Well I'm now the proud owner of 3365 Delboy a wooden NMS2 :D

(I'll be joining the association - any other more modern ways to pay other than a cheque of standing order form? Paypal? Or am I able to set the standing order up to the association from my online banking?)

I'm intending to do a refurb on her over the winter months and have a couple of questions I'm hoping you may be able to assist with.

The hull has a coating on it that I'm trying to work out what it is. The previous owner i bought her from suggested it was epoxy, but I'm starting to think it could be gelcoat. It is a very hard almost shell like coating. Perhaps one of the previous owners that applied the purple coating may be able to help?

The mast is aluminium and hog stepped, I believe it might be superspars. What's the best way to set a neutral rig position. I've read somewhere that I need to get the bow / stern level and to then set the mast at a vertical position from there? Where's the best place to measure the bow / stern level?

Just a couple to begin with - I'm sure more will come as I start fettling her :D

Thanks
Piers
NMS2 3365 Delboy

You can set up the standing order online account details are on te standing order form , also download a membership form and email it to me

I'm the treasurer,s dog by the way,  English pointer I am

Will then send you a pack of stuff

Setting the boat level is easy. A Merlin has a vertical bow/stem so just use a (vertical) spirit level on the stem to set the boat level. You could do the same with by using the spirit level on the transom but most people prefer to trust the stem. In general it is best not to assume anything else in the boat is perpendicular in any direction (particularly the thwart, which looks very tempting). There is some good advice in the library section of this website (some of which is only available to association members).

Part 2 of the process is then to measure your mast rake with a weight dangling on the main halyard.  This should be about 9" aft of the mast at mast gate level.  Also worth checking the mast is upright across the boat - assuming the boat is still symmetrical then if you cleat the main halyard at the point where it will just touch the deck next to the shroud on one side, then go round to the other side it will just touch there.  If it doesn't, fiddle with the shroud lengths.  When I last saw Del Boy the boat still had the original white 2 pack finish from Rowsell's.

Thanks Richard - I'll use the stem - I did see some information in the library and got blocked from most of it as I'm not a member yet. All the more reason to join.

Megan - thanks for the heads up, I'll get that sorted over the next day or so :D

Andrew Thanks for the tips, I'll be sure to follow them.

Delboy does still have the original 2 pack finish it seems... though it's now in what has been affectionately called by my colleagues as cerise pink.

piers this is not foolproof but I use a spirit level on the transom to get the boat level. Transom should be vertical unless its obvious that the boat has not been built with this in mind! It's the only reasonably flat surface that has easy access while on the trolley. On a Rowsell II it should be vertical, or as near as makes no odds

Del Boy's original colour was yellow and certainly not a two-pack!  Not sure what brand my brother used - possibly Woolworth's...
best of luck, he was a good old boat!

I'm glad to hear the original colour was yellow! It's current colour fits Del Boys capri rather than his reliant.

I've done some sanding this evening on the areas of damage on the hull and I'm not finding any yellow in there so it seems it has been previously stripped off.

It's certainly taking some sanding, so I assume it not has two pack on it. Does anyone have any suggestions for repairing/touching this up.

Here's a link to my photobucket album containing pics of the areas in need of attention.


http://photobucket.com/albums/t606/podmeister81/Del Boy

Perhaps this is a boat that could come on the second hand boat list ?  It is still there...  See the other thread about removing sold boats....

http://www.merlinrocket.co.uk/forum/main/topic.asp?topic=6623&forum=main&comments=8&page=1&sort=5&order=1&search=

It can come off the use boat list but to be fair to Gerry (bloke selling it) I did only buy it this Sunday. But I'd be happy for it to come off as I'm not intending it to be going anywhere soon.

Sorry for the double post.

I've finally finished faffing with the bits and bobs and I'm finally at the point of sorting the rig before getting on the water (hopefully this weekend).

When I'm sorting the mast (it is currently resembling a banana pointing to port when I apply any jib halyard tension and shroud tension.

After some good advice from a chap at my local club it looks like I may need to adjust my spreaders slightly. As the muscle boxes attached to the shrouds are indicating that they are applying the same pressure.

Firstly how much pressure should I apply to the jib halyard? I assume this must be correct before I consider looking at spreaders spreaders, shroud tension and rake etc. The halyard is seems to be packing quite a hefty purchase ratio to it, so I don't want to welly it on as hard as I can, just in case it is to powerful.

Secondly when I have the boat horizontal, do I make the mast vertical before applying jib tension and shroud tension or do I apply jib tension, followed by shrouds to bring the mast vertical? At what point do I start applying tension to my lowers?

Thirdly, what sort of tension should be on the shrouds once the are tensioned to a "standard" set up? I've read somewhere to have them set to 260lbs - however with my 3mm shrouds it will be at the very top end of my tension gauge.

I do apologise for all the questions, normally I'd hound local club members, but few have experience with merlin rockets and the only bloke who might (Glen Truswell) I haven't seen for a very long time. Tony who offered some advice is a very experienced pro-sailor (Won a fireball worlds at some point in his past) has tried to be as helpful as possible, but he has limited experience in merlins.

I really do appreciate any and all help. :)

Spreaders will normally influence the fore and aft bend but if the mast is bending to port or starboard then either the shrouds are of a different length, the shroud plates are not in the correct holes or the spreaders are set to different lengths.

Accepted advice on rig tension is once hiking out, apply enough shroud tension to just keep the leeward shroud tight, in light conditions pull on quite a bit of tension to give you a bit of prebend in the mast.  Your 200+ on the tension gauge may well be about right.  My previous attendances at the Rutland training have shown that rig tension isn't something most top sailors are obsessing about, but you haven't got a soft mast & a set of lowers.

Sounds as though there is a spreader problem, they can't be symmetrical, but check the mast isn't twisting at the heel.

...or have you got a soft mast & lowers?  Not the original set up but may well have been modified.  There are good articles in the library section.  Initially set the mast up with the shrouds snug but not tensioned to set rake, then apply the tension to look at prebend.

I think it must be a soft mast as I have a set lowers on it.

That was going to be one of my other questions, was around how and when to use them.

Piers, if you look in the Library section under Boat Tuning, you should find out how to set the lowers

Brill Thanks you.