Would you like to get involved?
If you think you might be interested in model yachting and joining MMYC, please come to one of our races to try it out. We often have a club boat available for curious newcomers to try, and when the club boat is already spoken for, there will always be members happy to let you try their boats during the practice sessions that precede the actual races. If you would rather just watch a race or two before you decide whether to join in the fun, that’s fine too – we love having spectators, especially for our races in Camden, where the upper boardwalk affords an excellent view of the competitors on the dock below and the entire course.
If you try model yachting and, as we expect, love it as much as we do, you will need to get yourself a boat. We often know of used DF65s or DF95s in Maine that are available for purchase, so you might want to check with us first. And some used boats occasionally show up on Internet sites like eBay, Facebook Marketplace, Craigslist, and Google Shopping.
If you want to buy a brand-new boat, you can order a DF65 or a DF95 through authorized dealers/distributors of Joysway Hobby International, the Chinese manufacturer. Many of our members were able to purchase new boats through:
In the past couple years, these distributors have occasionally had low inventory, ostensibly because of supply chain problems. Don’t be discouraged if what you want is “out of stock” – just check back persistently and be ready to strike when inventories are replenished.
Currently, in “ready-to-run” kit form (meaning that the required radio is included, with transmitter and receiver paired at the factory), the latest DF65 (version 7) costs about $315, and a latest DF95 (version 2) costs about $480. To be competitive racing a DF65, you probably will want a larger “A+” sail and rig assembly (instead of the slightly smaller “A” sail and rig that come as standard equipment), which currently costs about $100. New DF95s are sold with the largest available “A” sail as standard equipment; some of our members have also purchased the smaller “B” sail and rig assembly for very windy conditions, which currently costs about $120.
If you buy a new boat, some assembly (mostly rigging) will be required. Most of our members have finished assembling their boats in 5-8 hours. The assembly instructions are straight forward, and there are videos on YouTube with assembly guidance and tips. And MMYC members are eager to answer any questions that may come up along the way.
Once you have your boat, please join MMYC. As explained elsewhere on our website, we love sailing our model yachts so much that we do it all year long! Our annual dues are $40. To join, just make yourself known to us at the dock or by contacting our Commodore at commodoremmyc@gmail.com.
We hope to see you soon!!