Classic Pond Yachts
Classic Pond Yachts
'Molly' came from Russell Potts collection of models, she was built to the full sized Y.R.A International 18 footer rule, which was adopted by the International Yacht Racing Union Conference in November 1919. The rule was introduced by Mr Heckstall Smith while he was secretary of the Boat Racing Association. For models the rule was applied 2 inch = 1 foot, and was adopted by the MYSA (Model yacht sailing association) at Kensington Gardens. An interesting thing about the rule is that to find the water line length (LWL) for measurement a vertical lift of 2LB (in freshwater) is applied to the model to lift her out of the water, this was to find the water line length without the crew onboard! They used to go to a lot of trouble to try and replicate the full size rule, and to try and make the yachts sail as much as possible like the full size boats, built to the same rule, a lot of model clubs back then saw themselves as a testing ground for full size sailing, and yacht design.
Picture of Molly above just after I picked her up, a lovely looking yacht, and there is a fair bit of history with her. She is an A W Littlejohn design, he was one of the top designers of his day, Model yachting Royalty !! She was built by Mr George Braine, who came up with the design of the steering gear, which became known as the Braine gear, it was universally adopted my model yachtsman, and was used until the windvane systems slowly took over.
She was first registered August 1928 at the MYSA sail number 54
Designer Mr A W Littlejohn.
Builder and first owner Mr. George Braine.
I have some more information on her history, so more info further down the page.
Molly being sailed by Mr Russell Potts at Clapham Sept 2004
Another picture of Molly at Clapham in 2004.
Molly 2020 front garden at Warsash, nice suit of cotton sails with what look like old or even original spars. Really looking forward to getting her sailing.
As you would expect with the pedigree of this boat the build quality is very good. She was restored late 90s or very early 2000s by Graham Reeves which is why she looks so good now. Pictures above of the inside.
George Braine liked to build sliding hatches, they run on brass runners see above and below.
More hatch detail, a lot of work to make a hatch like this, and still working after 92 years !!!
Molly is a beautiful boat, you can see why Littlejohn was so well respected as a designer, also the build quality as already said is stunning, and the restoration has kept her looking her age, not restored to look like new.
She is quite beamy aft, to my eye if the skeg was removed, and a more modern rudder/skeg fitted (heaven forbid!), you could be looking at an S&S design from the 1960s.
The deck fittings like the rest of the boat very good quality, they seem to be nickel plated ? rather than chrome, The feet and car on the jib track are different to the main track (radiused) so some fittings replaced over the years, also you can see on the deck where a narrower track was once fitted, maybe it was not allowing the jib to go out far enough?. The picture on the left shows the Braine steering gear, I wonder if that was originally made by George Braine?
The deck is made out of solid timber, how did they get the timber cut to those sizes? you wont get it today, the deck has had a repair done to what looks like a nasty split, a backing pad has been fitted and pinned, it is solid now. I think it much better to repair like this, than remove and replace the deck, this way she keeps her history, and can still go sailing, well done Graham!
Here is a some more history, Mr Graham Reeves who restored Molly has contacted me with some more information. Molly was the last boat built by George Brain before he died at 1am 26th April 1932, only 4 years after first registering Molly. The advert below in the May 1937 edition of Marine Models could be for Molly, this advert says that the boat can be seen at Kensington Gardens, home to the MYSA, I will check the 18 ft register to see how many 18 footers he built. The next record we have found is that she was owned by a Mr Ted Porter in 1948, so there may have been another owner/s between George Braine and Ted Porter ?. Graham Reeves bought Molly from Ted Porter, he then restored her, and then sold her to Russell Potts early 2000s, who then sold her to me in 2020, only a few gaps to fill and we could have her complete history, at least as far as owners go, It would be great to have some of her racing history!
Below is George Braine's obituary from 1932. By virtue of the Braine gear, he must be one of the best known names in model yachting, as is mentioned in the obituary he built a lot of model yachts!
A picture below sent to me by Graham Reeves of Molly after her restoration, thanks Graham.
Classic Pond Yachts
As soon as we are allowed out !!! I will take her sailing and get some pictures and videos to put on here.