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
Yup, It’s Fall!
To honor fall solstice we were greeted by a bald eagle flying overhead for the September 22 Soling regatta, the month’s end bringing officially scored regattas to a conclusion. In October we use a more relaxed scoring and sailing with no pressure to accumulate season points.
Twenty-one skippers signed up this week, ten in the Sailor Class and eleven Masters. The fleets completed eight races under blue skies though pushed around by Back Bay’s usual fickle winds. We welcomed Steve Brown, who accepted the challenge with our #555 loaner boat.
Out on the Water
Bill Malay took charge in the Sailor Class this week, accumulating four wins and four seconds for a score of 1.43. Our guest Steve Brown sailed our loaner boat #555 to one win, two seconds, and three thirds for second place overall and a final tally of 2.2. Not bad for a first-timer! John Barstow, our season leader, earned the third spot with a win, a second, and a score of 3.43. Genie Ware also could brag about a win as she ended with a fourth-place score of 3.57. Fifth went to Bruce Wilhelm, his win in Race #3 helping him to reach a score of 4.00.
approach the finish line.
Master Class Season Leader
The Master Class leader Tim Wright earned four wins and four second-place finishes to top the class at 1.43. Perhaps he was trying to match Bill Malay’s Sailor Class score? Ted Monetta came alive this week to earn second with two wins, two seconds, and a score of 3.86. In third place overall was Don Cundy with a score of 5.00, Al Posnack close behind with two wins and a score of 5.14 for fourth. Rounding out the top five with a score of 5.29 was Ken Gerber, helped by one second-place finish.
A Day for the US12 Sailors
The temperature was delightful for late September, and the sun was shining brightly. The wind also was well represented. Although the winds were predominantly from the north, all other directions made good showings. Their velocity also varied from overwhelming gusts to dead spots where nobody moved. Needless to say, it was a challenge for the racers to get around the course. Thanks to our scorekeeper, B. B. Wright, we were able to complete twelve races with short breaks between each one. It was a nice way to end the scoring season.
On the course, Tim Wright was hard to catch. Except for a second-place finish in Race #2, he won all other races and had a 1.0 average. In second place, Lin Davis had five finishes in second place and five in third for a 2.50 average. Chuck Rudinsky had a victory in the second race along with four seconds and three thirds. His average was 2.70, good enough for third place. Robert Strodel captured fourth with a score of 4.44, and Bill Malay finished in fifth place sailing a borrowed boat. Bill’s boat had electrical issues in the second race, and starting in the fifth race he sailed an unfamiliar boat. Once he got used to the transmitter, he started doing better with a second, a third, and two fourths. His average was 4.50.
In sixth place, Kevin Bennett had a 4.89 average. He did have one second-place finish plus one third. Charlie Lincoln, who won the regatta last week, was kind enough to let others have a chance. He had two third-place finishes to tie Kevin Bennett with a 4.89 average.
Quite frankly, everyone who sailed today was a winner due to the pleasant weather and the chance to enjoy each other’s company. It was a wonderful afternoon and a great way to end the scoring season. Next week is the Enduro, new to the Back Bay Skippers. It is a two-hour-long race with the scorekeepers counting laps to determine a winner. The following weeks are open sailing with all boats welcome and no official scoring.
Enduro: September 29th, One Meter and Under
Soling 1M and any other boat with a hull length of one meter or under can sail, for example a DF95 or a Footy.
Enduro: October 1st, Over One Meter
The US12 class will race as well as any boat class with a hull length over one meter, including Marblehead, Santa Barbara, and J class. Two boats in a class are required for scores to count.
Back Bay Sailing
We continue to invite you to join us on Tuesday or Thursday at 1 PM, weather permitting. 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. This week marks the end of official scoring. After that, competition results don’t count toward season standings.
Scores
2026-09-22 Sailor Class Soling Regatta | ||||
| Name | Races/Throws (Pct) | Total Pts. | Average | Score |
| Malay, Bill | 7/1 (100%) | 10 | 1.43 | 1 |
| Brown, Steve | 5/1 (71%) | 11 | 2.20 | 2 |
| Barstow, John | 7/1 (100%) | 24 | 3.43 | 3 |
| Ware, Genie | 7/1 (100%) | 25 | 3.57 | 4 |
| Wilhelm, Bruce | 7/1 (100%) | 28 | 4.00 | 5 |
| Dehnel, Gary | 5/0 (62%) | 26 | 5.20 | 6 |
| Lincoln, Charlie | 6/1 (86%) | 38 | 6.33 | 7 |
| Currier, Dick | 7/1 (100%) | 48 | 6.86 | 8 |
| York, Micheal | 4/0 (50%) | 34 | 8.50 | 9 |
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 |
| Ferrucci, Leo | Sailor | 0% | 0.00 | ||
| Lotter, Lisa | Sailor | 0% | 0.00 | ||
| York, Micheal | Sailor | 0% | 0.00 | ||
| Cundy, Don | Sailor | 20% | 1.00 | ||
| Hogenson, Dave | Sailor | 33% | 1.40 | 2.17 | -0.77 |
| Brown, Steve | Guest | 7% | 2.00 | ||
| Wadsworth, Gaius | Guest | 7% | 2.00 | ||
| Parent, Austin | Sailor | 20% | 2.33 | ||
| Barstow, John | Sailor | 73% | 3.09 | 3.33 | -0.24 |
| Malay, Bill | Sailor | 47% | 3.14 | ||
| Opie, Jim | Sailor | 60% | 3.22 | 2.88 | 0.35 |
| Wilhelm, Bruce | Sailor | 80% | 3.42 | ||
| Ware, Genie | Sailor | 67% | 3.50 | ||
| Wolcott, Clint | Sailor | 27% | 4.00 | 4.50 | -0.50 |
| Lincoln, Charlie | Sailor | 73% | 5.27 | ||
| Dehnel, Gary | Sailor | 7% | 6.00 | ||
| Hathaway, Jeff | Sailor | 7% | 6.00 | ||
| Currier, Dick | Sailor | 27% | 7.50 | 5.50 | 2.00 |
2026-09-22 Master Class Soling Regatta | ||||
| Name | Races/Throws (Pct) | Total Pts. | Average | Score |
| Wright, Tim | 7/1 (100%) | 10 | 1.43 | 1 |
| Monetta, Ted | 7/1 (100%) | 27 | 3.86 | 2 |
| Cundy, Don | 6/1 (86%) | 30 | 5.00 | 3 |
| Posnack, Al | 7/1 (100%) | 36 | 5.14 | 4 |
| Gerber, Ken | 7/1 (100%) | 37 | 5.29 | 5 |
| Witzel, Jeff | 7/1 (100%) | 41 | 5.86 | 6 |
| Boisvert, Denis | 7/1 (100%) | 42 | 6.00 | 7 |
| Barstow, Tom | 7/1 (100%) | 44 | 6.29 | 8 |
| Davis, Linwood | 7/1 (100%) | 45 | 6.43 | 9 |
| Whitehead, Mark | 7/1 (100%) | 45 | 6.43 | 9 |
| Quinn, Anthony | 7/1 (100%) | 52 | 7.43 | 11 |
2026 Master Class Soling Season Scores | |||||
| Name | Class | % Regattas | Score | 2025 | Diff |
| Wright, Tim | Master | 87% | 1.00 | 1.07 | -0.07 |
| Witzel, Jeff | Master | 73% | 3.64 | 4.64 | -1.00 |
| Rudinsky, Chuck | Master | 80% | 3.67 | 8.80 | -5.13 |
| Gates, Rick | Guest | 27% | 3.75 | 3.50 | 0.25 |
| Davis, Linwood | Master | 60% | 4.67 | 5.07 | -0.40 |
| Posnack, Al | Master | 93% | 4.71 | 5.38 | -0.67 |
| Monetta, Ted | Master | 100% | 5.13 | 4.67 | 0.47 |
| Cundy, Don | Master | 13% | 5.50 | 6.00 | -0.50 |
| Boisvert, Denis | Master | 67% | 6.10 | 7.58 | -1.48 |
| Gerber, Ken | Master | 53% | 6.75 | 7.30 | -0.55 |
| Pacini, Bob | Master | 60% | 7.33 | 9.00 | -1.67 |
| Barstow, Tom | Master | 60% | 7.67 | 7.55 | 0.12 |
| Quinn, Anthony | Master | 73% | 8.36 | 7.21 | 1.15 |
| Griggs, Doug | Master | 73% | 8.64 | ||
| Whitehead, Mark | Master | 80% | 9.08 | 7.40 | 1.68 |
| Bennett, Kevin | Master | 27% | 10.50 |
2026-09-24 US12 Regatta | ||||
| Name | Races/Throws (Pct) | Total Pts. | Average | Score |
| Wright, Tim | 10/2 (100%) | 10 | 1.00 | 1 |
| Davis, Lin | 10/2 (100%) | 25 | 2.50 | 2 |
| Rudinsky, Chuck | 10/2 (100%) | 27 | 2.70 | 3 |
| Strodel, Robert | 9/1 (82%) | 40 | 4.44 | 4 |
| Malay, Bill | 8/1 (73%) | 36 | 4.50 | 5 |
| Bennett, Kevin | 9/1 (82%) | 44 | 4.89 | 6 |
| Lincoln, Charlie | 9/1 (82%) | 44 | 4.89 | 6 |
2026 Season US12 Scores | |||||
| Name | Class | % Regattas | Score | 2025 | Diff |
| Wright, Tim | Sailor | 82% | 1.00 | 1.00 | 0.00 |
| Cundy, Don | Sailor | 9% | 2.00 | ||
| Laird, Rick | Sailor | 18% | 2.00 | 3.80 | -1.80 |
| Davis, Lin | 27% | 3.00 | 2.00 | 1.00 | |
| Leker, Steve | Sailor | 27% | 3.33 | ||
| Simms, John | Sailor | 82% | 3.89 | 3.08 | 0.81 |
| Rudinsky, Chuck | Sailor | 82% | 4.22 | ||
| Wilhelm, Bruce | Sailor | 73% | 4.25 | 5.38 | -1.12 |
| Quinn, Anthony | 36% | 4.50 | 4.22 | 0.28 | |
| Bennett, Kevin | 55% | 5.50 | |||
| Malay, Bill | Sailor | 55% | 5.50 | ||
| Opie, Jim | Sailor | 45% | 6.40 | 6.00 | 0.40 |
| Clason, Kurt | Sailor | 9% | 7.00 | ||
| McBride, Donald | Sailor | 9% | 7.00 | 3.50 | 3.50 |
| Lincoln, Charlie | Sailor | 45% | 7.20 | ||
| Strodel, Robert | Sailor | 36% | 7.25 | 4.60 | 2.65 |
| McBride, Paul | Sailor | 9% | 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
- September 29, 2026 Soling Enduro, One Two-Hour Race, Boats One Meter and Under in Length
- October 1, 2026 US12 Enduro, One Two-Hour Race, Boats Over One Meter in Length
- November 3, 2026 Dock Out
Past Events:
- September 13, 2026 6th Annual RC Laser Regatta – Region 1 Championship, Bow Lake, Strafford NH
- 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