The Model Yacht: Volume 17, Number 1   Spring 2015

LINCOLN MEMORIAL POOL, WASHINGTON, DC NEWSLETTER OF THE U.S. VINTAGE MODEL YACHT GROUP VOLUME SEVENTEEN, NUMBER ONE Spring 2015 Page 1 NEWSLETTER OF THE U.S. VINTAGE MODEL YACHT GROUP VOLUME SEVENTEEN, NUMBER ONE Spring 2015 Editor’s Welcome Well, we’re back—almost. I have to apologize for the long hiatus in the newsletter. For the last year I have been engaged in writing up a four-year-long study of the Deepwater Horizon explosion in the Gulf of Mexico and the draft manuscript should be at the publisher as you read this. So now I get to retire from being retired. In this issue we provide an excellent regatta report on the 2014 National Regatta, which was an event for the ages. We also reprint one of the best construction articles we have ever run, a wonderful Marblehead called Black Watch. The details of the fittings on this boat are worth study and duplication, as is the boat itself. Sadly, we are missing Mark Steele’s always delightful “Windling World” column owing to Mark’s sad passing last year. It, and he, will be sorely missed. Earl Boebert Ebbs and Flows The President’s Message Vintage Membership US VMYG membership is increasing to $30 for three issues of our newsletter The Model Yacht over fifteen-month period. It is $35 for members outside the US. VMYG’s lifetime membership option is no longer available. 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 $30 or $35 check (payable to US VMYG) to: John Snow, c/o US VMYG, 8 Summit Avenue, Salem, MA 01970. For more information, call John @ 978-594-8521 home or 781-576-9831 cell, or visit the US VMYG Web Site: www.usvmyg.org 2015 US VMYG National Regatta VMYG is coordinating with Marblehead MYC on our “Vintage Model Yachting Days” event for V36 and VM R/C racing class models. It is planned for September 17-20 at Redd’s Pond, which has hosted model free-sail and R/C activities since Page 2 1892. NOR information as 2015 US VMYG National Regatta will be on Marblehead MYC website at http://mmyc.us/ RD is John Snow at October 17-18: Bill Bithell Cup VM Invitational Regatta (10/17) and Marblehead MYC Chowder Race (10/18) open regatta (including VMs) at Redd’s Pond, Marblehead. VMYG Resource Material jsnowj@comcast.net Visit the US VMYG website at or 978-594-8521. www.usvmyg.org 2015 Vintage Activities VMYG in coordination with AMYA is also supporting the following vintage model sailing activities in Eastern US: Chester Springs MYC VM club racing every third Wednesday monthly in Downingtown, PA; check CSMYC website for dates: http://bit.ly/1BIG0kC Marblehead MYC VM club racing one Saturday monthly at Redd’s Pond, MA open to all VM skippers; check MMYC website for dates: http://mmyc.us/ April 18-19: Tenth Woods Hole Model Boat Show in Woods Hole, MA with various type models and lectures; includes AMYA Open Regatta (4/18) at Eel Pond plus AMYA / VMYG indoor model exhibit in Community Hall. Contact woods hole historical@hotmail.com or Jim Linville at linvillejim@gmail.com and John Snow at jsnowj@comcast.net for more details. Summer Series of WoodenBoat School vintage pond yacht courses at Brooklin, ME by VMYG’s Thom McLaughlin, Alan Suydam and John Stoudt. Check WBS website. 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 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 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 design 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 rest of world. It is a “how to” vintage model building book by Charles Farley describing plank-onframe methods used for 1940s model yacht racing class designs with modern 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. June 6: Bill Full Cup VM Invitational Regatta at Redd’s Pond, Marblehead, MA. Page 3 John Snow USVMYG National Championship Regatta Report to and from the drop off area and the parking lot. The United States Vintage Model Yacht Group celebrated its 20th year with the national championship regatta, hosted by the Chester Springs Model Yacht Club (CSMYC) at Marsh Creek State Park, Downingtown, PA. The regatta took place September 25 – 28, 2014 with 31 participants sailing 57 boats in the four events. Marsh Creek State Park is a Pennsylvania state park covering 1705 acres in Chester County. Marsh Creek Lake where CSMYC sails is a 535 acre man-made lake. Celebrating 20 Years On May 16, 1994, Russell Potts from London, England, founder of the Vintage Model Yacht Group (England), spoke at a meeting of 140 interested people. The dinner meeting took place at the Boston Yacht Club in Marblehead, Massachusetts. This led to the formation of the United State Vintage Model Yacht Group at the end of that year by the nine founders; Earl Boebert, Les Conner, Jim Dolan, Wayne George, Stan Goodwin, JR LeBlanc, John Snow, Charlie Williamson, and Greg Worth. The original members of the US VMYG are Earl Boebert, Jim Dolan, Thom McLaughlin, Harry Mote, Charlie Roden, and Alan Suydam. Regatta Committee The regatta committee was made up of twenty individuals including the regatta director’s daughter and two grand children (school holiday) who helped with setup and registration. The committee worked well with the park staff to ensure the venue was ready; setting up tables, canopies, organizing the registration area, and bringing the supplies and equipment necessary to run the regatta. We also employed a Gator (4 wheel drive utility vehicle) to ferry individuals and their boats The regatta committee was made up of Tom Alessi, Dick Bardsley, Martin Blumenthal, Alex Bugg, Cassie Bugg, Melinda Bugg, Jim Flach, George Graham, Jim Hall, Adele Kathman, John Kathman, Steve LaBrenz, Nick Mortgu, Candace Stoudt, Brad Tate, Ivor Walton, Janet Werner, and Tom Werner. Special thanks go out to the regatta committee and especially my wife, Candace, and CSMYC vice commodore, Tom Werner, for all of their effort and support throughout this regatta and its planning. Regatta Festivities The regatta also boasted other activities for the participants and their spouses. There were two trips to local attractions on Friday and Saturday. Friday Janet Werner and Adele Kathman took spouses to the Brandywine River Art Museum to view the collection which includes many Andrew Wyeth and Jamie Wyeth paintings and illustrations. On Saturday, Janet Werner and Candace Stoudt took the spouses to Longwood Gardens, one of the top gardens in the world. There was a regatta picnic, organized by Candace Stoudt, on Friday evening with great picnic fare, many give-a-ways, and a decorated sheet cake (regatta theme) provided by Jim Hall. On Saturday evening the regatta dinner was held at a local restaurant at which time various awards were given out including the Sportsmanship Award to Thom McLaughlin; the Craftsmanship Award to Bruce Richter; Founders Fwards to John Snow, Earl Boebert, Jim Dolan, and Stan Goodwin; distance traveled award to Charlie Blume (1061 miles by car); a special award to Russell Potts; and, an award to WoodenBoat School for its years of support. There was a Chinese Auction, Silent Auction and an auction to the highest bidder Page 4 of the original piece of art. Many great items were in the auction including nautical jewelry, US VMYG clothing, pond yacht books, a model kit, plans CDs, gift certificates, a boom vang, pond yacht plans, and other items. Each skipper received a printed carry-all bag, a commemorative poster, and a 20th anniversary mug. Art Work Candace Stoudt prepared a beautiful piece of mixed media art for the regatta. This commemorated the twenty years of US VMYG and was used to make reproductions (copies) for each participant. The original piece of art was auctioned off at the banquet. Skip Hall from Neptune New Jersey was the high bidder for the original. This poster commemorated the event, founders, venues, Russell Potts and the 20th year celebration. Skipjack Event The skipjack event was scheduled for half a day, Thursday afternoon. We started sailing with the wind coming from the north-east, with a one lap windward leeward course. Because of the high winds the course was set up in a protected cove next to our normal race course area. The start line was set off of the state ranger dock with a windward mark near a tree line, an offset mark near the wind line out in the lake, and a leeward mark set to the left of the start line forming a triangular course. One-lap races were sailed which proved to be challenging with the high wind and the light air near the tree line. CSMYG Members Sailing The CSMYC is a four and one half year old club sailing Soling 1 Meter boats and vintage Marbleheads with twenty eight members and an email list of forty five interested parties. It has two women sailing in the group with the potential for another joining soon. CSMYC had a very good representation in the regatta. Eight members sailed their own or borrowed Marblehead (50/800) boats; Tom Alessi (Madcap), Richard Bardsley (Cheerio II), Martin Blumenthal (Rusticator), Steve LaBrenz (Cheerio II), John Kathman (Sun Kiss), Nick Mortgu (Tritonia II), John Stoudt (Tritonia), Ivor Walton (Madcap). Regatta Photographs Three photographers covered the regatta; Judy Bonanno, Jim Flach, and Jim Hall. You can see their amazing photographs at: smu.gs/1Gk0p3Z (Jim Flach) Eight boats were entered with one boat not making the first start due to technical problems. Alan Suydam dominated the racing with Mike Cavanaugh finishing second and John Stoudt third. Date: September 25th, afternoon http://smu.gs/1Buo4Kg (Judy Bonnano) http://smu.gs/1HXQm5J (Jim Hall) Skipjacks look awkward out of the water, sail like witches on it. John Stoudt’s boat. Entries: 7 (with no drop out) Winds: 8-12 mph gusting to 18 with steady rain Page 5 Races completed: 7 Race Committee: John Snow, RD; Skip Hall; John Kathman Schooner Event The vintage schooner event was scheduled for half a day Friday morning, but was shortened a little due to lack of early morning wind. We finally got started when the wind filled in from the north-east, and a two-lap, windward leeward course was sailed for the rest of the morning. Domenick Bonanno won the under fifty fin class. Date: September 26th, morning Entries: 8 Winds: 3-7 mph with gusts to 15, mostly sunny. Races completed: 8 Race Committee: Ivor Walton, RD; Skip Hall; Tom Alessi Vintage 36 Event The vintage 36 event was scheduled for two half days Friday afternoon and Saturday morning. We started on time with the wind from the north-east. A oneThings get tight with the schooners. John Eight boats were lap, windward leeentered and all four Stoudt’s beautiful Valmore and Harry Mote’s ward course was schooner classes Mistral in the foreground. sailed both days. were represented – Saturday morning fin and bulb under we had to hold the start until the wind fifty inches, and fin and bulb over fifty built in from the north-east. inches. Because of the small fleet, we ran all the boats together regardless of size. It Thirteen boats were entered and all made made for some impressive views of these it to the line while some dropped out beautiful sailing craft. during the race series. A total of 8 races were completed. The most competitive fleet was the under fifty bulb with four boats sailing. Harry Mote was the clear winner with 7 wins. A total of 12 races were completed with Harry Mote winning by three points over Herb Dreher. Nick Mortgu placed third one point ahead of Bill Ewing. V36’s at the start. A nice class of economical, transportable wooden boats. Page 6 Date: September 26th, afternoon, and September 27th, morning. Entries: 13 Winds: 3-7 mph with gusts to 10, clear blue skies (Friday), 1-3 mph light air, clear blue skies (Saturday) Races completed: 12 Race Committee: Alan Suydam, RD; Skip Hall; Martin Blumenthal Vintage Marblehead The Marblehead event was scheduled for Saturday afternoon and Sunday morning. It included high flyer group and the traditional group. A total of 27 boats were entered in the event with 7 high flyer and 20 traditional boats racing. winds out of the south-west, calm to 1-2 mph. A one-lap, leeward windward course was sailed both days. Two races were sailed Sunday morning that took over two hours to complete. The traditional VM series was won by Ivor Walton for the second straight year with Harry Mote finishing second. Thom McLaughlin nudged out John Stoudt for third by one point. The high flyer VM series was won by Herb Dreher with John Snow finishing second ahead of Jamey Betz, third, who was sailing his newly acquired boat. Date: September 27th, afternoon and September 28th, morning Entries: 27; 20 traditional and 7 high flyer All twenty seven boats entered in this event made it to the line. Dave Brawner’s “CESS pool” system was used to split the fleet. Each boat raced two of every three races. Twelve total races were completed with every boat getting in eight races. Winds: 2-4 mph light air, clear blue skies (Saturday), 0-2 mph light air, clear blue skies (Sunday) Saturday afternoon winds out of the north-east were light with the Sunday Race Committee: David Brawner, RD; Skip Hall; Brad Tate, Alan Suydam Races completed: each boat) 12 (7 completed by VM skippers concentrate on their sail trim in the light air, as their boats struggle to the windward mark Page 7 Regatta Highlights Race within the Race – Tritonia the oldest boat in the regatta (1934) sailed in the vintage Marblehead fleet. She had competition from Tritonia II (Zeearend) owned by Nick Mortgu and built by Alan Suydam. Tritonia is a competitive older boat. The owner John Stoudt wanted to see if a redesign of Tritonia was possible. So in the Elements of Boat Design class at WoodenBoat School under the direction of boat builder/designer John Brooks, he redesigned Tritonia – increasing the freeboard by 1/4”, redesigning the keel and skeg area, widening the stern and adding a little more crown to the deck. These boats were often seen in the water neckin-neck, changing position and sailing well. School is still out on which boat is faster according to Alan Suydam who says “it is too early to tell”. John Snow – John, president of the US VMYG, from Salem, Massachusetts, had not sailed in a national event for six years. This year he brought his Broom high flyer to Pennsylvania, and placed second, one point behind Herb Dreher in the high flyer event. Earl Boebert – Earl, from Albuquerque, New Mexico, US VMYG historian and newsletter editor, sailed the high flyer Rip Tide that he built, now owned by Jim Linville. Jim very graciously allowed Earl to participate by bringing this boat along to the regatta. Thom McLaughlin – Thom sailed two new designs in the regatta. His vintage 36/600, Contagious Magic and his Vintage Marblehead 50/800, Norumbega, finished 5th and 2nd respectively. Thom teaches the Marblehead construction classes at WBS. Jamey Betz – Just off of an EC12 National Championship 1st place win at Chicago race week, Jamey sailed the boat he recently acquired, built by Dr. Susan Kline of Connecticut, to a third place finish. Skippers by State – There were skippers from Connecticut, Florida, Indiana, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, New Jersey, New Hampshire, New Mexico, New York, Pennsylvania, and Virginia. The Boats and the Builders – V36/600 class is a traditional keel sloop class that is based on full keel model yacht designs and design concepts prior to 1945. Vintage Marblehead 50/800 is defined as a Marblehead model pond yacht having the characteristics of a 1930 to 1970 Marblehead model yacht, with the traditional group 1945 and earlier and the high flyer 1970 and earlier. The schooner is a scale model of a real schooner designed or built before 1940, with no design modifications to enhance performance, except that the rudder may be enlarged 50% to enhance steering with radio control. Often these boats are built using the plank-on-frame method with many boasting beautiful planked decks. The handmade brass fittings are fitted on nicely crafted wooden spars. All of the boats in the regatta were built or restored by their skipper or in some cases acquired from someone else who built/ restored the boat. There were nine scratch built boats being sailed by students from WBS. Five of Alan Suydam’s scratch built boats were being sailed either by himself or someone else in the regatta. Harry Mote sailed four of his scratch built boats, while John Stoudt had three scratch built and three restored boats racing in the regatta. Rob Dutton built the three he sailed in the regatta while Tim Toepel had a scratch built, a kit built, and a restoration sailing. John Kathman had three scratch built boats sailing. Andy Abrahamson, Herb Dreher, Jim Linville, Bill Sysyn, Ivor Walton, and Alden Whitehead had two scratch built/restored boats sailing. Others had one boat they built and sailed in the regatta. Comments by the Skippers – Page 8 “Was your photographer a professional? Those photographs were amazing!” -Alan Suydam “Askew and unpredictable winds!” — Thom McLaughlin sailing “I built the boat last winter. Launched it in March of this year. I built the original in 1973 form plans I got from George Bersuch. He was a long time member of the Mill Pond club. When I met Tom McLaughlin in Tampa last year, he got my old memories going so I dug out the plans and built it.” — Charlie Blume “I found the bare 36″ hull on Crag’s list under “nautical decor”. It had been built as a free sailer in 1961 in a Detroit Public School but never completed. I converted the boat to RC and finished it a few months ago. Perhaps it was simultaneously the “newest” and the “oldest” boat in the 36″ fleet. The Nationals was it’s coming out party. I want to say again what a great time I had! Dee thoroughly enjoyed herself also.” — Tim Toepel Come Sail with Us! The CSMYC was honored to be able to host the 20th annual regatta of the US VMYG. It was fun and challenging for one and all. The CSMYC would love to have you come join us at the lake. More information is available at: http://bit.ly/1BIG0kC A special thanks to all for making this a memorable event. WoodenBoat School (WBS) WBS has been a supporter of the building and sailing of wooden pond yachts for sixteen years. Located in Brooklin, Maine, WBS has offered courses in the construction of vintage 36/600 and Marblehead (50/800) class pond yachts, as well as, classes in sailing pond yachts and sail making for pond yachts. “I hope everyone had as much fun as I did this past weekend sailing at VMYG Nationals. Thank you all from a newcomer to your group!” – Nick Mortgu “Earl Boebert built the hull of the 50″ Rip Tide he sailed. I converted it from free sailer to RC (deck, hatches, rig, etc.).” – Jim Linville “My 36/600 was built by Pete Peterson in 2009. I have re-varnished the deck and epoxied the inside of the boat to stop it from taking on water.” – Bill Sysyn “Your volunteers did an excellent job – they were always there to do their jobs, despite the fact that some of them participated in the sailing, and they were always ready to go the extra mile with enthusiasm and courtesy. So, congratulations and thank you to you and your club members for a fabulous regatta.” – Harry Mote Page 9 Thom McLaughlin and his award for over 15 years of effort in spreading the art and craft of wooden model yacht building. The 2015 schedule will offer two classes in Marblehead construction, a sail making class, and a pond yacht sailing class. For more information go to: http://www.thewoodenboatschool.com/ Nine of the twenty seven boats sailing in the V36/800 and VM 50/800 events were built at WBS. Here is the list of classes. WBS started offering Pond Yacht classes in 1999 With Thom McLaughlin’s Building Vintage Pond Yachts. Since then we have offered… Building the 36″ Radio-Controlled Pond Yacht Vintage Pond Yachts Part II Paddles & Pond Yachts Sailing Radio-Controlled Pond Yachts Build Your Own Plank-on-Frame Pond Yacht Build & Sail Your Own 36″ RadioControlled Pond Yacht Elements of Sailing Radio-Controlled Pond Yachts Build Your Own Plank Constructed Pond Yacht Sailmaking for Pond Yacht Owners Instructors have included Thom McLaughlin, Alan Suydam, Geoff Burke, and John Stoudt. Courses for 2015 include: Build Your Own Plank Constructed Pond Yacht with Thom McLaughlin – July 5-11 Vintage Pond Yachts Part II with Thom McLaughlin – July 12-18 Sailmaking for Pond Yacht Owners with Alan Suydam – August 30-September 5 Elements of Sailing Radio-Controlled Pond Yachts with John Stoudt – September 6-12 The Craftsmanship Award Each year, since its inception in 1999, Earl Boebert, the US VMYG historian and newsletter editor, has provided the craftsmanship award. He acquires a Stanley 101 plane (an antique, this year circa 1918) and restores it. Then he magnetically mounts it on to a beautiful base, making the plane available for use. The award is then given to the builder/sailor of the boat selected, as the most well crafted, by all of the skippers who are sailing in the event. This year’s award went to Bruce Richter of Manhattan who sails with the Central Park Model Yacht Club. We are still not sure where Bruce works on his boats. The full list of award winners is: 1999 – Detroit, Peterson MI: Harold “Pete” 2000 – Marblehead, MA: Al Hubbard 2001 – Tampa, FL: Alan Suydam Page 10 2002 – Spring Lake, NJ: Harold “Pete” Peterson 2001 – Tampa, FL: Earl Boebert 2003 Peterson 2003 – Detroit, MI: Alan Suydam Detroit, MI: Harold “Pete” 2004 – Newport News, VA: John Atwood 2004 – Newport News, VA: Harry Mote 2005 – Solomons, MD: Parker McClellan 2005 – Spring Lake, NJ: Harry Mote 2006 – Spring McLaughlin Lake, NJ: 2002 – Spring Lake, NJ: Dale Wenniger 2006 – Solomons, MD: Dave Querin Thom 2007 – Marblehead, MA: Earl Boebert 2007 – Marblehead, MA: Harry Mote 2008 Spring McLaughlin 2008 – Spring Lake, NJ: Bruce Richter 2009 – Solomons, MD: Thomas Younger NJ: Thom 2011 – Spring Lake, NJ: Harry and Alice Mote 2010 – Mystic, CT: Harry Mote Lake, NJ: 2010 – Mystic, CT: Andrew Charters 2009 – Solomons, MD: Harry Mote 2011 Spring McLaughlin Lake, Thom 2012 – Marblehead, MA: Graham Reeves 2012 – Marblehead, MA: Harry Mote 2013 Spring Lake, NJ: Domenick Bonnano 2013 – Spring Lake, NJ: Bruce Richter 2014 – Downingtown, McLaughlin 2014 – Downingtown, PA: Bruce Richter *Name on Plaque PA: Thom National Regattas (1995-2014) The Marshall Croft Sportsmanship Award Marshall Croft was an active pond boat sailor and builder actively involved in the sport beginning in the early 1930’s. The Marshall Croft Sportsmanship Award annually recognizes an individual for exhibiting outstanding peer supportive qualities in the model yachting community. This encompasses the practice of good sportsmanship, judicious sailing, assistance to the recipient’s comrades, and/or exceptional contributions to the well being of the sport of vintage pond yachts during the US Vintage Model Yacht Group National Regatta or over an extended period of time. A committee of his peers selected Thom McLaughlin for the 2014 award. 2000 – Marblehead, MA: Earl Boebert, Jim Dolan, Ben Martin, John Snow* Over the years the national regattas have been held at the following locations. 1995 – Redd’s Pond, Marblehead, MA (VM) 1996 – Spring Lake, Spring Lake, NJ (VM) 1997 – Redd’s Pond, Marblehead, MA (VM) 1998 – Spring Lake, Spring Lake, NJ (VM & Schooner) 1999 – Independence Oaks County Park, Clarkston, MI (VM, V36 & Schooner) 2000 – Redd’s Pond, Marblehead, MA (VM & V36) Spring Lake, Spring Lake, NJ (Schooner & Skipjack) 2001 – Henry Plant Museum, Tampa, FL (VM) Page 11 Mystic Seaport Museum, Mystic, CT (Schooner) Awards were presented to the active founders marked with a * below. 2002 – Spring Lake, Spring Lake, NJ (VM & Schooner) FOUNDERS 2003 – Joseph Delia City Park, Sterling Heights, MI (VM &V36) Earl Boebert* Les Conner Calvert Marine Museum, Solomons, MD (Schooner) Jim Dolan* 2004 – Mariner’s Museum, Newport News, VA (VM, V36 & Schooner) Stan Goodwin* 2005 – Spring Lake, Spring Lake, NJ (VM, V36) John Snow* Wayne George JR LeBlanc Calvert Marine Museum, Solomons, MD (VM, V36, Schooner, Open) Charlie Williamson 2006 – Spring Lake, Spring Lake, NJ (VM &V36) Original members were acknowledged at the banquet. Calvert Marine Museum, Solomons, MD (Schooner, Skipjack, VM) ORIGINAL MEMBERS (1995) 2007 – Redd’s Pond, Marblehead, MA (VM, V36) Greg Worth Earl Boebert Jim Dolan 2008 – Spring Lake, Spring Lake, NJ (VM, V36) Thom McLaughlin 2009 – Calvert Marine Museum, Solomons, MD (VM, V36, Schooner, & Skipjack) Charlie Roden 2010 – Mystic Seaport Museum, Mystic, CT (VM, V36 & Schooner) 2011 – Spring Lake, Spring Lake, NJ (VM, V36 & Schooner) 2012 – Redd’s Pond, Marblehead, MA (VM, CM & V36) Calvert Marine Museum, Solomons, MD (Schooner & Skipjack) 2013 – Spring Lake, Spring Lake, NJ (VM & V36) 2014 – Marsh Creek State Park, Downingtown, PA (VM, V36 & Schooner & Skipjack) United States Vintage Model Yacht Group December (1994), Marblehead, MA Harry Mote Alan Suydam Special Award A special thanks to Russell Potts of the UK Vintage Group for the motivation to start the USVMYG at a speech given at the Boston Yacht Club (Marblehead, MA) meeting on May 16, 1994. This letter was sent with the award to Russell Potts by John Snow, President, US VMYG Dear Russell, It is my honor as US VMYG President to recognize your instrumental role as then Chairman of the UK VMYG through your motivational speech at the dais during our May 16, 1994 regatta dinner marking “One Hundred Years of Marblehead Model Yachting at Redd’s Pond”. Your speech provided Page 12 us the impetus for planning and forming the US VMYG in December 1994 based on the UK VMYG’s charter from 1987. This event was held at Boston Yacht Club in Marblehead where you shared the dais with then President of the Herreshoff Marine Museum, Halsey Herreshoff, nephew of the great Captain Nat Herreshoff of Bristol, Rhode Island fame.” Wishing You Fair “Free-Sailing” Model Winds for Your Deserving Retirement! John Snow President, US VMYG As a member of the USVMYG I was honoured to make this presentation on your behalf and was pleased to read out to the assembled members, your kind words of respect and appreciation for the inspiration Russell gave to the US model yacht sailors in 1994. I am sure the presentation came as a total surprise to Russell and a copy of his note of appreciation to you is attached. Photos were taken by our new TP Editor, Charles Smith and I will send a copy of these in a following email. My personal thanks John for your very kind thought in this regard. All best wishes, Martin John Snow received this response from Russell Potts Dear John Yesterday the UK VG held its last sailing day of the season at Clapham and Martin surprised us all by producing the plaque which the US group had sent over. It was completely unexpected by me and thus all the more appreciated. You do me too much honour. As I recall, all I did was to suggest that a small organisational effort would get the thing off the ground in 1994. Nonetheless, if you want to think I made a contribution I’m not going to argue with you. Please convey my gratitude to your members and wish them many further years of enjoyment from their old boats. Russell Potts accepts his award from USVMYG member Martin Bandey Regards John received this email from Martin Bandey of the VMYG. Russell Dear John, The presentation to Russell of your USVMYG Directors Award was made at our VMYG “Sailing Days” meeting held at Clapham Long Pond on the 26th October. Page 13 John Stoudt and Ivor Walton symmetric hull. Duncan’s layout differs from most in that he has a single lift straddling the centerline of the boat; most designers place two lifts there so that the glue seam between them forms a permanent center line. If you are going to build the boat with a carved hull you will need to produce a fullsize set of lines with the buttock spacing matching the thickness of your stock. Now the lines printed here have had a pretty hard life; originally drawn, reduced and printed on low quality paper, stored in unknown conditions of temperature and humidity for seventy years, scanned and printed again. Distortion is inevitable, and will be magnified when you enlarge the plans 600% at your local copy or blueprint shop. The way to reproduce the original lines is to first lay out a grid on you drawing paper, with stations spaced 5 in, waterlines at 1 in and buttock lines at 1 ⅛ in. Then cut the full size plan apart at the section lines (and waterlines if the deviation is too much) paste the parts onto the drawing, aligning their reference lines to those you have drawn. Then lay tracing paper over that and draw fair curves with battens. Black Watch John B. Duncan was a trained naval architect and a veteran of the British Army, where he rose to the rank of Major. A Scotsman by birth, he gave all his boats names reminiscent of the Auld Country, such as Black Watch documented here. This boat was the subject of a two-part article in The Model Craftsman for September and October 1938. The hull design shows the likely influence of Admiral Turner’s Metacentric Shelf approach and will therefore produce a nicely balanced craft that will sail easily either free or under radio control. The broad transom is definitely ahead of its time. The sails are shown lashed to the booms, something that was very out of date by 1938. Other than that she is a very conventional boat for her period, but her great charm lies in the details, particularly of the fittings. Duncan shows the boat as being constructed with a carved hull, built up on the vertical lift (buttocks) method. This approach has two great advantages over the horizontal lift or waterlines method: it is more economical of wood and it makes it much easier to carve a No sail plan or dimensions are given in the article, but scaling off the profile drawing yields the following: Main Luff: 60 in Main Leach: 61 ½ in Main Foot: 20 ½ in Jib Luff: 35 ½ in Jib Leach: 35 in Jib Foot: 11 in Using the M class measurement formulae we get a 600 sq in main and 176 sq in jib, which is typical for the era. The standing rigging consists of fore and back stays, a jib stay, and two side stays, a lower fixed forward of the mast and an upper fixed aft of the mast. The running rigging is a full-up Braine steering system with jib steering and guying options. Sailing a boat with these rigs is described in Volume 11 Number Two of The Model Yacht. Page 14 Page 15 Page 16 Page 17 The real charm of this boat lies in the design of the fittings. Duncan’s military background definitely shows in the clever use of 30 caliber shell casings to cap the ends of the spars. Everything is neat, seamanlike, and indicative of an experienced model yachtsman. Note the accommodation for stowage of the guying sheets and for the shrouds when the rig is taken down. These drawings are copyright Carstens Publication and are excerpted here for purposes of research and education. Design by John B. Duncan (1938) Page 18 Page 19 Page 20 Page 21 Page 22 ran the Mark Steele Challenge for the world’s smallest schooner. We offer our condolences to Mark’s family and and his multitude of friends. We know he would have wanted to leave us with a smile, and so we offer the cartoon below to honor his contributions and most importantly, his spirit. Earl Boebert Mark Steele 1934-2014 It is with great sadness and regret that I must notify our readers of the passing of Mark Steele, longtime friend of The Model Yacht and contributor of his always delightful “Windling World” column. I first began corresponding with Mark in the 1990s when the USVMYG was starting and he was publishing his Windling World magazine. In 1998, Mark kindly helped us spend a two-hour layover at the Aukland airport (between 5 and 7 AM!) on our way to Christchurch. In 2006 Mark decided that printing and binding his magazine was getting too burdensome and graciously agreed to grace our pages with his delightful musing on the topic of sailing little boats for sheer enjoyment—the model yachting equivalent of cruising, which he called “windling.” Mark had developed contacts all over the world and for every issue he managed to find great pictures of great little boats, all described with his gentle and puckish sense of humor. I think the high point of his contributions was when he The Model Yacht is published by the U.S. Vintage Model Yacht Group. Copyright 1998 to 2015 U.S.V.M.Y.G. Reproduction for noncommercial purposes permitted; all other rights reserved. Other copyrights are maintained by the original holders and such material is used here under the fair use provisions of the relevant copyright acts for nonprofit research and educational purposes. Editorial Address: 9219 Flushing Meadows NE Albuquerque NM 87111 Email: boebert@swcp.com Phone: 505 823 1046 Page 23