Vintage Merlin Rocket Open at Ranelagh Sailing Club
by Nick Price 14 Jun 2004 15:40 BST
5 June 2004
13 classic Merlin Rockets at the Ranelagh open © Richard Mourant
A benevolent north wind greeted the 13 golden oldies that turned out for the
second meeting in the 2004 Vintage Merlin Series, held on June 5th at Ranelagh S C, with six visitors from Dorchester, Hunts, Midland and Tamesis up against seven home boats, the oldest being Kate, the class prototype built by Jack Holt in 1944, and the youngest a mere 30 years old.
Two races were run. The first, a warm-up of four short laps in front of the
club house, saw much place changing as people sorted themselves out but a
comfortable win in the end for Berry Ritchie and Barry Mourant from Tamesis in 'Bambusa', Merlin 847, a Jack Holt Nellie built in 1958, ahead of Thomas and Sonia Stolper of Ranelagh in 'Scoobee Doo', 2444, their 1971 Tom Booth Courageous.
After a break for sustenance the second race was run over two laps of
Ranelagh's traditional long course from above Putney Bridge towards Hammersmith past Fulham football ground. Ranelagh's rear commodore, Chris Edwards, crewed by his wife Alison, in 'Merlin's Moon', 2406, a Mike Noakes Moon Rocket also dating from 1971, arrived first at the weather mark, followed by 'Joker', 1993, a 1967 Proctor Mk. IX sailed by Will Mackinnon and R Tolkien, and 'Bambusa'. The latter two had swapped places by the end of the first lap after a long run which gave everyone a chance to compare spinnaker sizes and pole lengths. 'Bambusa' and Mike Stephens's Mk XI 'Avenger', 1004, also from Tamesis, continued to gain massively downwind, thanks to new full-size kites, to finish first and second, while boats without any spinnaker were at a fatal disadvantage.
Final placings were determined by age handicaps, the only losers compared to their positions on the water being the Stolpers, who lost third place by 35 seconds to Mackinnon and Tolkien. Mike Stevens finished second overall, but couldn't catch the flying Ritchie, who was the convincing winner of Ranelagh's Vintage Merlin Rocket trophy.