On the 2nd of February in London at the Mortimer House private club the first Swan Classic by Frers dinner, organized by Maxi owners took place.
Special guests were Andrew McIrvine (Secretary General of the International Maxi Association -IMA-) and Juan Kouyoumdjian (a.k.a. "Juan K.” the designer of several IMOCAS and of the ClubSwan 36, ClubSwan 50 and ClubSwan 125).
11 shipowners attended. There was wide agreement that classic boats need to race together, something that the IMA full heartedly supports.
Marietta Strasoldo, the chairwoman of the Swan Classic by Frers Association, made a short speech stressing that it is important to work on an objective, open and inclusive definition of modern classic sailing boats.
Juan K. during the dinner expressed the hope that a future class of Modern Classics will adopt an open rule such as that of IMOCAs, where everything that isn't expressly forbidden, is allowed.That such an open approach to new Modern Classics would be an interesting opportunity for designers and builders, but also for owners of original Modern Classics, because it would also impact positively on the quality of maintenance and refitting, bringing new materials and solutions to older boats. Working together with the sister Association Sparkman & Stephens Classic Swan, Marietta Strasoldo proposed starting to concentrate the participation of the fleet of modern classic boats to two or three selected regattas, most likely among the regattas sponsored by Rolex and co-organized by the IMA, such as Rolex Capri Sailing Week, Rolex Giraglia, Maxi Yacht Rolex Cup, Les Voiles de Saint Tropez and the Rolex Middle Sea race. In the coming weeks, members of the Swan Classic by Frers Association and IMA will be polled to assess which races are of most interest to modern classic boat owners.