Hyde Sails October Newsletter
by Hyde Sails 19 Oct 2012 19:41 BST
October 2012
Hyde Sails distributors' conference © Hyde Sails
Welcome to the October Hyde Newsletter. Here we will keep you all up to date with new products, designs and stories from around the world. If you have been involved in any interesting projects then please email them through to and they can be included in these monthly updates. In this way you can learn from what members of the network are doing.
Distributor conference
A total of 31 distributors from the UK, Europe, Australia, the Far East, Canada and the USA gathered in Southampton for Hyde's distributor conference, which was hailed a great success by all who attended.
It was an ideal opportunity for members of the extensive Hyde network to meet one another, in many cases for the first time. The conference offered a mixture of social time as well as seminars, enabling attendees to share ideas and learn from best practice. It was also an ideal opportunity to learn more about Hyde's processes and products as well cementing relationships across the network. Thank you to everyone who attended. Read the full story here.
Hyde Sails Plymouth
Slik Cut has been appointed as the Hyde sails distributor for the Plymouth region in the UK. Slik Cut is run by Richard and Amanda Shelmerdine, who said: "We are delighted to join the Hyde team and to now be able to offer a one-stop shop for sails as well as bespoke canvas." As an introductory offer they are offering their customers 10% off all new sails ordered by early November 2012.
New Website pages
Over the past months we have been compiling new product and information pages on the website, to help inform your customers about the products they can buy as well as providing sail tuning
information. Our recent launches are:
Successful season for Hyde Sails Portugal
2012 saw some great results for Hyde Sails Portugal in a range of major Regattas. Hyde was represented all over Portugal, especially in Lisbon and the Azores. Here are a few of the results:
ANC Trophy: 1st "Xtreem/ Hyde Sails" (X3/4 skippered by Diogo Pereira); Bénéteau Cup: 1st
"Malacueco/ Hyde Sails" (First 235 skippered by Carlos Crespo); Ramada Trophy: 1st ORC610
"Super Açor" (Dufour 40 skippered by Gonçalo Botelho), 2nd ORC610 "Wahoo" (Dufour 40
skippered by Filipe Penaguião); Generali Insurances Trophy: 3rd ORC610 "Ideia Fixa" (First 36.7
skippered by Fernando Barros); Volvo Regatta: 1st ORC "Super Açor", 2nd ORC "Ideia Fixa"
EDP Trophy: 1st ORC610 "Wahoo", 3rd ORC610 "Ideia Fixa"; Quebramar Trophy: 2nd ORC610
"Ideia Fixa"; Almada Fórum/ Water X Cup: 1st ORC "Pakika" (First 35 skippered by Pedro
Assunção); Atlantis Cup / Azores 1st place "Xcape" (Dufour 45 skippered by Luís Quintino)
As well as these great results, it was a special year to Sailfix manager Diogo Pereira, he was
coaching the 470 Portuguese Olympic Sailing team. He joined the team in December 2011 and
finished at the London Olympic Games 2012 where the team managed an excellent eighth place.
Southampton debut success
The recent 2012 PSP Southampton Boat Show proved a great success for Hyde Sails, which was exhibiting for the first time It proved to be a busy debut for the Hyde Sails team.
As well as the Hyde Sails stand, a number of Hyde's specialist staff gave talks in special Boat
Clinics at the Live Sea Theatre, whilst among a host of Hyde sail-clad boats, the new Hyde-powered
Bavaria B-One sportsboat was sailing around as part of the Try a Boat initiative. Read more here.
Champion of Champions
Hyde Sails has had a close association with the dinghy classes since its inception, and the annual race to determine the 'champion of champions', known as the Endeavour Trophy, features many sailors who have used Hyde's sails to win their respective championships.
The Hyde-sponsored Endeavour Trophy was won by a young RS200 duo ©Sue Pelling
For the last seven years the event, which invites the major national champions to race one another for the title of ultimate champion, has been run with the support of Topper who provide Xenons for the racing, while Hyde provides the sails. This partnership, together with the host club the Royal Corinthian YC, has ensured the event continues to showcase the country's top dinghy racing talent. This year's Endeavour was won by Ben Saxton and Alan Roberts, representing the RS200 class - you can read all about it here.
12-footer sail proves fast racing in The Netherlands
News from Hyde Sails in The Netherlands is that one of their customers sailed his first series with his new 'beautiful made' Medium Heavy Hyde Sail. He finished first in three out of four races, in a 22-boat fleet.
Hyde's Squib sails show speed at the Inlands
Over 40 boats made it to the startline for the 2012 Squib Inlands held at Rutland. The event was held in very sunny, but very light conditions, with racing taking place in less than eight knots and the last race abandoned as wind dropped completely.
Two of the Hyde-powered boats spent the Friday before the event testing new sails. Hyde's Nigel Grogan said: "Trying the new sails versus the current ones, we found them very fast... if there was some wind... shame there wasn't any for the event!" Read more here.
Looking ahead to METS
Once again, Hyde will have a strong presence at the Marine Equipment Trade Show (METS) in Amsterdam with all our key team on hand. METS runs from November 13-15 at the RAI Exhibition Centre in Amsterdam.
Great feedback
In this section we'll be including our selection of comments received during the month. This month's top comments are from a wide range of happy customers. Keep sending us your feedback and we'll feature your feedback here...
"Thanks to you all for your efforts. You make working with the Hyde brand a great pleasure."
Bert, Hyde Sails Netherlands
"Following delivery of my new Genoa last Tuesday. I have had the opportunity to try it out over the
weekend. First impressions were very positive. It is a beautifully crafted sail the workmanship is
superb. I would like to thank you for adding in my "extras" namely the extra chafe protection on
the foot, leech and leather lining the clew. In so far as sailing goes, I could not be happier, the sail sets beautifully and responds superbly to trim adjustments. The improvement in the boat's overall performance and handling was immediately obvious. Finally just a short note of thanks to you and Alfred for the excellent service throughout the whole process of procuring the sail. Dealing with you both was such a pleasure." Happy customer, Hyde Sail Malta
"Thanks for your help with the Young D4 sails. The customer took out the boat yesterday and used
the sails for the first time and had a very convincing win over the line and on handicap, even beat a Sydney 38 and 36 footer around the course. Ben Lawrie, Hyde Western Australia "29er cover arrived today. One word: AWESOME!!!! Best cover I have ever used." Happy 29er cover customer
Tell us your news
Don't forget, we'd love to include your news in our round-up, email