A touch of magic for the Merlin Rocket Class in 2018
by Lou Johnson 17 Feb 2018 11:25 GMT
Magic is often a word associated with the Merlin Rocket and perhaps more so than ever in 2018, as Magic Marine come on board as the official clothing partner for the class.
2018 is set to be a great year for the Merlin Rocket. The Silver Tiller season kicks off with a new venue at Bartley Sailing Club on 11th March, then throughout the year it visits 21 different venues (seven Restricted, seven Open and seven Sea). The Silver Tiller Champions 2018 will be crowned at Lymington Town Sailing Club on Saturday 20th October, another new and fast-growing venue for this 72-year-old class.
It's important to both Magic Marine and the class that prizes are awarded in recognition of personal achievements on the water and participation, rather than to those who are solely at the front of the fleet. Therefore 2018 will see the Magic Marine Endeavour Awards, where prizes will be distributed throughout the fleet during Doom Bar Salcombe Yacht Club Week, the Aspire National Championships at Lyme Regis, and throughout the Craftinsure Silver Tiller 2018. There will also be a number of monthly promotions for class association members to take advantage of Magic Marine products throughout the year.
George Kingsnorth comments; "Magic Marine UK is delighted to be supporting such a thriving fleet especially as there are many similarities between Magic Marine and the Merlin Rocket Class. We are a family run business, and the class has a great deal of family involvement, with multiple generations of the same family competing. Magic Marine is passionate about improving the comfort of sailors whether they are racing at elite level or club level, and the class has a vast range of abilities and ages from Olympic medallists to weekend warriors. We are looking forward to helping their sailors at every level."
In addition to the Endeavour Awards, Magic Marine are also sponsoring one National Schools Sailing Association (NSSA) entry at the Aspire National Championships. They join returning supporters of this initiative, HD Sails and Dinghytec, providing opportunities for younger participation in the fleet.
"Magic Marine complements the class's current sponsors of our key events. It is great to have them on board and supporting all our sailors at every level. We look forward to working with George and the brand throughout this season." comments Tim Fells, sponsorship and advertising for the Merlin Rocket Owners Association.
The Merlin Rocket Owners Association will be exhibiting three boats at the RYA Dinghy Show 2018, 3 – 4 March on stand B16 in the Great Hall. More to come on what to expect on the stand.