Craftinsure Silver Tiller Merlin Rocket Open at Hayling Island Sailing Club

Craftinsure Merlin Rocket Silver Tiller at Hayling Island © Robert O'Neill

A healthy turnout of 26 Merlin Rockets gathered at Hayling for the Craftinsure Silver Tiller: a weekend of high winds, tight racing and lovely Sunday waves! With many of the top boats racing, including both the National and Salcombe champions, the racing was as ever of very high quality in the Merlin fleet.

Craftinsure Merlin Rocket Silver Tiller at Hayling Island - photo © Robert O'Neill

On Saturday, racing was inside the harbour due to an inclement weather forecast on short, tidal courses which provided a stern tactical and boat handling test. Three-times National Champions Roger Gilbert/James Stewart returned to the Merlin after a break, in impressive form to lead overnight with a rock solid 1,3,2 score line. Simon & Ali Potts showed that parenting hasn't slowed them down as they moved forward in every race to score a tidy 3,5,3, with Ben & Roz McGrane on equal points overnight. Dave Wade and Rach Rhodes showed their adaptability between classes to lead the second race from start to finish and, Tim Saxton and Jodie Green repeated this feat in race 3.

Craftinsure Merlin Rocket Silver Tiller at Hayling Island - photo © Robert O'Neill

On Sunday, many were pleased to be allowed out to sea so play in some lovely rolling waves, the perfect warm-up for the Nationals at the wave mecca of Lyme Regis. Nick Craig & Tobytastic Lewis sorted their Saturday spinnaker issues to score 1,2,1. Tim & Jodie nearly made it back to back race wins in race 4 but a lightning fast spinnaker drop by Tobytastic at the last gybe just squeezed him and his spectating helm in for a win. Tim & Jodie were in with a chance of winning overall but a failed rudder gudgeon off a wave the size of a house lost them a race and dropped them to fourth overall, just behind Nick & Toby. Caroline Croft & Matt Lulham-Robinson also led race 4 showing that practice pays... but an untimely swim dropped them to fifth.

Craftinsure Merlin Rocket Silver Tiller at Hayling Island - photo © Robert O'Neill

Race 5 was pivotal with Ben & Roz nailing every shift on the penultimate beat to sail past both Roger/James and Nick/Toby. With a combined 100 years of sailing at Frensham Pond, Nick & Roger should be able to pick a windshift by now! This gave Ben/Roz a sniff at winning the event overall which they took by beating Roger/James in the last race - very impressive sailing by lightweights in the windiest race of the event.

Craftinsure Merlin Rocket Silver Tiller at Hayling Island - photo © Robert O'Neill

Another notable performance was from Ben Palmer, RS200 National Champion, to jump straight in a Merlin and finish seventh overall, we hope to see more of him in the future.

Next up in the Merlin Silver Tiller is Whitstable this weekend where it looks like much gentler winds and more sunshine is forecast, shortly followed by Salcombe Week where there are once again 120 boats entered with a waiting list showing the huge strength of the class.

Thank you to Craftinsure for your going sponsorship of the Silver Tiller and to the classes new clothing partner Magic Marine.

Overall Results:

Craftinsure Merlin Rocket Silver Tiller at Hayling Island - photo © Robert O'Neill