NAWILIWILI — There was excitement during the home stretch of the three-lap Nawiliwili Yacht Club Gene Wells Memorial Series Race No. 3 that unfurled in “light and flukey” winds of 7 mph out of the Eeast at the Nawiliwili Harbor Thursday.
OZone, with Chris Jordan at the stick, steered clear of the excitement, and after grabbing line honors on a 1:12:45 elapsed-time sail, finished the 4.51-mile course in first place with its correction of 1 minute, 12 minutes, 52 seconds PHRF.
Fast Company, which wrangled the lead through most of the earlier two laps, was close to OZone at the red R-6 buoy right off the mole on the home stretch.
“It appeared that Fast Company wanted to go between OZone and the R-6 buoy. They ended up ducking OZone, who gained a little on Bonjolea II and Fast Company,” said Jordan. “Bonjolea II had now gybed away from the breakwater, and they were approaching the G-11 buoy fast on starboard tack.”
OZone rounded the buoy first and headed upwind to the finish line.
“Fast Company was next, and tacked away early towards the breakwater,” Jordan said. “OZone and Bonjolea II kept going and got lifted. When Fast Company tacked back towards the cruise ship, they now had to duck Bonjolea II.
“But when Bonjolea II tacked back onto starboard, Fast Company on port, tacked on top of them. Bonjolea II tacked back towards the breakwater, and when they tacked back onto starboard heading to the finish line, some yelling could be heard from them as Fast Company tacked back onto starboard just in front of them.
“At the finish line, Fast Company was five seconds ahead while cries of “protest” came from Bonjolea II and a red protest flag was seen.
“Bonjolea II claims that they were on starboard tack and they yelled ‘starboard’ several times. Fast Company ignored their hails and Bonjolea II had to alter course,” said Jordan.
Pending the protest, it is Fast Company (1:13:39 elapsed time, 1:13:46 PHRF) in second place, and Bonjolea II (1:13:44 elapsed time, 1:17:48 PHRF) in third, Jordan said.
“In the Club Class, it was the youngest Kaua‘i Sailing Association kids with Kai and Maile sharing the steering aboard Double Espresso in first place on a 1:11:19 Club correction. Bill Petersen steered Papa A‘u to a 10-second finish ahead of Speedy, but the correction had Speedy in second place on a 1:13:16 Club, and Papa A‘u in third on a 1:15:36 Club correction.
The public is invited to view the NYC Gene Wells Memorial Series Race No. 4, Thursday when the first flags fly at 5 p.m. at the mole parking area.
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Dennis Fujimoto, staff writer and photographer, can be reached at 808-245-0453 or dfujimoto@thegardenisland.com.
