Founder's Account

"Southport Model Boat Club was started 40 years ago in 1983. At the time I was a member of Crosby Model Boat Club. Back then, every year there was a scale model boat competition held on the Marine Lake organised by the Crosby Model Boat Club. The funds raised from this event were donated to the RNLI. I was fortunate to win best warship and this was featured in the 'Southport Visiter' — this was a good opportunity to ask if anyone was interested in forming a model boat club in Southport. Just four people contacted me at the time, and we agreed to meet for a sail on a Sunday morning on the Marine Lake.

The first five members were Kevin Saker, Richard Motyka, Bert Robinson, Jim Griffin and Bert Smith. Richard Motyka went on to win a gold medal at the Model Engineering Exhibition with his amazing Russian warship.

As the club membership grew we eventually moved to the old boating lake in front of the open-air sea bathing lake and over the coming years we held many regattas at that lake. Sadly the council decided to demolish the open-air pool and boating lake, but thankfully they built a new lake at the current location on Rotten Row.

The pond is open for public use as the club felt that it should be available to everyone, not just SMBC members. The club has had plenty of youngsters with toy yachts and more lately radio-controlled boats, sailing amongst our boats to the delight of one and all — if the truth were told then many dedicated scale modellers would be free sailing little yachts just like when they were lads.

Southport Model Boat Club is a grouping of many ages with one aim — to ENJOY sailing model boats. If you are a dyed-in-the-wool yacht racer, you are very welcome to join us, but please don't expect everyone to race you; it's much more likely you will be offered a cup of tea and a sail of somebody else's boat than a race.

RELAX, UNWIND, FEEL THE BREEZE and most of all enjoy your hobby with others of the same mindset."

— Kevin Saker, founder member