Club History
Club History
THE EARLY YEARS (BIRTH, DEATH AND REBIRTH) 1977-1981
The Miami Valley Model Yacht Club was originally formed in the summer of 1977 on the efforts of John Bell and Don Theobald. As a point of interest the club was birthed in Vandalia but was prepared to serve the whole Miami Valley. As of 22 November 1977, the club had five members with current member Ed Bradley being the only one still active in the club. The club met on the second Thursday of each month and had set up a schedule for the summer of 1978. The schedule included the Midwest Racing Series #3 on June 17/18 1978. This, as was normal at that time, involved 50/800 on Saturday and 36/600 on Sunday. The rest of the schedule was a twice a month meeting for fun sails, all held at Eastwood (Hydrobowl) Lake. The racing on the 17th and 18th was the first time that Rose and Don Peacock had ever seen an R/C sailboat.
This became the link across the death and rebirth of the club.
There is no record of organized activity in 1979 and 1980. The club had died a quiet death, never achieving a membership of more than 7 or 8 (number uncertain). The club lay dormant until the spring of 1981 when Don and Rose Peacock, who had been sailing in regattas in Bowling Green, Ohio and Indianapolis, got together with John Bell and started discussions of reviving the club. This culminated in a letter being sent out in July 1981 to a list of about fifteen people known to have some interest in R/C sailing. This included five who had been members before (Don Theobald, Joe Evans, Harold Brock, and Ed Bradley along with John Bell). The rebirth meeting was held in October 1981 and opened up with six members. The Miami Valley Model Yacht Club was once again off and running.
OFF AND RUNNING 1982-1985
The first club newsletter was distributed in December 1983, consisting of 3/4 page (currently, Don Peacock is the only one who has the complete collection of these newsletters).
During the early years of the reborn club a number of things were done to attract attention and to try to acquire new members. John Bell was extremely active in this from his position as Red Cross sailing instructor for the city. Among other things that he arranged were participation at the National Safe Boating Weekend at the Dayton Mall, the Wegerzyn Nostalgia Days in 1984 (which started our relationship with that facility), sail-ins at Miamisburg and Trotwood, a sailing demonstration in the little pool on Dayton's Courthouse Square, and an informal race in conjunction with the Safe Boating Show in June 1985 at Eastwood Lake. These all contributed to a slow but steady growth of the club to 19 members by July 1984.
The initial introduction to Wegerzyn in 1984 led to a lengthy protracted discussion with the Dayton Department of Parks and Recreation and the President of the Wingmasters over our use of the lake. The problems lay in the overlapping channels that existed in 72 Mhz at the time. This went on for a whole season with it finally going to a mediator appointed by the City who made the decision that both clubs will have use of the facilities but our club could not use the shared frequencies. We agreed to that and things became reasonably harmonious. Paul Galloway did a lot of the heavy work in accomplishing this. Don Stackhouse, Don Peacock and George Dellinger were all involved in the process.
Also during August 1984 the club gave its first of two presentations and demonstration sailings for the chemically dependent group at the Greene Memorial Hospital. The first year Don Peacock, Rose Peacock and John Bell gave the presentations. The second year Don Stackhouse handled it. For those who participated this was a very fulfilling experience before a group that ranged in age from 14 to 75.
In May 1985, thanks to Tom Johnson, the club acquired an official LOGO and hats. These proved to be quite popular.
In 1985, the club had their first club race, an over/under 50 event. In this first race, there were six 36/600s, one One-Meter, one 18 incher in the under 50, with four Marbleheads and two EC-12s in the over 50. Of the eight skippers in the under 50 only Joe Evans remained a member by 1993 and of the six in the over 50 only two remain (Paul Galloway and Don Peacock). In the 2nd club race held in September 1985 this number jumped to four out of ten with Rose Peacock being the addition. The first regatta racers and order of finish were John Bell, Chuck Schleeter, Don Stackhouse, Ed Bradley, Joe Evans in the under 50" and Ron Sanderson, Don Peacock, Paul Galloway, Bob Jones, AND O. D. Jones in the over 50". The second regatta racers and order of finish were Don Stackhouse, Ron Sanderson, John Bell, Ann Stackhouse, Joe Evans in the under 50". The lineup for the over 50" was Russ Latham, Don Peacock, Ron Sanderson, Paul Galloway, and Rose Peacock.
Thus was the club launched, carried through its initial growth and entry into racing and prepared to go into the future.
INTO THE FUTURE 1986-1989
The club started the year of 1986 by having four winter sessions on the Sailing Rule Book. Don Peacock taught all four of these sessions. The next winter (1987) six sessions were held on rules and tactics. Selected teams of two people taught these for each session. These were (1) Basic rules, sail trim and definitions -- Don Stackhouse, Walt Spaulding. (2) Starting -- Don Peacock, Bob Hawley. (3) Windward Leg -- Steve Pratt, Bob Spaulding. (4) Reaching Leg -- Ron Sanderson. (5) Downwind leg -- Dick Balk, Tom Johnson. (6) Finishing -- Bob Hawley, Don Peacock.
During 1987 there were two demonstrations given. These included Xenia's Old Fashioned Days and the Wegerzyn Open House.
In 1988, the club championship races were started. The first club champions were Marblehead - Don Peacock, One Meter - Paul Galloway, 36/600 - Al Seufert.
1989 continued the high level of activity, including the One-Meter ACCR, with Don Peacock as Race Director. This was the first ACCR known to be held in Ohio. Also during 1989, during Rose Peacock's Commodoreship, the club Constitution and Bylaws were written and approved, the club dock was built by Don Peacock and later extended by Paul Galloway. This has been a very useful asset to the Club, along with the rubber boat donated to the Club by Phil Agnos.
ACHIEVING GREATNESS 1990-1994
By July 1990 we had recovered to 12 members following the club explosion in 1989 that nearly wiped us out. Personalities can be a problem. We started putting brochures in local hobby shops to try to attract new members. Through 1990 things settled down to enjoying racing and worrying about the new narrow banded aspects of R/C radios.
In 1991 we started working with the new club at Indian Lake – Sassafras Star Sailing Society. We worked out a sharing of duties for our one meter Divisional and their Star-45 Divisional. Thus began the MVMYC contact with Star-45s.
For 1991 our club racing consisted of racing Marbleheads, one meters and 36/600s on Sunday afternoons. All three classes were done on the same afternoon. It became difficult to get any 36/600s out so in reality one meters and Marbleheads were raced.
Steve Pratt and Don Peacock went out to San Diego Race Week. They raced U. S. One Meters on one weekend and Marbleheads on the next weekend with a lot of sightseeing in between.
In October 1991, Steve Pratt proposed that the club choose a “one design” for club racing to minimize problems of having to keep updating the technology in the experimental classes in order to stay competitive. Specifically, he proposed the Star-45. Paul Galloway used a Jerre Maxson hull , with a lot of work by Al Seufert, to set up a mold for a fiberglass Star-45 hull. In order to get this rolling, group building sessions were held over the winter. By the spring of 1992 there were ten Star-45s being finished up. May, 1992 was the first Star-45 race day for the MVMYC. This led to it eventually becoming the largest class in the club. In that first year of Star-45 racing Jerre Maxson proved to be the best with Steve Pratt in second.
In 1993 MVMYC held it’s second ACCR, again in one meters, with a light turnout of boats but with representatives from CA, MI, NJ, NY, OH and Nova Scotia. It also represents the one and only time that a member of our club has won a gold chevron, Cyril St. Martin, who since has moved to the east coast, got a third place finish.
In 1993, also, the club got a booth at the Miami Valley Boat Show at Hara Arena. This came about through the efforts of Bob Luther.
1994 saw us up to 24 members. It also saw the beginning of our annually scheduled April Fool Regatta at Xenia. This regatta is sailed on the Saturday closest to April Fools Day, and uses many techniques to keep it fun. This regatta has become our traditional opener for the year.
1994 also saw two club members attain national offices in AMYA. Don Peacock was elected Vice President and Steve Pratt was elected to Star-45 Class Secretary.
TRUCKING ON OUT 1995-1998
In 1995, the club held both a Regional in August and an ACCR in September. Both of these were for the Star-45. For the Regional there were 13 entrants, all from Ohio. John Emery took top honors. For the ACCR, held one month later, there were 25 entrants representing Ohio, Oklahoma, Michigan, Texas, and Canada. The best finish by an Ohioan was Leo Seciliot who got seventh. Texas and Oklahoma sailors took the top six spots.
1995 also holds the probable record for the toughest regatta the club ever sailed in terms of wind conditions. It was held at Lake Cindy, Georgia. Fourteen skippers entered with eight from Ohio. The winds were 15 to 20 mph for two days with gusts to over 25. Twenty-four heats were sailed over the two days. Ohio took the top five spots with Leo Seciliot first, Bob Buck second, Jim Tunison getting third, Steve Pratt fourth, and Jerre Maxson fifth.
In 1996 Don Peacock became the AMY A President when the then President abdicated the position after one year for personal reasons.
In 1997, the club hosted the CR914 ACCR held at Xenia's Shawnee Park. Only two of our members had the boat and only ten boats entered. Non-Ohio entrants included people from Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota and New York. Ohio did not get a trophy.
1997 also saw the start of the AIB Fleet racing that the club continues to use to this day.
1998 saw continued racing and improvements in the club. It was also when the club took over running the AMY A booth at the Toledo Weak Signals Show held every year in Toledo, Ohio.
ENJOYING THE HOBBY 1999-2004
For the next four years the clubsettled into club racing and having a good time, with an occasional move back into the major regatta area. The Star-45 Regional was hosted in 1999 with 13 boats, all from our club. Scott Rowland, Jim Tunison and Paul Galloway proved to be the top three, in that order.
In 2000 they pulled off the stunt of holding combined Regional Championships of the Star-45 and U. S. One Meter classes. In the Star-45s Scott Rowland got first, John Emery second and Don Peacock fourth. Fran Gowash snuck into third place. In the One Meters, Don Peacock took first" Mike Bickley Second and Bill Paugh third. This was followed in 2001 by holding the Star-45 National Championship once again with our members taking three of the top four spots. These were Scott Rowland first, John Emery second and Robert Japikse fourth.
The big event for 2002 was the club working with the City of Dayton to build a shelter at our sailing site. Our club provided the materials through club member donations and donated material from local companies. The City provided the manpower to build the shelter. The club, also, gave up primary responsibility for the AMY A booth at the Toledo Weak Signals RlC Show.
2003 saw the Star-45 Regional back at our club for another time. For 2003 the club followed their shelter success by building and launching a new dock. Paul Galloway was the leader in accomplishing this with help, both monetary and labor, from many of the club members.
In 2004 it was another accomplishment in hosting the EC-12 Nationals and then the Star-45 Nationals one week later. Thirty seven boats entered the ECl2M racing and seventeen competed in the Star-45 racing. Scott Rowland, John Emery and Robert Japikse took the top three spots. A busy time for the club but a successful one because they still had time to put on a demonstration sail/race at the Lathrem Senior Center in Kettering, Ohio.
Through this period (1999 to 2004) the club still put on many sailing demonstrations including Home-arama, Kettering Kid's Fest, and Kettering's 50th Anniversary, both at Kettering's Fraze Pavilion. Also included were several years at RlC Day at De Weese Park.
OLD HANDS AT IT 2005-2007
2005 was a year of just getting into club racing. A great deal of effort was put into preparing articles and pictures for the AMYA Specialty issue on the Star-45 Class.
We got back into it heavily in 2006 by hosting the combined nationals for the U. S. One Meter and the ODOM classes. Scott Rowland got first in the U. S. One Meters and second in the ODOMs. This was traded off by Craig Mackey from Seattle , who got first in the ODOMs and second in the U. S. One Meters.
Again in 2007 we hosted the Star-45 Nationals. Twenty four boats entered representing OH, TX, MD, IN, MI, and CO. Scott Rowland took second with John Emery fourth.
<title> 2008-2009
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<title> 2010-2011
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<title> 2012-2013
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<title> 2014-2015
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<title> 2016-2017
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MVMYC hosted the following National or Region Championships:
Deceased MVMYC Member's
Don Hornick, Art Chaffee, John Bell, Joe Evans, George Stackhouse, Jerre Maxson, Bob Spaulding, Dick Collier, Jim Hagglemyer, Peter Freeman, Bob Luther, Bill Paugh, Bill Koch, Dick Lemons, Don Peacock.
In memory of Bob Luther
Church Service
Wonderful Life of Bob
Contributions to Star 45 & MVMYC
AMYA Award
In memory of Bill Paugh
One of our current MVMYC members, William "Bill" T. Paugh has passed. Bill was a club member for over 18+ years. Bill has been Commodore, Vice-Commodore, & Secretary/Treasurer for a number of times. Bill was a great resource to the club & very involved. Bill also arranged our Awards Banquet at the Hope Hotel (WPAFB). Bill will be greatly missed. Bill’s Obituary
Club Officer's History