Ever done Chicago Mackinac Race?

[Ted Hoppe]

Tell me about it. I have been invited to lake races and deliveries on a modern 36 racer; as many as I can do.

I am narrowing it down to Chicago to Mac with warm ups in Cleveland due to a busy schedule.

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[hawkeye54]

Re: Ever done Chicago Mackinac Race?

Ted, I have not raced on Lake Michigan, but lived in Chicago and Northern Indiana. I know that race can be the high point of the season. Check on the 'interwebs' for stories / reports by those who have participated. Lake Michigan is not always a friendly / benign body of water. ( just my 5 cents )




Rick

[Ron Williamson]

Re: Ever done Chicago Mackinac Race?

Bring warm clothes.
R

[Ted Hoppe]

Re: Ever done Chicago Mackinac Race?

Bring warm clothes.
R

i hate being cold. colder than a San Francisco or pacific coastal race?

[Dan McCosh]

Re: Ever done Chicago Mackinac Race?

My daughter did both Mac races last year. (Port Huron to Mac, and Chicago to Mac.) Last year's Chicago was one of the stormiest. A 150-mile long front of intense thunderstorms hit the fleet in mid lake. About a third of the fleet dropped out, six boats hit by lightning, many knockdowns, etc. Daughter was thrown across the interior in a knockdown, with some injures. Winds hit gusts over 50 knots. The Port Huron race was pretty tame, in contrast. There are some equipment requirements, like AIS transponders for each crew member, that can get expensive. Not to worry about the cold--survival time in the open lake is more than half an hour.

[Beowolf]

Re: Ever done Chicago Mackinac Race?

My aunt & uncle’s place is alongside the harbor at Mackinac Island. I think I posted about being woken up by the first over the line from last years Chicago-Mackinac race.

[carlg]

Re: Ever done Chicago Mackinac Race?

My experience in the Chicago to Mac is just the opposite of what Dan describes. It was warm, the wind was from the west and we reached all the way up the Lake and arrived at the finish in under two days. There were a couple of minor thunder squalls off Muskegon and Frankfort, but nothing to be real concerned about. I don't think we even had to reef during the squalls. It can be rough, but 90% of the time you just can't beat sailing on the Lake.

[hawkeye54]

Re: Ever done Chicago Mackinac Race?

Lake Michigan can be benign, or can be a 'harsh mistress' changing in what seems like a matter of hours - way back in 1957, I spent over
an hour in the water near Burn's Harbor. It was June 10th, and the water was frigid ! ! !

[Paul Pless]

Re: Ever done Chicago Mackinac Race?

way back in 2019 i jumped in to lake michigan on labor day and immediately climbed back out

[michigangeorge]

Re: Ever done Chicago Mackinac Race?

I've done both the Chicago-Mackinac and the Sarnia-Alpena MORC races. Some have been an enjoyable milk run and others nasty ball-busters. Those who think these Great Lakes are just large ponds are in for an abrupt awakening.

[White River]

Re: Ever done Chicago Mackinac Race?

Lake Michigan is definitely unpredictable. As a kid we usually waited until August to swim in little traverse bay because the water temp would be so cold all summer. It would be 65 air temp on the bay and we would go inland to Walloon and it would be 80. I don't think I would want to spend too much time in the water. Good luck if you do end up part of the event!

[Dave Hadfield]

Re: Ever done Chicago Mackinac Race?

The general summer weather pattern in Huron and Michigan is a nasty cold front with violent thunderstorms, followed a 3-day NW 20 kt blow, and the seas that rise from that. Then it eases off and blows from the SW for a couple of days. This creates a cross-chop that keeps the boat corkscrewing as it travels, although the tendency is less if you're sailing on the west side of either lake (we don't -- we're based on the east side of Georgian Bay).

The cold water of Huron creates fogs May-July, until the surface warms up a bit.

If a large wet warm front comes along, the wind switches to the east for 1-2 days before the rain.

The big freighters stay on their most-direct routes, generally from The Sault to Sarnia on Huron, but large powerboats go in all directions, fast.

This photo is our Drake after a July cold front "white-squall". We were double-reefed at the time.

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[SchoonerRat]

Re: Ever done Chicago Mackinac Race?

I did a Chicago Mac back in the '70s. I've done my best in the ensuing years to erase the memories. The effort has been futile.

I have suffered through hurricanes in the Pacific, Siroccos and Mistrals in the Med, and Santa Anas here in SoCal that could blow your head right off your shoulders. Lake Michigan and her 4 sisters are the only sailing venues that have been permanently removed from my "I'd like to sail there" list!

[Ted Hoppe]

Re: Ever done Chicago Mackinac Race?

I do like the idea of this 330 miles of this fresh water race course. Never sailed on the Great Lakes; stuff off a bucket list rides for a California sailor.
Sound brutal in some years. I got a lot of thinking to do as i weigh my summer out.

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[Dan McCosh]

Re: Ever done Chicago Mackinac Race?

FWIW, there are two major races to Mackinac Island, from Port Huron on Lake Huron, and Chicago on Lake Michigan. Also a double-handed race from Port Huron to Mackinac. Many boats do both, which can add up to more than 700 miles offshore, between the races and making it to the starting line of the other. Both take about three days for most boats, although a few boats these days, mainly big cats and trimarans, are close to making the run in less than a day. Weather ranges from a day or so of drifting calm, to intense storm fronts. They both end up in the northern cruising grounds, one of the finest small-boat cruising areas anywhere. Many enter just to get up north quickly, others are intensely competitive, finishing the three days a few minutes apart at the finish line. Might also add the trans-Superior, which tackles the largest lake, mainly upwind, for about 500 miles. To make "Old Goat status", you need 25 races under your belt. Despite a lifetime of sailing on the Great Lakes, I've never been in one. My dockmate's boat holds the record for making the most races. I think his boat, now in the second generation, has done about 70 Port Huron to Mac races.