XMAS ON THE RICK 2009, Hampton Court Model Yacht Club

            This festive, cobweb blowing, mince pie and York ham sandwich eating, annual day after boxing day HCMYC meeting, lived up to expectations with guests and visitors from as far afield as Wiltshire (and Harriet from Wimbledon on cycle with model yacht trailer), bringing a fine variety of interesting vintage racing yachts and toy boats. Up to twenty came and it was good to see club secretary Laurie as well as Dennis Moss, website supremo, come by.  A stiff south-westerly, gusting at times to 25-30mph, challenged all, especially if the ice remaining at the golf club end was to be avoided or successfully sailed through.

        Amongst boats spotted by your correspondent was a rare Alexander M (only 13 were ever registered and 2 currently located), another recently restored Marblehead, Sunray 2 believed K 426 by Jack Tregenna with a new moving carriage gear and a pretty 50’s fin keel 36R in original paint.

        In the toy boat department a number of Sugg schooners (although their cutters are more common the former are unusual); also a trio of Gamages launches, the largest and best preserved 36” long, as well as a splendid, complete, but sadly silver overpainted steam powered 39cm Bing torpedo boat from c1900. There was also a rare and unusual twin screw rubber band powered Don Keay raced 1930’s Miss England 2 by K boats and similarly unusual, a pre-war steam drifter and sailing fishing boat by Lines Bros.