Fast Company, Papa‘au stirs the Joel Ehrlich pot

Fast Company and Papa‘au stirred the pot to create excitement in the Nawiliwili Yacht Club Joel Ehrlich Memorial Rum Series, Thursday during Race No. 4 at the Nawiliwili Harbor.

Following two back-to-back wins in races 2 and 3, OZone was relegated to third place by Fast Company and Papa‘au over the 2.4-mile course in light winds of 0 to 10 knots out of the East-southeast.

“There are three more races in this series, so it’s still anyone’s series to win,” said Sharon Gibson, the NYC scorekeeper following the race she described as “a race in slow motion.”

Fast Company, one of three Olson 30s in the 10-vessel fleet, creeped across the finish line on a 44:32 elapsed time and corrected to 44:36 PHRF for the top finish.

Papa‘au, crossing second, slipped across more than five minutes later, stopping the clock at 49:57 elapsed and correcting to 47:49 PHRF.

Fast Company, the second of three Olson 30s, came across less than a minute later at 50:23 elapsed and correcting to 50:28 PHRF.

“It was a race in slow motion,” Gibson said. “We (the NYC Race Committee) started them on two laps to the lighthouse, but cut the second lap off when it was nearly an hour before the fastest boat finished the first lap.”

Malolo, a Hobie 33, (52:33 elapsed, 52:53 PHRF), Lelele, a Wells 30, (53:12 elapsed, 53:02 PHRF) filled in the spots ahead of Bonjolea, the X-342, which crossed on a 55:37 elapsed sail and corrected to 46:28 for sixth place. Bonjolea also corrected to 46:28 Club for top honors in that division.

Speedy, the third Olson 30, (55:01 elapsed, 55:06 PHRF), Coyote (1:01:55 elapsed, 57:59 PHRF) and Mapuana (1:05:47 elapsed, 1:02:36 PHRF) rounded out the field.

The public is invited to view the competition as the Joel Ehrlich series continues Thursday when the first flags fly at 5 p.m. from the Nawiliwili Harbor jetty area.