Committee for Lorne: The Regatta on the Erskine is Back!

Sailing has not ranked highly amongst aquatic sports in Lorne. But a big change – albeit with small boats – is about to take place.

This month the Lorne Regatta of model racing yachts will hit the water. The event will take place at 10am, Sunday April 14, at the Swing Bridge, weather permitting. Up to seven T37 American designed boats built at the Men’s Shed are scheduled to compete with a range of other craft. The photos show some of the sleek yachts, whose numbers are expected to grow over time – another three are already in the pipeline – going through their paces at sunset sea trials held recently near the Erskine River mouth.

The metre long remote controlled boats have been taking shape under the talented hand and close supervision of Lorne resident Tony Wolfenden.

Designer, sculptor, kite maker and now an enthusiastic model yacht builder, he is spear-heading their construction, working with a small but dedicated team at the Men’s Shed applying themselves to model making, something they haven’t done
since childhood. Sponsors include the Lorne Independent, various members of the Men’s Shed, Lions Club, Lorne Aquatic and Angling Club, the local Bendigo Community Bank and Foodworks.

Tony hopes the regatta will lead to more frequent sailing events.

“Maybe mid-week, as locals and visitors, exposed to the colourful sight of sails working their way up the Erskine River, are persuaded.”

In an era where cutting-edge technology like drones and other highoctane digital entertainments dominate, Tony says model yacht regattas provide a graceful and relaxing antidote. Although not too relaxing.

“The skipper of a radio-controlled yacht has to concentrate on what is happening to his or her craft sometimes many metres away, in the often tricky wind changes that occur in the river mouth.”

His view, to paraphrase a famous character in children’s literature, is that there is nothing, absolutely nothing, half so much worth doing as simply messing around with boats.

“I love sailing, making boats and seeing them under sail,” says Tony.

“Early last century model boating was an extremely popular pastime, especially amongst those who could never afford a full size yacht. The size of model boats was originally influenced by what people could carry on public transport.”

He says quite a few more boats have been built by other people in town since this project began about nine months
ago.

The T37 yachts are made from lightweight and flexible marine plywood that comes from the Okoume tree, native to west central Africa. The imported kits take between 30 to 50 hours to build, depending on the standard of finish. They cost about $600 and come with everything needed to go sailing, apart from varnish, paint and batteries. They are totally wind powered and have no propeller – none of that noisy Mr Toad machine racket. The hand-held transmitter contains eight AA batteries.

On-board, two tiny servo motors control a receiver that sets the sails and rudder.

It uses another four batteries.

All up it’s an elegant, economic, environmentally friendly pastime. And, unlike other places up and down the coast, there’s no need for a bottomless wallet, slipway and crane to indulge your sailing passions in Lorne!