AJAX 23 CLASS ASSOCIATION

Chairman’s Report 2013

The last AGM was held on Thursday 19 July 2012 at St Mawes SC after the Thursday evening Club racing and before the National Championships held from 20^th to 22^nd July. There were 4 visiting boats from the East Coast, Teal, Mandalay, Pegasus and Widgeon, who joined the home fleet of 18 boats making a total entry of 22. The visitors brought light winds with them, but did not perform well in rather fickle conditions. Throughout the regatta the racing was tight however with places won and lost right up to the finishing line. Amalthea (Roger and Claire Woods) were the overall winners with Mary B (Rob Geddes-Brown) second, Samaki (Alan Williams) third and Ajax (David Mathewson) fourth. Neil Andrews, fresh from Olympic trials, was race officer and set good courses in difficult conditions.

3 East Coast boats stayed down for Falmouth Week from 12 August, Teal, Pegasus and Mandalay. This time there was too much wind with a series of Atlantic depressions coming over and it was very wet and cold. Only 4 races were sailed, but the standard of racing was high, especially in stormy conditions. Again Amalthea was the overall winner of Falmouth Week with Aeolus (Richard Beaman and John Howard) second and Ajax third. The highest placed East Coast boat was Pegasus (David Kerridge) at seventh.

On the East Coast this year we got off to a good start with 10 boats competing in the Spring Series. This was very closely contested and just won by Polly Oliver (Mike Clayton and Bob Portway, who are new owners only in their second season) closely followed by Pegasus (David Kerridge and James Skellorn) with both boats on 8 points. Guillemot (David Mayne and Kelvin Douglas) were third and Teal fourth. Goosander, which had been owned by Johnny Pack for some years, has been acquired by Peter Dickinson. She is currently undergoing some repairs and we hope to see her on the water later in the season. Jim Scorer has left the fleet and sold his share of Merlin to Gavin Johnson.

With regards to the National Championships currently under way we are delighted to welcome 3 boats from the SW fleet, Athens (David Liddington), Ajax (David Mathewson) and Diomedes (Paul Over) giving a total entry, at the time of writing, of 17 boats. This includes Mars which has been launched for the Championships and will be helmed by Rosie Brown. Chris Brown has come out of Ajax semi-retirement to crew for his daughter. We are also very pleased that David Liddington has recovered from his illness and is sailing again. Doug Brown has kindly agreed to be our Race Officer once more and I hope everyone enjoys the racing. We look forward to the Championship Dinner on Friday evening in our brand new Clubhouse and also to a BBQ on Saturday evening, which Phil and Evelyn Mayhew have very kindly agreed to host at Home Farm.

We are sorry that we will not see Lindsey at the National Champs this year and I understand that Aquila still has a hole in her, which is to be rectified soon. We must congratulate Lindsey for continuing as Class Captain of the SW fleet for yet another year. What staying power. East Coast Class Captains seem to collapse exhausted after only one year. We wish the SW Fleet well for their Championships and Falmouth week this year.

Bob Tate

Chairman June 2013