Model Yachting News • Week Ending October 24, 2020

Posted on by Paul McBride

Written by Tim Wright, Mark Whitehead
Editing Kathleen Whitehead
Photos by Paul McBride, B.B. Wright, Mark Whitehead
Layout Paul McBride

There was junk in Back Bay this week.

Solings Gather
Fleet count held as eighteen skippers attended the October 20 Soling regatta. In past years, a steady breeze was the norm for fall, but this year, Mother Nature has been playing tricks on us. Winds have fluctuated from hard to nonexistent and from several directions, often in the same race. Case in point was Race 3 Tuesday when three of us were just feet from the finish and the wind completely died, leaving us to the mercy of the current without rudder control — a lesson on how to go from second to last in a hurry!

The weather cooperated enough so that nine races were completed, but most skippers sailed only in five so no throw-out this week.

Skippers Memorial

Dead in the Water at the Finish
No Wind, No Control, and on the Rocks

Videos and Photos

Previous Highlights

Score Sheets

US12, Soling Masters, Soling Sailors

Out on the Water
Another shake-up at the top this week. On the podium was Rick Lalley, who took the day for his last Back Bay regatta of the season. Of course, Rick’s been saying that every week for the last three! It’s a great way to end the season with four race wins and a second. Congratulations, Rick !

Rick Lalley
and His 688
Rick Laird

Tim Wright captured second place overall with the same number of wins as Rick Lalley, but getting tangled in a patch of dead wind in Race 5 cost him the top spot. Rick Laird earned third-place honors on the podium with one win, one second, and three thirds.

Completing the top five were Al Posnack in fourth, with Bill Malay and Rick Gates tied for fifth. Ending in sixth through tenth were Jay Burns, Denis Boisvert, Don McBride, Genie Ware, and Paul McBride.

The top three spots in Races 2 and 8 were dominated by “Ricks.” That’s Rick Lalley, representing Thomaston, Maine; Rick Laird of Boston, Massachusetts; and Rick Gates, representing Nashua, New Hampshire. From the building class of 2020, Genie Ware did a fantastic job taking second in Race 3.

Genie Ware’s #72
Solings Off the Line
Rounding the Windward Mark -- without the Wind
US12s from October 15

US12 Sailing
On Thursday, October 15, we had a good day with eight 12s, a Soling 1M, and a Soling 50 rigged as a Marblehead. To say the wind was fickle would be an understatement. The changes in direction and velocity were extreme, and contributed to exciting racing with significant changes in positions throughout the races. Sometimes the gusts were a little too much for the 12s, then the next minute there would be nothing, followed by a gentle breeze from the other direction. This kept up all afternoon. It made for some very entertaining, challenging sailing.

Five of the sailors finished the day very close to each other. Paul Wallace, Rick Laird, Jim Opie, Don Cundy, and Paul McBride were just over one point apart in the final results. The numbers show how close and skilled the sailors are becoming. Tim Wright, John Simms, and Don McBride were at the top of the scoring but faced constant challenges from every member of the fleet.

While it would have been nice to have a steady wind with little variation, we also enjoyed the challenges that today’s weather threw at us. The racing was competitive but fun, and the sailors were supportive of each other, as always. There were a few rescues due to extreme conditions but nothing that a kayak couldn’t handle.

Some of our sailors will be leaving in the near future. Please know that you will be missed.

Tim Wright and His Kayak to the Rescue
Lobster Boat

The US12 regatta on October 22 was almost perfect. The sun was out, the temperature was in the high 60s/low 70s, and the wind, while light, was mostly cooperative. We managed to get in nine races with eight different skippers and Anthony Quinn sailing in three of them. He brought Tosca, who requires a full-time handler, but Skip Koehler offered to hold Tosca’s leash so Anthony could sail. Don McBride came but didn’t bring his US12. Instead he brought an electric lobster boat. Its passenger was B.B.’s travel moose. Mrs. Moose got to ride around all afternoon in the lobster boat, but probably didn’t hear the comments of the passing spectators. One didn’t realize there were lobsters in Back Bay. Neither did we!

 
Tim Wright was tough to beat today, although it did come down to the wire in a number of races. John Simms was a strong second, with six second-place finishes. After that, it was really close. Everyone had at least a third-place finish. Bob Brennan, after his strong performances in recent weeks didn’t have the same magic today but did get a third in one race.

Bob Brennan is recognized for his Soling regatta win.
Tim Wright’s 438 was hard to beat.

Jim Opie had three third-place finishes. Bruce Wilhelm has really improved and had a second, a third, and three fourths. He is no longer bringing up the rear. Kurt Clason took time out from his busy schedule to sail and managed a third and two fourths. Paul McBride had a second, a third, and consistency across the board. Anthony had a second as well.

US12s on the Water

Ellen Koehler came along with Skip and enjoyed having time off to chat with sailors, former neighbors, as well as B.B. Wright and Betty Brennan. Don Opie also came today and loved sitting in the warm sunshine. He’s been doing a lot of raking at home. Betty was kind enough to take a US12 group photo – a good day for all to enjoy being out by the bay.

Join Us if You Like
Probably only one week left. But please maintain at least that six-foot distance. Bring your camera for the show but also bring and wear a face mask. Sailing always begins at 1:00 p.m. on Back Bay at the Lehner Street/Glendon Street municipal parking area, weather permitting. Solings sail on Tuesday, the US12s compete on Thursday. Wednesdays are available should a Tuesday or Thursday regatta have to be canceled.

US12 Group Photo

Model Yachting News • Week Ending October 17, 2020

Posted on by Paul McBride

Written by Tim Wright, Mark Whitehead
Editing Kathleen Whitehead
Photos by Paul McBride, B.B. Wright, Tim Wright, Al Posnack, Brooks Campbell
Layout Paul McBride

Back Bay Skipper Paul McBride Takes Third
at Nashua Footy Regatta

Congratulations to Paul! And a big thank-you to Rick Gates for hosting the event at Sandy Pond in Nashua. The regatta was part of the New England Footy Series.

 

Skippers Memorial

Hard Wind on Lily Pond

               Podium Winner

Herb Dreher #734
Cliff Martin Green Hull
Paul McBride #54

 

Regatta Winner
Second Place
Third Place

Trophy

Yellow Footy Hull
Green Razor Hull
White Baby Footy Hull

Regatta Winner Herb Dreher’s #734
Second Place Cliff Martin’s Green Hull
Third Place Paul McBride’s #54
Back Bay Skipper Paul McBride

Videos and Photos

Previous Highlights

Score Sheets

US12, Soling Masters, Soling Sailors

Final Sailing Day on Lily Pond
Our sail Sunday, October 11, at Lily Pond was a bittersweet day. We had some strong winds to start, but as time went by, they lessened a little and the sailing was very enjoyable. Sailors included Bill Hagerup, Skip Koehler, Paul McBride, Al Stevens, Jim Opie, and Tim Wright. Observing the action were Ellen Koehler, B.B. Wright, Rick Parent, and Rick’s father in law, Tim. All of the US12s got water inside, and the electrical systems of some boats were getting wet, causing loss of control. Since the day was cold and windy, we decided to stop early.

Time to Say Good-Bye
Buoys Out

The marks were collected, the dock moved to a truck, and just like that, the season at Lily Pond was over. It had been a good season with many outstanding days of sailing.

To all who made the long drive to Gilford to sail on Sundays go our thanks for their support, their friendship, and the wonderful times we had this season. We are happy to have restarted the tradition of sailing at Lily Pond, and we look forward to next year, hopefully virus-free.

The dock gets loaded up and heads for winter storage.
The Rescue

A Fall Day On Back Bay
Most people just don’t realize what a picture we make on Back Bay during the fall. Passersby constantly stop and admire the show we put on every week. The October 14 Soling regatta was no exception, with nineteen skippers at our twelve-race regatta.

Normally we sail on Tuesday but the call was made to utilize our Wednesday rain day for obvious reasons. Sadly, we lost three yachts to mechanical issues on the very first race, one of which belonged to Rick Lalley, who makes the three-hour trek down from Thomaston, Maine each week. In the first race his mast was caught on another boat, damaging the mast and hull. Tom Barstow and Skip Koehler also had issues and did not post any scores.

The Mast Dance
All Smiles under the Masks for This Week's Regatta

Some of the skippers will be heading south so we wanted to make sure we documented those who attended this week’s regatta.

Out on the Water
A good brisk wind greeted this week’s skippers so they really had to be on their toes. Because of the fast pace, the fleet completed twelve races, allowing one throw-out for those who posted six or more scores.

And they’re off!
Rounding the First Mark

After an unusual glitch last week, Tim Wright won all races he entered and led everyone overall in the week’s regatta. Our New Jersey contingent Eric Leitner in the borrowed #1775 mailboat took the second spot with Al Posnack filling the podium in third. Rounding out the top five were Bill Malay in fourth and Don Cundy in fifth. To complete the top ten were Mark Whitehead, Paul McBride, Jim Opie, Jack Minahan, and Denis Boisvert.

US12 Sailing October 15

A Close Race
At the Start
Downwind
Tim Wright to the Rescue

Join Us if You Like
But please maintain at least that six-foot distance. Bring your camera for the show but also bring and wear a face mask. Sailing always begins at 1:00 p.m. on Back Bay at the Lehner Street/Glendon Street municipal parking area, weather permitting. Solings sail on Tuesday, the US12s compete on Thursday. Wednesdays are available should a Tuesday or Thursday regatta have to be canceled.

Two more Weeks to Join the Fun

Model Yachting News • Week Ending October 10, 2020

Posted on by Paul McBride

Written by Tim Wright, Mark Whitehead
Editing Kathleen Whitehead
Photos by Paul McBride, Tim & B.B. Wright, Mark Whitehead, Steve Leker, John Barstow
Layout Paul McBride

No One Wants to Stop
The October 6 Soling regatta attracted skippers from four points of the compass — all around the lake, down from Maine, and up from Massachusetts they came. Twenty skippers signed up for their official clothespin number that gave them the sailing order. Because of an even count, we were able to have sailing fleets of one through ten, eleven through twenty, odd numbers only, then even numbers. Keeping our ten-skipper race count, this process mixed the participants for each race, and most sailed in five of the ten races.

Skippers Memorial

Wind??
New Skipper Rick Laird, Something Borrowed Something Blue

Videos and Photos

Previous Highlights

Score Sheets

US12, Soling Masters, Soling Sailors

The winds were no less finicky than last week, creating a challenge for everyone in the fleet. Unless you could stay on top of the wind shifts you could go from the front to the back in a hurry.

And things finally came together so we could present Tom Barstow with his first-win award — well deserved, I might add. Congratulations, Tom!

Remembering Tom Barstow's First Win
Oops, Tom Barstow didn't check his batteries!
Regatta Winner Bob Brennan in Complete Control of His #5149

Breaking News!
Bob Brennan is overall winner of the October 6 Soling regatta!
Bob came to the party ready for action and took on all comers with two firsts, two seconds, and one third. That is a feat that’s hard to beat. Congratulations, Bob! The rest of us are in awe of your accomplishment.

Not only did Bob win the day, while he was not racing he mentored Jack Minahan to help him improve. Bob has set an example to which all Back Bay Skippers should aspire — which many, many do, by the way. That’s why this group of sailors and friends is so great!

Our top five this week also included Tim Wright, who grabbed second. In third was Howard Germon, our tough competitor from across the Maine border. Rick Lalley, our long-distance skipper from Thomaston, Maine was fourth, and Nashua-based skipper Rick Gates landed in the number-five spot.

The rest of the top ten, in order, were Al Posnack, Jay Burns, Tom Barstow, Bill Malay, with Paul McBride and Mark Whitehead tied for tenth. Of note, Genie Ware posted a hard-fought third place in Race 6, and Jack Minahan also captured third in Race 5.

Ten Skippers at a Time
To the First Mark
US12s in Action

US12 Compete in a Duck-the-Raindrops Regatta
The US12 skippers who ignored today’s rainy forecast and came to Back Bay, were treated to some good sailing on Wednesday, October 7. One sailor left before we started and missed a great day. While the skies were threatening most of the afternoon, the rain stayed away until 2:15 when all four sailors felt they had sailed enough to satiate themselves. A hard rain started and ended sailing for the day.

Spirited racing, close finishes, and fickle winds made Paul McBride, Don Cundy, Jim Opie, and Tim Wright all glad they had taken a chance on the rain holding off. With only four sailors, we tried a new course, but after using it twice, we went back to “old faithful.”

The ‘legs’ sailing towards the walking path were difficult and resulted in some dramatic changes in the order of the fleet. One memorable race had Jim Opie way behind on the long downwind leg, but he persisted. Benefitting from some favorable winds, he managed to catch two of the others and come in second, for a photo finish.

Once again, we are grateful for the fall sailing before we put our boats into their winter shipyards for repairs. Thanks to all those who showed up to make it a wonderful, relaxed, and enjoyable afternoon.

Join Us if You Like
But please maintain at least that six-foot distance. Bring your camera for the show but also bring and wear a face mask. Sailing always begins at 1:00 p.m. on Back Bay at the Lehner Street/Glendon Street municipal parking area, weather permitting. Solings sail on Tuesday, the US12s compete on Thursday, and “what you brung” at 9 a.m. Sunday at Lily Pond in Gilford. Wednesdays are available should a Tuesday or Thursday regatta have to be canceled.

Eight-year-old Cole from Swanzey gets a sailboat kit.

Model Yachting News • Week Ending October 3, 2020

Posted on by Paul McBride

Written by Tim Wright, Mark Whitehead
Editing Kathleen Whitehead
Photos by Paul McBride, Tim & B.B. Wright, Mark Whitehead, Denis Boisvert
Layout Paul McBride

The Soling Skippers Gather on September 29
Eighteen sailors gathered for a ten-race Soling regatta Tuesday, September 29. Ten of the skippers sailed six races or more, so for the second time we allowed a throw-out, which is normal regatta practice.

 

 

 

Skippers Memorial

Solings off the Line
Who Picked the Right Tack?

Videos and Photos

Previous Highlights

Score Sheets

US12, Soling Masters, Soling Sailors

Back Bay normally has finicky winds, but this week they really confused most of the participants. Case in point: Tom Barstow charged away from the field in race five and led the race until just inches from the finish. Unable to find the wind to get across the line, he was passed at the very last minute. WHAT A HEARTBREAK!! Such is sailing on Back Bay.

Out on the Water
On the podium this week was Tim Wright in first. It is absolutely astounding how well he can read the wind and take the checkered flag in almost every race he’s a competitor.

Tom Barstow
Solings Upwind

In second place was Rick Lalley — but not alone! Pulling himself out of his usual sixth place, Commodore Mark Whitehead tied Rick for that second spot. Sailing his new boat donated by Larry Hebb from the building class of 2011, Don Cundy was on the podium in third for the second week in a row. Well done all!

Rounding out the top five were Tom Barstow in fourth and Al Posnack in fifth. The rest of the top ten were led by Al Stevens, Don McBride and Jim Opie tied for seventh, Bruce Brown, Jack Minahan, and Paul McBride.

Don Cundy
and His New Boat

US12 Sailing
The US12 fleet had an idyllic day on October 1. The temperature was warm, in the low 70s, and the winds were fairly constant in velocity. Except for wind shifts, which are so common on Back Bay, we couldn’t ask for any more. The racing with eight boats was again competitive, with people having good finishes in some races and not so good in others.

What was observed was the overall improvement in the sailors’ understanding and use of rules to avoid collisions. While we did have a few (as always), there were many others that were avoided because of the quick reactions of skippers when situations called for them. How nice is it to be in a group that wants to help each other, get along, do the right thing, and have a good time together. It’s wonderful!

US12s Upwind
Kurt Clason Gets Her Tuned
Rounding the Last Mark
John Simms Crosses the Finish Line

Join Us if You Like
But please maintain at least that six-foot distance. Bring your camera for the show but also bring and wear a face mask. Sailing always begins at 1:00 p.m. on Back Bay at the Lehner Street/Glendon Street municipal parking area, weather permitting. Solings sail on Tuesday, the US12s compete on Thursday, and “what you brung” at 9 a.m. Sunday at Lily Pond in Gilford. Wednesdays are available should a Tuesday or Thursday regatta have to be canceled.

But Daddy, I Want to Sail Too
William from Farmington, Age 3, Gets a Sailboat Kit

Model Yachting News • Week Ending September 26, 2020

Posted on by Paul McBride

Written by Mark Whitehead, Tim Wright
Editing Kathleen Whitehead
Photos by Paul McBride, Tim & B.B. Wright, Mark Whitehead
Layout Paul McBride

Lily Pond Sailing
At Lily Pond on Sunday, September 20, we had wonderful conditions. The weather was warmer, although no one was in shorts. We had a wind that was constant in strength but not in direction. Great sailing was the theme of the day.

 

 

 

Skippers Memorial

A Great Day for Sailing on Lily Pond
Always Something Interesting to Watch

Videos and Photos

Previous Highlights

Score Sheets

US12, Soling Masters, Soling Sailors

We did have one problem. Our only Soling was getting slowed down by weeds, and we were left with five sailors and only four boats. The course was still shortened because of a Footy race the previous day, so we had a round-robin. After each race, controls were passed to the right and Don Opie walked his remote all the way down to Paul McBride at the other end. Bill Hagerup, Skip Koehler, and Tim Wright never had to get out of their chairs. Everyone got to take one race off and watch the sailing. Thus, we got to sail each of the different US12s. It was hard to know who was sailing which boat, and sometimes which one we were sailing ourselves. Ellen Koehler and B.B. Wright were entertained by the passing of remotes after each race. It was very enjoyable and a great way to spend the morning.

US12s Upwind
No Pressure
I Think They're Playing Musical Radios
Al Stevens on the Rocks Even Before the Regatta Started

Ya Gotta Love the Fall
This is the best time of the year to sail and we try to take advantage of it as long as possible. September 22 was a spectacular day with nineteen Soling skippers participating in the twelve-race regatta. It was a big job for our scorekeepers, Ellen Koehler and B.B. Wright, but, as always, they managed. What a wonderful job they do for us week after week!

We had two contenders for longest distance traveled to the regatta. Rick Laird, Sail #716, drove up from Boston with his ODOM (One Design One Meter) Class boat, and our own Rick Lalley, Sail #688, made the trip down from Thomaston, Maine as he does almost every week. I think we have to give the prize to Rick Lalley with his three-hour commute! The other thing they had in common was their notation of “Rick L.” on the signup sheet, which caused momentary confusion.

There were shades of normal scoring since we had enough races to allow one throw-out. Sailing the most races was Rick Lalley with eight. Most of the rest of us competed in six or seven races. We almost always have at least one bad race so throwing out the worst one makes us look better.

The Commodore Not Paying Attention

We Didn’t Have Pictures of Genie Ware’s #72 and John Barstow’s #74 Boats Last Week — Here They Are!

Out on the Water
The top three this week were Tim Wright followed by Eric Leitner and Don Cundy holding his old tired boat together to stay on the podium. Needless to say, Rick Laird took first in the ODOM Class!

Solings Downwind
Tom Barstow Got His First Win This Week

Fourth and fifth place went to Rick Lalley and Tom Barstow, Tom garnishing his first win this week. Congratulations, Tom!

I have no idea what it tells us, but there was a four-way tie for twelfth place. Close competition up and down the fleet!

US12 Sailing
On September 24, the US12s were treated to a wonderful day of sailing. The wind was strong at 1:00 p.m. but softened at times. By the end of the sailing, there were some really slow times, but we managed to complete twelve races. There were eight boats on the water, and lots of keen racing. People have mentioned that the abilities of the skippers are going up and the competition is getting better and better. One interesting fact from today’s racing is that everybody had at least one third place or better. Even our newest members this year managed to do well in some of the races.

US12s at the Start
US12's Headed to the First Mark
and Headed to the Finish

Tim Wright proved tough to beat, but John Simms was up to the task twice. Bob Brennan managed to sail well today with consistent finishes. John Simms and Don Cundy were right behind. In truth, everyone did well in some races, and the day was one of the good ones. Congratulations to all the skippers who sailed. Paul Wallace, Jim Opie, Kurt Clason, and Bruce Wilhelm had some very competitive races with each other when they weren’t challenging for the lead. Hopefully we will have a full fleet of boats next week.

A Huge Loon Was This Week's Spectator

Join Us if You Like
But please maintain at least that six-foot distance. Bring your camera for the show but also bring and wear a face mask. Sailing always begins at 1:00 p.m. on Back Bay at the Lehner Street/Glendon Street municipal parking area, weather permitting. Solings sail on Tuesday, the US12s compete on Thursday, and “what you brung” at 9 a.m. Sunday at Lily Pond in Gilford. Wednesdays are available should a Tuesday or Thursday regatta have to be canceled.

Alden Hoffer 4 1/2 Gets a Sailboat Kit as Lucy 2 1/2 and Family Looks on

Model Yachting News • Week Ending September 19, 2020

Posted on by Paul McBride

Written by Mark Whitehead, Tim Wright
Editing Kathleen Whitehead
Photos by Paul McBride, Tim & B.B. Wright, Mark Whitehead
Layout Paul McBride

Lily Pond Sailing on Sunday, September 13
A great time for all who were there! The wind came up slowly and was getting too strong just as we left. There were four US12s and two Soling 1Ms. While the days are getting a little cooler, it’s nice to not worry about the heat, which we were doing just a couple of weeks ago. Unfortunately, it means the seasons are changing. These sailing days are precious to us. For many it has been the main way to socialize for the last three months in these times of social distancing. We’re grateful for the days we have and the friendships we maintain through sailing.

Skippers Memorial

A Morning at Lily Pond

Videos and Photos

Previous Highlights

Score Sheets

US12, Soling Masters, Soling Sailors

Another Winner of a Day
September 15 was another one of those wonderful fall days on Back Bay, and nineteen skippers arrived for our twelve-race Soling regatta. The winds were fickle at times, but that’s part of the challenge.

Although it took two weeks, Malcolm Stone finally received the award for his first win on September 1.

The skippers work hard on their boats so we thought you’d like to see a few of them up close.

Mark Whitehead
Rick Lalley
Don McBride
Rick Gates
Skip Koehler
Tim Wright
Al Posnack
Bruce Brown
Jack Minahan
Paul Wallace
Don Cundy
Denis Boisvert - Bob Brennan
Malcolm Stone
Jay Burns
Al Stevens
Paul McBride
John Barstow & Genie Ware
One of the Little Guys, a Footy
It Takes Concentration
Solings at the Start

Out on the Water
Rick Lalley and Tim Wright led the way this week with the exact same score, each with an overall average of 2.5. Congratulations to both Rick and Tim! Pulling off a strong second and only .25 of a point behind was our Nashua representative Rick Gates, followed closely by Al Posnack at .05 of a point behind second place. Don Cundy was just off the podium in fourth place, and Jay Burns rounded out the top five. A big applause goes to Genie Ware, who led the bottom half of the top ten and pulled off a second place in Race 8. Way to go, Genie!

Shhhh!! The commodore actually was ahead of our top skipper, Tim Wright, in Race 7. Not a win — Don Cundy took that — but nonetheless, it was a momentous occasion — for the commodore at least! His win came in Race 2.

Solings on the Downwind Leg
Upwind to the Finish

Consistency is the name of the game, and that’s what most of us struggle with, especially the commodore. We do great in one race and fall back in the next. The regatta leaders are always near the top, reading the ever-changing winds well.

US12 Fleet
On September 17, the US12 fleet had a very good day of sailing. We had nine boats in the water, with two additional sailors showing up for a couple of races each. Due to the shifting winds, we had thirteen races on several courses. Near the end, the wind finally settled in and we returned to our regular course. In addition to the many different courses, we had starts going in the other direction, from left to right, that is.

Bruce Wilhelm made some changes to his boat that made him more competitive in his second week. He finished in the middle of the fleet three times. Paul McBride sacrificed some of his finishes to get some good photos of the group in action but still had time to get a fourth and three fifths. Paul Wallace had one fourth-place finish as well as four fifths. Kurt Clason got three fourth-place finishes and continued to show steady improvement. Rick Parent used his lunch break from the Post Office to come down and sail two races then loaned his boat to a passerby and let her sail an entire race. Jim Opie sailed well and had four fourths and a fifth.

Newest US12s No.267 Bruce Wilhelm, No.12 Kurt Clason
US12s at the LIne

John Simms is sailing well too, but had trouble early on with the changing courses. After a short break, he had an unnamed technical difficulty. His boat, with no control, sailed to the other side of Back Bay. He decided it would be easier to drive around and pick it up rather than using the crash boat. John made it back in time for the last race. In his eight races, he managed two seconds and three thirds. Don McBride managed two seconds and six thirds. Although he didn’t make it into the win column, he still came in third for the day.

Anthony Quinn again came for a few races, and did even better this week. He had a second and two thirds. Don Cundy had a busy day. He sailed his boat until he had a breakdown, then held Anthony’s dog, Tosca, while Anthony raced. He then took over Tim’s green boat for the last six races. Don had a very good day and finished in the top three in every race he sailed except the first one, including three first-place finishes. Tim Wright had a very good day too, staying near the front all afternoon.

While the fleet gets spread out during the races, especially with the difficult winds, the quality of sailing is improving. People are getting better at sail trim, rule knowledge, and tactics. Many different people were challenging the front of the fleet and honing their skills. It is important to note that wherever people finish in the fleet, there is close competition and constant challenge. Some great rivalries are developing and the excitement is tangible. The best part is the fun we have sharing a wonderful pastime, joking with and learning from each other. There is always something to learn. This is a great time of year to be sailing.

Wing on Wing
Sheila (2)
Sheila Ryan

Memorial Regatta

September 19, 2020
Lily Pond, Gilford, NH

The Sheila Ryan Memorial Footy Regatta was held on Saturday, September 19, under sunny skies with a brisk wind, and eight skippers from Massachusetts and New Hampshire accepted the challenge. The race director’s position was held by Bill Hagerup with staffing assistance from Tim Wright, B.B. Wright, and Don Cundy.

Google Photo Album

YouTube Video

Memorial Regatta
Footys at the Start
The Commodore Takes a Win in Race 5

 

Regatta Champion Herb Dreher
Second Place Jim Linville
Third Place Steve Doherty

Top Three: Herb Dreher, Jim Linville, Steve Doherty
The Skippers

Skippers

        • Jack Berglund
        • Steve Doherty
        • Herb Dreher
        • Alain Jousse
        • Jim Linville
        • Cliff Martin
        • Paul McBride
        • Mark Whitehead

Join Us if You Like
But please maintain at least that six-foot distance. Bring your camera for the show but also bring and wear a face mask. Sailing always begins at 1:00 p.m. on Back Bay at the Lehner Street/Glendon Street municipal parking area, weather permitting. Solings sail on Tuesday, the US12s compete on Thursday, and “what you brung” at 9 a.m. Sunday at Lily Pond in Gilford. Wednesdays are available should a Tuesday or Thursday regatta have to be canceled.

David, Local Plastics Engineer, Tries Out Sailing

Model Yachting News • Week Ending September 12, 2020

Posted on by Paul McBride

Written by Mark Whitehead, Tim Wright
Editing Kathleen Whitehead
Photos by Paul McBride, Tim & B.B. Wright, Mark Whitehead, Steve Leker
Layout Paul McBride

Lily Pond Sailing
The sailing at Lily Pond started slowly. There was no wind when sailors arrived. However, as the morning progressed, the wind slowly increased and by 10:30 it was strong enough to put in the Santa Barbara, which needs a lot of wind to get it moving. Unfortunately, it was moving well when it hit a number of boats, rendering one unusable, needing both rigging and sail repairs.

What started as a complete dud as far as the wind goes actually turned out pretty good.

Videos and Photos

Previous Highlights

Score Sheets

US12, Soling Masters, Soling Sailors

Ready for Action on Lily Pond
Someone Always Has to Try Out the Weeds

Once the winds came in, the rest of the morning was great sailing. There were five US12s and two Solings in addition to the Santa Barbara. What started out as a disappointment ended on a high note. We continue to enjoy the sailing at Lily Pond and hope others will make the trip too.

A Slow Day on Back Bay

Another Strong Showing of Skippers
Once again we had twenty-one skippers on the shores of Back Bay for our September 8 Soling Regatta. The winds were nowhere near as strong as last week so the fleet could manage only seven races. Why is it the winds disappear about two feet from the finish line? Tim Wright, however, must keep extra wind in his pocket because he suddenly comes up with a puff that the rest of us can’t find.

Tim Brand was our returning skipper this week and posted some excellent scores. As we work through September we tend to lose a few skippers that head home to the flatlands near and far. That’s their loss because some of the best sailing tends to be in September and October.

Eric Leitner Gets Some Tips
Eric Leitner Had His First Win Last Week

Out on the Water
Our light-air guru Tim Wright again took the day, posting a win in every race he competed. The commodore once was ahead of Tim approaching the third buoy but missed the buoy under the extreme pressure of the situation and fell way back trying to recover. Next time, Tim!

The Soling Lineup
Solings at the Start

It was new skipper Eric Leitner who grabbed second place in the regatta with two seconds and a third. Talk about close, Tim Brand was .02 of a point behind Eric for a strong third place, posting a first and a second. Another .4 of a point behind Tim was a tie between Jay Burns and Howard Germon for the fourth spot. Our sailing instructor from the other side of the lake, Al Posnack, had a score only .05 of a point behind that, taking the last spot in the top five. I don’t think we’ve ever had scores that close, and it certainly demonstrates the ever-improving skills of our skippers.

On the Downwind Leg Leg
Solings at the Mark

The bottom half of the top ten was led by Dan Masessa, .25 of a point behind the top five with Mark Whitehead another .25 of a point behind that for seventh place. A mere .05 of a point behind that was Rick Lalley in eighth. Ninth place really dropped off because Don Cundy was a full point behind Rick, but Bill Malay made up for it being .2 of a point behind Don to make it into the top ten. The rest of the fleet was just as close, which is totally AMAZING!! Also amazing is our scorekeeper, Ellen Koehler, and her able assistant, B. B. Wright. We appreciate both of them!

Everyone Wants in on the Action
Relaxing Day with US12s

US12 Sailing
The US12s on Sept 10 had fickle winds, even more than the usual Back Bay shifts. One minute the boats were moving along and then the next, they were dead in the water. Boats ahead were regularly passed by boats from astern as the momentum would carry them past those sitting and waiting for any kind of wind. Even so, it was good to be on the water and amongst friends.

The first race was won by Paul Wallace, followed in second place by Paul McBride. They each had three top-three finishes of the afternoon.

Our newest member, Bruce Wilhelm, sailed his boat for the first time. It’s a beauty and the finish work is outstanding. Today was his first day of getting used to sailing his boat and the learning curve of remote-control sailing, racing, and Back Bay. It’s good to have Bruce with us.

Jim Opie sailed with us today and had some trouble getting his boat going in the light air, but he stuck with it and was always optimistic.

We had a sailing appearance from Anthony Quinn. He sailed three races with Tim’s green boat and came in second, third, and fourth. It was a treat to have Anthony sailing with us.

John Simms and Don McBride each had good days. Don had six top-three finishes in nine races, and John had four in seven races, including a first. Tim Wright sailed well, especially after the first three races, and gave the others a moving target although he was hard to catch. He had seven firsts in nine races.

Many thanks to B.B. for keeping score and keeping us on track. We owe her a great deal for her steadfast efforts on our behalf.

One thing we are learning from sailing this year is that the score really doesn’t matter in the end. It’s the enjoyment of being together, the challenge of mastering tricky skills, and the fun of friendly competition with a group of good people. We look forward to more sailing before the season ends.

Join Us if You Like
But please maintain at least that six-foot distance. Bring your camera for the show but also bring and wear a face mask. Sailing always begins at 1:00 p.m. on Back Bay at the Lehner Street/Glendon Street municipal parking area, weather permitting. Solings sail on Tuesday, the US12s compete on Thursday, and “what you brung” at 9 a.m. Sunday at Lily Pond in Gilford. Wednesdays are available should a Tuesday or Thursday regatta have to be canceled.

Now That's Social Distancing
Dawson, Age 4, and Emmett Langford, Age 7, Try Their Hand at Sailing
and Get a Sailboat Kit

Model Yachting News • Week Ending September 5, 2020

Posted on by Paul McBride

Written by Mark Whitehead, Tim Wright
Editing Kathleen Whitehead
Photos by Paul McBride, Tim & B.B. Wright, Mark Whitehead, Steve Leker
Layout Paul McBride

Lily Pond Sailing
Winds of 20 mph would not have made a pleasant day for sailing so the August 30 Lily Pond sailing was canceled.

Spectacular Day for the Solings
Sunshine, mild temperatures, and a good wind brought out this season’s largest lineup of skippers. Twenty-one signed on, received their official clothespin numbers, and challenged each other in the September 1 ten-race regatta. The great spectator crowd made it a very festive occasion. Because so many skippers haven’t been sailing on a regular basis, we’re always glad when one of them makes an appearance. This week it was Ed Johnson. It was good to have you sail with us, Ed!

The Soling Lineup
At the Start

Videos and Photos

Previous Highlights

Score Sheets

US12, Soling Masters, Soling Sailors

Out on the Water
Unlike last week’s Soling regatta, everyone sailed. With close competition from the entire fleet, everyone should be proud of their sailing skills.

This week, it was Race 2 that was Rick Lalley’s undoing. If it weren’t for that one race when he placed a mere fourth, Rick would have won the day. His performance tally put him only .46 of a point behind overall winner Tim Wright.

From Holderness, Malcolm Stone came south to take the third spot, and in the process, managed his first win in Race 10. We wonder if he had to take a dip in Squam Lake to cool down after his accomplishment.

Rounding the Windward Mark
Headed for the Finish

Don McBride always sails well and earned fourth, three tenths of a point ahead of Dan Masessa in fifth. Tying for sixth were Howard Germon and Mark Whitehead with Don Cundy, Bruce Brown, Al Posnack, and John Barstow rounding out the top ten.

No matter the placement, the skippers showed great skill at different points of every race. For example, admirable fourth-place finishes were made by Paul Wallace in Race 3, Bob Brennan in Race 7, and Jack Minahan in Race 8. Between the fickle winds and the tactics involved, one minute a skipper might be an eagle only to be a goat the next minute — first to last in a matter of seconds. But, after all is said and done, that is part of the fun and the challenge.

US12 Sailing
The sailing on Thursday, September 3, was spirited and lots of fun. It also was hard to score for B.B. because of the many skipper changes over eleven races. Although there were only five boats, they were loaned to waiting skippers for the entire afternoon. We had more skippers than boats, but true to the nature of our group, everyone who wanted to sail got a turn or two at the helm.

Don Cundy Ready for Action Waiting for the Rest of the Fleet
US12s Out on the Water

Bruce Wilhelm made his first appearance today. His new US12 isn’t quite ready, but he was able to get some time at the controls of a US12 and a Soling. From Perth Amboy, New Jersey, we saw Eric Leitner again after stopping by a couple of times already. He paid his dues, literally, and joined the Back Bay Skippers on the spot, so we have a new member who is looking for a Soling he can race when he visits family up this way. There’s a rumor that Rick Parent is loaning him a boat until he can find one of his own.

The sailing was different with the wind coming from the right, but we stuck to the regular course so we would have a long upwind leg with plenty of wind shifts to think about. Kurt Clason has continued to show improvement and came in second or third in five races. John Simms had a win, three seconds, and five thirds, and is returning to form. Paul McBride had a good afternoon with seven seconds and thirds. Paul Wallace won a race. It wasn’t his first win — over the course of time, he has been there before. Eric Leitner and Don Cundy also had firsts after sailing three races between them. Tim Wright had a number of firsts but thinks his best sailing was assisting an out-of-control US12. He turned the boat around and sailed it right to the dock through a fleet of oncoming boats in the middle of a race.

Launch Time
US12s on the Downwind Leg

We all had a very pleasant and relaxed afternoon of sailing and thank B.B. for her continued scoring and line checking. She runs a tight ship and makes sure we all obey the rules while appreciating the good humor of the group. Another good day of sailing, but it’s hard to believe that September is here and the season is slowly winding down. Make sure to come out before it stops at the end of October.

Julia Hepworth Gets Her Own Sailboat Kit

Join Us if You Like

But please maintain at least that six-foot distance. Bring your camera for the show but also bring and wear a face mask. Sailing always begins at 1:00 p.m. on Back Bay at the Lehner Street/Glendon Street municipal parking area, weather permitting. Solings sail on Tuesday, the US12s compete on Thursday, and “what you brung” at 9 a.m. Sunday at Lily Pond in Gilford. Wednesdays are available should a Tuesday or Thursday regatta have to be canceled.

Model Yachting News • Week Ending August 29, 2020

Posted on by Paul McBride

Written by Mark Whitehead, Tim Wright
Editing Kathleen Whitehead
Photos by Paul McBride, Tim & B.B. Wright, Mark Whitehead
Layout Paul McBride

Lily Pond Sailing on Sunday August 22, 2020

Just Waiting for Wind at Lily Pond
Tim Wright to the Rescue
Looks Like Jim Opie Found the Wind

Videos and Photos

Previous Highlights

Score Sheets

US12, Soling Masters, Soling Sailors

The Gods Were Agin Us
Forecasts predicted thunderstorms for Tuesday afternoon, the regular Soling sailing day, so the regatta was called for the safety of our skippers. Mother Nature is famous for doing what she wants when she wants and decided not to hurl her fury at the Wolfeboro-Ossipee area until about 3:30. The commodore groaned when he realized that perhaps two hours of sailing could have been completed before quitting early. Oh, well! It was better to be safe than sorry, as the saying goes.

Facing a Tough Wind on Back Bay
Denis Boisvert First to Take the Plunge on Back Bay

We tried for our Wednesday alternate day, but the winds were overpowering and only three skippers sailed. It was a great day, but when the wind is pushing twenty miles per hour it really takes a toll on the boats.

The bragging rights go to Denis Boisvert, Al Posnack, and Tim Wright for giving it the college try. They got in a few races before they hung it up for the day like the rest of us.

Certainly an honorable mention goes to Rick Lalley for making the three-hour drive from Thomaston, Maine! Now that’s dedication and love for the sport!

It Took Three to Launch

US12s August 27, 2020
Thursday, August 27, US12 sailing will be remembered for the persistence of Bob Pacini. He made his first appearance of the summer after what he described as a long and challenging spring. It was good to see him dust off his US12 and put it in the water. However, it didn’t start well for Bob, as his mast fell down just as he launched. A later dismasting and battery issues caused by rising interior water levels tried to slow him down. What the rest of us learned that day was how determined Bob is. There seemed to be little to stop him. In spite of all of his troubles, he managed to win a race! Kudos!

The US12 Lineup
Bob Pacini Joins Us This Week ...
... and Then Drops his Mast Just for Fun
Off the Line

Bob’s misfortunes did allow many of the sailors to earn merit badges for boat rescue. We managed to get his boat back to shore three times by pushing and steering his boat with other US12s. The rescue boat never needed to leave the dock, and the combined seamanship displayed by our sailors was impressive to watch. The spectators could be heard talking about how well the sailors were working to get the boat ashore.

We had eight boats that day with Bob Brennan, Jim Opie, Paul Wallace, Paul McBride, John Simms, Don Cundy, Bob Pacini, and Tim Wright taking advantage of the fairly steady winds. It was cold at the start but the threatening rain held off. Eventually the sun came out and we spent a very enjoyable and action-packed afternoon sailing and enjoying each other’s company. Our racing was spirited as always, and many races came down to the wire. We’re looking forward to next Thursday and more sailing. Hopefully we’ll have even more boats and the same competitive racing.

The US12 Fleet at the Windward Mark
In for Adjustments
Jim Opie Concentrating
Annie & Isla Get a Sailboat Kit to Share

Join Us if You Like

But please maintain at least that six-foot distance. Bring your camera for the show but also bring and wear a face mask. Sailing always begins at 1:00 p.m. on Back Bay at the Lehner Street/Glendon Street municipal parking area, weather permitting. Solings sail on Tuesday, the US12s compete on Thursday, and “what you brung” at 9 a.m. Sunday at Lily Pond in Gilford. Wednesdays are available should a Tuesday or Thursday regatta have to be canceled.

Bob Brennan, Teacher Extraordinaire, Teaches Jean How to Sail

Model Yachting News • Week Ending August 22, 2020

Posted on by Paul McBride

Written by Mark Whitehead, Tim Wright
Editing Kathleen Whitehead
Photos by Paul McBride, Tim & B.B. Wright, Mark Whitehead, Brooks Campbell
Layout Paul McBride

Lily Pond Sailing
The sailing at Lily Pond on Sunday, August 16, was perhaps the best sailing day of the summer there. The winds were strong without being overpowering. There was one drawback, however. A temperature in the low 70s with wind can be cool, even chilly, especially for a Floridian centenarian spectator like Don Opie, who tends to get cold even in the 90s. Fortunately B.B. Wright brought an abundance of warm clothing for Don so he stayed comfortable.

Bill Hagerup, Jim Opie, Paul McBride, Tim Wright, Skip Koehler, Al Stevens, and Jack Berglund provided the fleet, sailing five US12s and two Solings. Jack sailed here at Lily Pond years ago. Now he sails Footies.

On a Starboard Tack
Headed for the Mark on Lily Pond

Videos and Photos

Previous Highlights

Score Sheets

US12, Soling Masters, Soling Sailors

More than just scorekeepers at Back Bay, Ellen Koehler and B.B. are weekly spectators at Lily Pond and are always welcome whenever and wherever the boats are sailing.

The sailing was competitive and exciting with wind shifts and dead spots keeping the racing close. Most importantly, the sailors and spectators had a good time. We all relish the time together, particularly when the wind is so nice. Hopefully we’ll have another day like this one in the near future.

Gathering at Lily Pond
Spectators

Solings Get the Wind
For those of us who like the wind, August 18 was the day. Fifteen skippers accepted the challenge and launched for the twelve-race regatta. The eight-to-ten mph winds held reasonably steady all afternoon, and although the sun was out, it didn’t bake everyone like it has the last few weeks. A fun day on Back Bay!

Solings off the Mark
Rick Lalley's Belated Award

Second place in Master Class for the 2019 fall series was finally awarded to Rick Lalley. Belated congratulations, Rick!

Returning to action this week were Al Posnack and Tim Brand. Al is very involved in the youth sailing program on the other side of the lake, leaving little time for model yacht sailing. This year, the youth sailing had two hundred sign up so it was a challange to keep everyone safe. It was great seeing Tim Brand as well, his attention focused on the homefront.

Al Posnack (file photo)
Tim Brand (file photo)

Out on the Water
Another week of close competition with twelve different skippers placing first, second, or third in the twelve races. Our amazing Tim Wright sailed first in all but one of the nine races he was in, and for that race he finished second! Our Mainer Howard Germon showed off his skills with a second place in the regatta, followed very closely by Rick Lalley in third — and I do mean closely — by only one tenth of a point!

Dan Masessa held his own placing fourth, and just four tenths behind was Bill Malay in fifth. Tim Brand and Mark Whitehead posted the only tie of the day leading the back half of the top ten. Others in the top ten were Al Posnack, Tom Barstow, Jay Burns, and Jack Minahan.

Headed for the First Mark
Kurt Clason Gets His Hard-Earned First Win

US12 Sailing 20-8-20
Today’s racing at Back Bay was memorable for many reasons.

Kurt Clason won his first race and will receive his prize next week. Well done, Kurt!

A young spectator named Castle Fernald was interested in the boats and stayed around with his parents and caretaker to watch the sailing. He particularly liked the boat with the shark on the sails and a racing stripe. Yes, his favorite was Bob Brennan’s boat. Castle has good taste. He was given his own model boat that he proudly showed to his parents.

Speaking of good taste, we also had two spectators offer cookies for the sailors. Visitors June and Shirley enjoyed watching the racing, and rewarded us with some delicious M&M cookies. Could it be the start of a new tradition? I doubt it, but it certainly was a nice gesture and much appreciated, especially due to the difficult sailing conditions.

US12 Skippers In Action
US12's Off the Start

The wind was much stronger than usual, although it came in waves. There were a number of collisions and equipment failures, but also some really good sailing. Due to a collision, John Simms lost his forestay. Unbelievably, the mast stayed up and John was able to sail his jib-less boat back to the dock. After changing a fitting, he re-entered the fray.

There were many examples of the blustery conditions today. We had batteries wearing down, bilges filling, boats losing power due to high water inside, sails not coming in all the way, a mast crane coming unglued, and many collisions and entanglements on the water. Paul McBride had his boat dismasted at the dock as the races ended. He plans to rework it and sail at Lily Pond on Sunday.

A Hard Wind Out There
US12s on the Downwind Leg

The conditions made for exciting sailing for the racers and the spectators.

Congratulations to all the sailors who braved the conditions: Don McBride, Paul McBride, Paul Wallace, Kurt Clason, John Simms, Jim Opie, Bob Brennan, and Tim Wright. Also, thanks to Don Cundy, who worked to help with various repairs. It was a memorable afternoon, and one we can think of this winter… the day the wind had its way!

Join Us if You Like

But please maintain at least that six-foot distance. Bring your camera for the show but also bring and wear a face mask. Sailing always begins at 1:00 p.m. on Back Bay at the Lehner Street/Glendon Street municipal parking area, weather permitting. Solings sail on Tuesday, the US12s compete on Thursday, and “what you brung” at 9 a.m. Sunday at Lily Pond in Gilford. Wednesdays are available should a Tuesday or Thursday regatta have to be canceled.

Castle Fernald Receives a Sailboat Kit
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