Windling World: December 1998

At the helm The demise of this publication would be a pity, though perhaps it is a presumption on my part to be saying so. Therefore blame it on the mate. Abel who is already manning the scissors ! He said it !! My Trimming the boat! Windling World is now three and a half, and put in nautical terms, “voyage costs continue to outstrip income gained from carrying cargo.’ Suffice to say that 1 won’t compromise by presenting cheap and unrecognisable scanned photos and If we are to continue therefore, Captain and stuffed First Mate must trim the vessel and have seen the need between now and the April issue to carry out a wee’refit’.It is that time of year anyway when the majority of subs are up for renewal. | certainly hope that we will be able to keep WW going, which depends largely on subscriber support, so your prompt renewal cheques are invited as we chart our course now for the APRIL 1999 issue. The new WW ? Same quantity of pages and with certainly a fair swag of photos – perhaps just not quite as many, plus a few other cost-cutting measures Our Sincere Christmas which wishes to most readers won’t CO even notice. all our remaining aim is to convert you to the benefits of mucking about with model sailing boats, and WW is the only ‘promoter’ of that gentle art form . When used for the gains of relaxation and fun, there , “TRIM WHERE ? “In a world where some people go ballistic at the drop of a hat – even while having fun, the pond or lake of windling is like an oasis in the desert” Mark Steele is also a wonderful added value spin off in the area of friendship bonding. May | conclude by thanking all of you who have shown true interest in Windling World, and extend to all my friends, warmest wishes for Christmas and the new year. veaders / Mark Steele Publisher/Editor Of Canadian history and legend…Bartlett’s flyer ! Alex Bartlett of Auckland – one of our Ancient Marinerssailing group was so taken by the legendary Canadian schooner Bluenose, he painstakingly set about to create a 1/40th scale RC version. The result of his two years of spare time labour is not only a beautiful piece of workmanship with it’s hull made of 6mm X 3mm planks of Fijian Mahogany, but the boat is reliable and goes like the clappers. Built from a a 1920 plan by W.L.Roue, Alex’s Bluenose (also seen on the cover) has had all timber finished with several coats of International Spar varnish. The Mahogany planks The were edge-glued and tree. nailed to sawn marine ply frames = which were doubled in number in order to keep lines fair. Deck rails and trim are in Kauri ply with planks drawn on, and in order to save weight, the spars are of cedar. nosin’ The tree nails of 1mm in diameter were produced amid much swearing, by drawing 2mm X 300mm Mahogany strips through 11 incremental holes from 1mm to 2mm drilled in hacksaw blade. The boat goes so well and looks so realistic on the water, literally punching the ripple waves in rough idler Alex & Bluenose. conditions with apparent vengeance and commitment to progress. Like many models of her kind she needs ballast of the type not guaranteed to rupture model yacht sailors, and this is done by use of a 350mm long removable keel with a 500 gram lead bulb. And what of the fullsize and very famous Bluenose 2? In her time one of the fastest sailing ships afloat, she captured Canadian hearts and sailed into legendary acclaim by defeating allcomers in the International Fishermen’s schooner races of (continued on page 4) the 1920’s and 1930’s. In her last race Bluenose logged an average speed of 14.15 knots, at that time the fastest pace over ——, «a:~ fixed course a by boat under canvas. Bluenose in 1931, the photo by Wallace R MacAskill reproduced kind courtesy of National Art Limited, NovaScotia, Canada. Designed by William Roue, the vessel had to spend a season fishing the grand banks and she was launched in 1921.Save was she spars her for constructed of Nova Scotia wood. In 1935 she was sailed to Plymouth, England to represent Canada at the Silver Jubilee celebrations, ending her days in 1946, when she hit a reef off Haiti and sank, as Canadians mourned her demise. Bluenose – a schooner never to be forgotten ! John Jamieson of Palmerston North, situated in the Manawatu region in the centre of the lower North Island of New Zealand this year completed his first RC boat one of the new design EC-12’s. He is seen above with the model called GHOST Il- as a boy he used to sail a P Class called GHOST. John who is a really nice guy, now sails with another subscriber Roy Darby in the lagoon at Palmerston, and sometimes at Wanganui. He pays tribute to the help given him by Napier EC12 Owners Association President Paul Simmonds, and_ the encouragement and assistance of Peter Clark who made the deck and the rigging fittings, (the latter out of brass) ,and John Channon of Wanganui. Windling World’s answer to the OSCAR’s… “Abel’s” to Euan and lanfor endeavour and excellence !! Every area of activity should be recognised by way of laurel | believe, and the gentle art of involvement with sailing models should not be an exception. An additional Abel went to lan Hunt of Sydney, NSW, AUSTRALIA – for his magnificent 7’9” long square rigger ,County of Inverness – the result of ten thousand hours of construction over sixteen years This magazine of course Ma KS already recognises those who windle and the boats they windle with, but two particular readers’ great achievements proved to be the ‘flashpoint’ for the publisher’s introduction of our own kind of ~Grammy’ or “Oscar’…the Excellence Abel… A Bestowed Laurel, if you get my drift. le _and seven months. The boat was documented in both the December 1997 and August 1998 issues of WW. Abel’s ; The first of two medallions went to Euan Sarginson of Christchurch – see the story of his crossing of Cook Strait in the August issue – for his spirit, endeavour and achievement, and he is seen above on June 17th with his Abel and WW’s Publisher/Editor. lan’s award was presented to him on my behalf by his good lady, and the recipient is shown above. This humble magazine while it liveth, has shown to two friends that ‘what they did’ was considered significant and worthy of humble accolade. The ‘bronzish’ Abel (probably emanating from a condemned once proud Ford Falcon in a Taiwan back alley) is best summed up by saying – it is after all, the thought that counts {\ ain’t it chaps ? Firstly, although we call each other ‘brother’, Washingtonian George Steele and | are not related – just friends, fellow sharers of the surname and fellow aficionados of the gentle art form of model sailboating. George also wants me to stress that his modelling experience is very modest, in fact he is not yet into RC, instead allowing his imagination to guide him towards free flowing creations freesailed purely for his personal delight. Born in 1930 he graduated with an MA in International Relations in ~52, spent two years (without fighting) on active duty with the US Army in Korea, and then 32 years as a lawyer. He fondly sca remembers two years spent at General Dynamics electric boat division in Connecticut, a further two in Massachusetts where * Rhonda class called Eos after the Greek Goddess of Dawn. On the model boat side he sails a couple of boats he has built, Ray – a 47 inch in length deep keel schooner seen above and Tsunami, a lengthy full displacement square rigged boat seen below left. For a few years ,George, who sails with the Great Schooner Model Society, (see August issue) was editor of the Colonial Maritime Association newsletter, and his literary achievements include a beautifully produced publication A PRIMER ON SAILING SQUARE RIGGED SHIPS FROM 1492 TO 1640. George Steele, valued reader and supporter of WW, is of the stuff that true enthusiasts are made. Someday | hope the two Steeles will meet, until such time his many letters from Washington must suffice, he worked fulltime on legal problems relating to submarines and navy surface ships. He started sailing with a dinghy in “43, following this with several small sloops and a small schooner. He now has a 39 foot Phil Bolger designed schooner of the On the cover. Aucklander Alex Bartlett’s Bluenose schooner (photo by the _ editor), She is sailed regularly at Onepoto as part of the Ancient Mariners Thursday fleet. The Southwater Dabblers Model Boat Club / s k c u d e h t h t i w g Dobhblin In Horsham, West Sussex, U.K, Alan Colson who is Secretary of the rather intriguingly named club tells me: “One of our founder members entered a steering competition in 1991 (organised by another reasonably local club),and when asked which club he represented replied: | do not belong to a club – a few friends and | just dabble with the ducks at the Southwater Country Park – and that is how the club got its name and logo’. Formation of a club followed in 1992, a club that now has 140 members, a club that caters for one metre and 6metre yachts as well as scale sail. They are also a club that in 1997 & 1998 raised large sums Club Chairman Jim Baker with his Norfolk Wherry. Above, left to right. John Hyde with French fishing smack; inset: Dolphin hulled ketch of Keith Tyson; Bob King launching his scratch built schooner Grace Ellen based on a 1930’s design. “ “; of money for the Merchants Seamans War Memorial Society, and the King George’s Fund for Sailors. The SD scale group sail at the Country Park on Friday and Sunday evenings during the Summer months, and on Sunday afternoons during the Winter, though many being retired also meet at other times by mutual agreement.The group, some seen at right, also put on an annual “Have Go’ for a day the public g to ive model sailing boats a try. A model — _ maker iinAlfred, Here and there throughout parts of the world where sailing boats are to be seen, one can stumble upon model makers with skill, patience and ‘a good eye’ for lines and scale. Roger Dearborn who lives in Alfred, Maine, U.S.A is one of them. had just completed a 49 and a half inch hull sized model of the Herreshoff 1899 designed Columbia. His model of a 1902 Gloucester fishing sloop seen above in_ this superb Winter photograph, and below left in Spring, not only portrays the quality of Dearborn models, but the stark contrasts and beauty of the area in which he lives and produces them within an abandoned mill complete Most of his models are meticulously built, not for sailing ,but intended as prize display pieces, some commissioned, others snapped up or ‘reserved’ even before they have with millpond.The sloop was produced from plans by Howard Chapelle’s Watercraft collection at the Smithsonian. He would like to build an RC scale sailboat, what with the water on which ; to sail so damn close ! SUBS DUE! been completed. When | last heard from Roger in April (when he became a subscriber to WW) he There i s a form enclosed for all those whose subscriptions expire with this issue. A River-City sailor’s Stuart Broome lives in Wanganui, the ‘river city’ in the central north island of New Zealand, Those who have ben subscribing to WW in 1997 may remember his schooner julia May in the August issue. Now up and sailing is his three masted sailing ship Catherine Bayleynamed after his daughter Catherine who lives in Adelaide, and her daughter Bayley. The model, the dimensions of which are 144Omms in length including jib boom, and beam 200mm, was to an extent inspired by the vessel Polly Whiteside berthed in Melbourne, Australia (seen above right), a sailing ship with 14 Two channel radio is fitted with a sail servo controlling the mast sails (the jibs and driver change on ‘horses’. A standard servo for rudder needs a large extension for sailing, particularly when ‘going about’, and the CB carries a 6 volt Gell Cell. All masts revolve 45 degrees in either direction worked by the sail system used. The hull is carved out of Styrefoam then covered with Dynel cloth & epoxy resin. voyages around Cape Horn. Stuart has built a launcher enabling The model weights 16 kgs and has a draught of 15Omms. Stuart reports that she has a good turn of speed. coming him to handle the whole operation on his own, the frame and wheels from an_ old trundler. Next project – the yacht America ! shopping z| iy The half ametre more John Lewis OTTER The important thing to remember when it comes to fun sailing or windling is that ‘size of boat is irrelevant’. Remember also that even boats designed for racing, provide fun and enjoyment when “no pressure’ sailed. Pooh and Piglet even windled with simple poohsticks ! The Marblehead too large for the car – the one metre just a mite too small ? You just can’t please some people ! Not true, well known model yacht designer John Lewis can, and to prove it, behold his Otter, all one and a half metres in length: A 1.5 metre class, | hear you asking ? It’s appearance will bother many | am sure, but you can’t please everybody and | am sure serious racers and fun windlers will have amongst their followers, more than a few to whom the concept and size appeals. With an easy to set up rig, & happy.’ John Lewis wanted high performance but light displacement in a large yacht, with some similiarity to a modern America’s Cup boat, hence OTTER seen with the boat has attractive lines (I think), and would even lend itself to ketch or schooner configuration. John (above) eventuated. te Lies ais ie wh class are Anyone interested can write to John published in Marine Modelling/ : ; December 1997 issue.We windlers / don’t need rules – the only rules we Rednal, Birmin gham B45 9QQ, UK. Plans are fifteen pounds, draft _ 4s… rules are two pounds fifty. eo have are ee ey ee ‘no grouching and at The Barn, 4 Monument Lane, be 10 OWHITI Shingle ~Scow or _ Hollwood Tart 2 The ‘Owhiti’ (commonly pronounced O-fitty) and seen above left ferrying firewwod in Auckland’s Hauraki Gulf,was launched in the mid-1920’s Photograph by A. M. Breckon The life of the scow Owhiti was from the Auckland yard of D Darroch fairly normal until the 1890’s, when & Son, one of the last scows to be a restoration led to adventure and built, evolution. stardom. The New Zealand scows had by the developed from the trading 1920’s clumsy an By example of the full Her dimensions were 71’6” x 22’0” x 3’8”. Most __ | of her early working life Peter Tait sailing barges of the early 1800’s was around the gulf, and at a distance, a prettier little ship is hard to imagine. into relatively attractive and speedy sea-going vessels, but the lifestyle was tough. Today, in a world of ‘marina mentality’ boating, — it In the book PHANTOM FLEET the author Ted Ashby wrote: ‘The Owhiti for most of her life freighted sand, perspective on the life, the ships, and Ltd. requires an effort to ; get a true shingle and firewood for A.W.Bryant : skippered Sia Sabagl gaJel “regatta ms breed – the very by Billy Jennings and worked all the local sand and shingle survive were high. The shipbuilders, sailors and ships of that era were a special For many years she was beaches. Though she had no power she never had a mishap’. + best of grassroots Kiwi ingenuity. On the water it was a case of surviving under sail alone – no power, no electrics, no electronics, no modern synthetics, not really much at all except leaky wooden hulls with clumsy gaff rigs and heavy cargoes. It was rough going but a living had to be earned and there were adventures a-plenty along the way, but unfortunately many didn’t make it back to tell the tale. 11 , As the years of sail slipped away, the mast remained stepped even after twin engines had been installed, but by 1975 she was described in a list of Auckland scows as ‘Owhiti – at present a power barge moored up in in Auckland out of survey. Future uncertain’. Bay of Islands, and star roles in the movies. The first venture into the Pacific was in 1982 when she was involved in the making of the movie SAVAGE ISLANDS.- On her way to Fiji with a good turn of speed for an old girl, the “O’ clocked 160 miles in 24 hours. Later she sailed from New Zealand to the Cook Islands with 25 tons of cargo for a film production called THE SILENT ONE. But the Owhiti had always been a lucky ship. A remarkable twist of fate saved her from the ‘future uncertain’. Big time moviemakers needed a colonial sailing vessel and chose Owhiti. The restoration team led by roustabout Dave Skyrmes did a transformation. Purchased as a hulk she was restored to a fully rigged ship, and those who knew about such things reckoned the job was good. She looked just like a real one from the old days, not too flash, lots of handmade fittings and no sponsors’ logos. Drawing by Stuart Hamilton Reid After some supply trips around the islands the return passage was made but some reports on the trip were tidings of trouble to come. Perhaps the restoration had been light on structural repair, with too much emphasis on aesthetics to satisfy the movie makers. Major leak problems meant continuous pumping. One crew member claimed that a large part of the Pacific ocean had been ‘recycled’ through the bilge pumps during the sail home. He felt he was lucky to have made it. Had the reliable firewood trader become too much of a Hollywood tart ? In her role (as Rona) in the film SAVAGE ISLANDS For several years her career continued. Not shingle and firewood this time – no more mundane work at all, and no longer on the list of sundry scows. This was the big break. It was all glamour work such as sailing the Pacific, charter in the The Bay of Islands in New Zealand’s Northland became home and Owhiti helped make another movie in the Bay – not a hit on screen, but memorable for the fact that one of the islands was set ablaze by simulated cannon fire. 12 In between glamour roles under owner/skipper Dave Skyrmes, the *“O’ was used for coastal relatively quickly, and with engines working again she returned to the bay. She was beached in front of the construction work, jetty building etc, going as far afield as Great Barrier Island in the gulf near Auckland. However the old lady couldn’t cope with being a working boat again. Hull timbers became strained as a result, and reports from Ron Wilkinson, who lived on board her at Opua as watchman, indicate a deterioration. Further restoration of the hull was due but never happened, and Ron says sudden trickles through the hull used to worry him. owners home at Okiato with repair work in mind, but sadly it never happened. Eight years later the Owhiti is still there, (photo below) fully rigged but a sorry sight, the tide flowing in and out of the hull, moss growing out of canvas sails and grass growing out of the deck, yet fully equipped with sails, sheets, anchors and compass in place, pepper and salt and dirty dishes still in the galley. A professional seaman of long experience Ron said: “After numerous Tasman crossings, Pacific experiences and wartime adventures at sea, Owhiti was the only vessel to ever throw me out of a bunk. It was a quiet night on the bay, and as often happened the ship settled on the sand (Scows are flat bottomed and built to cope with such strandings) On this occasion she settled very gently but to a steep angle, and the first thing | knew was landing at great speed on _ the messroom table. The bruises took two week to go !” Not once but twice a proud sailing vessel, now just a wreck with no chance of third time lucky – an irreplaceable part of New Zealand’s seafaring history lost forever. As Ron Then, all of a sudden on a work trip to Whangaroa Harbour, north of the Bay of Islands, disaster struck. The ‘O’ was left unattended for a few days and was discovered swamped. Accumulated bilge water (it appeared), had rushed to one side causing a sudden list, which in turn had let in more water. She went to the bottom, but fortunately only in shallow water. She was refloated Wilkinson has noted in a caption in his photo album, *a ship that 1 love on the beach’. What would Billy Jennings have reckoned ? His once proud sailing scow, had she become a Hollywood dame in later life, or was she always a shingle girl at heart ? 13 Going for broke… The Sailing “Weditor ! Ted Howe (pronounced HOW) loves his sailing, and has for some time been editing and producing RADIO WAVES, the once monthly, now bimonthly publication of the North Shore Radio Yacht Squadron. her. Cassandra (seen above) was a Swanson 31’ — sloop designed by an Australian named Ron Swanson . Sisterships have won the Sydney to Hobart race and circumnavigated via The club is principally one catering to Marblehead and One Metre racing, and it was inevitable thatTed when he took over the publication would be known as “Teditor’ Cape Horn. Howe. Within Ted’s almost 30 years ownership, she tallied up an extensive ocean racing and cruise record. Auckland to A regular Saturday sailor of one metres (and again on Sundays when he sails his Marblehead) Ted is one who clearly enjoys his boats and his sailing. Rain or shine, he will be among the fray at Quarry lake on Auckland’s north shore – the club’s sailing water. Suva, Hobart to Auckland, then a New Plymouth to Brisbane, second in the 1981 two man to Fiji, and extensive cruising of the Pacific Islands including Tahiti, in 1980 caught in a cyclone and missing for five days. As Ted put it – “she was a big piece of my life”. Ted’s 1M boat (Gopher Broke) is a design of Aucklander Bill Jury, and He has owned several fullsize sailing boats, his last being Cassandra which carried himself and wife Thelma ‘everywhichway’ in New Zealand waters over many years. He also did three Auckland to Fiji ocean races in his RM (Me Too) seen with Ted left above, is a design by Jack Taylor-also of Auckland.Ted Howe – a through and through. 14 sailor A little stunner from New Zealand’s West Coast… Daniel Lowe’s Micron 7000 RC Yacht Greymouth is the largest town on the West Coast of New Zealand’s South Island – home of a young man called Daniel Lowe. In WW’s December 1996 issue some of his earlier boat designs were featured, now he has made a brave bid to etch a living out of model yacht production with the introduction of his Micron 7OQOORC yachts. With a length of 70Omm, beam of 140mm it seems a high quality little boat that is sold complete, ready to sail with radio equipment at a figure of NZ$595.00. WINDLING WORLD Thrice Yearly. A Non-Profit specialist magazine, available on subscription only. PUBLISHER/EDITOR Mark Steele Keepers of the spirit of windling’ Construction is balsa/fibreglass with polyester spinnaker cloth sails, and Ken Impey, Tony Searle, Stuart Broome, Mark Steele. hulls available in eight colours. The MICRON has been designed as a one design class boat and although sold with just the standard sail, two other Editorial address: 42 Trinidad Rd, Forest Hill, Auckland, NEW ZEALAND. Phone/Fax 64/09 410 4402 (Continued on page 18) the term – not this high fahlutin “radio yachting’ lingo !) for the purposes of having fun and deriving a bit of relaxation with friends. Arguing and My philosophy on windling often using bad language is to me more childish, and should be more of a stigma than the one generating this insistence to refer to model yachts as “radio yachts’. RC has been around long enough now, or ‘a real beaut time at the pond’ In opening it must be emphasised that the author is not a philosopher, and that he totally respects that we are all different in our ideals of pleasure and satisfaction. The use therefore of a model yacht purely for the purposes of fun and relaxation, as opposed to those who prefer serious racing, are likely to result in two categories of users as different as chalk and cheese. and model yachts are model yachts. | am all for keen class racing and serious competition, but | detest poor sportsmanship and | don’t enjoy being witness to the visible symptons of the ‘attitudinal malady’ that some who race, appear to be afflicted with. Grumpy looking faces seem more prevelent these days, than those who look like they are enjoying themselves. However, serious racing with its excitement, by Mark Steele _—_and adrenalin will appeal to many. We are all different. The fastest growing side to full size sailing boat activity anywhere in the world is cruising, be it the gulf, the Pacific Islands, the British Isles, the waterways and passages off Maine, Long Island or wherever – indeed even cruising the world. Having said that, some are comfortable and able to enjoy both the serious side of racing, and the more relaxed and friendly “cruise mode’ sailing amid a_ small common interest group labelled as *windlers’. Model yachting fas such an equivelent, albeit one that does not physically carry you to foreign ports. With the right attitude it can bring untold benefits in and friendship camaraderie and Having myself been involved in the 1M racing scene, and though a windler, | have to say that | remember well those early years, and thoroughly enjoyed sailing my Bantock Fiji Flyer in Napier in the sixth Nationals – even having finished almost last. Then again, for me it is the taking lead to hours of stress-free, part, and the enjoyment of sailing that pleasurable sailing. It is for matters. want of a better What | did not enjoy was the blatantly obvious poor behaviour by some sailors, prepared to go so far as to publicly argue with, even ‘rubbish’ the Officer of the word windling! called ; with the right attitude . ” it can bring untold benefits It only requires a sailing model and a simple, basic change in attitude – and a lecture to oneself that it is not childish nor verboten, to enjoy oneself playing with model boats. Day, argue among themselves, protest ad infinitum, call each other names, even threaten to “up boat’ and go home ! It was the final straw, and instead | immersed myself in model yachting (note continued on page 17 16 HELLS BELLS folks ! Others fish, fly kites, go fanatical over used stamps, dress up and ponce around with dogs on television, fly model aeroplanes, collect model cars – where is the stigma ? “Great Schooner Society’ gatherings in the US, just to name a few. | believe there are going to be more and more as time goes on. If the attitude is right, the regatta will be great ! People will arrive eager, leave having had a good time ! If you’re really serious about enjoying more quality time with model sailboats, while you have the time and before the sands in the hour glass of life rapidly run out, windling is worth trying. | sail often on my own, and with two small groups, and throughout the world you will find individuals and groups of friends, sailing model yachts on lakes, ponds and rivers – enjoying each other’s boats, each There is a bit of the little boy in every one of us, itisonly that many of us try have Bula Vinaka” (A Fiji * ye ° every One of us model _ sailboats, how they — look, how they sail, we delight in showing them off and telling people about them. | refuse to grow up basically, and | am now, late in life, passionate about sailing model boats, to say the very least. The pond or lake is my bolt-hole ,where | consider sailing time “an honourable occupation’. When | put my turn-of-the ° ttlendship Coconut) Trophy’, a break are what’s was a must, and though important for rum-tuned black coffee stigmas a genuine love of When the late Ken Black Camaraderie Fellow battles for the “Ratu no and combined with We might ‘race’ on a quickly set course once up and down the pond, around the black, then the red buoys with an impromptu no frills, no countdown start, for a change a race around the outside of all buoys, and the slower scale boats might have a headstart, or cut across halfway on the downward leg so as to be up with the group. There’s no penalty calls, no abusive yells instead much laughter. and jt of the to hide it. Others little boy in other’s company. and | had our weekly Fun there isa ° we both tried hard to beat the other, neither “gave a monkeys’, even encouraged the other to “forget the buoy’ if he had missed it. Camaraderie and friendship are what’s important – and having fun. century in style ketch Marigold on the water and her sails fill, | am in a haven from the hurly-burly of the world, It is pleasure amid nature and it could be the start of Summer or the fading look of Winter’s impending end. God has granted me a little self-obsession just being there. As the water shimmers with the hues of morning colours and a shag dives to forrage, | am windling, The boat glides by and | imagine 4 sea of perpetual sunshine, the breeze always just a little forard of the beam, | estld just as well be jamming the wind ona 9O” bluewater schooner olf Andros island in the Bahamas as | revel ina private passion fora moment or two, Overseas in the UK particularly, and in Europe, there are now a few regattas at which enjoyment is the operative word the Model Yacht Sailing Association’s Ripmax sponsored regatta for scale and semi scale mixed fleet boats, the regattas at Southwold in. Sussex (where they are not even under RC, and Melvin Conant’s The beauty about windling is that you can do so with any model sailboat, sail with anyone without concern about size or scale ,for there are no rules other than no arguments, and that you must have fun | Continued on page 18 17 A man with no imagination is a man without soul, and in my world windling is leisure ert at its ~ time to best whatever regain lost sailing that before my When | place * innocence ae a a day onto the water, dawn of I shan’t attempt to beat the a i e i \ 1) No tomorrow clock, and | comes’ won’t give a tinker’s damn about the passage of time, or the many problems of the world. This is my quality time to regain lost innocence di before my dawn of no ae tomorrow comes. MICRON 7000 (continued from page 15) rig sails including a storm sail are available. In addition to its racing use, the boat is ideal as an easy to carry, attractive on the water windling fun boat. Because of its size it is easily carried all set up and ready to sail With the passing of Ken Black, WW’s vacant honorary place of Keeper of the Spirit of windling has been filled by Stuart Broome of Wanganui (see page 9). He joins Tony Searle of Poole and Ken Impey of Falmouth (both UK) and the Editor. .Stuart is one who enjoys all the ideals of ‘windling’ Heard of the PUZZLE ? (Not the jigsaw kind !). Graham Bantock’s 1OR PUZZLE – an extended PARADOX the hull of which is as light as a PUZZLE – new Ten Rater Its streamlined hull and a moulded cockpit and cabin structure give it a nice harbour racer appearance. The builder is : SAllSeto Daniel Lowe, 35 Power Rd, Karoro, Greymouth, Island, New West Coast, South Zealand.Telephone (evenings) O3 768 5732 or O03 768 4443 – Fax O3 768 5732. SUBS DUE ? DON’T FORGET TO RENEW ! Graham & Lorne Bantock, 141 High Street, Kelvedon, Esser, England COS 9AA, Telephone and Fax (auto) +44 (0) 1276 671437 feather ! An incredibly lovely hull – just you wait until Euan Sarginson of Christchurch, NZ gets the boat built, then WW shall show her. Townson Electrons are now established in Rarotonga, COOK ISLANDS, a fleet of eight, with Kiwi Peter Heays already having announced that a major Electron regatta will be held there May 8th to 11th 1999. NOTICE OF RACE has already been released. The regatta will be run under similiar rules as the annual WORLDS held in Fiji, and within the same atmosphere of fun and friendship. Still tacking… 7 coming issues Popping the shute, Flying the kite, however you like to refer to the immergence of a spinnaker – you don’t see such very often on models. In the April ~99 issue is a story on the AMERICA Sea Witch – a fine Tea Clipper. The little Smeed *Starlet’s’ Soren Larsen – what a model she’d make ! Louis Heloise – Jim Cooke’s little beauty. The Una-Rigged Fun Fellow. The boats of Syd Beresford. The Tom Thumb fleet ! @& ONE The “Ancient Mariners’ 6 5S” Gl>0″ ties microSAlLseen here – a strict one design by Doug Lord of Orlando Florida. Good Sail Day. N.S.R.Y.S -the club at the Quarry. Infidel – the plywood rocketship. Ten Raters of Looking yesterday & today. ahead Three new Roy Lake(ers). at just things are worth waiting for ! FROM THE TINY TYPE DEPARTMENT !1\f at any time any reader wants to write to anyone mentioned in WINDLING WORLD, you only have to get the address off the Editor. The U.S.Vintage Model Yacht Group are shortly putting up an ‘International’ section on its Web page which is http:/Awww.swep.com/usvmg If you are on the Internet check it out. There is a growing interest in vintage model yachts and their magazine is always good reading. The sinking of the SERENIE some A story of survival. what’s of HUIA – a Pacific traveller ! The Piratical Fifteen Footers of Tedder & Milloy, The San Francisco MYC scene, Model sailing /n the “Are you positive the left side springs are not shot 2?’ Shetland Isles, AMERICA ONE. A MicroSAil Spinnaker-carrying ready to allt The pond boats of a Stanford Professor, The sailboats « of a Queensland winder, Ulinkhor’s Zulu Auricula Thames Sailing Barges, Laura. an 1dbO% § tonnes. Christchurch’s Vintage Regatta, Bloodhound » the supreme *L assure you Sir – it only looks that way because of the lead ballast in the boat !’ racing Cutter, 19 Mark Steele reflects on… The greatest little model yacht ocean race of them all! _ You’re right it is racing, but this annual event – a round the island saltwater ocean race for the one class Townson ‘Electron’ N.Z. built yacht, is conducted with a happy Fiji blend of just the right quantity of joie de vivre attitude, mixed with the serious business of aiming to win. Well sort of ! Sensibly scheduled at the end of the regatta, sailors though tired after two days of fleet racing ,are by that time (many refreshed with a_ locally brewed Fijian beer), not only prepared to walk around the island at whatever depth it takes, but with firm intent to win that galvanised bucket, have his or her name engraved on it for eternity, and to enjoy it ! It is what the heading proclaims it to be – a race staged as the ‘curtain event’ to the ‘Worlds’ Regatta for the class held in July 1998 for the fourth consecutive year at Toberua Resort in the Fiji Islands. Racing for a bucket – one donated by Warwick Hood who designed one time Australian America’s Cup challenge boat Dame Pattie – a bucket that never leaves the island ? That in itself is one of the magic potions that go to make this event so special, so ‘islandish’ so in keeping with the simple aspects of Fijian happiness. The concept is also so good for model yachting, in that (so far at any rate), the spirit of friendship and camaraderie is able to co-exist happily with the spirit of keen It is true that Toberua (pronounced Toam-beh-roo-ah) is small, and this ocean race around the approximate 800 metres, is usually over in eighteen to twenty minutes, the current race record being set two years ago by Swamp Duck sailed by Dave Moore, and won twice by another Aucklander Don Lidgard. competition. 20 There is another humble victory spoil, this one of the ‘take home’ kind – the Windling World *Boso Levu (Big Boss) medal. Since the fleet must round the point of the island resort where the Fijian staff live, it is lovely to watch their rush to get good advantage spots as they shout and giggle, urging their favourite skippers on in the lee of the island stage of the race. The skippers pass in front of them, one eye on the boat, the other on the water below to seek firm footing. | shall always remember Resort Manager Michael Dennis, at one stage waist deep and close to his Yellow Bird seen at right. It is not uncommon either (and certainly within the rules), for sailors to imbibe on wine and spirits on this rounding: This adds to the flavour of the great little race. At the end of this race, the one that follows is the one that finishes at the bar ! For those unfamiliar with the Townson ‘Electron’, it is probably the most successful little one class model yacht In the world certainly the most successful with aver alk hundred sold worldwide, Like Toberua It too |e small – just 895mm in length, and weighing five kilograms. It is sold complete and ready to sail. Now | don’t own an Electron and | am but a humble, ‘ornery’ magazine publisher, but this race which it has inspired, seems to adequately fill my bowl with all the right ingredients af what model yacht racing is all about. Rachig, having fun, and still having friends ! Winter voyage of _ Balsa Slocum ! Whither dost thou goest tiny schooner, whilst Winter-clad | sit upon the morn: Is it up the coast of Maine to pierce the mist, or neath the Andes then to round the Horn ? What bounty dost thou carry anyway, save the batteries on board, the leaded keel ? The wind | sense soon maketh presence, Pray Slocum…please THY HANDS UPON THE WHEEL ! (Mark Steele – with apologies to both Joshua Slocum and Shakespeare !) | Phe Classic Y/indler Her boats both large and small… A Kiwi lass in sunny Queensland I The Tracy Jonesstory by Mark Steele Tracy Jones originally of Auckland, NZ , is an enterprising and gutsy little lady, that much is obvious. Now resident in Kuluin, Queensland Australia, she started in boatbuilding at age 13 helping her dad build his 28’ Davidson when she was a fourth dream her way.She had already built her Marblehead (seen above left) which also went to Australia when her dad was transferred, along with the double skinned hull she had by then constructed for the Townson to be completed in Queensland as Sailor former at college. Girl. After leaving school, without a job she built six Optimist sailing dinghies and sold them, and at 18 bought the remains of Rumdoo, an 8.5m yacht wrecked in an Auckland storm. A year later Tracy bought the frames for one of Des Townson’s 25’s, plus Heart Kauri for the stringers and planking – she wanted to build her The latter (seen above) was launched on 29th Dec 1991, ample testimony of Tracy’s boatbuilding skills and her dogged perseverance to finish what she had started. Every year since. she makes a point of having a drink on board on 29th December – just to celebrate ‘the day the pain ended !’ Well done sailor girl ! 22 The book these days is very much of a collectors item, and one well worth having. At right, Martin Foulds of Dunedin, “Trim the boat” (he said) er…we said, “so where’s the cutting edge 2”(I asked – fully expecting Ed to say NZ’s version of Britannia. “We will start with your Mieco column !” , that, it seems like HEY ! You can fun-sail with anyfink: From the archives comes this 1975 photo of a vane- steered 1OR Temptress of Tamaki from the late Fred Marten’s fleet. She has probably long gone into firewood land. DONT THROW exploitation ! | must see my liar… (you mean lawyer surely – Ed) Another club celebrating its 1OOth year in 1998 is the San Francisco Model Yacht Club. A story on the club will appear in another issue, meanwhile, this (below) from them is something speshul. EM AWAY ! THEY ARE PART OF HISTORY. OUR In the know | am ! In a secret hideaway skirting the motorway heading north out of Auckland, NZ, an RC model of the mullet boat NOMAD (see April ~97 WW) is underway. Can’t tell you anyfink more – this is HUSH HUSH, TOP SECRET stuff you know — ? | may be stuffed but my lips are sealed. You’d better believe that bit too |! Heard a new word recently | did ! wait for it.,.athwartships | know it has nothing to do with a wart on an Admiral’s burn, but that as they say is > a whole new ballgame |’ | feel a poo-um coming ont Savy wipes he wae a eearian tiie, Huia there ! in the April ‘99 issue « a story coming up on the 1894 vintage Pacille topeall schooner Hula, the subject of Cliff Hawkins excellent book The Log of the Hula, Several models have been made of her by different people, among them the ever-helpful author, seen ( backin time) at right with one of four models he made of the schooner. ay brave ane ball ae tar, J wor wae di in avy ble ie wat i Hight he filled p pall My wom ie rt Vinita | Couey THE MOLL YACHT, the Abel The Story of an Editor’s Love for the Fiji Islands 0 i a He drove a car for years with the registration plate ‘Fiji 1’ (even though now retired, he will still tell you, that Fiji is in his opinion the number one Pacific holiday destination). He still has his first boat — a Bantock ‘Bikini’ International One Metre Fiji Flyer, still has the late John Spencer designed and built ‘Fiji Magic’ schooner called Fijipsy Jack, and still writes travel articles on… you guessed it, Fiji, which is still his favourite destination. N®@ @® ® Readers will know his name, perhaps > Too _| recognise the face of a certain Editor, but it is FlJl that this Editor LS wants his readers to remember. FlJl VISITORS BUREAU PO Box 1179, Auckland, New Zealand So warm and frien dly,L] 5th Floor 48 High Street. rc) i} z > 6 wo Telephone: 0-9-373 2133 / 4. Fax: 0-9-309 4720. email: office @ fijinz.co.nz Internet: http://www.bulafiji.com once experienced, SO hard to forget.