MERLIN ROCKET FORUM

Topic : What happened at Weymouth?

Who won, what was the weather like, did the new Let It Ride turn up?


Posted: 18/06/2007 14:58:18
By: Backscratcher
Results are on the Weymouth S C Web site Pat Blake won.


Posted: 18/06/2007 15:08:51
By: ?
what sails is the Let it Ride using?


Posted: 18/06/2007 15:11:31
By: ?
currently...P&B's


Posted: 18/06/2007 15:22:34
By: !
Results are here http://www.weysailclub.org.uk/content/view/40/2/


Posted: 18/06/2007 15:28:47
By: Weymouth SC
Thank you


Posted: 18/06/2007 16:00:38
By: Backscratcher
The new boat is called 'Ticket to Ride'.
Maroon and white with white decks and internals.
Looks very smart - much like Linton's other boats.
But a new shape I am told. First time out - too early to judge speed.
You can tell it was a tricky day by the results - but Jilly and I well chuffed


Posted: 18/06/2007 17:19:41
By: Pat Blake
Should have used Dynamic Sails me thinks!!


Posted: 18/06/2007 18:10:10
By: :)
not another plug for dynamic sails may as well change the name of this web site !!!


Posted: 18/06/2007 19:28:10
By: Brassed off
Well done team Blake!!


Posted: 18/06/2007 20:12:40
By: Jeremy3550
Competition between sailmakers and boat builders will always be welcome in the development class of Merlins.  DS will have to prove themselves in the hands of many teams.  

There is no deliberate favouritism but we permit advertising and sponsorship to promote.

Simply put, the winning boat had DS sails. Its news.

steve


Posted: 18/06/2007 23:14:21
By: CHAIRS
I'm not sure who :) is... but apologies to anyone who is 'brassed off' as Chairs said - competition is healthy for the class and as its our first year for DS sails in the fleet, we're mad happy to be mixing it up!!

Again - well done Pat and Jilly - it was technical stuff on sunday!


Posted: 19/06/2007 08:16:34
By: Rachel
Perhaps the most interesting development of the weekend has gone unreported, so far.
On Saturday some of us joined in Weymouth SC's club race - and a very good race it was. Full size course, a bit closer to the town than Sunday's but lots more wind (about 15knts)
Glen and Davo were sporting a new set of Hyde Sails. They were very different, radial cut with very 'fat head', transparent panel near the boom and camber lines. Quite racy to look at.
Anyway, they won quite easily from Mike and Jane Calvert, us and Will and Vicky.
Not quite sure why they didn't use them on Sunday - Glen said he wasn't quite happy with them yet!
Perhaps they didn't have the poke for lighter weather or maybe they wern't measured? Anyway the development continues.

By the way - just for the record - Jilly and I were using DS main and jib and P&B spin. We were pleased we had speed to stay in front, but our win in the last race was due to comming from the left side of the beat as the wind was gradually backing (as the forcasts predicted) but not overstanding the windward mark! Sounds easy but it just worked for us this time.

If you look at the results you will see that in the first race we couldn't get into the top 10 because we got stuck in the pack - where everyone now is very good and very fast. Of course we had exactly the same kit all day!


Posted: 19/06/2007 09:51:20
By: Pat Blake
What I think this thread has highlighted is that the Merlin Class is still a development class - 

The new Let it Ride II.
New sail designs and sailmakers.
Carbon masts still being developed.

All should be applauded, as well as the class members for taking chances and experimenting with new ideas, and this is what, in my view, the Merlin Class is about.

cheers

Rich


Posted: 19/06/2007 10:09:48
By: Rich3681
Think merlins will ever go for a proper 'fat head' main like the 14's or the similar(ish) aussie ns14's? looking faaaaar into the future I stress!

http://pics.ns14.org/

Posted: 19/06/2007 10:16:22
By: Just interested
What's all this NEW fat head sails at Weymouth, I have been sailing with fat head main and jib since before salcombe last year??
The new development I'm trying this year is going very well, A few changes and additions since first seen at Banbury, and the performace (for my weight) is much improved. See you all at Salcombe if you want to take a look.
DaveF
I think i will start a new topic for this.


Posted: 19/06/2007 13:28:15
By: DaveF
By the way, I can see who it is that has posted repeatedly about Dynamic Sails...and it isnt Rachel or Dave. Please stop being so silly. 

Incidentally, if ANY regular in the fleet wishes to mention their brand on the forum, YOU ARE WELCOME TO! Obviously, dull comments will soon drop down in the list, so you're better off getting happy customers to write about their experiences.


Posted: 19/06/2007 14:53:44
By: Mags
Where is my new spinny dave? Need it in two weeks!!!


Posted: 19/06/2007 21:36:42
By: Jeremy3550
Interesting what Pat says about Glen and Davo's new Hyde sails.  Rick Perkins has a new set of Hydes on his National 12 at Whitstable and they look very good too. Hydes are obviously back into dinghies.  Hope they are a bit cheaper than they were when I bought my last suit in 1998!


Posted: 19/06/2007 22:59:58
By: JC
Rick Perkins Sails Looked Good! Are you sure! Flat and not fast. You will notice that P&B sails won that event!


Posted: 21/06/2007 16:03:53
By: Tom Stewart
Don't be so sensitive Tom. I only said they looked good - there are no other 12's at Whit!.  You know whose sails I use


Posted: 21/06/2007 19:07:49
By: JC
Don't be so sensitive Tom. I only said they looked good - there are no other 12's at Whit!.  You know whose sails I use


Posted: 21/06/2007 19:08:09
By: JC
Yes Tom,
You make your point very well! Your sails are winning the most in our class too.
And if you are feeling a little low - wait till you see the front cover of the new magazine!
Out tomorrow - or the next day.


Posted: 21/06/2007 22:08:12
By: Magazine Editor
Well said Pat.

Here is a little story.

Once upon a time there was a boatbuilder called Winder Boats who built excellent National 12s. They were so nice the Merlin Rocket Class thought they would have a bit of the action - they also built nice Fireballs too.

So time went on and maybe not enough National 12s got built compared to Merlins and Fireballs and maybe the Class did not support them as well as they could have done.

So the unloved boatbuilder lost a little interest.

And the moral... Support ALL the people who support YOUR Class. Without their active involvement it would not be the Class that it is today. That is not to say don't look to go to someone new, but maybe think before you type. The fantastic competition between the sailmakers is practically the only factor in a Class dominated by a design (& variants) a Builder, and a Mast maker.

How about a Constructors championship like F1?


Posted: 21/06/2007 22:32:54
By: A little story
Or perhaps the builder learnt that trying to sell the Mk1 product for 10 years did not work, and was careful not to repeat that error with other classes?  Or perhaps he decided to go direct as selling through a retail channel (as with the 12) did not suit him.


Posted: 22/06/2007 09:05:42
By: Different point of view
i can testify they are well made boats, sorry marty about your beama bonnet not a scratch on the merlin

although it did wake me up


Posted: 22/06/2007 11:12:32
By: megan
Re Toms comments on Rick Perkins N12 sails, didn't a set of P&B's fail measurement at that 12 event for being too big???? Good boat speed enhancement that! But this is a Merlin forum not a N12 forum and we don't need to start mud slinging here!!! I agree competition is healthy for the class, be it sail makers or builders, it can only serve to provide better equipment for the people sailing and maintain sensible (ish) prices....


Posted: 25/06/2007 10:43:40
By: Interested Party

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