Model Yachting Posts Archive - NH Boat Museum

Model Yachting News • Week Ending August 9, 2025

Posted on August 10, 2025August 10, 2025 by Paul McBride

Written by Mark Whitehead, Tim Wright
Proofreading & Editing by Kathleen Whitehead
Photos by Paul McBride, B. B. Wright, Mark Whitehead, Diane Guerriere
Layout & Photo Captions by Paul McBride
Games by Dave Perry

e-mail: backbayskippers@gmail.com

Spring Series Awards

The Back Bay Skippers have two eight-week regattas, spring and summer. The 2025 Spring Series ran from May 20 to July 11, and the Soling awards for that series were presented on Tuesday, August 5, those for the US12s on Thursday, August 7.

Soling Sailor Class

1. Chuck Rudinsky
2. Kevin Bennett
3. Doug Griggs

Soling Master Class

1. Tim Wright
2. Jeff Witzel
3. Al Posnack

US12 Class

1. Tim Wright
2. Linwood Davis
3. John Simms

Soling Master Class

Soling Sailor Class

US12 Class

A Gift Presented

Longtime Skipper Howard Germon presented his Soling #76 to the Back Bay Skippers. His generous gift will be used as a backup for sailors having boat problems or for those interested in joining us. Thank you so much, Howard, for your very generous gift!

We Forgot to Bring the Wind

Although Soling skippers brought all their necessary gear to the August 5 regatta, they forgot to bring wind. In the very light and variable velocities provided by Mother Nature, the nineteen participants completed only six races, just enough for one throw-out. The winds ranged from zip to about five miles per hour, and we often had to wait for the puffs to come along and push us to the next mark. At least the temperatures stayed at bearable levels.

Solings on the Water

It was a tie at the top in the Sailor Class with Kevin Bennett and Doug Griggs scoring 1.80, Kevin with three wins and Doug two. John Barstow was just four tenths behind for third place. Bryer Cain and Jim Opie didn’t have enough races to qualify but held their own in the races they ran.

Tim Wright earned four firsts for a 1.40 score to take the regatta in the Master Class. Ted Monetta again captured second place with one win and three seconds, scoring 2.20. Tom Barstow earned a 4.80 with consistent sailing.

A Special Session

On Wednesday, August 6, a special afternoon was held for sailors who wanted to work on their racing skills without the usual regatta scoring. Tim Wright and Ted Monetta were on hand to encourage, offer help, explain nomenclature, and give tips on tuning, sail trim, and racing strategies.

Jeanne Butler, Curran, Bryer Cain, Jim Opie, and Mark Bodenstab devoted the afternoon to honing their skills and having fun sailing. They later were joined by Bob Pacini, whose new boat wasn’t yet ready for launch, so he received help with his radio, rigging, and other boat-preparation tips.

The wind was variable, as it often is at Back Bay, but there were times when it held steady, allowing the sailors to enjoy low-key races in a relaxed atmosphere. It provided a great chance for the sailors to get out on the course without worrying about the finer points of rules.

A good time was had by all, and plans are being made to repeat informal subdued sailing in the coming weeks.

US12 Sailing
On Thursday, August 7, the winds on Back Bay were as tricky as ever. With wind coming off the land and down the bay in patches, sailors had to be careful to not miss the air currents. Many times, boats coming from behind passed boats ahead that were standing still. The fickle winds made it hard to be consistent. With only six sailors, everyone had multiple finishes in fourth-place or lower except one. Despite a serious lack of wind to start the afternoon, the racers managed to complete nine races. B. B. Wright, our scorekeeper, and Diane Guerriere, a consistent helper and assistant, braved the hot sun to keep us moving.

How does he do it? Tim Wright, sailing in the same difficult conditions, managed eight wins plus a second-place finish. His race average of 1.00 earned him first overall. Rick Laird, coming up from Boston, ended up with a 2.50 average, good for second place. Rick had five second-place finishes. In a close battle for third, Anthony Quinn edged out John Simms by thirteen hundredths, 3.25 to 3.38. Anthony had the other first-place finish as well as two seconds. John, with a second and three thirds, came up one point short of tying Anthony. In fifth place, Bruce Wilhelm started with two third-place finishes and earned an average of 4.25. Jim Opie was having issues with his electronics, and sat out a couple of races troubleshooting the problem. Steering was an issue, and that’s huge in sailing. He finally retired before the last race, a frustrating afternoon, no doubt!

It was good to have the camaraderie of the group to offset the unpredictable winds. The conditions kept the sailors busy looking for wind, and figuring out how to use what little there was. Hopefully, we will have a better, more consistent wind next week. Oh wait, I forgot, it’s Back Bay. That doesn’t happen on Back Bay.

Well then, let’s hope for more good sailing, good stories, and good laughs with friends. After all, the racing is truly secondary to the friendships that have formed. See you next week.

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.

Scores

2025-08-05 Sailor Class Regatta
Name	Races/Throws (Pct)	Total Pts.	Average	Score
Bennett, Kevin	5/1 (100%)	9	1.80	1
Griggs, Doug	5/1 (100%)	9	1.80	1
Barstow, John	5/1 (100%)	11	2.20	3
Cain, Bryer	2/0 (33%)	7	3.50	4
Opie, Jim	3/0 (50%)	11	3.67	5

2025 Soling Sailor Class Season Scores
Name	Class	% Regattas	Score	2024	Diff
Cain, Bryer		0%	0.00
Clare, Henry	Sailor	0%	0.00	10.50	-10.50
McBride, Donald	Sailor	18%	2.00
Bennett, Kevin	Sailor	91%	2.20	6.67	-4.47
Hogenson, Dave	Sailor	36%	2.75	2.25	0.50
Griggs, Doug	Sailor	55%	2.83
Opie, Jim	Sailor	27%	3.00	2.67	0.33
Barstow, John	Sailor	36%	3.50	3.78	-0.28
Bodenstab, Mark	Sailor	36%	3.75	5.38	-1.62
Corbett, Dave	Sailor	18%	4.50	5.36	-0.86
Wolcott, Clint	Sailior	18%	5.00	3.80	1.20
Butler, Jeanne	Sailor	27%	5.67	10.33	-4.67
Currier, Dick	Sailor	18%	6.00	8.14	-2.14
Curran	Sailor	18%	6.00	6.00	0.00

2025-08-05 Soling Master Class Regatta
Name	Races/Throws (Pct)	Total Pts.	Average	Score
Wright, Tim	5/1 (100%)	7	1.40	1
Monetta, Ted	5/1 (100%)	11	2.20	2
Barstow, Tom	5/1 (100%)	24	4.80	3
Cundy, Don	1/0 (17%)	5	5.00	4
Whitehead, Mark	5/1 (100%)	26	5.20	5
Gerber, Ken	5/0 (83%)	30	6.00	6
Quinn, Anthony	5/1 (100%)	30	6.00	6
Leker, Steve	5/1 (100%)	34	6.80	8
Rudinsky, Chuck	5/0 (83%)	34	6.80	8
Malay, Bill	5/1 (100%)	35	7.00	10
Wilhelm, Bruce	5/1 (100%)	36	7.20	11
Pacini, Bob	5/0 (83%)	41	8.20	12
Boisvert, Denis	5/1 (100%)	43	8.60	13
Ware, Genie	5/1 (100%)	51	10.20	14

2025 Soling Master Class Season Scores
Name	Class	% Regattas	Score	2024	Diff
Wright, Tim	Master	91%	1.00	1.08	-0.08
Gates, Rick	Master	18%	3.50	8.38	-4.88
Witzel, Jeff	Master	64%	4.14	2.83	1.31
Posnack, Al	Master	82%	4.78	5.18	-0.40
Monetta, Ted	Master	100%	5.00	6.43	-1.43
Davis, Linwood	Master	91%	6.00
Jousse, Alain	Master	9%	6.00
Barstow, Tom	Master	73%	6.50	6.25	0.25
Boisvert, Denis	Master	73%	6.62	5.90	0.72
Cundy, Don	Master	27%	6.67	3.38	3.29
Quinn, Anthony	Master	64%	7.43	8.83	-1.40
Leker, Steve	Master	55%	7.50	7.62	-0.12
Rudinsky, Chuck	Master	18%	7.50
Whitehead, Mark	Master	91%	7.50	6.69	0.81
Gerber, Ken	Master	55%	7.83	9.00	-1.17
Pacini, Bob	Master	82%	9.00	8.00	1.00
Malay, Bill	Master	55%	9.17	10.00	-0.83
Ware, Genie	Master	45%	10.40
Laird, Richard	Master	18%	10.50
Wilhelm, Bruce	Master	82%	11.89

2025-08-07 US12 Class Regatta
Name	Races/Throws (Pct)	Total Pts.	Average	Score
Wright, Tim	8/1 (100%)	8	1.00	1
Laird, Rick	8/1 (100%)	20	2.50	2
Quinn, Anthony	8/1 (100%)	26	3.25	3
Simms, John	8/1 (100%)	27	3.38	4
Wilhelm, Bruce	8/1 (100%)	34	4.25	5
Opie, Jim	5/1 (62%)	28	5.60	6

2025 US 12 Season Scores
Name	Class	% Regattas	Score	2024	Diff
Wright, Tim	Sailor	100%	1.00	1.00	0.00
Chalder, Glenn		14%	2.00
Davis, Lin		43%	2.00	4.00	-2.00
Simms, John	Sailor	100%	3.14	2.57	0.57
Quinn, Anthony		71%	3.40	5.23	-1.83
McBride, Donald	Sailor	29%	3.50	4.43	-0.93
Gates, Rick		29%	4.00	3.93	0.07
Laird, Rick	Sailor	43%	4.33	3.40	0.93
Brennan, Bob	Sailor	29%	4.50	5.80	-1.30
Wilhelm, Bruce	Sailor	86%	5.50	6.56	-1.06
Opie, Jim	Sailor	57%	6.00	6.40	-0.40

Upcoming Events: [2025 Schedule]

April 29 – October 28 , 2025 Regattas 1PM-3PM Tuesday Solings, Thursdays US12s
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:

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

Model Yachting News • Week Ending August 2, 2025

Posted on August 2, 2025August 2, 2025 by Paul McBride

Written by Mark Whitehead, Tim Wright
Proofreading & Editing by Kathleen Whitehead
Photos by Paul McBride, B. B. Wrigh, Mark Whitehead
Layout by Ken Gerber
Photo Captions by Paul McBride
Games by Dave Perry

e-mail: backbayskippers@gmail.com

Remembering Paul Wallace Sail #227

First, we’d like to remember Paul Wallace, a longtime member of the Back Bay Skippers who passed away this year in February. Born on February 27, 1939 in Malden, Massachusetts, Paul enjoyed sailing and building sailboats, he and his wife, Sandra, having moored a sailboat in Wells, Maine for twenty years. More recently, he built model sailboats as well as a wooden canoe that he and Sandra would launch locally.

Known as “The Welder,” he was a welder for his entire career, continuing his craft even after retirement, many projects done for a local marina.

In addition to Sandra and his love of shelties, his life included three beloved daughters, five grandchildren, and one great grandchild.

A Hard Day to Reach the First Mark

The wind’s direction was strange this week. Normally it takes only two or three tacks to reach the upwind mark, but each tack seemed to take skippers further away this week. Except for Tim Wright, of course, all scores were several points higher than normal, which revealed the struggles of our remaining skippers.

There were fewer skippers for our July 29 regatta, the count climbing to only fifteen, the extreme heat keeping a few at home in front of the air conditioner. A good breeze of up to fifteen mph helped to balance the high temperature, allowing the fleet to complete twelve races.

It was wonderful to see one skipper from the 2025 building class. Bryer Cain #24 sailed with us and showed dramatic improvement by the end of the day. There’s a definite learning curve for R/C sailing, and it just takes time to learn. A job well done, Bryer!

Solings Out on the Water

At the head of the Sailor Class this week was Doug Griggs, his six wins, four seconds, and three thirds propelling him into the lead with a score of 1.50.

Just one tenth behind, Kevin Bennett tallied four wins, six seconds, and one third to finish with a score of 1.60. John Barstow had two wins, three seconds, and two thirds, scoring 2.60 for third place. Bryer Cain earned a score of 3.40, an admirable performance for his first regatta.

Tim Wright didn’t need the two throw-outs to take the Master Class in grand fashion. His nine wins and a score of 1.10 did the trick. Ted Monetta handled the mysterious winds well with a couple of wins plus four seconds for a score of 3.20 and second place. Finishing in third place was Anthony Quinn with a win of his own, a second, two thirds, and a score of 3.40.

Mother Nature Had Other Ideas

Sailing the US12s on the last day of July was questionable from the start. At first, the weather looked like it would hold off. However, the morning of sailing came with a wetter prediction. That had Commodore Mark Whitehead asking Tim Wright, fleet captain, what he wanted to do. Tim said he would drive by to see if anyone showed up, and Mark emailed Tim’s reply to the group. While waiting by the water, Tim launched his boat, sailing in a light drizzle with a surprisingly delightful wind, consistent in both strength and direction. Was this really Back Bay, he wondered?

As 1:00 approached, Tim was joined on the footpath by Anthony Quinn, Don Cundy, Diane Guerriere, and John Simms. Don picked up a mark that had been pulled ashore by fishermen; Anthony and John told stories; and Diane helped identify birds. No one challenged Tim on the course, as no one really wanted to stand in the rain. Although it was an unofficial regatta due to the low numbers, Tim went unchallenged and claimed victory anyway.

By 1:15, his boat was out of the water and everyone moved on. Hopefully next week will bring better sailing weather.

Don’t Forget Next Wednesday!

August 6 will be a no-score regatta aimed at helping our newer sailors improve their understanding of racing, rules, and tactics. Let’s also not forget Rule #1 – Have fun!

Sailing on Back Bay

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.

Scores

2025-07-29 Soling Sailor Class Regatta
Name	Races/Throws (Pct)	Total Pts.	Average	Score
Griggs, Doug	10/2 (100%)	15	1.5	1
Bennett, Kevin	10/2 (100%)	16	1.6	2
Barstow, John	10/2 (100%)	26	2.6	3
Cain, Bryer	5/1 (45%)	17	3.4	4

2025 Sailor Class Season Scores

Name

Class

% Regattas

Score

2024

Diff

Clare, Henry

Sailor

0.00

10.50

-10.50

Cain, Bryer

0.00

McBride, Donald

Sailor

20%

2.00

Bennett, Kevin

Sailor

90%

2.33

6.67

-4.33

Hogenson, Dave

Sailor

40%

2.75

2.25

0.50

Opie, Jim

Sailor

30%

3.00

2.67

0.33

Griggs, Doug

Sailor

50%

3.20

Barstow, John

Sailor

30%

3.67

3.78

-0.11

Bodenstab, Mark

Sailor

40%

3.75

5.38

-1.62

Corbett, Dave

Sailor

20%

4.50

5.36

-0.86

Wolcott, Clint

Sailior

20%

5.00

3.80

1.20

Butler, Jeanne

Sailor

30%

5.67

10.33

-4.67

Currier, Dick

Sailor

20%

6.00

8.14

-2.14

Curran

Sailor

20%

6.00

0.00

2025-07-29 Soling Master Class Regatta
Name	Races/Throws (Pct)	Total Pts.	Average	Score
Wright, Tim	10/1 (91%)	11	1.1	1
Monetta, Ted	10/2 (100%)	32	3.2	2
Quinn, Anthony	5/1 (45%)	17	3.4	3
Davis, Linwood	10/2 (100%)	41	4.1	4
Posnack, Al	10/2 (100%)	45	4.5	5
Barstow, Tom	10/2 (100%)	49	4.9	6
Ware, Genie	10/2 (100%)	58	5.8	7
Rudinsky, Chuck	10/1 (91%)	58	5.8	7
Whitehead, Mark	10/2 (100%)	59	5.9	9
Witzel, Jeff	10/2 (100%)	59	5.9	9
Wilhelm, Bruce	10/2 (100%)	75	7.5	11

2025 Soling Master Class Season Scores
Name	Class	% Regattas	Score	2024	Diff
Wright, Tim	Master	90%	1.00	1.08	-0.08
Gates, Rick	Master	20%	3.50	8.38	-4.88
Witzel, Jeff	Master	70%	4.14	2.83	1.31
Posnack, Al	Master	90%	4.78	5.18	-0.40
Monetta, Ted	Master	100%	5.30	6.43	-1.13
Boisvert, Denis	Master	70%	5.71	5.90	-0.19
Davis, Linwood	Master	100%	6.00
Jousse, Alain	Master	10%	6.00
Cundy, Don	Master	30%	6.67	3.38	3.29
Barstow, Tom	Master	70%	7.00	6.25	0.75
Rudinsky, Chuck	Master	10%	7.00
Leker, Steve	Master	50%	7.40	7.62	-0.22
Quinn, Anthony	Master	60%	7.67	8.83	-1.17
Whitehead, Mark	Master	90%	7.78	6.69	1.09
Gerber, Ken	Master	50%	8.20	9.00	-0.80
Pacini, Bob	Master	80%	8.62	8.00	0.62
Malay, Bill	Master	50%	9.00	10.00	-1.00
Ware, Genie	Master	40%	9.50
Laird, Richard	Master	20%	10.50
Wilhelm, Bruce	Master	80%	12.00

Upcoming Events: [2025 Schedule]

April 29 – October 28 , 2025 Regattas 1PM-3PM Tuesday Solings, Thursdays US12s
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:

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

Model Yachting News • Week Ending July 26, 2025

Posted on July 27, 2025July 27, 2025 by Paul McBride

e-mail: backbayskippers@gmail.com

Great Day for Sailing

Sunshine and much lower humidity greeted the skippers this week. There was even wind, not a great deal but enough to keep the boats moving. Twenty-two skippers with their Solings entered the queue to Back Bay July 22, but only twenty actually participated in the nine-race regatta.

Sadly we are losing skipper Henry Clare for the rest of the season. He and his family are touring the Atlantic provinces over the next week before returning to Montreal, where his parents are currently posted as foreign service officers.

Joining us were dozens of spectators to enjoy the spectacle, several trying their hand at the controls.

Out on the Water

Kevin Bennett led the way in the Sailor Class this week with five firsts and a score of 1.62. Jim Opie challenged the fleet with one win and five seconds, scoring 2.12 for second place. Third place went to Dave Hogenson, thanks to a couple of wins and two second-place finishes.

Our perpetual leader for the Master Class didn’t disappoint, Tim Wright scoring three firsts and two seconds to land at the top of the podium with a 1.50 score. Linwood Davis held the second place, scoring 4.25. Al Posnack and Ted Monetta tied for third, both with a score of 5.00.

Five US12 Sailors

Sailors on July 24 were treated to good winds, which helped moderate the hot temperatures. While we dealt with Back Bay’s usual wind shifts and lulls, the puffs were really quite strong, unlike many hot days in the summer. There was a good variety of velocities with none too strong or too soft for too long. Although we got off to a slow start with only two races in the first thirty minutes, we did manage to complete twelve races. B. B. Wright, our scorekeeper, kept the skippers involved with quick turnarounds so anyone who sailed in every race would earn two throw-outs.

Racing was very spirited. Positions shifted throughout each race and often on each leg. Wind shifts and changing strengths tested the skippers’ mettle from start to finish. Phantom winds and missed buoys changed the order of the fleet every race. Bruce Wilhelm came in fifth of five, but you have to love his attitude. He said, “My first race started with a second place, and it was all downhill after that.” He didn’t mention, however, that his last three races were all third-place finishes. Bruce finished with a race average of 3.90.

Anthony Quinn was consistent. He had six third-place finishes and a final average of 3.40 for fourth place.

In a very close battle for second place, Lin Davis beat John Simms by six hundredths of a point, 2.50 to 2.56. John had one first and five seconds, along with three fourth-place finishes. Lin also had one win and five second-place finishes, but he had two third-place finishes that made the difference and gave him a slightly better score.

In first, Tim Wright had ten first-place finishes, and after two throw-outs had an average of 1.00. Has anyone checked his boat lately? As he does, Tim got good starts and usually worked out to the front of the fleet. The intense pursuit kept Tim on his toes, and the chasers were always there, ready to pounce on any mistake or wind shift!

Thanks to all who help to make this possible. We look forward to next week when we sail again. Hopefully, we will have more boats in our fleet.

Sailing on Back Bay

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.

Scores

2025-07-22 Soling Sailor Class Regatta
Name	Races/Throws (Pct)	Total Pts.	Average	Score
Bennett, Kevin	8/1 (100%)	13	1.62	1
Opie, Jim	8/1 (100%)	17	2.12	2
Hogenson, Dave	7/1 (88%)	16	2.29	3
Bodenstab, Mark	6/1 (75%)	21	3.50	4
Corbett, Dave	5/0 (56%)	23	4.60	5
Butler, Jeanne	6/1 (75%)	29	4.83	6
Curran	5/0 (56%)	25	5.00	7

2025 Soling Sailor Class Season Scores
Name	Class	% Regattas	Score	2024	Diff
Clare, Henry	Sailor	0%	0.00	10.50	-10.50
Rudinsky, Chuck	Sailor	78%	1.14
McBride, Donald	Sailor	22%	2.00
Bennett, Kevin	Sailor	89%	2.38	6.67	-4.29
Hogenson, Dave	Sailor	44%	2.75	2.25	0.50
Opie, Jim	Sailor	33%	3.00	2.67	0.33
Bodenstab, Mark	Sailor	44%	3.75	5.38	-1.62
Griggs, Doug	Sailor	44%	3.75
Barstow, John	Sailor	22%	4.00	3.78	0.22
Corbett, Dave	Sailor	22%	4.50	5.36	-0.86
Wolcott, Clint	Sailior	22%	5.00	3.80	1.20
Butler, Jeanne	Sailor	33%	5.67	10.33	-4.67
Currier, Dick	Sailor	22%	6.00	8.14	-2.14
Curran	Sailor	22%	6.00	6.00	0.00

2025-07-22 Soling Master Class Regatta
Name	Races/Throws (Pct)	Total Pts.	Average	Score
Wright, Tim	6/1 (75%)	9	1.50	1
Davis, Linwood	8/1 (100%)	34	4.25	2
Monetta, Ted	8/1 (100%)	40	5.00	3
Posnack, Al	8/1 (100%)	40	5.00	3
Gerber, Ken	7/1 (88%)	37	5.29	5
Quinn, Anthony	7/1 (88%)	37	5.29	5
Barstow, Tom	7/1 (88%)	38	5.43	7
Witzel, Jeff	8/1 (100%)	56	7.00	8
Whitehead, Mark	8/1 (100%)	59	7.38	9
Malay, Bill	8/1 (100%)	62	7.75	10
Wilhelm, Bruce	8/1 (100%)	64	8.00	11
Pacini, Bob	8/1 (100%)	65	8.12	12
Leker, Steve	7/1 (88%)	63	9.00	13

2025 Master Class Season Scores
Name	Class	% Regattas	Score	2024	Diff
Wright, Tim	Master	89%	1.00	1.08	-0.08
Witzel, Jeff	Master	67%	3.33	2.83	0.50
Gates, Rick	Master	22%	3.50	8.38	-4.88
Posnack, Al	Master	89%	4.75	5.18	-0.43
Monetta, Ted	Master	100%	5.67	6.43	-0.76
Boisvert, Denis	Master	78%	5.71	5.90	-0.19
Jousse, Alain	Master	11%	6.00
Davis, Linwood	Master	100%	6.22
Cundy, Don	Master	33%	6.67	3.38	3.29
Barstow, Tom	Master	67%	7.17	6.25	0.92
Leker, Steve	Master	56%	7.40	7.62	-0.22
Whitehead, Mark	Master	89%	7.62	6.69	0.93
Quinn, Anthony	Master	67%	7.67	8.83	-1.17
Gerber, Ken	Master	56%	8.20	9.00	-0.80
Pacini, Bob	Master	89%	8.62	8.00	0.62
Malay, Bill	Master	56%	9.00	10.00	-1.00
Ware, Genie	Master	33%	10.33
Laird, Richard	Master	22%	10.50
Wilhelm, Bruce	Master	78%	12.14

Upcoming Events: [2025 Schedule]

April 29 – October 28 , 2025 Regattas 1PM-3PM Tuesday Solings, Thursdays US12s
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:

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

Model Yachting News • Week Ending July 19, 2025

Posted on July 20, 2025July 23, 2025 by Paul McBride

Written by Mark Whitehead, Linwood Davis
Proofreading & Editing by Kathleen Whitehead
Photos by Paul McBride, Mark Whitehead
Layout by Ken Gerber
Photo Captions by Paul McBride
Games by Dave Perry

e-mail: backbayskippers@gmail.com

Mentor Day

In between the Fall and Summer Series, we set aside a day for the new skippers and for those who are struggling out on the course. It is a nonofficial scored day so we can get the new skippers started on the right foot. Bryer Cain arrived as the only new skipper, and Henry Clare jumped right in, loaning Bryer his boat and helping him get started. Al Posnack and Ted Monetta helped Jeanne Butler with boat setup and sailing, and by the end of the day, Jeanne showed dramatic improvement.

For the rest of us, we just had a fun day with no performance pressure. Yes, it was hot, but the 6-mph breeze certainly helped keep us a bit cooler and the boats moving. We had only eleven skippers but managed to complete twelve races with a very courteous fleet – no pushing and shoving.

Bragging Rights Only

No official scoring with an all-in fleet and – hurrah! — no weed calls. Bragging rights go to regatta leader Linwood Davis with four wins and a score of 1.8. Posting a score of 2.7 even with four missed races while mentoring, Al Posnack had a win to place him in the second spot. It rarely happens that Commodore Mark Whitehead makes the top three, but this week he did, his score of 2.9 including two wins.

July 16 US12 Sailing

With thunderstorms and rain forecast for Thursday, the US12 weekly regatta was moved a day ahead to Wednesday. As usual, Back Bay provided us with a fickle wind that often spun the proverbial weather vane around its axis but then settled back to a generally westerly breeze, keeping skippers on their toes.

The temperature was brutal as it stayed in the low- to mid-90s. The smarter skippers stayed home, but two of us, John Simms and Lin Davis, decided to sweat it out. Our brave scorekeeper, Karen Enos, had shade and a fan but still found it very hot. Thank you, Karen, for sweating it out with us!

Since there were only two skippers, we had an opportunity to hone our skills without being distracted by the normally crowded field. John had his own #101 boat and Lin sailed Tim Wright’s #400.

For the initial six races, Lin crossed the finish line first. During the seventh race, John decided to pull up to the dock to tune his boat. Lin brought Tim’s #400 loaner over so a comparison could be made.

With tuning accomplished, race eight began. And what a difference the tuning made! The rest of the races found the two boats performing well with the lead changing often. Lin took three more wins, and John took two. All in all, it was another good day at Back Bay!

Special note: It did rain on Thursday so the right weather call was made!

Unofficial Scoring

Soling Sailor Class

303 Dave Hogenson 5.7
887 Kevin Bennett 6.9
825 Jeanne Butler 8.0
48 Henry Clare 9.5 (Two races shared with Bryer Cain)

Total Soling Fleet

22 Linwood Davis 1.8
211 Al Posnack 2.7
12 Mark Whitehead 2.9
237 Ted Monetta 3.2
111 Anthony Quinn 4.6
1068 Bob Pacini 4.8
303 Dave Hogenson 5.7
831 Bruce Wilhelm 5.8
887 Kevin Bennett 6.9
825 Jeanne Butler 8.0
48 Henry Clare 9.5 (Two races shared with Bryer Cain)

US12 Class

400 Linwood Davis 1.0
101 John Simms 1.8

Sailing on Back Bay

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.

Upcoming Events: [2025 Schedule]

April 29 – October 28 , 2025 Regattas 1PM-3PM Tuesday Solings, Thursdays US12s
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:

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

Model Yachting News • Week Ending July 12, 2025

Posted on July 13, 2025July 14, 2025 by Paul McBride

Written by Mark Whitehead, Tim Wright, Rick Parent, Al Posnack
Proofreading & Editing by Kathleen Whitehead
Photos by Paul McBride, B. B. Wright, Tim Wright, Anne Lennon, Janet Dotolo, Mark Whitehead
Layout by Ken Gerber
Photo Captions by Paul McBride
Games by Dave Perry

e-mail: backbayskippers@gmail.com

Model Yacht Day

On July 5, the Back Bay Skippers, led by Rick Parent and his Squadron 57 fleet, set up shop at the Back Bay Skippers dock on Bridge Falls Path for a fun-filled day of interactive sailing. Boats available for launch consisted of a few Soling 1m’s, a Soling 50, a Santa Barbara, a couple of US12s, and a CN 12. The wildcat was an RC catamaran.

By Annie Lennon’s count and the medals available (approximately 135), she concluded that the day garnered 125 participants. Probationary skippers from small to big kids tested their navigational talents as they maneuvered the boats with great enthusiasm. There were some competitive challenges given and accepted by numerous siblings, and in good fun there were a lot of smiles all around.

The weather provided an exceptional day for sailing. Fair winds intermingled with gusts up to 7 knots, and the variety made for a challenging but enjoyable day on Back Bay for those in attendance.

The day wouldn’t have been a success if not for the help provided by some of the most talented Back Bay Skippers. The crew consisted of Tim Wright, Henry Clare, Kyle Blaisdell, Jeanne Butler, Dianne Labella, Curran, Dave Corbett, and Doug Breskin who brought his catamaran.

Annie Lennon set up a table for the New Hampshire Boat Museum and had a good amount of attendees who wanted to hear about the Back Bay Skippers as well as the museum itself. Pamphlets and fliers about what the boat museum and its various activities encompass were distributed by Annie.

At the end of the day, while reflecting on the day’s event, the one thing that stood out was a larger number of participants than the prior year. We even had some who’d attended in the past.

Stay tuned, because next year’s model yachting day will have a new boat added to the fleet.

I’d like to give a shout out to a few helpers who came in under the radar. I couldn’t have set up nor broken down the event without the help of my sister, Jen Roderick, my mother, Rollande Cardin, and my brother-in-law, Ron Lewis. Ron provided transport of gear during the night’s wee hours before the multitudes filled prime parking spots near the path. He not only helped with delivery but also helped raise the tent and set up chairs and tables pre-event. He remained to help during breakdown, stuffing gear back into the trailer and vehicles, and picking up debris left in the aftermath. Additionally, a huge thanks goes to Tim Wright, who was at the dock waiting to help me build the display and rig the boats. Without all of them, I’d still be stuffing to this day. Thanks! You guys ROCK!

Got Weed?

People are talking! It’s all over Wolfeboro and the surrounding area! Last Tuesday, joggers, dog walkers, bike riders, lovers, mothers with babies, and random tourists came upon a most curious sight. There on Bridge Falls Path was a group of mostly middle-age to senior citizens, and they all were saying the same thing to one another: “Got weed!” “Got weed!” “Got weed!” Right there in public!

Some thought it was a Woodstock reunion group; others thought it was some kind of strange therapy session — but clearly, they all were afraid to ask! For the skippers, it was definitely an herbal day on the racecourse, with most boats coming to the dock after every race to check their keels and rudders, many of them heading right to the recourse sheet.

As for the racing, we had a nice northwesterly breeze of 5 to 10 knots, with occasional lulls or strong blasts to keep it interesting. The wind was very shifty, which kept everyone on their toes on the upwind legs as well as the starting line. For the starts, the favored end kept flipping from one end to the other, resulting in traffic jams, first at the near end of the line and later at the far end, as skippers jockeyed for the perfect start. For every boat that squirted ahead at the start, another was flushed out the back. That’s sailboat racing for you! Also, the short final leg to the finish line proved extremely challenging due to the shifty breeze, with many places gained and lost in the final few yards. A teachable moment for all!

In the Sailor fleet, we had six boats. Doug Griggs grabbed a bullet in the first race, and hung on to finish third for the day with a 2.6 average. Dave Hogensen was very consistent, earning second place for the day with a 1.7 average that included four second-place finishes and five bullets. Chuck Rudinsky squeaked into the top spot for the day with a 1.4 average that included four second-place finishes and six bullets! Jeanne Butler, Dave Corbett, and Clint Wolcott all had moments of brilliance, which is what makes sailboat racing so much fun!

Eleven boats raced in the Masters fleet where the competition was very tight throughout the day. In fact, ten of the eleven boats had at least one finish of third place or higher! The racing was very challenging, and everyone was happy to complete twelve races so they could have two throw-outs! Denis Boisvert had an outstanding day with three bullets in the first seven races and consistent sailing for the other races, earning third place for the day with a 3.4 average. Jeff Witzel managed only one bullet, but his high finishes throughout the day earned him second place overall with a 2.9 average. And perennial champ Tim Wright led the day once again with six wins and an average of 1.4. How does he do it?

Front Row: Henry Clare, Ellie Terry, Mark Bodenstab, Janet Dotolo, Ryan Gironda;
Back Row: Doug Griggs, Jim Ott, David Wolfe, Mark Whitehead, Carter Terry, Emily Terry, Alice Terry, Bryer Cain, Patti Cain, Don Mc Bride, Tim Wright, Eric Vita, Alex Stanley, Paul Stanley, Bruce Wilhelm, Dan Simonds, and Paul Lang

Model Yacht Building

July 7 was the start of the 2025 Model Yacht Building Class. In three and a half days the class produced eight beautiful new Soling model yachts in record time. We normally struggle to complete the boats in five days. This year’s boatbuilders were: the family of Carter, Emily, Alice, and Ellie Terry; Bryer Cain; Eric Vita; Ryan Gironda; Alex Stanley; Jim Ott; Dan Simonds; and Dave Wolfe.

Assisting the younger set were Patti Cain, Janet Dotolo, and Paul Lang.

A spectacular group of instructors made the workshop a very smooth-running and professional process. They included Tim Wright, Linwood Davis, Bruce Wilhelm, Doug Griggs, Don McBride, Henry Clare, Mark Bodenstab, and Mark Whitehead. The boat stands were built by Steve Leker, and our official sail maker was Anthony Quinn.

Thursday turned out to be launch day instead of another daylong construction session, and most of the builders spent time sailing their new model yachts on Back Bay with “smiles all around.”

US12 Sailing on July 10

It was an unusual summer day. After lots of heat and humidity, it was almost cool, with cloudy skies and rain falling throughout the morning. Several of this year’s builders of radio-controlled Solings brought their brand-new boats to Back Bay for maiden voyages. Just as they were finishing their test sails, six US12 sailors showed up for their weekly racing.

We had the usual Back Bay wind shifts, but the wind held, the racing was keen, and the competition was close. Each sailor had at least one second-place finish. Turnover time between races was limited and the group managed to complete fourteen races.

A special mention goes to Bob Brennan, whose boat was holed at the first mark in his second race. He finished the race to find a pencil-sized hole near the bow and above the water line. He was out for two races then finished the day with some tape covering the hole. Despite tape, he had his two best finishes of the day — a second and a third — finishing sixth overall with a 4.29 average. In fifth was Rick Gates, who made the long trip from Nashua to race his boat with its new sails. He had a second and two thirds, finishing in fifth place with 3.89.

Rick Laird made a longer trip from Boston to sail with us. He had two seconds, six thirds, and a final average of 3.25 to finish in fourth place. John Simms was just ahead with a 3.08 average and a third-place finish for the day. He had two firsts, two seconds, and two third-place finishes. Lin Davis sailed a loaner boat once again and did very well. He had three firsts, five seconds, and a 2.25 average. Tim Wright won the day with ten firsts and two seconds, his score an impressive 1.17.

The spring season has now ended. Next week is a week of unscored racing before we start the summer season the following week. We were delighted to have many spectators enjoy the racing on such a refreshing day. It was a good day to be outside enjoying the rain-free, cool weather.

Thanks to all who help make this possible — from tying up the crash boat to helping carry chairs and other gear, and offering help to each other in a variety of ways. Another special mention goes to our scorekeeper, B. B. Wright. She spends the afternoon answering questions, taking photos and videos, and calling the starts and finishes, occasionally enduring the hot sun.

Sailing on Back Bay

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.

2025-07-08 Soling Sailor Class Regatta
Name	Races/Throws (Pct)	Total Pts.	Average	Score
Rudinsky, Chuck	10/2 (100%)	14	1.40	1
Hogenson, Dave	10/2 (100%)	17	1.70	2
Griggs, Doug	10/2 (100%)	26	2.60	3
Corbett, Dave	5/1 (45%)	15	3.00	4
Wolcott, Clint	9/1 (82%)	38	4.22	5
Butler, Jeanne	5/1 (45%)	22	4.40	6

2025 Soling Sailor Class Season Scores
Name	Class	% Regattas	Score	2024	Diff
Clare, Henry	Sailor	0%	0.00	10.50	-10.50
Rudinsky, Chuck	Sailor	88%	1.14
McBride, Donald	Sailor	25%	2.00
Bennett, Kevin	Sailor	88%	2.57	6.67	-4.10
Hogenson, Dave	Sailor	38%	2.67	2.25	0.42
Opie, Jim	Sailor	25%	3.50	2.67	0.83
Bodenstab, Mark	Sailor	38%	3.67	5.38	-1.71
Griggs, Doug	Sailor	50%	3.75
Barstow, John	Sailor	25%	4.00	3.78	0.22
Corbett, Dave	Sailor	25%	4.50	5.36	-0.86
Wolcott, Clint	Sailior	25%	5.00	3.80	1.20
Butler, Jeanne	Sailor	25%	5.50	10.33	-4.83
Currier, Dick	Sailor	25%	6.00	8.14	-2.14
Curran	Sailor	25%	6.00	6.00	0.00

2025-07-08 Soling Master Class Regatta
Name	Races/Throws (Pct)	Total Pts.	Average	Score
Wright, Tim	10/2 (100%)	14	1.40	1
Witzel, Jeff	10/2 (100%)	29	2.90	2
Boisvert, Denis	10/2 (100%)	34	3.40	3
Posnack, Al	10/2 (100%)	38	3.80	4
Davis, Linwood	10/2 (100%)	52	5.20	5
Leker, Steve	10/2 (100%)	52	5.20	5
Pacini, Bob	10/2 (100%)	56	5.60	7
Monetta, Ted	10/2 (100%)	57	5.70	8
Wilhelm, Bruce	10/2 (100%)	69	6.90	9
Gerber, Ken	10/2 (100%)	79	7.90	10
Quinn, Anthony	9/1 (82%)	78	8.67	11

2025 Soling Master Class Season Scores
Name	Class	% Regattas	Score	2024	Diff
Wright, Tim	Master	88%	1.00	1.08	-0.08
Witzel, Jeff	Master	62%	2.40	2.83	-0.43
Gates, Rick	Master	25%	3.50	8.38	-4.88
Posnack, Al	Master	88%	5.00	5.18	-0.18
Boisvert, Denis	Master	88%	5.71	5.90	-0.19
Jousse, Alain	Master	12%	6.00
Leker, Steve	Master	50%	6.00	7.62	-1.62
Monetta, Ted	Master	100%	6.00	6.43	-0.43
Davis, Linwood	Master	100%	6.62
Cundy, Don	Master	38%	6.67	3.38	3.29
Barstow, Tom	Master	62%	7.20	6.25	0.95
Whitehead, Mark	Master	88%	7.43	6.69	0.74
Quinn, Anthony	Master	62%	8.20	8.83	-0.63
Pacini, Bob	Master	88%	8.29	8.00	0.29
Malay, Bill	Master	50%	8.75	10.00	-1.25
Gerber, Ken	Master	50%	9.00	9.00	0.00
Ware, Genie	Master	38%	10.33
Laird, Richard	Master	25%	10.50
Wilhelm, Bruce	Master	75%	12.33

2025-07-10 US12 Regatta
Name	Races/Throws (Pct)	Total Pts.	Average	Score
Wright, Tim	11/2 (100%)	13	1.18	1
Davis, Lin	11/2 (100%)	25	2.27	2
Simms, John	11/2 (100%)	33	3.00	3
Laird, Rick	11/2 (100%)	35	3.18	4
Gates, Rick	9/1 (75%)	36	4.00	5
Brennan, Bob	6/1 (50%)	25	4.17	6

2025 US12 Class Season Scores
Name	Class	% Regattas	Score	2024	Diff
Wright, Tim	Sailor	100%	1.00	1.00	0.00
Chalder, Glenn	Sailor	20%	2.00
Davis, Lin	Sailor	40%	2.00	4.00	-2.00
Simms, John	Sailor	100%	3.00	2.57	0.43
Quinn, Anthony	Sailor	60%	3.33	5.23	-1.90
McBride, Donald	Sailor	40%	3.50	4.43	-0.93
Gates, Rick	Sailor	40%	4.00	3.93	0.07
Brennan, Bob	Sailor	40%	4.50	5.80	-1.30
Laird, Rick	Sailor	40%	5.50	3.40	2.10
Wilhelm, Bruce	Sailor	80%	5.75	6.56	-0.81
Opie, Jim	Sailor	60%	6.00	6.40	-0.40

Upcoming Events: [2025 Schedule]

April 29 – October 28 , 2025 Regattas 1PM-3PM Tuesday Solings, Thursdays US12s
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:

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

Model Yachting News • Week Ending July 5, 2025

Posted on July 6, 2025July 6, 2025 by Paul McBride

Written by Mark Whitehead
Proofreading & Editing by Kathleen Whitehead
Photos by Paul McBride
Layout by Ken Gerber
Photo Captions by Paul McBride
Games by Dave Perry

e-mail: backbayskippers@gmail.com

The Green Salad Regatta

The July 2 Soling regatta will go into our history books with a record twenty-one weed calls. The floating weeds were very fine, unlike any we’ve seen before. Not sure if the ski boats cut them up or if they came from someplace else – spaceships perhaps? One thing for sure, the stronger winds pushed them across the bay onto our course.

We welcomed back from Canada our youngest skipper, Henry Clare. Henry is part of a diplomatic family stationed in Montreal. We estimated that he grew about a foot over the winter so the Canadian food must agree with him. Anyway, welcome back, Henry, it was great to see you!

Also returning to Back Bay for his first regatta of the season was Clint Wolcott. Clint has been in D.C. as a volunteer assisting government workers during their struggles.

Solings Out on the Water

Although they could have done without the weeds, the eighteen skippers who launched at least had great winds for their ten races. Leading the Sailor Class was John Barstow, his three wins and a second putting him at the top with a score of 2.33. (Note that although Chuck Rudinsky had a win and three second-place finishes, he didn’t participate in enough races to qualify for overall placement in the regatta.) In John’s wake and only one tenth behind at 2.44 was Kevin Bennett, who took the second spot with three wins and two seconds, a fifth-place finish in Race 3 making the difference. Wow, only three tenths behind Kevin was Dave Hogenson, whose two wins lifted him to third overall at 2.67. Just two tenths behind that was Clint Wolcott! How close can these skipper scores get?

The Master Class leader was Tim Wright, posting four wins along with four seconds and two weed-call-average scores, finishing the day at 1.56. Jeff Witzel had two wins and two weed-call-average scores as well, calling it a day after the seventh race. He managed a respectable score of 3.17 for second place, however. Rounding out the top three was Linwood Davis, earning three wins and having three weed-call-average scores for an overall score of 3.22.

The “Salad King” was Bob Pacini posting four weed-call-average scores plus a few more he didn’t bother to post. Congratulations, Bob — I think!

US12s Were a No-Go

Trying to rely on weather forecasts is a risky business. The July 1 regatta was rescheduled for July 2 because of dangerous thunderstorms headed our way. They never came. They decided to wait until the US12 regatta was about to begin, the skies opening up with heavy rain, thunder, and lightning. Meteorologists originally claimed that Thursday’s raindrops wouldn’t fall until after 3:00, but NOOOOOOOO! We know weather in New England can be difficult to predict because of so many swirling fronts, but you’d think that with advanced technology, forecasts could be a bit more precise.

Sailing on Back Bay

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.

2025-07-02 Soling Sailor Class Regatta
Name	Races/Throws (Pct)	Total Pts.	Average	Score
Rudinsky, Chuck	4/0 (40%)	7	1.75	1
Barstow, John	9/1 (100%)	21	2.33	2
Bennett, Kevin	9/1 (100%)	22	2.44	3
Hogenson, Dave	9/1 (100%)	24	2.67	4
Wolcott, Clint	9/1 (100%)	26	2.89	5
Clare, Henry	1/0 (10%)	5	5.00	6

2025 Soling Sailor Class Season Scores
Name	Class	% Regattas	Score	2024	Diff
Clare, Henry	Sailor	0%	0.00	10.50	-10.50
Rudinsky, Chuck	Sailor	86%	1.17
McBride, Donald	Sailor	29%	2.00
Bennett, Kevin	Sailor	100%	2.57	6.67	-4.10
Hogenson, Dave	Sailor	29%	3.00	2.25	0.75
Opie, Jim	Sailor	29%	3.50	2.67	0.83
Bodenstab, Mark	Sailor	43%	3.67	5.38	-1.71
Barstow, John	Sailor	29%	4.00	3.78	0.22
Griggs, Doug	Sailor	43%	4.00
Corbett, Dave	Sailor	29%	4.50	5.36	-0.86
Wolcott, Clint	Sailior	14%	5.00	3.80	1.20
Butler, Jeanne	Sailor	29%	5.50	10.33	-4.83
Currier, Dick	Sailor	29%	6.00	8.14	-2.14
Curran	Sailor	29%	6.00	6.00	0.00

2025-07-02 Soling Master Class Regatta
Name	Races/Throws (Pct)	Total Pts.	Average	Score
Wright, Tim	9/1 (100%)	14	1.56	1
Witzel, Jeff	6/1 (67%)	19	3.17	2
Davis, Linwood	9/1 (100%)	29	3.22	3
Barstow, Tom	6/1 (67%)	27	4.50	4
Boisvert, Denis	9/1 (100%)	42	4.67	5
Whitehead, Mark	9/1 (100%)	46	5.11	6
Posnack, Al	8/1 (89%)	45	5.62	7
Cundy, Don	6/1 (67%)	37	6.17	8
Monetta, Ted	9/1 (100%)	56	6.22	9
Quinn, Anthony	4/0 (40%)	28	7.00	10
Pacini, Bob	9/1 (100%)	68	7.56	11
Ware, Genie	9/1 (100%)	75	8.33	12
Wilhelm, Bruce	9/1 (100%)	83	9.22	13

2025 Soling Master Class Season Scores
Name	Class	% Regattas	Score	2024	Diff
Wright, Tim	Master	86%	1.00	1.08	-0.08
Witzel, Jeff	Master	57%	2.50	2.83	-0.33
Gates, Rick	Master	29%	3.50	8.38	-4.88
Posnack, Al	Master	86%	5.17	5.18	-0.02
Monetta, Ted	Master	100%	5.71	6.43	-0.71
Jousse, Alain	Master	14%	6.00
Boisvert, Denis	Master	86%	6.17	5.90	0.27
Leker, Steve	Master	43%	6.33	7.62	-1.29
Cundy, Don	Master	43%	6.67	3.38	3.29
Davis, Linwood	Master	100%	6.86
Barstow, Tom	Master	71%	7.20	6.25	0.95
Whitehead, Mark	Master	100%	7.43	6.69	0.74
Quinn, Anthony	Master	57%	7.50	8.83	-1.33
Pacini, Bob	Master	86%	8.50	8.00	0.50
Gerber, Ken	Master	43%	8.67	9.00	-0.33
Malay, Bill	Master	57%	8.75	10.00	-1.25
Ware, Genie	Master	43%	10.33
Laird, Richard	Master	29%	10.50
Wilhelm, Bruce	Master	71%	13.00

Upcoming Events: [2025 Schedule]

April 29 – October 28 , 2025 Regattas 1PM-3PM Tuesday Solings, Thursdays US12s
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:

July 5, 2025 Model Yachting Day
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

Model Yachting News • Week Ending June 28, 2025

Posted on June 29, 2025July 5, 2025 by Paul McBride

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

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.

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

Model Yachting News • Week Ending June 21, 2025

Posted on June 22, 2025August 10, 2025 by Paul McBride

e-mail: backbayskippers@gmail.com

#?!@*#^!**

It’s so much fun scheduling regattas using meteorological forecasts!! Monday, weathermen predicted clouds with a 5-mph wind and no rain. Tuesday morning they called for sprinkles in the morning then clearing with a 5-mph wind. We arrived at Back Bay, our shirts becoming damp with rain, our hair barely tossed by wind ranging from 0 to 1 mph. The rain soon stopped – for two hours — but wind was hard to find. Now and then there were gusts of 5 mph but not often. Did I mention I hate light wind?

Anyway, nineteen skippers showed up for the June 17 Soling regatta, but some had limited participation. Because of so few in the Sailor Class, it was all in, both fleets starting together, resulting in too many boats on the line. With this kind of a crowd, we certainly appreciate the ability of Karen Enos to judge proper starts and order of finishes.

Joining us in the Master fleet after a long absence were Rick Laird and Alain Jousse, and we hope they continue to sail with us.

Solings Out on the Water

In a Sailor Class switcheroo, Kevin Bennett led the way this week against his arch rival, Chuck Rudinsky. Kevin scored 8.8 to take top honors while Chuck was only a point behind with 9.8 for second place. Mark Bodenstab sailed really well, scoring 12.8 for a strong third-place finish.

With three wins, Tim Wright took first place in the Master Class, scoring 1.80. Ted Monetta proved that the top scores are getting closer every week. With five second-place finishes and a score of 2.00, he easily grabbed second overall. With two wins of his own, Al Posnack captured third, his score at 3.60.

US12 Regatta June 19

On the hottest and muggiest day of the year, six brave US12 sailors battled the light and fluky winds to get in twelve races. Each race took just about the full ten minutes, but our scorekeeper, B. B. Wright, kept us moving before the heat wilted us and moved us towards shade and inaction. Back Bay is known for wind shifts and phantom breezes, and Thursday’s racing was no exception. As a result, scores fluctuated and the racing was keen.

We were delighted to have our AMYA Region One director, Glenn Chalder, come sail with us. He brought his thoughtful, humorous low-key style with him and fared very well. On the water, Glenn came in second with a 2.10 average per race. Glenn finished with two first-place finishes and five seconds, sailing a borrowed boat. Ahead of him was Tim Wright, who had nine wins, two seconds and one third. Tim finished with a 1.10 average, but he had to work hard to get ahead of an ever-improving fleet. In third, John Simms had in his words, “an up and down” day, but he was the winner of one race and had two seconds and many thirds. John’s average was 2.90. In fourth, Anthony Quinn had a 3.43 average with two seconds and two thirds. In fifth, Bruce Wilhelm had a second and a third with a final 4.00 average. In sixth was Jim Opie, who battled dying batteries while still managing a third-place finish and a 4.89 average.

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We were blessed with enough wind to complete twelve races. One of our spectators was Alex, a youngster who watched with his grandfather. He was delighted to get a model boat they could paint and put together. Thanks to the members of our group who make the models for our young fans to receive! Back Bay Skippers are blessed to have so many people willing to give their time and expertise to various facets of our group. Thanks to all who volunteer.

We thank our scorekeeper, B. B. Wright, who sits in the hot sun to make our hobby “official.” We look forward to sailing next week, hopefully with a little more wind and a little less humidity.

Sailing on Back Bay

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.

Soling Sailor Class Regatta 2025-06-17
*Name*	*Races/Throws (Pct)*	*Total Pts.*	*Average*	*Score*
Bennett, Kevin	5/1 (100%)	7	1.40	1
Rudinsky, Chuck	5/1 (100%)	8	1.60	2
Bodenstab, Mark	5/1 (100%)	13	2.60	3
Corbett, Dave	3/0 (50%)	11	3.67	4

2025 Season Scores
Soling Sailor Class
*Name*	*Class*	*% Regattas*	*Score*	*2024*	*Diff*
Barstow, John	Sailor	0%	0.00	3.78	-3.78
Rudinsky, Chuck	Sailor	100%	1.20
McBride, Donald	Sailor	40%	2.00
Bennett, Kevin	Sailor	100%	2.40	6.67	-4.27
Opie, Jim	Sailor	40%	3.50	2.67	0.83
Bodenstab, Mark	Sailor	60%	3.67	5.38	-1.71
Butler, Jeanne	Sailor	20%	4.00	10.33	-6.33
Corbett, Dave	Sailor	20%	4.00	5.36	-1.36
Griggs, Doug	Sailor	40%	4.00
Currier, Dick	Sailor	40%	6.00	8.14	-2.14
Curran	Sailor	40%	6.00	6.00	0.00

Soling Master Class
Regatta 2025-06-17
*Name*	*Races/Throws (Pct)*	*Total Pts.*	*Average*	*Score*
Wright, Tim	5/1 (100%)	9	1.80	1
Monetta, Ted	5/1 (100%)	10	2.00	2
Posnack, Al	5/1 (100%)	18	3.60	3
Gates, Rick	5/1 (100%)	22	4.40	4
Gerber, Ken	5/1 (100%)	32	6.40	5
Jousse, Alain	5/1 (100%)	32	6.40	5
Boisvert, Denis	5/1 (100%)	33	6.60	7
Quinn, Anthony	5/1 (100%)	35	7.00	8
Davis, Linwood	5/1 (100%)	37	7.40	9
Laird, Richard	5/1 (100%)	37	7.40	9
Whitehead, Mark	5/1 (100%)	45	9.00	11
Pacini, Bob	5/1 (100%)	47	9.40	12
Wilhelm, Bruce	5/0 (83%)	55	11.00	13
Malay, Bill	5/1 (100%)	55	11.00	13

2025 Season Scores
Soling Master Class
*Name*	*Class*	*% Regattas*	*Score*	*2024*	*Diff*
Wright, Tim	Master	80%	1.00	1.08	-0.08
Witzel, Jeff	Master	40%	3.00	2.83	0.17
Gates, Rick	Master	40%	3.50	8.38	-4.88
Monetta, Ted	Master	100%	5.20	6.43	-1.23
Posnack, Al	Master	80%	5.25	5.18	0.07
Boisvert, Denis	Master	80%	5.75	5.90	-0.15
Cundy, Don	Master	40%	6.00	3.38	2.62
Ware, Genie	Master	20%	6.00
Leker, Steve	Master	60%	6.33	7.62	-1.29
Whitehead, Mark	Master	100%	7.00	6.69	0.31
Quinn, Anthony	Master	80%	7.25	8.83	-1.58
Barstow, Tom	Master	60%	7.33	6.25	1.08
Pacini, Bob	Master	100%	7.60	8.00	-0.40
Davis, Linwood	Master	100%	8.00
Malay, Bill	Master	60%	8.33	10.00	-1.67
Gerber, Ken	Master	60%	8.67	9.00	-0.33
Wilhelm, Bruce	Master	60%	13.00

2025-06-19 US12 Regatta
*Name*	*Races/Throws (Pct)*	*Total Pts.*	*Average*	*Score*
Wright, Tim	10/2 (100%)	10	1.00	1
Simms, John	10/2 (100%)	22	2.20	2
Quinn, Anthony	7/1 (64%)	20	2.86	3
Wilhelm, Bruce	10/2 (100%)	32	3.20	4
Opie, Jim	9/1 (82%)	36	4.00	5

2025 US12 Season Scores

*Name*	*Class*	*% Regattas*	*Score*	*2024*	*Diff*
Wright, Tim	Sailor	100%	1.00	1.00	0.00
Quinn, Anthony	Sailor	67%	2.50	5.23	-2.73
Simms, John	Sailor	100%	2.67	2.57	0.10
Gates, Rick	Sailor	33%	3.00	3.93	-0.93
McBride, Donald	Sailor	67%	3.50	4.43	-0.93
Brennan, Bob	Sailor	33%	4.00	5.80	-1.80
Wilhelm, Bruce	Sailor	100%	5.33	6.56	-1.22
Opie, Jim	Sailor	100%	5.67	6.40	-0.73
Laird, Rick	Sailor	33%	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 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

Model Yachting News • Week Ending June 14, 2025

Posted on June 14, 2025June 29, 2025 by Paul McBride

e-mail: backbayskippers@gmail.com

A Perfect Day for Sailing

The skipper count was a little lighter this week, and for those who couldn’t attend the June 11 Soling regatta, they missed a good one. The fleet of fifteen held six from the Sailor Class and nine from the Master Class. With the smaller fleet we were able to go “all in,” starting both fleets at once. The wind ranged between five and fifteen mph so we managed twelve really fun races. It’s not often we get the Back Bay breezes to hold on for an entire regatta.

Solings Out on the Water

Another strong performance put Chuck Rudinsky at the top of the Sailor Class. Chuck scored an impressive eight first-place finishes for a tally of 1.2. Nipping at his stern was our Jackson contingent, Kevin Bennett, scoring 1.8 for the second spot. Doug Griggs had one win and five seconds, scoring 2.3 for third.

It was a never-seen-before appearance at the top of the Master Class. Denis Boisvert and Mark Whitehead tied for first place, both scoring 3.0 to take the regatta win. Tom Barstow earned the second spot, only .9 of a point behind. Always in the thick of things, Ted Monetta earned a 4.0, just one tenth behind Tom for third. It should be noted that only 2.3 points separated first and ninth place — that’s how close the competition was.

Thursday, June 12, a “No Go” for the US12 Fleet

Our commodore and weather forecaster, Mark Whitehead, mentioned that the wind would be strong and to bring our B rigs. He was right about the wind. It was very gusty. When the wind was strong, the boats were definitely overpowered with the A rigs, and only one of us had a B rig. When the gusts passed, the boats moved very well. However, after a few uncontrollable jibes and knockdowns in the ferocious gusts, the four sailors who showed up decided to cancel racing. Shortly after, as if to confirm that decision, one of the boats had a main sheet let go.

We missed the opportunity to sail, but relished the fact that none of the boats were significantly damaged. We’ll cross our fingers for better weather next week, and hope you can join us on Back Bay.

The Sasquatch Footy Regatta

Suffering from rain for the thirteenth straight Saturday, we sadly canceled our Regional Footy Regatta. No replacement date has been scheduled at this time.

Sailing on Back Bay

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.

Soling Sailor Class
2025-06-11 Regatta
*Name*	*Races/Throws (Pct)*	*Total Pts.*	*Average*	*Score*
Rudinsky, Chuck	10/2 (100%)	12	1.20	1
Bennett, Kevin	10/1 (91%)	18	1.80	2
Griggs, Doug	10/1 (91%)	23	2.30	3
Corbett, Dave	8/1 (73%)	25	3.12	4
Barstow, John	1/0 (8%)	4	4.00	5
Butler, Jeanne	5/0 (42%)	25	5.00	6

2025 Season Scores Sailor Class
*Name*	*Class*	*% Regattas*	*Score*	*2024*	*Diff*
Barstow, John	Sailor	0%	0.00	3.78	-3.78
Rudinsky, Chuck	Sailor	100%	1.00
McBride, Donald	Sailor	50%	2.00
Bennett, Kevin	Sailor	100%	2.75	6.67	-3.92
Opie, Jim	Sailor	50%	3.50	2.67	0.83
Bodenstab, Mark	Sailor	50%	4.00	5.38	-1.38
Butler, Jeanne	Sailor	25%	4.00	10.33	-6.33
Corbett, Dave	Sailor	25%	4.00	5.36	-1.36
Griggs, Doug	Sailor	50%	4.00
Currier, Dick	Sailor	50%	6.00	8.14	-2.14
Curran	Sailor	50%	6.00	6.00	0.00

Soling Master Class
2025-06-11 Regatta
Name	Races/Throws (Pct)	Total Pts.	Average	Score
Boisvert, Denis	10/2 (100%)	30	3.00	1
Whitehead, Mark	10/2 (100%)	30	3.00	1
Barstow, Tom	10/2 (100%)	39	3.90	3
Monetta, Ted	10/2 (100%)	40	4.00	4
Malay, Bill	10/2 (100%)	44	4.40	5
Ware, Genie	10/2 (100%)	46	4.60	6
Pacini, Bob	10/2 (100%)	50	5.00	7
Davis, Linwood	10/1 (91%)	53	5.30	8
Quinn, Anthony	9/1 (82%)	48	5.33	9

2025 Master Class Season Scores
*Name*	*Class*	*% Regattas*	*Score*	*2024*	*Diff*
Wright, Tim	Master	75%	1.00	1.08	-0.08
Gates, Rick	Master	25%	3.00	8.38	-5.38
Witzel, Jeff	Master	50%	3.00	2.83	0.17
Boisvert, Denis	Master	75%	5.67	5.90	-0.23
Cundy, Don	Master	50%	6.00	3.38	2.62
Monetta, Ted	Master	100%	6.00	6.43	-0.43
Posnack, Al	Master	75%	6.00	5.18	0.82
Ware, Genie	Master	25%	6.00
Leker, Steve	Master	75%	6.33	7.62	-1.29
Whitehead, Mark	Master	100%	6.50	6.69	-0.19
Malay, Bill	Master	50%	7.00	10.00	-3.00
Pacini, Bob	Master	100%	7.00	8.00	-1.00
Barstow, Tom	Master	75%	7.33	6.25	1.08
Quinn, Anthony	Master	75%	7.33	8.83	-1.50
Davis, Linwood	Master	100%	8.00
Gerber, Ken	Master	50%	10.50	9.00	1.50
Wilhelm, Bruce	Master	50%	14.00

Upcoming Events: [2025 Schedule]

April 29 – October 28 , 2025 Regattas 1PM-3PM Tuesday Solings, Thursdays US12s
July 5, 2025 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

2025 • US12 Spring Series – In Progress

NAME

CLASS

%REGATTAS

SCORE

Wright, Tim

Sailor

100

1.00

Quinn, Anthony

Sailor

2.00

Simms, John

Sailor

100

3.00

Gates, Rick

Sailor

3.00

McBride, Donald

Sailor

100

3.50

Brennan, Bob

Sailor

4.00

Opie, Jim

Sailor

100

6.00

Wilhelm, Bruce

Sailor

100

6.00

Laird, Rick

Sailor

7.00