Merlin Rocket DeMay and Thames Series Opens at Upper Thames Sailing Club

Sailing under spinnaker for the DeMay Series at Upper Thames Sailing Club © Tony Ketley

Saturday 6th September (report by Pete Walker)

Nine boats enjoyed the Merlin Rocket class Vintage event at UTSC on Saturday 6th September 2025. Crews were welcomed by sunshine and a moderate south easterly breeze. The wind was coming from the direction of the Bounty pub beyond the Marina, downriver of the club. The race officer set a first beat from the club line towards a first mark situated in the marina. The wind was thankfully unusually steady in this stretch of the river. A traditional windward / leeward course was set.

In Race 1 Andy Harris and Sarah Warren had a good battle with Stuart Jenkins and Nicola Scaddan. Both boats moved quickly clear of the field, who were scrapping it out behind. Both lead boats used their spinnakers to good effect on the long leg up to the medium mark. The race finished with Andy in Crescendo first and Stuart in Flinkidink Second, and the Walkers taking third.

After lunch the breeze strengthened making launching quite tricky with an awkward onshore breeze. The fleet got off to a clean start towards the marina again. This race followed a similar pattern with Crescendo fighting with Flinkidink. The vintage merlins were now frequently planing and sometimes struggling to stay upright with kites up as the downwind leg had tightened. In race 2 the Race Officer decided to entertain those sitting on deck chairs on the Upper Thames lawn with a tricky dog leg outside the club involving a series of gybes in the windy part of the river. The gybe on the club side by the Fury Boat House was particularly tight with the mark close to the bank, leaving no room for error. The 2nd race finished in the same order as the first race.

Andy Harris and Sara Warren sailing in the DeMay and Thames Series at Upper Thames Sailing Club - photo © Tony Ketley

In Race 3 the bank spectators were clearly enjoying the entertainment of Merlins racing on the testing course with the tight dog leg. Only 5 boats decided to compete in the increasingly gusty conditions. Andy Harris got a good start again and rounded the leeward mark, just beyond Spade Oak, first. The Walkers enjoyed a puff from behind to get an overlap on Flinkidink to round the leeward mark in 2nd. With the gusty breeze building there was plenty of adrenalin and potential for capsizes, meaning the rescue boats needed to be on standby. Gains could be made upwind, on the way back down river, by picking up the lifts to minimise tacking. Crescendo cruised to victory with a clean sweep of 3 out of 3 wins. The Walkers just managed to stay ahead of Flinkidink, despite scooping quite a bit of river water at the gybe mark by the Fury boat house leading to some frenzied bailing and some anxious moments. Flinkidink seemed to be catching on each downwind leg as the Walkers decided the spinnaker was too risky to fly following several earlier tangles. At the end the Walkers just managed to stay in front to secure 2nd place. Finkidink finished 3rd after a tough battle with the Steeles in Pandemonium.

The competitors, bruised, battered and tried were very grateful to the race officer, Simon Eddison, for setting interesting and challenging courses. The rescue boats did a great job looking after the fleet, as did the bar and catering. The event sponsor, Craftinsure, provided the usual generous prizes.

DeMay Series Event Results:

Sunday 7th September (report by Patrick Blake)

Following on from the Merlin Rocket Class Vintage racing at Upper Thames Sailing Club, Sunday September 7th saw the racing for Thames Series and the prestigious 'Allen Challenge Trophy' which has engraved on its plinths the names of most of the greats of the British dinghy racing world.

This year will be added the brother and sister team of Andy Harris and Sarah Warren who were dominant all weekend. But they didn't have it all their own way!

The first race saw an upstream start to the 'home' mark off the clubhouse. It was mainly a beat into the south-easterly wind which was quite strong at times but very gusty and shifty.

Pat and Jilly Blake in 'Tiercel' looked set to get there first but it was a starboard rounding and they couldn't be sure of crossing the fleet approaching on a starboard lift. So, the safe option was to go wide which let Andy and Sarah through with Mike and Debs Steele in Pandemonium second and Kevin Rose with Tim Williams in 'Rocketeer' third. The ensuing laps were a bit like snakes and ladders with gusts interspersed with periods of almost flat calm. The Blakes worked their back to second by the finish with the Steeles in third.

The second race was quite exciting for the onlookers on the riverbank as there was a lot of place changing. The Blakes seemed to get their 'mojo' back and took the lead for quite a while, happy with their new river rig. At times when the wind was strong and with a bit more east in it spinnakers were flown but often the boats that elected to two-sail the broad reaches won out as the wind shifted. The Blakes looked to have a comfortable lead at the last time round 'Home' but Andy and Sarah caught a lovely gust from behind and hoisted. They would have whizzed past to windward but Pat Blake saw an opportunity and luffed until both boats were stuck in a light patch under the trees. The Steeles, who had previously fallen foul of a big hole and seemed to be out of the running in third, sailed calmly by on the other side of the river.

The drama wasn't over though because the Blakes got out the hole in front of Andy and Sarah and slotted in just behind the Steeles. All three boats jostling for position at the last mark. Mike Steele was unlucky because as he reached the mark, in the lead, the wind did one of its funny river things and they touched the mark. Their 360 exoneration turn left the Blakes back in the lead heading for the finish but Andy Harris saw another chance, he luffed out a long way to windward and caught a gust that just gave them the edge to win again - but this time it was a photo finish.

After the usual Upper Thames lunch and hospitality, the competitors decided unanimously that as the weather was deteriorating, we had had enough fun, so the last race was abandoned.

Andy Harris and Sarah Warren took the trophy with Pat and Jilly Blake second and Mike and Debs Steele third. All thanks went to our sponsors Craftinsure and to Upper Thames for another great weekend.

Andy Harris and Sara Warren winners at the Thames Series at Upper Thames Sailing Club - photo © Tony Ketley

Allen Challenge Trophy Results:

The next DeMay Vintage event is at Hampton Sailing Club on Saturday 13th September.

The next Thames Series sponsored by Craftinsure is at Hampton Sailing Club on Sunday 14th September.