I have just aquired a Rocket No 1352 built by Wyche & Coppock how do I tell what is it's design is.
Richard

Current year book states design is a Proctor Mark XII - built 1962 - called Sgiath II

The 1962 year book says it was built for I D M Liddell, Ellangowan, Pilochry, Perthshire and Loch Tummel SC. He or she was a MROA member until 1970.
In the 1988 YB the boat is shown as being owned by Lancashire Schools Sailing Association.
I think they are the only 2 owners recorded in the year books.

Tony, you amaze me - how do you look this stuff up so fast?! I don't have any yearbooks older than 2002 myself - would you be able to tell me the history of MR3245 please?

3245 was probably built in 1981 for J S Nixon of 48 Whitehall Avenue, Appley Bridge, Wigan, Lancs and Bolton SC. He called her 'Twocan'.
In the 1984 YB her owner is shown as J Haslam, 34 Ashfield Rd, Anderton, Chorley, Lancs also Bolton SC and her name was changed to 'Jonathan Livingstone Seagull'.
There is a small change in the 85 YB where the owners are recorded as J K & P Haslam of the same address.
In the 1991 book the owner is P Jones, 22 Burnham Avenue, Smith Hills, Bolton, Lancs BL1 6BD at the same club.
The 1992 book shows the owner as M Palmer 28 Aragon Avenue, Thames Ditton, Surrey KT17 0PX but no club is shown.
Owner changed again in the 1994 book to P Woodman, 1 Athelstone Court, St Thomas Park, Lymington, Hants SO41 9FB and Ryl Lymington YC.
Unfortunately when the 1998 YB was compiled it was decided that owners names and addresses would not be included unless they were members of the MROA. I understand the reasons but ......... By that year 3245 was not owned by an association member.
The 2002 book is difficult to use for historical records as even the list of members by boat number was omitted in that year. 
I hope this is the info. you wanted.

Inspired!!!

Thanks Tony - I wasn't expecting the surprise of another name in my boat's past! I knew she had been JL Seagull, but I didn't know she was Twocan as well.

This is as much fun as the geneology websites! Though they have scans of the original paper records back to 1851, which is more than we can manage...

Actually at least back to 1841 census and to late 1700s for some trade directories!

Why not scan in the Yearbooks when you've got a spare minute?

OK - will do. Have scheduled it in for 2046, when I might have actually finished my list of current DIY projects.

If any past Keeper of Class Records has the original files on their PC, from when the 1941-1990 yearbooks were printed....

Jamie Campbell who lives in Gorleston, Norfolk has information about early Merlins and other classes. I think he might have owned an early Merlin. Among the treasures he showed me was an origional 1946 yearbook. I'll contact Jamie and ask if he's happy to receive enquiries from members.

I have a 1947 and 49 yearbook at present - stole it off Judith, meaning to scan in some snippets. 
How complete is your archive, Tony?

Mags
Probably on lead plates in 194? which may well have been melted down to provide correctors by now.

However, more seriously, it would be good to have a list of boat numbers, designs & year of first registration on the website with appropriate key.  This should presumably be in a members area to encourage joining.  You could probably acquire this from the Yearbox producer and dramatically slash 40 years off your lead time!

Mags.
I have a 1951 YB which was given to me by Anthony Evans and was his father's copy.
My own copies cover the 45 years from 1962 - 2006 with the exception of 1981 that I lent to someone and didn't get back. 
Somehow I have 2 copies of the 1996 golden jubilee edition.
If I can do anymore to help please let me know.

Thanks Toney but just to confuse matters further it appears that numbers on the sail are 1392 not 1352 and the number 1900 is carved on the boat. Any information would be gratefully accepted. 
Richard

If 1900 is carved on the hull she is 'Queen-B' and a Proctor 1Xb built by Wyche & Coppock in Nottingham in 1966 for Dr M H Lewis a member of Banbury SC. She went from there to K L Smith of Ragley SC in 1970 and from there to J T Cragg at Nottingham County SC in 1973.
The 1978 Yb shows her as being owned by A Graham 9 Annan Rd , Gretna, Carlisle.
I regret I can't help from there.

The owner of 3245  ,P Woodman , made no impact on the MR class but went on to win the UK Etchells Nationals in 2002 or thereabouts .

Here is a bit more on 1900 Queen-B
The 1992 YB says the owner was K Whyatt, 102 Cachem's End, Brewood, Stafford ST19 9DQ

Miles Palmer, whos name crops up above somewhere, was and still is, a member of Thames Sailing Club - Miles is an excellent Rater helmsman now and his son Ben just came 4th (I think) in the Topper Worlds

Miles Palmer, whos name crops up above somewhere, was and still is, a member of Thames Sailing Club - Miles is an excellent Rater helmsman now and his son Ben just came 4th (I think) in the Topper Worlds

Nasty stammer Gurn - are you taking anything????

I'm ttttttrrrrying ttttoooo, but I cannnn't swwwwwalllllow the tttttablet

take anything I can Scotty - well at my time of life!!

Mags

Re 3245.  For those with really long memories J S Nixon was otherwise known as Stu Nixon as he was the little bearded Ian Anderson (Jethro Tull) lookalike.  He was another of the ex Sheffield students? (as Taylor, Tinker, Griffiths and myself.  There was also a certain female but I can not say who she was as that would be giving her age away.)
He was renowned for drinking, running very dodgy old cars and was one of the first to introduce twin spinnaker poles to the merlin fleet.  Last heard of riding horses down in Cornwall.  
His merlins were about the only thing he ever took any care of

Ooh, I've just dug out my certificate and it has two builders for 3245 - Guy Winder and J Nixon. So I wonder how much of the build each did?

Hello Richard

I sailed this boat over a weekend in 1966, I was a friend of Ian's daughter

Please let me have your address and phones, and I will add you to our Vintage mailing list