Bonjolea II sitting pretty after Horse and Pony #1

Bonjolea II skippered by Bonnie Tiffany found herself surrounded by a pack of wolfs (Olson 30’s) at the start of race 1 of the Horse and Pony Series. She was able to get clear air after tacking away on port and then got into full gallop reaching the Lighthouse buoy first. Bonjolea II kept her stride for the downwind leg and opened up ground in front of the pack of Olsons. On the next leg Bonjolea II rounded the Kalapaki bouy with a considerable lead after which Fast Company, Kato, and OZone rounded the mark together. Fast Company and Kato sailed above the lay line and in the lee of the Kalapaki Circle headland, while OZone went to low and sailed into a nice breeze. OZone sped by the spectators on the mole in pursuit of Bonjolea II while Fast Company and Kato got a good view of her stern.

It was Bonjolea II finishing first with an elapsed time of 40:18 (42:57 corrected). Trinity crossed the finish line second. OZone finished next but corrected out 8 seconds ahead of Bonjolea II and took first place PHRF. It looked like Kato, on starboard tack, would finish next but Fast Company, on port tack, hit the stirups and crossed the finish line first, by a nose. As exciting as that was, Papa a’u crossing seventh managed to take third place with a corrected time of 43:27.

Sailing Toppers in the following Pony race designated crewmembers from each Horse assembled for the start of the race at the entrance to the small boat harbor. The winds were coming down the bay with gusts hitting 10 knots but the fearless Toppers were raring to go. The course was to R6 buoy and back. Off they went, as the start horn sounded, with some skippers going left and others choosing to go right. As the boats converged on R6 it was clear that Jim Saylor (Fast Company) would round first. As he rounded he capsized but recovered quickly maintaining his lead and was on his way downwind to the finish line. Close behind him was Doug Moore (Bonjolea II). Doug covered Jim most of the way to the finish line, but in a burst of speed Doug was able to pass Jim moments before crossing the finish line in front of all the cheering spectators at the launch ramp parking lot.

– Kevin Arndt

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