Chatting to sailor Gregg Hurter

Royal Natal Yacht Club

Gregg Hurter

The tough Colorpress Vasco da Gama is known to be a navigator’s race, on meeting Morningside sailor, Gregg Hurter I overhear him speaking on the phone informing the other person that whoever brings their reading glasses with will be the selected navigator.

This is the man who is a well-known personality in the Durban sailing community, his sense of humour is evident during the time spent with him.

“I own too many boats than I should,” he begins and then corrects himself. “Actually, I own far too many boats than I should.”

Hurter began sailing up in Zululand when he was about 8 years old, he began on a Mirror called Colander, he laughs, “If you have ever built a Mirror you will know why, it was held together by stitches and glue and had a lot of holes!”

“Growing up, my Dad was the Commodore for the Zululand Yacht Club, I was about 4 when he built me a Dabbie and proudly took me sailing in Richards Bay. Drama struck when he toppled overboard with tiller in hand, a vital ingredient to any boat as I sailed into off the distance.” He says with a wicked grin, “Took me years to recover from that!”

As the son of a young engineer, the Hurters moved around a lot, “I lived in Zululand, the States - that would be our very own Free State, Cape Town, Johannesburg but eventually settled in Durban. I went to ten schools... finishing at Hilton in 1979. I am fine.” He states with a twinkle in his eye, before adding, “Really!”

By day, Hurter works for a company that re-refines waste oil, overseeing new projects from the start and then doing the automation and control at the end. “I studied Mechanical Engineering at Durban Varsity and since graduating I have mainly worked in the field of automation and control.” adding in cheerfully, “I did fly the company plane for 20 years. That was interesting.”

Father of two active young boys, Hurter shares a lot of their interests, “Euan, my oldest sails with me and is an automatic crew member, school work depending. I would like to do some sailing in Europe with him on year. My youngest, Sean is more into computers and needs a bit of encouragement to get out on the water. He sails a Dabbie and a 29er with Euan.”

Gearing up for the tough international ocean race, Hurter says, “There was a wrinkle as we had to replace the prop, but otherwise preparations are going well.  We have a great crew.  It's not easy to get ten people together for the race, but we have a solid team.”

“I have sailed in many Vasco’s, my first was in 1980 when they were run down to East London. For a number of years I helped with air surveillance until the advent of tracking and cell phones. My first was on a yacht named Red Amber, then I sailed on some L34’s, an R&G40, then more L34’s. It all gets a bit blurry.”

In recent times I have done one Vasco from Maputo, on a gorgeous Beneteau First 40 called BMA. I fell in love with her and when her owner decided to sell her, my name was first on the list to buy. We renamed her Bellatrix and this year my crew and I will be racing her down from Maputo.”

“She is a dream to sail on, one of my best yachts to helm. But I also love Flying Spaghetti Monster; she was a performance yacht, fast in the water. In the smaller boats, bolting across the water in a 505 when it doesn’t break me is an adrenaline surge. I won the 9hour on my 505, which was quite something!”

Having competed in two Mauritius races, explored the waters of the Caribbean, sailed across the Bay of Biscay in Europe and all around the Mediterranean, Hurter certainly is an accomplished sailor, “I didn’t like Tunisia.” he comments. “I would like to do some of the UK regattas, Cork Week sounds fun. Occasionally I consider doing the Hobart race but I believe there are more fun things to do!”

“Sailing is magical. When you explain to someone who has never sailed before, they don’t understand the call or attraction to the sea but it is just that, magical. Sailing on the bigger keelboats, the whole team aspect working together to get the beast moving is great. Being offshore and enjoying the outdoors, gorgeous. Of course racing the dinghies is completely different, it’s more you and the boat and far less admin!”

Outside of sailing, his hobbies are music and when he has time, woodwork. “I am trying to cycle more too,” he claims sincerely.

Cycling will have to wait as for now, all his concentration, and remembering to pack his glasses, is on the upcoming Colorpress Vasco da Gama hosted by the Royal Natal Yacht Club. Concluding he says, “Ideal conditions, fantastic downwind surfs offshore, in warm weather! Aren't we lucky to live in paradise?”