- Description of contents
uly IYe Jp ° (U.S.A. & Canada $2.25) 6 3 HOBBY MAGAZINE ham Sailing Trawiers Sta ‘CEXPO TOLEDO 1980 £ and neatly divided into 75 vane and 75 R/Ca part one for both! However, this is onlyentries of the story, since the numbers of story in races is what matters, and here the many s event club At rent. diffe r is rathe mixed clubs are finding that radio races regularly attract a dozen or so boats, but to vane often only four or five. It is hardtics statis few ively relat the on generalise several available, but in conversationsated old-established clubs have indic numbthat er they have had to cut down on the erne d conc are they that and of vane races at dwindling support for those that are run. Nor must it be forgotten that at least one third of affiliated clubs are now radio only. On the other hand, the regatta list of ten just years ago included only 71 events, as three of which were radio (Q class), SOonly list (the go ts even far as open includes open events and District and are National Championships) there ers. slightly more races for vane skipped However in 1979 32 clubs participat in the radio league, but only 13 in the vane — only league; bearing in mind the radio event s clubs, this suggests that the vane got only 60% at most of the support enjoyed by radio races. Vane sailing suffers the drawback that on the local canal, Our A pleasant evening’s sailing boat. beats towards a canal areas columnist’s Mickey Finn can be gained on small and Plenty of sailing practiceuvrin banks the avoid to g such as canals, manoe passing traffic. contemplated, which is not so. Their 1980 43 programme includes no fewer thanclubraces on their water 29 of which are races, and lists 105 events, all but 5 National Championships being Northern District functions. MYA Correspondent five mile out-and-back race could be run along acanal in an evening session, when the the waterside hostelries are open and d wind likely to be easing; it could be turne into a social jolly for skippers families and ted, the sailing itself could be light-hear us vario at n draw opes envel d seale with stages giving snakes and ladders type nts. handicaps and suchlike chance elemesuch Apart from the club’s social aspect,atten – an event would bring yachts to the tion of people who do not normally see them and should be good for a little local paper publicity. Change of Sec. Leeds and Bradford new sec. is Wilf Todd, 9 Holywell Lane, Shadwell, Leeds LS17 8HG, who takes up a point made in the January issue. The club’s full title is Leeds and Bradford Model Yacht Racing Club, and the ‘R’ may have given rise to the idea that the inclusion of ‘Radio’ in the title was July 1980 New Venture (2) The ground workis already being laid for a Mickey Finn Association — hardly surprising, since about fifty pre-production boats already exist, and they are spread arounbyd five or six clubs already. Kits should now be rolling off the production line; they are actually being kitted and distributed by Rojair, previously best known for excellent R/C aircraft kits. An advantage of this is that some model shops which wouldn’t normally stock a yacht kit from a one small manufacturer are likely to add thus or two to their next Rojair order, cusbringing the MF to the attention of tomers who might not otherwise see it and be tempted. Vane losing Ground? In the early days of radio yachting there was something of a division betweenit those who saw it as a threat to racing as it was then known and those who saw simply as a further stage of the lead rud- der/Braine vane development. This year’s MYA Regatta List shows 151 events, in many fewer waters are suitable, but a and lake good a with clubs d establishe clubhouse by the lake, it is in many cases holding its own. It is cheaper, simpler are (insofar as preparation and operationt and pocke both (for hier healt , concerned) person!) and has only a few easily- the grasped rules, but it is harder forenin public to understand what is happ ersg and the skills required. All vane skipp“‘Is it have had small boys come up and ask lookradio-controlled?” — and walk away ing down their noses when told it isn’t! its a Slightly older ones seem to think that poor man’s substitute for real radio racing These reflections do not presage any earth shattering suggestions for swinging the balance back in favour of vane sailing.g There is a slight decline in numbers takin inly part in vane racing, almost certagone because some vane sailors have in over to radio and new blood coming by has, on the whole, been more attracted radio. The encouraging aspect is that many more people in total are sailing, and the numbers seem likely to carry on increasing. Grants Is it a naughty thought that with so many grant-aided sports organisations flouting of the Government’s wishes in respect at of es chanc the ion, cipat parti pic Olym inumer and hy wort for grant least some cally equal minority sports so far left outin the cold must surely be improved? If, of ing course, the Sports Council has anyth left after its £500,000 grant towards a new Rugby stand at Twickenham. . .? 451
