# The Road to Mackinac



## Sanduskysailor (Aug 1, 2008)

New thread about preparations for our first Bayview Mackinac race. We are registering my boat for the July 17th race next week. Hopefully the sailnet community will follow along and offer constructive advice as we put the boat together. Most likely there will be real time boat tracking again this year and so that you can watch our progress during the race.

Preliminary information- Boat name is Hey Jude. 1985 C&C 29-II. The experienced 5 man crew, all boat owners- Bill skipper/owner 11 BYC Macks, 6 Chicago Macks, Rory(Paceship 26)- 1 BYC Mack, Cliff(J-29)- 3 BYC Macks, Carl(Tartan 30C)- 3 BYC Macks, Dave(Tartan37)-2 BYC Macks.

Race information and the equipment requirements can be found at Bayview Yacht Club - Bayview Port Huron to Mackinac Race . We will be competing in the Shore Course PHRF division.

A little bit about the boat. 1985 C&C 29-II. Rob Ball design. Actually onlyu 28.5' in length. Masthead rig, baby stay. Fin keel drawing 5'3" with high aspect rudder. Boat has full cruising interior. Vivid Red Awlgrip painted hull. Boat was purchased in September of 2009 and has been in the shop this winter professionally fixing issues found in survey including a new cockpit sole and a soft spot on the bottom.

The sail inventory is pretty complete. Main is a 2+2 batten high modulus Dacron from Haarstick with 2 reefs. Less than 2 seasons of use. The #1 AP is 155% Dimension Flex Aramid- new this spring. The superlight #1 is a tissue paper thin mylar from North for use in less than 10 knots apparent. The #2 is a 138% Dimension Flex Aramid about 3 years old. The #3 is a 105% Kevlar Tape Drive with Kevlar scrim. A heavy sail with little wear and absolutely bullet proof. The dacron storm jib meets the size requirements and has never been used. Spinnaker #1 is a 3/4oz nylon form North with light use. Spinnaker #2 is 3/4oz AP/runner from UK.

Next installment- meeting the equipment requirements.


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## JohnRPollard (Mar 26, 2007)

Sanduskey,

Man, you must be psyched! I'm pumped just reading about it. That sounds like an awesome race right up Lake Huron.

So, what decides between the "Cove Island Course" and the "Shore Course" you'll be taking? 

Either way, at 200+ n.m., it looks like a 1.5-3 day race or so?

Neat. Keep us posted.


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## Faster (Sep 13, 2005)

Sounds like you're off to an adventure.. the only comment I have at this point is hopefully you won't have 'too many skippers' on board... Sometimes having the entire crew accustomed to calling the shots can lead to some frictional debate on tactics... 

It's a race with a storied history.. enjoy!


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## Sanduskysailor (Aug 1, 2008)

The Shore Course is 200nm and is the original course for the race. The Cove Island course is 256nm and goes around the Cove Island Buoy in the middle of the lake.

I've done the Cove Island Course and the old Southampton course on bigger boats in the past. The Cove Island Course requires an endorsed IRC certificate which for me would cost about $700 to get. Also, we would be by far the smallest and slowest boat on that course.

The Shore Course is a bit less challenging and requires only a PHRF certificate. $700 vs $30. Not much of a decision there. So far, my expected class includes 3 overall winners, a Tartan 34C, a Hinckley Pilot 35, and a Bristol 27. Others will be signing up but for now it looks like a Catalina 30 is the only other boat in the rating band. The Tartan 34 has a great rating, crew, and equipment. I'm praying for a bit of light to medium upwind work as these guys will waterline us to death on a reach. My secret weapon in the prayer department is the ordained Methodist minister who is one of our crew.


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## smackdaddy (Aug 13, 2008)

SANDY! BABY! THE MAC!!!!!!

Very cool dude. I will definitely be following this. Keep us posted and get some pics up when you can!


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## sailingdog (Mar 19, 2006)

Good luck Sandusky... keep us posted...


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## padean (Jul 5, 2001)

*"Short course"*

The "short" course can seem long enough. We usually do that course every year, but the Cove Island course adds a longer home leg which is often a windward leg. Unfortunately, the shoreline course is more often than not a reach, which does not favor the boats with a shorter waterline.

Never the less, it is almost always a fun race, and with an experienced crew you will certainly give the rest of the class some competition. I do the Mac race on an S2 10.3, but not sure if we are in your class, with a PRHF usually in the 110's. In the past an IRC rating was required for this course, but using the PRHF rating this year may hopefully get a few more of the areas recreational racers to join.

Have fun, and good luck.


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## Sanduskysailor (Aug 1, 2008)

Padean- which 10.3? Limerick or Medicine Man? It seems that both were in our class years ago when I raced on Hurricane.


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## paulk (Jun 2, 2000)

I hate IRC because it dilutes the competition by siphoning off boats that want to play in a different sandbox from the rest of us. This enables them to compete against perhaps a dozen other boats in the IRC fleet, instead of a hundred or more in the PHRF fleet, so they have a better chance of winning a prize. At $700 for a certificate, that's an expensive pickle dish.


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## CliffRuckstuhl (Oct 21, 2009)

Just listen to everything that Cliff guy says and you'll be sure to have a great finish.


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## Sanduskysailor (Aug 1, 2008)

Fortunately that Cliff guy will be on the other watch.


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## smackdaddy (Aug 13, 2008)

Can that Cliff guy sail?


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## paulk (Jun 2, 2000)

How are the practice sessions going? Have you hauled the boat and made the crew show up at 2:00 AM to secretly wetsand it? What are you planning to eat en route? The father of one racer here was touting how his son served MRE's (Commercialized versions) and how tasty they were. Sounded to us like the fox who lost his tail in the trap. I told him about how the filet we had the second day out to Bermuda, with onions, mushrooms, and a nice cabernet, spurred us to win our division that year. We didn't eat as well the next time, and only got third.


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## smackdaddy (Aug 13, 2008)

C'mon Sandy - give us the scoop!

Paul - your menu sounds a hell of a lot better then a MRE.


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## CliffRuckstuhl (Oct 21, 2009)

Yes that Cliff guy can sail he has done ok over the years.

Cliff


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## Sanduskysailor (Aug 1, 2008)

It has been a while since the last post. We've been scrambling to get the boat ready after the fiberglass work. Just launched last Friday morning in order to do the Mills Race. That "Cliff" guy couldn't make it with a busted up ankle. Ouch. Marina launched boat and I started to motor to my club. Crew pushed bow out and wind started to blow me into the wall. Turned the wheel to starboard and boat promptly turned to port. Crunch. Fortunately only damage was a scrape on the rub rail. Obviously the steering cables were hooked up wrong. In the half mile motor to my club I snaked along with the steering being reverse of what it should be. Sadly, we bagged the Mills Race as the steering cables were rerun and we ran out of time. Well, we are ready for Wednesday night now. Lessons learned- the Cinkel steering system is different from an Edson. On the Cinkel the cables cross in the pedestal, on the Edson they cross in the quadrant. Stay tuned as we test out the new sails later this week. Only 34 days left to the race.


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## paulk (Jun 2, 2000)

If it's only a half mile from the Marina to the club, why not leave the boat at the marina - on their dime - until they fix the steering? How do they hook up the steering backwards??? Don't they try it out, at least a little, before they punch out at 15:30? Your luck needs to improve... BEFORE the race!


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## CGMojo (Jul 6, 2007)

*Tips for an Overnight Race*

Recommend you make it clear that you are in charge of the boat and make clear who is in charge of each watch. Make it clear that you must approve any deviations from the race plan.

Start a checklist now, share it with your crew, and add items as you think of them. From my Newport Beach to Ensenada checklist:

RACE PLAN
Set a series of waypoints along the intended route so you can work VMG

START
Watch the tactics of prior starters
Watch the tactics of previous winners
Get into clean air ASAP
Get outside of the boat behind you

SETTLING IN
Review man overboard procedures
Review the all hands on-deck signal
Minimize alcohol consumption, maximize rest
Consider putting the evening watch down for some rest in the afternoon

BEFORE DARK
Get a hot meal into everyone
Energize navigation lights
Rig jacklines and harnesses 
Rig 12V spotlight, flashlights, headlamps 
Rig red lights belowdeck 
Make hot coffee / tea 
Midwatch down for some rest after chow

NIGHT RACING
Keep a sharp lookout
Run engine to charge batteries and wake reliefs
Re-evaluate strategy once reliefs are on deck and aclimated

FINISH
Focus - It may be a traffic jam
Note boats ahead/astern

IN GENERAL 
VMG rules!
Stay focused --- these races are won at night. "Also rans" settle in and cruise, winning crews continue to race through the night.


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## Sanduskysailor (Aug 1, 2008)

PaulK, the boat was being worked on at an offsite shop. All the marina did was launch it and step the rig. The problem was the Cinkel steering. My boat guy labeled the starboard cable where it exits the pedestal. That works well on an Edson unit where the cables cross in the quadrant. Unfortunately the Cinkel units cross the cables inside the pedestal, hence the mistake. I motored over to the club to further work on it and also that's where the crew had staged the gear and supplies. For about a hundred yards I thought I might deliver it the 30 miles to the start. Obviously common sense took over and we bagged the race. My repair guy fixed it in about an hour and took my entry fee off the bill.

Funny to see my boat being hauled about 3 miles down Columbus Ave in Sandusky with a hydraulic yard trailer. It was Ohio Bike week in town and there was a parade of 20 Harley's following the boat at about 20mph. People in the downtown area thought it must have been some kind of float since a lot of them were taking pictures of the boat and it's unofficial escort.


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## Sanduskysailor (Aug 1, 2008)

CG- good tips, thank you for the reminders. Pretty much the same things that I have learned crewing in 17 MACS. With the weather fronts we are likely to encounter ,I would vary strategy on the VMG. My experience has been to position the boat for next big weather change and sail with the best VMG to that position.. In the Mac that means sometimes leaving the area of the rhumb line sail off the course up to 20 degrees to get to the next big shift first. Additionally, having good weather forecasts and and the ability to adjust your plan based on timing errors in the forecasts is critical.


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## CGMojo (Jul 6, 2007)

Sandusky -- good advice. On the Newport Beach to Ensenada, the major choice is "inside or outside". The rhumb line goes just inside the Coronado Islands off San Diego. The usual winds are W or NW at 10-15 and it usually lays down at night. Going outside the Coronados gives you more chance of finding a breeze. Sometimes the inside guys find a breeze coming off the beach if they get in tight.

I'm looking forward to July's inaugrual "Round the Islands" race from Newport Beach leaving Catalina to starboard (ususally a beam reach), then leaving Catalina Island to starboard (upwind), then back to Newport Beach (usually a run). 125nm like the Newport to Ensenada. Should be fun.


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## Sanduskysailor (Aug 1, 2008)

Getting close- less than 3 weeks to race time on the 17th. I have all the required equipment except the right charts. Expect to get them soon. Here is the boat pic from the Iphone this weekend.


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## Sanduskysailor (Aug 1, 2008)

The class splits are up at the BYC Mac site. We are in PHRF C with 12 other boats rating from 141 to 225. AT 177 we are 3rd slowest rated boat in PHRF. With all the long waterline boats rated near us we are hoping for some upwind work in light to medium or spinnaker work in 18+ where we can surf. The perennial winners include a Tartan 34C which is a great reaching boat and a Pilot 35. Should be interesting. You can follow the race and our progress (boat name -Hey Jude) at www.iboatrack.com - click on 2010 Pure Michigan Bayview Mackinac or at Bayview Yacht Club - 2010 Pure Michigan Bayview Port Huron to Mackinac Race


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## Sanduskysailor (Aug 1, 2008)

It is getting close. We plan to deliver the boat to Port Huron leaving Sandusky early on the 14th. Stopping overnight at Bayview Yacht Club in Detroit and arriving on Thursday in Port Huron. Final preparations this weekend. The new spinnaker was fast in the Islands race this past weekend. New #1 seems fast in light air with overall wins in the last 2 Wednesday night races. The crew is getting psyched.


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## smackdaddy (Aug 13, 2008)

Sanduskysailor said:


> The perennial winners include a Tartan 34C which is a great reaching boat...[/url]


Looking forward to hearing back Sand. Good luck to you guys.

I was "racing" a Tartan 28 a few weeks ago and just got smoked upwind. Jeez those things can point! I was able to learn a few things about sail trim trying to point as high as he could - but there was no way I could match him.

I'm sure the C27 could have done better - but I didn't know how to get her there myself.


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## Sanduskysailor (Aug 1, 2008)

Well, we got beat pretty badly. The boat had speed, we listened to the weather briefing and kept to the left side of the rhumb line on Saturday. Saturday evening there was a 90 degree shift and we were left. The guys who didn't point well or could not carry a chute on a 80 degree reach had fallen off to the east. 90 degree shift and they are reaching east of the rhumb line and we were beating to the west right into a dead zone. the boats on the outside missed the dead zone which was the deciding factor. Race over as we played catch up in the parade to the finish.

Currently sitting in Presque Isle on the way back.


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## Daveinet (Jun 10, 2010)

I still want to get a Hobie Trifoiler and turn that race into a day trip. There was one for sale on Ebay a few weeks ago.


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