Please select your home edition
Edition
Craftinsure 2023 LEADERBOARD

Women Sailors - the Merlin Rocket Class Needs You

by Lou Johnson 6 Sep 2024 17:29 BST 14-15 September 2024
All to play for - Merlin Rocket Women's Championships 2023 at Lymington Town © Pat Blake

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 on the weekend of September 14/15th 2025 and you are invited to join us.

Are you a competent female helm used to fleet racing and that is looking for a new challenge? If this is you, please read on.

Following the event, there will be articles written about the sailing, the racing and the competitors. September's event will be special in many ways, but how many sailing events can boast an all-female race team and all female helms? It's a beautiful thing, a sailing event conceived by women, run by women, enabling women to have their own thing that they do, and something as yet not done.

When the idea of hosting the 2024 Women's Championship was put before the PYC Sailing Committee, there was only widespread support, in particular from Christina Moncur, Parkstone's first Female Flag officer in 22 years. Christina is so up for it she suggested, and volunteered at once, to lead the all women race team.

Christina is MD of her own accountancy practice in Poole, which is mainly focussed on Charity clients, as if that didn't keep her busy enough, she competes regularly in Offshore racing, an XOD and a Flying Fifteen, as well as working tirelessly in her current role of Rear Commodore Sailing at Parkstone Yacht Club.

As with so many sailors, Christina started sailing young, at the age of Seven when her parents sent her on a beginners course at Rockley point, she then started crewing dad in a Flying Fifteen at 10 years old, soon migrating to yacht racing out of Poole Harbour. Christina met her husband on board a classic yacht, and classic yacht racing has been a big part of her life ever since. She became a PRO in 2009, building on her childhood experience of helping the RO when her dad was racing.

She sees running the race side of the MR Women's Championships as a wonderful opportunity to be part of the ethos driving the event, and to showcase women's skills in all areas of racing sailing. Indeed, when we spoke to Christina, she made the point that all five of her team on the committee boat could quite happily run the racing on the big day.

She is also particularly keen on the event because it chimes with philosophy of Parkstone YC, the ladies fleet there has grown to be one of the largest and keenest classes racing at the club, and a national event of this type links grassroots and cutting edge sailing beautifully.

Entries are rolling in and the Merlin Rocket Class, and we have some crews with boats looking for helm, could it be you?

The event starts on Saturday 14th with a day of training, a chance to get a feel for the boat. Sailors will be in the cable hands of National Champion helms and crews, ready to impart their knowledge.

Saturday evening is a meal and a talk by the inspirational Sarah Ayton OBE.

Sunday is when the racing starts and where our Women's Champion 2024 will be crowned after a day of racing in Poole Bay.

We might be biased but we really are a lovely bunch of people, this is not sales pitch to buy a boat or join the fleet, we are inviting you to come and give the boat a try and embrace the event for what it is.

You may win, but if you don't we are pretty sure you will have a lovely time, you will meet new people and you get to try one of the best two handed dinghies around. You might even take home a Baltic Lifejackets Extreme Buoyancy Aid, a bottle of In the Welsh Wind Distillery Gin or some goodies from Box PR and Creation Covers if you are lucky!

Please get in touch with to join us.

Related Articles

Merlin Rocket Allen SE Series at Brightlingsea
It's not true that reaches only spread out the fleet and do not result in place changes 16 Merlin Rockets came from north, south and west to join six home boats for the Brightlingsea Open Meeting, almost at the eastern extremity of Essex. Conditions were even better than last year with a good Force 3 to 5 for all the races. Posted on 4 Jun
Merlin Rocket River Championships at Upper Thames
Ollie Meadowcroft and Alex Pausey win at Bourne End Week With a breezy forecast for the three day event held over the Bank Holiday weekend fourteen boats entered the Merlin River Champs, held as part of Bourne End Week. Posted on 29 May
Merlin Rocket HD Sails Midland Series at Midland
In retrospect a strange experience to have on one's day off Fifteen boats ventured out to Midland Sailing Club to sail in conditions only those with sufficient mettle can tolerate on Sunday 18th May. Posted on 27 May
Merlin Thames Series at Tamesis
Andy Harris and Lyra Wade take Sondown Cup and Elizabeth Bowl Sunday May 18th was the Thames Series Merlin Rocket Open sponsored by Craftinsure for all ages of boat competing for the Sondown Cup (for the overall result) and the Elizabeth Bowl (for the first vintage boat in the last race). Posted on 23 May
Merlin Vintage Series at Tamesis
An unusual concern for the race team was the juvenile grey seal hogging the ramp A beautiful day, Saturday 17th May, met the eight entrants for the Merlin Rocket Vintage Series open sponsored by Craftinsure at Tamesis, battling for the Southcott and Porteous Cups (Southcott for the overall, Porteous for the winner of the last race). Posted on 19 May
Merlin Rocket South East series at Fishers Green
Nestled in the heart of nature, yet only 10 minutes from the M25 Nestled in the heart of nature, yet only 10 minutes from the M25, Fishers Green Sailing Club is an oasis of calm waters with beautiful tree lined surroundings and provided the perfect backdrop for some crazy, shifty and intense racing. Posted on 16 May
Merlin Rocket Midland Circuit at Burton
Plenty of suncream was applied and we went to work - it's a hard life Sunday was a fantastic day for sailing and nothing could compare. The Merlin Rockets were greeted by the usual Burton hospitality led by Ian Merryfield and his crew for the HD Sails Midland Circuit event. Posted on 14 May
Vintage Merlin Rockets at Fishers Green
Wall-to-wall sunshine and an moderate easterly sets the stage With wall-to-wall sunshine and a F3-4 blowing due east the stage was set for a day of excellent racing. However, while a due east wind normally gives a great sail at the Green, the shifts were to characterise the event. Posted on 13 May
Merlin Rockets at Minima
Double-header part 2 showcases the other face of river sailing While TSC was one for the locals and anyone who loves trying to predict how essentially zero wind will react while vaulting a concrete embankment, Minima YC was home to a sporty Northerly which was prone to gusting fresh to even fresher. Posted on 7 May
Merlin Rockets at Thames SC
A fine lunch, well-earned refreshments and homemade cake On Saturday 3rd May Thames Sailing Club hosted the Craftinsure sponsored combined Merlin Rocket Thames and DeMay Vintage Series Open Meeting, under clear skies and perfect sunglasses weather. Posted on 6 May