Sailing the 100th Annual Race - Chicago to Mackinac Island

Chicago to Mackinac Island. A boater's dream. An adventure beginning at Navy Pier in Chicago, Illinois, and ending 333 miles later on the banks of Mackinac Island, Michigan, all in a sailboat. 439 yacht sail boats to be exact, left Chicago on their annual race, Saturday, July 19th. On average most boats make the voyage in approximately forty to sixty hours total, depending on weather conditions.

This race, however, marks the group's 100th running of the Chicago Yacht Club's Race to Mackinac. The race is touted to be the longest freshwater race in the world. The boats can all be tracked by GPS navigation systems and updates can be obtained through the race's Web site at the following link. Highlights and updates can be found on the Web site along with the history, a multitude of pictures, event information weather updates and advertising information.

Participants from across the United States include sailors from Michigan, Illinois, Wisconsin, Indiana, Texas, Florida, New York and Missouri to name a few. Canada also has also added to the race with several participants. Race results and standings are being posted on the web site as participants complete their voyage.

Weather and safety are always a top concern for racers and organizers of the event, and the Coast Guard works diligently to ensure all sailors and their vessels are appropriately staffed and equipped to handle any type of sailing conditions. Fog, storms and high winds are a common component up the coast from Chicago to Mackinac Island, Michigan. The Coast Guard is available for assistance throughout the entire race and closely monitors event activities.

It is interesting to preview the participants in each division and to peruse the list of names given to each yacht. Here is a sampling of some of the names listed in the 2008 race. Chewbacca, Mosquito, Sail Monkey, Jalapeno, MoJo and Tsunami are some of the unique names for the 2008 entries.

The Chicago Yacht Club Race To Mackinac began in 1898 with five boats entered. The second race was held in 1904. 100 years later, the number of sailing vessels are well over 400. The traditional sound of cannons signals the start and finish of the race. As yachts line the Chicago coast, the cannon signals the start for each team and continues in ten minute intervals until all racers have begun their voyage. In turn, the end is signaled by the sounding of the cannon as the boat officially crosses the finish line on the banks of the beautiful island at Mackinac. Whether you witness this event's start, finish or simply view the race videos online, a glorious vision is captured for a long time to come.