The 42nd Annual Northeast Joint Clubs Conference, held on April 26th in New London, Connecticut, was a resounding success! The Ship Model Society of New Jersey (my club) proudly hosted this year’s event, which drew approximately 110 attendees and showcased over 50 models across a diverse range of categories. Alongside the SMSNJ, the participating joint clubs included the Connecticut Marine Model Society, NY Shipcraft Guild, Philadelphia Ship Model Society, and USS Constitution Model Ship Guild.
A highlight of the conference was the inclusion of several technical sessions held throughout the day, offering more than just a display of models. This year’s presentations featured:
- “3D Printing” by PSMS
- “Building an Admiralty Style Hull” by NYSG
- “Building Queen Mary II” by CMMS
- “Stropping Blocks and other Details” by SMSNJ
- “Building of the yardarms for the Flying Cloud” by USSCMSG
For the model builders in attendance, two judging contests took place: the Jim Roberts Award and the People’s Choice Award. The Jim Roberts Award, sponsored and judged by SMSNJ, was established in memory of Jim Roberts, a founder of the Ship Model Society of New Jersey (originally known as the Ship Model Society of Northern New Jersey). Jim was a modeler renowned for the craftsmanship, beauty, and meticulous detail of his models. The criteria for this award are specifically designed to recognize the model that best embodies the high standards that Jim championed. A former submariner with the handle “SSBN Driver,” Jim was known for his helpfulness and authored several useful pamphlets, including a particularly valuable one on planking that is still referenced today. Sadly, Jim passed away in 2004.
“I am deeply honored to have received the Jim Roberts Award for my model of the Medway Longboat, built from a 1:48 scale kit by Syren Ship Model Company,” Ryland told us. “Since attending the Northeast Joint Clubs Conference starting in 2010, I have always admired the craftsmanship of the models recognized with this award. To now be included among them is a distinction I will always treasure.”
With such a remarkable display of fine craftsmanship at the conference, selecting “the best” is always a challenging task. We extend our sincere thanks to the judges of the Jim Roberts Award for undertaking this responsibility. This year’s recipient was Ryland Craze for his model of the Medway Longboat. Congratulations, Ryland!
The winners of the People’s Choice Award were:
Power:
- 1st: Blockade Runner Hope by Leonard Xuereb
- 2nd: CSS Alabama by Fred Hutchins
- 3rd: HMS Gardenia by David Dinan
Sail:
- 1st: Charles W Morgan by Tom Szabo
- 2nd: Susan D., Block Island Boat by Spence Delin
- 3rd: Sultana by William Leong
Congratulations to all the winners!
And for those who couldn’t attend, our friend Olha Batchvarov created an excellent YouTube video showcasing all the models at the event: