The 36/600 has an appearance similar to the Marblehead yachts. This development class is restricted in overall length and sail area. While these yachts are commercially available, their simplicity also makes them a good choice for beginning builders. 36" long, 600 sq. inches sail area.

The 36/600 is one of the largest classes certified by AMYA, with nearly 1500 boats registered since its introduction in 1971. Some of the contributing factors for the 36/600's national popularity is that they are economical to build, easily transported, and a genuine pleasure to sail.

The 36/600 is a developmental class, so there are very few restrictions beyond the thirty-six inch hull length and six hundred square inches of sail area. The class specifications are so worded to encourage the designers and builders to fully utilize their imaginations. Design diversity for 36/600 hulls is quite broad. For example, beams range from a narrow five inches to over eight inches. Sail aspects range from forty-five inch luffs to over sixty inch luffs. The weight of a 36/600 can vary from under five pounds to over eight pounds. Though there is usually a commonality of boats sailed by a club, it isn't unusual to have most of the boats quite different in design. This gives a skipper the option of exercising their judgment of which design is best for the the prevailing conditions at their sailing venue.

The sailing characteristics of the 36/600 are well suited for both the experienced skippers and the beginner. For a novice skipper, the 36/600's size and simplicity makes understanding the boat and what makes it go quite easy. For the veteran skipper, the quick response and "on the edge" speed makes the 36/600 an ideal choice for competitive sailing.

The Marblehead (or simply "M") is a 50 inch long yacht providing exciting performance and the ability to handle most sailing conditions if rigged properly. This development class is restricted in overall length and sail area. It has spawned two sub-classes, the "American Marblehead" and the "Classic Marblehead". The Marblehead is considered the leader in the use of advanced construction materials and techniques. 50" long, 800 sq. inches sail area.

The M or Marblehead Class, sometimes called the "50/800", is a high-performance development class designed by Roy L. Clough of Marblehead, MA in the 1930's as the largest model that would conveniently fit in a standard American car of the time.

Due to the high performance aspect of the class, and the fact that developments in hull and rig design happen quickly, a number of sub-classes (eg. American Marblehead, Classic Marblehead, Limited Rig Marblehead) have evolved to keep older boats on the water and competitive with their peers. The un-restriced and original iteration of the Marblehead is international, with competitive fleets worldwide.

M's are considered the largest "high tech" R/C model class with active designers/builders and steadily growing numbers of participants. Think of them as the "Formula One" of radio- controlled race boats.

It is a development class (unless specifically prohibited, "anything goes") with the main restrictions being a hull length of 50 inches and a sail area of 800 square inches. The class has matured over the years to produce a high-performance model that can be sailed in a wide range of conditions by changing rigs.

The hull and rigs tend to use advanced materials and techniques. Boats are available from several suppliers who can provide them from basic kit form to fully assembled. There is also an active used boat market at the local level. Many older designs can be made locally competitive with simple updates. The M Class has a large ownership base, with over 3000 registered hulls in the US with that many or more worldwide. It is sailed in most areas of the country. Competition is available from local club to international level.

To get started, first register your boat with the Class Secretary.

Once you have registered your boat, a "measurement certificate" will be required if you want to compete in organized regattas. To obtain this certificate, an official Class Measurer will perform a detailed examination and measurement of the hull, appendages, sails, and rigs and if all are found to comply with class rules, a certificate will be issued.

Registering an M Class

1. Become an AMYA member and obtain your AMYA membership number. No registration number will be issued without an AMYA membership number.

2. Complete the AMYA Yacht Registration form contained in Model Yachting. Include your e- mail address on the form. Make out a check for $10 to Bruce Andersen and mail it with the Yacht Registration form to him. Do not make out the check to AMYA - registration funds are used for Marblehead Class expenses and are not part of the AMYA.

3. If you are transferring ownership include the existing registration number and previous owner's name.

4. You will be issued a new sail number if this is a new registration, or a card with the old sail number in your name if this is a transfer of ownership of a previously registered boat. A new number may be issued if the provenance of the hull is unknown.

Sanctioned in 1997. Low cost, ARS kit from Thunder Tiger modeled after the America's Cup yachts from the 1990's. 30.7" long, 433 sq in sail area, 4.5 lbs displacement.

The Victoria One Design is a simple, affordable, sailboat manufactured by the Thunder Tiger Model Company, and distributed world wide. The kit's low cost (about $150 for the kit, $250 to perhaps $400 ready to race), ease of assembly, and good sailing characteristics make it a great first yacht, while remaining fun to sail and race for old hands as well. It is easy to transport, fully rigged, in the smallest of cars. The emphasis of the Victoria is on SIMPLICITY and FUN, and to these ends check out the Victoria Class Information Center for the latest building, tuning, and sailing tips, along with other interesting and useful information about the boat.

The boat itself is made of ABS plastic, and is quite durable, capable of surviving virtually any mishap or collision. The kit also includes high quality aluminum spars, sails, and all necessary fittings. All you need to do is add a two-channel radio, two servos and you're ready to sail. Construction is generally a weekend project. The ease of assembly also makes the Victoria a great "club" boat, as new skippers can buy a boat and join the racing with a minimum of trouble and expense. Many clubs conduct "Silver Fleet" racing consisting of boats made entirely from all kit parts.