I'm a Merlin novice, getting back into real, water based life after several years lay-off, crewing a Smokers based in the Moray Firth, Inverness area, - mostly open water, moderate-ish(on good days!!) sea/winds, plus some other locations on Scottish 'circuit'  However,(it had to happen)I'm thinking of setting up in opposition, so which design/construction for the conditions and probably lightish weight(est.20-24st all up)? I'm only about 5'4'' too - is this an issue?  So, advice appreciated.  Viewing is going to be tricky, given the distance but budget around 1500 which should probably include the straight jacket....

Try this...

Given the £1500 budget the vast majority of s/h boats available will be wood and, given the open water criteria, an NSM4 or Gnome would likely be the best designs - see the design guide.  Condition and equipment are probably more important at this level, but builders like Turner and Rowsell are generally preferred.  Ask the owners to send you some good digital photos - could save a wasted trip if a boat obviously needs a lot of attention.  Most of the Merlin sailmakers could probably turn their hand to straight jackets, but I have no experience of that.......

As you are fairly light how about the one below; £1500 can cover quite a spread, Try the Gnome as below;Summer Wine ;NSM4

As long as boat sound they are still terrific club boats and can still go well.

Take advantage of help from other Merlin folk on this forum if there's a boat you are interested in that's far away, as it may be known or be near for someone who could give you an opinion on condition etc.

I keep hearing about boats suitable for lightweights, but what about for heavyweights (27stone)??

Thanks for the comments - I hadn't expected a response so quickly.  If anyone has any knowledge of the Gnome, NSM4/2's currently on the list, I'd appreciate hearing from them.

Great to see this is also the place to come for wardrobe advice -  I could use it!

3398 "Out of the Blue" (Gnome) was my first Merlin and proved an excellent introduction to the class.  I had her refurbished by Tim Coombe and also upgraded quite a lot of the equipment, so she was in excellent condition when I sold her about 5/6 years ago.  The subsequent owners have not sailed her much and kept her garaged over Winter, so when I saw her last year she still seemed in very good condition.  She proved very successful racing against the various NSM variants sailed at Starcross at the time and was always an easy boat to handle in a blow.  Well worth a look, but a long way from Scotland.

The Gnome in the forsale section has been for sale for a long long time i suspect they may now be ken to sell her and from the description she sounds a lovely thing