- Description of contents
SILL yy7% Model Yachting Association A racing start to one of the heats in the Guildford Model Yacht Club’s open event on 4th November. Held in a force 3/4 south-westerley wind, competition was fierce as several national and international champions were competing. Roger Stollery’s new fleet system was used. The evential winner of the Mermaid Trophy was Tony Owens of Danson sailing a Trapper. Chris Dicks was second and Barry Jackson third. Report We and photo by Steve Hill. ET us first clear up an error which appeared in the December column. The new 1-5m yacht from Oliver Lee has not in fact received MYA recognition as a one-design radio class; the statement that it had resulted from a misinterpretation of a telephone conversation. However, one club alone has ordered 15 of the boats for one-design racing, and it seems very probable that a motion to anyone wanted a model they built it from a plan; there were limited There has always been some vague idea that when 50 boats are registered with an informal class association, official recognition the idea that models were built from scratch. It is unnecessary to catalogue the vast scope open to a present- adopt the class will be forthcoming in due course. will almost certainly follow if the appropriate proposition is made. As far as is known, this is not a rule as such, but more a guideline. There have been instances of clubs or even Districts using experimental one-designs or rating rules and approaches have been made to the MYA Council about recognition. Council very properly has to ask for evidence that demand for a new class etc. is sufficiently widespread, and 50 boats sailing would be likely to constitute such evidence. One snag with this system is that it caters for existing model yachtsmen and ignores the potential recruitment area of the considerable number of modellers who are not quite ready to tackle, say, a Marblehead. The sort of model which appeals to a novice is likely to leave an established yachtsman cold, and many beginners have received slightly unsympathetic treatment when they have appeared on a public water used by a club with what to them is an attractive and possibly quite complex model. A chicken and egg situation obtains; a club or District would have to promote a design until enough were sailing to secure approval (a proposition can only be put forward from within the Association) but beginners may not be prepared to build a boat until it has received approval. The Association wants to control rating rules and official classes and is against commercialisation, but it might be argued that if it sits there and waits for things to happen, anything that does happen is likely to have a commercial background and it won’t therefore want to know about it. There can only be one end when a head remains buried in sand for very long. Possibly model yachting is rooted still in the 1930s when if 112 outlets for modelling in any event. Someone prepared to undertake construction had to be keen, and it was therefore perhaps not too difficult to steer them to what was considered the beginners’ boat, a 36in Restricted. There was little choice of alternative model- ling —rubber-powered aircraft, steam power boats, or non-working ships or aircraft more or less covers it — and people were used to day modeller, and how easy it is made for him in most areas. There are certainly yacht kits available, though none of the non-class kits is ideal and the class kits are too big or too expensive for an initial plunge by a would-be yachtsman who is not sure if he’d take it up seriously. The 36R is not sufficiently popular among yachtsmen to be pushed as an ideal boat for a beginner and the idea of anything smaller is seen by some as detrimental to the image of model yachting. Others feel that if a potential recruit has to be tempted or coaxed he will never be keen enough to make the effort worthwhile. A degree of commercialisation has always existed in model yachting. Just as Daniels, the Alexanders, Drown, Levison etc. made and sold hulls, sails, even complete boats, so today few of the top skippers are not involved to some extent in making or selling sails, fittings, hulls and kits. This is presumably acceptable because up to now they have stayed within MYA recognised classes. A point which might be added is that no-one is likely to make a ‘fortune out of model yachting! What is now argued is that to improve — or even maintain — its position, the MYA should give a lead to the introduction of a yacht which would compete effectively for the interest of today’s modellers. It is useless saying that it should be left to commercial manufacturers (which was the outcome of the one-design subcommittee’s deliberations last year) and then either pooh-poohing manufacturers’ efforts or expecting to have control over the rating and racing rules. What is needed is for the Association to say “These are our criteria. Produce a model which meets them and Model Boats you will have our full and enthusiastic backing.” Better still, produce the actual design and invite manufacture. In a world which has changed dramatically in the last twenty years, the danger of inaction is stagnation. The possibilities resulting from action — from going out and making things happen — could well be enormous. The Annual General Meeting The 1979 AGM, held for the first time since 1911 outside London, was what could be termed lively. There were certainly matters which induced a noticeable sub-clavicular temperature rise, though a couple of these were aired after the end of the official business of the meeting. Holding the meeting at Aston University, Birmingham, did not appear to increase attendance, though there were more Northern and Midland District members present, with a corresponding decrease in Southern representatives. The Chairman’s Report, incidentally, included an interesting breakdown of membership by districts — Metropolitan and Southern 40:4%, Northern 29:3, Midland 12-7, Eastern 11-9, and South Western 5-7. Muchof the business was routine, and minutes will be circulated to clubs. Thanks largely to the increased fees voted in at the previous AGM the financial position is slightly improved, though late payment of affiliation fees remains a problem. The M Class once again led the registrations with 48 new Ms and 120 new RMs registered during the year. The existing officers were re-elected, with the addition of a new Vice-President, Harry Atkinson of the Leeds and Bradford club. There will be no change in voting procedure and none in District representation at Council meetings, but the International Racing Sec. and the Publicity Sec. jobs have been moved up to executive status. An addition to Section 4 (9) of the Constitution formalises the necessity for Emergency Committee decisions to be ratified by NEW LOW PRICES!!! ENYA marine glow Council. Sail limitation in the A Class by means of black bands remains unchanged, but the freeboard (Sect. C) wording is tidied up to ‘measured’ freeboard. In the M rules, Section 4 (f) now reads ‘The keel or ballast shall not be changed during a race or series of races.” There was a lively discussion regarding Council’s proposal to recognise a 575 Association and the several amendments this had attracted, all of which were lost. Championship entry fees were voted, by a majority of over 2 to 1, to be £10 for AClass and £5 for all other classes (£2 for Little Portugal Cup). Identical amendments from Gosport and Leeds increasing yacht registration fees to 50p per certificate were carried. As usual nowadays, the radio rules were extensively modified — that is, the race management rules, rather than the actual racing rules — but this in many instances amounted to tidying up and/or clarification. Even so, the amended wording runs to some seven typed foolscap pages. Supplies of existing radio rules had fortunately reached their end, so that a new print was required anyway, and it is hoped to have the new rules available in a matter of a few weeks, well before the start of the 1980 season. (For eager skippers, the rule changes as proposed in Motion 11 were passed subject to Amendments a, b, c, d, e, f, g, h, k, m and o. Motion 12 was lost.) At the end of the official business there was a discussion on the failure of race reports to be published and a resumption of a discussion started (and then out of order) before the lunchbreak on the possibilities of running a national raffle to raise funds to subsidise English competitors at the IMYRU World Championships in Canada in July. Some strong opinions were heard but in the end the idea ofa national lottery under the aegis of the Association was declared a non-starter. Similar situations have arisen in other amateur national bodies, ‘and the answer usually seems to be to establish an International Fund to which donations can be made, either by individuals or firms or from the proceeds of fund-raising activities conducted at club or area level. This, indeed, was the origin of the MYA’s separate A Class Fund. It has worked very well for other bodies, and presumably any team member who objects to subsidy or sponsorship is at liberty to refuse assistance. Perhaps this is a subject to which we can return. February 1980 SAVE UP TO £25.50! ENYA ENYA ENYA ENYA ENYA ENYA ENYA ENYA ENYA ENYA ENYA ENYA ENYA ENYA 09 R/C 15 Std. 15 R/C 19 R/C 19BB R/C 29 R/C 29BB R/C 35 R/C 35BB R/C’ 40 R/C 4511 R/C 60G7 R/C 60G8 R/C 60XF R/C now only £19.50 was £25.20 was £20.20 now only £15.25 now only £20.95 was £28.10 was £30.70 now only £23.90 was £38.10 _—now only £29.25 now only £25.95 was £33.55 was £42.15 _— now only £31.95 now only £26.95 was £35.10 _now only £32.95 _—was £43.60 now only £40.95 was £56.10 only £42.75 now £58.00 was —iwas £74.80 —now only £54.95 was £77.25 ~—s now only £57.50 now only £97.50 was £123.00 ENYA -—the marine engines you can trust. NOW EVEN BETTER VALUE FOR MONEY FROM ALL RIPMAX STOCKISTS 113 SOUTH PACIFIC | ja Bind it @ = aN [ ATTENTION ALL THE It’s so easy and tidy with the Easibind binder to file your to hold approxicopies away. Each binder is designed mately 12 issues and is attractively bound and blocked RC MODELLERS with the Model Boats logo. Have you seen the NEW IMPROVED A3 DC SPEED CONTROL KITSETS From Tesironic Price U.K. £3.50 including postage, packing and V.A.T., overseas orders add 40p. Why not place your order now and send the completed coupon below with remittance to: bebe? SEASIBINE LOOK AT THESE SPEC’S Maximum Power — 96 watts Max. continuous current Recommended voltage — 2.5 – through 12 volts P.C.B.— 10 amps D.C. Easibind Ltd.,4 Uxbridge St..LLondon,W8 7SZ. Voltage drop at max. speed — nil Current flow to motor — bi-directional Dimension (mm) — 50 x 45 x 50 Order Form Model Boats — i Weight — approx. 100 grams ASSEMBLY TIME IS LESS THAN 2 HOURS GUARANTEED FOR 90 DAYS FROM | London W8 7SZ Water cooled Heatsink — optional extra $3.90 + 20% S. tax. Speed controller cost $33.58 + 20% sales tax. Posted free within New Zealand. eee for i j | enclose p.o./cheque value .:………000eee AVAILABLE FROM YOUR LOCAL HOBBY SHOP. j eee ee ee ee H é “le slron 4 Ices janufacturers nic NEW ZEALANS. ae CEES BES GS aa te i ‘ Wears FOQUITOU:S cijas oie cies es crane Wan chai epaelies ] INBINIG Sion ao caeeeausran Saicsaistets apiece miespretememeane f é }2 POTOSI iiac.ca lo scole stole cra sictels ove oVinstie i tiem etree alah ai f ace rtaesie se cin elas sian oa wisteiecalovelearate ii PIGCE Registration No. 307469 Snipe | enclose $33.58 plus 20% sales tax for one Testronic Speed Control Bi eee’ I (BLOCK LETTERS PLEASE) 5 Name 4 5 To: Easibind Ltd., 4 Uxbridge St., PURCHASE Be es om en ee ee ee eae Ee Gee RED BARON MODELS LTD. 4 497 HERTFORD ROAD, ENFIELD, MIDDLESEX EN3 5XH THE MULTI-RACING CENTRE oe es oe ll TRAPPER f | { i i Winner of R.M. Championship 1979 We are now stocking the full range of MRH hulls as well as Racing LJ /| | + The TRAPPER RM is a direct Models and SHG. So we’ve got the lot. Webra engines, all sizes from ae e which won the 1976 RM Cham- stock, tuned or standard in stock now. | descendant of the pionship. It represents a highly Silak 7 — Trojan 21 —Elec. Kali —Mini Silak 7 —Isotope 19 & 40 — Laser — successful attempt to produce a Piranha — Mosquito —Puma — Mini-Jag — Hornet — Astral Spring 3% All ze building materials — all makes tuned pipes in stock. Any engine pre- xo48 pared for piped racing. K Phone in for information on your engine for suitability in multi-racing. TELEPHONE: 01-804 7452 — ASK FOR BRIAN THE BOAT Monday to Saturday. Closed Wednesday. Late Night Friday 7pm 4 Park Outside — Mail Order — Access — Barclaycard — Hobby-Card Marblehead Class Radio Control Yacht | | LA + \ | | | Lid ge ey ale ee : \ with keel trunk, rudder tube and \ \ \ all internal stiffening etc., weighing \ { under 3lbs. Fin keel cut to profile, rudder blade cut to profile, mast, booms, fittings, rigging, suit of Bantock ‘A’ rig sails, set of On sea or on shore… Always available… Safe — practical — reliable too… detailed drawings and assembly instructions. Radio, winch and lead keel are not included. FYNEFORTFITTINGS… ofcourse… Kit price £119.43 To have one is to want more… …FOR YOU… incl VAT plus £3.00 UK Carriage. Pumps Water Gauges — Whistles Valves: Blowdown, Check, Globe, Inline, etc. Bushings — Cones — Handrail Staunchions — Tee pieces — Unions (including Bulkhead) February 1980 perfor- ard of construction and finish. | Beautiful fittings .. . ea oe Kitiings Gpeciaéist, of outstanding mance and of the highest stand- ‘| | Fyne Fort Fittings SQUIBLET Send for further details. OLIVER J. LEE Park Road, Burnham on Crouch Essex CMO SER Tel: Maldon 782305 A 121
