MERLIN ROCKET FORUM

Topic : Parkstone Open - Club racing + all you can eat curry!!

Hi All,
 
A quick heads up on the Parkstone Club racing on Saturday to which you are all invited.
 
We've at least 6 visitors plus the home fleet, so around 12 boats, for our Saturday club racing at 1425hrs and a second start for us, to make it all worthwhile.
 
It'll be in the harbour and will have great courses.
 
There's an all you can eat curry early doors for only £10. Please let me know if you intend to eat so I can warn the kitchen staff!!
 
Bacon buttes available on Sunday morning, olympic courses in the 'top triangle, loads of water all day. Should be fantastic.
 
 
Any queries give me a ring 0784 123 3637 or email
Richard 
 
 


Posted: 24/09/2014 12:16:29
By:
pastingAlthough the ST this year was only the Sunday, plenty of visitors joined with the locals for a good bash round the harbour on Saturday Afternoon. The traditional Barnabas Trophy was won by Will Rainy.

So with a ship forecast (may be miss spelled!) the 28 Merlins launched after a short delay into a 5knt easterly. The PRO Barry Rolfe set a course with what little wind there was and the scene was set.

After a clean start it worked to seek the pressure and shifts and ignore the tide. But ultimately super speed helped. Mike & Jane Calvert led all the way, with Mike & Penny Fenwick battling it out for second with Stu Bithell & Kate McGregor. The wind played ball on the triangle and sausage with the remains of the flood tide providing a fair race.

With the tide now ebbing the fleet were very very grumpy with the trivial amount of wind (@4-5knts) and had three starts on a short line. A number of naughty boats were black flagged. Ironically the Stealth boat, Roger Gilbert & James Stewart, forgetting to cloak prior to engaging the enemy and was one of those lobbed. The wind backed only a small amount to reward those at the pin end after the start, which left Stu & Kate and Olly Turner & Alex Warren first and second respectively which they held to the end. However third was a real tussle with Mike & Jane showing remarkable pointing in no wind battling with Will Warren & Sophie Mackley.

The second reach was again slightly counter intuitive with those hitting the shore hard and those in the tide coming out okay but those in the middle losing out.

At the leeward mark the race team kept everyone on their toes by re-laying the windward mark. Although the leaders overstood the freshening breeze helped those out to the south, (oh and the ebb tide). However, it all came to a head for the major placings, on the final run Will & Sophie cunningly staying in the wind (although allegedly in more tide) and pulled through into 3rd.

With the wind dropping the PRO called it a day and we came in for early tea.

So thanks to North sails and Richard Whitworth Sailing for the teeshirts & bags won by the podium places.
 
 
Report by Jon Gorringe and Richard Whitworth


Posted: 28/09/2014 17:23:40
By:
Thanks Parkstone, for a lovely day in the sunshine and demonstrating that you can go and drift around in light airs on salt water as well as you can back home on the fresh(ish) water of the Thames!
 
PARTICULAR THANKS TO RICHARD for Friday's training, which was a prize for us in the Silver and Bronze fleets at the nationals - good to understand a bit more about how those at the sharp end of the fleet get the edge. I'd really recommend booking a session to anyone even considering that they might be in need of some tuning up and good ideas themselves.


Posted: 29/09/2014 10:49:55
By: TimH

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