Twohanded round the island

Two week's until the Royal Southampton YC's doublehanded fest

The Royal Southampton Yacht Club’s own version of a Round the Island race presents double-handed crews with some of the most taxing tactical and enjoyable racing in the South Coast sailing calendar.

This month’s Island Double in two weeks time, on Saturday, July 18, organised by the Royal Southampton Yacht, as part of its McGuigan Wines’ Double Handed Series, looks set to be one of the most popular and keenly contested races of the season.

Although the early entry rates close on Wednesday, July 8, late entries are accepted right up till race day.

Among the competitors entered already are Dee Caffari and Katie Miller. Dee, who holds the honour of being the first women to have sailed solo non stop round the world in both directions, and has just captured the Round Britain and Ireland record with an all-girl crew, will be on her IMOCA Open 60, with co-skipper for the race Jonothan Brown. Katie has just returned from the US after competing in the Ostar transatlantic race, and is to sail Simon Curwen’s J/105 Voador for the race.

Previous big names who have entered this event over the past six years include Mike Golding, Ellen McArthur, Sam Davies, Mike Garside, Mervyn Hughes, Ross Hobson, Amanda Pirie and Lisa and Neal McDonald.

Race secretary, Cathy Crawley, said: “The race was first run in 1981 with 131 entries and has averaged around this figure most years since, and quite often reaching up to 150.

This year, with two weeks to go, entries are well on the way to reach and hopefully beat this figure.”

Racing will be in five classes: 2 IRC, 2 Club handicap and 1 Multihull class.
The start line will be from the Royal Yacht Squadron platform with the first warning around 0730. The direction will be westabout, down the Solent to the Needles, and then turning south of the Island..

The time each competitor will be aiming to beat is either the record multihull time set in 1996 of 4hh 44mm 29ss by Phoenix, a Firebird Catamaran, raced by Martin Hutchings/Tim Hazel, or the record monohull time set in 2004 of 5hh 58mm 51ss by Bounder, a Europrix 45, raced by Chris Little/Mike Richards.

Results and bar will be available at the Royal Squadron platform after racing. Declaration forms can be handed in here after racing and exchanged for a pair of engraved whisky tumblers.