# Hurricane 5.9

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.
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
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.
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.

## 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

Reg White additionally, on the back of the success of the 5.9, took the older designed 16 foot Condor catamaran and redesigned its sails, mast and boom and 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 m$^2$ | 17.5 m$^2$ | 17.5 m$^2$ |
| 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 Club |
| 1989 | | Robin Smith Lisa Gatton | Marconi SC |
| 1990 | | Robert White Ian Newman | Brightlingsea SC |
| 1992 | | Robert White Huw Reynolds | Brightlingsea SC |
| 1993 | | William Sunnucks Rob Gutteridge | Datchet Water SC |
| 1994 | | Erwin Kerstens Jorgen Kerstens | Catclub Zeeland |
| 1995 | | Robert White Graham Eeles | Brightlingsea SC |
| 1996 | | Jorgen Kerstens Ward Groot | Catclub Zeeland |
| 1997 | | Tim Reid Trevor Hewitt | Mudeford SC |
| 1998 | | Jason Smith Julia Plumstead | Stokes Bay SC |
| 1999 | | Andy Webb Finley Humphreys | Harwich Town SC |
| 2000 | | Robin Smith Lisa Gatton | Grafham Water SC |
| 2002 | Skinias | Andy Webb Finley Humphreys | Harwich Town SC |
| 2003 | | Sean Ward Jo Ward | Lymington Town SC |
| 2004 | | Ashley Machin Julia Machin | Datchet Water SC |
| 2005 | | Ashley Machin Julia Machin | Datchet Water SC |
| 2007 | | Grant Piggott Greg Windle | Weston SC |
| 2024 | YC Carnac | Alex Farrall Alex Warrington | Thorpe Bay YC |

### National Champions

| Year | Venue | Winning Team | Home Club |
| 1989 | | David Williams Ian Rhodes | Seasalter SC |
| 1990 | | Robert White Huub Lambriek | Brightlingsea SC |
| 1991 | | Tim Reid Trevor Hewitt | Mudeford SC |
| 1992 | | Tony Wetherall Jeremy Mitcham | Beaver SC |
| 1993 | | Robert White Graham Eeles | Brightlingsea SC |
| 1994 | | Tim Reid Sally Fisher | Mudeford SC |
| 1995 | | Tim Reid Trevor Hewitt | Mudeford SC |
| 1996 | | Tim Reid Trevor Hewitt | Mudeford SC |
| 1997 | | Tim Reid Trevor Hewitt | Mudeford SC |
| 1998 | | Will Sunnucks Rob Gutteridge | Brightlingsea SC |
| 1999 | Starcross YC | Andy Webb Paul Gray | Harwich Town SC |
| 2000 | | Andy Webb Paul Gray | Harwich Town SC |
| 2001 | Mayflower SC | Andy Webb Paul Gray | Harwich Town SC |
| 2002 | Minnis Bay SC | William Sunnucks Mark Self | Brightlingsea SC |
| 2003 | | Andy Webb Finlay Humphries | Harwich Town SC |
| 2004 | Pwllheli SC | Andy Webb Paul Gray | Harwich Town SC |
| 2005 | Harwich Town SC | Andy Webb Paul Gray | Harwich Town SC |
| 2006 | Stone SC | John Ready Ryan Crawford | Stokes Bay SC |
| 2007 | | Grant Piggott Gred Windle | Weston SC |
| 2008 | Stokes Bay SC | Neil Connelly Buster Tickner | Stone SC |
| 2009 | Stone SC | Neil Connelly Buster Tickner | Stone SC |
| 2010 | Thorpe Bay SC | John Ready Ryan Duffield | West Mersea SC Nedlands YC |
| 2011 | | Richie Hanmore Stevie Pyman | Stone SC |
| 2012 | Brighltingsea SC | John Ready Jamie Bolingbroke | West Mersea SC |
| 2013 | WPNSA | John Ready Nahid Gaebler | West Mersea SC Kieler Yacht-Club |
| 2014 | Harwich Town SC | Grant Piggott Adam Piggott | Weston SC |
| 2015 | Thorpe Bay SC | Jack Tindale Hugo Bull | Stone SC |
| 2016 | | Neil Connelly Trevor Bawden | Stone SC |
| 2017 | Pagham SC | Neil Connelly Trevor Bawden | Royal Corinthian YC |
| 2018 | | Neil Connelly Trevor Bawden | Royal Corinthian YC |
| 2019 | Canvey Island SC | Paul Palmer Robert Palmer | Thorpe Bay YC |
| 2020 | Event cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic | Event cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic | Event cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic |
| 2021 | Thorpe Bay SC | Jack Tindale Hugo Bull | Stone SC |
| 2022 | Stone SC | Jack Tindale Hugo Bull | Stone SC |
| 2023 | Harwich Town SC | Ben Harris Izzy Smith | Weston SC Starcross YC |
| 2024 | Bridlington SC | Jack Tindale Hugo Bull | Stone SC |
| 2025 | Paignton SC | TBC | TBC |
*Data from UK Hurricane Class Association