The 2023 Bayview Mackinac Race will go down in history as one of the more difficult races recently. This year, it was a tale of two races: the first half in southerly winds, then dying for some time, before a benign cold front rolled across the course late Sunday to sweep in WNW winds hard on the nose for the Cove Island course teams. Over 200 boats started this year’s Race with teams choosing one of the two courses on Lake Huron—the 259.0nm Cove Island Course which takes boats into Canadian waters, and the 204.0nm Shore Course along the Michigan shoreline.
Cove Island Race: This racetrack going up to the Canadian border due north from Port Huron. In Class C, the J/111s had nine boats. This was a battle the entire way in this highly competitive fleet. Winning on the final sprint to the finish after starting in about fourth place in the “re-start” at the Cove Island turning point was Ed Kriese’s WILDCAT. Second, went to Brad Kimmel & Steve Young’s DIABLO, and rounding out the podium was Colin Caliban’s NO QUARTER. Said Wally Cross from aboard WILDCAT, “What a fun time we had with nine boats racing one-design. This was one of the hardest races I have sailed in my 53 years of racing this event. Beautiful downwind sailing up until 10 miles from Cove Island, where all the wind stopped for many hours. After drifting around that turning point and most of Sunday, the fleet got completely reshuffled. Finally, a good breeze developed early Sunday evening providing an 80-mile upwind finish. We were in fourth place before this weather change, yet slowly fought back to third with 15 miles to go. Luckily, we sailed the last portion of the race well to narrowly win. This was a special race for Ed not only because this was the first on his new boat, but half his crew had never sailed an overnight race! His young inexperienced crew was fantastic. From a weather perspective, most of the race up to Cove Island turning point, we were sailing in a 200-230 degree range, with 10-15 kts wind until it went away. It then returned with a punch at 255-300, 80 miles in short chop with a cold 16-22 kts breeze on the nose.” For more Bayview Mackinac Race information, visit https://bycmack.com/.