Designers, builders and owners who are involved with Super Yachts competing in the multi million pound sport of ocean yacht racing all agree that a well built scale model of their yacht is highly rated among their multitude of needs for successful sailing.

Long before the launch of the prototype the model can often be called into use, assisting in many phases of construction. Owners of the Super Yachts are mostly multi national companies whose generous sponsorship keeps the expensive and glamorous sport afloat. The sponsors also appreciate the importance of owning a good quality scale mode] of their yacht. Some companies own two or more models, often using them as part of the display on their stands at industry or trade exhibitions they are attending with their products.

At these events the models attract much attention and are often show stealers with their exact scaled detail being the main topic of conversation. Such models probably receive greater public viewing and comment than known models sighted in museums. So who builds these show stoppers for the well known and famous.

One who's skills are regularly called upon is Essex modeller John Bertola, who in the last few years has been commissioned to build over 250 SuperYacht models in various scales, but his modelling activities go back much farther than the mentioned few years.

John believes he would have been near the age of ten when he completed his first model representing a static aircraft. As his skills improved he proceeded onto working and radio controlled models; aircraft modellers will recognise John's name as being a regular entrant in modelling competitions and often as the one who took home the trophies, but enjoying oneself with an absorbing hobby does not bring in the needed salary. His flair for art and talent with detail won him a place in the world of advertising where he trained and worked successfully as a graphic artist. Producing fine line drawings and illustrations, and airbrushing with water based paints are all daily routines in a busy advertising studio, but all are akin to modelling and have obviously helped John develop the skills that enable him to produce his greatly admired models.

During his service with the Royal Air Force he trained and worked as an aerial photographer, flying on missions out of Singapore aboard Sunderland Flying Boats, which sounds like the ideal posting for a model flyer.

So with the observant and sharp eye of a photographer John returned to civilian life with another skill, compliments of the RAF, that would also help when he eventually decided to become a full time professional modeller. After his service with the RAF he returned to his work in advertising, and during his leisure hours he was back to building models, but not all his spare time was with the modelling. He paid attention to keeping fit by spending twenty consecutive seasons crewing aboard a variety of racing yachts; his many hours of sailing experience combined with his modelling skills have no doubt made him the man that is sought by those needing a model of their Super Yacht.

Apart from the yacht commissions John is also requested to build other marine models. His records show an impressive, list of names, both of owners and vessels, many of luxurious sea going motor yachts, some newly launched and others well known due to their famous owners. New owners of older vessels often commission work that greatly alters the general appearance of their vessel; stern and bow shapes are sometimes drastically reshaped, all of which can bring good news for John as it normally means the owner commissions another model showing the new arrangement of the prototype. One such was the famous M.V. Kalizma, once owned by the Burtons, Liz and Richard, in their hey-day. Here John had to build a new model showing the stern alterations.

The M.Y. Kalizma and many others from the 1920 and 30's era are sadly missed in choice as good modelling subjects. Many of these vessels have much that provides interesting model work, and building at any of the larger scales allows for some delicate timbered work on decks and handrails to be shown off in natural colours, also with superstructures and interiors that showed the skills of craftsmen who's work with specialised timbers was second to none.

Many of the old motor yachts have interesting histories. The aforementioned Kalizma, and another although a much smaller vessel but from the same era, was the recently featured Bluebird of Chelsea, owned by Martin Summers, which on an invitation day produced an impressive collection of models and proved how well the old type motor yachts can be built into attractive models.

While researching the big sea going luxury yachts, the prospective builder could find himself having to do some real but interesting detective work, as over the years some had name changes and structural alterations that left their shapes differing from when they were launched.

I was able to inspect one such model when visiting John's neat and tidy workshop. The model was of M.Y. Rosenkavalier, whose 217ft prototype was built by Krupps sixty five years ago. During its lifetime the old yacht has had a string of wealthy owners from around the world, even the US Navy during wartime.

Some of the many owners have left their mark on the Rosenkavalier with alterations that changed her original profile. One very noticeable addition that can be seen in some photographs, was made when she was owned by film producer Robert Stigwood, who in the late 70's had a second funnel added to house the then latest high tech navigation and communications equipment. He had this installed to facilitate keeping in touch on the longer voyages that he undertook with the yacht. And not only profile changes were made. The present registered name of Rosenkavalier has followed a string of others since her launch; and much of the yacht's fame came from publicity given in newspapers and magazines world wide over the years, nearly all featuring the fabulous furniture and fittings installed by the different wealthy owners. Records show that Stigwood's chosen decor for State, bed and service rooms were all in the grandeur style of a country mansion.

The part finished model also provided the chance to inspect John's building methods on this style of project, and as to be expected from a professional builder his criteria is for a completed model, that like the prototype, will survive for many years into the future, so a selection of lasting materials is most important. Timbered frames shaped the hull and main superstructures of the Rosenkavalier model with aluminium litho-plate providing a lasting skin. Adhesives used are in the main cyano types and fittings such as winches, stanchions, davits, etc are all made from brass or aluminium. Brass rods in various diameters are favoured for hand-railing, aerials and many other detailed fittings he needs to build.

John's aforementioned neat and tidy work place resembled an office more than that of a busy model maker; absent were the normal array of lathes, hand saws and pillar drills normally seen, which prompted me to ask where was all the machinery - the impressive working tools we amateurs convince ourselves (and wives) that we must have to be a modeller. John said he keeps a lathe in his garage at home ready for use on some parts he might need but in the main he works with hand tools. From a seed box size tray he showed me a variety of knives from Stanley type down to scalpels, a selection of files, a few modified tools to do special jobs, but surprisingly few tools are employed for the high quality work he produces.

My next question was about his paint work. Here again there was no evidence of compressors, air lines and spray guns. John said there was a small airbrush in his equipment stock but very rarely used. He showed me another box, this time containing a selection of auto-aerosol sprays that are easily available in most needed colours. When the exact colour is not in the range John has always found the cellulose manufacturers willing to make a special mix in a ready-to-spray can. Another advantage with this method of spray colouring is that most manufacturers produce a range of touching-in pens in matching colours which are very useful for small areas, and alleviates the need for masking as with the spray, all helping with the professional's important time factor of allotted hours for building the model. Apart from a first class spray finish the biggest bonus in time saving is with not having to clean spray equipment after use.

Many of the Super Yacht models John builds are requested as water-line models. He builds the hulls in lasting grp from his own moulds to scales varying from 1:12 down to 1:50. He then calls upon his sailing knowledge to set the completed hull at the correct angle to correspond with wind filled sails. The seascapes John models around the yachts really are works of art and help complete a first class presentation; fusions of blues and greens among the choppy wave pattern, an explosion of bubbling white froth at the bow moulding into smoothed patches along the hull's length, all giving the impression of a racing yacht running before the wind.

John favours dental plaster for modelling the life-like seas around his completed models, the plaster he finds is much stronger than other materials and makes for far better transportation of which an exhibition model will do much in its life time.

The sea's colours are achieved with a mixture of oil and cellulose paints, with the frothy foam areas being worked up with dry plaster and brought to life with water based paint. Tracy Edwards, who successfully skippered her all girl crew in the 89/90 fifth Whitbread Round the World Race owns a model of her yacht Maiden, one of three built by John of the now famous craft. From the same entry he was commissioned to build the overall winner of the race Steinlager 2. The impressive flame red hulled model was proudly displayed by the Whitbread Co. at their London office before being sold. Many of the Americas Cup Super Yachts have also featured in his busy workload over the years; Australia II, Victory 83, etc. John has also been called upon to build models of the famous J-class racing yachts; Shamrock is at present part built and he is just putting the finishing touches to a seventh model of Endeavour.

Sporting power boats are also frequent subjects on John's bench; a recent model was of Fabio Buzzi's Class 1 world championship power boat, and another was Destriero. Italy's transatlantic power boat fitted with water jet drive systems allowed for some first class detailed work from John, also with the Destriero being built for a scheduled exhibition brought out his early studio experience of working under pressure, as just before delivery was due, the model with others was stolen from his workshop and another had to be built in a few weeks. On another occasion a call from an overseas client asked if he could complete a yacht model within three weeks in time for the opening of the Super Yacht show held each year in Nice. John said on these occasions one has to break with routine and often burn the midnight oil to complete promised work on time - the yacht order he completed in the bedroom of his Nice hotel on the eve of the show's opening; just two hiccups that illustrate not all runs smoothly in the world of professional modelling.

The successful business John has built is still far from affording him a Kalizma yacht, or one of the super ocean racing yachts, but with his now world-wide reputation for good quality work allowing him to capture the best of the Super Yachts in miniature, he looks the contented man.