Annual Lunch, Prizegiving and AGM 2008 (for year 2007)

Held at the Hilton Hotel Bracknell, 113 people attended which was the largest number who had ever attended for this venue

In a change to the normal procedure, we began with the AGM. There will be a full report in the Spring Issue of Compass Magazine.

Gabbie Sharpe, Neil Eccles, John Sharp, Mike Phillips and Tony Redshaw

Julian Gowing, Bill Dixon and David Moody, the speakers on "Moody's Past, Present and Future"

David started out by giving a really good history of the company and yachts. Julian previewed the launch of the new M45, and Bill, her designer then spoke about the future plans for Moody Yachts.

Prizegiving

The heavily laden prize table

Always the highlight of any AGM, the prizes were announced by the Commodore John Sharp - this is his script

Introduction	Intro – prizes awarded annually – many of the prizes have been given by friends of the association – have some of them here this morning, so may I invite David and Trish Moody and Ivan and Ann Bole to come up to present their prizes.
Moody Silver Salver	First prize is The Moody Silver Salver for outstanding contribution to the MOA and is this year awarded to David Somers for his work in the South West Branch. David was due to come here this morning to chair the SW AGM, but unfortunately his father has died and he has had to spend time in Yorkshire, so I would like to ask Cynthia Griffiths of Whitecharger to collect the award on his behalf. To present the award, David and Trish Moody
Godfrey Rose Bowl	Geoff Godfrey, a founding member donated the Godfrey Rose Bowl some years ago, and We had hoped that Geoff and his wife Topsy would be here in person to present this trophy. Unfortunately Geoff, who is a Life Honorary member is unwell so I have asked another honorary member and an Author to stand in, David would you like to present this trophy also. This year year’s winner for the best log published in Compass, Dick and Ann Brodie began their journey from Chichester to the Med in 2003 and have been writing about it our magazine enthralling and inspiring us with their tales.
Arun Sails Trophy	For the third successive year Michael Price in his 28 Moody Blue made the fastest time to St Vaast and won the Solent Branch award of the unique Arun Sails trophy kindly presented by Ivan and Ann Bole
Selden Plate	The Selden Plate is awarded for branch activities and this is richly deserved by the Solent Branch’s recently retired Captain Allan Howlett..
Pussers Rum Trophy	“Out of the ordinary” can best describe our next trophy and the achievement it marks – for the last two years the fastest Moody yacht “round the island” was Bill Dixon’s 47 Tikka, but this year it was Peter Wallace’s S38 “Gunshot” that took the honours, Well done Peter

International Cup

One of the regular website and Compass contributors Ron Payne from Canada has been awarded the International Cup this year. I had hoped to bring you the presentation by the magic of television but Vice Commodore let me down again!

Travellers Trophy

Although Ron could not come this year, last year’s winner Chris Ayres has travelled all the way from Australia – he says just to be here. Please come up Chris. We could not let this immense amount of dedication pass without instituting a new award. It was Gabbie’s idea really – a “travellers trophy” which is a small pocket watch to be awarded annually to the person who has travelled the furthest to the AGM. It is small enough to pop into a jiffy bag at the end of the year ready for the next foolhardy recipient! Needless to say it is awarded this year to Chris Ayres

Silver Spanner Decanter

The “Silver Spanner Decanter” is for the best technical article in Compass or the Website.

George Young is a Moody Owner who lives in Norway –and is a generous donor of information and experience to all who ask technical questions on the website. This year George has been awarded the decanter. Unfortunately George cannot come to receive his award, but I would like to ask Website Technical Library Editor Keith Bater to accept the award on his behalf.

Bill Dixon Challenge Shield (Solent Branch)	An extra trophy we have to award comes from the Solent Branch. Tony Redshaw who won it was in darkest Peru when he won it at the Solent Branch AGM. As our National Treasurer he is, of course here today and the Solent Branch have asked us to present him with the Dixon Series Racing Trophy, the Bill Dixon Challenge Shield.
At Anchor Shield	Now we come to the photographic prizes. Our resident expert Laurence Gandar has put up the three winning photographs over here, which I hope you have had time to appreciate. They are really very good indeed. The “At Anchor Shield” was won by Joy Beeson for a photograph of the Solent Branch Captain’s yacht Halyards off East Head Chichester
Sailing Shield	The best shot of a Moody yacht sailing was won by our Compass Editor Sally Barker Dodds for picture of Paper Moon shot off Newtown in the Solent
Creative Award	And last but not least another new trophy for photography – the creative award presented to Shirley Braben for her wonderful picture entitled “Blue Skies from Saxon Blue”. Shirley can’t be here today, so I would like to ask Chris Hennah, East Coast Branch Captain to accept the award on her behalf.
Commodore's Trophy	Whilst we are on the subject of new awards, I would like to present the Association with this new one which I have asked to be called the "Commodore's Trophy". The idea is that it is presented by the Commodore to whomever he or she wants for whatever reason. As you may be able to see it is a lovely yacht, but the sails are on back to front and so I think it particularly suits someone with a sense of humour.
	Sally Brearley, as an Associate Member who is very supportive of the Solent Branch, did a year on the National Committee and is now in charge of Solent Branch Racing also put her yacht on the mud and was very happy to have it publicised in the magazine, so she must have a sense of humour! She cant be here to collect it, but I have asked Annemarie Westwood to receive it on her behalf.

Neil Eccles then walked on to thank John and present him with some gifts on behalf of the Association

Ladies and Gentlemen - we come to the end of our AGM and it my privilege to say thank you to our outgoing Commodore.

John Sharp has a distinct disadvantage compared to many of us, he actually works! This does just cramp his style sometimes, but not often and John and Gabbie have been stalwarts of the association for the last two years attending almost every function they could.

Of course when you work but are on holiday, you are never far from the office and John is often to be seen hanging on to a shroud with one hand and a mobile phone in the other - a precarious physical task as well as a delicate work life balance. In order to restore that balance he and Gabbie have recently moved from the Hamble to Norfolk.

I am very pleased though that despite John's retirement from office, we will still be calling on Gabbie’s excellent skills as Membership Secretary for another year.

John had an unexpected elevation to Commodore, Keith Bater who held the office before him sold his Moody and bought a Jeanneau. Being an honourable man, he felt he should not continue and after one year John took over 12 months earlier than he had expected to do so.

Being a former military man of flexible mind, this was no problem to John and he rapidly started bringing in his own distinctive style as Commodore of the association.

He is efficient, respectful, conciliatory and practical, but where there is a problem or a decision to make, he does not shy away. He always wants to do things “the proper way” and we have learned much from him.

His achievements have included emphasising the importance of training and safety and pushing us all to take our boats further afield – “extending the envelope he sometimes calls it”.

He has a great love of racing and has really worked hard to get that to the forefront of our events – at least in the Solent. I think maybe the one thing he regrets is that more of us have not embraced his passion in this direction, so watch out East Coast Branch!!

He may not be entirely perfect. Last year in Vannes he was seen flying a T Flag instead of the French courtesy ensign - they use the same stripes and colours - just in a different order. It was, of course quite excusable since he had just brought his Moody yacht “Jaynie” across from the Hamble non stop, a journey of 65 hours “extending the envelope”.

John in my extensive researches I found that you were actually adopting the earlier 1790 arrangement for the colours on the tricolore, eschewing the 1794 version which has endured to this day!

I was going to present you with a proper French courtesy flag, but heard you had already bought one, so here is a memento of that occasion in Vannes – they say the camera never lies.

So I would like to say a heartfelt thank you to John - on behalf of the Committee which you have chaired with consummate skill and charm, on behalf of myself - John has become a good friend,
but mostly from yourselves, the members who owe a great deal to his innovation, dedication and hard work during the past two years.

John we would like very much to thank you and ask you accept this small present on behalf of the association in the hope that you might remember us by that warm fireside in Norfolk.