San Diego Argonauts Radio

This week is a special episode where we're joined by 27-time radio sailing national champion, Craig Mackey. He'll take us through his top sailing ponds around the world (hint: one is right here in California and one is across the pond!). He also shares his origin story with the sport and how a borrowed Victoria led to four national championships in four weeks. We also discuss the purpose o...

We're back from the California IOM State Championship in Foster City, and it's clear that their pond is one of the premier radio sailing venues in the country. In this episode, we chat pond-side during the event with four competitors about racing, boat tuning tips, and what makes this regatta special. Also, all five San Diego Argonauts who headed up for the Championship finished in the top...

From spot checks and long courses to lay day priorities — this week, we're talking all things 2026 IOM World Championships! Today we're celebrating our 10th episode of San Diego Argonauts Radio with a very special first-hand reflection of the 2026 IOM Worlds — times three! We hear from three American sailors who competed across the pond, in Datchet, England, last month. Brian Shores, a rem...

This week's episode is a fun, info-packed episode featuring an interview with Bill Bridge, Vice Commodore of the Power Division (or as I call them, the "Thunderboats"). Bill shares the history of RC powerboat racing, the shift from nitro to gas engines, engine cooling systems for these boats that can move upwards of 65 MPH, and he gives us all the details on the upcoming District 19...

On this episode, we pay tribute to legendary IOM designer Ian Vickers, recap the DF 95 Travelers Trophy at Bridgeway Lakes (complete with a dramatic mid-race sinking!), and sit down for an in-depth interview with Hall of Famer Bob Eger. Bob is a driving force behind the Sacramento Area Model Yacht Club, and he took the time to share his journey from model airplanes at age eight to co-founding the...

This episode takes a look at some of the model yacht clubs accessible to us on the West Coast beyond California. Starting with Portland, Seattle, and Idaho, and then a quick detour to British Columbia to visit Salt Spring Island, where a passionate community of sailors keeps the tradition of wooden IOMs alive. Whether you're a seasoned racer or just traveling and looking to gain some new pond...

Let’s go on a tour of RC sailing ponds across California: from San Diego all the way up to Redding. We’ll learn about the clubs, the classes they sail, the people who keep them running, as well as tips for visiting each venue. Plus, we'll chat about how to find clubs near you to try out using the AMYA website! This episode also discusses the UK Nationals, insights from Larry Grant's master...

Today, we're talking all things DF-95 Regionals with Chris Steiger, Regional Director for the DF-95s and the PRO (Principal Race Officer) for the upcoming event. We talk sportsmanship on the water, what goes into a well-run regatta, and how Chris plans to keep things fair and competitive at this year's event. Also, Chris shares his journey to RC sailing, from discovering the Argonauts at Mission B...

March is the time to check out the hard work of our scale division at the annual open house, coming to the San Diego Mission Bay Model Boat Pond on March 21st. Whether you build scale model boats or not, it's easy to appreciate the time, energy, and expertise required to make these detailed works of art take sail. We'll talk with Jeff Sparksworthy, VP of the San Diego Argonauts Scale Division, abo...

The recent Region 8 Championship featured excellent competition and drew a large community of traveling sailors from around the country. Let's break down the leaderboard, the performances of those in attendance, and which boat models sailed to success. Despite shifty wind conditions, the competition was well attended and well-documented by AMYA's Vice President, and the man behind Shakey Cam Produ...

February is underway with a full slate of races on the calendar! Time to review the recent Traveler series in Arizona that many San Diego Argonaut sailors attended. We'll also get a behind-the-scenes look at this week's Region 8 IOM Championship with race chairman and competitor Gil Gansky. The Championship takes place February 20th, 21st, and 22nd, but Gil and his team have been working hard on t...

New year, new podcast. Welcome to the inaugural episode of San Diego Argonauts Radio. Here, we'll chat about all things San Diego Mission Bay Pond — from events and open houses, to race results and club get-togethers. In this episode, let's discuss the End of the Year Banquet, the latest Pondside Chat Seminar, the January Soling and Odom Competitions and their results. And we'll chat w...