Merlin Runs Away With the St. Pete-Havana

Author:: Peter Swanson
Publish date:: Feb 28, 2018

Merlin lies alongside at Marina Hemingway in Havana after a speedy run from St. Petersburg.

“Sails like a witch,” New Englanders used to say about a particularly nimble and speedy craft. The same could be said of wizards. At 7:20 a.m. Merlinarrived at Marina Hemingway as part of the revived St. Petersburg-Havana Race, and she was nearly 12 hours ahead of the second boat, a catamaran.

Merlin, built by Bill Lee, is one 20 boats that started this year’s race, which was revived in 2017 after a 58-year hiatus. She averaged 5.7 knots over the approximately 280 miles between start and finish.

Ultimately, she ended up winning both line and handicap honors.

That Merlin is swift should surprise no one. In 1977, Merlin completed a roughly 2,560-mile TransPac ocean race, setting a record that would endure for 20 years.

Tracking software shows Merlin at rest with the rest of the fleet miles away.

For details, visit http://spychabanarace.com

February 2018

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