AJAX 2004 SEASON

 

This past season has seemed to me to have been a very full one, racing wise. We have had Monday and Thursday evening points racing as well as the Sunday series. Changes are in place for 2005. I understand Monday evening racing is out, and in comes Sunday morning racing, which is not particularly popular with some local Ajax owners. The Sunday series itself will probably be dropped (see calendar) but local and village regattas will continue to provide plenty of weekend competition. The first of these last year was Loe Beach where we sailed in a handicap class, which was won by Aquila from a Dragon with Victory third. St. Mawes Social Club was next, won by Nemesis from Aquila & Troy. Then on July 17th St. Mawes Town Regatta was again won by Nemesis from Aquila and Sandpiper. Flushing Village Regatta was won by Aquila followed by Victory and Troy, sailed by Bruce. Portscatho Regatta was sailed in almost perfect weather and was won by Bob sailing Nemesis followed by Achilles and Troy. Percuil Regatta was sailed in quite a stiff breeze and was won by Redoutable sailed by Neil Cameron from Troy and Aeolus. The Sunday Series was won by Aquila with Sandpiper second and Mike Conlin sailing Victory third.

 

The National Championships were held on the last weekend in July with the very able race officer Ron Medlyn in charge. Our thanks go to Ron and to David Evans for providing Maitena for the Committee boat.

 

Five boats from Harwich came to St. Mawes to compete in the Nationals and some to stay for Fal Week. On the Thursday before the Championships, East and West Coast boats competed for the Oliver Lee Team-Racing Trophy. Coming ashore at Stoneworks Quay after the last race we had lost by one point. We came upon a discussion of the rules and Will Richards produced a rule book. The outcome was that as Bob Tate, sailing Gannet, no. 63, was over the line at the start of the last race and had failed to return to restart, he incurred a ten-point penalty giving the result to St. Mawes!  The Championships were won by Avocet from Nemesis and Athena.

 

Fal Week started with the Angela Beaman fun race to Mylor, organised by Mike and Jan. The event was well supported and much enjoyed by all, and was, as always, a relaxed start to a very competitive week.

 

Fal Week took on a different format this year giving us two days racing in the bay. In reality we sailed only one day in the bay with two races back to back. On the second bay race day it was blowing hard and we were forced to race in the Roads. We enjoyed a good spread of weather conditions through the week from survival conditions on a couple of days, to “find the wind if you can” on St. Mawes Day!  27 boats competed, which must be a record.

 

John Bryant has now retired as full time race officer for the Club. Hed has done an excellent job for a number of years, which is much appreciated.

 

I know of one boat that has changed hands. Number eleven has passed from Colin and Margaret Keith to Colin’s sister Caroline.

 

On the 21st September I received a phone call from Dudley Kennett telling me how he had acquired from Switzerland boat number twelve, Odysseus. Dudley usually crews for his wife Simone, who has Aeolus and one is led to ask, did he jump or was he pushed?! Joking aside, we look forward to Dudley joining the fleet this year.

 

This addition puts our SW Fleet up to 32 boats and I look forward to seeing you all on the water at some time during the 2005 season.

 

Cedric Thomas

Captain SW Ajax Fleet

 

 

 

 

AJAX 23 ONE-DESIGN CLASS

 

2004 SW Owners List and Results

 

 

 

BOAT               SAIL         OWNER                                                         NATIONAL              FALMOUTH WEEK

                           No.                                                                                         CHAMPS                (7 RACES)

Orion                       11       Colin & Margaret Keith. Now owned by                      21                                            22

                                            Caroline & Jonathan Colley                                        

Odysseus               12       Rescued from Switzerland by new owner

                                           Dudley Kennett

Friday                      13       Anthony West                                                              22                                            20

Nimrod                     15       Richard & Suzanne Holbrook                                       23

Merganser               16       Alan Preston                                                                                                                25

Polly Oliver              17       Chris Bateman                                                                                                              18

Victory                    19       Mike Conlin                                                                   11                                            13

Nemesis                  22       Bob Edwards                                                               2                                              3

Halcyon                   25       John Roberts

Kittiwake                 27       Mike Shillingford

Samaki                     28       Alan Williams                                                                9                                              12

Redoutable              32       David & Hilary Newton                                                 6

Persephone             33       Colin Jardine-Brown                                                                                                    17

Pintail                       36      Julie Wycherley                                                                                                             21

Osprey                    37       Sold early in 2004 to Paul Smart                                  24                                            24

Indefatigable            38       Chris Thomas                                                               14

Polyphemus             40       John & Anne Batten, Roger Boyle, Anthony Harbour, James Leggate, Neil Wilson

Mary B                     42       Richard Boucher-Giles                                                 18                                            19

Astrid                      43      Sold By Toby Wilkinson, Simon Gordon, Simon Hearn to Bob Scrace

Ajax                         44      David Porter sold to Kim Matthewson 2005                  16                                            11

Vim                          46      Daniel Duff                                                                    12                                            16

Aeolus                     47      Simone & Dudley Kennett, now owned                        15                                            14

                                          solely by Simone

Achilles                   48      Richard Townshend                                                     19                                            15

Sandpiper                49      Delia Hazell & Glenn Litherland                                     13                                            7

Aquila                      53      Lindsey & Claire Thomas                                              7                                              6

Athena                    56      David Liddington                                                            3                                              1

Troy                         58      Cedric Thomas                                                              8                                              5

Atalanta                   59      Elaine Davey                                                                                                                 9

Fringilla                    64      Chris Snell & Andy Harrower                                                                                       27

Amalthea                 66      Robin Flynn                                                                   20                                            26

Diomedes                67      Chris Beddoes

Hermes                    70      Anthony Armitage                                                                                                         10

 

 

 

                      VISITING BOATS FROM RHYC

Puffin                       23       David Pearce                                                                10

Pegasus                  29       James Skelhorne & David Kerridge                              5                                              4

Avocet                    30        Doug Sharps & Richard Chenery                                1                                              2

Gannet                    63        Bob Tate                                                                      17                                            8

Gooseander            69        Jonathon Pack                                                             4                                              23