Lincoln Model Yacht club has been around a long time, in fact it originated in 1960, and used to have both power and sailing boats in the club, This all changed a few years later and now we only have racing radio controlled model yachts. At Lincoln we sail 3 different classes with a budget for most people, and you will find most members will be on hand to welcome and assist any newcomer to our sport or hobby. Lincoln Model Yacht club meet every Sunday morning at the lake (Thorpe on the Hill) to race radio controlled model racing yachts. Our membership come from far and wide, Boston, Grimsby, and as far away as Bourne, as well as from the locality. Some members of our club also travel around the UK and abroad to race these yachts, it can get as serious as you want, and the Ultimate prize is a place in the World Championships which are held bi-annually all around the world.
If you have any interest in sailing or just want to give it a try, radio yachting will give you all the excitement you need. We race to the same rules and the same courses as big boats and dinghys and sail trimming is a fine art to get your yacht up to peak performance. Technique also plays a big part. When you have the transmitter in your hand and you are vying for position with 12 to 15 other boats on the water, I can tell you, the adrenaline begins to flow. Somebody will always lend you a yacht to have a go, and if you wish to come on a more regular basis there are generally one or two boats that can be lent until you are able to get your own. The course is marked out by floating buoys anchored to the lake bed and set out to give a windward and leeward course, and each race may be one two or three laps depending on the strength of the wind.
We would generally do 6 to 8 races on a Sunday morning, with a coffee break half way through. After each race you have time to take the boat out of the water and do any adjustments to try and make the boat go faster. Radio sailing can be done at Club, District, National, and International levels. The current World Champion in two of our classes is British, and there are two or three skippers at our club that sail at national level.