Written by Mark Whitehead, Tim Wright
Proofreading & Editing by Kathleen Whitehead
Photos by Paul McBride, B. B. Wright, Mark Whitehead
Captions and Layout by Paul McBride
Games by Dave Perry
e-mail: backbayskippers@gmail.com
In Memory of
George Greathead Jr.
Sail Number 126
at the Controls
January 26, 1941 – June 13, 2026
George Greathead lived a life defined by service, craftsmanship, and devotion to family. He proudly served as a police officer with the Wellesley Police Department for five years, earning the respect of colleagues and residents alike through his dedication, integrity, and commitment to helping others. He also worked for several private schools as a Director of Building and Grounds, such as Rivers Country Day School, Fessenden School, Milton Academy, and Fay School.
George was the ultimate “Mr. Fix-It.” There was rarely a problem he couldn’t solve or a project he couldn’t tackle. Whether repairing something around the house, helping a neighbor, or building something from scratch, he found joy in working with his hands and sharing his talents with others. George spent countless hours in his workshop creating beautiful pieces that reflected both his skill and patience, and his craftsmanship became a lasting legacy treasured by family and friends.
One of his greatest joys was spending time with his grandchildren. He loved teaching them to fish, kayak, and enjoy hikes on Mount Major. He also shared a love of building mechanical boats. He designed, crafted, and launched his creations with them, making memories that will be cherished for generations. Those moments reflected George’s gift for teaching, encouraging curiosity, and inspiring a love of creativity. As a member of the Back Bay Skippers, he built and raced his RC sailing boats and enjoyed every moment of it.
Day of Bluster
For the skippers and Mother Nature, Tuesdays have become the “day of bluster.” It certainly was the case during our June 16 Soling regatta. The skippers challenged and bragged to each other all the way through the twelve-race regatta. Twenty-two skippers attended and nineteen sailed for scores, thirteen for the Master Class and six for the Sailor Class – a dramatic improvement in numbers for the Sailor Class.
The strong winds kept everyone alert, and there were mishaps along the way. Chuck Rudinsky won the prize for finding the most weeds, followed closely by Dave Hogenson. And weeds under these conditions are usually hard to find since high winds blow them quickly to shore. Dropping a mast after tangling with other boats was the top issue this week, with John Barstow, Genie Ware, and Bob Pacini experiencing the fun. The Commodore fell asleep at the controls, letting his stars and stripes get tangled in the ropes of the ski jump. After rowing to the jump, the boat decided it had enjoyed enough digression and released itself.
Out on the Water
In the Sailor Class, guest Don Cundy led the way this week scoring 1.8. Tied for official first in the class were Dave Hogenson and Jim Opie at 2.20. That put Bruce Wilhelm in third with 3.14 and John Barstow in fourth with 3.25. Genie Ware sailed only five races due to rigging and radio issues so didn’t qualify for placement.
The Master Class once again was led by Tim Wright with a score of 1.30. Denis Boisvert was on a hot streak, placing second and scoring 3.70, followed closely by Jeff Witzel in third at 4.0 and Chuck Rudinsky in fourth at 4.20. Tom Barstow captured fifth at 4.70.
US12 Sailing – Or Not!
There was supposed to be a Region 1 US12 regatta this week, but Mother Nature had other ideas. The regatta has been rescheduled for next Thursday on June 25 when the AMYA US12 Region 1 Championship Regatta will be combined with normal US12 sailing. This is your chance to participate in an AMYA event right here in Wolfeboro. AMYA members can register for the regatta for free at the AMYA website, but all are welcome to sail.
Back Bay Sailing
Now that the sailing season is underway, 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
2026-06-16 Soling Sailor Class Regatta | ||||
| Name | Races/Throws (Pct) | Total Pts. | Average | Score |
| Cundy, Don | 10/2 (100%) | 18 | 1.80 | 1 |
| Hogenson, Dave | 10/2 (100%) | 22 | 2.20 | 2 |
| Opie, Jim | 10/2 (100%) | 22 | 2.20 | 2 |
| Wilhelm, Bruce | 7/1 (64%) | 22 | 3.14 | 4 |
| Barstow, John | 8/1 (73%) | 26 | 3.25 | 5 |
| Ware, Genie | 5/0 (42%) | 24 | 4.80 | 6 |
2026-06-16 Soling Master Class Regatta | ||||
| Name | Races/Throws (Pct) | Total Pts. | Average | Score |
| Wright, Tim | 10/2 (100%) | 13 | 1.30 | 1 |
| Boisvert, Denis | 10/2 (100%) | 39 | 3.90 | 2 |
| Witzel, Jeff | 10/2 (100%) | 40 | 4.00 | 3 |
| Rudinsky, Chuck | 10/2 (100%) | 42 | 4.20 | 4 |
| Barstow, Tom | 10/2 (100%) | 47 | 4.70 | 5 |
| Davis, Linwood | 10/2 (100%) | 51 | 5.10 | 6 |
| Posnack, Al | 10/2 (100%) | 51 | 5.10 | 6 |
| Gates, Rick | 3/0 (25%) | 18 | 6.00 | 8 |
| Quinn, Anthony | 4/0 (33%) | 29 | 7.25 | 9 |
| Monetta, Ted | 10/2 (100%) | 73 | 7.30 | 10 |
| Whitehead, Mark | 10/1 (91%) | 76 | 7.60 | 11 |
| Griggs, Doug | 7/1 (64%) | 55 | 7.86 | 12 |
| Pacini, Bob | 10/1 (91%) | 95 | 9.50 | 13 |
2026-06-16 Soling Master Season | |||||
| Name | Class | % Regattas | Score | 2025 | Diff |
| Wright, Tim | Master | 100% | 1.00 | 1.07 | -0.07 |
| Gates, Rick | Guest | 33% | 3.00 | 3.50 | -0.50 |
| Rudinsky, Chuck | Master | 100% | 3.00 | 8.80 | -5.80 |
| Witzel, Jeff | Master | 100% | 3.33 | 4.64 | -1.30 |
| Boisvert, Denis | Master | 67% | 3.50 | 7.58 | -4.08 |
| Posnack, Al | Master | 100% | 5.33 | 5.38 | -0.05 |
| Davis, Linwood | Master | 100% | 5.67 | 5.07 | 0.60 |
| Barstow, Tom | Master | 67% | 6.50 | 7.55 | -1.05 |
| Monetta, Ted | Master | 100% | 7.33 | 4.67 | 2.67 |
| Whitehead, Mark | Master | 67% | 10.00 | 7.40 | 2.60 |
| Griggs, Doug | Master | 100% | 10.33 | ||
| Bennett, Kevin | Master | 67% | 10.50 | ||
| Pacini, Bob | Master | 67% | 12.00 | 9.00 | 3.00 |
| Quinn, Anthony | Master | 33% | 12.00 | 7.21 | 4.79 |
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
- June 25, 2026 AMYA Region 1 US12 Championship at Back Bay 1PM to 3PM – Free to Register
- July, 2026 Model Yachting Day has been postponed until 2027.
- July 6-10, 2026 Soling Building Workshop
- 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:
- 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