27132187
He might not have worked a day at the Aker Philadelphia Shipyard, but John Christinzio Jr. knows what it takes to build ships – model ships, that is.
His biggest pride and joy (next to his son, of course) is the SS Mount Washington, a steamer the resident constructed with his own hands. The original ship was in use from 1872 to 1939 and cruised New Hampshire’s Lake Winnipesaukee.
More noteworthy than the four years it took Christinzio to create the 45-inch vessel is the ship’s painstaking likeness to the original. The two side-paddle wheels each took a month to build. On deck are about 100 sculpted people, including a shoe-shiner and an ice cream vendor.
"It’s fun to build them and to look at them," Christinzio said of the 14 personally constructed ships displayed at his home at Cleveland and Shunk streets. "They also have a history that cars and planes and other types of vehicles don’t."
Christinzio shared his passion for this pastime with others at the Philadelphia Ship Model Society’s first regatta July 16. Taking place at FDR Park, 20th Street and Pattison Avenue, the event displayed ships of all calibers and some 30 people participated in this unique event on the lake.
While scores for similar competitions typically are sent to nationally acclaimed experts for ranking, this was not the case Sunday. Instead, participants either performed for fun or to win one of four trophies: people’s choice, captain’s choice, best-researched model and best in show.
Christinzio prefers to construct static, or stationary, models, as opposed to the radio-controlled ones that traversed the local lake last weekend. However, he maneuvered his own mobile version of the famous Civil War ship, the Merrimac, through waters that included such manmade obstacles as Alcatraz, Skull Island from the movie "King Kong" and a World War II airfield.
Showcasing the end product is always a pleasure for Christinzio, who admits the art of shipbuilding does come with some aggravation.
"You have to learn to walk away from [the model]," he said. "It’s never about a timeframe in getting it done. Anyone who tries to put themselves under the gun, it’s no longer enjoyable. If I’m getting frustrated or tired, I’ll walk away because I know I’m going to make a mistake."
CHRISTINZIO IS OF the same mindset as the roughly 55 members of the Philadelphia Ship Model Society, formed in 1931 to promote nautical ship modeling.
During monthly meetings, members, who are at least 18 years old and pay dues, typically participate in a show-and-tell or listen to guest speakers and presentations. However, most simply like being surrounded by people who possess a similar passion.
"Everyone shares their knowledge," Christinzio, a former president and an executive board officer of the society, said. "Everyone wants to share with you what they’ve learned. We all help each other out. In that symbiotic type of environment, everyone benefits."
Current President Josef Messmer added, "The individuals in the group are coming from all walks of life, from executives to laborers."
While the group has participated in regattas outside of the Philadelphia area, this is the first in the city. Due to its proximity to major highways, aesthetic quality and dock, FDR Park was prime for the event.
"It’s a beautiful location down there. Certainly, the park is great," Messmer, who has a model of the German battleship, the Bismarck, displayed inside the Battleship New Jersey in Camden, said.
Third District Capt. Mike Weaver also has a love for model shipbuilding. Working at The Franklin Institute as a kid, he became enamored with its maritime collection. Now a member of the society, he has built nine ships from scratch.
"We are very large kids. Here, you’re putting a thousand hours in these detailed models. Hopefully, they won’t sink," Weaver said with a laugh.
Sticking with the static models, the captain’s favorites include steel Navy ships. Weaver also created two obstacles in the lake’s waters: the Titanic embedded in an iceberg and Toxico, an island with an industrial spin.
"Every time you come to an obstacle, you have to maneuver around it at a given course we lay out for them," Christinzio said.
Participants in the regatta start out with 1,000 points and receive deductions for hitting an object or not following the correct path. Time, Christinzio added, is not of the essence.
"There’s no time limit," he said. "We don’t want to make it a race because that’s when accidents happen and ships collide."
Ship modeling, according to Christinzio, has reached a "golden age." But since many young people have minimal interest in the pastime, "once we pass on, it’ll be something forgotten about," he said.
But the members continue to bask in the present. "I hope [the regatta] is a boom not just for Philadelphia, but for South Philly," Christinzio said. "It’s something that makes the quality of life out there a little bit better."
�
For more information on the Philadelphia Ship Model Society, call John Oddo at 484-802-2462.
Their ships came in
Trophies were handed out during July 16’s Philadelphia Ship Model Society’s first regatta at South Philly’s FDR Park:
Best in Show: Fred Hutchins of New York, N.Y., for the USS Long Beach;
Best Researched: Tom Foller of York for the USS Virgo;
People’s Choice: Todd Ingues of Mount Laurel, N.J., for the USS Augusta;
Captain’s Choice: Fred Hutchins of York for the USS Long Beach.
