Written by Tim Wright, Mark Whitehead Editing Kathleen Whitehead Photos by Paul McBride, B.B. Wright, Karen Enos Layout & Photo Captions by Paul McBride Games by Dave Perry
Another Season Comes to an End A fall chill is in the air and Thanksgiving is only three weeks away so it was time to get in one last regatta and put the dock to bed for a long winter’s nap. The last regatta of the 2021 season was held at 11 AM on Tuesday, November 2, with fourteen skippers attending. Colorful foliage still hanging on across the bay, a little sun, and a great southwest wind made for a very enjoyable twelve-race regatta. Nine skippers sailed with a lot of boat sharing so everyone who wanted to sail got a chance.
Right on schedule at 1 PM, the boats were cradled and out came the tools. In no time at all, the buoys were pulled, and the dock was disassembled and loaded onto trailers along with the rescue boat, ready for transport to the Boat Museum barn.
Participating in this year’s dock-out were: Bill Hagerup, Don Cundy, Tim Wright, Anthony Quinn, Paul Wallace, Paul McBride, Bruce Brown, Bob Brennan, Rick Gates, Ken Gerber, Steve Leker, John Simms, Skip Koehler, Karen Enos, B. B. Wright, and Mark Whitehead. Our thanks and appreciation go out to all for another great job.
Out on the Water I guess you could say it was the boats that took the honors this week. Boat swapping gave those who didn’t bring their yacht a chance to sail – or try out Rick Gates’s DF 95.
Rick Gates checks out his Dragon Flite 95
Tim Wright’s #383 finished the season with another regatta win, and Mark Whitehead’s #12 took the second spot. Steve Leker’s #2112 captured third, Paul McBride’s #23 was fourth, and Anthony Quinn’s #937 was fifth.
Boat Scores
1 Tim Wright #383 1.0 2 Mark Whitehead #12 2.6 3 Steve Leker #2112 3.4 4 Paul McBride #23 3.8 5 Anthony Quinn #937 3.9 6 Rick Gates #170 4.3 7 Paul Wallace #227 5.3 8 Skip Koehler #2416 5.4 8 Bruce Brown #55 5.4
We certainly hope you enjoyed our show this season. We will return to the water in May.
Tim Wright and Don Cundy gather up the buoys.
The rescue boat is removed from the water.
Commodore Mark Whitehead removes the sign from the dock.
Ken Gerber is glad the water wasn't any higher.
The last section of the dock is taken out of the water.
The legs are removed from the dock sections.
The dock sections are loaded onto the trailer.
Commodore Mark Whitehead organizes the collection of buoys, anchors, and weights.
The dock is out until next Spring.
The rescue boat and dock are stored away for the Winter.
Written by Tim Wright, Mark Whitehead Editing Kathleen Whitehead Photos by Paul McBride, B.B. Wright, Tim Wright Layout & Photo Captions by Paul McBride Games by Dave Perry
Sail What You Brung Day After a rained-out Tuesday and Wednesday, the final US12 sailing day was changed to include both US12s and Solings. Seven US12s and four Solings showed up. October 28 was a beautiful day with sunny skies, pleasant temperatures, and enough wind to move us around the course. After a season of both fleets sailing separately, it was really nice to see them sailing together. There were no Solings slowed down by milfoil so the results weren’t skewed by unwanted foliage. What a treat!
Our course had two iterations. The first included one of the anchor buoys from the ski jump ramp. After one race, however, we realized that buoy was too far, making it difficult to see what was going on. The final course included a long upwind and downwind leg. Not only was it a beautiful day, the racing was spirited and entertaining.
There were great opportunities to show the classes racing side-by-side. US12s were captained by Bob Brennan, Bob Strodel, Paul Wallace, Paul McBride, John Simms, Tim Brand, and Jim Opie. Sailing the Solings were Mark Whitehead, Jay Burns, Skip Koehler, and Tim Wright. For the day, Tim Wright led the way with three wins, followed by Paul McBride sailing Tim’s US12. Paul won the first three races and four overall, and said he really liked the boat as it corrected his mistakes! John Simms, who finished first three times, was right behind in third place.
Making a move up the scoreboard was Bob Strodel, who is making good progress. Bob finished fourth for the day. He had two third-place finishes and five fourth places. In fifth place was Tim Brand. Tim hasn’t been able to sail with us in the US12 fleet for a while, but he came to sail a borrowed boat for the day. He had a second and a third place among his finishes.
The scores are listed below for all sailors.
Tim Wright 1.6 Paul McBride 1.9 John Simms 2.3 Bob Strodel 4.2 Tim Brand 4.6 Mark Whitehead 4.8 Jay Burns 6.3 Paul Wallace 6.40 Jim Opie 6.42 Bob Brennan 7.8 Skip Koehler 9.2
As the season draws to a close, there seems to be a better understanding of the rules by more of the sailors. People are making the correct moves to not foul others on the course. It is heartening to see, and we will have more sessions this winter to talk about many different aspects of sailing and racing remote-control sailboats. Thanks to all who participated in the US12 season, including B. B. Wright, who scored for the US12 fleet and kept us moving from race to race. More time was spent racing and less just sailing around. B. B. encouraged the sailors and took many photos and videos for the website and for our winter zoom sessions. Thanks also to Paul McBride for balancing picture-taking and sailing with the fleet.
To all the people who helped load and unload the gear goes a big thank-you as well. We have had a good season — with people helping each other with repairs, sailing tips, and rescues, all while sharing good humor and developing friendships. We also appreciated the passersby who stopped to ask questions, watched the racing, and tried their hand with the remote controls when possible. There is a growing number of people who come down on a regular basis to watch and enjoy our sport with us. Many thanks to our sailors for encouraging this interaction and making this season one to remember. We look forward to next year!
The Last Hurrah The dock will be put to bed for the winter on Tuesday, November 2, at 1:00 p.m. Weather permitting, we hope to have a sailing session at 11:00 a.m., all boats and their skippers invited.
Upcoming events:
November 2, 2021 Last Day of Sailing 11AM-1PM, Dock Out 1PM-2PM, Back Bay, Wolfeboro NH
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.
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.
Tim Wright 383 and Ken Gerber 14 sail along at a good clip.
Denis Boisvert 44
Tim Wright 383
Anthony Quinn and Tosca came by to watch the US12s, but only Anthony got to sail one.
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.
Paul Wallace's Rescue Boat is standing by at the dock.
The Rescue Boat was called into action when Paul McBride 223 and Paul Wallace 227 got hung up push-me-pull-you style.
Paul Wallace untangles the boats at the dock.
Paul McBride 223
Don Cundy 70, Bruce Wilhelm 267, Paul McBride 223, Tim Wright 438, Bob Strodel 65
Bob Brennan 927, Bruce Wilhelm 267, Don Cundy 70, Tim Wright 438
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
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
Lily Pond Sailing The last regatta of the season was held October 10 on Lily Pond in Gilford. The buoys have been pulled and the dock is headed for storage until 2022.
US12s are off to a smooth start at Lily Pond.
Jim Opie 130 tried out his new Soling.
It's the end of another season of sailing at Lily Pond.
New Skipper Onboard We’re not quite sure if it’s legal or not, but during pre-race setup, Paul McBride had a new skipper jump onboard. The newbie – or should we say “newbee”? — immediately took the helm, eager for Race One. He came all suited up ready for action, with his yellow and black stripes and antennae alerted. Perhaps he thought the boat would be a more relaxing way to find nectar – less tiring than using wings. We knew Paul had a sweet boat, but was it now overweight with a passenger?
Weeds Weeds Weeds! You’d assume that Back Bay’s Soling-killer weeds would be on the wane by now, but that’s not the case. The floating critters seem to be gathering like gangs around the marks, just waiting to snag any unsuspecting boats.
New Skipper of the human variety, Tom Green, got some help with his boat from Anthony Quinn and Tim Wright.
Welcome to Tom Green Tom Green has acquired a Soling and looks forward to getting her ready for competition. He brought his new purchase to sailing this week, and with help from Anthony Quinn and Tim Wright, he finally got things working, only to discover that the servo didn’t have enough rotation to get good sail movement. We located a servo for him so hopefully, the next time he comes to sail he actually can. A special thank-you to Anthony, who spent the entire afternoon helping Tom with his boat. We welcome Tom to the Back Bay Skippers and to sails on Back Bay.
October 12 Soling Regatta Thirteen skippers attended the seven-race regatta. As of late, we have not had very strong winds, but the sun has been out and the temperatures have been comfortable – and really enjoyable. Our numbers are slowly decreasing as the end of our season approaches. Many of the snowbirds already have spread their wings and headed south to practice for next year — it’s kinda like spring training.
John Barstow and Genie Ware have sailed their last regatta of the season and will be crossing the border into Massachusetts for winter activities. They will be missed, but we look forward to their return.
John Barstow and Genie Ware are shown here building one of their Solings.
Out on the Water There were enough races to allow a six-race throw-out, so Tim Wright was able to drop his disastrous second race and maintain his string of regatta victories, winning the day once again. Doing his happy dance – yes, we saw him do it — Steve Leker took the first and sixth races to grab the second spot. Actually, Steve and Tim had the exact same score, but Tim ran one more race so his average was better. Jack Minahan captured third, sailing in four of the seven races, no worse than fourth place. Plagued by weeds in two races and absolutely no wind in Race Seven, Mark Whitehead crawled to fourth. John Barstow sailed into the fifth slot.
Unofficial October 12 Soling Scores
1 Tim Wright 1.5 6 Jim Opie 4.6 2 Steve Leker 1.8 7 Al Stevens 5.0 3 Jack Minahan 3.25 8 Paul McBride 5.25 4 Mark Whitehead 4.0 9 Denis Boisvert 5.4 5 John Barstow 4.2 10 Paul Wallace 5.75 11 Genie Ware 6.0
US12 Sailing The faithful and dedicated US12 sailors were treated to a good day of sailing. The temperature was in the 70s, and the wind held out for most of the afternoon. The seven sailors completed seven races, although some dropped out of the last race when the wind finally quit. The foliage and reflections on the water added beauty to the racing, and some of our faithful fans came to watch and enjoy the regatta.
On the water, Tim Wright was tough to catch today. The race for second place went to John Simms, and third to Don Cundy. Everyone had at least one finish in the top three.
Unofficial October 14 US12 Sailing
Tim Wright 1.0 John Simms 2.3 Don Cundy 3.3 Paul McBrid 4.17 Bob Strodel 4.5 Jim Opie 4.5 Paul Wallace 5.17
We don’t expect the warmth to continue, but we do hope the wind decides to give us a little more to work with. Thanks to our scorer, B. B. Wright, for hanging in there on a slow afternoon, knowing the scores aren’t official. We hope for a few more good days of sailing before the season ends.
B.B. Wright is at the scoring table with her occasional assistants.
Paul Wallace's rescue boat came in handy when the wind finally died.
Paul Wallace 227
Our Most Loyal US12 Sailing Fans
Join the Fun!
Join the Fun The season is still going strong despite no official scoring, 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.
Sailing Around the Country The Ricks were on the road again. Back Bay Skippers were represented by Rick Gates and Rick Laird at the U.S. Vintage Model Yacht Group Nationals in Honey Brook, Pennsylvania.
Written by Mark Whitehead, Tim Wright Editing Kathleen Whitehead Photos by Paul McBride, B.B. Wright, Bruce Brown Layout & Photo Captions by Paul McBride Games by Dave Perry
Top Honors for Back Bay Skippers No awards were presented in 2020, but we certainly are pleased to name the champions for our 2021 season.
Master Class Soling 2021 Season Champion ~ Tim Wright Sailor Class Soling 2021 Season Champion ~ Steve Leker US12 Class 2021 Season Champion ~ Tim Wright
Tim Wright - 2021 Champion - US12 and Soling Master Class
Steve Leker - 2021 Champion - Soling Sailor Class
All Wrong The forecast predicted clouds, temperatures in the fifties, and three-mph winds out of the east. Well, meteorologists lied. None of that happened. Sunshine brightened every corner of Wolfeboro, temperatures hovered in the mid-sixties, and winds arrived from the north at variable speeds of five to six. Because of the north wind, it was a left-to-right start for the ten skippers who sailed on Tuesday, October 5.
Bruce Brown brought his drone instead of his Soling and gave us some aerial shots of the day’s events. Skip Koehler sailed but didn’t compete in the races due to some nagging boat issues. After missing the first three races, Jack Minahan finally solved his electrical connection problems for four of the eight races at least.
It wouldn't be a good day of sailing without a rescue or two.
Out on the Water At the end of the day, it was Steve Leker who earned top bragging rights, besting a hard-charging Anthony Quinn. But only by a mere four tenths of a point, so he can brag only a little. Third place went to Mark Whitehead, followed by Jay Burns and Genie Ware tied for fourth. John Barstow took the fifth spot by the slimmest of margins, at only three tenths of a point behind Jay and Genie.
Unofficial Soling Scores 1 – Steve Leker 5 – John Barstow 2 – Anthony Quinn 6 – Paul McBride 3 – Mark Whitehead 7 – Jack Minahan 4 – Jay Burns 4 – Genie Ware
US12 Sailing The weather was idyllic for the seven US12 sailors on Thursday, October 7. The sun was out, the breeze was strong enough to complete eleven longer courses, and the foliage was a beautiful backdrop. Each race had an additional lengthy upwind leg before finishing downwind. With sizable wind shifts and changes in velocity, it seemed there was always a chance to catch up, or fall further behind. The racing was close, with everyone in the action. It was a great afternoon of sailing.
Bob Strodel 65 and John Simms 101
On the water, Tim Wright took the day with consistent sailing. Right behind was Paul McBride, who sailed Tim’s backup boat since his own boat had electrical issues and was out for the day. John Simms, always competitive, was next, less then five hundredths behind Paul. Don Cundy ended up in fourth place overall, finishing races in second place three times. Jim Opie, who finished next, was always right in the action. Bruce Wilhelm and Bob Strodel were sixth and seventh. Both are becoming more familiar with the boats. Bruce had a number of strong races, finishing fourth three times, and Bob started the day with a third place.
Unofficial US12 Scores Tim Wright 1.3 Paul McBride 2.55 John Simms 2.6 Don Cundy 3.55 Jim Opie 4.9 Bruce Wilhelm 5.2 Bob Strodel 5.75
At this time of year, keeping score is just for fun. The real fun is challenging each other and ourselves to become better by providing a competitive environment. The level of sailing has definitely gone up this year. It is more challenging now than it was in the spring and early summer. How many more days of sailing before the season is over? Several, we hope.
Paul McBride sailed Tim's 400 boat.
At the Second Mark
Don Cundy 70
Rick Gates and Rick Laird at Marblehead
On the National Scene Rick Gates and Rick Laird of the Back Bay Skippers participated in the CR914 Class Nationals on Redd’s Pond in Marblehead this week. Congratulations to the Ricks!
The CR914 NCR was at Redd's Pond, where Ned Lakeman sailed for many years.
It's fun for all ages!
Join the Fun The season is still going strong despite no official scoring, 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. October 10 at 9 AM is the final sail of the season for Lily Pond as the skippers look forward to seeing you there next summer.
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
Sailing on Lily Pond – Sunday September 26, 2021
A Beautiful Sunday at Lily Pond
Strong Winds
Boats taking on water and other issues caused us to end sailing a little early.
The Commodore Is Right On! The Soling regatta was held on Tuesday, September 28, as originally scheduled, Commodore Whitehead insisting that despite cloud cover, there would be no rain and temperatures would hover in the mid-sixties. And just as he predicted, it all happened! Unbelievable!
Seventeen skippers launched for a nine-race regatta, and what a hoot it was. Keeping the mood light was a lot of banter and trash talk as the skippers taunted each other during the friendly competition. The wind, however, was its usual fickle self, playing hide-and-seek and surprising us with its direction — except for Tim Wright, of course. How does he do that?
Ever helpful Eric Leitner gives Anthony Quinn some sailing tips.
Rick Gates launched two boats this week, which both he and Eric Leitner sailed — very successfully we might add. They sailed a CR-914 very fast boat but not in the Soling class.
Rick Gates's Vintage 36 - Many V36 Class boats are based on 1930s free-sailing boat designs.
Paul Wallace's Rescue Boat didn't quite hook up as intended, but it had enough power to get the boat to the dock.
Out on the Water Tim Wright earned top bragging rights again this week, with four first-place finishes. Next in the honor line was Mark Whitehead, with two firsts and second place overall. Our Boston Skipper, Rick Laird, had one win and a couple of second-place finishes to hold a strong third in the regatta. Denis Boisvert also had a race win and took the fourth spot. Tying for fifth overall were Jim Opie and Anthony Quinn.
Unofficial Scores
1 – Tim Wright 2.3 8 – Jack Minahan 6.3 2 – Mark Whitehead 3.7 9 – Genie Ware 7.8 3 – Rick Laird 4.0 10 – John Barstow 7.9 4 – Denis Boisvert 4.3 11 – Al Stevens 8.0 5 – Jim Opie 4.5 12 – Tom Barstow 9.6 5 – Anthony Quinn 4.5 13 – Bruce Brown 12.0 6 – Paul McBride 4.7 14 – Paul Wallace 12.6 7 – Bob Brennan 6.2 Rick Gates and Eric Leitner CR-914 Class 2.4
Did you notice there were no class distinctions? This time of year, the fleets are mixed, and there’s no pressure to maintain a good season average. The scores are merely an average of the races that finished that day. We do have a throw-out for every six races that helps cover an “oops.”
The "Skippers Memorial" is in its new stand.
US12 Summer Series: 3rd Paul McBride, 1st Tim Wright, 2nd Don Cundy
US12 Sailing
US12 Summer Series Awards presented this week.
1st Place Tim Wright 2nd Place Don Cundy 3rd Place Paul McBride
The last day of September was dreary right up until the US12 sailing started. The temperature was in the fifties, and the overcast skies did little to improve the mood of the day. While the wind took a little time to fill in, the eight racers were able to get thirteen races in as the wind freshened. There were many spectators who enjoyed the spirited competition.
On the course, the racing was tight, and everyone had at least a finish in the top half of the fleet. Since we had more skippers than usual and the wind was a little stronger, there were more bumps and rules violations. We need to stay vigilant to keep up the integrity of the sailing.
The three sailors at the back of the fleet were separated by only .24. Paul Wallace started the day with a second and a third-place finish that propelled him into sixth place. Only .06 behind was Bob Strodel, who managed a second and two fourths. Just behind them was Bruce Wilhelm who managed one fourth and two fifths. In fifth place overall was Jim Opie who had four third-place finishes. In fourth was Paul McBride who sailed Tim Wright’s backup boat. He scored a first-place finish as well as two seconds and two thirds. In third overall, Don Cundy finished the day with two seconds and five thirds. John Simms took second with three firsts and four seconds. Tim Wright won the day with nine firsts.
US12 skippers get their boats ready for the regatta.
The racers were closer than they have been, and doing well gets harder and harder. It was not unusual to see a pack of five or six boats rounding the second mark all within a few boat lengths of each other. The camaraderie of the sailors and our scorekeeper B. B. Wright makes Thursday sailing a great deal of fun. The scoring is immaterial at this point of the season. The “official” season is over, but we still learn, gaining experience from each race and watching each other. As the season winds down, we hope we get more days like September 30th.
Bob Strodel 65 Halloween Sails
Bruce Wilhelm 267 on Port Tack
John Simms 101
Bruce Wilhelm 267 on Starboard Tack
We'll get some more sailboat kits ready for next year.
Join the Fun The season is still going strong despite no scoring, 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 in Gilford Sunday mornings at 9:00, weather permitting! There will be no sailing on Lily Pond October 3, and October 10 will be the last Lily Pond regatta of the season.
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
Sailing on Lily Pond – Season Review
Bill Hagerup's DF95
US12s: Wright, Hagerup, McBride
Jim Opie's US12
Great Blue Heron
Bill Hagerup's Santa Barbara
Tim Wright's Santa Barbara and Skip Koehler's Soling
Jerry Leach's Marblehead
Bill Hagerup's Footy
Summer Series Ends Each season, the Soling and US12 fleets have two eight-week series of regattas testing the skills of our skippers. The summer series ended recently, running from July 27 to September 16, and the Soling awards were presented this week to the following:
Soling Sailor Class
First Place Steve Leker Second Place Paul McBride Third Place Joel Nelson
Soling Master Class
First Place Tim Wright Second Place Don Cundy Third Place Dan Masessa
Sailor Class 1st Place: Steve Leker
2nd Place: Paul McBride
3rd Place: Joel Nelson
Master Class 1st Place: Tim Wright
2nd Place: Don Cundy
3rd Place: Dan Masessa
It Makes Us Dizzy Wind coming off the shore, wind blowing in from the west, wind arriving from the south, wind gusting from the north, no wind in spots, sometimes all at once — and it changed on a regular basis. That was sailing on Back Bay September 21 for our first unofficially scored Soling regatta of the fall. It’s no wonder most of us have gray hair – or none at all!
Tim Wright and Eric Leitner presented a class on “starts.” Or tried to. They were having a hard time positioning themselves properly to demonstrate the right of way for windward and leeward boats, an important rule for getting a good start. From there, the duo continued their lesson with “line stall.” In this maneuver, the skipper allows his boat to sit close to the starting line then immediately hauls in the sails and accelerates at the sound of the bell.
We are eager to learn.
Rick and Rick — Rick Gates and Rick Laird, that is — brought Marblehead Class boats to the bay so we let them to go out first with a thirty-second head start. Most of the time, we didn’t catch them, but we tried.
The Marblehead 50/800 Class is a development class with a hull length of 50 inches and a sail area of up to 800 sq. inches.
Rick Laird's Marblehead, Madcap Design
Rick Gates's Marblehead was originally Free Sailing. He converted it to Radio Control and refurbished it at the Wooden Boat School.
Karen Enos and B.B. Wright at the scoring table.
With the difficult winds and only thirteen skippers plus the two Marbleheads, we went all in and successfully – or should we say miraculously? – completed seven races. Scoring was a straight average with no weed calls, excused races, DNSs, or DNFs. If you finished, you scored. However, we did allow the usual six-race throw-out.
Unofficial Fall Scores 1- Tim Wright 1.0 7- Genie Ware 6.8 2- Denis Boisvert 3.0 8- Bruce brown 7.2 3- Mark Whitehead 3.5 9- Anthony Quinn 7.3 4- Jack Minahan 5.0 10- John Barstow 8.0 4- Ken Gerber 5.0 11- Al Stevens 8.6 5- Tom Barstow 5.2 12- Skip Koehler 10.5 6- Paul McBride 5.8
Out on the Water We should mention right up front, there were only three skippers from the Master Class. Naturally, it was Tim Wright who led the way with an almost perfect day until he tangled with one of the Marbleheads in the last race. Denis Boisvert pulled off a win in that last race and was able to throw out his fifth-place finish, putting him in second place for the regatta. In third it was Mark Whitehead with good scores until a little tangling set him back in Race 6 and Race 7. In the overall fourth spot, out of the Sailor Class, it was a tie between Jack Minahan and Ken Gerber. Rounding out the top five was Tom Barstow just two tenths behind Jack and Ken.
The US12s head toward the first Mark.
US12 Sailing On September 23, the US12 fleet gathered to sail in its first nonscored regatta of the season. The five sailors managed to complete twelve races. There were clouds plus a strong wind coming off the shore. We were treated to an eagle sighting, one which included landings in trees across Back Bay with short flights in between the landings. It should come as no surprise that the wind was shifting all over the place. It dropped to nothing as well.
The short legs back toward the shore were tricky all afternoon. Tim Wright led the way, finding air when others didn’t. The lack of “official” scoring didn’t dampen the competitiveness of the skippers. The middle three were separated by one half of a point. Paul McBride finished in second with John Simms and Don Cundy right behind. Bob Strodel came in last. He is up against four seasoned sailors while learning, but Bob is definitely making progress. He came in second in one race! This is a wonderful time of the year to be sailing, and we look forward to next week at Back Bay.
The five US12 skippers are lined up near the second mark.
US12s set off toward the first mark.
Bob Strodel 65 glides across the finish line.
The US12s are getting ready for the next start.
Don Cundy 70
Tim Wright 438
John Simms 101
Join the Fun!
Join the Fun The season is still going strong despite no scoring, 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 in Gilford Sunday mornings at 9:00, weather permitting!
Upcoming events:
October 30, 2021 MinuteMan Footy Regatta, Nor’easter Footy Series Race 5, Rosemary Lake, Needham MA
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
Sunday Morning on Lily Pond
Bill Hagerup checks out his Santa Barbara, recently rescued from the far shore by Tim Wright.
Strong winds and many rescues brought an early end to this glorious day of sailing on Lily Pond.
Two Santa Barbaras, a US12, and a Soling set sail on Lily Pond.
The strong steady wind on Sunday was in sharp contrast with a couple weeks ago, when there was no wind, and not even a ripple on Lily Pond.
Hard Work Recognized Over this summer, Karen Enos stepped in to take on the difficult task of keeping skippers in line and recording scores for each Soling regatta. We felt it was time she was presented with her official scorekeeper hat, a hearty thank-you, and a round of applause.
We certainly don’t want to forget our official scoring trainer and US12 scorekeeper. For years B. B. Wright has dedicated herself to the Back Bay Skippers in many ways. We can’t say thank you enough to both of these dedicated volunteers.
A Finicky Wind First the good news for this week — not one weed call! The bad news centered around those pesky Back Bay head-scratching winds. For the September 14 Soling regatta it was interesting – puzzling might be a better word — to see a mast pennant fluttering one way and the boat sailing another, or the pennant indicating a passing wind and the boat at a standstill! Go figure. Still, it was a wonderful day out on the water — especially for Paul McBride, who had his most consistent day yet with a solid Sailor Class regatta win.
Sailors check their boats at the dock, while the RC Rescue Boat stands by at the ready.
The Rescue John Boat almost needed a rescue, when they lost an oar.
The day’s sunshine brought an enthusiastic group of spectators as well as twenty-one skippers who launched for the eight-race regatta. Thirteen skippers represented the Sailor Class, and the Master Class counted eight, all filling the bay with brightly colored boats.
The Soling Sailor Class approached the line for a close finish.
Out on the Water The Sailor Class regatta winner, Paul McBride, was followed closely at only seven tenths behind by Steve Leker, posting one second place and four thirds. Always in the thick of things, Joel Nelson had one first-place finish and a couple of second-place races for his third place in the regatta. Sadly, Al Stevens was sailing along in fine style with four wins until the pressure got to his controller and dropped him to fourth place. Anthony Quinn, the “Italian Stallion” beat off the rest of the competition for fifth place.
Al Stevens 978
The Soling Master Class heads toward the first Mark.
Not much changed at the head of the Master Class with Tim Wright taking the win, but Rick Laird was successful enough at reading the shifting winds for second place. That definitely was worth a trip up from Boston! Don Cundy didn’t post any wins this week, but he was consistent with a line of thirds and fourths plus one second to place third overall. The old commodore, Mark Whitehead, who seems to own sixth place, climbed to the dizzying heights of fourth. Denis Boisvert captured fifth by finishing second in a couple of races.
The US12s On September 16, the US12 fleet had seven boats ready for an afternoon of sailing with wind to move us around the course. We did indeed have wind. It was generally coming off the land over our right shoulders. However, it varied considerably in velocity and strength. The wind shifts came and stayed, just until you thought you could depend on them. Then they shifted again. It was tough going and hard to be consistent. Still, we completed twelve races with quick turnarounds and eager sailors.
The US12s are off to a good start.
Tim Wright 438 leads the pack, with John Simms 101, Kurt Clason 86, and Robert Strodel 65 not too far behind.
We welcomed back Bob Strodel, who just finished up a busy camp season, and Kurt Clason, who has had (and still has) a very busy construction season. Since they caught the rest of us after a season of racing, they brought up the rear today. However, you could see the awareness growing in both of them as they recalled their sailing from much earlier regattas. Watch for them in the future.
In fifth place was Bob Brennan, who came in first once and third once. Bob was testing out repairs on a leaky boat, and it seemed to be dry(ish) so his day was a success. In fourth was Don Cundy, who came in first once and third twice. Third place went to Paul McBride, with three second-place finishes and five thirds. In second place, John Simms had six second-place finishes and three thirds. In first, Tim Wright had ten firsts and threw out two seconds. There was a rumor circulating that Tim’s sails were somehow made with spider webs and butterfly wings because they moved his boat with just a breath of air. It was just a rumor and there has been nothing to confirm it. Tim didn’t say anything. Interesting?!?
Next week we have unscored races, and we welcome sailors who want to bring Solings or any other boat. We like to sail, race, and obey rule #1: Have fun! We hope you join us next week.
Shots from Friday and Saturday’s Vintage Race Boat Regatta on Wolfeboro Bay – Photo Album – Video
Don Cundy and Mark Whitehead were Starters waving the Red and Green flags to control boats entering the course.
The first Wolfeboro Vintage Race Boat Regatta sponsored by the New Hampshire Boat Museum was held on Wolfeboro Bay in 2000.
The Regatta is held every other year. The two day event is on the American Power Boat Association Vintage Circuit.
The larger boats are launched by a large crane in the parking lot Hot Pit Area.
The Large Hydros racing around the course can be heard from miles away.
Many Back Bay Skippers help with crowd control on the docks, entrances to the Hot Pits and parking area, and the launch area for the smaller boats.
Tim Wright is always happy to get tuning and sailing tips from young sailors.
Join the Fun The season is still going strong despite no scoring, 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 in Gilford Sunday mornings at 9:00, weather permitting!
Upcoming events:
October 30, 2021 MinuteMan Footy Regatta, Nor’easter Footy Series Race 5, Rosemary Lake, Needham MA
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
Just the Best As we approach fall, we always anticipate some of the best sailing days of the season. The first Tuesday in September regatta did not disappoint. There was sunshine, cool temperatures, and a good breeze for the next-to-last official Soling regatta. Where did the summer go? It seems like we just got started. There’s only one more week of scored regattas, but a lot more sailing glides ahead — the water hasn’t started to harden yet! After September 16, we all can sort of relax because there’s no pressure to improve the season score — just “fun” sailing.
The September 7 regatta brought out twenty-four skippers with ten in the Master Class and fourteen in the Sailor Class. Ten races were completed.
An interesting statistic proclaims that out of the fourteen skippers in the Sailor Class who have raced this season, only one has not achieved the required fifty-percent regatta participation to be eligible for the season awards.
Master Class Solings start a race.
Genie Ware received a photo certificate in honor of her first win.
In response to last week’s performances, Genie Ware and Ken Gerber were presented with their “First Win” awards for outstanding sailing.
Ken Gerber receives his first win certificate.
Tim Wright moves some buoys and gathers some weeds.
Tim Wright reviews some rules before the start of the regatta.
Tom Barstow 638 was today's Sailor Class winner.
Out on the Water Tom Barstow took a gigantic leap to the top of the podium this week in the Sailor Class. Posting three wins and three seconds, he achieved winner of the day in his class. Our season leader, Steve Leker, was only two tenths behind, posting five wins and a second — a few high-scoring races made the difference.
Another strong showing from Ken Gerber earned him third place as he posted one win. Just six tenths behind in fourth place was Paul McBride with one win and three seconds. Joel Nelson sailed consistently enough to complete the top five.
Bruce Brown 55, Paul McBride 23, Al Stevens 978
Steve Leker 2112, Paul McBride 23, Ken Gerber 14, John Barstow 72, Joel Nelson 554 round the last mark.
Tim Wright was definitely challenged by his classmates, but he did manage a win in the Masters, taking first in five races. Just .56 points behind Tim, Don Cundy was in the groove, grabbing second in the regatta with three race wins. Always the competitor, Howard Germon pulled off two race wins to take the third spot. Battling right down to the wire, Dan Masessa placed fourth over Denis Boisvert by just .27 points. Not scored because they shared Al Posnack’s #111, Al and Eric Leitner were certainly in the thick of things taking one win each.
Joel Nelson 554 adjusts his sail.
Skip Koehler 2416 and Clint Wolcott 38 battle it out at the finish.
Dodging the Raindrops On Thursday, September 9, the weather forecast was looking bad for US12 sailing. There was more than a 50 percent chance of rain and the prospect of little wind. Still, Tim Wright and Paul Wallace showed up early to see what might be possible. Don Cundy also arrived a little before 1:00 pm. They decided to put the boats in the water and sail short, informal races. John Simms came to see what was going on, and brought his boat. Anthony Quinn just came to see what was going on. Four sailors battled the lack of wind, the varied precipitation, and general gloom. It wasn’t the dream conditions we hoped for, but it was nice to have some fun sailing on a rainy day. Let’s hope next week is better for the group on the season’s last day of scored racing.
US12s sail on a much nicer day.
Join the fun!
Join the Fun The season is still going strong, 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 in Gilford Sunday mornings at 9:00, weather permitting!
