Hi
I am wondering if anyone could tell me the widths of a Smokers satisfation, NSM & a NSM 2 gunnel to gunnel.
I am trying to get my head around which boat would work best for me -- norfolk broads,various crews, or no crew at all -- sometimes.

Thanks in advance.

bert

Actually all are approx 6' 10" wide, NSM 1 or II would be a bit more stable, both can be found in GRP, have to say wider Merlins are not really single handers

Looked at from above all 3 are pretty much the same but the sections are different with the Smoker's much more rounded with a bit more rocker and the NSM flatter in section and rocker, the NSM2 somewhere in between.  Satisfaction was narrower but older and not nearly so plentiful.

Thank you for your comments.
The single handed times will be few & far between but when it`s a good day to be on the water during the week, Shame to miss those day`s,Hence sometimes singlehanded.

You can sail a Merlin single-handed but it's a bit of a handful unless the wind is quite light.  Also you find that you end up wanting to sit on the centreboard handle going downwind which isn't comfortable unless your anatomy is a bit strange.  Hoisting and dropping the spinny is fun, more so the drop

Bert, if you want a single handed Merlin, why not try a Harrier? They can be picked up for about £300 (if you can find one), and there are several sailing on the Broads. Michael Mcnamara has one for his 'recreational' sailing at Norfolk Broads YC.

why is Patrick wearing the long syrup?
The Harrier looks good - did sail one a long time ago - maybe we should build a few more Kieth?

Stuart, your own Heatwave and my new Hadron singlehander are descendents of the Harrier. Hadron is a close cousin of MR3708 WICKED so can also rightfully claim to be a singlehanded Merlin.
Actually, Patrick doesn't seem to have aged a bit. We all wore strange hair in the 70s, did we not?

Hi 

The plan is to sail the merlin singlehanded SOMETIMES but not all the time or even jsut everynow & again.
I did have a harrier plus at one stage & enjoyed the boat, It was sailed at rollesby broad where it still is being sailed by an other owner now.
I have seen the Hadron on the www.site but not in the flesh - might be able to do that in december - & could well be interested in building one after I have moved house.
Either way the plan is crewed sailing & singlehanded every now & again.

Kieth - the Hadron looks like a good development - who built this one? 
Can you sit on the side without it tipping in in no wind?
looks like there is somewhere to sit in Light Airs and downwind - might be interested!

Is the name Hadron inviting the chance of collisions? Or perhaps these can't happen except in particular laboratory conditions?

Keith built it himself,its based on my MR 'Wicked, 3708, uses a standard carbon MR mast in this case a Chipstow

they used to say we'd all disappear into a black hole or something once the Hadron collider got going. Maybe it's portent of things to come...passed the gybe mark and just dematerialised!

Hi, I'm back after a jaunt up to Wroxham Broad to test out the new sail for Hadron that Michael McNamara has made. We tried to get the boat to sail faster than the speed of light, but failed.
Stuart, it's not as tippy as your Heatwave, and with no double bottom aft of the centreboard it is even more comfortable. Come over and and have a sail! You too Bert!

Hi Keith

I would be very interested  to that suggestion as building one isn`t too far a stretch.
I can always PM you to find out when you are at Alton water or nearer to me at wroxham nearer the time that I am available.

Bert

Bert, Hadron is currently sailing in the Winter Series at AWSC every Sunday morning until 18 December. Then it's the Bloody Mary on 7 January. The January edition of Y&Y (on sale on 8 December) will feaure Hadron in the 'new boats' section, to be followed by a full test soon after. Please email me.

Surely this is off topic and just a commercial advertisement for a builder of another class of boat or am I missing the point.

Welcome to the MRAO forum and it's wanderings.
I guess being a newcomer excuses you from knowing the names posted above wouldn't need an invitation or introduction to any topic on the forum and that it's the forum which benefits from the input rather than the 'builder of another class of boat'
The moderators soon sanitise any inapropriate postings lol

This is not "just another builder".  Keith Callaghan is a much respected long time Merlin designer and crew who has recently returned to the class with a new boat "Wicked".  His singlehanded derivatives of a Merlin have always been of interest to Merlin sailors.

Thanks for your positive comments KM and JC, but 'newcomer' is right to say that this topic wandered off a bit (mea culpa). The 'commercial' tag stings a bit, however: I will never get rich selling MR plans, or even Hadron plans for that matter. Most of you will know that I do it for the immense satisfaction of seeing one's theories turned into a real, aesthetically pleasing, functioning object.

All MR forum discussion wander off topic - some faster than others.
Any blatant advertising will be removed by a moderator, so please rest assured that Keith's comments/links have passed the censor! No worries.