MUSKEGON, MI — As a few hundred beach goers walked along the side of the Muskegon Channel, more than 40 power boats skirted by in a long connecting chain.

The Parade of Power involved nearly two dozen power boats that made rounds along the coast of Muskegon Lake before swinging through the Muskegon Channel on Saturday, June 14.

It was part of a weekend event called the Muskegon Power Boat Weekend. Muskegon Yacht Club and Lake Effect Boat Time partnered to create the event for boat lovers around the Muskegon area.

"Our main purpose was to get rid of the stigma that the Muskegon Yacht Club was a sailing-only club," said Kim Nguyen, general manager of the Muskegon Yacht Club. "A lot of people look at us and say 'Because you have 80 sailboats at your marina, you must only cater to sailboats.' Well, that's not true."

It was a two-day function that included an in-water boat show, a burger night, poker run/cruise, Parade of Power, Power Party and fish fry.

"We have such great waters, a beautiful lake and the resources are right here for us," Ngyuen said. "We just really wanted to showcase it off for everybody this weekend and open up our services to others."

The group of boaters started at 2 p.m. Saturday, when they did a poker run around different places that bordered Muskegon Lake. Those places included Great Lakes Marina, Fricano's Muskegon Lake and the Shoreline Inn, where they picked up poker cards to reach a full hand.

One of the many people taking note of the intricate designs and sizes of the passing boats was Mike Kaiser, who was casually taking pictures along the boardwalk.

Kaiser, a Holland resident, was there to support a neighbor who was taking part in the Parade of Power. Kaiser was joined by his wife and 9-year-old grandson.

"We were over at the yacht club, and walked over here to watch the parade," Kaiser said. "(My grandson's) into the power boats; it's a nice day, nice place to come out for a holiday."

Two other spectators who were also out celebrating Father's Day were Kurt Sowa and his son, Blake.

Sowa heard about the parade from his daughter, and while he normally prefers sailing, he wasn't going to miss a chance at seeing the variety of boats on display.

"I've been in Muskegon all my life. I love the lakes, I love the beaches," Sowa said. "We've got it good here. It's always nice to have something going on in this community."

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