The wind was howling on opening day with gusts expected to hit 30 knots. Only 3 boats hit the race course all with reefs in their mains. The Sydney 36 Bonjolea II was sailed by Bonnie Tiffany and the Olson 30 Double Espresso was sailed by Carl Andersson with the Kauai Sailing Association kids. The other Olson 30 Ozone was sailed by Chris Jordan. Speedy was out having their bottom painted and Weatherly had their mast out being updated. Meanwhile, Fast Company’s skipper Jim Saylor took flight to the mainland. (There is absolutely no truth to the rumor that he chickened out after hearing the weather forecast).
The first race had course D-E-F over a distance of 2.91 miles. The winds were out of the North at 19-22 knots with the gusts seemingly a lot more. The Olson 30’s wisely did not put up their spinnakers. Ozone had the best start at the pin end on starboard tack but shortly afterwards took a knockdown, putting Mark Walsh on the lifelines up to his neck in the water. But he recovered and Ozone was first around the Kalapaki Buoy. Bonjolea II then took the lead downwind by reaching up and back while Ozone sailed dead down wind going wing on wing. Bonjolea II outpointed the Olson 30’s upwind and gained even more. After the next rounding of the Kalapaki Buoy Double Espresso stayed low towards the mole and they caught up to Ozone and started to pass them. Ozone took them up high as they approached the G-11 buoy by the Coast Guard Station and was able to barely maintain their lead. Then something happened downwind to Bonjolea II as they went more towards the G-11 buoy instead of the G-7 buoy that they needed to round. It looked like they had spinnaker issues. They turned back to round correctly, but this allowed Ozone to make up valuable time. But was it enough? Bonjolea II crossed the finish line first correcting to only 13 seconds ahead of Ozone who took second place and then Double Espresso 21 seconds later for 3rd place. Tight racing!
The second race was course F-E-D also 2.91 miles. The Northeast winds had built at this time to at least 23-29 knots again with gusts. Ozone and Bonjolea II started side by side near the pin end with Ozone a little to weather and with Double Espresso a little further down the line to leeward towards the race committee. The Olson 30’s Ozone and Double Espresso had a nice battle going on throughout the race, covering each other tack for tack. The speedy Sydney 36 Bonjolea II gained on every leg and they took first place by 1.5 minutes on corrected time. Ozone took second place followed very closely by Double Espresso only 15 seconds behind. A lunch of cheeseburgers and hot dogs hosted by Doug and Bonnie Tiffany took place at the clubhouse.
After lunch, around 1:30, 12 of the Kauai Sailing Association kids went out to race in the new and very small Open Skiffs that they love. Six boats raced at a time in the gusty winds and knockdowns were rampant (25 or more?) with boats on their sides and upside down regularly. But the kids had their boats back upright in seconds while “Uncle Carl” watched them carefully in the Zodiac safety boat. And after all the racing it was Archer Prentice taking first place, Stella Fornari in second place and Ames Bergeron took third. Very impressive!
The 6 race Ken Martinez Commodore Series is up next starting on Thursday 2/8/24. The public is cordially invited to join the race committee to watch the races from the Nawiliwili Mole parking lot area.
-Chris
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