MINUTES

of

Ajax 23 One Design Class Association 2013

AGM

Held at

Royal Harwich Yacht Club

On Friday 14 June 2013 at 19:00 hours

Chairman: Bob Tate

Also present:

Kelvin Douglas, James Skellorn, John Williams, David Mayne, Simon Quantrill, Mike Clayton, Richard Burnford, Julian Molyneux, Bob Portway, Martine Clayton, Amanda Portway, Gordon Sutton, David Mathewson, David Pearce, Rob Geddes-Brown, Alex Davey, David Kerridge, Chris Brown (Mars) and David Liddington.

The meeting opened at 19:05

1. Apologies for Absence

Apologies for absence were received from Will Patten, Tim Hunt, Lindsey Thomas and Cedric Thomas.

Bob Tate opened the meeting by speaking some words of appreciation for Tony James who had been the original owner of Sirius, the first secretary of the Association, later chairman of the Association, he had held all the ranks of flag officer and president of Royal Harwich Yacht Club and Bob Tate called for a brief silence in Tony James’ memory.

2. Minutes of last AGM

The minutes of the 2012 AGM were accepted as a true record of proceedings.

3. Matters arising

Referring to item 6 in the Minutes, the proposal that there would be a single Rules & Measurement Committee for the class covering both fleets has been developed so that the East Coast Measurement Committee (John Williams, Richard Chenery, Doug Sharps, David Mayne and Ken Stowe) will involve the two south-west fleet measurers (David Mathewson and Richard Beaman) in all measurement and rules discussions.

4. Chairman’s report (attached)

Bob Tate added that he reported on a couple of changes of ownership of boats: Mary B has been sold to Rob Mathewson (brother of David). Also Alan Williams has sold Samaki.

5. Treasurer’s report

David Liddington had circulated accounts and reported that despite spending £1200 on the Class handbook, the Class Association still had a substantial reserve. It was resolved to distribute £500 to each fleet.

6. Proposed Rule Change

David Liddington introduced his proposal to rule changes to permit twin spinnaker poles. He said that twin poles made it easier to handle a spinnaker when short-handed as it enabled the spinnaker to be handled without anyone going on the foredeck. He said that they worked better on a boat with a kite launched from the bow but it would still work on an Ajax. Mike Clayton said he supported the idea.

David Pearce asked whether the poles would be on the foredeck. David Liddington said they would hang either side of the boom. John Williams asked whether it would require two lines on each clew of the spinnaker and David Liddington said no, that was not required. There would still only be a single sheet and guy.

David Mathewson expressed concern about the cost and also the level of complexity involved. Having twin poles may increase the gap between the front and back of the fleet but it may assist older crews. He suggested that twin poles could be allowed for a trial period of twelve months.

Chris Brown said there was no clear indication of the cost and he guessed that it might be £1,000 and he wondered whether that was really appropriate bearing in mind the sums for which an Ajax could be purchased.

David Mathewson said he understood the cost was £1,500. David Liddington said that that was what he had been invoiced by Pinnells for a kit of parts for an owner who did not fit it themselves it might be £200 for a yard to fit the poles and the system. However, David Liddington said he got a credit of £200-£300 for surplus parts which were provided and not required. Against this, a mast fitting had to be custom-made and this had cost £200-£300. David Liddington confirmed that the poles to he fitted were carbon-fibre.

David Kerridge said he had fitted a similar system on Prometheus but with a single pole. His understanding was that carbon poles were about £400 each. David Liddington said he had used carbon poles designed for 505s which were £200-£250. David Kerridge said he thought the end fittings were about £50 each resulting in a cost of £350-£400 per pole.

Bob Tate asked the meeting whether there was support for allowing the poles for an experimental period. Chris Brown suggested that there should be an experimental period allowing boats to experiment and fit twin poles but not to use them in championships. David Mathewson suggested that they could be used in club racing and Falmouth week but not for the championships.

David Pearce said that the system which the squib uses which involves a single pole is extremely simple. The twin poles may increase the difference between top crews who are sailing together regularly and boats which use occasional crews.

Chris Brown proposed that the original proposal be amended to the following:

Rule 10.3.5 A twin pole system may be used, each pole complying with the rules and at any time only one being used for flying the spinnaker, provided that this will only be permitted for a trial period. Twin poles may not be used for the National Championships and this rule shall be reviewed in one year at the 2014 AGM.

This proposal was carried with thirteen boats voting in favour. The original motion was then put to the vote and was not carried, there being two votes in favour and eight against. Accordingly the original proposal was rejected but the amended proposal was passed.

David Kerridge expressed the view that what had been done was unconstitutional.

7. 2013 Championships

No notices.

8. 2014 Championships

No dates available yet.

9. Election of Officers

All the offices were willing to stand for re-election. It was proposed that they be re-elected en bloc and they were all re-elected.

10. Any Other Business

John Williams commented that no-one had asked him for bags of potatoes to increase the sailing weight of their boat to the heaviest boats in the fleet.

David Mathewson said that he would like the fleet to review the format for the championships and he proposed that the championships be held over four days with two races a day as he thought the current one hour races were too short.

David Kerridge asked the fleet to consider a change in the rules to move the turning block for the spinnaker sheets back a few inches so as to move it away from the area where the helmsman sits. He was invited to put a formal proposal to the next AGM for this rule change.

David Liddington reminded all boats that to helm in the championship you must be a member of the Class Association.

The meeting closed at 7.48pm.