The Mirror Class Association stand D14 - photos by Peter Crompton & Laurie Egan
This year we displayed a 50 year old wooden Mirror, 15563 - Błyskawica, on the stand. Built in February 1969 she has a mixture of traditional features, such as gunter rig, single floor batten per side, plywood rudder blade, wooden tiller & extension with a modern twist - centre mainsheet, lightweight laminated spinnaker chute, mainsail controls led aft, epoxy fillets and flyaway spinnaker pole. There is a bit more information about Błyskawica on her show display board.
Sadly she did not win the Concours d'Elegance for best boat in show, but did make the slideshow on Yachts & Yachting online (see photo 2).
The stand was busy with visitors interested in buying new or secondhand, asking wide ranging enquiries about modern rigging systems & upgrading an older boat, reminiscing about their boat or just wanting to talk Mirrors. Among the visitors we had on the stand were ex-Mirror National Champion & ex-GP14 World Champion Ian Dobson, Team GBR Olympic Performance manager Mark Robinson, one of Barry Bucknell's sons - Jonny Bucknell, plus some old friends - ex-National Squad coach Peter Aitken, Steve & Kim Long (Q-Mark sails) & Rob Bellfield. I also got to meet Terry Cherill who had a long involvement with the class, going back to the 1970s.
We also had a visit from a gentleman from Cowes who was a member of the Friends of ORP Błyskawica Society.
Thanks to Peter Crompton from Welsh Harp SC who helped with manning the stand, accommodation and packing up after the show on Sunday.
