Round the Island two handed

Simon Forbes reports on Saturday Royal Southampton YC organised event

116 yachts entered the Royal Southampton Yacht Club’s Island Double-Handed race around the Isle of Wight held on Saturday 10 July. Wind conditions for the race were southwesterly breeze of up to 20 knots.

The Race Management Team at Cowes set a start finish/line from the Skandia Barge and the Committee Boat. Racing was in two IRC Classes, one club-rated and a multihull class. For the first time the sailing instructions did not require Nomansland Fort to be left to port, though the temptation to take a short cut over Ryde Sands proved too much for some as several enjoyed a picnic aground in the shallows.

The 30 boats in Class 1 IRC included 11 J/Boats and five X-Boats. First monohull to finish in a new monohull record time for the event was the Europrix 45 Bounder sailed by RORC Commodore Chris Little and Mike Richards. Their time of 5 hours 58 minutes knocked six minutes off the time set last year by Swan 56 Noonmark VI. It was Matt and Jean Findlay on the Maxi 1100 Superted IV which won on corrected time by over three minutes from Simon and Jane Curwen on the J/105 Voador with third Andy Bird and Phil Ryan on the J/105 Jambalaya.

The 35 boats in Class 2 IRC handicap, which ranged from a Starlight 39 down to a Folkboat, saw Just Savage the J-80 of Liz and Chris Savage take line honours. On corrected time the winner was Dermod O’Malley and Christopher Harvey sailing Folkboat Nordic Bear, ahead of the Scampi Garnele sailed by Chris Rustom and John Syms and in third place the L’ll Scampi, Olivia Anne VI sailed by Chris and Sue Flewitt.

The 43 boats in Class 3, Club-rated, ranged from a Bavaria 44 to a Laser SB3. First to finish and first on corrected time was Wee Jamarama the Laser SB3 of Stewart Hawthorn and Tim Dunger. Second was Pavo a Wauquiex Pretorien sailed by David and Mary Greenway and in third place was Jon Woolgar and Peter Sprake sailing the Westerly GK29 Green Kestrel.

The 11 boats in the Multihull Class ranged from a Formula 40 trimaran to a 24ft Strider catamaran. Provu the ex- Biscuits Cantreau Formula 40 sailed by Roger Barber was first to finish in a time of 4 hours 53 minutes - only nine minutes outside the multihull record. Mike Wigmore and John Wyatt sailing Firebird Hyper were first on corrected time by two and a half minutes from Richard Roscoe and George Stead on Farrier 9AX Triohe with Ben Goodland and Mike Yates Strider 24 cat Tigger third.

The Double Handed Series continues with the RSYC Torquay Double on Friday 23rd July. For details contact Cathy Crawley, Sailing Secretary, RSYC, Tel: 023 80
223352 or email racing@rsyc.org.uk

Provisional results
Class: 1 – IRC
1. Superted IV Maxi1100 Matt/Jean Findlay
2. Voador J/105 Simon/Jane Curwen
3. Jambalaya J/105 Andy Bird/Phil Ryan

Class: 2 – IRC
1. Nordic Bear Nordic Folkboat Dermod O Malley Chris Harvey
2. Garnele Scampi Chris Rustom John Syms
3. Olivia Anne VI L’ll Scampi Chris / Sue Flewitt

Class: 3 – Club
1. Wee Jamarama Laser SB3 Stewart Hawthorn/Tim Dunger
2. Pavo Pretorien David/Mary Greenway
3. Green Kestrel Westerly GK29 Jon Woolgar/ Peter Sprake

Class: Multihulls
1. Hyper Firebird Mike Wigmore/John Wyatt
2. Triohe Farrier 9AX Richard Roscoe/George Stead
3. Tigger Strider 24 Ben Goodland Michael Yates