little slow on my response to this, but if the guy that is leading you goes, then you have to go. Jake and I went thru some surf at Cocoa(i think) like that. 2 attempts to get out, and the second time we REALLY didnt want to do it again, but you just have to. Thats what this race is about, sailing to and sometimes above what you think is your limits, thats what its about. It's a sailors Everest, and dont you think that Everest is above everyones limit? We jokingly had 3 goals the first year...
1 Survive, 2 finish, 3 not finish last, in that order. We accomplished all 3, Everest as defeated.
When the race official says either trailer your boat and be DSQ'd, or sail, and you have spent 10,000 dollars to be there, and its been your goal for years, and you know you have the equipment and possibly the skill...then you go.