I am contemplating buying 1872 which is a Wyche & Coppock MK IXb built in 1966. I will be racing on the Thames and in Vintage events. Does anyone have have any information about this boat and it's racing record? |
Go on do it........you know you want to! |
Robert, would suggest if your good self and your brother don't know the boat there is probably no history to it. You can make any boat with a good builder and a good design go quick anyway can't you? a IXb is cirtainly the right design for tammy anyway! Good luck. |
Robert, |
That's kind of you Jeremy but I've not raced a Merlin Rocket or anything else since the last race at Salcombe in 1984. A couple of months later I discovered gliding and eventually sold my last boat 'Second Chance' no. 3176 to Martin Evans. Last week I sold my last glider. |
Remember you are looking for 6180 (max luff)between the bands and between 630 and 730 to sheerine from bottom band,min and max for boom ht, to establish if it rig is max'ed out. |
If it has the original sails, they'll be a Mountifield main and spinnaker and a Jeckell jib. I think the Mountifield was a copy of the Jonkind mains used by David Child and Pat Blake at the time. Amazing what useless information one retains! |
I am sure that the AG will have a comprehensive view about the boat (and will know how many coats of varnish it had in any given year!!) |
and that jerry bloke 35555555 what-ever! probably has a trolly for it (yawn) |
Is yawning bawed right Jeremy? |
Now now..... |
Fraid not! |
its probably got one of those too ! |
Who is Jeremy, snooooooooooooooooooooooozer! |
I seem to recall this yot simply because I THINK that my first (Of many.)wife crewed for Tony Rix at Hamble in I think 1966 and they got placed! Wyche & Coppock built very sturdy boats some better (Cotopaxi eg.) than others, Dick Whyche served with my Pa in WW2, there is still an wee remenant of Whych & Coppock at Dell Quay where they do up traditional boats. I seem to recall several W&C boats having problems with springing centerboard cases at the stern end of the case due to the habit all the builders had of using steel not brass, bronze or stainless screws.I remember the fuss over the Jongkind Sails!(They weren't that good!) Funny there was never the fuss over the Elvestrom Sails David Miles and a few others had before that. |
Nice if you could find 490 (Dizzy)and bring her back into the family! I last saw her at Hampton about 1961 when I repaired broken ribs for the then owner. |
I saw 'Mata Hari' at the weekend, her decks are in poor condition and I didn't make an offer. However the hull looks ok and she might be ideal for a winter project. E-mail me if you'd like further information. -mail me |
I'd be interested to know what our experieced members think about the advantages/disadvantages of Chipendale vs Wyche&Coppock bulit boats. I believe that W&C used 8mm ply sometimes when 6mm wasn't available - is that right? |
Thanks Mike. 'Dizzy' was a fabulous boat, supposedly based on the Jack Holt 'banana boat' no. 218 'Charm' she was a bit wider than earlier boats so she was good in strong winds as well as a superb ghoster. We never took her to a Championship but we did well at places like Burnham-on-Crouch. In 1955 (I think) I nearly beat Stewart Morris, doyen of the Int. 14s, in an open 14 ft meeting at Henley. However she's a ribbed boat and I don't have the skills or patience to cope with that. |
Here you go. http://www.merlinrocket.co.uk/gallery/view_photo.asp?folder=gallery/vintage&file=dizzy_490_in_1956.jpg |