Hurricane 5.9 Nationals edition 26- 'The Hurricane way of life'

by John Ready on 26 Sep 2013 What better season finale for the Hurricane 5.9 fleet, than GBR’s pinnacle location Weymouth and the 2012 Olympic course…

Class secretary Maxine Oliver, organised a blinding combo of international quality racing facilities with social events to match. World class race officers, Olympic facilities, the band Super Massive, an RNLI benefit race night, Hog roast and more…. Did you see the prizes waiting for every competitor? Thanks to Typhoon, Hyde sails and AWSailboats?

The fleet however out shone all of this with a huge show of camaraderie and mutual support on ‘big Sunday’….. This is really what Hurricane sailing and its sailors are all about, sail with us and you become part of the family…. It’s the Hurricane way of life baby!! (By the way there are no secrets either, have you seen the tuning guide link below?)

Beautiful Weymouth bay, glorious sunny conditions and a 10knt offshore breeze greeted our contenders, in what turned out to be ‘’do or die' day for nationals 2013.

There was no chance for slow starters as competitors fought to make their mark on the score board in this soon to be truncated four race series, but no one knew that yet….

Greg Reed has form where leading races at nationals is concerned and got off to a cracking start comfortably leading race one. Defending champion John Ready was joined by ‘super crew’ Nahid Gaebler (Tornado European and World Champion) but started badly at the committee boat, failing to avoid a barging Mawdit and Lowther and got buried…

Reed and Loosemore struggled with the shifts and pressure changes around the course as they dropped down the order, you have to cover the fast boats or they do a runner!

Tindale and Bull also buried at the start worked the pressure and shifts well as they fought back to win race 1. Ready and Gaebler lit the after burners downwind to finish second with Tindale and Wood in third.

In races 2 and 3 it was more of the same with the wind continuing to the right and a real need to join the pressure dots to keep that hull flying. In Race 2 Ready and Gaebler started much faster and showed real pace up and downwind until gear failure saw them passed by Wood and Hay and Tindale and Bull at the top of the final upwind.

Downwind the leaders split with Ready and Gaebler pulling thru and Tindale and Bull beating Wood and Hay to second. Honourable mention goes to the Charlesworth brothers who picked the right corners to hit upwind achieving their best result of the regatta in fourth.

The final race of the day saw Ready and Gaebler sail much better for what turned out to be an important second win of the day, on the way to championship no4. Class stalwart Geoff Tindale continued to prove his great eye for pressure with an assured performance in second. However the honourable mention on this one went to the Starcross sailors Buxton-Smith crewed by Max Hodges with a fantastic third place, their best placing of the event.

At the end of the days racing Nahid described sailing the Hurricane ‘like coming home’ a high complement indeed for our three sail thrill machine, which still offers incredible value and longevity. You can still sell these boats for what you buy them for, no depreciation!! (Which may have something to do with a certain Andy Webb and his meticulous refurbs!)

Day two arrived with a bang as the fleet sailed into a force five on the harbour course with more to come….. Race 4 was sailable, but not for long, the course was shortened at the end of the second lap with multiple capsizes and 33knot gusts as the fleet went into rescue mode to get home. first Wood and Hays second Mawdit and Lowther third Powell and Cummins.

The F18’s were sharing the event as their Nationals on the harbour course as Big Sunday blew in. It was during the following few hours were every Hurricane sailor distinguished themselves by getting stuck in and ensuring every boat came home safely. This strong sense of community brought letters of thanks from battered F18 sailors and impressed the WPNSA staff who were grateful for the support.

Unfortunately despite the race officer’s best efforts there were no more races on days three and four with big wind sweeping the bay.

The class Agm was held on Saturday electing new members, Paul McKay and Nathan Jones to our strong and enthusiastic team, with Andy Bedford moving to the top job and past Chairman, newly elected Commodore of Honour Nick Moore, to events.

The meeting closed confirming Harwich Town sailing club and Weymouth and Portland National sailing Academy as our National championship venues for 2014 and 2015. (2014 nationals will be subject to a confirmation vote on the forum)

Roll on 2014…. Its all about ‘the Hurricane way of life’ baby, come and join us…. I hear there might be an updated tuning guide on the way too!....

Trophy winners:
1st / National Champions 2013: John Ready and Nahid Gaebler (Kieler Yacht Club, GER)
2nd overall: Jack Tindale and Hugo Bull (Stone SC)
3rd overall: Geoff Tindale and David Wood (Stone SC)

Top Mixed Crew: John Ready and Nahid Gaebler (Kieler Yacht Club, GER)
Best young team Jack Tindale and Hugo Bull (Stone SC)
Best newcomer: Graeme Hughes and Mark Smith (Datchet Water SC)
Top Club: Island YC
Anniversary Trophy eighth Greg Reed and Tom Loosemore (Datchet Water SC)
Furthest travelled: Nahid Gaebler (Kieler YC, GER)