NAWILIWILI — The departure of the cruise ship “Regatta” raised the excitement pitch of the final race of the Nawiliwili Yacht Club Joel Ehrlich Memorial Rum Series, Race No. 7 Thursday at Nawiliwili Harbor. Juggling with the departure time of
NAWILIWILI — The departure of the cruise ship “Regatta” raised the excitement pitch of the final race of the Nawiliwili Yacht Club Joel Ehrlich Memorial Rum Series, Race No. 7 Thursday at Nawiliwili Harbor.
Juggling with the departure time of the visiting cruise ship, the NYC Race Committee opted for two long legs to the Ninini Point turnaround to avoid conflicting with the ship’s departure.
But as the race progressed, the cruise ship displayed no outward signs of trying to leave.
The “sweet” winds blew in the 5- to 12-knot range out of the North Northeast and the eight-boat flotilla worked the 5.2-mile course, Fast Company feeling the urgency of the race and getting a clear lead off the start.
Maintaining its lead through the more northerly winds than normal, the Olson 30 piloted by Jim Saylor appeared to be in control of the lead when the Regatta decided it was time to leave, its departure signalled by a battery of horn blasts.
“We can’t see the finish,” said Sharon Gibson, the NYC scorekeeper, her remark being added to by pau hana spectators who said, “Make sure you record the horns.”
Bets went down on whether or not Fast Company would relent, the tiny Olson 30 staying the course despite the loud horns of the departing cruise ship.
“He’s not moving,” the spectators said, anxiously watching the chicken battle likened to a Mack truck and a Volkswagen Beetle.
When the ship had passed, Saylor piloted Fast Company to the sea wall to appeal the finish, being referred to the post-race NYC Clubhouse meeting and thumping his radio in frustration.
“Fast Company had its stopwatch running from the race start so when they cleared the Green 5 can, they stopped their watch and Jim reported their Elapsed Time, not their Finish Time,” Gibson said. “The ET was accepted as ‘correct’ and plugged into the score sheet.”
The time gave Fast Company an elapsed sail of 57:34 and corrected to 57:39 PHRF for top honors, followed by Papa‘au who crossed on a 1:00:32 elapsed sail, staying clear of the departing Regatta and the ensuing melee, correcting to 57:57 PHRF.
The second place was not enough to bump it from the overall standings where it finished with 14 points, just a point ahead of Fast Company who finished the series with 15 points.
OZone, entering the final race with a solid lead in the standings, crossed third on a 59:15 elapsed sail, correcting to 59:20 PHRF. She finished the series in first with 10 points.
Bonjolea (1:02:01 elapsed, 59:38 PHRF) filled in the No. 4 position, correcting to 51:49 Club for top honors in that class to finish with six points in the standings for top honors in the series standings.
Coyote (1:07:11 elapsed, 1:02:55 PHRF), Speedy (1:03:10 elapsed, 1:03:16 PHRF), Rebel (1:17:04 elapsed, 1:03:25 PHRF), and Malolo (1:09:06 elapsed, 1:09:32 PHRF) rounded out the fleet.
With the completion of the Joel Ehrlich Memorial Rum Series, the Nawiliwili Yacht Club hosts its annual Memorial Day run to Hanalei and back during the long weekend, returning to the Nawiliwili Harbor with the start of the four-race Junior Invitational Series, May 31.
