2009 Race to Mackinac

[Kyle Ewing]

I start the 2009 Race to Mackinac Friday, 3:00 pm start.  This year the cruising division leaves a day early to give us "slow" boats an extra day to enjoy the island.  The forecast is for NW winds around 15 knots which puts it in the c34's sweet spot based on the polars!  After the race I'm planning on 10 days to return and enjoy Michigan ports.  I hope to anchor out more and am sure I'll have experiences to share and questions.

Track my progress at http://www.cycracetomackinac.com/ and http://maps.iboattrack.com/races/2009_chicago_mackinac/htdocs/.  Look for "Donnybrook" in Cruising Section 2.

I look forward to testing my off-season improvements including:
*  Link 10 battery monitor
*  Alternator temperature sensor
*  Single line reefing system for both reefs (I'll post pictures if it proves effective)

Kyle Ewing
Donnybrook #1010
Belmont Harbor, Chicago

[Bob Kuba]

CHICAGO - Follow the action of 350 sailboats as they begin the world's longest freshwater race (289.4 nautical miles), the Chicago Yacht Club Race to Mackinac. Track the racers here: http://maps.iboattrack.com/races/2009_chicago_mackinac/htdocs/google_view.php



Race to Mackinac Frequently Asked Questions

How long is the race?
333 statute miles (289.4 nautical miles) from Chicago, starting just off Navy Pier, to
Mackinac Island, Michigan. It is the longest annual freshwater sailing distance race in the
world. The boats cross the finish line between the lighthouse on Round Island and the
race committee trailer on Mackinac Island

When was the first Race to Mackinac?
The first Mac Race was held in 1898 as an informal race of 5 boats. Vanenna won in 51
hours. The second Mac didn't come until 1904 and then intermittently until after WWI.
Every Year since 1921 has seen the running of the Race to Mackinac. 2008 marks the
100th running.

How many boats participate?
There are usually about 300 boats and 3,000 crew members in the Chicago Yacht Club
Race to Mackinac. Participation is by invitation from the Chicago Yacht Club. 2008
marks a record number of entrants at 460 boats.

What do the winners receive?
The Chicago Yacht Club Race to Mackinac is an amateur event, so no prize money is
awarded. The Section winners will receive a plaque, a flag, and bragging rights for the
next year. The overall winners have their names engraved on the permanent trophies that
are displayed at Chicago Yacht Club.

What is the record for the fastest race?
Pyewacket, owned and skipped by Roy Disney set the monohull record in 2002 with an
elapsed time of 23 hours 30 minutes and 34 seconds. This broke the 14 year record of 25
hours 50 minutes and 44 seconds established by the yacht Pied Piper, a Santa Cruz 70
owned and skippered by Dick Jennings of Evanston, IL. For multihulls, the record of 18
hours 50 minutes and 32 seconds was set in 1998 by Steve Fossett on Stars and Stripes,
the catamaran previously sailed by Dennis Conner in the America's Cup. The race
usually takes most of the fleet between 40 and 60 hours to finish.

More Race Info
http://www.cycracetomackinac.com/



Donnybrook

[Michael Shaner]

C'mon Kyle...trim!!! Trim!!! We're pulling for ya!!

[Ted Pounds]

Kyle,
If you haven't already, check this site out:  http://www.sailflow.com/  I've found their forcasting to be very good.  Good luck in the race.  I'll check on you while I'm in Shanghai Saturday.   

[Ken Heyman]

Good luck Kyle,

We watched the start (for the rest of the fleets) yesterday from the USCG Macatawa. Flukey winds and  not much of it at that. I'd love to see you finish before the Great Lakes 70's. Have a good race up and cruise back.

Ken

[Bob Kuba]

Start Line action:





The "Great Lakes 70s" at the start.

[Ken Heyman]

correction on the coast guard vessel that we watched the Mac start from. It was the USCGC Mackinaw. -----quite a ship.

http://www.uscg.mil/d9/cgcMackinaw/

[Kyle Ewing]

Thanks to everyone for their support!  We had a fantastic race!  We didn't finish as well as I wanted but we learned quite a bit and had a lot of fun. 

Now the real fun begins, a week+ return cruise.  We'll be in Beaver Island tonight, Leeland Thursday night, and multiple other ports down the Michigan shore.

Some observations:
* The first reef worked better than expected in 20+ knot winds.  I didn't have to test the second.
* The battery monitor works well.  We knew exactly how much battery life we had, except when someone reset it by accident (still haven't figured out how they did that).  I found my alternator is putting out less than expected so I have some research/troubleshooting to do.
* Wireless internet is fantastic!  I have a Sprint wireless broadband card and it's invaluable for checking weather and staying connected.  I'm writing this from Donnybrook as we motor west from the Mackinac Straights bridge, about 5 miles east of the bridge.


Bob, those are fantastic pictures.  We beat about 2/3 of the fleet, but a 20 hour head start for us "slow' cruisers really helped.

Kyle Ewing
Donnybrook #1010

[tommyt]

Kyle,

Enjoyed following your progress. I know that the last two days were slow, but your first must have been a great sail. Based on the competition in your division I think you did well with the two days of little wind.

Hopefully you are not rafted up too far out into the channel at Beaver. I was in there two years ago just after the race and they were rafted up almost to the bouy in front. Not bad for a marina that does not raft up!

Have a great trip. Northport or Leland after Beaver? I think that Leland is close to having their facilities completely open.