Spitfire (catamaran)

Spitfire

Class symbol

Development
Designer| Reg White & Yves Loday
Year| c.2001
Name| Spitfire
Boat
Crew| 2
Trapeze| Twin
Hull
Type| High Performance Catamaran
Construction| Sandwich Polyester
Hull weight| Boat Weight 139 kg (306 lb)
Rig
Rig type| Mainsail, Jib & Asymmetric Spinnaker
Sails
Mainsail area| 15.5 m2 (167 sq ft)
Jib/genoa area| 4.5 m2 (48 sq ft)
Spinnaker area| 19.0 m2 (205 sq ft)

[edit on Wikidata]

The Spitfire is a high-performance catamaran used for training and racing. It was designed by two Olympic gold medalists in the Tornado class, Reg White and Yves Loday.

In the UK, the Spitfire is the RYA Youth Catamaran as well as a successful racing class with National Championships held annually. The youth squad sailors compete at the class events like open meetings and nationals as well as some 'youth only' events such as the RYA Youth National Championships and youth squad training events.

## Overview[edit]

The Spitfire, at 16 ft, is relatively small in comparison to the other main catamaran racing classes in the UK (F18s, Tornados, Hurricane 5.9s, Dart 18s and Sprint 15s). The Spitfire is a competitive racing class at handicap events, Spitfire events or in club races and is regularly seen in pole position at UK catamaran events. The British Spitfire Class Association provide the latest Spitfire news via their Facebook page and organize Spitfire events such as the inland and nationals championships. The Inland Championships are raced for the Jess Eales Memorial Trophy, in memory of one of the classes best and most well respected sailors.

## Youth Squad[edit]

The Spitfire was selected to replace the Hobie Dragoon as the RYA Youth Catamaran and since then it has become a top youth class. After the 34th Americas Cup which was held on AC45 and AC72 Catamarans, the numbers of sailors not only in the youth squad, but in the class in general, reached record numbers and at the 2016 RYA Youth Nationals, 13 entries were recorded (almost twice the number of entries in 2014). The UKCRA Youth Squad use the Spitfire as their training platform and their main racing class however the squad also attend events in other classes such as the SL16 World Championships and the Red Bull Foiling Generation.[1] The Spitfire was replaced as the RYA Youth Multihull in 2017 by the new Nacra 15.

## Champions[edit]

European Champion

Year | Nation | Location | Helm | Crew

|
|
|
|

2002 |  | Locmariaquer Sailing Club |  Fabrice Berranger |  Stephane Berranger
2003 |  | Netley Sailing Club |  Stuart Gummer |  Chris Rashley
2005 |  | Royal Cork Yacht Club |  Chris Sproat |  Georgina Burke
2006 |  | Yaverland Sailing Club |  Chris Sproat |  Georgina Burke
2007 |  | Locmariaquer Sailing Club |  Jonathan Loday |  Arnaud Gautier
2008 |  | Ostend Sailing and Racing Club |  Chris Sproat |  Georgina Burke

UK National Champion

Year | Location | Helm | Crew

|
|
|

2002 | Whitstable Yacht Club | Stuart Gummer | Chris Rashley
2004 | Stokes Bay Sailing Club | Mike Scantlebury | Dave Harris
2005 | Worthing Yacht Club | Jonathon Loday | Ellen Forshaw
2006 | Pagham Yacht Club | Jonothon Loday | Mike Windle
2007 | Pagham Yacht Club | Stuart Gummer | Hannah Burke
2008 | Brightlingsea Sailing Club | Chris Sproat | Georgina Burke
2009 | Minnis Bay Sailing Club | Alex Farr | Marcelle Newbold
2010 | Brightlingsea Sailing Club | Henry White | Ed Redfearn
2011 | Minnis Bay Sailing Club | Rupert White | Nicola Boniface
2012 | Brightlingsea Sailing Club | Rupert White | Nicola Boniface
2013 | Eastbourne Sovereign Sailing Club | Gary Smith | Lynn Whitmore
2014 | Brightlingsea Sailing Club | Paul Limpus | Oli Greber
2015 | Stokes Bay Sailing Club | Jack Butters | Sam James
2016 | Brightlingsea Sailing Club | Jack Butters | James King
2017 | Stokes Bay Sailing Club | James Stacey | Catherine Elson
2018 | Brightlingsea Sailing Club | Tom King | James King

UK Inland Champion

Year | Location | Helm | Crew

|
|
|

2001 | Grafham Water Sailing Club | Yves Loday | James Bird
2002 | Grafham Water Sailing Club | Stuart Gummer | Chris Rashley
2005 | Grafham Water Sailing Club | Alex Farr | Marcelle Newbold
2006 | Grafham Water Sailing Club | Chris Rashley | Elizabeth Jury
2009 | Grafham Water Sailing Club | Henry White | Ed Redfearn
2010 | Grafham Water Sailing Club | Henry White | Ed Redfearn
2013 | Grafham Water Sailing Club | Grant Piggott | Megan Smith
2014 | Grafham Water Sailing Club | Tony Stokes | William Smith
2015 | Grafham Water Sailing Club | Jack Butters | James King
2016 | Grafham Water Sailing Club | Matthew McRobbie | Molly Desorgher

UK Youth National Champion

Year | Nation | Location | Helm | Crew

|
|
|
|

2011 |  | Hayling Island Sailing Club | Rupert White | Nicola Boniface
2012 |  | Pwllheli Sailing Club | Andrew Sinclair | Joshua Potts
2013 |  | Largs Sailing Club | Tom Britz | Abbie Hewitt
2014 |  | Weymouth & Portland National Sailing Academy | Sam Barker | Ross McFarlane
2015 |  | Weymouth & Portland National Sailing Academy | Sam Barker | Victoria Akhurst
2016 |  | Pwllheli Welsh National Sailing Academy | Jack Butters | James King
2017 |  | Hayling Island Sailing Club | William Smith | Abigail Clarke

## Notable Sailors[edit]

Chris Rashley: International Moth UK National Champion 2015

Rupert White: SL16 ISAF Youth World Championships Bronze Medal (Helm) 2011 and SL16 ISAF Youth World Championships Gold Medal (Helm) 2012

Nicola Boniface: SL16 ISAF Youth World Champion (Crew) 2011

Tom Britz: SL16 ISAF Youth World Championships Gold Medal (Crew) 2012

James Henson: SL16 ISAF Youth World Championships Bronze Medal (Helm) 2013

Oli Greber: SL16 ISAF Youth World Championships Bronze Medal (Crew) 2013

## References[edit]

1. ^ The Red Bull Foiling Generation

http://www.yachtsandyachting.com/class/Spitfire http://www.spitfiresailing.org.uk/ https://www.facebook.com/pages/Spitfire-Sailing-UK/127859340600800 http://www.youthcat.org.uk/ https://www.facebook.com/UKCRAyouth