Race To Mackinac Sets Sail This Weekend

By Benjy Lipsman in Arts & Entertainment on Jul 22, 2010 7:40PM

It's late July, which to sailors in the Midwest (and even from around the globe) means it's time for the 102nd Chicago Yacht Club Race to Mackinac. The race begins from the Chicago Yacht Club on Saturday, July 24. The longest freshwater sailing race in the world at 333 miles from Chicago to Mackinac Island, Michigan, the 2010 Mac will feature over 360 boats crewed by 3000 sailors on the multi-day jaunt up and across Lake Michigan.

The pre-race festivities kick off Saturday morning at 10:00 a.m. at Navy Pier, where the Parade of Boats will precede the race. Boats will begin the race in ten minute intervals starting at 11:30 a.m. They are expected to begin crossing the finish line on Monday, but the length of the race can depend greatly due to wind. Last year's overall winner, The Asylum, finished with an adjusted time of 54:35:39, which was among the slowest races in Mac history.

Know anyone racing the Mac? Chicagoist has friends crewing on Kahuna and Vayu this year. Those who want to track boats and their current locations during the race can locate the boat to follow along in real time.