NAWILIWILI — OZone, with Alison Fonari on the stick, literally cruised to victory in “quite light winds of 5 to 8 knots,” blowing primarily out of the northeast, but being variable to test the skills of the captains of the six-boat fleet in the final race of the Nawiliwili Yacht Club Wahine Series Thursday.
OZone navigated the three-lap course that spanned 4.51 miles (distance cut down due to the light winds) to finish first, more than a minute and a half ahead of Weatherly, which had control of the overall point lead entering the race that included two short inland courses with a long leg sandwiched in.
“On OZone, foredeck Dan Judd convinced everyone that a port tack start was favored, and so along with Papa A‘u they started on port tack close to the NYC Race Committee parked on the mole,” said Chris Jordan, crewing aboard OZone. “Weatherly, with Lexi Lane-Schwarze on the helm, had an interesting start coming downwind (winds variable) and looping the starting pin at the final minute. They gained a position ahead of Fast Company and Speedy, who were coming in on starboard tack.”
The good call by Judd put OZone ahead of the pack.
“On the way out to the Ninini Point Lighthouse buoy, Weatherly was outpointing OZone and gaining a lot,” Jordan said. “OZone was able to round the lighthouse buoy first, just a little ahead of Weatherly. Downwind under spinnaker, Weatherly was right on OZone’s stern, threatening to pass them.”
On the final lap to the Kalapaki buoy, Weatherly had to throw in a couple of extra tacks to make it around the buoy. This pulled OZone ahead, and the Olson 30 hung on to take line honors, or first-to-cross, on an elapsed time of 1 hour, 10 minutes, 39 seconds. Fornari’s crew corrected to 1:10:46 PHRF for top honors in the final race. Weatherly followed on a 1:12:18 elapsed time and correcting to 1:12:25.
“Congratulations, Weatherly,” Jordan said. “The overall results for the NYC Wahine Series had Weatherly winning first place with seven points. OZone finished in second place with eight points.”
In Club class competition, Speedy, with Mavis Aiu driving the boat, took top honors on a 1:20:23 elapsed and correcting to 1:11:23 Club followed by Fast Company with Cathy Meyer steering the Olson 30 to a 1:16:16 elapsed, and correcting to 1:15:41 Club.
“Cathy just finished the Pacific Cup Race from San Francisco to Kane‘ohe Bay on the Express 27 (same type of boat as Papa A‘u) ‘Hang 20,’” Jordan said. “She did this double-handed with Lori Tewksbury, so I guess they had 20 toes on the rail a lot.”
Victoria Aiu, Mavis’ daughter, piloted Papa A‘u to third place in club competition, sounding the finish horn on a 1:26:49 elapsed and correcting to 1:19:42 Club.
The next series, the NYC Short Series, starts Thursday, when the first flags fly at 5 p.m. with the NYC Race Committee at the Nawiliwili Harbor jetty parking area. This series will feature all short, inside-the-harbor courses.
“I miss that long leg out to the lighthouse and back,” Jordan said. “The best viewing is at the Nawiliwili mole parking area. The public is cordially invited, and actually will see (and hear) a lot more close action inside the harbor. Bring your cameras!”
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Dennis Fujimoto, staff writer and photographer, can be reached at 245-0453 or dfujimoto@thegardenisland.com.
