MERLIN ROCKET FORUM

Topic : Fast Gear Guide

Hello - could anyone point me in the direction of a Fast Gear Guide - i.e which hull design, foils, sails have been used in the top 10 at the Nationals.

Does this information exist in the public domain ? I found some results from the 2005 Nationals on the Y&Y website, but nothing here.

I am wanting to join the fleet and want to particularly know which manufacturers sails are preferred at the moment. Which manufactures kites are preferred etc etc etc

Many thanks in advance to anyone who replies.


Posted: 08/10/2005 19:50:45
By: EdD
Hi Ed,

Fashion at the moment Winder Mk3 CT's One string wonder, Pinnell & Bax main, jib & kite all hung off Chipstow mast and boom, both beautifully made by Alan Jackson aka. Jacko.

However dont be put off by the other Winder/Driver-Jenkins EZ Roller and Smart Make it So designs for sale, all very fast in the right hands!!

Good luck!


Posted: 08/10/2005 20:14:30
By: Richard Battey
Thanks for the reply Richard, 

I have seen a number of comments that the EZ Roller is fast "in the right hands" or "this design only been provided to top sailors"

Does this imply that the EZ Roller is more unstable or "twitchy" than the CT.

I appreciate that opinions will vary, and I dont wish to critically compare one design to another in a public forum - Just want to make sure I make an informed decision.

I cannot find any detailed information on the EZ Roller in the design guide, so if anyone knows the differences that would be great.

Majority of my sailing will be on Restricted Waters, with the annual trip to the coast. All up weight of crew will be around 22 stone.


Posted: 08/10/2005 21:24:42
By: EdD
The ultimate off the shelf solution is the latest Winder, Chipstow mast and either No1s or P&Bs.

EZ roller is a CT type boat derived from 'Let it Ride' has done well with Top Yotters in lightweight combos - tend to cost more than Winders.

The differences between the Winders are minimal - I have 3554 Winder #1 and it is every bit as quick as anything else. The Winder construction is fantastic and the alternative masts from Superspars are fine.

As far as hulls go - you won't go wrong in shape terms with any Winder or Full Force boat. The later Winders have a few mods to the bow that can be retrofitted - 3627 was the first Mk3, 3661 the first Mk4. Alan Warren has be going pretty well for a few years in 3616 a Mk2.

Masts - Chipstow (Jacko) masts are the favourite, though significantly more expensive. Superspars are the budget carbon option - absolutely fine for most purposes.

Sails - No1 have been very popular this year, Batt have done well, P&B are the people's choice - all are fine.

Bang for Buck - Winder 1/2, Superspars carbon (Jacko if you're lucky), P&B/No1/Batt. I'm dead happy with my now 6 year old boat.

Dave


Posted: 08/10/2005 22:57:26
By: David Lapes
Given that most of your sailing is going to be on restricted water i doubt you'll notice any differance between the hull refinements.

I've done quite a few races where the lower bow is supposed to make all the differance and found identical boatspeed between my Mk1 and the Mk3s i was sailing against.

Re the rig, again on restriced water the differances are minimal. However on open water in stronger winds the chipstow does have superior gust response but i have found it significantly less tolerant of incorrect set up (Rig tension, lowers etc) than the white superspar i had before.

The one string system is hailed as being a seriously good thing. I've never used one but i feel that since it's actually two strings (Rig forward, rig back) and you only need to move three with a standard rig (Lowers, Shrouds, Jib) and then set your kicker to match with both systems i don't think it's something I miss. I'm currently working out a way to link my lowers to the jib tensioner which will acheive the same two string adjustment as the "One string" system anyway.


Posted: 09/10/2005 08:33:08
By: Chris M
Thanks Chris

Andrew Elliott of Redeye sails has done the kind of thing that you are taking about here on his Phantom rig, which is similar to the Merlin, in that its deck stepped with lowers and an adjustable forestay. I am sure if you contacted him he would send you a photo of how he has done it. It works well apparently increasing tension in the lowers as the forestay tension is reduced. The problem he had was putting tension into his system, but I think he overcame that now.

ed


Posted: 09/10/2005 19:20:29
By: EdD
Chris, take a look at Chambulls, the lowers are attached to the shrouds. Are you comming to Parkstone?


Posted: 09/10/2005 20:34:29
By: Alan F
I'll be at parkstone hopefully, and am happy to plagiarise any existing system!!


Posted: 09/10/2005 20:53:55
By: Chris M
It's a funny one this - everyone makes claims for the pros and cons of the various different designs of boat, but when they are all sailing together there doesn't actually seem to be much real difference in boatspeed.  EZ roller is a development of Let it Ride, itself sharing some characteristics of my own Heaven Sent, but not as full in the bows.  On all three the transom is significantly wider than the CT.  These boats do not like being heeled at all and are sensitive to small variations in fore and aft trim.  You can stop them dead very effectively by slamming into a quick tack.  Having said that, Glen Truswell has picked up a 2nd and a 3rd in restricted meetings in his Let it Ride & Dan Alsop a 2nd in his one so there you go.  I have found Heaven Sent much trickier to sail in light winds than the NSM2 I had before, but not actually slower till it's ghosting conditions.  Back in the days when I went to open water meetings without them being blown off a windy spinny reach is a joy and it's nice and stable on the gybe


Posted: 10/10/2005 12:17:39
By: Andrew M
I was under the impression that the Let it Ride had fuller underwater sections forward of the mast than the Heaven Sent? It is also slightly wider at the transom. Don't know alot about the EZ Roller really but all three seem to be quick in the right conditions. My Let It Ride went prerry well yesterday at Upper Thames in next to no wind.


Posted: 10/10/2005 12:40:11
By: Jeremy3550
You may well be right Jeremy on reflection - difficult to tell to my eyes even with the boats alongside each other.  As to the transom, again you would need the tape measure out to decide.

Andrew


Posted: 10/10/2005 12:56:06
By: Andrew M
Very true, i only know this as i have just bought mine. One of my club members has a Heaven Sent but it has all carbon decks and a curved transom so it looks totally different anyway. I did have mine next to a Tales 2 yesterday and the is a considereable difference at the transom. The Let It Ride is flater wider and shallower look totaly different.


Posted: 10/10/2005 13:36:33
By: Jeremy3550
Glen seems to be doing better in 3573 (Let It Ride) than he did in 3585 (carbon decked Heaven Sent)


Posted: 10/10/2005 13:42:48
By: Brian
It is Glens Heaven Sent that is at my club now. It goes well in a breeze but not so well in light stuff. I have only sailed my Let it Ride against it twice but it was convincingly quicker on Sunday at UTSC.


Posted: 10/10/2005 13:46:49
By: Jeremy3550
How many Merlin sailors does it take to change a light bulb?

Three - one to change the bulb and two to argue about whether a different shape would be brighter.


Posted: 11/10/2005 08:55:02
By: Bill
Can you get much light out of a carbon bulb?  :0)


Posted: 13/10/2005 00:56:22
By: Stuart
I think the reason 3585 never went well was not to do with the hull shape.  In one-design classes some boats, particularly wooden ones, are definitely quicker than others and it is nothing to do with shape but with fairness of planks and finish, stiffness, weight distribution, etc. etc.  When Glen attempted to fiddle with the shape it made no difference either.


Posted: 13/10/2005 15:41:19
By: Andrew M

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