A grand day out at the London Round Pond in Kensington Gardens
London Model Yacht club is one of the oldest if not the oldest establishment in the Model yachting world and was the host last Saturday of one of the oldest radio sailing trophies and may be one of the oldest sporting trophies in the UK although this fact is still being researched. The De Quincey cup is a stunning trophy and is one of the only team racing competitons in the radio sailing world. Presenting on the day were the grandaughters of the name on the cup.
The history of the cup is worth noting and I did some brief research on the club and the trophy at the end of the blog.
The clubhouse is just off the Bayswater road right next to the Russian Embassy. Access is through a bland black wooden gate and leads to the historic clubhouse full of classic and modern yachts. When I first went to the club a few weeks ago I thought the main gate would be grand and having entered through beautiful wrought iron gates, found myself being rejected from the Russian embassy. C'est la vie.
The club is a few hundred yards from the round pond and to get the boats there, they have a golf cart and a unique trolley to transport all the boats.
Once at the lake, there is a unique atmosphere, with runers, walkers, tourist and lost of people interested in what is going on with the boats. In addition there is an abundance of wildlife on and off the water which has the unfortunate effect of putting nutrients into the pond to accelerate weed growth during the summer. Unfortunately, the right fish to eat the weed are not allowed in the pond as they are not indigenous species.
We were blessed with a sunny day and I have to admit was one of the most relaxing days on the water I have experienced. An atmosphere like no other.
The race format is quite simple. Clubs provide teams of 3 skippers and their boats. Three fleet races are sailed with one of the 3 competitors sailing in each race. The the team racing begins where each team sails against the other in a series of rounds so each club sails against the other.
I was sailing for Datchet and whilst we did not field our strongest team we won every team race bar one, which was my fault for being over the line at the start. However none of us did very well in the fleet racing and Hugh was unlucky to be caught over the line in the last race under black flag, but it did not have an impact on the final results. Bar the fleet races, I have to say are team were exceptional to beat all bar one of the teams. We finished third overall with Emsworth winning over all and London Defenders narrowly missing out on repeating last years victory.
It was a truly marvellous day and good to meet the grandaughter of the de Quincey family who presented the trophy.
The results
Getting out of London proved to be a bit of a drag in the traffic as halloween party goers were out in force, but it was interesting to see all the costumes go by
I researched a brief history below of the Club and the Cup which makes interesting reading although I cannot vouch for its accuracy.
De Quincey Cup Timeline
The following timeline combines the documented history of model yachting at the Round Pond with the known history of the De Quincey Cup itself.
1730
The Round Pond is created in Kensington Gardens during the reign of King George II, establishing what would become one of the world's most famous model yachting venues. [en.wikipedia.org], [evendo.com]
1820s
Model yacht enthusiasts sail on the pond in Green Park. Innovations such as external lead ballast begin appearing on model yachts. When access to the pond becomes restricted, sailors migrate elsewhere. [lmyc.org.uk]
1834
Model yachting activity moves largely to the Serpentine in Hyde Park following alterations to the Green Park pond. [lmyc.org.uk]
1846
The first formal London Model Yacht Club is founded, complete with officers, trophies and organised competition. [lmyc.org.uk]
1871
The original London Model Yacht Club ceases operation following internal disagreements. [adam-yamey...writes.com], [lmyc.org.uk]
1876
The Model Yacht Sailing Association (MYSA) is founded and adopts the Round Pond as its principal sailing water. This date marks the beginning of continuous organised model yacht sailing at Kensington Gardens. [lmyc.org.uk], [lmyc.org.uk]
Late 19th Century
The De Quincey Cup is presented for team racing in model yachts. Contemporary Notices of Race describe it as having been "gifted for Team Racing in Model Yachts in the late 19th Century." [lmyc.org.uk]
1884
The modern London Model Yacht Club is established and joins the MYSA at the Round Pond. Both organisations subsequently share facilities and work closely together in developing model yachting. [lmyc.org.uk], [lmyc.org.uk]
1890s-1900s
Round Pond becomes a major attraction for model yacht racing. Historic photographs show large fleets of free-sailing pond yachts competing before crowds of spectators. [alamy.com], [gettyimages.co.uk]
Early-Mid 20th Century
The De Quincey Cup remains part of the Round Pond's trophy heritage while model yachting evolves through the era of large free-sailing racers, rating classes and development boats. Historic photographs from the 1940s show the pond still thriving as a model yachting venue. [gettyimages.com]
Late 20th Century
Radio control gradually replaces traditional free sailing as the dominant form of competition at the Round Pond. The venue continues as one of Britain's premier model yacht locations. [lmyc.org.uk]
18 March 2023
The De Quincey Cup is contested as an inter-club team racing event for 10-Raters at the Round Pond. Datchet defeats Frensham and London to win the trophy. [mya-uk.org.uk]
24 May 2025
The event is run in DF95s with seven three-boat teams competing. London Model Yacht Club 1 narrowly defeats Datchet 1 after a day of fleet races and team racing. [mya-uk.org.uk], [mya-uk.org.uk]
2026
The De Quincey Cup continues as the flagship inter-club team racing trophy at the Round Pond. The Notice of Race describes the event as a three-boat DF95 team competition aimed at promoting competitive but enjoyable team racing between MYA-affiliated clubs. [lmyc.org.uk]
The Round Pond, Kensington Gardens: A Historic Home of Model Yachting
The Round Pond in Kensington Gardens is one of the most important and historic locations in the world of model yachting. Situated directly in front of Kensington Palace, the pond was created in 1730 during the reign of King George II as part of the redesign of Kensington Gardens. Despite its name, the pond is actually rectangular with rounded corners and covers approximately seven acres.
Origins of Model Yachting at the Round Pond
Model boat sailing became popular in London's Royal Parks during the early nineteenth century. Enthusiasts originally sailed on the pond in Green Park before moving to the Serpentine in Hyde Park when access restrictions were introduced in 1834. The first formal London Model Yacht Club was established in 1846, reflecting the growing popularity of competitive model sailing. [lmyc.org.uk], [adam-yamey...writes.com]
The modern association between the Round Pond and model yachting began in 1876 when the newly formed Model Yacht Sailing Association (MYSA) adopted the Round Pond as its sailing venue. The Serpentine had become less suitable, and the Round Pond offered cleaner water and fewer conflicts with other users. [lmyc.org.uk], [lmyc.org.uk]
The London Model Yacht Club
The London Model Yacht Club (LMYC), established in 1884, joined the MYSA at the Round Pond and the two organisations became closely linked. Together they developed a culture of innovation in yacht design, rating rules and competitive sailing that influenced model yachting throughout Britain and beyond. [lmyc.org.uk], [lmyc.org.uk]
Today, LMYC proudly describes itself as the oldest model yacht club in the UK and remains active at the Round Pond. Current racing includes:
International One Metres (IOM)
10 Raters
DragonFlite 95s
Vintage model yachts
The club still sails regularly on Sunday mornings, maintaining a tradition spanning nearly 150 years. [lmyc.org.uk], [lmyc.org.uk]
A Victorian Spectacle
By the late Victorian era the Round Pond had become famous. Historic photographs show crowds gathering to watch elegant free-sailing pond yachts. Many were substantial craft, often several feet long, beautifully built from wood and carrying finely crafted rigs. Some required two people to transport them. [lmyc.org.uk]
The pond became a social meeting point where engineering skill, competitive spirit and craftsmanship combined. Wealthy yacht owners often commissioned scale models of their full-size yachts, while working-class craftsmen developed innovative hull and ballast designs that advanced the sport. [lmyc.org.uk]
From Free Sailing to Radio Control
For much of its history, sailing on the Round Pond was free-sailing. Owners launched their yachts and walked around the pond's perimeter to retrieve them. With the arrival of reliable radio-control technology in the second half of the twentieth century, competitive racing evolved dramatically.
The Round Pond remains one of Britain's most recognisable urban locations for radio-controlled yacht racing, attracting both experienced competitors and curious visitors. Historic pond yachts still appear alongside modern carbon-rigged racing boats. [lmyc.org.uk], [adam-yamey...writes.com]
Cultural Significance
The Round Pond is unusual because it combines royal heritage, public recreation and a continuous model yachting tradition dating back to the nineteenth century. Few sailing venues can claim such longevity. Historic images document model yachts being sailed there from at least the 1890s, through the inter-war years, post-war Britain, and into the modern radio-control era. [alamy.com], [gettyimages.com], [gettyimages.co.uk]
Why It Matters to Model Yachting
For model yacht enthusiasts, the Round Pond is more than simply a sailing water. It is effectively a living museum of the sport. Many of the developments that shaped British model yachting were tested and debated on its shores, and the continuous presence of the MYSA and LMYC makes it one of the longest-running model yachting centres in the world. [lmyc.org.uk], [lmyc.org.uk]
As an IOM sailor, you'd find the Round Pond particularly interesting because it bridges every era of the hobby, from large Victorian free-sailers to today's highly refined racing classes. Few locations demonstrate the evolution of model yacht design quite so clearly.
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