WANDERER CLASS OWNERS' ASSOCIATION

ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING HELD ON SATURDAY 13^TH JANUARY 2007

At St John’s Church Hall, Downley,

High Wycombe

1.                 Welcome and Apologies

1.1             The Chairman welcomed everyone to the 22^nd Annual General Meeting of the Wanderer Class Owners' Association.

1.2             Apologies for absence were received from Claire and Paul Wren, Peter Mansfield (not a member of WCOA but a Wanderer owner in Melbourne, Australia), Chris and Vicky King, Alex and Keith Evans, Andrew Folkhard, Stan Telling, Ian Lavender, Eric Smith, Alastair Barclay, Adam Wickenden,  Margaret and Colin Wallsgrove.

2.                 Minutes of Last AGM and Matters Arising

2.1             The minutes of the previous Annual General Meeting were agreed.  There were no matters arising.

3.                 Chairman's Report

3.1             Philip reported that 2006 had started with high hopes for the introduction of the new Esprit.  However, doubts quickly set in when the boat was sailed by members at Wraysbury, South Cerney and Weymouth in April, May and June in varying wind and water conditions.

3.2     Philip said that IPD Limited had sold the licences and copyrights for the Wanderer, Wayfarer and Gull to Hartley Laminates who were co-operating with Porter Bros to try and ensure a smooth transition.

3.3     The Committee's concerns over the Esprit were so deeply felt that it decided to call a meeting on June 29 2006  with Ian Porter (as the co-designer and builder) and Richard Hartley (as the prospective new copyright owner and builder).  The response to that meeting occurred in September 2006 when Richard and Mark Hartley attended a National Committee Meeting.  They agreed with us that the Esprit had some deep seated and specific problems.   It was a case of back to the drawing board for a new design.  It was agreed by both the Hartleys and your National Committee meeting that the new design would include:

(a)      No self draining

(b)     Option for both asymmetric and conventional spinnaker

(c)      Option to raise and lower the mast with a tabernacle pin

(3)              No change in hull shape, spars or sail configuration

3.4     After lengthy negotiations Hartley Laminates were working towards designing and building a new Wayfarer to be launched at the Dinghy Show 2007.  The new design of the Wanderer will follow later in 2007.  Both are being designed by Phil Morrison who has designed successful dinghies such as the RS200 RS400, RS800, RS Vario, RS Vision, Laser Stratos, Laser 2000, Laser 4000 and the Laser 5000.

3.5     The Chairman reported that the new Wanderer will not be ready until at least the middle of 2007 and the first possible sighting could be when Richard and Mark Hartley bring and race the first boat off the production line at the National Championships and Rally at Whitstable in July.

3.6     Philip reported that procedures currently in place for the recruitment, retention and administration of the membership is to be significantly overhauled in the coming year.  The Association has had in place a system which was cutting edge twenty five years ago, but sadly out of date in today's e-mail/internet world.  Stan Telling, one of the Association's founder members, took over the Membership Secretary's role in 1994 and has admirably beavered away at one of the least attractive and loneliest tasks anyone could be expected to do.  Philip said that Stan was unable to attend this meeting but Stan had been thanked for his painstaking contribution over the years and we hope to retain his enthusiasm for Association matters by becoming the Class Archivist.

3.7     This is the last year in which two stalwart Wanderers will serve as a member of the National Committee.  Gavin Barr has been Vice-Chairman and prior to that Technical Secretary.   Far more significantly, he has been right up at the front in all respects on just about everything we have done.  He formally retires this evening but only from the National Committee.   He will remain both a formidable racer and accomplished cruiser as well as an immense influence on Wanderer activities.  He is going to become an unruly back bencher as well as the organiser of the 2007 National Championships and Rally on his home patch at Whitstable.

3.8     The other Committee retiree, Andy Peter, has given nineteen years service to the Wanderer Class Owners' Association, having been the founder Chairman for the best part of fifteen years.  A few years back Andy took a two year sabbatical before returning for a second stint. The friendly ethos which characterises Wanderer sailing was diligently established by Andy as Class Chairman.   WCOA’s debt to Andy is incalculable.

4.                 Treasurer's Report

4.1             Audited accounts had been distributed with the 2006 Winter issue of “The Wanderer”.  Robin Gabbitas reported that we were generally in reasonable shape and there is some growth.  Membership subscriptions were up by 6% and commission for secondhand Wanderer sales was up by 4%.  Robin paid tribute to Alastair Barclay and Peter Oliver who had looked over the accounts before publication.

4.2             Web sales of secondhand boats brought in £480.00 and Terry Pullen was thanked for his efforts in looking after the website.

5.                 Election of Committee

5.1             The Chairman and Treasurer had lulled their audience into a trance-like state of total compliance resulting in the existing committee members, apart from the retirees, being re-elected en bloc.

6.                 Resolutions

6.1             John Talbot introduced the resolution for moving the date of the AGM to coincide with the London Dinghy Exhibition in the first week of March each year.  It was pointed out that other class associations hold their AGMs at, or linked with, this event.  It was generally felt that not many dinghy sailors visited the January London Boat Show, hence a further reason for moving the Wanderer AGM to the weekend of the Dinghy Exhibition. 

6.2             Gavin proposed that the resolution be accepted for the AGM to coincide with the Dinghy Exhibition and the arrangements be left to the National Committee's discretion.

6.3             It was further proposed that rule change 6.1 should be amended to read "the AGM should be held in the UK". 

6.4             Eighteen members voted for the resolution, none against, and there were four abstentions.   The resolution was carried.

7.                 Any Other Business

7.1             David Hewitt raised the question of spares and it was confirmed that Hartley Laminates Ltd had confirmed to the Chairman that they will give due attention to this area of their business to ensure that spares are readily available.

7.2             Gavin gave a vote of thanks to Brigitte and Jack for organising, yet again, the venue and the catering for the AGM.

7.3             The Esprit version of the Wanderer was discussed in some detail and in particular the flooding of the side tanks which had been designed to reduce the height of the centreboard when the boat lay on its side. Whilst this feature enabled the crew to clamber on to the centreboard from the water, the resultant weight of water in the tank, made righting very difficult. This had been noted by a sailing school when practising capsize drill.

7.4             Mike Hamilton mentioned that the next Dinghy Exhibition at Alexandra Palace is to take place on 3^rd and 4^th March 2007.

7.5             David Hewitt said that he had slight reservations about mixing racing and cruising programmes.  Gavin felt that from his experience one day of racing and the other cruising had improved attendance.   The experiment, where appropriate, would extend to the 2007 season.

8.                 Prize Giving

·        Anglo Marine Cruising Plate - Andy Peter introduced the annual competition for the Anglo Marine Cruising Plate.  It was awarded to Tim Robertson and John Miller for their coastal cruise from Poole to Weymouth.

·        Ken Dickinson Memorial Tankard – This year the Memorial Tankard was awarded to Stephen Clampin who had made a considerable contribution to Wanderer cruising over a number of years.

·        Anglo Marine Racing Plate – It has been a closely fought year with 3^rd place being awarded to Mike Hamilton and David Oates, in second place was Jack Mann and Adam Wickenden.  However, the Racing Plate was awarded to Gavin Barr and Mark Skipper who achieved first place.

·        Ian Proctor Memorial Trophy – Jill Davies mentioned how appreciative she was of the Committee's efforts over the last two years and the difficult decisions that have had to be faced.

Jill referred to a letter that her mother had written to Nevill Towler, the proprietor of Anglo Marine, in 1990 thanking him for his tenacity and commitment over the years.

Jill said that we are now entering a new chapter as the Proctor family had decided to release the copyright in the Wayfarer, Wanderer, and Gull to Hartley Laminates who already hold the copyright for the Osprey and the Kestrel.  Jill said she was pleased that Phil Morrison has been retained to design the new boat and that the Hartley family will be involved with the manufacture.

The award this year, Jill said, would be given to Mike Hamilton for all his hard work for the Association, especially his organisation of the class’s participation in the London Dinghy Show.

·       Barry Hiller Clanger Bell – Andy said that there were various nominations for this award but it was decided to re-award this to the person who was in possession of the clanger the previous year so that it could be engraved!  It was noticed that Robin, a previous recipient of the award, had also failed to carry out the customary engraving and it was suggested that perhaps he should share the cost of the engraving with Mike Hamilton who now has the dubious honour of winning, the first Wanderer to do so in consecutive years, this memorial to one of our class’s jolliest members in consecutive years.

·        Alyson Hamilton presented to Niamh Robertson the Ellen MacArthur book and said that she hoped Niamh would be inspired by her story.   Niamh’s pluckiness as dad Tim’s crew in all sorts of weathers has won wide admiration.

The meeting closed at 19:28 hours because the aroma from the kitchens was becoming just too good to ignored.