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The US12’s Start Their Season with a Few Companions
Thursday, April 25, the US12 group sailed, bringing an assortment of boats to test out after a long winter. The weather was cool with a nice gentle breeze, and it was good to get together with sailing friends.

There were four or five US12’s sailing, but skippers were eager to try out other boats early in the season. Tom Greig brought his J-Class model of Ranger, which was ready to go but had a gearing issue and never made it into the water. Rick Parent’s Soling 50 was sent on its maiden voyage.

Jerry Leach had his Marblehead, which was in the water for the second time in 35 years — the first being two days earlier! Tim Wright quickly staked a claim for mishap of the year, when his Santa Barbara went over the stern of Paul Wallace’s US12. This put and kept the US12 access hatch underwater, and the possibility of a sinking grew as each minute passed. Fortunately, the boats were close to the dock and were pulled from the water shortly before Paul’s boat went under for good. To his credit, Paul resumed sailing in about fifteen minutes with no long-term water damage. Liquid tape was apparently part of the solution.

It was a very relaxed day of sailing — chilly but enjoyable to everyone there.

Raw and Damp
Word on the street for April 30 said the dock was underwater. Yup, it was! Like most of the lakes in the Northeast, Winnipesaukee is way above normal. We’ve had it rise close to the dock deck but not over.

Although a raw and drizzly day with cloudy skies and temperatures in the low forties, the wind was great for sailing. The skippers were limited and spectators pretty much nonexistent. Eight sailors launched for a very casual regatta, just punching the start button and following Tim Wright around the course.

A lot of boat swapping occurred, mainly to check tuning. This time of year focuses on learning the best boat setup. For the first few races, master builder Anthony Quinn gave Diane Labella’s boat a re-rig. Thank you, Anthony. Diane now should jump to the front of the pack.

Join the Fun
We have a wonderful group of participants for this challenging-but-fun hobby. Young and old can join, and those wanting to build a yacht should keep in mind our boat building class at the NH Boat Museum July 8 through July 12. If you don’t want to build a boat, we’ll help you find a used one. Visit Model Yacht Building above for details. Don’t want to sail? Just come and watch — we put on a great show every Tuesday and Thursday starting at 1:00 PM, weather permitting. Be sure to bring your camera.

The Season Begins
On April 17, the bay had cleared, the sun finally made an appearance, and it was warm enough to install the dock. Our crew of twelve made quick work of the project, taking just over an hour for transport and setup.

Bringing their energy to this year’s crew were Tim Wright, John Russell, Paul McBride, Paul Wallace, Rick Gates, Jerry Leach, the Koehler trio (Skip,  Kent, and Ellen), John Simms, Bob Brennan, and Mark Whitehead.

Competition Committee
To get started on the right foot, the Competition Committee met on April 20 to review scoring and to set rules for the 2019 season. Chairman Tim Wright welcomed members Anthony Quinn, Bill Hagerup, Wes Matchett, Bob Brennan, and Mark Whitehead.

First Day of Sailing
Boats hit the water on April 23 with fifteen skippers and an impressive array of classes represented. Launched were fifteen Solings, three Marbleheads, two Santa Barbaras and, oh yes, one little footy to round out the fleet.

The scoring is very loose at this time of year — official scoring starts May 21. However, bragging rights will have to go to Tim Wright, Tom Greig, Rick Gates, Mark Whitehead and Anthony Quinn with kudos to Jerry Leach and Paul McBride who also sailed well. Newish skippers Denis Boisvert and Bruce Brown really showed great progress, putting in good performances.

Join the Fun
We have a wonderful group of participants for this challenging-but-fun hobby. Young and old can join, and those wanting to build a yacht should keep in mind our boatbuilding class at the NH Boat Museum July 8 through July 12. If you don’t want to build a boat, we’ll help you find a used one. Visit Model Yacht Building above for details.

Don’t want to sail? Just come and watch — we put on a great show every Tuesday and Thursday starting at one PM, weather permitting. Be sure to bring your camera.

It’s Up to Mother Nature

Our permit says April 2, but footing along the shore of Back Bay is tricky enough to delay boat launch a bit. Every year, the skippers wait impatiently to set sail again, and, traditionally, we pick a nice warm day to put in the dock. If you see the dock, that’s the signal for a new sailing season so look for sailors on Tuesday or Thursday afternoon, weather permitting. Come to watch or join the fun. We love to share and welcome onlookers to try their hand at the sport.

Something New

We are trying to encourage more family participation, so this year’s class will be held during the New Hampshire Boat Museum’s Family Boat Building session July 8 through July 12. No experience is needed – guidance will be provided every step of the way. Details can be found under Model Yacht Building Workshop.

2018 Review in Pictures

Looking Back

No, it’s a bit too chilly to be sailing on Back Bay right now, but it’s a good time to think about last year and how it impacted over one thousand participants in forty-three events — forty-three opportunities for smiles and fun. The official start of the season was installation of the dock and the skippers’ gathering, when awards were presented to the top sailors for 2017. This was followed by weekly regattas on Tuesday and Thursday, model yachts challenging each other for top honors of the new season.

Looking Ahead

Work already has begun on the 2019 boat building workshop, and, as always, we’re looking for new skippers. The program is moving to Family Boat Building July 8 through 12 in an effort to encourage the younger set but all ages are welcome. For information go to nhbm.org – Learn – Model Yachting – Model Yacht Building workshop.

Logan Gil building a Soling with the help of grandfather Larry

Ed Johnson

SONY DSC

Long Overdue

We separated the Master and Sailor classes to keep the competition as fair as possible, but we were a little slow in building a perpetual trophy for the Sailor Class. The delay has ended, and since the 2018 champion won’t be crowned till spring, it seemed right and proper that our 2017 champion, Paul McBride, take possession of the trophy till then. Paul did an outstanding job sailing during the 2017 season and certainly deserves bragging rights for his accomplishment.

It Looks Like the Season Is Over

The dock and dinghy have gone into hibernation, and all it takes is a peek out the window to conclude there will be no more sailing in 2018!

Getting Ready for 2019

Winter projects are underway. Boats will be refurbished and parts will be made for model yacht building in 2019. Anthony Quinn is hard at work making stands for the boats. The kits are complete, but we always add many items to enhance the experience in building and sailing.

You have the opportunity to join the fun. We supply everything needed, and expert building instructors will guide you every step of the way. No experience is needed; just bring enthusiasm. This year, we’ll be joining the family boat building program from July 8 through 12, a wonderful family experience that you’ll treasure for years to come. Go to nhbm.org – Learn – Model Yacht Building Workshop and sign up online or download the application and send it in. A gift certificate is also available.