Bayview Mackinac Race preview

Bayview Mackinac Race © Martin Chumiecki

Bayview Yacht Club, one of the nation's most storied and historic sailing clubs, will be hosting the 98th consecutive running of the Bayview Mackinac Race.

The 2022 race starts Saturday, July 16th, with the first of 188 boats crossing the starting line at 11:30 a.m. on Lake Huron, just north of the Blue Water Bridge. Not surprisingly, this annual celebration of offshore racing on Lake Huron attracts many J/Teams from across the Midwest. The race is broken down into 2 fleets; the Cove Island Course of 260.0nm is for the larger boats, while the Shore Course is for the smaller boats.

Cove Island Course

For this year, with the elimination of the Canadian restrictions on boating and sailing in their waters on Lake Huron, the Bayview YC will be able to run the 260.0nm Cove Island course that goes from Port Huron north at 10 degrees to a buoy/gate off Cove Island on the Canadian side. Turning left from there, the fleet heads straight to the finish line at Mackinac Island back in US waters. Here are the various J/Teams sailing this course.

In the nine-boat ORC D Class, Matt Schaedler's J/122 BLITZKRIEG and Greg Thomas' J/130 PENDRAGON will be racing against a half-dozen J/111s! Not sure who's bringing the knife to a gunfight, or vice-versa, but they will have their hands full taking on some of the better-sailed J/111s on the Great Lakes. Included in that group are Don Hudak's CAPERS, Brad Kimmel & Steve Young's DIABLO, James Cooper's FREEDOM, Mark Symonds' PTERODACTYL, Tim Clayson's UNPLUGGED, and Carl Hanssen's VARIANCE.

A similar scenario is playing out for the eight-boat ORC E Class. Taking on the five J/109s are Tim & Cathy McGuire's J/112E ELEVATION and Mark DenUyl's J/105 GOOD LOOKIN. The J/109 crews include Brad D'Arcangelo's CONSIG, Robert Evans' GOAT RODEO, Kevin Lemonds' JANINE, William Hamilton's PHOENIX, and Chris Mallett's SYNCHRONICITY.

Without a doubt, one of the most fun fleets to sail in is the nine J/120s in ORC G class. If you've ever seen the "J/120 Row" at Bayview Yacht Club, you'd know how much they enjoy chillin' and relaxin' after racing on the docks... beers, brats on the grill, lots of adult beverages, and many a tall sea-story woven at the end of sailing each day. Sailing this year is Robert Eger's CALIFORNIA GIRL, Charlie Hess' FUNTECH RACING, Dave Taylor's HISSY FIT, Mike & Bob Kirkman's HOT TICKET, Ken Brown's J-HAWKER, Stephen Polk's KAIROS, Henry Mistele's NIGHT MOVES, Michael Fozo & Robin Kendrick's PROOF, and John Harvey & Rick Titsworth's SLEEPING TIGER.

Shore Course

The Shore Course is a straight shot north from the Port Huron starting line up to Mackinac Island, leaving all land to port (or, so we hope!).

Appropriately enough, ORC Doublehanded "J" Class of eight boats, is truly a "J" family affair! The daddy-daughter team of Scott & Merritt Sellers (14 yrs) are racing their famous J/111 NO SURPRISE. They will be taking on another J/111 duo, the brother's Brad & Ian Faber on UTAH (a past winner of the division), and also Lease & Alex Shock's father-son team on the J/105 SOUTHBOUND.

The eight-boat ORC I Class appears to be the "de facto" J/35 one-design division. Those six teams include Tim & Amie Ross' BLACKHAWK, Mike Welch's FALCON, Sheri Dufresne's FIREFLY, Wes Wilcox's HAT TRICK, William Vogan's MAJOR DETAIL, and Dennis Meagher's SNIPE.

The sole J/Crews in the thirteen-boat ORC M Class is Brian Lake's J/99 BANTAM. Similarly, the only J/crew in the thirteen-boat ORC N class is Michael Gualdoni's J/29 CENTURION.

More Bayview Mackinac Race sailing information here...