Nab Solo 2008

Nab Tower Solo won by Voador

Conditions were almost perfect, a nice westerly 15 knot breeze and the spring flood tide kept the soloists honest as they ganged up on the JOG line heading east for a spinnaker start in bright sunshine at 1010.

Simon Curwen in the J105 Voador made his customary excellent start just ahead of his Fastnet partner Paul Peggs in Audacious (JOD35) and promptly gybed out into the best tide at Prince Consort. This proved to be a winning move, both in Class 2 and on IRC, as Voador was never headed by the Class 2 boats and was close on Class 1 boats at the Forts.

Chris Rustom won the open event with line honours in Ding Dong (Stuart 38) just two minutes and 44 seconds ahead of Rob Craigie in Jbellino (J122). Oscar Mead, J105 Juneau, was hot after his win in the two-handed Royal Southampton Yacht Club Nab Double Race the day before and dogged Simon Curwen all the way, getting close at the turning mark and finishing just two minutes behind Voador to take second in class and second on IRC.

Race Director Paul Peggs battled with Peter Newlands' Anticipation (40.7) all the way round but the eight second loosing margin on the water multiplied up to a one minute, 24 seconds deficit on handicap. Paul was pleased to have been able to concentrate on his racing for once as the start box duties were smoothly handled by Charles Allen.

Simon Curwen described his winning race: "We started at the Gurnard buoy, gybing on to port on the gun. I put in a short hitch out on port to get in the best of the tide at Prince Consort buoy and to keep clean air. The wind was coming off the Island shore after Osborne Bay and I felt the breeze was slightly less disturbed offshore which helped me to hold third place on the water behind Ding Dong and Jbellino at the Forts. Oscar had battled through the pack to fourth by this time, in a close contest with Andy Hill on Only Just, also J105.

"The wind had backed to southwest at the No Man's Fort and increased slightly so we dropped kites there and fetched to Bembridge and then a had a very short beat to West Princessa. I set my small spinnaker for the four mile run out to the Nab Tower, the wind angle was about 150 true gusting up to 25 knots by this time, ideal J boat weather. Oscar set his big spinnaker and made a big gain on this leg closing up to about 10 lengths at the Tower. Andy had an incident with his spinnaker and had a more leisurely white sail leg to Nab.

"Jbellino enjoyed a couple of wipeouts and that allowed Ding Dong to get around the turning mark with a clear lead in their close fought duel. I managed to pull away from Oscar again on the white sail fetch back to No Man's Land Fort and held on to the lead on the one sided beat back up to Cowes with the new ebb tide."

The next race in the Solent Solo Series will be around the cans, and takes place on Sunday, 7 September. The round marks races are of approximately 20 miles. Races are open to monohull and multihull yachts between 25 and 40 foot and to Class Mini 6.50 yachts conforming to their own rules.