Craftinsure Merlin Rocket Silver Tiller at Whitstable Yacht Club
by Tim Saxton 18 May 11:14 BST
14-15 May 2022
Craftinsure Merlin Rocket Silver Tiller at Whitstable © Sam Turner
28 Merlin Rockets arrived at Whitstable Yacht Club to bright sunshine but very little wind on the morning of Saturday 14th May for the next round of the Craftinsure Silver Tiller. However, as forecast the wind filled in nicely, meaning just a short delay to the start time.
Race 1 began in 12 kts, with the tide just beginning to build, pushing you upwind. Will & Alex Warren started well & led early on, before Christian Birrell & Sam Breary took the lead which they'd hold to the finish. Tom Gillard & Rach Gray came close on the final run, but had to settle for second, with Will & Alex third.
Races 2 and 3 were sailed in near perfect conditions: 12-14kts, sunshine & warm enough not to even need a spray top - regardless of how your results went, you can't not enjoy conditions like that! Tim Saxton & Mary Henderson led most of the race having started alone at the pin end after spotting it had moved considerably. However, Christian & Sam's downwind pace enabled them to sneak by on the final run to grab another win. David Winder & Anna Blake sailed well to take third.
Christian & Sam won again in race 3 after extending on the first reach, with Tom & Rach also second again. Chris Jennings & Pete Nicholson also managed to sneak clear of the group to secure a podium place that their pace deserved.
Sunday dawned with the forecast promising a bit more wind, but this time it was wrong! The race team & sailors faced a really tough day with large shifts and huge ups & downs in pressure.
Race 4 was shortened to just 1 lap as the wind shut off, with many significant place changes towards the finish & even a few spinnakers up on the beat. Christian & Sam held their nerve to continue their perfect score line ahead of David Hayes & Jonny Ratcliffe. Ben Palmer & Mark Heather made the most of what wind was left to charge through into third in their borrowed boat.
After a short wait for the wind to "settle" again, race 5 got under way. Ed Champan & Chris Kilsby mastered the first beat to lead ahead of a tightly bunched pack. After several place changes Tom & Rach extended to take the win, Alex Jackson & Pip Kilsby did the same for second & Tim & Mary came third, just ahead of Ed & Chris. Ben & Mark made the best of a variable last run to sneak into sixth and secure the trophy for best Sunday results.
Christian & Sam's grip on the event was not tested further as the wind completely went, forcing the fleet ashore. Tom & Rach were second overall, with Tim & Mary sneaking ahead of the rest for third.
No fewer than 15 different crews managed to secure a top five race over the weekend. Racing was tight, competitive and brilliant fun, reflecting the strength in depth of the Merlin fleet.
Next up the Craftinsure Silver Tiller heads to Tamesis on Sunday 22nd May 2022.
Overall Results:
| Pos | Sail No | Helm | Crew | Club | R1 | R2 | R3 | R4 | R5 | Pts |
|---|
| 1 | 3788 | Christian Birrell | Sam Brearey | | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | ‑10 | 4 |
| 2 | 3759 | Thomas Gillard | Rach Gray | Staunton Harold SC | 2 | 4 | 2 | ‑9 | 1 | 9 |
| 3 | 3807 | Tim Saxton | Mary Henderson | Itchenor | 9 | 2 | 4 | ‑16 | 3 | 18 |
| 4 | 3795 | Alex Jackson | Pip Kilsby | Shoreham | 5 | 7 | 5 | ‑14 | 2 | 19 |
| 5 | 3791 | Jon Gorringe | Pete Grey | Parkstone YC | 8 | 6 | 6 | 4 | ‑23 | 24 |
| 6 | 3775 | Chris Jennings | Pete Nicholson | Burghfield SC | 6 | 12 | 3 | ‑15 | 7 | 28 |
| 7 | 3763 | Mark Barnes | Rebecca Bines | Whitstable YC | 4 | 10 | 7 | ‑18 | 8 | 29 |
| 8 | 3747 | Ben Palmer | Mark Heather | HISC | ‑15 | 8 | 13 | 3 | 6 | 30 |
| 9 | 3793 | James Goodfellow | Richard Cornes | Ardleigh | ‑17 | 5 | 9 | 6 | 11 | 31 |
| 10 | 3796 | William Warren | Alex Warren | Shoreham SC | 3 | 9 | 10 | 11 | ‑13 | 33 |
| 11 | 3758 | David Hayes | Jonny Ratcliffe | Lymington | (DNC) | 11 | 8 | 2 | 15 | 36 |
| 12 | 3781 | David Winder | Anna Blake | Hollingworth Lake | 7 | 3 | ‑20 | 10 | 18 | 38 |
| 13 | 3801 | Matt Biggs | Beka Jones | Bartley SC | ‑16 | 14 | 11 | 13 | 5 | 43 |
| 14 | 3756 | Sophie Mackley | James Ward | Shoreham SC | 12 | 13 | ‑16 | 5 | 14 | 44 |
| 15 | 3683 | Arthur Henderson | Livvy Bell | | 11 | 15 | 12 | 7 | ‑16 | 45 |
| 16 | 3782 | Ed Chapman | Chris Kilsby | | 10 | (DNF) | DNC | 12 | 4 | 55 |
| 17 | 3727 | Mark Stockbridge | Charlie Cotter | Upper Thames SC | 14 | 19 | ‑21 | 17 | 12 | 62 |
| 18 | 3749 | Colin Anderson | Sean Anderson | Bartley SC | 19 | 17 | 15 | ‑23 | 17 | 68 |
| 19 | 3816 | Phil Emery | Phoebe Paine | Whitstable YC | 13 | 16 | 17 | ‑24 | 24 | 70 |
| 20 | 3709 | Jack Norton | Dave Royse | Ranelagh SC | ‑22 | 18 | 14 | 20 | 20 | 72 |
| 21 | 3802 | Simon Potts | Sam Mottershead | Burghfield SC | (DNC) | DNC | DNC | 8 | 9 | 75 |
| 22 | 3745 | Paul Dean | Hannah Burt | Wembley | 18 | ‑22 | 19 | 22 | 19 | 78 |
| 23 | 3684 | Tom Low | Paul Nebel | West Hoe SC | 20 | 20 | ‑22 | 19 | 21 | 80 |
| 24 | 3672 | John Cooper | Hilary Bradshaw | Whitstable YC | 21 | 21 | 18 | ‑26 | 25 | 85 |
| 25 | 3695 | Peter Slack | Immy Brown | RYA | ‑24 | 23 | 23 | 21 | 22 | 89 |
| 26 | 3770 | Jon Steward | Annabel Steward | | 23 | 24 | 25 | 25 | ‑26 | 97 |
| 27 | 3736 | Jon Bloice | Philippa Bloice | Whitstable YC | 25 | 25 | 24 | ‑28 | 27 | 101 |
| 28 | 3576 | John Gibbons | Martin Akers | Whitstable YC | (DNC) | 26 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 107 |