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Magic first Firefly to win Burnett Challenge

A Firefly called Magic, sailed by Darren Williams and Richard Still, lived up to its name with a magical performance to win the Burnett Challenge Trophy in a 32 boat fleet at Tamesis Club on a hot, hot day on Sunday 28 June. They outsailed Merlin Rockets, Lasers, National 18s, Cadets and an Optimist in searing sunshine and a light and variable south to north-west wind on the River Thames at Teddington to become the first Firefly ever to win this prestigious prize.

The breeze was so fickle in both strength and direction at the scheduled start time that Race Officer Ian Burnett, who gave the trophy in 1994 in memory of his mother, wisely decided to postpone for an hour and the first starter in this pursuit race, an Optimist, was not sent off until 11.21.  Thereafter, boats were called across the line at their individual ‘helm & boat’ handicap start times.  The course took them on an upriver beat past Steven's Eyot to an upstream mark off Canbury Gardens followed by what was at times a beat, reach and run on the downriver leg to Lensbury.  The return leg up river was intersected by an east-west dogleg opposite the clubhouse, with both the Cadet and Club marks proving difficult to round except when the wind increased in strength from time to time and gave the luckier contestants a chance to pick up some places.

The race was finished from the club launch 146 minutes after the valiant Optimist, sailed by Benedict Wain, started racing.  The leading boats demonstrated that skill, rather than magic, was the deciding factor, although several crews said afterwards that the thought of a cold beer in the club bar had kept them moving even in the lightest wind. One Merlin, which shall remain nameless, was caught by a gust during an over enthusiastic roll tack and discovered that the quick way to cool off was to go for a swim. Nearby contestants said the scream as the crew felt the water temperature was almost as loud as the noise of their sail hitting the water!

Results: 1 Magic (Firefly 3193) Darren Williams & Richard Still; 2 Passing Cloud (Merlin 1079) Richard Harris & Adele Cameron; 3 Flinkidink (Merlin 1097) Mike Stephens & Andy Douglas, 4 Sorcery (Merlin 1920) James Fox & Jodie; 5 Saltarello (Merlin 1602) John Adams & Jim Green; 6 Broad Scoter (Merlin 2686) David Peregrine Jones & Fleur Moree. First Cadet (7625) Jodok Gerber.

Commodore Peter Mason presents the Burnett Trophy to Richard Still and Darren Williams (Photo:  John Dunkley)

Magic, the winning Firefly (Photo: Ian Burnett) 

Tamesis boats first and second at Thames Merlin vintage meeting  

Mike Stephens and Matthew Peregrine Jones won the Thames SC vintage Merlin trophy in Flinkidink (1097) on Saturday 20 June and Charlie Morgan and Jodok were second in Lady Anne (1978).  Flinkidink won the first two races of the three race event and with two races to count did not need to sail the third.  Lady Anne won the third race and counted a second from one of the morning's races.  The regatta was part of the Merlin Vintage De May series.

Centenary Cup won by Mike Stephens

Mike Stephens and Jenny King, sailing Merlin Rocket Flinkidink (1097), won the Centenary Cup, finishing first in both races of the class handicap pursuit race at Tamesis on Sunday 7 June.  The light north westerly wind provided ideal conditions for both Mike and Flinkidink and they built up a clear lead ahead of the other Merlins. David Baker and Jim Green were second in Andromeda (Merlin 3578) and Colin Stokes and Caroline Stilwell were third in Avenger (Merlin 1004).  Other results: 4 Jeremy & Maxine Vines in National 18 Rhapsody (275), 5 Matthew Peregrine Jones & Eleanor Thornwell, 6 Lady Anne (Merlin 1978) Charlie Morgan & Stewart Colley.

Andrew Harris wins Ranelagh Trophy

Andrew Harris won the Ranelagh Trophy at the Ranelagh Merlin Rocket open meeting on Saturday 6 June and Mike Stephens took the Avenger Trophy for vintage boats with two firsts. Two other Tamesis boats finished in the first five.  Sailing Millie (3649), with Liam Dempsey as crew, Andrew pulled through to take the lead only on the third round in the last race and went on to cross the line with a three minute lead in front of Alan Markham of Upper Thames SC. The contestants found it hard going in a 10 knot easterly wind and strong tide and had difficulty completing two rounds in the first of the three races.  Fifteen boats competed in the main event and 10 in the vintage.

Tamesis results: Ranelagh Trophy, 1 Millie (3649) Andrew Harris & Liam Dempsey, 4 Flinkidink (1097) Mike Stephens & Matthew Perigrine Jones, 5 Harry (3599) Ken Duffell & Brian Corking.  Avenger Trophy, 1 Flinkidink (1097) Mike Stephens & Matthew Perigrine Jones, 3 Lady Ann (1978) Charlie Morgan & Jodok.

Mike Stephens wins Bourne End week

Tamesis Club members won the top awards at Bourne End Week from Saturday 23 to Monday 25 May with a blistering performance in a highly competitive fleet of some 22 Merlins, which included former national champions Pat and Jilly Blake, Tosh and Liam Dempsey from Wembley, Alex Jackson and Chris Downham from Shoreham, and  Bob and Chris O'Toole from Parkstone, all of whom were racing brand new Winder boats less than a year old. Laurie Smart, the well known Merlin boat builder, borrowed Richard Page's Restless 4 for the event. Phil Dalby was racing Onions, crewed by his fiancé Lizzy Page and Alan Markham brought on a challenge on behalf of his home club at Upper Thames.

Mike Stephens choose his 49 year old Merlin Flinkidink (1097) for the regatta, as the first two races on the opening day counted for the Merlin Rocket Vintage de May Series.   He must have been pleased with his choice of boat, as it suited the lighter conditions of the first three days. Mike was ably crewed by Jennie King for the first three days and Caroline Croft on the last day. He recorded five firsts and two seconds to win overall and collect the magnificent solid silver Yeves Challenge Plate, first presented in 1888. Flinkidink also won the National Merlin Rocket Owners Association Vintage Wing Trophy.  Mike has been runner up at this event several times previously, so his victory in the footsteps of Ollie Houseman was most rewarding.

Berry Ritchie and Sue Harris racing Crescendo (607) were lying second overall until the final race and were only narrowly pushed into third overall by Pat and Jilly Blake. Their performance was remarkable considering the strength of talent competing against them and they collected a silver trophy in recognition. Charlie Morgan crewed by Stewart Colley managed a couple of the days racing in Lady Anne (1978), but unfortunately did not record a sufficient number of results to qualify in the rankings.

The entire event was bathed in hot sunshine save for the Tuesday morning and the jugs of Pimms on the lawn were much appreciated by the contestants. Upper Thames SC provided entertainment every evening and the free camp site directly behind the club was never more popular. It is hoped more Tamesis boats will attend this event in future years.

Overall results: www.utsc.org.uk/

  Berry Ritchie, Sue Harris, Mike Stephens, Commodore Bruce, Jennie King and Caroline Croft

Great Tea Race contestants win teapots after bit of a blow! 

With gale or near gale warnings in force for all adjacent sea areas, the 19 entrants in Tamesis Club’s Great Tea Race for the Cutty Sark Bolt on Sunday 17 May knew they were in for a bit of a blow. Most arrived at the windswept clubhouse in driving rain but fortunately the sun came out before the all classes handicap pursuit began.  The SW wind remained unpredictably boisterous  throughout, although for some of the time it was a relatively gentle Force 4, with the inevitable flat spots in sheltered parts of the river.  After 100 minutes racing, interspersed with many capsizes and several swampings, 15 boats remained. The top eight were presented with ..... teapots!

The Cutty Sark Bolt, dated 1869 and mounted on teak taken from the original deck of the famous tea clipper, was won by David Vines and Kate Freestone in Elusive, Merlin Rocket 3347, by a margin of 65 seconds.

Second overall was Rhapsody, National 18 375, helmed by David’s father, Jeremy, and crewed by Maxine Vines, with Donald Forbes in Greylag, Laser 18044, third.

Competitors agreed that the teapots made a nice change from the previous year when the 30 finishers were presented with bags of tea, especially as the teapots were embossed with the Tamesis burgee. Those who tested them after the prizegiving by Commodore Peter Mason, chief engineer with the Cutty Sark Trust, found they contained enough for five generous cupfuls.  The race raised £90 for the Trust.

Race Officer Brian Southcott set a complicated course with a first leg beat up to the Canbury mark near Hampton Wick Railway Bridge, followed by a run downstream below Trowlock Island to Lensbury, followed by another beat to two tricky east-west doglegs near the clubhouse, with a second upstream mark north of Steven's Eyot.

Overall results:  Great Tea Race

Commodore Peter Mason presents the Cutty Sark Bolt and teapots to David and Kate and daughter Sophie (Photo: John Dunkley)

David and Kate sailing Elusive  (Photo: Carolyne Vines)

Rhapsody is hit by a gust (Photo: Carolyne Vines)

One of the many casualties of the big blow (Photo: John Dunkley)

Round 2 of the Ian Craig Trophy for Inland Cadet meetings was held at Tamesis on Saturday 16 May. Nine visiting boats joined three home boats for the competition on a cold and gusty River Thames. The wind was predominantly from the south-south-west but shifted and gusted between west and south. The first race consisted of two laps of a long upstream, downstream oval, with a half mile beat up to Kingston Railway Bridge. Most of this beat was out of sight of the spectators in the Clubhouse. About 25 minutes after the start the first boat re-appeared in the Club reach. It was Touchwood sailed by Zoe McBride and Jack Hardie. They were followed at varying intervals by Pulling Power (Mary Henderson and Annie Sibthorp), Genesis (Will Kennedy and Rhos Hawes), and Lethal Menace (Joe Butterworth and Joe Chadwick). These positions were held to the finish.

After a good lunch the competitors launched for races 2 and 3. The course for these races was a compact figure of eight in the Club reach. The critical point in Race 2 and the whole meeting came when the four leading boats ran into a hole just short of the windward mark. For a few moments Genesis dropped from first to fourth and Pulling Power held the lead. However, with Pulling Power, Touchwood and Waverider (Caroline Croft and Katie Hind) stalled a boat’s length from the mark in mid-river, a puff down the Surrey shore was enough to propel Genesis across their bows, around the mark and into a lead which was not relinquished. Waverider finished second, Pulling Power third and Touchwood fourth. These results meant that a victory for any of those boats in race 3 would win that boat the meeting. Genesis was over the line at the start of Race 3 and had to return. This proved to be a blessing in disguise because Will wisely chose to tack away from the pack and towards the Middlesex bank where he picked up some wind which carried him over the whole fleet and around the windward mark in the lead. Zoe McBride and Jack Hardie were hard on their heels and managed to overtake, but Will and Rhos regained the lead which they held to the finish to win them the meeting and magnificent Munster Cup. The weather was not suitable for traditional tea on the lawn, but tea was enjoyed by the competitors and their parents in the re-built Clubhouse with its improved views over the river. (Report by Will Henderson).

Overall results:1^st Genesis, Will Kennedy and Rhos Hawes (Fishers Green and South Cerney SC); 2^nd Touchwood, Zoe McBride and Jack Hardie (Frensham Pond SC); 3^rd Waverider, Caroline Croft and Katie Hinde (Frensham Pond SC); 4^th and 1^st under 14, Pulling Power (Mary Hendesron and Annie Sibthorp (Salcombe YC and Itchenor SC).

Competitors had to cope with some strong gusts (Photo: Mandy Henderson)

Cadets beating upriver (Photo: Mandy Henderson)

Andy Harris fourth at Cookham Reach Merlin Silver Tiller meeting

Andrew Harris and Liam Dempsey were fourth overall in Millie (3649), counting a third and a first from the best two of three races at the Cookham Reach SC Merlin Rocket Silver Tiller meeting on Sunday 17 May.  Richard Harris and Adele Cameron were 12th in Passing Cloud (1079), counting a seventh and a fourth, and Mike Stephens and Andy Douglas were 20th in Luka (3560), having sailed only in the first race, in which they were sixth. 

Liam Dempsey and Andrew Harris in Millie

Mike Stephens wins de May vintage race at Cookham

Mike Stephens won the Merlin Rocket de May Vintage Series race at Cookham Reach SC on Saturday 16 May.  Crewed by Dave Dobrijevic in Flinkidink (1097), he scored two firsts in the first two races.  Charlie Morgan and Amanda Batlen were third in Lady Anne (1978) with two thirds.  Berry Ritchie and Suzy Harris were fourth in the first race in Crescendo (607).

Mike Stephens and Dave Dobrijevic sailing Flinkidink

One point wins give Antedote the Tamesis Anchor and Rhapsody the Adelaide Cup

Antedote (348), sailed by David Baker and Charlie Morgan won the Tamesis Anchor Trophy (on-the-water results) by one point from Rhapsody (375), sailed by Jeremy and and Maxine Vines, at Teddington on Saturday 9 May.  In the Queen Adelaide Cup (handicap results), Rhapsody turned the tables and won by one point from Ocatillo (316), Charles Fox and Hugh McLaughlin who were second after a tie-break with Antedote third.

The competition was intense throughout the fleet in this 'three race, no discards' event, as evidenced by fifth and sixth positions having to be settled by tie-breaks in both the Tamesis Anchor and the Queen Adelaide Cup (the latter by a rare second level down tie-break).

The racing was in a sunny Force 1 west to north-west wind which had the usual fickle gusts expected from this direction, leading to plenty of place changing especially down in the doldrums where several places could be gained or lost at the Lensbury buoy, rather depending on when the gust was 'on' or 'off' on arrival at the buoy, but somehow the leaders found their way fairly consistently through this.

The fleet was very pleased to welcome youngsters Emily Hall and Charlie Morgan. They reduced the average age in the fleet by about six years! Eighteeners are always keen to welcome fresh blood to the racing.  (Report by Ian Burnett).  

Overall results:  Tamesis Anchor 1 Antedote (348) David Baker & Charlie Morgan, 4 points; 2 Rhapsody (375) Jeremy & Maxine Vines, 5 pts.  Queen Adelaide Cup 1 Rhapsody (375) Jeremy & Maxine Vines, 7 pts; 2 Ocatillo (316) Charles Fox & Hugh McLaughlin, 8 pts.

A good start (Photo: Carolyne Vines)

Making the most of a light wind (Photo: Richard Howells)

Mary Henderson wins Cadet class at Eric Twiname championship in first race as helm

In her first race as a helm, Mary Henderson (13) won both the Cadet Class and the prize for the top girl helm at the Eric Twiname championship at Rutland Water on Saturday 9 and Sunday 10 May.   She was crewed by Jack Hardie (12) of Frensham Pond SC.  This was a great achievement for Mary, who for some years has crewed for her brother Arthur, as she was sailing in gusty winds of up to 20 knots and clinched the win with two firsts and two seconds on the first day of the event.  Lack of wind led to cancellation of racing on the Sunday.  Mary had crewed for Arthur in his National 12 New Isabelle (3418) in the Gill Series at Salcombe YC from Saturday 2 to Monday 4 May and had finished ninth overall, winning the junior prize.

Tamesis results at the Merlin Inlands

Andrew Harris was 18th and Mike Stephens 20th in a 41 boat entry at the Merlin Rocket Inland championship at Northampton SC on Pitsford Reservoir on Saturday 9 and Sunday 10 May.  Both did better in the lighter winds on the Sunday, when Mike, crewed by Matthew Peregrine Jones in Luka (3560), scored a third and a seventh, and Andy, crewed by Peter Horn in Millie (3649), had two sixths. 

John Buckley 13th at Rutland

John Buckley and William Anderson were 13th overall at a windy Merlin Rocket open meeting at Rutland SC on Sunday 3 May, the sixth Silver Tiller event of 2009

Elizabeth Cup won by Alex Davey and Jonquil Brookes 

Alex Davey & Jonquil Brookes of the Royal Harwich YC won the Elizabeth Cup at the Firefly open meeting at Tamesis on Sunday 26 April.  Sailing Mustard (2649), they had two firsts from the best two of the three races and were able to discard a second from the opening race.  They built up a big lead in the final race when Race Officer Donald Forbes was left with no option but to signal two general recalls after passing motor vessels drove through the 20 strong fleet in the final minute of both starts.  The third start was also obstructed by a passing river steamer but only a couple of competitors were over the line and a third general recall was avoided. 

Alex said afterwards that as usual the challenge was to read the puffs and avoid the holes. The morning racing was dominated by Paul and Laura Kameen in Biscuit Buffaloe (2018) and Alex and Jonquil in Mustard, who managed to lose the rest of the fleet but not each other, and won one race each.

The first mark was set upstream giving a beat towards Kingston Bridge with the downstream mark midway down Trowlock Island.  The gusty wind shifted from an easterly to a southerly and then a south westerly direction, causing a few capsizes, but most of the downstream sailing was a run with jibs goosewinged and there were some interesting gybes opposite the clubhouse as helms compensated for the bend in the river.  The warm sunshine was an added bonus and the 40 competitors and their supporters enjoyed having lunch and tea on the lawn and the club's new south facing terrace. There were 14 visiting Fireflies and six Tamesis entries.

Overall Results: 1 Mustard (2649) Alex Davey & Jonquil Brookes, Royal Harwich YC, 2 points;  2 Biscuit Buffaloe (2018) Paul & Laura Kameen, Tamesis, 3 pts.; 3 Fourwood Thinking (3023) Barney Smith & Alannah Witherby, Hamble River SC, 6 pts.; 4 Squeary (3072) Damian Boreham & Claire Shea, Wessex Exiles, 8 pts.; = 5 Border Riever (2282) Will Mason & Lucy Smith, Tamesis, and Skirmish (3615) Jamie & Jo McEwen, Ranelagh SC, 10 pts.

(Please also see www.fireflysailing.org.uk for additional reports).

Alex Davey and Jonquil Brookes with the Elizabeth Cup (Photo: Carolyne Vines)

Manoeuvring for the start of the first race (Photo: Phil England)

Mustard and Biscuit Buffaloe beat upstream as others run down river (Photo: Phil England)

A river steamer holds back from the last start (Photo: Stewart Colley)

Supporters and the children enjoy lunch on the club lawn (Photo: Stewart Colley)

Joe McLaughlin fourth at Bewl Valley Solo open

Joe McLaughlin was fourth overall in a fleet of 32 Solos at the second open meeting of the southern area series at Bewl Valley SC's open meeting on Saturday  25 April.  The wind  was a healthy force 4 gusting 5 and there were several capsizes in the choppy water. Joe had two thirds in the first two races. The event was won by Will Loy of Littleton SC.

Joe McLaughlin in choppy water (Photo: Richard Greenwood) 

Jeremy and Maxine Vines third in Antigua's Oyster Regatta 

Jeremy and Maxine Vines crewed for a friend on Tomia, an Oyster 43, in the Oyster Regatta at Antigua from Sunday 12 to Friday 17 April, and finished third overall counting a first and two thirds from five races.  They were awarded an extra prize for being the first boat across the start line in each race - a great achievement as there were only four people on board and they had to share the winching and spinnaker handling.  Jeremy said afterwards "It was hard work on our boat" - most of the other Oysters had electric winches!  (Please see NEWS page for details.)

Weather takes its toll on Easter Regatta 

The weather took its toll on the Tamesis Easter Regatta as overcast skies. a persistent drizzle and very little wind induced sailors to pursue other options on Sunday 12 April, but it relented on the Bank holiday by bringing some warm sunshine and a slightly stronger wind.  Forty six helmsmen and crews came to the line for Sunday's two races but not before the Race Officers had wisely signalled postponements to wait for more wind and Monday's warmer conditions only increased numbers slightly with yet another postponement to wait for enough wind for the first race.  The 15-strong Merlin Rocket fleet was the first away on Sunday in a shifting north easterly wind and clashed with the Lasers on their way down river as they came upstream  from Lensbury to navigate a complicated dogleg from the Middlesex to the Surrey bank.  Some found more wind on the Surrey side as they ran upriver to the Canbury mark but there were many awkward flat spots and for many boats the worst of these were at the mark itself.

In the Merlins, Mike and Andy Stephens sailed Luka (3650) to yet another convincing victory, winning the Merlin Cup with three firsts in the first three races.  Berry Ritchie and Sue Harris were second in Crescendo (607) with three seconds.  Matthew Peregrine Jones, returning to Tamesis after some years overseas, was quickly back to form in the Lasers, discarding a second from the opening race to take three firsts thereafter and win the Bryan Evans Cup.  Henry Defries was second in Phew (178209), counting a first and two seconds from the best three of the four races.  The only visitors, David and Sandra Wilson from Broadwater SC won the Handicap in their Graduate, Blue Tuesday (2974).  The Lobb Cup for National 18s went to Charles Fox and Steve Katz in Ocatillo (316).  The regatta was organised by John Adams, Rear Commodore Sailing, and Peter Mason, the Commodore, presented the prizes.

Results:  Merlin Rockets - 1 Luka (3560) Mike & Andy Stephens 3 points, 2 Crescendo (607) Berry Ritchie & Sue Harris 6 points, 3 Lady Anne (1978) Charlie Morgan & Kate 
Barnes/Jo Crabtree 7 points, 4 White Rabbit (3578) Dave Baker & Jim Green 12 points.  Lasers - 1 (122399) Matthew Peregrine Jones 3 points, 2 Phew (178209) Henry Defries 5 points, 3 (135612) Carolyne Vines 9 points.  National 18s - 1 Ocatillo (316) Charles Fox & Steve Katz 3 points.  Solos - 1 Petronella (4616) Peter Fryer 5 points.  Handicap - 1 Blue Tuesday (Graduate 2974) David & Sandra Wilson 3 points.

Matthew Peregrine Jones was presented with the Bryan Evans Cup by Commodore Peter Mason (Photo: John Dunkley)

Charles Fox with the Lobb Cup, Steve Katz and Peter Mason (Photo: John Dunkley)

Wilder 8th and Fryer 14th at Littleton 

Rob Wilder was eighth overall and Peter Fryer fourteenth and first Grand Master at the Solo open meeting in light and shifty winds at Littleton SC on Sunday 5 April.  Having sold his own Solo on Friday, Rob was not planning to sail and went to the meeting to take some photos.  However, he was offered the loan of a boat and scored an eight and a sixth.  The winner was Jon Clarke from Draycote with three firsts.  There were 33 entries. 

Mike Stephens makes it a double in Merlin Rocket Winter Series

Mike Stephens won both the Merlin Rocket Travellers Trophy and the Black Mark Trophy for the second year in succession  sailing Luka (3560) in the 2008-2009 Winter Series at Tamesis.  Ken Duffell was second in the Travellers Series.  Please see MERLIN page for full report.

Ken Duffell and Mike Stephens with their prizes (Photo: Suzy Balmbro)

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30.06.09