Moving Quickly Along - Merlin 950

General chat about boats
roger
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Re: Moving Quickly Along - Merlin 950

Post by roger »

Ancient Geek wrote:Was that because you found the wind steady after Shearwater, or because you didn't notice the shifts?
The former AG. We did notice some mild fluctuation in direction though :D
Hornet 191 Shoestring,
Hornet 595 Demon awaiting restoration
Hornet 610 Final Fling
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Stephen Hawkins
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Re: Moving Quickly Along - Merlin 950

Post by Stephen Hawkins »

Ancient Geek wrote:Don'r panic Captain Mainwaring! A racing dinghy sailed primarily on fresh water and covered when not in use is hardly "marine use"!
I whole heartedly agree. However since spending the best part of 3 hours last night tring to flat down the existing varnish on the topsides I am almost of the oppinion that I should really get the stripper out and rid myself of all the varnish and start again.

I do not think I will be lucky enough to just use a thinned coat to seal the cracks before another few topcoats.

I have some other issues but I will put them in the wanted section.

Cheers

Steve H
Steve Hawkins

1967 National 12 2383 "Sparkle"
chris
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Re: Moving Quickly Along - Merlin 950

Post by chris »

If you strip the deck back to bare wood you might like to consider G4, It's inexpensive, relatively, obtainable from local pond supplies, and will sink into the grain well filling hairline cracks. The other advantage for you is speed of application. You can put three or four coats on in an afternoon. it is important to do each following coat before the last is really dry. In fact you must not leave it more than a s certain number of hours or the coats won't bond with each other. If you want to know more about G4 search this forum there has been lots written about.

After say, 4 coats of G4 you will have a good ground surface as it builds up a surface well. It should really be left a week or two and then have 2-4 coats of varnish on top. I'm sure it won't harm to put the g4 on on Friday and sail on sunday, then when you are ready to varnish after a couple of weeks at least cut it back with wet n dry, clean well and do the varnish.

The triangular forestay block you mention was probably not for the spinnaker originally but would work like that I expect.
It would have originally been for the jib halyard. If there's another sheave in the mast that's probably the spinny. (These were originally flown below the forestay ( it was a rule). )The jib halyard would have gone from the top of the jib round that triangular block and back down the front luff of the jib , through the hanks, round another block at the bow and then to a cleat. That system helped add the tension and support for the jib luff. But you can also find on some of the early alli masts that the halyard went round the triangular block and then down the side of the mast and it then has a 'gadget' which is a small pulley on the end of a strip of metal about 4" long. That you can cleat and then add more tension using that gadget to give a 2:1 purchase on the halyard. It's simple but reasonable effective for an all rope halyard. Neither the boat nor the rig were designed for high tension.
chris
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Re: Moving Quickly Along - Merlin 950

Post by chris »

ps
If you go the varnish route a minimum of 5or 6 coats is needed but possibly as many as 10-12 if you want a really good result on a slightly poor piece of ply.
Stephen Hawkins
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Re: Moving Quickly Along - Merlin 950

Post by Stephen Hawkins »

Thanks Chris.

I can see your advice is going to be very useful for this project. You had better check the wanted section :D

I will google G4 and see if I can stretch my budget to it. The though of being able to put on many coats quickly does sound appealing

Cheers

Steve Hawkins
Steve Hawkins

1967 National 12 2383 "Sparkle"
chris
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Re: Moving Quickly Along - Merlin 950

Post by chris »

Don't be alarmed ! G4 is sold as a pond sealer but was originally formulated for marine use such as this. It doesn't brush quite as nicely as real varnish which is probably why it never caught on. It needs a UV filter based varnish over it.

We're talking of clear G4 by the way - unless you black tar stuff all over the boat!
davidh
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Re: Moving Quickly Along - Merlin 950

Post by davidh »

Stephen,

In the end it depends on what you are trying to do! If you want to just get the boat sailing and to keep the bigger restoration task back until the winter, then the B&Q Marine varnish will probably suffice - and will be easier to remove later on. Get the decks covered and then go sailing..... that will also throw up all the other tasks that you'll find you want to do later!

If you can wait until the winter, then start saving as this may be an 'ouch' moment but the 'ultimate' solution is bare wood, then two coats of SP320, topped off with lots of coats of two pot varnish.

If you are thinking of keeping 950 - then in the final analysis, this may well be your best solution!

D

Stephen - I may be able to help you out with some sp320 - do NOT buy it from a chandlery!
David H
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Re: Moving Quickly Along - Merlin 950

Post by Stephen Hawkins »

Advice taken on board and ruminated upon.

However this is what I am going to do, for better or worse.

I am go to strip the deck back and try the G4 - now ordered. I have a couple of soft spots that I hope will be firmed up by it and I have to get those cracks stabilized. I will then top it off with the 'cheap' International Yacht varnish I have.

This will do for now. I will then monitor the situation. I had said that I would probably re-deck it in the long term, if I have to. That I think is when the SP320 and expensive varnish 2 part might come into play. But I am wary of this complicated stuff. I would much prefer to put a coat of normal bog standard varnish on every year or two - I seem to be more successful at that.

I do expect to keep this boat long term. And I might even make the Nationals with it.....Perhaps only to cruise and soak up the good advice though....But lets see how it goes, eh!

cheers

Steve Hawkins
Steve Hawkins

1967 National 12 2383 "Sparkle"
davidh
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Re: Moving Quickly Along - Merlin 950

Post by davidh »

Steve

All sounds good to me!

I'm slowly coming around to the idea that if I'm to continue with a classic Merlin then at some point soon, 3025 might require some 'invasive surgery'! - it's getting to the point that there is more repair than boat. Sadly, the boat has been redecked once already - badly, with the cracks beginning to show (and this is no longer a figure of speech). Yes, 3025 could be a case of "we have the technology, we can rebuild it" (showing one's age there with the TV quote) but is it worth it - after all, smokers were one of the most popular boats built, so there is no shortage of replacements. Then again, it might not even be a smokers - one of the great things of the merlin is that, like the cvrda, Merlins are something of a 'broad church' (oh my oh...I even started looking at the descriptions of surf or super scoters)

I'd therefore almost certainly be facing the same sort of tasks that you face steve - so I for one will be keen to follow your progress

D
David H
Garry R

Re: Moving Quickly Along - Merlin 950

Post by Garry R »

As Chris has said allow a few weeks between the G4 and the traditional varnish and get a good key for it. Similarly get the coats of the G4 on pretty quickly one after the other - a matter of a couple of hours in the current temperature. Also wear gloves. G4 on the hands takes some getting off!!! I think you will be pleased how well it soaks into wood and indeed how hard it is. I haven't actually put anything else on top of it on the inside of Gannet and 5 years on it looks pretty good still. It is runny stuff, so, on the inside of a clinker boat make sure that you brush it well out as it can form pools easily which will turn milky when it dries. Apart from that it is great. Ideal I would say for decks.
Pat
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Re: Moving Quickly Along - Merlin 950

Post by Pat »

So far it's been at least two years (or even three) since Sandy slapped two coats of G4 onto 2121's delaminating deck to keep her going until winter and a proposed redecking. As you saw last weekend we've not had time to redeck and it's still holding up well though it's never had any varnish on top!
(Half Cut and What a Lark Removals Ltd)
Stephen Hawkins
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Re: Moving Quickly Along - Merlin 950

Post by Stephen Hawkins »

Well it sounds it might be 3 or 4 coats of G4 on the bare decks, see if I can live with the finish, if I can, put her back together and take her sailing for the rest of the summer. Varnish later when I can get the time. If not, a couple of coats of varnish should do the trick. Timing is the issue - I have abandoned trying to sail her this weekend, but next weekend should be on the cards.

It seems very similar to that Wet Rot stuff you can get at DIY stores.

I am generally quite pleased with 'soundness' of the hull. But I will not truely know until I get out on her.

Cheers

Steve Hawkins
Steve Hawkins

1967 National 12 2383 "Sparkle"
davidh
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Re: Moving Quickly Along - Merlin 950

Post by davidh »

Varnish first

Anyway, I do not think ANYONE should be allowed out sailing this weekend - jon and I now have something in the region of 70-75 Teras - worse, 70-75 sets of Tera Parents!

Anyone who thought that we were enjoying ourselves too much last weekend should smile inwardly, I do not think that will be happening THIS weekend!

d
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jon711
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Re: Moving Quickly Along - Merlin 950

Post by jon711 »

At the risk of thread drift 70+, Tera's actually, should, by my old fashioned principles, mean 140+ parents...

It takes two to Tango....

Jon
Stephen Hawkins
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Re: Moving Quickly Along - Merlin 950

Post by Stephen Hawkins »

Deck stripped.

Had some paint stripper left over and its all off now. The sanding last night helped.

Tommorrow, it will be an evening with a cool beer and a sanding block prepping for the G4. Smoothing out the ridges and sorting out those odd corners. Might even fix the gunnel - shamfer in a bit of soft wood, at least the profile will be restored and the colour wont be too far out.

Then on Saturday it will be Cadets at South Cerney and I might be able to get out in my Miracle with my daughter as well.

Sunday could be the day - if the G4 arrives in time.

Cheers

Steve Hawkins
Steve Hawkins

1967 National 12 2383 "Sparkle"
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