Helly Hansen Merlin Rocket Week 2026 at Salcombe Yacht Club - Days 3 & 4

Day 3 Morning Race - Green v Blue

A light and fickle breeze made for a hugely unpredictable morning race, with the fleet splitting early between the Town and Portlemouth shores. 3820 and 3812 initially broke clear up the Town Shore, chased by 3746, while 3738 led the Portlemouth group with 3611 and 3803 close behind.

The Town Shore group came to a halt at the rocks off Bidle, allowing those threading their way through the crab pots to make gains. Caroline and Livvy found a way through and rounded first, but as the breeze faded approaching Blackstone, both sides of the fleet converged at the mark almost together.

Helly Hansen Merlin Rocket Week at Salcombe Yacht Club Day 3 Morning Race - photo © Lucy Burn

Tom and Rachel in 3759 rounded second, with Rebecca Videlo and Rob Henderson in 3691 moving into third before taking the lead with a low, fast line around Snape's Point. Tom and Rachel were drawn into a shorter but higher route and slipped back to third, with Caroline and Livvy moving into second.

The race remained wide open on the return to the harbour. Tom Gillard went exceptionally low into Scobal Basin and emerged from the Bag in front as the front group worked their way to to Mark 2. On the leg back from Millbay to Crossways a gentle breeze began to fill from the South, the fleet compressed once again.

Helly Hansen Merlin Rocket Week at Salcombe Yacht Club Day 3 Morning Race - photo © Lucy Burn

Caroline and Livvy eventually came through from a difficult patch around Mark 3 to take the win, narrowly ahead of Rebecca and Rob. James Goss and Chris White in 3814 produced a remarkable recovery to take third, with Ed and Johnny in 3805 fourth.

A race of huge gains and losses, leaving plenty of happy sailors — and plenty wondering what might have been.

Helly Hansen Merlin Rocket Week at Salcombe Yacht Club Day 3 Morning Race - photo © Lucy Burn

Day 3 Afternoon Race - Red v Black

A clean start saw the middle of the line paying, with Christian and Sam leading Mike and Jayne Calvert from Will and Arthur Henderson with 3786 and 3799 also in the mix at Blackstone.

Helly Hansen Merlin Rocket Week at Salcombe Yacht Club Day 3 Afternoon Race - photo © Lucy Burn

There was plenty of drama at the first mark, with several incidents and infringements as the fleet compressed on the rounding. Those who emerged cleanly and immediately committed to the Town Shore were rewarded, while the Beachside option proved less favourable.

Mike and Jayne Calvert, along with Jason Andrews and Tim Fells, led the charge down the Town Shore, with Andrews and Fells briefly taking the lead. Meanwhile, the Hendersons and Rayson/Hill headed down the Beachside, leading that half of the split fleet.

Helly Hansen Merlin Rocket Week at Salcombe Yacht Club Day 3 Afternoon Race - photo © Lucy Burn

Another light-air park-up at Snape's Point reshuffled the order. Mike and Jayne wriggled through the and escaped unscathed, while Jason and Tim were drawn back into a group with Birrell/Brearey and Davis/Dodds. The Hendersons then made a strong charge through the Bag to break clear of the main pack and stay in touch with the leaders.

With the breeze steadier on the return into the harbour, Mike and Jayne Calvert held their advantage to take the win. Taxi/Dodds finished second, Christian and Sam took third, and Jason Andrews and Tim Fells completed the top four.

Helly Hansen Merlin Rocket Week at Salcombe Yacht Club Day 3 Afternoon Race - photo © Lucy Burn

Wednesday's forecast looks challenging, and Thursday appears even less inviting. If there is a wind god, now might be the time to start praying.

Day 4 Morning Race — Black Flags, Blown Leads and a Ditch End Lottery

The morning race delivered another light-air, tide-affected puzzle, with plenty of opportunity for gains, losses and the occasional moment of confusion.

At the start, 3814 made a strong getaway on the Townside, joined by 3746, 3751 and 3756. On the beach side, 3829, 3788 and 3709 also found clear air and made good early progress.

Helly Hansen Merlin Rocket Week at Salcombe Yacht Club Day 4 Morning Race - photo © Lucy Burn

3746 James Wells and Anna Alyward rounded Mark X first, followed by James Goss and Chris White and the Calverts. At that stage, it appeared that neither side of the course had offered a decisive advantage; it was more a case of making the most of whichever side you had chosen.

James and Anna then established a useful lead after finding better pressure as the breeze returned from the east. 3814 held second, while Paul Rayson and Christian Hill in 3799 moved into third, with the Calverts and the Henderson-Whites close behind in fourth and fifth.

There was a brief twist when James and Anna, having not written the course down, rounded Y rather than heading for Mark 4. In a fine bit of sportsmanship, 3814 alerted them to the error. A rapid spinnaker drop followed and they were soon back on track, albeit with a rather reduced lead.

The front three compressed once more for the run out of Yalton Creek. 3751, 3611 and 3799 remained firmly in touch, waiting for any opportunity ahead.

Helly Hansen Merlin Rocket Week at Salcombe Yacht Club Day 4 Morning Race - photo © Lucy Burn

That opportunity arrived at Crossways. As the leading group exited Yalton, the wind turned itself inside out and the front runners came to a near standstill. The following pack found a way around them, producing plenty of place-changing and leaving the race wide open once again.

Caroline Gould and Livvy Bell emerged at the front, leading the reshuffled group now containing, 3788, 3726 and 3709.

3820 and 3788 then edged clear of the chasing pack, with 3709 moving into third.

Conditions remained extremely light down at Y, which by then appeared to be somewhere closer to Crossways. After another trip through the Ditch End washing machine, 3788 emerged in the lead from 3820, with 3726 back into third.

Helly Hansen Merlin Rocket Week at Salcombe Yacht Club Day 4 Morning Race - photo © Lucy Burn

3788 crossed the line first, but in silence, having fallen foul of the black flag. Their exclusion handed the win to 3820 — their second victory on the bounce — while 3726 were promoted to second and 3611 took third.

With 25 black flags recorded, there will no doubt be a few deflated sailors ashore. Those who managed to behave themselves, however, may have felt rather more cheerful.

Day 4 Afternoon — South-Westerly Stretch

The afternoon breeze filled in from the south, giving the fleet its first trip across the bar to Mark W, laid towards the outer limit of the harbour.

Helly Hansen Merlin Rocket Week at Salcombe Yacht Club Day 4 Afternoon Race - photo © Lucy Burn

Tom and Rachel led round the top mark, with George Yeoman and Mark Oakey close behind in second. A small group containing Ollie and Alex in 3771, along with Dave and Beka in 3827, were firmly in the mix.

Helly Hansen Merlin Rocket Week at Salcombe Yacht Club Day 4 Afternoon Race - photo © Lucy Burn

The very long, tide-against run from W to 7 quickly spread the fleet out. Tom and Rachel established a commanding lead, seemingly by keeping low through the Bag, while 3777 held second and the two Alexes in 3823 gave chase.

Helly Hansen Merlin Rocket Week at Salcombe Yacht Club Day 4 Afternoon Race - photo © Lucy Burn

The subsequent laps in the main harbour saw George and Mark lose out to the Alexes, who claimed second, with Dave and Beka taking third. Although the chasing boats reduced the deficit to the leaders, they could not get close enough to trouble them, and Tom and Rachel secured another convincing victory.

Results after Day 4: