Please select your home edition
Edition

Merlin Rocket DeMay and Thames Series at Hampton Sailing Club

by Andrew Mills 15 Oct 03:29 NZDT 13 October 2024
Close after the start - Merlin Rocket DeMay and Thames Series at Hampton © Emma Bunner

Hampton Sailing Club held its annual open meeting for the Merlin Rocket Class on Saturday 13th October. Usually this is held over two days at the weekend but this year, with a strong stream in the Thames and a forecast of virtually no wind on the Sunday, we took the decision to hold both the Vintage De May series race and the Thames series race concurrently on the Saturday.

In fact there were no boats eligible for the Thames series but too modern for the DeMay series sailing, and there was little difference in the final result despite applying handicaps to the DeMay results and not the Thames series. 11 boats competed overall.

After a brief postponement to allow all competitors to get to the island and organised, the first race started at 11:30. With probably something like 3 or 4 knots of stream the starts were not easy. Mark rounding was also tricky and the first mark had initially been laid rather further downstream than ideal, needing a painful crawl back up the Middlesex bank past Garrick's Temple before getting back into reasonable wind for the rest of the lap.

Hywel Bowen-Perkins with ace crew Deirdre Bell led this race all the way round. Behind him John and Livvy Bell sailed round in second place. Rob and Hattie Cage came back from fifth at one point to slip into third place, getting by Charlie Morgan and his crew on the last lap.

The second race was started almost back-to-back, or as close as we get on the river. The first start was bizarre, and could probably only happen in the Merlin class. As the wind had come round quite a bit to the west (as forecast) we started in the opposite direction, upriver. Despite the strong stream pushing the boats away from the line, we managed a general recall with at least six boats (including me) still on course side at the start. We got away on the second attempt.

There was a little more wind as well as the change in direction, which meant that the previously favoured Surrey bank now had little wind and the fleet headed for the Middlesex bank. However, the first mark had been laid with the assumption that the fleet would be coming up the Surrey bank hence rounding the mark to starboard. There was quite a bit of shouting and general chaos before order was restored on the downwind leg.

Rob and Hattie finished first despite a third lap wobble when John and Livvy Bell briefly held the lead before ending up second. Stuart Jenkins and his daughter Imogen got their act together for third.

That took us to the lunch break which we passed inside munching on an excellent cold lunch, looking at the rain outside and, on devices, INEOS Britannia being quite comprehensively beaten by the New Zealand team.

The third race started in more wind, which had also swung more to the west as forecast. The only change to the course therefore was changing the upstream mark to a port hand rounding.

Ollie and Egle led for the first two laps before being overtaken by Rob and Hattie. Behind these two there was quite a bit of place changing with John and Livvy coming back from sixth on the first lap to finish third. Then it was back to the club to tuck into the cake before moving on to the evening's curry!

This was quite a challenging day's sailing with a variable wind and strong stream. Yet we managed to complete three races without any major mishaps though several boats nudged marks or even managed to tow them a short distance round a rudder or centreboard (your correspondent included).

Prizes were awarded for the first four places with some excellent kit was given away by Craftinsure, who have been generously sponsoring the series.

The next (and final) event on the Thames and Vintage series for 2024 is on the 20th October at Ranelagh Sailing Club for the Downriver Race.

Overall Results:

PosSail NoBoatHelmCrewClubR1R2R3
1st1692HullabalooRob CageHatty CageThames SC(3)11
2nd1201Grand TetonJohn BellLivvy BellHampton SC22(3)
3rd3347ElusiveHywel Bowen‑PerkinsDeirdre BellHampton SC1(6)4
4th3560LukaOllie HousemanEgle TumosaiteChew Valley Lake SC(7)42
5th1097FlinkidinkStuart JenkinsImogen JenkinsHampton SC(9)36
6th3259AndromedaCharlie MorganAlastair BanksTamesis45(8)
7th1765GracePhill DalbySuzi BellHampton SC6(8)5
8th1222Restless IVRichard PageJames WarrenHampton SC5(11)9
9th774QuiverJohn HeathNicola ScaddanHampton SC(DNF)77
10th3088ShenandoahAndrew MillsEllie MillsHampton SC89(10)
11th723CindyJohn HollandsColin GoodwinHampton SC(DNF)1011
1st1692HullabalooRob CageHatty CageThames SC(3)11
2nd1201Grand TetonJohn BellLivvy BellHampton SC22(3)
3rd3347ElusiveHywel Bowen‑PerkinsDeirdre BellHampton SC1(6)4
4th3560LukaOllie HousemanEgle TumosaiteChew Valley Lake SC(7)42
5th1097FlinkidinkStuart JenkinsImogen JenkinsHampton SC(9)35
6th3259AndromedaCharlie MorganAlastair BanksTamesis45(8)
7th1765GracePhill DalbySuzi BellHampton SC6(9)6
8th1222Restless IVRichard PageJames WarrenHampton SC5(11)9
9th774QuiverJohn HeathNicola ScaddanHampton SC(DNF)77
10th3088ShenandoahAndrew MillsEllie MillsHampton SC88(10)
11th723CindyJohn HollandsColin GoodwinHampton SC(DNF)1011

Related Articles

Craftinsure Silver Tiller End of Season at Stone
Is this the first time that AI has been used to establish the winners? We made it, report 41 of 2024 and the final one from this year's Merlin Rocket season. Having asked the third placed finishers at each of the events it was probably time I wrote one myself. Posted on 28 Oct
2024 Merlin Rocket Allen SE Circuit at Shoreham
A perfect weather window of sunshine and 8-15 knots The 19th of October saw 18 Merlin Rockets head to Shoreham Sailing Club for the final stop of the 2024 Merlin Rocket Allen SE circuit. The fleet were welcomed by a perfect weather window of sunshine and 8-15 knots. Posted on 21 Oct
Merlin Rocket Felucca Trophy at Hollingworth Lake
Part of the Craftinsure Silver Tiller and the Northern Circuit The annual Felucca Trophy has just taken place at Hollingworth Lake Sailing Club on Saturday 12th and Sunday 13th October, with 16 Merlin Rockets going north to take part. Posted on 16 Oct
Merlin Rocket Women's Championship
A great event with training, a talk by Sarah Ayton, then competitive racing The Women's Champs is special as so many ladies from other classes come and join, Merlin crews team up and ex Merlin sailors come back to the class. Sailing is a sport for everyone but I think there are still barriers to a lot of ladies. Posted on 16 Sep
Merlin Rockets at Upper Thames
David Battye was naturally itching to point his flag for inadequate stability This year's edition of the Upper Thames Sailing Club Merlin Rocket open meeting weekend (8th and 9th September) saw a temperamental forecast and every different flavour of weather, but often a noticeable lack of wind. Posted on 13 Sep
Women Sailors - the Merlin Rocket Class Needs You
Second Women's Championships at Parkstone Yacht Club on 14-15 September The Merlin Rocket Class is renowned for its technical development and the high standard of its sailors, and now it is developing in other ways; the Merlin Rocket Class Association is running its second Women's Championships at Parkstone Yacht Club. Posted on 6 Sep
Merlin Rocket Youth Championship 2024 at Itchenor
A great way see what young helms and crews can do 10 boats headed to Itchenor Sailing Club for the second year of the Merlin Youth Championships. It's not an easy boat to to own if you're under 25, so the youth champs is a great way see what young helms and crews can do. Posted on 2 Sep
Merlin Rocket Nationals at Tenby overall
Every weather under the sun, but thankfully ending with sunshine From Frensham with love. Last day report from the Aspire Merlin Rocket National Championships in Tenby and what a week. We've had every weather under the sun. Thankfully we ended on sunshine which was a bonus, unlike Salcombe. Posted on 17 Aug
Merlin Rocket Nationals at Tenby Day 5
23 knots with gusts and a 2-metre swell with waves on top Day 5 was wet and wild in Tenby, 23 knots with gusts and a 2-metre swell with waves on top, the visibility was varying from three miles to less than one, so after a three-hour postponement the race team hoisted AP over A, and the fleet relaxed. Posted on 16 Aug
Merlin Rocket Nationals at Tenby Day 4
A marathon report after a marathon six hours on the water! After a marathon six hours on the water, strap yourselves in for a marathon report from Day 4 of the Merlin Rocket Aspire National Championships at Tenby Sailing Club. Posted on 15 Aug