2001 Port Huron Mackinac Race Coverage
Updates Archive - Day Two - July 22

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July 22 8:11 PM EDT The race committee at the island reports that Decision and Earth Voyager are still the only boats to have officially crossed the finish line.  They see four participating boats from the island and expect them to finish within the next ten to twenty minutes.

July 22 7:01 PM EDT Pete Griffin called from Equation at 7:00 pm, states they are out approximately 6½ miles out at ½ knot speed.

July 22 6:41 PM EDT Karl Kuspa, this years Mackinac Harbor Chair reports that approximately 7 to 8 miles Pied Piper, Holua, Colt 45 and Stripes are visible at approximately 1 to knots of breeze. Five more boats were in sight another 4 to 5 miles out.

July 22 6:55 PM EDT Expected to finish next are some of the Great Lakes 70's.  In sight are: Pied Piper, Holua, Colt 45 and Stripes.  The winds are more calm than not making the last miles excruciating.  Mackinac Island lists calm winds, the north Lake Huron weather buoys shows 4 knots of east wind. Reports from the boats indicate that speeds are under 1 knot.  Also a 2nd unidentified multi hull has finished.  

July 22 6:04 PM EDT  The first monohull is in. Decision finished at 6:01 PM EST.  No Shore Course boats have finished. Decision is competing in PHRF Class A. PHRF A started at 1:30 PM EDT on Saturday, July 21.

July 22 6:01 PM EDT Shore Course Update from John Calhoun at 1739 hrs: The tail end of fleet has been sighted, which means the -pickle boat- (at this time) is - Miss Higgins - .  She is a Catalina 36, owned by Richard Blamer from EYC. (that could be either Erie Yacht Club of Edgewater Yacht Club). Ahead of her was spotted, -Slainte - Joseph Kar's Catalina 34 from the Detroit yacht Club. 

July 22 5:58 PM EST Shore Course Update from "Insatiable."  Jeff Henderson aboard Norm Silverman's Tartan 46 from Bayview Yacht Club & GPC reports that they are 10 miles North of Presque Ile and hungry as their cooking fuel is done and they may have to resort to eating their chicken dinner "sushi style". (Ugh!)

July 22 5:45 PM EDT Southhampton Course - Update from John Calhoun at 1630 hrs: Bill Alcott's Santa Cruz 70, Equation, was spotted at 45 43.5N, 084 .083W.

July 22 - 5:30 PM EDT Southhampton Course update - 4:24 PM EDT Three Santa Cruz 70s have been spotted. Pied Piper, Richard Jennings Santa Cruz 70 from BPYC was reported at 45 46.7N, 084 .067W. Also sighted in the area was Stripes, Bill & Sally Martin's SC-70 from Bayview and Holua, Peter Thornton's SC-70 from Chicago Yacht Club.

July 22 - 5:24 PM EDT Southampton Course Update - Add Allan Fletcher's SC-70, Colt 45, from Alpena Yacht Club to that group of "sleds" mentioned previously.

July 22 - 5:20 PM EDT Shore Course Update at 4:58 PM EDT. 10 boats were spotted north of Thunder Bay Light and 25 boats are reported south of Thunder Bay light.

July 22 4:12 PM EDT Observers aboard the Coast Guard Cutter Mobile Bay reported that the two courses seem to be converging at their position which is; 45 degrees 09.559 N 082 degrees 59.782 W. Winds are at seven knots at 147 degrees true.

July 22 1:24 PM EDT - Promotion is about 90 miles out sailing up the rhumb line with Natalie J on the right and Insatiable on the left. They are heading 310 at approximately 8 to 10 knots.

July 22 2:28 PM EDT - Earth Voyager is 1^st to finish in the 2001 Port Huron to Mackinac, finishing at 14:19:29.  This creates a new outright record for the Southampton course and the third year in a row that Earth Voyager was the first to cross the finish line at the island.  Measuring at 253 miles the course was sailed by Earth Voyager in 23 hours 49 minutes, an average speed of 10.62 knots.

July 22 1:24 PM EDT - Promotion is about 90 miles out sailing up the rhumb line with Natalie J on the right and Insatiable on the left. They are heading 310 at approximately 8 to 10 knots.

July 22 1:20 PM EDT-  The first boat to finish in the 2001 Bacardi Port Huron to Mackinac race will be the trimaran Earth Voyager.  Officials indicate the 60 footer is in sight.  Earth Voyager will set a new outright record for the Southampton Course.  Many other large monohulls are from within 50 to 90 miles.  Winds on Mackinac Island are from the west under 5 knots.  The north Lake Huron weather buoy shows West winds under 10 knots.  

July 22 1:13 PM EDT- Observers see Earth Voyager on the horizon. . Looks like a new record! Equation just called in they are approximately 50 miles out, kite up, sunbathing at 10 - 11 knots. They see Pied Piper in the lead by a few miles, as they sail in line with Equation, Stripes and Colt 45. Although we do not have a reported rounding time for Evolution and Nitemare it is reported  by past Commodore and Past Race Chairman Peter Griffin that they did call in their times.

July 22 - 8:45 AM EDT- The first night on the water is over.  3/4's of the boats on the Southampton course have rounded the turning mark.  Weather buoy data indicates a night of light southerly winds.  Peak winds were 11.7 knots with temperatures in the middle 60's.  Forecasts call for winds to eventually change SW and increase to the 20 knot range.  

July 22 - 8:34 AM EDT - Fly over report from the Shore Course reported this morning: At 2000 hours Presto (2435) and An Ghaoth ag Do Chul (25441) were reported at 43 degrees 32.3 minutes N and 082 degrees 32.5 min W / Cruising B. 2005 hours Siochail, Snow Goose were spotted. At 2010 hours CISNE (25420) Cruising B spotted at Lat 43 degrees 36.9 minutes N 082 degrees 28.8 minutes W. At 2014 Boom Around (170), Cruising B were 43 degrees 39.4 minutes N, 082 degrees 24.7 minutes W. The lead boat was spotted at 2021 hours, Canvasback (51452) at 43 degrees 45.5 minutes N and 082 degrees 29.0 minutes W. Coast Guard Alpena reports fog covered with less than a quarter mile visibility. Mobile Bay reports their position at 43 degrees 36.1 minute N and 081 degrees 33.5 minutes W cruising at 18.4 knots at 188 degrees true

July 22 - 8:25 AM EDT - Mr. John Colquhoun, Bayview Yacht Club Member, called his report in from Mobile Bay, US Coast Guard vessel escort at 8:15 AM EDT. Perversion (25458) from PHRF Class G a J-105 dropped out Saturday night. They were assisted by the Sarnia Coast Guard after hitting the rocks at Point Clark. No injuries were reported and they are returning to Grosse Pointe.

July 22 - 7:28 AM EDT  - Race representatives stationed in Southampton receiving and recording the NGS buoy roundings reported that there are approximately 40 boats left to round. 194 entered to race the Southampton course. After two year's of being the first boat to cross the finish line at Mackinac Island, it appears that Earth Voyager will do it again.  The vessel, owned by Ray Howe was the first to round the Southampton bouy on Saturday at 11:48 PM EDT.

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