Facebook

Login

Support Sailonline

If you haven't already - join the SAILONLINE YACHT CLUB!

Please also consider making a donation - all amounts are greatly appreciated!

Board » General Discussion » Storm claims two in Chi-Mac race tragedy

Posted by
A2


Users avatar

Posts
347
Registered at
2009-10-26 00:39:42
2011-07-20 18:31:50 - Storm claims two in Chi-Mac race tragedy
During the Chicago-to-Mackinac sailboat race horrific conditions early Monday led to the capsizing of WingNuts and the death of its skipper and a crew member near the Fox Islands off Charlevoix.

"The worst of the storm hit just after midnight which made bolts of lightning our only light source,"

Weather reports predicted winds of no more than 30 knots, as the storm built the sailboat's tack line exploded.

"We were knocked down immediately and stayed horizontal from winds of 54 knots for about 15 minutes. Shortly after being knocked down, with no steerage, lightning flashed and another boat, just to weather, without sails was planing right towards us.

Within minutes, more than a dozen boats were in the area trying to rescue the missing crewmembers of WingNuts, and soon after a Coast Guard helicopter.

The two deaths were the first drownings in the Chicago-to-Mackinac race history.
None so blind
Posted by
RainbowChaser


Users avatar

Posts
2656
Registered at
2009-06-14 09:44:50
2011-07-21 22:30:43 - Re: Storm claims two in Chi-Mac race tragedy
8mrWho - how very sad...must have been appalling conditions. :-(

The race's tracker system also went down which meant the organisers didn't really know where the boats were. They posted on Facebook and were asking for folks to text in their sightings of other boats. :-(

---------
spelling corrected:

--- Last Edited by RainbowChaser at 2011-07-22 13:48:18 ---
Posted by
zowee


Users avatar

Posts
17
Registered at
2008-02-09 14:52:27
2011-07-22 00:41:02 - Re: Storm claims two in Chi-Mac race tragedy
Hi SOLers. Due partly to my ineptitude, SOL didn't track along with the Mac this year. I was aboard Drumbeat in Section 7. We were about 5 mi SW of the tragedy location. Our instruments measured well over 50kts and the wind came up very quickly - like being hit by a wall. Many other distress calls rang out on the radio, but the calls from Sociable, who rescued 6 crew from WingNuts was the major focus, as other boats in the area stopped to look for the two lost sailors. Needless to say, it was a somber spirit at Mackinac Island after the race, as many knew the sailors or at least the boat from past Macs. R.I.P Mark Morley and Suzanne Bickel.

--- Last Edited by zowee at 2011-07-22 00:42:16 ---
Posted by
RainbowChaser


Users avatar

Posts
2656
Registered at
2009-06-14 09:44:50
2011-07-22 13:47:36 - Re: Storm claims two in Chi-Mac race tragedy
{{{{{{{zowee}}}}}} <~~~~ BIG HUG

Very very glad to hear that you stayed safe.. it must have been a very difficult situation for all of you. The stuff of nightmares.

Posted by
captjack1942


Users avatar

Posts
239
Registered at
2008-01-18 03:24:03
2011-07-22 16:55:50 - Re: Storm claims two in Chi-Mac race tragedy
Here's an article and a link to a slide show of the storm: http://www.sj-r.com/sports/x121488038/Springfield-sailor-survives-deadly-Chicago-to-Mackinaw-race

Glad you're ok zowee.

Please login to post a reply.

Races

Next Race: 00d 00h 00m

Current Races:

Easter Island to Tristan da Cunha 2026

Welcome to the second leg of our RNW series, rounding Cape Horn. This middle-most leg Round the New World, from Easter Island to Tristan da Cunha, is also part of our Ocean Championship, and as such the second race of OCQ3 2026. This race, like the previous race in the RNW series, will be sailed in our revised 'version 2' Imoca 60 Foil. Race #2050
INFO by brainaid.de
Imoca 60 Foil v2 PARTICULARS
WX Updates:
0430 / 1030 / 1630 / 2230
Ranking: OCQ3 - RNW - OCCH - SYC
Race starts: Aug 03rd 11:00 Registration Open!
▶ Flash
GO TO RACE

Magical Mediterranean 2026 - Benghazi to Korcula

We return to Antiquity’s Middle Sea for a seventh celebration of all things Mediterranean - fickle winds, history and olive oil. This time we will sail from ancient Benghazi, whence once grain shipped continuously to feed Rome’s urban masses, to the medieval Venetian thalassocracy’s port of Korcula, birthplace of Marco Polo; 700nm in classy Club Swan 50s!
Race #1978
INFO by brainaid.de
Club Swan 50 PARTICULARS
WX Updates:
0430 / 1030 / 1630 / 2230
Ranking: MED - SYC
RACE CLOSE: Friday,
August 7 at 2300 UTC.
Race starts: Jul 27th 15:00 Registration Closed

▶ Flash
GO TO RACE

Tall Ships 2026 - Stavanger to Aalborg


Welcome to the fourth of four virtual Tall Ships Races in European waters which are concurrently being organized in-real-life by Sail Training International . This fourth race is from Stavanger in Norway into the Skaggerak to a finish off Denmark’s Aalborg and perhaps an Aquavit to toast the adventure afterwards – a final circa 250nm in Sailonline’s classic Clipper 240.
NOTE: Starts and Finishes in tall ships racing are always offshore to avoid conflict with shipping and shipping lanes; online and real-life may not match exactly.
Race #1995
INFO by brainaid.de
Clipper 240 PARTICULARS
WX Updates:
0430 / 1030 / 1630 / 2230
Ranking: TSI - SUPBUD - SYC
Race starts: Jul 25th 16:00 Registration Closed
▶ Flash
GO TO RACE

Chinook Salmon - Canada to Andreanovs


A year after spawning in the upper reaches of the rivers of British Columbia, Chinook Salmon develop the age-old urge, so familiar to SOLers, to go to sea, heading for different parts of the northern Pacific Ocean. This race catches up with a particular school with an instinctive memory for the Andreanov Islands far west on the Aleutian Islands chain, as they depart the Salian Sea between Vancouver Island and the San Juans. It’s 2200nm and we’re taking the 60ft Trimaran, in the hope we can keep up!
Race #2048
INFOby brainaid.de
60ft Trimaran PARTICULARS
WX Updates:
0430 / 1030 / 1630 / 2230
Ranking: MIG - SYC
RACE CLOSE: Thursday,
August 6 at 2300 UTC.
Race starts: Jul 21st 11:00 Registration Closed
▶ Flash
GO TO RACE

Go to race archive

SYC Ranking

  1. Sailonline Yacht Club Member KaSToR
  2. Sailonline Yacht Club Member WRmirekd
  3. Sailonline Yacht Club Member CriticalHippo
  4. Sailonline Yacht Club Member Panpyc
  5. Sailonline Yacht Club Member rafa
  6. Sailonline Yacht Club Member cdhinman
  7. Sailonline Yacht Club Member rthinman
  8. Sailonline Yacht Club Member ms0689
  9. Sailonline Yacht Club Member BRENTGRAY
  10. Sailonline Yacht Club Member Sax747

View full list

Series

Mobile Client

SYC members have the benefit of access to our mobile/lightweight web client!

The mobile client