The Pago Pago Yacht Club, 2008, Hobie 16 sailing Championships got under way at the Yacht Club on Sunday March 30th.
The Hobie 16 is an international class, twin hulled yacht, sailed by a crew of two, and in good wind conditions is really an excitement machine.
Racing was initially delayed due to technical difficulties and insufficient wind.
The program was to have a minimumof three races and a maximum of four.
Four competitors were on the water and ready to race, PPYC 1, skipper Zac Chavez-Tafur and crew Kani Pratt, McConnell Dowell, skipper Will Southon, and crew Tim Fadgen, PCS-TV, skipper Bill Hyman and crew Keku Pratt, Asco Toyota, skipper Grant Crombie and crew Sebastian Rodriguez.
RACE 1: PCS-TV got away to a very good start followed closely by Asco Toyota, PPYC 1 and McConnell Dowell. PCS-TV took the windward mark, leading the way, and set off on the downwind run to the red channel marker offTulutulu (Blunt) Point, Asco Toyota closed the gap to within ten yards by sailing downwind using “donkey ears” the technique of setting the mainsail and jib to opposite sides and getting the best use of the wind (Sebastian learned this trick in many years of sailing the Caribbean and Pacific on a larger yacht), PPYC 1 following not far behind. PCS-TV rounded the red marker and the race was on to the green marker (Origin Energy), around this mark in close order saw an upwind tacking dual to the finish. PCS-TV finished first with AscoToyota second by 3 min and PPYC 1 third by 6.25 min, McConnell Dowell came in a valiant forth.
RACE 2:
PCS-TV was again off to an excellent start, leaving PPYC 1 three boat lengths behind and Asco Toyota stuck on the wrong end of the starting line.
PCS-TV took the lead at the first mark and was away down wind to the red marker.
By now PCS-TV and PPYC1 had learned the trick of the “donkey ears”, however Asco Toyota was able to gain on the leaders. All boats rounded the red mark in that order and once around the green mark PCS-TV and PPYC1 took the starboard tack.
Asco Toyota took a gamble andstayed with the port tack, found good pressure and shot up the harbor like a rocket.
In the meantime PPYC 1 overtook PCs-TV and they fought it out down the Eastern side of the harbor. PCS-TV got the better of PPYC 1 and eventually took line honors just 3 seconds ahead of Asco Toyota with PPYC 1 only 2.5 minutes
for third place, McConnell Dowell was placed fourth having rudder trouble, but none the less a sterling effort.
RACE 3: Once again experience showed and Bill and Keku got away to a good start, followed by Zac and Kani, Grant and Sebastian and Will and Tim. The boats rounded the windward mark in that order and remained in that order for the rest of the race. By this time the wind was
deteriorating and becoming very inconsistent and it was really all any of the boats could do but make it back to the finish.
RACE 4: Race 4 was abandoned due to the lack of wind; however we were able to have the three races to make it official.
The race committee would like to thank John Goeke and Erika Radewagen for their assistance as starters and
judges for the day.
Recognition must go to Kani, Keku, Sebastian and in particular, Zac, who have all come through the Pago Pago Yacht Club Junior Sailing Program.
This was Zac’s first time racing at the helm of the Hobie 16 as skipper, although he did represent American
Samoa at the 2007 South Pacific Games as crew for John Goeke in the Hobie 16s.
Our thanks also to the sponsors of the PPYC sailing program, Ace Hardware, ANZ Bank, Beca Pacific,
Blue Sky, BP South West Pacific, Cost-u-Less, Rotary, Sadie’s Hotels, Steffany Group
and also the sponsors of the Hobie 16s.
Last Modified on 23/04/2008 13:36