Newcomers to the hobby have the option of acquiring a used boat that can take some time to source or join in the Wednesday workshop and gain the satisfaction of building their own. We don’t recommend some of the kit boats from the hobby shops for regular and constant use on the rougher water we encounter week in week out. They are really limited to occasional use and confined to the lighter winds. It has to be remembered that although the boats are scaled down, the conditions aren’t.

While we most frequently sail the ML45’s, we have members who also sail other boats that may or may not comply with the international class regulations. We sail for fun and so welcome any boat type, we see ourselves as a 'cruising yacht club'.

To build a ML45 and fit it out ready to sail will cost $400 -$550 depending on the chosen radio gear, paint or finish etc, spent progressively over the time taken to build. How long it takes is dependent upon how much is done at home between fortnightly workshops, but it can easily stretch out to months rather than weeks. Sometimes we have a boat for sale or can put you in touch with someone who has, so ask a member.

If you think radio control sailing might be for you, come and watch and more importantly have a chat. We’ll show you how it’s done and give you a chance to have a go. It costs $45.00 per year to join and you will be welcome.

The Mawson Lakes Model Yacht Club was formed to provide an easy way for enthusiasts to become involved in the  radio control sailing hobby. We see ourselves as an entry level cruising yacht club that will help you with the basic principles of sailing and trimming model sailboats. We generally prefer to have a cruise around the lake while walking with our boats. It makes for a relaxing and sometimes brisk walk, particularly when the course includes both the main and promenade lakes. We vary it with close quarter sailing while we stay on the pontoon - that suits the less energetic and improves boat handling. If you are interested in a great way to relax, join us at 1.00pm on Saturday afternoons at the pontoon at the Tech Park boat ramp on the lake. Access is via Fourth Avenue off The Parkway, Technology Park at Mawson Lakes. Don't forget to introduce yourself. It is, after all, a social pastime. SA is fortunate in having Mawson Lakes, it is an ideal venue for model yachting. For those who might prefer the more traditional competitive environment of multiple short course races around buoys, there are clubs at Glenelg North, Stirling and West Lakes that we can put you in contact with.

On Saturday 13 August 2005 at 1555 hours CST the first of the new Mawson Lakes 45 model yachts was launched at Mawson Lakes.

The design is taken from a 1970's plan by Vic Smeed, 'Panache', which started life as a 30 inch model. We scaled up the plan to give an overall length of 45 inches. Hence the 'Mawson Lakes 45'. The mast and sails are the same as those fitted to an International One Metre (IOM).

The principle behind the concept is to provide a more traditional design which is ideal for the newcomer to the hobby. Should the builder decide to join a club that is focused on racing, the transition to a IOM is not as financially traumatic and the experience gained in building and sailing will be invaluable.

Some time ago we started a workshop meeting every 2 weeks to build five boats, within a few weeks that number grew to seven.

Since that time we have launched a total 34 Mawson Lakes 45's and we have another 3 under construction.

It is surprising how easy our members have found it to build the model, without any prior knowledge in model boat construction. In our workshop we guide the builder in the finer points of the construction, ensuring that mistakes are addressed immediately and corrected.

From beginning to launch and sailing usually represents a total outlay of about $550. A small price to pay for a great deal of pleasure for a long time.

Contact us for more information.