Overheard at dinghy show near Harken stand "I really want that Merlin"

Seems the class still has that 'Wow' factor in spite of foiling moths and more varieties of Assymetrics than you can shake a stick at.  

Now, is it a biased view point or was there always a larger crowd at the Merlin stand than at any other?

Well done to all who contributed to the weekend.  People still aspire to being part of the Merlin experience.

Fantastic job by Rob Wilder, class.chairman and everyone else, was great to be part of the coolest class.

Funniest comment was someone explaining the one-string system "It's easy, you just grab these two strings here"

Coolest thing at the show was Storm Cloud, especially the little Ghostbusters ghost and Scotty's varnish job

Friendliest award goes to the Cherub boys "Yeah mate, no worries, I'll take you out for a spin in mine"

Any more high points?

Just a line to thank everyone who supported the class on the stand over the weekend, I also happen to think we were one of the busiest stands.

Particular thanks to:
Rob (and Alex) for all the work getting the stand together and running it on the days
Trisha Lawton for the loan of the Plasma screen
Glenn & Jim, & Richrd Whitworth for the loan of the boats (Storm Cloud looked stunning)
Matt Biggs for the team shirts.

GGGGGGG

ps if you were the kind soul who reported witnessing vehicle registration P677 RSX hitting my car in the car park and driving off, please would you make contact again.

Many thanks
GGG

was there on Saturday and the stand looked awesome!!!!! boats looked great too and it was nice to see so many people flocked around them at anytime of the day. You guys did a great job!!! also got to meet Rob, Chris, Ellie and a few others, you guys brought a lot of enthusiasium to the MR stand and I think that it stood out, Great job again!!! I did pick up a few tips and a few rigging ideas too. Glad to be apart of this AWESOME class!(paid my fees so now its official!)

Yes it was a good show and big well done to Rob Wilder and his team. 

P.S  GGG ~ you weren't luffed up by a RS in the car park? Sounds a bit like Chi...

Any pictures of Storm Cloud - anything special about it?!  Are they going to hamble?

or any pictures of any of the merlins on show or the stand?

Yes, I took one looking aft from the bow and another looking forward from the stern. If you (or anyone else) would like me to send them to you please e-mail me. They'll be around 130 kb each.

yes please!

Lets get them on the site. Who owns this beauty anyway?

The Beaver Patrol...  Keep your women locked away!

Wow!  I was really impressed when I came to your stand.  The wooden boat looked awsome. Does the ghost on the side of the boat have anythng to do with the "anti - Phantom" PY movement which is doing the rounds at the moment?  Like it!

I would like add to Grahams comments and thank all those who helped out on the stand over the weekend, Alex J for his hard work beforehand and helping me set up on friday, Glen and Richard for letting us show off their boats which both seemed to attract a lot of attention. Also thanks to Duncan and the Williamson clan for their help with the packing up at the end of the show.. Lets hope it has created some converts. I have a good list of contacts we made at the show and will send these out to the relevant area reps to follow up on.. Certainly had a good buzz about the stand all weekend..

Couple of pictures of Storm Cloud here. Thanks to Robert Harris, Brian Corking, Nigel Wrigley who all sent pics in.

Oddly enough, no-one sent me any close-up pics of the PLASTIC boat...!

Mags, perhaps this personal story will explain it. 

I was class chairman in 1980 and to keep the ball rolling I bought the second Rowsell/Omega plastic boat no. 3216 'Prospect'. When I sold her 8 or 9 months later Spud Rowsell was very annoyed with me and asked me why. If I'd been honest with him I'd have said it was because I hadn't fallen in love with her like I did with most of my previous wooden boats.

Had this chat with Judith before - I didn't believe that a plastic boat can have a soul...but she assures me that a Merlin can, becuase its still unique, hand-crafted not mass-produced.

I hate to disagree with Robert Harris, but good design is good design and many local classes as well as international and national - large and small- have been saved by "Tupperware Versions" Tree wood is good of course and you can screw things into it and it's warm on a cold morning but to stick solely to tree is to make the sport even more a rich mans thing. Witness for instance the X Class in the solent only 20' long or so costs a lot more than a competative tupperware Dragon to buy and maintain.Pat Blakes father was perhaps ahead of his time but we should all be grateful for his apostalising GRP boats! It's saved the sport!