Hi Everyone.

The Social:

23 Stellar Stella enthusiasts met up in The Lightship , headquarters of the Haven Ports YC, on Friday 8th March.  We gathered near the bar, and spent an hour or so getting drinks and saying hi to faces both familiar and new. The food came out from 19.30 and we retired to the stern of the lightship and ate and mingled , to the backdrop of a widescreen tv showing slides of the recently digitised Stella photo archives.

West Buxey Trophy:  The only races with 2 or more Stellas during 2023 to our knowledge were the 4 races of the SYH Classics including the friday evening race.  The clear winner, with 4 first places out of 4 races was Andrew Gilmour and Timoa *91. 

Andrew Gilmour was presented with the West Buxey Trophy.

Racing programme 2024: The room was sounded out and it was felt that in 2024 there was a likelihood that the racing may well end up being the 4 races of the SYH Classic Regatta. However it was left that any regatta in which 2 or more Stellas were competing would be added to the Stella Worlds.

Rescuing Stellas:  The last year has been extraordinarily successful in terms of rescuing old Stellas that would otherwise have been chopped up or left to deteriorate.

2 stand out successes are Stella Munter * 65, which we the association brought to SYH to save from being chopped up for the space she was on, now being lovingly restored at SYH under new ownership, and Star Shell *2, which was Kim Holman’s own boat, now taken on by Jonathan and Scilla Dyke.  
Additionally there are several other Stellas, including Celeste *101 and Peacock *3, both in half decent condition.  Also Caravelle *83, also in half decent shape, and Torrington *80, in poor shape .They are available free to good homes on the understanding that they will be put back into use.