Where the Winds Blow...  

by Mark Steele - Auckland, New Zealand

From the Alma to the Spray
Murray’s modelwork delights!

Murray White who sails with the Ancient Mariners model sailboat group in Auckland, New Zealand has built some beautiful sailing models, one of these being the 1902 New Zealand deck scow Alma. His more recent model is completed in 2006 is of Joshua Slocum’s famous boat Spray, the lines and sail plan drawn by Charles D Mower from a model made by Captain Robins, that model made from measurements Robins made of the vessel when she was hauled out at his Bridgeport, Connecticut yard.

Murray has built his model from these plans at a scale of 1 inch to the foot resulting in a model of 37” long, 14” beam dimensions. The backbone and and single skin planking is of New Zealand kauri on rosewood laminated frames, the laid deck of Fijian kauri. White builds beautifully and has made the spars of Oregon pine and the sails of Japara cotton, the latter made to look like the suit of sails given to Slocum by Mark Foy when Slocum was in Sydney, Australia. The model has a detachable extention to the rudder and a 7lb weighted fin keel and is sailed with a two channel radio.

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Many modelers take great delight in replicating well known full sized yachts such as Dorade, the famous yawl designed by Olin Stephens, the 850mm LOA RC model seen below in the second image built to 1/20 scale in Melbourne, Australia by Doug Kuhn. Then there is the schooner Brilliant (another Stephens design) the model built, owned and raced successfully in US Vintage Model Yacht regattas by Alan Suydam of Maryland, USA. who is seen with it.

When and If is another famous schooner, this one indelibly linked to General Patton modelled by Fred Abbe of Cataumet, MA in the USA. Santana, yet another Sparkman & Stephens design owned by a host of Hollywood stars of the screen and forever remembered as Humphrey Bogart’s boat is yet another that has been replicated as a model by quite a few. As a sailing model, Don Frakes of California built and still sails one with the Southern California Model Schooner Fleet. Nice model, nice boat, bet Bogie thought that too about the real one.

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Above: Alan Suydam (Brilliant)
Below: Fred Abbe (When and If)

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My friend, George Surgent of Maryland in the USA sails a very quick model sharpie schooner called Bay Boy (which he is seen with above) with the Great Schooner Model Society of which he is Commodore It is however about his activities as an `encourager’ of youngsters to have a go at basic model sailing with his pre-cut and no glue required kits from (his) Seaworthy Small Ships boatyard in Prince Frederick.

I once published a lovely little story he shared with me about an old retired sailor whom folks around Maryland called `King George’ in the days when George Surgent’s grandfather was alive. He wasn’t a King but because he lived on his own tiny island out on the river, the name given him seemed to fit. Why he really chose to live a life of solitude remained a mystery and from scraps of lumber, cloth, metal and string he fashioned a myriad fleet of sailing boat models of all types. What made those models so wonderful was their simple build and instantly recognizable character. George Surgent never saw one of those models that King George, ever generous to young visitors gave away. His granddad had one for awhile until it got away and sailed downriver never to be seen again, or so the story goes.

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Two of Seaworthy Small Ships kit boats
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In the age in which we live today, sadly some youngsters, ever-engrossed with computers and the internet, may never enjoy the pleasures of model sailing boats, of building or assembling them and sailing one – but George and Marla Surgent several times a year at small craft festivals and boat shows, present their array of simple, inexpensive and easy to assemble quick build kits thereby allowing many kids to enjoy a first attempt at the hobby. Completely self-equipped, theyalso travel with their own bit of `ocean’ (a pool). . Check out Seaworthy Small Ships. Worth a browse that site!

Juan Pedro Alamanday of Madrid is seen testing ` leaf and stalk’ rigs for the World RC Coconut Husk Boat World Regatta to be held at Ghobadi Bhaba island in 2010. (Now if you believe that, you will believe anything!)

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“HEY, LOOK AT THAT! THE DARN TIDE HAS GONE OUT!”

Steve Levesque of MA, USA will have to walk out to deeper water in order to float his 12” Footy.

Lloyd `Swede’ Johnson built a Pinky schooner model in California which the writer of this column admired , the result, the boat suddenly arriving in Auckland, New Zealand by air freight beautifully and professionally packed in 2005. `Swede’ who sails with the Southern California Model Schooner fleet then built a larger one, (which he is seen `trailering’) while the one gifted to the writer and renamed Running Tide is often seen being sailed with the Ancient Mariners windling group by the owner, occasionally also by friend Bob Walters.

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Seizing the moment

'Nothing lasts forever, no windle race or cruise
What’s read or heard or seen today, tomorrow is old news.
Life itself it ends when the good Lord’s good and ready,
So Hey, today, enjoy your sail just in case tomorrow you’re deady!’

 

Previous Columns by Mark Steele:

Articles by Mark Steele:

SAILS

EPOXY

GEAR