Model Yachting News • Week Ending July 24, 2021

Posted on by Paul McBride

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

Spring Series
These guys are good! They’ve worked hard to improve their sailing skills and certainly have done that. Our regular season has two nine-race series. This week ended the spring series, and next week the summer series will begin. The skippers are required to participate in at least fifty percent of the regattas to be eligible for awards, which are given to the top three skippers from each class for each of the two series.

Quiz and Game Fun Page – Updated 7/24/2021

Skippers Memorial

On the podium for the spring series this year were:

Soling Sailor Class

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

Soling Master Class

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

US12

First Place       Tim Wright
Second Place  John Simms
Third Place      Don Cundy

Adjusting the Sails between Races

Videos and Photos

Previous Highlights

Score Sheets

US12, Soling Masters, Soling Sailors

Soling Regatta
Solings belonging to ten Sailors and eight Masters were launched on July 20. No rain, no high winds – just a great day of sailing. Utilizing the long upwind course, the fleet managed eight races.

All the Soling Skippers lined up for a great day of sailing.
Ken Gerber, Sail # 14, gets his boat ready for the regatta.

As usual, the competition was intense throughout. Five skippers from the Sailor Class took first place, six took second, and two claimed third. With his newly built Soling, Ken Gerber took one of those seconds on only his third time out. For the Master Class, Tim Wright crossed the finish line first in all but one race, when he found himself in the wake of Dan Masessa’s yacht. Dan also pulled off four seconds. Don Cundy took two seconds, and Mark Whitehead was surprised and thrilled to take a second.

Out on the Water
The top five in the Sailor Class had Joel Nelson and Paul McBride in a tie for the lead. Close behind their sterns were Al Stevens in second, Steve Leker third, Jack Minahan fourth, and Ken Gerber fifth.

Paul McBride 23 in the Lead
Tim Wright 383 is first over the start line.

The Master Class’s Tim Wright, showing a strong lead for the season, led the way this week, followed by Dan Masessa in second, Don Cundy in third, Jim Opie fourth, and Rick Gates fifth.

US12s
Thursday, July 22, was a great day of sailing for the US12 fleet. The wind was strong, the shifts were big, and the fun was apparent on the faces of sailors. We managed to complete twelve races, so participants got a couple of throw-outs if they sailed every race. Bailing out the boats was important that day as water snuck into bilges after just a couple of races.

US12s at the Start
US12s Rounding the Mark

On the race course, Bill Hagerup won the day. He and Tim Wright had the same number of wins and second-place finishes, but Bill never finished lower than third place, taking first overall just ahead of Tim. In third place was Don Cundy with John Simms right behind in fourth. Rick Parent did well finishing fifth overall, until he left to get back to work. Paul McBride had some issues with his boat, and sailed Tim’s backup boat to sixth. Paul Wallace tried out some mast hoops for his sail, but decided to take them off after the day’s experiment. Bruce Wilhelm had problems with his mast and temporarily dropped out, but came back and got more experience in heavy air.

Thanks to B. B. Wright for keeping us moving along. She not only starts the races and records the finishes, but she also rings the bike-warning bell and takes photos to share on the NHBM website. Thank you for the many hats you wear on behalf of our sailors.

We also had a number of spectators watching, with some of them trying their hands at the controls. It was a wonderful day on Back Bay.

Come on down and try your hand at the helm!

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 Sunday mornings at 9:00, weather permitting!

Upcoming events:

  • August 14, 2021 Sheila Ryan Memorial Footy Regatta, Nor’easter Series Race 4, 10AM Lily Pond, Gilford NH
  • September 4, 2021 Schooner, Sloop and Electric Boat Day, Nashua Model Yacht Club, Sandy Pond, Nashua NH
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