CLUB HISTORY

The Ship Modelers Association (SMA) is the largest ship modeling club in California, and one of the largest in the nation. We seek to foster research and interest in our Nautical Heritage by researching and building scale ship models.

To achieve these ends, specific activities of the club include:

• A monthly club meeting featuring presentations for work in progress by members
• Seminars on model making topics
• Participation in model ship exhibits
• Sponsorship of the Western Ship Model Conference and Exhibit held on-board the RMS Queen Mary 
• A monthly newsletter for members
• A home page on the World Wide Web
• Social events such as dinners, cruises, and picnics

The Ship Modelers Association meets in the Los Angeles area. Informal meetings of members began in 1973 in the back room of a hobby shop, and in 1975, when the hobby shop closed, they voted to establish a set of officers and find a new meeting room. The club did not at that time, and does not now have, written bylaws, the members preferring a totally informal arrangement.

The Association is governed by a Board of Directors headed by the President and Vice President. The President and Vice President are elected by vote of the members for one year terms. Directors may serve for indefinite periods.

The club membership is an eclectic group composed of individuals with varied, unrelated occupations, mostly having little or nothing to do with ships or the sea --- doctors, lawyers, engineers, teachers, college professors, machinists, carpenters, welders, chemists, accountants, and many others. They share the love of the art and craft of ship modeling.

Individual members have written at least eight books on ship models, including A Scratch Modeler’s Log by Henry Bridenbecker, and Planking Techniques for Model Shipbuilders by Don Dressel. Numerous articles have been written by members.

The SMA does not hold ship modeling competitions. It is felt that it is better for members to help and encourage each other rather than to have winners and losers among them. Members do participate in outside competitions. Member Rolly Kalayjian won the Grand Prize at the Mariners Museum Ship Model Competition in 1995.

The Ship Modelers Association welcomes as members all who share the goals and interests of the members. Many new members have little or no experience in ship modeling, but make rapid progress with the help and encouragement of the “old hands”.

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