Twenty-nine years after sailing in his first Noelex 25 nationals in 1982, Tauranga yachtsman Derek Dumbar has scooped his third national title in four years.

Derek and his crew, Queenstown brothers Nigel and Derek Brown, out sailed the rest of the 17-boat field off Napier with two wins, two seconds and two thirds.

Derek Dumbar and the Brown brothers, Derek and Nigel are the Noelex 25 nationals 2011 winners.

He took the title ahead of Napier yacht Mykonos skippered by Craig Coulam and Gisborne yacht Citrine skippered by Peter Millar in some of the closest racing of the regatta's 30-year history.

The nine-race series was reduced to seven races because of Cyclone Wilma, but Derek's two wins, two seconds and two thirds gave the crew their third title out of the last four national championships in his yacht Que Sera Sera.

Derek and the Brown brothers have sailed together for nearly 35 years since they met at Te Anau in 1976 when they were all sailing javelins.

Sailing this year was seriously restricted by the rough conditions generated by Cyclone Wilma. Only six of the seven races counted in the final points tally.

Racing began last Thursday in light, variable winds, but the racing the following day was in a medium northerly winds with a good swell and chop. By Saturday, the wind had risen to storm force and was gusting to 51 knots (94kph). Racing was abandoned.

Derek says although the final points tally comfortably gave him the title, racing could not have been closer.

'In race six, Mykonos was one second ahead of us when we crossed the line. It was as close as it gets.”

Derek and the Brown brothers were in Que Sera Sera when they won the national title in Taupo in 2008 and in Lyttelton last year. They were second in Rotorua in 2009.

Nigel Brown sailed in the first Noelex 25 nationals in 1981 and Dumbar and Nigel Brown began sailing together at the second nationals in 1982.

Other notable winners in the last 30 years included Don Baverstock, Brad Butterworth, Tom Dodson and Doug Elder.

The Noelex 25 yachts are among the most popular trailer sailer class in the country. They were designed and initially built in New Zealand but are now made in Australia.

Results: Que Sera Sera (skipper Derek Dumbar, Tauranga) 12 points, 1; Mykonos (Craig Coulam, Napier) 19 points, 2: Citrine (Peter Millar, Gisborne) 20 points, 3; Blue Print (Barry Finlayson, Napier) 22 points, 4; Outnumbered (Bob Coultas, Lyttelton) 22 points, 5.