The 4.51mile course was B-E-D with the first lap out around the Ninini lighthouse buoy via the Kalapaki buoy to starboard and then to G-7 and G-11 by the Coast Guard Station. Course E goes to the Kalapaki buoy and around the G-11 buoy. And course D was around the Kalapaki buoy and then G-7 and G11. The wind was out of the East at 14 knots.
The start had Fiasco nailing the pin end of the starting line once again with Bonjolea II and Speedy side by side behind them. Ozone started down at the middle of the line in clear air having determined that they could still lay the Kalapaki Buoy. Double Espresso was also racing but Kato sat this one out.
Fiasco was able to bear away towards the Kalapaki buoy and they picked up boat speed and they rounded the buoy to starboard first. Ozone, Bonjolea II and Speedy followed. Double Espresso had Carl Andersson on the helm with his all wahine crew. The wahines are learning quickly getting ready for their all wahine crew on Lelele in the future.
Fiasco tacked to head out of the harbor as did Bonjolea II and Speedy. Ozone sailed in further towards the Kukui lighthouse before tacking out of the harbor and they got a lift so that they could outpoint the other boats. Fiasco tacked on the layline towards the Ninini lighthouse buoy and Ozone tacked to lee bow Fiasco which gave them inside rights at the buoy and Ozone rounded first. But downwind Ozone had their small “chicken chute” spinnaker up and Fiasco passed them. Ozone tried to take Fiasco’s air and pass on either side of Fiasco without success. Curse you Jim Saylor!!!
After rounding the G-11 buoy, Ozone was able to outpoint Fiasco and they got to weather of them enough distance that Fiasco couldn’t tack and pass in front of them. So when Fiasco got close to the cruise ship obstruction zone and had to tack, Fiasco had to duck Ozone’s stern. When the boats reached the layline to the Kalapaki buoy Bonjolea II and Fiasco took it in further towards the breakwater before tacking so that Ozone gained some. And after rounding and heading downwind Fiasco and Bonjolea II could be seen messing with each other, much to Ozone’s delight.
After rounding the G-11 buoy and heading back upwind towards the cruise ship, both Bonjolea II and Ozone tacked back at the same time towards the breakwater. Fiasco went in further and by doing so after tacking they caught a lift and gained. And now they were right on Bonjolea II’s stern as Fiasco ducked the starboard tacker near the breakwater. But now Fiasco had to go beyond the layline before tacking back towards Kalapaki and they lost some of the distance they had gained. Ozone had tacked early below the layline but they got a fortuitous lift just before the Kalapaki buoy and they rounded in the lead followed by Bonjolea II, Fiasco, Speedy and Double Espresso. And downwind to the G-7 gybe buoy Bonjolea II was right on Ozone’s stern, followed closely by Fiasco. Ozone was able to maintain their position as the inside boat with rights at the G-11 buoy and the quick Bonjolea II gave them room and went wide at the rounding. Fiasco however was able to make a tight rounding as they didn’t have to worry about other boats.
Bonjolea II tacked early towards the breakwater and they were followed shortly thereafter by Fiasco. Ozone probably should have tacked to cover as suggested by the crew, but skipper Chris Jordan liked their boat speed and kept going. And after Ozone tacked late onto port towards the breakwater Fiasco had caught up a lot and just barely had to duck Ozone’s stern as Fiasco was heard to be calling “starboard”. And as Bonjolea II came roaring in on starboard tack towards the finish line, Ozone tacked into a lee bow position while calling for room as they have to stay out of the obstruction zone. And the finish was very close a Bonjolea II finished 3 seconds ahead of Ozone. But when the handicaps were applied, it was Ozone taking first place with a corrected time of 56:18 followed by Fiasco in second place with a time of 56:32. Bonjolea II’s handicap time of 59:33 gave them third place. Speedy and Double Espresso followed.
The 6th and final race of the Spring Shakedown Series takes place next Thursday 3/20/25, the first day of Spring, with a starting time of 5pm.
-Chris
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