Epic Weekend at the Sandbar

Cruising Hawaii Series

Since the beginning of the pandemic, we have been unable to travel inter island. Normally on holiday weekends we like to sail to one of the neighboring islands of Molokai, Lanai, or Maui. The pandemic restrictions have limited us to Oahu’s anchorages.

Oahu offers some amazing anchorages! Kaneohe is always a favorite place to spend a weekend on a boat. Beautiful views and flat water make anchoring in Kaneohe Bay a splendid place to spend the weekend.

On Columbus Day weekend, we decided to sail to Kaneohe with out friends Trisa, Joe, Amanda, and Bill on our Beneteau 473 “Elara”. Our friends and boat neighbors, Mark and Chrystina, decided they would also join us with their own Beneteau 473 “Noelani”

Sailing from Honolulu to Kaneohe Bay

We both left Kewalo Basin Harbor at 5:30am. We motor sailed to the Diamond Head buoy where we were met with a stiff 15-18 knot easterly breeze. Both of us turned our engines off and began the long beat up the coast to Makapu’u Point. The race was on as we short tacked up the southern coast, switching the lead at every crossing and dodging single man outrigger canoes. I am always amazed at how far out you will see people on paddle boards and single man canoes. We always have to keep a good lookout while sailing off Oahu’s South East coast.

We fell behind our friends boat until we tacked on the layline for Makapu’u point. We thought we had out-sailed them because they sailed way past their layline. After 30 minutes of them not tacking, we hailed them on the radio. They let us know they hadn’t tacked yet because they were taking on water and trying to flatten the boat out. Somehow water was entering their boat while heeled over! They flattened their boat out and were able to pump all the water out, which had been splashing out through the floor boards. They decided to turn their engine on and follow us to Kaneohe Bay where we would investigate the water intrusion.

Noelani crossing Elara with her brand new Ulman Jib and main sail.

Anchoring at the Sandbar

Winds were on the lighter side so we decided to anchor stern-to Sandbar to reduce our swimming length to the Sandbar. Elara backed up to the Sandbar first with her stern anchor ready to be deployed. After getting as close as the skipper felt comfortable, utilizing fenders to help take the anchors weight, Bill swam the anchor and chain to the Sandbar . After Elara’s stern anchor was set, Noelani dropped her bow anchor and backed down to Elara. Since the wind was forecasted to be coming out of the NE all weekend, we put out a second stern anchor from Noelani’s stern but elected not to drop Elara’s bow anchor. After both boats were securely in their harness and rigs separated in case a large power boat wakes us, we had five feet under the rudders and more than 10 feet under our keels.

Relaxation Time

We were securly anchored and drinking cold beverages on the Sandbar by noon. The weather was perfect for our planned activities of relaxing, drinking, reading, and good eating. Our plan was to spend Saturday night and Sunday morning at the Sandbar and to shift anchorages on Sunday to Secret Beach. Because the Sandbar was so pleasant, that plan was altered to stay two nights at the Sandbar.

Gidget and Schooner enjoying their relaxing morning.

Finding the Leak

Before we sailed back to Honolulu, we had to find where the water is coming in while Noelani was heeled over. Since there are only so many places above the water line where water could enter the boat, we started at three thru-hulls on the starboard side. Mark suggested that it could be the emergency bilge pump he had installed a few years ago because he saw a little water coming out of the bilge pump. When we looked at the hose coming off the thru-hull we knew that it wasn’t correct because it was going straight down to the pump without the required vented loop. Ironically, the emergency bilge pump was actually allowing water to enter the boat instead of pumping it out. We decided to plug the hose with a wood plug and fix upon return to Honolulu.

Our Sail Back

Elara hoisting her spinnaker just after rounding Makapu Point.

Monday morning we woke up to amazing conditions in a perfectly calm Kaneohe Bay. We got a late start to our sail back because we wanted to enjoy the epic conditions on the Sandbar. After enjoying our coffee and a breakfast of lox and bagels, we put away our toys, secured the dingy on the bow, and got underway around 10:30.

As soon as we got underway, the breeze picked up to 15-18 knots. After exiting the Sampan Channel, we put out the sails and shut the engine down. As usual, we beat up wind on a port tack towards Makapu’u Point while cracking off a few degrees every 20-30 minutes. Noelani was keeping up with us until we decided to hoist our asymmetric spinnaker. Once our spinnaker was filled our boat speed jumped from 7.5 knots to 10 knots and we pulled well ahead.

Sailing with our spinnaker in 15-20 knots of breeze is a blast on Elara. The boat really comes alive surfing down rolling waves. We rounded the Diamond Head buoy in under five hours!