Overview
- The 102nd Bayview Mackinac Race begins Saturday, July 18, with the Bayview Yacht Club reporting more than 200 boats from 11 states and Canada entered to sail from Port Huron to Mackinac Island.
- Competitors will choose one of two courses: the 259-nautical-mile Cove Island route that crosses into Canadian waters or the 204-nautical-mile Shore Course along the Michigan coast.
- FOX 2 will stream live video from two cameras mounted on participating boats — Hot Ticket and Nobody’s Fault — with video only and no on-board audio to protect crew tactics.
- Safety remains central after rescues during the July 12, 2025 squall, when volunteer crews and the U.S. Coast Guard pulled sailors from cold water and U.S. Sailing formally recognized the rescuers.
- Racers say smoke on the horizon and the chance of storms could hinder visibility and lengthen race times, and crews plan extra precautions to reduce hypothermia and navigation risks over the multi-day event.