Written by Mark Whitehead, Tim Wright
Proofreading & Editing by Kathleen Whitehead
Photos by Paul McBride, B.B. Wright, Mark Whitehead, Tim Wright
Captions and Layout by Paul McBride
Games by Dave Perry
e-mail: backbayskippers@gmail.com
Spectacular!
There’s no other way to describe the 2026 Sasquatch Footy Regatta. On August 15 it was held under blue sky with sunshine and a breeze that was exactly what was predicted and needed — six to seven mph. Participating were three skippers from the Minuteman Model Yacht Club, one from the Nashua club, and five Back Bay Skippers.
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It was a close race for the top four, and there was a tie for second that had to be broken by the number of first-place finishes. Joggers, bikers, and hikers passed by in a steady parade, many stopping to enjoy the friendly competition. The fleet managed to complete its twelve races by 2:00 PM, giving skippers from the Boston area a reasonable start on their long ride home. Reigning supreme was Steve Leker of the Back Bay Skippers who was given the top award and allowed to display the perpetual award until next year. Below is a list of participants and their rankings.
We do want to recognize and certainly thank our scorekeepers, B. B. Wright and Karen Enos, and statistician, Kathleen Whitehead.
Doug Griggs 12, Steve Leker 41
Scores
Place Name Sail # Club
1 Steve Leker #41 Back Bay Skippers
2 Cliff Martin #240 Minuteman MYC
3 Tim Wright #58 Back Bay Skippers
4 Doug Griggs #12 Back Bay Skippers
5 Rick Gates #355 Nashua MYC
6 Jack Burglund #65 Minuteman MYC
7 Steve Doherty #456 Minuteman MYC
8 Paul McBride #17 Back Bay Skippers
9 Jim Opie #130 Back Bay Skippers
Spectators
The Solings
Our fearless leader, Mark Whitehead, had to miss the August 11th Soling regatta for health reasons. He asked Tim Wright to run the show, hoping for good weather, low humidity, and good winds. Mark’s hopes all came through, with the wind over-delivering. The wind was overpowering at times and caused many boats to have problems. From electrical and rigging issues to hatch covers coming off and even a sinking, there was a great deal of attrition. Of the fifteen boats that started the day only eight were sailing at day’s end, and only six sailed in every race. Our scorekeepers, Karen Enos and B. B. Wright, kept the regatta moving, and skippers were able to complete twelve races. It was a great day for sailing if your boat survived the strong gusts that blew through frequently.
In the Sailor Class, there was a close battle for first place. After two throw-out races, Bruce Wilhelm had six firsts and four seconds, his final score at 1.40. Right behind Bruce was Austin Parent, who sat out three races getting his main sheet fixed. With only one throw-out, he had four wins, two seconds, and a third-place finish. His final score was 1.50 for second place overall. Charlie Lincoln’s hatch cover blew off his boat. He finished that race but sank on the way to the dock. Charlie was having a good day with a third as well as a second that came with a boat full of water! His finishes in only two races tallied a score of 2.50 for third. In fourth was Genie Ware, with a 2.60 average, thanks to a first-place finish, four seconds, and three thirds. John Barstow completed the top five with a 3.78.
In the Master Class, Ted Monetta started strongly with two wins, and the rest of his scored races after two throw-outs were seconds. His average was 1.80. Jeff Witzel, on the other hand, started slowly with two fifths, followed by a sixth two races later. However, their fortunes changed. Ted didn’t win another race, although seconds aren’t bad. Jeff went on to win seven of the last eight races to also finish with a 1.80 average. The two tied for first place overall. Tim Wright only managed one race before he lost his hatch cover. It sank and he was out for the day, except for three boat rescues and many repairs on other Solings.
In fourth place, Denis Boisvert had a strong showing with a win and two seconds. He earned an average score of 2.90. Right behind in fifth was Al Posnack. His 3.00 average came with one win and one second-place finish. Doug Griggs should be mentioned since he sailed in every race, getting a win in Race 3. His average was 3.90.
by Jeff Witzel in the dinghy.
To the sailors who made it to every finish line, congratulations! It was quite a blow, testing the boats and the skippers. To the scorekeepers, thank you, and to Mark, we hope you’re feeling better. To Wes Matchett, our online statistician who dropped in to visit after his exciting travel adventures, we say, “Welcome home and hope we see you on the water soon!”
The US12s in Action August 13
If the Tuesday races diminished the fleet due to strong winds, the Thursday winds did even more damage. Of the thirteen boats that started the afternoon, only five completed the last race. Lots of water entered the bilges, especially on Bruce Wilhelm’s boat where the hull-to-deck bond failed. There were boats with batteries that drained, servos that failed, and loose rudder arms that prevented completion of the course for a number of races. Actually, that was a boat with the latter problem that was still sailing at the end of the day. Many thanks to the scorekeeper, B. B. Wright, and her assistant, Diane Guerriere. They kept the fleet moving despite many bilge checks and drainages. Thanks also to Don Cundy for helping out for the entire afternoon. There was plenty to keep him busy, and we appreciate his support.
On the starting line, there were thirteen boats, a record for the US12 fleet. We had Kurt Clason back after a three-year hiatus when his work and responsibilities got in the way. Rick Laird made the trip from Boston, and since last week, Charlie Lincoln repaired the keel of his boat, removing lots of old repairs. It was great to see so many boats in the fleet, and it made for good racing until the wind did its damage with the help of the water.
On the course, once again Tim Wright had a good day, winning nine races and earning a score of 1.00. He got an averaged score for one race trying to bring a wayward boat back to the dock. In second place, and with two wins, a second, and six thirds, Steve Leker sailed well all day. He finished with a score of 2.70. In third place, John Simms had five second-place finishes and a score of 3.20. Lin Davis had a victory and two seconds for a score of 3.60, which earned him fourth place. Congratulations go to Lin as the only skipper to sail in every race. In fifth, Bill Malay started the day with two seconds, and had an average of 4.62. Kevin Bennett had steering issues at the start of the regatta but finished strongly to earn his sixth-place score of 5.14.
It is unusual to have a summer day with so much wind, but to have two in one week is very rare indeed. What a treat to see so many boats and skippers put to the test of dealing with strong gusts combined with the usual shifts in August.
US12 2026 Spring Series Certificates
Presented by Scorekeeper B.B. Wright
Back Bay Sailing
The sailing season is well underway so join us on Tuesday or Thursday at 1 PM, weather permitting, to enjoy the fun. Wednesday is set aside if conditions on Tuesday or Thursday aren’t suitable. We welcome you to just watch the spectacle or ask to give it a try – we love to share.
Scores
(For a regatta score to count toward a season score, a skipper must complete 50% of the day’s races.)
2026-08-11 Sailor Class Soling Regatta | ||||
| Name | Races/Throws (Pct) | Total Pts. | Average | Score |
| Wilhelm, Bruce | 10/2 (100%) | 14 | 1.40 | 1 |
| Parent, Austin | 8/1 (73%) | 12 | 1.50 | 2 |
| Lincoln, Charlie | 2/0 (17%) | 5 | 2.50 | 3 |
| Ware, Genie | 10/2 (100%) | 26 | 2.60 | 4 |
| Barstow, John | 9/1 (82%) | 34 | 3.78 | 5 |
| Wolcott, Clint | 3/0 (25%) | 15 | 5.00 | 6 |
| Corbett, Dave | 1/0 (8%) | 5 | 5.00 | 6 |
2026 Sailor Class Season Scores | |||||
| Name | Class | % Regattas | Score | 2025 | Diff |
| Butler, Jeanne | Sailor | 0% | 0.00 | 5.50 | -5.50 |
| Claire, Henry | Guest | 0% | 0.00 | ||
| Corbett, Dave | Sailor | 0% | 0.00 | 4.29 | -4.29 |
| Cundy, Don | Sailor | 11% | 1.00 | ||
| Hogenson, Dave | Sailor | 56% | 1.40 | 2.17 | -0.77 |
| Opie, Jim | Sailor | 56% | 2.40 | 2.88 | -0.48 |
| Parent, Austin | Sailor | 22% | 3.00 | ||
| Barstow, John | Sailor | 67% | 3.17 | 3.33 | -0.17 |
| Ware, Genie | Sailor | 56% | 3.20 | ||
| Wolcott, Clint | Sailor | 33% | 3.33 | 4.50 | -1.17 |
| Wilhelm, Bruce | Sailor | 89% | 3.38 | ||
| Lincoln, Charlie | Sailor | 56% | 4.40 | ||
| Malay, Bill | Sailor | 22% | 4.50 |
2026-08-11 Master Class Soling Regatta | ||||
| Name | Races/Throws (Pct) | Total Pts. | Average | Score |
| Monetta, Ted | 10/2 (100%) | 18 | 1.80 | 1 |
| Witzel, Jeff | 10/2 (100%) | 18 | 1.80 | 1 |
| Wright, Tim | 1/0 (8%) | 2 | 2.00 | 3 |
| Boisvert, Denis | 10/2 (100%) | 29 | 2.90 | 4 |
| Posnack, Al | 7/1 (64%) | 21 | 3.00 | 5 |
| Griggs, Doug | 10/2 (100%) | 39 | 3.90 | 6 |
| Pacini, Bob | 5/0 (42%) | 23 | 4.60 | 7 |
| Quinn, Anthony | 3/0 (25%) | 17 | 5.67 | 8 |
2026 Master Class Soling Season Scores | |||||
| Name | Class | % Regattas | Score | 2025 | Diff |
| Wright, Tim | Master | 89% | 1.00 | 1.07 | -0.07 |
| Witzel, Jeff | Master | 89% | 3.50 | 4.64 | -1.14 |
| Gates, Rick | Guest | 44% | 3.75 | 3.50 | 0.25 |
| Davis, Linwood | Master | 78% | 4.00 | 5.07 | -1.07 |
| Rudinsky, Chuck | Master | 78% | 4.43 | 8.80 | -4.37 |
| Posnack, Al | Master | 100% | 5.00 | 5.38 | -0.38 |
| Monetta, Ted | Master | 100% | 5.89 | 4.67 | 1.22 |
| Boisvert, Denis | Master | 56% | 6.00 | 7.58 | -1.58 |
| Barstow, Tom | Master | 44% | 7.50 | 7.55 | -0.05 |
| Gerber, Ken | Master | 56% | 7.80 | 7.30 | 0.50 |
| Quinn, Anthony | Master | 56% | 8.60 | 7.21 | 1.39 |
| Pacini, Bob | Master | 56% | 8.80 | 9.00 | -0.20 |
| Whitehead, Mark | Master | 67% | 9.17 | 7.40 | 1.77 |
| Griggs, Doug | Master | 78% | 9.57 | ||
| Bennett, Kevin | Master | 44% | 10.50 |
2026-08-13 US12 Regatta | ||||
| Name | Races/Throws (Pct) | Total Pts. | Average | Score |
| Wright, Tim | 10/2 (100%) | 10 | 1.00 | 1 |
| Leker, Steve | 10/1 (91%) | 27 | 2.70 | 2 |
| Simms, John | 10/1 (91%) | 32 | 3.20 | 3 |
| Davis, Lin | 10/2 (100%) | 36 | 3.60 | 4 |
| Malay, Bill | 8/1 (73%) | 37 | 4.62 | 5 |
| Bennett, Kevin | 7/1 (64%) | 36 | 5.14 | 6 |
| Strodel, Robert | 7/1 (64%) | 44 | 6.29 | 7 |
| Wilhelm, Bruce | 5/0 (42%) | 32 | 6.40 | 8 |
| Quinn, Anthony | 4/0 (33%) | 27 | 6.75 | 9 |
| Opie, Jim | 9/1 (82%) | 64 | 7.11 | 10 |
| Clason, Kurt | 5/1 (45%) | 37 | 7.40 | 11 |
| Lincoln, Charlie | 7/1 (64%) | 60 | 8.57 | 12 |
| Laird, Rick | 6/1 (55%) | 53 | 8.83 | 13 |
2026 Season US12 Scores | |||||
| Name | Class | % Regattas | Score | 2025 | Diff |
| Clason, Kurt | Sailor | 0% | 0.00 | ||
| Wright, Tim | Sailor | 86% | 1.00 | 1.00 | 0.00 |
| Laird, Rick | Sailor | 14% | 2.00 | 3.80 | -1.80 |
| Simms, John | Sailor | 86% | 2.67 | 3.08 | -0.42 |
| Leker, Steve | Sailor | 43% | 3.33 | ||
| Davis, Lin | Sailor | 14% | 4.00 | 2.00 | 2.00 |
| Malay, Bill | Sailor | 43% | 4.00 | ||
| Quinn, Anthony | Sailor | 29% | 4.00 | 4.22 | -0.22 |
| Wilhelm, Bruce | Sailor | 71% | 4.00 | 5.38 | -1.38 |
| Rudinsky, Chuck | Sailor | 71% | 4.80 | ||
| Bennett, Kevin | Sailor | 29% | 5.00 | ||
| Opie, Jim | Sailor | 71% | 6.40 | 6.00 | 0.40 |
| McBride, Donald | Sailor | 14% | 7.00 | 3.50 | 3.50 |
| Strodel, Robert | Sailor | 29% | 7.00 | 4.60 | 2.40 |
| McBride, Paul | Sailor | 14% | 9.00 |
Videos and Photos
- Back Bay Skippers Video (WMUR NH Chronicles)
- Back Bay Skippers YouTube Channel
- Latest Videos: Solings, US12s, Lily Pond
- Latest Photos: Solings, US12s, Lily Pond
- Photo Gallery
Previous Highlights
- Sasquatch Regatta (Nor’easter Footy Series) 2021, 2019
- Sheila Ryan Memorial Footy Regatta 2021, 2020
- Awards for 2019 Season
- Tim Wright Wins CAN/AM Challenge 2019
- Lake Discovery Camp 2019
- US12 AMYA Region 1 Championship, Nashua
- Spring Skippers Party 2019
Score Sheets
Upcoming Events: [2026 Schedule]
- June – October 2026 1-3PM Tuesdays Solings, Thursdays US12s, Wednesday – Alternate Rain Day
- September 13, 2026 6th Annual RC Laser Regatta – Region 1 Championship, Bow Lake, Strafford NH
- September 22, 2026 Soling Season Ends
- September 24, 2026 US12 Season Ends
- September 29, 2026 Soling Enduro
- October 1, 2026 US12 Enduro
- November 3, 2026 Dock Out
Past Events:
- August 15, 2026 Sasquatch Footy Regatta
- June 25, 2026 AMYA US12 Region 1 Championship
- September 14, 2025 5th Annual RC Laser Regatta – Region 1 Championship, Bow Lake, Strafford NH
- September 10, 2025 Sasquatch Footy Regatta
- July 5, 2025 Model Yachting Day
- July 7-11, 2025 NHBM Model Yacht Building Workshop
- September 8, 2024 4th Annual RC Laser Regatta – Region 1 Championship, Bow Lake, Strafford NH [More Photos]
- July 6, 2024 Model Yachting Day at Back Bay
- June 22, 2024 NHBM Booth at Summer Kick-Off 2024, Pop Whalen Ice and Arts Center
- June 15, 2024 Sasquatch Footy Regatta
- February 2024 Building the Soling 1M Slotted Mast, by Mark Whitehead – Video
- February 2024 How to Win without Going Fast, by Al Posnack – Zoom Video
- October 13-15, 2023 USVMYG Championship Regatta, Honey Brook PA
- September 24, 2023 3rd Annual RC Laser Regatta, Bow Lake, Strafford NH
- September 15-16, 2023 Vintage Race Boat Regatta, Wolfeboro Bay – Video
- August 26, 2023 Sasquatch Footy Regatta
- August 5-6, 2023 CanAm Challenge Regatta, Stowe VT
- July 4, 2023 Wolfeboro Independence Day Parade
- July 1, 2023 Model Yachting Day
- May 15, 2023 WCVB Boston Chronicle
e-mail: backbayskippers@gmail.com
Links: American Model Yachting Association, MinuteMan Model Yacht Club, Nashua Model Yacht Club, Marblehead Model Yacht Club, Greater Worcester Model Yacht Club, Sarasota Model Yacht Club, Space Coast Model Sailing Club, Sun Coast Model Sailing Club, Stowe Yacht Club, USS Constitution Model Shipwright Guild, Vac-U-Soling, 3D Printed Radio Yachts, US Vintage Model Yacht Group, Raritan Yacht Club RC Laser Fleet, Racing Rules of Sailing 2021-2024, Western Reserve Model Yacht Club, Joe SanAntonio Fleet Donation, SailFlow, US12 Plans