NAWILIWILI — Just 30 ticks separated the first- and third-place finishers when the Nawiliwili Yacht Club launched the Gene Wells Memorial Series with a three-leg, 5.92-mile course in 15-knot winds coming out of the northeast at the Nawiliwili Harbor.
Sailors in the fleet whittled down to just five boats were all over the 15-knot winds and played the clock to the final flag. That maneuvering proved costly to Speedy that led the fleet. ahead of Fast Company, Papa A‘u, and OZone.
The horn sounded with Speedy obviously Over Early, and the ensuing penalty pushed Fast Company into the lead slot, a position that Jim Saylor and the crew aboard the Olson 30 never gave up despite strong challenges from the field.
“Fast Company had the best start and never looked back,” said Chris Jordan, the OZone skipper. “Speedy circled around at the pin end at the start but still looked good. OZone got stuck in Papa A‘u’s bad air that slowed them down.”
The scenario controlled the opening race and set up the challenges for the second and third places.
“Upwind to the Ninini lighthouse buoy, it appeared that OZone’s new mainsail and jib helped them to pass Speedy,” Jordan said. “Downwind, under spinnaker OZone was able to catch up to Papa A‘u and Weatherly passed Speedy.”
On the final upwind leg, OZone had replaced Papa A‘u in the runner-up spot.
“Upwind again, OZone gained some on Fast Company while Speedy and Weatherly still appeared to be battling it out, and Papa A‘u staying out of the fight. OZone was wishing for one more lap to try to catch Fast Company, but unfortunately, it was not the course that was scheduled.”
Saylor and crew powered the Olson 30 to top-line honors on an elapsed sail of 1 hour, 6 minutes, and 44 seconds, correcting to 1:07:09 PHRF for overall honors.
“Papa A‘u (1:10:06 elapsed sail) corrected on handicap to second place (1:07:24 PHRF) only 15 seconds behind Fast Company, and 16 seconds ahead of OZone (1:07:15 elapsed, 1:07:40 PHRF) who took third,” Jordan said.
Speedy, crossing the line on a 1:17:09 elapsed sail, corrected to 1:07:35 Club for top honors in that division followed by Weatherly (1:;18:05 elapsed, 1:12:43 Club).
“The Gene Wells Memorial Series of seven races is named after the famous boatbuilding and longtime Nawiliwili Yacht Club member Gene Wells,” Jordan said. “I can remember racing against ‘White Cap’ owned by Jim Saylor, ‘Mapuana’ previously owned by Tony and Sj LeHoven, ‘Malia’ previously owned by Mel Wills, and ‘Tiare’ once owned by Tim Perry. Additionally, there was ‘Sarina’ owned by Guy Croyden, the 40-foot sloop ‘Fidelia,’ and perhaps my favorite of all, ‘Rebel,’ which I have considered buying many times. Beautiful boats!”
The next race, the NYC Gene Wells Memorial Series, Race No. 2, takes place Thursday, Sept. 9, when the first flags fly at 5 p.m. at the Nawiliwili Harbor jetty wall parking area.
Next year let’s see all wells’s boats competing???!!!
If not sooner, maybe we need a new (inclusive) wyacht club….