It seems that Rong Number is up for sale, which can only be a good thing as it is a fast boat aswell as a beautiful boat as all Let it Rides are, however the claim that it is the fastest wooden Merlin ever is up for debate.

Personally I would say that of the latest boats that would have to go to Gangsta surely? and if we go back in time a little maybe Charge of the Light Brigade? There was almost a decade past with COTLB in the top 6 at the champs every year. I would say having seen it at Salcombe last year that it would be now in the right hands!

Unfortunatley it seems the time when we got stand out boats like that has passed................or has it?

No pressure Rob, Laurie & Keith!!

Maybe it was stand-out sailors in those boats. When I first became interested in Merlins, Rong number with Glen, was in the top two at every meeting...2004, I think...

Still believe that the 2 Joyriders are quicker. 3547 and 3579. The Winders have paid the highest compliment by dropping the bow, moving the board and changing the run to very similar.
However, none for sale.
BFN

Is 3579 not a Honeymoon? Was that the boat you borrowed for tha champs a couple of year back Barnsie? You went quite quick in it if remember.

What is the difference in a Joyrider to a Watermark then? There are two of those on the list including Jackos old one.

They are all variations on the CT, from memory the garboards were a little flatter but it is all in the design guide. The Joyrider was more radical for it's time with the deeper stem. Personally i think they suffered from their rather unconventional space-frame and canvas foredecks (Except the two Joyriders which were decked normally) and would if produced today perhaps have acheived more of a following becasuse  wooden decks are no longer the norm. They are certainly not slow today and were a good boat of their time

Certainly Davo's boat, along with all the other Let it Rides, will be remembered as the outstanding boats of their day. I'm rather hoping mine will turn a few heads this year!!

I've only seen Rong Number briefly, and haven't seen Storm Cloud - can you tell me what makes them more beautiful than other well-maintained wooden boats with sapele decks? Was there something different from the norm used?

Hi Mags

I don't think there was anything different about the materials and there are other wood Merlins out there which are just as pretty as the Kev Driver Let It Rides, but arguably nothing else which is as quick - even today they are still competitive at the top level.

I meant outstanding as in performance and results rather than appearance, whether people choose to beleive that the Rowsell Tales mod or Jacko's Joyrider were better/equal you can't argue with the results they acheived or the fact that all of Kevin's Let it Rides were incredibly quick almost regardless of who sailed them, a bit like the the batch of Jon Turner wooden and composite boats (Armed Forces, Charge, Savage et al) that preceeded them as the outstanding merlin of their day.

Appearance wise, all of the wooden boats built by Spud, Turner, Kevin, Lawrie and Jacko just look "right". Can't really explain why, they are just "right"!

Nowadays of course the Winder placcies have caught up, but if you want a nice looking competetive boat the LIR is very much still on the pace as Glen Trusswell has proved over the winter events.

Heaven Sent was the last wooden Merlin produced with a varnished inside and thwart.  Can't beat it for looks but the maintenance is definitely more of an issue than with a plastic boat.  I'm waiting for Wicked to come out of Laurie's shed!

Sorry Andrew but I beg to differ, Unfinished Business and Mutineer both have pretty varnished internals, indeed Mutineer will shortly be appearing on the for sale list.

Now Mutineer will be a good buy.. Beautiful boat exceptionally maintained by the late Mr Hadfield.  Often wondered when it would appear..

GGGGGGGG

I'd forgotten those ones, mine was the last Turner wood boat though.  Built by Linton according to him as Jon Turner was whizzing around abroad and not doing the actual building

Plenty of wooden boats on the river, built by craftsmen and faster than Rong Number in the right conditions.  So there.

Now that the virtue of the Joyrider has been acknowldged  -  when will details appear in the design guide?

It is so good to see a very well sailed wooden boat win the Hamble Silver Tiller part of the Warming Pan and be there or therabouts for the whole weekend too. Perhaps of the "Golden Oldies" should be kept bang up to date.

Only wooden boats have ever the championships at Whitstable

Perhaps Glen will buy Charlies boat,after all he's tried most of the others!!

Was that a prediction?? (See the post 2 above this one)...

Yes - I think it was.
Note to self - must get a fast wooden boat organised for 2014?