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
Skipper Under the Weather
Our longtime skipper Rick Lalley has not been up to snuff as of late and has been unable to make the trek down from Thomaston, Maine. We all wish him a speedy recovery and certainly hope he can sail with us soon.
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
- Sasquatch Regatta (Nor’easter Footy Series) 2021, 2019
- Sheila Ryan Memorial Footy Regatta
- Awards for 2019 Season
- Tim Wright Wins CAN/AM Challenge 2019
- Lake Discovery Camp 2019
- US12 AMYA Region 1 Championship, Nashua
- Spring Skippers Party 2019
Score Sheets
Just Glorious
We started with our regular Tuesday sailing on June 22, but it was as though Mother Nature saw us coming and decided to pelt the regatta sooner than expected. Just as we arrived, it started to pour, and Smart Phones claimed it wouldn’t let up for several hours. Another Plan B! But what a glorious Plan B it was! June 23 brought temperatures in the mid-seventies, an abundance of sunshine, and a wind that held steady at about ten or eleven mph. The boats were flying around the course, and we were able to complete fourteen races. We were a little light on skippers, but the ten able to participate were enough to make it official.
Out on the Water
The competition was tight in the Sailor Class. Again Steve Leker led the way, followed by Jack Minahan, Paul Wallace, and Paul McBride. Paul McBride seemed to have nagging boat issues that slowed him down considerably.
Master Class skipper, Howard Germon returned to Back Bay after his winter in Florida, but found he didn’t scrape enough dust off his boat. One of the servos just wouldn’t function so he was unable to compete. The Master Class was led again by Tim Wright. Don Cundy and Mark Whitehead split second place. Tim Brand and Jay Burns duked it out all afternoon with Tim finally taking the third spot and Jay fourth. All in all, a great afternoon of sailing.
US12 Sailing
On June 24, the US12 fleet was treated to delightful weather on a low-humidity day. There was plenty of wind coming from all directions. Every leg was a challenge, something we’ve seen often here. There were upwind beats, downwind runs and reaches, sometimes on the same leg. The course didn’t matter as no course would have worked the way it was planned in the winds we had.
Still, there was plenty of good sailing, although we had only six boats, surprising given the wonderful weather and very pleasant temperatures. Tim Wright again had a good day, with some very close finishes. John Simms, in second, is proving he is back and becoming more consistent from race to race. Don Cundy, in third, appears to have figured out the steering issues and is always a threat at the front of the fleet. Bill Hagerup, in fourth, is getting his boat up to speed after damage done last year (by Tim Wright, unintentionally, of course.) He had suffered a dismasting but put things back together and lived to race again. Paul McBride, in fifth, had two second-place finishes, starting to get his boat going and holding off the others for solid finishes.
Jim Opie had a hard time with the challenging winds, and was caught on the wrong side of the shifts. Still, he has the determination to keep at it, and loves being there. His father, our centenarian, was at the races, quietly enjoying the spectacle, while scorekeeper B. B. Wright kept us moving through the races. We finished twelve races before 3:00 p.m. and stopped a little early. At that time, John and Don let some young spectators sail their boats. It’s nice to be able to share again without the worry of COVID around every corner.
We wish for many more days like June 24, but know the heat, humidity, and light winds will be here when the summer weather kicks in. We want more boats to race in the fleet, but we also know people are busy now that many of the restrictions are over. We will be sailing next Thursday.
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.
This week, Rigeo, Dexter, and Elliot joined us and took home a sailboat kit.
Upcoming events:
- July 10, 2021 Scott Spacie Memorial Footy Regatta, Nor’easter Series Race 3, 11AM Rosemary Lake, Needham MA
- August 14, 2021 Sheila Ryan Memorial Footy Regatta, Nor’easter Series Race 4, 10AM Lily Pond, Gilford NH
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