Fleet 531 - Tauranga
Fleet 531 out of Tauranga
The Fleet has a significant history of success in the hobie class. Characters like Sooty Macmillan, Mike Cassidy, Barry & Pauline Fitzgerald Colin & Paul Henstock the Scott-Mackies and Paul Harper are familiar names on the hobie scene. Fletcher Warren and David Robertson won the nationals in 2003 in New Plymouth.
Lester Smith and Sandra Knapton won the Hobie Nationals in Auckland in 2004
Both teams have competed at World Championships with Lester Smith and Jackie Hansen coming 27th in 1994 ISAF Worlds in France.
Fletcher and David finishing 14th at the 1998 Worlds held in Australia. Fletcher is now sailing in Wellington training with Hobie Fleet 512 for the next world championships which are to be held in Fiji in October 2007.
Tauranga Fleet 531 youth team of Zak Shewan and Steven Christophers currently hold the NZ Hobie youth championship title and were 7th overall in the 2007 Nationals held in Wellington.
They recently competed in Gisborne Hobie Champs and were 2nd. Both guys will be regularly seen on Tauranga Harbour.
The Tauranga Yacht club has had a long tradition with the hobie class, hosting many events from its superb facilities at Sulphur point in Tauranga. In 1994 the club hosted the Hobie Nationals with over 50 entries and in the hosted it yet again in 1998.
Hobies compete every Sunday as part of the Centreboard Division. Hobies can also be regularly seen on the Wednesday nights sailing in Taurangas magnificent harbour.
For more information contact the Tauranga club secretary at TYPBC Tauranga Yacht- & Power Boat Club phone: 07-578 5512 email: office@yacht.org.nz web: www.yacht.org.nz