Hi HappyHaggis ,
You may see from my wee picture that I reside in that windswept and interesting country Scotland , I was off site for quite a while with health problems but hopefully back with a bang or at least a little pop.
Cheers Marky👍

Roy, et al.,
I don't know much about the model railroad sales here in the US. Here in Florida most homes do not have basements. Also with mild winters (tee short and shorts today) there's no need to go into hibernation and work on a hobby in a warm area of one's home.
Last year another hobby shop locally bit the dust. We now have two hobby shops serving about one million people in Pinellas County.
Lew

Hi, yes it is a thinking hobby, solving problems and assembling the drive train has many options and I include sails here as well and then deciding what is a reasonable spend and also to utilise what you have to hand.

Much of the thinking that goes into models is unnoticed by others but is the main reason for the building.
When I start a new model I start with a new page in my 'Notes on Boats' diary. Dates are important as well. I do a fanciful list of what I would like to have in the model, some things look impossible but then a few weeks later a possible solution pops into your head.
Everything gets listed including the build order and ticked off or crossed out as it all progresses.

Over the Covid period I often wonder if the now woke term BC could now be repurposed as Before Covid and 'the now' can be PC as in Post Covid.
Sorry side tracked. I believe sales of kits increased during lockdown but from here it is difficult to detect many new members coming into our area of interest.
Model railway sales increased by 20% in UK did the same happen in USA?

Anyway age was mentioned. On Friday afternoons I go over to see a long term friend he is mostly blind but otherwise active looking after himself with a little help. He is working on a Gauge 1 simple electric loco using his engineering workshop.

He should make his next birthday in June 2023 when he will be 104 years old. At my age of 84 going on 85 I feel a mere stripling!
regards
Roy

Well said John, ownership of ready to sail models is never the same as ownership of something you have made yourself, whether that be scratch built from plans, put together from your own design, or built from kits. And if you are a scratch builder, like myself, it's a much cheaper hobby!
For Christmas (and birthday) my sons and daughter gave me some plastic display boats to make. Some are so small I have to use a lighted magnifying glass to see and fit some parts! Apart from the continual pleasure of seeing them, the building of them not only informs of their construction, it develops the power of patience and keeps you away from brain stultifying TV!
Tony A..........

Guestbook,
I think you are a youngster, I was a fire fighter in uk for 30 years am now 78 and moved here 2007. I started boat building over here and found the help and encouragement on this website invaluable, good luck and do not be afraid to ask!
Len (bombero)😁😁

Hi Rod,

Welcome to the site.

You have some nice boats there.

I hope you do a build log with plenty of photos.

Martin555.

Welcome ! ... Rod ( 75, retired federal law enforcement, was a technical specialist in radio communications for the Canadian govt. The model RC channels were under my purview for 20yr. The migration to 2.4GHz was a Godsend for the modelling hobby ) 🚤🚤🚤🚤🚤⛵⛵⛵

Welcome Greg, I'm 74 this year so also a dinosaur, been model boating since i was 5.
Looking forward to seeing your blog.
Cheers Colin.

Hi Greg.
Welcome aboard.
I am really looking forward to your Diva blog as I have one to start some day. I would ask if you would kindly take a picture of the items in the box when you start the blog as I am sure mine has wooden rods missing.
Thanks,
Peter.

Welcome aboard. Can't wait to see your progress.

Hi Greg,
I am glad to see you have joined this great site.
You will find the members here very helpful and friendly.
There are lots of fantastic build log by many members and loads of information to be gained, So take your time and have a good look around.
If you have any questions then all you have to do is shout and I am sure the members here will help.

I am looking forward to seeing your build log.

Martin.

Hi Greg,

Welcome indeed to this wonderful site. I am sure you will find the Diva mode a great challenge to build and very satisfying to sail.

I note that you are based around Exeter, so please try to find Model Boat Club not too far away. As well as this site you may like to check the forums on modelboamayhem and Model boats (linked with Model Boats Magazine) which could lead you to local club s as well as host of useful info.

With very best wishes and please ask if you get stuck - we all love our hobby and will do all we can to help.

John F Leeds &Bradford MBC😁😁🤗

Welcome Greg I'm sure most of us are not part of the spring chicken brigade not dead but a little less spry is a good way to view us.
Having Martin advise you with the build 👍👍👍👍👍👍
Rick

Welcome aboard Greg👍
Looking forward to your blog, a fine subject.
Cheers, Doug😎

that's what sharing is all about

Dead right Jim👍
Often the newbies to our hobby also discover a neat trick that works for them.
As my fellow German modellers would say-
'Even a blind hen sometimes finds a grain of corn.'
So don't be shy folks, pass on your tips and tricks for everyone's benefit😀
Cheers, Doug 😎
"non of us are born with a full set of wings ( sails) and are able to fly straight away"
Straighten up and fly right!😁

Absolutely Len (Fireman😉)
Have been following your builds with great interest and have been pleased to witness an exponential rise in your skill sets in just 3 years and resultant assistance to other members.
Well done that man👍
I, and likely many other members, would very much like to see some vid clips of your creations in action.
Saludos, Doug 😎

jim dog,
regarding this club website NO questions are stupid,As I only started building my boats(I am on my third)since I moved here 15years ago I found the help fantastic and have actually helped the experts. so even the starters can be useful 👍😁
Bombero (len)

I agree. Wonderful members, professionals, good sense of humor, and proud of their work! Very helpful as well.

Best model boat site out there by a mile... er... a knot.

Lew

Wow! Stunning location you live in! I would love to live in such a place.

Hi Ron,
I live in Cumbria, in a area of sparse population.

I belong to Darlington model boat club, but it is a 90 mile roundtrip away.

Carlisle model boat club is about 100mile round trip.

Lakes of the Lake District National Park are unsuitable for model boats.

There are no model shops selling boats /fittings etc in Cumbria, buy most stuff online.

Regards Roy

Nice array of vessels in your collection. Where in this world do you live?
Ron in 🇨🇦

A good afternoon modelboat builders,modelboat yacht men and model yacht skippers
Indeed is this à fantastic site for ant one who wants à solution or a question answered regarding building. Personnaly i joined thé royal model yacht club when i was 16 years old. We do have à fantastic maken espacially build for us. Thé complet pond is vuiltje in concrete and had à depth of one meter on top of that thé pond is about 2 meters deep with thé actual ground level si even when it is windy it doesn’t affect out sailing. Having Saïd this we struggle as Many hobby clubs with finding or welcoming new and preferably young members. We know that we are not thé only club with this problem. Si if any one of you got Some good ideas they are more than welcome.
Looking forward to the suggestions
Regards
Herman Lifeboat lover

Completely agree, I’m still ploughing though older blogs and posts, a superb resource that has saved me loads of time.

I have found this site very helpful from all members answering questions from their experiences for Newbies like me. Compared to other Hobby sites where I've amost been told don't both me with stupid questions Google it for an answer,thanks again all.....👍👍👍

Tampa Bay area: http://ssmbc-fl.org
Lew

http://ssmbc-fl.org

Hello here's a couple good ones. 5650 Independence Cir, Fort Myers, FL 33912 is one I visit when at my mother in laws house. 2350 Coosa River Pkwy, Wetumpka, AL 36092 is by a buddies house. I am lucky enough to have one 5 minutes from my house in Louisville KY. Hope this helps...Dave

Well said that man.👍

Hello PaulT1.
Welcome aboard.
As an avid lover of the Flower Class corvette and a builder of many if you need any assistance from myself or all our members just ask away.
We will help in any way.
Regards Bill.

Welcome aboard
Lots of experience on here, don’t be afraid to ask, don’t forget, there are no silly questions

Glad you found us we are represented by model builders from many nations both north and south hemisphere.

Welcome Aboard!
You will find this Site to be both informative and Friendly😊😊
Trev

Well Steveg. Now your here I hope you stay and post some photos of your boats soon.
Happy modelling, cheers Colin.

Hello Norway
It is actually the case on this homepage, I am also a newbie and I was really helped with tips and tricks. I also took my old models from 1985-90 out of the screed and ventured back to the old boats. .
You'll see . . Really awesome here! 👍👍👍
Best landlubbers greetings from Switzerland, Michel-Claude

Hello there, and whether you are trawling, drifting through, or whatever, you are certainly very welcome on this site, which just happens to be one of the best on the model boating front at this moment of time. You will find that all the members on here, are sociable friendly and very helpful, especially on the problem-solving front. Regards, enjoy, Gary.

Thank you .

Well Norway, you've come to the best site in the world to learn about all things model boat related.
Ask a question and someone will have the answer.
Happy modelling, cheers Colin.

Your English is excellent, viewed by a Canadian !😎

Hello Gary,
Thanks for the compliments on my English . . . 😌
Michel Claude
👍👍👍

Hi Mike, and welcome to what must be as far as I am concerned the very best Model Boat Site that exists here on the internet. I am sure that you will find the members on here to be sociable, friendly, helpful, and full of excellent ideas when you get stuck with a problem or you require information on a specific problem. So my friend enjoy the ride as this site runs like a Swiss watch, and there is nothing wrong with your English, and you will fit in nicely. Regards, Gary.

Hi Mike,
I am really glad you are enjoying this site.
We have great members here that are willing to share there knowledge and to help in any way they can.

Martin555.

Welcome to the site Robert,
As Nerys has said we have really fantastic members here on the site.
If you need any help just shout.

Martin555.

Welcome aboard, Robert, to this Forum and the Model Boat Navy. Yes you will get all the help you need from the members. You only have to ask and someone will come to the rescue. You will find that we are a very friendly lot and many of our members have an astonishing knowledge of the intricacies of model boat building.

Cheers, Nerys

Hi Martin. You _may_ be crazy, I don't know you yet. I do know that Cash has more loose screws than a hardware store. 😃 He makes me look normal (I'm not).

I look forward to getting to know the crew around here.

J.P.

Hi JP,
Welcome to the site.
As Cash has told you we are friendly bunch and maybe a little crazy (well i am probably the crazy one).

I hope you enjoy the site and that you find it useful.

Martin555.

Hi JP!! Look around the site get to know some folks, it’s a great resource and the members are friendly and knowledgeable.
Cash