News - 2014

16:41 Saturday 2 Aug 2014 Sue Pelling/CWLSunbeams shine on Cowes

Humphrey van der Klugt with daughter Ella and nephew Ed, relax at the Island SC after a good day on the water on their brand-new Solent Sunbeam.

Last year the Solent Sunbeam class celebrated its 90^th anniversary with a host of special events during Aberdeen Asset Management Cowes Week. Now in its 91^st year, the class has expanded further with a brand-new boat (V67) recently launched.

This pretty Alfred Westmacott design with its distinct ‘V’ sail insignia is a fun, yet highly competitive dayboat has remained popular over the years and, although the class is mainly sailed at Itchenor SC in Chichester, there is still an active division in Falmouth, known as the Falmouth Sunbeams.

Misty the new boat is owned by Humphrey van der Klugt who is sailing with his nepher Ed, twin brother Kess, and daughter Ella this week. Misty was built by a team of class enthusiasts including Roger Wickens, Anthony Robinson, and Mark Downer and finished at Haines Boatyard and is based at Itchenor.

Chatting about the new boat after the first day on the water, van der Klugt said: “We are thrilled to have taken third place in our new boat. She is fantastic to sail and it is pleasing to see that the new glassfibre boats are proving so similar in performance to the wood versions.”

Roger Wickens, who won the class last year, won today’s racing in his wood boat (V26) Danny, so it looks as though it is going to be another close battle at this year’s event.