Great Conditions Reward Competitors in 2016 Kauai Channel Race

Wind predictions showed a steady 20 knots of easterly trade winds mid-channel at the start of Nawiliwili Yacht Club’s the annual Kauai Channel Race. At 7:16 a.m. on Friday the 5th , the 13 boats crossed the start line off of Kaneohe Bay to race across 108 miles of open ocean to finish in Nawilwili Harbor. The fast downwind crossing wasn’t without mishap though. A few boats blew out their lighter spinnakers forcing them to change to heavier spinnakers for the rest of the race. Bonjolea, one of the local NYC boats skippered by Dan Judd, broke her spinnaker pole soon after the start and sailed with main and jib for most of the race.

It was Kevin Millett’s custom 50 ft. catamaran Kalewa that crossed the finish line first with an elapsed time of 8 hours, 22 minutes, and 5 seconds. Heartbeat came surfing by the Lighthouse buoy and announced her arrival by blowing out her asymmetrical spinnaker in the final moments of her race. She finished with an elapsed time of 8:29:01 (8:55:48 corrected) giving her 2nd place in PHRF A class and First to Finish in monohull class. However, she was bested by Intuition that finished next with a corrected time of 8:19:45 that won first place in PHRF A, and First Overall. Kahuna flew in and scored 3rd place in PHRF A with a corrected time of 8:56:37.

Jim Saylor skippering the NYC local boat Fast Company came in with spinnaker flying with a corrected time of 8:50:24 which gave them 1st place in PHRF B class and 2nd place overall in the race. Flying Tiger was 50 seconds later with a corrected time of 8:51:14 and took 2nd place PHRF B and 3rd overall. 3rd place in PHRF B class went to 86’d with a corrected time of 9:10:01. Bonjolea took first in Aloha class finishing the race just after sunset.

Over 120 people were at the awards ceremony at the Nawiliwili clubhouse on Saturday where they enjoyed a catered dinner from Kauai Beer Company and danced to the tunes of The Lost Pelican Band.

– Kevin Arndt – Rear Commodore

Click for race results and more photos in the KCR Gallery