Special Feature

Model Sailboats - Papua New Guinea Style

Below are some fascinating photographs of model sailboats being prepared and raced at Ella Beach, Port Moresby. These boats are modelled on the full sized equivalent and are not radio controlled - the sails are pre-set for each leg of the race and balance is kept by the use of a long pole connected to an outrigger. As you can see, the boats are very colourful and the craftsmanship is superb. The racing creates enormous interest with many wagers being made on the expected winner of each race.

These shots were taken in 1980 by Bob Cann when he was teaching at the International School in Port Moresby. Many thanks to Bob for providing these photographs and giving us a different view of model sailboat racing.