The wind was 18+ knots out of the Northeast and the 5 boats all had their small jibs up and reefs in their mains (except for Kato who doesn’t have a reef point). But Kato’s skipper Kevin Millett had rail meat with big Ray Woolard, Thor Temme, Bob Kolosky, and the more petite Holly. The course was E-A-E with the middle lap out to the Ninini Lighthouse buoy and the other two laps around the Kalapaki buoy. All laps went around the downwind G-11 buoy by the Coast Guard Station.
Kato thought the wind was North enough to do a port tack start near the race committee. But they had to duck Bonjolea II and Ozone coming in on starboard tack from near the pin end. Bonjolea II outpointed Ozone and made it around the Kalapaki buoy okay. But Ozone was low of the buoy and had to shoot upwind to round it which slowed them down and Kato caught up side by side. But Ozone was on the inside with rights and so Kato had to go wider in order to round. Ozone then put up their small 1.5 ounce spinnaker in the heavy air but Kato just kept going with their jib. Both boats were on port tack and very close together, almost touching. It was a struggle for Ozone to pass Kato as they kept getting in Kato’s wind shadow and the spinnaker would collapse. But finally Ozone reached a point where they could gybe the spinnaker and get clear air and head towards the G-11 buoy. Ozone now thought that they could easy pull away, but Kato also had gybed and was staying right with Ozone even though they only had their jib up.
Ozone had a good mark rounding of the G-11 buoy by the Coast Guard Station and stayed to weather of Kato as they headed towards the docked cruise ship, essentially pinning Kato to leeward and making it difficult for them to tack. And when Ozone did tack towards the breakwater, Kato immediately followed. But being right behind Ozone, Kato was getting bad air slowing them down. So once clear of the mole, Kato tacked back towards Kalapaki Bay. Bonjolea II and Ozone went all the way in close to the breakwater in order to get the lift in there before tacking. At the midpoint of the harbor entrance Bonjolea II tacked out towards the Ninini Lighthouse buoy and Ozone later tacked and followed Bonjolea II’s course. Kato tacked early to get out of the harbor near the end of the breakwater. And at the Ninini Lighthouse buoy it was Bonjolea II rounding in the lead. Ozone followed and Kato was close behind. Speedy and Double Espresso rounded out the fleet.
And at the finish line it was Bonjolea II taking line honors but having to settle for a rare second place due to their handicap for being a bigger and faster boat. Ozone took first place on corrected time by a minute and ten seconds over Bonjolea II. Kato took 3rd place a minute and twenty three seconds behind Ozone. Double Espresso was 4th and Speedy 5th. Fast Company and Papa Au didn’t race.
The 3rd race in the Rum Series will be held on Thursday 4/4/24 with a 5pm start. The public is invited to watch the race from the Nawiliwili mole parking area. Afterwards a potluck dinner will be hosted by Kristiina and John with an educational event at the clubhouse.
- Chris
Click the link for results and the RaceQs replay on the
Club Racing page.