Cygnets Model Boat Club
Maidstone

 Grays Thurrock Model Boat Club Outing -  2009 - Gallery

 

Thanks to Peter Clayton for the write up and thanks to Mike Smith from Grays Thurrock MBC has very kindly sent us some photographs taken on the day and we have great pleasure in attaching them to this review

At the begining of September Cygnets and HMS Kent visited Grays Thurrock MBC (GTMBC) for their Navy Day. Their lake in the Belhus Woods Country Park was large and opportunity was taken to really put HMS Kent through her paces. Arriving at the lakeside we were confronted with a situation, although we knew about it in advance, whereby we had to, after assembling her, carry her and walk into the lake to launch her – a unique experience for the Cygnets members – a real “wellie” job.

We have now have the assembly and launching of HMS Kent down to a “fine art” – the complete operation takes approximately thirty minutes using a three man crew. HMS Kent was cruising around the lake for some 4 to 5 hours and opportunity was given to members of Grays Thurrock Club and the Surface Warship Association to try their hand at skippering her.
 

To the right Alan Noble and Trevor Bright preparing to attach HMS Kent to her moorings – this picture puts the size of HMS Kent very much into perspective

 

To the left HMS Kent at her moorings.

Again a most enjoyable day spent in the great company of fellow model boaters.
 

To the right shows the attending warships manoeuvring to take up station behind HMS Kent for fleet review.

 

A general view with the HMS Kent's crew standing in the water discussing the day’s events

However the day was spoilt by a couple of local youths, I nearly said yobs, practising the art of throwing stones Their target was HMS Kent - their range was good but fortunately for us their sense of direction left a lot to be desired. Thank goodness otherwise we would have been on a major rebuild now had a stone(s) connected with one of the superstructures.
 
   

A fine shot of HMS Kent cruising the lake