114th annual Race to Mackinac sets sail Friday afternoon
CHICAGO (CBS) -- More than 240 boats are getting ready to set sail for a 333-mile trek across Lake Michigan.
The 114th annual Race to Mackinac kicks off Friday afternoon.
More than 2,100 sailors from around the world will sail from Navy Pier to Mackinac Island in Michigan.
The event will begin with the more leisurely cruising division on Friday afternoon.
"We're a little slower, but we're serious racers," said Wayne Titus, who's on the eight-man crew of the Jug Band out of Tower Harbour Yacht Club in Michigan.
As one of three watch captains on the boat, his job is to oversee the rest of the crew on his shift.
"My job is to basically to keep the crew trimming the sails. If we have to take down a sail, or make a sail change, directing them to do that. Sometimes to be on the helm, steering the boat across the lake," he said.
The faster racing division sets sail Saturday morning.
The race takes most boats 40 to 60 hours to finish, with the fastest and smallest boats able to finish in less than a day.
"It's a competition. It's a ton of fun, and it's a test of your skills and your sailing knowledge to go out there on open waters and race," said Adam Collins, a race organizer who also will be on the crew of the Perspicacity, out of Columbia Yacht Club. "Our boat will take somewhere around a little under 48 hours is our expected race."
We'll take you along for the action Friday afternoon with a special livestream at 2:30 p.m.
