Saturday’s points racing brought some of the craziest conditions we’ve seen at the Model Boat Basin. San Diego’s tropical rainstorms delivered a repeating pattern of rain, a break, and then more rain… and the pond was the highest many of us had ever seen it!
We raced Solings first, followed by ODOMs, with the wind seemingly coming from all four corners of the pond. One moment, there was absolutely zero wind. The next, a pleasant 2–5-knot breeze would arrive from a completely unexpected direction. Predictable? Hardly. Challenging? Definitely. Fun? Absolutely!
We tried different course directions to make the most of the conditions, alternating between our usual short course and the reverse direction. But the wind kept rewriting the plan. In many races, boats were sailing wing-on-wing on the supposed “upwind” leg, then beating upwind on the “downwind” leg!
It was a day that rewarded patience, close attention, and a willingness to adapt. Sailors who played the shifts well (and kept watching for the next surprise) benefited. A promising position could disappear in a lull, while a fresh breeze from another corner could turn the fleet’s fortunes around.
Thanks to everyone who came out and embraced the rain, the shifts, and the occasional complete standstill. Tough conditions made for some wonderfully weird racing and plenty to talk about afterward!
Video courtesy of Gil Jansky; photos from Kerim Baran.
Saturday, September 5, brought another lively day to the Model Yacht Pond, with our ODOM and Soling 50 fleets taking center stage for the weekend’s Points Regatta.
The racing was competitive, spirited, and fun. Thank you to everyone who raced, helped manage the course, kept score, launched and retrieved boats, and contributed to another successful afternoon at the pond.
You can view the race results here:
Some Unexpected Visitors
The pond has a way of attracting people.
During their regular patrol, two local police officers noticed the activity, stopped to see what was happening, and soon found themselves joining in the fun.
Our commodore Jess Atkinson introduced them to our boats and gave them an opportunity to try radio-controlled sailing for themselves.
The San Diego Argonauts have always brought together people from many walks of life. Over the years, our members have included military service members, district attorneys, doctors, teachers, firefighters, engineers, businesspeople, professional captains, professional sailors, Olympic and national-level competitive sailors, retirees, and many others.
It would be wonderful to someday add a police officer, or two, to that mix!
Earlier in the week, on Wednesday, we also welcomed our second new woman member in approximately one month, following nearly a decade without a new woman joining the club. That is an encouraging sign. We hope to continue introducing RC boating to an increasingly broad and diverse group of San Diegans.
A Big MiniMax STEM Milestone
Saturday also marked an important milestone for our growing high-school STEM and robotics initiative.
Working with the Engineering and Robotics program at University City High School, we recently completed the first 3D-printed MiniMax sailboat in what we hope will eventually become a student-built fleet.
After two short test sails in a swimming pool, the little MiniMax, which we named “Pink Maxine”, was finally ready to leave the protected waters and venture onto the “high seas” of our mighty San Diego Model Yacht Pond!
Pink Maxine spent some time alongside two beautiful schooners from our Scale Division. Seeing the tiny, modern, 3D-printed sailboat sharing the water with these wonderfully detailed traditional vessels made for a memorable contrast and a great example of the variety found within the San Diego Argonauts.
Like an eager little sibling trying to keep up with its much bigger sisters, Pink Maxine sailed confidently alongside them and did a remarkably good job of it. It may have been the smallest sailboat on the pond, but it looked perfectly at home!
This first boat is an important proof of concept for the school program. Students will be able to learn about 3D printing, design, electronics, radio systems, mechanical assembly, sailing, teamwork, and racing through one hands-on project. We thank Castlerack Yachtworks and Brett McCormack, the creator of MiniMax, for making it so simple for schools to engage in such a fun activity.
Saturday’s outing brought together many of the things that make the San Diego Argonauts special: competitive racing, beautiful scale models, public outreach, new friendships, and the opportunity to introduce the next generation to model boating.
A successful race day often begins long before the starting signal.
In the latest episode of San Diego Argonauts Radio, we explore the maintenance habits that help keep our boats reliable, responsive, and ready to make every start. The discussion covers the four primary sailboat classes raced at the San Diego Model Yacht Pond: the DF95, ODOM, Soling 50, and IOM.
Saltwater sailing can be particularly demanding on model yachts. Sheets chafe, metal fittings corrode, rudder shafts seize, electrical connections deteriorate, and even small leaks can eventually cause major problems. Fortunately, many of these issues can be prevented through regular inspection, cleaning, lubrication, and careful storage.
Topics covered in this episode include:
Inspecting sheets, pivot lines, travelers, and other friction points for chafe
Preventing corrosion caused by saltwater and dissimilar metals
Cleaning and lubricating rudder shafts, tubes, goosenecks, and fittings
Protecting keel bulbs and keel-fin slots from corrosion
Checking deck-to-hull joints and rudder tubes for leaks
Keeping receivers, servos, plugs, and other electronics clean and dry
Rinsing and drying boats thoroughly after every sailing session
Identifying small problems at home—before they cost you races at the pond
The episode offers specific recommendations for each class. DF95 owners will hear tips for maintaining the stern turning block, keel bulb, sheets, gooseneck, and sail ties. ODOM and older Soling 50 sailors will want to pay particular attention to their rudder tubes and shafts, where corrosion can eventually seize the entire assembly. IOM sailors are reminded to inspect their traveler systems, elastic tensioners, spars, vangs, goosenecks, and mast fittings.
The central message is simple: inspect and service your boat when you put it away—not when you take it out for the next regatta. That gives you plenty of time to make repairs and reduces the chance of discovering a broken sheet, frozen fitting, or corroded connection minutes before a race.
The episode concludes with a recap of our August points racing. Congratulations to Kerim Baran for winning the Soling 50 racing, Jess Atkinson for taking the ODOM day, Gary Winton for earning the top spot in the IOM fleet, and Chris Davidson for winning the DF95 racing during one of his final sailing days with the Argonauts before returning to Australia.
Whether you are preparing for a major regatta or simply heading to Mission Bay for a Saturday of club racing, a consistent maintenance routine will help keep your boat on the water—and help ensure that you make every start.
The Argonauts Board and the Race Week Committee have officially met and selected the dates for our 16th Triennial San Diego Race Week, which will take place at the San Diego Model Boat Pond from September 27 through October 10, 2027.
Our current plan is to host eight National Championship Regattas across eight model yacht classes over two weeks:
Dates
Class
September 27–29
IOM
September 30–October 2
DF95
October 3
Marblehead
October 4–5
J Class
October 6–7
S/B
October 8
Wheeler
October 9–10
ODOM & Soling 50
We are continuing to coordinate with the AMYA class organizations to finalize the schedule and event details.
Mark your calendars! We look forward to welcoming sailors from across the country for two exciting weeks of competitive racing and camaraderie at one of the premier model yachting venues in the United States.
Stay tuned for registration information and additional details as planning continues.
The second running of the Bob DeBow ODOM Masters Regatta was held at the San Diego Model Yacht Pond, continuing this new Argonauts tradition honoring one of the legends of our local RC sailing community. The regatta once again delivered a great day of competitive and fun ODOM racing.
Congratulations to all skippers who participated, and especially to our top finishers:
Jess Atkinson
Chris Davidson
Larry Grant
Tom Warren
Gil Jansky
A special thank you to everyone who helped organize, set up, race direct, score, retrieve marks, and keep the event running smoothly throughout the day.
The Bob DeBow Masters series has quickly become one of the highlights of the Argonauts sailing calendar, combining competitive racing with recognition of the sailors who helped build and shape the San Diego RC sailing community.
We look forward to the next Masters event at the Pond!
In line with our recent Board and Member meeting discussions, our Commodore Jess Atkinson has encouraged members to step up into a new volunteer role—Fleet Captains—for each of our four sailboat classes.
Here are the Fleet Captains by class:
IOM: Dennis Rogers DF95: Jack Calafato ODOM: Keith Sternal Soling 50: Ben Reeves
These Fleet Captains will help coordinate the setup and breakdown of the regatta course during point series weekends, aligned with the order of racing. The first fleet of the day will take the lead on setting the course and getting the skiff out on the water, while the final fleet will handle course breakdown and help clean and secure the skiff.
In addition, Fleet Captains are responsible for coordinating help and arranging backups or replacements as needed—making sure each weekend runs smoothly even if schedules shift.
This new system kicks off on May 9th with the ODOM & Soling race day.
This is a simple but important step toward keeping our race days organized and efficient—and a great example of the Argonauts community pitching in to support one another.
