Engineering:Hurricane 5.9
| Development | |
|---|---|
| Designer | Reg White |
| Location | Brightlingsea |
| Year | 1980s |
| No. built | ≈500 |
| Builder(s) | White Formula |
| Boat | |
| Crew | 2 |
| Boat weight | 192 kg (423 lb) |
| Hull | |
| Type | Cat |
| LOA | 5.9 m (19 ft) |
| Beam | 2.43 m (8 ft 0 in) |
| Sails | |
| Mainsail area | 17.50 m2 (188.4 sq ft) |
| Jib/genoa area | 4.56 m2 (49.1 sq ft) |
| Gennaker area | 21.00 m2 (226.0 sq ft) |
| Racing | |
| Rating | 1.030 |
| RYA PN | 695 |
The Hurricane 5.9 is a one design racing catamaran. It was designed by Reg White in Brightlingsea in the 1980s in response to a Tornado catamaran owner's request that White Formula design a cat with equal or superior performance to the Tornado of roughly the same boat length and sail area that did not need to be dismantled for trailing, this was to be the Hurricane 5.9. When the first Hurricane 5.9s began racing, as their numbers were few, they would race alongside the Tornados to increase the racing numbers in one combined fleet.
Now the SX rig has modernised the platform and opened the class out to a wide range of sailors and it's low cost competitive racing in the UK
Design
Each hull is 5.9 metres long and 2.43 metres (two feet less than that of the Tornado) wide. A second trapeze was added to for the helmsman, this was to make up for the lost righting moment with the narrower boat. At the same time, the rear of each of the 5.9 hulls was reduced to give less buoyancy than that of the Tornados to make the boats less susceptible to pitch polling when sailing downwind. The sail and spar design was also heavily updated from the Tornado's rig that had hardly changed since its launch in the 1970s.
Hurricane 5.9SX
During the 2000s the platform was given a new rig option - the SX. Moving the mainsail to a square top Pentex sail with a higher boom fitment, a smaller self tacking jib and a new asymmetric spinnaker shape with a solid chute and evolved layout. Paired with smaller evolutions to blocks and rope systems this modernised the Hurricane platform and made the boat suit a wider range of sailors.
Hurricane 4.9
On the back of the success of the 5.9, Reg White took the older designed 16 foot Condor catamaran and redesigned its sails and spars. This new re-rigged Condor was given the name Hurricane 4.9.
Performance
The 5.9 is designed to give Tornado-like performance coupled with smooth predictable handling. In many conditions the 5.9 will actually outpace the classic Tornado. The boat is equipped with kick up rudders and centreboards which ride up on impact, reducing risk of damage. The PET film main sail gives long life and low maintenance with less frequent need for replacement. Now with the introduction of the SX rig (3 sail) the performance has been enhanced further.
Data
General
| Boat Data* | |
|---|---|
| Sails | Mylar/Dacron |
| Construction | Foam Sandwich |
| Mast | Adjustable Pre-bent |
| Trapezes | Twin |
| Crew | Two |
| Rudders | Kick-up |
| Blocks | Harken |
| Transport | Trailable complete |
| Technical Data* | Hurricane 5.9 | Hurricane 5.9 Sport | Hurricane 5.9 SX |
|---|---|---|---|
| Length Overall | 5.9 metres | 5.9 metres | 5.9 metres |
| Beam | 2.43 metres | 2.43 metres | 2.43 metres |
| Sailing weight | 180.5 kg | 191.5 kg | 192 kg |
| Mainsail | 17.5 m2 | 17.5 m2 | 17.5 m2 |
| Jib | 5.9m² | 5.2m² | 4.563m² |
| Spinnaker | n/a | 21m² | 21m² |
| SCHRS | 1.009 | 0.997 | 1.007 |
| Portsmouth Yardstick | 65[1] |
Champions
European Champions
| Year | Venue | Winning Team | Home Club |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1989 | Template:Country data Essex Marconi SC | ||
| 1990 | Template:Country data Essex Brightlingsea SC | ||
| 1992 | Template:Country data Essex Brightlingsea SC | ||
| 1993 | Template:Country data Berkshire Datchet Water SC | ||
| 1994 | Template:Country data Zeeland Catclub Zeeland | ||
| 1995 | Template:Country data Essex Brightlingsea SC | ||
| 1996 | Template:Country data Zeeland Catclub Zeeland | ||
| 1997 | Template:Country data Hampshire Mudeford SC | ||
| 1998 | Template:Country data Hampshire Stokes Bay SC | ||
| 1999 | Template:Country data Essex Harwich Town SC | ||
| 2000 | Template:Country data Cambridgeshire Grafham Water SC | ||
| 2002 | Template:Country data Essex Harwich Town SC | ||
| 2003 | Template:Country data Hampshire Lymington Town SC | ||
| 2004 | Template:Country data Berkshire Datchet Water SC | ||
| 2005 | Template:Country data Berkshire Datchet Water SC | ||
| 2007 | Template:Country data Somerset Weston SC | ||
| 2024 | Template:Country data Essex Thorpe Bay YC |
National Champions
| Year | Venue | Winning team | Home Club | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1989 | Template:Country data Kent Seasalter SC | |||
| 1990 | Template:Country data Essex Brightlingsea SC | |||
| 1991 | Template:Country data Dorset Mudeford SC | |||
| 1992 | Template:Country data Yorkshire Beaver SC | |||
| 1993 | Template:Country data Essex Brightlingsea SC | |||
| 1994 | Template:Country data Dorset Mudeford SC | |||
| 1995 | Template:Country data Dorset Mudeford SC | |||
| 1996 | Template:Country data Dorset Mudeford SC | |||
| 1997 | Template:Country data Dorset Mudeford SC | |||
| 1998 | Template:Country data Essex Brightlingsea SC | |||
| 1999 | Template:Country data Devon Starcross YC | Template:Country data Essex Harwich Town SC | ||
| 2000 | Template:Country data Essex Harwich Town SC | |||
| 2001 | Template:Country data Devon Mayflower SC | Template:Country data Essex Harwich Town SC | ||
| 2002 | Template:Country data Kent Minnis Bay SC | Template:Country data Essex Brightlingsea SC | ||
| 2003 | Template:Country data Essex Harwich Town SC | |||
| 2004 | Template:Country data Essex Harwich Town SC | |||
| 2005 | Template:Country data Essex Harwich Town SC | Template:Country data Essex Harwich Town SC | ||
| 2006 | Template:Country data Essex Stone SC | Template:Country data Hampshire Stokes Bay SC | ||
| 2007 | Template:Country data Hampshire Weston SC | |||
| 2008 | Template:Country data Hampshire Stokes Bay SC | Template:Country data Essex Stone SC | ||
| 2009 | Template:Country data Essex Stone SC | Template:Country data Essex Stone SC | ||
| 2010 | Template:Country data Essex Thorpe Bay SC | Template:Country data Essex West Mersea SC | ||
| 2011 | Template:Country data Essex Stone SC | |||
| 2012 | Template:Country data Essex Brighltingsea SC | Template:Country data Essex West Mersea SC | ||
| 2013 | Template:Country data Dorset WPNSA | Template:Country data Essex West Mersea SC Template:Yachtclub | ||
| 2014 | Template:Country data Essex Harwich Town SC | Template:Country data Hampshire Weston SC | ||
| 2015 | Template:Country data Essex Thorpe Bay SC | Template:Country data Essex Stone SC | ||
| 2016 | Template:Country data Essex Stone SC | |||
| 2017 | Template:Country data West Sussex Pagham SC | Template:Country data Essex Royal Corinthian YC | ||
| 2018 | Template:Country data Essex Royal Corinthian YC | |||
| 2019 | Template:Country data Essex Canvey Island SC | Template:Country data Essex Thorpe Bay YC | ||
| 2020 | Event cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic | |||
| 2021 | Template:Country data Essex Thorpe Bay SC | Template:Country data Essex Stone SC | ||
| 2022 | Template:Country data Essex Stone SC | Template:Country data Essex Stone SC | ||
| 2023 | Template:Country data Essex Harwich Town SC | Template:Country data Hampshire Weston SC Template:Country data Devon Starcross YC | ||
| 2024 | Template:Country data Yorkshire Bridlington SC | Template:Country data Essex Stone SC | ||
| 2025 | Template:Country data Devon Paignton SC | Template:Country data Essex Stone SC | ||
*Data from UK Hurricane Class Association[2]
References
- ↑ "Portsmouth Number List 2012". Royal Yachting Association. http://www.rya.org.uk/SiteCollectionDocuments/technical/Web%20Documents/py-general/2012%20listv3.xls. Retrieved 31 July 2012.
- ↑ "Home". http://www.hurricane59.com/.
External links
