It was a hell of a race for us. I was aboard a Corsair Dash 750. We started the race with a reefed main and full jib. We were a few seconds late on the start and were right there with the leaders in our fleet. Quickly after the start we realized that we were seriously overpowered as the skipper was steering towards Stilltsville instead of Featherbed Channel. We quickly sailed past Key Biscayne and were out in the open fetch of the Safety Valve, that named proved quite ironic for a few boats. It was at this point that my father, aboard a Sprint 750, snapped his rudder in 2. We quickly sailed by them and made sure they were okay. Less than a minute later we passed a Nacra 5.70 as it was capsizing. My father later told me the story of helping them right the boat and towing them into Dinner Key. We got caught by the first storm in the Safety Valve and decided to get the jib down. We sailed for quite some time on just a reefed main and after Featherbed Channel we decided to put the jib back up, but the lowest hank got caught on the forestay turnbuckle and caused the jib luff line and the bottom hank to rip off the sail so we decided to keep the jib down for the rest of the race. On approach to the Cutter Bank Channel we decided that the wind had gone far enough north that we could fly the screecher. We unfurled it and instantly dug the bows in. But we pressed on and quickly made up over a mile towards the Sprints/Dashes that were now ahead of us. We then shook our reef out downwind while in Little Card Sound and then started gaining more ground. Unfortunately the wind clocked back south again and we had to roll the screecher back up. We then passed under Card Sound Bridge where a few smart sailors were high and dry taking pictures of those crazy enough to still be racing. We pressed on through Barnes Sound and finished at 1055, which is the fastest time that I have ever done this race.

It was amazing to take part in this race and I cannot wait till next year.

Joe