The Model Yacht: Volume 12, Number 3 – Winter 2008-2009

LINCOLN MEMORIAL POOL, WASHINGTON, DC NEWSLETTER OF THE U.S. VINTAGE MODEL YACHT GROUP VOLUME TWELVE, NUMBER THREE Winter 2008-2009 Page 1 NEWSLETTER OF THE U.S. VINTAGE MODEL YACHT GROUP VOLUME TWELVE, NUMBER THREE Winter 2008-2009 Editor’s Welcome And so we finish an even dozen years of publication. I look at a two inch thick stack of back issues and wonder where all the time went — passing quickly because I was having fun. Even more rewarding are the friendships I’ve made along the way. I’m definitely looking forward to our second dozen years. In this issue we present material on vane gears in recognition of the growth in interest in free sailing prompted by the San Francisco and San Diego clubs’ participation in the UKUSA Challenge Cup, which will be held in the UK this year. As always, we present plans, one set for a schooner by Murray Peterson and and another for a charming little 1919 design that would make a perfect V36 competitor. We’re lucky to have two reports this issue, one on the Bill Bithell Cup for VMs and another which introduces us to the fascinating world of Scottish model yachting. There’s important news about upcoming events at the Herreshoff Marine Museum and a charming illustrated article from the 19th Century. And as always, Mark Steele’s well-liked Windling World column. Earl Boebert Ebbs and Flows The President’s Message Vintage Membership – VMYG annual membership is $25 for three issues of our newsletter – The Model Yacht. It is $30 for members outside the US. The VMYG lifetime membership is $125. Members also have access to technical assistance and vintage model plans, plus reports of and notifications on VMYGsponsored events. To subscribe to or renew your newsletter and services membership, send $25 or $30 check (payable to US VMYG) or cash to: John Snow, c/o US VMYG, 78 East Orchard Street, Marblehead, MA 01945. For more information, call John @ 781-631-4203 or visit the VMYG Web Page: www.usvmyg.org 2009 VMYG Activities The VMYG in collaboration with AMYA has developed a robust line-up of vintage and classic model yacht activities for the 2009 season: April 18-19: Sixth Biennial Woods Hole (WH) Model Boat Show sponsored by WH Historical Museum in Woods Hole, MA; AMYAVMYG model exhibit at Community Hall with April 18 AMYA regatta including VM models at Eel Pond. May 23-September 27: VMYG-AMYA summer model yacht / traditional sailing models Page 2 exhibit, with designing, building and vane steering displays that support Captain Nat Herreshoff’s Model Room at the Herreshoff Marine Museum / America’s Cup Hall of Fame in Bristol, RI. May 23/24 & 30/31: Fifth Biennial US-UK Challenge Cup Races at historical Bournville and Gosport model yachting ponds with 36R Class vane models. June 13: R/C Full Cup VM Invitational Regatta at Redd’s Pond, Marblehead, MA. June 28-July 4: WoodenBoat School VM model plank-on-frame course at Brooklin, ME. July 12: Laconia R/C VM Invitational Regatta at Lily Pond, Laconia, NH. August 7-9 weekend: AMYA-VMYG J Class Region 1 Championship regatta and model exhibit at Herreshoff Marine Museum in Bristol, RI. August 11: VMYG two-hour formal lecture on model yachting and design history at Herreshoff Marine Museum to kick-off their 2009-2010 lecture series. August 9-15: WoodenBoat School R/C Vintage 36 (V36) wooden model building and sailing course at Brooklin, ME. September 11-13 weekend: “Vintage Model Yachting Days” National Regatta sponsored by Calvert Marine Museum in Solomons, MD; mix of R/C VM, V36 and Traditional Sailing Craft/Scale (schooner, skipjacks, etc.) model racing and exhibits. October 17: Bithell Cup R/C VM Invitational Regatta at Redd’s Pond, Marblehead, MA. Woods Hole Model Boat Show VMYG and AMYA will again team at the April 18-19 Model Boat Show in Woods Hole, MA to support an expansive indoor model yacht exhibit and outside AMYA invitational regatta at Eel Pond. Contact John Snow at 781-631-4203 and jsnowj@comcast.net or Jim Linville at 781-925-0045 and grated 2009 model yachting events at the HMM campus in Bristol, RI. The HMM is located on the site of the original Herreshoff Manufacturing Company, which developed and built many of the successful America’s Cup US Defenders, such as Vigilant, Reliance, Resolute and Enterprise J, and other break-through racing yachts from the 1870s through 1930s. Events will include J Class Region 1 Championship August 7-9, summer-long model yacht exhibit with AMYA, VMYG and HMM models plus VMYG model yachting and design history lecture on August 11. The HMM Gallery exhibit is being planned to capture the Herreshoff Story and America’s Cup Competition with models, as depicted by Captain Nat Herreshoff’s Model Room with his 150+ original half and full model hulls. Capt Nat’s first sailing model will be on display, built at age 13 in 1861, which is considered the earliest American model yacht with known provenance. Nat’s fabulous Model Room collection will be linked into our AMYA / VMYG display of models whose designs can be traced to full-size yachts. These will include AMYA J and EC12M Class boats plus Roy Clough’s 1933 VM model that reflects L. Frances Herreshoff’s double-ended designs for yachts. Exhibit will highlight design and technology model features which appeared in America’s Cup competitions, as well as models embodying the design influences of Captain Nat and L. Frances. We also plan on an evolution of vane gear steering display from Capt Nat’s initial 1875 masthead vane for yachts through vane devices used in free-sail racing models to present-day vane models. For a chronological timeline, there will be a display of Marblehead Class models and half-hulls depicting 80 years of design evolution, given that the American M has embraced many technical innovations as the premier developmental class with the oldest design lineage of today’s 27 AMYA classes. jimisu@comcast.net for emerging details on these activities in February. For details, please visit the AMYA, US VMYG and HMM Web Pages at www.modelyacht.org, Herreshoff Marine Museum and America’s Cup Hall of Fame Events www.usvmyg.org The Herreshoff Marine Museum (HMM) and America’s Cup Hall of Fame with AMYA and VMYG are collaborating on a series of inte- and Page 3 www.herreshoff.org The AMYA J Class regatta, VMYG-AMYA model exhibit and HMM activities contacts are: Jim Linville, AMYA Region 1 Director, 781-925-0045 and jimisu@comcast.net, John Snow, VMYG President, 781-631-4203 and jsnowj@comcast.net and Jon Goff, HMM / America’s Cup Hall of Fame, Programs Director, 401-253-5000 and j.goff@herreshoff.org Traditional Sailing Craft Promotion In 2009, the VMYG is making a focused effort to raise the visibility for our traditional sailing craft/scale model group, which supports model schooners, skipjacks, etc. As such, our “Vintage Model Yachting Days” national regatta at the Calvert Marine Museum on September 11-13 will again feature these models. Please contact VMYG member Alan Suydam at 401-326-5242 and alansuydam@comcast.net for event details. In addition, the VMYG has gotten renewed interest from the Mystic Seaport Museum in potentially hosting a traditional sailing craft/scale model national event in 2010 in collaboration with AMYA. “how to” vintage model building books and video authored by our Historian Earl Boebert. These are based on the wooden plankon-frame method to construct 1940s era model yacht racing class designs (with video) using modern adhesives, plus the Yankee III book describing the J Class history and modern building techniques with an available molded hull for an R/C 36-inch model of the 1930 Yankee J Boat design. Yankee III is an entry-level model based on 1935 plans by John Black which also qualifies as an R/C Vintage 36 (V36) design for VMYG events. Blue Crabs Model Yachts Rainbow & Yankee J Boat Hulls – Earl Boebert is working with a VMYG member to refine the lines of the 1934 Rainbow and modified 1934 Yankee J Boats for model hulls. This is so Blue Crabs Model Yachts (Scott Todd) can mold accurate fiberglass hulls of these designs for AMYA J Class models. Scott plans to have the first ready-torace Rainbow model from these refined lines at the HMM J Class Region 1 event in Bristol, RI. He also now produces Shamrock J hulls. Scott is also working with VMYG to develop another 1930s era VM fiberglass model hull this one will be based on a double-ended (e.g., Herreshoff style) design. It will then become a companion hull with his alreadyavailable line-up of 1930s Madcap VM and Chico V36 fiberglass hulls. You can contact Scott at 410-228-7277 and Vintage Etcetera 1bigdog@fastol.com Charles Morgan 86-inch R/C Model – VMYG member Bill Huizing is now in the final phase of his complex scratch-building project for a fully functioning, 1/24th scale R/C wooden model of Mystic Seaport Museum’s full-size 1841 whaling ship of the same name. Bill exhibited his Morgan hull with its partially-built masts and rotating spars at Seaport’s 2008 Model Yacht Regatta to rave reviews from visitors and staff alike. Look for a future story in The Model Yacht on this impressive and unique R/C sailing model. This article will contain insights as well on Seaport’s three-year/$5 million restoration project of the full-size Morgan whaler which started last November. Bill’s goal in working with the Seaport exhibit staff is for the longterm loan of his R/C model for display and sailing purposes to further help promote their full-size Morgan restoration effort. VMYG “How To” Model Books – Visit the VMYG website for details on ordering our Page 4 John Snow John Snow’s M1 in the Model Room of the Herreshoff Museum Of Skunners n’Uvvers, a Vijfmaster, Solo and Three Brothers ! am led to believe that a fair few readers of The Model Yacht derive some pleasure from my Windling World columns in each issue. Could be that some share my passion for model yachts and even those who race, enjoy a break from the serious racing stuff suffice to have an occasional dally with the more leisurely `windle’ style of sailing Talking about racing, you’ve got to be serious to put a boat on the water when winds are blowing a hoolie like they were in this photo at a one metre Nationals event in the UK some years back. Could be though, that you’re passionate about R & R (repairing and rebuilding !) Keith Morrow of Hull in Great Britain is to say the least, a prolific builder of unusual model sailing boats. He is in the same mould as my fellow Ancient Mariner sailing friend, Ron Rule and built the old gaff-rigger Three Brothers seen here for a friend. Those who enjoy boats of that era will like this style of model. Keith Morrow’s Three Brothers. There is a distinct charm to gaffers. Little Boats, Big Water, Bigger Wind Page 5 A helpful bloke, is Webmaster of Lilydale Radio Yacht Club, Bill Furey who sails Solo, a model designed by the founding member of that club, boat builder Andy Milne. Seen here it is a Valkyrie, a sleek ocean racer Circa 1937 that is 1035 mm long based on an 8 metre R. Built to 1/12 (and a half) scale. it is an exciting looking boat sufficiently interesting to have caught my eye. A Five-Master I have noticed a swag of interest growth in multi-masted schooners, three masters, four masters and even, now and again a five master or Vijfmaster as appeared in The Hague Model Boat Club’s 1998 Tour Fossa event in the Netherlands albeit when this was taken by Andre Ros, the boat bereft of deck structures and details. Robert Franklin, one of the founding members of the Montgomery Model Boat Club in Alabama tells me that he is also known as `Capt Smash’, `Slick’ and `Hoghappy’ and he built the impressive 1812 American Privateer schooner, Prince de Neufchatel which when ready for sailing is 97” long. It is an exciting looking boat and the website of the club from which I was able to make contact with Robert, indicates that the club itself is vibrant, very much `alive’ and has members with a wide variety of interests. Model schoonering in my books is as the message suggests…`sweet as’ In Brisbane, Australia, Phil Brown’s such boat Lachlarney is up and sailing having been launched in Solo Page 6 Fijipsy Jack June. An unusual shot this one but I like it in that it shows up some of the simple but stylish deck detail. See, I told you guys that `skunner’ (to use the proper sailorizing pronunciation) models are riding a wave of popularity. Got an uncommitted year? Go on be daring, be a devil, how about a five, six or even seven master as your next project? And just to show that my own passion for schooners runs deep, a photo to close of my John Spencer designed double chine sharpie`Fiji Magic’ skunner, Fijipsy Jack. Prince de Neufchatel So much happening, so much to share with you. Until the next issue, enjoy each day for it usually spells one day less on each ones horizon ! Mark Steele Lachlarney Page 7 A Husky Schooner Designed for Ocean Racing urray Peterson was one of a group of gifted naval architects and yacht designers who clustered around the yachting center of Marblehead. Peterson’s heart, and inspiration, was further north in the state of Maine. He was justly renowned for adroitly scaling down coasters and other workboats to make yachts of great charm and seaworthiness. He worked extensively with John Alden and K. Aage Nielsen. This 1934 example, with it’s saucy sheer and trunk cabin, shows why his work remains well regarded. The dimensions are 60 ft 5 in LOA, 49 ft LWL, 14 ft 10 in beam and 8 ft 6 1/ 2 in draft. She had an auxiliary engine on the port side, an ample cockpit and trunk cabin, and was designed to conform to the ocean racing rules of her day. The editor of Yachting magazine, from which we have drawn these plans, said that she “should be a dangerous competitor in such contests.” We do not know who her owner was, or whether she was actually ever built. Page 8 Earl Boebert The Fisher Drawings pposite we present two sides of a handout that was furnished by the late, lamented A.J. Fisher company to illustrate the use and placement of their fittings. The boat illustrated is one of the designs built for many years in the Detroit school system, and should serve as useful guides for restoration. Earl Boebert Page 9 Page 10 Page 11 Miniature Yacht Clubs Editor’s Note ere we have an early article on model yachting on the Prospect Park lake, notable for its emphasis on young skippers. It appeared in the “Our Boys and Girls” section of the magazine Hearth and Home. At this time the magazine was edited by Harriet Beecher Stowe, author of Uncle Tom’s Cabin, and the children’s section was edited by Mary Mapes Dodge, who later left to found the beloved children’s magazine St. Nicholas, and who published such writers as Louisa May Alcott, so the quality of the writing and illustration comes as no surprise. The models shown are typical of the era in being schooners of a wide variety of sizes. The race appears to be a fleet event set as a broad reach across the lake, which is also typical. The dress, and the attendance of one of Brooklyn’s Finest (it did not become part of New York City until 1898), as well as the coverage in Hearth and Home, indicates that at this time model yachting was definitely an upper class pastime. This was not to last; by the latter part of the century skiff sailing had become the dominant form of racing. This placed a premium on athletic ability, and the sport was largely taken over by workingmen, who were looked down upon by the genteel as being something of ruffians. Canoeing on a lake was one of the few ways an unmarried Victorian couple could find privacy, and being rammed by an out of control, six-foot model yacht pushed by 2000 square inches or so of sail was very unwelcome. By the early 1900s the larger skiff sailed boat had moved to New York harbor. Earl Boebert Miniature Yacht Clubs The yachting picture on this page will at first puzzle many of our young readers. “No sailors aboard! What does it mean?” they will say. “Why, the yachts are not as big as the boys!” True, as many of them are not, for they range in size from two feet to five feet in Page 12 length, and the only yachtsmen they could carry would be the tiny sailors that Gulliver saw on the island of Lilliput. Still the race is “great fun,” even though the captains and sailors stand on shore and watch the fate of their craft without the delight of darting through the keen, quick air and feeling the spray on their faces. For they have set their sails and directed their rudders according to their best nautical judgement, and they know the build of the yachts by heart, and what ballast they carry. It is not all guess work by any means. No, indeed. The race is conducted on a scientific basis, though now and then wind and water play unexpected pranks, and the fairest craft is not always to be depended upon. Generally, we believe, the races are undertaken simply for the honor of the thing, but often kind friends of the club put up a beautiful flag or pennon to be given to the winning boat. Allow us to introduce the owners, a finelooking set of boys — “The Junior Brooklyn Yacht Club, Commodore Lane.” By the way, isn’t that the Commodore lying there on the lake shore, though it may be quite a prominent young citizen of Brooklyn for aught we know to the contrary. The Commodore is the finest-looking fellow in the crowd, of course, and all the members are the next finest looking. Why not? This lake at Prospect Park affords a fine opportunity for miniature-yacht racing. Two of these little-yacht clubs have been established in Brooklyn during the present year for the purposes of amusement, and the testing of models — one, the first-firmed “Prospect Park Club,” Commodore Fleming, sailing on Saturdays; the other, the Junior Brooklyn Yacht Club, sailing on both Wednesdays and Saturdays, though Wednesday is specially set apart for it. The “Prospects” are all grown up, but the “Juniors” are boys. The Central Park of New York, so far, has no little yachts to rival the white swans floating on its beautiful lakes, but this state of things can not continue very long. The great shipping interests of the country demand that a C. P. yachting club should be established. At least we heard a young New Yorker say so a few days ago, and if he doesn’t know, who does? Midget, an Alpha Class Racing Model Editor’s Note ohn O. Berg was the Commodore of the Central Park Model Yacht Club in the early 1920s and a prolific designer. This little 36 inch boat, whose lines appeared in Yachting magazine for May, 1921, would make a perfect V36 model after having her sail area reduced a bit to 600 sq in, as we have shown on the legend to the plan. Earl Boebert From The Original Article The Alpha class is of comparatively recent origin. It is an ideal craft for the beginner with which to try out his capabilities. The lines of Midget, given herewith, shows a model of moderate displacement and small sail area. She was designed mainly for use in open waters and could stand an increase in sailspread up to 850 square inches. Her general dimensions are as follows, the sizes being given in inches and tenths: L.O.A. 36 inches; L.W.L 28 inches; beam, 7.3 inches, displacement 7.8 lbs., sail area 680 square inches. The hull of the Alpha should be made of dry white pine and dug out as much as possible to not over one-eighth of an inch thick except perhaps at the rail where the deck is to be secured. The deck should be made of the same material not over 3/32 inch thick. All spars are of spruce and should be hollow. All fittings are as small as can be made, either of nickel silver or aluminum. The “Marconi” rig and the leg-o’ mutton sail in conjunction with model yachts has been thoroughly tested by the C.P.M.Y.C members. In fact, this organization was the first to make extended competitive tests of this rig. It has been found superior to the gaff-headed mainsail for the purpose and is now generally used in the classes raced by this club. Unknown (1872) Page 13 Unknown (1921) ¼ Full Size Main Orig Adj Foot 24 20.5 Luff 44 45 Leach 45 45 Jib Page 14 Foot 12.5 Luff 24 Leach 22 the middle of the pond in case of a wind shift. The Lassel Vane Theme and Variations ometime in late 1939 or early 1940, Ted Houk of Seattle invented the basic mechanism of a self-tacking vane: two interlocking arms, one holding the vane feather and one holding a counterweight, which “broke back” on the proper tack as the boat changed heel when being turned by pole at the side of the pond. The basic “break back” mechanism, as shown in A. Wilcock’s classic pamphlet on vane gears. The pin is fixed in the counterweight slot (which is there to permit adjustment) and slides in the slot in the feather arm. The body of the vane is locked to the actuating arm on the beat. Almost immediatly, the ever-inventive Gus Lassel of California modified Houk’s design by having the main pivot placed inside the pivot of the feather arm, as shown in the drawing on the facing page. This approach had two advantages. It shortened the vane in a fore and aft direction, which simplified backstay rigging on Marblehead class boats whose rules insisted that the main pivot be inboard. It enabled a single circular scale to be used to read feather angle when “broken back” and when the feather and counterweight were locked together and turned as a unit to control the boat on a reach or a run. Finally, the dimensions of the arms were chosen so the vane would be “sticky” when “broken back” and not tack prematurely in The Lassel vane is sometimes called a “twoaxis” vane, as opposed to the three-axis vane shown to the left. These, in turn, were known as “Fisher” vanes because they were sold commercially by the A.J. Fisher firm. If a three-axis vane had its arm connected by gears instead of a pin-and-slot it is called a “Ballantyne” vane, after Ains Ballantyne of Port Washington, New York. A cutaway of a Lassel-pattern vane, showing how the main pivot, or pintle, rides inside a hollow second pivot around which the feather arm rotates. The force of wind on the feather is transmitted through the slot on the arm to the counterweight arm, which will be up against one of the stops on the body. This will then rotate the whole assembly, which moves the arm and then the tiller. This diagram is adapted from Wilcock. Here we present two variations on the Lassel vane, one old and one modern. The modern design, which we will describe first, is from Graham Reeves of the UK and is intended for use on the 36 inch Restricted class models we sail in the UK-US Challenge cup. It is designed to be simple to make and yet sturdy enough to stand up to competition. Longtime readers may remember my attempts at the same thing, made from laser-cut ABS plastic. That vane worked, but was not strong enough, and I’ve discontinued development on it given this excellent effort by Graham. The second vane is a fascinating design by Harold Kethman, whose “Delta” boat was documented in our last issue. Page 15 Earl Boebert Page 16 The “EZ-Build” Vane Introduction designed this gear to be as simple in construction as possible, and as efficient in use as any other vane gear. The size of this gear is ideal for all classes from the 36 up to the A class. like to consider soldering a ¼ in washer below the ¼ in hole in the body frame for a little extra strength.The pintle is 1/8″ dia stainless steel. I have left the fixing of the pintle to the boat to the individual. Some cases will require a pintle to be fixed to an outrigger or when fitting to a deck a flanged tube can be used with the end plugged. The main materials used in the construction of the vane are 3/8″ x I6 SWG brass strip and ¼ in diameter brass rod. Both items are available from most model shops. The body is made from 3/8″ Perspex and the dial from 1/ 8″ Perspex, all of which can be sourced from any sign writing company and cut using a simple hacksaw. The Guying arm is made from heavy hook wire (I6 SWG). The guy slider is from 20 SWG wire1 . Assembly: Make all the parts before starting assembly. Begin assembly by bolting the feather head to the body frame along with the pointer and beating angle bracket. Silver soldering is an option as well as nuts and bolts when alignment is satisfactory. The dial is made up from 1/8″ Perspex and should be marked off in increments of 5 and 10 degrees. The dial support arm is silver soldered onto the main shaft. Don’t forget, when bending the guying arm, fit the slider first. Assemble the remaining parts including the guying arm and spring as in the photograph. If stainless steel is used for construction reduce the strip thickness to 18 SWG which will make a lighter gear. The builder might Balancing the gear: Once the unit is fully assembled it is important to balance the weight of the feather against the rest of the mecha- Materials 1 Perspex is called Lucite in the U.S. Scraps can be purchased from firms that make display fixtures for stores. 16 SWG is .064 in; 20 SWG is .036. Stainless wire can be purchased from Small Parts Inc. Page 17 Page 18 The Parts Arrangement nism. This is done with the gear in the broken (unlocked) position as for beating. Hold the gear horizontally so that it can rotate freely about the pintle. Adjust the sliding counterweight until the vane body lies in a horizontal plane. Remember that you will need to re-adjust should you change the feather. If you need help, I can be reached by email: graham@reevesmail.co.uk Graham Reeves Harold Kethman Introduction last issue. eader Stephen Crewes, my opposite number in Australia, adds some more insights into the “Delta” Class boat by Harold Kethman that we featured in our The Letter I read with interest the story about the Delta Class racing yacht in the Model Yacht (fall Edition 08). “I thought you might have referred to Don Kihlstrom’s book Sunday Sailors (ISBN: 156311- 467- 4) in your article for he did a lot in writing up Harold Kethmann and produced a lot of history and photo material about him and his “Delta” boat in his web page The Assembled Vane I thought it should be noted that Kethman and indeed Gus Lassel were instrumental in those days with trying to get a “Gadget” Class going within MYRAA for these experimental boats but alas the people running MYRAA were not on the “same page” as the two before mentioned people. And they were shown the door. However, it bears looking at the work these two were doing for model yachting in general in design and innovations. At that time there was a failing of the bigger classes namely “A” “X” and “V” class, as is today. And so Kethman drew out this “Delta” with the 600 Sq inches sails. The sails were positioned at the maximum beam of the hull and it didn’t need 800 Sq inches as suggested by your writer. The designer took great delight in racing this “Delta” in fleets of Marbleheads and beating them with his reduced SA. The whole proposition was the boat had to be sailed on its chine, this is why the boat had that particular keel and rudder. I see in the photo that someone has put a M rig on it. The rig is up too high, that sort of reduces what Kethman was trying to do! I have in my possession Harold Kethmann’s surgical stainless steel Vane gear. This piece of equipment is very much like his Delta design. By far, the best vane gear I own. Beautifully made with gears and a few innovations that would surprise many even today. www.themodelyacht.com Page 19 Stephen Crewes Counterweight Arm Beating Stop Feather Arm Lock Gye Safety Wire Location of Pintle (Main Axis) Harold Kethman’s Clever Version of the Two-Axis Vane The Kethman Vane tephen Crewes kindly sent the above picture of Harold Kethman’s fascinating version of the two-axis vane. The design places the main axis inside the bearing for the counterweight arm, rather than inside the bearing for the feather arm. Each arm has two bearings on each end. Each bearing “wraps around” the respective shaft as shown in the photograph. The “break back” function is performed by gears rather than a pin and slot mechanism, possibly suggested by Kethman’s clubmate Ains Ballantine. All the adjustments are on the top where they are easy to see and manipulate with cold, wet fingers. The most innovative feature is the use of stiff coil springs at right angles to the body as the tensioners for the gye. This neatly solves the main problem in gyeing mechanisms, getting consistent “pull” of the light force required. Earl Boebert Bill Bithell Cup VM Regatta October 18, 2008 ixteen VM skippers competed for twelve heats in the Marblehead MYC 2008 Bill Bithell Memorial Cup Regatta for VM models on Saturday, October 18, at historic Redd’s Pond. Skippers had a 20minute break after six races, sailing for almost three hours. They raced in a steady and light NE sea breeze under partly sunny conditions with temperatures in the mid 50s. John Snow was Race Director ably assisted by Jim Dolan as scorer, with good sportsmanship and fair play as their objective. This was the inaugural event to recognize the noteworthy contributions of Bill Bithell to our sport from 1932 to 2006 (75 years). Thus, it was only fitting for our club to honor Bill’s achievements as he launched his model yachting career in a M 50-800 regatta held at Redd’s Pond in 1932 by racing his first scratch-built, free-sail M boat. Yachting books and 75th M Class anniversary mugs were awarded to the top-four skippers in each VM design group. Special thanks to Commodore Biff Martin in locating the tro- Page 20 VM’s on The Beat. Photo by Jane Peterson phy. It started as a plain 1930s brass bowl with attached base. He then had it cleaned and suitably inscribed as a club perpetual VM trophy. It will be presented to the winning skipper of our annual Bill Bithell Cup regatta. Bithell Cup Results Six of the top seven skippers sailed High Flyer (1946-1960) or Transitional (1961-1970) VM designs which were grouped for awards. There were Traditional (1930-1945) VM models raced. Stan Goodwin dominated overall, winning seven of the twelve races and beating the second-place finisher Biff Martin by 15 points. Mike McCloskey was in third, racing in his first event of 2008. Ned Lakeman took fourth and top honors in the Traditional VM design group, winning by 56 points over the second place Traditional finisher Paul Boulay. Colin Mosgrove raced John Snow’s VM #34, with Bill Hagerup competing with Ned Lakeman’s VM #17. Scores Skipper# Points 1. Stan Goodwin# 24# 2. Biff Martin# # 39# 3. M. McCloskey# 43# 4. Ned Lakeman# 50# 5. Colin Mosgrove# 52# 6. John Skerry# # 64# 7. A. Abrahamson# 99# 8. Paul Boulay# # 106# 9. Roger Cousineau# 111# 10. Bill Hagerup## 116# 11. Pete Peterson# 135# Design Warrior II 3 UK Unknown 3 Warrior III 3 Lakeman 1 Broom 2 Magic Dragon 3 Naskeag 2 Peony 1 Peony 1 Lakeman 1 Cheerio III 1 12. Thom McLaughlin# 145# Peony 1 13. Bruce Richter# 148# Peony 1 14. Jerry Fernald# 156# Madcap 1 15. Al Gromko# # 164# Madcap 1 16. Rick Laird# # 165# 1Cheerio I 1 1 = Traditional Design (1930-1945) 2 = High Flyer Design (1945-1960) 3 = Transitional Design (1961-1970) Notes Eight of the Bithell Cup VM skippers traveled from out-of-state: four from ME, three from NH and one from NYC. Four Peony Traditional wooden models were raced, which bodes well for a growing New England VM fleet. These came from the WoodenBoat School model yacht building course taught annually each summer by Thom McLaughlin in Brooklin, Maine. In addition, Jim Linville and Jack Villa from the Minuteman MYC in Needham are building new Madcap fiberglass VM models for next year. These Madcap hulls are available from Scott Todd’s Blue Crab Model Yachts in Cambridge, MD. Given the above, the outlook for the 2009 New England VM racing season looks robust. There should at least be three invitational VM events again: the Full and Bithell Cups at Redd’s Pond in June and October respectfully, plus a July regatta in NH at Lily Pond by the Laconia MYC. Also, there could be an informal regatta in the Portland area to test organized VM interest in Maine. John Snow Page 21 Scotland Centenary elieved to be the oldest National Governing Body for the sport of model yacht racing in the world, the Scottish Model Yacht Association decided to mark their 100th Anniversary with a series of special races throughout Scotland. All the Clubs in the S.M.Y.A. are over 100 years old and some can trace their origins to the mid-1850s. As our Parish is geographically spread over a very wide area with many of the Clubs operating in the North of Scotland, Orkney and Shetland Isles all racing yachts designed to suit their own particular local conditions, coming for a single day’s racing was never going to be a practical proposition. use the twin-fin lead ballast arrangement and all use Braine steering. The newer designs are much more technically advanced and evolved to cope with the extremely strong winds. Wood construction is now alternated with fibreglass. The pond sailed on is circular so courses can be set to suit any wind direction. The pond has vertical concrete sides. The circumference is approximately one-half mile. Of particular note is the unique turning pole used by the majority of members, as held by the young girl in the centre of the photo. It is a cross between a hockey stick, shinty stick, or shepherd’s crook and is very necessary for turning and catching yachts in the fierce gale conditions encountered. It was therefore decided to run a series of “sweepstake” races for each club with the procees being donated to a charity close to all our hearts, namely, “The Royal National Lifeboat Institution, Scotland 1.” The races were held throughout the summer and autumn when a substantial cheque was handed over to R.N.L.I. by Hugh Shields, Commodore, S.M.Y.A. Readers will be familiar with the Classes of yachts we race in the Forth Clyde Valley: A, M, and Six Metre. However, an introduction to their Northern counterparts and the courses they sail may be of interest. Orkney: Here yachts are sailed to the old 5 and 10 Rater Rule, the design being particular to Orkney. A few of the older yachts still Three Junior Sailors of the Kirkwall M.Y.C, Orkney. Note the distinctive turning pole held by the young lady in the center. A Five Foot Class boat of the Wick M.Y.C., Caithness, showing the stainless steel fin. Wick: Two local classes of yachts are sailed here, very much evolved to suit excessive wind conditions. They are Four Foot Class, not to exceed 4 ft 2 ¼ in deck measurement and Five Foot Class not exceeding 5 ft 6 in deck measurement, no sail or displacement restrictions. Raced together, the Four Foot boats are allowed a 5 second per ¼ in handicap against the Five Foot boats. The sailing water is Loch Sarclet, approximately 985 yards long, with a race being out and back. Some times a double run is used so an excess of two miles may be covered. This makes for tough going for skippers and mates on opposite shores negotiating three stiles, two streams, and bog areas. The record for a run is seven minutes and a reach six minutes thirty seconds. No steering gears are used, the rudders being fixed. For the run, the The R.N.L.I is a charity which performs coastal search an rescue work that in the U.S. is done by the Coast Guard. As with all such organizations, the tales of selfless courage in aid of others are legend. 1 Page 22 mainsheet is set fully out, the foresail remaining on the beat setting and a very large offset flat spinnaker set on an extremely long pole is used to trim the yacht straight down the centre of the loch. Stainless steel fins are used to protect the boats from the many underwater rocks, and wading is allowed to catch and turn yachts. Ghosting Along in Light Air, Showing Her Distinctive Double-Ended Hull Form A “Shetland Model” Double-ender. Shetland: The yachts sailed are all to the design of the famous “Shetland Model” doubleender and may vary in length from 42 in to six feet overall. Masts may be up to eight feet as yachts use different sail sizes according to wind strength. A few of the older yachts are fitted with short bowsprits. Steering is by a variant o the Braine Gear which is connected to a forward facing tiller hung on the stern. Most of the lochs sailed on are approximately one-half mile long and a two mile course is the norm. A handicap system is used which may be set at five, ten, or twenty seconds per inch per mile according to sailing conditions. Here again, competitors and mates must cope with stiles, streams, and boggy terrain. Steve’s Email with this picture read: “1215k, gusts to 18k. Tracks well on all points of sail . Points extremely well. Broaching not a problem at hull speed+ downwind. Great boat! “ Chris Mackenzie A “Whirlwind Jr.” ember Steve Kling built this fine Whirlwind Jr. from the plans in our Yankee III book. He used the hybrid carve/plank method and reports it worked well. As for sailing ability, he says it will move in a whisper and can handle gusts up to 18 knots with aplomb. The Model Yacht is published three times a year by the U.S. Vintage Model Yacht Group. Copyright 1998 to 2009 U.S.V.M.Y.G. Reproduction for noncommercial purposes permitted; all other rights reserved. Other copyrights are maintained by the original holders and such material is used here under the fair use provisions of the relevant copyright acts for nonprofit research and educational purposes. Editorial Address: 9219 Flushing Meadows NE Albuquerque NM 87111 Email: boebert@swcp.com Phone: 505 823 1046 Page 23