Nab Tower Double at the Royal Southampton Yacht Club

Action from the Nab Tower Double race © Iuan N Gray / www.pix-u.com

Action from the Nab Tower Double race © Iuan N Gray / www.pix-u.com

Victory for Jahmali, Olivia Anne VI, Shooting Star and Ngalawa A record 100 yachts entered the Royal Southampton Yacht Club’s Nab Tower Double-Handed race held on Saturday 4th September.

The Race Management Team initially set the start line off Hillhead. The lack of wind prompted the Race Committee to motor down to Gilkicker Point where the start line was established and Class 3 were set away first at 1155. The course set for all classes was Nab Tower, Horsetail, Gleads (off Spit Sand Fort), Royal Albert (off Gilkicker Point) and Hillhead finish.

The light north westerly saw the fleet start downwind and downtide but as the yachts approached the forts the breeze headed and the remainder of the leg to the Nab was a beat in light airs eventually against the building tidal stream. Some boats looked for less tide off Bembridge ledge but several of these eventually ended up reaching into the Nab. Class 3 were shortened to finish at Horsetail while the other classes were shortened at Gleads.

Racing was in two IRC Classes, one club-rated and a multihull class. In IRC Class 1 first monohull to finish was Andrew Roberts and Steve Thorpe on J125 Wings of the Winds. First on corrected time was J/109 Jahmali (Mike Wallis/Nicholas Harrison). Second by 3 minutes 20 seconds was sistership Jalapeno (Nigel/Suzie Brooke) with third Mike Garvey and Keith Ganter on the X-332 X Parrot.

In Class 2 IRC handicap, Kevin Downer’s Tripp 26 Abstention took line honours. On corrected time the winner was the L’ll Scampi, Olivia Anne VI sailed by Chris and Sue Flewitt. Second by 104 seconds was the Trapper 300 Google-Eye sailed by Pat Stables and Nigel Hunter, ahead of the Tony and James Hanfrey sailing the Etchells Playgirl.

In Class 3, Club-rated, Mike Golding’s Open 60 Ecover was a non-starter. First to finish and first on corrected time was the Elan 295 Shooting Star sailed by Michael Austen and Michael Braidley. Second was Green Kestrel a Westerly GK29 sailed by Jon Woolgar and Richard Davison with third Sylvie a Feeling 326 (Anthony Huggett/Arthur Mitchell).

In the Multihull Class first to finish was the Formula 40 trimaran Provu sailed by Roger Barber and Abreham Treadwell. Dragonfly 920 Ngalawa (James Stewart and Keith Taylor) were first on corrected time from Dragonfly 800 Scooby III (Simon Forbes and Marta Yustos) with Provu third.

The Double Handed Series concludes with the RSYC Autumn Solent Double on Saturday 9th October. For details contact Cathy Crawley, Sailing Secretary, RSYC, Tel: 023 80223352 or email racing@rsyc.org.uk

PROVISIONAL RESULTS NAB TOWER DOUBLE RACE:

Class: 1 – IRC
1. Jahmali J109 Mike Wallis/Nicholas Harrison
2. Jalapeno J109 Nigel/Suzie Brooke
3. X Parrot X-332 Mike Garvey/Keith Ganter

Class: 2 – IRC
1. Olivia Anne VI L’ll Scampi Chris / Sue Flewitt
2. Google-Eye Trapper 300 Pat Stables/ Nigel Hunter
3. Playgirl Etchells Tony/James Hanfrey

Class: 3 – Club
1. Shooting Star Elan 295 Michael Austen/Michael Braidley
2. Green Kestrel Westerly GK 29 Jon Woolgar/Richard Davison
3. Sylvie Feeling 326 Anthony Huggett/Arthur Mitchell

Class: Multihulls
1. Ngalawa Dragonfly 920 James Stewart/Keith Taylor
2. Scooby III Dragonfly 800 Simon Forbes/Marta Yustos
3. Provu F40 trimaran Roger Barber/Abreham Treadwell