Model yachting is enjoyed worldwide. In the United States, the American Model Yacht Association (AMYA) has dedicated itself to the designing, building, racing, and preservation of all model sailing yachts. The AMYA divides the country into six regions, with a director for each region. There are thirty recognized classes of yachts, plus a group solely dedicated to vintage sailboats. The yachts range in size from the twelve inch Footy to the eighty-five inch plus boats.

Nationally there are approximately four thousand registered yachts. The New Hampshire Boat Museum Model Yacht Group has selected the one-meter soling as the class of choice, because of its relatively low cost and ease of construction. This class of yacht is the most widely sailed in the nation, with over one thousand registered with the AMYA and thousands more in general use.

The 27-foot soling was designed by Jan Herman Linge of Olso Norway in 1964 and built by Sverre Olson in 1965. In 1967 the International Yacht Racing Union declared the soling an International One Design Class. And awarded it Olympic Class status.

From 1970 to 1972, John and Laurie Converse of Vortex Model Engineering developed the soling 50, which became an AMYA class in 1975. The one-meter soling was developed by George Dornis in 1985, becoming an AMYA class in 1992.

The NHBM welcomes anyone to participate in this hobby. Yacht building school is held weekly during the winter months. Spectators are encouraged to view the regatta from the Mill Falls Path, overlooking Back Bay from May to the end of September.