Speed Sails Merlin Rocket Caught Speeding at Merlin Rocket Nationals Lyme

Congratulations to Stuart Bithell and Christian Birrell sailing the Speed Sails Speed Machine.

"They sailed off into a commanding lead ahead of some of the country's best dinghy sailors." Tim Fells Y+Y

"Thanks guys, collected the fully complete boat on Thursday - won the first race Saturday - Just amazed with the speed out of the box!" Stuart Bithell 

Overall, the level of performance shown by the leading two teams in dominating such a star studded fleet was something special. Stu / Christian regained the title they held in 2010 with a score line of 1,1,1,2,5 to narrowly beat the 2011 champions Taxi / Tom who scored 2,2,2,2,3. Geoff Carveth and Graham Williamson rounded out a high quality top three overall.

Lyme Regis Sailing Club have put on a fantastic week for the Merlin Rockets. Despite challenging conditions the racing has been superb and Jerry Rook and his race and rescue teams deserve the highest praise. For a small club an event of this size was a real challenge but they have delivered a week that will live long in the class's memory.

Results

Sailboats/Gul/Speedsails Race Team also sponsored by Craft Insure

Do You Want To Be Caught Speeding Like Stuart and Christian were - contact us now to discuss your new sails, spars and complete boat package for this coming autumn and next year.

Another race and another win for the Speed Machine...the boys in the Speed Machine finished 1st with one race to spare.   Results from the Tynemouth Enterprise Regatta 2012 can be seen below. 

Results

Enterprises at West Lancashire Yacht Club

24th June 2012

As all the competitors arrived at Ainsdale on Sea to enjoy tidal racing, the OD checked the conditions and cancelled the sea sailing and re-organized the event at the safety of the Marine Lake.

The wind was gusting force 6 with a southwesterly wind and Sunshine broke through later in the afternoon.

Race 1, eight boats crossed the start line and was served a figure of eight course around or through the islands. Andrew Ashworth and Lynn Kissick (WLYC) where first round the windward mark followed by Jonathon Woodward and Alex Halliwell (North Staffs / WLYC) and Mark Lunn & Steve Blackburn (WLYC) were third. The race soon settled down and the wind picked up with aqua planning on the runs. Mark and Jonathon overtook Andrew on the second lap. Mark went onto win the race. Jonathon had bad luck on the second lap with his kicker bracket breaking and retired from racing for the day. Andrew finished second, Clive Porter and Roy Kissick came in third with Alison Payne & Kev Law in forth Place.

Back to back races for race 2, Mark was first to the windward buoy and Andrew was just behind in 2nd and Clive in third. The wind was still providing gusts of force 6 and was very entertaining to watch the Ents planing through the Islands. Mark held onto his first with Andrew in second and Clive in third. Barry Moss and Julie Moore (Shustoke) finished 4th.

Lunch was definitely needed, Chicken Breast in Tomato sauce served with new potatoes and salad and dessert was homemade banoffee cake. The food was certainly enjoyed by all.

Race 3. The wind was starting to decrease but Andrew Ashworth rounded the windward mark first and finished first. Clive finished third, Barry finished third and Paul Young & Phil Harrison (Midland) came in fourth.

A big thank you to WLYC for their hard work.

By Steve Blackburn

West Lancashire Yacht Club
Enterprise Open Meeting 2012

Results

This event the fourth in the 2012 Enterprise Midland Area Double Chine series sponsored by Speed Sails was held at Barnt Green Sailing Club on Sunday 13th May.

The seventeen boat fleet included visitors from Beaver, Chester, Emberton Park, Midland, South Staffs, Sutton and West Lancashire YC to enjoy a moderate but gusty South Westerly wind which increased throughout the day giving some close exciting racing.

Mark Lunn crewed by Steve Blackburn (West Lancs YC) had the best start in race one ,but it was Ges Brown crewed by Julie Moore (Chester SC) who rounded the windward mark first ahead of Mark and Steve , with Jim Hunt crewed by Henry Hunt (Beaver SC) in third place. Ges and Julie continued to lead for the first two laps until Mark and Steve passed them on a run. On a following run Ges and Julie regained the lead which they extended to finish first. Second was Mark and Steve with third Jonathan Woodward crewed by Alex Halliwell (South Staffs/WLYC).

After an excellent lunch the second race start on a new course, this time Ges and Julie again lead at the windward mark and held onto to this for the first lap. Later both Mark and Steve and also Jim and Henry overtook. Mark and Steve then continued to lead for the next four laps to the finish to win this race, closely followed by Ges and Julie, with Jim and Henry third.

It was all to play for in the last race sailed in the strongest winds of the day giving excellent planning conditions. Jon and Alex rounded the windward mark first, ahead of Ges and Julie with Mark and Steve third and Jim and Henry fourth. Jon and Alex extended their lead over Ges and Julie whilst Jim and Henry moved into third. As the wind picked up Mark and Steve pulled through to second, later overtaking Jon and Alex on the fourth lap to win both the race and the meeting. Second in this race was Jon and Alex with Jim and Henry third.

Winning crew Steve Blackburn thanked everyone at Barnt Green SC for a great day's racing.

Overall Results:

Pos Sail No Helm Crew Club R1 R2 R3 Pts

1st 55 Mark Lunn Steve Blackburn West Lancashire Yacht Club. 2nd 1st 1st 2

2nd 23274 Ges Brown Julie Moore Chester Sailing and Canoeing Club 1st 2nd Dnf 3

3rd 23089 Jonathan Woodward Alex Halliwell South Staffs SC/W.L.Y.C 3rd 4th 2nd 5

4th 22075 Jim Hunt Henry Hunt Beaver SC 5th 3rd 3rd 6

5th 22901 Paul Young Iain Leiper Midland SC 6th 5th 4th 9

6th 22823 Mike Cossey Christine Barron Sutton SC 4th 7th Dnf 11

7th 18427 Bob Suggitt David Allenby Barnt Green SC 9th 6th 6th 12

8th 23248 Martin Bottomley Ray Ball Emberton Park SC 7th 11th 7th 14

9th 22320 Martin Davies Laurence Davies Rugby and Daventry SC Dnf 9th 5th 14

10th 22932 Mike Pickworth Donald Pickworth Barnt Green SC 8th 8th 8th 16

11th 22103 Richard Tuckett Karen Barnt Green SC 10th 10th Dnf 20

12th 22428 Gordon Padmore Rose Padmore Barnt Green SC 13th 12th 9th 21

13th 22869 Merlyn Wilcox Calum Piper Barnt Green SC 11th 14th Dnf 25

14th 21444 Richard Easton Gill Easton Barnt Green SC 12th 13th Dns 25

15th 22978 Stuart Howe Nina Wilson Barnt Green SC 14th 15th Dns 29

16th 17717 Rob Farquharson Helen Farquharson Barnt Green SC 15th Dnf Dnf 33

17th 16696 Phil Deeley Kalvin Hodgson Midland SC Dns Dnf Dnf 36

©Robin Brown

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Sutton Bingham Phantom Open

Saturday 14th April 2012 saw the dawn of the Annual Sutton Bingham SC Phantom Open. With the previous two years being hampered by light to no winds the competitors were greeted by the makings of a 10 knot breeze for the three race event.

8 local club boats supported by 5 visitors started the first race at the bottom end of the lake. The Race officer Dave Thomson and his team set a fairly short line causing a few shouts as the boats set off in a growing and shifting breeze. Local boy Ian Jay set the PACE with Simon Hawkes (Wimbleball), Tim Hemlsey (Frensham) and Nick Orman (Castle Cove)hot on his heals. Through out the race the lead changed hand a number of times depending which side of the beat you went up. Nick Orman was looking good for the win when he stuck it in on the last beat in a growing breeze. It was then a fight to the line where Ian Jay secured the honours closely followed by Hawkes, Hemsley and Orman.

Following lunch the second race started in a breeze that was now showing 20 knot guests. A barging start by Tim Hemsley saw him forced into penalty turns and a place at the back of the fleet for the first beat. Once again the same contenders battled for the front of the fleet this time with the addition of Nick Mason (Island Barn Resrvoir) exchanging 4th and 5th place with Tim Hemsley each beat as he worked his way up the fleet. Line honours went to Hawkes followed by Jay, Orman, Hemsley and Mason.

After a quick break the final race was on. With Ian Jay and Simon Hawkes both carrying a first and second place, this was the decider. There was a good 15 knots gusting to 20 as the fleet got away. Hawkes immediately established a credible lead which he did not relinquish giving a master class in flat boat sailing in gusting conditions and taking the event overall. Jay was 2nd followed by Hemsley and Mason.

A great days sailing in sunny and windy conditions. The Phantom Fleets Southern Series now moves on to Island Barn Reservoir SC for their next event on Saturday 21st April 2012.

Final standings.

1st - Simon Hawkes (2.0)
2nd- Ian Jay (3.0)
3rd - Tim Hemsley (6.0)
4th - Nick Orman (7.0)
5th - Nick Mason (9.0)
6th - Chris Bottomley (12.0)
7th - Jenn Botterill (14.0)
8th - Tony Cumberbatch (14.0)
9th - Richard Cumberbatch (14.0)
10th - John Bower (15.0)
11th - Steve Joyce (21.0)
12th - Nick Hendry (23.0)
13th - Phil Bailey (24.0)

for more photos and information please visit 

http://www.suttonbinghamsc.net/site/index.php?option=com_content&view=frontpage&Itemid=1

The GP14 Northern Championships were held at Hollingworth Lake, over the breezy weekend two of our customers topped the podium.

We were are using the new rig that Speeds have been developing, they are using a new Selden section with Aeroweb sails, they are also using the latest Duffin hull which Mike fitted out himself along with engineer of the world Martin Evans.

Here at Speeds we are always thinking of ways to make boats go faster, thats why MIke & Lizzie have chosen to use Speeds along with many others.

Congratulations also to Matt Thursfield & Sarah Froggott who finished 4th overall and topped the silver fleet, Matt is also using Aeroweb sails.

If your interested in the new Speed GP14 rig please don't hesitate to contact us at the loft, loft@speedsails or 0845 50 40 600

Our quick release buckle takes the hassle out of packing up your boat - simply push the specially moulded connector fittings together to ‘click’ home. Easy!

Now for sale in 20mm or 25mm via our website www.speedsails.co.uk

Well done to Andrew Kilburn using one of Speed Sails very own Optimist Sails for finishing first at the Optimist Midland Area Champs, competing in windy conditions with a range of 8-15 knots, Andrew pulled out all the stops and won emphatically with 3 bullets.

For the full article in detail

http://www.yachtsandyachting.com/news/?article=152436

Speed Sails would like to thank all of the customers that found time to visit the stand at the show last weekend.

We  were busy all weekend talking about sails, covers and rigging,whilst the shop enjoyed customers taking advantage of some great show offers.

You will see on the home page some new and exciting offers to start the week off.

Thank you all for your support

The Speed Team

www.speedsails.co.uk