Merlin Magic Essex

Race team Brightlingsea took on the travelling Merlin top cookies as the Sliver Tiller fleet put in at the home of one of the most keen and talented Eastern Merlin fleets of this decade.
For the first time in years it was not blowing old boots and to the delight of all the sun shone and the tide came in and went out.
22 boats hit the start line in a most gentlemanly way with an assortment of first beat strategy being assigned. Boat handling seemed to play a big part in the out come of this 5 race series and it was noted just how nippy the fleet was at executing the 360o turns following the thwacking of the windward turning mark all in close company.
Race team Brightlingsea this year has been joined by Andy Bines and Derick Gentry, with the paring putting some impressive results together in the BSC club spring series. But when push came to shove it was Dave and Celia that set the pace for the home team with all results in the top ten, finishing 7th overall.
For Dave and Derick it was a baptism of fire and an eye opener as to why a Merlin Rocket is so much better than a Fireball! The paring faired well and finished 9th overall.
As we know life at the back of the fleet puts one in touch with your inner self, with physical and emotional tests. For Craig and Jayne the word testing has a new and deep meaningful, if not emotional meaning. All beneficial and life enhancing, but for an overall result 17th just a tad disappointing.
Ozzie and Melissa had a total catch of two dabs, a smaller sea bass and something that looked like an old wellygogg inner sole. But for pure enjoyment and endurance and an ever-lasting smile Ozzie and Mel are out standing winners.
For the rest of Essex mainly Charles and Elaine, Jacko and Lorna! The words of “get your discard over quick” and “one more lap and we would have got ya” all seamed much better having had a beer.

All in all it was a successful weekend with the race management doing an out sanding job turning the races around neatly with the windward mark in the middle, splendidly set reaches all done in shifty wind conditions with half the industrial shipping serving a new wind farm being build at Gunfleet.

There is nothing left this year in the Merlin Magic Essex series! But there has been a request to run the Two Islands Race at the top of the River Blackwater in 2010. This could be arranged if enough support comes forward.

Thanks to Chris Jordan for the time spent sending the photos

Full results ?
Alternative report
Overall
1st Chris Lewns Tom Pygall 6 Points
2nd Glen Truswell Olly Turner 7 points
3rd Alex Jackson Ben Hollis 11 points

1st Brightlingsea Boat Dave and Celia Carlton
If there had been a team prize it would have been
Whitstable YC 20 points
Brightlingsea SC 33 points