Hi Guys, just a quick question. how many Merlins are in Scotland roughly, we now have 3 at Kinghorn sailing club on the Firth of Forth.  It would be interesting to know how many Boats there are as it seems that the class is gaining popularity north of the border.

Think it would be good if we have enough boats to perhaps have a Scottish champs in the future aswell as a travellers.

Still new to the class as are the other sailors at Kinghorn but we are keen to enjoy these wonderfull Boats.

There are 2 at Wormit, 3 (I have 2 of them and there is a modern one), one or two at Stonehaven, a couple at Chanonry, Holy Loch has one or two, there is another guy who restored one in Aberdeenshire but has not yet sailed it in a long time.  There may be more that Hamish knows about.

There is another one at Invergordon, and rumoured to be at least 8 (eight) in Orkney, although they don't answer the phone.

Hamish Myles in Wormit is the Scottish class rep and has been working his socks off for the last two years to try and bring the fleet up a bit.  We even managed a class event last year with several boats from south of the border.  Miles away from you though - Dalgetty Bay! 

Hamish keeps in touch with all of us by regular e-mail.  Do you have access to one?

My e-mail is ([email protected]) 

Hopefully My smokers satisfaction will be almost finished by this weekend with the plan to get it wet in about 2 weeks time. I would appreciate any help on where is best to put blocks in the side deck to re-route the jib sheets in the same way the modern boats are fitted out.

Ive been scratching the head a little as i think the rig tension lever will be in the way and i dont want to cut holes in the wrong place.

shroud levers and the run of the jib sheet can be seen in this photo of 3236

the jib sheets and block/track on the floor can just be seen here too

You are spot-on in commenting that it looks as if the jib sheet can foul the shroud lever quadrant.  The solution I use (not optimum) is to try to avoid the positions on the jib track which take the sheet too close to the teeth of the quadrant.  Plus the more conventional screaming at the crew of course.

The other solution I have seen is a perspex cover over the top of the quadrant, fixed with velcro.  On the older boats, changing the rake of a hog stepped mast using shroud levers and jib halyard while sailing doesn't seem to be a practical or life-enhancing exercise. 

There is a do at Wormit on the Saturday evening if you wanted to come over.  Either way, I'll come looking for you at Kinghorn on Sunda morning.

I think we now have 3 up at Aberdeen & Stonehaven.

Weird - on my boat (3245) the shroud levers are not in any danger of fouling the sheets - I do have the 'modern' way of threading them though (down to floor first, then up through side deck).

An update on Tom's number of Merlins at Aberdeen & Stonehaven - there will be 4 as of this weekend. Toms' Gnome,  NSM 1 3170 an NSM2 (don't know the number) and my Summer Wine will maket it 4.

As well as the ones at Wormit my old NSM2 3242 is near here too and may be for sale...am currently trying to get another club member here to buy it!

Thanks for the help with the pictures and suggestions on how to get round the jib blocks problem. 

Im not sure if i can manage to wormit on saturday night or not as i DJ in the evenings at weekends but if i can manage i will pop up. 

If i dont manage feel free to pop down to Kinghorn on sunday, I will be easy to find as im 6ft6 tall so i should stand out.

Good to see so many of you out there. Would it be possible for one member of each club to collect contact information for each Merlin Owner and pass it to me. Since I have changed jobs I need to update my records and such like and would like to create a master list/file for information sharing.

In answer to the above questions about a Scottish Championships, this is something that I have been giving a great deal of thought too. As you know I put together the weekend event at Dalgety Bay a year ago (with the help of my lovley assistant Calum!)and that was a great sucess. From that Easter Weekend event in 2006 Merlins have been poping up all over Scotland and we have the makings of a sizeable fleet. 3 at Chanonry, 4 at Aberdeen and Stonehaven, 2 at Forfar, 2 at Wormit, 3 at Kinghorn Loch, 1 at Crammond and 2 at Holy Loch - thats 17 Merlin Rockets spread across Scotland that I know about and I do know that there are several other boats that are out there waiting to be found. RYA Scotland does recognise the Merlin Rocket Class as an active racing class and last year sent us an invite to the Champion of Champion event (its like the Endevour trophy but run as class champions in there own boat racing on handicap for Champ of Champions title).
Going forward with the Merlin Rocket Class over the next couple of years i see an enlarged Scottish Circut with a formal Merlin Rocket Scottish Championship event with Silver tiller Status as the right way to go. I plan to rotate the venuse around clubs where Merlins are sailed, but would ask that you participate in the open series as much as you can. we all need to pull together to grow the Class in Scotland and put these fantastic boats back on the pinical of Scottish sailing.

17 Fantasic, all we have to do now is have them all in the same place at the same time. Hamish and I have set up Wormit (this weekend coming) Channonry 4&5th Aug and Holy Loch 8&9th Sept as travellers for 2007 so stick the dates in your to do list. Numbers looking good for Wormit if all who have commited (or should be) turn up including Dave and Diane from middle England ish. Other English boats sounding positive about coming up to both other events. Hamish and I took our  boats to the inland champs last year and had a great time. We plan to go back down this year. Hope to see you at Wormit.

its great wot you guys are doing in scotland, first saw a merlin at the holy loch where we are going to come up for well my owner is anyway

loved them then and more now even i f did go like a brick at whitstable

totally support the champs idea and the silver tiller status

would be great to see some of you at Pwllheli champs this year

Good luck people,  excellent to see strength in the Merlins in Scotland.
steve

Mags, the difference between our boats is not the sheets, which are led exactly as you describe, but the position of the shroud quadrant and lever.  In the photo you posted, the lever is mounted on the reinforced bulkhead which is part of the low tank.

On my boat and the two other Smoker's I have seen the quadrant is mounted parallel to the hull and directly under the point at which the shroud passes through the deck.  The run of the sheet from the floor to the fairlead in the deck is therefore very close to the quadrant and can tangle in it if there is any slack at the wrong moment.

Hope that makes sense.

Ramsay, Is Kinghorn easily accessible from Edinburgh? If so, do you have an evening series ?

I am working on a project in Edinburgh which is keeping me off the water at the moment at my home club of Tamesis. Would be great to have the chance to sail up there....

Cheers, John

Hope that this helps!!

Bill - I get what you mean now! What fool put them there in the first place? Definately need some sort of anti-tangle cover!

Iain Lee bought my Proctor IX (No 1728) and is now at Kinghorn - his email address is [email protected] and I am sure he would be up for a sail/lesson in the Merlin as he is learning the ropes.  He also lives in Edinburgh so chance of a lift share too.

Kinghorn is faily easy to get to from Edinburgh, Come over the Road Bridge then take the 2nd Slip Road once you are over. 
Turn Right at the Bottom of the slip road the head for Burntisland, Aberdour. 

Drive Straight Through Aberdour and then into Burntisland and follow the signposts for Kinghorn. 
One into Kighorn on the main street is a pub called the ship tavern, Turn down onto the very steep hill next to the pub and follow it down to the bottom under the railway bridge and you will reach the prom. 

You will see the Tank top where the boats are kept and the sailing club is along to the right.

The Club runs a Wednesday night race serious but as yet this season hasnt happened, due to lack of no.s 
With any luck if a few more people start to turn up then we can get it going properly, as we all know once a few people start doing it the rest usually follow.
The plan was also to have racing on alternate weeks on Sundays during the summer as some members like to cruise so we try to acommodate everyone's tastes. Still trying to get that sorted out as we have been running safety boat courses and RYA level 1 and 2 beginners courses. With any luck will get it underway in a couple of weeks after the courses are finished.

Kinghorn does sail 52 weeks of the year as we do have a well attended winter race series on sundays, a few of the laser traveller guys come and join us and we have some good racing Held on Kinghorn Loch.

Anyone wanting to come and race during the summer or winter are more than welcome to attend.

Kinghorn is only 45 mins south of Wormit. Not impossible to organise a run down for 2 boats from Wormit (hamish and I) or a trip up for the Kinghorn boats on one of Wormits training days, or any other event. Lets have more inter club mixing

I am right up for that. Have Merlin will travel! Would probably sail it round to Kinghorn if required!
Even if you cant make it to WBC this weekend with the boat - turn up, have a look about, say hello and put names to faces.

Ramsay - it might be worth considering the option that Laurie Smart builds into his boats.  Instead of feeding the jib sheet up through the deck and horizontally through the cleat on the top of the deck, Laurie builds in a vertical knee under the side deck at about the place where you would cut through the side deck, and on the aft face of this mounts a cheek block with the cleat just inboard of it.

It terms of using the layout it has all the benefits of the 'modern' layout, the only difference is that to uncleat you move the sheet aft instead of upwards.

Added benefits include:
- further support for the deck and the inwhale at a loaded spot
- when two sail reaching, and you have moved your weight aft, your crewdoesn't have to manouevre the sheet around the cleat - it just comes straight to hand
- you don't have to cut a hole in the deck and weaken the structure
- you can position the knee to miss all other obstructions

Just a thought,

Good luck

GGGGGGGGGG

Hi everyone, ive set up a yahoo group for the Merlin Rocket sailors in Scotland. 
Feel free to join, should be a good way to get everyone in the one place that is north of the border. If anyone has pictures of their boats you can post them on the group, be nice to see what everyone is sailing.

my id is grousebeater2

the link is 

http://uk.groups.yahoo.com/group/merlinrocketscotland/

Easy link

The Tay Bridge Disaster (with apologies to William McGonagall)  
(Not that this will be happening with the forecast!!)

Beautiful Railway Bridge of the Silv'ry Tay!
Alas! I am very sorry to say
That the Merlin sailors are coming on Sunday 
On the middle Saturday of 2007,
Which will be remember'd from Perth to Leven .
'Twas about three o'clock all right,
And the wind it blew with all its might,
And the rain came pouring down,
And the dark clouds seem'd to frown,
And the Demon of the air seem'd to say-
"I'll blow down the Merlins of Tay."
When the trailers left Edinburgh
The crews' hearts were light and felt no sorrow,
But Boreas blew a terrific gale,
Which made their hearts for to quail,
And many of the passengers with fear did say-
"I hope buoyancy bags will keep us safe across the Bridge of Tay.
"But when the trailers came near to Wormit Bay,
Boreas he did loud and angry bray,
And shook the Merlins near the Bridge of Tay
On the last Sabbath day of 2007
Which will be remember'd from Perth to Leven
So the trailers sped on with all their might,
And Bonnie Dundee soon hove in sight,
And the passengers' hearts felt light,
Thinking they would enjoy themselves on the beer
With their friends at Wormit they lov'd most dear,
And wish them all a happy Travellear.
So the Merlins mov'd slowly towards the Bridge of Tay,
Until they were about midway,
Then the centreboards with a crash gave way,
And o'er went the dinghies and crews into the Tay!
The Storm Fiend did loudly bray,
Because carbon masts had been taken away,
On the last Sabbath day of 2007,
Which will be remember'd from Perth to Leven.
As soon as the catastrophe came to be known
The alarm from Tamesis to Hayling was blown,
And the cry rang out all o'er the towns,
Good Heavens! the Merlins are blown down,
And a Laser sailor from Edinburgh,
Which fill'd all the peoples hearts with sorrow,
And made them for to turn pale,
Because none of the Merlins were sav'd to tell the tale
How the disaster happen'd on the last Sabbath day of 2007
Which will be remember'd from Perth to Leven.
It must have been an awful sight,
To witness in the dusky moonlight,
While the Storm Fiend did laugh, and angry did bray,
Along the Railway Bridge of the Silv'ry Tay,
Oh! ill-fated Merlins of the Silv'ry Tay,
I must now conclude my lay
By telling the world fearlessly without the least dismay,
That your Merlins would not have given way,
At least many sensible men do say,
Had they been supported on each side with shrouds,
At least many sensible men avowed,
For the stronger we our dinghies do build,
The less chance we have of being thrilled.

On ebay there is a mast for a firefly dinghy, think it was Bill who had emailed looking for one.

Will try and pop up on saturday if i can manage, have a social evening at Kinghorn this saturday night depending on the weather. My boat wont be ready for another week or so, bits of varnishing still to do and fit a new slot gasket. 

Does anyone have a lifting rudder at bargain basement prices they might be willing to part with?

I have the original fixed blade for my boat. 

I dont fancy using it at Kinghorn as its a very deep blade and we sometimes get an easterly swell when trying to launch and recover the boats and i dont want to smack it off the bottom.

NSM2 on ebay 


http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Merlin-Rocket-Sailing-Dinghy_W0QQitemZ260128050388QQihZ016QQcategoryZ98955QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

Also on here:

http://www.boatsandoutboards.co.uk/view/F149457/

Hi Guys, is it possible to get the results from this weekends traveller at wormit? If anyone would like to do a report and post it on the group that would be really good. Was nice to meet they guys at wormit on saturday night, was made to feel very welcome so thanks guys.

There's another:
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=110139494414&ssPageName=STRK:MEWA:IT&ih=001

That's the fleet up by one then guys - 3324 'Gates of Paradise' landed safely at ASYC last night after the long trip from Poole!

Just have to see if I can remember how to put her back together again tonight..................!!

Seems to be an awful lot of merlins for sale just now, but its more to come north i say. another bargain on ebay, looks like a smokers satisfaction. Remember and join the Scottish Yahoo group.

Good to see a few people signed up to the yahoo group, lets get a few more on. im sure we can let the southerners join in too, ive placed a message on the group about another possible event for the merlins to get together at, nice and easy for the boats down south to get too if the wish to attend.

Merlin Rocket 3242 is now at Newburgh Sailing Club... well technically it's in my garage for a few cosmetic repairs, but I plan to be sailing on the 7th July!

We seem to have Hamishes everywhere !!  Thank goodness they all have different numbers.

Yes, but three thousand two hundred and forty two of them ?

comon guys get some scotty entries into the nationals, its a large stone throw from the home of great footballers and thick jerseys

I know you Megan, just wanting to chat up a West Highland terrier!!

The joys of Newburgh having to wait till july to get the tide in, hehe. 2905 is getting there slowly, and will hopefully be wet in a week or so at Kinghorn. It has taken longer than expected due to unforseen repairs although they have been very minor still time consuming.
Good to see another boat north of the border, just need to get a few more onto the yahoo group.

Is anyone interested in taking a few boats to Port Edgar sailing club's dinghy regatta?

Let me assure you Garry this Westie at any rate is only interested in fellow Scots.

Well finally at Kinghorn 2 of the merlins finnaly got their bums wet and it was great to see them out, i was unfortunatly safety boat driver so hopefully in the next few weeks all 3 boats will hit the water. All we need now is someone to helop us learn how to sail them.

Well tonight 1st august, 2905 hit the water again after what has been at least over 2 years on dry land. 

Never sailed a merlin before and it was a joy to sail so im very pleased with her. 

Just have to look forward to making it go now so any tuning help would be much appreciated.
Will hopefully have it up at the mugdrum island race so Callum and Hamish be kind and please dont thrash me to hard lol.

Have a good weekend boys and girls!

looks good for Scotland!

Watson, a member of the Buchanan clan

see you at the Holy Loch and have a great weekend

woof woof