Recent 505 News - July 1998

Last Updated: July 16, 1998

Preparations for Hyannis Worlds, September 12-25

The countdown to the 1998 International 505 World Championship is on. This will probably be the largest single class high performance dinghy event in North America for many years. At this time it appears that over 32 UK teams will attend, 10 Danish and Swedish teams, a container of Germans, a container of French, some South Africans, some Australians, some Eastern and Western Canadians, a strong US East Coast turnout, a container from California, and teams from Seattle, Colorado, and the US midwest. Add up the numbers, and having over 100 505s at the Hyannis Worlds is a very distinct possibility. This is a not-to-be-missed event. If for some reason you are not already attending, please read Why You Should Participate in the 1998 505 World Championship in Hyannis, and then plan to attend.

Other 1998 Hyannis Events

The first of several 505 events in Hyannis was the weekend of June 6-7. While it blew over 20 knots each of the 7 days before the event, winds were lighter during the two day regatta. There are several other 505 events scheduled for Hyannis prior to the worlds in September. Watch for reports on the East Coast Championship in early August, and the Hospice Regatta in mid August.

1998 So Far..

1998 European championship, May 9-16

The German 505 Class Association ran an excellent event for the competitors. The 1995 World Champion team of Jeremy Robinson/Bill Masterman won, with Ian Pinnell/Nick Powell 2nd and Wolfgang Hunger/Holger Jess 3rd. The last race almost reshuffled the top places, but was abandoned when the time limit ran out.

European Cup Series

The first four European Cup events have already taken place.

• Cavalaire, April 4-10 - 99 505s raced in very windy conditions at Cavalaire, France on the Mediterranean over the Easter weekend. This was the largest single class turnout for any of the European Easter regattas. The 505 Australian Championship - with 41 505s - was held at the same time. Philippe Boite/Jean Muzellec won, Jan Moller/Jacob Bojsen-Moller were 2nd, Vernon Ralson/Simon Spratt 3rd, and Mark Upton-Brown/Ian Mitchell 4th (losing a chance at first due to a broken jib halyard).

• Garda, May 21-24 - Turnout was down probably due to the Europeans being the week before, and another 505 event being held in Germany the same weekend as Garda, but a strong fleet including the current World Champions and a previous World Champion raced an incredible series under the cliffs at Riva del Garda. When I die, I hope to find a heaven that resembles Lake Garda. I have already started making plans to race Garda in 1999. Upton-Brown/Mitchell were 1st, J�rgen Schoenherr/Jacob Bojsen-Moller 2nd, and Ronald Roos/Gerd Linnemann 3rd.

• Scandinavia, June 12-14 - Krister Bergstrom teamed up with Holger Jess and dominated this event. Saugmann/Ramsbek were 2nd and Bojland/Friis 3rd.

• Belgium, June 26-28 - Ian Pinnell and Bill Masterman teamed up to convincingly win the Belgium European Cup event at Nieuwpoort, over a 39 505 fleet. The hot German team of Stefan B�hm/Gerald Roos were 2nd.

I was fortunate enough to be able to race both the European Championships in Damp and the European Cup event at Riva del Garda; an incredible three weeks in Europe. Thanks to the many 505 sailors who helped make it possible for me to do these events; I am even more convinced that the camaraderie - and the racing - of the 505 class is unique. I sure don't have as much fun on the few occasions when I race in other classes.

Australian National Championship, April 4-11

The 41 team Aussie nationals were held concurrent with the 99 team Cavalaire European Cup event. The event was won by Adrian Finglass/Simon Gorman, with Leslie Nathanson/Ian Gregg 2nd, and Sandy Higgins/David Clayton 3rd. The gear list for the top seven teams was very interesting, with the top three teams using Proctor masts, and the top two using European and US sails and gybing centerboards. The new Van Munster built 505 was 7th.

German National Championship, July 2-5

Krister Bergstrom teamed up with Holger Jess again for the German Nationals, winning the event. Stefan B�hm/Gerald Roos were 2nd, Dietrich Scheder-Bieschin/Johann Arvedson 3rd, in a fleet of 53 505s.

Canadian National Championship, July 3-5

The 33 team - largest in many years - Canadian Championship was held July 3-5, at Kingston Yacht Club in Kingston, Ontario, Canada. The Rhode Island team of Nick Trotman/Mike Mills won a close battle over Canadians Jeff Boyd/Martin tenHove. Tyler Moore/Scott Ikle were 3rd.

French National Championship, July 11-14

Sixtyfour teams contested the French Nationals. Perhaps overcome by the French World Cup win, the French team let the Brits take the first three places! Mark Upton-Brown/Ian Mitchell were 1st, Ian Pinnell/Ian Powell 8 points back in 2nd, Hunt/Beloe 5 points further back in 3rd, and French aces Phillipe Boite/Muzellec 4th. Complete report and results will be available on the French 505 web site shortly.

Looking Forward to 1999

Florida Midwinter Championship and Bermuda Race Week

Those attending the 1998 5o5 World Championship may wish to consider leaving their boats in the USA, and racing the Florida Midwinters in St. Petersburg FL, January 8th-10th, then having their boats shipped to Bermuda for Bermuda International Raceweek, which is in late April.

1999 505 World Championship in Brittany, France

There appears to be very strong interest in the 1999 505 World Championship in France, now less than a year away. I look forward to seeing many of you there.

Web Sites and E-mail

The 505 North American web site passed 40,000 hits on June 23, 1998, and was up to 41,000 by July 7th. That is hits since August 15th 1996, when we put the counter on the site.

We try to keep track of all other 505 web site, or those with significant 505 content, and currently have links for TWENTY-NINE!! 505 Web sites. While 505s are not alone in attracting some sailors who are technically inclined, and other major classes do have a number of web sites, I believe the number of web sites devoted to the 505 on the Internet World Wide Web is unique. To my knowledge the International 505 Class North American web site is by far the largest and most comprehensive class association web site in existence. The German, Swedish and French sites are also standouts in this regard. These 505 web sites are attracting new sailors into the 505 class, and in conjunction with the various 505 e-mail listservers are providing support to existing 505 sailors. It has never been easier to find a used 505, determine how to fix it up, learn how to sail and race it, and find local contacts and regattas. In effect the web sites and e-mail allow someone acting as a fleet captain to have a positive influence anywhere in the world, not just in their immediate geographic area. The web sites and e-mail are not a substitute for face to face contact and taking people out for a ride, but they do bring prospects to us.

A number of people who have recently joined the class have cited the support and information available by e-mail and the web sites as key reasons for joining the class.

VP Actions

Your International VP is working hard for you .........

• Class Rules

  Current - as of June 30, 1998 - class rules (more current than the printed rule book) are up on the 505 NA web site. These include the Constitution, Measurement Rules, Championship Rules and Standard Sailing Instructions.
   

• Deposit on houses in Hyannis

  Barney Harris and I have put deposits down on two houses across from the Hyannis Yacht Club, for the two week period of the pre-worlds and worlds. The cost per team or two weeks is about US $500. After an e-mail solicitation, both these houses were filled. Since there is now a waiting list, we are now looking for someone to handle a third house. When that fills, we'll find someone to do a fourth, and so on.
   

• Longer Luff Spinnakers

  I understand that both Jean Baptiste Dupont in France and Krister Bergstrom in Sweden have been experimenting with the proposed 1 metre longer luff spinnaker. I look forward to discussing their findings at the 1998 AGM.
   

• Advertising/Marketing/Promotion

  The US secretary, Jesse Falsone, has organized a program where the US class association will give any US fleet that wants to advertise $200 towards the cost of advertising. So far the two Chesapeake Bay fleets have taken him up on it with an advertisement in Spinsheet, a US Mid-Atlantic region monthly sailing magazine. I am assured that it is a coincidence that the photograph used is of Jesse Falsone and driver Barney Harris (a.k.a Team Spot).

  At their recent Annual Meeting, the Canadian 505 Clas Association decided to spend some of the money in their bank account on promoting and advertising the class, and help defray the cost of the 505 NA web site.

  While I do not have an education or professional background in marketing, it is my understanding that the professionals believe that prospects need to be "hit" with multiple sell messages before some of them decide to "buy". That's why you see so many television commercials as well as magazine advertisements and so on. The 505 Class is no different. We need to "hit" prospects with multiple "sell" messages. While some of these are free (event reports in sailing publications, articles on web sites, postings on Usenet, e-mails), advertising IS something we should be doing.

  I would like each 505 Class National Association to help support a minimal International advertising campgain, with advertising in three or four major sailing publications that cover all or most of our market areas. Doing artwork once, including some key sell messages and appropriate local contact information should allow us to run similar ads in several major publiciations, without any one national association being forced to bear the cost alone.
   

• Dave Cahn Trophy

  Several North American 505 sailors were the driving force behind the creation of a Dave Cahn trophy in memory of our friend. The annual winner will be selected by a vote of North American members from a short list compiled by a committee of selected current and past 505 sailors. The winner will be the person who the NA 505 class membership present, believe best exemplifies the sportsmanship and approach to 505 sailing illustrated by Dave during his long 505 racing career.
   

• Restructuring the International 505 Class Association

  The International 505 Class Executive Committee has reviewed a very interesting proposal submitted by Paul Young, and will be asking the membership at the 1998 505 Class Annual Meeting to vote on some changes in our constitution to allow us to structure the class association so as to provide better services to members, more quickly and efficiently. Text of proposed changes will be circulated shortly.
   

• Charlie Dog Honorary Member

  Charlie(who normally "hangs" with Robert Wisolek) sails and races 505s more than some of our human members. Charlie's 505 adventures include hopping a ride in another 505 to follow Robert's 505 to the race course, being launched out of the mainsail foot pocket on a gybe, and being dropped in the water off another 505 just before the start of a race, so that Robert could pick him up. Charlie was a welcome member of "the gang" at both the Europeans and the Lake Garda European cup event, and apparently participates in all 505 events that Robert does. By the powers given me as International 505 Class Vice President (actually, none whatsoever), I declared Charlie dog an honorary member of the International 505 Class, and note that our current class rules regarding crew
  12.1 The crew shall consist of two people.
  Do not appear to limit Charlie's continued participation in 505 class racing.
   

• Getting Words for Class Songs

  As many of you are aware, the 505 class has a rich tradition of songs to sing while relaxing after racing with your mates, over a drink. I am collecting the "official 505 class words" to some of these songs, so that they can be made available to class newcomers not familiar with the songs. Not knowing the words will not be an excuse!

The International 505:

With over 1200 members in 18 countries, the International 505 class is the largest and most active two person high performance dinghy class in the world, providing the highest level of non Olympic racing available. Despite its exceptional performance, the 505 is relatively easy to sail; but a challenge to sail well! It is raced by Olympic medalists and club sailors, men and women, juniors and seniors, on lakes and on oceans, in drifters and in 35+ knots. Many of the best known names in International Sailing have raced, or currently race 505s.

For further information on the International 505 or the International 505 Class, contact:

Ali Meller
VP International 505 Class Yacht Racing Association

and point your browser to http://old.int505.org/old_site/