Some great Merlin pictures on page 22 and 23  of www.fotoboat.com  I remember this capsize, it was a big gust! A larger one took the mast off my Tasar!!Great day's sailing though

Looks like fun!  From the photo sequence it looks like 3665 headed up in the gust and sealed it's fate in doing so, although the angles could be deceptive, great sequence.

There must be story, did the helmsman drop the tiller, did the rudder break, was it the rudder cavitating and they just couldn't bear away?

Or just a very big gust?

We hit the bottom, which took out the rudder. Oh, and the gust was quite big!! 
Great days sailing.

Shame Mike missed the handstand our boat did when travelling in excess of 20 knots and hitting the mud bar. Ouch. Took depth 50 mm. off the trailing edge and lodged it in the case rear so did not leak. Cracked 27 knots on a blinder prior to it happening as we diappeared towards Exmouth!!. Once righted caught up with Matt and Mike with about 2 minutes to go. Monster conditions for us but no other damage thank goodess as it took nearly an hour to get the broken bits out of the case.
12 B14s entered, 11 started, 4 finished. 2 broken masts in the mud.
Roll on. Have fun at the Warming Pan especially if windy. Top gusts exceeded 30 knots.

Did you have a winder lifting rudder with a cleat that come undone, or have you some bad damage?

One badly damaged daggerboard that some carbon and epoxy will fix and an evening working on the box to get it like new. Rest as when we launched. Luckily the case on the modern boats is almost bullet proof but alas something has to give and in this case it was mainly the daggerboard. But the white knuckle ride was worth it. How many people can say they have sailed over the water at in excess of 27 knots for a sustained period, not many if more than a few. Arms and shoulders still ache!
When we stood up (now that was a suprise) only midriff depth (4ft.)

Capsizing in that depth of water makes it difficult to get it back upright I have found at our club.  Have been seen towing the boat into deeper water to get enough depth of water below the hull so that when the centreboard goes back down into the water there is enough depth to allow the hull to come upright without the board fouling the bottom.

Many thanks to all those who joined us for the Steamer, the Merlins were again one of the larger fleets with nine boats on the start line.  It was typical conditions for Starcross in a strong North Westerly breeze - huge gusts and big shifts, but a fantastic sail when further out in the river.  I'm told there were some spectacular wipe outs, but didn't see very much as I was somewhat distracted whilst crewing on a Laser 2 - great fun in a blow!  Mike Calvert and Matt Biggs finished 4th and 5th respectively after a very close battle all round the course, rarely more than a few boat lengths apart. Also showing well were Starcross sailors Nick and Ollie Turner in 3516 who finished 11th overall.

Mike Rice of Fotoboat has some great action shots here

There she goes!

Thanks Mags!!

was an awesome sail!! even hitting the sand bank (hence the photos!)