J/111 UTAH Takes Doublehanded Class!(Mackinac Island, MI) – According to Chairman Peter Wenzler, who sailed aboard Bill Alcott’s (St. Claire Shores, Mich.) 65-foot Equation, a “white squall” hit the fleet shortly after the start, making a whole lot of wind out of what started as a light downwind breeze. While some spinnakers became streamers at the tops of masts, others were locked and loaded or temporarily switched out for easier-to-handle headsails before the wind calmed and then elevated again to a more sustainable and “for the most part wonderful” 22 knots over flat, waveless water.
The bigger boats sailed the 259 nm Cove Island Course while the smaller boats sailed the 204 nm Shore Course, with both courses finishing at Mackinac Island. The bigger boats enjoyed a strong beat home in 18-22 knots after turning the corner at Cove Island. The bulk of the Shore Course fleet enjoyed a mid-morning finish today, reaching in a solid 20-25 knots. “From 5:45 to 8:00 a.m., there was a cannon going off every few seconds, as they came in fast and furious,” said Wenzler.
Some
of the big J/Boats relished the Cove Island course after a sleigh-ride
to the turning mark off Georgian Bay in Canada and heading west to
Mackinac Island. Near the top of Class B Racing in 3rd was the J/145
VORTICES skippered by Chris Saxton from Bayview YC. Not far off the
pace in 6th was the J/44 SAGITTA sailed by Jon Somes & Larry Oswald
from Bayview YC. Then, in 14th was the J/133 SIROCCO 3 sailed by Bob
Klairmont of Chicago YC.Also taking the long way to Mac was the ten-boat J/120 class, sailing as Class C One-Design. Topping all comers and upsetting the possible Bayview YC sweep was the crazy team on IHNSANITY led by the duo of Marvin Ihnen and Kenneth Tanner from Crescent Sail YC. The next four spots were BYC teams, taking 2nd was Mike & Bob Kirkman’s HOT TICKET; 3rd was class leader Frank Kern on CARINTHIA; 4th was VICTRIX’s Curtis Kime; and 5th were the Ed Vermet & John Hughes on the infamous NAUTI BOYS.
Sailing
lights out after finishing the Super Mac this year (yes, the one that
starts in Chicago, finishes one stage at Mackinac Island, then continues
to another finish at Port Huron, MI for 635nm in total), Brad Farber’s
J/111 UTAH from Macatawa Bay YC won Class F- Doublehanded!Not surprisingly, the Level 35s sailing in Class G Racing were pretty much dominated by top Great Lakes J/35 teams. And, as a past Bayview Mac champion innumerable times, it was yet again Bill Wildner’s MR BILLS WILD RIDE from North Star Sail Club that took class honors in style and with the most awesome music lists going from 8 mile in Detroit! Second was MAJOR DETAIL sailed by Bill Vogan from Port Huron YC; 3rd was Greg Whipple’s WHIPLASH from Tawas Bay YC; and 4th was the ubiquitous TIME MACHINE skippered by Robert Gordenker from North Cape YC.
Similar
to their J/35 stablemates, the J/105s nearly swept Class J Racing,
taking 4 of the top 5 positions. Leading everyone home was WINDSHADOW
helmed by Jim Murphy from Bayview YC. Following in their tracks in
second place was Mark Denuyl’s GOOD LOOKIN from Port Huron YC, then in
4th was Don Harthorn’s SNAKE OIL from Lake Shore Sail Club and 5th was
last year’s winner- PTERODACTYL skippered by Mark Symonds from Grosse
Pointe YC. In their first major offshore outing on Lake Huron was the
J/88 SARALYSIA sailed by Chester Kolascz from Bark Shanty Sail Club;
their 6th place was most excellent considering their team was still in
“learning mode- part I” in some pretty demanding sailing conditions.On the shorter Shore Course reserved for the smaller boats two J teams faired well. In Class L Racing, taking 8th place was the J/29 RED DOG sailed by Cliff Ruchstuhl from Port Clinton YC and in Class Q Racing finishing 9th was the J/30 CONUNDRUM skippered by Don King from Lake Shore YC. For more Bayview Mackinac Race sailing information
|
