Model Yachting

Bill Quayle

1938 – 2022

Class of 2011

Sail Number 1330

“I am a woodworker,” said Bill Quayle, and it described him to a ‘T’. His long list of crafts ran from fishing lures, wall sculptures, and ship models to birdhouses, a cane, and a back scratcher. He assisted with boatbuilding workshops at the New Hampshire Boat Museum, and after joining the Back Bay Skippers in 2011, he played a major role in the model yacht building classes as well. For his willingness to help in all Skipper activities, he was presented with a certificate of appreciation just before his passing. From his career as a drafting supervisor for Channel Products to sailing across Lake Erie in a boat he made himself, his many talents, humor, and heirloom tomatoes enhanced our group.

Friends and family are invited to gather for a celebration of Bill’s life from noon to 3 PM on Saturday, March 12, at Inn on Main’s O’Bistro in Wolfeboro. For those wanting to make a gift in his memory, a donation can be made to the New Hampshire Boat Museum.

Another Season Underway

The first skippers meeting for 2022 was held on Wednesday, January 19, via Zoom with almost twenty attending. The agenda included the 2022 schedule, ideas for improvement, nominations for committees and officers, class designations, as well as the February and March training sessions.

Tim Wright is hard at work preparing and organizing videos and photos to help with the Zoom session on Wednesday, February 16, at 7:00 p.m. Among the responses to his questionnaire were some good suggestions. One in particular was to have a sails/knots/tuning session near the start of the season. It would have to be outside, but we can come up with a specific plan closer to the date. It might be helpful to also have one during the boatbuilding session in July.

It will be a few months before the dock goes in and boats hit the waters of Back Bay. In the meantime, all the preseason prep is in the works. Items needed for the building class are being made, boat kits for the younger set are progressing well, town permits have been submitted for approval on February 16, and all the other incidentals are on their way to completion.

The skippers themselves are hard at work refurbishing boats and building new ones. We never have enough boats.

Another Season Comes to an End
A fall chill is in the air and Thanksgiving is only three weeks away so it was time to get in one last regatta and put the dock to bed for a long winter’s nap. The last regatta of the 2021 season was held at 11 AM on Tuesday, November 2, with fourteen skippers attending. Colorful foliage still hanging on across the bay, a little sun, and a great southwest wind made for a very enjoyable twelve-race regatta. Nine skippers sailed with a lot of boat sharing so everyone who wanted to sail got a chance.

Sail What You Brung Day
After a rained-out Tuesday and Wednesday, the final US12 sailing day was changed to include both US12s and Solings. Seven US12s and four Solings showed up. October 28 was a beautiful day with sunny skies, pleasant temperatures, and enough wind to move us around the course. After a season of both fleets sailing separately, it was really nice to see them sailing together. There were no Solings slowed down by milfoil so the results weren’t skewed by unwanted foliage. What a treat!

The Season Is “Wind”-ing Down
On Tuesday, October 19, meteorologists predicted strong but not threateningly powerful winds. We arrived, however, to gale-force velocity, leading to a general consensus of, “Nope, not today!” About ten skippers emerged from their vehicles, but many were blown away by the gusts that bullied their way down the bay. We thanked Karen Enos for her faithful attendance as our scorekeeper but let her escape Mother Nature’s bluster, knowing that little or no scoring would take place.