Drummoyne Sailing Club,  11/9/03.

 I suppose we all know since I first wrote my books, the Model racing skiffs have just about taken on a life of it’s own.

Well it would be an understatement if I said our Model Racing Skiff Reunion was ‘a good day had by all’.

 I try to get to these sorts of things/venue a little early, to make sure things go right from the outset.

 When I got to the club there was three people trying to get in the doors with armfulls of model racing skiffs. From 4”ers to 2 footers, of course the smaller bugs had their sails already on and flapping in the wind.

I suppose from the outset of this story, I should explain that these model racing skiffs are also called in some quarters, Balmain Bugs.  The “Balmain Bug” is a Antique name attached to these beaut little boats because they originated from this area (just near Drummoyne). Nevertherless, these little boats won lots of friends on the day.

 As the day got towards 10.30am (we were going to start about 11am according to the program) we had about twenty bugs from all over including a really fine 18”er from Lang and Margaret Martin of Tamworth in northern NSW. This particular 18inch model was in really good condition, in fact Lang said he kept it under cover in the barn, on his farm. It was the first original 18”er I had seen from Folly Point in the flesh and what a beauty it was. Just to put you in the picture of it. In model skiff racing terms it is a big un’ and I suppose the sides of the hull about 10” high. Planked, of course, with lightish coloured wood. It featured a large wide stem post, with a different colour wood stripe down the deck centre. All the fittings were on it, including an unusual reverse rudder serated fitting overhanging the rudder position.

 Dennis McGoogan, ( the model skiff sailmaker) turned up early. Somehow he fitted into his car two 32”ers, complete with monster rigs, sails and those huge spinnakers, that these boats used and a couple of 12”ers too boot. George Mc Googan was not too far behind his son in his own car, carrying something really special in a whole fleet of 4”, 6” and 8”ers to fill in all the display gaps on the viewing tables at the club house. The amount of models were starting to grow to mammoth proportions.

 Well it wasn’t long before the guests started to arrive. The Drummoyne Sailing Club through its Manager Ben De Graph had given  part of the upper dining hall over to these Old Buggers for a reunion and provided tea and coffee and biscuits, which were much appreciated by all who attended.

 These old guy and gals haven’t raced these craft for over for 52 years. Some of the old skippers had not seen each other since those days on Iron Cove and Fivedock Bay in the 1950s.

When the 32”ers were set up the whole rigs were put up, with the huge spinnakers flying and what a sight this was, for they stood about 10’high and they still didn’t have their keels fitted. See in the photos the people standing near them.

 There were some pretty special boats there in company of a lot of really good boats. For instance, there was a steel clinker 12 incher but the clinkers were put on in reverse or started at the top garboard and worked down. So that the steel plates stuck-out at the top, would be the best way to describe it.

 I particularly liked Ken Purchase’s boat called ‘½ pint’ a 10”er, this is a static model including all the sails with the spinnaker flying. It looks to me that the spinnaker was stiffened to give the appearance of it flying as in the shape a sailor knows. It was nicely done.

 Another special boat (to me ) was the model by Ian Pullar of a Centennial Park  model of about a (Circa) 1925 type. You will remember that Centennial Park Lake was silting up at that time and the keels on the models were getting shorter. This model represents this era. Really well built, Ian sells these models and also makes schooners models.

 There were a couple of other boats there including Perce Purchase’s model of a 16 footer called ‘Rogue’ this is a static model of a real boat, nicely done. Jack Woodward’s 36” Pre 1900 Tonner; the thing with these Tonners is, not only are they carved beautifully on the outside but on the inside as well. These Model Skiff enthusiasts are really amazed how well these Tonners are done and like the finish of them inside, where not too many people look. Lots of these old blokes are shipwrights and Marine Architects and carpenters by trade and appreciate somebody doing their craft, well, like Jack Woodward. 

Well the Old Buggers want to do the reunion again, next year and want to know why they can’t sail too. One of the big problems in sailing BB are having some 1940s rowing boats to lean out of. I have not seen any of late only Ali motor boats.

 A big thank you to Drummoyne Sailing Club for making all this possible. With out them, it would not have happened.

 Stephen Crewes.  Historical Officer ARYA  2003

Stephen Crewes. National Historical Officer. ARYA 2003.

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