Sharing the fun

On Saturday the Wisconsin Scale Boating Association had their annual run at our club lake here in Kohler near Sheboygan. It is always a fun day with a wide selection of scale boats, yachts and just plain fun boats on the water together. The WSBA is based around Milwaukee but does have members from many parts of Wisconsin. http://www.wiscaleboat.org/ 

Over the weekend we had two grand daughters staying with us so they had their first taste of model sailing and appeared to really enjoy it. What I do love about model sailboats is that it is so easy to let a youngster try it. Things happen slowly so as not to be a risk to anyone yet the boats do react well to the controls and give a very obvious sense of accomplishment to the new ‘skipper’.  I know our older grand daughter was quite reluctant to give it up so maybe her sailing career is worth persuing!

It was a beautiful day in the mid 70’s with a nice steady breeze to sail in and keep us cool. I have flown model aircraft for many years but I have to say that doesn’t come close to the fun and relaxation to be found at the pondside on a lovely summer day. Sharing the fun with family too really adds to the pleasure. Find yourself a boat and join in!

If you are in the Sheboygan, Wisconsin area or within driving distance you can contact our small club (Sheboygan Area Model Yacht Club) via our web site at http://www.scalesailing.com/samyc.htm

Graham

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Kittiwake K2

If you have visited our web site this last week you might have noticed that the Kittiwake kits are sold out. I was hoping for a seamless change from Kittiwake to Kittiwake II but a long delay in the supply of plywood has spoiled that hope. So there will be a short gap, probably a couple of weeks before the new Kittiwake II kit hits the market.

After 2 1/2 years the Kittiwake was due for an update and I want to incorporate some improvements which have been realised along the way. I did not want to spoil the fun though for those people and clubs which are sailing the Kittiwake as a ‘sort-of-one-design’ class. Hence the hull has remained the same. The sails will change shape and increase in area to reflect the performance gain I found with ‘Siren’ during 2007. The Kittiwake II will now have a bowsprit as standard, this will add to the tuning possibilities. The rig will be based on an aluminum mast as before with new Carbon tube booms. The bulb weight will remain the same at 7oz. The receiver battery will now be held in place with ‘hook& loop’ fastenners which will allow for battery movement for tuning in different wind conditions.

Overall the new boat will still definitely be a Kittiwake and retain the good handling and easy building that people have come to expect of it. Look out here for photos as I do a check build on the laser sets and re-create the photo CD which accompanies the instructions. It’s been a lot of work but I look forward to taking your orders for the new Kittiwake II.

Graham

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wild winds and mailings

I had a rather international day at the post office today, Rome, Sheffield (England) and Canada. As I emerged from my underground workshop the weather looked pretty ominous but I thought that I could make it to the USPS and back before the rain arrived. Five more kits set off for our English distributor to add to his stock. When they arrive he will have a batch of the Gooseneck & Vang sets for the UK market too. I sent a Pintail to Rome which will be the first of it’s type in Italy and a mystery parcel to Canada.

On arriving home the rain was coming down hard and thick, yes thick! Things were clearly getting very nasty with wicked wind gusts and sheets of rain. As the tornado sirens screemed into life I made for the basement as I am a sensible Brit who isn’t used to this kind of thing. Jan of course being a local sat and continued her supper unruffled. Is that a train I kept asking her knowing that they say that tornadoes sound like trains. What part of a train I haven’t heard described, the horn, the clickitty clack maybe? After awhile the sirens stopped, maybe they were blown down I wondered, but the storm raged on.

This evening on the tv news they are talking about a possible tornado touchdown maybe less than a mile from here, heck maybe that was a train I heard! Much too close for comfort, but at least the latest kits were in the mail.
Graham

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post 4th weekend

I hope you had a great and enjoyable 4th. I may shed a tear for the loss of the colony but then I drown my sorrow in a good Sheboygan brat and an ice cold MGD and all is well. One has to at least try to move with the times.

Big weekend in Footydom too, the first Euro GP held in England at the Birkenhead club appears to have been a great success. Entries from the USA, Canada, Italy and Great Britain raced over two days is very variable conditions. I was not there unfortunately, having spent my GB racing budget last September. Hopefully next time around I will be able to make it.

Outside of Footys I have a new distraction. I have had my eye open for an interesting car for awhile and found one on the 3rd… bought it on the 5th. By interesting I mean a British sports car of reasonable age. So a little orange MGB now sits in our garage. Glued together in 1980 she sports the later rubber bumpers and an 1800 engine. Some prefer the earlier chrome bumper models but I am of the age where I remember the streamline shape of the rubber bumpers appearing on the road and rather fell for this new modern looking MGB. Clearly that feeling has stayed with me to this day. Chrome snobs need not comment 🙂

Business wise I am about to go and make some red Pintail sails for a few kits to send to Keith, our British supplier. Interestingly the Pintail is attracting much more interest there than here in the USA. Those and a few more Kittiwakes will be shipped later this week so if you are looking for a kit give Keith a call.

And then there were the Wimbledon finals and the British F1 GP, quite a weekend!

Graham

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