Hi
Im racing a dinghy "similar" to the Merlin. Pirat its called. The Pirat has symetrical spi and only little space on the deck between the bow and the rigging/fitting for the foresail.
To set the spi, we are today using spinaker bags behind the mast, and are therefore stuck to a certain tack when launching the spi.
I see that in the Merlin, you also have only little space between bow and rigging, but you have managed to fit in a spi-chute in front of the rigging.
This has been tried in my class but until now without success. Im though keen on making it work. 
For that reason Im very interested in a thourough documentation of the whole concept.
The pirat is sailed with a lot of rig tension, which obviously also leads forces into the rigging for the foresail. How is that solved in the Merlin ? 
Does anyone has fotos, descriptions, drawings, etc. over that area of a Merlin, I would be very interested.
My Email is [email protected]
Best regards
Anders
Pirat DEN-1105
Denmark
www.dpk.dk
www.pirat.org

Here are some pictures of the class in action, looks nice.

http://www.pirat.org/boat_pictures.htm

Can we be constructive rather than dissing his boat please?

Anders, i would be tempted to email Alan Jackson though he is busy at the moment so it might be a while before he gets back to you.

see his website for contact details.

A spinnaker chute behind the tsem fitting is really quite practical. The "wrong side" hoists are no more than a bit irritating. Put it as close to the left hand gunwhale as possible and always rig the kite on the l/h side of the jib. See C****bs and F******ns for examples eg this photo:-

This image embed probably won't work, try the link

By the by who invented the spinnaker chute?

I think it was David Thomas in a 1965 article in Yachting World looking into the future about single handed sailing boat trials to replace the Finn. What happened to The "Unit" "Toy" Mike Jacksons ofering and Jack Holts, Paul  Elvestrom's Trapeze now a two man class in Denmark only The Contender is the only survovor one ever hears of.
Does anyone know better?

You may be right. Does anyone else remember BAZ? In 1969 it was a truly awful home designed MR you'd not have recognised it as such it had an aluminium torpedo tube on deck as an ad-hoc spinnaker chute someone must have a picture to show that not every MR is beutiful and fast!