how did you know that the wind was at a sustained 70MPH (with hurricane force gusts)? How did you ever get the boat "onto" the water with that wind?
70MPH winds are impossible to sail an "off the beach" boat in, that sort of a wind will rip the tiles off of roofs and even collapse some building structures, have you got the wind strength correct? Even for a "micro burst" that 70 MPH would be on the "high" end and it would only last for a relatively moderate length of time. At 107MHP winds you could have sailed without even the use of any boat!
Your girl friends name isn't "Katrina" is it?