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[Colin Bishop]

The MPBA have recently relaunched their website with the expert help of Andy Coburn. http://www.mpba.org.uk/

The revamped site now includes a Forum and at my suggestion, Andy has made it generally viewable although, as you would expect, you do need to be a MPBA member to make posts.

Those of you who are already MPBA members will have, or shortly will  receive the 2017 yearbook. In the foreword the General Secretary refers to the absence of Scale Model Boating activities within the Association which contrasts remarkably with the situation some years ago when Scale was the largest MPBA section.

It is not altogether clear exactly what the reasons are for the lack of interest in scale in relation to the National Model Boating Association, perhaps it is partly to do with the fact that the MPBA has been perceived as an organisation supporting the competitive side of the hobby and interest in all competitive aspects of scale model boating has waned in recent years. The fact that model boaters are now rather older than they used to be may also have something to do with it.

It does seem to me rather a shame that scale model boating has become disconnected with the national organisation and with it the opportunity to represent the UK abroad where we used to be a force to be reckoned with. There are still some superb scale model boats out there with no path to participate in international events.

Whilst I don't think we will return to the 'Glory Days' of the 70s and 80s, it does seem to me that there is an opportunity to kick start the relationship between the MPBA, Clubs and individual modellers to reinvigorate the hobby to everyone's advantage. The MPBA could place more emphasis on supporting the social side of the hobby as opposed to competitions.

Personally I would love to see the reinstatement of some interesting navigational courses. There is no need to reintroduce intense competition with all the old 'pot hunting' aspects but a bit of friendly rivalry would not go amiss and navigating around a well designed course with its docking etc. was always challenging and far more interesting than aimlessly running your model up and down the pond which is all that seems to happen at most events these days.

With this in mind it would be good to see MPBA members registering with the new website and participating in a debate on how the Association can help support scale aspects of the hobby. There is some cash available I believe to help this along and might enable participating clubs to hold events under MPBA auspices. I'm sure people may have other ideas on this.

People often say that something needs to be done to shore up what appears to be a declining hobby and this is one option that may provide the opportunity to do this.

Colin

[SteamboatPhil]

I agree Colin, indeed I have just posted a reply on the MPBA site, a big shake up is needed. 

[kinmel]

One reason our club does not advocate the MPBA is their insistence on compulsory insurance being included in the cost of MPBA membership.

Local model boat clubs need to pay for Public Liability insurance cover for the club as an entity and also for each individual club member, it is not possible for clubs to buy one without the other.

The problem is that the MPBA insurance only covers individuals and leaves clubs hanging in the wind. Club members who join the MPBA do not feel that they should also contribute to the club's own insurance.

If they continue to insist on being the "National Body" without solving this problem, then clubs have no reason to support them.

That is before we consider the fact that most of their activities are of no interest to most of the new generation of model boat enthusiasts.

[Colin Bishop]

Kinmel,

This is not a new situation and was never a problem in the past. Clubs certainly do need to insure their own activities and events but such insurance didn't use to cover their members attending events at other clubs or has the situation changed? If I attend one of your regattas am I covered for third party liability? Probably not!

The MPBA insurance covers individuals running their boats in the EU and worldwide so is pretty comprehensive in providing third party liability to members. Of course if you don't go anywhere other than your own club water then you may not need it if your club has its own insurance but the MPBA is about national and international model boating. The cost is pretty minimal really.

So I don't really see this as a 'problem' that needs to be solved.

As far as their activities are concerned, there are effectively very few on the scale side at the moment but there is an opportunity to rethink this to the benefit of modellers generally. Not sure what you mean by 'new generation of model boaters'. To me it is just the previous lot getting older and wanting a less competitive approach to the hobby.

However, the future of the hobby will not be best served by clubs retreating into their own local 'silos'. A national framework of some kind, however loose, does offer opportunities to promote the hobby in a more effective way that individual clubs can accomplish. But this does need support and not a parochial approach.

The MPBA is not some sort of independent national authority, it is just people from clubs appointed to national positions. It's not 'them and us' as some people seem to want to believe.

Colin

[kinmel]

Most "club" P.L. insurance provides cover not only to the club and the events it organises, but also automatically covers each of it's members for all model engineering and associated activities anywhere in the E.U. ( some provide worldwide cover ) and so yes, the situation has changed from your past experience.

Members of the MPBA claim that they already have cover and see no reason to pay their share of insuring the club itself.

I doubt there is a local club in the U.K. that does not already provide P.L. cover for each of it's members and the MPBA's cover is superfluous to every one of those. It is the BMPA that is imposing a solution to a problem that no longer exists, all their literature extols insurance as an important reason for joining their organisation when to most people it is worthless.

I grant you that the MPBA is less relevant now to to us older model boat enthusiasts, but the new modellers see no benefit from it at all.

Most modellers are not retreating into their silos, they sail locally and yet are part of an international community.  I can pose a question on Mayhem at 10.30 pm and receive answers from all over the world by morning, I have no need to travel 100s of miles to learn how to rig a yacht. 

With regards to promoting the hobby, it is local clubs with locally publicised events that generates most new members. I doubt the activities of the MPBA itself brings very few new entrants into this hobby.

Mayhem and it's ilk are the future of model boating; the MPBA is part of the past.