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Craftinsure 2023 LEADERBOARD

Craftinsure Merlin Rocket Silver Tiller Open at Salcombe Yacht Club

by David Greening 11 Apr 2017 12:19 BST 8-9 April 2017

The weekend of 8th and 9th April saw a magnificent 51 Merlin Rocket dinghies attend the Salcombe Yacht Club Silver Tiller event over what was to prove to be a glorious weekend of champagne sailing despite low spring tides and forecast easterly winds.

On Saturday morning the Race Officer somewhat naively set a Blue Peter start to see a handful of boats remaining behind the line at the start, so the traditional Black Flag was broken out for all subsequent starts.

The fleet was more cautious for the restarted race, which saw Simon and Ally Potts build up a handy lead on a beat up to Saltstone and a run back for a couple of loops of the harbour, taking the race from the Pascoe's followed home by Matt Biggs and Ben Hollis.

With a building flooding tide under a North Easterly there were some notable Black Flagged scalps taken, including the race 1 winners; which opened the door for Biggs and Hollis, closely chased home by the Pascoe's, who emerged unscathed from some serious leeward mark action at Blackstone.

The fleet retired to the bars of the town and the Yacht Club to discuss the intricacies of Rule 18, to emerge bleary eyed for a 10.30 start on a bright Sunday morning. With an ebb tide and winds coming from the southern quadrant, a course of Blackstone, Gerston, Blackstone, Crossways was set, handy for those who still had this written on their decks from previous Salcombe Merlin Weeks.

This time the Potts re-established their first race dominance, with a massive lead back from Blackstone, but some holes in the wind through the bag saw light wind aces Mike and Jane Calvert close them down, but not enough to take the win.

Race 4 was a single lap affair, to Blackstone then Gerston and a beat back to the line. With the wind dying, those who broke clear at the start and made the most of some massive shifts were rewarded by being in a select breakaway group with Simon Black and Pippa Taylor leading the fleet home, from the Calvert's.

When the scores were totted up, the scoring of the Pascoe's saw them take the Audrey Pettit Trophy, despite no race wins, showing that consistency pays in what is undoubtedly the most competitive dinghy fleet in the UK.

In her thank you speech, Paralympian Megan Pascoe, described the Salcombe as the "home of the Merlin Rocket", whilst there may be other clubs that are more deserving of this accolade, Salcombe Yacht Club is grateful for the affection in which it is held; roll on Salcombe Merlin Rocket Week in July!

Overall Results:

PosBoat NameSail NoHelmCrewClubR1R2R3R4Pts
1stRed Mistress3759Sam PascoeMegan PascoeCastle Cove223‑47
2ndPokin the Turtle3743Matt BiggsBen HollisBlithfield315(DNC)9
3rdMockingjay3777Simon PottsAlly PottsBurghfield SC1(OCS)11012
4thQuick Fix3691Mike CalvertJane CalvertAxe SC9‑142213
5thDory3739Ben McGraneRos McGraneNetley SC537‑1515
6thThe Clone Wars3735Simon BlakePippa TaylorCookham/Thames‑15810119
7thArwen3726Will HendersonArthur HendersonSalcombe YC6‑129520
8thThe Oldie3673Caroline CroftBeka JonesBlithfield SC‑1778722
9thFancy Liquor3764Tim FellsFran GiffordSalcombe Y C8(OCS)41325
10thRobert3756William WarrenMark OakeyShoreham SC‑20515929
11thKeyser Soze3684Andy DavisJohn HacketBartley Green1011‑21829
12thThe Phantom Menace3611Jen DoddsChris DoddsNottingham SC4‑16131431
13thSpeed Machine3742Ian DobsonRob AllenShorham715‑191133
14th 3778Chris GouldChris KilsbyMidland‑25256334
15thTruly Scrumptious3715Paul RaysonChristian HillSalcombe YC / Fishers Green SC1910(BFD)635
16th 3788Christian BirrellSam BreareyHerne Bay149‑161235
17thThe Force Awakens3781David WinderOliver WinderHollingworth Lake‑336141737
18thThe Doom Bar Bus3656Olly TurnerRob HendersonStarcross YC131312‑3238
19thThe Black Pearl3685Sophie MackleyWill CarollShoreham121811‑3541
20thDidley Pokey3754Jon GorringePete BallantineParkstone16‑21181953
21stSylvia3711Sam ThompsonLeanne HibberdRNSA1122‑312154
22ndSalmon en Croute3702Duncan SalmonHarriet SalmonWembley SC‑344173455
23rdBrazilian3700Richard AdamsAndrew ProsserMidland SC‑2119202059
24thPanther3774Jon TurnerRichard ParslowLyme Regis18(OCS)291865
25thBack to the Future3583Colin AndersonSean AndersonBlithfield SC31‑32241671
26thThree De3765Richard DeeNancy GudgeonMidland242423‑4071
27thQuicksilver3787Chris MartinOliver MacleanMidland SC2917‑392672
28thBazinga3758Tim SaxtonJodie GreenGrafham Water262026‑2972
29thZeno3659Julian ParryEvan ParryHollingworth Lake2329‑302476
30thBlood sweat & beers3730Paul HollisPaula MasonBlithfield SC27‑31282378
31stPocket Rocket3566James WellsLizzie WellsStarcross‑3527223180
32ndThe Soup Dragon3694Steve TylerAlly TylerParkstone YC302627‑3383
33rdRevolution3657Anthony LoftsRhos HawesSalcombe YC‑3633362291
34thRed Wizard3682Jon StewardGoffoFishers Green SC32‑3932.52791.5
35thTwo Pints of Lager3705Geoff WrightKatie WrightBlithfield SC223737‑4596
36thNKS3732John CooperBecci WigleyLymington Town41(DNF)253096
37thStrung Along3784Mark BarnwellLouise JohnsonLymington Town‑4330382896
38thGeneral Lee3690Lucy BurnTim HarridgeHampton/Lymington283535‑3998
39thRaunchy3621Tristram SquireTheo HarrisSYC402340‑44103
40thArbuckle3760Mark ReddingtonColin StateBartley SC472834(DNC)109
41stDisciple3769Graham Cranford SmithFiona Cranford SmithSalcombe YC3734(BFD)38109
42ndAfter Hours3585John FildesCharlotte FildesAYC443832.5(DNC)114.5
43rdWhy Ask3740Pat BlakeGill BakeCookham42(DNC)DNF25119
44thIsland Girl3725Andrew SquireGeorge AlexanderSYC‑45364142119
45thSmokey3733Nick SimmonsFi MayoLymington Town‑46414237120
46thShiny Happy People3695Pete SlackJamie MasonBlithfield SC3843‑4641122
47thNostradormouse3577Joe ToshBig Daddy ToshFarmoor3940‑4443122
48thAttack of the Clones3662Mike WhitehouseKaren WhitehouseSalcombe/Chelmarsh(DNF)4243DNC137
49thJupiter3651Keiron OFarrellPhil BerkeyWembley‑48454746138
50thGangsta Paradise3539Dan AlsopJennie KingLyme Regis(DNC)OCSDNF36140
51stMoist3643Adam MacleanGraham MacleanMidland SC(DNF)4445DNC141

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