Coronet 1953
Designer: John Westell

The photograph is of Coronet and she was sold to someone in Mombasa, who afterwards had a 505. Coronet was the forerunner of the 5-0-5 and was a 18-footer with 175 sq. ft. of sail.

Max Johnson had her built by John Chamier when he had Tormentor Yacht Yard and she was aimed at the I.Y.R.U. selection trials for a 2-man boat. These were held at La Baule in 1953. The Flying Dutchman had already been chosen the previous year in Holland as the inland water boat and for some reason two of them were allowed to compete at La Baule against one of everything else! Naturally they each went off on a different tack on the first beat and one or other of them often arrived first at the windward mark. Nevertheless Coronet came out comfortably top on points after a very comprehensive series of trials. Despite this, the I.Y..R.U. chose the Dutchman again.

Web Site Ed. it would appear that ISAF / IYRU history of picking the wrong boat at a trials goes back at least this far.

Then John Westell was approached by Alain Cettier on behalf of the Caneton Association. The Caneton was a loosely restricted hard chine dinghy and development had resulted in a lot of boats but only a few capable of winning championship races. They had come to the conclusion that they needed a modern one-design boat which would be able to be built in glassfibre and they asked if he could modify the Coronet to make her nearer in size to the Caneton and suitable for average crew weights. John Westell thereupon shortened the overhanging ends and reduced the sail area by 25 sq. ft. and the result was the 5-0-5. The Caneton Association built a prototype and voted to adopt it at a remarkable Annual General Meeting. We have never looked back.