68th Miami Key Largo Regatta

Holopuni “Heihei”

Model: Mark III

Built: 2023 in New Zealand

Homeport: Biscayne Bay Yacht Club, Coconut Grove, Florida

Event: 68th Miami Key Largo Regatta

Crew: Michael Lingswiler & Frank Casale

Crew hometown: Miami, Florida

Story by Michael Lingswiler

After the Everglades challenge, I removed the rudders and entered the Miami-Key Largo-Miami race. It is a not too serious race hosted by Miami Yacht Club. Miami Yacht club is a laid-back club that is home to a majority of the multi-hull fleet in Miami. They also hosted the 2024 US Olympic sailing trials. This was the 68th running of this particular race with about 60 entries including racing monohulls, beach cats, foilers, trimarans and cruisers. The format has the participants sail from Miami to Key Largo, spend the night at Gilbert’s with significant “socializing” at the Tiki Bar, and then race back to Miami the next day. Round trip it is about 70 miles.

Race committee wasn’t sure what class to put the Holopuni, so they assigned us a handicap rating and put us in a non-spinnaker cruising class with a 6 boat fleet. Given there were boats in our fleet that had deep draft, we were required to abide by all intercoastal channels on the way down. Boats were allowed to use their engines (or paddles) in the channels.

I enlisted Frank Casale, an old college buddy and good friend as crew. The race to Key Largo was up wind with very light air (something I was getting used to). Frank and I have close to zero paddling experience, but he did awesome propelling us through the many channels. Of the six boats in our class, we came in second and were one of only two that finished within the time limit.

After dinner and hanging with the participants we checked into the hotel and fell fast asleep.

The next morning, we had a little more wind pressure, and the wind was forecast to be behind us. Since four of the six boats in our fleet dropped out on the way down, we were racing against the one boat that beat us on the way to Key Largo. We managed to stay ahead of them by a few minutes through the course back to Miami.

The Holopuni handicap rating was just a guess by the organizers, and I wouldn’t put much emphasis on our performance compared to the completely different boats in our fleet. What made the event exciting was that at least I now know I can make 35 miles under benign conditions with no rudder. I will say, I have much more to learn because I was exhausted at the end! I’m open to any tips and tricks that anyone has to offer!