Round II: Sailors Prepare for 92nd Chicago Yacht Race

The Chicago Yacht Club's Race to Mackinac gets underway Saturday, July 22, with 305 boats registered to start. This will be the 98th race, a 333-nautical-mile reach up Lake Michigan that qualifies the Race to Mackinac as the longest fresh water sailing race in the world.

The fleet will set sail from Monroe Harbor in Chicago at 1 p.m. Island time, and sailors will journey through four distinctive segments, the open lake to the Manitou Islands, through the Manitou Islands to Grays Reef, from Grays Reef to the Mackinac Bridge, and the exciting finish across the Straits of Mackinac to the Windermere Point finish line. Each component of the race requires mastery, and, since the race's length often requires racers to sail for at least two nights, it demands knowledge of night sailing and a good command of the crew. Wind and weather will play their traditionally vital roles in determining the race's speed.

This year's race is distinguished from past regattas by its cutting edge technology and its emphasis on safety. New transponders developed by FlagShip Integration Services that allow up-to-the-minute tracking information allow race-watchers to access information immediately over the Internet, and make it easier for race officials and captains to accurately track the race, since skippers may also access the information to make note of their positions relative to other boats.

The safety regulations for this year's race have also been made a priority with the new, re-written version of the Chicago Mackinac Safety Regulations, overseen by race chairman Bob Smith.

Mr. Smith said that, before all else, he hopes that this year's race will be one that holds safety paramount. New regulations outlining requirements for crew experience have pushed some multi-hull sailboats off the entry list. Mr. Smith said those boats will likely enter next year or soon after, after they compete in smaller races to build up experience.

In addition to his hopes for the race to be one of utmost safety, he also would like it to see all the boats arrive at Mackinac in a timely manner.

"I hope it's a reasonably fast race," Mr. Smith said.

He feels the relationship between the race and the Island is a long-standing tradition that helps keep both thriving.

More than 3,000 sailors, plus many racing families, converge on Mackinac Island during two weeks of fresh water yacht races.

By maintaining a steady relationship with Island locals, such as Mayor Margaret Doud and the owners of several Island hotels, as well as the Mackinac Island Yacht Club, Mr. Smith feels that the Island hospitality and the cooperation between the Chicago Yacht Club and Mackinac are what set this race apart from others like it.

"Everybody buys fudge and everybody has a wonderful time," he said. "I think it's a great relationship."