Fast Company Takes the Third Race

The trade winds that were coming across the Pacific had a northerly component for the start of the third race of the Nawiliwili Yacht Club, Gene Wells Memorial Series. This gave the racers a couple of nice long reaches throughout the 5.8 mile long course. The fleet of seven boats were maneuvering behind the start line, seemingly without direction, counting the time down for the 5 minute start sequence. Moments before the start all the boats seemed to group together by some invisible force. The Race Committee and many spectators on the Kalapaki jetty remarked that the boats formed into a tight pack, sailing in unison at the sound of the horn. The northerly trades forced the boats to perform several tacks to make it out of the harbor. From all outwardly appearances it looked like the racers of NYC were performing a synchronized sailing event as boats matched tacks to the harbor entrance. At the entrance the boats stretched out their legs and the boats started to separate as they sprinted out to the Lighthouse buoy. It was Bonjolea II that made the rounding in first with Trinity and Fast Company following close behind. The fleet enjoyed a fast spinnaker run back into the harbor past the many cheering spectators on the jetty down to the “G”11 buoy. The next leg of the race brought them back up to Kalapaki beach in the lee of the Marriot. This area is known for gusty wind shifts, local knowledge helps but being on the right side of a wind shift also helps win the race. Some boats made it around the “R”2 buoy without consequences. Other boats struggled with sails suddenly back winded with crews on the wrong side of the boat.

In the end, it was Fast Company that took first place with a corrected time of 1:06:44. Bonjolea II finished second place with a corrected time of 1:08:30, and Papa a’u with a corrected time of 1:11:30 giving them third place. Other boats were OZone at fourth (which has 2 first place finishes in the Series), then Weatherly, Trinity, and Speedy.
Club Class results had Trinity with first place (1:02:07 Club corrected), Weatherly with second (1:08:15 Club corrected), and Speedy at third place (1:10:46 Club corrected).

– Kevin Arndt

The public is invited to view the fourth race of the seven-race series on Thursday from the Nawiliwili Harbor jetty wall area. First flags fly at 5:00 p.m.

Click here for photos by Charlotte