The 47th Annual ‘Round the Island Race The Tradition Continues

On Sunday, March 21st, the sun was shining, the temperature in the mid-70’s. It was perfect as the race started the wind was blowing from the northwest at a sporty 13 mph with gusts to 15, The wind even freshened some during the race making for the fastest race in memory. Altogether, it was a wonderful day for the 47th running of the Key West Community Sailing Center’s ‘Round the Island Race. At 9 am, nine sailboats sailed out of Garrison Bight and across the starting line near Rat Key to begin the race.

The approximately 14 mile course took the sailors north of Sigsbee Island, under the Cow Key Channel Bridge, along Smathers Beach, around Ft. Zack, through Key West harbor around the north end of Fleming Key and back to Garrison Bight.  The beat upwind from Fort Zack to the north end of Fleming Key was a long punishing sail according to Page Anderson who said “any sailor who survived that beat to windward and finished this race deserves a huge congratulations and an award.”

This year’s fleet consisted of:

  • 1 Hobie Wave
  • 2 Sunfish,
  • 3 Lasers,
  • 1 420,
  • 1 Whitehall Gig,
  • 1 Catalina Capri 14.

A much beloved feature of the ‘Round the Island Race is getting the boats under the Cow Key Channel Bridge. Each racer has to decide how best to get his/her boat with a 15 to 22 foot mast under a bridge that has only a 9 foot clearance.

The first to reach the bridge was Page Anderson on the Hobie Wave. Page capsized the Wave and floated it on one pontoon under the bridge Page said “I was helped under the bridge by my team of Julie, Celeste, and Chris, who had trained two weeks before the race.” Page’s team supported the horizontal mast and walked the boat along the shoreline under the bridge.  Jeep Caillouet, a 22 year veteran the ‘Round the Island Race, said “we would have finished sooner except we capsized our boat too soon and the current pushed us sideways under the bridge. But we got it turned around pretty quick and got under just fine”. The other boats had it a little easier because they could lower their masts before the bridge and raise them again on the other side.

The sight of the various, often brightly colored sails, being lowered before the bridge and raised again after the bridge against the background of the bright, beautiful sky and water was beautiful as was the camaraderie of the Key West residents and chase boat crews who lent a hand at the bridge again this year.

Page Anderson, the first racer to arrive at the bridge was also the first to reach the finish line in a time of 3:00 hours. Fourteen-year old Brandon Kelk on a Laser finished second with a time of 3:12 hours.  Third to finish was Ryan Bennett on a Laser with a time of 3:30 hours.  See below for complete race results.

Schooner Wharf was our fantastic sponsor for this very special Key West sailing event. Schooner provided not only the prizes for the winners but also the after-race “banquet” which was held at Schooner Wharf.

Until next year!!!

47th Annual ‘Round the Island Race Results

Place Skipper Boat Finish time Elapsed Time
1st Page Anderson Hobie Wave 12:10 3h 00m
2nd Brandon Kelk Laser 12:22 3h 12m
3rd Ryan Bennett Laser 12:40 3h 30m
4th David and Camille Wiley Capri 14

 

 1:03

 

 3h 53m

 
5th David Salay Sunfish 1:05 3h 55m
6th Jeep Caillouet 420 1:43 4h 33m
7th John Duke Whitehall Gig 1:55 4h 45m
  Jason Brinberg Sunfish DNF  
  Greg Gedemer Sunfish DNC  

 

 

 

 

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