The 5/12/22 race had strong winds of 15-20 knots out of the east northeast. The 6 mile course was A-E-C. Fast Company yet again had the best start at the pin end with Jim Saylor on the helm. Ozone’s skipper Chris Jordan had 3 women crew show up and they put a reef in the main as without any of the hefty male rail meat usually available they thought that they would be overpowered. Ozone started side by side with Weatherly who had Nate Sullivan steering. Nate just returned from Puerto Vallerta on Thor Temme’s 56 foot catamaran Manu Kai. Nate called for Ozone to come up which was tough for them as they couldn’t point as high with the reefed main and they had Fast Company just above them with no room to tack away. Weatherly continued to point well as Ozone fell off below them. Fast Company tacked back to the breakwater as did Speedy. Ozone followed.
Bonjolea II lead going out of the harbor towards the Ninini lighthouse buoy. Fast Company tacked on top of Weatherly to give them bad air. Ozone, Speedy and Double Espresso went in further towards the Kukui Lighthouse before tacking out. With their reefed main Ozone was not pointing as well and they fell down quite a bit. When Weatherly tacked back towards the Hokuala Resort they were followed by Ozone. Later Fast Company, Speedy and Double Espresso did the same. But the very fast Bonjolea II kept going straight and they rounded the Ninini lighthouse buoy first. They were followed by Fast Company, Weatherly, Ozone, Speedy and Double Espresso. It was tough spinnaker weather and Fast Company was briefly seen to get a wrap before taking their spinnaker down and leaving it down. Ozone never did put one up. The fearless teenagers on Weatherly did some rocking and rolling while showing their grit. But this allowed them to catch up to Fast Company as they gybed inside the harbor. They tried to go above Fast Company but Jim Saylor took them up. They then went below Fast Company and got ahead on the way to the G-11 buoy by the Coast Guard Station. Speedy now came zooming down under spinnaker with Janice Portillo on the helm and they passed Ozone.
Meanwhile, Fast Company had a very good mark rounding at G-11 and passed Weatherly. On the upwind leg to the Kalapaki buoy Bonjolea II was way in front. Fast Company was next and then Weatherly. Ozone was able to pass Speedy on this leg, but on the downwind leg under port spinnaker pole, Speedy was able to catch up to Ozone under jib. Ozone under jib wanted to reach up and Speedy under spinnaker wanted to go down. When they reached the lay line Ozone easily gybed their jib. But Speedy had some spinnaker issues while trying to gybe and they parked it for awhile which allowed Double Espresso to pass them.
On the downwind leg from the Ninini lighthouse buoy on the third and final lap, Bonjolea II had a commanding lead with Bonnie Tiffany on the helm. Fast Company was next. The brave Weatherly crew had major spinnaker issues as they were nearing the Hokuala Resort. It looked like they had gybing problems and that they were headed straight for the rocks. But by releasing the guy and sheet the spinnaker flew like a flag from the top of the mast and they were now able to tack away from the rocks. A sigh of relief went up from the fleet.
At the finish line it was Bonjolea II taking line honors and first place in the PHRF Class. A minute behind them on corrected time was Fast Company in second place and Weatherly took third. In the Club Class it was Speedy in first place followed by Double Espresso in second and Ozone in third. Ozone’s 3 female crew celebrated a wonderful day of sailing.
The 8th and final race of the Doug Gibson Memorial Rum Race Series will be held on Thursday 5/19/22 with a 5 pm start.The public is invited to watch the races from the Nawiliwili mole parking area.
-Chris
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here for the results page and
photos by Charlotte Ross.