from the International 505 Class Magazine -1965

In November 1953, a group of French champions under the leadership of Alain CETTIER contacted John WESTELL and asked him to modify the Coronet and to develop from it a high class sporting Dinghy. They saw this boat as a model for use throughout the world, fast and lively, easily transportable, reasonable in price.and of strict conformity of design. Sufficient liberty would be left in the rigging and gear, to allow the expert maximum advantages.

In 1954, some boats were built. Champions like Eric OLSEN, Creagh OSBORNE, Paul ELVSTROM, Jacques LEBRUN and Bruce BANKS tested their quality. To celebrate this season, the 505 won the "One of a Kind" competition organised by the American magazine "Yachting".
Ten years later, in 1964, the International Secretariat of the 505 class has more than 1900 boats officially classified and belonging to 30 different countries. The 505 was placed as the first racing dinghy behind the famous Catamaran Hellcat and Tha� in the "One of a Kind" organised by the French magazine "Nautisme-l'Autojournal".

Following on the fairly lean years which followed the Olympic Games at Naples, the years 1963 and 1964 were the beginning of a new era for the 505 class (250 boats registered in 1963, which was an advance of 70 on 1962; 200 boats registered in the first eight months in 1964 from 18 different countries. New associations appeared in Germany, Rhodesia, Morocco, and Sweden to add to the 13 already in existence. The first 505 appeared in Holland; the Argentine announced the construction of 18 boats before the end of the year; and the dynamism shown by the Australians, Danish, Swedish, German, Argentine, Irish, English and French gave great hope of even stronger development in the years to come.

In competition, the world championships organised at Larchmont (U.S.A.) in 1963 and at Cork in Ireland in 1964 brought face to face teams from Europe, America and Australia. By winning both championships, the Australians showed themselves worthy of becoming hosts at the World Championships in 1966 which will take place at Adelaide.

It may be wondered whether the record number of entrants at Cork this year (93) will not be surpassed next year at TANGIER.

This year, teams of 3 boats from Germany, Belgium, Denmark, Great Britain, Ireland, and Sweden compete in France for the Y.C.I.F. cup. Naturally, a team composed of Michel BRIAND, Bertrand CHERET and Jacques LEBRUN defends the honour of France. Our 505 class has a large international following among dinghy sailors who cannot spend all their time and a part of their money on so-called Olympic crafts.

Guy MOISAN, 505 No. 1731