Solo Sailors All Safely in at Kauai
With the arrival of Lee Johnson on the Valiant 32 Morning Star, all 16 boats in the 2018 Singlehanded TransPacific Yacht Race are safely in. The race started in Tiburon on June 23. Some of the boats will remain in Hawaii under the care of new owners, including the first-to-finish and overall winning boat, Philippe Jamotte’s Olson 30 Double Espresso, which the Kauai Sailing Association has arranged to purchase. At least some of the boats that will be shipped back to California have departed the stunningly beautiful north shore of Kauai for Nawiliwili, the port on the other side of the island. Others will sail home on their own bottoms.
Although no one suffered major injuries, almost every boat reported some damage. For instance, Don Martin’s Wyliecat 30 Crinan II tore its only sail, but Don sailed with it for the final five days. Shad Lemke’s Olson 30 Dark Horse suffered a knockdown that resulted in the sea claiming one of his two solar panels. Aboard Carliane Johnson’s Freedom 38 Kyntanna, the broken stuff included the boom vang and jib headstay.
The sailors had various reactions upon finishing. Some were mightily relieved to get off their boats. Carliane invited her son, friend and race committee volunteers aboard for champagne and chocolate. Lee said he’d have gladly kept going, except that he’d used up one of his two tanks of water the first five days out. Lee, the last-place finisher, and Philippe, the first-place finisher, seemed to have had the most fun out of the whole fleet. Both were first-timers in this race, and both were making their first ocean crossing.
Nawiliwili Yacht Club will host the awards party this Saturday. We’ll have complete coverage in the August issue of Latitude 38.