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Model Yachting News • Week Ending October 16, 2021

Posted on October 16, 2021October 16, 2021 by Paul McBride

Written by Mark Whitehead, Tim Wright
Editing Kathleen Whitehead
Photos by Paul McBride, B.B. Wright
Layout & Photo Captions by Paul McBride
Games by Dave Perry

Lily Pond Sailing
The last regatta of the season was held October 10 on Lily Pond in Gilford. The buoys have been pulled and the dock is headed for storage until 2022.

New Skipper Onboard
We’re not quite sure if it’s legal or not, but during pre-race setup, Paul McBride had a new skipper jump onboard. The newbie – or should we say “newbee”? — immediately took the helm, eager for Race One. He came all suited up ready for action, with his yellow and black stripes and antennae alerted. Perhaps he thought the boat would be a more relaxing way to find nectar – less tiring than using wings. We knew Paul had a sweet boat, but was it now overweight with a passenger?

Quiz and Game Fun Page – Updated 10/16/2021

Skippers Memorial

Videos and Photos

Back Bay Skippers Video (WMUR NH Chronicles)
Back Bay Skippers YouTube Channel
Latest Videos: Solings, US12s, Lily Pond
Latest Photos: Solings, US12s, Lily Pond
Photo Gallery

Previous Highlights

Score Sheets

US12, Soling Masters, Soling Sailors

Weeds Weeds Weeds!
You’d assume that Back Bay’s Soling-killer weeds would be on the wane by now, but that’s not the case. The floating critters seem to be gathering like gangs around the marks, just waiting to snag any unsuspecting boats.

Welcome to Tom Green
Tom Green has acquired a Soling and looks forward to getting her ready for competition. He brought his new purchase to sailing this week, and with help from Anthony Quinn and Tim Wright, he finally got things working, only to discover that the servo didn’t have enough rotation to get good sail movement. We located a servo for him so hopefully, the next time he comes to sail he actually can. A special thank-you to Anthony, who spent the entire afternoon helping Tom with his boat. We welcome Tom to the Back Bay Skippers and to sails on Back Bay.

October 12 Soling Regatta
Thirteen skippers attended the seven-race regatta. As of late, we have not had very strong winds, but the sun has been out and the temperatures have been comfortable – and really enjoyable. Our numbers are slowly decreasing as the end of our season approaches. Many of the snowbirds already have spread their wings and headed south to practice for next year — it’s kinda like spring training.

John Barstow and Genie Ware have sailed their last regatta of the season and will be crossing the border into Massachusetts for winter activities. They will be missed, but we look forward to their return.

Out on the Water
There were enough races to allow a six-race throw-out, so Tim Wright was able to drop his disastrous second race and maintain his string of regatta victories, winning the day once again. Doing his happy dance – yes, we saw him do it — Steve Leker took the first and sixth races to grab the second spot. Actually, Steve and Tim had the exact same score, but Tim ran one more race so his average was better. Jack Minahan captured third, sailing in four of the seven races, no worse than fourth place. Plagued by weeds in two races and absolutely no wind in Race Seven, Mark Whitehead crawled to fourth. John Barstow sailed into the fifth slot.

Unofficial October 12 Soling Scores

1 Tim Wright          1.5          6 Jim Opie             4.6
2 Steve Leker         1.8          7 Al Stevens          5.0
3 Jack Minahan     3.25    8 Paul McBride     5.25
4 Mark Whitehead 4.0          9 Denis Boisvert   5.4
5 John Barstow      4.2        10 Paul Wallace     5.75
                                               11 Genie Ware       6.0

US12 Sailing
The faithful and dedicated US12 sailors were treated to a good day of sailing. The temperature was in the 70s, and the wind held out for most of the afternoon. The seven sailors completed seven races, although some dropped out of the last race when the wind finally quit. The foliage and reflections on the water added beauty to the racing, and some of our faithful fans came to watch and enjoy the regatta.

On the water, Tim Wright was tough to catch today. The race for second place went to John Simms, and third to Don Cundy. Everyone had at least one finish in the top three.

Unofficial October 14 US12 Sailing

Tim Wright                  1.0
John Simms                2.3
Don Cundy                   3.3
Paul McBrid                 4.17
Bob Strodel                  4.5
Jim Opie                       4.5
Paul Wallace                5.17

We don’t expect the warmth to continue, but we do hope the wind decides to give us a little more to work with. Thanks to our scorer, B. B. Wright, for hanging in there on a slow afternoon, knowing the scores aren’t official. We hope for a few more good days of sailing before the season ends.

Join the Fun
The season is still going strong despite no official scoring, so folks are encouraged to stop by on Tuesday and Thursday at 1 PM to watch the action (weather permitting, of course), or Wednesday if Mother Nature doesn’t cooperate on Tuesday or Thursday. Make sure you have your camera at the ready.

Sailing Around the Country
The Ricks were on the road again. Back Bay Skippers were represented by Rick Gates and Rick Laird at the U.S. Vintage Model Yacht Group Nationals in Honey Brook, Pennsylvania.

Results

Photos of the 2021 US VMYG NCR

Upcoming events:

October 24, 2021 Chowder Cup Regatta, Redd’s Pond, Marblehead MA
October 30, 2021 MinuteMan Footy Regatta, Nor’easter Footy Series Race 5, Rosemary Lake, Needham MA

Links: American Model Yachting Association, MinuteMan Model Yacht Club, Nashua Model Yacht Club, Marblehead Model Yacht Club, Greater Worcester Model Yacht Club, Sarasota Model Yacht Club, Space Coast Model Sailing Club, Sun Coast Model Sailing Club, Stowe Yacht Club, USS Constitution Model Shipwright Guild, Vac-U-Soling, 3D Printed Radio Yachts, US Vintage Model Yacht Group, Raritan Yacht Club RC Laser Fleet, Racing Rules of Sailing 2021-2024

Model Yachting News • Week Ending October 9, 2021

Posted on October 11, 2021October 12, 2021 by Paul McBride

Written by Mark Whitehead, Tim Wright
Editing Kathleen Whitehead
Photos by Paul McBride, B.B. Wright, Bruce Brown
Layout & Photo Captions by Paul McBride
Games by Dave Perry

Top Honors for Back Bay Skippers
No awards were presented in 2020, but we certainly are pleased to name the champions for our 2021 season.

Master Class Soling 2021 Season Champion ~ Tim Wright
Sailor Class Soling 2021 Season Champion ~ Steve Leker
US12 Class 2021 Season Champion ~ Tim Wright

All Wrong
The forecast predicted clouds, temperatures in the fifties, and three-mph winds out of the east. Well, meteorologists lied. None of that happened. Sunshine brightened every corner of Wolfeboro, temperatures hovered in the mid-sixties, and winds arrived from the north at variable speeds of five to six. Because of the north wind, it was a left-to-right start for the ten skippers who sailed on Tuesday, October 5.

Quiz and Game Fun Page – Updated 10/11/2021

Skippers Memorial

Videos and Photos

Back Bay Skippers Video (WMUR NH Chronicles)
Back Bay Skippers YouTube Channel
Latest Videos: Solings, US12s, Lily Pond
Latest Photos: Solings, US12s, Lily Pond
Photo Gallery

Previous Highlights

Score Sheets

US12, Soling Masters, Soling Sailors

Bruce Brown brought his drone instead of his Soling and gave us some aerial shots of the day’s events. Skip Koehler sailed but didn’t compete in the races due to some nagging boat issues. After missing the first three races, Jack Minahan finally solved his electrical connection problems for four of the eight races at least.

Video from Drone

Out on the Water
At the end of the day, it was Steve Leker who earned top bragging rights, besting a hard-charging Anthony Quinn. But only by a mere four tenths of a point, so he can brag only a little. Third place went to Mark Whitehead, followed by Jay Burns and Genie Ware tied for fourth. John Barstow took the fifth spot by the slimmest of margins, at only three tenths of a point behind Jay and Genie.

            Unofficial Soling Scores
1 – Steve Leker                 5 – John Barstow
2 – Anthony Quinn            6 – Paul McBride
3 – Mark Whitehead         7 – Jack Minahan
4 – Jay Burns
4 – Genie Ware

US12 Sailing
The weather was idyllic for the seven US12 sailors on Thursday, October 7. The sun was out, the breeze was strong enough to complete eleven longer courses, and the foliage was a beautiful backdrop. Each race had an additional lengthy upwind leg before finishing downwind. With sizable wind shifts and changes in velocity, it seemed there was always a chance to catch up, or fall further behind. The racing was close, with everyone in the action. It was a great afternoon of sailing.

On the water, Tim Wright took the day with consistent sailing. Right behind was Paul McBride, who sailed Tim’s backup boat since his own boat had electrical issues and was out for the day. John Simms, always competitive, was next, less then five hundredths behind Paul. Don Cundy ended up in fourth place overall, finishing races in second place three times. Jim Opie, who finished next, was always right in the action. Bruce Wilhelm and Bob Strodel were sixth and seventh. Both are becoming more familiar with the boats. Bruce had a number of strong races, finishing fourth three times, and Bob started the day with a third place.

Unofficial US12 Scores
Tim Wright              1.3
Paul McBride          2.55
John Simms           2.6
Don Cundy              3.55
Jim Opie                  4.9
Bruce Wilhelm        5.2
Bob Strodel             5.75

At this time of year, keeping score is just for fun. The real fun is challenging each other and ourselves to become better by providing a competitive environment. The level of sailing has definitely gone up this year. It is more challenging now than it was in the spring and early summer. How many more days of sailing before the season is over? Several, we hope.

On the National Scene
Rick Gates and Rick Laird of the Back Bay Skippers participated in the CR914 Class Nationals on Redd’s Pond in Marblehead this week. Congratulations to the Ricks!

Upcoming events:

October 6-10, 2021 US VMYG National Championship Regatta, Chester Springs MYC, Honey Brook PA
October 24, 2021 Chowder Cup Regatta, Redd’s Pond, Marblehead MA
October 30, 2021 MinuteMan Footy Regatta, Nor’easter Footy Series Race 5, Rosemary Lake, Needham MA

Model Yachting News • Week Ending October 2, 2021

Posted on October 2, 2021October 6, 2021 by Paul McBride

Written by Mark Whitehead, Tim Wright
Editing Kathleen Whitehead
Photos by Paul McBride, B.B. Wright
Layout & Photo Captions by Paul McBride
Games by Dave Perry

Sailing on Lily Pond – Sunday September 26, 2021

The Commodore Is Right On!
The Soling regatta was held on Tuesday, September 28, as originally scheduled, Commodore Whitehead insisting that despite cloud cover, there would be no rain and temperatures would hover in the mid-sixties. And just as he predicted, it all happened! Unbelievable!

Quiz and Game Fun Page – Updated 10/2/2021

Skippers Memorial

Videos and Photos

Back Bay Skippers Video (WMUR NH Chronicles)
Back Bay Skippers YouTube Channel
Latest Videos: Solings, US12s, Lily Pond
Latest Photos: Solings, US12s, Lily Pond
Photo Gallery

Previous Highlights

Score Sheets

US12, Soling Masters, Soling Sailors

Seventeen skippers launched for a nine-race regatta, and what a hoot it was. Keeping the mood light was a lot of banter and trash talk as the skippers taunted each other during the friendly competition. The wind, however, was its usual fickle self, playing hide-and-seek and surprising us with its direction — except for Tim Wright, of course. How does he do that?

Rick Gates launched two boats this week, which both he and Eric Leitner sailed — very successfully we might add. They sailed a CR-914 very fast boat but not in the Soling class.

Out on the Water
Tim Wright earned top bragging rights again this week, with four first-place finishes. Next in the honor line was Mark Whitehead, with two firsts and second place overall. Our Boston Skipper, Rick Laird, had one win and a couple of second-place finishes to hold a strong third in the regatta. Denis Boisvert also had a race win and took the fourth spot. Tying for fifth overall were Jim Opie and Anthony Quinn.

Unofficial Scores

1 – Tim Wright          2.3       8 – Jack Minahan    6.3
2 – Mark Whitehead 3.7       9 – Genie Ware        7.8
3 – Rick Laird            4.0 10 – John Barstow    7.9
4 – Denis Boisvert    4.3     11 – Al Stevens          8.0
5 – Jim Opie             4.5      12 – Tom Barstow     9.6
5 – Anthony Quinn   4.5      13 – Bruce Brown    12.0
6 – Paul McBride     4.7 14 – Paul Wallace    12.6
7 – Bob Brennan      6.2
           Rick Gates and Eric Leitner CR-914 Class 2.4

Did you notice there were no class distinctions? This time of year, the fleets are mixed, and there’s no pressure to maintain a good season average. The scores are merely an average of the races that finished that day. We do have a throw-out for every six races that helps cover an “oops.”

US12 Sailing

US12 Summer Series Awards presented this week.

1st Place Tim Wright
2nd Place Don Cundy
3rd Place Paul McBride

The last day of September was dreary right up until the US12 sailing started. The temperature was in the fifties, and the overcast skies did little to improve the mood of the day. While the wind took a little time to fill in, the eight racers were able to get thirteen races in as the wind freshened. There were many spectators who enjoyed the spirited competition.

On the course, the racing was tight, and everyone had at least a finish in the top half of the fleet. Since we had more skippers than usual and the wind was a little stronger, there were more bumps and rules violations. We need to stay vigilant to keep up the integrity of the sailing.

The three sailors at the back of the fleet were separated by only .24. Paul Wallace started the day with a second and a third-place finish that propelled him into sixth place. Only .06 behind was Bob Strodel, who managed a second and two fourths. Just behind them was Bruce Wilhelm who managed one fourth and two fifths. In fifth place overall was Jim Opie who had four third-place finishes. In fourth was Paul McBride who sailed Tim Wright’s backup boat. He scored a first-place finish as well as two seconds and two thirds. In third overall, Don Cundy finished the day with two seconds and five thirds. John Simms took second with three firsts and four seconds. Tim Wright won the day with nine firsts.

The racers were closer than they have been, and doing well gets harder and harder. It was not unusual to see a pack of five or six boats rounding the second mark all within a few boat lengths of each other. The camaraderie of the sailors and our scorekeeper B. B. Wright makes Thursday sailing a great deal of fun. The scoring is immaterial at this point of the season. The “official” season is over, but we still learn, gaining experience from each race and watching each other. As the season winds down, we hope we get more days like September 30th.

Join the Fun
The season is still going strong despite no scoring, so folks are encouraged to stop by on Tuesday and Thursday at 1 PM to watch the action (weather permitting, of course), or Wednesday if Mother Nature doesn’t cooperate on Tuesday or Thursday. Make sure you have your camera at the ready. And don’t forget Lily Pond in Gilford Sunday mornings at 9:00, weather permitting! There will be no sailing on Lily Pond October 3, and October 10 will be the last Lily Pond regatta of the season.

Upcoming events:

October 6-10, 2021 US VMG National Championship Regatta, Chester Springs MYC, Honey Brook PA
October 30, 2021 MinuteMan Footy Regatta, Nor’easter Footy Series Race 5, Rosemary Lake, Needham MA

Model Yachting News • Week Ending September 25, 2021

Posted on September 25, 2021September 27, 2021 by Paul McBride

Written by Mark Whitehead, Tim Wright
Editing Kathleen Whitehead
Photos by Paul McBride, Mark Whitehead, B.B. Wright
Layout & Photo Captions by Paul McBride
Games by Dave Perry

Sailing on Lily Pond – Season Review

Summer Series Ends
Each season, the Soling and US12 fleets have two eight-week series of regattas testing the skills of our skippers. The summer series ended recently, running from July 27 to September 16, and the Soling awards were presented this week to the following:

Soling Sailor Class

First Place           Steve Leker
Second Place      Paul McBride
Third Place          Joel Nelson

Soling Master Class

First Place        Tim Wright
Second Place   Don Cundy
Third Place       Dan Masessa

It Makes Us Dizzy
Wind coming off the shore, wind blowing in from the west, wind arriving from the south, wind gusting from the north, no wind in spots, sometimes all at once — and it changed on a regular basis. That was sailing on Back Bay September 21 for our first unofficially scored Soling regatta of the fall. It’s no wonder most of us have gray hair – or none at all!

Quiz and Game Fun Page – Updated 9/25/2021

Skippers Memorial

Videos and Photos

Back Bay Skippers Video (WMUR NH Chronicles)
Back Bay Skippers YouTube Channel
Latest Videos: Solings, US12s, Lily Pond
Latest Photos: Solings, US12s, Lily Pond
Photo Gallery

Previous Highlights

Score Sheets

US12, Soling Masters, Soling Sailors

Tim Wright and Eric Leitner presented a class on “starts.” Or tried to. They were having a hard time positioning themselves properly to demonstrate the right of way for windward and leeward boats, an important rule for getting a good start. From there, the duo continued their lesson with “line stall.” In this maneuver, the skipper allows his boat to sit close to the starting line then immediately hauls in the sails and accelerates at the sound of the bell.

Rick and Rick — Rick Gates and Rick Laird, that is — brought Marblehead Class boats to the bay so we let them to go out first with a thirty-second head start. Most of the time, we didn’t catch them, but we tried.

With the difficult winds and only thirteen skippers plus the two Marbleheads, we went all in and successfully – or should we say miraculously? – completed seven races. Scoring was a straight average with no weed calls, excused races, DNSs, or DNFs. If you finished, you scored. However, we did allow the usual six-race throw-out.

Unofficial Fall Scores
1- Tim Wright             1.0      7- Genie Ware         6.8
2- Denis Boisvert       3.0    8- Bruce brown       7.2
3- Mark Whitehead    3.5      9- Anthony Quinn   7.3
4- Jack Minahan       5.0     10- John Barstow    8.0
4- Ken Gerber            5.0     11- Al Stevens          8.6
5- Tom Barstow        5.2     12- Skip Koehler     10.5
6- Paul McBride        5.8

Out on the Water
We should mention right up front, there were only three skippers from the Master Class. Naturally, it was Tim Wright who led the way with an almost perfect day until he tangled with one of the Marbleheads in the last race. Denis Boisvert pulled off a win in that last race and was able to throw out his fifth-place finish, putting him in second place for the regatta. In third it was Mark Whitehead with good scores until a little tangling set him back in Race 6 and Race 7. In the overall fourth spot, out of the Sailor Class, it was a tie between Jack Minahan and Ken Gerber. Rounding out the top five was Tom Barstow just two tenths behind Jack and Ken.

US12 Sailing
On September 23, the US12 fleet gathered to sail in its first nonscored regatta of the season. The five sailors managed to complete twelve races. There were clouds plus a strong wind coming off the shore. We were treated to an eagle sighting, one which included landings in trees across Back Bay with short flights in between the landings. It should come as no surprise that the wind was shifting all over the place. It dropped to nothing as well.

The short legs back toward the shore were tricky all afternoon. Tim Wright led the way, finding air when others didn’t. The lack of “official” scoring didn’t dampen the competitiveness of the skippers. The middle three were separated by one half of a point. Paul McBride finished in second with John Simms and Don Cundy right behind. Bob Strodel came in last. He is up against four seasoned sailors while learning, but Bob is definitely making progress. He came in second in one race! This is a wonderful time of the year to be sailing, and we look forward to next week at Back Bay.

Upcoming events:

October 30, 2021 MinuteMan Footy Regatta, Nor’easter Footy Series Race 5, Rosemary Lake, Needham MA

Model Yachting News • Week Ending September 18, 2021

Posted on September 20, 2021September 20, 2021 by Paul McBride

Written by Mark Whitehead, Tim Wright
Editing Kathleen Whitehead
Photos by Paul McBride, Mark Whitehead, B.B. Wright
Layout & Photo Captions by Paul McBride
Games by Dave Perry

Sunday Morning on Lily Pond

Hard Work Recognized
Over this summer, Karen Enos stepped in to take on the difficult task of keeping skippers in line and recording scores for each Soling regatta. We felt it was time she was presented with her official scorekeeper hat, a hearty thank-you, and a round of applause.

We certainly don’t want to forget our official scoring trainer and US12 scorekeeper. For years B. B. Wright has dedicated herself to the Back Bay Skippers in many ways. We can’t say thank you enough to both of these dedicated volunteers.

Quiz and Game Fun Page – Updated 9/18/2021

Skippers Memorial

Videos and Photos

Back Bay Skippers Video (WMUR NH Chronicles)
Back Bay Skippers YouTube Channel
Latest Videos: Solings, US12s, Lily Pond
Latest Photos: Solings, US12s, Lily Pond
Photo Gallery

Previous Highlights

Score Sheets

US12, Soling Masters, Soling Sailors

A Finicky Wind
First the good news for this week — not one weed call! The bad news centered around those pesky Back Bay head-scratching winds. For the September 14 Soling regatta it was interesting – puzzling might be a better word — to see a mast pennant fluttering one way and the boat sailing another, or the pennant indicating a passing wind and the boat at a standstill! Go figure. Still, it was a wonderful day out on the water — especially for Paul McBride, who had his most consistent day yet with a solid Sailor Class regatta win.

The day’s sunshine brought an enthusiastic group of spectators as well as twenty-one skippers who launched for the eight-race regatta. Thirteen skippers represented the Sailor Class, and the Master Class counted eight, all filling the bay with brightly colored boats.

Out on the Water
The Sailor Class regatta winner, Paul McBride, was followed closely at only seven tenths behind by Steve Leker, posting one second place and four thirds. Always in the thick of things, Joel Nelson had one first-place finish and a couple of second-place races for his third place in the regatta. Sadly, Al Stevens was sailing along in fine style with four wins until the pressure got to his controller and dropped him to fourth place. Anthony Quinn, the “Italian Stallion” beat off the rest of the competition for fifth place.

Not much changed at the head of the Master Class with Tim Wright taking the win, but Rick Laird was successful enough at reading the shifting winds for second place. That definitely was worth a trip up from Boston! Don Cundy didn’t post any wins this week, but he was consistent with a line of thirds and fourths plus one second to place third overall. The old commodore, Mark Whitehead, who seems to own sixth place, climbed to the dizzying heights of fourth. Denis Boisvert captured fifth by finishing second in a couple of races.

The US12s
On September 16, the US12 fleet had seven boats ready for an afternoon of sailing with wind to move us around the course. We did indeed have wind. It was generally coming off the land over our right shoulders. However, it varied considerably in velocity and strength. The wind shifts came and stayed, just until you thought you could depend on them. Then they shifted again. It was tough going and hard to be consistent. Still, we completed twelve races with quick turnarounds and eager sailors.

We welcomed back Bob Strodel, who just finished up a busy camp season, and Kurt Clason, who has had (and still has) a very busy construction season. Since they caught the rest of us after a season of racing, they brought up the rear today. However, you could see the awareness growing in both of them as they recalled their sailing from much earlier regattas. Watch for them in the future.

In fifth place was Bob Brennan, who came in first once and third once. Bob was testing out repairs on a leaky boat, and it seemed to be dry(ish) so his day was a success. In fourth was Don Cundy, who came in first once and third twice. Third place went to Paul McBride, with three second-place finishes and five thirds. In second place, John Simms had six second-place finishes and three thirds. In first, Tim Wright had ten firsts and threw out two seconds. There was a rumor circulating that Tim’s sails were somehow made with spider webs and butterfly wings because they moved his boat with just a breath of air. It was just a rumor and there has been nothing to confirm it. Tim didn’t say anything. Interesting?!?

Next week we have unscored races, and we welcome sailors who want to bring Solings or any other boat. We like to sail, race, and obey rule #1: Have fun! We hope you join us next week.

Shots from Friday and Saturday’s Vintage Race Boat Regatta on Wolfeboro Bay – Photo Album – Video

Upcoming events:

October 30, 2021 MinuteMan Footy Regatta, Nor’easter Footy Series Race 5, Rosemary Lake, Needham MA

Model Yachting News • Week Ending September 11, 2021

Posted on September 11, 2021September 13, 2021 by Paul McBride

Written by Mark Whitehead, Tim Wright
Editing Kathleen Whitehead
Photos by Paul McBride, Mark Whitehead, B.B. Wright
Layout & Photo Captions by Paul McBride
Games by Dave Perry

Just the Best
As we approach fall, we always anticipate some of the best sailing days of the season. The first Tuesday in September regatta did not disappoint. There was sunshine, cool temperatures, and a good breeze for the next-to-last official Soling regatta. Where did the summer go? It seems like we just got started. There’s only one more week of scored regattas, but a lot more sailing glides ahead — the water hasn’t started to harden yet! After September 16, we all can sort of relax because there’s no pressure to improve the season score — just “fun” sailing.

Quiz and Game Fun Page – Updated 9/10/2021

Skippers Memorial

Videos and Photos

Back Bay Skippers Video (WMUR NH Chronicles)
Back Bay Skippers YouTube Channel
Latest Videos: Solings, US12s, Lily Pond
Latest Photos: Solings, US12s, Lily Pond
Photo Gallery

Previous Highlights

Score Sheets

US12, Soling Masters, Soling Sailors

The September 7 regatta brought out twenty-four skippers with ten in the Master Class and fourteen in the Sailor Class. Ten races were completed.

An interesting statistic proclaims that out of the fourteen skippers in the Sailor Class who have raced this season, only one has not achieved the required fifty-percent regatta participation to be eligible for the season awards.

In response to last week’s performances, Genie Ware and Ken Gerber were presented with their “First Win” awards for outstanding sailing.

Out on the Water
Tom Barstow took a gigantic leap to the top of the podium this week in the Sailor Class. Posting three wins and three seconds, he achieved winner of the day in his class. Our season leader, Steve Leker, was only two tenths behind, posting five wins and a second — a few high-scoring races made the difference.

Another strong showing from Ken Gerber earned him third place as he posted one win. Just six tenths behind in fourth place was Paul McBride with one win and three seconds. Joel Nelson sailed consistently enough to complete the top five.

Tim Wright was definitely challenged by his classmates, but he did manage a win in the Masters, taking first in five races. Just .56 points behind Tim, Don Cundy was in the groove, grabbing second in the regatta with three race wins. Always the competitor, Howard Germon pulled off two race wins to take the third spot. Battling right down to the wire, Dan Masessa placed fourth over Denis Boisvert by just .27 points. Not scored because they shared Al Posnack’s #111, Al and Eric Leitner were certainly in the thick of things taking one win each.

Dodging the Raindrops
On Thursday, September 9, the weather forecast was looking bad for US12 sailing. There was more than a 50 percent chance of rain and the prospect of little wind. Still, Tim Wright and Paul Wallace showed up early to see what might be possible. Don Cundy also arrived a little before 1:00 pm. They decided to put the boats in the water and sail short, informal races. John Simms came to see what was going on, and brought his boat. Anthony Quinn just came to see what was going on. Four sailors battled the lack of wind, the varied precipitation, and general gloom. It wasn’t the dream conditions we hoped for, but it was nice to have some fun sailing on a rainy day. Let’s hope next week is better for the group on the season’s last day of scored racing.

Join the Fun
The season is still going strong, so folks are encouraged to stop by on Tuesday and Thursday at 1 PM to watch the action (weather permitting, of course), or Wednesday if Mother Nature doesn’t cooperate on Tuesday or Thursday. Make sure you have your camera at the ready. And don’t forget Lily Pond in Gilford Sunday mornings at 9:00, weather permitting!

Upcoming events:

September 12, 2021 NH RC Laser Regatta, Bow Lake, Strafford NH
October 30, 2021 MinuteMan Footy Regatta, Nor’easter Footy Series Race 5, Rosemary Lake, Needham MA

Model Yachting News • Week Ending September 4, 2021

Posted on September 4, 2021September 4, 2021 by Paul McBride

Written by Mark Whitehead, Jerry Leach
Editing Kathleen Whitehead
Photos by Paul McBride, Mark Whitehead, B.B. Wright, Bruce Brown
Layout & Photo Captions by Paul McBride
Games by Dave Perry

Vintage 36 Regatta
In addition to Rick Gates, host of the regatta, two other Back Bay Skippers traveled to Nashua, New Hampshire to participate in the V36 Regatta. Representing our fine group on Sandy Pond were Paul McBride, Rick Laird, and Rick Gates.

Quiz and Game Fun Page – Updated 9/3/2021

Skippers Memorial

Videos and Photos

Back Bay Skippers Video (WMUR NH Chronicles)
Back Bay Skippers YouTube Channel
Latest Videos: Sol ings, US12s, Lily Pond
Latest Photos: Solings, US12s, Lily Pond
Photo Gallery

Previous Highlights

Score Sheets

US12, Soling Masters, Soling Sailors

Scenes from Lily Pond This Week

A Good Day to Sail
August 31 again brought out twenty-two Solings, with the classes balancing out at eleven skippers each. Using a one-minute countdown for the Master Class followed by a two-minute countdown for the Sailor Class, we were able to complete eleven races with minimal upwind/downwind congestion.

Breaking news! Genie Ware took her first win in Race Seven. Congratulations to Genie for her hard-fought victory!

Video from Drone

Jack Minahan was outstanding, sailing well and consistently. Ken Gerber, Anthony Quinn, Steve Leker, and Tom Barstow all posted wins or a multitude of seconds in their class, placing them in contention for impressive overall standings.

In the Master Class, Mainer Howard Germon gave Tim Wright a good run for the money this week. Don Cundy, Dan Masessa, Denis Boisvert, Rick Gates, Rick Laird, and Al Posnack all seemed to be in the thick of things as well, swapping second and third place in every race.

Out on the Water
Jack Minahan took the day in the Sailor Class, posting two wins and three seconds. Only two tenths behind Jack, Ken Gerber had his best day ever, placing second overall in the regatta with three wins and three seconds. Anthony Quinn took the third spot with three wins as well. Steve Leker had three second-place finishes and sailed to the fourth slot. Rounding out the top five was Tom Barstow with one victory, one second-place finish, and two third-place finishes.

Tim Wright led the fleet for the Master Class this week, posting nine wins. Howard Germon was a decisive second with two wins and four second-place finishes. Also crossing the line in second place four times was Don Cundy, earning third for the day thanks to a third-place finish as well. Fourth and fifth spots were filled by Rick Gates and Dan Masessa respectively. Rick can brag about his second- and third-place finishes, and Dan should be proud of his two thirds.

Pre-Storm US12 Regatta
Overcast, a temperature in the low seventies with probably the best wind conditions so far this year, according to Don Cundy – a constant breeze of 6 to 12 miles per hour out of the west the entire session. A low turnout might have been caused by the meet’s change to Wednesday, which was unfortunate because conditions were great.

Don Cundy and John Simms duked it out for high honors the entire regatta, with Don edging out John in the very last race. Paul McBride took one win for the day, and Paul Wallace showed some fine boat handling throughout.

Upcoming events:

Canceled – ~~September 4, 2021 Schooner, Sloop and Electric Boat Day, Nashua Model Yacht Club, Sandy Pond, Nashua NH~~
October 30, 2021 MinuteMan Footy Regatta, Nor’easter Footy Series Race 5, Rosemary Lake, Needham MA

Model Yachting News • Week Ending August 28, 2021

Posted on August 27, 2021September 2, 2021 by Paul McBride

Written by Mark Whitehead, Tim Wright
Editing Kathleen Whitehead
Photos by Paul McBride, Mark Whitehead, B.B. Wright, Dan McPhail
Layout & Photo Captions by Paul McBride
Games by Dave Perry

Twenty-Two Skippers Battle the Heat and Each Other
The heat didn’t slow the Soling skippers as eleven from each of the two classes signed in for the August 24 regatta or a total of twenty-two in all. In an effort to increase the number of races, we went back to the one-minute start between classes. The course was adjusted so that scorekeepers had a good sight line for the finish and boats were required to sail outside the finish-start line, eliminating the crisscrossing problem. It seemed to work, allowing eleven races to be completed.

Quiz and Game Fun Page – Updated 8/27/2021

Skippers Memorial

Drone Video of Soling Regatta

Videos and Photos

Back Bay Skippers Video (WMUR NH Chronicles)
Back Bay Skippers YouTube Channel
Latest Videos: Sol ings, US12s, Lily Pond
Latest Photos: Solings, US12s, Lily Pond
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Previous Highlights

Score Sheets

US12, Soling Masters, Soling Sailors

With so much hot weather, weed growth has exploded, sending floaters out to catch unsuspecting rudders and keels. There were eight weed calls this week. We’re looking at a disaster rate of only three percent, but we sure would prefer zero.

Out on the Water
Some new faces worked their way up the Sailor Class leader board this week. Again, our season leader, Steve Leker, won the day, posting four wins this week, plus a second and a third. We suspect Tom Barstow has been practicing on his off days because he posted three wins and a strong second place for the afternoon. Interesting to note, in addition to his three victories, Tom crossed the finish line in second, third, fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh, and eighth in seven other races! With two wins and a second place, Jack Minahan could claim third for the day. One of our newest skippers, Ken Gerber took three seconds for an impressive fourth place. Finally, Bruce Brown showed some really good consistency to sail into the fifth spot with his two second-place and two third-place finishes.

In the Master Class, Tim Wright again took the day but not every race. The weeds snagged him twice, and he and Howard Germon tangled at the start in Race Seven, allowing the commodore to win a race. Howard held second with two wins but just .07 points ahead of Dan Mesassa in the third spot with four second-place finishes. Back in form, Denis Boisvert took the fourth spot with two second-place finishes. Rounding out the top five was Rick Laird, who sailed to the fifth spot with two third-place races.

US12 Sailing
Thursday, August 26, was a hot, sticky day. While there was a nice wind at the start, we saw less and less of it as the day wore on. With back-to-back sailing and little downtime, we managed to squeeze in eleven races. As the wind died, however, the heat and humidity became more and more intense. Still, we had seven sailors brave the day, and all seven sailors raced in all eleven races.

Tim Wright seemed to read the winds correctly most of the time, and had nine wins and two seconds. Paul McBride started the day with two seconds, a third and a first. Those scores helped propel him to second place for the day. John Simms and Don Cundy always have a good rivalry, and this time they tied for third place. John got a first-place finish, and Don had four seconds. Bruce Wilhelm got a second-place finish, and came in fourth for the day. Jim Opie and Paul Wallace had a hard time getting their boats going and finished fifth and sixth. Jim was threatening his boat with total destruction, but the words were spoken in the heat of frustration. We think the boat is safe for the time being.

It was a hard day for sailing due to the unpredictability of the wind. In the end, however, everyone had a good time and survived the heat. Our thanks to the US12 scorekeeper, B.B. Wright, for her diligence and good humor. She is there to support the sailors and has to sit in the sun, all without the fun of sailing.

We are looking forward to next week.

Upcoming events:

Canceled – ~~September 4, 2021 Schooner, Sloop and Electric Boat Day, Nashua Model Yacht Club, Sandy Pond, Nashua NH~~
October 30, 2021 MinuteMan Footy Regatta, Nor’easter Footy Series Race 5, Rosemary Lake, Needham MA

Model Yachting News • Week Ending August 21, 2021

Posted on August 21, 2021August 21, 2021 by Paul McBride

Written by Mark Whitehead
Editing Kathleen Whitehead
Photos by Paul McBride, Mark Whitehead, B.B. Wright
Layout & Photo Captions by Paul McBride
Games by Dave Perry

A Slo-o-o-o-ow Day
Winds were definitely on the wimpy side for the August 17 Soling regatta as sixteen regular skippers and guest Bill Webb launched for some fierce competition. We stuck to split-class races for more than fifteen participants, so each class completed only four races – which illustrates how light the breezes were.

Quiz and Game Fun Page – Updated 8/21/2021

Skippers Memorial

Videos and Photos

Back Bay Skippers Video (WMUR NH Chronicles)
Back Bay Skippers YouTube Channel
Latest Videos: Sol ings, US12s, Lily Pond
Latest Photos: Solings, US12s, Lily Pond
Photo Gallery

Previous Highlights

Score Sheets

US12, Soling Masters, Soling Sailors

Our guest had borrowed a boat from Rick Parent’s vast collection since his own yacht was still in Florida, and we hope he’ll join us again sometime –preferably on a better wind day to experience the rush of excitement.

Before racing started, Paul Wallace gave his R/C rescue boat a good test workout. It had been struggling with a lack of speed and steering, but a minor adjustment to the prop and rudder did the trick. No rescues were needed today, and the only thing causing a lack of speed was a lack of wind!

After winning the first race in Sailor Class, the stress of victory was too much for Al Stevens, affecting his performance for the rest of the day. We now have put him on a therapeutic regimen of Yoga and meditation to get him back into first-place shape.

Tom Barstow’s #638 must like the light winds because he pulled off a decisive win in Race Four and a second in Race Six. Well done, Tom! Kudos to Clint Wolcott for his second-place finish in Race Eight.

Most of us really struggle when wind is scarce, but skippers like Tim Wright seem to see or feel the slightest puffs coming and put themselves in a position to move well out in front of the fleet. How do they do that? The rest of us wish we knew.

Out on the Water
Our sailing guru Tim Wright led the way this week, winning all the Master Class races as our light-air specialist. Every week, Dan Masessa and Don Cundy seem to battle it out for second position, and this week, it was Dan who sailed to a strong second place while Don placed an impressive third. Our Boston contingent, Rick Laird – yes, he drives up from Boston every week — fought his way into fourth, and Jay Burns sailed into the fifth slot.

Steve Leker led the Sailor Class fleet with two race wins, followed closely by Tom Barstow in second and Anthony Quinn in the third slot. New boatbuilder Ken Gerber sailed into fourth, with Paul McBride and Joel Nelson tying for fifth. Joel Nelson lost half his races to weed calls so he couldn’t bring up his average.

Fred’s Heavy Rains Canceled US12 Sailing August 19

Upcoming events:

August 28, 2021 New England Vintage 36 Regatta, Noon, Nashua Model Yacht Club, Sandy Pond, Nashua NH
September 4, 2021 Schooner, Sloop and Electric Boat Day, Nashua Model Yacht Club, Sandy Pond, Nashua NH
October 30, 2021 MinuteMan Footy Regatta, Nor’easter Footy Series Race 5, Rosemary Lake, Needham MA

Model Yachting News • Week Ending August 14, 2021

Posted on August 15, 2021August 15, 2021 by Paul McBride

Written by Mark Whitehead, Jerry Leach
Editing Kathleen Whitehead
Photos by Paul McBride, Jerry Leach, Mark Whitehead, B.B. Wright
Layout & Photo Captions by Paul McBride
Games by Dave Perry

A Pleasant Surprise
The prediction for wind at the August 10 Soling regatta was about three miles per hour. To our surprise, the wind was well above that and held all afternoon. We did shorten the course and eliminate the last yellow mark just to be safe, so the nineteen skippers completed a lucky thirteen races. The separate class race plan was in affect, offering six races for each class plus one all-in race.

Quiz and Game Fun Page – Updated 8/15/2021

Skippers Memorial

Videos and Photos

Back Bay Skippers Video (WMUR NH Chronicles)
Back Bay Skippers YouTube Channel
Latest Videos: Solings, US12s, Lily Pond
Latest Photos: Solings, US12s, Lily Pond
Photo Gallery

Previous Highlights

Score Sheets

US12, Soling Masters, Soling Sailors

From front to back the racing was intense and close. The Sailor Class posted only 3.4 points between first and fifth, and the Master Class was even less at 2.7 points.

We continue to work on sailing rules and are happy to report there were only a few violations this week.

Out on the Water

In the Sailor Class the season leader Steve Leker pulled off another regatta win, posting three race wins. Right in Steve’s wake with four wins was Paul McBride, his first race a high score that pulled him out of the top spot. Jack Minahan took the third spot just ahead of Al Stevens in fourth and Joel Nelson in fifth.

Incidentally, Al Stevens, in an effort to keep the Screw-Up of the Season trophy for another year, announced that he broke yet another mast. I don’t think he fully understands the concept that sailboats do not sail well without a mast.

The Master Class was led by Don Cundy this week with two race wins and just .27 points ahead of Denis Boisvert, who also posted two victories. It was a tie for third between Rick Gates and Mark Whitehead, both only .33 points behind regatta winner Don Cundy. Mark tried to claim a wind foul when two feet from the finish he hit a dead spot that prevented a win. The race committee disallowed the claim, however – there’s no such rule in the books!

Rick Laird landed in the fourth spot with one race win and .83 points behind the regatta leader. Bill Malay filled the fifth slot despite a struggle with consistency.

US12 Sailing
The August 12 conditions were HOT and sunny – did we mention HOT – with mainly light winds that shifted all over the compass throughout the afternoon, resulting in challenges for the racing fleet.

When the spray settled, it was Bill Hagerup at the top of the podium with Paul McBride, gaining skills, in second and John Simms in third.

Sheila Ryan Memorial Footy Regatta

Because of a proliferation of weeds on Lily Pond in Gilford the regatta was moved to Back Bay. August 14 was hot like the previous few days, but we were blessed with a good steady wind throughout the day, punctuated with the usual slow spots. Weeds thrive in this hot weather so most ponds develop problems, and during the Sheila Ryan Memorial Regatta, skippers faced seven weed calls. For each race a skipper encounters a weed, he receives an average score of his other races.

Four Back Bay Skippers and five Minutemen arrived to participate in the event. Unfortunately, Back Bay Skipper Jim Opie and Jim Linville of the Minutemen were knocked out at the start with technical boat issues. That left a strong field of seven boats to carry on the regatta. Tim Wright had a strong showing in the morning’s six races, leading the fleet. However, he was sidelined by rudder problems for the rest of the regatta.

At the end of the day, it was Minuteman Herb Dreher at the top of the leader board with Back Bay Skipper Mark Whitehead second and Minuteman Jack Berglund in third.

Join the Fun
The season is underway so folks are encouraged to stop by on Tuesday and Thursday at 1 PM to watch the action (weather permitting, of course), or Wednesday if Mother Nature doesn’t cooperate on Tuesday or Thursday. Make sure you have your camera at the ready. And don’t forget Lily Pond in Gilford Sunday mornings at 9:00, weather permitting!

Upcoming events:

August 28, 2021 New England Vintage 36 Regatta, Noon, Nashua Model Yacht Club, Sandy Pond, Nashua NH
September 4, 2021 Schooner, Sloop and Electric Boat Day, Nashua Model Yacht Club, Sandy Pond, Nashua NH
October 30, 2021 MinuteMan Footy Regatta, Nor’easter Footy Series Race 5, Rosemary Lake, Needham MA