Merlin Rockets on the Thames

I was walking along Putney Embankment on Sunday in an iPod induced daze when a hull shape caught my attention. It was quite distinctive, wide cup like, and one I recognised - the Merlin Rocket - and there were about 15 of them, getting rigged up.

Its a design I'd like to sail: it hull shape is better designed for those of us with long legs than a Laser (sorry Tillerman) and looks like it would sail fast without requiring 49er levels of athleticism.

What's really interesting about them is the Merlin Rocket was designed by Jack Holt right here in Putney commissioned by a syndicate at the Ranelagh Sailing Club, based to this day on the Putney Embankment.

So it should have no trouble with the, ah, challenging nature of sailing on the Thames. It seemed to be an interesting race, starting just after 3 pm and heading way down river out of sight.

Just under an hour afterwards the first boat was seen returning (above).

The rest of the fleet took a lot longer, with this colourful group about an hour later:

Sailing on the Thames has a number of gotchas: the wind angle to the river varies as it wiggles, then the buildings and trees create wind holes and funnels, there are bridges, busy traffic, current that varies according to river depth and in places there are shallows of gravel banks.

Alas this boat lost a lot of places by heading to shallows on the calm side of the river:

Looked a lot of fun; something to add to the long list of things to do if only there was time.

Updated: more photos just posted here!