MERLIN ROCKET FORUM

Topic : John Keeling's American Merlin under construction

Just found a link on Keith Callaghan's site to this page of John's on his Merlin project if you are interested

http://home.nycap.rr.com/thekeelings/merlinrocket.html

Posted: 10/03/2005 09:53:25
By: Andrew M
Nice one Andrew - are there any other "step by step" type photo collections anywhere?


Posted: 10/03/2005 18:35:08
By: Jon
There are a couple of photos on Keith Callaghan's site at the address below. There are also some in the 'Merlin Rocket Book'.

I guess i'll have to be a little more careful what I put out there now its a 'public' site.

I'm still arguing/having discussions with 'The Minister for Domestic Bliss' over the name! I kinda like American Graphite', or Poit Dhubh [after my favourite Scotch]. I figure that since I get to paint the name, I get final choice but I at least have to look interested when she tells me I should call it Rosie.

http://www.bluelightning.co.uk/Merlins/hebron.htm

Posted: 10/03/2005 19:47:20
By: John, NY
Only other self-build project I know of with anything on the web is Miles James' pages, link below and linked from the Bala SC site.  He hasn't got any pictures of the actual building process though.  Interesting article nevertheless and maybe we could do with an update from him

Andrew

http://members.aol.com/milesafloat/newindex.htm

Posted: 11/03/2005 14:41:50
By: Andrew M
Latest build project is at following link. [Some pictures] 

All deck frames are now in and 2 pack finish about to start!

http://www.littlejoesolutions.co.uk/merlin

Posted: 11/03/2005 15:39:19
By: Miles
Miles, some of those thumbnails link to.....thumbnails!


Posted: 11/03/2005 17:26:06
By: Mags
I know, didn't want to give too much away!

Will link to larger ones if of any interest.


Posted: 11/03/2005 19:17:40
By: Miles
Yes please Miles, looking very interesting.  Is this design the latest in the Spring design line?


Posted: 11/03/2005 22:04:37
By: Andrew M
Miles, Indeed very interesting! couldn,t make out if the centre consuls were indeed mouldings or just sheathed at first then my eyes focused & I spotted the 'packing ' tape on the moulds. Out of interest have you noted there weight in relation to a similar unit in timber?


Posted: 12/03/2005 07:40:38
By: Barry Watkin
Andrew, Barry

The Design is a culmination of what I discovered from Spring Melody and Spring Harmony, the former going, and I quote; "like s**t of a shovel" downwind and the latter going a lot faster upwind. The result being a Wuthering Heights design [another love story]

The carbon coming of the moldings was ridiculously light, the front tank, weighed about the same as 3 full mugs of coffee!! the centre tunnel a bit heavier. Both a bit heavier now that finishes have been applied. As for weight against wood? John Keelings at same stage weighed as he said about 170lb, this one weighs about 100lb.

figures from robbins timber is roughly 1kg per laminate on a 8 x 4 sheet. So depending upon ply used, weight of carbon at grams/metre and weight of epoxy used weight saving is enormous. Especially front tank.

Will be producing article for magazine once on the water!

Lrager pictures beng uploaded as I type.


Posted: 12/03/2005 08:57:10
By: Miles
Is that a chine that the Green Monster is sporting??!!  Excellent stuff - many congratulations to builder.

Am willing to come and measure the boat for the mere cost of a Club Class return air fare...

GGGGGGGGGGGGG


Posted: 15/03/2005 13:43:43
By: Chairman GGGGG
Miles

I'm thinking you installed your centerboard case before you planked the hull. Am I right?
I didn't, mine was put in afterwards and I found it a Right Royal Pain in the Proverbial. I imagine it would be easier to get perpendicular using cutouts in the frames and also having a means to clamp it to the hog whilst the epoxy dries.

I've had so much fun building this one I may have to build another boat so was interested in some alternative methods of construction. There are definately some things I would do a little differently a second time around.


Posted: 15/03/2005 16:52:09
By: John, NY
Hi John

You guessed correct, have tried shell then case method, but opted for slots in the frames when I built 3572. Was much easier, and at least you know it's vertical!!

Let me know if that mast you mentioned works, I may place an order!


Posted: 15/03/2005 18:18:28
By: Miles
Miles your Wuthering Heights looks like a boat of 2 halves with almost a kink in the middle, or is that just the angle of the photos of the shell?  I'm sure I read a piece by Ian Proctor years ago about the evolution of the Mk IX.  He had tried out an idea in the Mk VII which was to have a V shaped bow section, sharp rocker in the midsection and a U shaped run.  Bows in on the beat, weight back when it blew downwind.  It sort of worked but was a pig in the handling department so he smoothed it all out in the middle to get the Mk IX, and the rest is history.  I don't think that is in the Merlin book and I haven't found it in any of the Proctor books I've got either so I might have invented it.  Keep posting on the forum on progress please!


Posted: 15/03/2005 18:38:49
By: Andrew M
No kink, just the photo angle.


Posted: 15/03/2005 20:40:57
By: Miles
Where do you get your materials from? Cos decent plywood is hard to come by, is often heavy & costs. Would question the £700 for a hull even a bare hull. Some while ago re-finished a hull & seem to recall bailers, slot gasket, keel band, epoxy, paint to spray finish was around £300...

There is little to be saved on fittings, rig, sails...

So accounts please...


Posted: 16/03/2005 04:09:06
By: sceptical & lazy
I think the 700 GBP just about covers my costs too and I have UK catalogues as well as US and sourced some of my parts from UK. Bare hull, no bailers included. My Brand New Merlin will come in at about $8500 [4500 GBP] ready to sail and roll on a trailer! That includes Mast [locally sourced], sails [SpeedSails], all of the paint, blocks, string and everything else.
I haven't seen that UK-US prices were significantly different, although I sourced some kit in UK due to convenience. ie rudder, sails, some mast fittings etc.
Price/cost breakdown: [rough]

6 sheets of 6mm Okoume marine ply + 3 sheets of 4mm [both 4'x8'] = $600 ($180 of which was shipping)
5 gal of epoxy + various hardners and fillers = $350
Mahogany = $200
Wood for building frames etc = $100
Keelband, Glass-fiber matting etc = $100
Paint and varnish = $100
Comes in at $1450 which is about 750 GBP

I will have enough 6mm ply left over to make most of a kayak. I have since found localish suppliers who could supply everything on this list and save me 15-20% since I wouldn't have shipping costs and I buy enough from them to get at least a 10% discount. I also had to make 60 simple clamps which I made from scrap materials which cost me nothing at all.

Your main outlay would be if you didn't have the tools. You NEED a selection of clamps, hand and power tools which would run you maybe 400 GBP if you buy the hand tools second hand and then there are tools that would be NICE to have. For instance, I didn't need my bandsaw but it sure made things easier. A hand-held power jigsaw does the same job for $50, but...

So overall I reckon on coming in at about 1/2 what a new boat would cost. I see the term bare hull as being pricisely that, BARE! No fixtures, no fittings just wood, a little fiberglass mat, 3 coats of epoxy inside and out plus varnish and/or paint.

The rest of your savings over the price of a 'just add water' kit come from no labour costs for screwing your fittings to it which you can also realise by buying a bare hull.

This is what you get from Chipstow as a bare hull, and i'm not knocking this. I REALLY enjoyed building my boat but if it isn't your 'bag' then for the amount of work, time and commitment it takes you probably shouldn't bother. At these prices and the apparent build quality i'm surprised these guys are still in business:

One structural resin coat inside and out,
4 varnish coats on the decks.
Two undercoats, two top coats plus non-slip
£1,852.04

As above with two structural resin coats
£2,441.07


Posted: 16/03/2005 15:10:10
By: John, NY
The other big reason for building your own???

Bragging rights!


Posted: 16/03/2005 15:28:13
By: John, NY
latest picture of 3646

Further work delayed till settled in new home.

http://www.littlejoesolutions.co.uk/merlin

Posted: 18/04/2005 12:32:50
By: Miles
Random cleat in middle of shot???????

http://www.littlejoesolutions.co.uk/merlin2/images/P1010030.gif

Posted: 18/04/2005 13:22:32
By: Jon
Without this essential cleat the hull is unable to reach minimum weight.


Posted: 18/04/2005 16:10:10
By: My thoughts
Website has been updated. In my rush to get it finished at midnight last night I inadvertantly changed the names of the pages so the old link won't work and you'll have to use this new one. I'm afraid i'm not up to Mags's standard.

http://home.nycap.rr.com/thekeelings/MerlinRocket1.html

Posted: 29/04/2005 14:02:43
By: John, NY

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