This International “A” Class pond sailor was built around 1935 from plans by George Baron that appeared in the March and April 1935 editions of Popular Mechanics. The boat was beautifully built in a plank on frame construction with a meticulously detailed king plank and pine deck.
  Kensington is equipped with steering gear which was invented by George Braine (of Kensington, England) in 1906. A pair of crossed lines is attached to the main sail and each of these runs to a quadrant on the deck which is connected to the rudder. When increased wind pressure on the sail pulled a line in one direction, compensating rudder angle is applied through the quadrant mechanism. Less pressure results in less compensation due to the pin rack setting on an adjustable rubber tensioning line.
  While built in 1935 it is felt that the boat was never sailed and for some 87 years it languished and deteriorated in several basements and garages.
  In 2011 it was given to Paul as a project “you might enjoy”. By April, 2011 Kensington was ready for the water and was finally launched at Humber bay in Toronto.
  Kensington’s sails, and much of her hardware, are original. Additional parts were provided through “Appreciating Antiques” in California.

It will be clear from the description that this is a "sail and forget" model. It does not have radio control, and goes where the wind takes it.

Peter's Winford pond yacht.

Click on pictures to enlarge

The YouTube video

https://youtu.be/WGZjEYmhCOY shows her sailing in Toronto and includes a series of still photos of the building process.

Last update showed the 1925 Winford Pond Yacht I was just starting to restore. I am pleased to report it is now complete and working.
Fortunately all the parts were there and only a new deck had to be made with an antiqued finish to replicate the damaged original. The metal hull and wood keel were finished to original colours the lead keel original finish. Further research revealed the additional sails were part of the original kit – “A” (as rigged on my model) for light winds, “B” medium winds and “C” strong winds . The sails are simply hooked into screw eyes in the spars with adjustable hoist tension on the (forward ) jib sail hoists. The jibs have a boom with a sheet that slides along a “traveller” as with the mainsail). The bowsprit spars are removable and sized for each jib sail and boom. The main boom suits all 3 main sails with attachments for same. The original “automatic steering” is enabled by tensioning the rudder tiller arm with a rubber band and the “main sheet” (adjustable rope that lets the boom in and out ) attached to the outboard arm of the rudder – as the wind forces the mainsail out the sheet pulls the rudder to steer down wind to hold a fixed straight course as sailboats tend to self steer up into the wind and stall requiring the rudder to be pulled away to offset the action and make the boat sail in a straight line. These models were raced in a straight line course where people on the far bank would rescue the boats when they made shore. I will be conducting “sea trials” shortly at Spencers pond. It also makes a wonderful, interesting display model at home and for our outdoor events when we eventually resume them.

The dimensions of the yacht are: Length 32", beam 6.75", Overall height 44", and draft 6.5". It weighs 4 lbs.

Over the past seven years I have built or refurbished over a dozen Victorias model sailboats. It is a popular model and I participate in races held by Confederation Marine Modellers, Fifty Point Yacht Club (RC Division), Metro Marine Modellers and Woodstock Model Boat Club. Sailing a Victoria competitively is rather like chess - an hour to learn and a lifetime to master. But while we are competitive we really have fun sailing and we all go home good friends.

The Victoria Class is one of the largest, least expensive and most popular R/C one-design model yacht classes in Canada. It is almost 31” long and weighs just 4 ½ pounds. Fabricated of ABS plastic, it is simple to assemble.

Because of its small size, it is easily transportable in the family car to sailing venues and it is available in kit form from several Ontario hobby stores.

If you would like more information on the Victoria please e-mail me at paulcharles191@gmail.com

Information provided by Paul Charles.

Featured kit: Victoria Sailboat - Kit by Thunder Tiger

Fred’s paper mache Stonehooker , another radio controlled model ,built in 2002, is now
on permanent display at the Stonehooker Brewing Co. Port Credit , Ont.

Doveis a Bay of Fundy Pilots Pinky, originally built in 1875, at Minus Basin , Nova Scotia . It was a radio control model boat built in 1995, and now on permanent display at the Nelles Manor Museum, Grimsby Ont.

Paul's Emma C. Berry

Fred's (mostly sail) museum boats.

The Emma C. Berry was built in Noank Connecticut in 1867. She was a fishing "smack" which meant she was outfitted with a live well to keep the fish fresh until she returned to port.
In 1967 she was donated to the Mystic Seaport Nautical Museum in Connecticut. They created "as made" drawings and I as fortunate to obtain a set.

Over two winters I built her from scratch with a planked hull and planked deck. When she was finished we went to Mystic
to compare her to the original. Seems I did fairly well.

Lithophone is a Lake Ontario Stone Hooker, a flat bottom scow built in 1881, at Bronte, Ontario. It was a radio control model boat built in 2010, now on permanent display at the Bronte Historical Museum in Bronte ,Ontario.

This model was featured in the October 2013 issue of the club newsletter.

Ernie's Dorade

Confederation Marine Modellers

Paul's Kensington

Click on pictures to enlarge

Wenonahis a side-wheel p addle boat built in 1885 , at Burk’s Falls Ontario. It was a radio control model boat built in 2008, now on permanent display at the Magnetawan Museum, Magnetawan ,Ontario.

This model was featured in the February 2011 issue of the club newsletter.

The prototype is considered to be the first modern yacht. It won the Bermuda regatta in 1932 and the Fastnet race in 1933.
Ernie’s model is an Amati kit which is intended for static display. Ernie chose this because he was looking for a sailboat design which either included a motor drive, or could be fitted with one. Then if it gets into trouble, he has a means of getting it “home”.
As part of his modifications to fit it with radio control and motor drive, Ernie has added a large central access hatch, and a smaller one forward. Where the cockpit would be at the stern, Ernie has used it for the switches, and covered it with a hatch.

One of the challenges Ernie has encountered is the need for adequate run length on the main sheet. (If you’re not too familiar with sailboat terminology, the main sheet is the line that controls the angle at which the mainsail is set.) With the maximum length of servo sail arm that he can fit inside the hull, he has a run length of about 9.5”, which is not enough with the main sheet attached to the end of the main boom.
The preferred solution is to attach the main sheet at the mid-length of the boom, and have the sheet come out through the deck in a corresponding position. That’s where it gets tricky. The required location is right in the centre of the new hatch which Ernie has fitted, and where the non-drive end of the drive motor sits.
Ernie’s final solution has been to create a bridge over the hatch and deckhouse which positions the “anchor point” for the main sheet in the right location over the deck. A simple, single span athwartships is sufficient to provide access to remove the hatch, but with the main sheet coming up through the deck aft of the hatch, there is doubt that a single span would be strong enough in the fore-and-aft direction. Ernie’s overcome that limitation by adding additional supports, an arrangement clearly shown in the photo. This arrangement allows the hatch to be removed rearwards.

Overall length: 73 inches

Beam: 14 inches

Weight: 38 pounds