The 82nd running of the Bayview Mackinac Island Race was a great success for the Pied Piper. Distance races require a great deal of preparation and effort to achieve a good result and even then there is an element of luck that is required. This year’s race was no exception.  Prior to the race we had a 600 mile delivery to the bottom of Lake Huron were the race begins. Pied Piper was based in Sarnia, Canada at the Bridgeview Marina. We spent a fair amount of time looking over our weather forecasts prior to the race which helps give us an idea of where we wanted to position Pied Piper relative to our competitors. In addition this year we tried to complete most of our provisioning for the race in Chicago. Unlike our competitors we carry no refrigeration or propane tank those luxury items are too heavy. All our meals must be pre-made and we try to pick foods that won't spoil easily. We are always trying to keep the boat as light as possible so we pay attention to our forecast and try to estimate the time we will be racing. If we go longer than anticipated food rationing becomes important. Another area that requires careful preparation is offshore safety. Racing at night throws a whole new set of variables into sailing. Fatigue mixed with darkness increases the risks of mistakes, breakdowns or injury. Being prepared and making sure the boat is in line with the race organizers rules and guidelines is very important. In addition prior to the race we review the safety gear onboard with the crew and practice a man over board recovery.

Pied Piper finished the 256 nautical mile course in 31 hours 14 minutes good for a second place in class and 5th overall. There were 13 on the crew including the skipper. Conditions were light to moderate from the south and east at the start 2:30 Saturday July 15th from Port Huron Michigan. The larger boats in the fleet must navigate around a buoy in Canadian waters 116 miles due north from the starting line at the mouth of the Huron River before heading west 140 miles to the finish at Mackinac Island. Winds shifted to the South and West as Pied Piper moved up in the pack passing smaller boats and challenging the competition. Winds increased and decreased all day making for many sail changes as Pied Piper's Crew worked to keep up optimal speed during each maneuver. After a spectacular sunset Pied Piper pressed on racing into a moon lit night. The Crew had up a reaching Spinnaker and just before dusk changed to a Running Kite (Spinnaker). Trimming and steering throughout the night Pied Piper rounded the NGS turning bouy at 2:40 AM. Pied Piper was the 10th boat around the mark. Spirits on the boat were strong as dawn approached and Pied Piper passed Nightmare, another GL70, with the whole crew hiking hard to keep an optimal heel angle and hold a higher coarse to move up and ahead. Winds were variable in direction and strength for the remainder of the day Sunday. With each sail change and wind shift Pied Piper was strategically moving ahead of most of the boats that had rounded ahead. There were strong low pressure cells producing good winds and carrying Pied Piper to a good finish at 9:35 Sunday evening. This is the second year in row that Pied Piper has secured a top five finish in the Bayview Mackinac race. It is also the second year in a row that we have finished on Sunday evening.

Pied Piper Bayview Mac Race Roster

Jack Jennings – Skipper
Andy McCormack – Navigator
Mike Hoey – Main Trim / helmsmen
Hank Stuart – Tactics / helmsmen
David Shrinner – Trimmer
Bryn Palmer – Trimmer
Bob Weisen – Pit / Cook
Ben Biddick – Watch Captain / Grinder
Kevin Savitt – Grinder
Chris Welsh – Mast
Brian Brophy – Mid-bow
Eric Jochum – Halyards
Dave Jochum – Bow 

Andy McCormack and Bob Wiesen completed their 25th Bayview Mackinac Island Race.