Sailing With ‘Ghosts’

The ME Speed Boat Competition in 1929 was run under new rules, the implementation of which seemed to caused some uncertainty, and a low entry. Four classes A-D with A Class from 14lbs to 16lbs and D Class 10lbs and under, simple but it was not without its critics and voices of dissention.  However a silver medal was won by VMSC members, brothers A & J Skingley for the performance of their boat Cissie IV, with a certified speed of  21.75mph.  The engine being a single-cylinder two-stroke petrol engine, the weight of the boat, 11¾ lbs put it into Class B.

Three cartoons by Fred Westmoreland featuring (1: Cissie   (2: Filming straight running   (3: An in-joke about the salvage boat

Jack Skingley was a stalwart of the club and served as secretary for nearly 23 years. In Sept 1932 he wrote to the 'Model Engineer and Practical Electrician' as the magazine was then known, appealing for information as the Clubhouse had been broken into and petrol engines, blow-lamps and tools had been stolen. The thieves had also damaged several boats in the process and Jack asked anyone that had been offered such items to get in touch with him.

Edgar Westbury, in an article for ME entitled 'Concerning Twin Two-strokes', commented that 'one of the best example of a small twin two-stroke engine was built by the Skingley brothers'. Used in their metre hydroplane 'Vixen' it had 25cc capacity with an inch bore and stroke. Westbury went on to say that the engine was an excellent example of both design and workmanship, and ran remarkably well, although he added that it did not have the same power as a well designed single-cylinder engine.

Ted was secretary for 3 years before his work with the Lotus racing team took precedence. Norman Phelps then took on the job and remained in that post for many years and is now President. Norman's wife Iris was a keen competitor also, as well as being a fine model engineer in her own right. She also held the unique honour of being the first lady to win the Grand regatta in over 50 years when she took first place in 1960.

Olive Skingley later married Arthur Cockman another highly successful competitor with his 'IFIT' series of flash steam hydroplanes. She competed in her own right for many years winning the steering event at the Brussels Regatta in 1965 with her four cylinder, Seal engined Josephine. ME reported that "Mrs Cockman grew so fond of the Belgian water that she had to be fished out of it". At the 90th anniversary of the Club, Olive cut the celebration cake with fellow Vice President Terry Everitt and Norman Phelps. Left: Arthur Cockman with IFIT 6 taken in 1939

At the Grand Regatta in 1933 one of the very earliest members of the Club, Mr W J Smith, paid a visit whilst over from Australia. Mrs Smith who accompanied him on the trip presented the prizes. Mr Smith, better known  as 'Belvedere' Smith was a pioneer of petrol engines in hydroplanes and produced a range of motors from his works in Hornsey before emigrating in 1913. He had appeared in the very first organised regatta in 1908 as a Victoria member with his petrol driven boat 'Belvedere', which won 3rd prize.  Smith also made a return visit in 1948. Another long standing club member, Charles Lutz, had taken over the manufacture of the 'Smith' engines under the name 'Victoria'.

The lake continued to be a battleground for supremacy between flash steam and IC engines. Stan Clifford had raised his record to 43.3mph by 1926 which remained in place until 1936 when the Innocent brothers running the 30cc four-stroke 'Betty' took the record with a speed of 47.47mph. Stan would be the last person to hold the out right record with a steam powered boat. The Clifford name was still appearing in 1964, although under the St Albans banner, by winning the  Diamond Jubilee Regatta A Class with Polyester at 63.92mph.

The ‘boating lake’  is now significantly smaller than it once was. Previously the open air 'bathing lake’ was quite deep in the centre with various diving platforms situated around it, likened to miniature Southend piers by free running competitors who claimed they acted like magnets for their craft. The concrete bottom  used to be fairly slippery and many a competitor lost their footing to the wry amusement of onlookers and those that reported the resultant soakings in the pages of Model Engineer. London County Council divided the area into three smaller lakes in 1937. The 100yd long by about 60yd wide boating lake was  of an even depth suitable for wading and was constructed from concrete.  For tethered hydro running there were several eye bolts sunk into the bottom for tethering the tripod. The main criticism about the lake was that the vertical banks created some backwash.

The VMSC,  now with one of the founding members William Morss as its president, provided the boats for the TV outside broadcast of model power boating at Alexandra Palace. Eight straight running boats made the first programme followed by a second broadcast on July 13th 1937 where six hydroplanes each covered a 500 yard course in a total of 8 minutes.

Such was the popularity of the venue that the Grand Regatta in 1938 saw representatives from twenty clubs competing in the various disciplines. One competitor was present all the way from the 'Irish Free State'.

With the out break of war many local authorities placed an outright ban or serious restrictions on the use of many ponds or lakes. VMSC were lucky in that they retained some of their running facilities but it was not until 1942 that they held a mid-summer regatta. Money was a major problem but club members dug deep into their pockets and a free open event was duly organised. For three years the pond had been neglected and weed and algae proved to be a problem. Boats too, had not seen light of day for three years and some had suffered along with their owners having to be dug out of blitzed houses. The covering of weed has been a recurring problem since the lake was divided.

The report of the event commented that 'a break for refreshment , which, in spite of war rationing, did not produce any evidence of famine in the land'. In 1945, the boathouse and lake, along with a number of well known members and their boats featured in a film that was being made, called 'Model Husbands'. It was suggested that a 'sub standard' version of the film would be made available for hire to model engineering societies. Has anyone ever seen this film?

A new event on the circular course was for boats having engines of less than 10cc and was called the 'Austerity Class'. Based on the ME, Edgar Westbury 24" hydroplane design, most had been built during the war period. Arthur Weaver, then a VMSC member entered an ultra-miniature boat powered by a 'Kestrel 5' but Mr Sharvell had an even smaller craft with a commercially produced engine, a 2.3cc Ohlsson. Mr Heath of the VMSC won the event with the 'veteran' Derive II. The meeting was hailed a complete success, and despite increasing difficulties continued to run throughout the war years. Left: 'Little Doofa' a 24" Westbury design with extra planes attached

The 10 years from the end of the war into the 1950s were probably the most successful for the club in every respect. Those who had competed previously, came back with new boats that embodied all the latest thinking in hull design, propeller technology and bridling systems. This period also witnessed some remarkable design, engineering and experimentation in terms of the motors that were being used, with the two-stroke becoming predominant.  The arrival of commercial 5 and 10cc motors also led to a rapid expansion of the number of people and boats competing at club meetings and regattas. The level of competition at the club led to rapid development in every class with resulting success for Victoria members at regattas all round the country.

There was a change underway, as the superbly engineered four stroke engines were no longer able to compete in terms of out right speed, leaving the 10cc two strokes to rule the roost through to the present day. This did not stop the manufacture of some pretty exotic motors in all classes, with the A and B classes still being hotly contested. The flash steam enthusiasts, through constant experiment and development, continued to produce remarkable performances, and while never quite matching the IC motors in top speed, would often feature in the results lists at regattas.

The lipped concrete sides to the pond and the proximity of the boats to the edge meant that rough water has always posed a challenge to competitors on fast runs and many correspondents in Model Engineer have made mention of this problem, but none more so than George Stone of the Malden Club.

The Victoria Jubilee Regatta held to celebrate the clubs 50th anniversary attracted no less than 70 entrants. Clubs represented included Bournville, Wicksteed, Southampton, Aldershot, Welling, Southend and St Albans. Local clubs Blackheath and West London also featured. Unfortunately the weather was reported as being appalling with continuous rain all day long just varying in intensity. They had better luck for the 1954 MPBA Grand Regatta later that month, the writer used the words "a remarkable occasion". Firstly the weather conditions were fairly good  but with a breeze blowing down the lake. Secondly, the large attendance which saw a hundred straight running boats and 50 hydroplanes.

Another contentious issue was that of noise, with the London County Council requiring that all boats be silenced to meet their 'effective silencer' clause. In a letter to Model Engineer in September 1954, the Secretary, Ted Woodley pointed out that due to 'the total disregard shown for the noise clause', a sub committee had been set up to stop any boat from competing, round the pole or straight runner, that contravenes the regulations.

As other established lakes and ponds in London were lost to tethered hydroplanes, Victoria Park would host many regattas run by clubs from those locations, including Forest Gate MPBC, North London SME, West London MPBC and South London MEPBC. When the Prince of Wales Pond on Blackheath was lost to hydroplanes in the 1970s, Victoria became the last venue in London that could run tethered boats and is now one of just six hydroplane venues left in the country.   

Victoria Model Steamboat Club, Diamond Jubilee Dinner 1964

VMSC has always been very much a family affair. The children grew up together, while the adults ran the boats, and later, it was not uncommon to see two or three generations competing at the same time. Norman Lara recalls the whole family, father 'Nobby', mother, sister and himself along with boats and gear catching a bus from their home to the Park to compete, virtually every Sunday. Indeed, Jack Skingley was quoted in Model Engineer 'that the Club membership stood at more than 70'.            

By the mid 1970s it became apparent that the speeds being attained were no longer safe for this public lake, leading to the committee imposing restrictions on the classes that could be run and instituting an upper speed limit. This brought to an end seventy years of full scale hydroplane regattas at this venue and an inevitable decline in the numbers of boats appearing at events.

Alan Rayman and Jim Free in 1982	Jim & Sue Free assist Alan Rayman	Frank Jutton with John and Rick Benson

In spite of this, many of the countries leading competitors were based at Victoria with Terry Everitt, Norman Lara, Stan Poyser and Ian Berne breaking records on numerous occasions. Norman has also appeared on the victory podium at World and European Championships on a regular basis. Currently 7 British records are held by Victoria  members, yet they are only able to run the smaller classes and vintage boats on their home water. The VMSC is still an active club though, and holds around 15 regattas a year, about five of them being open to MPBA clubs and the rest for members only. One event in 2008 saw twenty two hydroplanes competing which is something of a record in recent times.

The 105th season at Victoria Park has not been one of the most successful as the weather conditions have conspired to cover the lake in a thick blanket of weed (not a new problem, as ME reports from the past indicate). The lack of rain and cracks in the pipes has led to an unacceptably low water level and cancellation of the remaining regattas. The future for the Club and lake looks most encouraging though, as Victoria Park has won a bid for a Lottery grant of 12 million pounds, much of which is to be spent on the East side which includes the boating lake.

Just as a group of boating enthusiasts at the turn of the last century could be found pursuing their hobby at the lakeside, future generations should be able to continue running boats in Victoria Park under the auspices of the Victoria Model Steamboat Club.   

©copyrightOTW2009