It was a very windy day with the wind 16-19 plus knots out of the East Northeast and most of the 6 boats started with reefs in their mainsails. The 5.8 mile course was A-A-E with 2 laps outside to the Ninini Lighthouse buoy and then back downwind to the G-11 buoy by the Coast Guard Station. The final inside lap went around the Kalapaki buoy and then G-11. Fortunately the rain held off as it had been quite a wet and showery day (I even wore my foul weather pants but thankfully didn’t need them).
The start favored the pin end on starboard tack and that is where the boats maneuvered. Bonjolea II took Ozone up and Bonjolea II had the best start. Ozone however was taking the barging Fiasco up trying to make them go back around and they thought they had them so near the pin. But the wily skipper Jim Saylor on Fiasco somehow was able to duck Ozone’s stern at the last minute and continue on. Both Speedy and Kato hit the starting line as the horn went off but Speedy was a little further down the line and Kato about mid line.
When Fiasco tacked towards the breakwater, Ozone immediately tacked to cover them. Bonjolea II tacked out at the middle of the harbor entrance with a significant lead. Speedy and Kato tacked earlier to get out of the harbor. And Speedy now on port tack had to just duck Ozone’s stern. Fiasco then tacked below Speedy and was the boat closest to the breakwater on the way out.
Bonjolea II was going fast and pointing well in the heavy air. Speedy was doing a good job to weather of Fiasco somewhat pinning them down. But then Speedy tacked back towards the airport and Fiasco also tacked that way. And when Kato met up with the starboard tacking Fiasco they decided to tack below them. But apparently getting bad air, Kato then tacked back below Fiasco’s stern. So at the Ninini Lighthouse buoy rounding it was Bonjolea II with a very nice lead, followed by Ozone and further back Speedy, Fiasco, Kato, and Double Espresso.
It was very windy downwind with big waves and some of the boats decided not to use their spinnakers as they were short of crew or crew experience. Ozone put up their small heavy duty spinnaker and at one point hit 11.7 knots surfing down a wave, much to the crew’s delight. But even the boats with their jibs up still were holding their own. And at the entrance to the harbor by the breakwater Kato was able to pass Fiasco. And after the G-11 rounding near the Coast Guard Station they were also able to pass Speedy, possibly due to spinnaker takedown issues on Speedy. And Fiasco now passed Speedy as well.
On the second lap out to the Ninini Lighthouse buoy when Kato tacked out of the harbor, Fiasco decided to go further and get to weather of them. And Fiasco gained to the point that when Kato tacked onto starboard towards the Ninini Lighthouse buoy, Fiasco tacked just in front of them, giving them bad air. Both boats appeared to be low of the lay line and Kato tacked away and then tacked quickly back to make it around. But Fiasco somehow ghosted up and around the buoy without tacking. Nice sailing in the ongoing battle!
Ozone’s crew now convinced their skipper to shake out the reef in the mainsail which helped a lot as they put some distance on the 4 other Olson 30’s. But Bonjolea II was still leading and pulling away from everyone in the heavy air.
The third and final lap was around the Kalapaki buoy. And the leader Bonjolea II was rounding that and heading downwind while Ozone was just crossing the start-finish line heading upwind while Fiasco and Kato were just crossing it going downwind. Speedy was just off the end of the breakwater with Double Espresso further back.
The epic battle between Fiasco and Kato continued as they covered each other for at least 3 more tacks on their upwind leg towards the Kalapaki buoy. And downwind they stayed pretty close. And after rounding the G-11 buoy for the final leg upwind to the finish line Kato was a little behind Fiasco and tacked very early, trying to split tacks with Fiasco in order to gain on them. But Fiasco once again tacked to cover them on this horse race to the finish line. And Kato tacked a little early of the layline to the finish and they had to throw in 2 more tacks which Fiasco didn’t have to do. And Fiasco gained.
At the finish line it was Bonjolea II taking line honors and first place with a corrected time of 1:05:19. Ozone took second place at 1:06:09 and Fiasco was third with a time of 1:12:52. Kato, Speedy and Double Espresso rounded out the fleet.
After 3 races in the 7 race Rum Series (with one throwout) Bonjolea 2 is leading with 2 points while Fiasco and Ozone both have 4 points and are tied for second.
The 4th race of the Rum Series will take place on Thursday 4/17/25 with a 5pm start. After the race there will be a social get together in the back section of the old Nawiliwili Tavern.
-Chris
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