I have just bought 1869 doodlebug and would welcome any information regarding its past , i would also like to know if there is a handicap formula for historical merlins that could be used in club sailing events.

Hi Alex
Welcome to the MROA (membership is very worthwhile). I am sure that you will get considerable support tracing the history of this boat. 
The MROA supports two handicap systems and both can be found in the Vintage Boats section on the front page (look for the heading 'Handicap Alterations'). The first is for vintage boats at least 30 years old racing together. This is primarily for the De May series - a 16 event series for the De May trophy. The second is for older boats racing in a mixed handicap fleet - you could suggest/negotiate its adoption to your club handicapper. Both should appear in the 2009 Year Book.

well, you have something of a rarity there. The design is a Dobson, with the boat being built at Aln Boatyard.

Wait on here a while longer and Ancient Geek will (I hope) give some more detail on the boat.

d

David, sorry for the delay but I have just put the phone down from talking to Arnott Dobson who confirmed what I thought, that is; it was a copy and fusion of a Proctor Mk 9 and a Surf Scoter (Beat Nik etc.)(The latter was to some extent a Wyche & Coppck MK 9 rip off anyway.)Arnott wanted to build MR's and Proctor was notoriously coy about who built his designs and the Debenham/Truman team was in the process of breaking up. 
If Arnott built the boat concerned it will have been well built using good quality ply and resourcenal glue (No idea if that's how it's spelt but its how it's said.)Sadly the boat did not bother the engravers of trophies though. Though who knows in its vintage guise?

Thanks for all the usefull info, my dad is a member of the MROA; i'll join later this season when i start work. i am picking the boat up this week it appears to be in good shape but with well worn sails , i am hopeing to sail at bolton sailing club who are trying to build the numbers in their  Merlin fleet; there are some newer  boats as well as older ones at this club so can the handicap be applied in fleet racing as well as handicap fleets , i also have no papers for the boat and would like to get copies of these if possible. The name should have been  doodlebug (i hit the wrong key )and any further info regarding her would be great.

The RYA will oblige they will have the original measurement form for a boat of yours age. Send them the sail number and the £20.00 (Or whatever the fee is.) and they'll issue a certificate in your name. There is probably a pro-forma you can get off the RYA Web site for this.

For paperwork - write to the RYA technical department stating the boat name and number, design etc - in fact as much as you know about the boat.  State that you are the owner with your name and address.  A fee of £20 applies if you are not aan RYA member.  I was told that this is not a measurement certificate and that you will be responsible for remeasuring to ensure that if there have been modifications that the boat is still in class.  Address your letter FAO Bas Edmonds.  By doing that if it isn't on the computer he will be able to go to the original paper files.  Thanks to Dave Chivers who pointed me in the right direction on this for my old boat Gannet 252

The handicap adjustments the MROA advises are here

Alex,
If you are going to sail at Bolton look out for Hyperion 2789 the same September Girl design as Ben's 2529. I sold her to Simon Dean, a Bolton member, in Sept 2007. She was very good in light weather. If your boat comnbines the best aspects of the Proctor and Debenham designs she ought to sail well. I bought 3112 the orignal NSM 1 to replace 2789 in June 2007 to sail in the more boisterous conditions near Portsmouth. She is a much better sea going boat.
I hope you do not find too much renovative work to do!

Sorry about the delay in replying (2 years) but I have just happened by chance on your post. I bought doodlebug from Arnott in 1968 and kept her until 1972. Since Arnott built her as his personal boat she was in absolutely beautiful condition then with the exception of the terrible spinnaker chute that I cut in the foredeck (teenagers have no sense). I sold her on to another youngster at Blyth and have not seen her since. She was not the fastest boat except in very light wind when she seemed to have an advantage. 

I would love to see a photo if you have one. I know I have a black and white of my brother and I sailing her at Blyth in the '60s