The third race of the Doug Gibson Memorial Rum Race Series was held on 4/14/22. The course was C-B-D with 2 outside laps to the Ninini lighthouse buoy and a final inside lap around the Kalapaki buoy. The course was 6.23 miles long with winds out of the north-northeast at 15 knots.
Fast Company appeared to have the best start. Weatherly was barging at the start but Ozone didn’t think to push them up and over or into the buoy so they had a good start too. Speedy, Bonjolea II and Double Espresso all gybed around just before the start which usually slows you down and they were all a little late for the start. Ozone tacked back towards the breakwater early but that cost them some time. Fast Company was able to point well and worked their way up from leeward to get directly in front of Weatherly. Fast Company then tacked early out towards the Ninini Lighthouse Buoy. Bonjolea II took their boat in further towards the Kukui Lighthouse before tacking and Weatherly with Lexi driving went in even further and this looked like it would pay off. But Fast Company was pointing remarkably well.
Double Espresso had fewer of the young Kauai Sailing Association sailors on board than usual so in the heavier air Uncle Carl did some driving and they wisely didn’t put up their spinnaker in the strong winds. Upwind Bonjolea II was able to catch Fast Company and pass them and they were the first boat around the Ninini Lighthouse Buoy. Bonjolea II was followed by Fast Company, Weatherly, Ozone, Speedy and Double Espresso. Downwind to the Kalapaki Buoy Double Espresso did very well
under jib alone and they were actually gaining on several boats. At this point Bonjolea II was pulling away from the fleet and Weatherly was gaining on Fast Company.
On the next upwind leg the Kalapaki Buoy had to be rounded to starboard before heading out to the Ninini Lighthouse. Ozone slowly started to gain on Weatherly on the way out to the lighthouse. Eventually they were side by side with Ozone to windward trying to give Lexi who was steering Weatherly some bad air. Finally Ozone passed Weatherly and they were third rounding the Ninini Lighthouse Buoy behind Bonjolea II and Fast Company. Weatherly, Speedy and Double Espresso followed. Meanwhile,
Bonjolea II continued to extend their lead.
The final leg of the race was inside the harbor rounding the Kalapaki Buoy to port and then going to G-7, G-11 and the finish line. The boats maintained their positions and at the finish line it was Bonjolea II taking line honors and first place in the PHRF Class with Bonnie Tiffany on the helm of her Sydney 36. Fast Company, the Olson 30 with Jim Saylor steering, was second. Almost 2 minutes behind him was Ozone another Olson 30 with Chris Jordan driving and they took third place. In the Club Class it was Speedy in first place with Dick Olsen on the helm of his Olson 30. Weatherly was second with Lexi Lane-Schwarze steering
and Double Espresso with Uncle Carl Andersson and the youngest Kauai Sailing Association sailors on board took third.
-Chris