Hey all, I was on the forum last Sept. looking for a rudder and tiller as I'd lost mine.  Anyway got phone call last week and my rudder back and am having a ball.  Two questions for you all though.
1) Last year I asked would eny of you know, off hand, any of the history of my boat and then I proceeded  to give you the wrong number.  (Yes, you may well see now why I lost the rudder in the first place!)  Anyway, if anyone knows anything about 2039 I'd be interested to know.
2)Also, brave enough last week to put up the large main sail to see it signed and dated 'J.M.D.' or 'M.D. Royal Yacht Assocation 8/5/72'.  Ring a bell with anyone?  I just found it interesting.  Maybe some of you will.

Mickey Deas from Bristol? A Nat 12 sailor and certainly an RYA measurer about then.

2039 'Percolator' was probably built in 1967 by Wyche and Coppock in Nottingham. She is a Ian Proctor designed 1Xb which was the most popular design at that time.
Her first owner was R M Perkinton, Plot 192 Field Rise, Littleover, Derby and Derwent SC.
The 1974 year book shows a new owner as P J Burns, 12 Barnwell Close, Stramshall, Uttoxeter, Staffs and Blithfield SC. That year book records that he also owned 2093 'Chuff' which was a Mike Jackson designed Sugar Plum. 
By 1976 she was owned by S Hall, 27 Cave Rd, Brough, Humberside.
In 1977 she had yet another owner, O R Jessop, Tumble Home, Skerbuttgate Rd, Pocklington, Nth Humberside.
The 1983 YB shows the owners as C & C Bowes, 31 Rockwood Drive, Skipton, Yorks and Craven SC. The year books don't appear to record where she may have gone from there.

That's great Tony.  Not sure where it went to in 1983 but by 2007 it was in County Roscommon in West Ireland with Peter Fredrick.   Unfortunately two hip replacements later, he felt he was beyond sailing dinghies and thanking my lucky stars I’m now sailing and loving every second of it.  It’s such a super boat sail.  
Maybe you or someone else out there could answer me this?  I presume, by your reply the original name was ‘Percolator’.  It’s now ‘Shattered Dreams’, which to be honest with you I’m not all that keen on.  However it is only a name and while I am not a superstitious person, I have a healthy respect for the water and have heard that it is very unlucky to change the name of a boat.  Would that include changing it back to its original name?  Any advice from you seasoned sailors would be great.

I've changed the names of a number of boats over the years, even though I am (as an Ulsterman) very superstitious! No ill effects yet..........!

Fingers crossed you'll be ok. 
Just don't paint it green, whistle, mention "the Scottish Play" or let a cross eyed woman near it!

There was a time when I used to make sure that there was no green on any of my boats, and used to order my spinnakers with no green luff tapes. How sad is that? 
Mind you, still not that keen on green on a boat.............

Rory, I'd have thought it would be good luck to change her name back to the one she was christened with.  Besides, Percolator sounds better than Shattered Dreams, which is a bit pessimistic to say the least!

Rory. I agree with Richard. It can't be wrong to change it back to 'Percolator'.

Green has always been an 'unlucky' colour in maritime history. There was a national outcry when Cunard's 'RMS Caronia' emerged from her builders in light green livery in the late 40s.

John Oakeley was very superstitious especially about green. Again, no green luff tapes no green clothes, no green insulation tape etc.
When we went to the Olympics in the Soling in 1972 again he insisted that there was no green on the boat. It was only afterwrds that we discovered that his mother in law had stuck a four leaf clover under the deck so he blamed that for coming 5th rather than winning a medal.

John was also superstitious about leaving port on a Friday. In the 50s I was one of a crowd of sailors from Minima and Ranelagh who sailed on a Channel cruise with John on his converted MFV. It was decided to leave Alderney on Good Friday but John adamantly refused to sail until after midnight by which time it was snowing heavily.

Black cats do it as well.

Hmmmmm! I have a large black cat at home, maybe I should get rid of him..........

Phil Kings NSM Bananas was green and very successful too.
See cover of Merlin Rocket Book. As seen on Ebay

Also I think so was his Smokers (3104) Ledgend green.

And his Bananarama (Rowsell Omega NSM1) was green as well

Maybe he'd have won the Championships sooner if he hadn't had a green boat................................?

I was told that you can change the name of a boat without ill effects if you do it at midnight! What you have to do though was not defined! (Good luck).

No, the Royal Navy did it all the time, however some old salts used to think that it was bad luck, so they followed the following rules. The origins of the changing names bad lack story goes back to when boats names were carved into the oak - into part of the keel, thus renaming the boat involved chiseling off part of the boat and thus weakening it. Like many good supersititions this one started with a truth! 

  1. First you must remove all physical traces of the boat's old name. Take the old log book ashore, along with any other papers that bear the old name. Check for offending books and charts with the name inscribed. Be ruthless. Sand away the old name from the lifebuoys, transom, top-side, dinghy, and oars. Yes, sand it away. Painting over is not good enough. You're dealing with gods here,  you understand, not mere dumb mortals. If the old name is carved or etched, try to remove it or, at the very minimum, fill it with putty and then paint 
over. And don't place the new name anywhere on the boat before the denaming  ceremony is carried out. That's just tempting fate.

  2. De-name. How you conduct the ceremony depends entirely on you. If you're the theatrical   type, and enjoy appearing in public in your yacht club blazer and skipper's   cap, you can read it with flair on the foredeck before a gathering of   distinguished guests. But if you find this whole business faintly silly and   embarrassing, and only go along with it because you're scared to death of what 
might happen if you don't, you can skulk down below and mumble it on your own.   That's perfectly okay. The main thing is that you carry it out. The words must   be spoken. 

There are two things to watch out for here. Don't use cheap-cheap champagne, and don't try to keep any for yourself. Buy a second bottle if you want some. Get a namer with a strong right arm and good aim, cut round the bottle with a glass cutter to ensure breakage (Champagne Bottles are strong.) - Cunard NB!)
Use a brew that's reasonably expensive, based on your ability to pay. ensure whole lot goes on the boat. One of the things the gods of the sea despise most  is meanness, so don't try to do this bit on the cheap. 
You can do the renaming right  after the denaming, if you want, but I personally would prefer to wait at least 24 hours to give any lingering demons a chance to clear out. 
  DENAMING CEREMONY - Script
"In the name of all who have sailed aboard this ship in the past, and in the   name of all who may sail aboard her in the future, we invoke the ancient gods   of the wind and the sea to favor us with their blessing today." 
"Mighty Neptune, king of all that moves in or on the waves; and mighty Aeolus (pronounced EE-oh-lus), guardian of the winds and all that blows before them:   We offer you our thanks for the protection you have afforded this vessel in   the past. We voice our gratitude that she has always found shelter from   tempest and storm and enjoyed safe passage to port." 
"Now, wherefore, we submit this supplication, that the name whereby this vessel has hitherto been known (_____), be struck and removed from your records. Further, we ask that when she is again presented for blessing with another name, she shall be recognized and shall be accorded once again the selfsame privileges she previously enjoyed." 
"In return for which, we rededicate this vessel to your domain in full knowledge that she shall be subject as always to the immutable laws of the gods of the wind and the sea. In consequence whereof, and in good faith, we seal this pact with a libation offered according to the hallowed ritual of the sea." 
Renaming is the simple:
" I name this ship/yacht/Merlin Rocket (......) and may God bless/help all who sail in her

I think you can use other things than champagne - if appropriate.

We re-launced our Merlin with Whisky (MR 3287 - Tartan Warrior - no name change), and in keeping with the correct tradition, didn't waste any!

There's a story going around anout the RN - and launching on a Friday.
Apparently the ship's keel was laid on a Friday, comissioned on Friday and set sail on Froday 13th..


Never to be seen again. Ture/fale - basis for superstition?
Colin

I would not take risks.
Do it right or do not do it.

Glad to have caught all yuor interest.  I think 'Shattered Dreams' will return to 'Percolator' as soon as the Weather Changes in Ireland and she's going to be in the shed for a month.
By the way, did you all not see where the boat is at the minute.  Ireland.  If any of you think I'm going to waste good champagne or whiskey either re-christening her, well that would just go agaist my culture.  I mean, lads, in fairness.  The nearest this Rocket'll get to Champagne across her bows will be if I go sailing in the morning time as a cure for the night before!!!!!
By the way, on a more serious note, anyone know the origional colour of the hull of 2039?

Scrape away you'll find it!

I'd be suprised if it wasn't varnished.

Thanks, I'm just very wary about doing anything too rash with the boat, particularly the hull.  Remember your talking to a complete amateur here.  I still don't think I'm into doube figures as to the hours I've spent sailing, (windsurfed yes)
While I have some of your attention.  It's taking in a fair sup of water, eg. after a couple of hours there couple be a couple of inches in it.  I have a feeling it's the front self drain valves.  Any ideas on how to seal them better.  I'm thinking of taking a mastic gun to them, but want your advice first.

Rory,

"quick & dirty" way to stop the bailers leaking is duct tape from the outside. That will confirm the suggestion.
To renew the seals requires dismantling the bailer (before you repaint the hull - 'cos you'll have to re-fill the screw heads etc!).

I don't think that there is an easy way to stop the leak and open the bailer,

Colin

They might just be clogged with sand. Scrub for ages with a toothbrush, and get some beefy pliers to bend the sides back straight (I bet they aren't!). Examine from both sides to make sure they have closed completely flush.

A quick & Dirty fix if the seals are a bit iffy is bathroom tile sealant (the rubber stuff.) squeezed round the joint on the inside it's only a friction seal anyway so you're just making another. Do as Mags says first; make sure it's clean and true.

Thanks.  I'll get cracking.  Will try cleaning and straightening them.  Then I'll tackle the seals.  I don't think I'm going to take the drains off.  A bit of water never hurt.  It'd be a different story if I was racing or something but I think I'll just keep a wee bailing bucket handy!

"Wee bailing bucket"

Don't buy one! Take a used plastic milk bottle (2 litre of 4 litre square one). Replace the cap, then cut off the base at an angle. You now have a bailer with a handle.

Works very well (flat base lets you scoop the water, the plastic is soft & flexible (no damage to toes or varnish) and if you throw it overboard a replacement isn't expensive...
(not that I'm mean or anything!)

Colin

However....a bailer has a useless capacity compared to a bucket. With the right 'whirlwind' technique, you can empty a boat so much faster with a bucket, though of course you cant get the very last drips out.

If going fast enough (Not very needed.) you can always put down the self bailers they'll empty much faster than they leek.

Mags - you're quite right.

Nothing enpties a boat faster than a frightened man with a bucket..
(been there, inverted Firefly opposite Chatham, righted & bailed out).

The scoop is really for the summer evening drift-about on the lake...
Too slow to use the suction bailers, too slow to use the transom flaps, but the water still comes in over the gunwhales.

And, of course, both should be tied to the boat with enough line so that you can use them without untieing the line. There's nothing worse than seeing your bucket float away from your swamped dinghy.
(well there is, of course, just seems bad at the time.)

Seeing your buoyancy bag float away from your capsized dinghy is worse

Seeing your (new) female crew swimming away from the boat capsized at Dorchester for the purposes of recapturing the removable sleeves from her spray top as they floated away was also an interesting moment. She did return, sleeves in hand, wardrobe intact, and got into the "ready to scoop" position before the rescue boat plucked about 30lbs of pond weed off the end of the mast before I could get the boat upright!!!!

Those sound like some interesting moments.  I haven't even managed to capsize yet.  Although I have come damn close.  Have I just tempted fate or what!!!!!!!  Bank holiday weekend here in Ireland so, sure this is as good a week as any. 
Handy tip about the milk carton.  Will tie it on beside the bucket.  Safe sailing everyone.

Sorry to resurect this thread from the dead - but I used to own Percolator and was very excited to see some more information about her.

I bought her possibly in 1997 from a guy who had owned her for quite some time. The chap kept her at Beaver Sailing Club (Near Goole, Humberside). I had her for a few years and loved her, she was quite dilapidated as the previous owner had made some modifications that were not the best (decking over the spinnaker chute for one), but she ignited a love for Merlin Rockets that I've never really shaken.

I eventually gave her to another club member who at the time had previously owned an osprey and got rid of it after an angina attack on the water. He took the boat away and painted the hull black (away from the previous deep blue it was before) and changed the name to shattered dreams. This was much to my dismay as she truly suited the name Percolator.

I would love to find out where it is now - I think I read earlier she was in Ireland?

Thanks Piers