Same thing in NZ. I think we have only 3 hobby shops of any note between the 2 islands and with a population of 4.5.m, and even those are full of plastic with a handful of plane kits, and if you are lucky, a few boat kits (from around $500 upwards for Billings). I think technology, safety police, whingers and lack of council areas for boating have helped kill the hobby here. I don't think there is a decent model boat club in the whole country now..

There are still a few plane clubs around, but again the safety requirements and insurance put people off. The local plane club here is $150 to join, so what young person can afford that each year, plus the cost of models etc etc. There were a lot of model shops and clubs in NZ (trains, boats planes cars etc) up till around yr 2000 but they have almost all disappeared since all the health and safety regulations came in.

Young people have a different outlook these days, and aren't really interested in models, (unless they are ready made, and once used or damaged they are in the bin or forgotten). We built models a lot from necessity, now young people get better pay and can afford better cars, boats, holidays than we could. When I was at high school, no cars were allowed, now outside schools on the roads are Mercs, BMWs Subarus etc.

My first car while at school in 1969 was a 1933 Vauxhall ASXSA 14/6 with a run bearing, bought from a mate for $150 from my holiday jobs. I think everything changes with time, and technology is changing things quickly. Who would have ever thought in the 70s we'd be talking about getting rid of cash !, or sailing big monohulls at 50mph, or Teslas faster than V8s.

There will always be some material to build models from, it's a matter of will anybody want to in 20yrs from now.? Vintage cars and hotrods were the thing years ago, made by the thousands, but where are they all now.? The safety police have got them off the roads, - hardly see one any more except for at shows.

The story is very much the same here in the vUK.I live near Oxford andv up to about 3 years ago, we were well-served for model shops of all types, ranging from chain shops to departments in much larger shops. Oxford had 3, Kidington 1 Banbury 1, Then in the space of 3 months, all were gone except for Kidlington and that morphed into a 'box emporium' and stopped selling wood, and accessories of every type. I make models of all sorts :aircraft, trains, boats.The loss of these shops is keenly felt. Shopping mail order on the web or by phone is very limiting, and I find myself havingvto carry a whole lot more items/materials in my workshop than of old. In continental Europe, the story is generallymuch the same but those stores that have remained are much better than ours. There is a super shop, in central Arnhem for example.

Certainly being seen across the world and will continue with current policies which all seem to have one theme, but does not tackle the issues.
Cash has been in decline for quite some years as people switch to electronic payment systems. This encourages on-line or weekly/monthly shopping at large stores often in a new business park remote from the town centre. Traffic congestion was always an issue in many towns so local government made them pedestrianised with costly parking charges. The inevitable result was reduced footfall and the demise of many town centres, including our hobby shops.
There are in the UK some really good online retailers and they have knowledgeable and helpful staff. Youngsters really benefit from seeing a model boat to tweak their desire and sadly this can only now be seen at a model show of which there are few.
If you have a model Boat club near then they will provide a source of knowledge and encouragement. My own club obtained a schooner building template some years ago and I believe we now have ten or more built by members.
I doubt if modelling as a hobby will disappear but the individual interests will continue to evolve which should ensure all modellers can continue to enjoy their particular preference.
Dave976

Very sad, but true!!

Hi Lew,
I think the big draw with boats is the construction. one can get as detailed as desired, especially with scratch builds.
Unfortunately, I am only able to access material on the Web.
Trev

My big concern is about the future of operational scale model boats. Many of us can scratch build and use electronics (radios, ESCs, etc.) for planes and land vehicles.

We get visitors at meets that want to get involved but it is getting more difficult to point them to a decent supplier, be it a local hobby shop or even online. Here in Florida (U.S.) we operate year round and have a number of lakes and ponds.

I am also in a RC armor club. (Armor is growing somewhat in the past few years.) I asked the owner of the local hobby shop if he sold any tanks lately and he responded "not a lot, but the do move fairly well." Thing is we have not seen any increase in members at the local RC tank club. Apparently people by the tanks, run them once or twice then put them on a shelf or in storage. Probably much the same for RC scale boats.

Lew

The same is true here in the states. There is much less than there used to be. And the ones remaining tend to cater to a special group. Except for online, very hard to get a lot of things. Even the online stores seem to be less and less.

The demise of hands-on crafts is a story all over. It is happening with trains, boats, model cars, real cars, trucks, etc. Every one wants instant gratification and do want to put in the time to learn or god forbid get their hands dirty. Sad but that is the trend now a-days with a few exceptions.
I'll keep building my 1/24 scale tug, my 1/14 scale trucks and even my 1/1 full scale 1940 Street Rod.
Len

Doubt that things will change Roy. As the hobby decreases even more, as it invariable will, it will reach a point of no return and even online stores will stop stocking model boat materials etc.

I'm thankful that I got interested in the hobby 4 years ago (as I mentioned on the other thread) at what personally I feel was a good time following the introduction of e.g. brushless motors and 2.4 GHz radio gear etc. Also that there are some good online suppliers around where I've managed to get virtually everything I've wanted. With an eye to the future (after not being able to get a particular motor mount I'd standardised on) and with possible supply problems for other things, I've stocked up on the motors, servos and Rx's for future builds. Need to get some more prop shafts and rudders though. So hopefully I will have an enjoyable few years in the hobby.

It can be an expensive hobby (not as much as some others though) particularly for those on pensions. Aircraft and Tamiya trucks etc. are usually even more expensive but generally attract a larger, younger group of hobbyists with more disposable income, so the future of their areas of RC are more secure.

Chris

Same here in Sunny Manchester, from 3 or 4 in easy reach, down to one who is mainly plastic kits, with very few if any boats, awaiting a delivery as I type, my 20 to 30 year old Egeret pusher tug prop shafts both decide they had had enough and split, only discovered when regreasing them the joy of boating. Welcome Rick you'll find this sites members very helpful I am sure. Realized too late that I had the right bore Brass tubing to replace covers, and after recovering end bushes have re-made them, now deciding whether to refit or go with the new ones which should arrive later this week, my brain hurts :-)