FAST COMPANY TAKES THE GENE WELLS #1 RACE

The first race of the seven race Gene Wells Memorial Series was held on 8/6/20 with 8 boats competing. The boats and crews started off quite wet as they left their slips in the pouring rain. The rain didn’t seem to bother 8 year old Sylvio Fornari seen on the stern of Ozone and who later drove the boat admirably up until 3 minutes before the start. The 6 mile course was B-A-D with two outside laps and one inside lap. Winds were out of the Northeast at about 10 knots.

The original start was postponed for 5 minutes. Weatherly again got off to a good start (not over early Jim Saylor!). Ozone was next. Kato and Fast Company subsequently
tacked back early to the breakwater. But Ozone, now appearing to be in the lead, got greedy and decided not to cover them to avoid 2 extra tacks. But this didn’t pay off as Ozone got headed and parked it in light air by the Kalapaki Buoy. Fast Company now came roaring down from the breakwater and after rounding the Kalapaki buoy they took a commanding lead. Ozone, Weatherly, Bonjolea II, Kato, Speedy, Papa Au and Iwa followed Fast Company in that order out of the harbor.

After rounding the Ninini lighthouse buoy the downwind leg saw Kato passing Weatherly and Bonjolea II caught up. On the second leg around the lighthouse buoy it was Fast Company still in the lead followed by Bonjolea II and Kato. When Ozone tacked to make the buoy they were too low and while trying to do a short tack in order to round and not hit the buoy the jib got stuck on the spreader half way up. This ended up putting a hole in the jib and it was so stuck that Ozone could not tack or gybe in any direction. Weatherly, with the hot shot teenage sailors, came barreling down on the parked Ozone. Ozone’s skipper Chris Jordan was yelling loudly that he couldn’t get out of the way to avoid a collision (possibly exceeding the yelling occasionally heard from Fast Company…). Weatherly avoided hitting Ozone and put some distance on them while Papa Au also caught up.

With the last inside lap the boat order didn’t change and at the finish line it was Bonjolea II taking line honors with Fast Company close behind and easily correcting to first place on handicap by almost 4 and a half minutes in the PHRF Class. Kato with Kevin Millett on the helm took second and Weatherly with Uncle Carl Andersson and his teenage crew took third. Papa Au with Captain Andy on the helm corrected over Ozone. In the Club class it was Bonjolea II in first, Iwa in second and Papa Au in third.

The second race of the Gene Wells Memorial Series will be held on Thursday 8/7/20 with a 5 pm start. The public is invited to watch the races from the Nawiliwili mole
parking area.

– Chris

Click here for complete results on the racing page and more photos from Pam.