NAWILIWILI — Three Olson 30s filled the first three spots of the Nawiliwili Yacht Club, Thursday, as inconsistent winds and the threat of a downpour shortened the Pete Peterson Series, Race No. 2. Sailing in a Kona start based on
NAWILIWILI — Three Olson 30s filled the first three spots of the Nawiliwili Yacht Club, Thursday, as inconsistent winds and the threat of a downpour shortened the Pete Peterson Series, Race No. 2.
Sailing in a Kona start based on the 5-10 knot winds blowing in from the South Southeast, OZone, the first of the Olson 30s, played her cards right and slipped into the lead at the horn.
Instead of heading out of Nawiliwili Harbor, the Kona Start saw the fleet head to what would normally be the final turn, OZone clinging to a lead in wind that sometimes slowed the fleet to a crawl.
Fast Company, the second Olson 30 and usually in the leader’s spot, worked the play book to its fullest, experimenting with different tacks in an effort at closing the gap with OZone.
Speedy, the third Olson 30, was on the heels of the leaders until the out-bound leg.
OZone took the straight line to the Ninini Lighthouse turnaround while Fast Company slid to the south. Speedy and Papa‘au, an Express 27, joined the OZone line on the run through breaks that bobbed the boats.
Again, the Fast Company ploy came up short as OZone held the lead coming around the breakwater, followed by Fast Company and Speedy bringing up third behind a considerable gap.
Those standings stood at the line, OZone crossing on a 43:45 elapsed time and correcting to 43:49 PHRF for top honors.
Fast Company followed at 44:17 elapsed, correcting to 44:21 PHRF and Speedy coming in on a 48:55 elapsed sail and 49:00 PHRF.
Malihini, the 35-foot catamaran who took last week’s opening race of the series, filled in the fourth berth following a 51:02 elapsed sail and correcting to 52:19 PHRF.
Papa‘au crossed on a 54:47 elapsed sail and corrected to 52:27 PHRF, missing the corrected finish over Malihini by eight seconds. But Papa‘au corrected to 48:27 Club for top honors in that division.
Coyote (1:01:11 elapsed, 57:18 PHRF) and Bonjolea (1:00:47 elapsed, 58:27 PHRF) rounded out the fleet.
The Pete Peterson Series continues Thursday with Race No. 3 and the NYC Race Committee invites the public to view the competition along with Nina Peterson, the widow of the late Pete Peterson, and her family.
First flags fly at 5 p.m.
Visit www.nawiliwiliyachtclub.org for more information.
