by Mark Steele
- Auckland, New Zealand
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Welcome to the first issue of `Where the winds blow’
a column which I hope given the passage of time and
tide will be considered worthy of enjoyment by some
readers of Duckworks magazine. Let me ask you to believe
me, that there has been an amazing growth of interest
in model sailboats, particularly those that with radio
control are sailed on the ponds and lakes, even the
rivers of several nations.
`DROMMEN'
built and owned by Wim Moonen, Netherlands
master builder.
(click images to enlarge)
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I write from Auckland, New Zealand and for eleven
and a half years have produced a magazine called Windling
World which I have decided to cease publishing after
it appears in December. Having been in touch with
people involved in model sailing boats in some fifteen
countries, I have been amazed at the quantity both
building and then sailing (or what I call `windling’,
ie cruising rather than serious racing) of model boats
reliant on the wind. Another observation is that ten
years ago it was hard to find anyone willing to undertake
a build of a square-rigged model that sailed, and
today there are so many exciting models of this nature
being built, along with ketches, the odd pirate vessel,
island traders, pilot cutters, sailing barges, junks
and schooners.
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The writer's
Fiji Magic schooner FIJIPSY JACK prior
to deck details and cabin structures.
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Schooners in particular have enjoyed a resurgence
in popularity and have come a long way in the sailing
model scene since my friend, the late John Spencer
produced the `Fiji Magic’ hard chine hulled
version. Cat-rigged with unstayed masts they included
my own Fijipsy Jack (above) that I still own and sail
today. Compare this with Andrew Charters of South
Carolina’s magnificent RC model of the schooner
Cicely (below) and you will appreciate the difference
in style, detail and realism displayed by the latter.
Andrew Charters
of South Carolina built and sails this Fife
design schooner, CICELY.
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What really impresses some people is the length of
time some of these models take to construct and fit
out, often several years, and I mean `several’.
Iin future columns I will tell you about a few cases
and the results of those many years of research and
building, and I will share with you the models in
question. I have written two or three times on model
sailing boats already in Duckworks and perhaps you
will remember having seen some of the sailing models
of various people around the world. The choice of
what to construct is in `windling’, limited
only by ones imagination, tenacity, an eagerness to
`get sailing’ and skill. Models can be as simple
or as small as one chooses.
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A Footy
sized 12" semi-scale ketch from Aucklander,
Ron Rule
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Take the little New Zealand FOOTY boats as an example
– it is what Ron
Rule put into the scratch building of
his little semi-scale ketch (above) that makes it
attractive to look at, and enables the little twelve
inch boat to sail so well. Still in the area of little
boats, for those who would like to make a start towards
involvement in this relaxing and absorbing hobby,
don’t scoff at looking at a kitset 16”
free sail coaster schooner put out by George Surgent’s
Seaworthy
Small Ships in Maryland, USA. From memory
it will cost you less than fifty US dollars. It sails
well as can be seen in the photograph here (below)
and it could be a `starter’ boat that will inspire
you on to bigger and more elaborate models.( NO you
can’t fit radio control in it, any more than
you can power your electric toothbrush with a Pratt
and Whitney turbine – there is just not enough
room in either the boat or the toothbrush!)
Another way to quick-start and go up in size, take
a short-cut towards actually getting sailing, is to
make your first boat one of the kitset Thunder Tiger
Victoria’s put out by a Taiwan company (below).
They are very popular in the USA where they are raced
and you can check themout on the American
Model Yachting Association website. Some
people may consider them `cheap and nasty’ because
they are plastic hulled, but put some effort and originality
into yours and at least it will get you sailing and
not just thinking about it.. I have sailed a `Victoria’
and they can be made to go well enough and are quite
a delight to sail.
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Take a
`Victoria' and work some magic on it visually,
give it a good name and look what one
enterprising owner, Dave Klingman in the
USA came up with.
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Look out for my next visit `Where the winds blow’
– I will share with you photos of more model
sailing boats and always a bit of humour, because
I believe that it is important to laugh and not to
take oneself too seriously. Until then…
`I must go down to the lonely pond
under the big wide sky,
I left my wet socks by the bench on a box
and I wonder if they are dry ?’
Mark Steele
shorebird@steeleglobal.com
Other Articles by Mark Steele:
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