Atlanta Vario

an area to discuss dinghy developments
davidh
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Joined: Wed Dec 28, 2005 10:43 am
Location: Ventor Isle of Wight

Re: Atlanta Vario

Post by davidh »

Rippler.

Brilliant! You might be interested in the Facebook page that I'm running alongside the project to write the 505 Book (dead easy - look for '505book'). That was 15 - k16 was Ralph Wadhams famous YandY - back in the days before sponsorship, it was amazing that the then owner of Yachts and Yachting magazine got away with a boat called yandy....

D
David H
LASERTOURIST
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Joined: Wed May 30, 2007 9:54 pm
Location: France

Re: Atlanta Vario

Post by LASERTOURIST »

It is obviously one of the very first 505's, but the number is K15...Logically it should have been numbered as K1 or K2 as it is allegedly the very first 505 built in Great britain. How where the sail numbers allotted by the class.
In France the oldes known 505 still in sailing conditon is the wooden cold molded F8, owned by the Hédouin family back in 1974.
davidh
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Joined: Wed Dec 28, 2005 10:43 am
Location: Ventor Isle of Wight

Re: Atlanta Vario

Post by davidh »

I've now got details of the owners of all the early boats (this came as a 'gift' almost whilst following the story of how the bat migrated out to the US).

Much as I hate to disappoint you Laser Tourist, your version of events doesn't always tally with the written records.

D
David H
LASERTOURIST
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Location: France

Re: Atlanta Vario

Post by LASERTOURIST »

I only got these by hearsay, from Marcel Buffet and a few other old hands (and the 505 chapter in Patrick antoine's book) after al i'm only 60 .
Some things are quite obscured in time now, but it is a pity you cant access to the early french 505 class records (they were kept by Alain Cettier)...wonder if these have been kept somewhere.
Marcel Buffet's funeral ceremony, a few years ago was quite moving, though, a very 505 class thing ...it could be an interesting chapter in your book.

His last 505 , a blue and white rondar(he owned more than 20 and at least two of his Ya-Zas are undergoing a full restoration to former glory) was on tow behind a gorgeous Riva powerboat and two of his ex-crew were throwing his ashes into the Seine in front of the Cercle de La voile de Paris at Meulan.
some 15 505's were parked in a half circle in front of the quayside, with jibs hoisted and a good number of guys who had crewed for him wrere present , with a purpose printed lapel badge.

The sailors lunch that followed was quite memorable , more a merry gathering of sailing fans than something connected to a funeral ceremony.
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jpa_wfsc
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Joined: Sun Dec 04, 2005 9:52 pm
Location: Oxford (Work) Coteswold Water Park (Sailing)

Re: Atlanta Vario

Post by jpa_wfsc »

LASERTOURIST wrote:
One could think that with the price of dinghies rocketing to ridiculous heights it would be a good idea to revive the DIY stuff...but no..
nowdays top class carbon fibre-vacuum bagged- aerospace specs...etc 505 need such a level of skill and tooling to be competitive that a DIY boat would be doomed from the start.
Maybe but a few years ago Dinghy Sailing Magazine did a mini series on building a carbon N12 in the home garage using plastic bags, a vacuum cleaner, epoxy, woven carbon cloth and foam: more or less building planks to assemble a boat from. So, it can be done.... but the scale and complex curves of a 505 would certainly stretch a home builder!!
j./

National 12 "Spider" 2523
Finn K468 'Captain Scarlet'

British Moth, 630, early 60's 'Pisces'

!!!! Not CVRDA !!!!
Comet Trio - something always ready to sail.
davidh
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Joined: Wed Dec 28, 2005 10:43 am
Location: Ventor Isle of Wight

Re: Atlanta Vario

Post by davidh »

Laser Tourist - here in my archive I have some of Alan C's early records.

Soon, I'll be putting up (on the Fbook page) details of when the 505 first came and sailed in a regatta - at Meulan. I'm supposed to be attending a meeting there later in the year - you do ever escape the warmth and sun of the South to come up to Paris? It would be good to catch up one day!

Cheers and best regards

D
David H
LASERTOURIST
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Joined: Wed May 30, 2007 9:54 pm
Location: France

Re: Atlanta Vario

Post by LASERTOURIST »

Much as i'd love to, i'm still running the sailing school in Corsica so i'm in Paris during the winter season , but come sprig i migrate south..
except for a few weeks in may
Rippler
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Joined: Sat Mar 03, 2018 10:00 pm

Re: Atlanta Vario

Post by Rippler »

505book Facebook page is facinating.

Many years ago I recall seeing the 'famous' picture (posted on your Facebook page) of the 505 planing flat out, with 3 up and carrying a Firefly main, in a book which identified her as 'Fairey Tale'.

I'd be interested if you have details of her early ownership. I know my father bought her from his brother-in-law Amletto Valori, who also sailed her at Horning SC in the early 1960s. Following this sale, Amletto ('Ham') subsequently bought a new Rondar 505 called 'Risky'.

'Fairey Tale appears to have remained on the Broads for a number of years thereafter. You may be interested in the following post, which hints of her gradual demise. It appears on http://the-norfolk-broads.co.uk/viewmes ... 21&erow=30

Many years ago I bought my first boat and renamed it. It was a tired old wooden 505 racing dingy, and I really didn't like the name Fairy Tale, so renamed her Sloopy, after a pop song which was a hit at the time.

Much to my chagrin, no one took any notice of her new name and the various people I raced against, just kept using the old one. It was only after about a year that I found out why the new name just wouldn't take.

The dinghy's old name was slightly misspelt by a previous owner in the chain. More correctly, she was Fairey Tale which made her the Fairey Marine prototype 505, which was known to almost all the sailing clubs in the UK, because she visited them as a demonstrator. She remained unregistered until 505 sail numbers reached 15, so there was little other clue that she was the original and first, apart from that name.
davidh
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Joined: Wed Dec 28, 2005 10:43 am
Location: Ventor Isle of Wight

Re: Atlanta Vario

Post by davidh »

Rippler- shortly after the 'famous' picture was taken they wiped out - have a poor quality version of the 'what happened next'!

According to the details that I hold, Fairey's didn't come on board straight away with tooling for the 5o5. One of the issues was that A N Other Solent based designer, well known for his relationship with Fairey Marine, well, lets just say that he wasn't a great lover of the original Westell hull shape. My researches show that one, maybe two modified boats were built over on the Island with deeper and much fuller bow sections - it could well be that Faireys held off making moulds until it was finally certain what the shape should be. I can find no further record of these 'modified' boats and what happened to them other than the recollection that they didn't work - by now Jack was building 5o5 hulls but in my interview with him, he talks about he always had to put his best workers on the laying up as it wasn't easy to get the reverse curve in the veneers. Even across the river at the main Fairey site at Hamble, making a 5o5 hull took longer and a greater level of expertise than the other boats they were making.

Have you any family pictures of the boat that I might be able to see please?

Regards

Dougal/Y&Y/Simply the best - the story of the 5o5
David H
Rippler
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Joined: Sat Mar 03, 2018 10:00 pm

Re: Atlanta Vario

Post by Rippler »

David the only photo of Fairey Tale I have found is the one I uploaded earlier on this site. I should be at my late father's house in the next few weeks, so will have a further rummage in his various photo boxes. He was a professional photographer so lots of photos to look through!
davidh
Posts: 3166
Joined: Wed Dec 28, 2005 10:43 am
Location: Ventor Isle of Wight

Re: Atlanta Vario

Post by davidh »

Rippler...........

I have found a superb picture of Fairey Tales - it's a real cracker - that I'll be putting on the FB page on Friday (the famous Fab Friday foto).

ANY old 505 pics in your dads box would be great......

Cheers

Dougal
David H
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