The Wanderer Spring 2021 by The Wanderer

Edition 124 AGM 2021

The Wanderer News from the Wanderer Class Owners’ Association

Titanium

Thimbles

Page 2

The Wanderer Edition 124- AGM 2021

2019 WCOA (UK) WCOA Committee 2020National Committee CHAIRMAN JOHN RENOUF 01628 476929 1953jgr@gmail.com

MEMBERSHIP SECRETARY JENNY RENOUF 01628 476929 jrenouf57@gmail.com

EDITOR and WEBMASTER SIMON EDSFORTH 07825 735993 editor@wanderer.org.uk

TREASURER & ADVERTISING SECRETARY ROBIN GABBITAS 07946 730314 robingabbitas@yahoo.co.uk

EVENTS COORDINATOR PHILIP MEADOWCROFT 07771 814630 philip@brandmasters.co.uk

RICHARD LEWIS ricklewis200@ntlworld.com

TECHNICAL SECRETARY MIKE BENNETT 01483 424175 technical@wanderer.org.uk

In this issue:

Welcome to the AGM edition

The Travels of Granny Ann

Gavin Barr, January 5th 1931 – January 2nd 2021

2021 Annual General Meeting

Committee Members’ Updates:

Sailing at 660ft above Sea Level

2020 Accounts

Modifying Medusa

Notice of Race

Just for Fun: Emoji Pictionary

2021 Calendar of Events and Program

Front Page - The view along the floating pontoon at Killington Sailing Association on a misty morning - Peter Melling

John’s Jottings A message from the Chairman of the Wanderer Class Owners’ Association UK John Renouf Well, we finally made it into 2021! I don’t recall a new year being so eagerly anticipated, but now it’s here we find that not much has changed so far as the pandemic is concerned. We have still more lock-down restrictions, although these are now offset by the hope of a successful roll-out of the various vaccines. Nevertheless, I hope that this message finds you safe and well. This magazine issue is to provide you with the necessary information for our Annual General Meeting. This will take place using the Zoom platform so that you can attend from the comfort of your own home. You will receive an invitation to the email we have on record for your membership or by post where we do not have one. Your membership details we have on file are enclosed with this edition so please take a moment to check these are correct and return the form in good time so we get this to the right place. The National Committee has already met successfully a couple of times using Zoom, and I am confident that we shall be able to have a useful and successful AGM in the same way. The only thing that we will miss is the opportunity for face-to-face interaction, but hopefully this meeting

will be a one off and we shall be back to normal next year. You will see from the enclosed information that the meeting will take its usual format. The only regular feature that will not take place is the presentation of awards. With no Championship sailing events taking place in 2020 there is no overall winner. Similarly, with no events on the water there has been no opportunity for any misdemeanour worthy of the Barry Hillier Clanger.

Trophy this year, but we look forward to normal service being resumed in the future. Included with this magazine will be an invitation to renew your membership of the Association. The fee remains unchanged at £22 having been at this level for many years, The Committee deliberated on whether to offer a fee reduction for 2021 in view of the limited activity in 2020 but, on balance, decided not to as to do so would require a disproportionate amount of administration work. You will find the rationale elsewhere in this issue. Finally, you will see that we have a packed programme of events planned throughout the season, including some new venues. Whilst we are very pleased about this, each event is subject to review of the pandemic restrictions in effect at the time so are vulnerable to cancellation. Please bear this in mind when making your attendance plans.

If this comes as a relief to you in case we found out about an individual mishap then the best that I suggest is that you keep quiet about it! Jill Davies has similarly decided not to award the Ian Proctor Memorial

I look forward to seeing you at the AGM and, hopefully, at an event during the year.

Stay safe and well. - John Renouf, Association Chairman

Page 3

Welcome to the AGM edition The Digital and Print Editor introduces this edition of the Wanderer by Simon Edsforth Not much has happened since last month, except for various restrictions that I choose not to mention. My Wanderer, Breezer, is sadly still sat on her trolley in the boat park - I hope you are looking after yours with more care and respect. As I write I imagine she’s got an inch of snow on her cover. The AGM edition can be like Bosham Lake at Low Water springs; a bit dry. But you, dearest Wanderers, have made every effort to add spice and depth through your submissions,

just as I hope the curry will be like at WandererFest 2021, if the accounting on page 14 is anything to go by! I had a long debate with myself about what image to use for the front page, given the news below and my state of mind, I thought this seemed to be appropriate. The picture was taken at Kilington by Peter Melling and you can read all about that place on the page opposite. The piece below will be significantly expanded in a later edition. Andrew Powell has again contributed a piece which I hope will

inspire you to take on a winter project. And Tim Last warms us up with a promise of a stiff diurnal wind over a warm Mediterranean port. I hope you are keeping safe and well and just know that whenever this ends you’ll find us with wide smiles and warm beers, salty legs and windswept hair, sun kissed cheeks and worn out sheets, ready to help push you away from the slipway and see you at the windward mark or sheltered beach. In the meantime you’ll have to make do with a Virtual AGM where I hope to see a record attendance, after all there really are no excuses this time... - SE

Gavin Barr, January 5th 1931 – January 2nd 2021 In Memorium Richard Maltby In the passing of Gavin Barr we have lost a most remarkable person, a great sailor and a true gentleman. A master of many arts, not least in making a slow boat go fast, his influence was as considerable as it was unique. Within the unfailing consideration, humour and gentleness of his manner there was inner steel to his nobility of character. By his death from Covid-19, so cruelly and undeservedly contracted in hospital following hip surgery, the club has lost a great man and the widely felt pleasure of his wisdom, kindness and company.

Gavin and crew Mark Skipper lead the field.

Born in East Lothian and a lifelong rugby supporter of Scotland, educated at Dartmouth, sailing and going to sea went together for Gavin as cadet and subsequently lieutenant Barr in the Royal Navy. When Caroline, his beautiful wife, was recovering from polio and being advised of the benefits of a hot climate, Gavin resigned his commission and entered the Colonial Service. As a district officer his engineering and administrative ability

Page 4

served in helping to construct the infrastructure basis for Zambia, a country for which Gavin retained great affection and where one of his sons continues to live with his family. On return to the UK to work for an engineering company and also the Church Missionary Society, Gavin and Caroline made their home at Charing, bringing up three children. Sailing led to membership of Whitstable YC and progression from racing a Merlin Rocket to Wanderers, most successfully with his boat “Thistle” W15 gv21. With Gavin at the helm and Mark Skipper as crew, this fantastic partnership achieved an unparalleled run of success in Wanderer Open and National championships. In his 80s Gavin was still winning open events and was featured in a BBC SE News programme on sailing with presenter Natalie Graham on board his boat. Generous in his advice, Gavin’s technical sections in the Wanderer Class Owner’s Association website enhanced by his hand drawn diagrams provide all the guidance for “Sailing Faster”. WYC members were extremely fortunate in having Gavin at hand and always willing to give us his time and advice. Under his captaincy Wanderers became a significant club fleet, the Whitstable Open became a regular event, nurturing national champions in Paul Yeadon and Liz North. In 2019 to mark their appreciation the

class purchased and donated the Gavin Barr trophy, a replica of a Wanderer in stainless steel wrought by a Whitstable blacksmith.

Left to right, Richard Matlby, Mark Skipper, Tim Barr and Gavin Barr at the awarding of the inaugural Trophy Race in Gavin’s honour, Whitstable 2019

Gavin’s talents as a musician and performer, entertaining us with his guitar playing and slightly risquée songs brought laughter and appreciative rejoinders to Wanderer and club gatherings. We will also miss his great sense of humour, company and wit. I shall cherish his funny comments in emails. It was always lovely to see the undemonstrative but profoundly felt devotion between Gavin and Caroline in all that they did. Our deepest sympathy on their loss in such terrible circumstances goes to Caroline and the Barr family. - RM Gavin’s funeral was held on the 20th January 2021 at Charing Chapel

Donations in memory of Gavin for the Charing Methodist Church and the Church Mission Society. Insert: a floral tribute from the Class Owners Association

The Wanderer Edition 124- AGM 2021

Sailing at 660ft above Sea Level Spotlight on Killington Sailing Association Peter Melling No! I haven’t been at the malt’s just yet, but this is the height above sea level where I sail Dion W1716 a Hartley Wanderer. If you have driven the M6 through the Lake District, particularly on the southbound carriageway, you will have passed the Killington Services just after J37. Next time I recommend you call in for a coffee walk through to the rear of the building and take a look at Killington reservoir in all it’s splendour.

On the opposite side of the lake you will see the Killington Sailing Association (KSA) clubhouse and dinghy park and on fine days you can sit outside at the back of the services with a warm drink watching whoever is sailing from the picnic tables. It can be really entertaining when the Sedbergh school groups are up practicing their dry rolls. Killington Lake is actually a reservoir, formed when Killington Beck was dammed in 1819, to supply water to the Lancaster Canal. This was known as the Black & White canal as the barges heading north to Kendal would carry coal and head South to Lancaster and beyond carrying lime stone. The reservoir has two dams that have clay cores. The main dam is around 253m long and 15.8m high with the subsidiary western dam being 110m long and only 3m high. This 18 inch icicles - it gets chilly - PM

Reproduced with permission from the KSA - Aerial view of KSA with the nature reserve opposite.

gives a top water level of the reservoir of 200.55m above Ordnance Datum. This reservoir supplies an average of 22.7 million litres of water a day to the canal system with some of this water going through a hydro plant at the bottom of the main dam. Since it’s initial construction the main dam has been raised in height twice to meet the demand for water supplies to the canal, which is still its sole purpose. This demand can be a problem for sailing in the height of long hot summers, like we have been having, but generally there is water to sail on and wind to make it challenging - particularly when it’s an Easterly.

The view up to the fells in the evening light - PM

Having pointed Dion’s mast towards New Zealand a few times, I am getting the hang of it now and realise the reservoir is quite deep in places. But in summer some little islands can suddenly appear as if by magic, all adding to the fun of sailing in this unique place.

The site is used by plenty of other groups who have associate membership to KSA and use Killington for training. Sedbergh School is a major user and there are couple of other local sailing clubs that have to contend with strong tides. When training new members its not always possible for them to do it safely at their own site, in these cases they use Killington where it is more controllable and more sheltered. Usually we have a hardy bunch of sailors at KSA and some (not me) take part in an “ice breaking” event early in the year, just to clear away any cobwebs that may be lingering, although doing this at sea level the water temperature would be much warmer.

Dion with the fells behind her - PM

We also have local Sea Cadets and Scouts using the facilities and a local disabled outward bound centre. Thrown into this mix KSA has a growing number of paddlers, be it canoes, kayaks, or paddle boards and to add to these, there are the wind surfers, who only seem to go out in the wildest of conditions!! A nature reserve in the form of an island down one side of the reservoir near the service area. The wild birds there can some days out squawk the gentle rumble of the motorway just to remind you that you are far from the madding crowds and should enjoy your time spent on the water. - PM Dion on Kilington Reservoir - Irene Melling

This area has several wind turbine farms giving you the notion there is always a breeze, but there are odd days when it’s flat calm. These are the ones where I have put all my kit in the car and gone up there all expectant of a day on the water, only to find breathless airs. Dion is the only Wanderer up here for now, but there are several Wayfarers and a couple of Hartley 15’s. By far there are more Lasers and Picos as these are the KSA club and Sedbergh School boats, along with a few privately owned boats of similar make.

Page 5

Modifying Medusa Making a Navigation Cabinet Andrew Powell shows us how

The box is 77cms wide by 29cm tall by 13cm deep, not including various things that stick out, like the carrying handle and retaining clips. It sits on the front of the aft storage-box, out of the way, under the tiller. I don’t have a full-frontal picture of the cabinet in position on Medusa, but here you can see the top bit poking out as we get ready to set sail at Portland.

One thing that appealed to me about the Wanderer, was its adaptability. My previous boat, a Laser 2000, was excellent in many ways, but offered little scope for modification. In short, I wanted a boat I could drill holes in. My 1993 Anglo Marine Wanderer W1138 (named Medusa by her first owner) has proven an ideal test bed for several projects, and one of the first has been to make a cabinet to store equipment for cruising.

It has a lockable and removable front lid. It hangs on two heavy-duty mirror brackets.

As a former cadet-officer and an instructor, I have acquired quite a bit of kit that I like to take out on cruises. I want things to hand in the boat, but not under my feet. I also wanted to be able to store all these things tidily on a shelf in my garage when not in use, and to be readily transportable to and from the boat. Here is my solution: a Nav Cab

Rear view showing mirror clips

All that is permanently attached to the boat are the two corresponding parts of mirror clips on two one centimetre deep pads made of 4cm square pieces of white nylon chopping board, and two loops of elastic shock-cord which hold the locker in place in case of a capsize. The cabinet is finished with three coats of Wilko’s yacht varnish. The handle was saved from an old case which once held a laptop. My Nav. Cab with the door open, equipment stowed

I made my Nav Cab from a 4ft square piece of 4mm plywood and various other off-cuts and bits and bobs I had in my shed. I am not going to offer step-by-step instructions on how to make your own, but here are some tips in what I hope is a fairly logical order: 1. Check the measurements of the cabinet in your own boat, remembering to allow space for the water to get to the aft bung, if you have one. (I needed to modify how the toe strap attached to the floor of the boat, but it was a quick job with a piece of luggage strap). I made my cabinet small enough to fit conveniently inside my (lockable) aft storage box if I need to leave the boat unattended.

Nav Cab with the door closed - neat and tidy and easy to transport

Page 6

2. Assemble all the bits and pieces you want to store in the your Nav. Cabinet, and arrange them on a piece of scrap board or cardboard.

The Wanderer Edition 124- AGM 2021 spacers while gluing. Even better, raid a child’s Lego bricks and make spacers of exactly the height you require. 6. Before you glue everything together, give thought to how you will varnish or paint your finished cabinet: some bits will be difficult to access once they are fixed in situ. 7. If you plan to include a waterproof lunch box or two, (for spare batteries, shackles etc) I strongly recommend obtaining these at the outset and sizing the compartments to fit them. Rather than doing as I did; spending seemingly hours in cookware shops measuring plastic boxes to fit my cabinet. Arrange your planned contents on a piece of scrap board or cardboard.

Draw where you think the compartment dividers will go. Resist the temptation to make everything too snug fitting, like Edward Fox’s rifle case in The Day of the Jackal! You are bound to acquire a fatter pair of binos or a skinnier radio, or change your mind, before you have finished your cabinet.

8. Lastly; drill some holes in the bottom of your finished cabinet to stop water collecting.

3. Give some thought to getting at things in an emergency; I have two VHF radios (I don’t need two: I just have two) and I have positioned these on the ends of the cabinet so I can reach one if I have capsized, likewise my electronic flare. 4. I was lucky to be working in a school when I was making this with the assistance of a very helpful DT technician who did all my cutting on a large bench-saw. I would not have been able to achieve such accurate cuts with my own tools, and without his help I would have had to try and get them done at my local DIY store, which has a saw-bay. You could also look for a local maker space like a men’s shed (mensshed.org.uk, women also allowed) who will welcome anyone with a project like this in mind. But however you get them done, it is a good idea to get extra lengths of the pieces that will make up your internal section dividers and shelves. 5. When you come to glue things together it is very helpful to obtain some old CD or cassette cases to act as

Here is a picture of the cabinet empty, with its contents laid out in front and on top. The GPS and the black Silva Compass are removed from the cabinet and fixed to the boat where they can be seen, prior to setting sail. I hope you’ve enjoyed this project and can find the time during the current lockdown to put something similar together. I would be fascinated to learn what kit-items other Wanderer sailors would consider vital enough for space in a similar project. I have many more modifications to come in later editions, up next fitting a cascade jib tensioning system. - AP

Just for Fun: Emoji Pictionary Can you work out the sailing terms from the clues? Answers in the next edition....

Page 7

The Travels of Granny Ann Granny Ann: Introducing Newcomers to Sailing A true story by Tim Last Little did the Watson’s imagine how far Wanderer 419 would travel when they purchased her in 1985, nor the life she would lead in retirement. Granny Ann served Ian and his family very ably, based mainly in the fresh water environment at Bewl, she provided numerous happy days afloat as different generations learned the joys of sailing on board this kindly and forgiving dinghy. Named after a generous family donor, Granny Ann would be described in modern day terms as the ‘cruising version’ of the Wanderer, retaining white sails, with stowage for plenty of ‘just in case’ spares. Her wanderings in the UK included a trip to the Isle of Wight and another outing at the UK Nationals in Portland, where her claim to fame was to have come 12th (of twelve). Situated in the rolling Weald countryside on the Kent/Sussex border, Bewl Water has much to commend it. On breezy days the gusts can be highly unpredictable in strength and direction, catching even the most able helm by surprise. However there is the welcome consolation of pulling the boat ashore for a stroll to the pub, before the return sail to end a pleasant day. One of the few things in common between Bewl and Granny Ann’s new home is the presence of vineyards on the surrounding shores.

Tentative first steps in a Wanderer

Despite the finest intentions, and even in the kindest of vessels, knees, hips and backs eventually call time on most sailors, and the Watson’s were no exception. However instead of selling their beloved dinghy, they most generously offered her to interested sailors who would be

Page 8

Granny Ann taking newcomers out on the water in La Spezia

willing to continue to look after her well, while offering an enjoyable introduction to dinghies for another generation. After a couple of false starts, Granny Ann was transported to Northern Italy, to be based just outside La Spezia on the Ligurian Sea at a local sailing school. Known affectionately by her adopted friends as ‘Nonna Anna’, W419 is now based at the Scuola di Mare near the historic town of Lerici, overlooking the Gulfo di La Spezia, better known as the Gulf of Poets. Granny Ann reinforces already strong ties between nations; the gulf was so named during the extended residence of Britons Percy and Mary Shelley, along with Lord Byron, D H Lawrence and the painter George Sand. Each has joined the long list of Italian artists in residence, including Botticelli and even Dante himself.

towns around the gulf. The city of La Spezia serves as the gateway to the world-renowned Cinque Terre villages and, given fair winds, the more adventurous sailor can make the return trip to the Cinque Terre in a full day aboard a Wanderer. Granny Ann sits comfortably at home among a selection of watercraft ranging from the now-ubiquitous stand up paddle board, through kayaks and windsurfers, up to cruising yachts. In the dinghy park she is kept company by more youthful dinghy and multihull designs from the RS stable, while there is a fleet of Lasers along with another fleet of O’pen Bic dinghies for youngsters. As the senior relative, she is an uncomplicated proposition for newcomers to the sport, equally welcoming to groups of students, couples or young families

An active military, commercial, fishing and (in normal times) cruise port, La Spezia’s deep waters might best be compared to Plymouth, with a large harbour protected by a long breakwater. Whatever the wind, there is plenty of space for boats, and sailors can visit the picturesque

Lerici Castle on the shores of the Gulf - a picture postcard in Northern Italy

The Wanderer Edition 124- AGM 2021

who take advantage of the Wanderer’s well known sea-keeping qualities. Whilst many modern dinghy designs in the UK are common across Europe, it is fair to say that the Wanderer is less familiar to locals. Though none of the Wanderer manufacturers seem to have initiated export drives to Italy, more seasoned sailors typically recognise the Wayfarer, so it’s not a big jump to put the Wanderer in context. While single handing at the beginning of September, and having reefed Granny Ann, it was a shock to be circled by a sizeable motor boat, taking several photos. Feeling somewhat embarrassed that cumbersome reefing efforts were captured for posterity, the helm drew closer and, in perfect English, shouted, “My friend Richard has exactly the same boat, up in The Lakes. We have a great time sailing her together”. If a WCOA member named Richard based in the Italian or Cumbrian Lakes happens to be reading please get in touch. Between spring and autumn the weather across the region of Liguria is generally very predictable. Most days start with a comfortable cooling breeze descending from the mountains surrounding La Spezia to the north and east, propelling sailors out into the Gulf. By late morning, the temperatures have risen sufficiently for a southerly sea breeze to build, usually peaking at force 3 or 4 by 16:00, after which the winds gently descend, encouraging a return for dinner. By comparison to most UK coastal waters, tides are negligible, both in height (30cm is the normal range) and flow. The biggest navigational hazards are other vessels and the well-marked mussel farms that provide a favourite dish for the locals. Making sailing a Wanderer stylish (again)

Courtesy of Navionics, the breakwater is 1.3NM and the bay approx 2.5NM across

Being toward the north of Italy, temperatures are generally warm, but rarely hot, improving on the southern UK by about 5C each day, with the welcome moderation of the sea breeze. Indeed there are days when the Gulf is cooler than central London. Water temperatures are a considerable improvement on the UK, meaning that a wetsuit is the most one would need from October to May, otherwise its shirt, shorts, hats and plenty of sunblock. In the rare event of capsize, the warm summer waters ensure that it is a not unwelcome experience.

members are most welcome to take her out should they find themselves in

There is a strong local racing scene, with monthly regattas out of Lerici, covering the gulf from shore to shore in sails. Meanwhile the annual La Spezia Palio rowing race takes place in early a August, with practiced crews from local villages competing against each other in pilot gigs (similar to the Scilly Isles) for the annual honour of being top dog in the port.

the vicinity. In the meantime, and thanks to the kindness of the Watsons, she will continue to provide a safe an enjoyable introduction to sailing in the Gulf of Poets for years to come.

Disembarking onto the slipway

Granny Ann is available at the Scuola di Mare, Santa Teresa, Lerici www.scuoladimaresantateresa.it The staff speak very good English, and WCOA members will be made warmly welcome. - TL

Page 9

2021 Annual General Meeting Notice of the Annual General Meeting of the Wanderer Class Owners’ Association UK To be held Virtually on Zoom Email or postal invites will be sent 28 days before

On Saturday 27th February 2021 AT 12:30pm Agenda 1. Welcome 2. Apologies for Absence 3. Acceptance of Minutes of AGM dated 29th February 2020 4. Matters arising from 3. 5. Chairman’s Report – John Renouf 6. Treasurer’s Report for the Year Ending 31st October 2020 – Robin Gabbitas 7. Membership Report - Jenny Renouf 8. Technical Report – Mike Bennet 9. Events Report – Philip Meadowcroft 10. Election of Committee Members 11. Any other business 12. Date of next meeting – Saturday 26th February 2022 Directions: Stay at home, stay safe.

Minutes of the 2020 Annual General Meeting of the Wanderer Class Owners’ Association held at the RYA Dinghy Show on Saturday 29th February 2020 at 12:30pm. 1.

Welcome The Chairman, John Renouf, welcomed approximately 21 members and thanked everyone for attending.

Apologies Apologies for absence had been received from Alan Bort, David Mansfield, Tony and Pat Gillespie, Dafydd and Maggi Bebb, Mike Levington, David Hewitt, Bernard Taylor, Mike Bennett, Simon Edsforth and Jean Whittaker.

Acceptance of Minutes of previous AGM The minutes of the Annual General Meeting dated 2nd March 2019 were agreed as a true record. Ray Tennant proposed. Bob Rastrick seconded.

Matters Arising Simon Edsforth is to produce a flyer which can be downloaded from the website to hand out at sailing clubs. Action carried forward from the 2019 AGM.

Chairman’s Report John Renouf presented the following report: It hardly seems to have been a year since I last addressed this Annual Meeting but it has, and it has been a typically busy year for the Class Association. I will leave others to fill in the details and keep my own presentation as short as possible, but I will take this opportunity to acknowledge that the success of our events programme is due in no small way to our members that are willing to travel, sometimes considerable

Page 10

The Wanderer Edition 124- AGM 2021

distances with their boats in tow, to participate enthusiastically in whatever activities are offered both on and off the water. Participation at our events is at a satisfying level that justifies the efforts of the organisers both within the Association and at our host venues, and due appreciation is expressed to them all. There will always be room for more participants and we will continue to encourage participation by covering the participation fees of members during this year. The programme for 2020 has been “tweaked” with some venue changes, and WandererFest will again take place at Cobnor to the established format. The enthusiasm of the Committee continues unabated and for this I, as Chairman, am immensely grateful as it makes my task much easier, so my thanks go to them for their work over the past year. Whilst I normally subscribe to the philosophy of “don’t fix what isn’t broken”, for an organisation like ours to thrive we need to bring in new ideas and expertise to help us to move forward and keep up with the “real world”. There is no better illustration of this than with the Wanderer magazine that has significantly benefitted from the involvement of Simon, who has injected his own brand of knowledge and enthusiasm together with his creative flair and knowledge of current technology to restyle the publication and also streamline the production process. I am keen to recruit new and hopefully “younger” members to the Committee, not only to reduce the average age but also to provide knowledge of the latest version of the Hartley Wanderer. The number of these boats attending events is gradually increasing and I feel that the owners of these boats should be better-represented on a Committee that currently has between them seven Anglo Marine boats and one Porter boat. The Committee normally meets twice a year in addition to the AGM, with much business being completed by email so the time commitment is hardly arduous, and diversity of input is much needed. Now it remains for me to hand over to the Committee officers to present their respective reports but first let me thank you all for attending this meeting and for your continued support of the Class Association. 6.

Tresaurer’s Report Robin Gabbitas presented the accounts. There was a slight increase of income from subscriptions and a slight increase in expenditure but a healthy balance remained. He confirmed that the membership would remain at £22 and the Association would continue to fund the participation fees for members attending WCOA events. He thanked Ray Tennant for the prompt auditing of accounts.

Membership Report Jenny Renouf reported that there were 186 members of the WCOA at the 31 December 2019, including 7 Honorary members. 18 people did not renew. 20 new members joined in 2019. 5 new boats have already signed up for 2020. Hartley boats had sold 19 new boats but some of these were late notifications again. 1817 is the latest boat number. The new boats that were notified late in 2018 are due to renew their membership for 2020. 88 have renewed carried over from 2019. Bob Rastrick asked if there was an increase in membership in the North. Membership records would need to be assessed in detail for this information to be obtained.

Technical Report Mike Bennett unfortunately couldn’t make the AGM. The Chairman reported on his behalf. Twin Spinnaker Pole system: Dispensation of the twin spinnaker pole system was reviewed. This new system competed in two races in 2019, one of which was very light winds and the other very strong winds. Due to the limited amount of races where this system was used and the extreme of conditions, it was decided that there was not enough evidence to determine the performance of the system. Therefore it was decided that the dispensation of the twin spinnaker pole system would continue for another year. It was noted that the system as an option for the Wanderer has been removed from the Hartley website. Bob Rastrick asked for advice about removing a weighted centre board. The meeting suggested several methods to achieve this.

Events Report Philip Meadowcroft presented the proposed 2020 events calendar as follows: •

18-19 April

Page 11

2021 Annual General Meeting (continued) This is the 5th year at this venue. Hopefully better conditions as last year was raced through storm Hannah. • 9-10 May Bewl Water: WCOA National Championships. This coincides with the VE day celebrations • 17 May Marlow SC: Try a Wanderer • 6-7 June Whitstable SC: Gavin Barr Trophy. Last year’s event was reported by Richard Maltby. The event was a great success with 12 entries. Won by Tim Barr with Mark Skipper. On Sunday there is a cruise planned sailing past a seal colony area. • 1-5 June Roseland Peninsula: West Country Cruise. This is the 5th year at this venue. • 9-13 July Cobnor Point, Chichester : Wandererfest 2020. The Associations flagship event for the 6th year running • 22-23 August Arnside SC: New event, racing in the inner estuary • 5-6 September Cotswold SC: WCOA Inland Championship. • 26-27 September Galmpton Creek: New Event. River Dart Laid Back Weekend • 3-4 October Swarkestone SC: New Racing Event All events will be free for members, with participation costs covered by the WCOA. Philip Meadowcroft thanked all the event organisers and would like to hear from anyone who would like to organise future events .It was good to see more planned events in the north of the country. 10.

Election of Committee Members John Renouf expressed an interest in recruiting new members to the committee especially younger members to keep the Association healthy for years to come. No volunteers were forthcoming at the meeting. Mike Hamilton had decided to stand down from the Committee and his position as Webmaster. He noted that Simon Edsforth had agreed to take on the website in the absence of any other volunteer. Mike was thanked for his long and significant contribution to the WCOA Committee in several roles. It was proposed to re-elect the other Committee members en-bloc. Alan Laight proposed, Lindsey Weatherly seconded. No objections - vote carried.

11.

Presentations 11.1 Ian Proctor Memorial Trophy - Jill Davis awarded the trophy to Simon Edsforth who has provided strong commitment to the committee and exceptional enthusiasm producing the class magazine. Unfortunately Simon was unable to attend the AGM. Jill will present the award in person at a later date. 11.2 Barry Hill Clanger Bell - There was only one nomination for the trophy which was awarded to Richard Austin for his exceptional navigational skills in the wrong direction. During lovely conditions on the Salcombe cruise 3 boats set out on an epic cruise. All was going well until Snapes Point where 2 boats went in the planned direction. Richard, however, decided to follow totally different boats and go on an altogether unique solo cruise . The award was presented by John Renouf

12.

Any Other Business An e-mail was received by the committee with regard to a self-launching whisker pole being accepted by the Class Rules. It was unclear whether this was to be used in racing or cruising. It was decided that the committee would further investigate the circumstances where this would be used and if a class ruling would be applied. Jenny Renouf reported that there had been a modest sales of the new regalia that had provided a small profit to the association. 9 T-shirts, 6 polo shirts and 2 jackets have been sold. Please let Jenny know if there is a particular item that you would be interested inane she will obtain a price from the supplier. Bob Rastrick did a presentation about a scheme to fix derelict hut roofs commonly found on sailing club accommodations. This has been used on Rotherham SC. It is called Fix My Hut Scheme. It is run by a company called Iko roofs. If your sailing club needs a new roof its worth applying The IKO Fix That Hut scheme, repairing roofs in the community. The campaign was launched in 2006 to celebrate IKO’s centenary year, and was inspired when the company pledged materials were originally used in 1911. The ‘Fix That Hut’

Page 12

The Wanderer Edition 124- AGM 2021

campaign seeks out needy projects such as village halls, scout huts and other buildings which are at the heart of local communities with the UK. IKO will donate free waterproofing materials for successful and deserving projects. https://www.ikogroup.co.uk/about-iko/sustainability/fix-that-hut/ 13.

Next meeting The 2021 AGM will take place on Saturday 27 February at 12.30 pm at the RYA Dinghy show (venue to be confirmed)

Committee Members’ Updates: A brief explanation of decisions around Subscriptions

system from an out of date MS Frontpage editor to a more current Wordpress site. This new system has more powerful software which enables a plethora of options we can choose from.

Robin Gabbitas As is abundantly apparent from the accounts, Covid had quite an effect on our accounts. With no events and no associated expenditure; and nothing to report barely filling two magazines, we ended up with quite an unexpected surplus. We debated long and hard about reducing or refunding subscriptions, but for reasons of practicality and no small measure of self interest we decided to do nothing and hope you will understand. The current financial system is clunky to say the least and any refunds would have to be posted by cheque. We will however use this surplus for your benefit. It will enable us to subsidise more events and, as you will hear from Simon, we will be updating the web site, and we are also going to invest in postage stamps to mitigate forthcoming increases. The membership fee will remain at £22. So we hope you are happy with what we have done and propose. - RG

Website Changes and Updates to Members Database Simon Edsforth Having taken over from Mike Hamilton back in April I wasted no time updating the website. I hope you have all had a chance to take a look, it’s at the usual address: www.wanderer.org.uk To those among you who are keen eyed or interested I have upgraded the

One of these we have been trialling is a members section which we aim to roll-out to the members in the coming months. Many thanks to James Myers, Robert Gilmore, Tim Young and Peter Melling for being my beta testers. Having a logon on the website has a number of key benefits including members only content, mailing lists and forums but primarily that the members’ database is held on a dedicated encrypted server in the UK, and is visible and editable by the members themselves. This aims to give you full access and control of your account information (GDPR). The committee members will then be able to extract the relevant information from the website when they require it for association business. At the January committee meeting we agreed that we will retire the old database in favour of the new online members system so in the next few weeks you should get an email to invite you to set up your username and password with all the necessary instructions. The details we have on record, included in the insert with this edition, will be imported so you should not have to make any changes provided these are correct.

The Role of the Membership Secretary Jenny Renouf After seven enjoyable years as the membership secretary I have decided to step down from the role on the committee at the end of 2021. I have taken a moment to explain what it entails and why I enjoyed it; The main responsibility of the membership secretary is to keep an accurate account of the members. I work closely with the treasurer, Robin Gabbitas, who keeps me informed of those members who have paid and new members who have joined. I send a welcome pack including a letter, a copy of the latest magazine and the WCOA member sticker. Hartley boats, the current manufacturer, let me know of brand new boats that have been sold where the owner has given permission. The owners of which are entitled to free membership during the current year. In preparation for any sailing event or magazine I provide an up-todate list of current members to ensure that all the participants are paid up and current members receive The Wanderer. I have found spare membership forms are also very useful for events as we often have new members sign up on the day.

If you do not have an email address then we will simply maintain your details on the system.

I have thoroughly enjoyed meeting so many new people and making lots of new friends through the role, putting faces to names and meeting their families, friends and dogs has been great fun.

Please take a minute to check out the new site, you can register for events, order your regalia, read and comment on articles, and interact with other members. More functionality will be coming soon, and if there’s anything you would like to see please let me know. -SE

The Membership Secretary needs to be enthusiastic, have a good level of attention to detail and be reasonably outgoing. If you think you’ve got what it takes please let me know, my contact details can be found on page 3. - JennyR

Page 13

2020 Accounts

Page 14

The Wanderer Edition 124- AGM 2021

Notice of Race WEST OXFORDSHIRE SAILING CLUB

Wanderer Racing Event Tel: 01865 321202 Website: www.wosc.org.uk

5. 6. 7.

8. 9.

17th and 18th April 2021

WITNEY VENUE OXFORDSHIRE The event will be held at the West Oxfordshire Sailing Club (WOSC), Witney, Near OX29 5AG near OX29 5AG, Tel: 01865 321202, email: membership@wosc.org.uk. The organising authority is the West Oxfordshire Sailing Club in conjunction with the Wanderer Class Owners Association (WCOA). Note: This event is planned on the basis that the current lockdown restrictions are lifted sufficiently for WOSC and WCOA’s own rules to allow the event to go ahead. Updates will be provided via the websites. RULES The regatta will be governed by The Racing Rules of Sailing 2021-2024, the Prescriptions of the RYA, the Wanderer Class Owners’ Association (WCOA) Class Rules, and West Oxfordshire Sailing Club’s Sailing Instructions. Racing Rules 27.1 and 40 will be changed to the effect that buoyancy aids are required. The changes will appear in full in the Sailing Instructions. Competitors should note that West Oxfordshire Sailing Club implements the RYA Racing Charter. Competitors will be required to undertake to sail in compliance with the Charter, which can be found at the front of the RYA rule book and at the point of event entry. ELIGIBILITY and ENTRY The regatta is open to all members of the WCOA. Crews may enter by completing the entry form from 09h30 on the morning of the event. An entry fee of £30 per boat will be payable on the day by WCOA on behalf of all participating members. SCHEDULE A competitors’ briefing will be held in front of the club balcony at 11h00. The regatta will be five races of approximately 60 minutes duration, with four to count. Start times will be approximately as follows: 1st Race Sat 12h00, 2nd Race Sat 14h30, 3rd Race Sat 16h00 4th Race Sun 11h00, 5th Race Sun 13h00h The scheduled time of the warning signal for the first race is 11h55. If more than 20 (twenty) entries are received then flights may be organised. In this case, the regatta will be five races of approximately 50 minutes duration, with four to count. The second flight start times will be five minutes after those of the first flight for each fleet. SAILING INSTRUCTIONS The Sailing Instructions are available on the club website: www.wosc.org.uk. Additional copies will be made available at the time of entry. PRIZES There will be prizes awarded for 1st -3rd places. Other spot prizes may be awarded depending on the size of the entry. RISK STATEMENT Rule 4 of the Racing Rules of Sailing states: “The responsibility for a boat’s decision to participate in a race or to continue racing is her’s alone.” Sailing is by its nature an unpredictable sport and therefore involves an element of risk. By taking part in any of the events covered by this notice of race, each competitor agrees and acknowledges that: a. They are aware of the inherent element of risk involved in the sport and accept responsibility for the exposure of themselves, their crew and their boat to such risk whilst taking part in the event; b. They are responsible for the safety of themselves, their crew, their boat and their other property whether afloat or ashore; c. They accept responsibility for any injury, damage or loss to the extent caused by their own actions or omissions; d. Their boat is in good order, equipped to sail in the event and they are fit to participate; e. The provision of a race management team, patrol boats, umpires and other officials and volunteers by the organiser does not relieve them of their own responsibilities; f. The provision of patrol boat cover is limited to such assistance, particularly in extreme weather conditions, as can be practically provided in the circumstances. INSURANCE Each participating boat shall be insured with valid third-party liability insurance with a minimum cover of at least £2,000,000 or the equivalent. FURTHER INFORMATION Hot food will be available at breakfast and during the lunch break on both race days and dinner will be available on the Saturday evening at extra cost at the club or an off-site venue. The club hopes to have a live band on the Saturday night, details to follow. Please note that on-site camping will be available on the Friday and Saturday nights. Please book this in advance by email to bookings@wosc.org.uk. For further information please contact Michael Lewington michaellewington@outlook.com or by phone on 07711 283306. RSVP via the website: www.wanderer.org.uk/event/wosc21

Page 15

2021 Calendar of Events and Program Day / Date Venue

Event

Contact

FEB 27TH 12:30PM

VIRTUAL

ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING

John Renouf 1953jgr@gmail.com

APRIL 17TH AND 18TH

WEST OXFORDSHIRE SC

WCOA RACE MEETING

Michael Lewington michaellewington@outlook.com

MAY 8TH AND 9TH

BEWL WATER

WCOA NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS

Philip Meadowcroft philip@brandmasters.co.uk

MAY 23RD

MARLOW SC

TRY A WANDERER

John Renouf 1953jgr@gmail.com

JUNE 9TH TO 13TH

COBNOR ESTATE

WANDERER FEST 2020

Robin Gabbitas robingabbitas@yahoo.co.uk

JUNE 26TH AND 27TH

WHITSTABLE YC

GAVIN BARR TROPHY Racing and cruising at Whitstable

Richard Maltby richardmaltby9@gmail.com

JULY TBA (TUES-FRI)

ROSELAND PENINSULA

WEST COUNTRY CRUISE

Richard Bowers richbowers1@aol.com

AUGUST TBA (SAT-SUN)

ARNSIDE SC

RACING AND CRUISING IN THE RIVER KENT AND MORECAMBE BAY

Alasdair Simpson alasdairsimpson2@gmail.com

COTSWOLD SC

WCOA INLAND CHAMPIONSHIPS

Leonie Johnson -

SEPT 18TH AND 19TH

leonie.johnson@blueyonder.co.uk

Lindsey Weatherley -

Beggarsrest@btinternet.com

SEPT 27TH AND 28TH

BALTIC WHARF SC

RACING AND SIGHTSEEING INSIDE BRISTOL HARBOUR

Philip Meadowcroft philip@brandmasters.co.uk

OCT 2ND AND 3RD

GALMPTON CREEK

RIVER DART LAID BACK WEEKEND Camping and Cruising in Cornwall

Philip Meadowcroft philip@brandmasters.co.uk

OCT 2ND AND 3RD

SWARKESTONE SC

RACING EVENT

Bob Rastrick rrastrick@gmail.com

The Wanderer Spring 2021

Articles inside

Spotlight on Killington Sailing Association

Notice of Race

The Travels of Granny Ann

2021 Annual General Meeting

Modifying Medusa

Gavin Barr, January 5th 1931 – January 2nd 2021