I was talking to someone in our club yesterday. He has a proctor 9 and hasn;t sailed it for a year or two and is thinkning of selling. If you are still interested I could put you in touch.
This boat is very close to me, so may well go and have a look if I can find the time.
Will then report back.....I don't think I will bid.....but am very tempted as it does look very nice, even as AG says, it is bound to be on the heavy side.
cheers
eib
Ed Bremner
CVRDA
Jollyboat J3
Firefly F2942
IC GBR314 ex S51 - 1970 Slurp
MR 638 - Please come and take it away
Phelps Scull
Bathurst Whiff - looking for someone to love it
If you do get to go please take a camera and snap away with some pics! I'm hoping to get to see an as yet un-numbered Merlin during the week which is the dinghy equivalent of a 'Lucky Bag' - you never know quite what you'll get. Like you though I'll take pics and will post them if they are of interest.
If you look at the numbers dispassionately, then the boat will probably be like the one on ebay and a proctor of indeterminate vintage. But... on the other hand, it could also be a winning lottery ticket and a real rarity that really does need saving.
Tis the curse of the Classic Merlin scene (though I would hazard a guess that the classic 14 and 12s have the same problem) whereby boats are sought after for their abilities to perform on the classic circuit rather than either their rarity or their importance to the development time line. It's an easy acid test: given the chance, would you recall 'Shaft'? (for non Merlin sailors or anyone who hasn't seen the threads on this boat before, Shaft would have to do down as a spectacular failure - it really just didn't work! AG sailed it once and found it okay, but the 'Forsprung Durk Technic' - the great leap forward, just did not happen.
But Ed, worry not, the boat near you needs documenting if only for those side tanks!!
was supposed to go this evening.....but couldn't get away.
will try later in the week
cheers
eib
Ed Bremner
CVRDA
Jollyboat J3
Firefly F2942
IC GBR314 ex S51 - 1970 Slurp
MR 638 - Please come and take it away
Phelps Scull
Bathurst Whiff - looking for someone to love it
SNAP! I was going to ride down on the Honda but it looks like rain! I'm still hopeful that I might find out in advance what the hull number is... I think I have sufficient Ixb pics!
Jollyboat J3
Firefly F2942
IC GBR314 ex S51 - 1970 Slurp
MR 638 - Please come and take it away
Phelps Scull
Bathurst Whiff - looking for someone to love it
ED,
Presumably to quote MB you couldn't get away your wife wouldn't let you!
DH I don't know if the rain reached Hamble but it didn't arf pour in Goucestershire where we were recovering after a day at Henley and then a hectic drive to Gloucester for a dance which ended at dawn today. I hope you did get to see the ship!
Simone would of encouraged me to go look at it.....and knowing her to buy it too!!
Half of my boats have been the direct result of her saying "Oh go on....you might as well....another 'one' isn't going to make any difference"
I couldn't get away due to the far more demanding requirements of my 6 year old daughter!!!! Simone is up in London for a few days so I was looking after Issie. Plan was to go sailing and look at the Merlin on way back, but as big as issie is, she can't hold the Jollyboat down by herself in the force 5ish we had today! But give her a year or two!
Jollyboat J3
Firefly F2942
IC GBR314 ex S51 - 1970 Slurp
MR 638 - Please come and take it away
Phelps Scull
Bathurst Whiff - looking for someone to love it