My gf has said that as a reward for following her to London for a 2 year work sabbatical I am allowed to get a Merlin Rocket, pennies dependant of course. My question is, what pre-tales design could be brought up to a similar level as an early Canterbury tales through re-rigging and judicious use of the secondhand parts list for sails and things? I've got my eye on a Tales for £2K, but I also like projects! Need a boat for mostly sea venues but some inland, crew weight probably in the 160-170kg range, although sometimes a bit less. I know the cheapest and most sensible option would be a secondhand tales, but more interested in what other designs could be upgraded. I'll probably borrow my brother's Smokers til then, but he is keen to helm his own boat... Thoughts?

Hi Andy. If you want to upgrade a boat for under 2k then your only real options would be a Thin Ice or a Summer Wine. Opposite ends of the weight ranges though as the Summer Wine is a light weights boat the Thin Ice is for porkers like me. As you say, a Tales is your best option and there is plenty of upgrades you can still do to them if you really want to. A good one can still be competative with the mid to tail end boats at championship level. 

Have a look at how the guys sailing Armed Forces at the Nationals got on. They were giving us a good run in our new Winder Tales and they wre carryinf 27 Stone on board.

Thanks Jeremy - NSM 1, 2 or 4 no use?

Not if you want to be competative on the Sea. The NSM 4 might just about cut it but you would be trailing at the back against a Tales. If you want to do more pond or river stuff the NSM 2 can't be bettered in my opinion.

Not so much for big courses on open water as are outclassed on downwind speed, certainly the 1&2, less so the flatter 4.  There are only a few boats around from the era immediately before the plastic Tales became the backbone of the fleet (I own one, and when it remained in one piece and pointed in the right direction we were still competitive on boatspeed at the Nationals - we had persistent problems with both those issues however!) it is hard to find e.g. a Riders on the Storm or Once Bitten, either of which would be competitive and suitable to upgrade.  19 year old Aerolite glue goes a bit fragile, as I have learnt to my cost!

Andrew 3511

Tales still out performs any of the NSMs on a pond particularly on offwind legs but also slightly better upwind.  An upgraded ROTS would work well but only if you learn how to get performance in lighter winds and not many around.  Early Tales would be best.

I would agree with both of those comments. Andrew did go well inbetween the swimming and boat wrecking ;-)

The Heaven Sent, ROTS and Once Bitten would all be good boats still, as would/is Danger Batt, Diamond Smiles and Nice Legs but they are all either one off's or few and far between and so you could be waiting a long time.

There are 2 boats currently for sale that I would be after if I were in your market, although they will both set you back a little more than your 2k, and they are 3566 Pocket Rocket (I am sure Stuart will want it to go to a good home soon) and 3471 Savage. Both are very good boats well sorted and capable of holding their own. Savage could be modified to the current Winder shape if you really wanted to go down that route as it is out of the same mould. You might have to spend a little more but would get it back at a later date.

Pocket Rocket is a 'Make it So' designed and built by Laurie Smart. It is my opinion that this is one of the fastest shapes out there given the right weight and conditions, certainly off wind. If a plastic version had been made and given to the right person, we might still be making them.

Jez, you're doing yourself no harm in the popularity stakes :-)

Andy, if it's more a project you're after I wouldn't underestimate the amount of effort required to completely one-string a tales - well worth doing & definitely glad I completed it before the champs.

Hi Andy

I currently have 3542 'Steppenwolf' sitting in my workshop. It was Ian Holt's last design - very wide, flat and good at sea. I don't know how much of a project you are after, but you can have the bare hull for nothing if you want it. I am afraid that the poor old girl has been left full of water at some time in her life and there are a couple of soft patches (push-your-finger-through rotten) along the garboards and around the frame below the thwart, although it is (in my opinion as a boatbuilder) still salvageable. You can take her as she is free of charge, otherwise I would be happy to give you a price for making the hull structurally sound, ready to paint and fit out. It is completely stripped out with very few fittings left, but I can probably dig up a centreboard and hoop if you want. I can also lay my hands on a secondhand carbon rig. The remnants of a lever-based one-string raking system (see earlier forum post) are also still there. Send me an email if you want any more info or photos. The boat is in Thorpe-le-Soken, Essex. I would like to see it go to a good home, otherwise I am planning on making myself a Merlin-shaped bookcase........

email [email protected]

email [email protected]

Very sad about Steppenwolf - it was only back in 2008 that Dave Fowler used to sail her quite effectively on the midland circuit and she was in good nick then.  Would be worth saving.

She would be worth saving, but Simon, if you do make her into a book case please remember to tell me (keeper of Class Records) that she has been destroyed.

I hope not to hear from you!

Hi, I currently have 3482 Heavy Artillery, sitting at TVSC looking for a new home, Canterbury Tales designed by Ron Hall, Boat varnished last year inside, decks and underneath require painting and varnishing, comes with carbon rig and combi trailer, would like 2,300 but I know it needs work and just don't have time to do it, open to offers for this reason. 07980 696665

Andy/

Heavy Artillery was/is a good boat and certainly worth a call if you are looking for something copetitive in your price range. If all that is required is a deck varnish and paint then I suspect you could negotiate a reasonable price. Nnote that she is also being sold with the carbon spangly bits which is a huge plus.

I've already had a couple of offers for Steppenwolf from potential good homes, so hopefully she won't be made into bookshelves just yet - although haven't Merlins got a reputation for looking like bits of furniture???

Thanks guys, going to go and have a look at Steppenwolf as she sounds interesting, but will keep the others in mind!

"Tales still out performs any of the NSMs on a pond particularly on offwind legs but also slightly better upwind"

Hey Richard - wasn't always the case was it? ;)

One swallow does not make a summer, neither does one fine day.

lounge lizard (3484) has been for sale for ages last time i saw it at whitstable sailing she had all the carbon bits and was going well. could be worth a cheeky offer