MERLIN ROCKET FORUM

Topic : River Kipper?

The design guide says that Phantom Kippers are quick tacking and good all rounders.

How would they fare as a river/inland boat?  

Would welcome any first hand experience of this design and its strengths/foibles.


Posted: 05/09/2017 10:48:50
By:
It depends on the builder I think. The Rowsell ones were really quick. Very good downwind especially. Won't tack as quickly as pure river boats like Passing Cloud or Quiver in little wind but a decent design.


Posted: 05/09/2017 11:05:35
By: Chris Rathbone
We had one and refurbed it for the first few years of sail /sailing a Merlin and found it to be OK, 2825 but I think it deteriorated in the hands of its subsequent owner. 
 
My recollection is that it had rocker enough for our weight but a slightly harder 'chine' than the later CT  based designs - looking at the transoms for comparison may be informative. Probably wouldn't have been my first choice for short tacking on a river course.
Probably not wide enough at the back to be as stable as later designs,  nor as powerful for the sea, being high bow tank the rig tension is limited esp. by the cascamite used to keep it all together.
 
So smaller inland venues may be its ideal habitat these days. As Chris says, there are well established designs for going quick on the river, sea and inland.  It may just be harder work with a kipper but its a Merlin so inherently rewarding regardless. 


Posted: 05/09/2017 18:01:51
By: KM

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