Big Gun Combat Event, October 3 - 4, 2015: Maker Faire San Diego

Discussion in 'Event Announcements' started by Rob Wood, Jun 14, 2015.

  1. Rob Wood

    Rob Wood NAMBA Rep

    Joined:
    Mar 1, 2008
    Posts:
    257
    Location:
    Daly City, CA
    This is an open invitation to all subscribers of the R/C Naval Combat forums.

    On October 3rd & 4th, 2015, the first full-size San Diego Maker Faire will take place in Balboa Park, San Diego, California. Western Warship Combat Club has been invited to bring our portable pond (40' x 72') to the event, and battle (as we have for the past 8 years at the Bay Area Maker Faire) before live audiences.

    Anyone who subscribes to this forum is welcome to come, either as a participant or spectator. If you want to volunteer to help with various tasks that have to be done, or if you want to run a ship in combat, contact me privately and we will work out the details. Maker Faire is a blast, and if you're not familiar with it, check it out here: Battle Pond Adapts to Drought | San Diego Maker Faire

    Rob Wood
    Vice President, Western Warship Combat Club, Inc.
    rwood@hypergold.com
    [​IMG]
     
  2. Rob Wood

    Rob Wood NAMBA Rep

    Joined:
    Mar 1, 2008
    Posts:
    257
    Location:
    Daly City, CA
    San Diego mayor Kevin Faulconer and city council members posing with my Bismarck at today's official launch press conference.
    [​IMG]
     
  3. buttsakauf

    buttsakauf Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Oct 14, 2010
    Posts:
    695
    Location:
    Waycross, GA
    I'm back in San Diego. It appears I need to bust a move and get my ships refit!
     
  4. Rob Wood

    Rob Wood NAMBA Rep

    Joined:
    Mar 1, 2008
    Posts:
    257
    Location:
    Daly City, CA
    That's great! There's going to be a big RC boat regatta at the Mission Bay boat pond this Saturday. I'm going to run my Bismarck, and talk about Maker Faire. Can you make it?

    Rob
     
  5. buttsakauf

    buttsakauf Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Oct 14, 2010
    Posts:
    695
    Location:
    Waycross, GA
    This Saturday meaning today or in a week?
     
  6. Brandon B

    Brandon B Member

    Joined:
    May 10, 2015
    Posts:
    36
    Location:
    Southern California
    Sounds like fun. I'll come by and check it out. I still haven't seen a big gun battle in person.
     
  7. Rob Wood

    Rob Wood NAMBA Rep

    Joined:
    Mar 1, 2008
    Posts:
    257
    Location:
    Daly City, CA
    Mike: The RC regatta was yesterday. I should actually include the dates when I announce these things. Where in the area do you live?

    Rob
     
  8. Rob Wood

    Rob Wood NAMBA Rep

    Joined:
    Mar 1, 2008
    Posts:
    257
    Location:
    Daly City, CA
    Brandon: If you are interested, we'd love to have you work the event with us. We're building 6 armed cruisers for newcomers to operate, so you'll get first-hand experience. Sound interesting?

    Rob
     
  9. Brandon B

    Brandon B Member

    Joined:
    May 10, 2015
    Posts:
    36
    Location:
    Southern California
    I would be very interested! Where do I sign up?
     
  10. buttsakauf

    buttsakauf Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Oct 14, 2010
    Posts:
    695
    Location:
    Waycross, GA
    I live in Tierrasanta. About 15-20min from Mission Bay. It is just East of 15 and just North of 8.
     
  11. Rob Wood

    Rob Wood NAMBA Rep

    Joined:
    Mar 1, 2008
    Posts:
    257
    Location:
    Daly City, CA
    Consider yourself signed up! Email me contact info, and I'll put you on our email distribution list: rwood@hypergold.com

    Rob
     
  12. Rob Wood

    Rob Wood NAMBA Rep

    Joined:
    Mar 1, 2008
    Posts:
    257
    Location:
    Daly City, CA
    Every Saturday (9:00am - 1:00pm), members of the San Diego Argonauts, Task Force 96 (a 1:96/1:100 military ship group) and others from local clubs in the area run their ships at the Mission Bay model boat pond. I plan to do the same. I'm trying to (finally) get my Bismarck ready for combat, and just getting everything working properly is a challenge. I'm also using the opportunity to recruit people to help out at Maker Faire, and make new friends.

    Since the pond is right by your house, why don't you plan on swinging by this coming Saturday, June 27th, between 9:00am and 1:00pm. Same goes for Brandon or anyone else in the area. Bring a ship to work on, if it's not ready to run.

    Rob
     
  13. buttsakauf

    buttsakauf Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Oct 14, 2010
    Posts:
    695
    Location:
    Waycross, GA
    I will certainly do my best to be there. My parents are coming for a visit during that time but that might just make a nice Saturday morning out.

    Are you making a lot of trips down here? Or are you temporarily in the area?
     
  14. Gomer Pyle

    Gomer Pyle New Member

    Joined:
    Jul 30, 2015
    Posts:
    6
    Location:
    San Diego, CA
    I'll be down at Mission Bay this Saturday to talk about the boats I'm thinking of building! I'm just starting in this hobby and was pleasently surprised I saw an event happening here in San Diego! I should be able to Help (yes)/Participate (hopefully)
     
  15. Rob Wood

    Rob Wood NAMBA Rep

    Joined:
    Mar 1, 2008
    Posts:
    257
    Location:
    Daly City, CA
    Please email to chat about this: rwood@hypergold.com

    Rob
     
  16. ish311

    ish311 Active Member

    Joined:
    Aug 18, 2014
    Posts:
    527
    Location:
    North Central Florida
    you guys are getting a nice amount of positive exposure. bodes well for the hobby in the area.
     
  17. Rob Wood

    Rob Wood NAMBA Rep

    Joined:
    Mar 1, 2008
    Posts:
    257
    Location:
    Daly City, CA
    It's incredible, really. The Maker Faire Battle Pond concept has evolved into a multi-level opportunity to draw people together who might not otherwise cross paths. Last Saturday, the USS Midway museum joined forces with us to add a new feature to the Battle Pond: The Midway Glider Challenge. We're building a 1:72 model of the flight deck that contestants will attempt to land Phantom II gliders on. People from the Midway aircraft restoration team will be running the game between battles, and teaching people the principles of landing on an aircraft carrier, plus promoting aircraft carriers in general, and the Midway in particular. On the flip side, the volunteers will be helping us assemble the Battle Pond on Friday, October 2nd, and strike it on Sunday.

    Also between battles, members of the San Diego Argonauts RC boat club will be teaching people to sail RC sailboats, scale power boats and submarines. Some of them, along with members of Task Force 96 / The 8th Fleet, will be running our loaner combat ships in the battles. It's a great way to introduce model boat and ship builders to combat.

    Rob
     
  18. NickMyers

    NickMyers Admin RCWC Staff

    Joined:
    Nov 15, 2007
    Posts:
    4,404
    Location:
    Federal Way, WA
    I wouldn't buy a kit for a single event. Buy a kit / build a ship if you want to attend many.

    Not sure how much a vendor could effectively influence an event such as this, seeing as they have no formal relationship with the event or Rob.
     
  19. Rob Wood

    Rob Wood NAMBA Rep

    Joined:
    Mar 1, 2008
    Posts:
    257
    Location:
    Daly City, CA
    Hi Paul,

    I've searched through my email, my junk mail and spam folder, and I've found nothing from you. Forgive me if I missed it. Are you sure you sent it to rwood@hypergold.com? A member of the San Diego Argonauts told me a guy named Paul visited the pond a few Saturdays ago, interested in warships. Was that you?

    On purchasing a kit for combat at our event in October: There wouldn't be time to complete it between now and then, at any rate. Even if you could build and fit out a combat ship in two months, there are still no guns available commercially for the Big Gun end of the combat hobby. We will have combat-ready ships available for new folks to run at Maker Faire, however.

    All of that said, we (San Diego Argonauts and Western Warship Combat Club) will have a booth this Saturday (August 22nd) at the Chula Vista HarborFest, 10:00 A.M. - 6:00 P.M. I will have both the HMS Hood and the DKM Bismarck on display, and would love to see you there. Do try and email me though.

    Best regards,

    Rob

    [​IMG]
     
  20. Gomer Pyle

    Gomer Pyle New Member

    Joined:
    Jul 30, 2015
    Posts:
    6
    Location:
    San Diego, CA
    Rob,
    Hello and thanks for the info about the Chula Vista harbor fest! Another thing I wouldn't even have known about. I will definitely be cruising down to check out the booths. Sorry about my last post I've just been super excited and was waiting to hear back from you and yeah that was me at the pond :). I must have read the page wrong I thought there was fast fun stuff as well but no biggie. Ok I'll send you an email soon! Thanks again -Paul-