Category The Model Craftsman

The question of suitable sailing waters has always been and still is, of major importance to all model yachting enthusiasts, for the simple reason that one rarely comes by suitable sailing waters. It seems incredible that in the entire Metropolitan area of New York there
is not one pond properly arranged for the racing of model yachts. Unfortunately, this is the rule rather than the exception throughout the country.

The 1939 A class championship is now history, and I am sure it was one of the very best ever held in the U. 5. The presence of three skippers from the
East, two of them holders of championships in other years, and all the significance in connection therewith,
made the affair of strong importance to
followers of the sport everywhere and
particularly to those here on the “coast.

The M.Y.R.A.A. (U.S.) has 52 clubs
in Eastern, Mid-West, and West Coast
Divisions. It was organized 1924. While
the British show a greater number of
models registered than we do in America,
it is because they have six classes of
models.

From our old friend Dr. Houk of the
Seattle M. Y. C. comes word that they
are going places with their pond. They
depleted their treasury to purchase a second-hand gasoline ‘donkey, a Fresno
bucket, and cable to dredge out their
pond place, 200 by 800 feet on Puget
Sound.

Let us consider why rating rules are necessary. Mr. X builds a boat, say, 48 in.
long, but his rival, Mr. Y, takes the same
design and builds a boat 60 in. long. Both
boats are equally good, but Mr. Y always
wins owing to larger size. As this kind of competition does not produce close racing, some sort of classification is necessary.

The National Sportsman’s Show,held in New York City, went over fine, so far as model yachting is concerned. There were seventy-two M class and two A class models on display. Their attraction can be attested by three things: the great number of visitors who stopped to seek information, a new club formed because of it (The Empire M.Y.C. to sail in Central Park Lake, New York City), and the fact that the Show Committee donated $50.00 in cash to the sport with which to purchase prizes for both the A and M classes.

This attachment is offered to model yachtsmen as a result of a suggestion I inserted in my monthly article recently to the effect that model yachtsmen should “swap” ideas for new gadgets, sail plans, rigs, etc.

More than a fireplace model, this miniature iceboat is a scale replica of a championship ice speedster and a snappy little racer. Model iceboat racing is becoming as popular as model yacht contests afloat.

The design of automatic steering gear for model yachts is a subject that permits of a lot of experiments in different directions. My own efforts went into the production of
a device that would be simple and easy to build, and the result is detailed in the sketches on this page.