The Supernova is a 4.3 metre one-design single-hander, and one of the most sailed classes at Castle Semple. It was designed by Mark Giles in 1996, growing out of the Lightning 368 class, with the aim of producing a bigger, quicker boat that one person could still handle comfortably.
It carries an 8 square metre fully battened sail on a stayed, foredeck-mounted bendy mast. Just three controls — kicker, clew outhaul and cunningham — do the work, so the rig depowers easily as the breeze builds. That combination of a forgiving hull and a rig that is quick to flatten suits a wide range of helm weights, and it copes well with the shifty, gusty conditions the loch is known for. Supernovas race off a handicap of 1075 at Castle Semple, where they are scored as “Nova”.
The class association is an active one, running open meetings, training days and three championships a year, including a Scottish circuit.
