NAWILIWILI — Papa‘au, with Marcie Millet at the wheel, picked up its second straight win in the Nawiliwili Yacht Club Wahine Series Race No. 2 Thursday.
But the race was not without cost as winds of 10 to 15 knots out of the Northeast generated small caps and in that environment, Papa‘au and OZone became traded paint at the lighthouse buoy.
According to Sharon Gibson of the NYC Race Committee, it appeared that as Papa‘au was rounding the can, a collision occurred with OZone, the bump causing OZone to hit the can.
OZone, with Clare Curley at the wheel because Alison Fornari, last week’s pilot, is expecting her second child, did penalty turns as soon as she was able to get free of the can, the current keeping her shoved into the buoy.
Both boats suffered minor damage but were able to finish the race, Papa‘au eking out a first finish on a 54:22 elapsed sail and correcting to 52:03 PHRF.
Hot on her tail, Fast Company, with Jakki Nelson at the helm, finished on a 54:55 elapsed sail, but corrected to 55:00 PHRF, third place after correction.
OZone finished third overall, just a second ahead of Bonjolea, on a 55:42 elapsed sail but corrected to 55:47 PHRF and fourth place. OZone corrected to 54:32 Club for second place in that class.
Bonjolea, crossing on a 55:43 elapsed sail, corrected to 53:34 PHRF for second place overall with Bonnie Tiffany at her wheel.
Coyote, with Karen Cole at the wheel, sounded the finish horn at 1:01:34 elapsed and corrected to 57:40 PHRF for fifth place. She also corrected to 50:01 Club for top honors in that class.
Lelele, a Wells 30 with Sea Peterson at the wheel, rounded out the fleet on a 58:02 elapsed sail and corrected to 57:51 PHRF and 55:33.
F-24, an F-24 trimaran, did not have a wahine at the wheel, but not for the lack of trying, staying out of the spray of the racers and crossing the finish line on a 55:54 elapsed sail with no correction ratings established for the newcomer.
Millet and the Papa‘au crew, despite the mishap, celebrated its second win with a Mexican food feast with margaritas in lieu of the normal burgers and “dogs.”
The public is invited to view the third race and final race of the Wahine Series, Thursday from the jetty wall area at no charge.
First flags fly at 5 p.m.
