As of 2014, the annual Bayview Yacht Club Port Huron to Mackinac Yacht Race was 90 years old. One of only two long-distance freshwater races in the world, the Port Huron to Mackinac holds a special place in the hearts of Michigan sailors. The Chicago to Mackinac Race is older, longer and has more entries; but the Port Huron to Mackinac, now with Bell’s Brewery as sponsor, is a point of Michigan pride.

There is no grand prize or cash award, just a flag, a big party on Mackinac Island, and bragging rights. This is a thing done for the pure love of sailing, to prove your skills and to enjoy the camaraderie of other like-minded souls.

Two Course

The race has two courses:

• The Cove Island Course is for boats larger than 50 feet. It is 298 miles long and considered to be a more treacherous and challenging test of open-water racing skills. 
• The Shore Course is for boats smaller than 50 feet. The course is 235 miles long and follows the shoreline along Lake Huron. The boats leave from a spot at the base of Lake Huron a few miles north of the Bluewater Bridge and race to the finish line near Windermere Point on Mackinac Island. The larger boats generally finish Sunday evening and the smallest sometime Tuesday morning. All boats are now equipped with transponders, making it possible to track the race online. There are five divisions within the race with over 230 entries. A handicap scoring system is ued to determine the winners. It is a difficult race, involving fog, lightning, thunderstorms, near-collisions with freighters, strong winds and even fires.

Bayview Yacht Club

The Bayview Yacht Club was founded in 1915 and has hosted the race since 1925. It alternates weekends yearly with the Chicago to Mackinac Race.

Celebrities

Many celebrities have raced or sponsored yachts over the years, including media mogul Ted Turner, hometown rocker and two-time Emmy winner Bob Seger, adventurer Steve Fossett, and Canadian singer-songwriter Gordon Lightfoot.

Sailor's Point of View

According to Grosse Pointe sailor Dr. William Jennings, the most difficult part of the race is keeping the pace, working well as a team, and scheduling watches. Salt-water sailors may come to the Great Lakes with a certain arrogance, not understanding that fresh-water racing can be far more challenging than salt-water. The waves come faster, closer and are steeper. In the 1980’s infamous race, lightning struck a Coast Guard cutter and Gordon Lightfoot’s yacht “Golden Goose”, knocking out radio power and melting the anchor chains. Sudden squalls and lightning strikes have swamped many yachts, yet there have been no fatalities in 90 years. There are dozens of safety regulations and spot safety checks along the way to keep everyone safe.

Over the Years

Over the decades, the race has endured through wartime, operating under a direct communication from F.D.R. to keep sailing. It has also weathered changes in ship materials and design and a drop in participants due to increasingly busy lives. There is still a great deal of pride in obtaining an “Old Goat” award, given after completing 25 races, or the “Golden Ram,” for completing 50 races. Sailors love traditions, and feel strongly about keeping them alive. The first winner of the Port Huron to Mackinac, “Bernida,” is being restored in St. Ignace to be used as a museum on wheels, promoting Great Lakes maritime history. The race is more than tradition, however, as it attracts over 100,000 people every year in Port Huron during Boat Week and adds $30-59 million to the economy.

Recent Additions

In 2014, the Bayview Mackinac Pro Team Challenge got more exposure for the race by using Michigan pro sports figures Rick Mahorn, Jim Brandstatter, Dave Rozema and Ken Kal to sponsor race teams. The race also provided children afflicted by autism an opportunity to experience sailing on 5 designated yachts with the Set Sail for Autism program, and the Less Cancer Bike Race will race the fleet on land to Mackinac Island, raising awareness of cancer.

Sources

Blue Water Fest 

Bycmack.com