Hi all, just looking for some information if possible. I've just bought a Merlin sail number 2385, shes called Go Go Girl and am trying to identify her type maker etc.

Any info appreciated, I know from a sticker on her transome shes an ex delph sailing club boat(Bolton).

Thanks

She is a Mike Jackson design a widened Supersticion finished by her first owner from a shell by Andersen Rigden & Perkins of Whitstable, with her first owner - Keith Steel - she won the Silver Tiller in 1970, Keith came from Hollingworth Lake Sailing Club, sadly I believe he is no longer with us.

Thanks David, and for the swift response!

Way back in the 60s Keith Steele and his wife Jean nearly drowned when their Ford Cortina GT hit a balk of timber left on the road near Ranelagh S.C. by a high tide. I think they were going to Ranelagh for a drink after sailing at Wembley. It was dark, Keith didn't see the timber and the car careered down the slope into the river. Somehow they escaped and eventually made it to the Ranelagh bar in shock and soaking wet. Clive Curtis pulled the car out the following day with his Landrover, it was a write off.

Keith Steele was  shirt maker from Wigan Pier and his wife Jean owned a cafe. Keith started a sailmaking business called Northern Sails. We stayed with them when we sailed at the Belmont Basket when we were doing the Silver Tiller circuit. Their daughter Jackie often  crewed in Merlins.

He also made bright orange all in one waterproofs at about 1/2 the price of everybody else, they did however seem to lose their waterproofing earlier than others so weren't that good value! He was very helpful together with the rest of the Bolton crowd in getting the Merlin fleet off the ground at WLYC in the 1970's.

I worked at Keith Steele's shirt factory in Hallgate Wigan in 1955 and certainly recall the hydroplane 'Flippin Kid; he raced on Carmill Damn I remember he once took me up to Belmont in the back of the works van, when I was required to kneel in the back of the van an hold the sail steady so that it did not fall out of the van. It was about this time that he began to make sails with the machinists and his cutters assistance.
Unfortunately I was not very safety conscious at the tender age of 15 and after repeatedly insisting on carrying teired trays of tea upstairs I managed to drop one over the balcony rail and wan sacked. 
I still followed the racing at Carmill as it was close to where I lived, and was not surprised to see that Keith Steele was now Northern Sailmakers.
Funny how just a little memory sparks so much, good times in my life and would not have misse dit for the world

I worked at Keith Steele's shirt factory in Hallgate Wigan in 1955 and certainly recall the hydroplane 'Flippin Kid; he raced on Carmill Damn I remember he once took me up to Belmont in the back of the works van, when I was required to kneel in the back of the van an hold the sail steady so that it did not fall out of the van. It was about this time that he began to make sails with the machinists and his cutters assistance.
Unfortunately I was not very safety conscious at the tender age of 15 and after repeatedly insisting on carrying teired trays of tea upstairs I managed to drop one over the balcony rail and was sacked. 
I still followed the racing at Carmill as it was close to where I lived, and was not surprised to see that Keith Steele was now Northern Sailmakers.
Funny how just a little memory sparks so much, good times in my life and would not have missed it for the world

I worked in the factory owned by Keith Steele around 1970. Graham Leech, son of Rusty Leach(a well known dinghy sailor) made the sails and the shirt factory was on an upper floor of a large warehouse building in Wigan near a busy road. Not sure how far from the centre of town.Keith was very generous and keen on his merlin rocket. There was another Director of the company but I do not remember his name. I known the winter weather was very damp and I became quite ill with bronchitis. I left and went to Italy on a special project so I was in Wigan for only 6 months or so.A little before I had won the Lavengro Trophy by a half point I think in a borrowed merlin. It seems a long time ago. I think there was a cafe selling buns etc nearby.