Hurley Owners Association News page

This trophy, awarded for outstanding service to the Association, was sponsored by Mrs Margret Miller, George and Marion Hurley’s elder daughter, on the occasion of the 2016 ‘Bring Your Hurley Home’ celebration in Plymouth.

We are pleased to announce that the 2021 GH Memorial Trophy is awarded to Phil Kirby. Coronovirus restrictions prevented us from meeting and celebrating the award as we would have liked to have done. See below for the text on the award. Well done Phil.

(Click on pictures for full view.)

Click here )for the full text on the plaque

The HOA committee met at Poole Yacht Club on 4th February to present Ian Sinclair with the prestigious George Hurley Memorial Trophy. Commenting after the meeting Tim Sharman said:"About this time of year HOA would have been preparing for an AGM, most frequently held in recent years at the Royal Plymouth Corinthian Yacht Club. However, since the decision at the 2019 AGM to adopt a new approach to the operation of the Association the AGM, as the principal administrative meeting, is a thing of the past. Of course the best bit of the AGM was always talking boats with fellow Hurley enthusiasts over food and drink – and that most definitely is NOT a thing of the past! Your Committee members, Phil Kirby (Chairman), Ian Sinclair (Treasurer), Nick Vass (Facebook moderator) and Mike Carter (Webmaster) – plus yours truly, a retired committee member/’consultant’ (aka ‘here for social duties only’) - met over coffee and lunch in the very fine surroundings of the Poole Yacht Club, kindly hosted by Mike. Our aim was to simply meet up as sailing friends – swap stories, share what HOA is looking like from each others perspectives and consider what could be done to encourage and help Hurley owners get added value from their boats by connecting with each other. I’ll leave it to the Committee to elaborate in due course on what may be ahead. The most important part of our our meeting was to award Ian Sinclair the George Hurley Memorial Trophy in recognition of the staunch and selfless support he has given to members in the role of Treasurer and Membership Secretary since 2011. Most will be unaware of the large number of daily administrative tasks involving payments and membership applications which Ian handled in a smooth and highly efficient way and which underpinned the viability and effectiveness of the Association. Many congratulations and thanks Ian!" And so say all of us. Click here to see the certificate.

At the 2019 AGM Tim Sharman (left) is presented with the George Hurley Memorial Trophy by Chairman, Phil Kirby. Phil explained that under Tim's 9 year chairmanship the Association had gone from strength to strength cullminating in the 2016 Bring Your Hurley Home rally in Plymouth. Additionally, his book, A History of Hurley Marine, co-authored with Nick Vass, has become the definitive reference for anyone interested in the history of Hurley boats.

At the 2018 AGM the George Hurley Memorial Trophy was awarded to Steve Dart for all his efforts and work involved in organising the Bring Your Hurley Home 2016 event. Presented by HOA Chairman Phil Kirby.

The award of the George Hurley Memorial Trophy was first made in 2017 when four deserving candidates were identified.It was decided to share the award so each got a certificate but only John Udy got the trophy.

In recognition of his initiative in starting and establishing the Association in 1998, beginning with simple letters in the yachting press, and his efforts and diligence in growing the membership and acting as the first membership secretary, treasurer and newsletter editor. The pictures show Tim Sharman presenting the trophy to John at his home in Somerset on the day before the 2017 AGM.

In recognition of his creating the first website for the benefit of owners of Hurley boats, with a comprehensive archive of information on Hurley Marine and all classes of boat and for linking with and supporting the emergent Association.

In recognition of his strong contribution to the growth of the Association in its early years especially for compilation of archive information, helping owners establish the sail number and provenance of their boats, establishing and moderating the internet forum and acting as area representative for Scotland

In recognition of many years commitment to the Association; for making his extensive knowledge of technical issues and boating in general freely available to members; for service on the Committee as Vice Chairman and newsletter editor; for his joint authorship of A History of Hurley Marine; for his ongoing management of the Association’social media.