Merlin Rocket Allspars SW Series and Craftinsure Silver Tiller at Lymington Town Sailing Club

Day 1 in Lymington: Allspars SW Series (by Ed Chapman)

Saturday 12th September at Lymington Town Sailing Club for the Allspars SW Series saw some strong breeze in a Solent south-westerly with around 22-24 knots over the race course.

Race 1 started with relatively slack tide and incredible racing conditions. The race officer made the most of the flat water sending us on a sausage, triangle. Beat 1 was a hike off and with the right hand side paying at the top was Ed Capman and Jam Adam followed by William Warren and Alex Pausey with a very tight group behind.

Good breeze had the fleet sailing angles, hitting 12-13 knots down wind, perfect conditions for a lurking camera boat. Potentially sleep deprivation being a factor, down the run Ed and Jam decided they would drop the kite and round up around the pin end of the start line rather than the leeward mark nearly making it a very short event for themselves and William and Alex, but fortunately wily William navigated the issue. At the bottom of the run was Caroline Gould and Pete Nicholoson, William and Alex and Chris Gould and Sophie Mackley in 3rd.

Caroline Gould and Pete Nicholson win the Merlin Rocket Allspars SW Series at Lymington Town Sailing Club - photo © Nigel Brooke

By the top Caroline and Pete led with Ed and Jam in second and Chris and Sophie in third. With the weight nifty accumulated by living a sedentary lifestyle, at the bottom of the sausage it was tight between the two with Ed and Jam pipping it, then came the battle on a 300 metre upwind to the finish. Caroline and super crew Pete hiked their hearts out and with buckets of pace simply sailed past in a straight line and took the win, Ed and Jam in Second Chris and Sophie in third.

Race 2 was a different story, as the breeze built and the tide started to run Solent chop reared its ugly head making conditions tricky. Again however it was William and Alex, and Ed and Jam to the top mark in 1 and 2 or so they thought, as both had clearly been scrolling on Instagram through the briefing being caught out by a starboard rounding, ending up back in the pack. Caroline and Pete led James Wells and Lorna Glen who were clearly more attentive with another tight chasing pack.

Differeing reaction for Mark Barwell and Lou Johnson during the Merlin Rocket Allspars SW Series at Lymington Town Sailing Club - photo © Nigel Brooke

The fleet all selected to go as inshore as to the less tide and flat water, with a number of swims in the mix the bottom mark was a Gould 1,2 (Caroline and Pete, Chris and Sophie) and a fantastic photo opportunity for the camera boat who was in the thick of it. Race 2 ended up with Caroline and Pete taking the chocolates, Chris and Sophie in second, wily William and Alex in third and James and Lorna in fourth.

With winds now gusting 28 knots across Contessa Catherine's decks, RO Rob Miledge and his team sent the fleet ashore for tea and cakes.

Crews behind the hoops during the Merlin Rocket Allspars SW Series at Lymington Town Sailing Club - photo © Nigel Brooke

A huge thanks to the race officer for getting two races off in excellent conditions, the safety boats for keeping an eye out for the competitors and another special thanks to all who baked cakes for the competitors once back ashore.

In the evening the competitors sat down to a meal at the club, watching some of the fabulous photographs captured by Nigel Brooke on repeat.

Allspars SW Series Results:

Day 2 in Lymington: A family affair at Lymington Town SC Merlin Rocket Craftinsure Silver Tiller (by William Warren)

After a wild ride on Saturday at Lymington Town Sailing Club for the Allspars South West series, we were joined by six more entries for the Merlin Rocket Craftinsure Silver Tiller on the Sunday.

Startline action during the Craftinsure Silver Tiller at Lymington Town Sailing Club - photo © Tristan Jones / Nautipics

Under grey skies and a 10-15 knot south westerly the fleet got away cleanly in race 1. With a strong incoming tide it paid to hit the right hand shore, Chris Gould and Sophie Mackley hit it the hardest and rounded first followed by Ed Chapman and Jam Adam sailing a borrowed boat (a very brave and generous loan by Gareth Griffiths) as Ed had broken his mast on Saturday. There was close racing throughout the fleet Caroline Gould and Pete Nicholson got through to second with some great upwind speed, and James Wells and Lorna Glen just pipping Ed and Jam for third.

Leeward mark rounding during the Craftinsure Silver Tiller at Lymington Town Sailing Club - photo © Tristan Jones / Nautipics

After a quick turnaround by the excellent race team race two was away with the tide still coming in strongly. Ed and Jam rounded first followed by William Warren and Alex Pausey. Most of the fleet opted for an early gybe, however at the leeward mark it was William and Alex, who had stood on and picked up the stronger off shore tide who rounded first closely followed by Chris and Sophie, Ed and Jam and the rest of the pack. William and Alex led into the triangle but were done over by Mr and Mrs Gould with one luffing hard over the top and the other soaking low to gain the overlap at the mark. Positions stayed the same to the finish.

William Warren and Alex Pausey find themselves with a Gould sandwich during the Craftinsure Silver Tiller at Lymington Town Sailing Club - photo © Tristan Jones / Nautipics

The tide had turned for race three and the RO decided that on a windward leeward course. With a now building tide under the fleet William and Alex nailed the start, crossed the fleet and led comfortably for the majority of the race. Chris and Sophie, who were having an uncharacteristically poor race decided to hit the shore hard on the last run and reached in below the fleet to nip in just ahead of William and Alex at the leeward mark to win the race and the event. This allowed his wife Caroline to pip William and Alex into second overall, so securing a husband and wife 1-2 and yours truly having to write the report. Shoreham SC boats securing the top 3 places was my consolation.

Storm Nuttal and Sally Wakefield, Silver Fleet winners during the Craftinsure Silver Tiller at Lymington Town Sailing Club - photo © Tristan Jones / Nautipics

Close behind there was some incredibly tight racing with the super lightweight pairing of Storm Nuttall and Sally Wakefield flying through to take fourth in the last race and secure 1st in the Silver fleet.

James and Lorna were first Gold fleet and sailing their new (to them) Merlin, Ed Scroggie and Jack Bowen won the Bronze fleet.

Battle of the Parkstone boats in the bronze fleet during the Craftinsure Silver Tiller at Lymington Town Sailing Club - photo © Tristan Jones / Nautipics

Overall a fantastic weekend and a lovely warm welcome from LTSC, the free tea and cakes were especially welcome on our return to shore.

The next Craftinsure silver tiller event is Trent Valley on Sunday 20 September with the Inland Championships sponsored by Allen taking place at Oxford Sailing Club on 26 and 27 September.

Craftinsure Silver Tiller Results: