A Near Sweep for J-Boats in the Chicago Mackinac Race!
The J-109’s and J-105’s dominated in the 99th running of
the Chicago to Mackinac Island race. In the big boat division only Windquest,
a custom 86 footer, was able to beat the J-109’s and in the small boat
division the 105’s took 5 of the top ten places. J-120’s (7 boats), 109’s
(11 Boats), and J-105’s (17 boats) all sailed in one-design sections.
The race started with a strong SW wind at 18 knots giving
the J-109’s a great spinnaker start on the 333 mile course. By late
afternoon they had switched to #3 jibs and were beating to the island. The
wind became lighter and the 109’s switched to their Genoas (the 109’s opted
under ORR to sail with class sails plus one 155% Genoa). As night fell the
wind decreased and by morning the wind was light and out of the SW. The
J-109s had a tight race by mid day Sunday half of the fleet could see each
other. They excelled in the light air, downwind conditions and could easily
sail with much bigger boats.
By night fall the 109’s were still packed close. Two
boats, Zeitgiest (owned by Rob Zerban) and Guaranteed Period (the race
sponsor boat from Land’s End) jibed inshore off of Point Betsie on the
Michigan shore. The nightly thermal set in right at dusk and they were able
to get away from the pack.
Sunday night was much the same ghosting along under
spinnaker through the Manitou Passage, when many boats were parked due to no
wind. In the morning there were still 4 J-109’s in sight and the wind was
calm. Then a fog bank rolled in and gobbled up the fleet. Most of the 109’s
were only in the fog for a few hours but the others were stuck in the light
air with 40 feet visibility for 6 hours and longer.
Around noon on Monday the wind picked up and the fleet was
rolling along under spinnaker again. The 109’s sailed all day with J-120’s,
Farr 395’s, Sydney 38’s, and Farr 40’s! Rounding Grays’ Reef light house it
was still a run through the reef to can #3. Then a tight spinnaker reach to
the Mackinac Bridge. Huge holes after the bridge shook up the standings a
bit but made for what is always a great long distance race.
Trophy division
2nd Zeitgeist J-109 Rob Zerban
3rd Guaranteed Period J-109 Lands’ End
6th Main Street J-145 Bill Schanen
Cup Division
1st Vytis J-105 Tomas and Gytis Petkus
2nd Sea Lark J-105 Clark Pellet
3rd Certainly J-110 Don Meyer
5th Pronto II J-105 Peter Frey
6th Bozo’s Circus J-35 Bruce Metcalf
9th Cetare J-105 Mark Nichols Art Wong
10th Caress J-105 Jon Weglarz
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