The 5th race in the Roger Cable Memorial Rum Series had course A-A-E with 2 laps out around the Ninini Lighthouse Buoy and back around the G-11 buoy by the Coast Guard Station. The 3rd lap was around the Kalapaki Buoy and then the G-11 buoy again for a distance of 5.8 miles.
Winds were about 9 knots out of the North and most of the Olson 30’s had their smaller #3 headsails up while Ozone had their larger #1. Bonjolea II was back from racing in the Lipton Cup on Oahu. They were missed. And it was great to see Papa Au out racing again (Roger Cable who this series is named after had been a key player on the boat). The young Kauai Sailing Association kids were seen to be cleaning Double Espresso’s bottom before the race and it was really nice to see them out again also. Many of the kids had just returned from an Open Bic Regatta in San Diego and KSA purchased 10 of those boats for the kids as their programs have expanded. The boats should be here in the next week. And they look fast!!!
On Speedy it was Jeremy Burns taking the helm as Dick Olsen was off having fun in Mexico. And Weatherly had owner Elisabeth Biuk on board with the older KSA teenagers. Finally, Fast Company with skipper Jim Saylor was in the 8 boat fleet with everyone trying to knock them off their pedestal after 10 wins in a row.
The starting buoy was set way back towards the mountain and Speedy, Ozone and Fast Company opted for a port tack start by the race committee. Unfortunately for Speedy they were “Over Early” and they had to restart. The port tack start was favored and Ozone took the lead with Fast Company very close by. Fast Company tacked early out of the harbor and Ozone went further and over stood. At the Ninini Lighthouse Buoy it was Fast Company in the lead followed by Ozone and Bonjolea II. At the entrance to the harbor Bonjolea II was overtaking Fast Company threatening to take their wind. Fast Company then sailed higher up to prevent this which worked. But in the meantime while Bonjolea II and Fast Company were battling, Ozone had sailed low more directly to the mark at G-11 and they now regained the lead (we owe you one Bonnie!
On the way back out to the Ninini Lighthouse buoy on the second lap Bonjolea II took over the lead. Getting out of the harbor Ozone again overstood and Fast Company was still nipping at their heels. And on the final lap around the Kalapaki Buoy Ozone had to make several extra tacks to get around the buoy. Not only did this slow them down, but they were set up with a starboard pole for the spinnaker when the wind called for a port pole. So while Fast Company gained under spinnaker, Ozone went wing on wing with main and jib on opposite sides dead downwind and they barely stayed in front of Fast Company at the G-11 buoy by the Coast
Guard Station. But Ozone was still ahead for the final leg to the finish line. Ozone was giving Fast Company, who was directly behind them, bad air and so Fast Company tacked away while Ozone kept going. And what are the 3 most important tactics in sailboat racing? “Cover, cover, and cover.” But Ozone’s skipper Chris Jordan didn’t listen as his crewman Thor Temme told him he should tack and cover. And as a result Fast Company beat Ozone by 3 seconds (3 lousy seconds!) And as the Fast Company
crew celebrated with cheers and high fives, Ozone’s crew headed for the beer.
Of course whoever placed the start-finish line buoy (Jim Saylor...) didn’t expect it to drag and drift way down towards the mountain into the arms of a waiting anchored catamaran. It was Bonjolea II who took line honors with Bonnie Tiffany on the helm. But with their longer length their handicap caused them to be corrected to 3rd place. Ozone took second place, bemoaning the fact that they
couldn’t knock Fast Company off their first place throne. And Fast Company with a mighty crew (and with Jim Saylor on the helm) took first place once again for the 11th race in a row! Weatherly was 4th, then Double Espresso who was followed by Speedy. Papa Au again decided to retire from the race, probably due to time constraints.
A potluck dinner was held after wards with an educational video about knot tying. And John Sawyer’s birthday was celebrated with a delicious chocolate cake.
The 6th of 8 races in this series (with one throwout) will take place on Thursday 5/4/23 with a 5pm start. The public is invited to watch this from the Nawiliwili mole parking area.
-Chris
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Club Racing page.