Breezy conditions for last race of Junior Invitational Series

Seven boats assembled at the start area for the last race of the Junior Invitational Series of the Nawiliwili Yacht Club 0n Thursday, June 16th. OZone, an Olson 30, was standing strong with 3 first places in the 4 race series and the competing boats weren’t keen on giving them the last race for a complete rout. It was a windy blustery day, with 15-20 knot winds out of the north northeast, and choppy confused seas. Even before the start gun went off there was trouble on the race course. Trinity, an F-28 Trimaran, broke her tiller off of the rudder and had to limp back to her mooring.
As the clock counted down and the boats jockeyed into the most favorable position on the start line, it was obvious that Papa a’u, an Express 27, was going to have the best start. They crossed the start line with great speed boat lengths ahead of the rest of the fleet. They managed to skillfully hold the lead the first few legs of the 6.03 mile race but then their luck ran out. They and a few more boats sailed into a wind shadow that forms in the lee of Kukii Point. The wind died just briefly but long enough to change the outcome of the race.

Fast Company, another Olson 30, lead the fleet at this point. They had sailed closer to the breakwater and then tacked into open water earlier than the rest of the fleet always keeping in the best wind. Both Fast Company and Bonjolea II, a Sydney 36, lead the fleet out to the Lighthouse Buoy. The downwind return trip into the harbor offered up some nice waves to surf and the boats expertly used this to gain speed over their competitors.

It was Fast Company that crossed the finish line first with an elapsed time of 1:05:02 but corrected out at second place with 1:03:51 PHRF. Papa’au finished second with an elapsed time of 1:07:24 but adjusted to 1:04:31 PHRF giving them first place. Ozone, the series favorite, finished third with a corrected time of 1:05:53.
Speedy, an Olson 30, took Club Open honors with an elapsed time of 1:08:50 (corrected to 1:00:28 Club Class). Weatherly, another Olson 30, finished second with an elapsed time of 1:10:05 (1:03:43 Club Class), and Bonjolea II finished third with an elapsed time of 1:05:53 (1:07:52 Club Class).

The series PHRF winner went to OZone with 3 first places and a third place to give them a total score of 6 points. Second place in the series was Fast Company with a total score of 9 points. Papa a’u took third place with 10 points.
Club finals had Weatherly, an Oslon 30, take the honors with a total of 11 points followed by Speedy with a total of 13 points. Trinity finished with 15 points giving them third place in the Club Class series.

The NYC Horse and Pony Series begins on Thursday, June 23rd at 5 p.m. The series consists of big boat races (Horse) and little boat races (Pony). Visit http://www.nawiliwiliyachtclub.org/ for more information.

Kevin Arndt

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