In Memory of Great Lakes Cruising Giant Jim Acheson

Former Great Lakes Cruising Club Commodore James (Jim) Acheson of Port Huron, Michigan, passed away in April at the age of 86. Acheson cruised the Great Lakes for over 60 years. His classic 57-foot Pacemaker motoryacht Lady J carried him over 67,000 miles throughout the Great Lakes, Canadian Maritimes, Bahamas and Cuba. He was a lifelong advocate and philanthropist in support of recreational and commercial marine interests across the Great Lakes and beyond.

Acheson was active in the Great Lakes Cruising Club (GLCC) and the United States Power Squadrons (USPS), now known as America’s Boating Club. Acheson joined the Great Lakes Cruising Club in 1968 and became a member-at-large of the board of directors in 1981. He was elected commodore in 1988. After his watch, he was elected fleet captain, an office he held for 25 years.

At GLCC, Acheson codified uniform standards for the club and promoted proper flag etiquette. He also computerized the club’s membership records and oversaw the computerization of the club’s 1,000-plus municipal and wilderness Harbor Reports, or cruising guides, which together represent the most extensive cruising information available for the Great Lakes region. He also wrote the first “Port Captain’s Handbook.”

Acheson was a member of the Power Squadrons for 61 years, where he had been a district commander and chaired four national committees. He also taught boating courses at his local squadron. Acheson’s significant philanthropic contributions to Port Huron include a Maritime Center, a new YMCA and a women’s hospital wing. In June of 2023, The Community Foundation of St. Clair County, Port Huron, Michigan, gave Acheson a posthumous lifetime achievement award for his personal support and dedication to philanthropy.