99th Bayview Mackinac Race Celebrates Freshwater Majesty of the Great Lakes

This story first appeared in the July 14, 2023, Mackinac Island Town Crier print edition

The Bayview Mackinac Race, the oldest long-distance freshwater yacht race in the world, will begin its 99th annual running this year, boasting its largest field of competitors since 2019. Boats will set out from Port Huron Saturday, July 15. As the crews prepare for the race, 2023 Bayview Mackinac Race Chair Kevin Thomas looks forward to the return to normalcy as the race leaves behind changes owing to the Covid-19 pandemic. To Mr. Thomas, the return to normalcy is a win in itself.

More than 200 boats are registered to participate. Fifty of those boats are new or returning to the race after a year or more hiatus. The race returns to the two sail courses, the Cove Island Course stretching 259 nautical miles and entering Canadian waters, and the Shore Course that hugs Michigan’s shoreline at 204 nautical miles. During the Covid-19 pandemic, the race was restricted to the Shore Course as boats were not allowed to cross over into Canadian waters.

“It’s one of the few races that will still give you butterflies in your stomach,” Mr. Thomas said.

Boats are expected to start crossing the finish line near the Round Island Lighthouse Sunday, July 16, while most of the fleet is expected to arrive Monday, July 17. The awards party at Mission Point Resort is Tuesday, July 18, at 12:30 p.m. Upwards of 1,600 sailors and 1,100 shore crew are expected to participate. Boats from both courses will finish after they cross the virtual finish line past Round Island Lighthouse. The race will use the YB Tracking system, which will set the GPS finish line digitally and is available on its app or at www.bycmack.com.

“The fact that we’re pushing virtual roundings and virtual finishes is pretty cutting edge in the sport these days,” Mr. Thomas said. “We’re on the leading edge of that.”

This year, Kevin Thomas will be sailing with his father, Greg Thomas, on the Pendragon. Greg Thomas has sailed in more than 50 Bayview Mackinac races, earning him membership in the Grand Rams, a special classification bestowed by the Society of Mackinac Island Old Goats for those with a minimum of 50 races under their belts. Because more than 30 skippers belong to the Grand Rams club, it’s not even a big deal, the senior Mr. Thomas said. But what is significant, he said, is that this year, in addition to sailing his 53rd Bayview Mackinac Race, it will be his 50th consecutive Bayview Mackinac Race sailing on a boat named Pendragon together with his good friend, John Trost IV, also a Grand Ram.

The story of Greg Thomas and John Trost and their adventures aboard Pendragon begins in 1971 when Mr. Thomas raced his first Bayview Mackinac Race with his father on a boat named Nigyrnau Gwynion, a Welsh word thought to mean “white knuckles.” The boat got its name from Greg Thomas’ mother’s habit of gripping the boat with her hands until her knuckles turned white. She wasn’t the biggest fan of sailing.

Mr. Thomas raced on that boat until 1974 when his father bought the first Pendragon, an Ericson 37. By now, Mr. Trost, his good friend from high school, had come aboard. They sailed the first Pendragon until about 1981, when his father bought the second Pendragon, a Contessa 43. In 1995, his father asked him if he wanted the boat. His first reaction was no.

He knew how much work it would be. But he was troubled, he said, with his initial response. It was his dad’s boat, which was his life. So, he called Mr. Trost and asked if he would take half ownership of the boat. His first reaction was the same as Mr. Thomas’. A few days later, he agreed.

They became owners of the boat in 1996, the same year Mr. Thomas’ father raced in his last Bayview Mackinac Race. They won that year. When they got off the boat, his dad looked him in the eye and said he was finished with Mackinac racing.

“I remember John saying to my dad, ‘You’ve owned the boat for 30 years. I’ve owned it for one year and I’ve already won as many races as you did,’” Kevin said.

Since then, they have won many races over the years with Pendragon, including a couple of Mackinac races. Around 2020, when the boat was at least 40 years old, they decided it wasn’t safe to race it anymore. Mr. Thomas also decided he was done being a boat owner, but that didn’t last long. He began looking for boats available for sale and narrowed the selection to two – one in Chicago and one in Milwaukee. His friends and crew looked at both boats in one day. He wanted the one in Milwaukee, a 1/130 SD. In spring of 2021, they got their new Pendragon, which will carry Greg Thomas, John Trost, and the crew to the pair’s 50th consecutive Bayview Mackinac Race.

Greg Thomas, who is also a past commodore and served as chair of the Bayview Mackinac Race three times, remembers many races. The year the squall came in. The big blows of ‘81 and ‘85 as wind blew out of the northwest creating big waves. The slow, ‘hotter than smoke’ race in 2019 where he couldn’t take his sandals off on deck.

“You don’t just race a Mackinac race. You survive it,” Greg Thomas said. “The Great Lakes are unique unto the world.”

Any race you’ve won, he said, is memorable. He’s sailed all over the world, but there’s something special about racing the Great Lakes. Freshwater isn’t as corrosive to boats as saltwater, he said, which brings a certain simplicity to racing the Lakes.

“The Great Lakes are truly a freshwater sea,” the senior Mr. Thomas said. “Calling them lakes may be understated. This is a sea.”

And to him, Mackinac Island is one of the best destinations imaginable. His tastes have changed over the years – he’s been doing this for half a century after all – but some of his favorite Island haunts include Horn’s Bar, the Pink Pony, Mission Point Resort, and Grand Hotel.

Greg and Kevin, who will be sailing in his 23rd race this year, will be joined by Mr. Trost and his sons, Karl Trost and Charlie Trost, along with Kyle Burleson, Joe Brennan, Drew Crabb, Tyler Vens, Kyle McSorley, and John Shumaker. They are expected to set sail for Mackinac Island Saturday July 15 with the fleet.

There is a lot that goes into preparing for the race, Kevin Thomas said, extending his thanks to the sponsors and volunteers. Planning begins as early as November the year before. Jeep is one of the sponsors this year, so the race has arranged for a Jeep to be brought to Mission Point Resort for the party Tuesday, July 18.

“The party on the Island is something that we do better than any other race I’ve participated in,” Mr. Thomas said.

Along with the awards celebration, there is a kids’ dance party as well.

While it hasn’t been set in stone, one thing that has been discussed for next year’s 100th Bayview Mackinac Race is to bring back the original course, Kevin Thomas said. The original course is basically the same as the modern Shore Course with a slight modification near the finish.

To follow the boats during the race visit www.bycmack.com or download the YB Tracking app.