Current eddition of Yachts & Yachting features a Nationals gear guide however many unknowns exist .I am particularly  interested in crew weights and mast types . Is a C Spar as used by Tom Stewart (who I think sails light) suitable  for 26 stone all up in a Winder 4 ? Dynamic are now doing a more powerfull sail cut . It would appear sail options for heavier crews are on the way what about masts ? ps currently use a CarbonSuperspar and P&B sails .What are the alternatives apart from a diet for hevier crews ?

Hi, I agree the gear guide would have more relevance if people took the time to contribute their information. Just on that note my weight was estimated at 78 kg and should in fact have been 81 kg. Pete and I were quite horrified when we saw how light Tom (68 kg) and Chris (70 kg) were, bearing in mind, once we got our act together, we rocked around with them most of the time, losing out a bit reaching but making it up beating.
We used a Superspar and will be doing so again this year as the latest spec one is stiffer in the lower half than the Chipstow which is ironic as when sailing with EPB in Moondance Assasin, all we wanted was a soft mast as did Mike Calvert and so the rest became history. However, the Superspar is heavier as will be the CST due to material, so you have a trade off. Jacko has said that if people want stiffer lower mast sections, he can add more material to make it so. Food for thought. So as the first heavyweights with possibly Willy and Chris (meant losely) at last year's Nats, I would try the new style Superspar with sleeve (cheaper option) and if feeling rich, either a modified Chipstow or CST. You may be able to stuff the sleeve up your current mast if you do not already have one inserted.
Sails, we will be using P&B, the more powerful cut to drag our sorry arses round the course.
At least you have the right hull shape. 
Hope this is of some help. 
Bye for now

Forgot to mention, if really underpowered, try lengthening the spreader length but not changing deflection.

Thanks Barnsie - is your new boat going to be a mk4 or mk5( fuller bow option ? ) ? we have a Winder on order for March 09 and are trying to work out what mod and equipment to go for . We are very pleased with our current mk4 but if theres a faster option for our crew weight we are interested !

I'm not sure I've been 70kgs for a long time...  As for masts, Tom and I definitely used a Chipstow, although I believe that Tom is now trialling a CST or a C-Tech.  Give him a bell and ask!  I'm not quite sure who compiles the info - certainly nobody asked me!

must say the gear guide was not really worth publishing. so incomplete that it looked a bit silly.

I think an RS200 gear guide would have been more informative

Barnsie - What type of tiller extension do you use - the guide doesn't mention that either.

We use the information supplied on the website (see link) which you can contribute to. Sadly this was not complete as you say, but it seemed the editorial team still wanted to run it.

Top tiller extn is the C2. Carbon and kevlar. The ONLY tiller extn actually designed as opposed to cut off a length of general purpose carbon tube!!!
1.3m if you're tall 1.2 if not...

Mags - I see what you are saying but was each person approached. I never even knew that page existed. A little effort on the side of the journo's would have made the whole thing a little more informative. I am sure everyone would gladly have passed the information over if asked. The class association would have been able to pass over contact details. Pretty sure one or two approaches would have filled in nearly all the gaps.

Journalists never let the truth get in the way, and almost without exception saling articles are increasingly poorly researched and factual errors abound. No one at Editorial Level seems to care no matter if it be National Broadsheet or Parish Magazine. The Merlin Rocket Class Magazine is an honorable exception, because the Editor cares.

Can a guide appear in the next Magazine relating to Nationals / Inlands ? new innovations could also be mentioned so people can monitor their success - Mags could then maybe get them in Y&Y again.

With regard to the guide, it should be proactive rather than passive and is actually very important if looking at buying or trying to spot trends and Chris has spotted inaccuracies in both weight and mast.
Pat or Mags can we get on the case.
Bye for now
Barnsie
PS going for a Mk6.

What are the mk6 mods ? Daves current boat spec/price list valid til Feb 09 makes no reference to any changes apart from a fuller bow option - my current boat 3658 is a Mk 4 and little if anything seems to have changed to the hull shape since she was built save for controls in the cockpit.Are the changes to  the hull shape ?

If so are they an improvement? For instance Ian Proctor's best design was the MK 9 he ran to 19 at least up tp 1973? So newer is not necessarily better.

Hull shape we have is as per last 2 Nationals winners so curious to see if this can be bettered . Any thoughts Barnsie ?

Hi Jeremy
I believe the answer is certainly yes and will be driven by rig development.
I am currently working on the specification for our new boat that will be delivered in February 2009.
We will be sailing at 153 kg body weight without sailing gear next year.
Got the name
Hull colour
Mast to decide
Sails shortening list
However, of the current shapes and having talked to Dave, if heavy and not superfit would go for the Mk4 but if superfit the Mk5 as think top end may be faster in breeze but much harder work in marginal conditions.
As I'm fit but not superfit, currently a Mk4 for 2008 will do nicely. 2009 will be different as we will have our own tailored shape.
Hope that is of help.
Bye for now
Barnsie

153kg without sailing gear!!! please wear some gear mark. it fairer on everyone else.

Thanks Barnsie . We have 165 kg without gear so will be interested in your choices . We are at a simillar stage with our choices & it would appear getting the next boat after yours .We have returned to Merlins in the last couple of years after a 15 year break & finding our feet again with a view to taking things more seriously this time as we enjoy tough competition and socials - both qualities of the Merlin scene !

Does Mr. Winder produce a new mould for each tailored or modified hull?  Or does he "Bump" them as for instance Americas Cuppers are modified, - easy to add a bit harder to take away!

I did publicise the Y&Y gear guide link after the 2007 nationals actually. Can I have a volunteer to see the guide gets filled in this August?

I did a Solo Inlands once where each entry had to complete the gear guide datasheet when they signed on - perhaps we could adopt a similar system - no tally until your data is collected ..... or complete the form whilst having your boat scrutineered .....

I would suggest the tally way and that would force the lazy ones to declare.
Also this would give the class very good database data to watch for trends and so use it to market the class or possibly address issues.
I would also suggest weighing all at registration as is now common in the olympic and some other classes. The benefit of this may be to remove the mythe of flyweights and heavyweights. Many people play down their weight and so this would also enable the rest of the fleet to see what weight designs really carry.
To make this work, having run several Worlds and Nationals over the years, would advise it be a new job for one or 2 people so that there is definite responsibility. No I am not volunteering as I am heavily involved in the B14s and their Championship organisation. Merlins are my holiday time.
Great opportunity and would be very beneficial to the class.

Not sure I want to share carefully gathered tuning and gear & modification tips to help people beat me after all its not a One Design - or is  it?

Werenot saying that we need to know your inside leg measurement, you give the sailmaker away as soon as you rig up, as is the mast manufacturer, the hull is also obvious (do we really need to know about a Winder Mk1 ot Mk6, and what is the real difference anyway?), so the only mildly sensitive data is the weight (Barnsie is right to suggest not relying on "owning up"). What have you got to hide?

I've just read in Y&Y that the Yngling girls have to weigh-in wearing swimsuits. Can we please avoid this Olympic convention in our fleet?!

Much as there may be some; especially the girls who would look good there are some of us where public decency would be offended if it was done in swim suits it would be more realistic if it were in sailing gear which had to be in the boat even if not worn. Some of us remember those weight jackets lots of layers of twelling that soaked up water and thus gained weight in heavy weather felt like a young man when you took them off!
I have just been whiling away an hour watching Stephen Hawking and his "STRING THEORY" which may be the answer to everything. Has Winder got there already? It relies on the existance of eleven dimensions!

I wonder where Winders are hiding the donuts though!!!

In a black hole of course!