Nauticalia

After the First World War, the sailing of model boats became a very popular activity, with many towns and seaside resorts having ponds purpose-built. Sophisticated models, usually with lead-weighted keels, were raced by adult clubs for substantial cash prizes. Children would often carve their own boats from complex instructions printed in boys' magazines and annuals. Even a simple yacht could be made to race along in a straight line once the sails had been correctly adjusted - one was even found 100 miles out to sea! Our non-operational display replica of a long-keeled gaff-rigged cutter is typical of the type that used to sail across park ponds in the 1920s.
 
It is expertly built using a traditional plank-on-frame construction and features a movable rudder.