Americap II Sailboat Rating System Seminar at Strictly Sail

Americap Application [PDF] November 21, 2002

Americap Announcement [PDF] October 14, 2002

Results [Final Results]

Photos

Race Entries

Race Documents

CHICAGO YACHT CLUB RACE TO MACKINAC
The longest continuously run fresh water race

The Chicago Yacht Club Race to Mackinac, also known as "The Mac," is a world-renowned race that challenges the endurance, speed and agility of 300 boats and 3,000 crew members from around the globe each year. The 333-mile race from Chicago to Mackinac Island at the northern end of Lake Michigan is the world's longest annual freshwater race and one of the most prestigious in the United States.

July 20, 2002, marks the 104th anniversary of the race's founding in 1898 and the 96th running of the event. If the race had been run annually with no interruptions, this should be the 105th running of the event (2002 – 1898 = 104, then add 1 to include the 1898 event and you arrive at 105). However, since 1898, there have been 9 years where the race was not run. Those years are 1899, 1900, 1901, 1902 and 1903, and again during the WWI years of 1917, 1918, 1919 and 1920.

The challenging conditions on Lake Michigan require the best of racing, tactics, strategy and boat speed. Participation in "The Mac" is by invitation only from Chicago Yacht Club.

The Race to Mackinac is a handicapped race where each division is scored separately and boats compete only with other boats in their division. Each boat is assigned a handicap prior to the start of the race. Based on that handicap and the boat’s elapsed time, a corrected time is given to each boat. The boat with the lowest corrected time wins their division. As a result there will be four overall winners, one for each division. This year’s Race to Mackinac will feature the following 4 divisions.

1. The Mackinac Cup Division (LMPHRF Large Boat Monohulls)

2. The Chicago-Mackinac Trophy Division (LMPHRF Small Boat Monohulls)

3. Multihull Division

4. Americap Division – Monohulls may voluntarily enter this division once that have first satisfied the entry requirements of the Mackinac Cup or Chicago-Mackinac Trophy Divisions.

First-To-Finish honors are awarded to the first boat to cross the finish line. This year there will be 2 First-To-Finish awards, First-To-Finish Monohull and First-To-Finish Multihull. The course record for the fastest elapsed time for a monohull was set in 1987 by Pied Piper, skippered by Dick Jennings of Chicago, which completed the course in 25 hrs 50 min 44 sec. The multihull elapsed time record was set in 1998, by Steve Fossett's Stars and Stripes, which finished in 18 hrs 50 min 32 sec. The race normally takes between 40 to 60 hours to complete.

The start of the race is on Lake Michigan approximately 1.5 miles east of Chicago's Monroe Harbor. Prior to the start, competing boats parade past Navy Pier with their ceremonial flags raised. The public can watch this parade from the east end of Navy Pier or along the lakeshore between Navy Pier and Monroe Street. The finish line for the race is the lighthouse on Round Island, off Mackinac Island, Michigan.

Regatta Chairman
Mike Bucklo
847-267-5370 (w)
mpbucklo@enteract.com

Media Contact
Haley Pingree
Public Communications, Inc.
312-558-1770
hpingree@pcipr.com