michigan sailboat race

Sports | Photo gallery from the start of the 100th…

Sports | Photo gallery from the start of the 100th Bayview Mackinac Race

The start of the Bayview Mackinac race, the 100th consecutive running of the race up Lake Huron from Port Huron to Mackinac Island on Saturday, July 20, 2024, was delayed a bit by lack of wind, but what was scheduled to be a record number of participants — 332 boats, from 17 different states, were scheduled to depart from the starting line in southern Lake Huron, breaking the record of 315 from 1985 — headed off to the finish line between Mackinac and Round islands.

The race was scheduled to run on the original 1925 course, rather than the Cove Island or Shore courses that it has followed for many years.

The "Diablo" at the start of the Bayview Mackinac race, the 100th consecutive running of the race up Lake Huron from Port Huron to Mackinac Island on Saturday, July 20, 2024. (ADAM SHEEHAN — For MediaNews Group)

The start of the Bayview Mackinac race, the 100th consecutive running of the race up Lake Huron from Port Huron to Mackinac Island on Saturday, July 20, 2024, was delayed a bit by lack of wind, but what was scheduled to be a record number of participants — 332 boats, from 17 different states, were scheduled to depart from the starting line in southern Lake Huron, breaking the record of 315 from 1985 — eventually headed off to the finish line between Mackinac and Round islands. (ADAM SHEEHAN — For MediaNews Group)

The "Good Lookin" at the start of the Bayview Mackinac race, the 100th consecutive running of the race up Lake Huron from Port Huron to Mackinac Island on Saturday, July 20, 2024. (ADAM SHEEHAN — For MediaNews Group)

The "Ohana" at the start of the Bayview Mackinac race, the 100th consecutive running of the race up Lake Huron from Port Huron to Mackinac Island on Saturday, July 20, 2024. (ADAM SHEEHAN — For MediaNews Group)

The "Gauntlet" and "Trompe Monde" at the start of the Bayview Mackinac race, the 100th consecutive running of the race up Lake Huron from Port Huron to Mackinac Island on Saturday, July 20, 2024. (ADAM SHEEHAN — For MediaNews Group)

A freighter makes its way through Port Huron, as several boats prepare for the start of their class in the Bayview Mackinac race, the 100th consecutive running of the race up Lake Huron from Port Huron to Mackinac Island on Saturday, July 20, 2024. (ADAM SHEEHAN — For MediaNews Group)

The "Amante 2" at the start of the Bayview Mackinac race, the 100th consecutive running of the race up Lake Huron from Port Huron to Mackinac Island on Saturday, July 20, 2024. (ADAM SHEEHAN — For MediaNews Group)

The "Eagle One" at the start of the Bayview Mackinac race, the 100th consecutive running of the race up Lake Huron from Port Huron to Mackinac Island on Saturday, July 20, 2024. (ADAM SHEEHAN — For MediaNews Group)

Boats gather near the starting line for the 100th running of the Port Huron to Mackinac Boat Race on Saturday, July 20, 2024. (ADAM SHEEHAN — For MediaNews Group)

The the winner of the Chicago to Mackinac race last week, "White Hawk" at the start of the Bayview Mackinac Race — the 100th annual running of the Port Huron to Mackinac event — on Saturday, July 20, 2024. (ADAM SHEEHAN — For MediaNews Group)

The "Freedom" at the start of the Bayview Mackinac race, the 100th consecutive running of the race up Lake Huron from Port Huron to Mackinac Island on Saturday, July 20, 2024. (ADAM SHEEHAN — For MediaNews Group)

The 40-foot "Hibernia" heads to the start for the 100th running of the Port Huron to Mackinac Boat Race on Saturday, July 20, 2024. (ADAM SHEEHAN — For MediaNews Group)

The "Charrette" at the start of the Bayview Mackinac race, the 100th consecutive running of the race up Lake Huron from Port Huron to Mackinac Island on Saturday, July 20, 2024. (ADAM SHEEHAN — For MediaNews Group)

The "J Hawker" at the start of the Bayview Mackinac race, the 100th consecutive running of the race up Lake Huron from Port Huron to Mackinac Island on Saturday, July 20, 2024. (ADAM SHEEHAN — For MediaNews Group)

The "On a Whim" at the start of the Bayview Mackinac race, the 100th consecutive running of the race up Lake Huron from Port Huron to Mackinac Island on Saturday, July 20, 2024. (ADAM SHEEHAN — For MediaNews Group)

Race boats head out to the starting line for the 100th running of the Port Huron to Mackinac Boat Race on Saturday, July 20, 2024. (ADAM SHEEHAN — For MediaNews Group)

The first groups of boats heads out from the starting line for the 100th running of the Port Huron to Mackinac Boat Race on Saturday, July 20, 2024. (ADAM SHEEHAN — For MediaNews Group)

More in Sports

Detroit Tigers | Matt Vierling drives in 2 runs to power the Tigers to a 4-2 win over the White Sox

SUBSCRIBER ONLY

High school sports | late header earns anchor bay 1-1 draw with stoney creek.

High School Sports | Anchor Bay vs. Stoney Creek boys soccer photo gallery

High School Sports | Football preview: 2024 Oakland Activities Association Red Division team capsules

Skip to primary navigation
Skip to main content

Bayview Mackinac Race

Bayview Mackinac Race Photography & Archive Collection

Bayview Yacht Club’s Mackinac Race is the oldest, consecutively run fresh water yacht race in the world. The race features all of the best that Michigan has to offer, from blue skies and water to challenging summer storms, glorious sunrises and sunsets, intrepid sailors giving their all to win, and finishes at Michigan’s own little place in the sun, Mackinac Island.

100th Port Huron-to Mackinac Island Sailboat Race draws large crowds

More than 300 sailboats packed into the Black River to join the 100th Port Huron-to-Mackinac Island Sailboat race on July 20, 2024.

Every year John Lusk meets his friends near the Port Huron Yacht Club, setting up camp in the shade of the same tree to watch the parade of boats heading to the start of the Port Huron-to-Mackinac Island Sailboat Race.

It's a fun tradition among the friends, but every year it seemed there were a few less boats than in the previous race. That was, until this year when they sat down to watch the centennial race. The 100 year celebration seemed to breathe new life into the race, drawing more boats, more sailors and more onlookers.

"We were just talking about the number of boats and how it's a throwback to previous years," Lusk said.

Sailboats from across the country were gathered on the Black River Monday to participate in the 100th Port Huron-to-Mackinac Island Sailboat Race. According to the race's website, 316 teams were registered to compete in the centennial race, about 100 more than joined in 2023.

This year's race follows the original course created in 1925, which will take boats north along the shoreline before heading west, passing south of Bois Blanc Island and finishing west to east at the finish line between Round Island and Mackinac Island. This course is 204 nautical miles.

Kenneth Tanner, a Grosse Pointe resident joining the race as part of the California Girl's crew, said he was proud to join in the 100th race. He said he also sailed in the 100th Chicago-to-Mackinac Island Boat Race in 2008.

"It's a classic race, and to do this for the centennial race is an honor," Tanner said.

It's Bobby Bloomfield's first time participating in the race, though he has experience from other races. He joined the crew of the Siochail through an acquaintance who recommended him for the sailing team.

Bloomfield is working with one of the most experienced sailors in the race, Brian Geraghty. He's participated in the race every year it was run for 44 years and was the historian for the Bayview Yacht Club.

Geraghty said he accepted Bloomfield on the team because he's from Chatman, Ontario and likes the recruit Canadians to join the race.

Right next to the Siochail was the Contender. Scott Graham, who travelled from Florida to Port Huron to participate in the race said this year it is taking place on his 50th anniversary, so it's an uniquely special occasion.

"It's a hallmark race and it's special to be joining with my dad," Graham said.

The Contender won the M Class race in 2016, a feat they're hoping they can pull of a second time.

Down the river is another team looking to add a win under their belts, the crew of the Pirate. Captain Jeff Henderson, another Florida resident, has won the Class P Cruising race running the 1925 course nine times in almost 50 years of competing.

"Each year is better than the year before," Henderson said.

Each crew member wears a shirt with a pirate on the back saying "Give us the island and no one gets hurt," a cheeky reference to their destination in the race. Henderson said his boat brings a long history with it, having been built in France in 1992 (the crew is sure this is lucky because crew member Pierre Fleury is a French native) and that he bought it in the British Virgin Islands.

"The trick is to be lucky, and to have the right crew when it matters," Henderson said.

The race can be tracked online at https://bycmack.com/tracking/ .

Contact Johnathan Hogan at [email protected].

Official Board

Registration

1925 Course

Division ii, division iii, results archive.

Shop Official Race Apparel High Winds Graphix Merchandise Custom & Specialty Items

Media & Press

Frequently asked questions.

The race starts in southern Lake Huron near Port Huron, Michigan. It finishes at Mackinac Island, Michigan.

The boats start leaving the Black River in Port Huron around 8 a.m. on race day and will continue leaving until around noon. From the Black River, they will proceed up the St. Clair River, under the Blue Water Bridge, into Lake Huron.

The first scheduled start time in Lake Huron is 11:30 a.m., with starts every ten minutes until approximately 1:30 p.m. The starts may be delayed due to weather conditions, lack of wind, or storms.

Spectators may visit www.bycmack.com during the race and click on “RaceTracking” link to watch real-time GPS positioning of all the race boats or on your mobile device download the free app YB Races and select the current race.

Boats will start arriving at Mackinac Island on Sunday afternoon and continue until Monday evening, all dependent upon the wind.

Finishes can be seen from Windermere Point on Mackinac Island at the south end of Main Street.

Results will be posted and updated on the website as they become available.

The Cove Island Course is 259 nautical miles (298 Statute miles). The Shore Course is 204 nautical miles (235 statute miles). The 1925 Original Course is 204 nautical miles (235 statute miles).

Shore Course – The fleet will head north from its traditional start in Southern Lake Huron along the Michigan shoreline before heading west, passing north of Bois Blanc Island, and finishing east to west at the finish line between Round Island and Mackinac Island.

Cove Island Course – The fleet heads north from its traditional start in Southern Lake Huron up Lake Huron through a virtual gate off the tip of the Bruce Peninsula in Canadian waters before heading west, passing north of Bois Blanc Island, and finishing east to west at the finish line between Round Island and Mackinac Island.

1925 Original Course – From its traditional start in Southern Lake Huron, the fleet will head north on one course along the Michigan shoreline before heading west, passing south of Bois Blanc Island, and finishing west to east at the finish line between Round Island and Mackinac Island. (The original course started three nautical miles south of the current one, off Lake Side Park, Gratiot Beach. As the race gained participants, the starting line was moved to its current location to accommodate the required starting line length and sufficient depth over its entire length.)

Southampton Course – DESCRIPTION TO BE ADDED

Six Fathom Bank Course – Only run in 1939, this course…..TO BE ADDED

Please submit a Race Information Request, Request for Information , found on the race website under the Competitors tab, Registration header, if you have not raced in the race as a Boat Owner.

Please review the Notice of Race (NOR) on the website under the Competitors tab, Official Board, and Documents.

Please refer to the Notice of Race on the race website under the Competitors Tab, Official Board, and Documents.

The Race Invitation will be sent out to Invited Competitors via e-mail one day before the opening of Race Registration. Please check the website regularly for all news and updates on the race. Official race documents are posted on the website under the Competitors tab, Official Board, and Documents.

The Safety Equipment Requirements (SERs) are updated every year.

Please check the website under the Competitors tab, Official Board, and Documents

There is no minimum age requirement to participate. The Boat Owner is responsible for ensuring that the crew is of proper age and has had enough experience to safely participate in this offshore long-distance event. Please refer to the Notice of Race and Safety Equipment Requirements for any minimum distance and overnight experience for some of the crew

The Race Committee reserves the right to withdraw your invitation if it determines that the crew does not, in the Race Committee’s judgment, have the necessary seamanship and skills for the race.

There is a “Crew/Boat Finder” List on the website, under the Competitors Tab, and Registration header, for you to sign up and/or find help. Please check this area regularly, as it is updated often with new entries.

The first Bayview Mackinac Race took place in 1925. The Race has occurred every year since, even through World War II and the Corona Virus Pandemic.

Sailors who have completed 25 Bayview Mackinac Races are called “Old Goats,” while those who have completed 50 are called “Grand Rams.” The official designation and recognition is made by application to the Society of Mackinac Island Old Goats, Detroit. Applications can be found on the website under the About tab, Societies header.

Double Goats are sailors who have completed 25 Bayview Mackinac Races and 25 Chicago Yacht Club Race to Mackinac Races.

Volunteers who have served for 15 years on the Race Committee are honored with the title “Old Forts,” as designated by the Race Committee.

Lake Michigan Clipper Cup

Race to the party!

The 2024 Lake Michigan Clipper Cup / 38th Running

The annual Clipper Cup race is administered jointly by Muskegon Yacht Club in Muskegon, Michigan and Port Washington Yacht Club in Port Washington, Wisconsin.

The start is off of the Muskegon, Michigan pierheads on Lake Michigan's east side with the finish in Port Washington, Wisconsin on the lake's west side for a distance of 66.9 miles.

August 9, 2024

Muskegon, Michigan to Port Washington, Wisconsin

Watch this site for more information including notice of race, information, updates and either downloadable or online entry forms. You may also contact us using info(Replace this parenthesis with the @ sign)clippercup.com or contact the committee secretary at 231-740-8454

The 100th Bayview Mackinac race will attract competitors from Michigan and beyond

Grand Rapids/Muskegon
Saginaw/Bay City
All Michigan

Record-breaking Maverick drops out of Bayview Mackinac race after leading

Published: Jul. 21, 2024, 11:53 a.m.

This weekend is the 100th running of the Bayview Mackinac Race, one of the oldest freshwater sailing races in the world. This photo shows the 2023 competition. Provided by Martin Chumiecki. Martin Chumiecki

Tanda Gmiter | [email protected]

LAKE HURON, MI - After leading the charge up Lake Huron in the 100th annual Bayview Mackinac Race, the record-breaking Maverick dropped out of the race Sunday morning with a mast failure.

A flurry of questions came from race watchers who were following the freshwater sailing race’s online tracker. It showed Maverick, which had been in the lead, taking an abrupt turn toward the shore at Rogers City.

Bayview Mackinac Race officials cleared up the mystery: “Maverick has retired. They suffered a mast failure. All are fine and are headed to Mackinac Island.”

A week ago, Maverick’s crew arrived on Mackinac Island to a cheering crowd after their record-breaking win that smashed the old Chicago Yacht Club Race to Mackinac record by more than an hour. In that race, the big monohull beat Roy P. Disney’s 22-year-old record with a time of 22 hours, 24 minutes, 23 seconds.

This bested the Disney heir’s record set in 2002 with Pyewacket by an hour, six minutes and 11 seconds.

The Maverick team is led by Sanford Burris and William and Ward Kinney. The boat last week also claimed the Chicago Yacht Club Race to Mackinac’s Royono Trophy for the first racing monohull to finish the 115th edition.

This weekend’s Bayview Mackinac Race held the potential for Maverick to make a two-race sweep. The race, which has more than 300 sailing yachts entered, starts at the bottom of Lake Huron and heads north before making the turn to the finish line between Round Island and Mackinac Island.

Racing analysts described today’s early conditions as “champagne sailing” for the tight grouping of boats making their way past Huron’s Northern Michigan coast. Later today, a wind change was expected to have the boats hugging closer to shore.

There’s a small group in the lead now and are expected to reach the finish line by early afternoon.

You can follow the race tracker here.

READ MORE: Mackinac has an all-island team competing in this weekend’s Bayview Mackinac Race

If you purchase a product or register for an account through a link on our site, we may receive compensation. By using this site, you consent to our User Agreement and agree that your clicks, interactions, and personal information may be collected, recorded, and/or stored by us and social media and other third-party partners in accordance with our Privacy Policy.

Saturday, July 22 | 11 a.m.

The Chicago Yacht Club Race to Mackinac presented by is one of the worldâs largest annual offshore races, drawing top-notch sailing talent from around America and the world. Known as âThe Macâ to everyone in the region, the ultimate test of Great Lakes navigation starts each July just off Chicagoâs Navy Pier. Passing through some of the most beautiful coastal waters in the world on the 333-statute mile (289 nm) race route, the fleet faces the storms, reefs, calms and competition that truly make it "Americaâs Offshore Challenge."

Patrick Burks

Sam Veilleux

400 East Monroe Street
Chicago, IL 60603

Phone:Â

300 West Belmont Avenue

Chicago, IL 60657

Phone:Â

Welcome to the 2025 Queen's Cup Race!

The 2025 south shore yacht club queen’s cup® race.

Plan now to enter the 86th challenge of one of the most storied yacht races on the Great Lakes. This year’s night race across Lake Michigan departs from Milwaukee, WI for Muskegon, MI on June 27, 2025. Both Milwaukee’s South Shore Yacht Club and the Muskegon Yacht Club will provide an experience worthy of this 86th Queen’s Cup Race. The race is open to all boats with a valid 2025 Midwest Performance Handicap Racing Fleet (MW-PHRF) rating certificate and ORC rating certificates. We will continue to have starts for the shorthanded fleet (with a limit of two crew per boat) and a cruising fleet for non-spinnaker monohulls. We are looking forward to increasing the participation of one design boats such as the GL52, J/111, Beneteau 40.7, Beneteau 36.7, and Tartan 10s. The racing between these boats and other one design boats has been close in prior years. The fee structure is based on boat length. This helps to make the fee schedule more affordable for smaller boats.

Queen's Cup Links Registration, Race Documents, Boats Entered Race Results Queen's Cup ® Race Photos

Queens cup sponsors.

South Shore Yacht Club

2300 e nock street, milwaukee, wi 53207, (414) 481-2331.

[email protected]

The Mackinac Blog

News & Specials
Calendar of Events
Music In The Park – 2024
Fourth of July
Featured Lodging
Hotels, Historic Inns and Suites
Bed & Breakfast Lodging
Waterfront and Water View Lodging
Downtown Hotels and B & Bs
Entertainment
Mackinac Island Fudge
Latest Updated Photos
Mackinac Island Instagram Photos
Photo Albums
Lodging Photo Albums
Dining Photo Albums
Garden Photo Albums
Fudge Photo Albums
Shopping Photo Albums
Events Photo Albums
Wedding Photo Albums
Mackinac Island Weddings
Winter on Mackinac Island

2024 Bayview Mackinac Race – July 20 – 23, 2024

The Bayview Mackinac Race – which will begin on Saturday, July 20, 2024 – is 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. It’s all Pure Michigan from start to finish!

Bayview Mackinac Race Quicklinks:

• Online Race Tracking – 2024 • Bayview Yacht Club – Race to Mackinac Facebook Page • Bayview Yacht Club Website

In the ten decades that the Bayview Mackinac Race has been sailed, much has happened. Wars, economic depressions, and other significant events have transpired, yet the Race has gone on. In fact, President Franklin D. Roosevelt wired a message to Bayview during World War II when word reached the White House that the Club was considering canceling the race. That message read: “Sail your race.” Even then, it was clear that this race was and is important for sailors and for the State of Michigan. Bayview did sail the Mackinac Race that year, and has done so every single year since the first Bayview Mackinac Race in 1925, making it the longest consecutively run freshwater race in the world. This year’s race starts on July 15, 2023.

In its own way, the Bayview Mackinac race has become a vital part of Great Lakes history, Michigan history, and sailing history.

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.

Visit Bayview Yacht Club Website >>>>

Bayview Mackinac Race On Facebook

Below are the latest postings from the Bayview Mackinac Race Page On Facebook.

Bayview Mackinac Race

Visit Bayview Mackinac Race on Facebook >>>

Chippewa Hotel – Bayview Mackinac Race – Photo Gallery (Click on photo for slideshow view) <>

Posted by Chippewa Hotel Waterfront on Wednesday, July 26, 2017

AMERICA'S CUP
CLASSIFIEDS
NEWSLETTERS
SUBMIT NEWS

2024 Queen's Cup Race® registration is now open!

'Peanuts' characters Snoopy, Woodstock on shirts for Bayview Mackinac sailboat race

There might be an American icon hitching a ride on the backs of sailors during this year's 100th consecutive Bayview Mackinac sailboat race, which begins July 20.

To help celebrate the race, the Bayview Yacht Club is selling special T-shirts online featuring Charles M. Schulz's "Peanuts" characters — and that includes Snoopy.

Most of the shirts include the logo for the 100th race on the front and the "Peanuts" designs on the back.

The race is slightly older than the famous dog. The club created the race, which goes from Port Huron to Mackinac Island, in 1925. It's the longest continually run freshwater long-distance sailboat race. Snoopy was inspired by the Schulz family dog, Spike, which the cartoonist first illustrated in the 1930s, according to the Charles M. Schulz Museum . Snoopy and the "Peanuts" gang were first published in a comic strip in 1950.

Some of the "Peanuts" and Bayview Mackinac designs include:

Snoopy wearing a captain's hat and standing on an anchor.
Woodstock in a sailboat that's floating in Snoopy's dog bowl.
Woodstock sailing under the words "Peanuts Sailing Team."
Snoopy looking at Woodstock sailing in his dog bowl with the popular "Peanuts" phrase, "Good Grief," above them.
Silhouette of Sailor Snoopy

The shirts range from $27-$29. There are both adult and youth offerings. Customers are encouraged to order online by June 28 to receive shirts before the race begins.

This is also a big year for Snoopy, as it's the 50th anniversary of the Beagle Scouts. You can find anniversary gear at the "Peanuts" official store and Kohl's.

Merritt, Scott Sellers come from 'dead last,' win 46.5-hour race from Chicago to Mackinac

Merritt Sellers, at 15, and the crew sailing on "nosurprise" won a 46.5-hour race from Chicago to Mackinac Island by fewer than 6 minutes on Monday.

The crew of eight sailors scrambled to overcome a mistake and seize victory. This was the second year in a row that the 36-foot sailboat owned by Scott Sellers of Larkspur, California, won its class in a race from Lake Michigan to the Straits of Mackinac. The boat is based at the Little Traverse Yacht Club in Harbor Springs, where Sellers has a summer house.

"We were over (the starting line) early, so had to go back and restart," Merritt Sellers told the Detroit Free Press while returning the transponder that tracks race boats to event organizers based at the Pink Pony in the Chippewa Hotel on Mackinac Island . "We were dead last for a while. We were a mile behind. The entire race, we were fighting back, taking boat by boat."

It wasn't until early Monday, she said, that nosurprise moved into first place.

"Then we lost it and then we got it back," Sellers said.

The sailors on the boat − from Michigan, Wisconsin, Texas, Connecticut, Ohio and California − wanted to be right at the line to go full speed as soon as the gun fired. They didn't realize they were early until about 3 minutes into the race.

"They say it over the radio. They call your sail number," Sellers said. "It took us 7 minutes to get back" to the starting line.

The crew, which included Hadley Camp and Owen Beckley of Harbor Springs, finished in 46:27:06 hours, according to the Chicago Yacht Club Race to Mackinac results posted online .

"We didn't panic"

Hannah Sellers didn't sail after last year, despite winning.

"It was a pretty gnarly race — pouring rain and thunderstorms and lightning for hours. It was one of the most intense storms I've ever seen. It felt really exciting to race through that," 18-year-old Hannah Sellers told the Free Press at the time . "Then a tough finish for seven hours upwind with intense waves and a cold front. It was pretty chilly on the boat."

This year, the wind was "up and down and shifting directions. We had to shift a lot of gears and change a lot of sails," Scott Sellers, a private equity manager, told the Free Press after the race. "We didn't realize we were over early, and we had to go back. ... But we didn't panic. We knew it was a really long race. We were conservative in our tactics."

Winning, he said, "takes a combination of a lot of effort, skill and luck, and we had all three."

Scott Sellers grew up in Birmingham and began racing Mackinac at age 14 with his father — Bob Sellers, who owned the Pontiac Buick General Motors dealership in Farmington Hills before selling it, moving to Florida and retiring from racing as an "old goat." He earned that title, which carries honor in the sailing community and is sometimes tattooed on ankles of sailors, as someone who raced at least 25 times from Port Huron to Mackinac Island.

More: At 15, Merritt Sellers returns to Mackinac races and inspires young first-time sailors

The J/111 was viewed as highly competitive, as illustrated by the tight margins between the top finishers. Colin Caliban of Covert, Michigan, and his seven crew members placed second on No Quarter. The boat from South Haven Yacht Club finished in 46:32:07 hours. Bradley Faber of Holland, Michigan, and his four crew members finished third on Utah of Macatawa Bay Yacht Club in 46:50:06 hours.

Bayview Mackinac vs Chicago to Mackinac

Nearly 200 boats raced in the Bayview Mackinac race a week ago. More than 230 boats sailed from Chicago, according to the Chicago Yacht Club. Race officials said they didn't expect any changes to the nosurprise victory but said results are considered provisional initially in case of protest or another unexpected development.

Only Merritt and Scott Sellers sailed the 2022 Port Huron to Mackinac race together, with Merritt driving alone at night, and won their class . They did not make the podium this year in the Bayview Mackinac Race. But Merritt Sellers is c redited with inspiring other young sailors to race the long Mackinac course.

The sailboat that carried Merritt and Scott Sellers to victory had been owned by Dave Irish, a Great Lakes legend and past president of U.S. Sailing. He earned a reputation for offshore sailing skill and mentoring sailors who went on to compete in America's Cup.

Scott Sellers, who sailed 20 Mackinac races with Irish, purchased the boat in 2020 with hopes of carrying on his legacy of introducing new sailors to the sport. Of the eight crew members finishing Monday, five were 25 or younger.

"One more thing that made this special was that it was a three-peat," Sellers said. "Winning the J/111 class three years in a row, every year since the prior boat owner and my sailing mentor, Dave Irish, passed."

More: Sailors overcome emergency at 2 a.m. in rough waters to win Bayview Mackinac race

More: Mackinac Island police seize e-bikes, issue tickets to visitors who break rules

More: Mackinac Island gets new restaurant on Main Street honoring old Michigan family

Editor's note: Phoebe Wall Howard, an autos reporter, also writes about sailing and Mackinac Island. She is a member of the Port Huron Yacht Club and part of a longtime sailing family that has visited Mackinac since her childhood.

Contact Phoebe Wall Howard : 313-618-1034 or [email protected]. Follow her on Twitter @phoebesaid .

IMAGES

Sailboats Racing on Lake Michigan Editorial Image
Sailboat Racing on Lake Michigan Editorial Stock Photo
Annual compete hi-res stock photography and images
Sailboat Racing on Lake Michigan Stock Photo
Lake Michigan Sail Racing Federation Provides Untold Benefits for
sailboat race with colorful spinnakers on Lake Michigan Stock Photo

COMMENTS

Home
Long Distance Freshwater Yacht Race. Official Board News & Notices Register/Login Crew Login Race Program Scratch Sheet Race Sponsors Presenting Sponsor. Official Vodka. Official Seltzer. Official Beer Sponsor ... Detroit, MI 48215, USA 313.822.1853 www.byc.com.
100th sailboat race from Port Huron to Mackinac Island starts Saturday
0:00. 1:36. Billed on its website as the "world's longest continuously run long-distance freshwater yacht race," the 100th Bayview Mackinac Race is set to start Saturday. A record-setting ...
Photo gallery from the start of the 100th Bayview Mackinac Race
PUBLISHED: July 20, 2024 at 9:21 p.m. The start of the Bayview Mackinac race, the 100th consecutive running of the race up Lake Huron from Port Huron to Mackinac Island on Saturday, July 20, 2024 ...
100th race from Port Huron to Mackinac will be 'all-out war'
Here in Michigan, Bayview Yacht Club launched its first sailboat race from Port Huron to Mackinac Island. Yep, 100 continuous years of racing with sailors from all over the world — despite war ...
Announcing the 100th Bayview Mackinac Race 2024
Mark your calendar for July 20, 2024. There has been long anticipation for the 100th race from many sailors near and far. As a result, we will open pre-registration for the 100th Mackinac race on the official race website ( www.bycmack.com) on Saturday, February 18, 2023. By pre-registering, you will be allowed to register for the race a week ...
Port Huron to Mackinac Boat Race
The Bayview Mackinac Boat Race is run by the Bayview Yacht Club of Detroit, Michigan. It is one of the longest fresh-water races in the world with over two hundred boats entering the race each year. [ 1] Mackinac Island Marina after the 2006 Port Huron to Mackinac Race. There have been at least six changes to the course throughout the race's ...
Bayview Mackinac Race
Bayview Yacht Club's Mackinac Race is the oldest, consecutively run fresh water yacht race in the world. The race features all of the best that Michigan has to offer, from blue skies and water to challenging summer storms, glorious sunrises and sunsets, intrepid sailors giving their all to win, and finishes at Michigan's own little place in the sun, Mackinac Island.
This weekend's Bayview Mackinac Race marks 100 years with
This weekend is the 100th running of the Bayview Mackinac Race, one of the oldest freshwater sailing races in the world. This photo shows the 2023 competition. ... heavy storms on Lake Michigan, a ...
Tim Prophit, Fast Tango win Chicago to Mackinac sailboat race
The Chicago to Mackinac race had 240 entrants in all divisions, according to the Chicago Yacht Club. Bayview Yacht Club in Detroit saw its first female commodore in 100 years make the podium, too.
115th Race to Mackinac: Racing Starts
The Chicago Yacht Club has officially announced that its ever-popular Race to Mackinac presented by Wintrust (CYCRTM). Started in 1898, the race annually hosts over 3,000 sailors and covers 333 statute miles, starting from Chicago's Navy Pier on Lake Michigan and finishing at Mackinac Island, Mich. on Lake Huron.
100th Port Huron-to Mackinac Island Sailboat Race draws large crowds
This course is 204 nautical miles. Kenneth Tanner, a Grosse Pointe resident joining the race as part of the California Girl's crew, said he was proud to join in the 100th race. He said he also ...
FAQ
The first Bayview Mackinac Race was won by a 32-foot sloop named Bernida. Skippered by Russ Pouliot, Bernida crossed the finish line at Mackinac Island in 48 hours, 49 minutes, and 49 seconds. The 12 competitors experienced a blustery contest that left all but four boats damaged and only six finished. What is an Old Goat, Grand Ram, Double Goat ...
Chicago Yacht Club Race to Mackinac
The Chicago Yacht Club Race to Mackinac is a 333-mile (289 nmi; 536 km) annual yacht race starting in Lake Michigan off Chicago, Illinois, and ending in Lake Huron off Mackinac Island, Michigan.It is hosted and managed by the Chicago Yacht Club.The "Mac" (as it is known) was first run in 1898 and is the oldest annual freshwater distance race in the world.
2023 Bayview Mackinac Race starts July 15
The 2023 race starts Saturday, July 15, with the first boats crossing the starting line at 11:30 a.m. in southern Lake Huron, just north of the Blue Water Bridge. The BYC MACK is the longest consecutively run freshwater yacht race in the world. More than 200 boats are scheduled to participate in this year's Race, an increase of 15% over last ...
Lake Michigan Clipper Cup
The annual Clipper Cup race is administered jointly by Muskegon Yacht Club in Muskegon, Michigan and Port Washington Yacht Club in Port Washington, Wisconsin. The start is off of the Muskegon, Michigan pierheads on Lake Michigan's east side with the finish in Port Washington, Wisconsin on the lake's west side for a distance of 66.9 miles. 2024 ...
The 100th Bayview Mackinac race will attract competitors from Michigan
Champion sailor Tim Prophit, of St. Clair Shores, sits at the helm while nearing the starting line with his crew during a weekly race hosted by the Grosse Pointe Sail Club on the Detroit River ...
Bayview Mackinac Race sailboat race returns to traditional course
Each July, there are two big sailboat races to Mackinac, held on back-to-back weekends. Bayview Yacht Club and Chicago Yacht Club alternate which club goes first. Many sailors race in both. The ...
Record-breaking Maverick drops out of Bayview Mackinac race
LAKE HURON, MI - After leading the charge up Lake Huron in the 100th annual Bayview Mackinac Race, the record-breaking Maverick dropped out of the race Sunday morning with a mast failure.
114th Race to Mac: Racing Starts
The Chicago Yacht Club has officially announced that its ever-popular Race to Mackinac presented by Wintrust (CYCRTM). Started in 1898, the race annually hosts over 3,000 sailors and covers 333 statute miles, starting from Chicago's Navy Pier on Lake Michigan and finishing at Mackinac Island, Mich. on Lake Huron.
Queen's Cup Home
The 2025 South Shore Yacht Club Queen's Cup® Race. Plan now to enter the 86th challenge of one of the most storied yacht races on the Great Lakes. This year's night race across Lake Michigan departs from Milwaukee, WI for Muskegon, MI on June 27, 2025. Both Milwaukee's South Shore Yacht Club and the Muskegon Yacht Club will provide an ...
2024 Bayview Mackinac Race
The Bayview Mackinac Race - which will begin on Saturday, July 20, 2024 - is 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. It's all Pure Michigan from start ...
Girl, 14, drives 36-foot sailboat alone at night, wins Mackinac race
Detroit Free Press. MACKINAC ISLAND — A 14-year-old girl sailing her first Bayview Mackinac Race with her father won Sunday night after 33 hours of nonstop work. As the duo pulled into the ...
2024 Queen's Cup Race® registration is now open!
60 days to the start at Lake Michigan The 2019 South Shore Yacht Club Queen's Cup® Week is just around the corner. Time to get your entry in before things get busy with spring boat prep and the sail race season. Posted on 22 Apr 2019 81st Queen's Cup Race preview Two clubs to host in southwest Michigan South Shore Yacht Club cordially invites ...
'Peanuts' characters on shirts for Bayview Mackinac sailboat race
Bayview Yacht Club is selling T-shirts featuring Charles M. Schulz's "Peanuts" characters to celebrate the 100th Bayview Mackinac sailboat race.
Sailors win Chicago-to-Mackinac race by fewer than six minutes
0:38. Merritt Sellers, at 15, and the crew sailing on "nosurprise" won a 46.5-hour race from Chicago to Mackinac Island by fewer than 6 minutes on Monday. The crew of eight sailors scrambled to ...