After a bit of help please from the historians of the class.

I am extremely fortunate to have been offered an old 1973 built Merlin. The boat was designed by a J Alverston to a 'Banana Split' design.

Now having sailed Merlins on and off for nearly 16 years I have never come across the 'Banana Split' deign. Any clues out there as to the design, width of boat, sea or river etc...? Help would be appreciated.

Thanks in advance

Richard

Well, here's a banana boat (see link). Perhaps the banana split is a catamaran?

Hee,hee!!! Very funny Mags.

Not a lot of help this, but there isn't anything else forthcoming.  A Mr Aveston was a keen DIY designer from Ranelagh who built or had built 3 (I think) boats to his own designs.  All of them seem to have had success entirely pass them by.  Maybe someone else has some better idea of what they looked like etc.  John Stokes very likely knows.

richard-do you have a sail number?

Thanks Andrew.

Cinders - 2766. Strange really. The measurement cert states the boat is a Hornblower 206 but the year book sais Banana Split as is the boats name. Guess the RYA cant be wrong. Hornblower 206 it is!!

2766 first appears in the 1974 Year Book without a name. She was recorded as a Keith Callaghan designed Hotspur 206 and she was an O.B.
The owner was D M C Sharpe of 2 Sandringham Rd, Parkstone, Poole, Dorset and Poole Y C.
The 1975 YB shows her name as 'Banana Split' and confirms the design as a Hotspur 206. 
Bob Hoare built at least one boat to this design - 2754 'Rising Sun' and 2653 'Wicked Lady' was another which was built by Bruce Mager.
If you would like more research done on 2766 in the later YB records, please let me know.

Tony,

Thanks for the information. Infact the boat has remained in Poole all those years. Sadly the owner, Mr Sharpe, passed away last year and his daughter has very kindly offered me the boat which I have graciously accepted....I am just trying to work out logistics for collection from Poole as the boat has no trailer or trolley so need to source the loan of a combi to collect. Any helpers down south?

Thanks


Richard

I raced against this boat, and John did design and build 2 other merlins.

He built them well so this should be O K.

Hi Tony, Just a reminder I used to own Rising Sun 2754 and it is a misprint in the MR annuals, it actually was a maximum beam Hornblower, not a Hotspur, yes it was built by Bob Hoare and was originally called Jig-a-Jig one of the reasons I changed its name when I brought it to Draycote, Where I used to race you but seldom came close when you had Myth Isle.

Rob I own another of Tony's ex boats this one being 3190 Finlandia a NSM 1 do you have any tales to tell or recolections of that boat at Draycote?

Have got spare combie but "Let punns" start? what size is your ball as have old sized one at mo and soon to convert to LARGER??? Cheers AALLLLEEEEZZZ???? Guy wood 07946 070335!!

Hi Martin 3190, I'm afraid I had left Draycote by the time Tony had got his NSM, so I dont have any 'Tales' to give you

Hi Martin, I started sailing at Draycote when about 15 years old and remember the three regular Merlins there - Finlandia, Smithereen and Trum'peter very well.  In fact the memory of those gleaming Rowsell boats from back then, and how they sailed, stuck with me and 25 years later I finally got round to buying a wooden Merlin to sail with my 15 year old son.  Sad eh?  I hope the boat's still in good shape.

I'm pretty sure that one of the other Poole Hotspurs is left, lying to rot, at Lee on the Solent. Looking very sad for itself

D