Craftinsure Merlin Rocket Silver Tiller Open at Parkstone Yacht Club

Craftinsure Merlin Rocket Silver Tiller at Parkstone © David Harding / www.sailingscenes.com

Craftinsure Merlin Rocket Silver Tiller at Parkstone © David Harding / www.sailingscenes.com

Yes, we have no bananas. Chuffing windy event at Parkstone YC resulting in multiple capsizes, multiple damage and multiple bananas floating around the course.

Day 1 Report (by Mark Waterhouse)

Day 1 of the two day event at Parkstone was a Craftinsure silver tiller 'sea' event on Saturday 15th June. We were outside Poole harbour in Poole bay with a stiff onshore wind (25kts) and tide in the opposite direction creating a lumpy and sometimes confused sea. The 1 half mile run down to the start area from the Poole harbour entrance proved a little too tricky for some who retired back to the club while others quickly found their swimming legs. We, on the other hand, had to stop for repairs on the way. Fortunately, spare string was on board. Phew.

Race 1 the fleet wanted to get out to the right so the committee end of the line was a little crowded at the start. Olympic triangle sausage course was the order of the day. The first gybe mark started to take its toll with quite a few capsizes and breakages after a hairy but screaming reach. Another spray filled, ear to ear grin, superfast reach saw a few more boats fall over at the second gybe mark. A very lumpy sea made upwind difficult, especially on port tack sailing across the seaway. However, there was no stopping the leaders who stretched out a big lead very quickly, leaving us mere mortals hanging on and trying to keep the centreboard underneath us. The Saxton brothers controlled the conditions and won. And thus, the pattern established.

There was a bit of Poole Lifeboat action during the first race after a fairly serious incident at a gybe mark resulting in one crew member being taken off to hospital on the day and the boat limping off the course and back home to go off to the Dave Winder hospital ooop north. Thankfully, the crew is fine but the boat needs a little TLC. Thanks to the boys and girls in yellow who do a stirling job. Yes, I know a couple of them and one is called Stirling!!

'Hooray' for the PYC rescue boat who rescued our chocolate energy balls that were last seen floating off with the bananas after a wave got the better off us and we disappeared down the mine.

Race 2 - Wind speed had dropped a little but the sea was still lumpy making it difficult to sail, unless you're the Saxton brothers or Taxi and Pippa or any of the other superstars who make it look easy.

Again committee boat was favoured and the majority of the fleet disappeared off to the right. However, a couple of the top boats came in from the left and arrived at the front of the fleet. I suspect heavy weather technique was paying off, but some big shifts created overtaking opportunities. Less carnage this race in the depleted fleet but still busy on the race course.

Taxi and Pippa Kilsby took line honours followed by the Saxton brothers, Tim and Ben.

Race 3 - I don't know about anyone else but the thought of a third race with another 4 laps was really not very appealing. Thank god for choccy energy balls. Legs burning, arms aching and generally feeling a bit battered, we soldiered on and the fleet disappeared off to the right again. This time the sun came out and made everything OK. The first reach had become a little more of a run as the wind swung right which gave opportunities for those who noticed to gain some places on the sausage leg. Pattern re-established, the Saxton duo triumphed, followed by Simon and Ally Potts. The most consistent team of the day were Roger Gilbert and James Stewart who recorded a 3,3,3, and overall finished... 4th.

Big shout out to the race committee who must have felt fairly uncomfortable on their yacht in that swell.

An excellent day's sailing with an amazing demo from the top teams who made all look so easy. Well done all.

Saturday winners Tim and Ben Saxton in the Craftinsure Merlin Rocket Silver Tiller at Parkstone - photo © Lou Johnson

Day 2 Report (by Nick Scroggie)

So day 2 of the Parkstone Yacht Club Merlin Rocket Craftinsure Silver Tiller traded the lumpy seas of Bournemouth Bay and Olympic courses for bigger breezes, but mercifully (for the author at least) flatter water and 'around the cans', in the 'Top Triangle' of Poole Harbour. The 37 boats from day 1 were somewhat depleted through a combination of fatigue & breakage (mostly of crew 'on' and 'off' the water) but around 27 boats took to the water for day 2.

I won't be able to comment too much on the action at the front of the fleet as we only rubbed shoulders with them in the first few minutes after the start, thereafter concentrating hard on keeping the wet bits wet and the dry bits dry in the double-digit positions of the fleet. So apologies in advance!

Craftinsure Merlin Rocket Silver Tiller at Parkstone - photo © David Harding / www.sailingscenes.com

Race 1 was a 45 minute affair starting at 10:40 with average wind speeds of 21 knots from the south-west and a race max of 28 knots. A good sized beat to a moveable mark, in the open water of the top triangle, was followed by a broad reach (or run) past Brownsea Island depending upon which route you fancied to what looked like an elusive 'Rebbecks' race mark for the visitors. The front runners appeared (a long way off and) to be Team Pascoe & Saxton, and I saw the 'blue flash over white' of a Chris Jennings kite in the mix - apologies for lack of credit to others. For me it offered an opportunity to catch up a few hundred metres by going 'as the crow flies' after a distinctly average first leg. Next up, a beat back into the top triangle, with Brownsea providing a navigational obstruction and plentiful shifts towards 'Wych' race mark. Then a mile long two sail reach towards the Wareham Channel, though I did see a couple of very temporary spinnaker additions, followed by rapid deletions! A gybe around 'Hutchins' race mark offered a great 3 sail reach towards the moveable mark with spinnaker drop, gybe, and short sprint reach to finish. The results say Team Saxton first, Team Pascoe second, Andy Davis and Pippa Kilsby third, with 25 finishers.

Craftinsure Merlin Rocket Silver Tiller at Parkstone - photo © David Harding / www.sailingscenes.com

Race 2, again 45 minutes long, started at 11:55 in a freshening breeze of 22 knots average and a race max of 29 knots. The moveable first mark apparently had not moved, but somehow seemed a lot further away than it did in the first race, or perhaps it was just me! We started well at the port end with Team Saxton and Mr Whitworth crewed by Kat Kimber, heading out on starboard searching for the lift at Brownsea and the lee bow in the Wych channel. By the time we arrived at windward mark our start mates had pushed off, though it was good to see Jon Gorringe and Andy Brewer had found their top batten (after a no show in the first race), and were up there in the mix. A couple of blasting 2 sail reaches followed, via 'Piccadilly' and 'Morris Lane' race marks, then a beat to 'Balls lake'. At 'Balls Lake' race mark we turned left, hoisted, and headed towards 'Rebbecks'. Unfortunately for us the fleet had a much better idea where it was by now, and most headed straight for it when gusts allowed. However an early drop and we managed to creep inside a few before a fetch to the finish. The results say Team Saxton first, Team Pascoe second, Jon Gorringe and Andy Brewer third, & 21 finishers.

Craftinsure Merlin Rocket Silver Tiller at Parkstone - photo © David Harding / www.sailingscenes.com

Race 3 kicked off at 12:55 in yet more breeze, which averaged 23 knots and peaked at over 30 knots. Moveable race mark had definitely got further away no matter what anyone says. The honest answer is I can't remember who we started with, but half way up the first beat we decided we had had enough fun for two days and peeled off the race course, only to have the mast part company with itself and the boat on the way home. The results say Jon Gorringe and Andy Brewer first, Team Pascoe second, Richard Whitworth and Kat Kimber third, & 13 finishers.

The 2019 Silver Tiller is once again sponsored by Craftinsure with Magic Marine as the clothing partner for the class. Weekend spot prizes were provided by Quaywest Chandlers and Exe Sails. Next up the Craftinsure Silver Tiller heads to Whitstable Yacht Club on 22 and 23 June.

Winners with the organisers (l-r) Ben Saxton, Louisa Archer, Tim Saxton & Ben Archer after the Craftinsure Merlin Rocket Silver Tiller at Parkstone - photo © Pippa Kilsby

Overall Results:

Saturday

Sunday