The wind was a lighter 10 knots out of the Northeast and the course was C-D-D over 4.82 miles. Ozone was setting up for a pin end starboard tack start. But they were too early so the skipper, Chris Jordan, went head to wind and had the crew flog the sails to slow down. But when he wanted to power up the boat it was “in irons”, essentially parked and not moving. And as Speedy with Dick Olsen on the helm nailed the start and took the lead, Ozone was way back last in 5th place. Bonjolea II did a port tack start by the race committee and this looked like it would pay off. But they decided to duck Speedy who was in 1st place and who had rights on starboard tack. Carl Andersson was on the helm of Double Espresso and they had a very good start as well. Fiasco, with only 3 crew, were in the thick of things at this point (although later with being too short of crew to use their spinnaker they fell behind). Ozone meanwhile sat way back in last place, a somewhat unusual spot for them.
As the boats sailed onwards, the wind shifted causing Ozone to get headed towards the Royal Sonesta Hotel and so they tacked back towards the breakwater. Fiasco kept going a little further into this header and when the two boats next met up again it was Ozone a little bit ahead.
On the way out of the harbor to the Ninini Lighthouse buoy Ozone was able to outpoint Speedy a little bit. And at the mark rounding it was Bonjolea II in the lead with Bonnie Tiffany on the helm, followed by Double Espresso. But at the buoy Ozone was just able to tack and barely get in front of Speedy. And Fiasco followed them.
Downwind under spinnaker Ozone was getting close enough to Double Espresso to try to take their air. A close battle ensued between the two boats with Speedy not very far behind.
On the next lap upwind to the Kalapaki buoy it was pretty much the same order of boats except that Fiasco decided to call it a day with such a small crew (and it was getting dark) and so they headed back to the dock.
The 3rd lap of the race went around the Kalapaki buoy again and after a tough battle Ozone was finally able to get ahead of Double Espresso. But then disaster struck Ozone downwind when they hoisted their spinnaker and got an hour glass wrap or twist in their chute. And while the foredeck crew tried to correct this, Double Espresso pulled up alongside Ozone and was just about to pass them. But the spinnaker finally unwrapped on Ozone and since it is a newer spinnaker than the one on Double Espresso Ozone again gained (and now Uncle Carl REALLY wants a new spinnaker!) Ozone maneuvered to just barely get directly in front of Double Espresso so that Double Espresso couldn’t get the inside overlap with rights as they approached the G-7 buoy.
After gybing at the G-7 buoy the boats sailed to the G-11 buoy by the Coast Guard Station before heading back upwind. Ozone kept going straight towards the cruise ship while Double Espresso decided to split tacks early to try to pull out a victory and they headed towards the breakwater. But Ozone got a nice lift and when they tacked to cross the finish line they took first place with a time of 1:04:04, only 35 seconds ahead of Double Espresso who took second place with a time of 1:04:49. And although Bonjolea II took line honors, with their handicap they corrected to third place with a time of 1:06:36. Speedy was next at 1:07:40. Fiasco was scored as a did not finish (DNF).
The 6th race of the Gene Wells Memorial Series will be held on Thursday 10/10/24 with a 5pm start. After the race Mark Walsh RN will give a talk on team building at the clubhouse. He has done team building with Escape Rooms, arranging a Kauai Amazing Race and more. Ozone will supplement the usual potluck food with Chinese food including orange chicken, beef with bok choy, white rice and wontons so bring your guests and crew up.
-Chris
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