|
 16
January,
2004
Happy 50th Birthday
to the 505 Class TODAY!
Ali Meller was
slightly OCS with his birthday wishes because it was today 50 years ago
that the Caneton Association made its inspired and probably
unprecedented decision to scrap its existing fleet of boats and replace
them with the "Caneton-Rapide"
I quote from S
C Reilly in the March 1954 Yachting World:
Five-O-Five
The French
Caneton Association decided on January 16 to adopt a modified version,
the overall length of which has been re�duced from 18ft to 16ft 6in or
5.05 metres, the same length as the present Caneton Class, hence the
name Five-O-Five, or Caneton-Rapide. The Caneton Class num�bers some
1,700 boats, so the decision seems to have the effect of outclassing
that number of existing boats. The rules of the class are a compromise
between a one-design and restricted class. To keep down the price and to
eliminate the possibility of it becoming out of date the hull has been
made a one-design. On the other hand, for helmsmen who like to
experiment, the rig is restricted within a maximum area of 150 sq ft to
be dis�tributed as the owner likes. Revolving masts are allowed, but
its lateral surface must be included in the sail area. Although 18in has
been removed from the overall length of the original Coronet, there is
little change in the major hull lines. This has been achieved by taking
6in off the bow by pulling in the deckline, and cutting a foot off the
stern overhang. Hull and bulkheads are of two skins of 3mm ply and decks
and centreboard trunk are 5mm ply. While the original boat was a little
large for a normal crew, the new boat, with 6ft 3in maximum beam, flat
sections, particularly aft, and a sail area about the same as that of an
International 14ft, should not be too much of a handful even without a
trapeze.
Her well-flared topsides will not only provide added comfort and dryness,
but added power because the crew can lean out farther.
The estimated price is �64 for a moulded plywood shell with keel, stem
and transom fitted, or �227 for the complete boat without sails."
John Donnelly
K1909, 3514,
4149, 4765, 6175, 6955 and GBR 7911
|