Please select your home edition
Edition
Craftinsure 2023 LEADERBOARD

Merlin Rocket Craftinsure Silver Tiller Series Round 4 at Bartley Sailing Club

by Matt Biggs 5 Apr 2022 18:05 BST 3 April 2022

23 Merlin rockets gathered at Bartley SC for round four of the Craftinsure Silver Tiller series 2022. A pretty pleasant day with a bit of sun and a nice 5 to 12 knots of STEADY breeze!

Race 1, was a short beat across the lake, leading at the first mark were Rob Kennaugh and George Bentley in 3700 followed by a gaggle of, well, all other 22 boats. Rob and George lead for most of the race until the last lap, where the STEADY breeze dumped them.

Taking advantage of this were Tom Gillard & Rach Gray and Mike & Jane Calvert, with Rob & George, unfortunately, dropping to third.

Race 2, was the same course with the left side of the first beat paying again. Tom & Rach lead from start to finish with Taxi Davis and James Dawes chasing hard. Matt Biggs & Beka Jones scraped third on the last beat from Simon Potts & Sam Mottishead, as had happened in the first race, THANKS Simon!

In for a fantastic lunch, put on by the Bartley catering team, then out for another 2 races.

Steve Ward (OOD) and his team, set a new course for race 3, as the STEADY breeze had shifted a little. First out the blocks this time was Simon and Sam, who nailed the first beat and didn't look back. Second and still chasing hard was Taxi & James, they couldn't quite catch the leading pair, probably due to keeping one eye on the fast-charging Tom & Rach.

Last race, Tom & Rach already pretty secure with a win overall, took their time on the first beat, maybe seventh around the first mark. Meanwhile, up-front Taxi & James, Simon & Sam, Mike & Jane, Matt & Beka were all having a little battle. I think we were all fairly consumed with our own PLAYTIME no one noticed the sneaky so-and-so Gilley sail past us all. Don't mean it, Tom! Anyway Tom/Rach lead at the finish, Matt/Beka 2nd Taxi/James 3rd. What a day!

First in the silver fleet, sailing really well and challenging quite a lot of the Gold fleet was Colin and Sean Anderson, with Richard Cooke & Russell Hall leading the charge for the bronze fleet. Bartley was also the first in the Vintage and Classic Series of 2022 with Ollie Houseman and Egle Tumosa winning the Vintage fleet and Peter and Tim Male the Classic fleet.

Thanks to Mark Reddington and all the team at Bartley for running a great event, hopefully, we will be back in 2023!

Next up the Craftinsure Silver Tiller heads to Salcombe Yacht Club on the 9th and 10th April.

Overall Results:

PosFleetHelmCrewSail NoBoat NameFleetClubR1R2R3R4Pts
1stModernGILLARD TomGRAY Rachel3759Red MistressGoldSheffield Viking11‑313
2ndModernDAVIS AndyDAWES James3735Clone WarsGoldSouth Staffs SC‑92248
3rdModernBIGGS MattJONES Becka3801PokeyGoldBartley SC43‑629
4thModernCALVERT MikeCALVERT Jane3691Quick FixGoldAxe SC2‑7439
5thModernPOTTS SimonMOTTERSHEAD Sam3802KhaleesiGoldBurghfield‑541510
6thModernKENNAUGH RobBENTLEY George3700BrazilianGoldMidland SC3‑95614
7thModernWELLS JamesAYLWARD Anna3746Point n SquirtGoldRYA‑1368721
8thModernLENEY SteveLENEY Gillian3716Carbon FootprintGoldBlithfield SC6(OCS)71023
9thModernMARTIN ChrisTAILBY John3787QuicksilverGoldMidland SC1059‑1224
10thModernANDERSON ColinANDERSON Sean3749StanleySilverBlithfield SC710‑11825
11thModernSALMON DuncanHANSTATER Ruth3702Salmon en CrouteSilverWembley SC‑11810927
12thModernCOOKE RichardHALL Russell3715Truly ScumptiousBronzeWembley SC812‑131131
13thVintageHOUSEMAN OllieTUMOSA Egle3560LukaBronzeChew Valley Lake SC‑1614121440
14thModernHOLLIS PaulOATES Josh3730Blood Sweat and BeersSilverBlithfield SC151115(DNC)41
15thModernREDDINGTON MarkFEREDAY George3805NermalSilverBartley SC121316(DNF)41
16thModernBROWNE GuyMARTIN Greg3619Dark n StormyBronzeTrent Valley SC19(DNF)141346
17thModernEELES HowardBENNETT Gavin3742Speed MachineBronzeBartley SC14‑18171849
18thClassicMALE PeterMALE Tim3547Moondance AssasinBronzeBlithfield SC1715‑191749
19thModernHUDSON NigelHUDSON Freya3662Attack of the ClonesBronzeBartley SC18(OCS)181551
20thModernHARDIMAN SimonHARDIMAN Millie3624Stab in the DarkBronzeBartley SC‑2116201652
21stClassicSMITH MartinBESTON Karen3567Fat Boy SlimBronzeBlithfield SC2017‑211956
22ndVintageLAING IanHUNT Andrew2410Attila the HunBronzeHollingworth Lake SC221922(DNC)63
23rdClassicWHITEHILL CarlWHITEHILL Sam3449Wizard in BlueBronzeLlandegfed(DNF)DNCDNCDNC72

Related Articles

Aspire Merlin Rocket Nationals at Looe Day 4
Three races held after a night of fancy dress After a night of fancy dress with the theme "what were you wearing when the ship went down", lifeguard Tom Gillard was on hand to rescue the drowning Merlin Rocket crews and deliver them safely to the boat park in the morning. Posted on 13 Aug
Aspire Merlin Rocket Nationals at Looe Day 3
The very keenest of rocketeers launched as soon as Delta flew Eager to get over the disappointment of blasting to the start line on Creation Covers race day two only to wallow as the wind shut off, the fleet were eagerly anticipating the prospect of a three-race day out in Looe Bay. Posted on 12 Aug
Aspire Merlin Rocket Nationals at Looe Day 2
The wind fizzled out, leaving the waves to roll in under grey skies Day 2, Creation Covers Race Day, began with an excellent "what went well" session from Ben Saxton and Matt Rainback, finally unlocking the secrets of using the lowers and threading our way upwind in shifty conditions. Posted on 12 Aug
Aspire Merlin Rocket Nationals at Looe Day 1
Founders Trophy and Beecher's Cup races for the 47-boat fleet Sunday 10th August saw the 2025 Merlin Rocket Aspire National Championships kick off at the beautiful Cornish resort of Looe. The 47 teams arrived the previous day to complete registration and scrutineering. Posted on 10 Aug
Aspire Merlin Rocket Nationals Runners & Riders
The form guide of the top riders ahead of the Grand National! As we eagerly await the chance to be wowed by a field of quality, unrivalled by that of any other, us mortal spectators can merely speculate as to which vessel and esteemed riders will take the prestigious crown and name themselves champions. Posted on 4 Aug
Welcome back to the top table!
P&B winning in One-Designs It's been a superb start to the 2025 Championship Season for P&B, with their sails winning events up and down the country, as well as further afield. Posted on 1 Aug
Merlin Rocket circuits come to Shoreham
Olympic medallists win the most prestigious (and most eggy) competition of the weekend Shoreham Sailing Club welcomed 30 Merlin Rockets to their Craftinsure Silver Tiller and Allen South East Series open on the weekend of 26 and 27 July. Posted on 30 Jul
The ultimate real-world test for the TEMO 1000
The ultimate real-world test for the TEMO 1000 electric outboard motor Salcombe Merlin Rocket Week (29 June – 4 July), one of the most vibrant and fiercely competitive events on the UK dinghy calendar, proved to be the ultimate real-world test for the TEMO 1000 electric outboard motor. Posted on 23 Jul
Merlin Rockets at Mumbles
Yet again impressed by how friendly and welcoming the club has been A very select group of Merlin Rocket crews arrived at Mumbles Yacht Club for the combined Craftinsure Silver Tiller and the HD Midland Circuit event anticipating the same great hospitality and race management we experienced at the last event. Posted on 23 Jul
Salcombe Merlin Rocket Week overall
Tom Gillard and Rachel Gray take the trophy The final day of Helly Hansen Salcombe Merlin Week dawned to another day of blue skies with a light Southwester forming in the harbour and forecast to increase. The overall result was still up for grabs with both leading protagonists in the morning race. Posted on 4 Jul