PAPA AU WINS OPENING DAY!

The Express 27 Papa Au really showed the fleet what they could do during the 2 races on opening day Saturday 2/6/21. They were awesome! It was a beautiful day except for the fact that there was no wind for the start of the first race (OK, maybe 1 knot…). The very light and often non-existent wind was out of the Southwest. The course S-T was a 1.9 mile inside the harbor race heading first towards the mountain to the G-11 buoy by the Coast Guard Station and then to the Kalapaki Buoy. Papa Au, Bonjolea II and Ozone started near the pin end while the rest of the boats were down by the race committee. Jeff Olsen, just back from sailing in Fiji, was on the helm of Papa Au and he had the best start. He stayed close to the line at the pin end in clear air. Even then it took him almost 2 minutes to get across the starting line. Ozone was even worse off, being unable to tack in the light air. It took them almost 6 minutes to cross the starting line.

Meanwhile, at the other end of the line and after a little time, Weatherly looked like they had started their engine (even though they didn’t have one). The young sailors (I can’t say teenage sailors anymore as Astrid turned 20 recently) were having a really good race with old Uncle Carl Andersson on the helm and the young looking Elizabeth Biuk on the foredeck. They caught up to Papa Au and they were followed by Fast Company and Kato. The second lap went to the G-7 buoy and the Kalapaki buoy before finishing. It was Weatherly taking line honors but on handicap Papa Au corrected over them to win by 1 minute and 13 seconds. Fast Company finished third. It was really nice to see Walt out on his F-28R trimaran “Trinity”. But in the very light air pushing 3 hulls he decided to bag it. Similarly the lovely but heavy Beneteau Oceanis 41 “Iwa” with Karen Cole on the helm headed out of the harbor presumably to go whale watching as the whales have been very active lately. In fact, the fleet had a momma and baby whale frolicking off to starboard about halfway out to the lighthouse during the second race.

The second race was course U-V with 2 laps out to the Ninini lighthouse buoy over 3.51 miles. There was at least a little more wind at 4-8 knots out of the Southwest. (Usually…) At the start, Papa Au again made a very nice move coming down from above the starting line and getting in front of Fast Company near the pin end, giving them bad air. A little behind them was Weatherly. Papa Au rounded the G-7 buoy first and was off to the lighthouse. Fast Company followed. A large tangle of boats then occurred at the buoy rounding.

After Ozone rounded the buoy they went wide over close to the breakwater where there seemed to be more air. Fast Company saw Ozone gaining and came up suddenly to try to be sure there was no overlap (Rule 19.2C states that while passing a continuing obstruction (such as the breakwater) that a boat clear astern has to obtain an overlap with the other boat while there is still time to pass between that boat and the obstruction, otherwise they are not entitled to any room). Fast Company says there was no overlap and yelled “Protest”. Ozone’s skipper argues that he was on the high side steering and if there was an overlap he should have been able to see Fast Company in front (which he did not until he went to the low side where it looked to him like he had been lee bowed). Ozone was now trapped between Fast Company and the breakwater and I mention this because at the end of the breakwater it fans out and there are lots of loose rocks around. So while Fast Company is yelling “Protest, do your turns”, Ozone is yelling “I need more room to avoid the rocks!” It was a very dangerous situation and an adrenalin producing moment which I have lost some sleep over. (See Charlotte’s gallery photo #32). Hating to go to the protest room, Ozone’s skipper did 2 penalty turns in spite of his crew’s objections.

Meanwhile, Papa Au was somehow still gaining. But Bonjolea II was coming on fast. Weatherly couldn’t point as high as the other boats and they suddenly realized that they had not put on their backstay after releasing it in the light air. Papa Au amazingly (for a smaller and supposedly slower boat) led the entire fleet around the Ninini lighthouse buoy. But on the downwind leg under spinnaker they were passed by Fast Company. Then Bonjolea II came roaring down like they had been shot out of a cannon. At the Kalapaki buoy it was Fast Company, Bonjolea II and close behind the third boat was Papa Au (still leading overall on handicap).

The next lap was also out to the Ninini lighthouse but then straight back to the finish line. Bonjolea II continued in high gear and gained so much that they took line honors and first place in the second race. Papa Au was second and Fast Company took third place. With a first and second place finish in the two races, Papa Au easily won Opening Day. Great job crew! Fast Company did well and finished second for the day and Bonjolea II took third. Afterwards the sailors went to the new club over by the ABC store. Outside a tent had been set up and hamburgers, hotdogs, and veggie burgers were enjoyed along with chips and brownies. Overall, a very nice day.

The next six races on Thursdays will be the Phil Tanner Memorial Series. The public is invited to watch the races from the Nawiliwili Mole parking lot starting at 5pm.

-Chris

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