The Model Yacht: Volume 1, Number 2 – Summer 1997

LINCOLN MEMORIAL POOL, WASHINGTON, D.C. NEWSLETTER OF THE U.S. VINTAGE MODEL YACHT GROUP VOLUME ONE, NUMBER TWO SUMMER 1997 NEWSLETTER OF THE U.S. VINTAGE MODEL YACHT GROUP VOLUME ONE, NUMBER TWO SUMMER, 1997 Editor’s Welcome Well, we made it to our second issue. The focus of this issue is on Marblehead, site of our National Regatta in August. It should be a great event, and we hope to see as many of you as possible there. If you read our masthead you’ll note that there are two Historians in the Group, a system that helps level the workload and also keeps each of us honest. Charlie Williamson noted that I was a little sloppy in my discussion of the source of our cover material. The Model Yacht actually started under Yachting Magazine in 1928, and was merged with Model Yachting Magazine in December of 1929. Model Yachting struggled on until sometime in the mid-1930’s. Earl Boebert Ebbs and Flows The President’s Message Vintage Etcetera I want to thank the many members that took time to express their appreciation of Earl Boebert’s efforts in designing and publishing our initial newsletter. Several also provided excellent suggestions on the contents of and new ideas for the newsletter, with Earl intending to incorporate most of these. Please keep the suggestions coming for our other 1997 newsletter issue to be published this Fall. Membership in VMYG, which includes our newsletter and access to older sailing design plans, is still $10 for 1997. Starting in 1998, we will probably increase this to $15 per year, given the number of activities we are now involved with and the increasing services we are being asked to provide. We still offer a lifetime membership in the VMYG for only $100. Anyone wanting to join the VMYG for 1997 should send me a check (payable to US VMYG) or cash for either the $10 fee or the $100 for a lifetime membership. Note that our membership now exceeds 100 members. VMYG Changes We have a key addition to our VMYG representatives. We now have a new VMYG representative, Dominic Meo, who covers the western region of the U.S and Canada. Dominic initially started his model yachting career in the early 1960s, free-sailing “M” Class models in Marblehead. He has recently “caught the bug” again; he now has two R/C Vintage “M”s and will be racing one of them at our 1997 national vintage event. One of his early goals is to develop more interest out West in the preservation and sailing of older racing class models. Dominic can be contacted at 16504 Harbour Lane, Huntington Beach, CA. 92649-4237 or at 714-377-8887. I am still serving as the VMYG Traditional Sailing Craft Scale Models coordinator. We really need someone else that is involved with these type of sailing model designs (i.e., Page 1 schooners, skipjacks, etc.) to fill this role. In the interim, inquiries on this new group should still be directed to myself at 617-6314203 or at 78 East Orchard Street, Marblehead, MA. 01945. In order to extend our geographical coverage, we also need someone to represent the VMYG in one of the fastest growing regions for the sport – the Southeast U.S. If anyone has an interest in either of these positions, please contact myself or Earl Boebert. Our most crucial requirement is to find a person knowledgeable in traditional sailing craft models who can at least assist us near-term with the racing and exhibit of these type designs at the 1997 national vintage event in Marblehead. Vintage Events Earl Boebert and his wife Judy, Jim Dolan and myself represented the VMYG at the Woods Hole Model Boat Show on Cape Cod, MA. on April 19 & 20. It was a wonderful event, in that there was a large turnout of attendees and we got to meet many of our modeling brethren that enjoy other aspects of the hobby besides sailing models. Events like this provide us with the opportunity to “spread-the-word” not only on vintage models but on our sport in general. One of the show highlights were the hour-long, “how to” workshops conducted by Al Hubbard, a VMYG member, on building a plank & frame wooden model yacht. The Essex Shipbuilding Museum, Essex, MA. and the International Yacht Restoration School, Newport, R.I. are now interested in having Al do similar workshops for their members. Special thanks are in order for Paul Smith and his able staff of volunteers from the Woods Hole Small Boat Museum for putting on an event of this nature for the first time, in recent memory, in New England and in such an outstanding manner. Check elsewhere in this issue for other details on this show. Next on the VMYG calendar in late June are exhibit-type events at the Seacoast Science Center in Portsmouth, N.H. (June 21) and the “WoodenBoat” Show at the Mystic Seaport Museum, CT. (June 27 – 29). If you cannot attend either of these, I personally invite you to share in our infectious enthusiasm for old models by participating in our national Vintage Regatta in Marblehead during the weekend of August 16 & 17. Again, check elsewhere in this issue for more information on this unique event and an entry form. Just a brief note on next year’s national vintage event in San Francisco. The latest information is that the SFMYC is considering hosting it and other centennial festivities during the 1998 Memorial Day weekend. We will keep you posted on the details of this event as they become available via our next newsletter and the VMYG Web Page on the Internet. Another 1997 activity that the VMYG is now participating in is related to an organization that teaches the skills, history and related sciences involved in the restoration of full-size yachts – the International Yacht Restoration School (IYRS) of Newport R.I. There is an obvious synergy between the IYRS and VMYG from the perspective that we both are truly dedicated to the preservation (including historical research) and actual use of older sailing designs. IYRS has as its flagship the restored 1930 J-Class sloop “Shamrock V”, and is restoring the oldest and largest American schooner still in existence, the “Coronet”, which is 112 years old and 167 feet long. On Sunday afternoon, August 24th, the VMYG will be participating in the second annual IYRS “Family Day” event at their school and dock facilities on Newport Harbor. Weather and wind permitting, we will be providing R/C sailing demonstrations with Vintage “M” Class models and possibly exhibiting other older sailing models. The school will be using their own restored large yachts and motor launches for harbor excursions. For more information on this event, contact IYRS at 401-848-5777 or myself. By the way, keep up the good work by continuing to inform us about other vintage-type activities that need to be listed on our upcoming events calendar. “Windling World” Magazine I have been recently corresponding with the editor of a relatively new, sister-type periodical that covers various sailing model activities (including many pictures of vintage models) in the far western Pacific area. This is a specialist magazine for model sailing enthusiasts called “Windling World” and is edited and published by Mark Steele. If you would like to subscribe to it, contact Mark at 42 Trinidad Road, Forrest Hill, Auckland, New Zealand or via phone/fax at 64-9-410 4402. U.S. Vintage “M” Class I will be making available at the Vintage Regatta a draft set of Vintage “M” Class rules. My approach is to “test the waters” Page 2 through an actual survey of the “M” skippers at this event and others willing to help the VMYG establish a national R/C U.S. Vintage “M” Class within AMYA in 1998. The basic requirements for inclusion in this class would be AMYA membership and ownership of a “M” based on a 1930s to 1960s design that conforms to the corresponding “M” Class rules of that era. “M”models still configured for free-sailing would eventually have to be converted to R/C to be registered within this class to count towards the AMYA’s minimum of twenty boats to form a new class. The R/C Vintage “M” Class would be similar in its organizational structure and sailing activities to other existing AMYA classes. If you desire a copy of the survey and draft rules, contact me. I will be asking for all inputs from this survey by November 30th, so that the VMYG can make a timely decision on whether such a class can be supported in 1998. Questions of the Month “The Secret Heart” There’s a 1946 tear-jerker called “The Secret Heart,” starring Claudette Colbert, that is supposed to use several Lassel boats as backdrops. A search of the Web shows that the Australian National Museum has a copy. Are there any film buffs out there who’ve seen this film, and can tell us whether it’s worth trying to borrow and shoot some stills from? “The Breeze” There evidently was a model yachting newsletter in the 1940’s called The Breeze. It apparently was published by Ted Houk out of Seattle. We would really like to obtain copies of this, as it evidently contains some of the very early discussions of vane gears. Sail Plan for “Rip Tide” We’ve got plans for Ted Houk’s M Class “Rip Tide,’ but no sail plan. If anybody has a copy, or plans for Houk’s sliding rig or the kind of vanes he used, please let us know. Other Material If you run across any other vintage material that we can borrow and copy, please contact the editor. Earl Boebert R/C Vintage “M” Class Racing Rules Format for Redd’s Pond Editor’s Note This article is brought to you to stimulate thought and discussion about the topic of Vintage R/C rules. There’s no denying the advantages of R/C, especially in modern ponds which are surrounded by trees and buildings with the resulting swirling and tricky winds. Free-sailing in such conditions is frustrating to say the least. The rules below try to combine the skill in trimming which was the essence of free-sailing with R/C’s ability to make the boat go where you want it. Another idea, not mentioned in the trial rules, is limiting control to rudder only, so that the free-sailing skill of “reading” the wind and pond and trimming one’s boat enters into the competition. Another unstated goal is to minimize the possibility of collisions between lovingly restored boats. The rules are written for Redd’s pond; if you haven’t been there, Duck Rock is at the street end of the pond. The rest of the directions should be self-explanatory. Take a look, try them out, and let John Snow know what you think of them. Note that these are not the rules that will be in effect for the 1997 Vintage Regatta — those races will be run using a standard AMYA-type race course with marker buoys and start/finish lines. A minimum number of racing rules will be used for this event, and will be sent out to entrants separately. Earl Boebert Background The Marblehead MYC will be using a different format for its 1997 Vintage “M” (VM) Class season series. The club’s approach is intended to maximize skipper participation and promote on-the-water enjoyment and good sportsmanship, while minimizing the use of modern-day, AMYA racing class rules and the attendant discord they can create. In addition, this format is designed to some- Page 3 what replicate the original free-sail racing method at Redd’s Pond; namely, sailing fleet style from one end of the pond to the other and back — walkway to walkway. Thus no racing marks will be used and what racing rules that are invoked will be few and simple. The idea is to just relax and have fun! skippers agreeing to do so before the start of a series race, spinnakers may be used when the prevailing wind is favorable. A single heat would then consist of two boards (legs) sailed fleet style, with the upwind (non-spinnaker) and downwind (spinnaker) boards being scored separately. The overall goal of the clubs R/C VM racing efforts is to attract more skippers eventually into “M”-sized model yachts, through the promotion of a viable, low-cost alternative to the modern, high-tech “M”s — Vintage “M”s. Unlike a high-tech R/C “M” skipper, a prospective VM skipper has the option to either scratch-build an “M” (using wood or fiberglass) or restore (preserve) an older “M” model, 1930s to 1960s designs, for sailing. Also, if interest expands, the R/C Vintage “M” has the potential to be another AMYA national class under the direct sponsorship of AMYA’s Vintage Model Yacht Group (VMYG). Thus the Marblehead MYC’s 1997 VM effort is also designed to support the VMYG long-term goal of establishing a R/C Vintage “M” class. Scoring standard heat scoring will also replicate that used in the past. 10 points for first, 9 points for second, et.c, through the first 10 places. When there are more than ten boats in a heat, skippers finishing eleventh place or lower will receive zero points. Scoring for board style (spinnaker) racing will be the same, with the exception that each board is scored as a separate race heat. At the end of ten heats (20 boards) using spinnakers, skippers’ point totals will be added and then divided in half to count toward the season series point championship. The following c.ub rules are considered a “draft” set for local racing only. They are not meant to represent any future set of rules to be developed for a national “VM” Class under the VMYG. The club is eliciting comments on these local rules; initially prior to the first VM series race on May 10th and then throughout the club’s VM racing season. Race Heat/Scoring/Starting Race Heat A race heat will consist of: Starting Heat starting positions for skippers at the street-end walkway, from windward to leeward, will be rotated on a continual basis after each heat, e.g., the top windward boat drops down to the bottom leeward position, while other skippers move up one position closer to windward. The skipper appearing first at pondside for a series race will be assigned the top windward position for the first heat. The pond arrival sequence of the other skippers will then determine their respective starting positions for the first heat. The race scorer will call out the start of each heat by simply hailing — “Are you ready — let them go.” 1. Manually (hand) starting your model at the street-end walkway. Racing Rules Rules Only two basic racing rules will be initially invoked: 2. Turning it around by hand at the cemeteryend walkway. 1. Port-starboard right-of-way. 3. Subsequently sailing it back across the painted, white finish line by Duck Rock (in front of the Red Barn and Boatyard). A skipper’s heat will be considered complete when any part of his model crosses the white line. A maximum of ten heats will be sailed for each VM series race. A minimum of 5 total VM heats will have to be completed in order to have the results officially counted for any series race, where weather and/or pond conditions cause the cancellation of the remaining heats. With the majority of the 2. Boat-to-boat contact avoidance. Protests Any protest formally acknowledged during a race heat has to be immediately addressed by a 360 degree turn, clear of other boats. No protest committee hearings will be held. Thus, any protest not reconciled on-thewater will cause the loss of two points for all skippers involved in the infraction, whether considered in the right or wrong. Major boatto-boat contact will be considered an infraction; incidental contact will not be grounds for protest. Page 4 General VM Design Parameters R/C Functions Only two radio channels will be used: one for steering control (rudder) and one for sheeting control (sails); no other onboard R/C functions are allowed. Any number of onboard manual (hand) adjustments will be allowed. There are no restrictions on the kind of winch and/or servo to be used for sail and rudder control. VM Design -A VM is an older “M” Class model with a hull 50 inches long, + or – 1/4 inch, and a sail area not exceeding 800 square inches. It is considered a design developed prior to 1970, that originally conformed to the MYRAA “M” rules of that era. Key design rules differentiating older “M”s from modern “M”s include: center of the mast to the outermost end of the pole. No modern composite materials are allowed for sail rigs. Sails Only single-panelled sails will be used. A skipper initially having panelled sails will be allowed the use of them just during the one year “grace” period. Bumpers Bow bumpers will be mandatory. They will be of a soft material, 1/2 inch in thickness and securely mounted to the bow of a model. No bumper — no sail! Poles Five foot long poles will only be used to retrieve a model in case of loss of R/C or to clear boats that have become inadvertently tangled together. 1. A minimum one-inch garboard radius between the hull and deadwood. 2. Only non-prognathous keel designs. A “non-prognathous” keel is one that has no part of a keel’s lower leading edge projecting beyond any of the upper leading edge. The only exception is the inclusion of the 1970 MYRAA rule change relating to a maximum sail rig height of 85 inches. Note that owners of older “M”s that no longer meet MYRAA design specifications will be allowed a one year “grace” period to bring their “M”s into conformance with MYRAA rules and any others stated herein. The one year “grace” period starts from the time an “M” owner sails in his first club VM race. Hull Restrictions Hulls, rudders, and skegs can only be constructed from wood, fiberglass, or plexiglas — no modern composite materials are allowed. Sail Rig Height In accordance with the revised (1970) MYRAA “M” Class rules, the maximum height of the sail rig is 85 inches, as measured from the deck to the bottom of the mainsail’s headboard. The rig headstay attachment point on the mast can only be a maximum of 80 percent of the total distance of the sail rig height from the top of the deck. Other Sail Rig Restrictions A maximum of two sail rigs will be allowed. Mast and boom materials will be either wood or aluminum. Spinnakers are allowed, with no sail area limitation. The length of the spinnaker pole cannot exceed 15 inches, as measured from the R/C for Vintage Yachts Editors Note This article was written by Joe Frasier, AMYA #7698. He can be reached at 924 La Charles Dr., N.E. Albuquerque, NM 87112, or by email at fra2422@swcp.com Basic guidelines. Keep weight to a minimum and as low as possible. Since inertia increases by the square of the distance from the center of gravity (C.G.) arrange all components compactly. As the boat was not designed for R/C, install the servo board with its C.G. directly over the boat’s designed C.G. Prior planning. However you set up the R/C components, think reliability and maintainability. Easy access to all under-deck components makes adjustments, repairs or replacements a lot easier. Components. A drum winch requires less room and places less strain on the servo board, thus a lighter board. Use ball-bearing pulleys. Some weight can be saved by using a micromini DPDT switch. Graphite rods and tubes (mentioned later) may be obtained from a performance kite store. Page 5 Construction. Either carbon balsa sandwich or 3/32” plywood will do for the board. Cut out the board to mount the servos side by side and with minimum clearance. Locate the batteries beneath the servo board, either forward or aft of the servos, with a hinged trap door to provide access. This gets the batteries as low as possible. The switch and receiver are mounted on top of the trap door. (Servos must be forward if you use the under deck rigging described below.) Secure the servo board to two 1/4” x 1/4” cross beams mounted to the hull frames. (Carbon fiber tubes make light cross-beams.) One at each end of the servo board. Beams should be no higher than necessary to ensure that the servos and batteries clear the inside of the hull. One end of the servo board may be under the deck. If so attach a couple of dogs under the servo board to fit beneath the beam to hold that end down and screw to other end to the cross beam that you can access via the hatch. The rudder post may not be vertical. Attach the rudder push-rod to the rudder horn using a ball link. A.179” O.D. graphite tube with in I.D. of .110 and weighing .165 oz./ft. makes for a stiff and light push-rod. With the servo board as low as possible the top of the rudder servo is probably lower than the rudder horn. Another ball link attached to the servo horn will solve this problem but you must make a push-rod whose length is adjustable. Another solution is to use a push-rod connector. A .110 O.D. short rod is glued into the tube with about 1” protruding (which is long enough to allow one to adjust the rudder.) Enlarge the hole and insert the.110 rod through the push-rod connector. The rod can now be adjusted with an Allen wrench. This may require raising the height of the rudder servo horn. The solution here is to use two horns (Fig. 1.) One is mounted above Figure 1 the other. They are connected (to provide the required height) by.110” dia. graphite rods left over when you cut the push-rod insert to length. One may use two wires in lieu of a rod. The wires are connected to each end of double-ended servo and rudder horns. If you want the rigging under the deck, as described below, then double wires will mean too much congestion. Rigging. With a drum winch, tension must be kept on the winch line at all times. An elastic cord from the local fabric store works well. Single drum Connect the cord to the winch line where it exits through the deck and the other end near the bow. Double drum See Model Yachting, Issue # 104. If you prefer, rigging can be below deck (Fig. 2.) There probably is not a lot of room here. A A= Drum B = Multi block with C becket C = Single deck pulley B D = Elastic cord D E = Sheet line F = Single or E multi deck pulley G = To deck F fairlead C G Figure 2 The deck is in place and you can only work with the space you can reach through the hatch. A solution is to attach a single or multiple block with becket to the winch line. Secure the elastic cord to the becket then route it through a single deck pulley on the underside of the deck aft of the hatch opening then through a similar pulley under the deck forward of the hatch opening then aft again to be secured under the deck aft of the hatch opening. The bitter end of the sheet line is secured either under the deck or to the pulley with becket depending on the amount of sheeting required and pass back and fourth (block & tackle) between the pulley attached to the winch line and through a single or multiple deck pulley mounted beneath Page 6 the deck aft of the hatch opening so that sufficient sheeting length is achieved. With this system you will need a sturdy winch and preferably a 1/2” dia. drum since the strain on the winch increases with each purchase you run through the blocks. The cord and lines will pass over the receiver and switch which may make access more difficult, but the elastic tensioner will pull them back into place. Antenna. Except for carbon fiber hulls, it is not necessary that the antenna be above deck. Glue a couple of soda straws together and feed the antenna through them. Everyone has his own ideas and each has its own unique advantages and disadvantage. The Manual for the East Coast 12-Meter from Ragged Symmetry Ltd., 5425 Parkwood Ln., Mercer Island WA 98040 is an excellent reference. Joe Frasier Woods Hole Model Boat Show The following co-authored article, is a rambling of impressions of the Woods Hole Model Boat Show. We will begin with an overview of the show to be followed by first Jim Dolan and then by John Snow in telling of their experiences at the show. The Model Boat Show was aimed at generating the kind of following and enthusiasm that has marked events such as the “WoodenBoat” Show. Eight different venues in the village of Woods Hole provided visitors with a wide variety of model boat experiences ranging from static displays of museum quality ships to classic pond model races at the Eel Pond to pool races for kids with stick and block toys. Arrangements had been made to provide visitors with both local and remote parking (with shuttle service). John Snow and myself, (Jim Dolan), left Marblehead for the first Woods Hole Model Boat Show, April 18 in what could be best described as a heavy rainstorm bordering on a Northeaster. As we drove down Route 3 to Cape Cod the weather improved to a drizzle and by the time we had reached the Bourne Bridge it was fog. Once on the Cape we made some boat related stops in Hyannis and Falmouth before arriving at our destination, Woods Hole. This all came about because late in 1996, about December, John Snow and Ben Martin from the Vintage Model Yacht Group, (part of the Marblehead Model Yacht Club). went to Woods Hole to see Fred Smith. He is president of the Woods Hole Small Boat Museum and was planning a model show for the following April (1997). Later in February we went back in force, (included in the group was John Snow, Ben Martin, Al Hubbard and Jim Dolan), to assist him where we could in planning the event. Fred is a very outgoing person with a lot of energy and a lot of good ideas. He showed us around Woods Hole and outlined what he intended to do. We gave him our ideas and suggestions and so here we were coming down to the first Woods Hole Model Boat Show. After arriving in Woods Hole about 3 PM we spent the rest of the afternoon setting up our Vintage Model Yacht Group booth and meeting the other participants. The main attraction at our booth was the ‘M’ 50/800, ‘Broom II’ designed by J Selmar Larsen and owned until recently by William (Bill) Full, who passed away last December. I wish to take a moment to say a few words about Bill Full. Bill was a great ambassador for our sport and will be missed; speaking personally, when I entered the sport as a teenager around 1954, Bill was one of the ones who helped me get started. He was knowledgeable, willing to share what he knew with others and always promoted good sportsmanship. I read a poem long ago that reminds me of Bill and I would like to share it with you. I am sorry I do not know the authors name if someone knows please feel free to send it to my attention. (Jim Dolan). “We can’t always play a winning game Someone is sure to lose, Yet we can play so that our name No one may dare accuse; That when the Master Referee Scores against our name, It won’t be whether we’ve won or lost, But How We’ve Played the Game!” Page 7 You played the game well Bill, God’s speed. At the Vintage Model Yacht booth we had a display of half models, made by Earl Boebert. These show the development of design of the ‘Marblehead 50/800. Then Jim Dolan had a slide presentation that outlined the history of model yachting at Redd’s Pond in Marblehead. From time to time Judy Boebert showed films of vintage model boat races. Before the afternoon ended we teamed up with our other member A1 Hubbard, who put together an excellent presentation on how to build a plank and frame ‘M’, more on this later. Among some of the other people we met, to name a few, there was Fred and Susan Abbe, friends of ours who live in the Woods Hole area. They are members of our Vintage Yacht Group, but because they are so much into the vintage boating they had their own booth which displayed, a wooden ‘A’ boat, a wooden ‘M’ boat, and several great models of old lake power launches of the 1912 to 1930 era. These are models of boats you may still see during the summer on lakes in New Hampshire and New York. That evening we all dined at the Fishmonger, which is located right at the drawbridge next to the Eel Pond. Everyone took Fred Abbe’s suggestion and had the popcorn chicken, it was delicious. We concluded the evening with a night cap at the Fred and Susan Abbe’s, and had a wonderful discussion of boats, books, cars and nautical matters. After which we retired to the Nautilus Hotel for a good nights sleep to await the start of the show. We awoke 6 AM to a raging northeaster. The wind gusts at Cape Cod’s Otis Air Force Base, we were later to find, were 90 MPH. I could hear the rain falling in sheets across the roof of the Hotel. When I looked out the window there was a river of water running down the street and as I looked out past the Woods Hole Coast Guard Base toward Martha Vineyard everything was grey and sea was a frothy foam of whitecaps. But the show must go on and thank goodness our booth was inside. On our way to breakfast at the Fishmonger, we passed what was left of the tent that was put up the night before for the kids to practice remote control boat handling. There would be none of that today. As we parked our car I looked out at Woods Hole harbor toward the Elizabeth Islands and there in mid channel I could see that a sail boat had broken loose of its mooring and had run aground on a ledge. (They had it free by evening). Breakfast consisted of coffee and coconut pancakes, then it was off to man the booth. The turn out was good in spite of the weather, fortunately the rain and the gusts let up as the day went on. We postponed all activity on the water at the Eel Pond to Sunday, which we hoped would be a better day. At the show there were remote control submariners who put on an impressive demonstration in the Woods Hole test tank. Then there were others who were selling half models, kits of various kinds of boats and there were some who sold tools to work on the models with. One of the highlights for me was meeting some of the participants from the Elizabeth Islands who yearly have a family outing that involves a model yacht race among family members. This has been a tradition that goes back to the last century. I had an interesting discussion with David Gregg about the history of yacht design. During the afternoon I had an opportunity to drop in on ‘Master Builder’ Al Hubbard, as he gave his excellent presentation of how to build a plank and frame model. Every one enjoyed it and it was obvious from the kinds of questions that were asked that they were more than casually interested in this subject. Late Saturday afternoon the Woods Hole Small Boat Museum held a very nice reception that gave us an opportunity to meet the other participants. Later we all went to the Landfall Restaurant for a delicious seafood dinner. I thought, as did everyone with whom I spoke, that the show was a great success and I hope Fred Smith and his crew will have us back next year. Now John Snow will continue with his impressions. Sunday was a beautiful, warm, sunny spring day. I started promptly at the opening at the Community Hall site. The first exhibit was Robert H. Eddy & Associates of Camden Maine, professional modelers and nautical jewelry crafters. They were displaying a work in progress; a 1/4 scale (1/4 = 1 foot) model of the 1915 Herreshoff schooner Page 8 Historic Redd’s Pond, site of this year’s Vintage Regatta “Marietta”. Further into the Community Hall exhibit area was the Schooner “Ernestina” display. It included a pair of models of the vessel in her Arctic exploration configuration. Down stairs Matt Leupold showed his Brant Point Lighthouse and Beetle whaleboat models. T.J. Lauria of Nantucket was also displaying his whaleboats and other small craft models. Chris Morrison demo’d his latest radio control experiments. Back upstairs the U.S. Vintage Model Yacht Group had an extensive display that introduced visitors to the exciting world of classic pond model racers. The large room was filled with all types of models from half-hulls to waterline models to full models of all types of vessels. The community Hall exhibit area was only the beginning. Next door, the old firehouse was home port for R/C submarines that ranged from Jules Verne’s “Nautilus” to the “Nautilus” (SSN-57 1) that ushered in the modern era of nuclear subs. From U-Boats to Los Angles class missile subs the submarine modelers take on the technical challenge of building operation vessels for the hostile underwater environment. Across the street at the WHOI Public Information Office were Dr. Robert Ballard’s model “Titanic” and models of “Alvin” and “Jason” submersibles that explored the most famous shipwreck in the world. The WHOI Exhibit Center on School Street had a full size mock-up model of “Alvin” and lots of other exhibits for children and adults on the work of the Institute. The Town Library was my next stop where more model displays were supplemented by workshops and professional model appraisals. The Historical Society showed off their model of the entire town at the turn of the century. The Small Craft Museum supplemented the permanent model exhibits with R/C lobster boats by Ed Arini. As bad as the weather was on Saturday, Sunday’s sunshine and gentle breezes more than made up for it. According to Paul Smith, “It was a complete success both indoors and out especially on the water Eel Pond and the portable pool on the museum grounds.” The Woods Hole Model Boat Show was a great way to support a vibrant institution and have fun and we all had fun. Jim Dolan John Snow Redd’s Pond Redd’s Pond is located in the old town part of Marblehead, Massachusetts; which is a seacoast town some 20 miles north of Boston, settled in the early 1620’s. The pond is situated on a rocky peninsula which projects out into Massachusetts Bay adjacent to Salem, Massachusetts. The pond is named after a local woman who lived by the pond in the late 1600’s. Near the pond is the site of the First Congregational Church, (organized about 1635) and the Old Burial Hill, (among the earliest New England cemeteries). The town has had a long and rich maritime history in its contributions to the country and the sport of sailboat racing. Redd’s Pond has had a comparable impact on the sport of U.S. model yachting. As this article will try to illustrate, it has been and remains a hotbed of model yacht racing and design development for over one hundred years. Page 9 Redd’s Pond, as a model yacht sailing site in the latter part of the 1800’s, had few trees and houses around it, and the prevailing summer breezes would have been light from the southwest, with somewhat stronger winds in the spring and fall off of the ocean. The high point of land upon which the pond is situated looks toward Gloucester along a coastal area called the “North Shore”. Exactly when people first started to sail model boats at Redd’s Pond is lost in antiquity, but our best guess is some time after 1850. This is mostly speculation on our part, but this premise is based on the rise in popularity of large boat leisure sailing on Long Island Sound and Massachusetts Bay; (the New York Yacht Club organized July 30, 1844, [its sailing yacht the America won the Hundred Guineas Cup in 1851]; the Boston Yacht Club founded in Boston during 1866 and the Eastern Yacht Club founded in Boston, March 5th 1870). Earliest records found to date (magazine reports) indicate organized racing events at Redd’s Pond date back to 1892. What is known is that there have been two organizations associated with model sailing at Redd’s Pond; the Marblehead Midget Yacht Club (1892 to 1925) and the Marblehead Model Yacht Club (1925 to present). The basic philosophy of these two groups has been to foster innovation in model yachting through development of various model classes and unique sailing designs. Early Years of Model Yachting in Marblehead In the late 1800s, model yachts of all types and sizes were being sailed in ever increasing numbers on Redd’s Pond and on other ponds around the North Shore area of Massachusetts. The greater popularity of this sport led to the formation of the Marblehead Midget Yacht Club in 1892. Although an informal group of sailors, principally comprised of children and young adults, this group did select Redd’s Pond as their permanent racing site. Formal racing events were conducted by gender (female and male), by this group. They also decided upon a 24 inch class of models as the club’s first sailing craft. Little else is known of the exact design specifications of these early models, other than they bore close resemblance to the full size sailing designs of that era. Generally, the model yachts being raced during this period were gaff-rigged types with bowsprits and prominent sail plans extending well beyond the hulls. Many of those boats had fin and bulb keels to help counter balance the force of the large sail areas. Upon later development of the Marconi sailing rig, (jib and mainsail), for large racing yachts, the club subsequently adopted this triangular style of sail plan for its model classes. Even during these formative years, the members of this club displayed their willingness to change a key design aspect of their models in order to improve sailing performance. In the early 1900s, with the port of Marblehead then considered the greatest small yacht center in the world, it was to be expected that model yachting in Marblehead would become equally as active through organized sailing. In fact, so much interest was generated through model sailing at Redd’s Pond a special school, (like a summer camp), was founded in Marblehead just to teach children the basics of model yachting. This school, the Hennessey Marine Classes, was used to stimulate interest in designing, building and racing large boats through the building of small models during the summer. Also, at this time, several businesses flourished that catered to the model yachtsmen of Marblehead. Two of these local businesses, Marblehead Model Yachts, Inc. and Nutting’s Marblehead Workshop, even went so far as to allow “budding” model boat designers the use of their workshops to build their sailing craft. These enterprising businessmen, in conjunction with the Hennessey Marine Classes, held yearly end of summer regattas for children at Redd’s Pond. The 1923 regatta, for instance, had five classes of models; the 18 and 21 inch Scow Classes, and the 24, 28 and 30 inch Marconi Classes, with a total of 36 novice skippers sailing in the regatta. With these sailing events attracting a growing number of participants and spectators, a local newspaper, the Marblehead Messenger, decided to formally sponsor a Labor Day race. The subsequent newspaper publicity afforded this event combined with its widespread promotion by local merchants, established this regatta as an annual holiday occurrence for the children of Marblehead. The Messenger’s report covering the first Labor Day regatta in 1925 shows the level of popularity reached by model yachting in Marblehead during this time. This regatta was then considered to be the largest event of its kind ever held in the world. A total of 175 model yachts were entered in the 1925 regatta Page 10 in seven classes, comprising 12 inch to 48 inch size boats. The audience for this sailing event was just as impressive, with over 1000 persons lining the shores of Redd’s Pond on the day of the regatta. Formation of the Marblehead Model Yacht Club As might be expected with this amount of activity, a group of adult model yachtsmen soon decided to establish a more formal sailing organization primarily devoted to model racing. The purpose of this organization was and still is to design, build and race model yachts, as well as to promote a spirit of sportsmanship and fair play. A meeting was held on September 22, 1925 and this group voted to form the Marblehead Model Yacht Club (M.M.Y.C.), with Mr. Duncan Dana serving as the first Commodore during its first three years of existence. Mr. Dana was to be the first of many M.M.Y.C. members, through the ensuing years, that came from the ranks of large yacht racing prior to becoming actively involved in model yachting. At this meeting it was decided that the club would sponsor several sizes of sailing models; 18 to 30 inch displacement boats and 24 to 26 inch scows. The 30 inch and 26 inch displacement boats with Marconi rigs proved the most popular during the club’s first sailing season in 1926. The specifications for the 30-inch class required the hull to be not over 30 inches long, 8 inches wide and 13 inches deep from the deck to the keel. The sail area of this model was restricted to 600 square inches. The 26-inch class rules were even simpler, a 26 inch hull length with a sail area of 450 square inches. Origins of the Marblehead 50-800 Design n 1927, L. Francis Herreshoff, the noted naval architect and nephew of Nat Herreshoff, (the “Wizard of Bristol”), joined the M.M.Y.C. Mr. Herreshoff had designed a variety of large racing craft, ranging from dinghies to America’s Cup “J” boats, before becoming active in model yacht design. At at this time, a class of full size yachts had been developed with restricted sail areas but with very few limitations on their hull designs. With this in mind, Mr. Herreshoff proposed a class of model yachts with only one restriction, namely, 450 square inches of sail. It was adopted by the club as its primary sailing model and became known as the “450 Sail Area” Class. Hulls ranged up to 45 inches in length and were built in a variety of forms; bows pointed, round or square, with stern sections having a canoe shape or squared-off profile, some as wide as the hull. The keels also varied in sizes, with their lead ballast ranging from 3 to 6 pounds. This new class allowed for the development of a large number of original designs, with many of them favoring metal fin and bulb keels. Given the popularity in the late 1920s of the “450” Class and the innovative nature of the club’s members, it was not too long before a club model design was to emerge that displayed more optimum sailing qualities that more closely resembled their larger yacht brethren. Late in 1929, Mr. Roy Clough, a charter club member, conceived the idea for a new class of model yachts with a greater overall length and proportionately-scaled sail area, having a more classic sailboat profile. Although there is no record of the exact origins of Mr. Clough’s design, it is thought that his ideas for the new yacht were rooted in the simple and flexible design rules of the “450” Class. Key considerations had to be; 1) the physical size and weight for a model that would be ideal for both sailing and ease of transporting, and 2) keel shapes that replicated those of large sailboats. Mr. Clough’s original yacht design, was 50 inches long with 800 square inches of sail, hence the name “Marblehead 50-800”. Even today, these are still the principal design measures that govern development of modern “M” boat designs. In the early 1 930s, the typical dimensions of Mr. Clough’s model yacht would have been: Overall length of 50 inches Waterline length of 40 inches Draft of 7 inches Keel ballast of 9 pounds Jib sail area of 150 square inches Mainsail area of 650 square inches Sail plan height of 60 inches With these basic characteristics, this model design soon proved to be what most model yachtsmen of that time desired. Page 11 Establishment of the “M“ Class as an International Design When this design was introduce in the 1930 sailing season at Redd’s Pond, it quickly became not only the club’s favored racing model, but one widely recognized as “the right boat for the times”, given its sailing capabilities and design resemblance to large racing craft. This rapid, widespread acceptance of the “M” was due in no small part to the M.M.Y.C. and its subsequent promotion of this “home grown” design in club, interclub, regional and national sailing events of this era. Coupled with the simple set of “M” design rules, this quickly led to the adoption of the design by the Model Yacht Racing Association of America (MYRAA) as an official U.S. class in 1932; followed in 1937 by the International Model Yacht Racing Union’s (IMYRU) recognizing the “M” as its second international design class. It is important to note, that a M.M.Y.C. member influential in national and international model yachting and an ardent supporter of the “M” design, Mr. John Black, was elected IMYRU president in 1937, at the same meeting that the “M” Class was adopted by IMYRU. Mr. Black had won the first “M” Class World Championship held the previous year in Germany, in conjunction with the 1936 Olympics. Also, Mr. Black later authored in 1939 what was then considered the definitive book on the “M” 50-800, Yachting With Models – How to Build a Champion “M” Class Model Yacht. Thus, Roy Clough’s original model yacht design, (named for the Town of Marblehead), became the world standard known today as the Marblehead 50-800 or, more simply, the “M” Class. The local “Broom” series of “M” boats designed by J. Selmar Larsen (1930s through l950s) The lightweight “self-tacking” vane gear steering control by Bill Full (1940s) The ultra-high sail rig and “Warrior” series of “M” yachts by Stanley Goodwin (1960s and 1970s) Today, finds the M.M.Y.C. in relatively robust health with a membership of around 70, which is very similar to the club’s overall size in its heyday during the 1930’s. The club seems to have also come back to its design origins in that period through the use of vintage “M” models converted for radio control racing at Redd’s Pond. Two key reasons are attributed to the M.M.Y.C.’s recent growth: 1) the club’s adoption of the “CR 914″ class as an entry-level one-design racing model, and 2) the club’s centennial celebration in 1994 which rekindled local interest in the sport of model yachting in general. In summary, a wide variety of model yachts have been sailed at Redd’s Pond, Marblehead, from the 1890s to the present. Both the liberal design rules of experimental-type model yacht classes in the U.S. and the natural evolution of state-of-the-art building materials have provided the means to develop unique model design ideas, both locally and nationally. Given this dynamic environment, this article provides a historical perspective on the organizers, designers, builders and skippers involved in Marblehead model yachting and their contributions to the sport. Continuing the “M” Legacy For the next 40 years, through the 1930s and into the 1970s, the basic “M” model design matured at both the local and national levels, (i.e., development of full waterline hulls, torpedo keels, balanced rudders, improved steering [vane gear], tall sail rigs, and use of molded hull material and alternative sail fabrics). Typical of the M.M.Y.C.’s initial developmental role, this maturation period also saw club members introduce several designs and ideas that also gained widespread acceptance. Noteworthy ones were: The “Cheerio” “M” series of models by John Black (1930s), which won regional, national and world “M” Class championships Page 12 Jim Dolan John Snow New Plans Available 1997 Vintage Regatta The picture at the top of the page is the subject of our latest set of full-size plans. This is a “20-rater” designed in the 1920’s by Thomas Darling. She’s 36” LOA, which is a size we get a lot of requests for. She first appeared as a Stanley Tools workshop project in 1926. In 1934 a complete construction article appeared in Model Craftsman magazine. Unfortunately, our page count and the condition of the reduced scale plans prevents us from reprinting it here, the way we did last issue for the M class “Zip.” Thanks to some fine detective work by member Fred Abbe (who is building three, by the way), we are able to offer the 1926 full-sized plans plus the text of the 1934 article for $20.00 postpaid. The construction is horizontal bread and butter and the plans are extremely comprehensive, including details of all the fittings. If you’d like a copy, send a check or money order maid out to the U.S. Vintage Model Yacht Group to: The 1997 Regatta at historic Redd’s Pond is shaping up to be our biggest event ever. Please join us in Marblehead on August 16th and 17th. An entry form and directions are included at the back of the newsletter. Vintage Plans 9219 Flushing Meadows NE Albuquerque NM 8711 The Myth of the Bounteous Board Editors Note This article describes one of many incidents at the WoodenBoat Show in Mystic Connecticut. A fuller description of that event will appear in a later issue; until then, our thanks to Charlie Roder of the Spring Lake Marbleheaders for this “late breaking news,” and to the USVMYG participants who kept their senses of humor throughout. The Myth For all the romance associated with life at sea, it was often fraught with hardship, danger and fear of the unknown. Small wonder that many of the yarns and legends of old stretched the truth a bit. The most famous is perhaps the tale of the Flying Dutchman. As a result of the Dutchman’s blasphemy and defiance of Divine wrath, he and his crew were condemned to wander the seas for eternity. Or the Sirens of classical mythology, part Page 13 bird and part woman, who perched on rocks and islands and with their melodious songs lured sailors to destruction and death. The folklore of every country with a seafaring tradition contains stories of mermaids, creatures with the head and trunk of a woman and the lower torso of a fish. It is said that Captain John Smith, of Jamestown and Pocohantas fame, after long months at sea was bewitched by a beautiful mermaid swimming with sensuous grace alongside his ship and almost jumped overboard to join her. The truth is apparently still being “stretched a bit” even in this age of enlightenment as certain USVMYG sailors found while attending the WoodenBoat Show on Saturday, June 28, 1997. For lack of a better name, we shall call this the “Myth of the Bounteous Board.” Our leader lured us into sailing our vintage models in the outdoor fish pool at the Mystic Aquarium in order to add a touch of class at a posh black tie dinner being held on that evening to raise funds to expand the Aquarium. We were allowed to wear clean “sailing clothes” with, of course, a USVMYG hat. We were asked to sail our vintage yachts around the pool while hiding behind boulders in the adjacent rock garden. Embarrassing collisions between boats and groundings on the rock island in the center of the pool were to be avoided at all cost. The reward for this performance was to enjoy the drink and food of this festive dinner. Wine and champagne, hors d’oeuvres of shrimp and caviar, main courses of filet mignon and lobster all to be consummated with a dessert of flaming cherries jubilee. Well, something went awry, and instead we were served cokes and submarine sandwiches in the staff galley far from the gaiety and music of the night. While we may never forgive our leader for this, we were glad to help the Aquarium with their plans to enlarge the facility to add to the enjoyment of wonders of the sea. An who knows, we may stumble at the edge of the pond someday and be headed for Davy Jones’s locker only to be saved by one of those denizens of the deep. And as far as the grog that was missed, we could have experienced the fate of the sailor, Sam Swipes: Sam Swipes, he was a seaman true; As brave and bold a tar As e’er was dressed in navy blue On board a man-of-war. One night he filled a pail with grog, Determined he would suck it; He drained it dry, the thirsty dog! Hiccuped, and “kicked the bucket.” Charlie Roder Advertisements Beginning with the next issue, we will start accepting advertisement in the newsletter. We have not set rates yet, so if you wish to submit an ad please call me around October at 505 823 1046. Until then, we have received three offerings that may be of interest to members. Milton Thrasher is making and selling parts, kits, and built-up models of the full-sized International One Design (IOD) class. These are 48” R/C boats with a “vintage” look to them. Milton can be reached for more information at 941 966 9172. Gary Straw of Longview, WA has a 7-foot J boat model for sale. If you’re interested, call him at 360 425 7614. Graham Bantock, the well-known British supplier of sails, fittings, and other supplies for R/C yachts, has started a line of vintage fittings. A description and price list can be had by writing Graham at Sails Etc. 141 High Street, Kelvedon, Essex, England CO5 9AA. 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 noncommercial purposes permitted; all other rights reserved. Officers of the U.S. Vintage Model Yacht Group: President: John Snow Eastern Vice-President: Ben Martin Midwest Vice-President: Al Suydam Western Vice-President: Dominic Meo Historian: Earl Boebert Historian: Charles Williamson Page 14