During the winter months we meet most Sunday and Thursday
mornings.
You can come and see us any time:
Why not come along and see what interests the wide ranging
hobby of sailing
has for you.
Maybe you would just like to come along to chat about the hobby
and find out what it is all about.
If you decide you would like to sail:
you may choose to either buy something ready made to sail,
or you may decide to buy a kit and
build it yourself.
There are many avenues to go down in sailing.
There are yachts, scale boats,
military ships, fun boats in fact,
anything that floats on water and is propelled by some form,
be
it wind or electric power
Sorry:
i/c
(internal combustion engine powered boats
are Not Allowed on our pond)
Members: range from junior
school age to retired.
Sailing is a relaxing hobby that dispels the
stresses of the day/week.
We offer:
Encouragement: to new Members
and the offer of comprehensive advise and assistance.
Some of our Members have been modelling for over 40 years
and have a wealth of information
to pass onto you.
Commitment:
to providing an active Club with good atmosphere,
promoting the hobby and encouraging
competent and safety conscious persons
to sail in a safe and enjoyable manner.
Monthly Social Evenings:
Free Quarterly Newsletter keeping everyone in touch with Club news,
competitions and modelling attractions around the area.
Founded seventy five years ago in 1937 with the help of the Sheffield
Society of Model and
Experimental Engineers, the Society developed from a group of enthusiastic
modellers who were
interested in the building of static display models. There was soon the
desire to see the models
sail, with attention being directed particularly towards semi scale yachts,
no doubt inspired by the
efforts of Sir Thomas Lipton with 'SHAMROCK' to win the 'AMERICAN CUP'.
Ready made sailing waters in Sheffield parks were made available by the City
Council, and Millhouses
Park lake became the regular meeting place for model boat enthusiasts, just
as it is today.
Then, due to the needs of the war effort, the activities of the Society were
severely curtailed as
members were drafted into the forces or into home front duties.
By the middle 1950's, as membership increased, a quarterly Newsletter was
introduced, distributed
also to members who were still in the services, to keep them in touch with
events. It is recorded that
they were sent as far afield as Italy and New Zealand. Around this time
mention was made of the first
lady member, although we have no record of any
models she may
have built. The Society, in collaboration
with other Sheffield Model
Societies, became involved in
the staging of annual exhibitions in the City.
In the following decade (1960-1970), membership gradually increased, as did
the variety of scale
models being built. With the introduction of more efficient radio control
equipment, using solid
state electronics, together with the miniturisation of the internal
combustion engine, greater interest
was being shown in Model Power Boats. The Society at that time period had
accounts totally £26 - 11s - 9d,
which was a princely sum. At the request of the Parks Committee regular
sailing exhibitions were held for
public entertainment. The Society President at that time was George Brookes,
who also had three sons that
were ardent supporters.
The Regatta's held in the various parks were extended to provide more
competitive sailing, to
encourage improved workmanship, and attract new members and juniors. The
social activities for member's
families was taken care of in the form of Annual Parties and Dinner. From
the accounts of that period the
going rate for an evening meal was 7/6d (38p). The
first National Scale
Regatta was held in 1979 in Millhouses Park.
In the mid 1970's the Society moved to headquarters in St. Silas Church
Hall. More recently, meetings
have moved to the building next to Millhouses Park Pool.
The Society then went through a period of reorganisation. A selected Guiding
Committee, a revised set of Club Rules
and the consolidation into what has become a well founded Society, giving
more encouragement to the younger
members by the provision of of trophies for their own events. In 1980, with
the assistance of the Sheffield Star we
organised 'Starship Enterprise', a competition for Juniors
with no previous experience to build a model boat, designed
by a Sheffield member, Wally Heslington.
Realism was the name of the game in the 1980's. During 1982 the then
Chairman Les Hampshire built a P&O Ferry.
He was subsequently asked by the Shipping Line if he could produce small
scale working models for their use in publicity,
which he did. It was featured in Boat Modeller. Another noteworthy member of
that time was Glynn Guest, and still is. He
was a regular contributor to Model Boats with his Ship designs.
The modelling skills of the Society are being maintained with one of our
members regularly contributing
designs and articles for 'Model Boats' ,another reviews new kits for
a manufacturer and writes reviews, and
one who is achieving the highest
awards for exhibits at the
Model Engineering Exhibition in London. One of
our longest serving member has written six books on ships (well he has been
involved in ships his whole life
and his father before him being an engineer) and has completed almost eighty
model ships by commission to
some of the biggest names in the shipping world. We still have an Honorary
Member who has been a member
since the Society was formed in 1937.
With an active current membership, many with over 20 years experience, the
Society is soundly established.
The assistance given by Sheffield City Council Parks Department, for the
hire of Millhouses Park
Lake and facilities is greatly appreciated.
