Mayhem rules over the 2017 Kauai Channel Race

In the early morning on Friday Aug 4th the 22nd annual Kaua`i Channel Race from Kane`ohe Bay to Nawiliwili Harbor began with 12 boats on the start line. At 7 am the Race Committee boat signaled the start of the premier downwind race in the State of Hawaii. The boats enjoyed optimum conditions with the prevailing trades filling in as the day progressed. Locomotion 2, a Transpac 52 skippered by Dr. John Myhre, was in its element as she surfed the quartering seas and sped ahead of the fleet. Just a little over 8 hours later she cleared the lighthouse at Ninini Point lighthouse and sailed through the finish line with an elapsed time of 8:02:12 corrected to 09:58:05 earning First to Finish perpetual trophy. Heartbeat (2016 First to Finish) surfed in with an elapsed time of 09:19:21 corrected to 09:48:47. However, Intuition skippered by Rich McCreedy, scored first place PHRF A with an elapsed time of 09:35:11 correcting out at 09:11:04. Second place went to Kahuna with an elapsed time of 09:48:18 (09:23:38 corrected). Wasabi filled out the scoreboard by taking third place PHRF A with an elapsed time of 10:06:40 (09:40:05).

PHRF B leader was Mayhem skippered by Steve Eder with an elapsed time of 09:55:30 (8:44:29 corrected). This fast time also earned him First Overall Corrected perpetual trophy. The only NYC boat entered in the race, Fast Company skippered by Jim Saylor, won second place with an elapsed time of 11:09:10 (09:38:44 corrected). Third place PHRF B went to Cowabunga?? with an elapsed time of 12:11:02 (09:46:47 corrected).

Aloha Class first place trophy went to Bella Marina skippered by Octavia Petrovici. She finished with an elapsed time of 15:28:30 (12:30:18 corrected).

On September 2 2017 the lease held by the Nawiliwili Yacht Club for their clubhouse parcel reverts to a Revocable Permit, and possibly soon after the lease could go to public auction. This threatens the long-standing existence of the only yacht club on Kaua`i and its affiliated youth sailing organization, the Kaua`i Sailing Association. Without a future this could very well be the last Kaua`i Channel Race, and more importantly, the end of a non-profit that teaches our youth the science and skills of sailing and marine awareness.

Kevin Arndt – Vice Commodore

Click here for the NYC KCR photo gallery and here for photos from the start from the KYC website