BONNIE TIFFANY WINS THE FIRST SHORTS SERIES RACE ON BONJOLEA II
Chris Jordan | Published on 8/6/2022
After sweeping the Invitational Series and taking a 5 race break in the Wahine Series, Bonjolea II came roaring back to win the first of the Shorts Series Races. In spite of the lighter air at 6-8 knots out of the East and only short inside legs around the Kalapaki buoy, Bonjolea was gone! (I have always thought that Bonjolea II did better in heavier air and on the long outside course to the Ninini Lighthouse buoy).
The 3.22 mile course was D-E-D with the first and last legs having a spinnaker gybe around the G-7 buoy and the middle leg just directly downwind to the G-11 buoy by the Coast Guard Station. Ozone was barging at the pin end of the starting line and Weatherly with Evan steering brought them up and forced Ozone to turn back and restart way back. (Revenge will be sweet Evan!) Although Fast Company did not have their RaceQ’s on for the computer replay, they did have a very nice start and they were out in front of the other four Olson 30’s. Speedy also got off to a nice start while Ozone was way back of the other Olson 30’s after their barging fiasco. Speedy was doing very well staying side by side with Bonjolea II. And Double Espresso was ahead of Weatherly. Weatherly tacked first towards the breakwater as half the boats were below the lay line to the Kalapaki Buoy. Double Espresso and the smaller Express 27 Papa Au also tacked. Bonjolea II rounded the Kalapaki Buoyand headed up sharply. (The boat likes to reach). Fast Company rounded ahead of the other Olson 30’s and although Speedy got around ahead of Ozone, Ozone was able to sneak inside closer to the buoy. On the downwind spinnaker run to the G-7 buoy Ozone was barely able to stay in front of Speedy. These two boats had a very nice battle going on (I never should have sold you guys those sails!!!). At the G-11 buoy by the Coast Guard Station Ozone had a tighter mark rounding and gained a little. Meanwhile, Weatherly got the inside position on Double Espresso and they rounded side by side essentially. Weatherly tacked towards the breakwater about halfway up the leg towards the mole. But this didn’t pay off for them as Double Espresso kept going towards the mole and they gained. And Speedy outpointed Ozone and took back their position ahead of Ozone.
On the second lap around the Kalapaki Buoy it was Bonjolea II in the lead followed by Fast Company, Speedy, Ozone, Double Espresso, Weatherly and Papa Au. Ozone was gaining on Speedy downwind under spinnaker to the G-11 Buoy. Speedy rounded the buoy just a little bit ahead. But Ozone had a tighter mark rounding than Speedy and was a little upwind of them. Weatherly and Double Espresso were having their own battle with Double Espresso slightly ahead. But at the G-11 mark rounding Double Espresso went very wide and Weatherly got inside and passed them.
Ozone tacked halfway up the course towards the breakwater while Speedy kept going towards the mole. Ozone got a very nice lift and when the two boats met up again Speedy decided to lee bow Ozone rather than to duck them. Ozone thought that Speedy was below the lay line and would have to throw in two more tacks to get around the Kalapaki Buoy. But Speedy got a nice lift and made it around the buoy once again in front of Ozone. Not so for both Weatherly and Double Espresso who had to tack twice to get around the buoy. Bonjolea II was still a long way in the lead followed by Fast Company.
The final downwind spinnaker run was to the gybe mark at G-7. Speedy went high and Ozone went low and gained. After gybing at G-7 Ozone had gained on Fast Company and was near their stern and Speedy was right on Ozone’s stern as they approached the G-11 buoy by the Coast Guard Station to then head upwind on the final leg towards the finish line. Ozone had a tighter mark rounding than Fast Company and seemed to be outpointing them to weather. And when Fast Company tacked towards the finish line the Ozone crew could be heard yelling “starboard”. Fast Company’s skipper calmly replied “I hear you” (or something to that effect...) and Fast Company ducked Ozone. Ozone continued to take the lift towards the mole before tacking back towards the finish line. The excitement on Ozone was palpable as the crew realized they had passed Fast Company for the first time in the race. With one more tack to the finish line they finished a mere 17 seconds ahead of Fast Company. And Speedy was only 13 seconds behind Fast Company (Great race Dick Olsen and Speedy crew!).
So at the finish line it was Bonjolea II taking line honors and first place in the PHRF Class. Ozone took second and Fast Company took third. In the Club Class it was Speedy in first place followed by Weatherly in second and Double Espresso in third. Papa Au rounded out the fleet.
The second race of the Shorts Series will be held on 8/11/22 with a 5pm start. The public is invited to watch the races from the Nawiliwili mole parking area.
-Chris
Click for Results and the RaceQs replay on the Club Racing page.