The Mayflower Sailing Club was founded in 1922 and at that time operated from a site just a few yards from the departure point of the Pilgrim Fathers in the Mayflower in 1620. The founding members required a sailing dinghy suitable for picnics and created the 14 foot Mayflower restricted class, some of which survive today! The Mayflower was locally built by Mr Kingdom and Mr Hockin and carried 100 square feet of sail with a gunter rig and a drop keel. Pre WW II the club operated out of a boathouse situated next to the municipal dung heap and boats had to be craned into the water as no slipway was available. The first slipway was built in 1936 as part of the widening of the road from the Barbican to Plymouth Hoe and as part of the rebuild of Plymouth after the war a second slipway was built. In 1960 the Club moved from its original club hut to its current Clubhouse about 100 yards away. About this time the Dolphin Fleet, (the British equivalent of the National One Design in the States) made its first appearance. The Club welcomed windsurfers in 1979 and now has a strong asymmetric contingent. The First Race According to newspaper reports of the day, the first race was held in the Summer of 1922 and had 9 Mayflower dinghies entered. The Entries were:- Jean Mr Tucker Dot Mr Toucher Beatrice Mr Blackwell Octavia Mr Spry Banshee Mr Quiller Two Boys Mr Burt Trixie Mr Hockin Daisy Mr Kingdom Guilliane Mr Veale Past Commodores The following Commodores have been taken from club records since WW II:- 1946-57 A J Kingdom 1957-62 C Roberts 1962-63 L Azerman 1963-67 P Chandler 1968 C Atkey 1969 C J Roberts 1970-71 D M Warren 1972 K Head 1973-74 W Hobson 1975-77 B Northmore 1978-79 A Littlejohn 1980 M Collier 1981-84 B Lakey 1985-86 G Riley 1987 G Sidey 1988 J Baker 1989-95 W Hobson 1996-2005 D Curno |
Club History |