http://www.italianmerlin.blogspot.it
 
Happy Christmas Everyone !!
 
Best wishes
 
Ainslie French

Looking good Ainlsie

Have but a link on the Revival Page 

https://www.facebook.com/groups/merlinrocketrevival/

 Thanks very much for your kind words Miles.
 
Building this Merlin Rocket and getting it right has been, and continues to be, pretty tough work, both physically and mentally.
 
Best wishes
 
Ainslie

It does look good.  Having assisted with the build of 3430, I understand the 'tough' bit - if you haven't done this before working out how it all goes together is challenging - our fit out plans were a guide but there was a lot of thinking and guess work involved.  Amazingly, nearly 30 years later, it's still (mainly) holding together (thanks DH).  I think that your bow fitting ought to turned round through 90 degrees - the main load on that fitting is rig tension induced, and hence up and back, rather than sideways from the wind load.
 
Keep up the good work - you'll be so proud once she's on the water. 

Hello Ainslie

Tips and advice always available on here, or on Revival Page. No need to go it alone.

Have a good Christmas

 Dear Rob, Miles & Everyone at MROA,
 
Firstly, a Happy and Fortuitous New Year to everyone.
 
Thanks for your comments Rob. It is reassuring to know that the hurdles I have encountered in building these craft have also been experienced by others. My points of reference during the build have been three independent systems of measurement - a method discussed for navigation by Francis Chichester in his book "The Romantic Challenge".
 
Regarding the bow fitting mounting, unfortunately it is not square and so I cannot rotate thru' 90 degrees as you kindly suggest. The bolts are fitted thru from below and all has been epoxied on the underside and so a major alteration now is not an option. Potentially, I could have a custom built replica with the holes relocated, but for now I will continue with the current, Laurie Smart, configuration - but thanks for the considerations.
 
Miles, thank you once again for your encouragement and willingness to help me out in the event I get really stuck. I would like to make recourse to the MROA mine of information when I start stringing the Merlin. In fact, this is one of the aspects which I find the most daunting.
 
Once again, thank you and a Happy 2018 to everyone.
 
Best Wishes
 
Ainslie French