MERLIN ROCKET FORUM

Topic : Big Dilemma - Dear Deirdre - A Monday kind of thread...........

I'm in a quandry - please help.
We're stand a good chance of winning our club Autumn series. This could be our first ever trophy.
We also want to go to Blithfield. We want to have a good sail and see all the lovely Merlin people. I also want to avenge my clubmate RichardT on a big pond for beating me at Bala.
If we go to Blithfield we will gift 2 valuable firsts to our near rivals.
We are also short of water at Banbury.

Advice/abuse/suggestions please......................


Posted: 10/10/2005 11:28:20
By: Jon3389
If you can get the other boat to go as well, then its problem solved win-win all round  ??


Posted: 10/10/2005 11:39:03
By: good idea !
I had to that with our Summer series to go to the champs too. We have lost the Summer series because we missed 3 weekends. Was worth it though. Depends what is more important to you. These days i am more inclined towards the Circuit, but then i have won all my club trophies and so it is not such an acheivement for me anymore, i am enjoying the extra compertition. I would probably stay at the club in your position as once you have broken your duck you will be alot more confident with your sailing and there will be another open next year!!


Posted: 10/10/2005 12:31:35
By: Jeremy3550
Should you stay or should you go? 

Stay!!!

You may not win the two races at your club :-(

At least then you know...... if you go, you will never know.

Will your rival win the series if you go?

Maybe not... he may get beaten by other boats.

I say stay!


Posted: 10/10/2005 15:47:41
By: Dierdre
go to the open. you will race against better people and learn more, then you can go back and win more at your club.(and there at least should be water to sail on at blithfield)


Posted: 10/10/2005 15:55:39
By: better idea!
Prove the point that your not a pot hunter but lover to sail merlins on a great pice of water with the merlin family, 
and then you can call them pot hunter for not going with you.


Posted: 10/10/2005 16:27:55
By: Dave F
If you stay and do not win just think about how much you will learn about your self and losing. Always an important lesson in life, helps focus the mind! If you go to the Open then you will learn lots about Merlin sailing, granted, stay at home and take it like a man, win or lose, be magnanimous!!

http://dictionary.reference.com/search?r=2&q=magnanimous

Posted: 10/10/2005 17:06:30
By: Deirdre
Most clubs see their members going to Open Meetings as bringing some prestige to the club, particularly if they win. Here at Frensham we credit sailors who go to Opens with average points for the races they miss. You might like to ask your club whether they would consider something similar.

Nick Clibborn


Posted: 10/10/2005 18:07:51
By: nick cliborn
Mr Turner - your thoughts please?  You'd get a slightly better average than me too!!!


Posted: 10/10/2005 18:45:48
By: Jon3389
Take Richard t's rudder with you as a spare then replace it on your return and disclaim all knowledge
untill your round at the prizgiving.


Posted: 10/10/2005 18:48:02
By: Barry Watkin
It's easy for people who have won a few things to pontificate about not being a pot-hunter.  Having won only one real trophy in my life, I say stay and make the most of the chance.  I have a lurking suspicion that the Merlin party will be going on for a good few years yet, so you probably won't miss anything important.


Posted: 11/10/2005 08:41:34
By: Bill
Stay, win and become part of Merlin Rocket history.  Go, flounder about mid-fleet and achieve nothing.


Posted: 11/10/2005 09:11:34
By: Interested Observer
Exactly, stay and win, get your name on the pot and no one can ever take that away from you. The merlin circuit will understand, they will embrace you as a brother when you go to the next event. Think of the glory that could be yours!! Think of the sorrow and the feeling of not knowing if you travel that weekend. STAY!!!!!


Posted: 11/10/2005 10:30:48
By: Deirdre
The only problem with winning is that I'm accused of "Cheating" with my new rig....  Whereas at the opens people say "Gosh that looks nice"


Posted: 11/10/2005 10:32:15
By: Jon
Don't worry what the other lot say. Get out there and show them the way round. Get you name on the pot, they will not add '(cheated)' after your name, and next year they will all be wanting and buying new rigs, carbon i guess?


Posted: 11/10/2005 10:35:05
By: Deirdre
Can't understand what all the fuss is about - I told him weeks ago that I was going to Blithfield even though it means that I can barely qualify in the Autumn Series as I have been away sailing caravans (ie yachts).  He just wants to make sure so that he can sneak a win whilst I'm away.

I could of course be being economical with the truth. You'll have to wait until Sunday to find out!


Posted: 11/10/2005 10:36:42
By: RichardT
It's not you i'm worried about mate, I quite like the idea of us going head to head on the last day - it's giving away the freebies to the other lot!

And I want to settle the score after Bala!


Posted: 11/10/2005 11:20:18
By: Jon
You want to get a Lark, much more fun and you wouldn't have this problem, Lark Class Open any day!!!! Get your self off to the Merlin Open and win another time at Banbury.

Deirdrie seems to have a good point however, get your name on the big silver pot!!


Posted: 11/10/2005 12:18:32
By: Minnie HaHa 2301
As another Lark I'd agree with that!! Do you want to be a big fish in a little pond or a little fish in a shoal exploring lots of bigger ponds?? 
Having not won trophies home or away we'd vote for away every time and blow the pot hunters and their petty politics. Wee're out to enjoy our sailing.


Posted: 11/10/2005 13:09:19
By: Traveller
Nice to se that Minnie actually knows which forum is worth reading even if they do have the disadvantage of the plastic queezy bottle that they sail.  Unfortunately for your advice, my name is already on the big silver pot for this year and the autumn trophy is only a plate.

Who knows, perhpas I'll stay at home on Sunday!


Posted: 11/10/2005 13:10:15
By: RichardT
I have only won 2 pots :-( and one of those was a Hampton consolation prize pretty much guaranteed if you actually turned up week after week without winning any of the proper prizes.  Unfortunately the other (quite prestigious) trophy I won many years ago (the Royal Thames Autumn Trophy, and I only won it by beating John Stokes on his home territory, which in 1994 was something of an achievement even in an open event with no visitors).   I continue to berate myself for not getting it engraved, particularly as Mervyn Allen keeps telling me about the year he just failed to beat Brian Southcott and so does not have his name inscribed on the records for his 2nd from a fleet of maybe 50.

Depends what you want to do: are you interested in pot-hunting? If so stick with being the best of the small fish sailing on your shallow pond and be happy. Or do you want to go off and see the world and realise it is full of people who do a lot more sailing and are a lot better at it than you but can show you how you can sail a bit better and quicker, but still not manage to beat them!!!


Posted: 12/10/2005 20:48:38
By: AndrewM
Have you really spent all that money to ponce around on a duckpond??

Go to Blithfield! The club trophy will still be there next year.

(Forecast currently 8 Knots. Tim, get the white telephone out!!)


Posted: 12/10/2005 20:55:34
By: Chris Martin
Don't know what your problem is, the way I'm sailing lately.


Posted: 13/10/2005 08:34:19
By: Moonshine
too dopey to like pot

Blithfield will relax yoooooo....


Posted: 13/10/2005 19:47:40
By: Dylan

REPLY

To Reply, please join/renew membership.

Owners Association


Developed & Supported by YorkSoft Ltd

Contact

Merlin Rocket Owners Association
Secretary