These Mainers shined on sailing’s biggest stage

Merritt Carey and Jim Brady, former members of an all‑female America’s Cup crew, sat in a bright picnic area at SailMaine’s center near Portland’s Old Port to reminisce about a race that defined a generation of sailing. While the summer sun beat down on Casco Bay, the two former competitors reflected on a story that has now found new life in a documentary called Mighty Mary.

The film that rekindles a historic moment

The film tells the story of the 1991 America’s Cup defender series from the point of view of the crew that had been given a chance to break gender barriers on the world’s biggest sailing stage. Carey and Brady, who were part of the Mighty Mary team, will be on hand for the film’s screening on Nov. 5 at Hannaford Hall on the University of Southern Maine campus. A panel discussion will follow, with Carey sharing her memories. Ticket proceeds will support SailMaine’s programs for girls and women and the Hearts of Pine Foundation’s initiatives that focus on female sailors.

A team that defied expectations

Mighty Mary was the first all‑female crew to compete in the America’s Cup defender races, a series that determines who will represent the United States in the prestigious trans‑Atlantic race. The crew was built by Captain Dawn Riley, who had already steered the team in the Whitbread Round‑the‑World Race, and included a mix of seasoned sailors and athletes from other sports—some of whom were Olympic rowers accustomed to facing the boat from the opposite direction. Despite the crew’s lack of big‑boat experience, they were determined to compete.

“I did the things nobody wanted to do,” Carey recalled. “We were a few races in when we got the new boat, and we were still learning its feel while we were racing for something huge.”

Brady, the team’s navigator, remembered that the crew’s talent was clear but that many were still getting used to the demands of a racing yacht. “I never thought it was going to be a cakewalk,” he said. “Right off the bat we knew we had a battle.”

Carey noted that any concerns the crew raised about the boat’s handling were dismissed as “operator error.” “If Dennis Conner had the same concerns, they would have been taken seriously and fixed,” she said. “But these women? They were told they didn’t know how to sail.” The team, however, was undaunted. “We didn’t have any doubts about our ability to handle the boat,” Carey added. “Everyone on that boat was a hard‑driving competitor.”

The evolving role of women in America’s Cup racing

The Mighty Mary story unfolded 23 years after the passage of Title IX, the federal law that outlawed sex‑based discrimination in sports. Carey pointed out that today’s America’s Cup vessels are required to have at least one woman on board. “It’s a requirement that shows how slow progress is,” she said. “There are plenty of qualified women who should earn those spots without a mandate.”

The crew’s all‑female status was short‑lived. Dave Dellenbaugh was added as a tactician later in the competition, breaking the team’s all‑women lineup. Carey suggested that owner Bill Koch had influence over the decision. “That was the first of three gut punches,” she said.

The heartbreak of a near‑miss

The most dramatic moments came after Mighty Mary beat Stars and Stripes in an elimination race. The victory, which the crew thought might be decisive, was nullified when a new format changed the final to a three‑boat event. “I thought we were eliminated,” Brady said from Portland. The final race was a battle in shifting winds, with the Mighty Mary team losing a four‑minute lead to Stars and Stripes, who then held on to win. “There’s no other way to put it. It sucked,” Carey recalled.

The experience has remained with the sailors for decades, but the documentary has helped the crew revisit their memories. Carey said she had seen the film twice and that watching it with her children—son Liam and daughters Madeleine and Grace—gave her a “cool mom cred.”

A lesson in belief

When asked what gave the crew confidence during a competition that many doubted, Carey said it was a simple belief in their own capabilities. “Why would you bother if you didn’t think you had a chance?” she asked. “We knew we could race the boat. If you didn’t believe it, that’s not the problem.”

The screening on Nov. 5 offers an opportunity for locals and sailing fans alike to hear firsthand how a group of women fought against expectations, navigated the waters of a world‑class race, and ultimately left a legacy that continues to inspire. The proceeds will go toward expanding opportunities for girls and women in sailing, ensuring that the next generation of sailors can face the same seas with confidence and skill.