The 6th race in the Gene Wells Memorial Series had only 3 boats racing. And it was a short course A-E of 3.4 miles with only 2 laps. The first upwind lap went out around the Ninini Lighthouse buoy and the second went around the Kalapaki buoy. Both downwind legs went around the G-11 buoy by the Coast Guard Station. The wind was an intermediate 12 knots and Speedy had their #3 jib up. Ozone had brought along their larger 25 year old #2 jib which they hadn’t used in ages, but it did help them some.
The pin end was positioned so far down close to the mountain that all 3 boats started on port tack by the race committee. Speedy was the boat most to weather followed by Ozone and then Bonjolea II. Speedy and Ozone were able to clear the G-5 buoy and continued on towards the breakwater. Bonjolea II was lower and tacked earlier and stayed inside the G-5 buoy. When the boats tacked and met up again Bonjolea II had to duck the two Olson 30 sterns. The very fast Bonjolea II tacked onto starboard tack at the breakwater and passed Speedy. Ozone had tacked onto port tack to get out of the harbor as Bonjolea II came in on starboard tack with rights. Ozone thought that they could pass clear ahead of Bonjolea II and yelled “Hold your course”. But it was too close for Bonjolea II who tacked away and called “Protest”. Ozone, knowing that they would not win a port-starboard protest, did their 2 penalty 360 degree turns. But these turns set Ozone way back, a distance from which they couldn’t recover.
The Ninini Lighthouse buoy had Bonjolea II leading followed by Ozone and Speedy. The positions stayed the same for the rest of the race with Bonjolea II taking line honors and first place with a corrected time of 44:46. Ozone was in second place with a time of 46:10. Speedy took third place with a time of 51:16.
The 7th and final race of the Gene Wells Series will be held on Thursday 10/17/24 with a 5 pm start. The public is invited to watch the races from the Nawiliwili mole parking area.
-Chris
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