Small Boat Section

The following pages are a guide to some of the more important makers of commercial and toy yachts together with pictures or, in the absence of other information, ebay auction prices. Details will be added as and when more information becomes available. I would be grateful for any contributions (webmaster)

In addition look at the 'what is it' section of the site for other examples of the toy yachtmakers craft, many of the boats put up for identification fall into this class.

Because many people interested in the small boat section also have an interest in powered toy boats this is the one part of the VMYG website where we admit to the existence of other means of propulsion!! The pages are divided into two sections

Sail Power

An Appreciation by Trevor Smith

Trevor's Philosophy:
Growing old is inevitable
Growing up is optional

In my case interest goes back to my childhood of over 60 years ago when I was given a pre-war Tri-ang 'K' yacht with a mast taller than me. Many happy hours were spent at the local pond although nobody knew what the triangular piece of brass attached to the rudder was for.

Interest was reawakened in 1980 when I started to collect toy boats of any kind but gradually started to buy "Star" wooden yachts which were still being made and sold in toy shops. These were sailed and the old enjoyment returned.

A chance meeting with Russell Potts and Richard Howlett made me aware of the VMYG and I soon joined.

The membership contains quite a number of toy yacht collectors and the fleet seems to be constantly increasing. We have examples of manufacturers such as Alexander, Ailsa, Albatross, Bowman, Bassett Lowke, Clyde Model Dockyard, Gamages, Hamleys, Roach, Star, Skipper, Sutcliffe, Tri-ang, Winford and even more obscure names such as Graggs and Sons of Middlesboro, Amusements (Mablethorpe) Ltd and Toy Works of Marlow with Uffa Fox designs. We also have foreign examples such as Gunther, Gint and Geraud-Sauveur. photos

The "small boat section" of the membership have of late been keen supporters of Vintage Sailing Days and it would appear that once you have caught the toy yacht collecting bug there is little hope for you so perhaps each toy yacht should have a government health warning "Toy Yacht collecting can seriously damage your health and pocket". So why not get that yacht from the attic, dust off and restore as necessary and join us at the pondside, you know it makes sense
.Small Boat Section