MPBA News
Website: www.mpba.org.uk
Established 1924
From KEN GOULD and DAVE ABBOTT
The present day setup includes four classes: Scale Boat/Ship; Wedge; Functional; Metre. To compete, a competitor positions their model boat between two start buoys and aims at a set of gates approximately 70 metres away. Passing between the centre pair has a value of 10 points. The other gates either side have diminishing values of 9, 8, 7 and so on. Three runs are normal and the scores are then totalled to give the placings. Apart from a model boat, the only other piece of essential kit is a pair of full length waders and perhaps a hat!
Dave and Ken went to St. Albans on the 15th May 2011 to report on a Southern Area Qualifier. The day was a little cold with rain in the air, but this did not stop the happy bunch from donning their waders ready to spend a considerable amount of time in the water adjusting their boats prior to going for a maximum score. Age and gender holds no barriers for this discipline and they follow the best traditions of the hobby.
And at Mayhem?
Clubs can have a go at this using any type of radio controlled boat. Just set a course and allow the boats to remain under radio control until level with the two start buoys, then no further rudder adjustments until the boat has passed the through the scoring gates. If the idea takes root, the Straight Running Section of the MPBA will happily give you help and advice to build or alter your boat to comply with any of the four class types and ease you into competition. The MPBA Straight Running Section Secretary is Keith Reynolds.
Contacts
MPBA website: www.mpba.org.uk
Ken Gould: kengould10@gmail.com
tel: 01582 662735
Dave Abbott: dgabbott@talktalk.net
tel: 01582 503961
Keith Reynolds: keithreynoldsV71@talktalk.net
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