News Archives - NH Boat Museum

Model Yachting News • Week Ending September 19, 2020

Posted on September 21, 2020September 21, 2020 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

Videos and Photos

Back Bay Skippers Video (WMUR NH Chronicles)
Back Bay Skippers YouTube Channel
Latest Videos: Solings, US12s, Lily Pond
Latest Photos: Solings, US12s, Lily Pond
Photo Gallery

Previous Highlights

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.

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.

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.

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.

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 Coming Soon

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

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.

Links: American Model Yachting Association, MinuteMan Model Yacht Club, Nashua Model Yacht Club, Marblehead Model Yacht Club, Sarasota Model Yacht Club, Space Coast Model Sailing Club, Sun Coast Model Sailing Club, Stowe Yacht Club

Model Yachting News • Week Ending September 12, 2020

Posted on September 12, 2020September 12, 2020 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.

Videos and Photos

Back Bay Skippers Video (WMUR NH Chronicles)
Back Bay Skippers YouTube Channel
Latest Videos: Solings, US12s, Lily Pond
Latest Photos: Solings, US12s, Lily Pond
Photo Gallery

Previous Highlights

Score Sheets

US12, Soling Masters, Soling Sailors

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.

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.

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!

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.

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!

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.

Model Yachting News • Week Ending September 5, 2020

Posted on September 6, 2020September 6, 2020 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!

Videos and Photos

Back Bay Skippers Video (WMUR NH Chronicles)
Back Bay Skippers YouTube Channel
Latest Videos: Solings, US12s, Lily Pond
Latest Photos: Solings, US12s, Lily Pond
Photo Gallery

Previous Highlights

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.

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.

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.

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.

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 August 29, 2020August 30, 2020 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

Videos and Photos

Back Bay Skippers Video (WMUR NH Chronicles)
Back Bay Skippers YouTube Channel
Latest Videos: Solings, US12s, Lily Pond
Latest Photos: Solings, US12s, Lily Pond
Photo Gallery

Previous Highlights

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.

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!

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!

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.

Join Us if You Like

Model Yachting News • Week Ending August 22, 2020

Posted on August 21, 2020August 22, 2020 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.

Videos and Photos

Back Bay Skippers Video (WMUR NH Chronicles)
Back Bay Skippers YouTube Channel
Latest Videos: Solings, US12s, Lily Pond
Latest Photos: Solings, US12s, Lily Pond
Photo Gallery

Previous Highlights

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.

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!

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

Model Yachting News • Week Ending August 15, 2020

Posted on August 15, 2020August 15, 2020 by Paul McBride

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

Lily Pond Sailing
Regattas on Lily Pond continue to be a wonderful chance to get together to sail. The weather gave us more heat, a little wind, and some good racing. Because the wind shifted directions over the course of the morning we sailed a couple of different courses.

Videos and Photos

Back Bay Skippers Video (WMUR NH Chronicles)
Back Bay Skippers YouTube Channel
Latest Videos: Solings, US12s, Lily Pond
Latest Photos: Solings, US12s, Lily Pond
Photo Gallery

Previous Highlights

Score Sheets

US12, Soling Masters, Soling Sailors

As an added bonus, we had a few visitors. Former sailor Ed Kaers stopped by with a friend who flies remote-control planes. It was good to see him, and they stayed around for a while to watch some of the racing. Rick Parent swung by on his motorcycle (with no boat) and sailed a few races, but the most surprising guest was an egret that walked the shore right in front of us, even flying over the dock to get to the other side while sailors were right next to him. We offered it a chance to sail, but it never responded.

As usual, the racing was relaxed, with the sailors enjoying the time together. The season is moving along, and sailing has been a great way to get together to share a common interest while social distancing.

We gather at Lily Pond in Gilford on Sundays at 9:00 a.m. weather permitting, and sail until noon. All are welcome.

HOT ! HOT ! HOT !
The August 11 Soling regatta was on one of the hottest days of the summer — and one of the busiest, with eighteen skippers in attendance. The wind didn’t blow your socks off, but it did remain reasonably consistant for our nine-race competition. The plan was to list all the skippers, but we will just show the pictures instead.

Joining us for the first time was Malcolm Stone from Holderness, and Steve Leker had his boat ready for action as well. Rick Gates couldn’t stand absenteeism any longer and made the trek up from Nashua to join us. Our boat building wizard Bill Quayle tried his hand this week with Al Stevens’ 978. The commodore cooked a servo right from the get-go, so he sailed B.B. Wright’s 285 for five races, even though it’s purple! Don Cundy was having similar problems, utilizing the 285 for the first four races.

Out on the Water
There were four different skippers who took firsts, six who took second, and six who took third. This shows the diversity of skill in our fleet, along with the eight skippers who tied for other positions.

Tim Wright won bragging rights this week with our Thomaston, Maine skipper Rick Lalley on his tail — or should I say “stern”? Don Cundy pulled third place, with Don McBride in fourth and Rick Gates in fifth.

Paul Wallace broke into the top ten this week with a second place in race six. Certainly bragging rights for the Barstow fleet go to Genie Ware, also in the top ten and ahead of husband, John Barstow, and brother in law, Tom Barstow. Malcolm Stone placed eighth overall in his first time out. Good job, Malcolm!

Fair Winds to Mac MacDonald
Mac had not made it to sailing lately so sailing went to Mac. Mac MacDonald, class of 2013, was presented with a remembrance plaque on August 13 at his home. Mac and Suzanne have sold their house and are headed for the coronavirus capital of the world — sunny Florida — to live in their motorhome while taking time to find the right purchase. Needless to say, the two have been extremely busy with packing and replacing their septic system, leaving little time for skimming Back Bay’s water. We do hope he can sail one more time before he heads south so we all can give him and Suzanne a rousing Back Bay Skipper send-off.

Strong US12 Showing
The US12 fleet had its best turnout of the season on Thursday, August 13th. There were nine boats sailing for most of the afternoon. While the wind wasn’t ideal, it did enable us to race eleven races, and there were some memorable moments.

There was a John Simms sighting! He showed up to sail and was promptly given his US12 award for second place for the 2018 Summer Series. That tells you how long it’s been since we’ve seen John. Once on the course, he started off with a win, putting his returning ‘beginners luck’ to good use.

We also had a visitor from New Jersey show up before the racing began. Eric Leitner was given a chance to try out a US12. Eric sails RC Lasers near NYC and had only a small learning curve for the US12. He tried one race, then another. When he finished after a full afternoon of races, Eric had won a couple and was competitive in all of them. In the last eight races, his worst finish was third place.

Bob Brennan also returned to the fleet after a little time away, and won a race. It was good to have him back. Anthony Quinn stopped by for the second week in a row and was talked into racing. He showed great form with a third-place finish. It’s always nice to see Anthony at Back Bay, and it’s especially good to see him at the helm once again. Anthony, Bill Quayle, and Mark Whitehead are responsible for helping to build many of the Solings in our fleet.

The US12 regulars, Paul Wallace, Paul McBride and brother Don, Don Cundy, Kurt Clason, Tim Wright, and Jim Opie all had good showings. It is good to be building such a steady group of regulars for the US12 fleet.

The camaraderie is what makes the group special.

Join us on Thursday at 1:00 p.m., weather permitting, on the walking path at Back Bay.

Join Us if You Like

Model Yachting News • Week Ending August 8, 2020

Posted on August 7, 2020August 8, 2020 by Paul McBride

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

The Big Guy Comes Out to Play
Sunday, August 2, was a very nice and relaxing day of sailing. There were two Solings, four US12s, and one J boat. Many volunteers made it possible for Tim Wright to launch his 70-pound J boat, Weetamoe, for only the second time. Remarkably, it did very well considering the insides and rigging were still the same as when Ned Lakeman built it many years ago. The sails are pulled in with an electric window mechanism from a car and a motorcycle battery. It is an ingenious and cost-effective solution to trimming the sails.

Videos and Photos

Back Bay Skippers Video (WMUR NH Chronicles)
Back Bay Skippers YouTube Channel
Latest Videos: Solings, US12s, Lily Pond
Latest Photos: Solings, US12s, Lily Pond
Photo Gallery

Previous Highlights

Score Sheets

US12, Soling Masters, Soling Sailors

Setting Up the J Boat — All 70 lbs of It

When we arrived at 9:00 a.m., there was no wind. It took a while for the wind to build, but it finally settled into a nice breeze for the boats. With a variety of courses, the boats were able to sail competitively against each other. Bill Hagerup, Jim Opie, and Paul McBride all sailed US12s, and Skip Koehler and Al Stevens sailed Solings. When Tim was finished with Weetamoe he switched to his US12. B.B. Wright, Ellen Koehler, and Don Opie were spectators for the sailing, which also attracted some attention from passing cars.

Just a good day of sailing on Lily Pond.

Isaias Gave Us Only a One-Day Delay
The air was clear, the humidity had dropped, and the wind was steady all afternoon for the August 5 Soling regatta. Only twelve skippers came to sail and one didn’t have his boat ready yet, but that issue was solved by a team effort. With the good steady wind, we completed twelve races to match our skipper count.

We really have missed Rick Lalley this year, but he made the three-hour drive down from Thomaston, Maine to join us for this week’s regatta. It was good to see him.

Steve Leker had just picked up his boat last weekend and didn’t quite have it ready to go, so he teamed with Al Stevens and shared Al’s 978 Maryland Menace, the two taking turns. Fifty percent of the fleet competed in all twelve races, giving them a good workout for the day.

Top contenders Tim Wright, Rick Lalley, Denis Boisvert, and Mark Whitehead were eager to get in the best starts, only to get called on several occasions for the over-early infraction by our eagle-eyed scorekeeper Ellen Koehler. All were generous with their grumbles but returned to the line for their restart, still managing some good results.

Bill Quayle has been supervising the regattas for the last couple of weeks to make sure everything is being done according to Hoyle. It’s been good to have his company.

Out on the Water
Tim Wright and Rick Lalley seemed to share the first-place race slots; however, they did allow Commodore Mark Whitehead to win in race 10. Actually, he punched a good start and held the lead for the entire race.

When the wakes flattened and the scores were tallied, it was Tim Wright who took the day, followed closely by Rick Lalley in second and Denis Boisvert in third. Mark Whitehead was pleased with a fourth, and Don McBride finished in fifth. Paul McBride, Bruce Brown, Al Stevens, Steve Leker, Jack Minahan, Skip Koehler, and Paul Wallace all showed spurts of skill but couldn’t hold consistency.

Tim Wright Reports on the US12 Fleet
On August 6, the US12 fleet was treated to the best sailing day of the summer. We had relatively steady winds from 5-10 knots, much as Mark predicted in his email. We know this because Paul Wallace brought an anemometer that helped us put a figure to the wind. Since the wind was strong throughout, we were able to sail sixteen races in two hours! Humidity was low and spirits were high.

Sailing today were Paul and Don McBride, Paul Wallace, Kurt Clason, Jim Opie, Don Cundy, and Tim Wright. The racing was close with many good starts and exciting finishes. B.B., as always, was in the chair, keeping us honest and calling starts with a clear voice.

As always, rule #1 was in full effect. For those new to the program, rule #1 says we are there to have fun. Remember to always have fun at sailing. When I was in kindergarten, there was one rule for the playground — you can’t spoil anyone else’s fun. It’s still a good rule to live by.

The other thing to keep in mind is the Corinthian Spirit, which basically asks sailors to have the integrity to call fouls on themselves even if no one else sees them. If you hit one of the start or finish buoys, you need to go around again. If you foul someone, do a 360° and keep going. Don’t forget that the actions you take that are your fault and impact others should then get you to do what is needed to rectify the situation.

Nonetheless, it was a fabulous day of sailing and one which we hope to match as the season continues. Thanks to all who participated and to the many observers, including our own Don Opie. Another blast from our recent past was Anthony Quinn, who came to see the sailors at the end of the session. It was good to see him, and we look forward to the time when we can all come together without worrying about the pandemic.

Connor and Keegan Rodday joined the fun and took home a sailboat kit to share. They will have a great time sailing their own boat.

Model Yachting News • Week Ending August 1, 2020

Posted on August 1, 2020August 7, 2020 by Paul McBride

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

Lily Pond Sailing
Five “what you brungs” showed up Sunday, July 26, for another fun morning on Lily Pond as can be seen in the photos.

Videos and Photos

Back Bay Skippers Video (WMUR NH Chronicles)
Back Bay Skippers YouTube Channel
Latest Videos: Solings, US12s, Lily Pond
Latest Photos: Solings, US12s, Lily Pond
Photo Gallery

Previous Highlights

Score Sheets

US12, Soling Masters, Soling Sailors

Back Bay Spectacular
July 28 produced another great day on the shores of Back Bay, sixteen skippers and their Solings heading for the start line in their assigned heats. We didn’t quite reach the twelve races we completed last week, but we were close at eleven. Competition was always tight, and this week there were five different skippers who had first-place finishes and seven who captured second.

The cloud cover kept temperatures at a reasonable level, and the winds held for most of the afternoon.

All in the Family
After participating in the 2020 building class, Tom and John Barstow and Genie Ware took to Back Bay for some competitive sailing. (And I think they really had a good time.) Tom even squeaked in a top-ten overall regatta finish. It takes time to learn the skills but everyone pitches in to help — one of the great things about our group.

Tom Barstow with Genie Ware Giving Chase

Out on the Water
This week’s top contenders were Tim Wright and Howard Germon, only 1.2 points separating the two. Dan Masessa was right in there again this week with a third place, followed by Don Cundy then Don McBride. In several races, Denis Boisvert, Diane LaBella, Jay Burns, Mark Whitehead, Tom Barstow, and Bruce Brown sailed near the front and showed some sailing prowess.

US12 Sailing
The sailing on the last Thursday of July was spirited and enjoyable. There were seven US12s, with a couple of Solings sailed by the Reyes brothers. With the wind showing its fickle side, we struggled with too little wind and occasional good breezes.

All of the sailors had their strong moments due to the variable winds. Many of the finishes were close, and places changed at the last minute. The level of competition was high for all of us.

US12s in Action

B.B. Wright was in the chair, keeping the score and keeping us honest at the start. Don Cundy was everywhere today, sailing, taking pictures, and repairing the canvas cover to the crash boat. Always ready to compete, Don tried his hand at the helm of a couple of different boats and did very well.

We also had a family of three former catamaran live-aboards come by and watch, take pictures, and try sailing. Ed, the father, used #400 and improved over the afternoon with a respectable fourth-place finish near the end of sailing. His wife watched intently while their son took pictures with an incredible telephoto lens.

It was a nice time and a wonderful day on the shores of Back Bay. Definitely one of the good ones!

Model Yachting News • Week Ending July 25, 2020

Posted on July 24, 2020August 1, 2020 by Paul McBride

Written by Mark Whitehead
Editing Kathleen Whitehead
Layout Paul McBride

Lily Pond Sailing
July 19 was a spectacular sailing day at Lily Pond in Gilford — sunshine and a good breeze. Six skippers launched for the morning’s relaxing regatta. That’s the way it is at Lily Pond — no pressure and a great sailing venue.

Videos and Photos

Previous Highlights

Score Sheets

US12, Soling Masters, Soling Sailors

Oh, What a Day!
July 21 was just one of those perfect days for a Soling regatta with sunshine, a good wind, and great fun. We don’t normally complete a dozen races, but we did on Tuesday using our ten-boat limit per race. Tim Wright’s system of alternating skippers has worked great on our days with more than ten skippers — this week, the fleet counted sixteen participants.

It’s gratifying to see the skippers gain skills weekly. Skip Koehler had a fourth-place finish with the loaner boat in the first race. Great job, Skip! Bob Brennan clocked a second in race six, and Paul Wallace did the same in race eleven. Hats off to you both!

All but one of those enrolled in the 2020 building class made an appearance to check on our activities. Tom and John Barstow tried their hand at the helm, but Genie Ware and Andre Jay wanted to practice a little before they ventured out on Back Bay.

Bragging Rights
We can’t say enough about the skills of our champion, Tim Wright, leading the fleet with eight firsts. Dan Masessa sailed to second place in the regatta with four races until he had mechanical issues that knocked him out for the rest of the day. Don McBride pulled off a strong third place, our Mainer Howard Germon took the fourth slot, and Mark Whitehead held on tight for fifth.

A Rare Treat, a Santa Barbara and Marblehead in Action

A Sad Day for the US12s
With the predicted threat of severe thunderstorms in the afternoon, it was decided that US12 sailing on July23 should be canceled. We’ll try again next week.

Links: American Model Yachting Association, MinuteMan Model Yacht Club, Nashua Model Yacht Club, Marblehead Model Yacht Club, Sarasota Model Yacht Club, Space Coast Model Sailing Club

Model Yachting News • July 18, 2020

Posted on July 18, 2020July 19, 2020 by Paul McBride

Written by Tim & BB Wright
Mark Whitehead
Editing Kathleen Whitehead
Layout Paul McBride

Sunday Sailing on Lily Pond
A blustery day on the little pond. It kept everyone on their toes, including Bill Hagerup when he dropped his rudder.

Videos and Photos

Previous Highlights

Score Sheets

US12, Soling Masters, Soling Sailors

Rick Parent Outreach
Well over a year ago, Rick Parent initiated a program that honored first responders as its main objective. Secondly, it was created to reach out to the community with the New Hampshire Boat Museum: Back Bay Skippers Model Yachting group.

In last year’s model yacht building class, Chris Proctor and Cameron Roderick each built a Soling for Rick’s endeavor. Over the last few months, Bob West added a professional touch with a paint job, Jerome Holden and Jeannette D’Onofrio from JC Signs produced the hull and sail graphics, and Windjammin from Ohio made the sails.

Saturday, July 11, in between downpours, the presentation-christening of the two Solings was held at the Municipal Building in Wolfeboro with Police Chief Dean Rondeau and his staff and Fire Chief Norman Skantze and his staff in attendance. Those who took part in the project also were in attendance.

Police and Fire in the Water

Solings Out on the Water
The July 15 rain date brought out a little lighter fleet than usual with nine skippers sailing, so it was no problem with social distancing. The fleet managed nine hard-fought races with some of the old guard coming out to play. It was pleasing to see Ed Johnson at the startline again, even if it was only for a couple of races.

Because Skip Koehler had destroyed his deck last week he took over the 2300 loaner boat for the day.

It was Dan Masessa that came to the regatta loaded for bear, taking five of the nine first places and bragging rights for the day. Diane LaBella followed with a strong second place, and Don McBride just two tenths behind in third. Jay Burns showed some prowess taking fourth, and there was a tie for fifth between Paul McBride and Jack Minahan. In actuality, all the skippers, including Paul Wallace, Ed Johnson, and Skip Koehler sailed well. Longtime skipper Tim Brand stopped by, but I think he forgot to bring his boat.

US12s on July 9

Thursday US12 Sailing
The US12 sailing on July 16 will be remembered for its cool temperature (compared to previous days), good wind, close sailing, and twelve races. There were nine sailors in all, with six US12s and two Solings.

Hunter and Evan Reyes brought Solings that they used to continue improvement of their sailing abilities, and many of the same cast of characters sailed their US12s.

Don McBride continued his strong sailing and had a first and a second place. Paul McBride’s boat had intermittent steering issues. Before his boat’s issues, Paul finished second in the first race, portending a good day. However, he sat out a number of races trying to figure out what was going on with the reluctant servo while getting input from other sailors.

Paul Wallace was there sailing his boat, having some success in a few races. Kurt Clason continued his learning process with some very good finishes. He came in second in three races and third in three more.

Diane LaBella sailed Tim Wright’s green US12 then shared it with Don Cundy. They both did well, raising the level of competition. Diane had a number of second-place finishes, and Don also was right at the top of the fleet.

When he wasn’t racing, Don Cundy ran the crash boat, retrieving wayward boats from the bay and taking pictures from the water. He was helpful, as always. Tim, sailing his tan boat, finished first in many races.

In all, it was a very nice day sailing on Back Bay, with everyone enjoying the moderate temperature, the good winds, and friendly sailors coming together once again.

Building Class of 2020
Working their fingers to the bone all week under Commodore Whitehead’s cracking whip and outstanding assistance from Al Stevens and Bob Brennan, the 2020 building class of Andres Jay, Genie Ware, John and Tom Barstow, Bruce Wilhelm, and Al Stevens produced handsome additions to our fleets — five Solings and one US12.

A special thank-you to Al Stevens for giving up much of his building time and parts from his boat to help Andres during this workshop.

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.

Links: American Model Yachting Association, MinuteMan Model Yacht Club, Nashua Model Yacht Club, Marblehead Model Yacht Club