The annual Bug Light Double Distance Race was held Sunday, May 22. We had just about every wind imaginable. It ranged from light and variable to a double wire blow. The winds tested our full range of sailing skill.

Ten sailors showed up to enjoy a pleasant day on the bay. Eric Arborgast and his son Adam sailed with Tom Wilson and his son Tommy on Eric’s ARC-21. Jared and Jay Sonnenklar sailed their Inter 20. Ramon Alonso sailed with Jesus (JC) Basas on Ramon’s Hobie 18 Magnum. Oriol and I sailed on my Hobie 20.

Eric broke his tiller crossbar while he was stepping his mast. A rigging wire caught on the crossbar, and it bent in two. We were able to figure out a way to jury rig a splint for the tiller crossbar so they could sail. It is amazing what you can do with a roll of duct tape and a little ingenuity.

The race started with light winds out of the west. The two chute boats, the ARC-21 and the Inter 20, were able to fly their kites and move well in the light air. We had to skirt the shallows off West Point. The sand bar crowd was already gathering there for the day and we knew the tide was too low to take that short cut across the shoal. Just past West Point, the winds died to a couple of knots. We ghosted along for a while. Eric and Tom decided to retire from the race. The rest of us continued on passed Southwest Point. We sailed down the channel on the west side of Bill Baggs State Park. The winds had now clocked to the south and strengthened to 5 knots. There was lots of seaweed which required frequent clearing of the daggerboards and rudders. As we rounded Cape Florida, Oriol and I were dicing with Jared and Jay for the lead. We traded places several times. Because of the light winds, we agreed to shorten the course by eliminating Bug Light from the course. This knocked about 5 miles off the course.

It is always a pleasant sight to sail by the picturesque Cape Florida Lighthouse. Next we passed the colorful umbrella strewn beach at Bill Baggs Park. The winds were very shifty along the beach. Oriol and I sailed into one wind hole that lasted 5 minutes. We drifted and watched the Inter 20 sail by us within 50 yards with a full spinnaker. It was an interesting challenge dealing with these fluky winds.

The three remaining boats landed on the beach on the ocean side of Key Biscayne. We enjoyed our sandwiches and chatted about the race. Several people stopped by to look at the boats and ask what we were doing. Catamarans sitting on a beach seem to complement the tropical image of swaying palm trees and aquamarine water.

After lunch, we started the second race of the day with a Le Mans start. The winds had filled in nicely from the south by now, but we still left out Bug Light as a turning mark. After several quick tacks we were past the historic white lighthouse and were back in the bay heading north. The winds were 10 to 12 knots and we were getting a nice downwind run. Jared and Jay were really flying on the Inter 20 with their chute billowing. Kenny Pierce came by on his motor boat to check on the racers. The winds continued to build and clock more to the east. The last part of the race became a high speed double trapeze reach back to the beach.

It was another enjoyable day of sailing. Oriol and I won the first race and Jared and Jay won the return race.