Moving Quickly Along - Merlin 950

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Stephen Hawkins
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Moving Quickly Along - Merlin 950

Post by Stephen Hawkins »

I seem to be the new (prospective) owner of 950.

The ebay auction was odd in that although someone else did bid they gave up after equalling my maximum bid. Hey ho :?

So after having learnt that possibly a Proctor mkVIII is not perhaps one of the favourite Merlin marks, I now own one :roll:

I also notice that there seem to be very little information to go on with regard to the Merlin Rocket website. Plenty about MkVI's and MkIX's, but nothing about MkVIII's.

Is this a diplomatic way of saying that there is nothing good to write about them? I also notice that they seem to be distincive by their absence on the result sheets.......Although 50 were made...Too much rocker? Might make it a good boat on my lake.

Ah well, I will try to arrange pick-up as soon as possible and then we will see where we are. Even if the boat is not the fastest Merlin Rocket out there, as a 'goer' that is ready to sail on restrictive waters, with road trailor, it has to be a good start.

I do have some questions:

Mast rake? where would I get this info from?
Cotton/terylene(?) - I am under the impression that by the time that this boat was produced (1959), Cotton was already a thing of the past?

If all goes well I will be in possession and sailing by the weekend at South Cerney. It will be interesting to see how things go from there.

Steve Hawkins
Steve Hawkins

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Re: Moving Quickly Along - Merlin 950

Post by Ancient Geek »

The Proctor Mk was Ian Proctors River Boat they never had a chance people were already discovering that you could make a boat with little rocker tack they never had a decent driver should have done better essentialy a Mk6 with the ends pulled up so Ian said in his design blurb at the time.
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Re: Moving Quickly Along - Merlin 950

Post by Ancient Geek »

I should have added congratulations and good luck, good to hear of Merlin Rockets going back to South Cerney.
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chris
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Re: Moving Quickly Along - Merlin 950

Post by chris »

Well done Steve. I don't think you will have wasted your money at all. I don't know much about the mk 8, but I'm sure there are others that can. I don't know about the rocker on the 8 either but some of the Holt designs had the most extreme rocker I think. The Banana boat being one such merlin named for obvious reasons. When combined with a bit of a rounder hull shape this will reduce the wetted area and that is a benefit for light winds as there is less drag. 507 is quite a good example of that.

Sails.
Although we used old cotton sails at BB I don't even think about using them for day to day club sailing. I like to sail a vintage boat in vintage condition in vintage events which is what the cvrda is largely about but normally I use terrylene (Dacron). ( I may be an anorak but I'm not a nerd - others may have another opinion though!) Mylar is also permitted under class rules so if you find the sails that come with the boat are just not competative enough for you there will be plenty of decent second hand available on the merlin site etc. You just have to watch out for the shape and size for your rig as the merlin rigs vary so much, so measure things before you buy anything.
Rake: I would start by just putting the boat together as it was last sailed and get to know it. You are bound to speed up after a few sails. Then start fiddling and you will be able to tell if it has improved something or made it worse. As a guide to rake though: set the boat up on land so that the stem is vertical with a spirit level and then set the rake so that the main hallyard with a weight on lies about 7 or 8 " back from the gooseneck. This does depend on how high the mast is so it is not set in stone just a starting point. Another visual check is to put the mainsail up look at the boom. I recon it should be just dipping down a little below the horizontal. However it gets set up with transom sheeting I aim to get the block-to-block so that the top of the sail is not twisting away. If you can't pull the sail tight enough, and even overide the kicker,because the two blocks are already touching = too much rake. Or if everything is tight and you can't get the boom over the centreline of the boat and there is a big gap between the mainsheet blocks=too little rake. A bit hit and miss but a starting point. Dick Batt used to have a tuning guide for merlins on his own site battsails. I don't know if it is still there and it related more to modern boats but still useful. There is also a tuning guide and one for older merlins on the merlin site somewhere. Look for Getting Old Merlins to go again (or something like that.) above all sail it enjoy and hope to see you soon. But do keep asking questions. Plenty of people with plenty of different ideas no doubt.
Stephen Hawkins
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Re: Moving Quickly Along - Merlin 950

Post by Stephen Hawkins »

Well, we will see what we have got when I get it home.

I am going down tomorrow night to Okehampton to pick it up straight from work. 2 and half hours there, and 2 and a half back.

Should be back by midnight. Then I can have a play around and a practice rig on the drive. Should have her wet by the weekend.

Steve Hawkins
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Re: Moving Quickly Along - Merlin 950

Post by Pat »

Good luck Stephen. It doesn't matter how much reputation a boat has as long as you enjoy it. With 507 and 1066 in the cvrda regulars you have kindred spirits to join and a welcome awaiting.

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Re: Moving Quickly Along - Merlin 950

Post by Nessa »

well done Stephen, hope you can come up to Hunts with it next year.
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Stephen Hawkins
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Re: Moving Quickly Along - Merlin 950

Post by Stephen Hawkins »

I hope to have a month or two to try and get to grips with it. You never know if there is a suitable venue that is not too far away, then you might see me before the end of the season.

Cheers

Steve Hawkins
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Re: Moving Quickly Along - Merlin 950

Post by Pat »

Shearwater on the Longleat estate near Warminster, 2nd October - very old Merlin friendly as it's Chris's and our home club.
davidh
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Re: Moving Quickly Along - Merlin 950

Post by davidh »

Stephen

well done sir - a good choice!

I think it doesn't matter overly much what shape you get - they will, like the little dog, all have their day!

There will not be many days that you'll sail classic boats in the winds that we had on Saturday, as some of those gusts were on the blatting side of not nice. Supercrew Jon, who has as much time in the front of a Merlin as anyone, thought that we were right on the limit and I doubt if many sailors would have said much if the PRO had pulled the plug at lunchtime.

But then, it could equally have been hot, sunny and with a gentle F2, we'd have been struggling in the Smokers, whilst the older boats showed us how it is done in the light stuff. But then that is the beauty of sailing Merlins!!!

See you at an event sometime soon

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chris
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Re: Moving Quickly Along - Merlin 950

Post by chris »

Your PY
Don't forget that for club handicap racing there is an adjustment suggested for older merlins
http://www.merlinrocket.co.uk/technical/handicaps.htm by the MROA
which would give 950 a py of 1076 which is what I have been given at Shearwater for 507.

This is not the system or numbers the CVRDA use for our events and it is also different from the system the vintage merlin wing use for the de May series and vintage merlin class events. All very confusing and good luck talking to your sailing sec..
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jon711
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Re: Moving Quickly Along - Merlin 950

Post by jon711 »

Nice buy..

Hope to see you sailing her at an event soon..

I think I have only sailed a Merlin in conditions as bad as Saturday once before, that was Newbiggin in the mid 90's. But, it was not so much the wind strength that was the problem it was the fact that as every gust hit the wind direction changed by about 20 - 30 degrees... Still it's all good fun and character building!! :D
roger
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Re: Moving Quickly Along - Merlin 950

Post by roger »

jon711 wrote:Nice buy..

Hope to see you sailing her at an event soon..

I think I have only sailed a Merlin in conditions as bad as Saturday once before, that was Newbiggin in the mid 90's. But, it was not so much the wind strength that was the problem it was the fact that as every gust hit the wind direction changed by about 20 - 30 degrees... Still it's all good fun and character building!! :D
Good practice for Shearwater. You soon learn to read the gusts at Shearwater and bear away/ or head up as they come in.
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jon711
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Re: Moving Quickly Along - Merlin 950

Post by jon711 »

roger wrote:
jon711 wrote:Nice buy..

Hope to see you sailing her at an event soon..

I think I have only sailed a Merlin in conditions as bad as Saturday once before, that was Newbiggin in the mid 90's. But, it was not so much the wind strength that was the problem it was the fact that as every gust hit the wind direction changed by about 20 - 30 degrees... Still it's all good fun and character building!! :D
Good practice for Shearwater. You soon learn to read the gusts at Shearwater and bear away/ or head up as they come in.
Oh dear you're not selling that one well!! :wink: But having cut my teeth sailing on the Broads, I love those conditions!! :D
Stephen Hawkins
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Re: Moving Quickly Along - Merlin 950

Post by Stephen Hawkins »

Yes well, its typical conditions at South Cerney as well.

Its caused quite a stir with the few people I have talked to at the club as well, I think I might have a few members being especially nosey when I take it up there this weekend.

I will have to get the spinnaker sorted as well...And insurance. But the weather is looking to be very light on Saturday, at least early in the day - but filling in from the south later.

Thanks for the heads up on the PY. I am sure all the Albacores will be interested in seeing how she goes.....

...Pick-up tonight.

Steve Hawkins
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