Fortunately we did not hit Lowly Worm (Swan 46 MkIII) here, but it was a matter of inches during the first start of the last race at Antigua Sailing Week 2007. Everyone on windward rail pulled their feet in.

The pin end was slightly favored, but about 1 minute from the start the wind veered about 20 degress which made most of us early to the line. We hailed to the windward boat, Lowly Worm, that we were going to luff up. The boat to windward of her was slow in luffing so we got pretty close.

Then the boat to leward of us luffed up and we just had to hold our course and hope none of us would hit. Fortunately we narrowly escaped. Unfortunately, however, there were two collisions during this start and at least one boat was too badly damaged to continue racing, but no one was seriously hurt.

The committee raised the "general recall" flag and we headed back to the line. The second start was a lot less exciting. I think everyone was a little gun shy from the first start.

Nothing like several million dollars worth of yachts with mostly amatuer crew converging on the favored end of a start line. But that is what Antigua Sailing Week is all about.