Albacore Nationals won by Herbert and Penfold
by Hyde Sails 27 Jul 2012 15:40 BST
21-23 July 2012
The winning team at the Albacore nationals powered by Hyde Sails © Mike Rice /
www.fotoboat.com
Hyde’s latest sail design takes the top spot at the Albacore Nationals in Torquay with four straight firsts
Glorious sunshine, light breezes and not a cloud in the sky greeted the Albacore fleet, which was treated to perfect sailing conditions for the Albacore National Championship held over three days in July.
Royal Torbay Yacht Club excelled in presentation and organisation and delivered a stunning championship for the 43 boat fleet.
Light winds and a flat sea state saw race one go to Nev Herbert and Steve ‘Ten Stone’ Penfold, sailing their GT Hyde Albacore. Nigel Potter from ‘Paint Craft’ claimed second with multiple national champion Mike MacNamara third.
The breeze stayed light and shifty for the next three races with tidal effects and line bias all playing their part. The next three races saw three separate winners with the current Inland Champions, Judy and Paul Armstrong winning race two in fine style from MacNamara. Olympic Star sailor John Gimson sailing with Edd Clayson took race three leading from start to finish. Jerry Rook claimed race four with an impressive victory keeping MacNamara and Gimson no more than a
boat length behind them the entire race. Race five saw Nev and Steve port tack the fleet for a comfortable win to narrow the points gap from overnight leader MacNamara.
Going into the last day the sun continued to shine, with the breeze slightly up on the previous day. Any of the top four could clinch the title. It was local sailor Norman Halstead who led race six at the first mark, only to be caught on the second reach by eventual winners Nev and Steve. The final race had start line dramas galore, but once again went to Nev and Steve, enough to give them the championship.
The winning team was using the latest Hyde Albacore sails. Nev Herbert said: “We had a great regatta with four firsts and what would have been a fifth before our jib halyard broke at the shackle whilst leading race four. The new mainsail was outstanding, we probably had the best upwind speed of the top four boats and extended further on each of the downwind legs. The high aspect jib was great in the lighter breezes and we changed up to the low aspect when the breeze got above eight knots. Big thanks.”
For more information on Hyde Sails, its products and how Hyde can work with your class, contact Paul Austin (T: +44 (0) 7801 907458) or see www.hydesails.com