I found this: http://www.ybw.com/sp/features/merlin/gearguide.html

Think its from 2000. Does anybody know the whereabouts of a more up to date ie. 2005, version?
Always nice to know what the 'others' are using!

If you go to the link below, you can find information on the designs that were sailed at the Banbury Silver Tiller in March 2005 but not what bits of carbon or sails are on them.

Here goes for the top few at Salcombe, please correct me if anyone knows any better!

1. Mike Calvert Driver/Jenkins Let it Ride (mod) wood. Alverbanks on Chipstow
2. David Winder Winder Canterbury Tales (mod4) FRP P+B/Chipstow
3. Patrick Blake Smart Make it So wood/foam/glass composite Batts on Chipstow
4. Glen Truswell Driver Let it Ride wood No1's on Chipstow
5. John Bell Winder CT (mod4) FRP Batts on Chipstow
6. Dan Alsop Driver Let it Ride wood, No1's on Chipstow.

I think I'm right on the spars, but we'll see when the corrections come in.

Message seems to be kit matters less than skill and practice but the Let it Ride in wood is rare and desirable, very much on the pace even at 8 years old, and the Easy Roller has sunk without a trace (Phil King where are you now?)

Time on  the water my son, time on the water.Just get a boat, learn to sail, learn how to change gear and dream of what your hero's are using. One day when you can afford and you think it matters enough, go and buy the best gear and you may just get a look in. Good luck son, just for the time stop dreaming and think about reality, time on the water!!

Got the wood Let it Ride, just need the Chipstow and some good sails (got S/S mast Proctor Boom and Speed sails at mo) so still got an excuss at the moment!! Do need time on the water and more spent in amongst the quick boys to learn a thing or two.

Vin Tage - if you find a little curiousity as to the latest equipment to be found in our fascinating class too much for you, then I'm sure your patronising 'wit' will be just as much appreciated amongst one of the many one design dinghy classes!!!

Andrew, a couple of changes - 

3. Patrick Blake Smart Make it So (II) wood/foam/glass composite/ Carbon Batts on Chipstow
4. Glen Truswell Driver Let it Ride (mod) wood No1's on Chipstow

Only Minor but it seems the Let it Ride has had many different alterations in its Short life to the extent there is only a couple the same! Glens Storm Cloud has a Hollow Run, not sure what Mike has had done to his and to be perfectly honest i don't know how mine is different but i do know it is the only one not built by Kevin.

I do wonder just how different they all are Jeremy, and just how much it matters.  Apparently Mike had the stem dropped quite a bit on Business as Usual taking it back to Unfinished Business and then some more as well as pulling it in a little bit finer.  There are reckoned to be several different iterations of earlier designs as well, especially NSM2, which had several tweaks at the hands of Laurie Smart and Jon Turner (his being the very successful Seventh Heaven shape).  All very fascinating.  At least I felt I had enough wind last weekend to get the Heaven Sent design moving quickly!

Vin Tage is right, time on the water is important. I know my Cant(Mod)/Chipstow/P+B is fast, at least fast enough we can't blame the boat. We keep passing people, unfortunately they are the same people, if you understand, time and time again. But with only 4 (or is it 5) seasons in Merlins and a 17 year (lady?)old helm with 2 years in MRs, we are veritable beginners by most of the front of the fleet standards. But it is my only hobby and a welcome relief from work.

I agree with Vin, time on the water is fundamental. But this time needs to be what is now called 'quality time'.
I used to be coached by the legendary Jim Saltenstall and his favourite expression was 'improve your own PERSONAL PERFORMANCE'.
Concentrate on sail trim, balance (constantly moving small amounts to keep the boat flat) and, if you are helming, steering (use small rudder movements early to put the boat precisely where you want it to be).
It sound easy but if you can do these things better than the others you will be fast!

However we all like a nice bit of kit to play with

Yep, tweaking the boat performance is for fun, tweaking the crew performance is for winning...