(Waikiki, Honolulu, Hawaii)-
Short cruises and day-sailing through-out the Hawaiian Islands can't
exactly be the world's toughest sailing experience-- if anything it's
simply paradise- forever. Warm breezes, 10-15 kts around the islands,
15-25 kts in the straits, clear azure-blue white-capped seas, whales,
dolphins, turtles, neon-colored fish on every reef, not sure what anyone
can do to improve upon paradise! Proud owner of J/160 hull #9, Doug McClaflin, recently sent us an update on the life in the middle of the Pacific. As he describes it, "We love our J/160! She rides majestically on her mooring in front of Waikiki Yacht Club in Honolulu. We're lucky enough to do a variety of races and cruises all year long!
I
bought the boat in 2007 and had planned to race in the 2007 TransPac
Race. The original owner was very good at stalling the close on the
sale, most likely to maintain the higher price he wanted for the boat
thinking I would agree in order to have the boat ready for the start
line. As it turned out, I called his bluff and lowered the price,
offering to give up the race since the boat was in San Diego. The owner
agreed since he was about to lose the sale, so I ended up leaving from
San Diego not officially in the race but did sail down with the fleet by
being a non-official entry, safer that way to cross the pond and it was
the second time I sailed to Hawaii on a J-Boat. The first time was on a
J-46 as crew in the 2004 Pacific Cup. It was that first crossing that
sold me on a J-Boat and took three years before I found "Hana Hou".
"Hana Hou" in Hawaiian means "one more time", "do it again", "encore".
I
race the boat in selected races, the first long distance race was 2008
from Oahu to Kauai getting first to finish and third overall missing
first place by 9 minutes after nine hours of racing. My rating at the
time was not favorable being my first Hawaiian entry, I believe it was
-9 PHRF. I now have a 18 rating having convinced the rating committee
that Hana Hou is a cruising boat......don't tell anybody. I do our beer
can races on Friday nights, weekend warrior races and every year the
70nm Maui to Oahu Lahaina Return race on Labor Day. No around the buoys.
We race for fun and a good time. Just won last month the "Best Dressed Boat" for opening day and the fun race after at Waikiki YC!I'm on the Board at Waikiki Yacht Club and Vice Chair Admin of the Honolulu Host Committee for this year's 2013 TransPac Yacht Race. We look forward to coverage for this years race as I believe we have some J-Boats entered. Aloha, Doug
P.S.- I selected the J-160 after meeting Rodney at the Oakland Boat Show many many years ago. Having stepped up from a Catalina 42 that I raced single-handed in San Francisco I now take out my J-160 alone quite often. Even set the kite on those perfect days alone. A great boat."
Learn more about Oahu as well by visiting "The Ultimate Guide to Visiting Oahu" by clicking here.
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