Brian Malone is an 8th generation Royalist Descendant Bahamian. He is one of my best friends who understands my love for completive sailboat racing and runs Merlin Yacht Racing. His family home in Hope Town was destroyed last year from Hurricane Dorian’s 185 MPH winds. His parents and family are now displaced, along with thousands of other Bahamian families which this post is truly about.
This is why I am racing this morning in Merlin, the 70-foot racing boat I first read about in a Sports Illustrated article in 1978. Hope Town was destroyed and while there are other catastrophes, nobody has ever been through 36 hours of winds at this speed. It is important to remember—just like those in Panama City, Florida, suffering from Hurricane Michael—how the recovery is going. These storms have been part of what I do, and it is important to give back and raise awareness.
So, here is a link for Merlin Yacht Racing efforts to raise money in the race tomorrow:
People ask if ocean racing is dangerous. I used to say “no” until a sailor drowned right behind us and another competitor sank hundreds of miles from shore last year in our race to Honolulu. Here is a link to follow us in the race but I have so much life insurance I will absolutely make it because you know insurance companies only bet on sure things.
Many of you may be wondering about “how did Chip get started in yacht racing?” I dreamed of being an Olympic Yacht racer and grew up competitively racing sailboats because my father was in the Coast Guard. We were movers every few years but always on the water. What else does a Coast Guard kid do other than race sailboats all over the United States?
I love to compete and that is one reason I love being a litigator. I love taking on insurance companies that have all the money and the advantage. Making them Pay Up! and winning is important to me.
So today, will you just commit to an amount, no matter how small, to support our efforts in this 295-mile race? The organizers truly made this a special race knowing we would commit to race because of our commitment to raising awareness of the Bahamian disaster following Hurricane Dorian.
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