1720 winners in the Garmin Hamble Winter Series

For those who have so far failed to work it out, it has recently been confirmed that sailing without a hangover can actually be quite an enjoyable pastime, so it always strikes one as a little odd therefore, that the 1720 Class choose to have one of their biggest parties of the year, the night before the last race of the Garmin Hamble Winter Series. However, party they did, ever confident that two races sailed in a bracing winter breeze would be enough to blow away even the most persistent of drink induced cobwebs.

So there they all were yesterday morning, loitering with intent by the White Group Committee Boat, bleary eyed, a little sickly perhaps, but most definitely up for it and then the blasted breeze failed to show. Ah well, all back to the pub then for hair of the dog and to celebrate Darren and Georgie Baker’s series victory sailing Miele Mad Cow. Brett Lewis and Norman Armstrong’s Storm was second with Mark Greenaway’s La Licorne in third.

However, that’s not the whole story; there was one 1720 squad that didn’t have to get out of bed at all yesterday; Shane Hughes and the team from the 1720 Club, Key Yachting.

Shane had been racing his 1720 with a Club rig in the mixed sportsboat fleet for this series and having already scored 11 wins out of a possible 12, he had already won the series with a weekend to spare, thereby proving two things: Firstly, that the 1720 Club is clearly a weapon, and secondly, if you want to enjoy your racing, party hard, and still get to lie in on Sundays, you need to hang around with Shane. He’s young single and Irish, and I have his telephone number if you are interested?

More Information:

• Key Yachting website