Ch 5: A Whale, a Pack of Sharks and a Pod of Dolphins

Ch 6: A Gold Medal and Sponsorship

Ch 7: Island Politics

Ch 8: H.A.W.A.I.I. Makes Waves

Ch 9: Fast Racers, Slow Boat

Ch 10: More Racing, Less Boat

Ch 11: Maui No Ka Oi

Ch 12: Honors I'll Always Appreciate

Chapter 9: Fast Racers, Slow Boat

Kanaha Beach, Maui: August 1990. Fifteen Oahu windsurfers went to Maui for the 1990 Hawaii State Slalom Championship and five came back with cool trophies (first three places) and nine with plaques (4th through 10th places). Race Coordinator Kim Ball commented after the awards, "You Oahu guys are really getting good!" In Juniors, Josh Seymour 2nd; Keala Bryant 3rd and Jarad Stahl 5th. In Women's, Kelly Moore 9th. In Women's Masters, Nancy Appleton. In Men's, Cam Rawlinson 6th, Mike Abbott 8th. In Master's, Tom Stone 1st, Carl Golden 5th. In Senior Master's, Ken Yamamoto 6th, Happie Chapman 9th and Eddie Wong 10th. In Grand Masters, Dave Cadiz 4th and John Twelker 6th. In Senior Grand Masters, Dave Cadiz 1st and John Twelker 3rd.

San Francisco, California: August 1990. Not only did H.A.W.A.I.I. schedule 20 races plus two major regattas, U.S.B.A. scheduled their National Championships at San Francisco as well and several of us decided to go. Kelly Moore came home with 2nd Overall in Women's Unlimited; Happie Chapman 6th Overall in Men's Master's Unlimited; Josh Seymour placed in the top 20 of the highly contested Men's Unlimited; and I was happy to earn:

2nd in Course Racing, 2nd in Slalom, and 2nd Overall in the Grand Masters Division, 1990 US Windsurfing National Championships in San Francisco

Also during the Nationals, I was appointed U.S.B.A. Regional Rep for Oahu and attended my first B.O.D. meeting.

Looking back, I think I was really lucky to have chosen Oahu to live on my arrival in Hawaii. If I had a question, I could ask Robby Naish or Rick Naish and always get an answer ... straight from a Pro or from a Pro's Dad. Everything I learned from them is in RaceManPro, along with what I picked up from some of the top Competitors and Race Directors in the world and my own personal experience. Oahu's windsurfing community was special and the camaraderie at all of Oahu's windsurfing sites was outstanding.

Kailua Bay, Oahu. Unfortunately, H.A.W.A.I.I began to experience financial difficulties brought about by our P-14 Race Committee boat which suffered various neurotic and hostile behaviors. First, it dumped its 20 year old Yamaha motor overboard resulting in the need to purchase a new 1990 Evinrude. Then, apparently suffering delusions that it was a submarine, it took a test dive in Kailua Bay. (Actually, after picking up all the racing buoys and concrete block anchors, it ran out of gas as it crossed the deep reef in Kailua Bay ... and a large swell broke over the stern and filled it with water ... that weight combined with the concrete blocks and three crew members provided ample ballast for the non-flotation equipped boat's first dive). This cost the association $600 for a complete overhaul on its brand new Evinrude. At that point, the P-14 underwent extensive surgery by Happie Chapman who installed foam flotation in the mid and aft sections. While we all appreciated the increased safety, apparently the boat didn't because one race later, in an obvious display of hostility, the P-14 jammed its throttle and advance mechanism forcing the Race Committee to set buoys at idle speed for the October 27th race.