A 44-foot sailboat that ran aground off Kahala was freed about 4:15 p.m. today.

The Fast Forward will be towed to Sand Island for repairs.

The owner of the boat spent yesterday and much of today trying to free the vessel.

The state says an aquatic biologist will go to the site of the grounding tomorrow to determine what damage the boat did to the reef and figure out where the keel, which was detached from the boat, is located.

Earlie today, the owner was able to take the mast off the vessel and get it upright. It had been laying on its side.

The Fast Forward ran aground Sunday afternoon about 150 yards offshore.

A state spokeswoman has said its owner anchored the sailboat off Kahala and then paddled to shore to meet with some friends. When he was ready to return to the vessel, he found it had run aground.