The Model Yacht: Volume 16, Number 1 – Winter 2012-2013

LINCOLN MEMORIAL POOL, WASHINGTON, DC NEWSLETTER OF THE U.S. VINTAGE MODEL YACHT GROUP VOLUME SIXTEEN, NUMBER ONE Winter 2012-2013 Page 1 NEWSLETTER OF THE U.S. VINTAGE MODEL YACHT GROUP VOLUME SIXTEEN, NUMBER ONE Winter 2012-2013 Editor’s Welcome This issue marks the beginning of our sixteenth year; how time flies when you’re having fun! Despite that length of time, we are still discovering new material, such as the previously unknown plans for a Gus Lassel design and new pictures from the 1930s. We are also lucky to have a lovely article about a model yachting family in Canada and the ever fascinating Windling World column from Mark Steele in New Zealand. In addition this issue has the regatta reports for both the National and Traditional Watercraft regattas and the first part of a two-part article on constructing a sailing model that looks like one of the lovely Sonder boats on the water. Just a reminder that even though the inevitable toll of time has slowed us down to two issues a year, your subscription still gets you three. We hope to have the next issue out in Spring of 2013 Earl Boebert Ebbs and Flows The President’s Message Vintage Membership Reminder of my new home address and phone number highlighted below 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 / 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 @ 978-5948521 or visit the US VMYG Web Site: www.usvmyg.org 2013 International “Challenge Cup” Regatta US VMYG in coordination with our UK representative Graham Reeves is supporting the seventh biennial international free-sail (vane) match racing event on the weekends of June 7-9 at Gosport (Ports- Page 2 mouth) and June 14-16 at Llandudno, Wales. It involves teams of skippers from UK and US racing against each other at these historic UK model yacht locations. In addition, there will be A Class racing on June 12 at Rick Pond, Hampton Court in London for skippers wanting to recreate the feel of the “Yachting Monthly” Cup races (model yachting world championships) from the 1920s to the 1950s. For the latest details, contact Graham at graham@reevesmail.co.uk 2013 US Vintage Activities The VMYG in coordination with the AMYA is supporting the following projected vintage model activities in Eastern US: October 19-20: Bithell Cup VM Invitational Regatta 10/19 and Marblehead MYC Chowder Race 10/20 open regatta (including VMs) at Redd’s Pond, Marblehead. Notes Contact John Snow at jsnowj@comcast.net for details on Redd’s Pond events. Any club wanting to host our “Traditional Sailing Craft / Scale Model” National Regatta for schooners and skipjack models on the East Coast should contact John Snow jsnowj@comcast.net and 978-594-8521 as soon as possible. VM Home & Away Series: May 19: Regatta at Spring Lake, NJ; contact Harry Mote hjmote@verizon.net September 22: Regatta at Downington, PA; contact John Stoudt: jstoudt309@gmail.com Other Vintage Activities June 8: Full Cup VM Invitational Regatta at Redd’s Pond, Marblehead, MA. September 1-8 and 9-15: WoodenBoat School building and finishing planked vintage pond yacht courses at Brooklin, ME conducted by Thom McLaughlin. Registration is first business day of January 2013. Contact Thom at 207-359-4651. September 13-15: VMYG “Vintage Model Yachting Days” National Regatta hosted by The Marbleheaders of Spring Lake, NJ at Spring Lake: R/C V36 and VM model racing. Contact Harry Mote for emerging details: hjmote@verizon.net and 609-660-0100. NOR and registration info will be available in late Spring 2013. Early AMYA Classic M (CM) Designs Check with AMYA M Class Secretary Stan Goodwin for possible racing activities in 2013 for early AMYA CM boats designs from 1971 to 1985. Goal is to continue to build interest in these designs to get them back on-the-water given their 2500+ class registration numbers in this timeframe. You should contact Stan at 781-631-5847 and shgoodwin@dslextreme.com if you have CM you would like to register and race in 2013. 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 Page 3 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 modern-day 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 (Right and Opposite Page) Newly discovered plans of a 40” LOA sharpie by the great “Gus” Lassel. Article starts on Page 5; these study plans are not to scale. Full size plans are available for download by emailing boebert@swcp.com Page 4 Page 5 Paradoxy Between 1945 and the early 1950’s, the great model yacht designer and builder A.R. “Gus” Lassel developed a series of free sailing model yacht designs that solved the problem of maintaining a straight course downwind with a vane gear. The problem arises because the boat is moving almost as fast as the wind and therefore there is very little force on the vane unless the boat deviates significantly from the straight downwind course. Lassel’s first solution involved the use of the sliding rig. Going to windward, the rig was set to balance the speed of wind the wind. Going downwind, the rig was racked all the way aft to minimize the tendency to dive. Lassel then experimented with boats whose center of lateral resistance was moved as far aft as structurally feasible. Combined with the sliding rig, these boats tracked beautifully downwind, a fact I have verified by building a freesailing 36 inch Restricted to this principle. Lasell called this layout the “finless fin keel.” The governing body of the day, the Model Yacht Racing Association of America (MYRAA) called it a “prognathous keel” and outlawed it until sometime in the 1950s. The plans we present here were for a proposed class about which we know little more than what the plans state: that it was to be a junior class for the San Diego Model Yacht Club. We are indebted to member Ernie Mortensen for locating these. The design can be scaled at 9/10 to conform to the USVMYG V36 rules. Since those rules are based on the earlier MYRAA ones, the original keel shape is illegal, and should be replaced as shown below. This requires moving the mast forward to 22 1/2 inches from the stem. This is based on a modified sail plan with a main having 47 inch hoist and 18 inch foot and a jib with 28 inch hoist and 11 inch foot. Mast should be adjustable fore and aft an inch or so to find final balance. The draft of the scaled down model should be set to the 11 inches allowed by the rules. The table below shows the relative dimensions of the original and scaled version. Dimension Original V36 LOA 40 36 LWL 36.625 33 SA 650 600 Draft 10.875 11 Disp. 11.4 8.3 Paradoxy with a profile modified to conform to the USVMG Vintage 36 Rules. Page 6 Of Pretty Boats, Elixirs Sought and Matters Many ! Though I have never really been a true aficionado’ of multi-hull yachts, I have to confess that when they are `flying a hull’ A new RC sailing model by Auckland `Ancient Mariner’ windler, Derek Nicholson was launched in April 2012. The highly detailed model of the Spirit of New Zealand with her square-rigged foresails carries a false keel and bulb and particularly when sailing is an impressive looking square rig tall ship. The real vessel is a sail training one that spends some 340 days a year at sea and was built in 1973 for the Spirit of Adventure Trust. as Red Bull is shown doing and holding the level of `lift’ as seen here in this photograph by Lloyds Images they are extremely impressive. Taken at Quingdao, a city in the Eastern part of China in the Extreme Sailing Series 2012, it is a great photograph of a colourfully liveried multi-hull racer on a perfect plane being expertly sailed. Now who is going to build a sailing model of Red Bull ? A new Square-rigger (perhaps his last for a wee while) by Neville Wade of Britain, the Linda 2nd based on the Peter Rickmers built in 1889 and wrecked on Long Island in 1908. The model is 1390mms Page 7 long overall bowsprit end to stern rail. Neville has built a whole fleet of square riggers and often writes for Marine Modelling International on square rig model matters. A beautiful and rather special Canterbury J is the Sea Lion from Rick Mayes in Queensland, Australia who became enraptured over these boats and had to have one. The hull he obtained from New Zealand and the boat was carefully built up by Rick who designed and made all the deck fittings. Somewhat inspired by the latest J class boat Lionheart launched in the Netherlands, this J has overlapping sails and weighs 14.2 lbs. Home waters are in Maroochydore. The scale section of the Fleetwood Yacht & Power Boat Club formed in 1929 in Britain is the largest section in the club with some 85 members, and the Page 8 creditably, and is an attractive looking semiscale model of great visual appeal to the writer. I particularly like the term given to me for a large percentage of the club’s scale section members that of `recycled teenagers’. Sounds better than `old codgers’ don’t you think ?` schooners they race are divided into three classes. There are some beautiful boats shown on the club website, many of them converted old A class yachts and Marbleheads, their hulls given new lives. I have to say that much difficulty was experienced getting the names of the owners of those selected, or for that matter the names given to the boat. this redsailed schooner (The Ship with no name) built by Fred Baker (later sold to another member), an old Marblehead hull that in a second life as a three-master performs Tim Severin’s book The China Voyage inspired modeller Clive Halliwell of Lancashire in England to build his 30” model of the impressive oceangoing bamboo raft Hsu Fu, its name the same as the fullsize vessel named after an ancient Chinese mariner ordered by the first Emperor to search the Pacific islands for an elixir of immortality. Clive’s model is an operational one of considerable difference to the usual run of yachts featured and had operating solar panels on the cabin tops to charge and help maintain the 7.2 volt powerpack, and RC is fitted. Back to that search for the elixir of immortality. People in China still die so I guess the sought elixir was never found ! Have a look in your boatshed, see if you have not already made that discovery, then go down to the pond and watch the little schooner as it responds and heads into the wind …by jove, I think you’ve found it ! Mark Steele Page 9 78 years of Model Yachting The 1930’s In 1934 my grandfather, Clare Johnson, lived on Keele Street in the west end of Toronto. Times were tough back then and his parents rented spare rooms in their house to make ends meet. There was a boarder by the name of Desmond Hunter who took a shine to Clare and decided to purchase a model sailboat for Clare’s 14th birthday. While driving downtown to Eaton’s to choose a nice model boat, he stopped to pick up two youngsters hitchhiking. The kids told him about a model builder of great skill over on Christie St. Desmond chose to act upon their suggestion, took a detour, and ended up at Jack Rutherford’s house. There were a number of beautiful models in the basement all custom built by Jack. They decided on a 60” R-Class model (Monitor) that had been built in 1920 and was carved out of a solid piece of wood. Little did anyone know this simple gift would be the humble beginnings of a model yachting obsession that would span 78 years and 3 generations! Clare got quite involved with model yacht racing during the 1930’s and 1940’s around the Toronto area. He and his friends would regularly take their boats to sail around Toronto harbor, Islands, and to yearly model yacht regattas held at the Canadian National Exhibition (CNE). After successfully racing the RBoat and winning multiple plaques he decided it was time to try his hand at building. After consulting Jack Rutherford’s designer son, Gus, they drew up some plans for a 50” Marblehead model (Elaine). Clare built this in his basement on Keele Street with some help from his father, Elmo, who was an accomplished piano builder. He constructed her using a bread and butter method which is to say you cut the lifts out of wood and stack/ glue them together to get the rough hull shape. Using templates you then have to carve and sand to achieve the finished hull. Elaine was christened 1939 and sailed very well. She is a heavy weather boat but sails well in just about any wind. Clare won first place with Elaine racing against 16 other models at the CNE. Clare’s interest in all sailboats continued to grow and he was thrilled when Malihini, a 22 sq meter yacht, was launched in 1938 at Sachau Marine located just west of the Humber river. She was a Swedish design also known as a Skerry Cruiser. Clare was actually out in his rowboat to watch her coming down the ways. He recalls, “when launched she sat quite low in the water due to the fact that they built her for salt water, so when dropped into Lake Ontario she had a bit less freeboard than desired”. Jack Rutherford was also quite taken by the beautiful lines of Malihini. Jack had a friend, Dick Telford, at Sachau Marine and he was able to acquire a set of plans for the 22 sq, and set about building a 75” model. This boat was constructed in secret and delivered to the beach in front of the family’s waterfront cottage in Mimico to surprise Clare. He couldn’t believe his eyes when he saw the graceful sweeping lines of the 22 Sq model (Stardust). Clare enjoyed sailing all three of his models around the Toronto area and at the CNE throughout the rest of his youth until they were drydocked back at his mother’s home on Keele St. when Clair went off to war. After the war Clare got married and had a family. They bought a mid 1800’s saltbox house on the shores of Lake Ontario in Port Credit. Having 6 children didn’t leave much time for leisure so the models quietly rested, patiently scattered on shelves in the front porch, stands in the garage, and on top of the piano. Clare was able to continue his passion for sailing with the purchase of a 14’ Ackroyd dingy he sailed with his family out of Port Credit harbor for many years. Page 10 On the beach West of Toronto, sometime in the 1930s. Clare Johnson and Stardust at the far right. All photos courtesy of Ryan Hunwicks. Stardust hotly pursued by the Marblehead Elaine. Radio Control It wasn’t until the early 1990’s when the model yachts began to catch the attention of my uncle, Darrell Johnson. During the late 1970’s, the Saddington Park water- front development was built in front of my grandparent’s house in Port Credit. Fortunately a pond was build at the center of the park that is ideal for model yachting. Darrell was out for a walk one Page 11 Clare Johnson and First Mate launch Stardust and Elaine from Clare’s custom rowing skiff. day and came across a fellow named Walter Tremell who was sailing a small remote control yacht. Darrell suggested they go back to the house to take a look at the old models. Walter’s jaw dropped when he was shown the beautiful wooden models on display at the house. The models needed a lot of work to bring them back to a seaworthy state. Under the watchful eye of Darrell, the skillful craftsmanship of Walter, and the encouragement of Clare they were able to restore, install remote controls in the boats, and get them back into the water. It was a sunny afternoon in Port Credit 1994 when I had my first model yachting experience. I had been down to visit my grandparents and we walked over to the pond where my uncle Darrell was sailing one of the models. Darrell handed me the controls for the R- Boat and I was in heaven. The way her elegant lines sliced through the water, she almost sailed herself. Clare and Darrell saw the interest in me and gave me a small 26” model hull that had been dropped off at the house by Bill Barkhouse, one of their neighbors. We rigged up some sails, installed a remote control in her and I had my own model to sail. Having this experience only created a deeper desire in me to have my own larger model to sail along with the R -Boat and Marbleheads. Clare had a small modeling book from the 1930’s that contained plans for a model of the J-Class Enterprise (1930 Americas Cup winner). We scaled the plans up to 53” and I set to work building. I had built virtually nothing before this project so I was lucky to get some help from Garry Gooder, an old friend of my grandfathers and skilled modeler himself. We built the J-Class plank on frame which is the way most wooden boats were constructed. She was launched in 1995 and sailed well along with the other model yachts. The following year I moved to Newmarket with my family. It was my last year of high school and I was fortunate to have a shop teacher, Jon Evans, who (as luck would have it) was also a modeler. He allowed me to do an independent study Page 12 Clare, Ryan and Darrell at the 2002 launch of Isabella, the replica Ryan built of Clare’s 22 sq Meter Stardust and I built a second boat. I spent nearly every lunch and countless days staying after school to complete the Star 45” in time for the end of semester. She was also built plank on frame using western red cedar and sitka spruce. We launched her in the early summer of 1996 at Fairy Lake in downtown Newmarket. After high school I went to college for Industrial Design. I was able to hone a number of my model building skills during this 3 year program. It wasn’t until January of 2002 that I was once again bitten by the building bug. At this time I was working for a Design/Fabrication studio in Toronto that had extensive wood and metal working areas. They allowed us to work on our own side projects after hours and on weekends. I decided it was time to build a replica of the 22 Sq meter boat. Clare still had the plans that Gus Rutherford had drawn up in 1938, so I made copies and got down to planning. I built her out of Redwood and fabricated all the brass fittings myself. I estimate that it took about 750 hours and exactly 4 months to build. She cost about $3500.00 in 2002 (material only). I was able to fabricate everything but the sails and remote controls. The original model that the Rutherford’s built had been a surprise for Clare so I thought it would be fun to do the same. When the model was finished in June of 2002 I crated up the new 22 Sq (Isabella) and drove her down to Port Credit. At that time the models were housed in Clare’s garage so I snuck in and rigged the 22 Sq. It was quite a shock for my grandfather when he came out into the garage and saw the first 22 Sq model built in over 60 years. Over the next few years we enjoyed many magical days sailing at the pond followed by warm summer nights sitting out in the garage talking boats, admiring the models, and listening to Clare’s re- Page 13 Isabella on the water. The Skerry Cruisers are some of the loveliest boats ever built. cords from the 1930 and ‘40s. In 2010, Clare and his wife Laura moved to a retirement residence after living in the Port Credit house since 1960. Again, as luck would have it, my wife and I, along with our 2 daughters, were fortunate enough to be able to purchase the house from my grandparents. Thus the family’s modeling legacy lives on as we continue to sail the models in the pond. Editor’s Afterword After this article was submitted we received the sad news from Ryan that his grandfather, Clare Johnson, had passed away at the age of 92. We offer our sincere condolences to Ryan and all of Clare’s family and friends. If anyone is interested seeing the models sail we typically have a model night at the pond in Saddington Park, Port Credit every Wednesday at 7pm, May thru October. I can be reached at: ryanhunwicks@hotmail.com Ryan Hunwicks Page 14 Earl Boebert “Tex” Foster of the Long Island club readies his M Class Hotcha at Storrow Pond, Boston, in 1939. Foster was a retired vaudeville cowboy who ran a hobby shop in Richmond, N.Y. on Long Island. He made commercial pond boats which occasionally show up on eBay. He also was involved in an abortive attempt to produce a plastic M boat called Tefo in the late 1940s. After years of collecting and searching, this is the first picture of Foster that has turned up. Our thanks to Dave Thibodeau for making this and the next picture available. Page 15 A 13 year old Tom Allen Jr. sails his M Class Cottontail at Redd’s Pond in the late 1930s. Information on the picture indicates that he sailed with his father; in the late 1940s a Col. Tom Allen was instrumental in having the San Diego model boat pond built; we have no idea if there is a connection. Some of the participants at the elimination races in 1928 to choose the American contender for the Yachting Monthly Cup. We have no way of identifying the participants. The second place boat, Patsy, was sent with the first place skipper. She lost the Cup by six inches in the last heat after having been damaged by hitting the wooden bridge at Gosport. Page 16 Two Sonders, big and little, a hundred years apart. The left hand boat is the American Sonder Cima, built in 1910. The right hand boat is my V36 Sonder Blackchin II. (Righthand photo courtesy of Jay Eschenberg) Blackchin II A Sonder-Inspired V36 This is the first part of a two part series of articles on the design and construction of a model which looks like a Sonder Class boat on the water but which also fits within the Vintage 36 High Flyer class rules, albeit as a “fun sailer” and not as a competitive boat. I have loved the looks of the Sonders since I first saw a picture of one many years ago. To me they combine both Edwardian charm and a shape that shouts “all out racing machine.” In 2007 I built a Sonder-inspired VM which I called Blackchin because of the black rubber bumper on its stem. It seemed only logical to call the V36 version Blackchin II. History In the late 1800’s Kaiser Wilhelm II was determined to make Germany a maritime rival to Great Britain. Besides engaging in a naval arms race, Wilhelm sought to encourage a love of the sea in his largely landlocked nation by subsidizing yacht clubs and yacht racing. In 1900 he un- derwrote a new class of racing yachts to compete for a “Special Prize.” This class was called the “Special Class,” or “Sonderklasse” in German; in English they became known as the Sonder Class or Sonder boats. The object of the class was to produce boats that would be affordable for the largely middle-class population of German yacht clubs, be sailed with a crew of two or three, and be challenging enough to develop sailing skills in their crews. The class achieved all of these objectives. The class rule was developed by committee that included an Englishman and was heavily influenced by an existing English class called the “15 Foot” class. The rule was a mixture of fixed limits and design tradeoffs. The sail area was fixed at 550 square feet. The hull form was limited by the rule LWL+Beam+Draft less than 32 feet, with a minimum displacement of 4035 lbs. Owners also had to present invoices proving that the boat cost less than $2400, or about $65,000 in today’s money. There were also restrictions on construction, mainly that the hull have a single Page 17 layer of longitudinal planking. Sonder boats quickly evolved into what is known as the “scow” shape, which produces some of the fastest monohulls possible. The shape consists of a wide, shallow hull much like a surfboard, with long everhangs. They are designed to be sailed at alarming angles of heel to windward, during which the leeward side of the hull submerges and the windward side lifts out of the water, giving a long narrow underwater form like a canoe. To leeward the short waterline reduces the drag produced by wetted area and promotes a near-planing behavior commonly called “surfing.” This speed comes at the cost of seaworthiness. Scows are wet, rough riding boats that pound terribly in any kind of a seaway and today are sailed almost exclusively in the protected waters of inland lakes. The designers and builders of the Sonders compensated for the draft restriction by adopting some of the most advanced lightweight hull construction of the day, as shown in the plan to the left. They pushed this to such a limit that Sonders were known to pound the caulk out of their planking in heavy seas and put themselves in imminent danger of foundering. The main United States fleet was a Marblehead, with a smaller one at New Orleans. There were international races sponsored by United States Presidents, first by Taft and then Teddy Roosevelt. Page 18 Beaver, with her radical “Bat Wing” main, surfs Marblehead Harbor in 1910. Keeping your head down under that big main boom was definitely a good idea. The class was active up until the First World War. Boats were placed in storage and racing began again on European lakes, paused again for the Second World War, and continues to this day. New Sonders were built in the 1990s, including a replica of Nathanael Herreshoff’s Bibelot. Halsey Herreshoff also modernized the design with more freeboard and a modern fin and bulb keel, calling the boat Streaker. It is reputed to be one of the fastest sailboats on Narragansett Bay. The two references for Sonders are The Small Yacht (1911) by Edwin A. Boardman and Segeln Für Den Kaiser (2003) by Klaus Kramer. The Boardman book is a collector’s item; very poor reproductions are available. The Kramer book, in German (“Sailing for the Kaiser”) is magnificent. Page 19 Earl Boebert Bibelot, by Nathanael Herreshoff. Plans copyright the Hart Museum, MIT, and reproduced with permission. Page 20 2012 US VMYG National Regatta Twenty-three skippers competed in the 18th annual US VMYG National Regatta, July 19–22, at historic Redd’s Pond, in Marblehead, Mass. It was hosted by the Marblehead MYC and featured Vintage 36 (V36), Vintage Marblehead (VM), and Classic Marblehead (CM) R/C models. CMs are early 1971 to 1982 AMYA M Class designs. The VMYG’s V36 and VM Traditional (TR) designs cover the 1930 to 1945 Marblehead Class developmental period; the VMYG’s High Flyer (HF) designs are from the 1946 to 1970 period. Winds were ideal, being steady from the northeast for the first three days and from the southwest on the last day, with mainly sunny skies and temperatures in low 80s. In total there were 54 races: 23 races with eight V36 models (no throwouts) and 31 races (one throw-out) for the VM-CM 20-boat fleet. With a combined VM-CM fleet, staggered one-minute starts were used, with the faster AMYA CM boats starting before the VMYG VM TR and HF models. Given the 54 races and the use of a start sequence having one-minute difference between the CM and VM fleets, there was a wide range of total points between CM and VM skippers. Further, race awards for top skippers were predicated on the respective model categories: VM TR and HF designs (two sets), and CM designs. The scorekeepers were Thom McLaughlin and Pete Peterson, who ably supported RD John Snow for the V36 and VM-CM racing respectively. Due to his consistent sailing, Harry Mote took top honors in the V36 and VM TR design groups. Jim Linville and John Skerry won in the V36 and VM HF design categories, respectively. Stan Goodwin topped the four-boat CM group. John Storrow won a tiebreaker over John Stoudt for third place in the VM TR design group. Noteworthy were the five skippers who competed in both regattas and finished all 54 races: Dominick Bonanno, Herb Dreher, Harry Mote, Graham Reeves, and Jim Linville. Two perpetual VMYG non-racing trophies were presented, the winners of which were determined by a vote of their peers at pondside. These are the US VMYG Craftsmanship Trophy, handcrafted by Earl Boebert with a 1920s Stanley wood model plane on an art decostyle marble base, and the Marshall Croft Vintage M’s at the Start Page 21 V36s head for the Windward Mark Sportsmanship Cup, which recognizes an individual who exhibits outstanding peer support qualities. Harry Mote won the Craftsmanship Trophy with his superb scratch-built V36 and VM planked varnished models. The regatta’s UK entrant, Graham Reeves, won the Sportsmanship Cup for his four-days of abundant goodwill. The US VMYG expects to hold its next two National Regattas in Spring Lake, New Jersey, and at the Mystic Seaport Museum in Connecticut, in 2013 and 2014, respectively. In between these two championship events will be the UK-US Challenge Cup Regatta for free-sailed 36R Class vane models, next June, at two historic model yachting venues in the UK. On the first weekend, the event’s free-sail team match racing will be hosted by the Gosport MYC in Portsmouth, which is celebrating its Centennial: 1913– 2013. The following weekend of racing will be in North Wales, with the support of the Coldwyn Bay Model Boat Club. John Snow 2012 US VMYG National Regatta Results Place! Skipper! ! Design! ! Sail!Points V36 High Flyers 1″ Jim Linville”” ” Comet” ” 43″ ” 60 2″ Herb Dreher” ” Comet” ” 42″ ” 61 3″ Earl Boebert” ” Sonder” ” 9″ ” 184 V36 Traditional 1″ Harry Mote”” ” Mote” ” 25″ ” 33 2″ Graham Reeves” ” Chico II”” 18″ ” 91 3″ Pete Peterson” ” Chico II”” 4″ ” 124 4″ Jane Peterson” ” Chico II”” 81″ ” 131 5″ D. Bonanno”” ” Peterson” 79″ ” 148 VM High Flyer 1″ John Skerry”” Magic Dragon” 128″ ” 201 2″ Herb Dreher” ” Sunwind” 96″ ” 205 3″ Biff Martin” ” ” Unknown” 6″ ” 211 4″ Graham Reeves” ” Broom Mod”34″ ” 313 5″ Rob Hill” ” ” Naskaeg” 115″ ” 437 6″ Andy Abrahamson” Naskaeg” 91″ ” WD VM Traditional 1″ Harry Mote”” ” Mote ” ” 25″ ” 277 2″ Alain Jousse” ” Cheerio II” 049″ ” 286 3″ John Storrow” ” Madcap” 206″ ” 294 4″ John Stoudt”” ” Tritonia”” 97″ ” 294 5″ David Nelson” ” Madcap” 120″ ” 306 6″ Rick Laird” ” ” Madcap” 106″ ” 309 7″ Thom McLaughlin” Iduna” ” 374″ ” 340 8″ D. Bonnano”” ” Peterson” 79″ ” 465 9″ Bruce Richter” ” Peony” ” 470″ ” WD 10″ Rob Dutton”” ” Peony” ” 67″ ” WD Classic M 1″ Stan Goodwin” ” Toad” ” 2281″ 47 2″ Jim Linville”” ” Epic” ” 337″ ” 95 3″ Cliff Martin”” ” Epic” ” 1672″ 123 4″ Eddie Wolfe” ” Kisutch”” 33″ ” 155 WD – Withdrew Page 22 In the Boathouse at Calvert 2012 US Vintage Model Yacht Group Traditional Watercraft Regatta The 2012 National Traditional Watercraft regatta was held on September 7 – 9, 2012 at the Calvert Marine Museum, Solomons, Maryland. Three classes were sailed all day Saturday and Sunday morning – vintage schooners under 50”, vintage schooners over 50” and vintage skipjacks. The weather on Saturday was hot with light and shifty winds , with a threat of rain and winds from 0 to 10 kts. Sunday was much cooler with more constant winds from 5 to 10 kts. Participants enjoyed a reception on Friday evening before the regatta and were treated to a chicken and ribs dinner Saturday night. Trophies for the first two positions in each class were handed out at the Sunday lunch under the Drum Point Lighthouse after Sunday morning sailing. Small Schooners at the Mark races. Robb Dutton was second, also with a sharpie schooner. 1st: Harry Mote, Barnegat, New Jersey”” ” 11 pts 2nd: Robb Dutton, Alexandria, Virginia; “” 22 pts 3rd: Ed Hoffman, Locust Grove, Virginia; “24 pts 4th: Tom Younger, St. Leonard, Maryland;”42 pts 5th: Dave Querin, Youngstown, Ohio”” ” ” 47 pts 6th: Ken Stout, White Plains, Maryland”” ” 54 pts Schooners under 50” Schooners over 50” The small schooner class was dominated by Harry Mote with his beautiful sharpie schooner. Harry scored five wins in 11 Alan Suydam sailed his new large schooner Valmore to win all 12 heats of the large schooner class. Second was Dave Page 23 Robb Dutton beat Mike Cavanaugh for first place by Robb having three first place finishes to Mike’s two firsts. Likewise, third went to Harry Mote with four first place finishes to fourth place finisher Tom Younger with two firsts. 1st: Robb Dutton, Alexandria, Virginia” ” ” ” 31 pts Querin’s new schooner Prospero, narrowly beating George Surgent with his sharpie Bay Boy. 2nd: Mike Cavanaugh, Chambersburg, Pa.” 31 pts 1st: Alan Suydam, Solomons, Maryland” ” ” 11 pts 4th: Tom Younger, St Leonard, Maryland”” ” 33 pts 2nd: Dave Querin, Youngstown, Ohio” ” ” ” 30 pts 5th: Butch Garren, Lusby, Maryland”” ” ” ” ” 34 pts 3rd: George Surgent, St Leonard, Maryland”31 pts 6th: Rich Navickas, Lusby, Maryland”” ” ” ” 56 pts 4th: Butch Garrin, Lusby, Maryland”” ” ” ” ” 35 pts 7th: Ken Stout, White Plains, Maryland”” ” ” 74 pts 3rd: Harry Mote, Barnegat, New Jersey”” ” ” 33 pts Skipjacks Alan Suydam Seven skipjacks participated as the largest vintage class of the weekend. Two scoring ties had to be decided for the first and second, and third and fourth positions by the number of first place finishes between the two contestants. In the end, (Top) Skipjacks at the Mark. (Bottom) Large Schooners Driven Hard Page 24 Theo made it a point to come to USVMG regattas at Mystic, the Herreshoff Museum, and elsewhere, and he liked to provide a running commentary on the races over a public address system, which added greatly to the spectator’s enjoyment of these events held at public venues. Eight Bells Theo Houk Fair winds and a following sea. It is with the deepest regret that I must report the passing of Theo Houk after a brief illness on May 16 of this year. Theo Houk was a both a personal friend and a friend of the USVMYG. Theo was born in 1935, the son of the legendary Ted Houk. His father had been an active model yachtsman from the 1930’s to the 1950’s in the Seattle area and was the designer of the legendary Marblehead Class boat Rip Tide. Theo began his model yachting experience as his father’s mate in free sailing races and maintained an interest in model yachting to the end of his life. He was the custodian of his father’s large collection of books, papers, and plans. Theo preserved this material in the highly organized fashion with which his father had saved it. In 2002, with the cooperation of Rod Carr and John Snow, Theo donated all this material to the G.W. Blunt White Library at Mystic Seaport Museum to form the core of the American Model Yachting Collection. The G.W. Blunt White library is an extension of the National Archives and Theo’s generosity, along with later donations, has insured that the history of American model yachting will be preserved and available for generations to come. Theo was a Harvard-trained physicist who enjoyed a long a fruitful career in teaching, academic research, and industry and is named on numerous patents in aerospace and medical physics. His generosity extend to his church work and community service, and he was an avid canoeist and cyclist. We wish to extend our deepest sympathies to Theo’s widow Carol, who accompanied him to many of our regattas, and the rest of his family and friends. Earl Boebert 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 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 Page 25