About The WCMBC (Where it all began)

The origin of our club lies in the Cape Town Model Ship Club. After a number of unsuccessful AGMs of the “old” club, 24 members decided to form a new club during the first half of 2001.

The split was an amicable one, and we parted as friends. An agreement was reached regarding sailing days, since both clubs would be using the same venue. It was also agreed that the two clubs would continue to support each other at exhibitions and maintain a friendly relationship. The reason for this cooperative approach was the small size of the model boating community in South Africa. At the time, we were aware of other clubs in Durban, Centurion, and Fourways, as well as an informal group operating in the Ottery area—but none nearby in a formal capacity. Thus, the split was made with unity in mind.

The 24 founding members of the new club had an exciting first six months. Key decisions were made regarding the committee, the club name, and the constitution. Many names were considered, but “Western Cape Model Boat Club” was ultimately chosen by consensus. We adopted the old club’s constitution with a few adjustments to suit our new direction.

To establish our identity, a competition was held to design a club logo. Up until then, our newsletters simply bore the club’s name in various styles. The winning logo was finalized in July 2005 and made its first appearance in the August 2005 newsletter.

While still part of the old club, we had begun participating in exhibitions with the SA Navy. Following that, additional events were arranged at NG Churches in the Kraaifontein and Kuilsriver areas. We also had regular engagements with the Gordon’s Bay Naval College and the Goodwood Hobby Expo. Other exhibitions took place at schools in the northern suburbs, the Engineer Society in Rondebosch, the Blue Shed at the V&A Waterfront, Half Moon Bay at Canal Walk, and even on farms in support of equestrian events.

In May 2004, an article about the 2003 SA Navy display appeared in the UK-based Model Boat magazine. Soon after, we gained our very own journalist, nicknamed “The Windjabber,” who regularly contributed articles to Marine Modeller. Our first official monthly newsletter was launched in late 2004, and the club secretary—who took this task upon himself—continues to oversee it to this day.

By the end of 2003, we anticipated that our 2004 membership would reach 50 to 60 members. However, the existing 13 frequency splits on 27 MHz posed a problem, as most members used 27 MHz radios with only a few operating on 40 MHz. To accommodate more sailors on the water simultaneously, we ordered custom frequency splits from the USA. This gave us 26 unique 27 MHz channels, specially cut for our club.