Merlin Rocket Craftinsure Silver Tiller at Whitstable Yacht Club
by James Wells & Anna Aylward 3 Jun 17:26 BST
30-31 May 2026
On the beach - Merlin Rocket Craftinsure Silver Tiller at Whitstable © Ayhan Betez / Eye Sky UK
After a week of water supply issues in town, Whitstable Yacht Club welcomed the Merlin Rocket fleet alongside a strong home Tasar contingent for a combined Silver Tiller open over the last May weekend.
Sunshine, a flooding tide, and a steady easterly F3 set a perfect racecourse. Fifteen visiting teams joined two locals, with the Sea category and East Coast venue tempting several crews out for their first Silver Tiller of the year.
Race 1
Christian Birrell and Sam Breary sailing 3788 Blue My Mind started as they meant to go on, nailing the start and after sailing a solid first beat headed down the windward/leeward course with a handy lead.
However, it was Tom Gillard and Rachael Gray in Red Mistress 3759 who showed great downwind speed to take the lead and close out race 1 for the win. Super sailing by Piers Lambert with Sophie Penwarden in the front of the newly configured bow-tacked 3671 showed the way at the front of the Silver fleet having great results in races 2 & 3.
Race 2
Jon Gorringe had his brand new 3833 delivered from the Winder factory and sailing with the talented Lorna Glen, missed just the first race as he tweaked a few bits before hitting the start line in race 2. Jon and Lorna showed good potential in 3833's first outing, but were hampered by a slightly-too-short jib luff wire. A few straightforward teething issues to be resolved post-racing.
In the meantime, Christian and Sam in a slightly stronger breeze for race 2 put the hammer down again upwind and having taken the lead didn't relinquish it. Slightly helped by the guest helm Alan Krayling sailing in Pete Nicholson's ship 3775 Night Fury, battling hard with Tom and Rach. (Alan standing in for co-owner Chris Jennings, out with a bad back: get well soon Chris!).
James Goodfellow sailing 3793 Boris with George Major, one of our rising star Youth sailors, had their best race of the weekend and topped Gold fleet in fourth.
Race 3
A near repeat of race 2 for the front runners, with Christian and Sam winning again, but with Tom and Rach getting the better of Alan and Pete this time. Dave Winder and Beka Jones had woken up by this point, showing very quick downwind pace in 3827 Return of the Jedi to nearly be challenging for a podium place. Dave having been burning the midnight oil every day this week to complete Jon's boat and then having a 4am start to get to the event!
Home sailors Phil Emery and Julie Nuttall in 3816 had their best result of the weekend and top Silver fleet boat. And mention to Guy Browne and Greg Martin in 3690 General Lee from Trent Valley having their best race of the weekend, great to see this well known boat being looked after and out on the circuit.
Ashore, the welcoming Whitstable YC's fully working showers beckoned, followed by ice cream/beer/chips/Champions League final/curry/live band (some, a mixture, or all were devoured by Merlin and Tasar sailors alike!). In addition a bit of boat bimbling for some sorting those earlier mentioned teething problems.
However, Tom and Rach, upon returning to shore and de-rigging, found that their forestay was half gone and that ended their weekend, although grateful that it hadn't let go completely during the racing.
The fleet were very pleased to be joined off the water by the youngest Merlin sailor, Myla Warren (although at fifteen months technically she hasn't actually sailed a Merlin yet) visiting for the weekend accompanied by Mum and Dad: Alex and Emily. Alex having got his dates wrong wasn't sailing the Saturday after all!
Granddad Willy Warren, having not found his mojo on the racecourse, proceeded to check just how many pints is the optimal right number for playing bar pool: he wasn't quite so sure in the morning what the number was...
Sunday morning and overnight the breeze as forecast had switched to the northwest F3-4. Not quite as sunny and warm but still a lovely day for racing. As slightly cooler, much discussion was had in both changing rooms as to what to wear. But once ready for racing, at the leisurely start time of 11.30, with the addition of Alex Jackson, who could only make the Sunday, sailing with Alex Warren in 3823 The Goon Show, the fleet headed off for another three races.
Race 4
James Wells and Anna Aylward in 3746 Point n Squirt nailed the favoured pin end and tacking off found themselves not far off the port lay line to the windward mark. However, it was Jon and Lorna who started a little further down the line, but with jib luff sorted, showed blistering upwind pace to come from slightly right and get to the windward mark first.
However, Jon still looking out for locations of spare screws and nuts he'd found in the boat the day before had his head in the boat and failed to notice that the first leg of the triangle was white sails only. He duly hoisted his kite and headed rapidly away from the reach mark. Alex and Alex shot across the reach to gain the inside rights to gybe but rounded with the turning circle of a bus. James and Anna promptly gybed a tight line, hoisted and rolled over the Alex's.
James and Anna then held on over the following lap and a half to win. Alex and Alex took second with the fast-charging Christian and Sam recovering from an uncharacteristically poor start to take third.
Race 5
The race team having dabbled with a triangle sausage course, but struggling to set it true in the slightly shifty westerly breeze reverted to windward leeward courses for races 5 and 6. An even start had several boats having a super battle over three laps with several changes of leader.
However, it was James and Anna who had solid boatspeed and picked the shifts to come away with the win. Dave and Beka came twond and Jon and Lorna 3rd. Brothers Tom and Ed Low in the Dinghy Show display yacht 3830 Amuse Bouche had their best result of the weekend and were the best of the Silver fleet.
Race 6
Christian and Sam having sorted the boat and their starting, resumed normal service and once in the lead didn't ever look like losing it. The Alex's came in second with Alan and Pete third completing a very solid series. James and Anna had climbed to fourth only to give it away cheaply on the very final short beat to the talented pairing of Rebecca Videlo and Rob Henderson in 3691 Quick Fix, and thus slipping from second overall to third!
Special mentions
To father and son team Pete and Tim Male sailing the wooden 3547 Moonlight Assassin: finishing every race, rarely last and Pete in his senior years, still enjoying a family hobby out on the Silver Tiller circuit.
To Christian Hill and Oz Ahmet from Fishers Green sailing 3744 in their first Silver Tiller event who improved with nearly every race and finished a very credible 14th overall.
Watch the video on Facebook: fb.watch/HvDnxjMCGm
A huge thank you to all the team at Whitstable Yacht Club for a really great weekend of super racing and a cracking social on the Saturday evening.
And next we're off to Hayling Island weekend of the 6th and 7th June. 15 already entered and space for more available.
Overall Results:
1st Gold fleet James Wells and Anna Aylward
1st Silver fleet Piers Lambert and Sophie Penwarden
| Pos | Sail No | Helm | Crew | R1 | R2 | R3 | R4 | R5 | R6 | Pts |
|---|
| 1 | 3788 | Christian Birrell | Sam Brearey | 2 | 1 | 1 | 3 | (RET) | 1 | 8 |
| 2 | 3775 | Alan Krayling | Pete Nicholson | 3 | 2 | 3 | 4 | ‑6 | 3 | 15 |
| 3 | 3746 | James Wells | Anna Aylward | 4 | ‑5 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 16 |
| 4 | 3827 | David Winder | Beka Jones | ‑8 | 7 | 4 | 6 | 2 | 6 | 25 |
| 5 | 3793 | James Goodfellow | George Major | 5 | 4 | 7 | 5 | 9 | ‑10 | 30 |
| 6 | 3691 | Rebecca Videlo | Rob Henderson | 7 | 6 | ‑14 | 8 | 5 | 4 | 30 |
| 7 | 3796 | William Warren | Andy Prince | 6 | ‑10 | 6 | 10 | 7 | 7 | 36 |
| 8 | 3833 | Jon Gorringe | Lorna Glen | (DNC) | 8 | 11 | 7 | 3 | 8 | 37 |
| 9 | 3759 | Tom Gillard | Rachael Gray | 1 | 3 | 2 | (DNC) | DNC | DNC | 42 |
| 10 | 3823 | Alex Jackson | Alex Warren | (DNC) | DNC | DNC | 2 | 4 | 2 | 44 |
| 11 | 3671 | Piers Lambert | Sophie Penwarden | 9 | 9 | 10 | ‑12 | 11 | 9 | 48 |
| 12 | 3830 | Tom Low | Ed Low | 10 | 13 | 9 | ‑15 | 8 | 11 | 51 |
| 13 | 3816 | Phil Emery | Julie Nuttall | 11 | 11 | 8 | 9 | 12 | ‑13 | 51 |
| 14 | 3744 | Christian Hill | Oz Ahmet | 14 | 12 | (DNS) | 11 | 10 | 12 | 59 |
| 15 | 3690 | Guy Browne | Greg Martin | 12 | 14 | 12 | 13 | 13 | ‑15 | 64 |
| 16 | 3547 | Peter Male | Tim Male | 13 | ‑15 | 13 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 68 |
| 17 | 3576 | John Gibbons | Martin Akers | 15 | 16 | DNS | RET | (DNC) | DNC | 83 |