Footy class history from my perspective,please feel free to make corrections or add info.
Just thought that some of this stuff needs to be documented before we all forget…
The Balmain Bugs predate all this by a long way…perhaps the first Footies??
1975
Roger Stollery designs and builds" Choppa" for his Son Peter.
1981
I see a picture of “Choppa” in Model boats magazine and are inspired to design a 12 inch yacht for a school technical drawing project.
1996
I finally build my design as a free sailing yacht for my 2 year old son.
2000
Richard Web comes up with the idea for the Footy class as a yacht(R/C) to sail on the pool at Weymouth hobby week.
The class spreads around the world. “The ancient mariners” in Auckland New Zealand are building and racing scale type Footies
2001
I redesign my 12 inch model and adapt it to r/c…“BobAbout”
2002 /2005
The class continues to grow,many boats are built from various plans and kits.
Racing commences at several UK clubs and in the far south of New Zealand
2005
The MYA decide to formally adopt the Footy class…a International team prepare the new “Box” rule.All of the original founders and supporters of 12 inch yachts have a say in the rule.
We need to update this timeline.
I got this from the Footy topic in the New classes section:
2-18-2004 Brett introduces the class to the rcsailing.net forum
2-21-2004 Brett proposes Footy rules
02-21-2004 Brett uploads plans for “Bobaboutit” to rcsailing.net
02-12-2005 Bill H. proposes new rules
01-21-2006 Charles Hall takes over Footy website
11-2008 First vote to amend rules
Getting the Footy history down in writing before foggy memories cloud the issue is an excellent idea. Since I only discovered the class in April '08, I can’t offer much in the way of input, but my memory is that the vote to amend the rules didn’t actually occur until after the closing of the ballot in December, prior to that it was only a proposal or a ballot. Also, having the date of the AMYA’s formal recognition of the class (as well as the other countries involved) is an important piece of history. Was there ever any formal recognition of the class by the Australian model yachting association? I only ask this because of recent postings on the Yahoo “Footy USA” group site.
Regards,
Bill Nielsen
Oakland Park (Ft. Lauderdale), FL USA
AMYA #0835
Gents. I’m not sure if you are aware that there is a page on Wikipedia entitled Footy (model yacht). Perhaps, as there is already some history etc. there, it would be better to update & add to this. It seams to me that this would be the best (centrally located, easily accessed) resource to achieve the desired objective. Any thoughts?
Thanks for the lead Gary, it’s a good idea to have the history there and keep it updated. The last time I “googled” Footys, I found it hard to find anything about the boats because there was so much stuff on soccer.
Thanks for reminding me of the Wikipedia Footy reference. This is what I gleaned from the information. Unfortunately there was no mention of the author’s name, but I strumbled on a powerpoint presentation by AndyT, so I think he was the author.
Hopefully it goes with what we have here already:
1971
Vic Smeed publishes plans for the 12 inch free sailing yacht “Splinter” in “Meccano Magazine” magazine
1975
Roger Stollery to produces his “Choppa” design for his son Peter 1981
Choppa inspires Brett McCormack to design a 12 inch yacht for a school technical drawing project. 1996
Brett actually builds the design as a free sailing model for his 2 year old son 2000
Richard Web came proposes the Footy class as a radio controlled yacht to sail on the pool at Weymouth Sailing Week.
The class spreads around the world with the “Ancient Mariners” in Auckland, New Zealand, building and racing scale type Footys 2001
Brett McCormack adapts his free-saling design to radio control – the famous “Bobabout”. Racing begins at a number of UK clubs and in the far south of New Zealand 2005
British Model Yachting Association decided to formally adopt the Footy class.
– An International team prepared a new “Box rule” to bring together the various versions across the world. 2006
Footy became an officially sanctioned Development Class of the American Model Yachting Association. Serious international racing is scheduled to begin in [b]2007
2006[/b]
Brett McCormack proposes a time-trial racing format in which owners would submit their best times within a fixed period (say a month) to give a worldwide champion. April 2007
first New Zealand Postal Classic- attracts some 33 entries (first course times?)
You’re in there too, Angus, as being an advocate of thinner designs
To-Do:
Ascertain the date of the box rule
collect some Internet course times (first times, notable times, latest)
collect information and dates on the milepost rigs PUBLISH all this on the Footy web site, along with photos of the designs mentioned.
