Merlin Rocket Craftinsure Silver Tiller and Allspars South West Series Open at Parkstone Yacht Club

by Sophie Mackley 20 Apr 22:35 PDT 18 April 2026

Twenty Merlin Rockets arrived at Parkstone Yacht Club on Saturday 18 April for an intense double-header: round four of the Craftinsure Silver Tiller and round two of the Allspars South West Series. Set against the shallows and tidal complexities of Poole Harbour, the day of orienteering rewarded those who knew where and where not to go.

The fleet got away cleanly in race one, with Arran Holman and Tom Pygal leading at the windward mark, closely pursued by Chris Gould and Sophie Mackley. What turned out to be a refreshingly uneventful reach gave way to a punishingly long beat up the harbour against a strong tide. The apparent safe option out of the tide proved costly as increased pressure in the channel shuffled the pack and Ian and Chris Martin and Stuart and Kat Bithell led the fleet round the windward mark followed by Storm Nuttal and Sally Wakefield.

The wind didn't settle on the long run back down the harbour and after a game of snakes and ladders the fleet converged on the last mark as one. At the finish the Martins retained their lead from Stu and Kat, with Arran and Tom rounding out the podium.

By the second race, the breeze had built but remained patchy. The leaders at the windward mark bore away hard but those reaching across to the stronger tide in stronger pressure (maybe they had learnt from the first race!) reaped the rewards. Rebecca Vidello and Rob Henderson did this to greatest effect and lead the fleet to the bottom of the harbour, back upwind through the weed and shallows and then to a shortened downwind finish. They secured a well-earned victory ahead of Stu and Kat Bithell, while Caroline Gould and Tom Lonsdale completed the top three.

After waiting for the club boats to start the Merlin's were away for the decisive third race with the overall still wide open. Once we had worked out that M * J s/t was a slightly more conventional sausage-triangle course, you would have thought navigation would become little less of a lottery but a few local obstacles put paid to that. Arran and Tom again showed early pace, rounding the windward mark first and leading downwind

Caroline and Tom, Chris and Sophie, and Ed Bradburn with Ollie Goodhead all mounted strong challenges, but Arran and Tom held firm to take the win, with Gould and Mackley second. Third place was ultimately decided in the protest room, where Jon Gorringe and Lorna Glen were awarded the position.

Overall Stu and Kat Bithell were on equal points for Arran Holman and Tom Pygal but counting a first gave Arran and Tom a well-earned victory. Chris Gould and Sophie Mackley were third.

Rebecca Vidello and Rob Henderson topped the Gold Fleet standings, while Tom Low and Ed Low claimed Silver Fleet honours in their striking new Rockatross.

Bronze Fleet went to Roman Archer, crewed by his father Ben Archer. You would have thought that coming from Hollingworth Julian Parry and Sally Townend would win furthest travelled, but they didn't factor in Alistair McDonald and Steven McCann who came all the way from Berwick-upon-Tweed.

The Merlin Rocket fleet now looks ahead to the next fixtures at Burghfield Sailing Club on Saturday 25 April, followed by Fishers Green Sailing Club on Sunday.

Overall Results:

Pos	Fleet	Sail No	Helm	Crew	Club	R1	R2	R3	Pts
1st	Platinum	3824	Arran Holman	Tom Pygall	Holywell/Parkstone	3	‑4	1	4
2nd	Platinum	3826	Stuart Bithell	Katherine Bithell	PYC	2	2	‑7	4
3rd	Platinum	3803	Chris Gould	Sophie Mackley	Shoreham Sailing Club	‑5	5	2	7
4th	Platinum	3684	Jon Gorringe	Lorna Glen	Parkstone YC	4	‑10	3	7
5th	Platinum	3719	Ian Martin	Chris Martin	Burghfield	1	8	‑9	9
6th	Gold	3691	Rebecca Videlo	Rob Henderson	Frensham Pond SC/Hayling Island SC	8	1	(DSQ)	9
7th	Platinum	3820	Caroline Gould	Tom Lonsdale	Shoreham SC	7	3	(DSQ)	10
8th	Gold	3724	Ed Bradburn	Ollie Goodhead	South Staffs	‑15	6	4	10
9th	Platinum	3829	Mike Calvert	Harry Scroggie	Axe YC	‑12	7	5	12
10th	Silver	3830	Tom Low	Ed Low	Parkstone YC	6	11	(RET)	17
11th	Gold	3658	Matthew Shorrock	Ben Shorrock	FPSC	9	‑14	8	17
12th	Gold	3746	James wells	Alex Pawsey	Hooe Point SC	13	‑17	6	19
13th	Silver	3825	Storm Nuttall	Sally Wakefield	West Hoe	10	‑12	10	20
14th	Gold	3815	Mark Barwell	Louise Johnson	Lymington Town SC & Upper Thames SC	‑17	9	13	22
15th	Gold	3747	Clive Eplett	Megan pascoe	Frensham Pond SC	‑14	13	11	24
16th	Silver	3789	Nick Scroggie	Claire Johnstone	PYC	11	15	(DNC)	26
17th	Bronze	3767	Roman Archer	Ben Archer	PYC	‑19	19	12	31
18th	Silver	3633	Tim Harms	Millie Little	Hampton SC	‑18	18	14	32
19th	Silver	3659	Julian Parry	Sally Townend	Hollingworth Lake Sailing Club	16	16	(DNC)	32
20th	Bronze	3581	David	Robyn T	Bartley	(DNC)	DNC	DNC	44
20th	Bronze	3792	Alistair McDonald	Steven McCann	Berwick‑upon‑Tweed	(DNC)	RET	DNC	44