page 1
Merlin
Rocket
the magazine
Summer
2024
page 2
Mark Barwell and Lou Johnson show off their spinnaker graphics
in this super drone shot by Olly Turner.
If the rule change to allow advertising on boats and/or sails is
passed at the AGM in July we might be seeing more of this sort of
thing in the future?
This, of course, isn’t advertising it is just graphics that represents
their boat name. ‘The Kraken’ for those of you that don’t know
page 3
Front Cover
This Shot features two of the young women who work so
hard for your association. Caroline Croft, as she was then
(now Mrs Gould) and Livvy Bell
Thank you to Rob O’Neill for the photo, taken at Fishers
Green SE Cicuit event in April
Contents
Chairman Rob Allen
Fixtures for 2024
4-5
Tenby National Championships
7-9
Salcombe Week Seedings
10-11
Salcombe Runners and Riders
12-13
View from the Jury Boat
14
Common Breaches of Rule 42
15-18
Is Your Boat Rule Compliant?
21
How to use Dog Bones
22-23
Hollingworth to Hollywood
24-25
Silver Tiller Update
26
Thames, Vintage and Classic Series
28
Alan Warren - sailor of the month
30
Editorial
31
SE Area ‘Triple Crown’
32-33
Midland Circuit
34
AGM Agenda
35
Financial Reports
36-37
Who are We
38
Annual General Meeting
The Annual General Meeting of the Merlin
Rocket Owners’ Association will be held at
Salcombe Yacht Club on Saturday 29th June
2024 starting immediately after the briefing for
Salcombe Week, no earlier than 1830hrs.
The Agenda for the meeting, the accounts for
the year ended 31st December 2023, as well as
all the resolutions are published on pages 36 to
38 of this magazine.
The minutes of the last meeting were published
on pages 44-46 of the Autumn 2023 Magazine
which is available in the members section of
our website
Rob Allen
MROA Chair
ROB ALLEN
Our Chairman
Welcome to your highly anticipated summer
magazine, and to my final column as your Chairman.
I must say, the almost two years I’ve had the privilege
to serve the class in this role have been an absolute
blur! I’m proud of what we’ve achieved together, and
the class remains in good health, with a clear plan for
the years ahead. Our regional circuits are providing
different racing opportunities for those that want
to travel a bit less, and a vital stepping stone from
club racing to the Silver Tiller and beyond. We have
boosted participation from under-represented groups
through our Women’s and Youth Championships
and are now seeing a real pick up in boats being
purchased by those fleets, as well as a bumper year
for new boats being built. Our Classic and Vintage
fleets also continue to thrive.
There’s more to do, of course, and there always
will be. It’s also true that in such a diverse class,
not everyone will agree with every decision the
committee makes. Striking the appropriate balance
between protecting our wonderful heritage and
being appropriately progressive in a changing world
is a constant challenge. The sailing subcommittee
are giving a lot of thought about how best to
manage what is now a busy calendar and encourage
participation in the Silver Tiller, for example. We
also have work to do to support Merlin sailing at our
clubs. I’ll certainly be taking that forward at my home
club, Broadwater SC, where we have something of a
nascent fleet that will need energy and enthusiasm as
it grows.
As I write this, we are well into the season, with a
good number of events of all kinds already sailed, and
many of the highlights still to come. I’m really looking
forward to our National Championships at Tenby,
where we already have a big entry, the third biggest
this millennium! If you haven’t entered yet, please do
consider joining us, it’ll be a fantastic event.
In closing, I’d like to thank all my committee and
subcommittee colleagues for their hard work,
support and good humour, and also all of you,
our members, for yours. Keep your suggestions
coming, the committee exists to serve you - we
absolutely want and need your input.
I’m very much looking forward to seeing as
many as possible of you out on the circuit in
the coming months. In the meantime I wish
you fair winds and enjoyable sailing.
Rob
page 4
Silver Tiller, Championships, Regional Circuits, Classic Circuit, Vintage
Circuit & Class Training 2024
See below on how to qualify for our various circuits!
Silver Tiller: 1 restricted, 1 open, 1 sea and your next best ST or overall regional circuit
South East Circuit: 3 races to count must include a flat water & a wavey event
South West Circuit: 3 races to count must include one Silver Tiller & one regional
Midland Circuit: 4 races to count one non-silver tiller
North Circuit: 2 races to count
Thames Circuit: 4 races to count
Classic Series: Merlin’s no 3358 to 3571 - 4 races to count
Vintage Series: Merlin’s number 1 to 3357 - 5 races to count & a handicap system
Date
Event
Club
March
2nd
SW Circuit
Chew Valley SC
17th
Midland Circuit, Vintage & Classic
Midland SC
24th
SE Circuit
Wembley SC
30th-31st
SW Circuit
Parkstone YC
April
6th
Silver Tiller (Restricted) & SW Circuit
Burghfield SC
7th
Thames, Vintage & Classic Circuits
Ranelagh SC
13th
Silver Tiller (Open), North, Midland, Vintage & Classic Circuits
Burton SC
13th
SE Circuit
Broadwater SC
14th
Silver Tiller (Restricted), Midland, Classic & Vintage Circuits
Bartley SC
20th
Vintage & Classic Circuits
Fishers Green SC
21st
SE Circuit
Fishers Green SC
27th-28th
SW Circuit
Salcombe YC
May
4th-6th
Silver Tiller (Sea), Midland & North Circuits
Pwllheli SC
11th
Thames & Vintage Circuits
Thames SC
11th-12th
SE Circuit
Brightlingsea SC
12th
Thames & Vintage Circuits
Minima YC
18th
Vintage Circuit
Tamesis SC
19th
Thames Circuit
Tamesis SC
19th
Midland Circuit
Blithfield SC
25th-27th
River Championship
Upper Thames SC
page 5
June
1st-2nd
Silver Tiller (Open) & SW Circuit
Starcross YC
8th-9th
Inland Championships
Bristol Corinthian
15th-16th
Class Training
TBC
15th
Vintage & Classic Circuits*
Banbury SC
22nd-23rd
Silver Tiller (Sea) & SE Circuit
Whitstable YC
July
30th-5th
Merlin Salcombe Week
Salcombe YC
20th-21st
Silver Tiller (Sea)
Shoreham SC
August
11th-16th
National Championship
Tenby SC
31st-1st
Youth Training & Championships
Itchenor SC
September
1st
Midland, Vintage & Classic Circuits*
Shustoke SC
7th
Vintage Circuit
Upper Thames SC
8th
Silver Tiller (Restricted) & Thames Circuit
Upper Thames SC
14th-15th
Ladies Training & Championships
Parkstone YC
21st-22nd
Silver Tiller (Open) & Midland Circuit
Draycote SC
28th-29th
Silver Tiller (Sea) and SW Regional and SW Prize Giving.
Weymouth SC
October
6th
Midland, Vintage & Classic Circuits
Trent Valley SC
12th-13th
Silver Tiller (Restricted) & North Circuit
Hollingworth SC
12th
Vintage Circuit
Hampton SC
13th
Thames Circuit
Hampton SC
19th
SE Circuit Social & Prizegiving
Shoreham SC
20th
Downriver, Thames, Vintage, Classic Circuits & Prizegiving
Ranelagh SC
26th
Silver Tiller Dinner & Prizegiving
Stone SC
*The website will be the most update version of the website so keep an eye out for any changes
Our thanks go to our sponsors: Craftinsure for the
Silver Tiller and Thames/Vintage Series, Allen for the
Inland Championships and the SE Regional Circuit as
well as HD Sails for the Midland Cicuit
page 6
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page 7
MERLIN ROCKET NATIONAL CHAMPIOSHIPS
2024
TENBY
AUGUST 11TH - 1 6TH
ART BY BECKY BET TESWORTH
page 8
Merlin Rocket
78th National Championship
TENBY 8th – 14th August 2020
Tenby SC, our 2024 venue, is justifiably known throughout the dinghy sailing fraternity as a top championship
venue, providing not only great sailing conditions but also some of the most legendary socials. There must be
something about the place that brings out the party animal in us!
The club are always very hospitable and welcoming hosts who want the sailors to enjoy themselves. It is a great
attitude and guarantees a successful week. They also have a knack of producing great bands and DJ’s, so pack your
dancing shoes.
For the families, the wonderful beaches, attractive old town and plentiful accommodation within easy walking
distance mean you can park the car and enjoy a traditional British summer holiday.
Out on the water a championship at Tenby normally provides a bit of everything. Westerly’s give shifty offshore
breezes, the East open sea conditions and on hot summer days a healthy sea breeze can make an appearance.
Of course, what can be guaranteed is that our championship will be one of the most hotly contested on the UK
dinghy scene. But, there are entries from all aspects of the class and with trophies for Gold, Silver and Bronze as
well as age categories for sailors and boats. So, there will be good racing where ever you are in the fleet.
As we go to press we have 70 enties already - and counting.
Who will triumph in 2024? Make sure you are in Tenby in August to find out!
All the details, the Notice of Race and to enter on line see our website:
www.merlinrocket.co.uk
Stop Press.
Fancy Dress theme this year is the favourite ‘ Go As Your Boat Name’
page 9
page 10
Salcombe Week Flight
Seedings 2024
These tide times are adjusted to Summer Time.
The tides are neap at the start of the week getting towards spring by Friday
Starting Times
10:30
14:30
High
water
Height
Low
water
Height
Sunday
Red Green
Blue Black
13.31
4.4
07.12
1.6
Monday
Red Blue
Green Black
13.46
4.4
08.24
1.6
Tuesday
Green Blue
Red Black
15.43
4.5
09.36
1.4
Wednesday
Blue Black
Red Green
16.47
4.6
10.38
1.4
Thursday
Green Black
Red Blue
17.46
4.8
11.33
1.3
Friday
Red Black
Green Blue
18.38
4.9
12.22
1.2
SCHEDULE OF RACES