And I'm very excited about it!

I'm picking up no. 1189 'Pooh' on Saturday!! She's going to be 'pootled around in' from Emsworth and maybe partake in a few vintage races here and there!!

Anyone know anything about Design XII???

My first Merlin was a Chippendale built Proctor Mark XII called Jollity, number 1124. Not so powerful as a Mark IX but good in light weather (Brian Ellis won the 1964 Poole Championships in a XII)and tacks quite quickly. Interesting in breezy weather- we used to keep the plate fully down on a heavy weather run but didn't fall in that much so it must have worked!

She looks a cracker - well done and welcome to the fleet !

Congratulations. You really have absolutely no excuse for not coming to the CVRDA regatta at Frensham Pond over the weekend of 14th/15th July. Full details are on the CVRDA site, but I know Mervyn will tell you how good it is. Further details from me, Nick, if you need them. 01252 311982.

All the best

Nick

Everyone should have one....

With a carbon rig then Andrew? I turned up in my MK XII to a vintage open only to find half the fleet was carbon and brand new sails?! A little un fair I thought since this is meant to keep the older boats competative and it is also now beyond my price range.

Was still good fun but I would not expect to win anything.

Congratulations Rachel, She looks lovely. Enjoy.

All second hand...

If you come to a cvrda event you get handicap advantage for original boats and old sails - wooden masts and cotton rags are worth a fortune in handicap time! And yes, you lose out for carbon!
For joint events with the Vintage Merlins we're working the results out on both cvrda and vintage Merlin handicaps - thanks to Sailwave!

Hi Rachel
Hope the pick up has gone well. Our pootle round Langstone harbour at low water was fine to start with at 1100 then got progressively more exciting as the day progressed. The woooden Merlin attracted lots of admiration and didn't damage herself in spite of the Force 6+ squalls. (But we did take a tow back to avoid possible problems.)
Best Peter 2789

Rachel,
The photo looks great. I should be picking up my first Merlin next Saturday so   I am as excited as you sounded in you post to the forum.

Happy sailing

Matt B

PS Where did you get you boat insured ? What was the premium ?

Hi All,

We picked POOH up and successfully brought her back to Emsworth... now just the decision of which club to join?? Emsworth Slipper has 2 or 3 other vintage Merlins I'm told and Langstone has a couple too...

I paid �55 for her fully comp insurance and the premium is �80 with craft insure.

She is even more beautiful in the flesh and I'm really looking forward to sailing her.... will be even more splendid with a new set of sails, cover and I think yellow spinnaker with a balloon on it don't you think???

ATB

Rachel

Please note Winnie the Pooh used a blue balloon (to look like the sky of course). You could have bees on the spinny too!

somebody's still in disneyland!

Thanks for the tips Mags... I'll be sure to come to you with all future Winne the Pooh enquiries!! ;-)

Yep, I can do most storybook or TV characters, but I draw the line at Rupert the Bear or The Tweenies.

I think Tony Larder sails at Emsworth. He has a Winnie the Poo theme going big time. His first merlin was "Trespassers W" (Ghost Rider).. if you know the book and the pics you'll understand. 

Also his most recent one ~ going along to Salcombe is called "Tam Htab" (Thin Ice) .. again from the Winnie The Poo story. He's a clever chap ~ built it himself.

I see Poo is a spritely Mark XII. I sailed one with my dad for many years ~ 1034 Aquilla III. Lovely responsive boat and pretty speedy too! Great on rivers. 

Pretty scary in a force 6 on the sea mind!

And I've renamed mine as The Woozle - going round and round and round but never getting caught, except possibly by a Wizzle.

Dalby
Roger and Steph are sailing Trespassers W at Minima - its still going strong. It has had some quite remarkable modifications in the past !

Sorry I meant 'Pooh' not 'poo'. 

Oh Pooh!

I do not know who : - ) could be, but for sure he is not very good at counting. Apart from myself, Andy was the only other Vintage with carbon and as I recall the entry totalled 9.

Why is he hiding behind strange symbols.

Rachel - don't forget Frensham Pond a CVRDA event on 14th and 15th July.  Also there is the CVRDA National championships on the August Bank Holiday weekend at Clywedog in Wales - a stunning venue and very reasonably priced, very well organised and a wonderful show of older boats from all classes but Merlins are very well represented.

Don't forget CVRDA event at Norfolk Broads Yacht Club (Wroxham) either folks, the Norfolk Broads are home to some of the finest inland stretches of sailing water in the country, well worth sailing up the M11 to find us.