Close racing in Horse and Pony Series Race #2

It was the second race of the Nawiliwili Yacht Club Horse and Pony series and even though it was a short 2.4 mile long course the race had some exciting moments. The wind gusts were blowing over the Marriot Hotel across the start line and whoever read the wind shifts correctly was going to make out at the start gun. Speedy, an Olson 30, gambled with starting on port tack and possibly making it across the bows of the rest of the fleet which started on starboard tack. The wind lulled and Speedy was forced to tack under the lead of Ozone and Fast Company, both Oslon 30’s. It was Ozone Fast Company, then Bonjolea II rounding the Lighthouse buoy and raising the spinnakers for the quick run down to the leeward mark, “G11”. The fleet was packed in tight has they converged on the “G11”. A traffic jam formed as the boats rounded the mark for the final leg to the finish line. Papa a’u, an Express 27, touched the buoy and there was contact between Speedy and Papa a’u – a protest flag flew from Papa a’u notifying the Race Committee of a possible rules infraction to be decided later during a protest hearing.

It was Ozone that crossed the finish line first with an elapsed time of 25 minutes, 24 seconds. They also corrected out with a first place in PHRF class. Bonjolea II, a Sydney 36, crossed the finish line next with an elapsed time 25 minutes, 57 seconds, but corrected out with a fifth place in PHRF class. It was Fast Company and then Papa a’u that scored second and third in PHRF class, respectively.

Following the big boat race, or “Horse”, was the “Pony” race where each boat had a crew member race solo on a small sloop called a Topper. A group of NYC club members and other spectators at the harbor’s loading dock jetty cheered the racers on as they raced – some skillfully handling the gusty wind, some others not so much. The ponies finished with Fast Company (Jim Saylor), Ozone (Chris Jordan) in second, Speedy (Sean Hoban) in third, Papa a’u (Kevin Millett) in fourth, followed by Bonjolea II (Mike Armstrong).

Kevin Arndt

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