When the going gets tough, the tough get going and today was no exception on Charleston Harbor where 16 classes proved that the smart tactic no matter the weather was to put your best sail up, keep moving forward, and have as much fun as possible. Racing was tight as sailors pushed each other across the fleet; in the Melges 20 class 3 teams tied for second, and a 4-way tie in the J88 fleet ensures that all bets are off for Saturday's racing.

PRO Taran Teague noted, "When we came out this morning, we knew it was going to be a tough day due to lighter air building after 11am but we didn't know quite when. It was going to be coming from the west and was anticipated to back to the south, south-west for a sea breeze. We were looking for puffy clouds to indicate backing of the wind, the sunshine and land heating but it was delayed because we had too many clouds." Nonetheless, most classes got at least two races in and a shipload of smiling faces at the post racing party on the USS Yorktown told today's real story.