Jon Boat Upgrades

Local sailor to break in new boat for 103rd Chicago to Mackinac race

Holland resident Scott Derby will enter his new sailboat in the 103rd Chicago to Mackinac race for the first time this weekend.

Four of his crew of seven have previously experienced the iconic race, and they gave him a little advice.

“Go in expecting anything and everything,” said Derby, a 35-year-old technology specialist with Microsoft.

His boat “Hat Trick” is among 11 entries from Macatawa Bay Yacht Club in the 103rd edition of the race that begins Friday.

A majority of the 355-boat fleet will take between 40 and 60 hours to cover the 289.4 nautical miles from the start at Navy Pier to finish at Mackinac Island. Mitchell Padnos and Tracy Brand’s “Sufficient Reason” is the only other Holland boat entered.

It has required a lot more preparation than the races in which Derby normally competes, he said.

The vessel he purchased in October is a 34-foot Beneteau 10r. He called it an upgrade from his previous S2 7.9.

“This is a longer, bigger boat … and this is kind of designed for distance racing and things like the Mackinac,” Derby said. “The 79 is a smaller boat that is more active in buoy racing or going out and racing for the day in a regatta.

So … it’s a little bit different type of challenge that we decided to take on.”

The other members of his crew, all listed as Holland residents, are John Kilgren, Jim Hole, Dave Slanec, Tom Slanec, Dan Sullivan and Drew Sullivan.

“We’ve been racing for quite a few years,” said Derby, who first took to sailing when he was 7. “We just decided that we would add the Mackinac to the list of races for the year.”

Participation in the event is by invitation only from the Chicago Yacht Club.

A couple of days before the race, Derby said he had not even thought about a goal time or where he would like to place in the Mackinac Cup division.

"Right now, we’re going to hope for some good winds,” he said. “And (we will) watch the weather closely and kind of stick to the course and hopefully stay with the fleet and do well.

Fishful Thinker: Evolution of a Bass Angler – Part II | Sportsmans ...

Bass fishing is taking over the world! Well, maybe not the whole world but a major percentage of the American angling demographic, due in part to the boom in televised coverage of major bass derbies and the spectacle they have become. Rocket fast boats with Vegas paint jobs, two tons of high tech tackle, and flamboyant anglers chasing ever-increasing purses have built the sport of bass fishing into a big time show and anglers are taking notice. You may be one of them.

Before those pro’s made a living on The Tour, most began working their way up the bass fishing food chain in a common evolutionary process. It is the growth of a bass angler to go from ponds to lakes to giant impoundments in an endless search of more and bigger bass. In this, the second installment of a three part series, we will chronicle the slightly evolved Bassman.

In the July’s installment, we looked at fishing ponds from the bank with simple tackle.  Fishing to “cover” and generalities of lure selection and presentation got the bank angler fishing in the right direction. Part Two, this article, gets you off the bank and on the water in a Jon boat or similar vessel, which opens up a bunch of new possibilities. The final installment will look at the highly evolved bass-catching machine of an angler complete with tournament style rig, electronics, and associated tackle. For now, a small boat is just the ticket.

So you’ve been pond fishing for a while and your confidence is rising. Those evening walks around local ponds have rewarded you with many bass, if no giants. You’re comfortable with basic fish location and spinning tackle, and your once small selection of lures has grown into a pile of stuff that is beginning to get heavy. A small boat is in your future.  But what kind of boat? How big and with what power? And what new tackle and techniques will allow you to take full advantage of your freedom from the constraints of bank fishing? Read on, fellow Basser.

The right boat depends on a few things, starting with where you intend to deploy it.  Is there an improved launch? Do the lake rules allow for gas motors, electric motors, or no motors at all? Will you fish alone or with a buddy? The answers to these types of questions will lead you to your craft.

The easiest way to get off the bank is in a float tube. They are a blast to fish in and allow you to be sneaky indeed in small bodies of water. The newer versions are easier to maneuver in and feature several flotation chambers for safety. They are permitted and can be launched almost anywhere there are bass. Almost.

Popular Mechanics

Vanished at Sea, The True Story of a Child TV Actor and Double Murder

Popular Mechanics

The Outboard Boater's Handbook, Advanced Seamanship and Practical Skills

Popular mechanics