Hobie Sailing Philippines February 2013 Iloilo Zambales
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Image Courtesy: Taal Lake Yacht Club
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Is sailing a Hobie 16 your thing? If you want to get into sailing Hobie 16s then February 2013 is the best time to do it in the Philippines. Starting with the Philippine Hobie National Championships at the beginning of the month in Iloilo (open to anyone on the planet who knows how to sail a Hobie 16) and ending with the Philippine Hobie Challenge along the Zambales coast, starting from Candelaria, Zambales.
In case you did not now . . . a Hobie 16 is a fast sailing catamaran just 16 feet long. It is designed to be sailed by two people at extreme speeds (assuming the wind is favorable), although it is possible to sail it slowly as well. The spiritual home of Hobie 16 sailing in the Philippines is the Taal Lake Yacht Club, an hour South of Metro Manila on the shores of Taal Lake.
Philippine Hobie National Championships
The Philippine Hobie National Championships (1st-3rd February) is an annual regatta event, comprising a weekend packed full of Hobie 16 racing. This year, for the first time, the event will be held in Iloilo on the island of Panay and will be sponsored by the Anhawan Resort.
The event is organized by the Philippine Inter-island Sailing Foundation, Inc. (“PHINSAF”), an organismic that was formed to especially promote small boat sailing around the 7107 islands of the Philippine archipelago. The racing will be governed by the ISAF Racing Rules of Sailing and the Rules of the International Hobie Class Association (IHCA) except as they may be amended by the Sailing Instructions.
Although this is the first time that the Philippine Hobie National Championships will be held in Iloilo it is by no means the first time that Iloilo will be the venue for sailing events. In fact, the longest running sailing event in the Philippines – the Iloilo Paraw Regatta – takes place in Iloilo every February. Iloilo is also home the the Iloilo Sailing Club, which own and operate a fleet of sailing dinghies and small yachts.
The Philippine Hobie National Championships is open to any sailor who is interested to sail a Hobie 16 in up to nine races over two days.
In past years this event has attracted competitors from as far away as Australia and the United Kingdom. Although the award of National Champion will be bestowed upon the best performing Philippine national or Philippine permanent resident, the competition is open to all nationalities and residents of any country.
If you do not happen to have a Hobie 16 in your hand-carry then boats are available for rent for this event but you should contact the organizers in advance to make sure there is a boat available for you on the day. All teams are required to comply with their Class Weight Rules. Helms and crews shall register and weigh in with the Organizing Authority at the Welcome/Registration Party on Friday, 1st February, 2013, between 1900-2100 hrs at Anhawan Resort, Iloilo City.
Philippine Hobie Challenge
The annual Philippine Hobie Challenge (23rd February to 1st March) is a week long adventure sail through the Philippine Islands, frequently set along courses that provide extreme sailing action. Like the Philippine Hobie National Championships, the Philippine Hobie Challenge is organized by PHINSAF and is governed by the ISAF RRS and the Rules of the IHCA.
This year the Philippine Hobie Challenge will launch from the Dawal Resort (Candelaria, Zambales), and travel in daily racing hops: northwest to the beautiful Hermana Mayor Island (Zambales), for the In-Shore series; South to Capones Island Resort (Zambales); South again, past Subic Bay, to Las Casas Filipinas de Acuzar (Bagac, Bataan); and then returning North to the exclusive, would-be eco-resort of Anvaya Cove, just South of Subic Bay, in Morong Bataan.
If you are an experienced Hobie 16 sailor and you want to find out why it is more fun in the Philippines then this is the event to join.
Philippine Hobie Challenge Rally
If you want to join in the fun but do not want to hang-out on the trapeze all day then you could alternatively join the Philippine Hobie Challenge Rally. The Rally is for cruising yachts; it allows cruising sailors to participate in the fun and camaraderie of the event, at the same time as providing safety services and support to Hobie 16 sailors who may get into trouble during the sometimes extreme racing conditions.
Whether you want to sail a Hobie 16 or simply pixelate their progress from the comfort of a cruising yacht, you cannot do so much with so little except here in the Philippines in February 2013.
Choose the Philippines and find out why real sailors want to get wet in PI.
Use this email to contact the Philippine Hobie National Championships Secretariat, Germaine Ngu : admin@phinsailing.org
Click this link to contact the Philippine Hobie Challenge today!