Bell’s Beer Bayview Mackinac Race Preview

(Port Huron, MI)- When it comes to send-offs for distance races, nobody does it better than Bayview Yacht Club with their Bell’s Beer Bayview Mackinac Race, which starts Saturday, July 22nd for 229 teams. Friday is “Boat Night,” when entries line up their boats along both banks of the Black River for some last-minute frolicking with friends and fans during the coinciding Blue Water Fest in Port Huron. The next morning, the fleet will motor to the starting line in a parade that passes under the Bluewater Bridge and past more fans that set up lawn chairs on the shore and cheer on their favorites. Then, after logging either 259 or 204 nautical miles on their choice of two courses (Cove Island Course and Shore Course, respectively), all “Bayview Mac” sailors will be welcomed on Michigan’s magical horse-and-carriage island of Mackinac with more celebrations, including a giant awards party at the Grand Hotel’s Woodfill Park on the Tuesday after the start.

“It’s like no other race in this country,” said Greg Thomas (Gross Pointe Park, Mich.), who is set to sail the Cove Island Course. “The fun factor is huge, but more important, it’s a 92-year-old tradition where whole families live 12 months for the next race.”  Moreover, while the race is a platform for family fun, it’s also a true test of fortitude, says Thomas.

“First of all Lake Huron is a big lake. You’re alone, it’s cold and there are no cities along the way (as opposed to Chicago Mac where you are passing towns with hundreds of thousands of people). Then, on the Cove Island Course you are near the Canadian shore, so you are very alone – there weren’t even cell phone towers until five years ago. You experience this significant challenge of survival instincts and your sailing abilities, so when you finish the race you feel like you’ve really done something: you’ve met a challenge and prevailed.”

And because the race happens at the height of July and finishes at a fairy tale destination, there’s a migration of families and friends to Mackinac Island, instead of sailors getting on a plane to get out of there as fast as they can.

“It’s truly out of a postcard, with the clop, clop, clop of horses everywhere, no cars, the fudge, the cannons going off…it’s a place turned back in time,” said Thomas.  “It’s no wonder Bayview Mac racers who get there Sunday night and Monday morning want to stay through to the awards party on Tuesday and then head back on Wednesday. It’s a great challenge followed by a great festival.”

Imagine these scenes each year of the Bell's Beer Bayview Mackinac Race (from top left: Grand Hotel on Mackinac Island, camaraderie after racing, overall winner Il Mostro near the finish, the fleet at Mackinac Island. (Photo Credit: Martin Chumiecki/Bayview Yacht Club)

The weather forecast for the race is intimidating from a tactical point of view, and a challenge for the crews based on the recent experiences of the Chicago-Mackinac racers from the previous weekend.  Shown here, the forecast wind direction (streamlines) and wind speed (color contours) 0200 hrs on Sunday morning is from the GEFS forecast model. The GEFS is the ensemble version of the GFS, a long-standing global model used by the National Weather Service. The image shows the center of the low passing over southern Lake Huron and its counterclockwise wind field (red arrows have been added for clarity).  Check out the dramatic differences in wind direction based on low's quadrants along with the very weak winds associated with the low's center (1.7 knots). As mentioned above, modest differences in the timing and low's track across Lake Huron will have a dramatic impact on the wind forecast; and to adopt the correct strategy to play the wind field as it moves over the lake and switches from N/NE to SE/SW and around the clock, FAST, to W/NW!

Most of the J/Teams are sailing on the longer Cove Island course that takes the teams up to the Canadian shoreline “turn left” to head to the famous Mackinac Island finish line with the candy red and white lighthouse marking the offshore end of the line.  In Class D there is an eclectic mix of J/35s, J/109s and J/111s- all about 35 to 36 feet in length, representing nearly the entire history of offshore racing J/designs in one class!

The J/111 crews include Don Hudak’s CAPERS, Jim Cooper’s FREEDOM, Dave Irish’s NO SURPRISE, Jeff Schaeffer’s SHMOKIN JOE, and Dan Kitchen’s SKULL CRACKER.  Amongst the J/105s, top teams will include Mark Denuyl’s GOOD LOOKIN, Mark Symonds’ PTERODACTYL (recent J/105 class winner in the Chicago to Mackinac Race and hoping to complete a class double!), Doug Livermore’s VENOM, and Jim Murphy’s WINDSHADOW. The leading J/109 teams include Jim Murray’s CALLISTO, Bob Evan’s GOAT RODEO (recent winner of the J/109 class in the Chicago-Mac and also hoping for a class double!), Bill Hamilton’s PHOENIX, and Chris Mallett’s SYNCHRONICITY.  Finally, thrown into the mix for good measure will be John Stromberg’s J/92 KOHATSU and Bob Klairmont’s J/133 SIROCCO 3!

Class C, a.k.a. the ten-boat one-design J/120 class, will have a number of the top dogs competing, such as Frank Kern’s CARINTHIA, Charlie Hess’ FUNTECH RACING, Mike & Bob Kirkman’s HOT TICKET, and Dave Sandin’s J-HAWKER.

Class F will have only one competitor from the J/stable, Dick & Dan Synowiec’s very fast and well-sailed J/33 SHENANIGAN.

The Level 35 Class G will have a record-setting participation of ELEVEN J/35s in the race (at least a recent 20 year record!).  So many new owners and faces on the J/35s, but for sure some of the veterans will be teaching the “newbies” a thing or two about the race.  These crews have done well and won class or overall Bayview Macs more than once!  They include Tim & Amie Ross’ BLACKHAWK, Ed & John Bayer’s FALCON (his 50th Mac??) and, of course, perhaps the most famous J/35 of all time in the Great Lakes- Bill Wildner’s MR BILL’s WILD RIDE!

Finally, in the Class I- Cruising division, Gary Gonzalez’s J/42 DOS MAS will be looking to cruise faster than everyone else for the coveted class win— something J/42s are known to do with relative ease!

Sailing the shorter “Shore Course” that goes from the start and straight up the Michigan shoreline to Mackinac Island are two J/crews.  In Class K is the J/34 IOR KNEE DEEP sailed fast and smart by Brett & Katie Langolf from Lake Erie- hoping to add another class win! Then, in Class N is another famous J/classic, Donald King’s J/30 CONUNDRUM.  For more Bayview Mackinac Race sailing information Add to Flipboard Magazine.