As you know I had quite a chaotic start. Just before the race started, I gybed and the sheet for the mainsail got caught around the GPS console and ripped it off. I was SO confused, sad and worried, when it happened, thinking that I had ruined someone else property and that I had to go back to the marina right away - and with all the work I had put into it.

Also I had forgotten to tie a knot in the end of sheet (a rookie’s mistake!), so it pulled right out of the block, I pulled in the sheet again but I wasn't calm enough to think it through, so I didn't put back in correctly.

At that time I knew that I couldn't quit, so with two reefs in my mainsail and no genoa up, I crossed the starting line!

The first part of the race is a narrow strait. Several boats had gone aground, so I was very cautious. I had of course lost my chart plotter, but luckily, I had brought an iPad with a chart on it, the iPad was below, so I put on the autopilot, but couldn't get it to work! I'd ripped off some wires in the deck going to the console, so I was afraid that I wouldn't have an autopilot for the race. I needed a chart, so I let go of the wheel rushed down the companionway, slipped (but luckily holding on), grabbed the iPad and brought it up to the cockpit.

My speed in the strait was very low, but I didn't dare leaving the helm in the strait, even though– looking back I could have done it, but I don’t think I was ready for it at that point! A competitor sailed past me, (I was going less than 2 knots!) saying that maybe at some point I should raise the Genoa as well!

At the end of the strait, all the other boats managed to sail past me – even the boats starting 90 minutes later than me!

Out there I had more room, so I went below and shut down the power and started it again – and yay, the autopilot worked! So I got ready to set the sail, but just then I saw something in the water. I couldn't remember seeing a wreck there before, and when I got closer, I could see that it was a upside down trimaran! I couldn't see anybody on or around the boat, so I turned on the engine and rushed there (you are allowed to use the engine in case of emergencies). Luckily, when I got nearer, the guy was standing on the boat, so I yelled to him, that I would take down the mainsail and come back to him, but he called back that a power boat was coming for him and wished me a good trip! So I continued, raised the genoa – and cried! I was so exhausted!

After a small break trying to take in the previous couple of hours, Henrik guided me through getting the main sheet right – which also in hindsight was easy enough – and then I basically had no problems any more! I continued north with lots of wind, and the sun shining!

After a while the wind died down as expected, so I shook out the mainsail reefs, but a little later the wind blew up again and even stronger than before. I saw gusting winds up to 34 knots! It was so scary! In my 36 ft Faurby I was logging 10 – 11 knots! My maximum was 11,7! I was shaking in my entire body trying to steer the boat on the waves – waiting for the winds to drop down. And with almost this speed I went through the Great Belt Bridge.

The wind luckily died down a little after this and stayed more stable, between 17-22 knots. On the top of Funen (Fyn), we had to tack, and Henrik had suggested that I reefed again – but I didn't feel much like going on deck, and it went really well. The Faurby I sail in goes really well up wind, and besides the fact that tacking rarely is a lot of fun, it went surprisingly well. I caught up with a lot of boats on this stretch, and when I got nearer the bridges in Little Belt I had a lot of boats around me.

I had been quite worried about the night. Not necessarily the sailing, but staying awake. But it was actually no problem at all. I made sure to eat and drink regularly and keep active. When I didn't talk to Henrik on the phone, I was talking to the boat or singing – asking Faurby what song we should sing! Only at about 5 o'clock I got a bit tired. At this time I had gone though the two Bridges in Little Belt, tacking through them in the dark, and gone through a small straight with no lighting! Thank God for chart plotters! I had Garmin on my iPad, but it isn't very detailed, so I downloaded Navionics for my phone as well – and held that in front of me, when I went through the narrow and shallow places. Luckily, I had both iPad and phone in waterproof cases, because every so often it would poor with rain.

The wind was suppose to die down in late evening and from there, but the wind stayed most of the time at around 10-14 knots, and the Faurby sails so well in these light winds. 10 miles before the finish line the wind dropped off even more, so I had to put the spinnaker up to keep moving forward against the current. I put the spinnaker up! But then the wind shifted, and Henrik wanted me to either gybe the spinnaker – or take it down and raise it again. The latter sounded like too much work, so he talked me through the gybe – no problem! When I dropped the spinnaker, some of it fell in the water, but managed to retrieve it.

Three miles from the finish line, the wind dropped completely of course! A media-boat came by and one of the guys said that maybe I should anchor to stop me from going backwards because of the current (luckily the race didn't finish until the next day) NO WAY, I wasn't going to stay longer out here than necessary! I crept my way forward, and in the end the wind picked up a little bit and I crossed the finish line! 27 hours and 31 minutes – and I didn’t get in last, not even in my boat group!

So I'm quite happy with the result, and the boat was fantastic. I'm don't want to give her up now! Henrik was also great, he talked me all the way though and followed me by car around Funen. In Little Belt before the first bridge he blinked the headlights of the car, so I could see him and I waved back. Best of all, he really calmed me down both in the beginning and also during the rest of the trip, and he stayed awake with me. He’ll be difficult to give up as well!

I’m now home and looking forward to a good night’s sleep. Henrik is helping a guy sailing a Mini Transat back to his home marina, headwinds all the way, so I don’t think it’s as fun a trip as he had hoped! Tomorrow we’ll sail the Faurby back as well, and then it’s back to good old Capibara in Florida!

I’m curious as to whether or not I will participate more, when we return to Capibara after my single handed experience. If you had asked me Thursday evening before the race, I would definitely had said no. I was so fed up with sailing! But now, I somehow feel a bit changed – maybe a greater interest? At least now, I know that I can sail.

It was really a great experience, and thank you all SO much for cheering me on

All the best, Signe
Freelance Journalist, Cruiser and Single handed sailor and friend of Boatshed : )