Roker Park Model Boat Club

Roker Park’s boating lake was laid out in 1880 on land gifted by Sir Hedworth Williamson, its gentle curves tailored from the start for model craft to use. Today it remains one of the North East’s premier spots to enjoy miniature maritime engineering against a tranquil park backdrop.

Although boats had been sailing here for decades, a core group of enthusiasts came together in 2005, and by January 2007 formally launched the Roker Park Model Boat Club to nurture skills from first‐time builders to seasoned model engineers. Their mission is simple: share knowledge, encourage newcomers, and celebrate the art of crafting and sailing scale vessels.

Membership now hovers around fifty active sailors who gather most Sundays and on midweek mornings to set up on the lake shore. Peak sessions run from 9 am to 11 am every Sunday, with additional meet‑ups on Tuesday and Thursday mornings at the same times, weather permitting.

Meetings are centered in the adjacent bowling pavilion, where a kettle is always on. Here members relax over tea, carry out minor repairs, and swap advice on everything from radio‑control systems to fine‑scale detailing.

The club’s fleet is wonderfully diverse—classic sailing yachts, scratch‑built wooden hulls, and robust electric launches share the water with the occasional steam‑powered craft. Many of these are displayed at national events such as the Doncaster and Shildon shows, and twice yearly the club hosts open days under a large gazebo to exhibit members’ finest work.

In late 2023 members completed a major restoration of a 15‑foot SD14 cargo ship model, originally built in 2008. Disassembled over winter in the pavilion, the hull was painstakingly repaired, repainted, and re‑equipped with electronics before the fully restored vessel was handed over to Sunderland Maritime Museum for public display.

To learn more or get involved, visit the club’s website and use the on‑site contact form at www.rokerparkmbc.co.uk/contact.php. You’ll also find links to their Facebook and Twitter feeds there—perfect for staying up‑to‑date on meet‑ups, events, and the latest builds.