NAWILIWILI — Mapuana, a Wells 35, was the only Gene Wells-crafted boat in the first race of the Gene Wells Memorial Series that kicked off Thursday. “It’s good to see Mapuana make an appearance after an absence,” said Sharon Gibson,
NAWILIWILI — Mapuana, a Wells 35, was the only Gene Wells-crafted boat in the first race of the Gene Wells Memorial Series that kicked off Thursday.
“It’s good to see Mapuana make an appearance after an absence,” said Sharon Gibson, scorekeeper for the host Nawiliwili Yacht Club. Mapuana is also made by Gene Wells, whom the race series is named after, so it’s very appropriate.”
The six-boat race was made even more exciting as a two-inland, one-distance course saw the six boats jockey for positioning at the start.
“Too early, too early!” Gibson yelled out as the starting flag flapped in six- to 12-knot northeasterly winds.
OZone, an Olson 30 and Papa‘au, an Express 27, managed to sit on each other, and as the starting flag went down, both vessels were slapped with an early start infraction.
While ducking back below the line to restart, the two over-early boats allowed the remaining four an early lead and OZone never quite recovered, despite several attempts throughout the race.
Papa‘au, on the other hand, kept its spinnaker full on the downwind legs to regain ground it lost at the start.
Bonjolea, an X-342, in the meantime, controlled the lead on the inland portion of the race, slipping through traffic under the shadow of the Kalapaki cliffs that effectively created a dead air pocket at the first mark.
Heading into the harbor on the second leg, Papa‘au also sailed a strong chute to overtake the fleet.
When the spray had settled, Papa‘au finished first overall on a 1:07:23 elapsed time, and was awarded top honors in the PHRF Open class on a corrected time of 1:04:30. Mapuana finished second overall on an elapsed time of 1:11:33 and was awarded second in the PHRF Open class with a corrected time of 1:08:06. Third place in that class went to Bonjolea, who was hot on Mapuana’s tail with a 1:12:26 elapsed time and a corrected time of 1:09:39.
OZone, despite the early start infraction, topped the Club Open class with a fourth overall finish just 10 seconds off Bonjolea’s mark and taking the Club Open on a corrected time of 1:06:08.
Speedy, making her first race, was runner up in the class on a fifth overall finish at 1:11:10 and a corrected time of 1:11:36. The crew of Speedy, an identical craft as OZone, was able to control two legs of the inland portion of the race. Malihini, the 35-foot catamaran, slugged it out for third place with a corrected time of 1:16:20.
Gibson said the Wells Memorial Series is a seven-race affair and is the first following the long Labor Day weekend races that took the boats out to Hanalei and back.
The next race in the Wells Memorial Series is Thursday with first flag at 5 p.m. There is no charge to view the races from the jetty wall area of Nawiliwili Harbor.
Gibson added the Laser classes that started last Sunday saw at least eight sailors turn out for the free instruction and, based on this, NYC is planning to host a Laser race Tuesday at 5 p.m.
For more information, log on to the NYC Web site at www.nawiliwiliyachtclub.org.
• Dennis Fujimoto, photographer and staff writer, can be reached at 245-3681 (ext. 253) or dfujimoto@kauaipubco.com.
