Category: Scale

2016 San Diego Argonauts Scale Boat Regatta

San Diego Argonauts’ Scale Boat Regatta

by Jeff Sparksworthy

IMG_1315On June 25th, 2016 a motley crew of Captains, First Mates, and Able Bodied Seapersons dared the submerged shoals, sandbars, shore batteries, volcanoes, and other obstacles to compete in the San Diego Argonauts’ Scale Boat Regatta at and in San Diego’s Vacation Island model boat pond.  Water locked landlubbers came all the way from Huntington Beach, Riverside, and San Bernardino for the chance to test their piloting skills in the salty brine of our pond. They were joined by a throng of spectators and other scale builders who were either sodium-averse or hydrophobic, but who nonetheless captured the imaginations on many a would be tar or future modeler.  In addition, Rob Wood of the near maniacal sect of battle pond enthusiasts was there to lend a hand and to try to induce other boaters to join his cult of like-minded sailors who actually plan on sinking their boats.

IMG_1316The awards, although rigged like a schooner, went to the following old salts:
In the Best of Class, the winners in each class are:

  • Military – 1st place Mike Rivera, 2nd place Martin Bunch, 3rd place Jimmy Hawkins.
  • In Workboats – 1st place Mike Rivera, 2nd place Tony G., 3rd place Frank Azucena.
  • In Pleasure Crafts – 1st place Dave Manley; 2nd place Armando, 3rd place Dave Ender

In Navigation the winners were:

  • 24″ or less – 1st place Ron Tindall.
  • 36″ or less – 1st place Ron Tindall and 2nd place Art Grunow.
  • In 36″or more – 1st place Mark Weber; 2nd place Armando, and 3rd place Armando (who this writer assumed everyone knew this fine gentleman’s last name).

IMG_1299The BEST of SHOW went to Mr. Tony G. (who, wishing to dodge the paparazzi and gold diggers, refused to provide last name).

The whole affair was deemed a smashing success – in no small part to the efforts of Rosemary Kapler who catered the event – knowing full well how cranky hungry sailors can be.  The only complaint was that the grog was watered down.

Additional logistics were provided by the future president of the Argonauts, young Master Dave Kaplar, who helped the old salts rinse off (and he cleaned their boats too!).  Jeff Sparksworthy and Vice Commodore David Alvarez ran the registration table and carefully cooked the scorekeeping books, as well as selling tickets, and making award plaques.

IMG_1263Special thanks are due to Rob Wood, Martin Bunch, David Manley, and Don Johnson for heading the judging. Thousands were raised in bribes alone!  Another big, calloused hand goes to galley slave Ron Tindall for rowing while Mark Weber set up islands and to Don Johnson for bringing them in.

We all deeply appreciate the continued support of John at Discount Hobby Warehouse and we all need to thank Jimmie Hawkins for his mystery raffle prize. Other donors include Mike Rivera’s for tools, Martin Bunch for kits, and Don Johnson for motors. A shout of “thanks” goes to all of the other named and anonymous prize donors.

IMG_20160625_135941553[1]The event seems to grow like a barnacle and yet to somehow get better every year, due in great part to the “all hands on deck” attitude of the scale division and to the support of our fellow obsessives in the sail division.  We even had some people crossing the once dangerous taboo between sail and motor driven groups. Perhaps we should have a shellback ceremony next year to welcome them to this side of the equator. Some intrepid sailors even made a mad dash to run their boats through the obstacle course under sail, although their comments can’t be printed in a family publication.

The Argonauts are looking forward to making next year’s regatta bigger and better with IMG_1289more entries, a submarine class, and a special category of heaviest AND ugliest boat to placate a certain obnoxious amateur builder.

Thanks to all who worked at and attended our event and my apologies to any and all who expected the full truth and nothing but the truth in this press release.

Want to see more stuff?

 

 

2016 Scale Boat Summer Regatta

The Scale Boat Division of the San Diego Argonauts is hosting a regatta!

  • Date:   Saturday, June 25, 2016
  • Time:  10:00-2:30pm
  • Location:  San Diego Model Yacht Pond — Vacation Isle in Mission Bay
    (Approximate address is 100 Vacation Rd, San Diego, CA 92109)

What to Expect:

  1. Navigation Course & Static Judging:
    • $5 per boat entry
    • Includes on skipper ticket
  2. Lunch: $10 for food:
    • Rotisserie Chicken, Homemade Rice, Baked  Beans, Watermelon, Homemade Brownies  Cookies, Chips & Drink
    • Extra drinks: $1 each
  3. Trading Tables: Bring your extra boats & parts
  4. Raffle!
    • Must be present to win at 2:00pm
    • $1 for a raffle ticket
    • $5 for 6 raffle tickets
  5. Remote controlled model boats!  Cool, cool scale boats!  Come check ’em out even if you don’t have one!

Details:  In 2015 we revived scale boat regattas in San Diego!  We had a great family-friendly event, and we’re planning another one for 2016.  Come on down to the San Diego Model Yacht Pond on Vacation Isle Park.

Parking:  Parking is free and first come first serve.  Park on north side of the pond.  Additional parking southeast of the pond.

Bring:  Bring your own table, chair & sun screen.  Bring a scale boat to run through our navigation course.  Bring money for lunch & raffle and spare stuff for trading.

2015 Scale Boat Regatta Judges & Navigation Course

Rinse Table:  Yup, the pond is saltwater.  It’s connected to the San Diego bay and is fed through the tide.  This keeps our pond like very few other.  Model boaters have been using this pond for 80+ years.  We just rinse our boats after use.  We’ll have a rinse table setup to make rinsing easier than ever.

RSVP is not necessary.  However, feel free to e-mail David Alvarez dalvarez2@san.rr.com with questions or to let us know you’ll be joining.  Or, let us know by checking on on:

Last year’s event was a total success!  Check out photos from our 2015 summer regatta here.

FLYERS:

2015 mini Parade of Lights

mini Parade of Lights at San Diego Model Boat Pond (8)

Last year’s mini Parade of Lights was an incredible success. This year, the San Diego Argonauts will be hosting another mini Parade of Lights at the San Diego Model Boat Pond on Friday, December 18, 2015.

Start working on your lights.  Be sure to bring a warm sweater, a hot beverage, and a great camera.  This is going to be another beautiful event!

For more info:
https://www.facebook.com/events/1074705015895208/

In case you’re new to the mini Parade of Lights, here’s a video from last year’s event:

Warship Combat in Balboa Park

Big gun RC combat warships in the middle of Balboa Park?

The Battle Pond at San Diego Maker Faire was a huge hit. What a well oil machine/team the Western Warship Combat Club (WWCC) is!  The WWCC set up its Battle Pond in the middle of San Diego Maker Faire. Club members slugged it out shooting & sinking each other with up to 1/4″ steel balls.

Game play involved two teams targeting the other team’s convoy. Cargo ships were unarmed and captained by kids from the audience!

1:144 Scale Combat Ships present:

  • USS Iowa
  • HMS Hood
  • HMS Rodney,
  • HMS Kent class (7 ea.)
  • Battleship Roma
  • DKM Bismarck
  • DKM Graf Spee
  • DKM Deutschland
  • DKM Z-23
  • C-3 cargo ships (7 each)

Not only did a dozen guys & gals travel down from San Francisco, but they spent countless hours planning, transporting, and constructing the 72’x40′ Battle Pond.  Thursday, they and local volunteers built the pond itself. Friday was building polycarbonate shielding walls.

Many thanks to San Diego Argonauts volunteers Jeff Sparksworthy, David Alvarez, Greg Dawe, David Manley, Ken Wilson, Mark Weitzman, Socorro Weitzman, Jarod Black, and Zack Trahan!

After all that hard work, we had a private model boat pond in the middle of Balboa Park!

#sdmakerfaire

Photos from Thursday:

Photos from Friday:

Photos from Saturday:

Photos from Sunday:

Interested in RC combat?
Contact Rob Wood, Director and Producer of the Battle Pond
http://westernwarshipcombat.com
rwood@hypergold.com
650-678-2478
This is Battle Pond VIII. The culmination of 8 years of work.
Battle Pond is a Western Warship Combat Club, Inc. production. All rights reserved.

Run Your Model Boat in Balboa Park

Imagine running your RC boat in Balboa Park…

Right behind you would be the San Diego Air & Space Museum.  Onlookers would smile and watch as you and your fellow Argonauts navigate a 72′ x 40′ pond dedicated to model boating.

Sounds pretty awesome, right?  It’s going to happen!  October 3 & 4.

volunteer-here-buttonThe Western Warship Combat Club (WWCC), which typically runs its Battle Pond at the San Francisco Maker Faire, has been invited down to San Diego’s Maker Faire.  That means San Diego will be hosting a huge temporary pond for RC combat ships.  This is like Battlebots (or should I say Battleboats) that shoot and sink each other!

crowd_IMG_9052

What’s really cool for the Argonauts is that since WWCC won’t be doing combat every moment, and they’ve invited us to make use of their pond while they’re not.  Imagine a hockey rink.  When there’s not a game, others use it.  That’s us.

Actually, the first battle isn’t until 11:00am Sat and Sun, so the pond is available all morning for fun-running. Battles last a total of 30 minutes, including retrieval, and there is 1 1/2 hour between battles. That’s all fun-run time. After 4:30pm, it’s all fun-run!  How about another mini Parade of Lights?

Thursday, October 1st:  Volunteers need to build the pond

Friday, October 2nd:  Volunteers need to build the pond

Saturday, October 3rd: Volunteers need between battles for fun runs, teaching, etc.

  • 7:00am – 9:00am: Unload boats and equipment not already in the Battle Pond arena. (Applies mostly to local skippers.)
  • 10:00am: Maker Faire starts.
  • 11:00am: Combat
  • 1:00pm: Combat
  • 2:30pm: Combat
  • 4:00pm: Combat
  • 4:30pm on: Fun runs, repairs, etc.
  • 6:00pm: Maker Faire officially closes for the night. Afterward: Party time and fun runs!

Sunday, October 4th: Volunteers need between battles for fun runs, teaching, etc.

  • 7:00am – 9:00am: Unload boats and equipment not already in the Battle Pond arena. (Applies mostly to local skippers.)
  • 10:00am: Maker Faire starts.
  • 11:00am: Combat
  • 1:00pm: Combat
  • 2:30pm: Combat
  • 4:00pm: Combat
  • 4:30pm on: Fun runs, repairs, etc.
  • 6:00pm: Maker Faire officially ends.
  • 6:00pm: Battle Pond strike begins. All but the pond walls and liner are dismantled. Afterward: Fun runs and BS session.

Monday, October 5th:  Volunteers need to tear down the pond

Let’s promote model boating.  The San Diego Argonauts is a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting radio control model boating and racing.  With thousands of people attending Maker Faire, this is the perfect opportunity to show off our hobby and to attract the next generation to the sport of RC model boating.

Best part is, the WWCC is not only going to share its pond, but it’s going to share tables, canopies, electricity for charging, and the general area with the Argonauts.  That means, you’ll have a great home base to enjoy the Faire or to simply enjoy your boat.  Drop off your boat and then take the shuttle right to the pond.

battle pond drop off parking spot

Also, if you’d like to try your hand at combat, the WWCC will have both armed and unarmed combat ships available for Argonauts to run in battle.

The pond will range in depth from 12″ to 20″, so start thinking of boats that will run in such waters.  Scale boats, sail boats, and slower power boats are welcome.  Did we mention this is the perfect environment for a submarine?

The following sizes of sailboats could be fun on the battle pond.

  1. Footy
  2. Graupner Micro Magic
  3. CR-914
  4. Victoria

Here’s what we need to make this happen: you & boats.  There are a few simple ways you can volunteer.  Picking one or more will make this event great.

  1. Bring a boat to run on the pond.
  2. Help set up the pond.
  3. Help staff the combat events.

If you’d like to run a boat on the pond or to otherwise volunteer, just fill out this quick form so we can get a head count.  Click here to volunteer.

volunteer-here-buttonFeel free to email Rob Wood rwood@hypergold.com with any questions.

Sponsor 4 Western Warship Combat Club

 

 

Revival of Scale Boat Regattas

Wow, based on the awesome crowd and how nicely today went, it’s hard to believe that it’s been 15+ years since our last Scale Boat regatta at the pond. Awesome boats, great guys & gals, and a solid navigation course made for an excellent event.

Many thanks to all our volunteers who made the possible, to all the Sail Division guys who came to check out the scene, and to Neil Boyle of the Power Division of the San Diego Argonauts who was out volunteering at 6:30am!!

Many thanks: David Alvarez, Jeff Sparksworthy, and I made a solid trio planning this event. Rosemary did a great job with food. Thanks to little Davie for the boat rinse table. Thanks to David Manley, Don & Ryan Johnson, and Marty Bunch for judging. Charles, Ryan and Neil get awesome points for all the hard work setting up the course. Thanks to Discount Hobby, Mike Rivera, and Lew Johnson. Thanks to everyone else for helping staff tables and anyone else I’m forgetting.

More photos are here:

Awesome, awesome day!  Great scale boating.  Enjoy the photos.

For Sale: 1/144 scale USS Lassen DDG

SOLD!

RC Scale Military Ship for Sale:

Selling my one 1/144 scale USS Lassen DDG, it’s 40 inches long and comes with two battery packs and four channel radio and runs well. For pick up in San Diego only I will not deliver or ship, price is $300.

Contact David Manley for more info: