A Flying Season for Hyde Sails, with more to come in 2026
by Mark Jardine 22 Oct 10:30 BST
Race 3 - GBR 4002 chasing GBR 4005 into the finish on day 2 of the 2025 Flying Fifteen Worlds at the WPNSA © Mark Jardine
The 2025 Championship Season has been a busy one for the team at Hyde Sails, with major events up and down the UK, as well as spectacular results around the world.
Without doubt, the marquee event of the summer was the Flying Fifteen World Championship, with top sailors drawn to the Weymouth and Portland National Sailing Academy to compete.
82 teams took part, and Hyde Sails' Ben McGrane teamed up with Russ Clark.
Ben has been developing the sails over the past two years, winning the UK Inland Championship as well as the UK Nationals and Pre-Worlds event in the lead-up to the Worlds, and also securing top-spot in the World Championship UK Qualification Series.
It was the first time Ben and Russ had sailed together since winning the UK Nationals in 2023, so securing a place on the podium at the Worlds was a great result, as Ben describes:
"Our work in the Flying Fifteen class has put us on the international map, with orders coming from around the world. The tuning guide video we produced earlier in the year has proved extremely popular."
Hyde continues to support and develop their sails in the Flying Fifteen class, which has large fleets at a number of clubs and enjoys tight and extremely competitive racing.
Another resurgent class that Hyde Sails are very active in is the Mirror, and April's World Championship, held in Durban, South Africa, saw James and Harry Komweibel from Perth, Australia, emerging victorious, powered by Hyde Sails. The father and son team put together an extraordinary series in the mountainous waves, counting only first and second places.
Back in the UK, Ben McGrane won the National Championship for the fifth time, with daughter Evie crewing on this occasion. The standard in the fleet is getting higher and higher, with some dinghy legends joining the fleet.
Ben said of the racing, "It's great to see the class thriving and how it's bringing kids into sailing. Before you know it, there will be a hundred boats at the Mirror Nationals again!"
Watch Ben's guide to see how to get the most out of your Mirror:
Hyde Sails have been strong in the X One Design for a number of years, and 2026 saw Ben out on the water in Lymington helping Jonathan Clark get X195 'Turtle' up to speed. This is the first new XOD for 18 years, so quite a moment in the history of this mostly Solent-based class, which attracts some of the finest dayboat sailors.
Ben added, "It has been a fairly unique experience to be involved in, and great to have the opportunity."
Another UK class with strong club fleets, the Squib continues to attract sailors and provides exceptional dayboat racing with boats available at very reasonable prices.
The class has favourite venues, and the Royal Torbay Yacht Club is one of them, hosting 47 boats at their National Championship in late June. The battle for the title went down to the final race, with Nigel Grogan and Ben McGrane having to settle for second overall.
Many of the top sailors are now using Hyde Sails, and the loft has a very long history with the class, and will be recording a tuning video over the winter months.
The team are looking forward to the 2026 season, and the build-up to the UK Nationals at South Caernarvonshire Yacht Club, Abersoch in late June.
A major focus for Hyde Sails in 2026 will be the iconic 505, with the World Championship taking place at Hayling Island. Ben is now helming, having crewed for a number of years, and is sailing with James Ross. The work continues to develop the fastest sails in the fleet, and right now Ben and James are at the Europeans near Palamos, Spain, with two days of training ahead of the main event.
"It's going to be interesting going back to gate starts, and will be a great starting point for the B1 designs," said Ben.
Finally, the Fireball class are also enjoying a great resurgence. Hyde have always had a strong foothold in the class, winning the Worlds in 2019, and are actively working with the sailors to evolve the designs.
The 2025 Worlds at Lake Garda saw 136 boats from 14 nations compete, and 2026 is building up to be another cracker, with the Worlds set to take place at the Royal Torbay Yacht Club in late July.
Ben, who is a two-time national champion in the class, added, "It's great to see the Fireball attracting young sailors coming out of classes like the 420, and the event in Torquay is going to be epic."
Autumn is the best time to order with great offers on all classes, including up to 20% off on some sails.
Find out more at www.hydesails.com