2006 AGM

This year's AGM will be held on 26th August at Hill Head SC, starting after the post racing evening meal (18.00 at the earliest).

The Association belongs to all us, so it is essential that many members as possible attend the AGM. MCA exists to represent and support the Mirror interests of its members, the AGM is your opportunity to have an input and ensure the committee is aware of your views and requirements.

If you wish to submit a motion this needs to be with me by 12th August, with another voting members seconding your proposal (see yearbook page 12)

We will be issuing papers via this Notice Board shortly to allow to start the discussion online prior to the meeting. This year there will be some exciting proposals presented, including the modernisation of Mirror design, to keep the class at the forefront of small boat sailing.

MCA Secretary

The official agenda and AGM page is now online
www.ukmirrorsailing.com/mca/agm2006.htm

This contains several significant motions whose objectives are secure the future of the Mirror class in a competitive market place, ensuring we are the premier small double handed dinghy of choice. To save time at the AGM it would help to start discussions on the message boards.

Other documents will also be issued in advance, between now and the AGM, please keep an eye out.

We could also do with some more help on the committee, we are particularly keen to find a treasurer to take some of the work load off Martin, who is increasingly involved with the rules at an International level. Other vacancies include a Chairman and Southern and North East reps. Remember this is our class, it is in every ones interest to help.

MCA Secretary

Some way of making the boats self drain after a capsize would be nice for less experienced sailors (and me!!). Not totally sure how it could be done though, short of raising the floor and running a pipe through the stern tank. Maybe some boat-buildery type could help with this idea?

Also, a review of the class rules to make home-made kits (Those not supplied by a manufacturer) legal. The view in Ireland is, that if someone is keen enough to build a kit themselves, they are the sort of person we want in mirrors, not the sort of person we want to freeze out. As long as the boat measures correctly, I don't see any particular problem with not having an official kit. Sail numbers could then be issued by applying to the national association

I think the self draining part is being addressed at the AGM see the link for info on the rear transom screw in type bungs.
I must agree with the home made kits. I have today soken with Mr Gebhard from Trident the official kit supplier, they only have 2 kits both of which are incomplete as parts have been sold individually, Dec/Jan before any more !! "Most people go for grp" was the reason/excuse. As my 12 year old said "he didnt seem very interested" Do I try Duffin ? Wait and see the outcome of the AGM ?
Or buy a plastic boat (I dont think it would be a mirror)

Duffin are producing Mirror kits
028 9045 7381

MCA Secretary

The Heron Class seem to have what several users of this forum are looking for. You can buy a kit, a complete boat or PLANS. Is there any way the Mirror Class can at least look at this sort of option ?

Toddy

The Technical Committe have being doing a considerable amount of behind the scenes work on the wood boat. They have been focussing on the diffucilty of sourcing legal ply. Duffin are now a licenced kit supplier which has freed things up.

The question of building from plans is on their agenda and already being disucced, including on this forum. There are many issues for and against, even to work up a proposal takes a considerable amount of time, which those running the class have very limited of. We had hoped that one of the members who is arguing for this actually put a proposal forward to the AGM

MCA Secretary

I have just read the AGM agenda proposals. They make sense and seem mostly aimed at commercial manufacturers. Fine. Anything that encourages the production of more and cheaper boats is obviously good. I’ll leave it up to the better informed as to whether or not a racing advantage would be gained over older boats. However, I can’t see it doing much to improve the popularity and hence future of the class, when there are more sophisticated modern roto moulded designs around for what will I imagine be similar costs in the end.

I particularly liked the proposal to allow kits made from pre-shaped GRP panels – I can just see all the questions in 30 years time on this forum asking where to get the correct GRP for repairs (“sorry you can only use ACME & CO 3mm pre-stretched wibble board with Venezuelan Beaver Cheese gel coat to BS007- only available in 50m rolls and we stopped making it in 2010â€

Unfortunately I will be unable to atend the agm this year and therefor send my apologies. If we are still looking for a Comodore, I would like to propose Mr Ernie Turpie, Scottish South Rep for the position. I am sure he would do the job admarably. During discusion he has indicated that he would be willing to take on the post if asked.

Scottish North Rep.

Replying to a few points which have been raised.

1)We have looked at the possibility of raising the floor to allow the boat to self drain after a capsize as part of looking at the buoyancy issue. See www.ukmirrorsailing.com/upload/Investigation.pdf
for details. We found that, with 17.5 stone of crew weight in the boat, the waterline was about 155mm above the existing cockpit floor. That's about half way up the centreboard case. A false floor this high would radically change the "sit in" nature of the boat. You would loose a lot of the comfort of the existing deep cockpit design making it more like a Pico. It would introduce about 160 litres of buoyancy into the boat. The current difficulty in recovering the boat after a capsize is due to an excess of buoyancy with the current tank arrangements. Also note that some recent self draining National 12 designs are hard to recover because of the location of the buoyancy under the floor. A flase floor will also reduce the headroom under the boom by 155mm !

2)The drain bungs in the transom is just to allow a cheap way for the boat to drain when being stored ashore.

Martin Egan

You may want to discuss E Bay item 170022807917. I am all for building from plans but done properly.

Any news from the AGM ?

Minutes will be published in due course, proposals were approved with some amendments. We also have a new president.

MCA Secretary

Toddy
These templates are to help everyday people buying old Mirrors, get their old wrecks out of the shed and on the water. The problem with the Mirror Class is that it has always been run for the top racers by well meaning (often non sailing) parents, and not the normal everyday Mirror old boat sailer. If you keep a look out on Ebay, the class Association would do better to try to include these people buying old Mirrors on a daily basis. Rather than keeping up ways to EXCLUDE them with daft rules on how to repair an old £50 boat. (we may get more members).
DH

X

David,
I bought my mirror from E-bay a 1970 job.
I agree with most of your posts regarding mirror restoration and would welcome changes to allow mirror repairs and construction from plans using an easily sourceable ply.
However I dont think selling offcuts of flooring on E bay is the correct way to go. If someone can replace a panel surely they can make a pattern ?
As you know its not difficult. It will be interesting to see if they sell