Slow motion from Chicago to Mackinac

(July 24, 2023) – The dreaded “light and variable” wind forecast has descended upon the boats still racing in the 2023 Chicago Yacht Club Race to Mackinac presented by Wintrust, stalling the fleet in northern Lake Michigan.

Since the 114th edition got underway July 21 for the Cruising Division with the bulk of the 240 teams starting a day later on the 289nm course to Mackinac Island, there remain 155 yet to finish as of 3:00 pm EDT today, with boat speeds of 0.00 to five knots reported to the race tracker.

Just two of the 103 boats in the Chicago-Mackinac Trophy section (boats under 40 feet) have been able to finish, and with a bleak forecast for this afternoon, the race is quickly turning into a test of patience, and potential food and water rationing.

Last night and into today, 42 boats in the 98-boat Mackinac Cup section (boats 40 feet and above) and the majority of the faster Cruising boats managed to glide into the finish before the wind shut off.

It has been quite a debut for the Mills 41 Final Final in its first Race to Mackinac, and for most of the crew, it’s their first freshwater race, as the team is the provisional leader for the Mackinac Cup. Owner Jon Desmond said he and the crew spent most of last winter campaigning the boat in the Caribbean and typically race on the East Coast.

“But if you grow up sailing or doing any distance racing, the Mac is one of those races everyone talks about,” said Desmond, from Cohasset, MA. “Our team has wanted to do some bucket list events, and the Mac race is definitely one of them.

“I think the biggest difference racing here rather than on the ocean is how often you have to adjust your plan,” said Desmond. “We quickly realized it doesn’t matter what the forecast and routers are telling you, it changes all the time. With the little squalls that came through, we were constantly adjusting. I think we did almost 15 sail changes in the first three hours of the race.”

The competing boats are piling up as they trickle their way into Grey’s Reef and make it through the Straits, as the light air is expected to continue into the evening hours.

Event information – Results – Tracking