Tim Prophit – The New Great Lakes Superstar

Aug 14, 2025

By Roger Renaud

In 2023, Tim Prophit and crew of Fast Tango from the Bayview Yacht Club, Detroit, was on the podium for all three Great Lakes races. Fast Tango also won the Bayview-Mac overall in the ORC division and scored a second place overall in the ORC division in the Chicago-Mac. They finished an impressive second place in Trans-Superior race. Two firsts, one second, one first overall, and a second overall in the series, was unfortunately not good enough to win the Barthel Trophy. 

Tim Prophit: New Great Lakes Superstar – Sailing in Canada

In 2023, Tim stated: – “We have unfinished business in Superior!” This year his team sailed his North American 40 to victory in the 326-mile race – the 2025 Trans Superior. This year, Fast Tango won their class (PHRF Crewed B) and division overall (PHRF), in 63 hours, 37 minutes.

The Commodore Barthel trophy, the most prestigious racing award within the Great Lakes, is awarded every two years, to the boat with the best overall scores in the Port Huron to Mackinac race, the Chicago to Mackinac race, and the Trans Superior race.

The Barthel Trophy was deeded to the Yacht Racing Union of the Great Lakes (YRUGL) on February 11, 1933 by Commodore Otto Barthel, who was joined in making the gift by George Orr of Chicago (Lake Michigan), and Thomas K. Wade of Toronto (Lake Ontario). There is a tremendous history behind this trophy and it has the names of many sailing legends on its shields.

On the race

Tim says, “The first night was cold. The second night was less cold. The last night was darn civilized.” Lake Superior is 10-15 degrees colder than Lake Huron, and sailors know to prepare, because higher wind means colder temperatures. Teams will also change the shift time from four hours to three hours, so crew can go down below to get warmed-up. They say, on Lake Superior at night, sailors racing the Trans Superior make more coffee, hot chocolate, and soup, than usual.

 “We were not only looking at wind charts and weather charts, but current charts. We wanted to make sure we weren’t going to be sailing against the water. Currents definitely factored into our strategic decisions.”

The crew of Fast Tango finished at 03:54 Tuesday morning, and by 3pm., they received the news that they had won the Barthel Trophy for best combined performance on Lake Huron, Lake Michigan and Lake Superior races. Mission accomplished!

The team racing the Trans Superior race with Tim was Art LeVasseur, Dave Simon, Eva Paschke, RC Paschke, John Walton, Johnny Walton, Kellen McGee, Leigh Savage, Minh Huy Ha.

The crew for the Chicago Yacht Club to Mackinac race included Art LeVasseur, Dave Simon, Molly Radtke, Kellen McGee, RC Paschke, Bob Duker, Minh Ha, Leigh Savage, Peter J. Wenzler.

The crew for the Bayview Yacht Club to Mackinac race was Art LeVasseur, Dave Simon, Molly Radtke, RC Paschke, David Paschke, Grant Moore, Eric Brieden, Joseph Kurta, Nicholas Kurta.

The crew of Fast Tango challenged itself to race in all five Great Lakes this year, winning its class in the Mills Trophy Race (Lake Erie), placing 9th in the Bayview Mackinac Race (Lake Huron), placing 3rd in the Chicago Yacht Club Race to Mackinac (Lake Michigan) and winning class/overall in the Trans Superior. This summer Fast

Tango was heading for Lake Ontario, to fulfill its challenge, to race in the PCYC – Susan Hood Race (65 miles), when they experienced motor issues in the Welland Canal during the delivery. They missed the race.

In accordance with the Deed of Gift, competition for the Barthel Trophy, includes races held in any of the five Great Lakes, not just the three that are currently represented. These are pre-determined, and typically scheduled a few years in advance. Now that the Yacht Racing Union of the Great Lakes (YRUGL) has been rejuvenated, hopefully there will be support to include Lake Ontario and Lake Erie.

The Trophy is awarded for long-distance racing events. Given the length of the races on Lake Huron, Lake Michigan, and Superior, it would be great if Lake Erie hosted a 200-mile distance race. This would attract long-distance sailors from the other Great Lakes. It would also be great if Lake Ontario changed the date of the Lake Ontario 300 to June or September, as it’s date currently conflicts with the Bayview to Mac, the Chicago to Mac, and the Trans-Superior race. Perhaps the Lake Yacht Racing Association of Lake Ontario, the YRUGL’s primary delegate, could sponsor a long- distance event, allowing Lake Ontario to become a qualifier for the Barthel Trophy.

Tim is very much a supporter of a “Great Lakes Grand Slam”, held everyfive years, which would incorporate a long-distance race from each of the Great Lakes, over the course of a summer. And he is not alone.

Let’s make the Great Lakes “Great Again”.