McGuigan Wines Nab Double at Royal Southampton Yacht Club

66 yachts compete in the Nab Double © John Greenway / www.marineaction.co.uk

66 yachts compete in the Nab Double © John Greenway / www.marineaction.co.uk

McGuigan Wines Double Handed Series - Nab Double - 30 mile windward-leeward course

66 yachts were started from mid-Solent in glorious sunshine on a downwind 15 mile leg to the Nab Tower. Class 1 IRC were first away benefitting from the last of the east going tide and a North Westerly breeze of 10-15 knots.

The beat back from the Nab saw the sky darken with black clouds and winds gusting over 25 knots, with a Solent chop kicked up by the west-going tide.

First boat to finish was the Santa Cruz 37 Sonic sailed by Stewart Hawthorn and Nick Martin. The non-bowsprit yachts did well on corrected time with HOD 35s, Dehler 36, Elans and a Lightwave 395 finishing in the top ten. Nevertheless Simon Curwen still managed second place in his J/105 Voador. First place by 17 seconds went to the Elan 37 Elaine sailed by Phil Stubbs and Mike Bridges.

Class 2 saw Folkboat Mandarin win by over 13 minutes from Trapper 300 Google-Eye.

Class 3 (RSYC Rated) saw Pavo the Wauquiez Pretorien of David Greenway punching to windward in 25 knots fast enough to beat Hunter 707 Tiger Feet by 2 minutes. Class 4 (RSYC Rated) was won by Contessa 28 Tringa by over 11 minutes from Contessa 32 Cantata.

The multihull Class saw Dragonfly 35 Cold Fusion Re-loaded (Tim Wilson) record the best elapsed time of exactly 4 hours, while Dragonfly 800 Scooby III (Simon Forbes) won on corrected time by 27 seconds.

Full results at www.rsyc.org.uk/racing