Chicago race starts under clear skies

By Peggy Walsh-Sarnecki

July 19, 2014 at 12:16 pm

Cruising boats in the Chicago Yacht Club’s Race to Mackinac started Friday. Photo by MISTE Photography, courtesy of the Chicago Yacht Club

The second half of sailings biggest summer adventures started this weekend, with the Chicago Yacht Club’s 106th Race to Mackinac.

Unlike last weekend’s Bell’s Beer Bayview Mackinac Race which has all boats start on Saturday, the Chicago race started the 41 cruising boats on Friday. There’s a total of 333 boats registered.

There will light winds and clear skies when cursing boats took off. Clear weather and flat seas are expected for the entire weekend, according to Chris Bedford, chief meteorologist for Sailing Weather Service.

“We’re going to have some dry weather over us for most of the race and good conditions,” he said. “There may be some thunderstorms leaking into Michigan on Sunday and Monday, but right now it doesn’t seem to be an issue.”

Bedford said lake winds will be stronger than land winds so the boats are expected to stay a title offshore.