Er, I feel completely naive here so please bear with me!  Now in my late 40's I haven't sailed dinghies for over 25 yrs.....am going back and repeating the RYA courses in the next couple of months.  I have seen a couple of Rockets for sale at a reasonable price, and being something of an old bird, love the fact that clinker built dinghies are still available...call it nostalgia if you will.  Ok, enough waffling - as I am very rusty, can you advise on the merits, or otherwise of me buying one?  I don't want to get involved in racing, initially, but would like to tae my time to re-acquaint myself with dinghy sailing....pootling about on Southampton Water is ideal to start with.  Is this the wrong boat for me????  Thanks for reading my message : )

Dear Helen
Life starts at 50 “not 40”
Be alive “ride a Rocket”
If it feels wobberly “ease the string” sit back and wonder 
Better to be scary happy in Rocket than board on a raft
And you will meet the best’s crumblies on the water
Be happy AJ

Helen,

If you'd like to try poodling around Southampton Water in a Merlin, there there is a very nice Smokers at Netley that you are more than welcome to come and have a sail in.

And yes, AJ had it spot on, life really does begin at 50, at least for Merlin sailing.

Shout if you'd like a sail!

David

Merlins can be excellent value for money secondhand and are wonderful racing dinghys, but think carefully: They are designed for racing i.e. are tippy and 'pootling' implys sailing unaccompanied by rescue boats, you have to be confident in your and your crews ability and the state of your boat.

Thanks for your replies and advice so far - Dave, I have sent you an email!
Cheers

Helen

You could almost say "pootling" is an insult to a Merlin! However, a vintage craft may suit as it may be less tippy?

Sorry Mags - no insult intended!  The idea is to 'pootle' until I gain experience and confidence.....and then, who knows????

Hi Helen,

At our club's open day, there were a number of different dinghies available for a "try".
Comments on our NSM 2 - apart from the looks of a Merlin - can be summarised as :-
plenty of space
not tippy (I was helming! - and we had force 2-3 - but I wasn't racing!)
"cool" - from the youngsters.

Our club also runs a number of "Social" sailings Saturdays - with boat handling tehcniques, pracitce racing, treasure hunts - as well as a racing programme.

If you're in the Reading area - and want to try mine drop me an email.

Colin (3387)

I can offer an introductory sail on Langstone harbour in my NSM 1. We have a few members of Tudor SC, next door to a RYA approved sailing school, who cruise in informal company most Mondays and Wednesdays after 4 p.m. On a nice day we usually muster 2 elderly Merlins, a couple of Wayfarers and one or 2 other dinghies. So we can help each other out if there is an emergency.

I re-started dinghy sailing at 62. A Merlin is no pussy cat - brilliant in light winds and a thrill in Force 4. Haven't tried Force 5 yet!

Go for it!

Peter E

Well said Peter! 
I would say that the ability to race competitively one day, then sail away to a pub the next - is a great  plus point for the Merlin. If you want to sail from A to B (where B might well be a pub or site for the consumption of alcohol) then why not do it fast, not to mention in great style! 

Better still - work the dates so that both activities can be enjoyed. In years past, I've sailed 3199 from Netley around to the Hamble, sailed in Hamble Regatta, spent the rest of the day in the King and Queen (we were chucked out of the White Hart) then sailed back, in the dark, to Netley. And if 3025 is ready in time, that is what will happen this year too!

Has to be done!!

D