Craig & Roberts narrowly win the Datchet Flyer

by Andy Rice, SailJuice 15 Dec 2014 11:59 GMT 13-14 December 2014

Datchet Flyer 2014 © Tim Olin / www.olinphoto.co.uk

Nick Craig and Alan Roberts raced their Merlin Rocket to victory in the Datchet Flyer, which tested competitors across a variety of wind conditions. The second of eight events in this season's GJW Direct SailJuice Winter Series, the battle for overall honours was incredibly tight, with just 7 points separating the top six.

On Saturday, Datchet delivered crisp sunshine and blue skies - but a fickle 5-knot breeze. With three races scheduled, the fleet was split into two starts with the RS300 being slowest (on Great Lakes handicap) boat assigned to the fast fleet. The wind remained marginal trapezing throughout the three races. The occasional promise of more breeze never materialised, and finally died away during the third race.

With a strong port-end bias the over-exuberant Fast fleet was recalled and endured a further recall before a third start under black flag gave the Slow Handicap fleet the opportunity to get away in clear air. The National 12s of Christian & Sophie Day and Jeremy & Luke Hartley revelled in the light, shifty conditions, together with Ann Jackson and Alan Skeens in their Enterprise. Steve Bolland found great light wind speed in his RS300 to take joint 6th place with the RS200 of Jack Holden and Rosie Sibthorp. But it was Jasper Barnham and Jonny Ratcliffe who showed pace from the start in their Merlin Rocket.

The next two races had a far squarer line with both fleets behaving on the starts, despite (or perhaps due to) the Fast boats remaining under the control of the black flag. In the last race a couple of Merlin Rockets tried a cheeky port tack start, which Oli Turner & Hamish Kilburn achieved to good effect, scoring their best result of the day. At the end of Saturday, Barnham and Ratcliffe's Merlin Rocket was in the lead with a very solid 2nd / joint 1st / 3rd scoreline. The southern P&B team of McGrane, Wade and Vidal were racing the SK2 keelboat to great effect, and sat in 2nd overall after day one.

Even counting their 21st in the 3rd race, Ann Jackson & Alan Skeens in their Enterprise were in a strong third position. The light airs didn't suit the faster boats, however. On a testing day for the trapeze boats, Sam Barker's Musto Skiff was 6th, the only other trapeze boat in the top 10 being Tom Gillard & Richard Anderton in the 505.

Met by substantially more breeze on the second day of the Datchet Flyer, the fleet went afloat at 10.30 for the 100-minute pursuit race. The innovative format involved the fleet being divided in two to give the faster boats more time on the water, hopefully meaning that more of the fleet sail for more time in the same wind conditions. Feedback on the day seemed very positive, but the organisers would always welcome more comments. The pursuit race was a double-points, non-discardable race, making it critical for competitors to sail well until the very end.

With this format all but four classes started within the first 15 minutes. But then the wind dropped to its lowest at just about the time the Solos, Laser Radials, Merlin Rockets and D-Ones started at the 11am datum time.

After just over half an hour of light airs, the wind started to fill dramatically and after a lap and a half, 15-year-old Cameron Tweedle's D-One lost a narrow lead to Barnham's Merlin. The D-One retook the lead but Barnham again passed him as the bottom reach became too tight to hold the kite on the powerful asymmetric singlehander. They again traded places until Tweedle went for a swim on the beat.

The strengthening breeze allowed first Jamie Lea and then Charlie Cumbley to get past Jackson's Enterprise. By 50 minutes into the race there had been a number of capsizes and a couple of boats retired. In the meantime Cumbley made strong inroads into Lea's lead in the Slow fleet.

Meanwhile in the Fast fleet, a trio of Merlins were managing to keep the 505 of Tom Gillard & Richard Anderton at bay. Ralph & Sophie Singleton's RS800 were by this time moving through the fleet and the 49er of Graeme Wilcox & Andrew Tarboton was passing Sam Pascoe & Nathan Batchelor in the VX-One.

The Contenders were the last class to start in the Slow fleet and clearly revelled in the conditions. An hour into the 1hr 40 race and Stuart Jones took the lead in the Slow fleet and, although two legs behind him, Mike Murley's Contender also passed all the other slower boats by the finish. Steve Bolland added a 3rd to his scoreline to finish solidly in the top 10 overall.

With 20 minutes to go, it appeared that the 505 could have it all sewn up in the Fast fleet in the lessening breeze. But then, in a matter of moments, the wind came back up with a vengeance to a solid 20kn and gusting more. After a frenetic run the Musto Skiff of Ben Schooling and the lead RS800 and 49er eclipsed Nick Craig's Merlin on the bottom reach. At that point Barnham and Ratcliffe took a swim in their Merlin and shortly afterwards, moments from the end of the race, Oli Turner and Hamish Kilburn broke the mast on their Merlin. In the end Wilcox and Tarboton sailed their 49er to victory in the pursuit race.

The sun kept shining throughout, the results were ashore before the fleet and the prizegiving was done and dusted by 2.30pm.

With trackers on the boats throughout the weekend you can replay all the racing at Datchet Live (events.sailracer.org/eventsites/sailracer.html?196186). Top speeds recorded came from Sunday's pursuit race with Wilcox and Tarboton clocking 14.9kn in the 49er. Jon Saunders' Blaze had the fastest speed adjusted for handicap at 10.3kn.

Despite perhaps being slightly disadvantaged by starting in the light breeze for the pursuit race, Nick Craig and Alan Roberts won the event overall with two other Merlins in the top five. Second place was filled by the SK2 (McGrane/Wade/Vidal), Barnham and Ratcliffe's Merlin in 3rd, with 4th place going to the 505 (Gillard & Anderton).

At the prize-giving Nick Craig thanked the race officer for diligently moving the marks to maintain some great courses on Saturday and commented on how much the sailors had enjoyed the weekend's racing. Gul is celebrating 47 years for providing innovative solutions to keeping you warm. However, the 47th finisher didn't stay for the prizegiving so the prize instead went to the first sailor under 18, which was Cameron Tweedle (15 years old) in the D-One in 19th place.

Datchet Water Sailing Club would like to thank Badger Ales for supporting the event and providing some well received prizes. The next event in the GJW Direct SailJuice Winter Series takes place just after Christmas, with Brass Monkey at Yorkshire Dales Sailing Club on 27 December.

To enter other events in the Series: www.SailJuiceSeries.com

In addition to title sponsor GJW Direct Insurance, the UK's largest direct boat insurer, our silver-level sponsors are:

Gul - Experts in Performance Apparel www.gul.com
Trident - The Dinghy & Yacht Shop on the Web www.tridentuk.com
Overboard - The Leaders in Waterproof Bags & Cases
Lennon Sails - A new brand with a great heritage www.lennonsails.com

Overall Results:

Pos	Class	GLPY	Sail No	Club	Helm	Crew	R1	R2	R3	Pursuit	Pts
1	Merlin Rocket	973	3749	Frensham Pond SC	Nick CRAIG	Alan ROBERTS	‑27.5	7	2	12	21
2	SK2	929	2	Netley SC	Ben McGrane	Dave Wade/Oliver Vidall	‑16	4	1	18	23
3	Merlin Rocket	973	3758	Snettisham Beach SC	Jasper BARNHAM	Jonny RATCLIFFE	2	1.5	‑3	20	23.5
4	505	888	9117	Sheffiled Viking SC / Haying Island SC	Thomas GILLARD	Richard ANDERTON	8	‑20	8	8	24
5	Merlin Rocket	973	3764	Northampton SC	Tim FELLS	Oli WELLS	9	‑23	4	14	27
6	OK	1110	2173	Teign Corinthian SC	Charlie CUMBLEY		11	3	‑20	14	28
7	RS300	995	411	Bristol Corinthian SC	Steve BOLLAND		6.5	‑19	19	6	31.5
8	National 12	1055	3526	Leigh & Lowton SC	Christian DAY	Sophie DAY	1	9	‑28	22	32
9	Musto Skiff	855	487	Datchet Water SC	Ben SCHOOLING		‑19	14	12	6	32
10	Enterprise	1139	23349	Burghfield SC	Ann JACKSON	Alan SKEENS	3	1.5	‑21	28	32.5
11	VX‑One	840	193	Castle Cove SC	Sam PASCOE	Nathan BATCHELOR	‑20	16	7	10	33
12	Fireball	963	15089	The Parkway	Rob GULLAN	Matt REID	‑30	10.5	10	16	36.5
13	National 12	1055	3519	Stokes Bay SC	Jeremy HARTLEY	Luke HARTELEY	4	13	‑22	20	37
14	Solo	1146	5387	RYA	Jamie LEA		5	8	‑18	24	37
15	RS800	800	1166	Datchet Water SC	Ralph SINGLETON	Sophie SINGLETON	‑23	18	17	4	39
16	RS200	1059	1481	Arun YC	Jack HOLDEN	Rosie SIBTHORP	6.5	17	‑24	18	41.5
17	Musto Skiff	855	130	Castle Cover SC	Sam BARKER		‑18	10.5	6	26	42.5
18	49er	695	105	VLC	Graeme WILLCOX	Andrew TARBOTON	27.5	‑44	14	2	43.5
19	D‑One	971	104	Oxford SC / RAFSA	Cameron TWEEDLE		‑31	5	9	36	50
20	RS200	1059	1173	Northampton SC	Chris LARR	Abigail LARR	10	24	‑30	26	60
21	Blaze	1032	789	Felpham SC	Jonathon SAUNDERS		24	26	‑34	16	66
22	Osprey	944	1347	Hamble River SC	Philip MEAKINS	Jerry DIXON	‑34	28	16	24	68
23	Fireball	963	14976	Hayling Island SC	Nick COPSEY	Andy CLARKE	‑43	27	11	32	70
24	OK	1110	553	Datchet Water SC	Finn GHEURY		15	(OCS)	23	32	70
25	RS300	995	540	Barnt Green SC	Richard LE MARE		‑37	36	26	12	74
26	Contender	980	2373	Weston SC	Mike MURLEY		35	‑45	36	4	75
27	Contender	980	2465	Datchet Water SC	Stuart JONES		38	‑41	38	2	78
28	OK	1110	2147	West Oxford SC	Tom LONSDALE		‑40	12	39	30	81
29	Merlin Rocket	973	3656	Starcross SC	Oliver TURNER	Hamish KILBURN	13	‑21	5	65	83
30	Blaze	1032	812	Burghfield SC	Mike LYONS		12	6	‑27	65	83
31	X0	963	2	London Corinthain SC	Martin Dixon	Chris INGRAM	‑36	33	13	40	86
32	Contender	980	2420	Highcliffe SC	Simon MUSSELL		42	‑48	42	8	92
33	Laser Vago	1064	164	Hunts SC	Ed DEACON	Felicity JONES	25	35	‑49	36	96
34	National 12	1055	3492	Hayling Island SC	Sam METTAM	Sophie HOLDEN	17	15	‑31	65	97
35	Contender	980	678	Burton SC	Tommy HOOTON		39	‑49	48	10	97
36	420	1070	52480	Datchet Water SC	Alex SMALLWOOD	James SCOTT	14	22	‑35	65	101
37	RS300	995	384	Datchet Water SC	Nicholas CHARLES		‑26	25	15	65	105
38	Merlin Rocket	973	3714	Upper Thames SC	Alan MARKHAM	Sue MARKHAM	‑45.5	38	37	34	109
39	Vortex	920	2014	Rickmansworth SC	Jonathan CARTER		‑50	47	29	38	114
40	Blaze	1032	649	Queen Mary SC / Rock SC	Steve POLLARD		21	‑34	32	65	118
41	Musto Skiff	855	419	Wilsonian SC	Richard SMITH		29	‑43	25	65	119
42	Flying 15	1020	3427	Datchet Water SC	Michael CLAPP	Tim WILLIAMS	‑55	31	54	34	119
43	Musto Skiff	855	467	King George SC	Luke DRAPER		54	42	(DNC)	30	126
44	Laser Radial	1145	204219	Grafham Water SC	Daniel WIGMORE		32	30	‑40	65	127
45	Radial	1145	184315	Datchet Water SC	Jordan GILES		33	37	‑41	65	135
46	Laser	1115	201349	Weston SC	Jeremy PILCHER		‑47	29	43	65	137
47	Laser	1115	149629	Datchet Water SC	Michael AIREY		‑45.5	32	44	65	141
48	Int Moth	500	4036		Dan VINCENT		(DNC)	55	DNC	22	142
49	29er	900	1277	Rutland SC	Hannah STOWE	Lizzy MARKHAM	51	50	‑52	44	145
50	Musto Skiff	855	373	Datchet Water SC	Paul MOLESWORTH		53	(DNF)	DNC	28	146
51	Laser Radial	1145	181810	Keyhaven YC	Karl THORNE		44	40	‑46	65	149
52	49er	695	1179	Blackwater SC	Gareth DAVIES	Robert APPLEBY	52	‑53	33	65	150
53	OK	1110	2042	Oxford SC	Richard Burton		22	(DNC)	DNC	65	152
54	Contender	980	2588	Highcliffe SC	Gary LANGDOWN		41	46	‑50	65	152
55	420	1070	53232	Hayling Island SC	Peter BADDELEY	Douglas BREIRLEY	49	39	‑51	65	153
56	RS800	800	834	Poole YC	Kim MAY‑PAPAILIOU	Aaron REYNOLDS	‑56	52	45	65	162
57	Contender	980	2506	Lancing SC / RNSA	Tony WHITE		48	51	‑53	65	164
58	Spitfire	709	57	Sutton SC	Nia CROCKFORD	Caleb COOPER	‑57	54	47	65	166
59	National 18	900	0	Tamesis Club	Rob WILDER	Kaan YARGICI	(DNC)	DNC	DNC	42	172
59	D‑One	971	21	Grafham Water SC	Vanessa WEEDON‑JONES		(DNC)	DNC	DNC	65	195
59	Musto Skiff	855	260	Datchet Water SC	Mark COOPER		(DNC)	DNC	DNC	65	195
59	Int Canoe	895	321	Blithfield SC	Gareth CALDWELL		(DNC)	DNC	DNC	65	195
59	Streaker	1146	1837	Hykeham SC	Robin JONES		(DNC)	DNC	DNC	65	195
59	Laser	1115	203313	Queen Mary SC	Michael HICKS		(DNC)	DNC	DNC	65	195