248 replies to this topic

[MR.CLEAN]

It'll all go here.

And don't forget to check back Monday for the Point Loma Outfitting coupon code for the day. We're stoked on the new Patagonia capilene shirts that PLO did for us for the Chicago race, they are the absolute bomb. Not cheap, but Tom's 20% off will help out with that.

And thanks to WXRouting.com for supporting OTW Anarchy as well. They're booked through August, but if you've got a fall event or passage coming up, Mark is wonderful to have in the sky watching out for you and getting you the latest forecasts and routing info.

[RtWL]

Will you be able to stay up for this one?

Go get some rest. Today's breeze will be gone soon enough.

[MR.CLEAN]

I ain't racing. But we will be out there for the start, hopefully we'll have enough signal to get the video up more or less live from every start and plenty of pics, and we'll encourage our friends in the fleet to send us updates. Any of you who are racing or have friends racing, let them know there are lots of folks who would love to hear from them, and they can send me anything they want and I'll make sure it finds its way here. Twitter stuff, texts, emails, carrier pigeons, smoke signals; whatever. Mer and I are going up to PH tonight to party and do some fun interviews and hang with the pals. Burnsy and Ziggy will be my most prized interview.

Mer is leaving for Charleston on Monday, so I'm free to get in the car and drive up to watch the finishers and hang out for some partying. I haven't decided for sure to do it, but it's in the cards.

Here's the interview I did with BYC MAC chairman Frank "cariguy" Kern when I caught him at the Detroit NOOD. Cariguy's been quiet on SA for a while, concentrating on not doing anything that would fuck up his race. He's done a good job, and we hope he joins us again soon when its all over.

[MR.CLEAN]

Bayview Mackinac Scratch Sheet:


Thread on it.


Bayview Mackinac weather links:


Thread on it.


Tracker In A Stupid Ass Window On The Michigan.Gov Site...WTF?




The infamous HeatWave thread.

[mgosailing]

Sorry to spam the forum but I'm looking for a ride to boat night from ann arbor, is anyone able to take one more? It would be greatly appreciated! Thanks in advance!

Brad
616-283-4730

[MR.CLEAN]

If you can get to somewhere close to Troy in the next couple hours, you got it.

[flaps15]

Lots of coverage on WJR this morning. Not totally accurate, but coverage non-the-less. Picking it up in Cleveland.

[chromedome]

Make with the OTWA.

[chromedome]

Wind

[Shife]

Two kegs of dragonmead should get us around cove and to the island...

[flaps15]

Two kegs of dragonmead should get us around cove and to the island...

Good to see you guys are serious about winning.

[Shife]

I hope you can see this because it's pretty funny. From Burnsy and Ziggy's doublehanded supermac adventure...

[flaps15]

Wasn't the first start at eleven, or is this up?

[LateNite]

I ain't racing. ...

Here's the interview I did with BYC MAC chairman Frank "cariguy" Kern when I caught him at the Detroit NOOD. Cariguy's been quiet on SA for a while, concentrating on not doing anything that would fuck up his race. He's done a good job, and we hope he joins us again soon when its all over.

Is it just me, or did any one else get the feeling Frank wishes Clean would go away?

[Slow Ed]

Race tracker shows Equation back at Bayview. Are they sitting this one out?

[LateNite]

Race Tracker also showing boats on the course (Or heading to starting line??)

Still no word from clean (or anyone else on a boat)

[LateNite]

Race tracker shows Equation back at Bayview. Are they sitting this one out?

Start is not for almost another hour or so.

[Grinder]

Goblin is moving now

[Slow Ed]

Race tracker shows Equation back at Bayview. Are they sitting this one out?

Now it shows them going up the river. Software glitch.

I bet Clean can't get a good connection up there. My phone will work like a champ on the lake or it will be an absolute dog in that area.

[MR.CLEAN]

We've got all sorts of issues, but we are shooting video and pics, will simply have to wait til we get home this afternoon to put them all up. Wind is 10 from the S.

[bellasailbabe]

I hope you can see this because it's pretty funny. From Burnsy and Ziggy's doublehanded supermac adventure...

...impressive!

...as is the erudite 'ad lib' prowess

[Shife]

15 from our start.

hot light air and downwind. suck

[bellasailbabe]

We've got all sorts of issues, but we are shooting video and pics, will simply have to wait til we get home this afternoon to put them all up. Wind is 10 from the S.

Hope that maybe you were able to capture some of the pre-start to the race
on video, Clean and Mer!

Thanks for covering!

...not many sailboat races in the world match the "tickertape-like" atmosphere
of the pre-race festivities for the Bayview Port Huron to Mackinac Race ~
usually featuring a brass band on the porch of the Port Huron YC, facing the
river canal...which funnels all the participating boats out to Lake Huron one by one...
(it's super narrow)...

As they pass the yacht club, the boats are announced from the decorated bandstand
and the majority of them are all "dressed" with flag upon flag of previous
Mackinac race finishes and burgees of all sorts...

Most of the crew are dressed in various matching costume attire...it can
be pretty funny...

Tons of family and friends of all the crewmembers are camped out directly
on the riverfront waving to the boats as they depart down the river canal
to the Lake...from there, they'll travel up ahead of the racers to enjoy
the car-less Mackinac Island ~ with tons of "wives and girlfriends" kicking
it up as an annual event up there.

Many on-lookers camp out to watch the start of the race on the sandy beaches
of Lake Huron as well (some there from the beer tent celebration the night before),
extending maybe a half mile down from the river...

Meanwhile, the boats hang out for about an hour before the start,
a lot of folks diving in to clean their bottoms at that time (as is
customary)...with newbies on some boats forced to "band the prop" as
their initiation to this historic race...

A very nice slice of Americana - pure tradition - and it's probably in
the top five all "super cool" starts in all of sailboat racing in the world...

[chromedome]

WX

[Slow Ed]

We've got all sorts of issues, but we are shooting video and pics, will simply have to wait til we get home this afternoon to put them all up. Wind is 10 from the S.

Hope that maybe you were able to capture some of the pre-start to the race
on video, Clean and Mer!

Thanks for covering!

...not many sailboat races in the world match the "tickertape-like" atmosphere
of the pre-race festivities for the Bayview Port Huron to Mackinac Race ~
usually featuring a brass band on the porch of the Port Huron YC, facing the
river canal...which funnels all the participating boats out to Lake Huron one by one...
(it's super narrow)...

As they pass the yacht club, the boats are announced from the decorated bandstand
and the majority of them are all "dressed" with flag upon flag of previous
Mackinac race finishes and burgees of all sorts...

Most of the crew are dressed in various matching costume attire...it can
be pretty funny...

Tons of family and friends of all the crewmembers are camped out directly
on the riverfront waving to the boats as they depart down the river canal
to the Lake...from there, they'll travel up ahead of the racers to enjoy
the car-less Mackinac Island ~ with tons of "wives and girlfriends" kicking
it up as an annual event up there.

Many on-lookers camp out to watch the start of the race on the sandy beaches
of Lake Huron as well (some there from the beer tent celebration the night before),
extending maybe a half mile down from the river...

Meanwhile, the boats hang out for about an hour before the start,
a lot of folks diving in to clean their bottoms at that time (as is
customary)...with newbies on some boats forced to "band the prop" as
their initiation to this historic race...

A very nice slice of Americana - pure tradition - and it's probably in
the top five all "super cool" starts in all of sailboat racing in the world...

Unfortunately it was a bit subdued because of the steady rain. But as always PHYC did a great send off for the boats.

BTW Bella that is a river, as narrow as it is. The Black River actually.

If they stuck to the schedule all the boats will be on there way in the next 10 minutes. Best of luck to all of them.

[bellasailbabe]

Unfortunately it was a bit subdued because of the steady rain. But as always PHYC did a great send off for the boats.

BTW Bella that is a river, as narrow as it is. The Black River actually.

If they stuck to the schedule all the boats will be on there way in the next 10 minutes. Best of luck to all of them.

...yep...raced out of the Black River on this race, have delivered in and out of it...but a good descriptor
to those not from the area, possibly reading the thread, is that it looks more like a narrow river canal
than a river...

...but, heck, maybe everybody reading this thread has been on it, too, eh? ha ha

Thanks for the update, SlowEd!

[flaps15]

15 from our start.

hot light air and downwind. suck

...well that that means the chick on WJR was wrong this morning when she said you guys will put up the spinnakers, you know those pretty, colorful sails when the winds get really heavy..... but I digress....

[Shife]

wind still light and south. most of the 70s are heading for canada early.

[MR.CLEAN]

Holy fuck, we are back on land and the mother of all thunderstorms is on our ass and headed for the fleet! Check radar, I was just getting cotton candy at the carny fair on our way home, and the bolt of lightning that struck the ferris wheel came close enough to travel through the cotton candy cart and up my arm as well as the carny serving me. What a rush! And poor bastards out there...

[mainsheetgirl]

Holy fuck, we are back on land and the mother of all thunderstorms is on our ass and headed for the fleet! Check radar, I was just getting cotton candy at the carny fair on our way home, and the bolt of lightning that struck the ferris wheel came close enough to travel through the cotton candy cart and up my arm as well as the carny serving me. What a rush! And poor bastards out there...

Did your hair stand up on end?

[chromedome]

I'm bored

[MER]

Holy fuck, we are back on land and the mother of all thunderstorms is on our ass and headed for the fleet! Check radar, I was just getting cotton candy at the carny fair on our way home, and the bolt of lightning that struck the ferris wheel came close enough to travel through the cotton candy cart and up my arm as well as the carny serving me. What a rush! And poor bastards out there...

Did your hair stand up on end?

Dunno I didNt look down my shorts

[Sol Rosenberg]

Now that's just good comedy.

[MR.CLEAN]

The guys we hitched a ride with- real Port Huron salt of the earth- were mixing sailor jerry rum and pepsi. Needless to say, Mer's driving home!

[MR.CLEAN]

I ain't racing. .
Here's the interview I did with BYC MAC chairman Frank "cariguy" Kern when I caught him at the Detroit NOOD. Cariguy's been quiet on SA for a while, concentrating on not doing anything that would fuck up his race. He's done a good job, and we hope he joins us again soon when its all over.

Is it just me, or did any one else get the feeling Frank wishes Clean would go away?

..
Considering that he's been the one helping us get on the water and feeding us reports and pics, it's probably just you.

[yisitalwaysraining]

Come on Al, use a straw for the Jerry and dish some dirt. This is the first Mac I've missed in 15 years and gettin' the DT's....

[zvikingz]

This having to have a job shit sucks. Anyone want to hire me and give me all the sailing time off?

[coolerbythelake]

Come on Al, use a straw for the Jerry and dish some dirt. This is the first Mac I've missed in 15 years and gettin' the DT's....

gee, your first time following otw coverage?

[Slow Ed]

Weather bouy 45149 shows wind out of the SSW at 8 but bouy 45008 shows wind out of the east at 11. Could the Canadian shore pay again this year? Stay tuned.

Clean! get the fuckin videos loaded!!

[MR.CLEAN]

Videos and pics are loading now...and I am hung over. Christ why is it that every time I go to Port Huron, I leave sloshed to the gills?

Looks like Windquest and Earth Voyager are sitting on top of each other on the Canadian shore, with the 70s and rest of the fast multihulls in the middle of the lake slightly to the right. Windquest wasn't even interested in the start. She wanted Canada and she got it. Earth Voyager apparently nearly ran over a cruising boat on her way back out to the east.

Tip: On the crappy iBoattracker, if you click on "Boat mapper" you get a much better tracking tool than the standard view. Still shit, but better shit, and thank christ Pure Michigan stepped up so that there is some tracking, if not a great interface.

More to come.

[MR.CLEAN]

A solid interview with Tyson "T-Bomb" Connelly, Commodore of the PHYC, about his great club; one of the real hidden gems of the Midwest sailing scene.

[Slow Ed]

Videos and pics are loading now...and I am hung over. Christ why is it that every time I go to Port Huron, I leave sloshed to the gills?

Looks like Windquest and Earth Voyager are sitting on top of each other on the Canadian shore, with the 70s and rest of the fast multihulls in the middle of the lake slightly to the right. Windquest wasn't even interested in the start. She wanted Canada and she got it. Earth Voyager apparently nearly ran over a cruising boat on her way back out to the east.

Tip: On the crappy iBoattracker, if you click on "Boat mapper" you get a much better tracking tool than the standard view. Still shit, but better shit, and thank christ Pure Michigan stepped up so that there is some tracking, if not a great interface.

More to come.

You have been passed out for the last 5 hours. You should thank God you have Mer. Now load those videos.

BTW, you did a great job on the other shore.

[MR.CLEAN]

So What's Boat Night?

[MR.CLEAN]

Videos and pics are loading now...and I am hung over. Christ why is it that every time I go to Port Huron, I leave sloshed to the gills?

Looks like Windquest and Earth Voyager are sitting on top of each other on the Canadian shore, with the 70s and rest of the fast multihulls in the middle of the lake slightly to the right. Windquest wasn't even interested in the start. She wanted Canada and she got it. Earth Voyager apparently nearly ran over a cruising boat on her way back out to the east.

Tip: On the crappy iBoattracker, if you click on "Boat mapper" you get a much better tracking tool than the standard view. Still shit, but better shit, and thank christ Pure Michigan stepped up so that there is some tracking, if not a great interface.

More to come.

You have been passed out for the last 5 hours. You should thank God you have Mer. Now load those videos.

BTW, you did a great job on the other shore.

If I believed in god, you can bet I'd thank him all the time for Mer. And for a job where I can watch a great sailboat race start and get drunk enough to pass out in the car on the way home.

Now relax. It's not like you have a big party to go to. 25 videos loading...

[MR.CLEAN]

George Zimmerman, one of the people who run Pure Michigan, is sending live audio in on the PM Blog. Not that interesting, but another thing to follow for those who are missing the race.

http://www.puremichi.../race-update-1/

[MR.CLEAN]

That's Boat Night. Listen to the chicks in the vid...

[MR.CLEAN]

Earth Voyager starting to pull away from Windquest - just a mile or so ahead right now, both on the Canadian shore and just gybed back for Cove Island.

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[MR.CLEAN]

Twats from FastrSailr:


SeaFever25006

Wind getting light as we're getting ready for dinner...big tactical choices ahead
about 4 hours ago from UberTwitter
After dodging thunderstorms, one finally caught us. Blinding rain for a while, then the sun is out and we're still sailing downwind. # ...
about 6 hours ago from UberTwitter
Its been a beautiful day three sail reaching up the lake. First lots of sunshine and now we're watching thunderstor$s form on shore #BYCMac
about 7 hours ago from UberTwitter
Our nav station aboard the boat. #BYCMac http://mypict.me/dQpU
about 7 hours ago from UberTwitter
Downwind sailing away from Port Huron in about 12 kts of breeze #BYCMac http://mypict.me/dMVA
about 11 hours ago from UberTwitter
Rainy way out to the race course on @SeaFever25006...stating in about 80 mins #BYCMac
about 12 hours ago from UberTwitter
RT @errantyachtsman: Port Huron looking good on Boat Night #BYCMac http://mypict.me/dtS1
5:14 PM Jul 24th from UberTwitter
Headint to Port Huron for final boat prep and Boat Night! #BYCMac
9:14 AM Jul 24th from UberTwitter
Don't forget to track us is IRC E starting Saturday at http://michigan.org/gps #BYCMac
12:51 AM Jul 24th from UberTwitter
Track the Race at michigan.org/gps! Two days to go! #BYCMac
11:58 AM Jul 23rd from web
Track the Race at michigan.org/gps! Two days until the start!
11:57 AM Jul 23rd from web
4 days to go! Get the word out! Who else plans to tweet during the race? #BYCMac
11:53 AM Jul 21st from web
Pure Michigan Mackinac Race starts on Saturday! #BYCMac
9:41 AM Jul 20th from web
Shaping up to be a lovely night for the last Thursday Night Race at Bayview before the Mackinac Race! #BYCMac
3:43 PM Jul 16th from web
@PureMichigan here's your first Pure Michigan BYC Mackinac Race twitter account! #BYCMac
12:04 AM Jul 14th from web


Twats From Insatiable


chrismetcalf

First watch change. Passed under a couple of weather systems a couple of hours ago and now were cruising along under sunny skies #bycmac
about 5 hours ago from Tweetie


And we're off! Broad reaching under light air. 136 miles to Cove Island. http://bit.ly/8Y0ww
about 9 hours ago from Tweetie
Transponder mounted, heading out soon. Follow along at http://www.michigan.org/gps/, yacht name Insatiable. #bycmac #fb
about 13 hours ago from Tweetie
Boat's all rigged, bottom's cleaned, heading to Boat Night. #bycmac
7:10 PM Jul 24th from Tweetie

[MR.CLEAN]

The Multihulls are always last out of the river - here they go around Noon today.

[MR.CLEAN]

It takes a while to clean up the mess of 10,000 drunks...Leaving the black river.






Natalie J with the last minute fixes....




Will this boat make it to the start on time?

[Slow Ed]

A solid interview with Tyson "T-Bomb" Connelly, Commodore of the PHYC, about his great club; one of the real hidden gems of the Midwest sailing scene.

Great interview with Tyson, I don't always have to rip on you.

Are you going to the island? I'm going to sail back with Rose. Thanks for the coverage.

[MR.CLEAN]

Leaving the mouth of the Black




Another Windquest fly-by





Crawling up the Canadian Shore

[MR.CLEAN]

A solid interview with Tyson "T-Bomb" Connelly, Commodore of the PHYC, about his great club; one of the real hidden gems of the Midwest sailing scene.

Great interview with Tyson, I don't always have to rip on you.

Are you going to the island? I'm going to sail back with Rose. Thanks for the coverage.

No worries Ed. I think I'm going to drive up after I drop Mer off at the airport on Monday morning. If the wind holds, most of the fleet will be in by the time I get up there anyways. Got any room on your floor?

[MR.CLEAN]

Getting to the RC boat just as the IRCD fleet or whatever Jonesy is in on Burden:




J/105s inside 5





J105s Start

[MR.CLEAN]

ORR 2 Start (Natalie J, Fine Line, etc.)




Couple minutes later:

[MR.CLEAN]

GL70s Start, with Nitemare getting a great one



The big IOR boats:




IRC Zero and ORR 1: The big boys




The Multis: My mistake on calling out "Adagio" instead of the boat that was doing the screaming, Ollie.




Nice Pair gets going:

[MR.CLEAN]

Looks like Windquest and Earth Voyager have parked! WQ is at 6 knots, EV at 3, and Equation and the lead 70s, Vincitore, Nice Pair, Adagio are bringing up the breeze...Go The Pair!

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[MR.CLEAN]

It just wouldn't be On The Water Anarchy without some hot, slutty ass, would it? The first:

[MR.CLEAN]

Earth Voyager gets moving after the start:




A last shot of Bruce, Gary and the Pair:




On our way back in, we show you Homeland Security's newest high tech solution:

[MR.CLEAN]

Here's the storm that was headed up to the fleet (and more ass):





And the final bit of ass...until I get to the island, anyway. These girls were DIRTY.

[MR.CLEAN]

Holy shit - Earth Voyager is getting passed by the fleet, with Windquest not far behind! Lead 70s, Multis and big boats are 7+ knots while EV sits on 3 and WQ on 4. First to finish might not be one of the monsters - go the 12 knot shitboxes!

[MER]

Photos from the start - more to come

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[yisitalwaysraining]

Come on Al, use a straw for the Jerry and dish some dirt. This is the first Mac I've missed in 15 years and gettin' the DT's....

gee, your first time following otw coverage?

I try and be the coverage....

[Slow Ed]

Alan, congrats on digging up a boat load of redneck. Not that every state doesn't have it but it's not what Michigan needs to show perspective business.

As far as floor space I'm driving up in a volvo wagon and coming back on Blitz. I'm more broke than you. Hope ya find some space to stay.

[MR.CLEAN]

Alan, congrats on digging up a boat load of redneck. Not that every state doesn't have it but it's not what Michigan needs to show perspective business.

You know, you were doing so well until you decided to get bitchy over a great bunch of guys that we had fun with. Didn't figure you for an elitist, Ed. Worse yet, it's the people who pretend that Michigan is something it isn't that are responsible for the state being in the crap it is. Christ knows that when I was developing 1000 unit subdivisions in Washtenaw County, the motivation came from the folks trying to characterize Michigan as the next big boom, the up-and-coming economy, to Centex, Toll Brothers, and Florida and West Coast investors. Most of the Midwest is pretty redneck - you think that your little part of the coast is somehow exempt? I raced in PH for almost two full years, and I'll tell you what: Those guys that took us out; the poor bastards with lots of hardware; like Rum, Blew By You, etc; they ARE Port Huron, and they ARE Michigan. You are not.

Hey, I have an idea: Pure Michigan can get rid of all the rednecks for the PH-Mac race just for the tourism campaign. Oh wait; get rid of the rednecks and there's no boat night. Get rid of the rednecks and there's no Port Huron. Get rid of the rednecks and there's no midwest.

edit: That 'boatload of redneck' includes one tradesman who just started racing this year aboard the T35 Griffin. You have no idea how excited he was to watch the racing, and the whole crew told me "We've never been able to get this close before and see what really happens; we get chased off by the race officials." Personally, I'd rather hang out with rednecks than proper yachties most days, and if we can get guys like THIS interested - something PHYC is great at - than all of a sudden, racing has a ginormous new pool of people to draw from.

[GreatLakes]

Alan, congrats on digging up a boat load of redneck. Not that every state doesn't have it but it's not what Michigan needs to show perspective business.

Ed: Don't know you, don't care to, but don't think those businesses that are considering Michigan for future re-location or start-up, are browsing SA in search of potential employees.


Clean: Been following your OWA since the moment you began in Chicago. Must say even though the Chi-Mac seemed painful, that I was still wishing I was out there. Thanks for the amazing coverage (including the Redneck PH. Boat Night). Were you ever able to get an interview posted with the Heat Wave tandem after the long haul?

[MR.CLEAN]

Thanks much GL, couldn't ccatch the 'wave (they were sleeping on boat night and I overslept on race morning) but will catch them on the island.

[MR.CLEAN]

So much for a quick race! Buoys show some serious light air beating for the boats who've rounded the corner. More breeze forecasted for tonight (10-15 or so) but still from the wrong direction.

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[MER]

More Photos from the start

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[jrw1621]

I could not be there this year. Thanks for the coverage!

No one gave more to the overall coverage than the owner/driver of the bowrider. You can call him names and stereo type him but today he provided a great service to me, Clean and everyone else watching.

I have raced on all coasts and nowhere else have I ever seen a whole town turn out for a sailboat race!
PH and PHYC do a great job.

RUM are my kind of guys. Ward, Kinney and all have provided great times when they visit us in Lake Erie.

[MR.CLEAN]

You can call him names and stereo type him but today he provided a great service to me, Clean and everyone else watching.

The only folks who shy away from the word 'redneck' are those that are worried they are one. Those that already know wear it as a badge of honor. That boat was full of tradesman; framers, masons, electricians - my kind of people. I'd rather spend a day with them than with a cabin cruiser full of doctors, lawyers, accountants, and equity fund managers, and the more folks like that we can get interested in sailboats, the better.

[MR.CLEAN]

Pics from the Race Chairman:

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[MR.CLEAN]

The SHIFT IS IN on the lead boats, Windquest and Earth Voyager, still separated by less than a mile but now headed north, assumingly because they are now beating into a light NW'ly. Boats behind, led by Vincitore and Equation, are still pointed at the mark, though velocity is way down. Look for 'em to flow with the rightie soon!

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[MR.CLEAN]

Natalie J once again puttin' a hurtin on their class, but if the NW'ly truly comes in they are they not a little far right? Maybe not, considering NJ goes faster upwind than down most of the time! Hard to bet against Bora, especially when the rest of the class is going under 2 knots and he's still on 3.

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[Road Goddess]

Clean & Mer,

Great pre-and-during the race coverage! Feels like we are there with Nice Pair.

Off to Dad's 80th birthday party. We'll check back later.

Keep up the good coverage!!

B&BB

[Chuck D.]

A solid interview with Tyson "T-Bomb" Connelly, Commodore of the PHYC, about his great club; one of the real hidden gems of the Midwest sailing scene.

Excellent interview. Thanks for putting the spotlight on one of the best clubs in the land.

In an economy where alot of large big $$$ clubs are struggling, member driven / all volunteer clubs like PHYC and NSSC are thriving because of two things, as I see it: relatively low operating costs that make them much more affordable, and the strong community that exists and which makes the decision to retain membership in even the most uncertain/difficult circumstances alot more palatable.

[big chicken]

Clean,

I have a major bone to pick with you! Unfortunately circumstances prevented us from getting the chicken boat to the BYC Mac this year and I'm stuck at home this weekend. I was able to free up the time to crew on QuickSilver in the ChiMac and that was serious fun and very reqwarding to be able to deliver a 4th place of 19 for our skipper, but now being at home and "seeing" the race on my computer is putting me in a big time funk.

Keep up the great work. Very nice interview with the PHYC Commodore. Some of your best work yet.

Go the Wave!. Go the Pair! And go Atomic Dog and Time Machine!

BC

[bellasailbabe]

Wow!

Thank you guys so much for this coverage!

Mer, I love that sepia tone photo of the boat with the Port Huron factories blazing smoke ~ very cool ~

Love the Tyson Connelly interview -- great job, Clean and Tyson!

And if you haven't seen it, the second "boat night" video, with Clean and Mer
interviewing the locals is priceless -- Mer: "So, where are the boats headed
to for tomorrow's race?" Random crowd girl with neon green martini necklace: "Chicago" --
and Mer doesn't even 'deadpan' the response...she follows up on it with delight
and curiosity -- very funny : )

Four years ago from Southern California, for both the Chicago to Mac and the
Bayview Mac, I tried piecing together newspaper reports, website links,
and kept posting boat tracking of the races onto SA...and that's all SA had.
I figured, since I was tracking it that way for my personal fun, why not share
it out? But that effort, in no way, compares to this coverage.

Anyone complaining in the least about this coverage isn't seeing the forest
for the trees...

Yayyyyy for this Bayview Mac race coverage! Thank you so much!

[cariguy]

Thanks Clean for your support for the race. You are part of the media coverage that really has propelled our race into the world class event it should be. The Tyson interview was the gold standard. Working with the Chicago Yacht Club and the Port Huron Yacht Club on the Super Mac has shown that cooperation between us has been good for the sport of sailing. In spite of an awful economy Bayview has also found ways to thrive with innovation and hard work.

20/20 did an interview with our Commodore Amsler for two hours when they were in Detroit. The story line was how bad things were in Detroit with the GM and Chrysler bankruptcies. Rob told about some of the great the great things we were doing and Bayview was doing well. Needles to say the interview got cut to 20 seconds because it did not fit the story line.

At least Clean will allow us to get the whole story out.

[SailfastDrinkhard]

Clean,

Thanks for the great coverage! I've only done one port huron Mac but I've been itching to get back ever since. Bar exam and work kept me away this year but the SA coverage of both races has really helped.

Keep up the good work on the island!

good luck to everybody on the course, especially Schock & All and Time Machine.

[jrw1621]

Hey Drinkhard! (aka: The FNG)

The boat is there but I am home, short notice.
If you were here they would have taken you.

No time soon but I look forward to getting back to NOLA and attempting to kill myself again!

Yours,
John

[Slow Ed]

Alan, congrats on digging up a boat load of redneck. Not that every state doesn't have it but it's not what Michigan needs to show perspective business.

You know, you were doing so well until you decided to get bitchy over a great bunch of guys that we had fun with. Didn't figure you for an elitist, Ed. Worse yet, it's the people who pretend that Michigan is something it isn't that are responsible for the state being in the crap it is. Christ knows that when I was developing 1000 unit subdivisions in Washtenaw County, the motivation came from the folks trying to characterize Michigan as the next big boom, the up-and-coming economy, to Centex, Toll Brothers, and Florida and West Coast investors. Most of the Midwest is pretty redneck - you think that your little part of the coast is somehow exempt? I raced in PH for almost two full years, and I'll tell you what: Those guys that took us out; the poor bastards with lots of hardware; like Rum, Blew By You, etc; they ARE Port Huron, and they ARE Michigan. You are not.

Hey, I have an idea: Pure Michigan can get rid of all the rednecks for the PH-Mac race just for the tourism campaign. Oh wait; get rid of the rednecks and there's no boat night. Get rid of the rednecks and there's no Port Huron. Get rid of the rednecks and there's no midwest.

edit: That 'boatload of redneck' includes one tradesman who just started racing this year aboard the T35 Griffin. You have no idea how excited he was to watch the racing, and the whole crew told me "We've never been able to get this close before and see what really happens; we get chased off by the race officials." Personally, I'd rather hang out with rednecks than proper yachties most days, and if we can get guys like THIS interested - something PHYC is great at - than all of a sudden, racing has a ginormous new pool of people to draw from.

Cheese and Rice! Welcome to the SA sensitivity thread.

You call them "salt of the earth" I said "Redneck". Do you guys think I look down on anyone on this earth? If any of those rednecks are reporting to work on Monday they are doing way better than I am. If any of those rednecks are making a payment on there homes they are doing better than I am. I'll be lucky if I get home from the island and the locks aren't changed.

BTW Al, long before Gore invented the internet and you came on the scene. Long before PHYC was the grand building on the Black River that it is today, I sailed with those carpenters, plumbers, electricians and masons that made that place what it is today!

If I have offended any rednecks I sincerely apologize.

Now back to the race, IRC B still isn't to Cove but it looks like you could throw a blanket on the entire fleet.

[Road Goddess]

Heyyy, how bout that Earth Voyager and Windquest?

[MER]

Multihull start photos

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[Slow Ed]

Multihull start photos

Nice Pair looks like a cool boat and I met Geff once in a bar but man, I gotta get me a ride on Earth Voyager. I bet that boat could scare the crap out of you in 15 knots of breeze.

[MR.CLEAN]

Chippewa's controllable webcam:


Watch your friends stumble drunkenly down main street.

Island House Harbor Cam

Image:

All in one place.

[LH Drummer]

Damn this is exciting!! Less than 60 miles out, and Windquest (red) is leading Earth Voyager by less than a mile. Nitemare leading the GL-70

[MR.CLEAN]

Damn right LH: Windquest is less than a mile ahead of EV at the 7:12 update. WQ is at 9 knots and change, EV is 11 or so, though given pointing angles and the last few hours, their VMG is damned similar. If EV gets to crack sheets AT ALL they are gone. If not, WQ should be able to hold them. Match race in the straights between an 86' monster and a 60' weapon...stellar! Nice Pair still looks solid on handicap, though Cheekee Monkee is quickly getting back into it after being down hours and hours now that it is an upwind battle. And Natalie J is creeping up on the big boats...never bet against Bora!

[MR.CLEAN]

If anyone has any desire to play OTW Anarchy assistant tomorrow and Tuesday, let me know. I'm heading up sometime around noon to the island to get interviews and shots of the boats coming in, and drunk. Drinks provided. Probably will end up sleeping on a deck or floor.

[dacapo]

Clean,

I have a major bone to pick with you! Unfortunately circumstances prevented us from getting the chicken boat to the BYC Mac this year and I'm stuck at home this weekend. I was able to free up the time to crew on QuickSilver in the ChiMac and that was serious fun and very reqwarding to be able to deliver a 4th place of 19 for our skipper, but now being at home and "seeing" the race on my computer is putting me in a big time funk.

Keep up the great work. Very nice interview with the PHYC Commodore. Some of your best work yet.

Go the Wave!. Go the Pair! And go Atomic Dog and Time Machine!

BC

gotta throw one out there for Say Uncle..........

[MR.CLEAN]

This really is exciting! Looks like a lefty came in, Windquest covering Earth Voyager for First To Finish honors!




That red on is Defiance BTW (for you deepsea)

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[MR.CLEAN]

No sign yet on the webcam...

[chromedome]

Pororoca seems to be headed ashore.

What tracker are you using Clean?

Found it

[Steveph]

Al thanks for sticking up for us boat load of rednecks! As you said I would have never ever thought of coming on this site or sailing before hanging with you and Mer yesterday (what a great day). When you get here next year make sure you call us to hang on boat night and we will take you out to the race again. I will e-mail you with my information.
As for you Ed I never considered myself a redneck, that is why I went to college and got my degree

Alan, congrats on digging up a boat load of redneck. Not that every state doesn't have it but it's not what Michigan needs to show perspective business.

You know, you were doing so well until you decided to get bitchy over a great bunch of guys that we had fun with. Didn't figure you for an elitist, Ed. Worse yet, it's the people who pretend that Michigan is something it isn't that are responsible for the state being in the crap it is. Christ knows that when I was developing 1000 unit subdivisions in Washtenaw County, the motivation came from the folks trying to characterize Michigan as the next big boom, the up-and-coming economy, to Centex, Toll Brothers, and Florida and West Coast investors. Most of the Midwest is pretty redneck - you think that your little part of the coast is somehow exempt? I raced in PH for almost two full years, and I'll tell you what: Those guys that took us out; the poor bastards with lots of hardware; like Rum, Blew By You, etc; they ARE Port Huron, and they ARE Michigan. You are not.

Hey, I have an idea: Pure Michigan can get rid of all the rednecks for the PH-Mac race just for the tourism campaign. Oh wait; get rid of the rednecks and there's no boat night. Get rid of the rednecks and there's no Port Huron. Get rid of the rednecks and there's no midwest.

edit: That 'boatload of redneck' includes one tradesman who just started racing this year aboard the T35 Griffin. You have no idea how excited he was to watch the racing, and the whole crew told me "We've never been able to get this close before and see what really happens; we get chased off by the race officials." Personally, I'd rather hang out with rednecks than proper yachties most days, and if we can get guys like THIS interested - something PHYC is great at - than all of a sudden, racing has a ginormous new pool of people to draw from.

[MR.CLEAN]

Al thanks for sticking up for us boat load of rednecks! As you said I would have never ever thought of coming on this site or sailing before hanging with you and Mer yesterday (what a great day). When you get here next year make sure you call us to hang on boat night and we will take you out to the race again. I will e-mail you with my information.
As for you Ed I never considered myself a redneck, that is why I went to college and got my degree

Alan, congrats on digging up a boat load of redneck. Not that every state doesn't have it but it's not what Michigan needs to show perspective business.

You know, you were doing so well until you decided to get bitchy over a great bunch of guys that we had fun with. Didn't figure you for an elitist, Ed. Worse yet, it's the people who pretend that Michigan is something it isn't that are responsible for the state being in the crap it is. Christ knows that when I was developing 1000 unit subdivisions in Washtenaw County, the motivation came from the folks trying to characterize Michigan as the next big boom, the up-and-coming economy, to Centex, Toll Brothers, and Florida and West Coast investors. Most of the Midwest is pretty redneck - you think that your little part of the coast is somehow exempt? I raced in PH for almost two full years, and I'll tell you what: Those guys that took us out; the poor bastards with lots of hardware; like Rum, Blew By You, etc; they ARE Port Huron, and they ARE Michigan. You are not.

Hey, I have an idea: Pure Michigan can get rid of all the rednecks for the PH-Mac race just for the tourism campaign. Oh wait; get rid of the rednecks and there's no boat night. Get rid of the rednecks and there's no Port Huron. Get rid of the rednecks and there's no midwest.

edit: That 'boatload of redneck' includes one tradesman who just started racing this year aboard the T35 Griffin. You have no idea how excited he was to watch the racing, and the whole crew told me "We've never been able to get this close before and see what really happens; we get chased off by the race officials." Personally, I'd rather hang out with rednecks than proper yachties most days, and if we can get guys like THIS interested - something PHYC is great at - than all of a sudden, racing has a ginormous new pool of people to draw from.

DUDE! How cool is that that our ski boat driver, never sailed a day in his life, is posting on the board! Good on ya Steve, and hopefully you don't take offense. I've got a master's and a law degree and I'm from the suburbs of New York, but I'm proud to be a redneck. Who'd you rather hang out with? A bunch of dudes drinking rum and beer and cracking jokes with hot dirty tramps around, or the alternative? I know which way I'll be going.

Until next year, Steve - and THANKS A TON for a great day!

[MR.CLEAN]

Pororoca seems to be headed ashore.

What tracker are you using Clean?

Found it

Use this link - it's the best version of the tracker. http://maps.iboattra...google_view.php

[LH Drummer]

Had to quit lurking and sign up after Slow Ed's dumbass comments about Port Huron. Hell, everybody knows all the Michigan rednecks are in Ypsilanti, Roseville, and Keego Harbor. Thanks for coming to Boat Night........

Port Huron is an old manufacturing town, where German and Irish families built neighborhoods around the country's biggest brass, and two top paper mills... among many others. At the suggestion of his former boss Thomas Edison, Edward Acheson came to PH to build a plant producing industrial abrasives and lubricants, which became the global giant in its field. Later industry was focused on automotive work supplying the Detroit plants. Anybody coming here from the south and stopping at the Black River only sees the tired, old industrial third of the city. Take a drive north hugging the waterfront and you'll see gorgeous parks, beaches, cool renovated historic neighborhoods, cottages, and lakefront homes that would put a great many GP Lakeshore Drive "mansions" to shame. I just spent a pleasant afternoon with an 84-yr old gentleman from St Louis that has never missed a single summer in Port Huron since he was born. Really, we're not dead yet.

I was born here in the 50s, and Boat Week was ALWAYS the highlight of the year. We looked forward to the carnival, parade, fireworks and sidewalk sales (before our first mall killed the downtown in 1990)... and of course, seeing the BOATS, and yes, the race starts. PHYC only recently put in their new wells, and in years past, the race attracted nearly 300 entries. Sailboats were rafted 3 and 4 deep up and down Black River. I always looked for "my" Gypsy to arrive. Bellasailbabe painted an accurate picture of the scene with all the flying burgees and crowds. CLEAN and MER would have seen another 100 spectator boats out at the starts if it wasn't so chilly on the water and threatening rain this year.

Boat Night was a drunken blast with thousands of people downtown, and the river jammed with powerboats. The Yacht Club had their Fish Fry on one side of the River and the Optimist Club sold chicken on the other. Kids made good money running their fishing boats as taxis to get you from one bar to the next. I was able to score a bottle of Boone's Farm and steal the family car to cruise Boat Night when I was 15, since my parents were out on the boat and wouldn't be home before 4:00 or 5:00 am. But then cops started thinking of themselves as bad cowboys, and kept a tally to try to always top the previous year's arrest count of 100+. A new Chief of Police brought his Detroit attitude to town with him... and the fun days were over. He's gone now. Pressured to bring back the lost crowds (business), a new relaxed attitude is back in place, with drinking allowed at tents along the river. I think there were 15 arrests this year, most for fighting.

Boats and the Bayview Mac Race are BIG business in this town. Now there's talk of Boat MONTH. Mr. Acheson's grandson Jim has donated millions and millions of dollars in his efforts to revitalize the south side of Port Huron, and no doubt his group will continue to play a vital role. There's always something happening year-round at his Vantage Point property at the corner of the Black and St Clair Rivers.

All that said... our local Times Herald has always extensively covered the Race, with weeks of build-up and the schedule of events, dozens of photographs from downtown, on the water, and at the Island, race updates as they became available from spotters, and later, the full results.. As Tyson mentioned, this is the first year that a reporter won't be onboard one of the boats. There usually is a pre-Boat Week supplement published that is distributed all over the county. The radio stations participate as well. Go check out the coverage here --

http://www.thetimesherald.com/ There are lots of stories, a link to the tracker, photos..........

I assumed every big sailing event did things this way. Guess we're just a lucky bunch of rednecks, eh?

[MR.CLEAN]

I assumed every big sailing event did things this way. Guess we're just a lucky bunch of rednecks, eh?

And you should be proud of it. Thanks for the great story LHD.

Looks like Windquest and EV split...and Bora just called me but the signal broke up, hard to keep a good signal up there with the Canadian towers and US towers trying to beat each other up...

He texts: Wind 280, Boatspeed 7 knots, hanging out at the ducks...looking for more righty...

[MR.CLEAN]

Hey Deepsea - you got any mids aboard Defiance?

[Road Goddess]

Multihull start photos

Nice Pair looks like a cool boat and I met Geff once in a bar but man, I gotta get me a ride on Earth Voyager. I bet that boat could scare the crap out of you in 15 knots of breeze.

Riding Earth Voyager is amazingly surreal. We left the Grand Haven dock one August night, the best night for shooting stars btw, heading for Milwaukee...and wow did we witness a show. It was spectacular. When EV is sailing, all you hear is the wind on the sails and the water rushing over the hulls...throw in a few hundred shooting stars and oh what a night! Memorable beyond words. Sailing makes a person feel one with nature, but on EV, it's all that....on steroids.