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
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.
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 2021, 2020
- 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
One by one, the bravest among us launched, the first one being Denis Boisvert. After making his hour-long trek from Manchester, he would not be denied. It was a small fleet of five who entered the fray, and winds lightened enough to allow good sailing until about 2:30 when the hard blow returned.
Accepting the challenge were Denis Boisvert, Tim Wright, Don Cundy, Ken Gerber, and Mark Whitehead. I guess you could call it an enduro because instead of a series of races, we continually rounded the course in constant competition.
US12 Sailing
On October 21, the US12 sailors were treated to fickle weather, inconsistent winds, and rain at the start and just as we finished. However, the scenery and the camaraderie more than made up for it. Eight sailors completed eleven races, and we also had a Soling sailor try his hand at a US12. Anthony Quinn stopped by with his dog Tosca. After a walk, Tosca returned to the car and Anthony sailed Tim’s back-up boat to a second-place finish.
With the wind all over the place, the standard course was used. It was as good as any other course, so why not? Tim Wright was challenged in some races and came in second to Paul McBride and John Simms in consecutive races. For the day, however, Tim finished in first. John Simms and Don Cundy were in a tight race for second place, with John finishing just ahead by one tenth of a point for the day. Not far behind was Paul McBride in fourth place. The really close racing was between Paul Wallace, Bob Strodel, Bob Brennan, and Bruce Wilhelm. They all finished the day within a point of each other. Not only that, but every sailor had at least one finish in the top three. Paul Wallace started the day with a third followed by a second-place finish. Bob Strodel, who only sailed in five races, had a second-place finish in his first race. It is getting harder to place well as the competition gets stronger. A good day for all.
The scores for the day were:
Tim Wright 1.1
John Simms 3.1
Don Cundy 3.2
Paul McBride 4.0
Bruce Wilhelm 5.3
Bob Strodel 6.0
Bob Brennan 6.0
Paul Wallace 6.2
We can only hope that we get good weather for our last sailing day on Back Bay next week.
Join the Fun
The season is drawing to a close so folks are encouraged to stop by on Tuesday and Thursday at 1 PM to watch the last of the action (weather permitting, of course). The dock will come out on November 2 so you don’t have much time to see us in competition. Make sure you have your camera at the ready.
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