Written by Mark Whitehead, Tim Wright
Proofreading & Editing by Kathleen Whitehead
Photos by Paul McBride, B.B. Wright, Mark Whitehead
Layout by Ken Gerber
Photo Captions by Paul McBride
Games by Dave Perry
e-mail: backbayskippers@gmail.com
Hot – Hot – Hot!
It was brutally hot as New Hampshire’s heat wave sent “feel like” temperatures over 100 degrees. To be on the safe side, the commodore shifted Soling races to the Wednesday alternate day. At least it was ten degrees cooler and dew points were slightly lower. Al Posnack, our race director, brought a cooler full of water to make sure everyone stayed hydrated.
Wind seemed to build as the day went on. For the first race, its velocity blew from five to six miles per hour, but during the second race, it really tailed off. After that it was reasonably consistent.
Twenty skippers launched for the June 25 nine-race regatta, thirteen from the Master Class and seven from the Sailor Class. This week, we had the pleasure of welcoming Dave Hogenson back from Colorado.
Doug Griggs, a new Back Bay Skipper, was presented with the first-win certificate that he earned at the June 10 regatta.
We especially want to thank B. B. Wright for jumping right in as a substitute for Karen Enos, who couldn’t keep score on this change of date.
Solings Out on the Water
Chuck Rudinsky led the Sailor Class this week with four wins and two seconds, posting 1.75. The long “commute” from Colorado didn’t seem to bother Dave Hogenson, who took the second spot with three wins and two seconds for a score of 2.50. Right behind Dave was Kevin Bennett, earning third place overall with a score of 2.75 thanks to one win and two seconds. That’s only one point separating first and third, showing just how tight the competition is.
Tim Wright again led the Master Class, posting six wins and a score of 1.29. Jeff Witzel had two wins of his own to score 3.0 for a strong second place. It was a tie for third with Al Posnack and Linwood Davis both scoring 3.62. Al scored a win in Race 2, but Linwood’s three second-place finishes helped him to stay even.
June 26 US12 Sailing
On Thursday, June 26, six US12 sailors relished the post-heat-wave cooler weather. It was in the 70s, which was a very pleasant change. However, they wished the very nice pre-race breeze stayed around after the start of racing. Instead, at 1:00 PM, the sailors got variable wind, coming from all over the compass and at many different velocities. Often, boats side-by-side experienced totally different winds. B. B. Wright kept us honest on the starting line, and recorded some finishes that changed in the last few inches of the races.
Intermittent raindrops didn’t stop us from completing seven races, but as we finished that seventh race, the rain became a little stronger. Because one of the boats also needed a rescue, we called it a day. Trying to bring a boat back to the dock when the rudder isn’t straight ahead is difficult. Considering the inconsistent winds, John Simms and Bruce Wilhelm did a great job of getting the unresponsive boat back to shore in those circumstances.
On the course, Tim Wright had five firsts to finish first overall. His average for the races was 1.17. Lin Davis sailed a borrowed boat to second place and a score of 2.50. He had the other two first-place finishes as well as two seconds. John Simms turned in another respectable performance, with two seconds and a third. His final average was 3.50. Just behind John in fourth place was Anthony Quinn with a 3.67 average. In fifth place, Bob Brennan showed bursts of speed and two thirds to finish with a 3.80 average. In sixth place, Bruce Wilhelm showed his ability to close with a second-place finish in Race 6. His 4.33 average was less than a point out of third place. That’s how close the racing is becoming. However, as always, Rule #1 is our most important rule – have fun! We certainly did!
The sailors want to thank our scorekeeper, B. B. Wright, who stepped up in the 90°+ heat in a guest appearance on Wednesday, and came back on Thursday for her usual scoring with the US12 fleet. We hope for a little more wind next week but not more heat, and we certainly hope to see YOU there.
What a Tent and Parts Crew!!!
On Thursday, June 26, it was “TENT DAY” – the annual ritual to erect the tents for building model yachts and boats. The Back Bay Skippers who participated were Tom and John Barstow, Chuck Rudinsky, Linwood Davis, Bill Malay, Doug Griggs, Dave Hogenson, and Mark Whitehead. Thanks to their hard work, the job was completed in good time.
While we had a ready-and-willing crew, we added to the agenda. Once the tents were up, Linwood, Doug, Tom, and Dave followed Commodore Mark to the barn. It was there that model yacht kits were checked and parts boxes were loaded.
The crew was fast and efficient, and the commodore really appreciated their help. We certainly have a great bunch of sailors!
Sailing on Back Bay
Join us for Model Yacht sailing on Back Bay in Wolfeboro from 1 PM to 3 PM weekly, the Solings on Tuesday and the US12s on Thursday, weather permitting. Wednesday serves as an alternate day should sailing conditions be poor.
It’s fun! We love to share so don’t be shy about asking to try your hand at the controls. Come watch the show or take a picture. It’s a sight to behold.
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
2025-06-25 Soling Sailor Class Regatta
| Name | Races/Throws (Pct) | Total Pts. | Average | Score |
| Rudinsky, Chuck | 8/1 (100%) | 14 | 1.75 | 1 |
| Hogenson, Dave | 8/1 (100%) | 20 | 2.50 | 2 |
| Bennett, Kevin | 8/1 (100%) | 22 | 2.75 | 3 |
| Griggs, Doug | 7/1 (88%) | 26 | 3.71 | 4 |
| Corbett, Dave | 6/1 (75%) | 23 | 3.83 | 5 |
| Barstow, John | 8/1 (100%) | 39 | 4.88 | 6 |
| Butler, Jeanne | 5/1 (62%) | 25 | 5.00 | 7 |
2025 Soling Sailor Class Season Scores
| Name | Class | % Regattas | Score | 2024 | Diff |
| Rudinsky, Chuck | Sailor | 100% | 1.17 | ||
| Hogenson, Dave | Sailor | 17% | 2.00 | 2.25 | -0.25 |
| McBride, Donald | Sailor | 33% | 2.00 | ||
| Bennett, Kevin | Sailor | 100% | 2.50 | 6.67 | -4.17 |
| Opie, Jim | Sailor | 33% | 3.50 | 2.67 | 0.83 |
| Bodenstab, Mark | Sailor | 50% | 3.67 | 5.38 | -1.71 |
| Griggs, Doug | Sailor | 50% | 4.00 | ||
| Corbett, Dave | Sailor | 33% | 4.50 | 5.36 | -0.86 |
| Butler, Jeanne | Sailor | 33% | 5.50 | 10.33 | -4.83 |
| Barstow, John | Sailor | 17% | 6.00 | 3.78 | 2.22 |
| Currier, Dick | Sailor | 33% | 6 | 8.14 | -2.14 |
| Curran | Sailor | 33% | 6 | 6 | 0 |
2025-06-25 Soling Master Class Regatta
| Name | Races/Throws (Pct) | Total Pts. | Average | Score |
| Wright, Tim | 7/1 (88%) | 9 | 1.29 | 1 |
| Witzel, Jeff | 8/1 (100%) | 24 | 3.00 | 2 |
| Davis, Linwood | 8/1 (100%) | 29 | 3.62 | 3 |
| Posnack, Al | 8/1 (100%) | 29 | 3.62 | 3 |
| Monetta, Ted | 8/1 (100%) | 34 | 4.25 | 5 |
| Cundy, Don | 1/0 (11%) | 5 | 5.00 | 6 |
| Malay, Bill | 7/1 (88%) | 42 | 6.00 | 7 |
| Boisvert, Denis | 8/1 (100%) | 52 | 6.50 | 8 |
| Whitehead, Mark | 8/1 (100%) | 54 | 6.75 | 9 |
| Barstow, Tom | 7/1 (88%) | 51 | 7.29 | 10 |
| Wilhelm, Bruce | 8/1 (100%) | 66 | 8.25 | 11 |
| Laird, Richard | 6/1 (75%) | 51 | 8.50 | 12 |
| Ware, Genie | 8/1 (100%) | 77 | 9.62 | 13 |
2025 Soling Master Class Season Scores
| Name | Class | % Regattas | Score | 2024 | Diff |
| Wright, Tim | Master | 83% | 1.00 | 1.08 | -0.08 |
| Witzel, Jeff | Master | 50% | 2.67 | 2.83 | -0.17 |
| Gates, Rick | Master | 33% | 3.50 | 8.38 | -4.88 |
| Posnack, Al | Master | 83% | 4.80 | 5.18 | -0.38 |
| Monetta, Ted | Master | 100% | 5.17 | 6.43 | -1.26 |
| Cundy, Don | Master | 33% | 6.00 | 3.38 | 2.62 |
| Jousse, Alain | Master | 17% | 6.00 | ||
| Leker, Steve | Master | 50% | 6.33 | 7.62 | -1.29 |
| Boisvert, Denis | Master | 83% | 6.40 | 5.90 | 0.50 |
| Davis, Linwood | Master | 100% | 7.33 | ||
| Quinn, Anthony | Master | 67% | 7.50 | 8.83 | -1.33 |
| Whitehead, Mark | Master | 100% | 7.67 | 6.69 | 0.97 |
| Barstow, Tom | Master | 67% | 8.00 | 6.25 | 1.75 |
| Pacini, Bob | Master | 83% | 8.00 | 8.00 | 0.00 |
| Gerber, Ken | Master | 50% | 8.67 | 9.00 | -0.33 |
| Malay, Bill | Master | 67% | 8.75 | 10.00 | -1.25 |
| Ware, Genie | Master | 33% | 9.50 | ||
| Laird, Richard | Master | 33% | 10.50 | ||
| Wilhelm, Bruce | Master | 67% | 13.00 |
2025-06-26 US12 Regatta
| Name | Races/Throws (Pct) | Total Pts. | Average | Score |
| Wright, Tim | 6/1 (100%) | 7 | 1.17 | 1 |
| Davis, Lin | 6/1 (100%) | 15 | 2.50 | 2 |
| Simms, John | 6/1 (100%) | 21 | 3.50 | 3 |
| Quinn, Anthony | 6/1 (100%) | 22 | 3.67 | 4 |
| Brennan, Bob | 5/1 (83%) | 19 | 3.80 | 5 |
| Wilhelm, Bruce | 6/1 (100%) | 26 | 4.33 | 6 |
2025 US12 Season Scores
| Name | Class | % Regattas | Score | 2024 | Diff |
| Wright, Tim | Sailor | 100% | 1.00 | 1.00 | 0.00 |
Chalder, Glenn | Sailor | 25% | 2.00 | ||
Davis, Lin | Sailor | 25% | 2.00 | 4.00 | -2.00 |
Gates, Rick | Sailor | 25% | 3.00 | 3.93 | -0.93 |
| Simms, John | Sailor | 100% | 3.00 | 2.57 | 0.43 |
Quinn, Anthony | Sailor | 75% | 3.33 | 5.23 | -1.90 |
| McBride, Donald | Sailor | 50% | 3.50 | 4.43 | -0.93 |
| Brennan, Bob | Sailor | 50% | 4.50 | 5.80 | -1.30 |
| Wilhelm, Bruce | Sailor | 100% | 5.75 | 6.56 | -0.81 |
| Opie, Jim | Sailor | 75% | 6.00 | 6.40 | -0.40 |
| Laird, Rick | Sailor | 25% | 7.00 | 3.40 | 3.60 |
Upcoming Events: [2025 Schedule]
- April 29 – October 28 , 2025 Regattas 1PM-3PM Tuesday Solings, Thursdays US12s
- July 5, 2025 10:30AM – 2PM Model Yachting Day
- July 7-11, 2025 Model Yacht Building
- September 11, 2025 Scoring Season Ends
- September 14, 2025 5th Annual RC Laser Regatta – Region 1 Championship, Bow Lake, Strafford NH
- October 28, 2025 Dock Out
Past Events:
- September 8, 2024 4th Annual RC Laser Regatta – Region 1 Championship, Bow Lake, Strafford NH [More Photos]
- July 8-12, 2024 NHBM Model Yacht Building Workshop
- 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