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.

The SX rig has updated its platform and made the class accessible to more sailors. It provides a low-cost option for competitive racing within the United Kingdom.

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

Champions European Champions Year Venue Winning team Home club1989 Robin Smith Lisa Gatton Marconi SC1990 Robert White Ian Newman Brightlingsea SC1992 Robert White Huw Reynolds Brightlingsea SC1993 William Sunnucks Rob Gutteridge Datchet Water SC1994 Erwin Kerstens Jorgen Kerstens Catclub Zeeland1995 Robert White Graham Eeles Brightlingsea SC1996 Jorgen Kerstens Ward Groot Catclub Zeeland1997 Tim Reid Trevor Hewitt Mudeford SC1998 Jason Smith Julia Plumstead Stokes Bay SC1999 Andy Webb Finley Humphreys Harwich Town SC2000 Robin Smith Lisa Gatton Grafham Water SC2002 Skinias Andy Webb Finley Humphreys Harwich Town SC2003 Ballyholme Sean Ward Jo Ward Lymington Town SC2004 Ashley Machin Julia Machin Datchet Water SC2005 Ashley Machin Julia Machin Datchet Water SC2007 Grant Piggott Greg Windle Weston SC2024 YC Carnac Alex Farrall Alex Warrington Thorpe Bay YC

National Champions YearVenueWinning teamHome Club1989 David Williams Ian Rhodes Seasalter SC1990 Robert White Huub Lambriek Brightlingsea SC1991 Tim Reid Trevor Hewitt Mudeford SC1992 Tony Wetherall Jeremy Mitcham Beaver SC1993 Robert White Graham Eeles Brightlingsea SC1994 Tim Reid Sally Fisher Mudeford SC1995 Tim Reid Trevor Hewitt Mudeford SC1996 Tim Reid Trevor Hewitt Mudeford SC1997 Tim Reid Trevor Hewitt Mudeford SC1998 Will Sunnucks Rob Gutteridge Brightlingsea SC1999 Starcross YC Andy Webb Paul Gray Harwich Town SC2000 Andy Webb Paul Gray Harwich Town SC2001 Mayflower SC Andy Webb Paul Gray Harwich Town SC2002 Minnis Bay SC William Sunnucks Mark Self Brightlingsea SC2003 Andy Webb Finlay Humphries Harwich Town SC2004 Pwllheli SC Andy Webb Paul Gray Harwich Town SC2005 Harwich Town SC Andy Webb Paul Gray Harwich Town SC2006 Stone SC John Ready Ryan Crawford Stokes Bay SC2007 Grant Piggott Gred Windle Weston SC2008 Stokes Bay SC Neil Connelly Buster Tickner Stone SC2009 Stone SC Neil Connelly Buster Tickner Stone SC2010 Thorpe Bay SC John Ready Ryan Duffield West Mersea SC Nedlands YC2011 Richie Hanmore Stevie Pyman Stone SC2012 Brighltingsea SC John Ready Jamie Bolingbroke West Mersea SC2013 WPNSA John Ready Nahid Gaebler West Mersea SC 2014 Harwich Town SC Grant Piggott Adam Piggott Weston SC2015 Thorpe Bay SC Jack Tindale Hugo Bull Stone SC2016 Neil Connelly Trevor Bawden Stone SC2017 Pagham SC Neil Connelly Trevor Bawden Royal Corinthian YC2018 Neil Connelly Trevor Bawden Royal Corinthian YC2019 Canvey Island SC Paul Palmer Robert Palmer Thorpe Bay YC2020Event cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic2021 Thorpe Bay SC Jack Tindale Hugo Bull Stone SC2022 Stone SC Jack Tindale Hugo Bull Stone SC2023 Harwich Town SC Ben Harris Izzy Smith Weston SC Starcross YC2024 Bridlington SC Jack Tindale Hugo Bull Stone SC2025 Paignton SC Jack Tindale Hugo Bull Stone SC

*Data from UK Hurricane Class Association

References

External links Yachts and yachting Hurricane-5.9-SX class page