Fast (and Furious) Company Yet Again

The Rum Series Race #2 was held on 6/18/20 with 15-17 knots of wind out of the NE. Nine boats did the 3 lap course C-B-D over 6.23 miles. Kato showed how eager they were to be back on the water by being over early and so they had to restart. Bonjolea II called on Ozone to come up but they would have hit Kato. Fast Company had a good start yet again. Bonjolea II tacked early towards the breakwater which appeared to pay off as they led the fleet out of the harbor and around the lighthouse buoy. On the second leg out to the lighthouse Fast Company tacked back to the beach and they appeared to get a lift in there. They were the second boat around the lighthouse buoy behind Bonjolea II. Kato tacked too early for this buoy and came in too low. Tacking back onto port challenged them by some oncoming right of way starboard tack boats so that they ended up doing a circle which slowed them down.

The final leg of the race was to the Kalapaki buoy and after the rounding the spinnaker hoist on Ozone ended up in a wrap which slowed them down a lot and allowed Kato to pass them. Similarly Weatherly got a spinnaker wrap or they may well have passed Ozone as well.

At the finish line it was Bonjolea II again taking line honors but correcting on handicap to second place with Fast Company taking first place overall (7 in a row???). Kato took third place. In Club Class it was Weatherly in first, Speedy in second and Ozone in 3rd.

The crews were very saddened to learn that Eric Wing had passed away about a week before this race. Eric was the father of Kevin Millett on Kato and he also raced regularly on Papa Au.

Race #3 of the Rum Series will be held on Thursday 6/25/20 with a 5 pm start. The public is invited to watch the race from the Nawiliwili Breakwater parking area where the race committee is available to answer questions.

– Chris

Click here for complete results on the racing page and more photos from Charlotte and Pam.