Written by Mark Whitehead, Tim Wright
Proofreading & Editing by Kathleen Whitehead
Photos by Paul McBride, B. B. Wright, Mark Whitehead, Diane Guerriere
Captions and Layout by Paul McBride
Games by Dave Perry
e-mail: backbayskippers@gmail.com
A One-Race Regatta
We tried! It was just one of those days when meteorologists didn’t have a clue. The rain was predicted to be later in the afternoon, but it started right at race time. Two skippers checked weather reports on their phones – one said there would be a “hole” of clear before showers returned; the other claimed it was clear. Which only demonstrates how difficult it is to schedule regattas! Since raindrops continued to fall, we called it quits. As you might have guessed, the rain stopped right after everyone loaded up — along with the wind.
Top Five One-Race Scores
1 – Al Posnack
2 – Denis Boisvert
3 – Rick Gates
4 – Jeff Witzel
5 – Tim Wright
Hurrah! The US12s Sailed!
On Thursday, July 23, the US12 fleet held its first regatta of the summer session. It was the first regatta in four weeks due to inclement weather, waterskiing competitions, and too much wind! We were treated to a wonderfully sunny day with good winds, though shifty and sometimes gusty. In all, it was a great day of sailing that challenged the sailors and the boats. Of the nine boats that started the day, there were only six at the end, and only five boats sailed in every race. Water in the bilge slowed down two boats, while a weak sail winch made pulling in the sails impossible on another. Still, after waiting so long, everyone was glad for the chance to get out on the water again. The sailors who pulled their boats stayed after the sailing. The sailors appreciated the scorekeepers, B. B. Wright and Diane Guerriere, for keeping us moving so we could complete twelve races. B. B. had to leave after the first hour, so Diane filled in for her. Thank you to both of you!
On the water, Tim Wright led the way with eleven wins and an average score of 1.0. Finishing strong, Bill Malay had six second-place finishes in the last eight races. His 2.80 average earned him a second-place finish overall.
Now comes the very competitive part of the fleet. Only six-tenths of a point separated the third-place finisher from the eighth-place finisher. Bruce Wilhelm finished in third with a 3.60 average and had the other first-place finish as well as two seconds. In fourth, and battling electrical issues, was Chuck Rudinsky. His score was two-hundredths behind Bruce at 3.62. Despite the issues, Chuck had a second-place finish and a number of thirds. Jim Opie finished with a 3.90 in fifth, having five thirds, and easily resisted the temptation to sail his boat to the dock so he could throw it on the ground after a particularly frustrating mark rounding.
In a non-scored sixth, John Simms (4.0) finished only one race, after discovering that a large section of hull-to-deck joint had opened, causing his boat to take on water at a very fast clip. Hopefully we will see him back next week. In seventh, Bob Strodel sailed a strong regatta. His final average was 4.12 and would have been higher, but he got tangled at the third mark with Tim while leading the race.
In non-scored eighth-place, Lin Davis (4.20) sailed in only five races, coming in second in two of them, but his sail winch didn’t seem up to the task in the windy conditions. Kevin Bennett just added a new boat to the fleet. It was his first time sailing the boat, and the wind brought out several issues that need attention. He hopes to sail the boat again next week.
Overall, the sailing was competitive, the winds challenging, the weather delightful, but the best part was the friendship between the sailors, scorekeepers, and the trail walkers. Thanks to all who were there, whether sailing or not.
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.
2026-07-23 US12 Regatta | ||||
| Name | Races/Throws (Pct) | Total Pts. | Average | Score |
| Wright, Tim | 10/1 (91%) | 10 | 1.00 | 1 |
| Malay, Bill | 10/2 (100%) | 28 | 2.80 | 2 |
| Wilhelm, Bruce | 10/2 (100%) | 36 | 3.60 | 3 |
| Rudinsky, Chuck | 8/1 (73%) | 29 | 3.62 | 4 |
| Opie, Jim | 10/2 (100%) | 39 | 3.90 | 5 |
| Simms, John | 1/0 (8%) | 4 | 4.00 | 6 |
| Strodel, Robert | 8/1 (73%) | 33 | 4.12 | 7 |
| Davis, Lin | 5/0 (42%) | 21 | 4.20 | 8 |
| Bennett, Kevin | 2/0 (17%) | 16 | 8.00 | 9 |
2026 Season US12 Scores | |||||
| Name | Class | % Regattas | Score | 2025 | Diff |
| Bennett, Kevin | 0% | 0.00 | |||
| Davis, Lin | 0% | 0.00 | 2.00 | -2.00 | |
| Wright, Tim | Sailor | 80% | 1.00 | 1.00 | 0.00 |
| Laird, Rick | Sailor | 20% | 2.00 | 3.80 | -1.80 |
| Malay, Bill | Sailor | 20% | 2.00 | ||
| Simms, John | Sailor | 80% | 2.75 | 3.08 | -0.33 |
| Tonks, Phil | Sailor | 20% | 3.00 | ||
| Quinn, Anthony | 40% | 4.00 | 4.22 | -0.22 | |
| Wilhelm, Bruce | Sailor | 100% | 4.00 | 5.38 | -1.38 |
| Rudinsky, Chuck | Sailor | 80% | 4.50 | ||
| Leker, Steve | Sailor | 20% | 5.00 | ||
| Opie, Jim | Sailor | 80% | 5.50 | 6.00 | -0.50 |
| McBride, Donald | Sailor | 20% | 7.00 | 3.50 | 3.50 |
| Strodel, Robert | Sailor | 20% | 7.00 | 4.60 | 2.40 |
| McBride, Paul | Sailor | 20% | 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
- August 15, 2026 Sasquatch Footy Regatta
- 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:
- 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