Merlin Magic Essex

Another coming together of the Blackwater Merlins took place at Brightlingsea S.C. this weekend. It was displacement sailing at its best with a shifty light breeze from the north on a gentle tide. Race team Bond had it all their own way with the competition finding new and odd ways to mess up a fairly easy starting day. It should be said that Craig and Jayne treat the club start line as it was their own back yard and after them you can be next to start. Jacko has already worked out that the line is always 10cm in front of Craig’s stem on the gun even if the line has passing river traffic and so many boats that you cannot see either bank/race box or transits. Needless to say Craig and Jayne won both starts and quickly built healthy leads showing good boat pace on all point of sailing resulting in two bullets and the series leaders.
Ozzie and Mel, Mel ducking out on the days racing on account of not binge drinking and never having had a hangover (ever) following her 21st? 31st? Birthday fest the day before, put in club star Sarah Bines. Ozzie, who was affected by the booze up and the neat spinnaker disaster, involving a new and interesting reefing system with no knots showing, but more twists than you could shake a stick at, or the team of medics that were called to resolve the monty on the preceding day and put to to restore some respect. It was Ozzie and Sarah that were nearest to sorting Craig. Finding good boat speed and nippy boat handling around the mark but could not quite ruining Craig’s day, finishing with a 3rd and 2nd and 2nd overall.
Jacko and Lorna had some good bits and some very ordinary bits. Not getting the idea of starting in front of Craig or any one else! And come to think on it, not even the one legged draft sliding sideways in the mud on the slipway left too much to do. But as is the way of things managed to wiggle past Ozzie and Dave by doing the opposite of what was expected on the long wind ward leg and finally cross tacking within a boat length of Craig at the top, but oddly still going in the wrong direction, to finish 2nd. In the second race things started to fall apart somewhat! dropping 3rd to 4th by quite a long margin and ending 3rd overall.
David and Celia lead the way in how not to start but did explore all parts of the line from every direction. But it was noted that boat handling and the speed about the boat put them right back in the race within seconds of starting. It’s tough boy racing, every error is boat lengths and trying to keep in the race is edgy at the best, and on a day of variable winds it can be grim. David and Celia are a very polished duo with heaps of sailing talent and are neatly posed to kick butt big time and when you’re down you can only go up and with only 4 point from top too bottom it is race on.

Thanks to Al Wigg for the Pics

On the 21st/22nd the Merlin Rocket Silver Tiller Series comes to Brightlingsea for the first time. Ozzie and his team are a well-sorted club and no mater what the conditions are it will be the best that you will get in Essex this year. The sailing water is testing and the Adnams beer is well cared for. Car parking is no problem and the showers work (and the club is Barnsie proof); the ladies in the galley are not to be messed with, even Ozzie and Jacko say please and thank you. If the reader needs anything just ask.
The laugh is that Craig is looking to escape on the grounds that he is needed somewhere else. A better line than “I am moving house” “I have to be at an exhibition for work” and is he going to lend his boat to a Fireball sailor? Will any of the sounding Merlin sailors appear? David, Charles Simon, Ron, John.

The 6th July is the next race and we will see just who is cutting the custard at Brightlingsea.
Results so far
Now read no dit dit dit