Report by William Warren
Plymouth Merlin Rocket Silver Tiller Sponsored by Craftinsure with the Merlin Rocket Allspars SW Series at the Royal Western Yacht Club’s Allspars Final Fling.
If you think the title is slightly confusing you had to be there to understand how this worked. Needless to say, a great time was had by most of the 8 Merlin teams, some who had travelled as far as Essex to join 73 other dinghies of varying sizes and abilities in competing in the Allspars Final Fling on picturesque Plymouth Sound. Oh did I forget to mention it was also the Nacra 15 national championships, (they are very fast at times, especially downwind).
Saturday: We arrived to glassy seas with zero wind, however the PRO decided that we should all head out to see if any wind would materialise. The fleet drifted out into the sound with the tide and after a considerable wait, a small zephyr of breeze arrived from the north east enabling the race team to set a course and start the Nacra 15’s. This caused some considerable confusion as they had seen fit to use the N flag (for Nacra I assume) as their class flag. However, due to the wind completely dying shortly after their start more confusion reigned as an abandonment was required which involved another N flag and much merriment amongst the waiting fast and slow handicap fleet waiting to start. The wind did however eventually fill in for two excellent windward-leeward races. These were won by Chris Gould and Sophie Mackley and Mike and Jane Calvert respectively. A third race round the breakwater and back to the club line was started just before 5 pm and fortunately the Merlin’s all made it back before the sun set with Chris and Sophie taking line honours.
Sunday: After a lovely evening sampling some of Plymouth’s watering holes, we arrived at the RWYC to find a beautiful force 2-3 ENE was filling Plymouth sound and after a small postponement two more windward-leeward courses were sailed. Mike and Jane winning the first with William Warren and Andy Prince taking line honours in the second. Again we were treated to a long distance race around the breakwater which was won by Mike and Jane in a dying breeze.
Mike and Jane won the fast handicap class of the final fling with Chris and Sophie second and although sailing a B14, Merlin sailor Mark Barnes was third, William and Andy fourth. So, three Merlin’s in the top four which was a pretty impressive result.
Having extracted the results from fast handicap. The Merlin Craftinsure Silver Tiller was won by Chris and Sophie on count back from Mike and Jane, with William and Andy in third and first gold fleet. Dave Lee and Angela Bridges won first silver fleet.
Chris and Sophie also won the overall Allspars South West Series from Mike and Jane with James Wells and Anna Aylward in third.
Many thanks to all at RWYC for making such a memorable event and for the generous sponsorship from Allspars.
