Model Yachts - pleasant pastimes

radio controlled model yachts on Gilmour Lake, Waihi photo courtesy Chris Ball 2021

Gilmour Park lake, Waihi in 2021  is a popular spot several days a week for enthusiasts of radio controlled yachts. Not to mention also, those who have spent hours making replica models, of those steamers that used to ply the rivers of Hauraki – Waihou, Waitoa, Ohinemuri and Piako. 

Other New Zealand places are also popular for radio controlled yachts - Rotoroa in Hamilton, Lake Taurikura in Tauranga and Lake Pupuke, Takapuna, Auckland. Orakei Basin yacht club , also in Auckland is said to have operated  model boats since 1936.  Even back in  1909 it seems model boats were sailed as in this photograph below at Judges Bay:-

Looking north west over Judges Bay showing a yacht, a group of people paddling, a model yacht Vaile, Hubert Earle 1900-1909  Courtesy Auckland Libraries Heritage Collections 2-V724    

Model  yachts have been a favourite pastime for some for decades in New Zealand. As with the full size  yachts, where some racing is a regular event, so too for  model  yachts. The Auckland Anniversary Weekend regatta is one such. The Daily Southern Cross wrote in 1866:-

" Monday, being Anniversary Day, will be observed as a holiday in the city ; and the citizens of Auckland will have various opportunities of recreating themselves. Copland's grounds, at the Lake, will be open for the public entertainment, and there will be a race on the Lake for model yachts, a tub race, and various other sports. Kemps gardens at Home Bay will also have a number of attractions. The great event of the day, however, will be the regatta, the detailed programme of which will be found elsewhere.”  ( DSC 27/01/1866, p 4)

From 12 inches , 2 foot,3 foot to 4 foot length, a number of the model yacht clubs were also formed in the South Island of New Zealand  at Dunedin, Nelson, Westland  and Christchurch. The Evening Star wrote back in 1883 : - 

" A meeting was held at the Atheneum last evening for the formation of a model yacht club, which was decided to be called the Otago Model Yacht Club,” and an influential committee was formed. It was decided to hold an opening race on Saturday, the 17th of February" ( Evening Star, 01/02/1883 p2)   

By the turn of the century this club was well established with an active ladies committee present for opening day.

LADIES' COMMITTEE, OTAGO MODEL YACHT CLUB: OPENING DAY. Back Row, from left- Mrs Biggs, Miss Wilkinson, Miss Barnes. Front Row: Mrs Barnes, Mrs Wilkinson, Mrs Maitland. Sitting : Miss M. Barnes. Vice-Commodore's Yacht, " Mattie." Commodore's Yacht, " Heron Belle." —Guy, photo. OTAGO WITNESS, VOLUME 14, ISSUE 2435, 14 NOVEMBER 1900, PAGE 45

The Ponsonby regatta in 1882 noted Dingies, Rob Roy canoes, model yachts  tubs, greasy pole, and duck hunt would find a place on the programme. ( NZ Herald 17/02/1882 p5)

Poets Bridge in the Recreation Grounds ( now Pukekura Park) New Plymouth opened in March 1884 amid great cenemony and fan fare. The bridge was  donated by Mr. J. T. Davis with sweekstake winnings from  a horse named The Poet. The opening attended by a large crowd from accounts enjoyed concerts, a volunteer band, fireworks and rockets and land singing parties on the lake. THe model yachts were there also with : -

" We must not omit to mention that in the afternoon there was a competition on the lake for model yachts, when twelve models were duly entered" ( Taranaki Herald 11 March 1884  Pg 2)

Pukekura Park, New Plymouth photo courtesy Chris Ball 2019

The 1880's also saw the availability of books, plans Messrs. Lyon and Blair Lampton, and Quay in Wellington and into the 1900's with  Upton and Sons Auckland. By 1905 the Daily Mail was advertising a catalogue listing everything for making model yachts and model steamboats. ( Daily Mail 24/05/1905 p23) The Anniversary Regatta celebrating settlement of Auckland continued to run, including the model yacht section with  Bona, Edna, Resolution, Irene ,Scout, Lottie, and Lillie.

A Lilliput Club regatta was held in Picton Sounds 1909

SOME OF THE MODEL YACHTS, WHICH COMPETED IN THE LILLIPUT CLUB'S FIRST REGATTA, AT EAST BAY, IN THE PICTON SOUNDS courtesy  Auckland Libraries Heritage Collections AWNS-19091202-3-

“ Fast forward” another  twelve years. to May 1921 The Thames Star reported on a newly set up model yacht club  on The Coromandel’s Eastern Seaboard at a meeting held 7 May and announced at the Tairua annual householders meeting. Also reported was that a first race held a day later on 8 May, G Petley being first with the model yacht "Edith Cavell. "

This looked to be the first also of an exciting new hobby and event for those living at Tairua for the Thames Star also wrote:-

“ The meeting decided to purchase-a challenge cup, to be called the "Tairua  Memorial Challenge Cup." the cup to be engraved with the names of all those from the Tairua district who gave their lives in the great war.” (Thames Star 16 May 1921  p 3)

The community of Tairua and Hikuai had been very supportive of the soldiers who went overseas during World War One - regularly making donations to the comfort fund to buy tobacco and other luxuries.

The AGM chaired by the Club Commodore, Corywright, the following year and  reported  by   the Thames Star who wrote : -

“  Mr Gladwin Petley was the most fortunate yacht-owner, having won the Challenge Cup on three occasions” (Thames Star  5 May 1922  Page 5)

Sunday afternoon entertainment, sailing model boats on Tairua Harbour early 1900's from  Tairua History Group by Tairua Library is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 3.0 New Zealand Photographic collection of early Tairua from Bill Brewster.Licensehttp://ketehaurakicoromandel.peoplesnetworknz.info/tairua/topics/show/108-tairua-heritage-collection  accessed 09/05/2022

Appears little more was reported on the Tairua Yacht Club activites in newspapers after this. 

Another war broke out in 1939 and troops were away overseas once more. The YMCA  Camp Adair at Hunua offering outdoor pursuits, amongst them model yachts. Something that always seemed to strike a chord with youth.

 

Taken from the supplement to the Auckland Weekly News 28 JANUARY 1942 p027 BOYS STUDY MODEL YACHTS AT CAMP ADAIR, HUNUA, NEAR AUCKLAND Auckland Libraries Heritage Collections AWNS-19420128-27-3

Fast forward again to 2000. Auckland and Christchurch were still running model yacht clubs. Over the new century the model yachts of the 1800's and 1900s now being superceded by radio controlled yachts - " modern technology."

There is a New Zealand Radio Yachting Association with a number of clubs spread across the country in 2022 - marking 156 years plus sport that has captured the minds of a number since 1866 in New Zealand - a part of our past New Zealand history. 

radio controlled yachts Gilmour Park, Waihi photo courtesy Chris Ball 2021 

Reference Source:

Daily Southern Cross 27 January 1866 Page 4

New Zealand Herald 17 February 1882 Page 5

Evening Star 1 February 1883 Page 2