Port Huron to Mackinac Boat Race

All of the race's courses start in the waters of Lower Lake Huron, 4.5 miles (7.2 km) north of the Blue Water Bridge near the American shoreline, traverse the length of Lake Huron, and finish in the Round Island Channel off Mackinac Island, Michigan.

The first race was held in 1925 with the sloop Bernida skippered by Russ Pouliot winning against 12 yachts.

The inaugural race course was 235 statute miles (378 km) up the Michigan shore line south of Bois Blanc.

Originally it was started at the same time as the Chicago Race to Mackinac with the yachts crossing the finish line from two different directions.

In 1935, the course was lengthened to 290 miles (470 km) and required participants to round Cove Island Buoy off the Bruce Peninsula.

Twenty years later, participating yachts were divided into two separate fleets, with one heading east to round Cove Island and the other following the original shore course.

The Round Island Passage Light, which is located off the west breakwall of the harbor, was added as a mark of the course in 2012.

[2] News coverage at the time indicated that the race continued over the years in spite of war and economic depression.

They were held on the same weekend until 1939, when both clubs agreed to alternate the date of their Mackinac races, scheduling them a week apart.

Thousands of people: sailors and cheerful spectators, alike, line the banks of the Black River, Port Huron to view the yachts.

Boats typically begin finishing at Mackinac Island Sunday evening through Tuesday morning.

The finish line can be viewed from a number of places including Fort Mackinac and Mission Point Resort.

Over the years various handicapping systems have been used including CCA, IOR, PHRF, IMS, IRC and ORR.