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Competitive model
boating was a popular sport in the 1960's as radio control systems became more affordable
and reliable. Of course if you have a glitch in your radio with a boat, the consequences
are usually much less that with an airplane. This report in a 1962 edition of American
Modeler magazine tells of one California model boating club that lost its "field"
(a park lake) due to "excessive and unnecessary noise." Yep, it was happening way back
then. On the other hand, it also reports on a club in New Jersey where the parks department
constructed a pier for them to use. As usual, your fortunes depend on the preferences
and sentiments of government bureaucrats. Many people these days are using brushless
motor setups in their R/C model boats to mitigate the noise problems. Have you ever seen
a video of one of those electric-powered boats? They're awesome and can probably outrun
any glow fuel powered boat.
Boats - Speed, Scale, Radio Control
 Another very successful meet was conducted by
the Argonauts M.B.C. of San Diego. Bill Baughman (5728 Deane Ave., Los Angeles 43) was
on hand for the fun. There were 47 entries for three events; 37 boats were run during
the day. Windy weather made it a bit rough on the smaller boats. A really tough course
had been set up for the Precision runs.
An innovation was two classes for Speed, one for boats with engines of .45 cu. in.
displacement and above, another for all those below this size. Winners were Speed A (.45
and over) - 1) Lloyd Allen (Pirates) 71.32 sec.; 2) Bob Plumley (Pirates) 71.74 sec.;
3) John Hawes (Argonauts) 80.05 sec. Speed B (under .45) - 1) Al Wood, 83.39 sec.; 2)
Carl Leno (Pirates) 84.78 sec.; 3) Dick Carey (Pirates) 96.56. All these times are for
two laps around a two-buoy course.
Precision (gas and electric boats ran together - top two placers being electric) 1) James
Henry (Argonauts) 275 points; 2) Leonard Gross (Pirates) 275; 3) Lloyd Allen, 250; 4)
Harry Ashton, 250; 5) Warren Frey (Argonauts) 200. Top points possible over the tough
course were 300. The boatmen had hoped that some of the modelers from points north 10
would be on hand for the fun; they didn't show up, however, and were definitely missed.
Recent meetings of the Pirates club have, according to Bill, been taken up with discussion
of obtaining a decent place to run. They have even been evicted from one spot near Riverside
due to their boats making "loud and unnecessary noise" - a possible reference to the
twin McCoy .60 cat operated by Bob Gregory! Looks as though there might be a need for
mufflers on some of the bigger and noisier craft! (The English speed boatmen have been
using mufflers on all their craft for some time, and still manage to hit very good speeds.)
Test engineer at Stevens Institute of Technology in Hoboken, N. J.,
runs off towing tank check for naval architect Philip Rhodes. Special wave-making machine
can duplicate in miniature all conditions encountered by real craft.
Red Barrows has traded his Gannet 4-cycle engine for a home-made twin, which is now
running in his C.G. Picket boat. Harry Ashton has his own version of this same boat,
which he is finishing as a L.A. Sheriff Department Marine Division patrol boat. Bill
mourns that the Gold Cup Races were to be held at distant Lake Mead; not many modelers
could afford to take a whole week off to watch these races.
According to Baughman, O&R may soon cease manufacture of their line of marine
fittings; modelers who need a few extra props and such parts had better stock up soon.
Bill expresses a wish that some manufacturer do the hobby a good turn by marketing some
really efficient props for the type of boats being run today - any of you manufacturers
listenin'?
Railroaded Again. So says Helene Avery (4728 4th Ave., NE, Seattle
51) who had hoped to "retire" so she could get working on her own R/C boat and other
vital matters. But she says she was again railroaded into the Sec-Treas job; we didn't
think the boys would allow such a willing worker to get away from them!
Park Department Cooperation. The Union County (N. J.) Park Commission
has generally followed recommendations put forth by the Central Jersey RCC (Marine Division)
in setting up a program for R/C boat operation in local parks. Running will be allowed
on Sundays from 1 PM to dark, except for possible special events. There is no limit on
size of electric boats, but gas boats are limited to maximum length of 60" and may be
powered with engines up to lawnmower size. A 7' dock will be installed at the lake in
Cedar Brook Park for R/C boat uses. The boatmen have been forced by early sunsets to
give up their regular Friday evening fun running sessions at this park; many times the
flyboys of the club have been on hand to kibitz over their shoulders - especially so
since the club lost its flying field early in the season.
Member Jan Mock spent several weeks in the St. Louis area, while there ran his boats
with the local boys; he also sank two boats there, so is tied with Lou Coon in this sort
of endeavor! This club has very active groups in both R/C boats and planes; recent issue
of their club bulletin notes that at future meetings the President will ask that the
center aisle in their meeting room be eliminated - so that the difference between the
"birds" and the "ducks" will not be so noticeable!
Fair Boating. According to West Coast Model News there will be lots
of model boating activity in the northern California area. One of the big events of the
summer was a meet held at the Placerville County Fair late in August; this affair was
such a success that Fair Officials are considering the addition of R/C boats as main
attraction next year.
The Precision Course was basically to W.A.M. specs, but an extra buoy had been added
at each corner, only 4' from the normal corner buoy. There was no pace boat, but the
fastest boat was awarded a bonus of 50 points, and boats within 50 seconds of the best
time were awarded points in a graduating scale. This was not found to work too well,
as there was still a tie to run off, settled by second run scores.
Spectators were asked to pick their favorites among operative and Non-operative boats,
with the craft of Ray Thieme (San Francisco) most popular in the former class, and that
of Tony Vinelli tops in the latter.
Results of Precision were: Gas 1) Ed DeGear, (350 points; 2) Ernie Jaboneta, 275;
3) Tony Vinelli, 270. Electric 1) Bob Gannon; 2) Bob Thompson, 300 points; 3) Bob Griffin.
Bob Gannon brought along his model oil barge, which measures 6' long by 30" wide,
and draws 1-1/2" of water; a young lady was picked from among the spectators to have
the honor of the first ride on this barge. She was settled aboard, and Gannon steered
his L.D.3 tug with the barge in tow out on the lake - quite a sight. Report was that
the barge passenger thoroughly enjoyed the journey; after this no one can question the
pulling power of a Pittman D.C. 100, the motor which powers this tug.
Posted May 5, 2018
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