(WXYZ) — Port Huron is getting busy ahead of this weekend as dozens prepare for the Bayview Yacht Club Mackinac Sail Race.
For the first time in the club's 107-year history, a female has sat in the commodore seat. She's a Royal Oak native who has sailed in the race 24 times.
Lynn Kotwicki sailed her first Bayview race in 1985 and expended her competitive sailing through the club. She said her strength isn't being the best sailor, but being the best crew member, no matter what boat she's on.
"Early on when I joined there were a couple of people who said you could be a commodore one day. I said no, no, never, no way not here," she said. "Never say never."
When 2022 comes to a close, Kotwicki's picture will fill the next empty slot on the wall of commodores. Sure, sailing can be a man's world, but she said it's all about how you navigate it.
"Men are physically stronger, inherently. But we often have more attention to detail and can finesse things perhaps a little bit more, so I don't want to diss any of the men out there, but you learn to find your way and figure out what jobs are best for you," she said.
In 1985 during her first race, she said storms were rampant that year and about 100 boats dropped out. One even sank.
"My first was the worst and it only got better from there, I guess you could say," she said.
She's sailed through the Caribbean and more recently, raced to Bermuda.
Saturday's competition is special though. It's her 25th race to Mackinac, which gets her what's called "Old Goat Status."
"When I applied for it this year, there were a lot of people saying, 'you don't have it already, your first race was in 85.' I said, 'yea, I took a few years off, I did a couple of championship regattas that were at the same time as the Bayview Mackinac race, so I missed a couple there."
Kotwicki will be sailing with seven other crew members on the Hot Ticket, a 40-foot J120. She remembers sailing with them in 2011, with her dad standing proudly by her side.
"My dad passed a few years back, before I was commodore, and I get choked up," she said.
Kotwicki said they were close and sailing was something they did together.
"We are actually going to do a tribute during the Mackinac race this year, just kind of pay honor to my dad. Maybe it will be at sunrise, maybe it will be at sunset but definitely, he's there," she said.
The bulk of the fleet will finish on Monday, and the awards party kicks off Tuesday at Mission Point Resort on Mackinac Island.
