Port Huron to Mackinac Boat Race facts for kids
The Bayview Mackinac Boat Race is a super exciting sailing competition held every year on the Great Lakes! It's organized by the Bayview Yacht Club in Detroit, Michigan. This race is one of the longest freshwater boat races in the world, with more than 200 boats joining in each year.
The race always starts in the lower part of Lake Huron, a few miles north of the Blue Water Bridge. Boats then sail all the way across Lake Huron and finish near Mackinac Island, Michigan, in the Round Island Channel. Today, there are two main courses: the Shore Course, which follows the Michigan shoreline, and the Cove Island Course, which takes boats around a buoy near Cove Island. Both courses end at Mackinac Island.
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History of the Race
The very first Bayview Mackinac Race happened in 1925. Only 12 yachts competed, and a sloop named Bernida, led by Russ Pouliot, won! Amazingly, in 2012, Bernida raced again and won in its category and overall for the Shore Course. Many different types and sizes of boats have joined the race over the years.
Weather Challenges and Safety
In 1985, the race faced some really tough weather. One boat, the 35-foot Tomahawk, was damaged, and its crew of eight had to be rescued. They were safely picked up from their life raft by another boat, Old Bear. Even though the Tomahawk sank, everyone was safe. Out of 305 boats that started that year, 96 had to stop racing because of the weather. The Bayview Yacht Club is very proud that, thanks to strict safety rules, no one has ever been seriously hurt or lost their life during the race.
How the Race Course Changed
The first race course in 1925 was about 235 miles long, sailing up the Michigan shoreline. Over the years, the course has changed at least six times!
- 1935: The course was made longer, about 290 miles, and boats had to sail around the Cove Island Buoy. But this was too foggy and difficult, so they changed it back the next year.
- 1940: For just one year, boats rounded the Six Fathoms Shoal buoy.
- 1972: The longer 290-mile Cove Island course was brought back.
- 1992: Boats were split into two groups: one went around Cove Island, and the other followed the original shore course.
- 2000: The Cove Island buoy was removed, so the longer course changed to the Southampton Course, directing sailors towards Southampton, Ontario.
- 2007: A new course, the Thunder Bay Course, was introduced. All boats followed this course, rounding a special weather buoy.
- 2009: The race went back to the Cove Island course (using a private buoy), while smaller boats used the Thunder Bay course.
- 2010: The Thunder Bay course was removed, and the Shore Course was brought back. Since then, the two main courses have been the Cove Island course and the Shore Course.
Finish Line Changes
In 2012, the finish line was moved. Boats now finish between the Round Island Lighthouse and a point on the shoreline west of the main harbor. The Round Island Passage Light was also added as a marker for the course that year.
Race Sponsors
From 2011 to 2019, Bell's Brewery was the main sponsor, and the race was called the "Bell's Beer Bayview Mackinac Race." Since 2020, it's simply known as the "Bayview Mackinac Race." The race has continued every year, even through wars and tough economic times!
The Race Experience
The two different courses allow many boats of various sizes to join, from about 24 feet to over 80 feet long.
Not to Be Confused
The Port Huron to Mackinac Race is sometimes mixed up with the Chicago Yacht Club Race to Mackinac. For a while, they were held on the same weekend. But in 1939, the clubs decided to hold them a week apart. This way, sailors can even participate in both races if they want! The Chicago race is older, starting in 1898, and a little bit longer.
Boat Night Fun
The night before the race starts is called "Boat Night." Thousands of people, including sailors and excited fans, gather along the Black River in Port Huron. They come to see the beautiful yachts and enjoy the lively atmosphere. The parties often last until early Saturday morning!
Starting and Finishing
The race begins on Saturday afternoon. The smallest boats start first, and the largest boats cross the starting line last. Boats usually start finishing at Mackinac Island on Sunday evening, and some continue to arrive until Tuesday morning. You can watch the boats cross the finish line from places like Fort Mackinac or Mission Point Resort.
Handicaps and Tracking
To make the race fair for all boats, they use a "handicap" system. This means that faster boats have time subtracted from their total sailing time. This helps different types of boats compete fairly. Over the years, different systems have been used, like ORR and PHRF.
Since 2009, you can track all the boats online! Race fans can follow the progress of their favorite yachts throughout the event. The very last boat to finish the race is playfully called the "pickle boat." This name comes from an old English sailing tradition where the last boat was called the "fisher" because they would stop to fish and "pickle" their catch, making them even slower to arrive!
Awards Celebration
After the race, there's a big awards celebration! For many years, it was held at Mission Point Resort. From 2012 to 2021, it moved to Woodfill Park below the Grand Hotel. In 2022, it returned to the lawn of Mission Point Resort. Flags and trophies are given to the winning captains of each group and class.
Special Traditions
The Bayview Mackinac Race has some cool traditions for its dedicated participants:
- "Old Goats": Sailors who have completed 25 of these annual races earn the title "Old Goats."
- "Grand Rams": If someone completes an amazing 50 races, they are called "Grand Rams."
- "Old Forts": People who work on the Race Committee for 15 years are honored with the title "Old Forts."
