UGLY DUCKLING
Model: Sagitta 35
Year: 1972
Design: #2008
Builder: Bianca Yachts
© Sersys Inshore Challenge by Rick Tomlinson
Having been used as a charter boat and a live-aboard in recent years, the Sagitta 35 Ugly Duckling made a successful return to IRC racing in 2019 winning both the JOG Offshore Yacht Racing inshore series in class six and the IRC 1 class in the Hamble Classics Regatta. Along the way she also secured two line-honours victories in her two finishes in the JOG Offshore Series.
Purchased by Olly Bewes and George Beevor towards the end of the 2018 series, Ugly Duckling emerged from a winter’s work to win the traditional season opener, JOG Nab Tower Race in March and consolidated that with a second in the Cowes-Yarmouth race in May. Line honours followed in a gale strewn St Vaast Race and again in the Cowes-Alderney race a few weeks later. A fourth win of the season was secured in the Cowes-Weymouth race and a second in Cowes-Poole and a third in the JOG Sersys Inshore Challenge was enough to secure the title.
© The Nab Tower by John Green
In between times she took IRC 1 class in the Hamble Classics Regatta which was hosted by the RAF Yacht Club in early September.
“This first year has really exceeded our expectations” said co-owner George. “We knew that she had the potential to be a real weapon against modern boats in long distance racing but we did not think she would come good quite so quickly – I think the height of our ambition for the Nab Tower Race was the top six. It’s offshore where she really came into her own though, sailing downwind in fifty knots on the way to St Vaast she felt safe and stable and really looked after us. She is a remarkable boat”.
More information about JOG can be found at https://jog.org.uk/ and Hamble Classics https://rafyc.org.uk/hamble-classics-regatta/