NAWILIWILI — Fast Company had more than its share of problems and OZone hopped on the Olson 30’s woes to capture the first race of the Nawiliwili Yacht Club Lloyd Rees Memorial Series, Thursday.
Following a clean start with six boats, the trades were blowing at 10-15 knots and demonstrating their supremacy over the field as Speedy, one of three Olson 30s in the race, limped in before the completion of the first leg of the 6.1-mile course after losing a fitting in her mainsail.
That was an indication of the water and wind woes that seemed to pile up on Fast Company who was battling OZone, another Olson 30, for the lead coming in from the opening leg.
Entering the calm of Kalapaki Bay turn, the wind toyed with Fast Company’s red spinnaker, OZone taking advantage of the issue to overtake Fast Company.
But OZone tacked far out of the can and Fast Company regained the lead while Malihini, the 35-foot catamaran, quietly made its move from the inside.
The wind continued toying with Fast Company, at one point, the red spinnaker dragging in the water after the crew struck the spinnaker in an effort to regain control.
That was the door OZone was looking for as she overtook Fast Company for the last time heading into the harbor. Malihini, coming off the Kalapaki can tight on the inside had also drawn to within striking distance and overtook Fast Company, whose spinnaker lay in a limp red pile on its deck.
Now in third place, Fast Company pushed up its spinnaker again in an effort at regaining the lead, but to no avail.
“They are persistent,” said Sharon Gibson, the NYC scorekeeper.
OZone kept her lead throughout the remainder of the race, crossing first overall on an elapsed sail of 1:05:57 that corrected to 1:06:03 PHRF for top honors.
Fast Company finished second overall on a 1:07:15 elapsed sail, just 39 seconds ahead of Malihini, correcting to 1:07:21 PHRF for second place. Malihini (1:07:54 elapsed) corrected to 1:09:37 PHRF for fourth place, just one second below Papa‘au (1:12:42 elapsed) who corrected to 1:09:36 PHRF.
Coyote, a C&C 38, rounded out the field on a 1:20:02 elapsed sail, correcting to 1:14:58 PHRF and 1:02:09 Club for top honors in that class. Malihini (1:06:10 Club) was second in that division.
The Lloyd Rees series is named after a Lifetime Member of the Nawiliwili Yacht Club who passed away last year. The life-long boating enthusiast, father of NYC member Marty Ellis, was remembered in a toast with Mount Gay Rum, Lloyd’s favorite drink, and a special dessert while club members watched a DVD of Rees’s 1953 TransPac Race aboard Yo Ho Ho.
The public is invited to view the competition when the series continues with its second race, Thursday at the Nawiliwili jetty wall area. First flags fly at 5 p.m.
Visit www.nawiliwiliyachtclub.org for more information.
