Experienced powerboat pilot Craig Nesbitt and his co-pilot son Craig Nesbitt Jr achieved a major breakthrough in the Spanish Point Boat Club National Championship and Grand Prix on the Great Sound at the weekend.

The father and son pair withstood the rough conditions that took a heavy toll on the field to claim the B class title in the Grand Prix race — their first triumph since they joined forces in the cockpit three years ago.

“This is our first win together and it feels good,” Nesbitt Sr said.

“It was a special achievement and my birthday was the day before [Saturday], so it was like icing on the cake.

“It was very rough. It was so rough everybody was breaking equipment and we just lasted longest to get our first win in the boat. We weren’t the fastest boat out there in those conditions but we were persistent and just kept it together and kept it going.”

Nesbitt, a former Dandy Town goalkeeper, refused to take all the credit.

“I want to give my son the credit because it is his boat and he put it all together,” he added. “I am just the driver while he is the owner, co-pilot and mechanic.”

Jody Carreiro and co-pilot Tony Carreiro were the only other B class boat to finish the Grand Prix race as rivals Quince Dowling and Tai Bean did not finish. Sadune Raynor and co-pilot Rickai Raynor and Aaron Daniels and co-pilot Andrew DeCosta both did not start.

Henry Talbot and co-pilot Andrew Cottingham claimed the S class title. David Selley and co-pilot Matthew Smith were the only entry in the A class while Shawn Butterfield and co-pilot Jermal Woolridge were the sole team in the D class.

The Grand Prix races were preceded by the Spanish Point Boat Club National Championship race.

Talbot and Cottingham won the S class while Dowling and co-pilot Bean won the B class.

Selley and Smith were the only team in the A class and Butterfield and co-pilot Woolridge in the D class. The next powerboat race is scheduled for Ferry Reach on June 9.