Hi there, having just bought Sunday Driver,3100, Winderbox, and being brand new to sailing a merlin I am a bit flummoxed with the two pole system. Is there any books or internet info that can explain how to set it up quite simply? As although I am a fairly experienced laser sailor, my 52 year old crew has only ever sailed big yachts. Any tips or advice on the basics of merlin driving would be greatly appreciated ;-) |
Well I should probably leave more info. I do have the poles attached to the guys via some twinning lines, and the spinny end of the poles has a guy attached higher up the mast, but means that there is no pole up haul or down haul. Is that the norm? The thing that gets me, how does the mast end of the poles stay secure to the boom when beating? Do I lash up some bugee cord or something? Help :-) |
If you look in the rigging guide you should find the info you need. A picture tells a thousand words! |
Where are you sailing her? The best option is to find someone locally who sails a Merlin and see their set-up first hand. Other than this the poles lie alongside the Boom upwind and the Uphaul is usually operated by a control line lead to the bottom of the mast. |
General modern boats description (although there are many variations!): |
Also see this gallery. http://www.merlinrocket.co.uk/gallery/default.asp?folder=gallery/rigging_guide/3489 |
Awesome guys, thanks. I have figured the bungee routing out. That's the bit I was struggling with. We had the spinny up and flying for the first time on thursday night. Happy days, I'm still smiling :-) Merlin Rockets are just FANTASTIC !!!!!! |
Awesome guys, thanks. I have figured the bungee routing out. That's the bit I was struggling with. We had the spinny up and flying for the first time on thursday night. Happy days, I'm still smiling :-) Merlin Rockets are just FANTASTIC !!!!!! |
does the snodger require any purchase? |
As long as you pull it on hard before the spinny flaps too much or fills 2:1 is adequate BUT the whole system needs to be low stretch. I now have an effective 4:1 as I have twinned the control to either side of the centrecase, which is definitely easier. On a tight reach the ring wants to pull out of the end of the pole and this will allow the pole to sag onto the jib luff (risk of breakage with carbon poles) and you lose effective pole length just when you need it most. In older boats there's often not a lot of room for the purchase so the lengths have to be just right. I have been caught out twice by setting the system up to work easily with the mast upright forgetting that you need quite a bit more length in the snodger with full rake on. If you have already cut off the ends of your expensive low stretch string it does not generate happiness. If you forget for a 2nd time when the string next needs replacing and have your crew fail to get the pole on at all when it's really honking in big waves the air round even the calmest boat can get a bit blue. |