#modelboatracing – Further to the IOM model yacht class development in Northern Ireland thanks to Brian O'Neill who joined the fleet about 3 years ago and who has rallied other people from the North to our activity, a new club has emerged over the winter of 2013 in Belfast Waterworks writes Gilbert Louis.

This location is not new to model boats as the activity started in 1933 and lasted until the mid 1960's when a fire burned down the club house. But now model boats are back sailing on this man made pond. It is entirely purpose build for Belfast County needs in concrete. It is flat bottom and with a depth of around 1.2m it is plenty for our model boats.

This was made possible by the support of the Belfast Council who welcomed the request, happy to see activity on this pond once more – A big thank you to the Council for their support !

I hope this will be the first of more inland ponds open to our activity to come. For now most of our sailing is on the sea but we are tight to the tides whereas on a pond we could schedule sailing well in advance.

Fair play to Bill, Wayne and Brian for making this a reality and adding to our sailing venues.

You can find all the information about the Belfast waterworks model boat club on their website 

For now they are sailing RG65 and in particular Drafon Force 65, IOM and occasionally A class too.