- December 26, 2024
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Bill Wells, who co-founded the Palm Coast Model Yacht Club, built this schooner from scratch. Photo by Brent Woronoff
Bob Rupp and Bill Wells race their radio-controlled sailboats. Photo by Brent Woronoff
The radio-controlled schooner Bill Wells built from scratch has its own captain on deck — Jack Sparrow. Photo by Brent Woronoff
Palm Coast Model Yacht Club members race their boats at Central Park on Aug. 3. Photo by Brent Woronoff
Greg Show's No. 485 boat runs into Bill Wells' schooner. Photo by Brent Woronoff
Greg Show removes his DragonFlite 95 No. 485 sailboat from the water. Photo by Brent Woronoff
The radio-controlled model yachts are maneuvered around the buoys during an informal race. Photo by Brent Woronoff
Don Fye operates his boat. Photo by Brent Woronoff
Bob Rupp said he's always had an interest in sailing, but a sailboat was just too expensive. Then he was exposed to a model yacht club in South Daytona and discovered there was more than one way to enjoy the sport.
“A guy said, ‘Here try it,’” Rupp recalled. Rupp was hooked.
He now races radio-controlled sailboats every Thursday afternoon, weather permitting, with the Palm Coast Model Yacht Club at the north end of the lake at Central Park in Town Center.
Rupp discovered the Palm Coast Club on the American Model Yachting Association website.
The club members race mostly DragonFlite 95s, which are 37.6 inches long, 56.1 inches high and 5.1 inches wide. The controller has two servos. One positions the rudder, allowing the boat to be steered. The other adjusts the position of the main and jib sails together, allowing the sails to be trimmed.
“It’s real sailing,” Rupp said.
A DragonFlite 95 with radio controller costs about $450 online and takes a couple of evenings to assemble, said Bill Wells, who co-founded the Palm Coast club about eight years ago. Once the boat is assembled, you can compete, Wells said.
Wells has been involved in radio-controlled sailing for about 20 years. In addition, to the Palm Coast club, he is a member of the Jacksonville Model Yacht Club and the South Daytona Model Yacht Club.
He has competed in the Florida Travelers Series regattas for DragonFlite 95s and the smaller DragonForce 65s.
On Oct. 3 at the Palm Coast club's gathering, Wells raced his DragonFlite 95 and also put his Gary Webb-designed schooner in the water. Wells built the schooner from scratch. A miniature Captain Jack Sparrow is positioned on the deck, steering the boat.
Early this year, the city installed permanent buoys in the lake for the club. Before that, club members brought buoys to set the race courses. There are currently about 10 club members, including one woman, Sarah Hartley. They meet at 12:30 p.m. Thursdays at the end of the lake by City Hall. There are no dues or membership fees. The racing is very friendly.
“It’s great camaraderie,” said Greg Show, whose friend, Peter Lancaster, told him about the club. About a month ago, Show bought his own boat.
You have to read the wind and know when and how to tack, and this wind shifts constantly, which makes it challenging.
— GREG SHOW
“The controls are pretty easy,” Show said. “But you have to read the wind and know when and how to tack, and this wind shifts constantly, which makes it challenging.”
Don Fye sailed big boats in years past. He has been a member of the Palm Coast Model Yacht Club for about six or seven years, he said.
“I had never done radio controlled boats before,” he said. “Owning a real boat is a lot of expense and trouble.”
Wells said he would like to see the club host a regatta in the future with other clubs in the state participating. The club plans to provide demonstrations as part of Palm Coast’s 25th anniversary celebration on Oct. 26 at Central Park.
For more information, contact Rupp at [email protected], 757-880-5786 or Wells at [email protected], 386-503-5678, or just show up on a Thursday afternoon.
