Dennis passed away at the age of 92 on Wednesday, 1st September with his wife Marion beside him. His health had been deteriorating for the past few years although he was determined to keep going and his mind had remained as alert as ever.
Many may not be aware that Dennis joined the Class Technical Committee on its foundation in the early 1980s, under the Chairmanship of Rod Johnstone. He was the main instigator of most of our current long-standing International Class Rules, working closely with the then IYRU (now ISAF).
In the early 1990s, Dennis took over the ITC chair from Rod, a position that he held until his retirement from the ITC in 1997. This did not end his association with the Class, as he was made a Councilor of Honor and remained a technical advisor to the J/24 Class in the UK right up to the end.
Dennis will be truly missed by many J/24 stalwarts. His knowledge of Class history was huge and his stories of the earlier years quite fascinating.
Funeral services were held at Holy Trinity Church, Cowes, England at 12 noon on Friday, 10th September 2010 followed by a wake held at the Island Sailing Club.