Skippers, Crews Enjoy 26th Annual Around the Island Regatta
By Eric Fish

Skipper Dave Rowe takes his boat, Wild Honey, around the Island in the 26th annual Fourth of July Regatta. Mr. Rowe and his crew finished in last place, but had a good time.

"Ready about. Break."

Skipper Dave Rowe barked the nautical command on board his yacht, Wild Honey, and watched as his crew worked hard to alter the sail and stay on course in the 26th annual Fourth of July yacht race around the Island Sunday, July 1.

Because it's impossible to sail a yacht directly into the wind, a series of zigzags must be made by adjusting the sail windward and changing tack, also known as coming about.

Mr. Rowe and his crew, which consisted of Tourism Bureau Director Mary McGuire Slevin, her husband, John, Bob Ransom, Town Crier reporter Sean Ely and this reporter, and Mr. Rowe's golden retrievers, Katie and Livvy, finished in eighth place out of 14 boats with a race time of three hours, 57 minutes.

But the beautiful July weather and the joy of being aboard a sailboat and away from the hustle

Steve Sjogren (left) poses with his wife, Martha, and twin 11-year-old sons Jacob and Andrew on board Dragonfly prior to the regatta around Mackinac Island. The Sjogrens are from St. Ignace and were making their first appearance in the annual race.

and bustle of the working world was enough for Mr. Rowe and crew to enjoy the afternoon on the water, regardless of the finish.

"This is fun," Mr. Rowe repeated throughout the race. "What a beautiful day."

Mr. Rowe, the rear commodore of the Mackinac Island Yacht Club, has been sailing for about 35 years. His boat, Wild Honey, is named after a song by the Beach Boys. He competes annually in the Fourth of July Regatta and the Mackinac to Manitoulin race.

Behind Mackinac Island the winds can be fickle, and finding the wind close to shore or out in the lake can win or lose a race.

"The best air is a steady air that's strong enough to drive your boat, but not so strong that it's going to knock you," said Mr. Ransom, the secretary at the yacht club.

Joining Wild Honey in the Fourth of July regatta were 13 other boats, and winning for the second consecutive year was Outrageous, owned by Leonard and Joyce Field from Tawas Bay Yacht Club on Lake Huron in Michigan's Lower Peninsula. Outrageous finished in one hour, 32 minutes.

The Fields' sail annually with Outrageous to Mackinac Island for the Fourth of July events, notably the regatta.

"We come up here because of all of our friends," Mr. Field said, referring to the sailors at the Mackinac Island Yacht Club.

Coming in second place at one hour, 36 minutes was Archimedes, another yacht out of Tawas Bay Yacht Club. Third place went to Mackinac Island resident Matt Myers and his boat, Bobsled, and fourth went to resident Toby Murray's vessel, Island Girl.

Fifth place went to Brent Murphy, a resident of Savannah, Georgia, and his boat Killarney, who finished in two hours, 49 minutes. Islander Mark Chambers and Windermere placed in sixth. Seventh place was awarded to St. Ignace's Steve Sjogren and family on board the Dragonfly.

At a party on the deck of the Pink Pony, which sponsors the race, the results didn't seem to matter as much as the experience and the joy of sailing.

"This is an old traditional race for Mackinac Island, which is really fun, because it gets people out and gets them in the water," said Steve Murray, who sailed with Toby Murray aboard Island Girl. "Today's race, it couldn't have been better. The wind was perfect."