505s at SSA?

First written July of 1999
Updated November 17, 2004
by Alexander Meller
Edited by Thompson Editing

 

Where did those 505s come from?

There has been an active International 505 fleet
in the Annapolis/Baltimore/Washington area
since 1969
There has been an active International 505 fleet in the Annapolis/Baltimore/Washington area since 1969 -- when 505 Fleet 19 was chartered -- with most area 505 sailors keeping their boats at West River Sailing Club, or at home. While Bob and Betsy O'Brien had kept their 505 at SSA for years, and a few other area 505 sailors had been SSA members while keeping their 505s elsewhere, it was only in late 1998 that several local 505ers considered joining and racing 505s out of SSA. In the early spring of 1999 a second 505 -- Alexander Meller's -- arrived in the SSA dinghy park, and new-to-the-area John Hauser joined SSA later that summer with the 505 he bought, bringing us up to three. A fourth 505 -- a new Rondar 505 from England -- arrived at SSA in early October. SSA member Dustin Romey's new Rondar 505 (that was boat number five) arrived at the end of December, and new SSA members Josh and Steve Lieberman joined early in 2000, making it six total. Steve Cherry bought a great used 505 to get back into dinghies, and joined SSA in June of 2000, bringing us to seven 505s at SSA. Dustin sold his Rondar and bought a Lindsay 505, and then brought Jahn Tihanksy in as a partner. Lauren Abramson also joined the club with her gorgeous red Lindsay 505. SSA Laser sailor Chris Legg bought a used Lindsay. In 2002, several local 505 sailors rebuilt and rerigged an older 505 and made it available for charter. SSA member J. Bergquist jumped at the opportunity, and raced -- and kept at SSA -- Cardiac Arrest enthusiastically for the next year. Our new fleet captain, Bob Patterson, bought a used Hamlin 505 in July of 2003. About the same time Michael and Laury Parramore bought a Lindsay 505. Then SSA member Doug Stone turned up one day with an older Rondar he had bought in New England. We ended the 2003 season with 12 SSA members owning 505s. Nothing stands still, and our fleet is no exception. Doug moved back to Texas, but sold his 505 to Rick Cassell. The Parramore's decided their fleet was too large and sold several boats including the 505. J Bergquist so much enjoyed racing Cardiac Arrest, that he bought Lauren's red Lindsay. Sterg Papadakis moved to the area with his Lindsay 505 and joined SSA. Tim Williams is interested in chartering Cardiac Arrest. Europe dinghy sailor (2nd at the 2004 trials) Krysia Pohl moved to the area, and is now driving Alexander "Ali" Meller's 505, with Ali on the wire.

 

What are they doing here?

505 sailors are joining SSA in the belief that it is the best area club to race dinghies out of.
505 sailors are joining SSA in the belief that
it is the best area club to race dinghies out of
While some of us are active at the International and National levels (Alexander Meller has raced all of the last eight 505 World Championships, and Jesse Falsone has raced many of the last few worlds), we also enjoy local racing. The entire SSA 505 fleet -- two at the time -- raced in the SSA No Gas in the spring of 1999 (finishing 1,2!), and we've had 100% turnout for many TESODs. We see TESOD as an outstanding opportunity for SSA fleets to introduce prospects to dinghy racing, or to introduce them to racing in a specific class. We've taken a number of first-time-in-a-505ers out, and are more than happy to take anyone else who is interested, out for some TESOD racing. SSA hosted the 1999 International 505 East Coast Championship, September 24-26. We had a 25 505 turnout, and a very competitive fleet for this event. We have also started a 505 winter frostbite every second Saturday with the Jet 14s, and altered that to a coaching and tuning program for the 2000/2001 winter season. This program is continuing for the 2003/2004 winter season. Like TESOD, this has proven to be an excellent way of getting interested prospects out in a 505.
Alexander Meller and Molly Callanan racing in a fall SSA event.
An Alden Bugly Photograph
More recently SSA hosted the 2003 505 Mid-Atlantics (22 505s) and will be hosting a major local invitational in 2004.

Three years to meet SSA club fleet standards...
Jesse Falsone (keen to repeat his IC fleet building efforts with the 505), Dustin Romey, and Alexander Meller worked hard to grow the 505 fleet at SSA: our first goal was the three boats required for open fleet status, our next goal was a great East Coast Championship (it was a VERY successful event), and the goal after that was to reach full SSA club fleet status within three years by having 8 or more 505s at SSA (we became a full SSA club fleet within our three year goal).
There are currently 30 505s in the
immediate area, with another five
nearby that race local events with us
(and more that we are working to make active).
and by bringing other prospects into SSA and the 505 fleet. We are always working on the next new member and the next 505. In short, we are here to race, to be an active local fleet, and to fully participate at SSA.


 

Where else are 505s raced?

505s are actively raced in about 20 countries. 157 505s from 14 countries raced in the 1999 505 World Championship in Quiberon France, the largest World Championship the class has held in its 50-year history. In the US, 505s are actively raced in The Pacific Northwest, California, Colorado, Texas, the Midwest, New England (including Cape Cod, New York City area, New Jersey), Florida, Virginia, and of course locally. We are working to build new fleets in Minneapolis and Arizona. We recently started fleets in the New York City area and Oklahoma. In Canada, 505s fleets are racing in Quebec, Ontario, Saskatchewan, Alberta, and British Columbia. The US 505 class has nearly doubled in size since 1995 (from about 100 to just over 200). These numbers may not sound like much when compared with the largest US classes, but in the 505 class, virtually everyone races, and a large percentage race a number of events -- local, regional or international -- each year.

 

What's this rabbit or gate start thing?

At virtually all major 505 events, and even most local regattas in some countries, 505s use a gate start rather than a line start. While this has worked very well for the 505 class in the large World Championship and European Cup even, it also works well in smaller fleets. We even use it for practice, as it's a very simple way of getting everyone lined up evenly for practice or even racing without a race committee. Gate starts might be worthy of an article if anyone was interested; for now, consider that one boat, the pathfinder, sails close hauled on port, and everyone else ducks them on starboard. The pathfinder (rabbit) then tacks, and the entire fleet is lined up evenly on starboard. There are very few individual or general recalls, and very few OCS boats. It is also easy for the Race Committee.

 

What else have you got on 505s?

At last count the 505 class has over 40 web sites, with the main 505 site -- http://www.int505.org/ -- perhaps being the largest class association site on the web. There are links to all 505 web sites at http://int505.org/flt-site.htm. The 505 Fleet 19 web site is at http://int505.org/fleet19/. 505s are currently built by about eight builders. Since well-built 505s last just about forever, excellent used 505s -- some 25+ year old boats are fully competitive at the international level -- can be found on the used market. Prices for good used racing 505s range from $3000 - $11,000; there are some good local boats for sale. Demand for good used 505s is very high.

For more information, or a ride, please contact SSA 505 Fleet Captain, Bob Patterson (robert_beach@comcast.net, 301 490 7897) or Dustin Romey (Dustin_Romey@sra.com).

 

Links

  • 505 Fleet 19 (Annapolis/Baltimore/Washington) web site
  • USA 505 web site
  • International 505 web site
  • Links to all 505 web sites
  • More PhotoGray 505 images