The Model Yacht: Volume 1, Number 1 – Spring 1997

LINCOLN MEMORIAL POOL, WASHINGTON, D.C. NEWSLETTER OF THE U.S. VINTAGE MODEL YACHT GROUP VOLUME ONE, NUMBER ONE SPRING 1997 NEWSLETTER OF THE U.S. VINTAGE MODEL YACHT GROUP VOLUME ONE, NUMBER ONE SPRING, 1997 remained patient as we worked to get our “act together” on our first newsletter. The VMYG plans to publish this newsletter yearly in May and November or in one of the other Spring and Fall months when the AMYA “Model Yachting” magazine is not being distributed. We are considering the publication of two more issues in 1997 – one in May and November. Editor’s Welcome Well, it took us a while, but we finally got our long-promised newsletter out. We hope that you enjoy it as much as we enjoyed putting it out. Our cover is a copy of the cover art from the earliest known publication devoted to model yachting in the United States. The Model Yacht was published out of Washington, D.C. No editor or staff was listed, but we suspect it was done by Thomas Darling. The first issue was September, 1928. It struggled along for a year or so, and then was taken over by Yachting magazine. Another couple of years of struggle and the Depression finally killed it. I certainly hope we do better. We elicit your comments and suggestions on what you want to have in the newsletter; specifically, any ideas for technical, human interest or historical articles that you would like to see or contribute for publication. We do have a relative “wealth of information” available in our personal archives that can be used to benefit of our members, if we just know more about your interests. In addition, we want to be informed about any vintage-type events occurring in the U.S. and Canada. Newsletter comments, suggestions and draft articles, as well as notifications on existing or future vintage model activities, should be sent directly to Earl Boebert at 9219 Flushing Meadows NE, Albuquerque, NM 87111. You can also contact Earl at 505823 1046 or via E-Mail at: boebert@swcp.com Earl Boebert Ebbs and Flows A President’s Message I do appreciate the chance to finally write a column for the VMYG’s very own newsletter. This opportunity directly results from the efforts of Earl Boebert, our newsletter editor. We hope this now signals regular, twice-a-year newsletter issues for those VMYG members that sent in their $10 service fee. With the publication of this issue, I want to personally thank those of you that To those of you that have previously expressed an interest in one facet or another of vintage models, consider this issue a courtesy copy. If you would like to receive the other two 1997 newsletter issues, I urge you to send $10 cash or check (payable to the U.S. VMYG) to the U.S. Vintage Model Yacht Group, 78 East Orchard Street, Marblehead, MA 01945, if you have not done so Page 1 previously. This fee is necessary, as the VMYG receives no other funding source for the services that we provide to our membership. Note that your $10 will also provide limited access to some of the plans/periodicals in our electronic database through Earl Boebert. Using this type of documentation, Earl and I will work with VMYG members to provide information (as time and resources allow) on a vintage model that you may own or a design that you want to build. butter” construction, and Cheerio II as plank-on-frame. Building I was just 16 years old and living on Long Island, New York in 1960, when a trip to the local public library resulted in my checking out John Black’s book on model yachting. A friend and I decided it would be fun to build two models and have a race. My father helped me scale-up the plans in the book and we went to the lumber yard for the sugar pine that the book recommended. When we completed the hull, we took a trip to New York City to purchase Fisher fittings. Final fitting-out was completed with a balsa wood vane and shadecloth sails. I free-sailed my model a few times in Long Island Sound before college, marriage, and a career turned it into a pretty display model. As far as I know, my friend never finished his model, as he was a year older and was off to college before we finished building. As our group continues to expand (we should attain 100 members in 1997), we will need other volunteers to help us “spreadthe-word” on the virtues of working with vintage model sailing designs. This past year we were very fortunate to enlist two enthusiastic vintage modelers into new VMYG management roles – Alan Suydam, as the VMYG Midwest representative, and Harry Mote, the VMYG Schooner coordinator. Anyone that would like to actively participate with us should drop me a note at the VMYG address noted above or call me at home in Marblehead at 617-631-4203. Converting to Radio Control Four years ago, in 1993, I was browsing through a model magazine when I saw an article about radio control sailing models. I thought it would be fun to convert my Cheerio model to radio control. A local model shop was an advertiser in the magazine, so I enlisted their help in buying the necessary radio equipment. I use only two channels with a Futaba S-10 sail control winch with separate 6 volt power for the sails, and a standard S-148 servo controlling the rudder. At the same time I completely refinished the hull and deck and made a new set of dacron sails using 3/4 oz. spinnaker cloth from the local sailmaker. Thanks again for the broad support you have shown the VMYG, as we strive to serve you better. Remember to – “SAIL A COURSE WITH A VINTAGE MODEL YACHT”! John Snow Building and Sailing the “Cheerio” That year, I joined the local model yacht club affiliated with AMYA, and as luck would have it, joined just as they started a winter building project with one-meter class models. The members of the Detroit Model Yacht Club have been very helpful in “showing me the ropes” as far as model yachting is concerned. We sail one-meters, Marbleheads, and AC class boats. Design The Cheerio series of model yachts was designed by John Black in the 1930’s to compete in the national and world championships. A beautiful picture of my model under sail is on our VMYG web page. John was successful as an Olympic champion in 1936 with the Cheerio design. He wrote a book on his model, which has become one of the benchmark publications in the Vintage Model Yachting world, called Yachting With Models, How to Build a Champion M Class Model Yacht in 1939. This book describes two construction techniques for building a model yacht — the Cheerio I as “bread and Vintage Model Yacht Group I learned about the VMYG through the efforts of John Snow and his vintage articles in the AMYA Quarterly. I thought it would be fun to actually sail the old model in competition. My wife Nan and I packed up the model and drove from Detroit to MarblePage 2 head for the first Vintage Model Yachting Days. John Snow and the members of the Marblehead Model Yacht Club were gracious hosts. To my surprise, my 35-year-old Cheerio won its first event! My main competition was the beautiful double-ender models of the Spring Lake 50-800 Marbleheaders. They extended an invitation to me to join them in 1996 in Spring Lake, where they were thinking home-field advantage. my intention to include two sequences of small notes or articles. Both of these are close to my heart. The first series will be concerned with the history behind some of those colourful people in the sport of model yacht racing, design, or construction. Typically we will select those people for whom we have sufficient information, such as found in the model yachting journals of the 30’s and 40’s, etc., or those for which we have scrapbooks or cuttings, or whatever material will provide source for an article. The style of the text will be on the lines of an article I wrote for Model Boats in 1996 on the phenomenal W.G. (Bill) Bithell, the first American winner of the Yachting Monthly Cup for A-Class yachts (essentially the World Championships of model yachting) in 1948-9, although the text will perhaps be somewhat shorter for the newsletter format! Last October 1996, we again traveled to the East Coast for the second Vintage Model Yachting Days, sponsored this time by the 50-800 Marbleheaders of Spring Lake, New Jersey. They have a fabulous pond in the center of town, right off the ocean. They had a steady supply of wind for the event. This time, I was expecting a major challenge from the home club, and was even more surprised when the Cheerio won every heat! This year’s event is back at the “holy grail” of model yachting – Redd’s Pond in Marblehead, Massachusetts. The dates are August 16 and 17, 1997. I hear through the grapevine that several Cheerio models are being built in Marblehead for the event. We in Detroit are also experiencing a resurgence in vintage building, with Cheerio II, SunKiss, and Pocohantas models on the building boards. This year’s Vintage Model Yachting Days event at Redd’s Pond promises to be one of the best! See you there! The next project is to be on Gus Lassel, who was a colourful character in the world of model yachting in the 30’s and 40’s, and indeed a friend of Bill’s. He designed one of the first self-tacking vane gears in the late 30’s, and was responsible for much of the design change from the seal flipper kind of keel on Marblehead racing yachts, to the more bulbous keeled yachts. He was instrumental in influencing the introduction of the “sliding rig,” whereby the spars, sails, shrouds, forestay and backstay on a yacht could be slid fore and aft as a complete unit, in order to balance a yacht. Besides his influence in design he was a colourful and extremely active member of the yachting community. Other persons will include probably Leroy Gesbech, who took 14 years of effort before he clinched the M Nationals title in 1950, and was a superb craftsman; and others such as Al Hubbard, who is constructing some lovely yachts for people in the Group, and who won one of the very last vane-sailing M Class Nationals; John Black, who won a large number of significant championships, trying for years to win the Yachting Monthly Cup (in England) and accompanied Bill Bithell to Germany for the 1936 Olympics, courtesy of Adolf; Archie Arroll, who constructed some winning yachts of the 30’s; Ains Ballantyne, designer Al Suydam Toy Yachts and Yachty Characters (Editor’s Note: I asked Charley Williamson, who shares with me the duties of Historian of the Group, to write a few words about his plans for future publications. Here is his response.) This is our first Newsletter, and may be perceived as the first modest effort of what will become a regular magazine for our enthusiasts on vintage model yachts. If I may humbly (in the shadow of the great Earl Boebert1 and John Snow, I mean!) put forward ideas for future issues of the Newsletter, then I will include them here. In future issues, it is 1. In my case, at least, Charley must be referring to circumference around the belt line. -Ed. Page 3 of a series of great yachts… there are many more possible characters. If any of you have ideas please let me know! What Do You Want? Information… You may or may not remember that line from the classic TV series The Prisoner, but that’s what we want. Information. We have several projects cooking along on the back burner that we’d like to put up front. A second series of small articles will be concerned with toy yachts, which many of you will have come across here and there. I have a collection of these, and they range from the incredibly simple to the exquisitely-shaped and detailed toys that only rich uncles would give their spoilt nephews (I say nephews rather than nieces because one of the advertisements for these yachts states “British Boats for British Boys.” Hopefully we can get our daughters involved nowadays!) In America the toy yachts may mainly be the Boucher toy yachts, or those constructed by Chester Rimmer, a (life-sized yacht) naval architect, or those of Mr. Hennessey of Marblehead, for example, which range from 12” up to around 4 feet. In fact, in England there were a whole series of shop-made toy yacht companies which catered to the seaside holiday fraternity, of the ilk of the Boucher yachts, but I would like to share with you also the really top-quality model yachts, which were sold in the best toy shops of London. These were essentially miniature versions (18” – 42”) of A-Class yachts of the day (6-7 feet), and had chrome fittings of excellent quality, and controls much like their larger sisters. The best known of these were made by the Alexander family, of Preston, Lancashire, whose family also won the Yachting Monthly Cup in 1939, literally months before things got serious in Europe. Their yachts will be featured in future newsletters. Some of the background of both the Alexanders in England, and Mr. Hennessey of Marblehead, who was a prolific builder of simple charming yachts for children, will be featured here. Gus Lassel Just a couple of things to add to what Charley said about Gus Lassel. We know he lived in Wilmington CA (near Long Beach — he was known as the “Wizard of Wilmington.”). An inquiry to individuals named Lassel across the U.S. resulted in an anonymous reply from Long Beach, indicating that he died in 1956. Any other information on Lassel would be greatly appreciated, and should be forwarded directly to Charley. Ted Houk Another active West Coast skipper was Ted Houk of Seattle. He held many positions in the old M.Y.R.A.A and was the designer of the breakthrough M class boat “Rip Tide.” Again, any and all data would be appreciated. Mill Pond MYC The Mill Pond Model Yacht Club is having its 100th Anniversary next year, and has asked us to help collect data on the club. Anyone with information on the Mill Pond club, or other model yachting activities on Long Island, New York, is invited to send them in. Other Information And of course, any and all other information on vintage boats, skippers, or activities is more than welcome. Send your info to the editor at 9219 Flushing Meadows NE, Albuquerque NM 87111, or email boebert@swcp.com (Editor’s note: Charley finished off with a lovely picture of his daughter, Emilie, which unfortunately wouldn’t reproduce, and a plea that we get the kids involved, which I heartily second. Charley can be reached by mail at 9 Lagrand Court, Ithaca NY 14850, by phone at 607 272 0630, or email at cw26@cornell.edu) Earl Boebert Charley Williamson The Internet and Us It might not be true that the USVMYG wouldn’t have existed except for the Internet, but it certainly would have gotten Page 4 to survey a sample of those interested in RC Schooners. Our goal was set up a Schooner unit within VMYG and to develop rules that would govern construction, racing and static display competition. started a lot slower. I put our web page (http:/www.swcp.com/usvmg) up in February of 1996, with about 500,000 bytes of text and pictures on it. The first month we got 80 “hits,” or visitors. Then the search engines (used by the “net surfers” to find information on specific topics) found us and over the next few months we slowly increased to about 300 hits. We went to the WoodenBoat show, passed out about 1000 business cards with our URL (that funny looking thing that starts http: and which is used to find our page). The next month we got 500 hits and we’re now running over 800 a month. We’ve been visited by folks from Australia, New Zealand, Spain, Sweden, Croatia, South Africa, Great Britain, France, Germany, Portugal, Brazil, Thailand and more. We now have a little over 4 million bytes of data on the page, making it one of the biggest, if not the biggest, hobby-oriented pages on the web. This project was initiated by a small group of sailors in the Mid-Atlantic Model Yacht Club in New Jersey. Harry Mote continued work begun by Rich Lamsfuss, who had corresponded with Dick Davis of the San Diego Argonauts and others. Harry wrote and conducted the survey and wrote the report. Our thanks to Harry and his telephone committee, which included Rich Lamsfuss, John Snow, Barry Steinhauser, and Jarl Wathne. Our thanks also to Dick Davis, San Diego Argonauts RC Schooner Fleet Captain, for his guidance and cooperation, and to all of those who took time to complete the survey form and to offer constructive guidance on VMYG RC Schooner rules development. The other big thing the net brings to us is electronic mail. Answering all the inquiries we get by “snail mail” (as the “netizens” call the Postal Service) costs time and postage. It’s much easier to clear out your mail by hitting the “reply” button over your morning cup of tea. Survey Background The San Diego Argonauts have been successfully sailing and displaying RC Schooners competitively for about l0 years. They have developed construction, display and racing rules that work for their Fleet. And the Argonauts probably have been responsible for much of the national growth in RC Schooner interest. This brings up the point of members who don’t have a home computer with a modem and all the other stuff it takes to get on the net. There are three solutions to this problem. One is to ask around among friends to see if anybody will give you a few minutes or hours on a computer. Another is to check at your local library — many of them offer access to the web. If all else fails, you can send me $3.00 to cover postage and reproduction costs and I’ll send you a printout of what our web page looks like; the only thing you’ll be missing is the color. The Argonauts’ experience and rules seemed like a good place for the survey to start. The survey presented background, including an article on the Argonauts’ Schooner Fleet in the AMYA Quarterly, Spring, 1993, Issue No. 91, and the Argonauts’ Fleet rules. The survey was in the form of a motion to adopt or not to adopt the Argonauts rules, with a request for suggestions on how to address issues that had come up. Some had criticized the Argonauts’ rules as too restrictive. It is a scratch-built, plank on frame, fixed full keel Fleet, which does not allow fins, bulbs, rudders larger than l50% of the original, kits, or fiberglass hulls. Earl Boebert Survey results About one quarter of the approximately 30 people to whom the survey was mailed responded. Votes to adopt the Argonauts’ rules for a core RC Schooner unit of the VMYG were about 80%. But there was sig- New VMYG Division: Traditional Sailing Craft Scale Models RC Schooner Racing and Display Rules The growing interest in RC Schooner model construction and sailing prompted VMYG Page 5 nificant comment on accommodating bulbs, large rudders, kits, scratch-completed fiberglass hulls, as well as setting up categories for other types of traditional sailing craft models, such as Skipjacks, Bugeyes, Friendship sloops, etc. B. RC scratch-built, plank on frame Schooners with bulbs and large rudders permitted. Harry and his telephone committee resolved these issues into the following traditional sailing craft organization and rules for RC Schooners: D. RC kit Schooners. C. RC fiberglass hulls, scratch-completed, bulbs and large rudders permitted. E. Free-sailed Schooners. A. Argonauts RC Schooner Fleet The San Diego Argonauts RC Schooner Fleet rules include: Traditional Sailing Craft Scale Models The VMYG now includes a Traditional Sailing Craft Scale Models Division. That umbrella will include Schooners, Skipjacks and other traditional sailing craft scale models as interest develops. RC Model Schooner Rules: It is the intent of these rules to develop a fleet of R/C sailing Schooners for the nostalgia and fun of these grand old ships. Racing and winning are important but the number one rule is replica. Although the VMYG’s primary interest is in the preservation of older pond boats, this new Division fits within the VMYG charter. The VMYG’s objectives are: 1. The model shall be a scratch built, fixed keel, wooden, plank on frame replica of a full size Schooner built before 1940. 1. The preservation and sailing of older model sailing yachts. 2. The length on deck shall not exceed 50” 2. The study of the history of the sport of model yachting. 3. R/C functions shall not be limited. 4. Hull form shall not be modified for better sailing characteristics except the rudder may be enlarged to no more than 150% of the original. “‘Vintage’ means any older model sailboats (pond boats) built to be sailed: free-sailing models, older designs converted to radio control (R/C) and early R/C models (pre1970s). This definition includes class racing yachts, non-class model sailboats and commercial toys of the past. There are also replica models, built to older designs and a limited number of new designs recreating earlier styles. Vintage models are usually constructed of wood and can range from one to six feet in length.” 5. Sails and rigging may be of modern materials but appearance must be considered. Any rig that has been used on the yacht through its life may be used. Sails and rigging shall be to scale and not out of proportion. Reefing is permitted. 6. Additions such as boom vangs and “preventers” for the sheets may be used for sailing, always keeping in mind Rule #1. Other modifications from “static” to “sailing” will not be permitted. For information on the new Traditional Sailing Craft Scale Models Division, contact: John Snow 78 East Orchard Street Marblehead, MA 01945 (617) 631-4203 7. Yachts with auxiliary power shall render such power inoperable when racing. 8. Appearance in and out of the water shall follow the intent of Rule #1. 2” minimum high numbers are required on the mainsail. Schooners The Schooner Fleet of the Traditional Sailing Craft Scale Models Division includes five (at the moment) sub-categories: 9. Static judging shall be based on the authenticity, esthetics and detail of the model. Builder shall provide verification to the skippers committee prior to the judging. A. San Diego Argonauts RC Schooner Fleet Page 6 Rule 42: Buoy Room: When you are four boat lengths from a turning mark, an obstruction, or a finish line mark, give room to all yachts that have an inside overlap on you. 10. Any person entering a Schooner fleet competition shall be the builder and owner. 11. For display and static judging a maximum 8 1/2 x 11” sheet may be used indicating the history of the yacht and/or model with interesting or pertinent information. Rule 52 and 45: Rounding Marks: If you fail to round a mark, pass it on the wrong side, you must re-round properly during which re-rounding you must keep clear of all other yachts. Touching a mark is not an infringement. 12. Static judging shall be on the low point system with 1 for very good and 10 for bad. (See scoresheet attached.) Racing score shall be on the low point system with 1 for first and 7 for seventh. All scores shall be averaged. Rule 002: Infringement: If you infringe a rule while racing you must do a 360 degree turn prior to rounding the next mark (or finishing) during which time you must keep clear of all other racing yachts. 13. See “Sailing Instructions” for racing rules. RC Schooner Fleet sailing Instructions: The racing rules for the R/C Schooner fleet shall be AMYA rules as modified for local conditions in these Sailing Instructions. RC Schooner Fleet Score Sheet: A copy of the Argonauts Score Sheet appears at the end of this newsletter. These are the rules that govern the Argonauts RC Schooner Fleet — RC Schooner sub-category A under the VMYG’s Traditional Sailing Craft Scale Models Division. More information on this sub-category of model Schooner or interpretations of its rules should be addressed to: Since this is a new fleet and by definition must be “scratch built,” due consideration must be given to “preservation of the species.” Rule 001: “Preservation of the Species.” In the interest of fairness and the “preservation” rule the following basic rules will apply: Mr. Dick Davis, Fleet Captain Argonauts RC Schooner Fleet 1557 Fairglen Road El Cajon, CA 92019 (6l9)447-3973 Rule 36: Port-Starboard: When yachts are on separate tacks (booms are on different sides), port tack keeps clear. B. RC Scratch-built, Plank on Frame Schooners with Bulbs and Large Rudders Permitted. This sub-category of model Schooner is a variation on the Argonauts Schooner Fleet. Rule 37: Windward-Leeward: When tacks are on the same tack (booms on the same side), the overtaking, or windward, yacht shall keep clear. RC Model Schooner Rules: The rules that govern it shall be the Argonauts Rules with the following modifications: Rule 41: Changing Tack: When you are changing tack or jibing, keep clear of other yachts (See Rule 001). 1. As written, except fins and bulbs are permitted with no restrictions bulb depth. However, only one bulb per vessel is permitted and the model must float at its design waterline. The bulb must be removed for static display and displayed along side the model. (Suggestion: Make the bulb fin fit into a trunk in the hull so that when the bulb is removed a tenon on the display cradle can fit into the trunk and help support the model for display and shipment). Rule 41: Luffing Before Starting: Before you start you may luff a yacht to windward, but you must do it slowly. Rule 42.4: Barging: At the start don’t barge. (See Rule 001). Rule 44: Over Early: If you are over the line early at the start, keep clear of other yachts that started properly as you return to restart. Page 7 4. As written, except no limitation on rudder enlargement. It is suggested that the rudder/steering assembly be built for easy exchange of a large sailing rudder for a scale rudder for display. See Rule #1 above. Editor’s Note: We need a volunteer for this sub-category! D. RC Kit Schooners Sailing and static judging rules for the subcategory have not yet been developed. Persons interested in this sub-category should contact: 6. As written, except removal of sailing fins and bulbs is required and replacement of large rudder for static judging is permitted. Mr. John Snow 78 East Orchard Street Marblehead, MA. 01945 (617) 631-4203 11. As written, except information supplied on the 8-1/2 x 11 sheet must include the name of the designer, the date of the design and/or the first boat built to this design, the design’s dimensions, including LOD, LOA, LWL, beam, draft and sail area. The information must also include a copy of the original Schooner’s hull lines and sail plan. Use the back of the 8-1/2 x 11 sheet or an additional sheet for this purpose. At VMYG events, if there are not enough participants in specific Schooner sub-categories to constitute a fleet for a sailing race or static competition, it will be at the discretion of the judges and participants to combine sub-categories for racing and static judging and/or the establishment of handicap points for bulb keel boats vs. full, fixed keel boats. All other rules apply as specified in the Argonauts’ Rules. Sailing Instructions and Score Sheet: This Schooner sub-category shall also use the Argonauts’ Sailing Instructions and Score Sheet. E. Free-sailed Model Schooners. There is a group of free-sailors in the northeast who sail an annual regatta in Maine, tending their models from skiffs. Some of these people have done beautiful modeling work. Those interested in the rules for this sub-category of model Schooner should contact: For more information on Schooner sub-category B contact: Editor’s Note: We need a volunteer for this sub-category! Mr. Walter S. Cluett 231 West Main Road Little Compton, RI 02837 C. R/C Fiberglass Schooner Hulls Scratch Completed, Bulbs and Large Rudders Permitted. This sub-category of RC Schooner is a variation on sub-category B and is governed by the Argonauts’ Rules, Sailing Instructions and Score Sheet, with the exceptions outlined for sub-category B, with one further modification: We expect that the VMYG’s new Traditional Sailing Craft Scale Models Division will accommodate those interested in these boats. And we hope the Rules that have resulted from the Schooner survey accommodate the Schoonermen. 1. Modified to read as follows: The model shall be a hand laid up fiberglass hull replica of a full sized Schooner built before 1940. The model must be scratch built from the deck up, including decking, deck houses and rig. The Committee All other Argonaut Rules apply as modified for sub-category B models. Boy, Do We Need Help! For more information on this sub-category contact: The activities of the Group have grown significantly since its formation, and we are really in need of volunteers to handle some of the work. This is especially true of the Traditional Sailing Craft area. Harry Mote Page 8 and his committee have done a great job of getting this started but others will have to pick up the load of mailings, phone calls, and all that other organizational stuff. older designs. A press release for this event is included in this newsletter, and entry forms will be up shortly on our web page. John Snow Upcoming Events Woods Hole MA, April 19-20 To commemorate the first year of their Small Boat Museum, this Cape Cod group is sponsoring a model boat show as a fund raising event on April 19 and 20. It includes all types of models: working, static, scale, kits, scratch-built, motorized and sail. The show will have exhibits, workshops, demonstrations on building, rigging, R/C, etc., model appraisals and an R/C sailing regatta. Consider it a smaller version of the WoodenBoat show, except its focus is on model tradesmen, hobby organizations, and model builders/users. One contact for the show is Paul Smith of Woods Hole at 508-548-4442. Newsletter Supplement It is going to be our policy to have a supplement to each issue of the newsletter where we provide material not suitable for the web page. Our first supplement is an article by George Barron on his M Class boat “Zip.” This article appeared in a national magazine in 1934, during the first wave of enthusiasm for the class and hundreds, if not thousands, were made — it is probably the most popular M boat ever. Portsmouth NH, June 21 As part of its fifth anniversary celebration on Saturday, June 21, the Seacoast Science Center is hosting a R/C model yacht regatta and a vintage model yacht exhibit. The regatta is for AMYA classes and will be in a tidal lagoon. The vintage model display is at the center, which is located alongside Portsmouth Harbor. For regatta information, contact AMYA member Alain Jousse of Portsmouth at 603-433-1584. Alain will be using this event to try and form a model yacht/boat group in Portsmouth. We have copies of the old construction plans available for $10.00 to cover reproduction costs and postage. There are four sheets. Horizontal lifts are full size, but must be pieced together. Sections are full size and profile is half size. Checks only please, made payable to the U.S. Vintage Model Yacht Group. Send orders to me at the Albuquerque address given elsewhere. In our next issue we plan to run an article from one of the model boat books we have dating to the 1920’s or 1930’s, giving plans and instructions for a simple pond boat. If you’d like to see something else, drop us a note or email. Mystic Seaport CT, June 27-29 The WoodenBoat Show is a large boat trade show sponsored by the WoodenBoat magazine. The 1997 event is again at the Mystic Seaport Museum from June 27 to 29. The VMYG added 20 new members at the 1996 show, so we are again participating. One of the highlights last year was our sailing demonstration of R/C “M” boats. We have now asked the show coordinator to consider a R/ C vintage “M” regatta. I recommend this show to anyone interested in wooden boats or our maritime heritage. Earl Boebert The Model Yacht is published twice a year by the U.S. Vintage Model Yacht Group. Copyright 1997, U.S.V.M.Y.G. Reproduction for noncommerical purposes permitted; all other rights reserved. Marblehead MA, August 16-17 Our third annual event for older sailing models will be hosted by the Marblehead MYC on August 16 and 17 at Redd’s Pond, Marblehead. Among the many activities will by R/C Vintage “M” and classic Schooner/ Skipjack racing, and an exhibit of other Officers of the U.S. Vintage Model Yacht Group: President: John Snow Eastern Vice-President: Ben Martin Midwest Vice-President: Al Suydam Historian: Earl Boebert Historian: Charles Williamson Page 9