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Messing Around with Toy Boats Contents: 1. The Packrat and the "Old Coot" 2. A New Suit for the "Old Coot" 3. Bending the "Old Coot's" Sails 4. Teatime at Bogwater Jim's Boathouse: Tinting Sail Fabric 5. Amateur Night at the Ritz: Where did the American Youngsters Go? Saturday's bath...Just a boy and his toys!
"The Packrat and the "Old Coot" -Don Kihlstrom- bogwaterjim@hotmail.com
From a Dutch postcard, Ca. 1900
From as early as I can remember, I've been squirreling things away. Junk has always held a fascination for me. Perhaps it was the influence of my grandfather's workshop in his basement in the Bronx, a magical place with every tool imaginable....and, on the counters...in drawers, boxes and jars....stuff! Not just any stuff, but great stuff! Nuts, bolts, screws, gaskets, springs, wire, twine, lead, scrap brass and copper, nails, brushes. Cigar boxes full of keys and knives. Even stuff in the rafters! Pipe, wood, bamboo, fishing gear, bottles of mysterious amber fluid (which, I later found, was Grandpa Foster's scotch...absolutely forbidden by Grandma when the family was around... I always wondered why he had to stoke the old coal furnace so frequently!). In short, nearly everything anyone could want to complete a project could be found in my grandfather's grubby, comfortable domain.
Craftsmanshio at Camp Ellwood Artvue Postcard Co, NY, NY, Ca. 1940
As I grew, I became a full-fledged packrat, too. At first, it was the prized possessions of youth. Baseball cards, coins, 45 RPM records, cereal premiums. Not grandpa's nuts and bolts, but "collectible" stuff. Now, much later, my penchant for collecting has led me to the antiques trade, where it has become "mandatory" for me to squirrel away all sorts of bits and pieces in the event that I have to repair some fabulous "find." I have become "grandpa"... but far less focused and organized.
The Psychology of "Packratitude" The photos below illustrate the difference between normal perception and the twisted view of the "packrat." On the left: My wife sees a once-handsome American Empire dresser, now 150 years old, as being well beyond repair, and ready for the landfill. On the right: The "packrat" sees wonderful hand-planed, oxidized and patinated lumber, 5 early lock sets with brass escutcheons, four casters, salvageable (perhaps) antique mahogany veneer, hand-made nails, early screws, 8 knobs and a short stack of next year's kindling.
One evening, I was perusing the internet and came across a "toy sailboat" on an auction site. It was a poorly photographed wreck, but something caught my eye....Could it be? The shape of the ballast was distinctive. I might be looking at a boat made by The Boucher Co. At the turn of the century, Horace Boucher had been a master modeler with the Department of the Navy, and had eventually set up his own company in New York. There, in 1922, he introduced boats made of a "revolutionary" rubber/synthetic material, later to become known to all of us who ever cradled a telephone between our shoulder and our ear as "Bakelite." I bookmarked the site, determined that if I was still awake at auction's end, I would take a chance and drop in a last-minute bid.
The 1922 Boucher Catalogue, showing the 25" "Coot", available in finished or kit form.		The "Coot" upon arrival.
A short time later and somewhat poorer, I received my purchase. It was what I had hoped it would be, but in worse condition than I had anticipated. The glowing black Bakelite that had been Boucher's pride and joy had been painted, repainted, used, and abused nearly beyond recognition. But I was undaunted. I knew that somewhere in my workshop I had just the stuff to put this baby back in fighting trim. Early the next morning, with my faithful, but frequently bored companion, Brandy, at my side, I headed down stairs into the room that I refer to as my "workshop" and which my long-suffering wife, Karen, likes to consider to be her "studio". It was time to get down to business.
At first, Brandy feigns a semi-detached interest.	Allow clearance for the fin, add for the thickness of the base, and tack on a quarter-inch or so. Grandpa always said, "Measure twice, cut once!"	The stand assembled. I frequently say, "Jeez...I cut it twice and it's still too short!"	The "Coot," erect, but still ignoble.
To start, I needed to set this boat up so I could envision what she'd look like after a little TLC. Boat stands for toys are a relatively simple matter. With a drill, belt sander (upside-down and braced against a toolbox, it becomes a fairly reliable sanding table), some 3/8" wooden dowels (reclaimed from lampshade packaging), glue and scrap lumber (salvaged from a shipping crate), I got this baby up where I could take a good look at her from all angles. God, she still looked awful! The fin was dismantled, so I could clean up the hull. "Coots" were sold either in kit or preassembled. This had been a kit with a removable fin. From the pieces that had once been Boucher's trade-mark "Patented Sail Shifter," I reconstructed the bowsprit and mast step from a thin slice of an old oak table leaf and a plastic spacer (used with the above-mentioned dowels to separate lamp shades during shipping).
The fin, removed and ready to be cleaned up.	Plastic spacers make great mast-steps and 3- hole bowsers (when high per- formance is not an important issue).	The Patented Sail Shifting Device. Later, model yachtsmen would engineer and adapt this idea to their class racing models. In that complex and glorified form, it was known as the "West Coast Sliding Rig."	The sail-shifter assembled. Later, a slot will be cut between the holes so the mast, main, and jib will shift fore or aft in one movement.
Turning the boat upside down, I began to carefully scrape the old paint from the hull with a razor blade, until the bakelite surface was revealed. It was then that I found the reason for the painting, perhaps, ...a stress fracture on the side of the hull. The deck, cabin and fin paint proved to be too tough to crack, and I worried what its removal with a caustic substance might do to the bakelite. I decided to scrape the rough spots as best I could and then leave it "as is," a condition, I rationalized, preferred by many collectors.
The hull and brass rudder after scraping.	The stress fracture	A view of the deck and cabin.	The bow, where the "patented sail shifter" had been installed.
Now the fun began in earnest. I attached the "sail shifter" with brass screws. Then I fabricated a simple Marblehead (or Clyde) tiller from a piece of stock brass sheet and soldered it to the tiller post. A hole at the front of the tiller will attach to a centering line, and a hole at the aft end will eventually be attached to to a traveler, and ultimately, to the main boom. Since the boat would never sail again with that crack in the hull, I measured for a set of sails that would look good on someone's mantlepiece. For a Bermuda rig, which this boat originally displayed, I figured that a mast height of about 120% (above deck) of the overall length would look spectacular, and still fit beneath a standard 8' ceiling.
Brass tiller soldered in place.	The bowsprit is set and foot of the mast is trimmed to fit snugly into the mast step.	Head of mast, tapered by sanding on three sides. The straight edge has been marked with a pencil.	216.5 and 217.5 brass eyescrews at the head of the mast. These will anchor the forestay, jib, and sidestays, as well as the head of the mainsail.
To fabricate the mast, I cut a .25" dowel at a length of 30" and a draw a line down one side at the head. This line will mark an area to remain untouched during the shaping process, assuring me that the aft side of the dowel will be straight when I am ready to attach a sail. Once again, my upside-down belt sander is employed, and I taper three sides at the head of the mast. As long as the line remains visible as I rotate the mast on the sander, I know that I will retain one straight edge. A small hole is drilled through the mast about .25" below the extreme top at the head. This will later accommodate the line used to attach the mainsail. Small eyescrews are then installed to provide for the attachment of sidestays, forestay, jibstay, and mainsail attachment.
Boom attached to mast with 216 eyescrews.	Holes and eyescrew at the end of the boom. These will be used to adjust tension at the clew of the mainsail and provide backstay pressure on the mast.	Artificial patination on the bowsprit's set screws.	Artificial patination on a stock, lacquered brass strip.
About 1.5" above the deck (clearing the cabin and steering gear, with about .5" to spare) the boom is attached to the mast's straight side. Two 217.5 brass eyescrews are installed near the both ends of the boom and two small holes are drilled through the boom at its extreme aft end. These will accommodate the lines to the mainsail at the clew. The pencil line, no longer needed, is sanded off, and the masts are stained in my preferred tint, Minwax Early American. The brass screws and tiller stock that I have used are obviously new, and the rudder looks new after cleaning as well, so I decide to age them. There are many products on the market for this, but my favorite is Jax. Applied carefully (rubber gloves and safety glasses are advised, although I use neither), it will change the color of your brass in minutes to an oxidized verdigris hue. Jax is also available in pewter tones and black for the treatment of metals other than brass. If you prefer to go the "natural" route, you can use mayonnaise, "souped up" with an egg, or a poultice of chicken manure and water. But they are time-consuming, require repeated applications, and, in the case of the chicken manure "cocktail," pretty disgusting!
.25" strip cut from mahogany table leaf.	Strip segmented into .75" sections	Some materials assembled. How can you beat the look of that old linen line?	Bowsers from scrap mahogany
While the spars are drying and the brass is oxidizing, it's time to fabricate some simple fittings. Since this boat will be for sale, and my customers frequently want to take their boat home on an airplane with them. It is important to me to make the rigs removable. The tools are simple: a mini- vise that I found on the curb on clean-up day, a ruler, drill, small needle-nosed pliers (2), a coping saw, ice pick and appropriate line. I collect old string, twine, and the premier material...old linen fishing line. My friends who collect old fishing gear bring me their reels, and I strip them clean. For this project, I will use Irish linen line.
Jack-chain links	The assembled line and bowser	The bowsers at work	Forestay attached
A .25" strip of mahogany is cut from an old table leaf, and sanded to remove the saw marks. I'm careful not to make these too thin, or they may not maintain tension well. The material is measured into .75" sections, and marked for cutting. I decide to make as many bowsers as I can at once, to save time on my next project. Near the ends of each section, a hole is drilled. At one end the hole should be large enough to allow the line to pass through with a little room to spare. At the other end, a hole should be drilled large enough to allow the line to pass through twice (easily, but not loosely). The bowsers are then cut, the ends slightly sanded, and the holes are cleared of wood shards with the ice pick. To attach the line to the spars and deck plates (in this case, brass eyescrews), I'll use small links of brass jack chain, left slightly open at one end. After calculating the lengths needed for side stays (about 1.5 the actual distance between the chainplate (eyescrew) and the eyescrews at the side of the mast near the top, I cut them uniformly to maintain a semi-balanced appearance when finished. Using the same formula, I measure up for the forestay, as well. At one end of each line, I tie the smallest bowline that I can. I then weave the line through the two holes in the bowser (small hole first), through the closed end of a chain link, and return again to secure the line to the bowser's large hole with another small bowline. Thus the bowser can be moved to adjust (and maintain) tension on the line. By this time, the spars are dry, and I fit them to the boat with a second piece of chain link at the top of each line.
Chain links on fore and side stays	Side stays affixed at the gunnel with chain link	Running and beating lines attached to the traveller and tiller. A rubber band has been used as a temporary centering line.	A look at the lines for sail tension and running/beating.
On a recreational boat like this, the mast was apparently supported by the fore and side stays, with the running beating lines exerting the only backward pressure on the mast. Once again, I use bowsers to attach the running/ beating line through a ring on the traveller to the tiller, and set up a line that will eventually be attached to the clew of the sail and provide adjustable tension. This line is run through the hole at the end of the boom to the head of the mast. It will help me position the mainsail for measuring...and later be used to attach the sail. It's time to measure and sketch out a sail plan for my accomplished sailmaker, Tina. While she's working on the sails, I'll gussie up the boat with a little more Jax on the brass, a bit of Mop & Glo on the hull, and replace my rubber-band centering line with a spring from my box of ball point pen springs.
Forestay and eye for jib at the bowsprit	Another look at the lines beneath the boom	Set up with extra line and ready to measure for sails	A hastily-drawn sail plan. Battens on the main should suffice.
Suddenly, I become aware of a stirring next to me, and realized that my assistant, Brandy, is running out of patience with me. Time for some long-overdue exercise and a bite to eat.
C'mon Dad, let's play!	Throw the ball!	Pleeeze?	Thanks!...This is much more fun than messing around with boats!
My next project. Will this be the straw that broke the camel's back?
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"The Start" Redd's Pond, Marblehead, MA 1998
A New Suit for the Old "Coot" Don Kihlstrom bogwaterjim@hotmail.com Click on any thumbnail image to expand
Because toy sailboats were used and subsequently abandoned in attics and cellars by their youthful owners, they are frequently found without sails or spars, victims of years of moisture and errant footfalls. It is not undesirable to fabricate new sails, spars and fittings for the aged hulls, nor does it substantially diminish their value.
Left: The "Coot": Before Center: The "Coot," ready for sails Right: Passing the "Coot to my aptly-named "Sails Associate," Tina
Besides being a "pack-rat," I am also a notorious procrastinator. By the time I got to my sail-maker, Tina, with a camera, she had already completed the "Coot's" sails, and was starting on a suit for a gaff-rigged boat. The photos below will reveal that inconsistency. Nonetheless, they illustrate the process by which we fabricate sails for toy boats.
All photos below courtesy of Linda Brigham
Note: The sail-making process shown below applies only to "toy" boats, and is not an effective method of making useful sails for competitive models. These sails are constructed from permanent-press, undyed muslin that has been simmered in a strong tea mixture for about an hour, creating an aged and acceptable appearance.
A.	B.	C.	D.
A. Once the fabric has been air-dried, it is important to lay it out, resize it, and iron it, so that any measurements applied to the fabric will be quite accurate. During the tea-staining process, the sizing will be removed from the fabric. When measuring, it is wise to allow and additional half to three-quarters of an inch at the leach and luff to allow for stretching. B. Using a pattern board, Tina makes a last check of the dimensions needed. C. Once the material has been prepped, a right angle is drawn at the tack of the mainsail. From this initial measurement, all the other sail dimensions will be applied. D. After the length of the luff and the foot of the sail have been sketched on the fabric, the leach is drawn... a line connecting the head and clew of the sail.
E.	F.	G.	H.
E. Tina measures the jib carefully. Since these angles are not based on a 90 degree base angle, their measurement is more critical. F. The angle at the tack of the jib is important, since it is this angle which will allow the free swing of the jib and/or jib boom between the bow and mainmast. G. The sail is cut to approximate proportions. H. Triangular reinforcing segments are cut for the corners. If desired, battens are also cut at this time.
I.	J.	K.	L.
I. To make a sail that is appealing to the vintage eye, we stitch the sail, to make it appear to be a sail that has been constructed of segments. Here, Tina draws the lines. J. The sail and reinforcing fabric is then stitched. K. Reinforcement is added to the corners, and battens are sewn on the sail. L. The edging on the sail is completed, leaving enough margin to lash the sail to the main at the luff, if desired.
M.	N.	O.	P.
M. After stitching, any remaining basting is removed. N. The finished size is checked. O. Any markings that remain on the fabric are removed. P. A final touch with the iron, and the sails are ready to be bent.
The finished product The "Coot" complete
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Bending the "Old Coot's" Sails Don Kihlstrom bogwaterjim@hotmail.com
Once again, my procrastination came back to bite me! By the time I put this section together, the "Coot" was long gone, and I found myself several images short. You will find that the photgraphs below are a composite of photos of the "Coot" and another great boat, the "Lucy III"
A. Final ironing	B. Creating lashing points with an ice pick		C. Bowline at tack, clew and head of sails		D. Finished bowline at clew
Prior to installing the sails, it's important to prepare them as much as possible while they can be worked on on a flat surface. First, (A) the sails should be dampened and ironed to remove any wrinkles that have accumulated during storage. Using a super-sharp ice pick, assuring as little fabric damage as possible, (B) poke holes in the tack, clew, and head of both mainsail and jib, and, if you intend to lash your sail to the mast, create a series of regularly-spaced holes at the luff of the mainsail to accommodate lashing. At this time, the sails can still be ironed out once more, if necessary. Attach a tight bowline (C, D, E, F) at each corner of the sails, leaving just enough space that the sail fabric barely moves free of the knot, and leave an adequate length of line to work with. I generally use linen fishing line, similar old line or string, or 50 lb test dacron fishing line.
E. Finished bowline at tack	F. Finished bowline at head		G. Attach tack of main		H. Attach head of main
Attach the mainsail first, at the tack. To be sure that the luff edge of the sail will snug up to the mast, (G) I loop the line through the eyescrew that serves as a primitive gooseneck, around the mast, and back through the eyescrew, before tying the line off as tightly as possible. Next, tie off the head of the mainsail, (H) passing the line through the hole at the masthead and attaching it to the eyescrew at the fore side of the head with a bowser. This will allow you later to adjust tension on the sail at the luff
I. Mainsail attached at clew with adjustable line and bowser.	J. Tack of jib		K. Clew of jib		L. Another view of the tack and clew of the jib
At this time, tie off the mainsail at the clew (I) by running the line through a hole at the aft end of the boom, through the eyescrews below the boom, and tying it off loosely (for the moments with another adjustable bowser. After lashing the sail, you will tighten this line. (J) Attach the tack of the jib to a fitting (in this case, an eyescrew) at the bow, and at the head to another eyescrew on the foreside of the mast (about 3/4 of the way up). This element can also be made adjustable by passing the line through the eyescrew to a second eyescrew on the side of the mast, and securing it with a bowser (See also "M," below). The clew of the jib will be attached to a "traveller," eyescrew, or other type of fitting with another bowser (K), which will permit the jib to be tightened or slackened.
M. Lashing the main			N. Bowser at head of mainsail
Lash the luff of the mainsail loosely to the mast (M), and when complete, tighten up the lashing and tie it off at the head. At this time you can tighten the bowsers at the head and clew (N) and see how the sail sets. If you find that your measurements have been slightly off and the sail is too loose, you can make a correction and take out some slack by lashing the sail at its foot to the main boom. If you choose to do this, you'll be working with the sail in position and it.s more complicated to measure and create the lashing points. The sails on most toy boats were loose-footed.
O. Batten stock		P. Untrimmed battens		Q. Trimmed battens
Time to install the battens, and you're finished. Although I use "craft" sticks (O), there are any number of appropriate rigid materials. Insert the battens and measure (P), cut to length., sand the edges (Q), and that's your Uncle Bob!

Above left: The Lucy III, complete. Above right: Another view of "The Coot" with battened sails.
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Click on any image to expand "Sailing Adventures," TCW Tuck, oil on board

Teatime at Bogwater Jim's Boathouse: Tinting Sail Fabric (from an old family recipe) Don Kihlstrom bogwaterjim@hotmail.com Click on any image to expand

The Materials
		Ten-gallon stock pot Roasting pan Long, blunt stirring stick Large bowl Tongs Length of sturdy twine
The Ingredients
		Maximum of 30 tea bags 6 gallons of water 11-12 sq. yds. unbleached permanent press muslin, cut into 3-4 pieces (max. 7 square yards) Note: Fabric is sold by the linear yard... Treat no more than 7 sq. yds. at a time.
The Tab (excluding tea bags)

		Yield
1. 20-25 small boats, or 2. 15-20 medium boats, or 3. 5-7 large boats
The Process This process works great for toy or display boats. It is not recommended for competitive sails.




A.	B.		C.		D.

Tie the ends of your tea bags with a sturdy length of twine (A, B). If desired, enclose them in a piece of cheesecloth to prevent tea leaves from fouling your fabric in the event of breakage. Lower them into hot water and attach the string to a pot handle for easy retrieval.

E.	F.		G.		H.
Simmer the tea bags at a near-boil until your mixture reaches the strength that you feel is appropriate (E, F). Usually about 20 minutes will suffice. Carefully remove the tea bags, avoiding breakage, to a waiting bowl (G, H) Don't squeeze the bags! Continue to simmer and concentrate the liquid for about 30 minutes.

I.	J.		K.		L.
Bundle your fabric loosely, with open ends facing up (L), and immerse in liquid. Limit your batches to a maximum of 7 square yards at a time, or the batch may become unmanageable and the tinted batch may loose its continuity of color. Keeping the ends up will help prevent air pockets from forming and producing a tie-dyed effect on your sailcloth. Gently poke, prod and "tong" the fabric until it is completely immersed and air pockets are significantly reduced or eliminated (J, K). Keep the liquid just below the boiling point for 30-45 minutes. Stir frequently, and reduce air pockets as they appear.

M.	N.		O.		P.
When you have achieved the desired hue, use your tongs and stick and bundle the wet fabric loosely on the stick (L, M). Remove the still soaked fabric to a roasting pan (N). While the fabric is still wet, hang it on a clotheline in a shaded area (O) without clothespins. As the fabric bunches up, keep spreading it out, and move it slightly on the clothesline so a line doesn't form where the fabric touches the line. Return any drained liquid from the roasting pan to the stock pot (P), bring the brew back to a near-boil, and begin your second batch. When your tea mixture has been reduced by 25 - 30 %, it's time to start again from scratch, unless you don't mind an inconsistency of color in your batches of fabric. Don't try to add water and a few more tea bags to stretch the brew.


Q.		R.		S.

When your fabric is air-dry, remove it from the line (Q) and fold it quickly to reduce wrinkling. The raw material and finished product are shown above (R, S). When you find a formula that you like, record it, and stick to it!
Recipe Options For more irregular coloration, one or more of the following: Stir infrequently, wring before hanging, let fabric bunch up while drying For tint variations: Light tint - 15 tea bags Medium tint - 24 tea bags Dark tint - 30 tea bags
		The Frugal Guy's Alternative
Use natural, unbleached muslin (with no treatment). It is less expensive, but will provide a softer sail surface. If you're REALLY frugal, when you're through, you might consider the old admonition, "Waste not, want not," and invite a friend or two over to enjoy the reserved remains... "designer" iced tea! Note: You will want to be sure everyone's health insurance premium is paid before exploring this option fully.


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Amateur Night at the Ritz: Where did the American Youngsters Go? Don Kihlstrom bogwaterjim@hotmail.com click on any image to enlarge Demonstrating that it's never too late to begin, Fred Hildebrandt enjoys an autumn afternoon, skiff-sailing with his boat.
Some of the earliest American "organized" model yachting clubs appear to have been composed of fairly wealthy individuals, who enjoyed sailing miniature models of their large boats. Other clubs were formed by dockyard workers, to whom the sailing of models was an affordable alternative to the "real thing." One of the earliest recorded clubs, the Hoboken Model Yacht Club, in Hoboken, NJ, appears to have been an offshoot of the prestigious New York Yacht Club. Founded in about 1856, they sailed scale models of full-sized boats. Other early clubs around New York, like the Wave MYC and American MYC, seem to have been composed of blue-collar maritime workers. In either case, it is certain that their boats were built by highly skilled hands.
	The Ball of the Model Yacht Club Hoboken, NJ Frank Leslie's Illustrated Newspaper February 12, 1859
An important element of early model yachting was the enthusiastic participation of youngsters, sailing small family models, knocked-together craft, or store-bought models. They could be found at play in parks around the country, plying imaginary sea routes and engaging in races. Their photographs with their boats became treasured family heirlooms.

So popular and appealing was this recreational activity, that many turn-of-the-century trade cards featured youngsters and their models, as a means to attract customers to manufacturer's products.

Books, stories, and postcards featuring the model yachting activities of youngsters abounded.

Model yachting was essentially a father-son activity, and women in model yachting, for the most part, played a secondary function. Usually, they were limited to supportive roles, although they frequently "struck a pose" with the family craft.

In the United States, the Great Depression marked a significant point in model yachting history. On one hand, the government was actively promoting "healthy" pastimes for kids, and clubs and parks departments around the country sponsored recreational racing activities. In many cases, however, programs tended toward mechanical and technological activities, which would be needed for economic recovery, and kids then, like now, were attracted to engines, electronics, and power.

At the same time, in the formal US model yachting organizations, leadership appears to have been under the control of wealthier individuals, who, unable to afford to keep their full-sized craft on the water, turned their attention to the pond. Racing classes were deliberately restrictive at this time, and unskilled, entry-level participants were virtually excluded. Unless a youngster had exceptional skills or a club-connected sponsor, the chances of entering the activity and participating on a serious level were slim to none. There were some "junior" programs, but they seem to have arrived too late on the scene.

Elsewhere, particularly in England and France, it seems that the activity was a bit more ecumenical, perhaps because model sailing had a longer tradition. In France, for instance, it was common for vendors to rent out boats in the public parks and at beaches. Until his death in the early nineties, Monsieur Paudeau enjoyed a long career building and providing boats for youngsters in the Luxembourg Gardens of Paris.

The onset of World War II provided the "straw that broke the camel's back" for much hope of entry-level model yachting activity. Fathers were in the military, away from their families, and mothers lacked the hands-on skill or experience to provide model yachting leadership (and were also busy with the war effort). Model yachting came to a virtual standstill, except in a few locales, particularly on the West Coast of the US. After the war, family life quickly changed, as men returned to new homes and careers in fast-growing suburbs, women began to assume new roles in society, the nuclear family began to disintegrate, and youngsters were more and more attracted to "canned" and mechanized diversions. Radio, the theater of the mind, was eventually replaced by less imaginative televised and computer-related offerings. Most recently, economically-pressured schools across the country have cut their industrial arts programs, eliminating what was once a major force in the development of entry-level model yachting participants.

In recent years, organized model yachting has enjoyed a modest resurgence as the population aged, and retiring workers returned to the pastimes of their youth. Entry on a vintage level is still restricted, however, due to the cost of most vintage boats and the restrictions on their design.
The American Model Yachting Association has established an entry-level class that provides an inexpensive introduction to the model yachting, but for those who like free-sailing or older boats, there are few avenues. Vintage model yachting activities, to all intents and purposes, are outside of the purview of the AMYA. Many potential participants are left with the feeling that organized vintage model yachting is an elitist or exclusive activity. Free-sailing activities are virtually non-existent.

In England, the Vintage Model Yacht Group takes a broad approach to vintage model yachting, sponsoring events which include a wide variety of boats, including "class" models, recreational models, and toys, both manufactured and hand-made. Its American counterpart, the US Vintage Model Yacht Group, has also begun a program aimed at attracting youngsters. It proposes "mentoring programs," in which a youngster is teamed with adult mentors, who guide them through the process of building a Marblehead Class boat. A noble idea, except that there are so few qualified mentors, and the program is restricted by cost and labor intensity. Although free to participants, in some promotional materials it is emphasized that each participant will build a boat worth $2,000. So much for Corinthian incentives.

Has imagination and an adventurous spirit waned beyond any hope of recovery? Hopefully not, as evidenced by Chad Sigley and the 2002 24" free-sailing model, pictured below. Built by his uncle, Steve, casually over the period of a week ( from white pine and sheet steel at a cost of $12), it shows that the spirit still exists. The problem lies in encouraging such participants in organized model yachting once again.

Everyone would like to play at the top, but it seems that the sport needs to make more room at the bottom.

Coming Soon: "Bowsers I Have Known and Loved"
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