INTERNATIONAL 505 CLASS MAGAZINE 1965

I am pleased and honoured to be invited to write this short article on the occasion of the tenth anniversary of the publication of the bulletin of the French 505 Association. The past ten years have been most important for 505 interest and development throughout the world and particularly has this been so in France, which has by far the largest number of boats. We certainly owe much to the co-operation of the late M. Alain Cettier and the then young British naval architect, John Westell, who worked so successfully to produce what was required by French dinghy racing enthusiasts.

Today approximately 2000 505 dinghies have been registered throughout the world and it is an international class in the full sense, with owners in Australia, parts of Africa, Argentina, Ireland, Mexico, Morocco, the Scandinavian countries, the U.S.A. and England, as well as France. International championship meetings have been held in an increasing number of countries outside France, and in 1963 the international meeting was held at Larchmont, in North America. After previous international meetings in France, England and Ireland, the North America occasion was an important departure. As regards the future, members in Australia are asking for an international meeting there and Morocco has the same idea.

Although it is interesting to look back upon the many happy occasions we have all had with 505s in the past ten years it is even more important that we should look to our future. It seems almost certain that France will continue to set the pace with 505 dinghy racing for as far into the future as we can hope to see. A very healthy beginning has been made in Sweden with 505s and it can be expected that other countries in Northern Europe will take increasing interest over the next few years. Going further afield, there can be no doubt that Australia will continue to expand 505 dinghy racing in most vigorous fashion and our only regret must be that the "Aussies" are so far away from Europe.

There can be no doubt that after ten years the 505 is still the most successful and rewarding of all planing dinghies. It is the ambition of many to become an owner after witnessing their thrilling performance in a good breeze. Even so, it is believed that more dinghy enthusiasts would take to 505s if we had more good publicity throughout the world along the lines of the French bulletin, and, more recently, the excellent leaflets produced by the Australian Association. In England there is an informative bulletin published by the British Association, whilst in America the people there are making excellent progress with their "Tank Talk". It is hoped very much that one day the class will be able to publish a single bulletin for publication throughout the world in perhaps two languages, say French and English.

Let us therefore turn our attention to a successful and very happy future with the 505 dinghy and may the numbers be more than doubled in the next ten years.

By the time this bulletin is in your hands Christmas will have gone and I hope that all had a very good time. May the New Year, 1965, give you all good health and much happiness, and may your 505 dinghy racing in the forthcoming season be the best ever.

Fred Garner, President of the International 505
Class Yacht Racing Association