NAMBA Propwash 04-2023 Web.pub

PROPWASH April 2023 7 The Castaways Boat Worx Model Boat Club from The Villages in Florida gather around for a photo op NAMBA Nationals History: NIRVANA, Finally!! By Dave Rychalsky NAMBA Historian Chairman As some of you recall, we lost the NAMBA banner back in ’98 as it was allegedly thrown away by a person working in a restaurant where the banquet was held. It wasn’t even known that it was missing until the following year in Sayreville that we did not have the banner. So, I spent a few years asking (begging) people to look into their closets and workbenches for patches from years past. Our NAMBA banner is of the utmost importance when it comes to reliving the history of our phenomenal organization. It’s “where we started”, “where we’ve been”, “where we are”, and where we’re going!” It took me over four years to get one full set of patches from 1971 through 2004. With the help of Dave Bestpitch, he was able to replicate the cloth fabric, similar to the lost banner, and sew on all of the new patches; hence, a new banner was created. Since then, Dave Bestpitch, Al Waters and I have been keeping up the effort each year obtaining two patches from the current National event. We have also been very diligent with keeping an eye out for its whereabouts. We practically treat it like it’s a 2-year-old in a family game room – making sure it doesn’t get lost! We are still being diligent in keeping an eye out for the current banner, as it is part of our culture. It is the NAMBA Crest, sort of speaking. Since 2005, I have been trying to get a second set of patches as insurance, in case something happens to our current banner. On Sunday, June 26, 2022 the 17-year effort came to fruition – the last patch was found! Doug Twaits, Jr was perusing through some of the NAMBA National paraphernalia of his dad, and low and behold – he came across the one remaining missing patch - the 1984 National patch from Newark, New Jersey! Doug also found some pins, balloons, other Nats patches, tee shirts and Nationals hats from years past! Many, many thanks to Doug Jr. for going through some of his father’s boating paraphernalia and finding the elusive 38-year-old patch. Doug Sr. had it stored with the Fast Electric patches, (same size and shape), so it was out of sight for years! This patch, along with the other back-up patches are now in a plastic case, residing in my humidity controlled safe. As always, please look for some old programs and pins from the list below so we can have FULL sets of everything for the NAMBA National Historical collection.