As the 6 boat fleet headed out of the marina to race, the weather threatened rain. And indeed shortly thereafter the crews were soaking wet. But that didn’t diminish their enthusiasm as they jockeyed for positions at the start. The wind was 14 knots out of the Northeast. The 4.51 mile course was D-A-E with an unusual first lap inside the harbor going around the Kalapaki buoy rather than heading out to the lighthouse first. That meant that the crews had to set up for a port spinnaker pole. The second lap was out to
the Ninini Lighthouse Buoy and the third lap was around the Kalapaki buoy for another inside lap.
Fast Company was again first across the starting line while Ozone to weather of them was trying to squeeze Speedy out at the pin end. But Speedy was able to luff up and slow down and let Ozone pass and they made it across the starting line okay. Nice move Speedy. Weatherly, Bonjolea II and Papa Au tried a port tack start but this week it didn’t pay off as well. Weatherly tacked onto starboard just below Ozone and Papa Au then ducked the fleet. But the very fast Bonjolea II threaded the needle quite nicely between Fast Company in the lead and Ozone close behind them. Great move Bonnie!
Fast Company was leading on the way to the Kalapaki Buoy but they appeared to be low of the lay line and so they tacked back towards the breakwater and they ducked Bonjolea II before tacking back towards the buoy. Ozone kept going and although initially they also appeared to be low of the lay line they got a lift which now put them in front of Fast Company and on a course to make it around the buoy. Meanwhile, Bonjolea II came roaring by and they rounded the Kalapaki Buoy in the lead. Ozone was next, just barely making it around the buoy, and Fast Company was very close behind. Weatherly was a little ahead of Speedy and they had quite a battle going on throughout the race.
On the downwind spinnaker run from the Kalapaki Buoy, Ozone’s skipper mistakenly thought that the G-11 buoy by the Coast Guard Station was next and he stayed low. Fast Company went higher with more speed towards the correct G-7 buoy gybe mark and they passed Ozone. Ozone’s crew called out the correct buoy but it was too late as Fast Company gained and they rounded the G-7 buoy ahead of Ozone. Ozone then caught up to Fast Company at the G-11 buoy by the Coast Guard Station.
When Ozone’s skipper Chris Jordan yelled “No overlap” at the 3 boat length circle, Jim Saylor begged to defer (okay he never begs...) But when Ozone’s crewman Mark Walsh who was on the stern said that Fast Company did indeed have the overlap, Ozone had to let Fast Company inside at the buoy. And Fast Company was now in second place behind Bonjolea II and ahead of Ozone. Speedy and Weatherly were similarly side by side on this leg of the course and at the G-11 buoy Speedy was able to get ahead of Weatherly. Papa Au followed and with their handicap as a smaller boat they were still in the thick of things.
When Weatherly rounded the G-11 buoy just outside of Speedy it looked like they were outpointing Speedy. And as leeward boat Weatherly came up and caused Speedy to tack away towards the breakwater shortly after the buoy rounding. Nice steering Lexi! But when Speedy next met up with Weatherly they were on starboard tack and Weatherly had to duck them. What a battle! Speedy tacked early out of the harbor and they were very close to the end of the breakwater. Weatherly kept going further towards the rocks by the Kukui Lighthouse before tacking. When they met up again Speedy tacked just below and in front of Weatherly to continue the battle. And when Speedy tacked back towards the Timbers Resort beach, Weatherly had to duck them. And later Speedy took it in towards the beach further than Weatherly before they both tacked back towards the Ninini Lighthouse buoy and it was a very close race. But then Speedy’s RaceQ’s died so that it looks like they stopped on the computer and as a result I can’t comment further on this epic Speedy-Weatherly battle. Arrgh!!!
Bonjolea II rounded the Ninini Lighthouse Buoy in the lead, followed by Fast Company and then Ozone. But then Fast Company had some spinnaker issues. (Were they shrimping again with their spinnaker in the water???) These spinnaker problems allowed Ozone to pass them downwind. And when Fast Company recovered and gybed their spinnaker
to head back into the harbor, Ozone gybed just in front of them. And for the next lap or so Ozone was barely able to stay in front of Fast Company. And as Bonjolea II crossed the finish line to take line honors, the question was whether on handicap one of the Olson 30’s could correct to first place over Bonjolea II.
The pin end of the finish line was the G-7 buoy. After rounding the G-11 buoy by the Coast Guard Station for the final upwind leg to the finish line, Ozone was a little ahead of Fast Company. And when Fast Company tacked towards the G-7 buoy near the breakwater, Ozone immediately tacked to cover them. But when Fast Company tacked back towards the race committee on the mole, Ozone kept going on the lay line to the G-7 buoy pin end of the finish line. And at the finish line it was Ozone correcting on handicap to first place over Bonjolea II by 14 seconds! The Ozone crew was surprised and elated.
Bonjolea II took second place (after a nice string of 7 wins in a row) and Fast Company took third place. Speedy, Weatherly and Papa Au finished next in that order. For the 4 race series overall it was Bonjolea II in first place followed by Ozone in second and Fast Company in third.
There is no race this Thursday 6/22/23 due to the preparations for the Kauai Channel Race on Friday 6/23/23. Come on down anyway and help set up for the big event on Thursday or greet the finishers Friday evening and enjoy cheeseburgers in paradise. On Saturday from 10-12 there will be a delicious brunch and an awards ceremony. Don’t miss it!
-Chris
Click for complete results and the raceQs replay on the
Club Racing page.