Racers set sail as 99th Port Huron-to-Mackinac Island Sailboat Race begins
Sailors ran supplies from shore to sailboat. They hugged and said goodbye to loved ones staying ashore, and celebrated with those joining them for several days of sailing.
The 99th Port Huron-to-Mackinac Island Sailboat Race began in earnest Saturday. Though there was an occasional drizzle, the weather was mostly clear.
More than 200 teams will race to Mackinac Island, the largest number of participants since 2020.
It's Allison Krucki's second time participating in the Bayview Mackinac Race. For her second attempt she's hoping the weather will provide a better experience than her first, when the lack of wind forced sailors to pause.
"We did a lot of floating last time, so I'm hoping this year is more exciting," Krucki said.
Krucki, 20, has been racing sailboats since she was 11 years old. She joined when her father, Scott Krucki, got back back into sailing after a hiatus.
Scott had stopped racing to raise a family, but then a friend invited him to join the crew of the Alliance. Today he's the boat's captain, leading a crew of seven in the shore race.
Among the 113 competitors they'll be competing with in the shore race is the crew of the Courage.
Courage's crewmates vary greatly in their level of experience. Lacy Sonia said this is her third race.
"I just kind of got invited to do a race and I got really into it," Sonia said.
Spencer Channell, the captain of the Courage, said the boat had participated in about 11 races since the 2000s.
Their team consists not only of sailors, but their land crew, including Donna Malendowski, whose husband is also a member of the Courage's crew. While the team will sail on Lake Huron, she will drive to Mackinac Island to transport supplies and belongings that would have otherwise weighed the boat down.
Scott Babin, of Port Huron, was with family watching the racers prepare to set sail. He's raced sailboats in years prior, but chose to never participate in the race to Mackinac Island, citing the intensity and stress of committing to a race for several days.
"I actually prefer to sit back on my own boat and watch the others go by," Babin said.
Also watching the race were Dale and Bonnie Klos. They travelled to Port Huron from North Carolina to visit friends for their wedding anniversary, and decided to watch the race during the trip.
They were joined by John and Julie Lusk, set up under a tree just outside the Port Huron Yacht Club. The Lusks set up at the same spot for 15 years to watch the sailors prepare for the race.
"What I miss about this is back in the day they used to announce each of the boats and where they came from," John Lusk said.
The four of them quickly become six as another couple joined. Al Spencer said he was there to support friends in the race, and also to take in the excitement the race brings.
"It's one of the nicest days of the year in Port Huron," Spencer said.
The race is being tracked online at https://bycmack.com/ for those who want to keep track of the teams' progress.
Registration is already open for the 100th Port Huron-to-Mackinac Island Sailboat Race, set to start July 20th, 2024.
Contact Johnathan Hogan at jhogan@gannett.com. Follow him on Twitter @jr_Hogan1.
This article originally appeared on Port Huron Times Herald: Racers set sail as 99th Port Huron-to-Mackinac Island Sailboat Race begins
