The Model Yacht: Volume 15, Number 2 – Winter 2011-2012

Reprinted From LINCOLN MEMORIAL POOL, WASHINGTON, DC NEWSLETTER OF THE U.S. VINTAGE MODEL YACHT GROUP VOLUME FIFTEEN, NUMBER TWO Winter 2011-2012 NEWSLETTER OF THE U.S. VINTAGE MODEL YACHT GROUP VOLUME FIFTEEN, NUMBER TWO Winter 2011-2012 Editor’s Welcome There comes a time for all of us when life taps you on the shoulder and tells you it’s time to slow down. This Fall it happened to me; moving past my allotted three score and ten has finally taken its toll on my energy level. In order to maintain the quality of The Model Yacht I have reluctantly decided to reduce the number of issues from three to two per year. A Volume will still be three issues, and a subscription will get you that number; it will just take a little longer. I’m very happy with this issue. We have an update on the construction of a great schooner, reports on two significant regattas, and a description of the MYRAA R Class of model yachts. In addition, we have a commentary on our class rules from one of our founding members and we are, as always, blessed with Mark Steele’s Windling World column. I wish you all well in this New Year and hope you understand the need to space the issues a little more widely. Earl Boebert Ebbs and Flows The President’s Message Vintage Membership I have recently moved to a neighboring town. My new home address and phone number are below highlighted in italics; my email address has not changed. US VMYG membership is $25 for three issues of our newsletter The Model Yacht over fifteen month period. It is $30 for members outside the US. VMYG lifetime membership is $125. Members gain access to technical design, building and historical articles on models and our sport plus notifications and reports on VMYGsponsored events. To subscribe to or renew your newsletter membership, send $25 or $30 check (payable to US VMYG) or cash to: John Snow, c/o US VMYG, 8 Summit Avenue, Salem, MA 01970. For more information, call John at 978-5948521 or visit the US VMYG Web Site: www.usvmyg.org 2011 International “Challenge Cup” Regatta VMYG in coordination with the Central Park and Marblehead MYCs coordinated a highly successful sixth biennial international free-sail (vane) match racing event on weekends of September 30-October 2 and October 7-9. It involved teams of skippers from UK and US racing against each other at these historic model yacht locations. For the first time, the US team prevailed in a close competition. Special thanks to the Central Park and Marblehead club volunteers and the US and UK team captains – Jeff Stobbe and Graham Reeves, respectively, for making these free-sail competitions happen. Next Challenge Cup is 2013 at two free-sailing venues in the UK under the guidance of Graham Reeves. 2012 VMYG National Regattas 18th annual “Vintage Model Yachting Days” National Regatta for R/C V36, VM and early AMYA Classic M (CM) boats will be at Redd’s Pond, Marblehead, MA on July 19-22. Our “Traditional Sailing Craft/Scale Model” National Regatta will be at the Calvert Maritime Museum in Solomons Island, MD September 8-9. Contact John Snow at jsnowj@comcast.net and Alan Suydam at asuydam@comcast.net respectively for event details. 2012 Vintage Activities The VMYG in coordination with AMYA is supporting the following key vintage model activities in the Eastern US: June 9: Full Cup VM / CM Invitational Regatta at Redd’s Pond, Marblehead, MA. July 1-7 & 8-14: WoodenBoat School building (VM) and finishing R/C planked vintage pond yacht courses at Brooklin, ME conducted by Thom McLaughlin. July 7: Laconia MYC VM Invitational Regatta at Lily Pond, Laconia, NH. July 19-22: VMYG “Vintage Model Yachting Days” National Regatta hosted by the Marblehead MYC at Redd’s Pond: R/C V36, VM and CM model racing and exhibits. August 12-18 & 19-25: WoodenBoat School building R/C traditional Skipjack sailing model and pond yacht sailmaking courses at Brooklin, ME conducted by Alan Suydam. September 8&9: VMYG “Traditional Sailing Craft / Scale Model” National Regatta hosted by the Solomons Island MBC at Calvert Maritime Museum, Solomons Island, MD: R/C Skipjacks and over/under 50-inch Schooner model racing and exhibits. October 13&14: Bithell Cup VM / CM Invitational Regatta (10/13) and the Marblehead MYC Chowder Race (10/14) open regatta including VM and CM models at Redd’s Pond, Marblehead. Early AMYA Classic M (CM) Designs VMYG in collaboration with the AMYA M Class Secretary and Marblehead MYC will have racing activities in 2012 for early AMYA CM boats – designs from 1971 to 1985. Goal is to continue to test interest in these designs to get them back on-the-water given their 2500+ class registration numbers in this timeframe. As such, the Marblehead MYC will include CM models in their VM invitational regattas and monthly club racing at Redd’s Pond. Contact Stan Goodwin or Ben Martin at 781-631-5847 and 978-828-9765 respectively if you would like to race your CM in 2012. Columbia 12 Meter Model Project Bill Huizing from Summit, NJ and Tod Johnstone from Mystic, CT are coordinating the development of a 42-inch scale R/ C model of the Sparkman & Stephens Columbia 12 Meter yacht that won the 1958 America’s Cup in Newport, RI. Bill test sailed the prototype fiberglass model on December 25. Four ready-to-sail production versions are envisioned by Spring 2012 under the Mystic Model Yachts banner, with this design concept utilizing match-racing as the primary means of competition. As their project progresses, we may consider this design for another VMYG grouping to eventually include the UK 1958 America’s Cup Challenger Spectre and other early 12 Meter boats from 1930s onward. Note that Bill is a VMYG member noted for superb scratchbuilt R/C wooden models, such as Edward Burgess’ 1885 Puritan America’s Cup Defender boat. VMYG Resource Material Visit the US VMYG website at www.usvmyg.org and then click on the “USVMYG Store” to order the following resource material: Yankee III book authored by VMYG Historian Earl Boebert on CD or downloadable. CD is $15.00 postpaid in US; $20.00 in the rest of world. $10.00 if you download your own. Book summarizes history of the America’s Cup 1930s era J Class and provides detailed modern building techniques through an available molded hull to craft of an R/C V36 model from the 1930 Yankee J Boat design. Yankee III is considered an entry-level model based on the original 1935 Yankee Jr. model lines of John Black. Building Planked Models DVD plus book with selected articles from the VMYG The Model Yacht newsletter. Package is $25.00 postpaid in US; $35.00 in rest of world. It is a “how to” vintage model building book by Charles Farley describing plankon-frame methods used for 1940s model yacht racing class designs using modernday adhesives. The Model Yacht newsletter back issues in PDF format on DVD as complete set only of over 40 issues (since 1996), each having 20 or more pages of technical and historical information. The DVD is $40.00 postpaid in the US; $50.00 in the rest of the world. John Snow J.A. Potter’s R Class design Bunny I. Sail plan appears on pg. 9 and a description of the R Class starts on pg. 18. The lure of the schooner, a tender behind, square-rigged Lightning, and a dory story ! I don’t know how many readers have noticed what I believe is an unusual surge in the popularity of not only real schooners but their model counterparts as well. The schooners are coming back. In my humble opinion I feel (and am peeved about it) that it is a great pity that the two ‘money to burn’ America’s Cup moguls did not instead of well and truly screwing up the time-honored event with prone to flipping `locusts having a piddle’- looking multihulls, pioneer a return to schooners, remembering that the very first winner of the Cup sailed a schooner (aptly named the America) in 1851. That would have shown the presence of brains and resulted in beautiful monohull schooners competing. What a refreshing sight that would have been ! After all the bickering and “court battles” by Bertarelli and Ellison the event sure needs refreshing and I don’t believe that multi-hulls will do it. But let me get back to the RC model side where I have observed growing interest in the building and sailing of schooner models. The enthusiasm by members of the Great Schooner Model Society, and the publication of an all-schooner issue of the AMYA’s Model Yachting I believe have been among the `players’ that have helped to increase awareness of schooners. Long may that interest continue. Andrew Charters of South Carolina has been a great supporter of model schooners as have both George Surgent and Al Suydam of Maryland, and in Queensland, Australia, another mate of mine, Rick Mayes, is a dedicated schooner model builder who is working on an RC model of the Maltese Falcon. A friend of his, Bob Eldridge, this year spent six months building a new s c h o o n e r, Carol Anne. Identically hulled as Mayes’ Lady Annette, the two schooners are seen in the photograph, the Eldridge boat with its wooden masts nearest to the camera. Margot from a kit put out by a German company called Ansmann. Fibreglass-hulled but eventually she started taking in water and he gave up on her, but not before taking this photograph (one of several) that records her being sailed and `looking pretty good’ at Klatovy. It may be an already well-worn joke, but since I don’t remember the name of the boat, I simply call this image A tender behind, not in honour of those of us on this planet who suffer occasionally with haemorrhoids, instead as a salute to a pretty little boat, a model of a Broads Cruiser made by an enthusiastic young husband and wife team as what was to have been the fore-runner of a series of models that alas went no further. Some years ago, friend Phillip Artweger who lives in the Czech Republic, in his early years of ship modeling built this delightful looking little cutter La Belle From the schooner rig to the story of a dory, not an RC sailing model, but a free sail one none the less that conveys the impression that the 1952 Dora Staar has been through some very rough weather. It is an absolutely huge model at just eighteen inches in length, (yes 18” !) Built for the story item in a `weathered’ state (I suppose at 77 I am in a weathered state myself !) by friend Harry Duncan, this dory has, (as my story goes) just almost sunk crossing the notorious oft-angry bar at Greymouth on the West Coast of New Zealand’s South Island. ( Many of us have in our time `crossed the bar’ and woken up completely `stonkered ‘ and with a terrible headache, but this is a different kind of `bar’ guys !) I am suggesting that `weathering’ is an art skill in ship modelling worthy of occasional use ! Have a club was the photographer. If you missed my column in June issue of Duckworks, you can go to the archives by `Googling’ solent.radiocontrolmodelboatclub.com Stay with David for a moment and revel in this other photograph also by Peter Taylor of David’s model of Lightning, the very last square-rigger to be produced in the US for trade runs out to and back from Australia. Extremely fast, it is said that she regularly sailed `rail-under’ for lengthy periods of all her voyages look at the photo again – Had you fooled eh ? Well just perhaps ! Back to schooners …( JUST BECAUSE I LIKE SCHOONERS !) Here is a model of the 1871 wooden centerboard schooner Columbia, an America’s Cup winning boat, the model owned by David Edwards of Britain’s Solent Radio Control Model Boat Club out Hampshire way. David also builds really stunning Squarerigged RC models. Peter Taylor of the And with that, this `schooner man fan’ will pull down the sails of his FM schooner Fijipsy Jack and `hang out’ quietly should he be needed again. Mark Steele Westward Part XI Post Shakedown Availability Editor’s Note This is the latest in Ken’s saga of building and sailing his magnificent model of the schooner Westward. These articles serve both to inform and inspire other builders, and to reassure you that late-term modifications and adjustments are a way of life in the sailing game, full-size or model. Harold Vanderbilt referred to the process of getting a J boat ready for the America’s Cup as “drops of water and grains of sand,” and thus it always has been and will be. Post Shakedown Availability When I closed out the Westward story last year after returning from the USVMYG nationals at Mystic Seaport, I had a broken main spreader from shipping damage and four fried servos from my midregatta rewiring error. Since Navy ships always have a short shipyard period to fix any defects noted during their shakedown cruise, I declared my repairs to be Westward’s Post-Shakedown Availability. Like all shipyard periods I experienced in the Navy, this one lasted longer and cost more than originally planned – but that’s not unique to the Navy, read any story about reconstructing a classic yacht. I considered rebuilding to match original configuration but I was not satisfied with its performance and had concerns about its long term reliability so I went back into design mode. I wanted to get rid of the limit switches and stopper lines controlling my car window motor main winch. I found discussions in the various on-line forums indicating the largest RMG servo would handle J class mainsails; and after consultations with Rob at RMG, I decided to try a conventional servo. This allowed me to change from 12Vs to 6Vs with a total weight savings of 4 ½ lbs. I also swapped my hacked, ¼-scale sail winch for one of RMG’s medium-sized servos. A 9V, self-activating bilge pump with indicating light completed my big changes. Minor electrical changes included the all important (and previously missing) protective fuse, a double throw switch,a charging lead accessible through a removable deck house roof, and channel labeling. Below deck running gear changes were minor after substituting in the main servo. The spring-loaded winch drum allows a clockwise triangular loop pulling in the main and foresail sheets. The forward turning block is mounted with shock cord to cushion the servo from the shock of a standing gybe. The foresail lead was changed from a tube fairlead to a Pekabe through hull with turning block along with a wire fairlead to hold up any window caulk to seal the deck edges down; so far so good, but no high winds yet to put the rail in. slack. Contrary to convention, I do not use slack tensioners on these sheets. I’m counting on my full deck pan to keep any internal slack from fouling. The only topside sail handling change was the addition of a centerline jib loop tensioning block carefully tucked into a forward deckhouse to correct the winch loop throwing issues created by my original asymmetric design. I’m also trying lock nuts on my turnbuckles instead of seizing wire. I used the removable The weight savings from the battery and window motor permitted adding more lead down low. After calculating the changes in moments, I replaced the lead I had drilled out previously and cast a new shoe for the bottom of the keel. As can be seen by the step between the lead and wood, the pour ended with it overthick. After a test float in the trials basin, out came most of the replacement lead; and she now floats on her lines. Old Captain Nat Herreshoff and the rest of his precomputer peers really knew what they were doing when they did weight calculations. The deeper keel will necessitate refoaming the shipping crate’s hull cradle. I will definitely be mounting a lid on the dolly wheel storage. Sea trials were encouraging but in light winds. I decided to follow convention and reversed the transmitter from my previous left-handed setup. As an old dog, I’m having trouble convincing my left thumb to stop messing with the jib trim and let the right thumb steer. Now if the heat index would drop below 110 and the wind would get out of the summer doldrums, I can get back to windling. Kenneth Hall Sail Plan for J.A. Potter’s R Class Bunny I. The lines appear on pg. 3 U.S. Wins The Challenge Cup (At Last) The sixth biannual US/UK Challenge Cup Regatta was held on October 1 and 2 (New York’s Central Park), and October 8 and 9 (Redd’s Pond, Marblehead, Massachusetts). This series, initiated in 2001 by Jeff Stobbe, working with Graham Reeves in the UK, is a team event, sailed in 36R Class freesailers. This year, it was the US turn to host, and Jeff thought that rather than bring the Brits to Spreckels Lake again, we should try some new East Coast venues. Homeland Security ruled out the reflecting pond at the Lincoln Memorial, so Conservatory Lake in Central Park, Manhattan was chosen, and Redd’s Pond in Marblehead, Massachusetts, the birthplace of the M-Class. What, you didn’t know that M stood for Marblehead? Freesailing is still occasionally done on Redd’s Pond, but Central Park hasn’t had a freesail event in 30 or more years. An enthusiastic turnout helped to make this the most enjoyable Challenge Cup yet. Many thanks to Marblehead’s John Snow, who was the overall event coordinator in the US. Graham Reeves took on this responsibility in the UK. The teams were as follows: UK TEAM Graham Reeves, Bournville MYC, (team captain) Martin Bandey, Gosport MYC, Vintage MY Group Allan Oxlade, Woodley MYC Gareth Morgan, Vintage Model Yacht Group Dave Nickson, Bournville MYC Anthony Warren, Hampton Court MYC US TEAM Jeff Stobbe, SFMYC, (team captain) Earl Boebert, SFMYC, Duke City MYC Mary Rose Cassa, SFMYC, (Central Park only) Gordon Leighton, SFMYC Jim Linville, Minuteman MYC Biff Martin, Marblehead MYC Ernie Mortensen, SFMYC, San Diego MYC Ed Schoenstein, SFMYC Julie Shryne, SFMYC, (Central Park only) Colleen Stobbe, SFMYC Mike Stobbe, SFMYC John Tucker, Commodore of the Central Park MYC, acted as starter. The low water in the pond strained many a back. Photos by Joseph Wojcik, Shiela Ryan, and the UK Team. Attentive readers will note that the two teams are of unequal size. To accommodate this, Mary Rose Cassa and Colleen Stobbe “volunteered” to sail on the British team, plus one US sailor took a “bye” on each round. The discrepancy was smaller at Redd’s Pond, where Mary Rose and Julie didn’t participate, so only Colleen sailed for the British there. Of course, the primary reason for the Challenge Cup is an excuse to do some touring, so nearly everyone arrived early to see the sights. The extremes were Gordon and Barbara Leighton, who spent six weeks(!) getting to New York, and Julie Shryne, who only arrived well past midnight on the morning of the race (whew!). NYMYC Commodore, John Tucker was there to greet us, and serve as Race Director at Conservatory Lake. They have a beautiful old stone clubhouse, jam packed with RC boats. Boats were unpacked from their travel boxes and rigged up on Friday; most team members tried practicing a while. The lake is approximately oval shaped, much smaller than Spreckels Lake, about 475′ long by 250′ wide. It is in a depression, about 15′ below street level, and closely ringed with trees: there was no wind. Racing on Saturday and Sunday was similar to a still-life painting. It was a Mike Stobbe’s “Best American” boat leads a UK competitor on the beat. beautiful setting, with picturesque boats scattered all over the lake, going in no particular direction. The event attracted a lot of attention from the public, which had never seen anything like it, but the actual racing was very difficult, because what little wind there was kept reversing direction or even going in circles. The chief problem was trying to judge whether to trim the boat for a run or a beat. Most boards benefited from a reversal of trim en route, sometimes more than once. The wind was so light and intermit- Free sailing in light air: boats in all directions. tent that only eight rounds were completed in the two days of racing. SFMYC’s Julie Shryne had a perfect score on the first day. For both days, Mike Stobbe was the top scorer for the US team. Graham Reeves was the top scorer for the UK team. It was frustrating, but everyone took it in good humor and had fun. John Tucker did a great job running the regatta, assisted by Graham Reeves. where the M-Class was born. It has a darker side, however. The pond, which is natural, not purpose-built, was named for Wilmot Redd, who lived near the lake. She was unjustly accused of witchcraft during the hysteria of the Salem witch trials (Salem is just next door) and hanged for a witch in 1692. Her monument is at lakeside. It’s a beautiful setting. Redd’s Pond is about the same size as From Central Park to Marblehead, the US Conservatory Lake in New York, at about and UK teams mostly traveled together. 510′ by 210′. It has concrete edging and a Stops were made at Mystic Seaport, Considewalk at both ends and all along the necticut; the International Yacht Restorawest side, except where interrupted by tion School (IYRS) at Newport, Rhode Islow rocks in three or four places, which land; and the Herreshoff Marine Museum intrude 5 to 10 feet into the lake. The at Bristol, Rhode Island. At each, we were middle portion of the west side is backed treated to a private tour thanks to the orby a solid bank of trees. The east side of ganizational efthe pond is forts of John solid rock, risSnow and Earl ing up 5 to 10 Boebert. The feet in rounded high point of shapes interthe tour was spersed with a undoubtedly few bushes at our visit of the the water’s Nat Herreshoff edge. Getting model room, down to the conducted by water is diffiCaptain Nat’s cult at best, imgrandson, possible in Halsey Herresome spots. It shoff. We were helps if you are shown everya mountain thing from the goat. The east By the rocks at Redd’s. very first vaneside is more controlled models to the designs for the open than the west side, with scattered legendary J-Boats that raced for the trees, rising up to a colonial era cemetery America’s Cup. By Thursday, everyone on Old Burial Hill. Marblehead MYC has was in the very picturesque town of Marno clubhouse. blehead, ready to set up and practice on The regatta at Redd’s Pond was very ably Redd’s Pond the next morning. Most of conducted by Race Director Standley us were staying at the Boston Yacht Club Goodwin, a long-time Marblehead free(Marblehead Station), which was a treat sailor until he became too old to manage in itself. the rocky side of the lake. Now he sticks Redd’s Pond has been likened to the holy to RC. John Snow also arranged for a grail of model yachting in the United couple of volunteers with extra long States. It is essentially where model poles to fend boats off the rocks on the yachting got started in this country, and east side. Racing on Saturday and Sunday quickly revealed that free sailing on Redd’s Pond is even more difficult than at Central Park. A light wind was primarily coming in over the southwest corner and blowing down the length of the rocky side. However, before reaching the north finish line, a lesser breeze coming in from the northwest corner usually blew the boats back. The safer west side of the lake, away from the rocks, was dominated by a huge wind shadow caused by the solid line of trees, and persistently had zero wind. Actually, less than zero; it was more like a vacuum, sucking in boats that were being helplessly batted back and forth by the opposing winds further out in the lake. I figure Madam Redd has cursed the place. As at Central Park, it took a long time to complete a round, and if you were lucky enough to be able to lay your hands on your boat, usually took a complete retrim from run to beat (or beat to run) to finish a board. It was also hard on the boats and on the sailors, as the rocks took their toll. Very challenging! The weather and the setting were beautiful, though, and however much we grumbled, it was an enjoyable regatta. John Snow arranged for a cocktail party at a historic old mansion in Marblehead on Friday night, and a regatta dinner at the Boston Yacht Club on Saturday, as well as lunches at lakeside both race days. The awards presentation took place at lakeside following Sunday’s racing. Once again, the wind conditions limited the racing to just eight rounds over both days. The final tally combining both venues was US, 304 points, UK, 289 points. It is the first US win since the series was begun ten years ago! The silver cup will reside in the SFMYC for the next two years, when, in 2013 we carry it back to England for the next challenge. The top three point scorers for the US team were Mike Stobbe, Biff Martin, and Ed Schoenstein. The top three on the UK team were Graham Reeves, Martin Bandey, and Allan Oxlade. Following the awards, John Snow invited everyone to his home in Marblehead for a steak and lobster dinner; a super way to top off a truly fantastic trip. Everyone is looking forward to the 2013 rematch in England. Mike Stobbe Participants and Race Committee recreate a 1930’s photo of skippers on the rocks at Redd’s Pond 2011 National Regatta Report Thursday Afternoon We picked a partially rainy end of the week for the 2011 USVMYG National Model Yachting Days Regatta, sponsored by the Marbleheaders of Spring Lake MYC at Spring Lake, N.J., September 22 – 25. The weather forecast was generally for showers and thunderstorms. We actually had intermittent light rain and light breezes, partly cloudy weather on Saturday with sunny skies on Sunday morning. And Friday’s rain didn’t stop the all-weather Traditional Vintage Marblehead skippers who sailed 16 races in good spirits in an all-day light rain. Four schooners 50 inches on deck sailed 12 races with one throw-out. Since Traditional Vintage Marblehead and Vintage 36/600 registrations have shown good numbers in recent annual events, and since this was their national regatta, we presented AMYA Gold Chevrons to the first three places in those two classes, we think for the first time. Also, as Traditional VM registrations numbered 19 when we ordered trophies, we decided to award trophies to the top five. Skipjacks in the rain. All photos by Judy Bonanno. Thursday Morning Three Skipjacks sailed eight races in light morning breezes with one throw-out: Place Name Points 1st Alan Suydam 7 2nd Domenick Bonanno 14 3rd Charles Roden 22 Place Name 1st Alan Suydam 2nd Domenick Bonanno 3rd David Querin 4th Charles Roden Design Points Valmore 11 Alden Grenadier 26 Alden Malabar 29 Alden Grenadier 52 Schooners a-schoonin’ Friday Traditional Vintage Marbleheads registrations were especially high, with an initial 19. Consequently, we were anticipating sailing the class in two fleets, using promotion/ relegation. However, in early September a few skippers emailed cancellations for one reason or another. A few more did not show at the regatta site at time of race. So we were able to sail the class as one fleet. Two others dropped out of the first race, which reduced the fleet to a solid 10 competitors. All but one completed all 16 races in rainy conditions. Many of us were in foul weather gear in the light rain and light winds the entire day. But the racing was lively and competitive, with 9 points separating the first four places. Thom McLaughlin, who won, sailing his Rusticator, had five firsts, one second and two thirds. Richard Laird, sailing a Madcap, had two firsts, five seconds and two thirds and finished second overall. Rob Dutton, sailing a Peony, had three firsts, two seconds and four thirds and finished third. Noel Cram, sailing an original 1930s Marblehead built by his grandfather, scored four firsts, two seconds, finishing fourth. Dave Querin, sailing a Cheerio I, had two seconds and two thirds, finishing fifth. And Bill Sysyn, new to RC model boat racing, sailing a Peterson doubleender, also made a good showing with a second, two thirds and three fourths, finishing sixth. With two throw-outs the final scores were: Place Name 1st Thom McLaughlin 2nd Richard Laird 3rd Rob Dutton 4th Noel Cram 5th Dave Querin 6th Bill Sysyn 7th Domenick Bonanno 8th Keith Petrosemolo 9th Bernie Biglin 10th Charlie Roden 11th Harold Peterson 11th Richard Lang Design Points Rusticator 41 Madcap 48 Peony 49 original 1930s 50 Cheerio I 63 Peterson 70 Peterson 72 Peterson 97 Peterson 106 Peterson 117 Peterson 208 Peterson 208 Friday Evening It was still raining lightly as we went to Friday night’s regatta dinner. During dinner it poured, but eased up enough after dinner to let us get to our cars without getting drenched. Saturday Morning When the High Flyers came to sail, they encountered light morning fog and a glass-like lake, and we noticed that the lake level was up three to four inches from the rain the night before. For the first two days, the light breeze had materialized somewhere between northeast and southeast, blowing down the lake. On Saturday morning the light breeze came in varying between northwest and northeast and we must have changed the course four times during the morning, trying to produce a decent weather leg. with spade rudder, managed one second in this competition, with the rest thirds and fourths. Charlie Roden, sailing a Cheerio I with spade rudder, had to leave early and missed the last three races. The final results after nine races with one throw-out are: Place Name Design 1st Herb Dreher Sun Wind 2nd Jim Linville Riptide 3rd Thom McLaughlin Rusticator 4th Charlie Roden Cheerio I Points 8 16 22 31 Saturday Noon With the lake level up three to four inches, Bill Huizing was able to launch his beautiful model of the 1885 centerboard cutter Puritan without grounding its fin and bulb keel of 21 inches of draft. Puritan was designed by Edward Burgess, father of Starling Burgess, to successfully defend the America’s Cup in 1885. The fin and bulb allows the model to carry its enormous original sail plan. Bill was nice enough to bring Puritan to the lake every day of the regatta so that we could enjoy looking at her superb workmanship and watching her sail during the lunch hour. We all thank Bill for that. Saturday Afternoon Vintage 36/600s began their competition with a 13-boat fleet. The morning’s variable breeze had finally settled down as a northerly after lunch and established the windward leg from the launch dock diagonally across the lake. We completed the racing on Sunday morning in sunshine. We had five entries in High Flyers, with one cancellation before the regatta. Herb Dreher, sailing his Sun Wind, dominated the sailing, to put it mildly, with nine firsts out of nine races. Jim Linville, sailing a Riptide, had all seconds except one third. Thom McLaughlin, sail- The Traditional VMs usually provide good, close races. ing a Rusticator The hot competition was among the top four, with Herb Dreher, sailing a Comet, once again showing dominating speed with seven firsts, three seconds and a third, with another third as a throwout. Alan Suydam finshed second overall, sailing his beautiful Chico II, with four firsts, three seconds and a third. Fred Goebel, also sailing a Comet, had a first, five seconds and two thirds, finishing third. Bill Ewing, sailing a Peterson, made a consistently good showing with a second, four thirds and four fourths, finishing fourth. Keith Petrosomolo, also sailing a Peterson, hung in there with a third, two fourths and a fifth to finish fifth. The last three finishers were not able to sail all 12 races. The final results after 12 races and one throwout are: Place 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th 7th 8th 9th 10th 11th 12th 13th Name Design Herb Dreher Comet Alan Suydam Chico II Fred Goebel Comet Bill Ewing Peterson Keith Petrosemolo Peterson Bill Sysyn Peterson Rob Dutton Starlet Dave Querin Star Jr. Dick Lang Peterson Bernie Biglin Peterson Pete Peterson Peterson Domenick Bonanno Peterson Howard Royce Peterson Points 16 25 31 42 60 80 81 84 91 110 117 125 147 Other Awards The Craftsmanship trophy, which is put together each year by Earl Boebert, USVMYG Two great High Flyers, Jim Linville’s Rip Tide (1) and Herb Dreher’s Sun Wind (96) in close action. Historian and Editor of The Model Yacht, was awarded to Thom McLaughlin. The trophy consists of a pedestal base with a magnet on top, which holds a small, useful Stanley plane that Earl has carefully restored. The recipient of the trophy is determined by bal- V36s at the start. lot vote by the model builder/sailor participants attending the regatta. The Marshall Croft Sportsmanship Award was presented by Thom McLaughlin and his committee to Harry and Alice Mote. Thom knew Marshall Croft and put this award together in 2000 in memory of Marshall, who was a model boat sailor and superb sportsman. We decided to present a Road Warrior Award because we had an entry from Florida and one from Wisconsin, both of whom had to cancel. Thom McLaughlin traveled the next greatest distance from Blue Hill, Me., so Thom received the award. and dedication and she’s a pleasure to work with. Alice Mote did a great job in providing lunches each day. Judy Bonanno, our official photographer, did her usual superb job. And Eileen Ewing, who does a great job as our webmaster, designed the regatta logo and arranged and put up the regatta documents. Early in the regatta we lost our assistant RD, Commodore Ralph Maresco, who had a death in the family and had to dash out of state to a funeral. Skip Hall, already on staff, stepped into Ralph’s shoes without missing a beat, backing up the scorer, calling finishes, bringing and setting up a tent each day and providing coffee on the last day. Domenick Bonanno, our club secretary and a member of our club race committee, brought A nice group of gentlemanly sailors particia tent each day and provided donuts mornpated in this regatta, as usual. They sailed ings, before setting up and tuning the boat he with rarely a peep of frustration or protest. In was sailing that day. Bob Sturges provided a couple of inbeverages daily stances the RD without fail. Othfelt the need to ers who helped play bad cop and include Pete Peask a sailor to do terson, Howard a turn when the Royce and Bernie fouled sailor Biglin. Club didn’t insist on members who his rights. were sailing pitched in at the In addition, a few beginning and sailors who were end of the day at the lake even and just did when their things that classes were not needed doing sailing volunwithout being teered to help. asked. All helped Jim Linville and get the regatta Herb Dreher done as well as spent most of we could. that rainy Friday Bill Huizing’s magnificent Puritan. as finish caller and Many thanks to mark judges. Fred visitors and club Goebel helped as clock starter and Thom members. We hope participants had as much McLaughlin helped as a mark judge. fun as we did. We participate in this regatta each year because we love building and sailThe Marbleheaders of Spring Lake MYC gening these boats and it allows us to visit with erally try to run regattas with a lean staff to people we see usually but once a year. And allow as many members as possible to sail. we take a turn hosting this regatta every few As Pete Peterson, founder of this club said years because we want this annual regatta to recently, “We have some good people in this continue. club.” I agree and I would add that the women are fabulous. Dorothy Roden faithHarry Mote fully does the scoring every Sunday for our Vintage Marblehead summer series and she was our chief scorer at this national regatta. She can be relied on to do her work with care People The MYRAA R Class In the decade from its formation in 1922 to the arrival of the Marblehead Class in 1932, the Model Yacht Racing Association of America, predecessor to today’s AMYA, had six official classes. Four of were called the A, B, C, and D Classes. The fifth was an international class, known then as the Yachting Monthly Six Meter Class and today as the International A Class (not to be confused with the MYRAA A Class). The sixth, and last class to be officially adopted before the Marbleheads changed everything, was the R Class. Its advent was announced to the world in an article in Yachting magazine in 1926 entitled “The New Class R Model Yacht Growing in Popularity:” For several years past there has been a general feeling among model yachtsmen that there should be a class adopted by the Model Yacht Racing Association of America that would be a true scale model of our larger rating yachts. After a lengthy discussion at a meeting held in New York City, December, 1925, it was finally agreed to adopt the R Class, Universal Rule, on a scale of 1 1/2 inches equal 1 foot. This will give a model approximately 60 inches long over all. To a few of the regular Class B sailors this change did not appeal, but the sport is growing, and if the Association does not encourage the younger model yachtsmen, progress will be slow. The Boston Model Yacht Club, which took up this new class immediately, began to build several new boats to prove that a real scale model could be built to sail, and that there was just as much sport in this class of models as there was in the Association classes. Memorial Day found three new R’s ready for the start of the season`s racing. ln a fresh breeze these boats proved that they were to become popular. While they did not carry their sail as well as the larger boats, they showed they had good speed and were much easier to handle. One fact was clearly brought out, if we are to build models to scale we must have more than one suit of sails, or else have a reefing gear to reduce sail, as on a large yacht. In adopting this class it was felt that the models that were being built and raced under Association rules were not bringing out the best in design or in sailing qualities. The Class B model of the Association was large in size, with excessive draft and sail area. With a smaller model, built to the same general restrictions as full size yachts, the expense would be much less and the convenience of handling and transporting would insure a larger number being built and better sport would be obtained than with the comparatively few “ B ” boats now used. The one great advantage of adopting this R Class is that any one can select a design from among those that have been published in Yachting, or some of the other boating publications, and build from it. This fact alone should make the class popular. A MYRAA Class B model, illustrating what the author of the Yachting article called “large in size, with excessive draft and sail area.” While the article suggested a simple way to obtain a design by scaling a full-sized boat, the skippers of the time rapidly moved to designing their own to the Universal Rule. To understand what they were up against, we have to take a trip into the arcane world of rating rules. Class Rules There are three broad categories of “Class Rules,” those rules that determine whether a boat is a legal member of a given class. In order of age, they are “one design” rules, “box rules,” and “rating rules.” One design rules are intended to minimize the effect of boat design on the outcome of races. They do this by requiring all members of the class to be more or less identical. One design classes are the most popular classes in the AMYA, and include such boats as the Soling One Meter or the RC laser. Bunny I, J.A. Potter’s R Boat. As the season advanced other models were added to the class. In all about eight boats were built. Everyone who has sailed the new models has been enthusiastic about them. The models built by the’Boston Model Yacht Club members were similar in dimensions to the local R boats, which gave a model of the following approximate dimensions: l.o.a., 60 in.; l.w.l., 37 1/2 in.; beam, 10 in.; s.a., 1344 sq. in.; disp., 21 lbs. There is at the present time, a marked increase in model yacht sailing throughout the country. Schoolboys are building models by the score and weekly races are being held. What is needed to increase the sport is a class of R models that will satisfy those who do not wish to build a large, cumbersome boat, and also an advanced class for junior model yachtsmen. The R Class models have also been sailed in some of the other sections and clubs near Boston. The class should be encouraged. Box rules impose fixed dimensions on important aspects of the boat, but allow designers freedom to exercise ingenuity within those dimensions. Examples of such box rules in AMYA classes are the RG65 (limits on overall length, sail area, and mast height) and the Marblehead (limits on overall length and sail area). Rating rules date to the earliest days of yacht racing, which was conducted on handicap basis between boats of varying sizes. A “rating” was intended to give an idea of a boats relative speed based on certain critical dimensions. In 1868 William Froude demonstrated that a hull that remained immersed (i.e., did not rise out of the water and plane) had an inherent limit to how fast it could go, and that limit was a function of its “sailing length:” the longer the boat on the water, the faster it could go. Since the propulsive power of a sailboat is determined by its sail area, the rules makers quickly settled on the basic principle of rating rules: the longer the sailing length Upright Waterline Heeled Waterline This diagram shows how properly shaped overhangs increase the true sailing length of a hull when heeled. of your boat, the less sail area you are allowed, and vice versa. Later on, rating rules were used to determine whether or not a boat belonged to a particular class, with the intent that designs could vary and still have all members of the class compete on a roughly equal footing. There is only one example of a class based on rating rules in the AMYA, and that is the 10 Rater class. Other notable rating rules are the International A Class for models and the International Rule or “Meter Rule” for models and full size boats. The primary disadvantage of rating rules is the need to measure the actual load waterline of the boat. In the case of models, this almost always requires the use of a measuring tank. One such tank can be seen as a permanent installation in the clubhouse of the San Francisco Model Yacht Club. Men Against the Rule As long as there have been rating rules, there has been a battle between the rule makers and the rule beaters. The rule makers attempt to devise a rule which encourages innovation but outlaws “unwholesome” boats that are unsafe or just plain ugly. The rule beaters search for loopholes and exploitable factors to improve performance, wholesome or not. The rule makers then modify the rule an immediately the rule beaters go back to work. Thus the classic book on the evolution of rating rules is called Men Against the Rule. Beating The Waterline Rule Prior to 1891, rule makers thought that sailing length could be closely approximated by the waterline length of the boat when upright. In that year Nathanael Herreshoff designed the yacht Gloriana so that her overhangs, or portions of the hull outside the measured waterline length, would immerse when heeled and thereby increase her sailing length beyond that which was measured for her rating. In this way Gloriana had a true speed to windward that was greater than that in- The most notorious of the big scows, B.B. Crowninshield’s 150 foot Independence. Three men at the wheel weren’t enough to hold her on course, and she leaked so badly that she was broken up within months of launch. It was boats like these that led to the establishment of the Universal Rule. dicated by her rating, and thereby “beat” the rule. The advantages of long overhangs was immediately recognized by designers, and racing yachts quickly evolved into the so-called “scow” form of flattened hulls with very long overhangs. These boats were very fast. They were also very wet, pounded terribly in a seaway, were difficult to steer, and the big ones tended to come apart in any kind of rough water; the very definition of “unwholesome.” The rules makers, who in those days were the Rules Committee of the New York Yacht Club, decided that this evolution had gone far enough and sought a solution. Operating on the theory that reformed sinners make the best saints (because they know how the games are played), the Committee enlisted Nathanael Herreshoff to come up with a rule which would effectively limit overhangs to a “wholesome” amount prevent designers from “beating” the rule the way he had with Gloriana. The problem Herreshoff faced was, in essence, this: what set of measurements of a boat at rest would closely approximate the sailing length of that boat when she was heeled and moving? Herreshoff decided that the true “sailing length” of a heeled boat was to be found at a buttock halfway between the centerline and maximum waterline beam of the boat. This dimension eventually became the so-called “Quarter Beam Length” as shown in the diagram, and its relation to any real or imagined “sailing length” was quickly forgotten. The steps in calculating the Quarter Beam Length (QBL) were as follows: The maximum width at the load waterline was measured. This is called the “Beam.” A second waterline is drawn 1/10 this distance above the load waterline. This is called the “1/10 Beam Waterline.” A buttock, called the “Quarter Beam Buttock,” is drawn one quarter of the beam distance from the centerline of the hull. This buttock crosses the 1/10 beam waterline at two points. The distance between these points is the “Quarter Beam Length.” 0.18 = An arbitrary number included to make the boats rated under old rules maintain the same approximate rating under the new rule. This measurement puts a constraint on both overhangs and beam. If the designer stretches the overhangs, the QBL naturally increases. If the designer widens the beam in order to produce a “scow,” the 1/10 Beam Waterline rises, thereby increasing the QBL as well. After a little tinkering with actual values, the designers were tightly constrained into producing boats of what the rules makers deemed a “wholesome” form; even so, subtle differences in shape produced wide differences in performance. L = “Rated Length,” the LWL adjusted by QBL penalty, if any. Normally there was none, so L=LWL, in feet. The Universal Rule The final Universal Rule was the product of several committees, and it would be foolish to expect the result to exhibit either artistry or science. The various committees simply tinkered with the rule until it produced yachts of a form they liked, and then they had the sense to quit. The Universal Rule is most commonly, and misleadingly, presented as the following formula: Where: R = “Rating,” the value used to determine the class of the boat, in feet. D = Displacement, in cubic feet. SA = Sail Area, in square feet. Draft in feet was limited to a fixed percentage of the LWL: Classes defined by the Universal Rule were assigned letters, ranging from the famous J Class with a maximum rated length of 76 feet down to the S Class, with a maximum rated length of 17 feet. As originally conceived, the rule required a designer to juggle three aspects of the yacht: sail area, LWL and displacement. Fixed limits on dimensions were replaced with “penalties” that theoretically allowed designers to exceed the limits, but at a cost in sail area. The three values that could trigger penalties were Quarter Beam Length, maximum draft and minimum displacement, and the penalties were calculated based on LWL. These three penalties were so severe that designers avoided them, which effectively turned their “trigger values” into limits. In 1913 the rules makers made a change that altered the nature of the rule completely. Worried that designers would exploit displacement to produce unwhole- somely heavy boats, the rules makers replaced the Displacement factor with the “trigger value” for the minimum displacement penalty: models, prepared by the full scale and model yacht designer Norman Skene in the late 1920s. The model R class was at a scale of 1 1/2 inches to the foot, which gave it a maximum rated length of 30 inches. The penalty remained; you lost sail area by having less displacement than defined by the formula, but you did not gain sail area by having more. The line going along the middle of the chart is dimensioned by maximum sail area above and maximum draft below. The bottom of the chart shows the Load Water Line associated for each sail area assuming no QBL penalty, and the right side shows the minimum displacement in a similar fashion. So you pick your basic dimensions, from 1400 sq in on a boat 30.8 inches on the waterline displacing no less than 13 lbs and having a draft of only 7.5 inches at one end of the scale to 1300 sq in, 45 in on the LWL, 33.5 lbs minimum displacement and about 10 in draft on the other end. The effect of the QBL penalty, not shown on the diagram put most models in the middle of the chart with an overall length of 50 to 55 inches. This made MYRAA R Class boats roughly the same size as the modern AMYA EC 12 Class, with a bit more sail area. Since the draft limit was already a function of the LWL, the Universal Rule ended up as a combination of rating and box rule, where both the rating factors and the box limits depended on the LWL. As a practical matter, a designer would design to the maximum rating of a class; in the case of the R Class, this was 20 feet. The design process would normally involve selecting an LWL and seeing what sail area, minimum displacement, and draft limit would result. After doing a bit of algebra, the formula for this is much simpler that the original: First, calculate a “fudge factor” F: Then the sail area is given by: where R is the desired rated length. The draft limit and minimum displacement are calculated directly from the previous formulae. Model R Boat Designing The sponsors of the rule hoped that the large number of published plans for full size R boats would eliminate the need for specialized model designs. This didn’t happen, and all the R boats that we have encountered in the literature were designed from the outset as model yachts. The limits of the rule are neatly summarized by the enclosed chart for R Class Smaller versions were also made. Thomas Darling designed a popular “20 Rater” which was an R Class boat to one inch to the foot; it is 36 inches overall, has an LWL of 24 inches, and carries 600 sq in of sail. The celebrated R Class boat “Pirate,” which has been restored by the Center for Wooden Boats in Seattle, was made into a popular semi-scale sailing model by Ted Geary, who designed the original. This boat, “Little Pirate,” was described in Volume 6 Number 3 of The Model Yacht. The Other MYRAA Classes MYRAA A, B, C, and D Class boats were rated to a relaxed form of the Universal Rule. The dimensions were given in inches, and the allowed draft was 0.16 times the LWL plus 5 inches. Actual displacement (as opposed the minimum of the full size rule) was used in the de- nominator, which permitted a larger sail area for a given waterline length. Class A boats had a maximum rating of 55 inches, which permitted boats of such great size that we have no record of one ever being built. Class B boats had a maximum rating of 46 inches and, as the picture shows, could be as large as a modern AMYA J Class boat.. Class C had a maximum rating of 38 inches, and typically was about the size of International A Class yachts; many designs were made that would qualify for both classes. Class D had a maximum rated length of 31 inches. Although Class D boats could have the same numerical rating as Class R models, the MYRAA adjustments to the full-size formula gave them 2.4 inches greater draft and more sail area for a given waterline length. The inclusion of actual displacement in the formula made Class D boats heavier and wider for a given waterline length, while the Class R boats had a more graceful “J Class look.” An understanding of these rating rules gives us a guide for identifying “mystery boats” of the 1920s that are around 50 to 60 inches long. Find the LWL on the chart and check the draft of the boat. If it is what the chart says, it’s probably an R boat. If it’s 2.4 inches deeper, it’s probably a MYRAA Class D. Your surmise can be verified if you have the sails, or can estimate their dimensions from the rig. If the draft is right for an R boat, the sail area should be that shown on the chart. The Fate of the R Class The R Class never really caught on outside the Boston area. Adhering to the full size limits on draft and eliminating the effect of displacement on the rating meant that the boats were over-canvassed compared to the similarly sized MYRAA Class D boats. In 1932 Roy Clough devised the simple box rule of 50 inches LOA and 800 sq. in. of sail, the famous Marblehead or M Class. The ability to measure a boat without a tank and the simplicity of the Marblehead rule led to an explosion of popularity, and the Universal Rule classes were forgotten in the space of a few years. In the later 1930s another attempt at a class based on fullsize rules was made with the adoption of the International 6 Meter rules at a scale of 1 1/3 inches to the foot. (This is not to be confused with the Yachting Monthly 6 Meter Class/International A Class.) The class rules even included a requirement to have internal ballast to represented the weight of the crew. As with the R Class, the activity was centered in the Boston area and failed to spread further. A popular 6 Meter design was John Black’s Kiltie, which was published in a national magazine and which we documented in Volume 10, Number 3 of The Model Yacht. Earl Boebert Thomas Darling’s R Class design. Reduced to 50 inches LOA and 800 square inches of sail, plus an inch or so more draft, she’d make a very pretty Vintage Marblehead. Class Rules and Why We Have Them The class rules for the V36/600 and the VMs have evolved into sensible rules for these two classes that help achieve the objectives of the USVMYG. As originally stated, these objectives are: “1) the preservation, building and sailing of older model sailing designs, and 2) the study of the history of the sport of model yachting.” The rules for the V36 and VM classes are essentially strategies to achieve VMYG’s objectives. The rules basically freeze the design parameters of the boats of specific time periods to do several things: The freeze creates a class of boats of similar type and performance based on time period. The creation of a class, through class rules, encourages the preservation and use of original restored boats, as well as reproductions of these boats. The freezing of a period’s design parameters, such as hull type, displacement, draft, building materials, etc., and their control through class rules, allows new designs, which help expand fleets. To the best of my knowledge, the most recent edition of the rules for the V36/600 and the VM classes appeared in The Model Yacht, the official VMYG publication of record, as: $ “V36 Class Notes,” Fall, 2006, and “RC Vintage Marblehead Rating Rules Update 2007,” Winter, 2007-2008. It is generally understood that boats built before these dates are grandfathered to the previous version of the rules and that the Yankee reproduction is the only accepted exception to the weight minimum in the V36 class. Some segments of the insurance industry have a concept of the average normally “prudent person” as a guide to what can be expected of people for use in insurance cases and possible litigation. In our case, one would think that a normally prudent person interested in a vintage sailing class would want to know the class rules and take steps to obtain and read the rules – before buying or building a boat. Yet, at the 2010 USVMYG national regatta at Mystic, one of the 36/600s registered did not meet the weight minimum prescribed in the V36 rules. At the 2011 national regatta, two boats of this same design and builder were registered and competed in the regatta. The commercial builder of this boat advertises it as qualifying as a VMYG Vintage 36/600. It does not qualify under the current rules because it does not meet the V36 rules’ minimum weight requirement, which protects beautiful traditional boats of the vintage period, such as Chico II. At the 2011 VMYG national regatta at Spring Lake, at least one VM appeared to have a keel fin with a chord length that was under the five-inch minimum. It is the responsibility of the participant to be knowledgeable of the regatta and class rules for the regatta in which he would like to participate. In the Notice of Race for the 2011 regatta, the rules for the V36 and the VMs were listed, along with their sources, in the list of rules that would govern the regatta. So there was adequate notice of the sailing and class rules of the regatta, with information on where the rules could be found. Except for a brief discussion among a few people about the minimum weight of V36s, there were no other mentions, to my knowledge, of class rules and no boats were challenged. The fact that these boats participated in VMYG national regattas does not “grandfather” their participation in future national regattas. It simply means that they participated in VMYG national regattas without being challenged. There are issues here of rules enforcement, compliance and possible prudent rule changes in the interests of preserving VMYG’s mission and the growth of its classes, as well as the interest of fairness to boat owner members who have investments of time, energy, money and model yachting enjoyment at stake. The VMYG and its classes are attracting more people. As the classes continue to grow, this need to enforce class rules is not going away, disagreeable as it may seem, given the history of other classes and organizations. It is neither practical nor necessary to check at a national regatta, for example, every element of the rules for a given class. But it is practical and it is becoming necessary to routinely check a few key elements of the rules as part of the registration at VMYG annual national regattas. At the EC12 annual national regatta, each boat is floated in a tank to measure waterline length as part of check-in and registration before the sailing starts. A few other things, such as keel width and measurement of sails without a sailmaker’s certificate, are checked. Just recently, the class saw the need to also check mast height. All parties involved cooperate with this pre-sailing check on rules compliance to assure good competition and sportsmanship. The management of most full-size and model yacht classes checks boats for compliance with a few key elements of the rules as a routine part of the registration and qualification at annual national regattas. They do this in the spirit of fairness to all participants and to assure the best competition. Bottom line, they do this to assure the success of the class. Class regatta participants understand that checks to assure compliance with the class rules is in their own best interests. Regatta committees are not looking for work. Class management does not ask regatta committees to check boats for rules compliance arbitrarily. The key rules check list is minimal and on an asneeded basis to assure reasonable rules compliance and thus a reasonably level playing field. If this is achieved, the class attracts good people and the class thrives. If it is not achieved, people go elsewhere. Just one model boat class example: The East Coast 12 Meter class is one of the largest and most successful classes in the AMYA. It is described as a “restricted design model yacht class.” All hulls must be produced in class-authorized molds to a certain standard and registered with the class to be legal. They are finished with deck and electronics, basically to suit the owner. They are ballasted to float, fully rigged, to a waterline length of between 42 and 43 inches. This effectively controls total weight, since hulls are identical. But it allows flexibility in deck construction and the proportions of the ballast casting. Another brief example is that at a Solomons, Maryland national regatta for the Skipjack 48 the boats are weighed for compliance with minimum weight. This attitude of cooperation and class self-interest also creates an atmosphere in which it is not un-cool to challenge a competitor’s boat for rule compliance. In our case, that of the V36/600 and VM classes, I believe there is a need to begin checking boats at annual national regattas for compliance on a few key elements of the rules. I propose: (a) That the class rules for V36 and VM at annual national regattas be listed, along with sources for the rules, in the regatta Notice of Race under the Rules section governing the regatta; (b) That the regatta committee assign two or three people (who could be recruited from outside the regatta host club) to “do a boat check” on registered boats – i.e., check a few key, agreed upon specifications, including maximum draft, areas of skeg-to-rudder, keel fin chord length, and minimum weight, where applicable; (c) That the results of the boat check be recorded and given to the regatta committee, who would refund entry fees and not allow illegal boats to sail. The enforcement of the rules at a regatta need not be cumbersome to the regatta committee, if it is well organized and the need for enforcement is understood as prudent. If parts of the rules for the V36 and VM classes are considered unenforceable or unnecessary, they should be changed or eliminated. VMYG vintage class coordinators are the equivalent of AMYA’s class secretaries. They function as administrators – answering questions about the class, assigning sail numbers, recording boats and owners and coordinating rule changes with the consent of class boat owners. I propose that since we are an AMYA special interest group that we adopt a method of rule proposals and changes similar to that of AMYA. I propose that a class boat owner who would like to propose a rule change submit in writing a reasonably argued proposal for rule change to the class coordinator, who would then circulate the proposal, via US Mail or email, to class owners of record for comment. These comments would be shared with all model owners of record. The class coordinator would then objectively resolve differences of opinion by proposing either a rejection of the original proposal or by writing a revised proposal of rule change, which would be put to class model owners for a two-thirds majority vote for approval. A successful rule change would be effective immediately and published in the next issue of The Model Yacht, as the publication of record. As we all know, the ancient nautical Rules of the Road, which for us have evolved into the Racing Rules of Sailing, allow us to compete on the water without destroying property or friendships. Class rules allow us to create a fleet of similar boats and a reasonably level playing field for the enjoyment of building and sailing pretty boats and competitive fun. Harry Mote Next Steps The Class Coordinators will be considering the issues that Harry raised and will be contacting the registered owners of both the V36 and VM classes with proposals. In the meantime, if you have any suggestions or concerns, please send them to me at any of the contact points listed on the masthead below, and I will insure that they get to the relevant parties. Earl Boebert The Model Yacht is published three times a year by the U.S. Vintage Model Yacht Group. Copyright 1998 to 2012 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 Officers of the U.S. Vintage Model Yacht Group: President: John Snow Eastern Vice-President: Ben Martin Western Vice-President: Dominic Meo, III Midwest Vice-President: Tom Pratt Southeastern Vice-President: Thom Mclaughlin Vintage M Class Coordinator: John Henson Vintage 36 Inch Coordinator: Al Suydam A Class Coordinator: Rod Carr U.K. Coordinator: Graham Reeves Canadian Representative: Doug McMain Historian: Earl Boebert Archivist: Jim Dolan