© Woodbridge Model Boat Club
History
Woodbridge Model Boat Club was formed in 1982 following an article by Vic Smeed in "Model Boats" in which he described the recently completed Woodbridge model yacht pond and drew attention to the opportunity it provided for the formation of a club.
The pond to which Vic referred replaced an earlier pond on the same site built in 1925 to mark the Silver Jubilee of King George with and Queen Mary. That pond drew water from the adjacent tidal River Deben whereas the new pond is filled from the mains and incorporates a pumped system designed to limit algal growth. It measures 30 m x 13 m with a depth of 40 cm and is ideal for scale power boats and yachts up to R36R.
The Club is affiliated to the Deben River Centre and so enjoys "club house" and storage facilities. Refreshment and public toilet facilities are close by.
Sailing competitions take place the year round in two classes — R36R and "small yachts". The latter are mainly the Tactic and Micro-
Social events include evening meetings during the winter as well as laying up and fitting out suppers and a summer BBQ.
Full details may be obtained from the Hon Secretary.
The Southwold Beach Yawl "Black Joke"
Several years ago I discovered that a near neighbour Miss Judith Cooper had a yawl hull and spars gathering dust on top of her wardrobe. This had been given to her by her parents when she was a little girl around 1920 and she willingly allowed me to borrow it. Soon afterwards Russell Potts and Richard Howlett (founders of the vintage group of the MYA) called and between us we re-
Miss Cooper was delighted to see her boat with proper sails in action again and readily agreed to its use as a plug from which to produce GRP replicas. Over the years some sixteen boats were built. Miss Cooper very kindly presented a cup which she had won at Southwold in 1921. It is inscribed " Southwold Model Yacht Regatta 23rd Aug 1921" Racing for the cup flourished for several years but interest waned and a number of the boats were sold, some to members of the Vintage Group. The original Black Joke along with the cup were bequeathed to the club and are now on loan to the Southwold Museum.
Black Joke was built circa 1920 by Mr John (Jack) Cragie a Southwold fisherman. It measures twenty nine inches overall by six and threequarters beam. The main mast rises twenty seven inches above deck level and the mizzen eighteen inches. Both are stepped through the deck. The hull was carved out of one piece, hollowed out and decked with pine. The keel comprises a piece of iron extending virtually the whole length of the hull. The rudder is attached by three pairs of small leather "straps" originally affording limited movement but is now solid with paint. Both masts have single shrouds to port and none to starboard thus permitting the yards free movement. Sheeting is achieved via fixed lines running fore and aft along the deck each carrying a sheet bowsie. The GRP copies carry internal lead ballast and have fixed rudders so that steering is achieved by the set of the mizzen.
During 2011 there has been renewed interest in the yawls and three more have been built. The builder of a number of the early boats has very kindly given his moulds to the club and it is hoped the club will have sufficient for renewed racing in 2012.
