Phil Morrison Designed National 18 is Something Special
The first of the new Phil Morrison designed National 18s has been undergoing sailing trials. As well as impressing with her sailing performance the new National 18 also passed her EU RCD stability tests with flying colours. From the moment she hit the water for her inaugural sail at Brightlingsea it was clear that the boat was something special.
British Olympian Rob White, whose company White Formula builds the boats, was among the first to helm her and couldn’t keep the grin off his face. “She’s seriously slippery,” said Rob immediately after sailing “she feels really responsive and accelerates instantly in even the lightest puffs.”
Named Hurricane after the very first ever National 18 launched in 1938, she is now on the South coast and has so far been seen in Lymington, Keyhaven and Poole Harbour. First impressions have been very favourable, and she has turned heads both in the dinghy park and on the water.
Production is in full swing on the dozen boats already on order. The next batch of four will go to Cork in June to start the Irish fleet with further boats following shortly thereafter.
Hurricane
Looking ahead, there will a National 18 English Championship at Bosham SCduring the weekend of 4 and 5 July 2015. This will be followed by the British and Irish Championship, hosted by the Royal Cork Yacht Club from to 26 to 31 July, where 12 of the new boats will be competing alongside some 30 GRP Proctor 18s, and a fleet of wooden classics.
Current orders for new boats will keep builders White Formula busy through until late summer and those wishing to order a boat for delivery for the 2016 season should reserve their build slots as soon as possible to avoid disappointment.
For further information about the National 18 Class please visit www.national18.com
For further information about White Formula UK please visit www.whiteformula.com
Thanks to www.sailweb.co.uk