Giving you updates on this year’s Mack has been an amazing time.  If the folks behind the scenes at BYC operate like this every year, they’re sure to grow even bigger for the next 87 years.  Looking back, being on board for every part of the race from start to finish has left me with a treasury of good memories.  Some were pretty nerve racking, like watching Windquest plow of the lake in what seemed like only inches in front of our bow, or maybe hoping I didn’t lose my grip on photography equipment that was too expensive to drop into the lake as we snapped fast photos on the starting line.  Some were downright hilarious, like watching that father snatch his little daughter out of the air before the wind took her away, or fishing for Marcin’s lucky hat with Mark Pinney, Sr. out on the finish line.  Others don’t quite fit into any category really, like watching Commodore Greg Thomas steal the show in his dress whites with the best version of Rockin’ In The Free World this side of Cincinnati.

Taken as a whole, this is the definition of pure Michigan.  But, kind reader, what you just read is only the beginning of the story; you need to experience it for yourself.  Never has there been a friendlier and more welcoming crowd than this batch of sailors and their friends and families, and to them, and all the people at the Bayview Yacht Club, cheers friends.  See you next year.

The race is closed now; we’re waiting for the arrival of the last boat that’s still about 25 miles or so out.  Here on the Mackinac Island it’s all hands on deck as the race committee and volunteers jump into action preparing for the gala awards ceremony.  Down by the shore, the volunteer crew is wrapping up operations, and the Kommel-Kreuger family just put the mark on a landmark year.  For three generations, their family has volunteered to work the signal gun  station, and they’re looking forward to keeping the tradition alive as long as possible.  The BYC Race Committee does what it does only with the help of volunteers who’ve taken on huge responsibilities to help facilitate the event.  Crews on the start line,the finish line,the harbor docking crew, the inspection committee and more have worked some very long hours making sure everything runs smooth for Michigan’s longest continually running boat race.  It’s no easy job, but many hands make light work, and great dedication makes a fantastic event.  Cheers to the volunteers!

I’ve done a lot of writing about atmosphere around here, and I hope you’re not sick of it kind reader, because I have yet more thoughts to share with you on why this race is Michigan’s landmark event.  Before you know it, the Bayview Mackinac Race will be celebrating 100 years, and with that kind of legacy, all the folks at BYC, and the huge community of sailors that have come to love the Mack, have carved a place for themselves deep in the fabric of the Michigan story.  One of the things that really brings the event home is Mackinac Island.  How much more Michigan can you get?  I can’t imagine how good it is to catch the smell of lilacs and fudge after being on the lake for a solid day or more, and the warm crowd of vacationers and local folks alike have such a pleasant and welcoming attitude toward everyone involved in this nautical party.  As I look out the summit room window, stages are getting set and tents are going up as staff and volunteers make final preparations for the awards ceremony this after noon.  There, BYC will formally acknowledge the winners, and present flags: one for boats in the top three of each class, one for the overall winner of each division, and the infamous green pickle flag, reserved for the last boat over the line.

Back at Headquarters: All radio transmissions from the water are coming directly up here, and as I write, the Yare’s about to cross the line.  Now that’s a boat with a cool story.  It’s the oldest boat in the race; built in 1963, the 36′ wood-hulled racer has a lot of Macks under her belt, and a lot of great stories to tell.  Just last year, Lake Michigan decided to claim her wooden mast in a squall on the way up.  That mast was spliced together over the winter by Victor Carpenter over at Superior Sailing, and with a brand new wooden boom, this boat is a looker with a vintage feel.  Skipper John Tripp’s been sailing the elegant Sparksman and Stephens beauty for decades now, and here’s a big ol’ batch of congratulations from Element!

Equation, the 65′ Division I boat out of St. Clair Shores is moored in the State Dock now, and she’s one of the ones that experienced a rough go past the Cove Island Light.  Every sailor knows how rough the Mack course can be, and any skipper will go all out to make sure every piece of equipment is ready for heavy stress on the lake.  Skipper Bill Alcott knows that the will of the water is no match for even the most minute preparations.  Sometime after they rounded the mark at Cove Island, a loud crack let everyone know that their high speeds in excess of 20 knots snapped their rudder.   Forced to withdraw, Equation and her crew pulled into the docks last night on their emergency rudder, eager to make a big return next year.

You can’t beat the view from up here at the summit room.  Looking straight down the finish line watching the sun kiss Bois Blanc Island through a spectacular summer sky is awesome enough, but the people below sometimes put on a better show than mother nature–at least a more ironic one.  All I’m saying is that seeing one yacht wiggle away from being run aground, another brought to a dead stop a hundred yards from the line, and a family of resort patrons almost letting a massive kite take their daughter clear across the island is a pretty entertaining show.  A quick rain just pulled over the island just in time to cool down the heat for a bit, and Marcin’s uploading pics as I clack away here.  Tonight, we go hunting for the best party on the Island when we wrap up here at race headquarters.

Back at the race headquarters:  Within the last hour or so, I’ve decided to take on a new challenge, and that’s bringing you readers as close as possible to the adventure we just had on the water.  It goes without saying that the multihulls would be among the first to finish the race.  After Cheekee Monkee zipped across the line, the radio was hot with reports of Windquest’s exact location and her ETA to the line.  Now, it might be important to remember at this time, that I’m no sailor, but I can tell you that you’d have to be as dense as a harbor pylon to not pick up a very cool atmosphere around Windquest back in Port Huron.  Brandishing a cutting-edge profile with a black mast, her dark blue paint gave a truly beautiful picture of everything you’d expect out of a boat with a reputation of being a top-notch racer crewed by professional sailors.

As the billowing sail came in sight, we paid close attention to her jibes left and right in order to motor close by for the perfect shots.  As she leaned over on the starboard side, we lined ourselves up wide on her port as she drew nearer.  Mr. Mark Pinney Sr. was our captain on our cozy little media party boat, and his skills behind the wheel put us close enough to Windquest to shake hands with the crew as she glided towards her port side right over our bow.  Yep, you bet I was scared.  I had a hard time believing Mark when he told  us that we’d have a hard time catching up, but at a solid 15 knots, Windquest left us fighting to catch up.  All this happened far ahead of the finish line, and we followed up on our intent to give chase to get the best shots.  Zig-zagging all the way to the finish line buoy in her wake was well beyond exciting, and after a watery adventure that nearly cost Marcin his hat (ask him to tell you the story sometime), it was back to the docks quickly to meet with the crew as they pulled in. 

Not a minute to lose!  We made a mad dash to the far side of the State Dock where BYC officials ran through the standard inspection of the Division I winner.  With military-like attention to detail, her main sail was folded up and secured for the night as the crew was welcomed by an enthusiastic crowd.  according to skipper Mr. Doug DeVos, there were only two nervous moments for him and his crew: the lulls in the wind back in Port Huron that seemed to have singular effect on them alone, and winding up at the tail end of a sharp squall about halfway through the course.  For Mr. DeVos and the crew however, tense moments on the waves are hallmarks of everything a race is supposed to be, and with DeVos’ son Dalton and Nephew Ryan along as crew members, the Windquest is truly part of the DeVos’ family legacy. For Mr. DeVos and everyone behind the Windquest, the Macinac race is the most important sailing event of them all. When asked about any future big races, Mr DeVos simply replied “This is the Mackinac Race; it doesn’t get much better than this.” Congratulations to the DeVos family and the talented crew on the biggest win of the year!

Getting out of bed this morning wasn’t anywhere near as difficult as it was a the Edison Hotel.  Let me explain.  Being ever receptive to new adventures, this time Element’s operational headquarters was shoe-horned into a lovely Victorian slice of heaven out here on Mackinac Island.  Any historian will tell you that the Victorian person’s idea of heaven likely didn’t include air conditioning, or room for sizeable chunks of photography equipment.  As such, our room was an authentic representation of the past.  Let me tell you, if Victorian way just isn’t for you, just call Race General Manager Kerrie Barno.  Being closely involved with the Mackinac Race for a very long time’s made Kerrie very familiar with how to get things done.  With press from all the top news outlets, in addition to Michigan and Canada’s elite sailors invading Mackinac Island, Kerrie’s got the huge job of ensuring everythig runs as smooth as possible when everyone reports to the finish line.  It’s not an easy job, but she’s running this gig as smooth as glass; with our gear set up overlooking the straits from the Summit Room of the Mission Resort at a premium workstation, we’re bringing you coverage as it happens, and comfortably, too.

14:00 Update: Things are getting busy as the first boat is expected to cross the finish line at around 15:30.  As of now, it looks like Cheekee Monkee, a Division II multihull skippered by Ron White will cross first.  We’ll be on the water in an hour to get the first picture.  The excitement up here is amazing.  A huge asset to the Bell’s Beer Bayview Mackinac Race is the live GPS coverage of the course provided by Yellow Brick Tracking. Check it out. Everyone downstairs in the lobby is keeping abreast of second-by-second updates on every class of boat, on multiple screens, for both courses.  At this moment, there’s a lot of talk going around about Windquest, the 86′ Division I racer owned by Doug and Dick DeVos–they’re currently 36.5 nautical miles out, and it’s looking they’ll arrive long before anybody else.

We were assigned to dock 44 with photographer Joan Watton from Windsor to board No Mas.  Joan’s a freelancer taking pictures for the Grosse Pointe Patch, and were it not for engine problems on the way up, she’d be on the crew of Praeceptor.  For her and her mates, the Bell’s Brewery Bayview Mackinac Race is the highlight of the entire year, and as I write, they’re all anticipating a big return to the race next year. It’s easy to pick up a vibe of ridiculous excitement among all the skippers and crews; for 87 years now, the race to Mackinac Island has been Michigan’s proudest sailing tradition, and the fervor of last night’s mile-long party’s been replaced with game faces and hustle.  A photo-op with Larry Bell, owner of Bell’s Brewery, and the crew of Details put Marcin and I toward the front of the line of boats.  Many thanks to the skippers Details and Stripes, who were kind enough to allow us to climb over their boats and get picked up pony-express style by chairman Charlie Elmer and Bruce Babiarsz on No Mas on the way out.  Lucky we remembered to pack the cameras on board back at the docks.

Update from the starting line: as Marcin and I cruise up the channel with Pendragon bearing down on our tail, Marcin, Joan, and all the other photographers are busy snapping aggressive shots as boats sail to the starting line.  Pendragon, skippered by Commodore Greg Thomas and Mr. John Trost, will be a boat to watch out for this year.  Trust me, being intimately familiar with the business end of their bow would let you know something very fast about that crew’s attitude and drive.  Watch out, and don’t get in their way!  Spread out over a series of separate starts from 11:30 to about 14:00, boats of all different classes unfurled their sails at the blast of the starting gun when the wind was kind enough to cooperate with the start times.  (more than once the start was delayed thanks to the potential for a less-than-dramatic takeoff)  After an uncooperative morning weather pattern the starts went off without a hitch one after another, the lake crowded spectator boats, and a stiff wind pushing everyone along.  Hopefully, the next time check-in rolls around I’ll have a good report of the new hobby I’ve taken up: camera juggling on the high seas. (!)

Back on dry land: hanging out on a boat with the race chairman, Captain John (who ironically enough goes by JJ, instigating many confusing moments), and some very cool race veterans was a great time.  Hopefully I won’t sound like too much of a lightweight when I admit to feeling pretty tired after it all–I guess it’s been a long time since I got that much sun and fresh air!  After a relaxing drive through the LP’s northern wilderness, we snagged the last ferry from the Shepler Dock to Mackinac Island.  Let’s hear it for great staff–that equipment’s pretty weighty, and few people could pull it all of with a smile on their face.  Cheers to you, Sheplers!

My name’s JJ, and this most recent treasury of prose is  coming to you daily  from the front line of the race, exclusive and direct from the top.  When I was approached with this idea, my lack of experience with anything nautical made me doubt the effectiveness of this little project.  I mean after all, you wouldn’t expect day-by-day coverage of Michigan’s biggest sailing event to come from some anyone but some salty jack tar, right?  Well, I’m hoping to take a little different spin on it for you here; I think a landlubber’s perspective might make things a little more colorful, and at least you’ll be spared any invasive use of mind-bogging nautical terms (Despite the temptation to enhance the comedic value of this narrative  by doing the opposite).

Port Huron: The first thing that hits you after when you get down to the river is the smell of the water mixed with an astounding array of aromas from barbecues and restaurants, feverishly trying to keep the huge crowd fed.  Keeping people munching on honest-to-goodness party food wasn’t near as impressive a feat as keeping them with drinks in their hands.  The folks at Bell’s Brewery were taking care of that pretty well; we saw a lot of smiling faces and full cups of brew as we cruised around the docks snapping pictures.  The whole area was packed with people enjoying the festivities, but navigating through those crowds was surprisingly easy!  You wouln’t expect it, but getting around was a breeze considering the massive spread of this party.  

We owe a lot to some new friends abroad Just Because from Detroit, who were kind enough to let Marcin on board for the ideal shot looking down the line of boats.  When we find the perfect shot, there’s not much that’ll stop us from climbing over any amount and variety of impedimentia to get it.  That said though, I usually welcome any opportunity to cut down on the likelihood of one of us having to fish each other out of the drink, so many thanks Just Because!  From our home base at Bell’s good-times-in-a-cup dispensary at the Port Huron Yacht Club, we made sure to hunt down all the good shooting spots along the water, with plenty of their new Oarsman’s Ale to fuel the quick-paced excursion.  Comfortable shoes were definitely an essential component of all our gear as we made our way through a multitude of concerts spread out along the water and surrounding areas.  Port Huron was absolutely jumping, and boat owners were the featured celebrities living it up with Port Huron’s locals for one last party on land before the big shove off tomorrow.  After a few more shots, a massive steak and cheese sub, and a little mingling with the guests, it was back to the Edison Hotel to crash for the night.

Bayview Mackinac Race will begin on Saturday, July 23 – recognized as one of the most challenging freshwater boat races in the world. Join the excitement of the Port Huron to Mackinac Race as boat racers sail Michigan’s Great Lakes to reach their final destination, Mackinac Island.

Celebrate the start of the race in Port Huron. Then follow the course of the Port Huron to Mackinac Race as they head north along the shores of Michigan’s eastern coast. Join the festivities at the finish line on Mackinac Island. Where the hospitality and celebration is always second to none.