Boat Show at Museum Is a Model of Perfection

The remote-controlled boats in the channel next to the L.A. Maritime Museum this weekend are definitely not those little $19.95 kit models. No way. This is serious stuff. These are one-of-a-kind boats (“scratch boats” in model-boat parlance) and they cost $300 and up. Most are 4-5 feet long: tugs, fishing boats, steam wheelers and more.

Model Boat Clubs of Southern California is sponsoring this two-day Radio-Controlled Model Boat Show at the museum. It’s a chance for local builders to show off the fruits of their long labors. The boats will be on display inside the museum for close inspection of the intricate handwork involved and then taken outside to the channel for maneuvers. Some squirt water and have whistles. Boat builders and operators will be available to answer questions.

Save time to explore the museum itself. The exhibits include 15-foot cutaways of the Titanic and Lusitania as well as more than 200 boats of all descriptions. The museum is at Berth 84, at the foot of 6th Street, San Pedro. Show hours today and Sunday are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Donations of $1 are requested in lieu of admission. Information: (213) 548-7618.