd overall in their J/29 PATRIOT. For more Bayview Mackinac Race information.